Friend to Foe

Chapter eight: The World We Knew

Vox stumbled his way back to his shared apartment. He opened the door and immediately rushed to get a bandage for his neck. This awoke Valentino who was slumped on the couch.
"Voxxy? Is that you~?" He slewed. Vox didn't even hear Valentino over his loud heart beat and deafening anxiety. He looked in the mirror and saw his wound, it didn't look nearly as bad as it felt. He tried to bandage it but struggled due to his clunky TV head. Valentino leaned on the doorframe. His demeanor was calm until he looked up. His eyes widened as he walked towards the other.
"What the hell happened to you?" He asked. If it were Valentino who got hurt, no one would bat an eye, but this was Vox. He never got physical with people unless he knew he'd win.

Vox didn't respond as Valentino instantly took his hand from his neck to look at it. He started to bandage it around Vox's tense body.
"Fine. Be a pouty bitch about it then." Val said. Vox sighed,
"It was Alastor." Valentino paused at his words.
"He did this to you?" Valentino questioned. His voice ever so slightly more serious than normal.
"I... I don't want to talk about it, okay?" Vox swatted the other's hand away. Valentino took a step back and crossed his arms.
"Whatever. But you know I'm telling Velvette, and she'll want to know." Valentino said with sass. Vox just looked down as the other left. He still couldn't process the emotional whirlwind that was today. He couldn't stop thinking about the way Alastor touched him. The way it was so gentle yet controlling. His mind went back to the look on the other demon's face when he cut Vox's throat. It looked like he was unleashing something. Vox shivered with fear... but also excitement? He was so confused and he hated it. The one line that ran through his head was:

"That beautiful mask you wear, is all I desire."

Had Alastor called him beautiful? Had Alastor called him desirable? Vox's heart began to beat faster. Why would he cut someone so dangerously if he desired them? Vox was so caught up in his swooning and uneasiness that he didn't even consider the possibility that Alastor viewed those lyrics as coming from Vox to him. He envied Alastor and his gaze so much that it hurt. He wanted his attention so much that he didn't care if he had scars from it. He thought maybe this was just how Alastor showed affection. He did dance with him after all. Vox just didn't know what to think. He desperately wanted to be around him every waking second, yet when he was, he often felt like the scum of the Earth after.

Vox got himself lost in his thoughts about Alastor again, until there was a loud bang coming from his apartment. It immediately snapped Vox back into reality. Extermination day was today. How on Earth could he forget? Right as he was about to open the bathroom door to go somewhere safe with his colleagues, an exorcist destroyed it. Rubble fell onto Vox's feet as his heart rate increased. Why are they attacking him? He couldn't fight back, he knew he didn't stand a chance, no one did against the angels.

As the exorcist swung a blade at him, he attempted to duck under and slip out of the bathroom. The angel's blade caught his leg, leaving a deep gash. Blue blood quickly bled through his pants. He wasn't ready to die. As soon as the exorcist pulled the blade out Vox used all of his strength to get up and run. He couldn't leave the apartment, there were hundreds more outside. He searched for Velvette and Valentino who were no where to be found. Had they left him for dead? Or had they been killed?

Vox ran frantically as the angel wasn't far behind. He ran into his room and locked the door as if that could stop them. He looked around feverishly. In his mind, he only had one option.

Vox fumbled with the cord as he plugged himself into the radio once again. He'd rather face Alastor than this exorcist. He was quickly transported to radio waves right before the exorcist would have killed him.

As Vox became aware of his surroundings he heard "The World We Knew" by Frank Sinatra playing. Fitting. He heard screams of all of the demons who were being slaughtered. He could hear himself panting as the pain in his leg finally caught up to him. He dropped to the floor as he heard a familiar clicking of steps approach him. He tried to stand but his attempts were futile.