A/N: I don't usually do this for my stories, but… trigger warning.
While Charlie definitely appreciated the fact that Alastor actually went out of his way to make a commercial for the Hotel… it wasn't exactly a solid message for what they were trying to do.
It treated the Hotel too much like a joke, in her opinion. She wanted sinners to see the Hotel as a place of hope, not a joke.
"Bad? I was going for hilarious!" Alastor freely admitted after Vaggie outright told him it was bad, and it was clear that the moth demon didn't appreciate that.
"It didn't explain anything about how we're trying to save demons from extermination, which is the whole fucking point." Vaggie snapped, gripping her head in frustration as she glared at Alastor.
"Vaggie's right, Alastor." Charlie chided the radio demon slightly, offering a smile as she agreed with her girlfriend. "The commercial was to let sinners know we're trying to help them."
"Well, my dear, I haven't been active in Hell for some time and everyone remembers me from my radio show!" Alastor retorted, his ever-present grin never fading as he spoke. "The proper medium to express oneself! But you insisted on this noisy picture box advertisement, so I had a little fun with it." He tossed his cane between his hands as his smile seemed to change into a cheeky grin.
"Oh, fun. You had a little fun with it?" It was clear that Vaggie wasn't anywhere near pleased with Alastor's game, as she jumped to her feet and stood atop the couch. "Well, this is not what we want to represent us. When you showed up here a week ago, you said that you would help us! Instead, you're mocking us! Nobody's going to want to-"
Thump, thump, thump, thump,
"What the hell's going on in here?" The familar deep rumble followed the loud thumping footsteps as John's gargantuan form strolled into view with a look of confusion. "What's with all the yelling?"
"Well, Alastor was nice enough to make a commercial for us, but it…" Charlie paused as she tried to think of a nice way to word it. However, Vaggie beat her to the punch.
"It makes us look like a complete joke and does absolutely nothing to show what the point of the Hotel even is." The moth demon explained as she glanced towards the behemoth.
John looked at the two of them, before turning to Alastor for his own input.
"Radio is the only proper medium of expression, but they insisted on the picture box. I had a little fun." Alastor explained quite simply to the behemoth, smile never leaving his face.
"Well, this ain't the thirties, so I'm gonna have to shoot that down." John retorted with a raised brow as he moved closer, until his massive frame was right behind the couch. "Whether you like it or not, radio is outdated. So if you were gonna make this commercial, you should've done it right."
Charlie appreciated the input, giving the behemoth a smile at his words, and Vaggie had a smug grin on her face as she turned to Alastor.
"Eh tu, John?" Alastor asked, feigning heartbreak. "Why, I thought my friend would be on my side."
That… still messed with Charlie. In the days since John had come to the Hotel, he seemed to have gotten along with everyone. However, he seemed to have hit it off quite nicely with Angel and Alastor.
Considering how different their morals and beliefs seemed to be, Alastor was quite a shock.
"Being a friend means being honest." John replied with a small chuckle as he shook his head in amusement. "Sorry, Al."
"Oh well." Alastor muttered in feigned disappointment, which was hard to notice at all due to the ever-present smile. "At least you will tell me the truth."
A hand suddenly raised into the air, causing all eyes to move towards the source, where Angel Dust sat lounging atop the couch with a grin on his face.
"If'n you filming a commercial, may I suggest you take advantage of the talented celebrity you have right here." Angel suggested as he did a suggestive show of sorts, picking up a bottle of liquor as he did so.
"No." Both John and Vaggie answered simultaneously with a refusal, both shooting Angel an unamused look. To which, the spider-demon pouted in response.
"Party poopers."
Charlie once again couldn't help but to smile. Despite his disinterest in being a guest, John seemed to genuinely want the Hotel to succeed regardless. He'd give honest input where he could, and despite some obvious distrust, he and Vaggie were always on the same page when it came to the Hotel's well-being.
