"What's that?" She stands beside Alastor as he chops up vegetables
"These are vegetables, my dear," he says in a slightly condescending tone
She rolls her eyes "No, like you're cooking something. What is it?"
Alastor hums "I am preparing jambalaya for whoever would like some,"
"What's that?"
He turns his head slightly "A traditional Louisiana dish with meat, vegetables, rice, and seasonings." He states plainly
"You're from Louisiana?"
"New Orleans,"
"Woah, like Princess and the Frog?"
He scrunches his brow "My dear, I have no idea what you're referring to. So I'm just going to say 'yes'." He returns to cutting
Voe stands and watches him cut, despite not rolling up his sleeves, they remain clean. He is very aware of his audience.
"Do you need something?" He questions her
"I'm just watching,"
He looks away "Lovely," tone filled with sarcasm
She continues standing near the taller demon, coming up to about his chest, inching closer whether intentionally or not. She is watching, however, her eyes completely fixated on the movement of Alastor's fingers and the precision of his slicing. He glances down at her, only getting a glance at the top of her head, a small tuft of curls blocking the view of her face. He knew this recipe better than the back of his hands that were chopping and slicing ingredients on their own without him even having to look. He continued glancing at her bright red curls wondering what could be so fascinating about him preparing this dish that she hadn't moved or spoken in the past 30 seconds. It seemed as though she hadn't blinked or breathed in that time either. What could be going on inside this demoness' head?
Alastor was broken out of his wondering by the sound of 'meow'. He blinked several times, startled at the noise. He glances at Husker, but he seems too engrossed in a conversation with the effeminate spider, and he is much too far away for the volume of the sound. Charlie and Vaggie were even further and Niffty was busy stabbing bugs, it wasn't until he heard the sound again that he realized it was coming from the demon beside him.
"Did you just…' meow'?" His voice dripped with confusion and a dash of disgust
Voe snaps her neck up to acknowledge his words "Oh yeah, that's just something I do sometimes when I'm feeling things, or just thinking things, or if I'm bored…pretty much whenever I feel like it."
His smile falls flatter "Do refrain from doing it around me."
Voe's eyes swivel from side to side "Uh.. no. I do what I want when I want. Duh. Haven't you learned that yet?" She smiles with furrowed brows
"Yes I know," He turns back to his hands, placing ingredients in a large pan "It's very unbecoming of you."
"Does it bother you?"
He is still focused on the food "This specifically or your entire attitude? Well, I suppose it wouldn't matter, because they would both be the same answer."
"I don't see why it would bother you. I mostly just mind my business." Alastor exhaled through his nose, choosing not to say what he was thinking. "You're not wearing gloves." She pushes out her lips and scrunches up her nose.
"Mhmm."
"Did you wash your hands?" Alastor's smile turns back up, knowing that the withholding of this one answer was enough to turn the power back in his favor "I'm going to assume that you did because that would be really dirty if you did. I guess the dirt would add its own flavor though right?" She gives him a crooked smile and he snickers, refusing to let her know that he found that quip comedic as well. "Where did you learn that from?"
"What?"
"The Jambalaya recipe."
Alastor inhales this time "My mother,"
Her lips turn up "Aww cute. You spent a lot of time with your mom?"
He raises a brow "I suppose you could say that."
Voe puts her hands under her chin "That's so nice! I never took you for a Mama's boy."
"Ah yes, very insulting to love your mother."
"I didn't say it was an insult."
"Mhmm." He starts to ignore her as he continues cooking. She tilts her head still watching him. When he finishes, he turns off the stove, and walks away from the pan, leaving Voe standing in confusion. "I wouldn't take some now, wait for it to cool first." he tosses over his shoulder.
"Oh, you're done?"
"Clearly," Voe's ears droop a little, disappointed at the end of her show. Alastor looks back at her "Is something the matter?"
"I guess not. I just didn't realize you were finished."
He rubs his chin with his index finger "Hmm. Dig in!" is all he gives before leaving the room. Voe's ears come back up and she caresses them but is unaware that while Alastor may have left the kitchen, he was still watching her from the shadows.
"The Vees present 'Respectless' by Velvette!" exclaimed Voe.
"No no no!" Velvette interrupted
"What would you like me to say, Velvette?"
"It's not what you're saying, it's how you're saying it! Do it with feeling! I need more emotion! Say it like you care!" Velvette demanded.
"I do care, and I am saying it honestly,"
Velvette insisted, "Smile for me."
Voe forced a smile, but Velvette wasn't satisfied. "No teeth," she instructed.
She closed her lips, but Velvette changed her mind, "Bring back the teeth."
She opened her lips again. Velvette stared at her for a while and then asked, "Are you autistic?"
Shocked, Voe looked around and then down at her shoes. "Yes," she mumbled.
