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crack-whore-who-fuckedup-already · 6 months ago

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Be My Witness {10}

Part 10 - Charlie and Vaggie

Word Count: 7.1k

Fem!Reader, intimate!platonic Reader x Angel, (brief) Reader x Stolas, (eventual) Reader x Alastor

Trigger Warnings- mentions of drugs, descriptions of needles, medical abuse, fake ass medical science lmaoo

Author Note- HERE WE GO GUYS

{[Masterlist]}

SONG: Snow & Ice By Sophia Anne Caruso

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“Get your things, we're leaving.”

The smile that graced her lips when she first saw him faded as Angel shoved a bag in her arms. When she didn't move, he opened the drawers and grabbed random pieces of clothing. Shirts, skirts, bras, socks, whatever he could grasp, he threw them into the bag, which she still held, too confused to set it down.

“Where are we going?”

“A hotel.”

“Okay…” Y/n tried to play along but something told her this wasn't a joke. She humored him anyway. “For how long?”

“'Til they kick us out.” His tone was serious as he closed the dresser and turned towards the door. “Keep packing. I'm gonna get my stuff, then we can get go.”

He made to leave but Y/n's brain finally kicked in.

“Wait, wait, Angel.” She held a hand up, catching his attention and stopping him in his place. “What's going on?”

“I'm getting us out of here.”

Doubtful resistance immediately stirred in her mind. How she so desperately wanted to believe him. But she had refused to indulge the idea of moving out again since they moved into the tower, too exhausted to deal with Val’s possible backlash.

She finally put the partially packed bag down. “Okay, I need you to explain a lot more thoroughly than you are right now. A hotel? How are we supposed to pay for-”

He took her hands, almost tugging her into his chest, but he only held her firmly there in front him. His eyes bore into hers and her ears subtly shifted back with caution, his intensity putting her on edge.

“I found somewhere else for us to live, Y/n. Rent free.” A small, optimistic smile crept onto his face. “Said we can check in today.”

It still wasn't sitting right with her.

“What's the catch?”

His smile faltered, fading more to a grimace, optimism turning to unseriousness. “It's basically a rehab…”

Y/n's shoulders fell with exasperation.

“Oh, great. You want to risk Val's fury and get sober? Sounds like a real fun time, Angel,” she deadpanned.

He shook his head. “Not that kind of rehab. Although, they did mention no drugs allowed...” Angel rolled his eyes dismissively, playfully challenging the notion. “We'll see about that.” He sighed. “They say it's a rehab for souls. To get into Heaven.”

Angel paused for a split second to contemplate how to continue his explanation. But Y/n cut in with a sharp laugh, taking him off guard. He leaned back, dropping her hands as her laughter escalated and filled the softly lit room.

Angel was losing patience. Despite how ridiculous the whole idea sounded, he was solely focused on the opportunity to move him and Y/n out of the tower again. He would figure out the details of the supposed ‘soul saving’ later. Besides, if he hadn't spoken to the owner and operator herself, he wouldn't have taken it seriously either.

“Charlotte Morningstar is running it. She's reopened Lucifer's old place in NorthPen. I talked to her myself.”

The princess’ name being dropped silenced the doe in an instant.

Everyone knows of the Morningstar's, of course. But she recalls the couple of times where she was honored enough to be in their presence. Charlotte was so young then, though hard to really tell how old with how nobility ages in this realm.

Before Y/n got too involved with the Goetian prince, at a few of the other royal balls and parties she attended as an escort, she found herself intimidatingly close to the family. Not intentionally. There were plenty of other royals and high status demons to get a check from, no need risking her head trying to pick up the Queen, or heaven forbid, the King. She did not need Lilith coming after her.

But there was one very specific instance, a faint memory of an interaction with the queen in which the doe was being thanked, coolly, but earnestly. For what, she doesn't remember, having just reached the point of intoxicated forgetfulness. But she would never forget the slight smile that graced Lilith's lips, before she turned slowly and walked away back to the party, leaving Y/n there stunned.

Valentino had pulled her away from escorting before she was ever booked to work one of the Morningstar's illustrious parties. Which was a shame, as she had heard stories of an intimate but extravagant theater room inside the hotel -which wasn't a hotel at the time, but the royal family's private residence. The idea of finally being able to see that theater in person was admittedly enticing, almost even convincing.

But she knew it couldn't be this easy. It was never this easy, not where Valentino was involved and feeling stinted, which he was sure to be.

Still, she nodded her head slowly in contemplation. Angel had a point. A cheap place to stay was gold in their eyes right now. A chance to get some peace of mind away from their boss while still having some cash to burn on the side, and it's all being funded, facilitated, and therefore protected by a high monarch of Hell? Y/n was starting to understand. She couldn't deny how stupidly hopeful it made her feel.

Valentino would find something to punish her over eventually, whether or not she moved out. Better to have a place away from him to deal with the aftermath when he inevitably did, she supposed.

It still sparked anxiety in her stomach though.

“Its just,” Her eyes slammed shut and her hands raised to rub at them intensely. “The extermination is so close… And Val is going to have an absolute bitch-fit.”