"Angel, I appreciate you wanting to use your, um, special skills to… attract folks to the Hotel… but I really don't want to… um… exploit you! In that way." It took Charlie a bit to find the proper words, but she didn't want to seem mean to Angel. While she did appreciate that he pitched an idea at all…
Well, she definitely wasn't comfortable going along with it.
"Yeah, that's her way of saying no porn." John gave the blunt translation of her words with a grin. "I'm trying to figure out if that's supposed to be an actual idea or a joke."
"Ah, fuck you, Spike." Angel gave a good natured grin despite his words, flashing a middle finger to the behemoth, who promptly returned it with one of his own. "Besides, I got it all! The arms, the stamina, the legs, I got the lung capacity… I got the legs-!"
"Yeah, yeah, I got skills in bed too and you don't see me bragging about it." John interrupted Angels rather inappropriate tirade with a grin, eliciting a chuckle from Alastor in response.
"Indeed. One must feel quite inferior to brag so much about something so pointless!" The Radio Demon joked at Angel's expense, once again prompting the spider to pout.
"Jerks."
John could be heard chuckling in response, but Charlie's attention faded away at that moment when she felt the vibration of her phone beginning to ring, along with the sound of her ringtone.
Whoever she expected it to be, however, the very last person she'd expected had been her father calling her.
"Uhh, hold that thought." Charlie spoke up, interrupting any conversation that may or may not be happening as all eyes turned to her. "I'll be right back." She assured as she stood to her feet, leaving the rest of them alone as she made her way down the hall. Once she was sure she had some privacy, she answered the phone.
"Hello? Dad?"
"Hey, I got a question."
Vaggie honestly wasn't sure she wanted to hear the question, but she would anyway.
"If freaky face over there is so powerful, why can't he just make people stay here?" Angel asked as he gestured over to Alastor.
"Oh, trust me. I CAN." Alastor's expression turned more sinister as he assured the spider-demon that he could if he wanted to, the tiny pair of antlers even growing in considerable size to emphasize his point.
"If they're under contract that is." John corrected, a grin on his face as he shot a look at Alastor. "Otherwise, he can't as long as I'm here."
"Why do you think I'm here?" Husk's voice spoke up, causing all eyes to turn to the cat demon standing at the bar, a bottle in hand as he glared at them. "You actually think I'd be here cleaning bottles and listening to you fucks bitch and moan if he wasn't forcing me?"
"Free place to sleep, free booze?" John retorted with a raised eyebrow. Husk looked at him for a moment, before nodding.
"Fair point."
"I like being forced." Niffty suddenly popped her head up above the counter next to Husk, saying it in such a surprisingly casual tone that it threw Vaggie off her guard.
Considering Niffty was… Niffty, nobody else so much as batted an eye at her antics. Except Husk.
"Keep that to yourself, Nif…" Husk told her, shooting the little cyclops a disgusted look as he took a small step away from her.
"What, you don't love being here with me, Whiskers?" Angel asked with a suggestive smirk, to Husk's chagrin.
"Call me 'Whiskers' again and I'll jam that bottle down your throat." Husk threatened, shooting a glare at the spider-demon, who smirked in response.
"Kinky." Angel retorted, lifting a finger and wiggling suggestively. "Come on, keep talking dirty."
"Ugh." Vaggie made her irritation know as she shot the spider demon a look. "Angel, let Husk do his job. And no, we can't force sinners to stay here. They need to choose too." She explained to the pornstar, who scoffed in response.
"I'm choosing to be here, and I think it's all stupid." He admitted bluntly. "We're in Hell toots. Even Spike doesn't believe in it."
"I'm not interested in trying." John corrected with a raised eyebrow. "Don't mean I don't believe in it. I think it's possible." He explained as he crossed his arms.
Vaggie wasn't entirely sure she believed him, and she still had her reasons for not trusting him. All that aside though? She definitely appreciated the support at the moment.
"Well, Hell's supposed to be the end of the road, ain't it?" Angel retorted with a raised eyebrow as he took a sip of his drink.
"No one said it was." John replied with a shake of his head.
"Right." Vaggie nodded in agreement with the behemoth. "So maybe it doesn't have to be. Just because nobody's made it out before doesn't mean it's not possible."
