Lovers Once More - Radiostatic

Gone for Good

That afternoon, as the comforting scent of dinner wafted through the hotel kitchen, Angel Dust strolled in unexpectedly, tossing his coat over the back of a chair with an exasperated sigh. Alastor, stirring a simmering pot on the stove, raised an eyebrow. "Well, well, back so soon?"

In the living room, Vox looked up from a coloring contest with Niffty. He blinked in surprise, then asked, "Weren't you heading to Valentino's studio? What happened?"

Angel rolled his eyes dramatically, throwing up his hands. "Oh, Val had one of his little *meltdowns* again. Outta nowhere, he starts yelling for everyone to 'get the mierda out of my maldito studio!' Whatever that means."

Vox smirked, unable to resist. "He told everyone to 'get the fuck out of my fucking studio.'"

Angel stared at him, his mouth dropping open slightly. "How the hell d'ya know that?"

Vox shrugged, his smirk widening as he continued filling in a vibrant purple star on his page. "When you put up with Spanglish rants long enough, you start to pick up a thing or two."

Angel huffed and shook his head, collapsing into a chair next to them with a look of pure exasperation. "Figures. At least now I get the gist of it." He watched as Niffty held up her own coloring page, smiling proudly at Vox, who nodded with mock-serious approval.

"Oh, you're both going *down* with my next masterpiece," Angel grinned, snatching a coloring sheet for himself.

Alastor glanced over with a smirk. "Nothing like an unexpected early dismissal to inspire the inner artist, hmm?"

Angel snickered. "Guess so. But for now, guess I'll just enjoy my early night off here." And as the evening went on, with laughter and the smell of dinner filling the air, it seemed no one was in a rush to be anywhere else.

——

Everyone finished up dinner, and Vox went outside for a cigarette. Niffty was about to come out to ask him if he wanted to watch a movie when she heard an unfamiliar voice coming from the darkness. She stopped short, backing away from the back doors but keeping her gaze fixed outside, curiosity quickly turning to fear.

Outside, Vox heard his name and turned around to see Valentino standing there, his ex-boyfriend's face lit with a twisted smirk. "What are you doing here?" Vox asked, his tone sharp.

Valentino took a step closer, his voice dripping with possessiveness. "You really think you can get away from me, Vox?" he sneered. "I own you."

Before Vox could respond, Valentino lunged forward, grabbing him by the neck and slamming him into the garden wall. Vox gasped, struggling against the grip, his heart pounding.

Inside, Niffty tore down the hallway, desperate to find Alastor. She spotted him with Husk, calmly sipping a glass of rye. "Alastor!" she cried, her voice panicked. "There's someone outside hurting Vox!"

Alastor's face hardened in an instant. He set down his glass and summoned his staff, striding toward the door with an eerie calm. Stepping outside, he found Valentino pinning Vox against the wall.

"Let him go," Alastor said, his voice cold and lethal.

Valentino barely glanced at him, muttering a string of Spanglish insults, demanding Alastor mind his business. Alastor narrowed his eyes. "Vox, get Niffty away from here," he ordered, voice calm but edged with fury. "I'm about to do something I should've done long ago."

Vox nodded, loosening Valentino's grip enough to slip away. He led Niffty to her room, his hand reassuring on her shoulder. "Everything will be fine," he told her firmly, giving her a gentle smile before heading back toward the commotion outside, knowing Alastor was about to confront his past once and for all.