It was just another happy day in Hell.

" VAALENTIIINOOO!"

Well... happy for some, but not Vox, the self proclaimed leader of The Vees. Vox prided himself on The Vees image and needed to keep it pristine.

One way to do that was to be organized. That's why Vox had everything organized into a schedule. It made his afterlife sooo easier...well it was supposed to.

Because the Vees dominated the entertainment section of Hell, they had to make sure every show, fashion event, and adult entertainment was ready to go and not be delayed.

And that's the problem Vox found himself in. This wasn't a new problem for him but he had enough and was determined to do something about this. He never had to worry about Velvette having delays with her posts or fashion shows. And of course Vox himself was never late with anything. So that leaves Valentino and brings us back to the issue at hand.

Valentino was scheduled to release three new ads for the porn movie he had coming out in the next couple of months. Vox was even letting him use one of his best photographers for the ad shoot. After thirty minutes of waiting, Vox finally called Valentino to see what was the hold up.

" Val, where are you! The shoot for your new movie was supposed to start thirty minutes ago!" Vox's screen started to glitch in frustration.

" Hey Voxy, cool it~ You know, I don't appreciate being woken up by screaming...well not this type of screaming~" Valentino yawned.

" Were you asleep! Ugh, nevermind just get down to the studio and bring your whores for the shoot." Vox yelled into the phone. He hung up before Valentino could respond.

Valentino growled and rolled out of bed, getting ready at a leisurely pace.

Eventually Valentino arrived at the studio...without his adult stars.

" Val, where are the whores for the shoot?!" Vox stomped over to the much taller moth man.

" Voxy baby, I have no idea what you're talking about. If I had any plans, my secretary would have told me." Val took a long drag from his cigarette and blew the pink smoke into the air.

"What do you mean?! She confirmed it with me a week ago!" Vox could feel his screen beginning to overheat from stress.

" You mean that raccoon looking bitch? Yeah, she's dead. I guess I killed her before she could inform me of this little shoot...oh well~" Val shrugged. He really wasn't in the mood for Vox's dramatics.

Vox pinched his screen where his nose would have been and took a deep breath to calm himself down. He didn't want to glitch out this early in the day.

" Val, the only reason you have a secretary is because your eyesight is shit. They tell you what's on your schedule so things like this don't happen. But they can't do that IF YOU KEEP KILLING THEM!" Vox shouted. So much for keeping calm.

" Well~ it's not my fault I needed to blow off some steam. My Angelcakes has been a little brat lately and I needed to kill something~ she just so happened to be near." Val took another drag on his cigarette.

" That's it! I'm not sending you anymore people to be your secretary just for you to kill them every time you have one of your little tantrums. You're getting glasses!"

" Um, is your eyesight going bad too? Voxy, I have glasses." Valentino said as he walked over to Vox's desk to put out his cigarette.

" I mean prescription glasses. Ya know, so you can finally see?" Vox rolled his eyes.

Valentino scowled at Vox, his antennae twitching in agitation. "Tch, Vox you can't be serious? You expect me to walk around Pentagram City with dorky glasses?"

" Look, I know a place you can go that can add a prescription to the glasses you already have." Vox sighed. He seemed to be doing a lot of that today. He called the limo driver and told him the address of the glasses shop. " Just go to the shop and don't come back until it's done." Vox stomped out of the studio with his photographer trailing behind him.

Valentino sighed in frustration as he stubbed out his cigarette and climbed into the limo, grumbling about being forced to do such a mundane task as buying glasses. "Ugh, I swear Vox better be right about this store~ I ain't got time to deal with any crappy glasses!" With a huff, Valentino leaned back against the plush seats of the limo as the driver headed to the shop.

Valentino grumbled under his breath as he stepped into the small glasses shop that Vox had mentioned, looking around the quaint, cozy space with suspicion. "Really, Vox? This is the place you wanted to send me? It's so... small." He huffed, crossing his arms over his chest, looking utterly out of his element in the shop

He groaned in discomfort as he ducked under the front door, mumbling as he had to stoop to enter the shop properly. "Tch, this is bullshit. What the hell kinda place doesn't have high ceilings?" he complained to himself as he straightened up, looking around the store with a mixture of annoyance and surprise.

