HuskerDust Oneshots

Love Shouldn't Hurt

TW: Valentino Being Valentino(Abuse, Assault, Gaslighting, Violent Threat)
Brief Mention of Drug Use, Death, Grief

“I could kill you right now”.
Angel Dust and Valentino were in his office lounge at the porn studio. Val was smoking while Angel was laying across his lap, tired as hell and attempting to get high as a kite. He'd just done a line off the table, and could slowly feel the drugs making their way to his head.
Valentino used his first set of arms to have one hand on Angel's head and the other rubbed his thigh gently, while his second set of arms were relaxed next to him, one hand holding his cigarette.
But Angel could still hear the threat that slipped from Val's mouth. He thought Angel was too out of it to understand what he'd said. Angel looked up at Val with slowly reddening eyes of fear. He placed his free hand a bit too close to Angel's throat to run a finger under his chin.
“What?”, he softly questioned. Valentino mentally cursed and looked down at the wide eyed spider with a sweet smile gracing his lips, moving his hand from Angel's throat to his cheek, ever so softly pinching.
“I said I could kiss you right now”, he corrected himself. His gentle touch and honeyed voice calmed Angel almost immediately to an extent. The spider forced a relaxed smile onto his face, but Valentino could see right through that. He needed to make sure Angel hadn't heard his original threat.
“What did you think I said?”, he asked, maintaining his calm demeanor.
“Nothin’. Just didn't hear it the first time. I'm pretty high right now”, Angel replied, softly giggling. So he didn't hear me then, he thought gladly.
“You're hearing things, baby”. Valentino took another drag from his cigarette and blew the smoke towards the ceiling. Angel relaxed against Val's lap once again, but even in the chaotically euphoric state his brain was in, he couldn't help but wonder if he really had misheard Val the first time.
This was how the gaslighting started, and with it, Valentino's red flags began to show.

SLAP!

“You ungrateful little whore! I give you a job, a place to live, all the crack and dick you could ask for, and this is the thanks I get? You disappear for days, ignore my calls, and then you have the audacity to stand me up?!” Valentino screamed. His eyes glowed a monstrous red under his glasses, his wings were unfurled as he towered over the crying spider demon. The smoke from his cigarette seemed to fill the entire room, blurring out everything else around him. Angel Dust held his red, stinging cheek and cowered in fear under his pimp.
“Val please, I-I'm sorry. I didn't mean to. I won't do it again, I promise. Just please calm down-”.

SLAP!

“AS IF THAT'S NOT ENOUGH, NOW YOU GIVE ME ATTITUDE!” Valentino bellowed, nearly hovering over Angel. Angel practically flew across the room from the force of the hit alone. His back slammed into the vanity, knocking over perfume bottles and makeup. His entire body shook with pain and fear as he lifted himself up onto his knees. It felt like the room was closing in around him. He could barely breathe.
“No. I'm sorry. I love you, Val. Please… please stop”, Angel sobbed weakly. Valentino suddenly grinned at the state of the small spider. When Val lifted his hand again, Angel shut his eyes, bracing himself for another hit. But it never came. Instead, Valentino grabbed Angel's face and lifted it to meet his gaze, which had turned dangerously seductive.
“You look so pretty like this, Angelcakes.”, the moth growled darkly. “A pretty, begging mess”.
He took a drag from his cigarette, and blew the red smoke into Angel's face. Angel coughed but didn't dare speak. “I've been patient with you up till now but maybe a little punishment will remind you of your place”. With that, Valentino lifted Angel to his feet and turned him around, pressing his body into the vanity table, forcing him to watch in the reflection of the mirror as his clothes were ripped off. Angel got a glimpse of just how bad he looked. His mascara was streaming down his stinging, reddened cheeks. His bottom lip had been split open by one of the moth's rings and blood was dripping down his chin.
He was grateful that the pheromones began to kick in right at that moment. His body went half numb and his vision blurred. All he could focus on were Valentino's red eyes, hidden behind heart shaped glasses, and that sinister grin.