Hell's Hazbin Heroes

Masquerade

{A/N: Warning: Mentions of sexual abuse, as well as abuse in general; Viewer discretion advised}

Nico's POV:

Angel is showing us one of his award-winning films for show and tell today, but I can hardly keep my eyes on the screen. Heaven, it takes everything in me to keep from covering my eyes and ears, but that'd give away Angel's and my secrets from behind the scenes. I know he's proud of his work or pretends to be in front of everyone else, and I'm proud of him. Still, where everyone else sees cheesy acting, I see puppet strings around every inch of his body, with Val acting as the puppeteer, especially now that I'm working for him, too. Even when he doesn't have anyone for me to play target practice with, he insists on me coming with Angel to the studio to watch him work while keeping me at arm's length. If and when I try to look away, he jerks my head back towards Angel, and I swear to Satan, the latter glances at me as if asking for help, and if I weren't already dead, it'd kill me again knowing that I can't do anything unless one or both of us want to suffer Val's wrath. So, I stand on the sidelines, or in this case, sit in front of the screen, stay as still as possible, and keep my mouth shut as the scene(s) play out. Angel is tied to a chair in the movie as a 'gangster' interrogates him.

Gangster: *onscreen* "Finally awake, Angel Dust?"

Angel: *onscreen* "Yeah, and what's it to ya?"

The gangster holds a knife against Angel's throat.

Gangster: *onscreen* "I want you to tell me where your boss stashes his vault."

Angel: *chuckles onscreen* "It's hilarious you think I'd tell you anything."

The gangster grabs Angel by his suit and lifts him and the chair off the ground.

Gangster: *onscreen* "Fine. I guess I'll just have to fuck the information outta ya."

Angel: *onscreen* "Do your worst, daddy."

Once Angel and the gangster engage in over-the-top pornographic sex, I practically yank out the MJ I keep in my pocket, roll it up, and borrow Angel's lighter to help calm my nerves. Angel glances at me with a nervous look, but I shake my head to let him know I'm ok, so he puts on the fake persona he uses with everyone else as he praises the film.

Angel: "You know, this performance won me a 'Sex-x-x-i' award."

Charlie: "It's, uh, very honest."

Vaggie: "Ew! Ok! Enough of that. Angel, what the fuck?"

Angel: "What? You said it was 'Show'n'Tell' day. I'm showin' you my best film, and I'm tellin' you that it scored me a win over that bitch, Tiffany Titfucker."

Me: "And rightly so, big bro." *chuckles*

Husk: "You know, not a very convincing interrogation scene."

Angel: "Alright, dickhead, what makes you think you have any right to insult my work to my fuckin' face?"

Husk: "You really gonna sit there and act like these scripts ain't hot garbage?"

Angel: *gasps* "Fuck you. This is classy art."

Husk: "That's bullshit. You get drunk and bitch about them all the time. Everyone likes to bitch to the bartender. I know everything about you motherfuckers at this point.-*points to Pentious*-That one is an insecure buffoon whose lonely ass watches you idiots sleep!"

Note to self: double the number of shadows guarding my door at night.

Husk: "Princess is a bleeding heart who wants to solve everybody else's problems 'cept her own."