Angel huffed out a small unamused laugh in acknowledgement. Then he lightly pulled her hands away from her face and finally pulled her into him, their arms wrapping firmly around each other. “All the more reason to move out before we're locked up with him again. And I was thinking we take it slow. Move things over little by little. Not kick up a fuss, y'know?” She didn't respond, only breathed deeply into his chest. Angel let her rest her head there contentedly for a moment before his upper hands took her face and brought her gently to look at him.

“I know we can do this, sugar. But I need you with me.”

Her eyes flicked between his, full of apprehension, her heart pounding steadily in her chest. Despite it, she nodded quickly and forced a smile onto her face, tense as it was. She was trusting him with everything she had.

Angel reciprocated with a more confident one, though still with the same uneasy edge as hers. He pulled her in once more, squeezing her affectionately before pressing a firm kiss between her ears. They fluttered happily against his cheeks.

With that, Y/n finished packing her bag and they left for the hotel.

As they turned onto the street, the hotel looming intimidatingly up the hill, Y/n noticed two demons lingering outside the property gates. They seemed to be disassembling a booth of some kind, though booth was a generous word. It was essentially a table and chairs on the side of the street.

One of the demons, a woman with gray skin and a long red bow in her silver hair, reached up for the banner hanging on the broken gate, struggling to pull it loose. ‘Free Lemonade!’ it read, handwritten rainbow letters scrawled messily, splashes of watercolor paint dotting the otherwise white paper.

“Lotsa free stuff, huh?” Y/n said uncertainly, not used to random acts of sincere kindness. Angel chuckled lightly.

The second demon, with thick blonde hair and dressed in all red, turned around to grab a stack of cups on the table when she caught the doe and the spider approaching down the sidewalk. Her eyes lit up, a big friendly smile striking her pale face.

Y/n's stomach sank with nerves, her steps faltering. Angel took her hand reassuringly; the only reason she didn't stop walking completely.

“Angel Dust!! You're back already!” She turned to her companion, who had managed to wrestle the banner down. She shook her shoulders vigorously, nearly making her drop the paper. “Vaggie, he's back already, holy shit!”

The newcomers came to a stop at the open gates and the princess’ eyes darted excitedly between the two before finally landing fixedly on Y/n. Recognition sparked on her features and she made a noise of hardly-contained excitement. “Hiii, I'm Charlie,” she greeted cheerily, lilting in a soft sing-song voice. “It's so great to finally officially meet you!”

Finally? Officially? The princess’ words rang in the doe's ears, not quite making sense to her. They swirled in her head, trying to settle down with a memory that didn't seem to exist.

Maybe she's a fan… of the earlier stuff, I hope… she settled, self-conscious of her reputation. Or maybe Angel told her about me when they first met…

Y/n remembered herself suddenly, shoving away her muddled thoughts with a sharp swivel of her ears. She stepped back into a generous curtsy. “I'm honored, your highness.”

“Oh, boy.” The princess rushed forward, her hand resting on the deer's shoulder to bring her out of her bow. “Thank you. Really. But that's not necessary here. Charlie is just fine,” she finished with a grateful smile.

Y/n straightened, clearing her throat uncomfortably while giving a pointed glare to Angel. He watched her, an amused arch in his brow, his head cocked with entertainment. Y/n hissed a vulgar curse at him and his smugness.

“Okay!” A glass of lemonade was shoved into Y/n's hand. Charlie beamed as she gathered the last of the cups into a bag and scooped up the still full pitcher of lemonade, speaking all the while. “Angel said he might be bringing a friend. But he didn't mention that it was the Y/n!” She turned to her companion, who Y/n finally noticed had a big red X of a patch covering her eye. “See, Vaggie? We just opened and we already got two big movie stars wanting to sign up! This is gonna be so great.” She turned, making for the hotel before stopping suddenly. “Oh!” She spun back around, lemonade sloshing out of the pitcher. She used it to gesture pointedly between Y/n and Vaggie. “Y/n, this is Vaggie. My partner.”

The shorter woman stepped forward dutifully, banner tucked neatly under her arm now. “And co-manager of the hotel,” she added proudly, nodding curtly before turning to fold the table.

Y/n watched her struggle with it for an uncomfortable second. When the banner almost slipped from her arm again, Y/n finally sprung to action. “Here, let me-”

The doe moved without much thought, shoving her drink into Angel's hands before rushing forward and lifting the table to a better vantage point for Vaggie. She missed the way Charlie watched with glee, enthused by her initiative. In seconds, the table was folded and ready to be hauled up the hill, with Vaggie holding one end, Y/n taking the other.

They looked back at their taller counterparts. Y/n jerked her head at Angel, signaling him to grab the last chair, which he did with only a small hint of annoyance.

With everything successfully gathered, they hiked it up the hill to the front doors.

Y/n's heart pounded in her chest. Whether it was from the anticipation of finally going inside their new residence, or from booking it up that dreadful hill with full arms, she couldn't tell. But as she stood under the old circus tent that served as an entrance for the building, she couldn't help the smile that crept onto her lips. The stained glass doors depicting plump red apples already filling her with familiarity.