The doll thought for a moment and then said, "Hmm, never had an autistic model before. As far as I know. Whatever, we'll work on that later. But this," she grabbed the doe's chin, "Do you have a teeth whitener?"
Voe searched around and offered, "I have charcoal toothpaste."
"So that's a no then. Get your teeth whitened."
"Are you gonna pay for that?"
Velvette waved her off, "Yeah," she said, now checking her phone.
"Okay then." Voe goes to step off the stage "Is that all you need me for today?'
"Not quite," Velvette puts away her phone and slaps her hands together quite dramatically, smiling full of glee. A large-looking paper appears once she opens her hands. The paper floats and unfurls, revealing itself as a contract, complete with a quill and a line to be signed. "It's been fun working with you so far, but I need you to sign this."
"Is that a contract?"
"No, it's toilet paper, of course, it's a contract! Don't worry your pretty head about it, it's just some legalities that we can only straighten out once this is signed. You don't even have to read it."
The doe is reluctant 'I think I'd like to read it if that's okay."
The doll rolls her eyes, scoffing "Whatever, just make it quick. I have things for you to do." she winks before exiting the room
Voe approaches the contract apprehensively, reading it intricately. Parts were detailing her having to listen to Velvette regardless of what she says, her not being able to discuss things that go on inside of the V tower, being at Velvette's beck and call, her inability to attack and/or kill Velvette and things of that manner. At the very bottom, right before the line, was the statement "I, Voe the Beau, hereby sign the ownership of my soul to Velvette of the Vees'.
That line hit her like a semi-truck. Her soul? What would that mean?
"Umm Velvette?" she calls for the Overlord, who appears behind her
"What? It's not difficult, it's just a contract sweetie."
"I think there's a mistake…"
She raises her eyebrow "Eh?"
"This says that if I sign you own my…soul?
"Yeah, that's how this works. You work for me, you belong to me." The doll crosses her arms over her chest
"I don't know how comfortable I am with that…"
"I'm sorry, do you not want to work for me?"
"I do! I just…don't know how I feel about being owned." She rubs her elbows and tries to smile
Velvette glances at her nails "Hmm well, don't sign it then. I can have a replacement by this evening. Melissa! Call Molly for me!"
"Huh?" Melissa calls from outside the room
"Melissa!" she puts her hand on her forehead, then pulls out her phone "Remind me to fire her," she says into it, turning away from the doe.
"Wait!"
Velvette smirks with her back still turned to the model. She looks over her shoulder innocently "Yes…?"
"Could I just…have some time to make sure that you can do what you say? I mean, this is my soul we're talking about."
She looks impatient "Mhmm." she scrolls through her phone, not looking Voe in the eyes
"It's a big deal, no?" Voe's smile is nervous and lopsided.
Velvette puts her phone away completely and grabs the doe's shoulders "Listen, I like you. A lot more than I like my other models. You're beautiful, you've got great taste, and you're quite smart. You're welcome. So, I give you a bit of leeway. I have never done this for anyone else, so you're welcome. But I will make a preemptive deal with you. I will continue to let you work for me..for 5 months, to prove that I'm not all talk. I am the real deal, baby. At the end of those five months, this will be non-negotiable, you will either sign the contract or walk. Do you understand?" Voe nods and Velvette rubs her arms "This is gonna be great. I promise. When I'm done with you, you'll be begging me to take your soul, I promise!"
Voe nods once more, and breathes again, lucky to at least have more time.
Voe stares at herself in the mirror in the parlor, making silly faces trying to get the best view of her teeth. Velvette's words had really gotten under her skin. Had she not been brushing enough? Were her teeth dirty this whole time and she hadn't even noticed? Did she have bad breath? Angel strolled past her to take a seat at the bar.
"Looking for something up there?" he crosses his legs on the stool with his eyes facing downward as Husker fills him a glass
Voe's mouth forms a flat line "Angel, are my teeth white?"
He looks up from his phone and furrows his brows. "Not really, more like off-white."
"Ah, shit,"
"Meeting didn't go well I take it?"
"She told me I needed to get a teeth whitener."
He shrugs "Maybe you should,"
Voe pouted. "Does Val make you whiten your teeth?"
"No, I whiten them myself."
She gasped. "Does that mean I'm going to get a makeover?"
"Uhh, I don't know about a makeover toots, but um you'll definitely be getting poked and prodded."
She leans back from the mirror "Hmm." walking over to join the spider at the bar
"What? You need a drink too?"
She shakes her head "Not unless Husker gets over himself and learns how to make something fruity."
"I don't even like the sound of that." the cat glares back at her while cleaning out glasses
"Me either," Angel looks disgusted
"Okay, seriously what is wrong with you guys? It's literally just alcohol with like juice in it, what is the big deal?"