"Hey…" Angel leaned over and placed a hand upon the moth demon's shoulders as he gave her an unamused stare. "Whatever means I can keep crashing here rent free." His expression grew slightly frustrated. "Crack is expensive."
"Well that's your own fault." John commented, his own expression changing to one of annoyance as he raised an eyebrow at Angel. "Drop that habit, you'll have some cash."
"Yeah, I don't think so." Angel replied with a shake of his head, making it clear that particular habit would stay for the foreseeable future.
John let out a frustrated sigh and shook his head, before his heavy footfalls could be heard as he made his way out of the conversation.
"Whatever." Was the last thing the behemoth had to say.
They all watched after him. It was clear that anything involving dope was something that struck a nerve with the behemoth.
Angel's face seemed to fall, an expression of guilt coming onto his face. But it lasted only for a moment, before the usual sarcasm returned.
"What's his deal?"
Charlie couldn't hold back the joy if she'd tried. The phone call with her dad was going far better than she'd have expected.
She was finally getting a chance to pitch her idea to Heaven! She couldn't wait!
"Yeah, I can! Totally!" Charlie nodded her head, the biggest grin she could imagine on her face as she assured her father that she could meet with Heaven. "Yeah, I'll head over there right away!"
"Alright then."
"Okay!" With that, Charlie ended the call, before she quite literally began bouncing with glee as her dream finally seemed to be coming to life. "Hah! Yes! Yes!" The princess found herself laughing in sheer joy. Things were finally going well!
She turned on her heel, intent to inform Vaggie…
And promptly connected face first with a wall.
It was no surprise that the Princess' momentum crumbled instantly, falling to her bottom as she tried to recover from her blunder.
"Ow…" Charlie moaned as she brought a hand up to rub her skull, hoping to soothe the aching headache from the unexpected incident.
She didn't remember there being a wall there.
A familiar deep chuckle suddenly emanated throughout the hall, before Charlie felt a large hand wrapping itself under her upper arm and gently hauling her to her feet.
"You okay?" That familiar voice rang out, and Charlie's gaze wandered up until she found herself looking at the amused expression of John Gallagher.
Ah, that explains it. The wall wasn't a wall.
"I'm sorry." Charlie apologized with a sheepish grin as she rubbed her head. "I should've been paying attention."
"You're fine, Charlie." John assured, waving it off as he removed his hand from her arm. "What's got you so excited anyway? If you'd have run into anything else, you'd have probably taken a wall out or something."
Charlie chose not to comment on how many times she'd done exactly that.
"Well, I just got a call from my dad." Charlie admitted, her typical bubbly smile returning as she looked up at the behemoth with stars in her eyes. "He wants me to meet with Heaven at the embassy in his place!"
John let out an amused chuckle when he heard that. "Let me guess: gonna pitch the Hotel?" When she nodded, he laughed and gave her a reassuring pat on the back.
Charlie was honestly surprised it didn't send her sprawling to the ground.
"This is my chance! I can finally stop the exterminations!" She was bouncing on her toes as she spoke, looking up at him with glee. "Isn't this amazing?!"
"Sure is." John agreed with a small smile, before giving Charlie another pat on the back. "Why don't you go tell Vaggie? I'm gonna go occupy myself for a bit."
When it came to John, 'occupy myself' usually translated to 'someone struck a nerve and I don't want to snap at them.'
Of course, Charlie being the bleeding heart she was…
"Did something happen?" She asked, her excitement fading away for a moment in place of concern as her hand caught his wrist before he could walk away. "You know you can talk to me, right?"
"I know." John assured with a grateful smile. "It's just.. Angel popping off about crack. I don't need to tell you that I don't have much tolerance for that shit."
Ah. Yeah, that made sense. Despite having become decent friends over the past few days, John and Angel definitely had enough differences to cause an argument.
"Well… if you'd rather talk, I'm just a phone call away." Charlie insisted, but John merely shook his head.
"I appreciate the thought, but you have to get to that meeting." John replied, cutting her concern short. "Better let Vaggie know before you take off. Wouldn't want to worry her."