Charlie held the door open for the group and they filed in awkwardly, their hands full of table, chairs, and bags. Vaggie set the poster down before turning to the doe and signaling for her to put the table down against the wall. There was a loud crash as she did, and they all turned to find Angel brushing his hands together in dismissive disgust, a cloud of dust billowing up from where the chair was discarded on the floor. Charlie cringed, smiling to hide her displeasure. Angel looked at her and shrugged, making Y/n roll her eyes at him. Vaggie muttered under her breath.

Two small demons with wings and horns, and an overall goatish appearance came hurtling down the long foyer towards them. Charlie exclaimed. “Right! You guys, this is Razzle,” The lighter one with reptilian eyes shook out his wings noisily. “And Dazzle.” The one with darker fur tugged proudly at his little coat. They swirled around the princess then pressed against her in greeting before taking the pitcher and cups from her. Making their way back down the hallway, they smiled at everyone they passed.

The doe waved at them shyly, trying to be nice. It seemed to catch Dazzle's attention. The little goat paused, looking at Y/n with wide eyes. His hand shot out, frantically slapping against his buddy's arm. Razzle followed suit in staring wide eyed at Y/n, who shifted uncomfortably at the sudden attention.

Dazzle looked back at Charlie, waving his hand at her before pointing excitedly at Y/n.

The princess looked at the doe and laughed with slight embarrassment. “They're uh… they're fans.” The words sank in and Charlie rushed to elaborate. “Of your old movies, not the… not the pornography.” Then, after an awkward pause. ”Although I'm sure your pornos are very-”

“Oh-kay, Charlie. Grand tour?”

“Right.”

The new guests were told to leave their bags in the lobby, as they would be taken to their respective rooms for them to unpack after the tour. Then they set off deeper into the building.

Despite her status and money, it seemed Charlie was struggling to revamp the inside of the building. With half working lights and deteriorating support beams, the infrastructure was a mess. But Y/n kept her snide comments on lock, careful not to insult her new home or landlord.

Most, if not all, of the recreational rooms were not in working order. The pool, the game room, the carousel; all closed for the time being. Even so, there were several lounges, balconies, and art pieces scattered throughout the hotel floors that made the tour enjoyable despite its rundown state. Y/n couldn't help but be most intrigued by all the portraits and painting. So many of them were of the royal family, and it was strange seeing such powerful beings be so domestic. She was grateful they still dotted the hallway walls as they distracted from the dark and dank gloom of the hotel.

As the group left one of the parlors, Angel nearly ran into a one-eyed cat who Charlie was quick to introduce as Keekee. The feline flicked her tail at Angel indignantly before bounding off down the hall in front of them.

Charlie also mentioned there were still several rooms under maintenance that she didn't think were worth taking the time to see just yet, but that they were welcome to peek around some other time as long as they were being mindful and cautious of their surroundings.

Finally it came time for the newcomers to be shown their rooms to settle down a bit for the evening. With an excited trill from Charlie, they all made their way to the residential floors.

Angel inspected his room as Y/n settled into hers right across the hall. The rooms were sizable, and had standard furnishings for a hotel. A bed, a dresser, and another door which Y/n assumed leads to the bathroom.

She sat on the edge of the bed, taking in the faded red of the walls, the faint stains that still dotted the floors and even the ceilings. She inhaled the scent of musty old carpets and dusty bed sheets and sighed as she began unpacking her bag.

With a clear head in a new place, her mind wandered to the things she wished she remembered to pack. Certain sweaters, a blanket or two of her own, maybe a book or something to entertain herself with.

Senseless anxiety gripped her suddenly.

Images of the emerald green and gold brocade book Stolas had given her flooded her mind, along with the idea of Val storming her room and ripping it to shreds. She had tucked it away as she always did, she could have sworn, but she still couldn't shake the feeling like something was amiss.

She dropped whatever it was she had in her hands, a piece of clothing that landed softly on the mattress and was quickly forgotten as she rushed out of her room.

Angel's door was propped open and she peeked in, body half obscured by the door frame. She called his name and he turned to her, already in his evening clothes and folding a pair of pants. His motions were slow and his eyes were hooded, signs of a tired Angel. Still, he smiled when he saw her.

He gestured lazily around him. “This is pretty great, huh?”

Y/n nodded and stepped fully into the doorway. “I havta run back to the tower really quick,” she said tentatively, her fingers tapping anxiously at the wood of the doorframe. “I forgot something important.”

The spider's eyes focused with newfound alertness. “What? You sure you can't wait 'til later? Tomorrow mayb-”

“No.” She cleared her throat, softening her tone. “No, I shouldn't leave it-... I have to get it now.”

Angel stared before sighing deeply. “Alright,” he tossed the pair of pants onto his bed. A hand came up and lightly pinched the bridge of his nose. “Lemme change, then we can go.”

“No, no. I wasn't-” she corrected, slowly coming to stand before him. She hadn't meant that he needed to come with her. “Don't worry about it. I was gonna go alone.” She wrapped her arms around his waist and he reciprocated, holding her to him tightly. They looked at each other, Y/n's chin resting lightly on his chest.