"The fact that you don't know what the problem is, is very disappointing." the spider downed his drink silently requesting another
"Okay so everyone gets to get drunk but me." She slaps the bar counter with her palms
"Seems like it," Husk gives her a sarcastic smile in return
Voe rolls her eyes and looks at Angel tilting her head. She watches him as he trails his finger over the glass in one of his hands.
"What?" he sounds irritated
"Are you okay?" she asks
Angel looks around, confused "Uh, yeah?"
"Are you sure?"
"Alright, you're getting weird now."
"I'm serious. I want to know how you're doing."
He stands up to leave "Yep, I'm outta here."
She follows him as fast as she can, but his legs are incredibly long. She starts to run, and before realizing it, she's in front of him. "Hmm, what was that? Anyway, I wanted to talk to you about a few days ago."
He looks down at her "A few days ago?"
"I saw you..with Valentino."
He raises his eyebrow "Mhmm. My boss?"
"He gives me creepy vibes. And you looked…scared."
He brushes her off "I ain't scared of him," he lies
Voe squints, trying to read Angel's expression. His eyes are relaxed and his brows are steady, but his lip quivers "You're lying to me."
"Okay, he speaks nonchalantly
"Why are you lying?" she asks gently
"Why are you trying so hard to be in my business?" he feels the irritation bubbling inside
She shakes her head "That's not what I'm trying to do,"
"Well, then what are you trying to do?" his volume rises slightly
She steps back a little and thinks "I-I don't know. Help, I guess?"
"Help with what? Being annoying?"
She takes another step back and squints her eyes, feeling tears bubbling up, but refusing to let them fall "Um, okay. I guess not. Never mind then." She turns around right before the first tear drops and makes her way to the elevator, pulling on her ear as she goes. Angel slaps his forehead and drags his palm down his face before hearing a notification on his phone and running off out of the building.
"How's everyone's day? For today's activity, we can go around and state one hope we have for today. Anything you like,"
"Um, I wanna do crack," One demon volunteered
"Oh for fuck's sake," Vaggie whispered under her breath
Voe comes downstairs as the conversation continues. Alastor is standing behind the couch, allowing the residents to sit.
"Hi Voe! Welcome to our activity!" Charlie waves, Voe waves back with no words and looks back at her phone. "Did you want to join us?"
"Not really,"
"Okay!"
"Wait, so this is optional?" Angel piped up, strewn out over the couch
"No," Vaggie responds with her hands on her hip
"What the Hell?!"
Voe enters the kitchen, looking through the cabinets to find her cookies. Once she did she took a sleeve and turned to go back to her room, but then she saw the deer man standing out in the open and decided on mischief. She saunters over to stand near the buck.
"Stretching your legs out deer man?"
"Ugh, you again." Alastor rolls his eyes
"Indeed it is me, is that an issue?" she takes a cookie from her pocket and thinks about eating it when no one is looking.
Alastor sighs "You have quite the energy today don't you?"
"Yeah, it's called being young. Guess fossils can't relate." she shrugs, placing the cookie back in her pocket
He glances to the side "I guess not." sighing once more
The air between them is silent for a few beats.
Without thinking, Voe reaches up and one of her fingertips graces the tip of Alastor's red/black locks. In that very instance, Alastor's head turned 180 degrees with a sickening *crack*, eyes black with radio dial pupils, antlers tripling in size as his teeth elongated and his neck broke leaving his head dangling upside down. There's a bright red 'x' shining in the center of his forehead. His hand reached backward and caught hold of her wrist. She tries to pull back, but he digs his claws into her flesh, his grip is solid.
"I suggest you never try that again, my dear. Understand?" She nods slowly and he lets go of her wrist "Wonderful,"
Voe pulls back her hand, taking a step back. An uncomfortable warmth envelopes her chest, her eyes fall to the floor and she starts pulling at her right ear, trying to melt into the walls. Her pupils dart around facing her feet and she suddenly falls silent. The warmth rises to her face. She glances over at the group and everyone is staring. Why did he have to make a big deal out of it? She couldn't take everyone staring, not now. Her eyes were burning, likewise her skin. Her mouth went dry and all she could think was That's what you get for trying to be cute. All she wanted was to disappear, but they wouldn't look away. After staring for what felt like hours, Vaggie spoke.
"Alastor, can you please not freak out the guests?"
Alastor turns back toward the Princess "I apologize for that rude interruption. Please continue on Princess."
Voe stands quietly wishing she didn't exist, but refusing to cry in front of others turns and exits the parlor, to make it so no one notices her departure. She wasn't looking up, and could not focus on her vision, while she was spending energy on not crying. So unfortunately, embarrassing herself for the second time within an hour, she walked right into Lucifer. She tries to turn and hide her face from the King of Hell, but he sees her tears and gently grabs her.
"Hey, Voe, right? What's wrong?"
But she can't speak, all her energy is spent trying not to sob loudly. The King is patient and waits for her to catch her breath.