At that, Charlie's eyes flew wide as she remembered why she'd slammed into John in the first place. "You're right!"
And just like that, Charlie's excitement and eagerness to inform Vaggie returned with a vengeance.
John was left in the dust as Charlie zoomed back to the lobby, her eagerness causing her words to come out quickly.
"Vaggie! Holy Shit!" Charlie may as well have materialized at the corner of the hall, shouting at Vaggie as the moth demon nearly jumped tot he ceiling in fright.
"Ahh! What?!" Vaggie replied, looking at Charlie with a wide-eyed gaze of concern as the Princess eagerly waved her over.
"Get over here!" At least, Charlie hoped that Vaggie understood that, but babbling through a closed mouth can lead to communication difficulties.
Luckily Charlie had that much faith in Vaggie, as she disappeared back behind the corner only a second later.
Vaggie gave a small sigh, smiling as she moved to follow after Charlie. She took a glance to make sure no one was following after her or listening in before crossing her arms and turning to look at Charlie with a suspicious gaze.
"What's going on?" The moth demon asked with a raised brow.
At this point, Charlie was basically hyperventilating.
"My dad just called. The leader of the Angel Army wants to meet!" Charlie was bouncing around the halls as her voice came out in a near breathless rush, before zooming up to Vaggie and gripping the moth demon's shoulders. "He asked if I could go instead!" She finished, quite literally touching noses with Vaggie.
After a few moments to let that gaggle of information process, Vaggie looked at Charlie in confusion.
"But… But the extermination just happened." Vaggie muttered as she brought a hand to her head, trying to work out why they'd be wanting to meet. "What could they want this soon after-"
"I can do this. Somehow I know it."
Well, Vaggie had lost Charlie, that much was apparent.
"I'll get Heaven behind my plan." Charlie sang in a hopeful tone as she raised her hand, letting it run by the light streaming into the hotel.
Vaggie knew what was about to follow, and she wasn't exactly eager. She loved Charlie… but the songs could be a bit much. She gripped her head in restrained frustration as she followed after Charlie.
"Charlie, hold on-"
"There's just no way I could blow it…" Charlie immediately spun her way out of Vaggie's grip without realizing, too caught up in her song.
All eyes still in the lobby turned and watched as the princess began dancing throughout the lobby, mostly amused at Charlie's antics as they watched.
"Not this once in a lifetime chance!"
"It's just a meeting." Vaggie spoke. Hoping to calm Charlie down, though a part of her knew it was to no avail.
Vaggie couldn't believe she was thinking this, but she really wished that Angel hadn't pissed John off.
Considering how often Charlie could break out into a song, John had witnessed two. He'd have five, but he'd managed to stop Charlie from singing by explaining to her why it would be a better idea not to sing.
Or politely asking her not too, which Vaggie just didn't have the heart to do.
As usual, Vaggie found herself ignored as Charlie continued dancing about the lobby while everyone watched. At least Husk looked unamused, but he probably didn't care at all.
"To change their minds, and touch their hearts, or whatever angels have."
"This could be bad." Vaggie couldn't help but to mutter aloud, feeling a migraine coming along at Charlie's antics. Charlie heard her words, however.
"Cheer up, Vaggie." Charlie sang as she turned back to her girlfriend with a reassuring smile, moving closer and taking Vaggie's hands into her own. "This could be swell." The next thing Vaggie knew, Charlie was twirling both of them around as she started the next verse of her sudden song. "Something tells me that today will be a happy day in Hell!" She let go of the moth demon, who punched the bridge of her nose in frustration.
"Okay, just don't… sing to them." Vaggie tried to advise, but as per usual, by the time she turned around everyone was at the currently wide open doors of the Hotel entrance, and Vaggie could guess why.
"That bitch is halfway down the street." Angel informed with a grin as he turned to look at Vaggie.
Vaggie immediately felt her heart drop. Of course Charlie would clear that much distance that quickly.
"Is she-?"