Angel's brows furrowed with concern. “Are you sure? It would only take me a minute to get dressed, y'know?”

Y/n shook her head, her eyes deceptively assuring. “I'm sure. You should settle down… maybe find us a place to smoke for when I get back?”

Angel let out a relieved huff of air as his upper hands cradled her head. He brought his forehead down to hers, a devilish grin tugging at his lips. “You know me so well.” Y/n giggled, small and sweet as Angel pulled away, sufficiently reassured. “Want me to walk you down?”

“No, thanks. I'll be alright.” She started towards the exit. “I should be back within the hour,” she finished with a playfully challenging smirk. “Time me.”

And with that, she bounded down the hall, down the grand staircase and out of the hotel, hoping Charlie wouldn't be upset at her brief but sudden disappearance.

She made it to the tower with daylight still in the sky. The street outside was bustling with demons, the evening being when Entertainment District really comes alive. She's lucky she didn't have work tonight or she might be among them, milling about with a much more revealing outfit on.

She slipped through the first floor, weaving around and through demons until she found the elevators. When the doors closed and the bumbling of the lobby fell away as the elevator lifted, Y/n took a steadying breath. She ran through the checklist of things she intended to grab -sweater, blanket, book-, being sure she was as quick and efficient as possible. She wanted to get back to Angel and smoke their stash away one last official time before they start the next chapter of their potentially sober lives.

As Y/n came down the hallway she noticed her bedroom door ajar, setting off alarms in her head. And sure enough when she pushed through into the room, there stood Val, his back to her in the dark room. He half turned when he heard the shift behind him, greeting her with a bored lift of his brow, his profile illuminated by the neon lights outside.

“Where have you been?”

She noted he held something in his lower hands, its pale pages stuck between his stiff fingers. Y/n eyes flicked to the drawer of her desk where she kept the prince's book -right in front of Val. Finding it wide open, she exhaled sharply as nervous apprehension gripped her chest.

He looked at her fully, awaiting an answer to his question.

Her mind flitted between all the excuses she could try, but ultimately she settled for a half truth. “At a friend's.” Val hummed, flipping the page with unnecessary force. The dreaded sound of paper tearing made her jerk forward before she remembered herself, stopping before she took another step. “Do you mind?” Valentino let go of the torn page while grunting unamusedly. Whether or not it was at the page ripping or at Y/n’s reaction to it, she couldn't tell. “I'm not scheduled for anything today, what's going on?”

“Someone hasn't been checking their messages,” he taunted lightly before snapping the book shut and tossing it unceremoniously onto the desk, not even bothering to close the drawer before he moved on. Y/n walked forward then, setting the book back in the drawer before finally closing it with a sigh. She skirted past Val to tidy her bed as he spoke, using it to subtly gather the things she had come for. “A last minute meeting came up on the day your appointment was supposed to be so I rescheduled you for today.” His hands grasped her hips, tugging them firmly to his. “Right now.”

Y/n gripped the blanket in her hand, holding tight as Val swept her towards the door without another word on the matter. And good thing she did too, as the appointment she thought she had time to prepare for was the last before this year's execution. The most taxing day of the year, as there was always an uptake in demand.

Souls really want to splurge on high-end drugs when they survive a mass extermination, and Valentino's pill was one of the highest on the market. With so many customers and only one source, Val was sure to drain her for all her worth. Hence the need for her blanket. Aside from the dizziness and debilitating weakness, being cold was one of the worst side effects of having her blood stolen away. And in that massive room, all alone for hours? She needed the warmth, and the comfort.

Alone is an over exaggeration, she supposed. There was the physician who, aside from hooking her up to the bags and IVs, was also monitoring her blood pressure. Particularly when she passed out. Not so that they knew when to stop taking blood, oh no. But so that they know when to start again. They found that when they drained her completely, it took longer for her body to regenerate than if they left her with a couple pints in her system. So they'd throw a blood pressure monitor on her arm and watch the numbers until she was back at a place they could take from again. Then at the end, when they were approaching the cap on however much they were projected to need, they'd drain her completely and call it a day.

There was also Valentino, too. Though, he often liked to wander in and out of the clinic on long days like these, checking in every once in a while to be sure things were going smoothly with the doe. Not for her sake, of course.

Today would be no different.

Y/n was fortunate to have a blanket for today's session. It was rare she was ever prepared with one and it was happenstance she was able to grab something before Val whisked her away for her appointment. The soft fabric was soothing between her fingers as they entered the clinic, the doctor already prepped and waiting. She thumbed the material as she was sat down in the chair, Valentino's hand catching her chin for a kiss before he stepped away. She crumpled a fistful of the blanket as the needle found its way into her arm, slowly beginning to siphon away her life force.

Nearly three bags slipped by before she remembered to text Angel. The thought struck her the same time as a chill did. Trembling fingers reaching for her phone, she shot him a simple message before she tucked it away again and adjusted the blanket over herself, pulling it tight around her arms. Then she closed her eyes and drifted off to sleep.