Valentino impatiently approached the counter, ringing the small bell loudly and tapping his four arms against the countertop with a scowl.

"Hello? Anybody here? I don't have all day! How about some service!" His voice boomed loudly, as he looked around the shop with a frown.

A timid voice coming from the back room called out that they were coming. Valentino tapped his foot impatiently as he waited for the shopkeeper to come out and serve him. "Tch, what's taking' so long?" He muttered under his breath, growing increasingly irritated as he waited.

After a few minutes, a figure walked out from the back room of the shop. Valentino's eyes widened slightly when he saw the owner, a stunning lunar moth like demon woman, walking towards the counter to serve him.

"Hey, baby~ I didn't expect to see a beauty like you here~" Valentino greeted the shop owner with a flirtatious smirk and a charming tone, leaning over the counter towards her with a sly grin.

The demoness didn't seem to be affected by his flirty attitude. " Welcome to Eye Candy. How may I assist you today sir?"

"Aww, playing hard to get? That's cute~ But I've got a bit of an issue, y'see" he said with a slight grimace, "My vision isn't so good, so I need some glasses that fit my fabulous style~ Can you help me out?"

" Of course sir! This store specializes in making eye wear that will fit any customer's style and tastes. I also offer to add prescription lenses to any glasses a customer already has." the demoness said with a rather stoic tone.

Valentino's eyes lit up at hearing this, a wide smile spreading across his face. "Oh, baby, now that's what I'm talkin' about! These heart-shaped glasses of mine are my signature style, you get me? I don't wanna have to switch to something else, I need my usual look," he said, a hint of excitement in his voice. "Can you really make them a prescription?"

" I assure you sir that I can, for a fee of course. That particular service costs extra." the demoness told Valentino, eyeing his gaudy outfit.

"Ah, money is no issue, baby," Valentino grinned and pulled his glasses off his face, passing them over to the shopkeeper. "Take care of my babies for me, toots," He said teasingly, watching as she took the glasses and headed into the back room to work her magic.

The shopkeeper told Valentino that it would take about thirty minutes and that he could wait at the store if he wanted to.

Valentino's face lit up as the woman returned with his newly prescription glasses. He snatched them away from her, eagerly slipping them back onto his face with a wide grin. "Oh~ you're a real miracle worker!" He praised, admiring himself in the reflective surfaces around the shop with a pleased look.

"These look even sexier on me than they did before, baby!" He declared, flicking his antennae confidently. He turned back to the shopkeeper, but now he could properly see her.

Valentino eyed the cute shopkeeper with a hint of newfound appreciation, taking in her beauty in the way that he usually did for potential workers for his films.

"Well, looks like I've found the cutest thing in this city, baby~" He flirted, leaning against the counter with a seductive smirk, eyeing her from top to bottom. "What's your name, gorgeous? I don't know how I'd feel about leaving' without finding' out your name"

The shopkeeper eyes Valentino with mild irritation. Normally she would politely reject a request like that. She wasn't too keen on giving out her name to strangers, but for some reason she decided to tell this moth man.

" I don't normally give out my name to strangers but for some reason, I'll make an exception for you. It's Lula, my name is Lula."

"Lula, huh?" He repeated with a satisfied hum, liking the sound of her name on his tongue. " That's a real pretty name, baby~ Suits a real pretty demon," he grinned, leaning on the counter even further as he looked her up and down again, clearly enjoying the sight of her. "Say, doll, have you ever thought about being' a star? Looking' like this, I'm sure the camera would love your face~"

Lula wrinkled her nose at Vantino's comment, " I should say that I have never considered being a star in the kind of movies you make Mr. Valentino."

" Ah, so the pretty little moth knows my name, hm? Well I shouldn't be surprised. I am a powerful Overlord. Everyone in Pentagram City knows of me." Valentino gloated.

" But you know, it's a shame, baby," Valentino said with a pouty lip. " With looks like your's, you'd be a real star~" He mused, still leaning on the counter with a sly smile as he continued to stare at her with a look that was a mix of admiration and desire. "But, I guess I can't complain about being the only one who gets to keep you in this little shop, all to myself. Maybe I'll start poppin' by more often, just to admire the view~"

Lula rolled her eyes and wondered if he ever stopped with the flirty persona. She gave him a blank look, showing that she wasn't impressed.