"Oh she's dancing." Angel nodded as he went to take a swig from his bottle.
"Ugh, noo…" Vaggie could only moan in frustration, knowing that she could only hope Charlie didn't sing at the meeting.
"Come here, bitch!"
"Please, Val, I'm- AAHHH!"
Vanessa's eyes clenched shut, taking everything she had not to run away as she heard the poor demon's wails.
It was an accident. One of Val's actresses, a tiger demon by the name of Blaze if Vanessa remembered right, had tripped over an exposed cord for the studio lights. Which had turned out the lights during a shoot, ruining the take.
It wasn't even a scene for Blaze anyway. The poor woman had just finished a rather… exhausting film shoot, and had simply moved to grab a bottle of water.
It wasn't her fault. Vanessa could attest to that. Val's sight was infamously poor, and he never often tried to make sure the cords were properly out of the way.
But… as per usual, Val acted explosively.
"Please, take it- AAAAAHHHHH!" Of course Val would ignore her pleas, because why wouldn't he? If something happened, it was never his fault. And he owned all their souls anyway, so it wasn't like they could stop him even if they wanted to.
Vanessa had absolutely no idea what exactly happened, but if she'd had to guess, it was once again Val's favorite punishment.
Once again, she thanked her supposedly cursed form, and the poison in her tail. It was the only thing that saved her from anything more than a degrading and humiliating tongue lashing.
"You just ruined the shoot! Do you know how good that take was?!" Val growled at the whimpering tiger, and Vanessa didn't have the heart to open her eyes and see for herself what was occurring.
"Please, Val!" Blaze once again begged the overlord, whimpering in pain and misery at whatever Val's… punishment. "I'm sorry, it won't happen again, just please, take it out!"
"Hmm…" It almost sounded like Val was considering accepting her apology, like he was thinking it over.
But the month that Vanessa had been here had taught her better than that.
"No. You deserve punishment."
The ear-splitting scream that followed Val's grunt, and the sound of Blaze being pushed even more harshly against the table, would remain ingrained in Vanessa's psyche for the rest of eternity.
It reminded the succubus sinner far too much of her own screams.
She didn't even realize she was trembling until she heard the sound of glass shattering. Finally, her eyes cracked open.
And she felt horror flood her every fiber when she spotted the empty tray in her hands, and the broken glass on the floor.
"Oh for fuck's sake!" Val's voice snarled through the air, causing Vanessa to snap her gaze towards the moth demon.
Well, Vanessa now knew what Blaze's punishment was, and it certainly wasn't pretty.
"Can't you do anything?!" Val growled, still holding the whimpering tiger demon against the table, his opposite hand firmly gripping the now still beer bottle that was currently…
Vanessa didn't even want to say it.
"Get the fuck out of here, Sucky!" Of course that would be Val's nickname for her, of course it would. "If you can't even hold a tray, what use are you?!"
"I-I'm sorry, sir." Vanessa apologized on instinct. Of course, the succubus knew it was pointless, but even with a level of immunity, her fear of the moth demon was far stronger.
"Yeah, yeah, you're lucky I haven't figured out how to deal with your tail yet!" Val growled, causing Vanessa to whimper in response, her gaze falling away from his own. "Get the fuck out of here! At least I'll get more customers with everyone staring at your goods."
Right, of course Val would still find a way to punish her.
Whenever she was 'on duty', since she was too scared to even leave the studio at all for fear of Val, the only articles of clothing she was allowed to wear was a pair of black leather high-heeled boots… and a collar around her neck.
That was it.
So long as she was working as an employee of Val's building in general, Vanessa was absolutely not allowed to wear anything that covers up her body. Her pale purple skin was the only thing she had as an employee uniform.
Her clothes were in the locker room, but that was on the other side of Val. And everyone at the studio knew that 'Get the fuck out' meant you only put distance between you and Val, never move closer.
"Yes sir." Vanessa's voice was above a whisper. It was all she could do. Anything but another… covered meal.
Anything but Valentino's wrath.