She herself made a discovery, that if she goes to sleep before they take too much, she can bypass the onset confusion, brain fog, and wooziness. She still woke up feeling like she downed a whole bar then woke up in a back alley ditch -but at least she didn't feel it coming on.

When Angel got Y/n's text he was already halfway to the tower in search of her. Being in a new place without their bosses knowledge put him on edge as is, and the message she sent didn't do much to soothe him, only stating that, despite their earlier conversation, she wouldn't be making it back to the hotel. Angel wasn't sure whether she meant that night or at all, period. But he wasn't going to sit around and find out.

He got to the tower, evading demons as he made his way to the elevators. He checked her room, finding the pile of things she had gathered on her bed, no book in sight. Then he checked the studios, making sure she wasn't roped into a last minute shoot. And when he didn't recognize any of the actors as Y/n, he finally checked the clinic.

He opened the door, pushing through fully into the room with zero resistance or restraint and took in the sight before him. His friend, asleep and trembling in the partially reclined chair, her arm extended out before her, attached to a full bag of blood.

Angel began towards her, but in his frantic state of assessing his friend, he missed Valentino sitting off to the side, keeping guard like a hound.

The moth stood quickly, discarding the wad of cash he'd been counting on the sofa next to him, and firmly cut Angel off from reaching Y/n.

“What are you doing here, Angel.” It came out stern, not like an actual question at all but more of a subtle, silent warning that he wasn't supposed to be there.

“I'm here for Y/n.” Angel tried to push past Val but got a rough hand to the shoulder, holding him back. “We had plans this evening,” he bit.

“Going to see a friend. I heard.” Angel pulled out of his grasp sharply, trying not to let his face show how stunned he was by his boss’s casual knowledge. Val gave a light flourish of his hand, signaling Angel towards the exit. “She'll have to postpone.” They stared at each other, Val with a smooth cocky grin on his face, and Angel with his brows furrowed indignantly.

The spiders lip twitched with an argument ready to strike but movement from the chair drew his attention away from his boss. Then her voice came, calling Angel's name soft and unsure.

He went to Y/n immediately -shooting Valentino a glare as he passed him- and took her free hand, as well as her face, gently bringing her to look at him.

Her eyes shot open at his touch, body jolting as if being woken from a bad dream, her expression twisting with fearful unfamiliarity before she registered his face.

“It's alright, sugar. It's me,” he soothed as her hand weakly grabbed his wrist. But instead of pulling away like he thought she was doing, she held his hand to her cheek, nuzzling softly into it.

“What are you doing here?” She asked quietly, confusion pulling her brows together.

“You took way longer than an hour, I started to worry. I was already on my way when you texted me.” His thumb tenderly brushed her cold cheek. “Are you okay? What is all this?”

“You know how I get when extermination time comes around,” she brushed off his question.

“Yeah but…” Angel gestured incredulously towards the IV stand and the nearly full bag that hung there.

Y/n stared for a moment, trying to decide what to say. “Just… some blood work, that's all,” she came up with pathetically.

A quick glance at the doctor preparing another bag off in the corner told Angel otherwise. “Two whole bags for blood work?” She only shrugged, looking away uncomfortably. “Sweetheart? What's goin’ on?” He asked tentatively.

“Nothing. I-”

“It's time for you to go.” Val's voice made Angel jump. “You can see her in the morning.”

The doctor stepped up from the corner of the room, taking Y/n's arm and indelicately removing the IV from her arm, the doe hissing as the tape pulled off of her skin. The doctor grinned when her ears flattened, cringing at the sting of the needle pulling free of her flesh. Then he checked that the other needle was secure, pressing it with unnecessary force into her arm.

“What the fuck? I think the fuck not, she needs help getting back-”

“Wait, Angel,” Y/n cut him off. She pulled his hand away from her face, attempting to sit up, then looked for her boss across the room. “Can he stay? Please, Valentino?”

Val's brow shot up in mild surprise. Not at her boldness but at the question itself. After all the times he warned her about their secret getting out…

Maybe he was in a permissive mood, mind preoccupied with the millions of tasks he had to complete before execution day. Or maybe he was seeing an opportunity here for power play down the line. But either way, he wasn't entirely opposed to the thought.

“If you insist, mami.” He waved them off before returning to the couch to collect the cash he left there and noisily leaving the room with it.

Y/n tugged on Angel's arm weakly. “Will you stay? Just for a little bit?” Her voice warbled as if containing a sob, but no tears came to her eyes. “I don't want to be here alone.”

Angel rubbed her bicep reassuringly. “I ain't booked tomorrow, sugar. I'm all yours until you're outta here.”

The doe mustered her dwindling strength and scooted over on the recliner. When she settled, she tugged at Angel's arm again, pulling him in to rest on the chair with her. It was an awkward fit, with Angel on his side cradling Y/n carefully. Half so as to not mess with the tube and needle protruding from her arm, but also half so he didn't fall off the seat.

