Valentino sat in his luxurious office at the Hazbin Hotel, his feet propped up on the desk as he took a long drag of his cigarette. He exhaled a cloud of smoke, smirking as he watched his latest conquest, a young demon by the name of Angel Dust, prance around his office in nothing but a skimpy outfit.
Angel Dust was one of Valentino's prized possessions, a former porn star turned hotel resident. The demon had caught Valentino's eye from the moment he saw him, and he wasted no time in making him his own.
'You look good, kid,' Valentino purred, his eyes roaming over Angel's body. 'Real good.'
Angel smiled, twirling around for Valentino. 'Thanks, boss. I always aim to please.'
'And please, you do,' Valentino replied, a wicked glint in his eyes. 'Now, tell me, have you been keeping up with your end of our deal?'
Angel's smile faltered slightly at the mention of the deal. He had been roped into working for Valentino under the promise of fame and fortune, but all he seemed to be getting was exhaustion and bruises.
Valentino noticed the change in Angel's expression and sat up, his demeanor changing from playful to calculating. 'What's wrong, my dear?'
Angel fidgeted, not sure if he wanted to voice his concerns to Valentino. He knew better than to cross the powerful demon, but he also couldn't keep living like this.
'I...I don't think I can keep doing this,' Angel finally admitted, his voice wavering slightly.
Valentino raised an eyebrow, but otherwise stayed calm. 'Doing what, exactly?'
'Working for you,' Angel replied, avoiding Valentino's gaze. 'I thought I was going to have a shot at becoming a star, but I'm just another one of your pawns. I'm tired of being used and tossed aside like some cheap toy.'
Valentino's face hardened and he stood up, his tall frame looming over Angel. 'Do you know who I am, Angel? I am one of the most powerful demons in Hell. I could make or break you with a snap of my fingers. How dare you speak to me like that?'
Angel flinched at the sudden change in Valentino's tone, but he refused to back down. 'I don't care about any of that. I just want to be treated like a person, not some object for you to use.'
Valentino's nostrils flared in anger but before he could say anything, the door to his office burst open. In walked Charlie, the owner of the Hazbin Hotel, with her cheerful smile and bubbly personality.
'Oh, hi Valentino! Hi Angel!' Charlie greeted, seemingly oblivious to the tension in the room. 'I just wanted to remind you both that we have a group therapy session in ten minutes. We wouldn't want to miss it, right?'
Valentino rolled his eyes at the mention of therapy, but he reluctantly nodded. 'Fine. You may go, Angel. But remember, you owe me.'
Angel nodded, grateful for the opportunity to leave Valentino's office. He quickly gathered his things and rushed out, leaving Valentino and Charlie alone.
Valentino couldn't believe that a mere hotel owner had the nerve to interrupt his conversation with Angel. He was about to voice his frustration when Charlie spoke up.
'I hope you treat Angel with respect, Valentino,' Charlie said sternly. 'He's one of our residents here and we want to make sure he feels safe and comfortable.'
Valentino scoffed, not used to being talked down to by anyone. 'And who are you to tell me how to treat my own property?'
Charlie's expression hardened and she leaned in closer to Valentino, her voice dropping to a dangerous tone. 'First of all, Angel is not your property. Second of all, I will not tolerate anyone mistreating our residents. Understood?'
Valentino was taken aback by Charlie's fierce protectiveness over Angel. He quickly composed himself and put on a smirk. 'Sure thing, princess.'
Charlie huffed in frustration but let the matter drop. She knew she wouldn't be able to change Valentino's ways, but she could at least try to protect Angel while he was staying at the hotel.
As they made their way to the therapy session, Valentino couldn't help but feel angry at Charlie's interference. He prided himself on being the dominant one, the one in control, and yet here was this tiny hotel owner challenging his authority.
The therapy session was a disaster. Valentino refused to participate, rolling his eyes and making snide comments throughout the entire session. Angel, on the other hand, opened up for the first time since he arrived at the hotel, sharing his struggles and fears.
By the time the session was over, Valentino was seething with anger. Charlie tried to talk to him, to get him to see the error of his ways, but Valentino wouldn't listen.
'You think you know what's best for everyone, don't you?' Valentino snapped at Charlie. 'Well, let me tell you something, princess. No one tells Valentino what to do.'
With that, Valentino stormed off, leaving Charlie alone with her thoughts. She couldn't help but worry about Angel and the treatment he was receiving from Valentino. She knew she had to do something to protect him, but she wasn't sure what.
The next day, Charlie decided to speak to Angel privately. She wanted to make sure he was okay after his confrontation with Valentino.
'Hey Angel, can we talk?' Charlie asked, entering Angel's room.
Angel, who was fully dressed and sitting on his bed, nodded and patted the space next to him for Charlie to sit. 'Sure thing, Charlie. What's on your mind?'
'I just wanted to check in on you,' Charlie started. 'How are you holding up?'
Angel let out a heavy sigh and ran a hand through his hair. 'Honestly, not great. Things with Valentino are getting worse and worse. I don't know how much longer I can take it.'
Charlie nodded in understanding. 'I know it's hard, but I just want you to know that I'm here for you. And I'll do whatever it takes to make sure you're safe and happy.'
Angel smiled, grateful for Charlie's kindness and support. 'Thank you, Charlie. That means a lot.'
Charlie's determination only grew stronger as she saw the way Valentino treated Angel. She knew she had to do something to stop him.
That night, as Valentino prepped for his latest show at the hotel, he received a surprise visit from Charlie. She barged into his dressing room and sat down, a determined look on her face.
'Valentino, we need to talk,' Charlie said, her voice firm.
Valentino scoffed, not in the mood to deal with Charlie's chatter. 'What now, princess? Can't you see I'm busy?'
'I want to make a deal with you,' Charlie said, ignoring Valentino's attitude. 'I'll leave you and Angel alone, and stop interfering with your 'business' if you promise to stop mistreating him and give him the respect he deserves. Agreed?'
Valentino was taken aback by Charlie's boldness. He had always been the one making deals, not the other way around. But there was something about Charlie's unwavering determination that made him consider her offer.
After a few minutes of consideration, Valentino finally agreed. Anything to get Charlie out of his hair and keep his hold on Angel.
From that day on, Valentino kept his end of the deal. He treated Angel with more respect and gave him a bit more freedom. Angel couldn't believe the change in Valentino's behavior and he found himself slowly starting to trust him.
As for Charlie, she kept an eye on Valentino and made sure he didn't go back on his word. She may not have been able to change him completely, but she knew she had made a difference in Angel's life. And that was all that mattered.