The poor succubi turned to leave, but her eyes caught the pleading and begging gaze that Blaze held. The tiger-demon was clearly in agony, praying for anything-praying for Vanessa… to stop her pain…
Vanessa turned away and began walking towards the door, her movements rigid and terrifying as Valentino's grunts and Blaze's agonized screams resumed the moment she turned around.
She opened the door, stepped outside, and stood.
The sound inside the room was no longer audible.
Vanessa could only stand in the hall.
She had to walk back to her room like this… naked… not a single scrap of clothing to cover her already violated body. Not a single shred of dignity to her name.
Because she was a coward. And because of that… she was nothing more than a boxed sex-slave. And if Val actually finds a way to neutralize her tail… that box would be opened.
But her fear of Val won out. As she made her way back to her room, her wrists sitting above her waist as the sound of her heels clicking against the ground rang in her ear and the chilly air bit at her skin.
Her room was three floors down. On the other side of the building.
It didn't take long for her to encounter people, as there were a few people coming from the opposite end of the hall as she reached the stairs.
She would use the elevator, but those were reserved for the Vees alone.
"Oh, look. One of Val's sluts fucked up." One of the demons spoke when their eyes caught Vanessa.
Inside, Vanessa winced, but she showed nothing to indicate she'd heard the demon.
"Well, next time, take the dick and suck it up." The other demon, a woman, commented in a snarky tone. "Listen to your boss, and things go good."
But she does listen to Val. He just gets upset at the smallest things, and it's impossible not to anger him. And with his determination to find a way to use her… Vanessa was walking on eggshells that were constantly breaking.
Vanessa didn't speak a word, ignoring them as best as she could as she opened the door and made her way down the steps.
The sound of her heels connecting with the metallic steps echoed through the small corridor, but at least she didn't have to traverse all three floors in her indecent state.
It still didn't make it any better.
Her body, her body… was under someone else's control more than her own. And thanks to her own mistake, there was nothing she could do to fix it.
Vanessa was ready to begin bawling at this point. Just break down and weep.
But it wasn't safe. It never was. Not from hurtful words and insults. Not from someone being foolish and trying to use her.
She knew enough about Val to know that she wasn't on duty.
So she just wanted to get to her apartment. The only place where she had even the tiniest semblance of safety.
Even if Val could walk in at anytime.
Once she exited the staircase and onto her floor, the first thing she heard was a wolf whistle.
"God damn!" Some demon that she couldn't see spoke in appreciation, and she could feel the gazes of so many upon her exposed body. "Look at that succubus."
"Holy shit." Someone else, Vanessa assumed a friend, also made remarks about her body. Vanessa wasn't interested in acknowledging the demons in the slightest. "Goddamn, I'd love to feel those lips on my cock."
"Fuck that, you ever felt a succubus' pussy?" The other guy remarked.
Vanessa's lips tightened.
Her pace sped up.
"Aw, where are you going, baby?!" The first demon hollered after her. "Come on back and sit on Daddy's cock!"
Vanessa's lips peeled back as she gritted her teeth, and she didn't need to look up to see the looks she gained when a quiet sniffle escaped her.
She didn't stop. She couldn't stop.
Her feet picked up their pace, a constant click against the marble as she gunned it straight for her room.
Once she made it, she wanted no time in throwing open the door.
Only Val kept the keys to the doors. No one had keys to their own bedroom, of course.
It made things easier when Val wanted to pay any of his employees a visit.
Once the door was closed… nothing was stopping her.
She pressed her bare back against the door and slid down as the damn burst. Her tears flowed freely, her anguish on display for anyone who'd be in the room as she brought her knees to her chest and sobbed.
What had she done to deserve this?!
To be nothing more than a sex slave?! A stripper who would eventually have her only way of safety stripped? To be forced by Val to fuck any guy or gal he sends her way?!
She'd only been in Hell for a month.
She'd doomed herself for an eternity.
"Please…" Vanessa whimpered out to no one in particular. "Please get me o-out of this… I don't want to do this anymore…"
But who could she go to? Where?
What could she do?!
Not a single fucking thing!
