V & V - Rageous Rageon Redemption.

No More Lies

Veneer POV:

Kid Ritz: "So... you said you were scared... over..."

Ven: "Not remembering what we talked about."

Kid Ritz nods, playing with the edge of the crisp linen sheet.

Kid Ritz: "You shouldn't feel scared, sweetheart. We talked about Dom giving you the ring pop and that you were scared and had thought I and the rest of our friends had died."

My heart pounds as I hear him mention the ring pop.

Ven: "Well, yeah. Dom kidnapped me from Alcapizazz, told me he killed you all, and took me to his mansion. I was only there for dinner and the better half of a morning before I jumped out the window. A rose bush broke the fall, and I ran away and broke into the Mount Rageous History Museum. Velvet would later break in after me because she was hiding from some monster, which is how we reconnected."

Kid Ritz: "So when you were with Dom, he gave you the ring pop? Were you... high when you escaped?"

I can hear how carefully he's trying to word his question, which makes my biggest fear of me having exposed my secret drug use to him while high now very plausible.

Ven: "U-uh... well, he... had me use it... when he made us share a bed together. He told me I needed to be quiet and relax. I only used it for a second or two before feeling super high, so that told me it was most likely laced."

I watch his knuckles tighten on the sheet as I mention we shared a bed, yet he doesn't comment.

Kid Ritz: "Well, I have to say that I am very, very sorry you were around him at all."

He stops, seeming to want to ask me more, yet is holding himself back. I take a mental check internally, knowing it's time I come clean to him and do it soberly.

Ven: "Kid Ritz... I know there's more that you want to ask me. Go ahead."

He bites his thumbnail, something I haven't seen him do since the early days of our friendship.

Kid Ritz: "Veneer... you know how much I care about you, right?"

Ven: "All I thought about was reconnecting with you again once I was out of my cell. I know and value how special you make me feel."

Kid Ritz: "I... am very happy to hear that. It's just..."

He stops again, looking very upset about what he wants to say. With a sigh, I pull out the ring pop and lay it between us. Kid Ritz blinks at the drug, looking up at me slowly.

Kid Ritz: "I... was heartbroken you felt you couldn't tell me."

I feel my eyes begin to burn as hot tears start to well.

Ven: "I... really was afraid of scaring you. I was already going through the snowflake burns, the stupid shaking, and excessive energy, and you knew about all that... I didn't want to put more on your plate to worry about. I... only started using it as quick relief from the Rageon symptoms, but it quickly spiraled out of control. The gifts that Management gave us had a ring pop in it for me. I had gone to them at first to try it out, and I lost my grip over it, and-"

My voice cracks, making me feel worse about keeping the secret for so long.

Kid Ritz: "V, I only found out when you threw the ring pops at me in the bathroom. I actually had a fight with Fred over what the secret was that you and he had been hiding, and then I put the pieces together that you most likely knew about his drinking problem, and in turn, he knew about the ring pops."