"I tried to touch Alastor's hair and he-" she sidled a sob" in front of everyone." Her tears fall faster
"Hey hey, you're okay." He holds her shoulder, using his thumb to wipe a small tear from her eye "That Al guy is a huge jerk, right?" Voe laughs a bit, trying to breathe while also trying not to sob "Hey, you wanna touch my hair?" He smiles, his gorgeous grin catching her eye
"Kinda?" she laughs some more and he stands up straight to remove his top hat, revealing his slicked-back blonde 'do. Voe reaches up, putting her fingers through the King's locks, feeling each silky and soft strand on her fingertips, looking into the eyes of the King of Hell. His eyes were so beautiful, that she almost found herself lost in them. She snaps her hand back "Sorry," she states holding her wrist
"No no shh." Lucifer holds her head to his chest "You're just fine. You're perfect." he whispers
Later in the evening, the gang is in the kitchen ready for some Al-cooked dinner when Voe takes a seat in the empty parlor, scrolling on her phone. She does not speak or attempt to engage with anyone, but her presence is noticed. The silence is awkward for everyone but her. She is choosing to make their dinner uncomfortable. The silence goes on for a few minutes. Voe smiles at their inability to speak and opens a text that she received. She giggles at the message and goes to respond when Charlie clears her throat.
"Hey Voe, you look happy!" The princess does her best to diffuse the tension "Who ya textin'?" She asks
"Your dad," the does responds without even looking up
"Y-you're texting my dad?" She swallows her food after almost choking on it.
"Mhmm." Voe nods, a smirk creeping up on her face.
Charlie looks around, growing uncomfortable "W-what's he saying?"
Voe's head comes up "I don't think you want to know,"
"Oooh! You think she's about to become your new mom Charlie?" Angel interjects jokingly
Alastor scoffs, sitting at the head of the table. He glances over at Voe sitting by herself. How insolent of her to avoid joining the rest of the group for dinner. All because of what? Something that was her own fault? So childish of her to spurn his cooking. And to bring her brashness into their vicinity, interrupting their peace with her nonsense.
"Are you aware that dinner is finished or do you need a special invitation?"
Voe blatantly ignores the stag and continues to text Lucifer. Although, she had no desire to eat at this time anyway.
"I think she's still mad Smiles."
Alastor rolls his eyes and begins to dine, everyone following suit. The air is filled with sounds of utensils hitting plates and loud sounds of chewing. Voe is taking selfies on the couch and sending them to Lucifer in different poses, like a smile or with her tongue sticking out, or with peace signs, etc.
After some time passes, everyone has eaten and retired to their rooms as Voe continues to sit on the couch, feeling nice with finally being alone. Alastor is washing dishes, he'd given Niffty a reprieve from this, the monotonous task allowing him to think. Once he finishes he turns and sees that Voe is still on the couch, still playing this childish little mind game. He shadow warps to be standing over her shoulder and she is on her Sinstagram, scrolling through and liking pictures. He gets a glimpse at her username and raises his eyebrow
"You are aware that your use of that word is incorrect?"
She turns toward him "Oh you're talking to me." her tone is flat and monotonous
Alastor's eye twitches "Yes." She shrugs and turns back to her phone. Alastor inhales and speaks again "That word is the masculine term, and last time I checked, you are female."
She snickers "When's the last time you checked?" She asks not looking at him
"You know this little thing you're doing is ridiculous. Ignoring someone who is talking to you. I ask again, are you a child?"
"No, I am not."
"Then you understand that you have no right to be upset about what took place earlier, yes?"
"Who said I was upset?"
"Well, your actions say it loud and clear, my dear."
"Or maybe you feel guilty, because all I've been doing is sitting." She is facing forward
"Sitting alone and in silence, not eating?"
"What's your point?"
"Just know that in regards to the events earlier today, you were in the wrong."
She slightly turns in his direction "Why are you taking it so personally? All of my actions have no emotions tied to them. You seem to be adding a motive that is not present. And then telling me that it's my fault to assuage your own guilt. Perhaps what you're looking for in that black hole you call a heart, is an apology."
"Indeed! I am looking for an apology, from you."
"Why?"
"Since you came here you have been intentionally getting under my skin. And today you try to lay your hands on me with no reason. I don't even like being touched when there is a reason."
She turns back around "Well, I didn't know that."
He stands up straight "Well then, I apologize for making you cry."
Voe's skin turns a pinkish hue "I did not cry." she lies
He knows that she's lying because he watched her leave, but he doesn't press her. "Well, I'm sorry I upset you."
She doesn't look up from her phone but mutters "I'm sorry I touched you without your consent."
"You are forgiven."
She smirks "Next time I'll have consent."
Alastor's smile turns slightly flirtatious "See to it that you do." and dissipates into the shadow.