Her body shuddered from her open sobbing as she hugged herself, trying to provide some sense of comfort as soon as possible.
What would be the point in getting dressed? All of her clothes were nothing but skimpy and revealing outfits. Leotards, low cut shirts… bondage gear…
She didn't own a single scrap of dignified clothing. Everything she had was provided by Val, and the clothes she'd had when she fell had been thrown out by the Overlord since Vanessa would 'no longer need them.'
Vanessa needed them. Now more than ever.
She needed something, anything-
She needed an anchor.
She needed Angel.
Finally, with something resembling a coherent thought in her head, Vanessa climbed to her feet, staggering a little as she hurriedly rushed towards her nightstand amidst her body-jolting sobs.
She was desperate, looking for any outlet she had now that her one reliable anchor had been gone for days.
Through her bleary eyes, it was hard to see her phone clearly. But outside of Val, Angel was the only other one in her contact list.
She dialed the spider's number, and waited.
She tried to stifle her sobs so that Angel would understand her better.
She waited.
Staying composed was a struggle.
She waited.
Was Angel even going to answer?
"Hello? I'm busy, so whoever this is better have a good-"
The moment she heard his voice, she broke.
"A-A-Angel!" Her voice was shrill, high-pitched, hoarse as his name left her throat. "I-I ne-ed you!"
"What the- Vanessa?" The spider-demon sounded absolutely baffled, before that bafflement turned to concern. "Jesus Christ, what the fuck happened?"
"A-A girl t-tripped a-and Val grabbed a b-bottle and I-I spilled a tray and-"
"Hey Ness, I need you calm down, I can't understand you."
Of course he couldn't. Vanessa's emotions were running on overdrive and she could barely get any words out clearly, a stuttering and blubbering mess of words being the only thing she could really get out.
"Angel, PLEASE!" Vanessa couldn't help it anymore, and she could only hope that Angel understood what she was trying to ask. "PleasepleasePle-he-ease!"
"Alright, alright! Look, if I can send someone over there and have them bring you here, alright?"
At this point, that would be perfect.
"Alright, kid? I'm busy or I'd do it myself, but if I can get someone over there to bring you my way, will do it?"
Vanessa's sobs died down at that, reduced to sniffling whimpers as she opened her mouth to try to speak.
"I-is it safe?" She stuttered, but at least Vanessa could be understood now. At least she hoped so.
"If I didn't think it was, I would tell you that, alright?" The spider's voice assured, sounding frustrated, but there was a reassuring tone hidden that Vanessa could hear. "Listen, I'll text you when whoever I ask gets there, 'kay? You'll just have to head down to the front door."
Leave her room again? By herself?
"C-can't they come up to my room?" Vanessa asked, honestly hoping she wouldn't have to traverse the entire building by herself.
"What the-" Angel interrupted himself with a clearly irritated sigh, before he answered. "Fine, alright. Just make sure you're dressed, I'll text you when someone's on their way."
"Th-thank you…"
"Sure kid. Hey, what the- yeah, I heard you, I'm coming! For fuck's sake!"
That ended the phone call, and finally, Vanessa felt a little bit of hope.
What kind of person would Angel send? Who would it be? Would they be somewhat decent? An asshole?
No, Angel would do that to her. She at least knew that.
But still… someone she didn't know, and this person would be taking her to wherever Angel was at the moment.
Please… let them come quickly.
"Angel, where the fuck are you going?!" Of course Vaggie would be on his case about a fucking commercial.
Because it was for sweet little Charlie.
But whatever had happened at the studio, Vanessa was in a real rut if she was that desperate just to see Angel.
"Fuck off, Vagina!" Angel didn't even spare the moth demon a glance as he flipped her the bird. "I need to find John real quick."
In the short time he had known John, he'd learned a couple things about him.
First, he was honest. In Hell, that could be a flaw rather than a strength, but right now, Angel needed honest.
Secondly? He had a drive to help.
For altruistic purposes or his own reasons, Angel didn't know, nor did he care right now.