Valentino glared at Lula's lack of reaction to his flirting, but continued to lean against the counter regardless.

"Oh, baby, you don't know how to party, do you?" He said with a smirk, a hint of annoyance in his voice as he pushed himself up from the counter and began to wander around the shop, browsing the glasses on display.

Lula didn't answer his question, but instead steered the strange encounter back to business, " If you have any other pairs of glasses that you would like to be treated to have a prescription, I offer that as a service too. The cost would be double what you paid today."

" You're a real business woman, you know that?" Valentino grinned at Lula, impressed by her clear business acumen. " I've got five more pairs of glasses back in my office that could use a good prescription. Tell you what, how about I bring them all over tomorrow, and let you work some of your magic on them?"

Lula's face brightened at the prospect of more business. That meant more money that she could use for her little hobby. " I would be happy to, Mr. Valentino. It will take longer to do that many pairs, I'd say about an hour and a half. If you would like, I could contact you when they are ready so you can pick them up." As Lula spoke, she rummaged under the counter to retrieve a contact information form.

" Or I can contact your assistant or whoever works for you so they can pick them up. I'm sure an Overlord such as yourself is too busy to do such a mundane task." Lula held out the form for Valentino to take.

"Oh, so that's how it is," Valentino said with an amused chuckle, watching as Lula tried to hand him a form for his contact information. "I can wait here, baby, you ain't gotta worry about that. I got all the time in the world for you," he responded, continuing to admire her.

Again, he was met with a stoic, uninterested look from Lula.

Valentino couldn't help but raise an eyebrow at Lula's indifferent responses to his flirting. He was used to sinners falling at his feet, but Lula was completely unphased by his attempts at charm.

"Baby, you are quite the unique one," He observed with an amused huff. "Most sinners would kill for my attention, but you're too busy doin' your thing to notice, huh?"

" I like my little shop and enjoy helping people out, with their glasses at least. And besides, if I didn't have this little shop and ' doing my thing' as you put it, then I wouldn't have had you as a customer. You're quite intriguing, I must say," Lula said with a slight smile.

Valentino's antennae twitched in surprise at Lula's comment, clearly caught off guard. No one had ever flattered him back like that before.

"Oh, baby, I must admit, I'm not used to getting compliments like that from anyone," He said, his voice holding a hint of sincerity in it. Most of the time sinners would throw out salacious comments and other over the top 'compliments' to garner his affection and attention.

"You're right, we never woulda met if it wasn't for this place. I must have gotten lucky to have stumbled upon such a gem of a woman in this city."

Valentino couldn't help but smile as he watched Lula's soft smile spread across her face.

" Ah, thank you Mr. Valentino."

"Now that's a smile, baby. And please it's just ' Valentino' none of that ' Mr.' business," he said, gently lifting her chin slightly to get a better look at her. "You should smile more often, it's beautiful," his voice was sincere as he took in her beauty once more.

" Uh, um, right Valentino then," Lula stammered. She didn't know why she was acting this way. She was confused that this man of all sinners was bringing out this timidness in her.

Valentino chuckled to himself as he watched Lula blush and her antennae twitch in response to his compliment, clearly pleased by the effect he had on her.

" See tomorrow baby~" He grinned in satisfaction as he stepped out of the shop, a plan already formulating in his head as he began to plot how to get her to react more next time he visited.

"Hey, baby, it's me again!" **Valentino called out as he entered the shop, holding a box of glasses in his hand and looking around for Lula "Where are ya, doll?"

Lula called out that she'd be just a minute and Valentino took the time to look around the shop. Despite the shop's small size, it was cozy and inviting, filled with various glasses and frames on display. He whistled softly as he browsed, taking in the charming appearance of the shop with a hint of admiration.

" Ah, hi Valentino, I see you really decided to bring the glasses yourself. Honestly I thought you'd just send someone else to do it," Lula commented as she took the box Valentnio handed to her.

" Like I said yesterday, it will take me about an hour and a half to finish your order. Are you sure you want to wait that long?" She asked him again.

Valentino smirked at Lula, crossing his arms over his chest with a cocky grin, "Baby, I already told you, I got nothing but time for you. I don't mind waiting at all, especially if I get to sit here and admire your beautiful face. I'll be waiting right here."