They talked for a bit, and watched videos on Angel's phone for a while, the spider glaring daggers every time the doctor came round with a fresh new bag. Then came the point where chills permeated her body incessantly. Having the blanket as well as Angel's warmth had really done a number on staving it off, but the time was coming now where her limbs felt like lead and her head felt floaty, like a feather caught on the breeze.

She couldn't see much anymore, her vision a blurry mess of black splotches. She fought unconsciousness, calling Angel's name through the increasing mental fog.

“Yeah, sweetheart?”

“Would you mind, getting me another blanket?” She stuttered through the shivers.

“Of course, sugar,” he obliged, pressing a firm kiss to the side of her head before untangling himself from her and heading for the door.

As much as she wanted him there, she didn't want him to see her fade away like that.

With Angel casting her one last look as he left the room, Y/n let her consciousness slip away from her for the first time that evening.

When Angel returned, he had a huge fluffy blanket in his bottom arms and a thick jacket in the other, which he held up as he walked in. “I brought you my best sweater,” he said proudly. “You'll be swimming in it, and there are four extra arm holes but, hey, she's a thickums.”

Y/n’s lack of response would have clued him in that something was amiss, if he had noted it beyond the sight of Val hovering over the doe, slowly lifting the blanket away from her still form. Angel sprang forward, tossing the downy blanket over her already partially covered form.

Val pulled away with an annoyed sigh as Angel tucked himself right back into Y/n's side. “Sorry I took so long, sugar. Fuckin’ Vox held me up.”

Now her silence caught his attention. He looked at her, or at least tried to, as her head had fallen limply away from him when he was settling down. He nudged her carefully, saying her name softly as he did. When she didn't respond, he shook her, panic sinking in.

Valentino grabbed his shoulder roughly, forcing him to stop. “Knock it off.”

Angel scrambled to his feet, coming face to face with Val. His eyes flared hot fiery pink, voice dripping with venom. “What the hell are you doing to her?”

The moth only leaned in threateningly. “If you cause problems, I'll remove you.”

Angel seethed, feeling himself shake with rage as he held himself back. He only tore his eyes away from Val when the doctor approached Y/n, hooking her up to a small machine on a rolling cart before switching out for another bag.

The machine made an awful whirring sound when he switched it on, the noise filling the room and grating on Angel's ears. “What is that thing?”

“Blood pressure monitor,” Val stated dully, going round to talk to his hired physician.

Angel tucked the blankets under Y/n's legs meticulously, coming to sit by her side when he finished, the jacket forgotten on the floor. He sighed before laying down beside her again.

The machine clicked off sharply.

“...pay big money to see her-”

The beaverish physician snapped his mouth shut as his words rang out in the room, replacing the thrum of the monitor.

Angel went still, his mind filling in the rest of the sentence. He didn't like what it came up with.

He looked slowly at the two other demons, his eyes peeking over Y/n's ears. The doctor was looking back at him, eyes wide and apprehensive, telling him he definitely was not supposed to have heard. Val was looking at the doctor, his face full of disdain. Still, he took the stouter demon by the shoulder and turned him away from the chair, continuing their conversation. Their words turned to whispers from the corner of the room.

Angel looked away, pulling Y/n closely to him instead and placing his head in the crook of her neck, almost defensively. He turned his attention to the sound of her heart in her chest. It took him a second to find her heartbeat over his own, it was so faint. He could practically hear it sputtering to continue, pounding as hard as it could to keep what little blood was left circulating.

Eventually the doctor came over and began the machine again, starting a new routine of checking the monitor every time a bag finished out. Angel felt his grip on his friend tighten each time the doctor approached with a new, empty bag in his hands.

Angel listened tirelessly, keeping track of her heartbeat. How it sped up while it simultaneously got quieter and quieter. And the quieter her heart got, the more shallow her breath got. Until Angel couldn't hear either at all. Until her heart and lungs were no longer operating and she was clinically dead.

He nestled desperately into the chilled skin of her neck, tears spilling quietly down his cheeks. He could already see the bluish hue of her blood deprived fingers, the sight settling frightfully in his chest. He refused to look at her face, afraid to see her so withered by her condition.

Angel held her there through the night, the doctor flitting around them, Val coming and going here and there. Her heart did the same, starting and stopping every few minutes.

There was an hour or two where they didn't take any blood, though they didn't remove the equipment from her either. The doctor waited for Val to return before starting the machine again, taking note of the numbers that came up and wandering back to his seat in the corner of the room.

Another couple of minutes passed and Y/n's lungs kicked back up. It started with a twitch, then a jerk as they forcibly expanded, sore with lack of use.

Angel kneaded her free arm, rubbing his warm hands over her skin, hoping to bring circulation, heat, something back to her muscles. After all the times she had come home cramping, weak and sore, he knew just what her sure-to-be aching body needed.

Y/n took several deep breaths, her fingers twitching with newfound oxygen. Then her head lulled on top of his, just before a sob tore its way out of her throat.