He didn't trust John as much as Cherri… but for Vanessa's sake, Angel needed someone who wouldn't be tempted to blow something up at the slightest provocation.
Vanessa needed to feel safe.
Angel felt for the poor kid, he really did. He tried to be there for her, in his own way, but there was only so much he could do considering they were both contracted to Val.
And… maybe a part of him didn't want to see a kid so young, demon or not, being out through the same shit he'd been out through.
He could hear Vaggie swearing in Spanish at his response, but he ignored it as he began his hunt for the spikey behemoth. Cherri was still an option, but Angel really didn't think John would say no.
Especially after he laid things out.
John had done a decent job earning Angel's trust, but the spider-demon would be lying if he said he completely trusted John. However, the spider demon had complete faith that he could trust the giant with this.
For someone who stood at nine feet tall, John was absurdly difficult to find. Angel had no clue where the behemoth was, and he couldn't find a single-
Oh.
Upon entering the lobby, Angel discovered the behemoth occupying himself with… video games?
"Alright, come here you somebitch." Whatever game John was playing, he was extremely into it, a focused look on his face as he maneuvered his character, some bald guy with white skin and a red tattoo, to pull some kind of wolf to him.
Angel stood behind the couch, watching him play for only a moment, before shaking his head.
"Hey, Spike?"
"Sup?" John greeted without turning any attention away from the game. "I thought you were helping Vaggie with the commercial." He noted without it affecting his skill at any moment.
"Yeah, that can wait." Angel replied. "Look, I… can ask for a favor?"
"Sure." John answered without a second thought, pausing his game and setting the controller down as he turned to face Angel. "What do you need?"
Thank god. John seemed more than willing to help.
"There's a coworker of mine, Vanessa. She… needs someone to escort her here." Angel explained as he moved around the side of the couch, taking a seat next to John as he did so. "She… well, it sounds like it's been a bad day, and I'd feel better if she were here."
John's brow furrowed, processing the information, before raising an eyebrow. "What exactly happened?"
"I don't know." Angel answered with a frustrated sigh. "She just called me, and she was fucking mess. Could barely understand a word she said, and with her issues… please, John."
Angel had never sounded so desperate in his life as he gave the behemoth a pleading gaze. He needed John's help.
Vanessa needed John's help.
John stared at the spider-demon for a moment, before shaking his head and letting out a sigh.
"Anything else I need to know?" He asked as he picked up his controller once more. Angel's first though was that John was refusing, until the console suddenly shut down and John turned off the TV. "Anything to be careful of, aware of?"
"I'd avoid any of the Vees if you can." Angel answered, silently praying for the love of god that John didn't encounter Valentino.
That wouldn't end well for Angel or Vanessa.
"Okay…" John sounded unsure of that request, and nodded his head. "Where exactly am I going again? Who am I looking for?"
"Porn studios." John rolled his eyes, but said nothing. "It's the big building with the giants V's on top. The girl your looking for is a sinner succubus. Purple skin, and I have no clue what she'll be wearing."
"Alright." John sounded somewhat inconvenienced with the way said it, but he nodded his head as he stood up off the couch to his full lumbering height. "I'll go get her, but I'm kicking your ass if this is some setup."
"It's not, I swear." Angel gave the most honest expression he could as he assured the behemoth, before smiling. A genuine smile. "I… thanks, John. I really appreciate it."
And he meant it too.
John stood, staring at him for a moment… before grinning.
"What happened to Spike?"
"Oh go fuck yourself, asshole." Angel flipped the behemoth the bird as he gave an amused grin, eliciting a laugh from John as the behemoth turned and made his way towards the door.
All things considered, at least Vanessa would be safe. Even if she was a little frightened at first…
…
…
"Fuck, Cherri might've been better."
A/N: The reason for Vanessa's scene playing out the way it did is because I wanted her breakdown to happen from something extremely awful, and I went with something that Val canonically does do to his workers as of Episode 2.
And considering my own discomfort writing the scene, I opted to leave a trigger warning for once.
Anyway, I hope you enjoyed the chapter, and I'll see you in the next one.
