The Evening Street : RADIODUST

8: Papa's Dogs - Tounge

TRIGGER WARNINGS APPLICABLE HERE: Exploitation - SA - Drug Abuse 

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July 2nd
The house music's bass rumbled the V's private lounge like a rocking boat. The lightbulb that dangled on the ceiling trembled.

On the couch sat Valentino, smoking a cigar and puffing out pink smoke. His smile was crooked as he petted Angel's hair. Angel laid on Valentino's lap, muscles sore from the night's difficult routine. Even though he laid on Valentino's lap all drowsy and tired, there was a constant flame burning under Angel's skin.

Every second Valentino combed through his hair was another second that Angel had to remind himself to be quiet and still. Angel had to remind himself that this was not the time to kill. He was going to inflict pain on Valentino. He was going to make him pay, but not right now. Not right fucking now. It wasn't time yet. Instead, Angel thought about tonight's customers.

Tonight was terrible, there were so many aggressive customers, that Angel had to physically fight and push away needy hands who didn't agree to pay. Before the violence was intolerable and overwheliming, Valentino interrupted the fight. Angel hated Valentino for doing so, but was also relieved. Angel did not want to wake up again to find himself butt naked in the restroom against the white tiled floor.

Strangely, Valentino did not drag Angel to a private dressing room, but V's private lounge. All the way Valentino smiled, sharp and cynical. The man was happy.

Valentino puffed out another cloud of pink smoke. His shoulders relaxed against the back of the couch.

"¿Dónde está Velvet?" Valentino said, facing Vox.

Vox did not respond, typing something on the laptop. He was sitting on a separate couch. Vox's glasses reflected a screen which looked like a block of text. Angel had seen Vox before during work, he was always smiling and selling. Angel had also seen the man on T.V., talking for hours at a time. The man never allowed a moment of silence, cracking painful jokes and persuading the masses of his ideas. So, Angel was surprised to see that Vox was completely uninterested in socializing.

"Vox?" Valentino whined. Vox paused typing, eyes peering over the laptop's screen.

"Where's Velvet?" Valentino said.

"No idea. I'm busy right now, don't bother me Val. It's important," Vox said. He looked back down at his laptop.

"Pero, mi amor. Mi unico, precioso vibora, como puedo vivir si no te puedo molestar? Eres el sol en mi noche. Eres la luna a mi penumbra. Mi vibora, mi venenosa vibora," Valentino said. His free hand reached forward towards Vox, but it fell flatly against the couch. Vox was literally five feet away from Valentino and on a different couch.

Angel's hands tingled. He resisted the urge to curl them into a fist and punch Valentino's nose.

Madonna Maria please forgive him, but Valentino was so— he just pissed him off. Angel hated how easily the man could act like a child when he abused and tormented so many other people.

Before, maybe Angel would have been afraid, but the days leading up to this... changed everything.

Vox did not respond, instead he clicked a button on the keyboard.

"Angelito, you see that?" Valentino grabbed Angel's chin and squeezed it.

"Do you see how he ignores me!" Valentino forced Angel to look at Vox."You're not allowed to do that, mi tesoro. Okay? Okay. Only mi vibora can do it. No?"

"Mhm. Okay Val. Shut up," Vox said.

"Hay mi vibora, finalmente me respondistes. O, escuchar a tu voz es como escuchar los cielos abriendo para mi." Valentino dropped Angel's head against his lap. Painfully, Angel's teeth hit against eachother as his chin slapped against Valentino's thigh.