Angel's head shot up frantically, finally looking at her sunken face. Her illusions had faded long ago but he only just now brought himself to note the details there, unconcealed by magic. The scars of particularly nasty cuts and scrapes jutting out among her natural deer markings, her hollowed cheeks and pallid skin making them easier to see. She was sweating. Not much, but enough for a sheen of moisture to cover her face, small strands of wild hair sticking to her forehead. Her eyes were clamped shut, her brows twisted painfully so. Her chest heaved with cries that echoed out in the cavernous room.

In his panic, Angel's eyes scanned the room, finding Val spectating from afar, puffing away at a cigarette. His arms and legs were crossed in a relaxed state, watching the doe with unabashed amusement. The spider wondered how often this happened; her waking up alone and terrified in this chair, Valentino staring from across the room.

Something told him the moth loomed much closer when it was just them two alone.

Angel turned away and did the only thing he could think of in that moment; pull her fully into him. His lower arms hooked under her shoulders and lifted her into his lap, his upper two hands cradling her head and resting it on his shoulder. There was a tugging on all the medical equipment she was attached to, but Angel was careful not to pull anything out of place, returning the glares he was getting from the other two demons in the room. Val’s face was less than pleased now, but he didn't move to stop Angel.

With her head pressed into Angel's neck, Y/n's cries were subsiding, though her frantic breathing was not. She couldn't seem to gain control of her lungs, sharp puffs of air leaving her parted lips with immense effort, until it stopped all together again. Her chest seized, the exhaustion making her give up her battle with her breath.

“C'mon, sugar.” Angel bounced her lightly. “You gotta keep breathin’. Take a deep breath with me, here,” he ushered her, inhaling deeply while rubbing her back to try and bring her mind to her chest.

It helped some, Y/n sputtering to fill her lungs effectively. It took her a minute to get a full breath in, and when she did, it left her again with a whimper. But she was waking up more now, her body's organs turning back on like a worn out machine.

Angel could only imagine the amount of pain she was in. The thought of being slowly killed and then revived only to be killed again, over and over and over… and all for what? He still wasn't even entirely sure.

He rocked her soothingly, whispering calming words in her ear. She tried to speak but he only told her to save her strength. To not worry, as he was there for her and wasn't going anywhere.

And he didn't. He held her there when they started up with taking bags again, when she eventually passed out again, and finally, when they unhooked her from all the damned equipment.

The doctor passed the final bag off to Valentino and Angel watched as he placed it in a cooler before reaching into the fridge and piling the rest of the bags on top. With all four arms, he grabbed fistfuls of bags, three, four a hand. Angel couldn't keep count even if he tried. And he tried.

Valentino shoved the bags in place, smashing them down so they all fit. Then he snapped the lid shut with a click before handing the full cooler back to the doctor, who then shuffled out of the room with a final glance over his glasses at Angel.

Val turned, leaning heavily on the counter behind him. “Enjoy the show?”

With no one else in the room to hear his challenge, Angel finally snapped. “Such a pussy you won't even say what you're doing to her?”

“Watch yourself, Angel Dust.” Val pushed himself off the counter, coming to stand just a few paces from the spider. “Believe it or not, it's for her own good that no one knows.”

“Fuckin’ bullshit.”

“You don't believe me, just ask her yourself.” With that, Valentino swept out of the room, finished with Y/n for the night.

Angel found her phone and checked the time, his own having died long ago. It was the early hours of the morning, just before day break. They had been at it pretty much all night.

Frustration arose in him. He had come back to the tower that night looking for answers from Y/n and to hopefully bring her back to the hotel safe and sound. But it seems he would only be leaving with more questions and an unconscious doe.