Lula shrugged her shoulders, " Suit yourself, just don't mess up my shop please." and with that she turned and started to head to the back room. She paused in her steps and turned back to the tall moth man.

" Would...you like to join me in the back room? I-it's just that having a customer wait for such a long time would be bad for business," she sighed. She wasn't too keen on letting the flirty moth into her personal work space but she did feel bad about leaving him out on the shop's floor.

Valentino was taken aback by Lula's change of heart. He was fully prepared to wait out in the shop until she was done. Maybe she was finally starting to soften up to him. His antennae twitched slightly with excitement at the prospect.

"Oh, that sounds fine by me, baby," he said, following her into the back room. He took the seat she gestured to, looking around the room curiously as he made himself comfortable, never taking his eyes off Lula as he observed her closely while she worked.

As Lula continued to work, Valentino felt himself getting bored and started looking around the room. His eyes were immediately drawn to the collection of vintage stained glass lamps, his interest piqued by the beauty and craftsmanship of the pieces.

" Lula, I gotta say, these are some real gorgeous lamps you got here," he said, gesturing towards the lamps with a nod of approval.

"I love the colors and the way the light shines through them. They got a real classy look that'll never go out of style"

Lula blushed heavily at Valentino's praise. She forgot that she kept her collection in the back room. She was embarrassed to say that a love for pretty lights was one of the moth traits she gained after falling into Hell.

Valentino watched in amusement as Lula blushed heavily in response to his compliment, clearly embarrassed by his discovery of her love for pretty lights.

"Aww, don't be embarrassed," he said with a charming smile, leaning back in his chair with his hands behind his head, "You got a good taste in decor, those lamps really make this room shine. And it makes perfect sense that you'd have a thing for pretty lights, being a gorgeous moth and all~"

" Ah, thanks, Valentino. I u-um I actually made those lamps. I-It's a hobby of mine," she says, feeling antenna wiggle and her wings flutter.

Valentino's eyebrows raise slightly in surprise at Lula's confession, "You made those lamps yourself, baby? Damn, you're even more talented than I thought," he praised, his eyes lighting up with admiration at the revelation.

Lula hesitated before continuing, " I would like to sell them one day, but I'm not so sure other sinners would like this sort of thing," she tells him, giving a small sad smile.

"Don't doubt yourself too much, gorgeous. You'd be surprised how many suckers there are down here who would drool over those lamps. It's not all sex and violence, baby, some of these guys still got taste, you know. You'd make a killing with those"

She paused in her work and turned to Valentino and gave him the sweetest, most sincere smile, " You're the only person I've ever told that to. I-I just...thank you for the encouragement."

Valentino could feel his glasses slide down his face. He found himself completely hypnotized by Lula's sweet and heartfelt smile. His heart skipped a beat as his mind filled with a protective instinct that he'd never felt before. He couldn't help but be completely mesmerized by her at this moment, staring at her in complete adoration as he listened to her thanking him.

He sat there, completely enamored and entranced by Lula's sweetness as he watched her return to her work. He was filled with a newfound sense of purpose, a need to protect her at all costs from the dark and dangerous world around them, and he knew deep down that he would make sure no harm came to her. He adjusted his glasses and sat there in silence, his thoughts filled with her, as he waited patiently for her to finish up her work.

About an hour into the appointment, Lula stopped and asked Valentino if he would like any refreshments.

" Would you like anything to drink? I was just about to make something for myself," she stood up and stretched. " I should mention that I don't have any alcoholic beverages. I know, shocking to find a sinner in Hell that doesn't drink but here I am."

" That's fine Lula dear, I'll have whatever you're having," Valentino said, his voice noticeably softer than before.

" Well I will be having persimmon tea with honey. It is a bit sweet though, hope you don't mind," she stated.

Valentino raised an eyebrow at Lula's offer of persimmon and honey tea, not used to a drink like that, "Persimmon and honey, baby? Can't say I've had that before, but hey, I'm all for trying new things," he grinned, a hint of curiosity in his voice.

" Alright then, I'll be right back." She headed to the small kitchen and prepared the tea for the both of them. As she came back with the tea and cups, Valentino's antennae twitched in excitement as she sat down to join for a quick break.

Valentino took a few sips of the tea, initially surprised by the sweetness but finding that he actually enjoyed it, "Gorgeous, this tea is pretty damn good," he commented, a hint of surprise in his voice before taking another sip.

" I'm glad you like it. I think my love for sweet drinks is another moth trait I gained after my fall," she sighs.

" Don't apologize for your love for sweet drinks, Lula dear. You got a taste for the finer things in life and that's something to be proud of~" Valentino thought about all the finer things he could provide for her...but he kept that to himself.

They chatted a bit more before she got back to work. She was on the last pair when Valentino made a surprising request.

"Speaking of good things, baby, I was wondering if you could make me something special. I'd like for you to make me a custom lamp, something unique and eye-catching, with those lovely colors of yours."

Lula choked on her tea and almost dropped her cup. She looked at the moth man in surprise. Her antenna shot up in surprise. " W-what do you mean?" she stammered.

" I mean that I want you to make me a custom lamp for my office. It's already fabulous, but I think one of your creations would make it even more fabulous."

" It's just that I-I've never made a lamp for anyone else! Are you sure about this, it can be pretty pricey to make with all the materials I'll have to use an-"

Valentino grins in response to her surprise, finding her reaction endearing as he sips his tea, " Oh baby, I don't mind paying whatever it takes." He said with a dismissive wave of his hand. " Besides, did you say that you'd like to sell your lamps? Well, consider me your first customer."

Lula could feel her antenna wiggle and her wings flutter. He was right, she did want to sell her lamps some day. She knew that he was probably doing this to endear her to him...and it was working.

" If you're sure, then I'd be happy to accept your request, Valentino! Ah, but I should warn you that the process is quite long. About a month to be exact."

Valentino grinned happily as he watched Lula's excitement at the idea, finding her reaction even more adorable.

"Time spent with a talented beauty like you is well worth the investment. Besides, I don't want anything cheap, I want the best of the best, and I trust your talents to deliver. If the price is steep, I say go for it. And a month isn't a big deal. The longer, the better, as that means I get to come and see you just a little bit more~" He said with a chuckle, "I can't wait to see what you can come up with, baby, I just know it's gonna be worth the wait"

After the tea break, Lula finished up Valentino's glasses order and handed him back the box. She asked him if he would like to be a part of the designing process for the lamp.

Valentino grinned as he took the box of glasses back from Lula, "Oh baby, I'd be honored to be a part of the designing process! I have some ideas already swirling, and I can't wait to share them with you~"

Just then the bell on the counter in the front of the shop started to ring. Lula and Valentino both looked up at the sound. She told Valentino to stay put while she dealt with the new customer and that they could continue discussing the lamp.

Valentino watched as Lula headed off to deal with the new customer, a hint of curiosity in his eyes as he wondered who it could be.

"Of course, baby, take your time. I'll be right here waiting for you," he assured her as he leaned back in his seat and patiently waited for her to return.

From the back room, Valentino could hear hushed voices but couldn't make out what was being said. There was a loud crash and angry footsteps leaving the shop. Valentino rushed out and saw Lula huddled in the corner behind the counter, clearly shaken by whatever just happened . Looking around the shop he saw that the crash was a glasses rack that had been knocked over.

"Lula, what happened? Are you alright? Who was that?" hurrying over to her side and gently putting a hand on her shoulder.

Lula shook as she looked up at Valentino. She was about to say it was nothing and that she was fine but she stopped and told him that she had been getting harassed by another demon. The guy would come by her shop a lot and ask her to go out with him. She was always polite when she refused him but today he got angry and threatened her.

Valentino's expression darkened with anger and concern as Lula broke down sobbing. He pulled her into a gentle hug and held her close to soothe her.

"Don't worry, baby, I won't let him bother you again."

'Especially not you,' he thought to himself.

"I-I'll be okay Valentino, but thank you for staying with me," standing up with his help, she looked around at the damage that had been to her shop.

" I guess I should start cleaning up this mess. We can continue with design ideas for your lamp tomorrow. That is, if you still want it. I'd understand if you change your mind after this," she sniffled.

Valentino gently pushed her towards the back room, despite her protest, and told her to go rest while he cleaned up the mess, "Don't worry, baby, it's the least I can do. You take a break and rest, I'll take care of this," he reassured her.

He watched as she disappeared into the back room, and muttered to himself, " You'll be free of this creep forever, I promise."