He would figure out the truth, one way or another, he resolved. But for now, he'd wait for morning light to shine before taking Y/n and making the journey back to the hotel, hoping their new hostesses wouldn't kick up a fuss about their sudden absence. And when Y/n wakes, he would let her get her bearings before beginning his interrogation.

~~~~~~~~

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#hazbin fanfic #hazbin hotel #hazbin angst #hazbin reader insert #hazbinhotel #hazbin fandom #hazbin angel dust #hazbin valentino #angst #hazbin charlie #hazbin vaggie #razzle and dazzle #hurt/comfort #Youtube

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alienelvisobsession · 9 months ago

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The Italian Connection (part 1) - It’s Now or Never

Welcome to the first post of a series I'll call The Italian Connection. From an idea hooked-on-elvis gave me some time ago, I'll write a few posts about Elvis connections to Italy, because I'm an Italian fan who lives in the Elvis wasteland (aka Europe) and it gives me joy to write about this. You’re welcome to suggest some topics for my next Italian connections.

I first heard Elvis' "It's Now or Never" on the car radio about 3 years ago, before becoming an Elvis fan. I'm sure I had heard it before, but I wasn't conscious of it, if that makes sense. I remember thinking: "Oh, it's 'O sole mio' with English lyrics. Who sang this?". I swear I thought the car radio was broken when I saw "It's Now or Never - Elvis Presley" appearing on the screen, but then I listened better and I recognized his voice. Even as a non fan, he had the most recognizable voice of all singers. I just didn't know that he sang this kind of songs, as I mostly knew him for the rock 'n roll classics and a few ballads.

It's kind of surprising to me that “It’s Now or Never”, recorded in April 1960, is actually Elvis' best-selling song and it's among the top ten best-selling physical singles of all time, with 20 million copies sold. It's ranked at #7, together with Whitney Houston's version of "I Will Always Love You" and the charity single "We Are the World", written by Michael Jackson and Lionel Ritchie.

It is based on the classic Neapolitan song “‘O Sole Mio”, written in 1898, and to this day performed in Italy and in the rest of the world by opera singers, gondoliers and everything in between. The lyrics of the song were written by Giovanni Capurro, but the music was composed by Eduardo di Capua, perhaps while he was on tour in Odessa, a city on the Black Sea. It's a hymn to the sunshine of Naples and a love song at the same time, in the melodramatic style characteristic of traditional Neapolitan music.

"O' sole mio" is ubiquitous in Italy, it's almost like a national anthem, especially in Naples. In October of 1960, Elvis' version made it to #3 in Italy in the weekly charts, which was overwhelmingly made of Italian musica leggera (pop music). It also reached #17 in the annual chart of 1960, which is not bad at all for an American artist. I wouldn't say that Elvis' is the most famous version of the song, though, merely because "O' Sole Mio" is a favorite among opera singers, including Luciano Pavarotti, who used to sing a great version of it.

Elvis most likely knew the famous version by Italian tenor Enrico Caruso, recorded in 1916 (it was said to be a favorite record of his mother) and the version recorded by Mario Lanza, an Italian American tenor who was popular in the 1950s. Elvis shared his love for Lanza's operatic singing, displayed in successful movies like “The Great Caruso”, with a young Priscilla Beaulieu. When Elvis met her in the autumn of 1959, they must have talked about him, because he had just died, at the tender age of 38, after years of bad health and a controversial sleep diet (!). It’s possible that Elvis decided to record "It's Now or Never" in 1960 as a homage to him.

When Elvis recorded this song he was fresh out of the army and had filmed the Sinatra special the month before, in March 1960. I think it’s important to note that in 1957, Sinatra was rather skeptical about Elvis' vocal abilities. He said: "Elvis has no training at all. When he goes into something serious, a bigger kind of singing, we’ll find out if he is a singer". As we all know, Elvis had a lot of time to work on his singing while he was in the army, with the help of Charlie Hodge.

That’s probably why in 1960, eager to show off his extended vocal range with a "bigger kind of singing", Elvis decided to tackle this song. There was already a version with English lyrics, called “There’s No Tomorrow”, recorded by Tony Martin in 1949. He had dabbled with it a little bit in Germany, as proven by the home recordings that have surfaced. Nevertheless, he decided to have new lyrics written for him, as the song was in the public domain in the US.

With this choice in a way he was signaling that he intended to explore different genres, branching out from rock 'n roll in other words. As Shane Brown wrote in “Reconsider Baby” about his new vocal abilities, “the often out-of-control vibrato was successfully controlled, Elvis switched from singing with full power to barely a whisper like flipping a switch”. The Jordanaires begin the song with their layered harmonies, while a guitar cleverly imitates the sound of an Italian mandolin. Elvis sings this the way it is done in Italy, easing into the song and then building it up to a roar in the chorus.

So why did Elvis like Neapolitan music so much? According to Mark Duffett, it “allowed [him] to dramatically express assertive and passionate masculinity”. As a matter of fact, I find the dichotomy of tenderness and assertiveness that Elvis manages to express in this song, so masterfully expressed in the lyrics (“tomorrow will be too late / it’s now or never / my love won’t wait”) , a perfect fit for Elvis’ voice and personality.

Needless to say, the song was challenging to record. It took Elvis a few takes to nail the long high note at the end, as well as the right tone for it. He must have been satisfied with the result, though, because more than 10 years later, in 1972, during the Madison Square Garden press conference, he said that it was his favorite record of his. Elvis included “It’s Now or Never” in his concerts immediately after recording it (he performed it during the Pearl Harbor concert in 1961) and then again in February 1970, at the end of that engagement. In that occasion, it must have been a surprise choice, because he uncharacteristically instructs the TCB band on how to finish the song. I love this soulful version, with its gospel-like ending.

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I wish Elvis had taken the time to learn the words and sung some of the original lyrics like he did with “Santa Lucia”, also a Neapolitan classic. In the 1970s, Elvis sometimes allowed one of this backup singers, Sherrill Nielsen, to sing the first verse of the Italian version, although with approximate lyrics. Goofing around like he often did, but also maybe hinting at the fact that the song was really old, in December 1976 Elvis introduced the song by saying: “Sherrill Nielsen is going to do the Italian version and I’m going to do the ancient Hindu version”. In this recording from one of Elvis' last concerts, Nielsen's singing is overindulgent to say the least and I wonder what Elvis thought of it. Can you decipher his expressions and let me know?

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Bonus: One my favorite versions of “O Sole Mio”

#elvis #elvis presley #it’s now or never #o sole mio #the Italian connection #1960s music #enrico caruso #mario lanza #neapolitan songs #Neapolitan music #Youtube

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