A Fuckton of Polygrumps

Red Light: Him

Synopsis: When Dan begins to act out, he comes face to face with his own hellish puppet master.

Arin was not an angry man per say. Not all the time, anyway. Not...too often. Few things required him to assert himself as a dominant person...until Dan and Ross started making money for him.

Ross was easy to deal with in this one instance: if he needed to be punished, simply ignoring him would do. Depriving him of attention did enough to make him apologize for whatever bullshit stunts he pulled.

Dan, on the other hand, was a different story. Their fights were particularly explosive because Arin was harder on him than any other whore he employed.

"I can't fucking do this anymore," Dan groaned, throwing the hotel room door open almost hard enough to break it from its hinges. 

"Come on, babe, you don't mean that," Arin soothed, his voice calm and deep as he entered the room. 

"Yes, I fucking do," Dan shouted, kneeling down and hoisting a small suitcase onto the bed between them. "I can't take it anymore and you can't make me stay."

"What makes this day any different from any other?"

"This guy was old as fuck and wet the bed before I'd even touched him. I'm worth more than that and you fucking know it. I'm out."

"And where do you plan on going?"

Dan stopped cold. He felt like a child who threatened to run away from home with a backpack full of comics and half a cheese sandwich. 

"Do you think you're worth something on those streets," Arin went on, his voice losing its benevolence within seconds. "A coked-up whore who can't make it in the music industry means absolutely nothing to the rest of the world. Hell, are you planning on going back to living in the beat-up car of yours?"

"I'll...call someone."

"Like who? The parents you haven't checked in with since you moved out at 18? Huh? The ex-girlfriend who won't return your calls? Your shitty band mates? Your successful sister who has two kids and a perfect life?"

"Fuck you, Arin."

"I'm only like this because you're being ungrateful," he scoffed, opening his arms. "Who feeds you and keeps you going? Who sits by your bed when you're sick? Who keeps your nose full of that powder you're so fond of? Hm?"

"You do," Dan muttered, rolling his eyes.

"I'm sorry, I couldn't quite hear that?"

"You do," he repeated, eyes still cast down at his feet. 

"So why run away from the one person who's never let you down," Arin asked, his tone almost offended at the notion. "You just need enough money to support your music career, right? And we're almost there, so relax and keep at it."

And it was like Satan's horns had disappeared as Arin reached across the bed and lifted Dan's chin. His eye contact was still pleased at the surface, but a fury boiled underneath.

"I'm only doing this because I love you so much," he went on. "What more do I need to do to make you trust me?"

"I do trust you...I'm just...I'm sorry. It won't happen again."

"Good boy. Now, get dressed and go make me some money. I'll take you out tonight. Sound good?"

Dan nodded, suddenly feeling safe again for a short moment. It was as if nothing ever happened. He breathed a deep, cleansing breath before pulling on his signature black Rush t-shirt. He walked out of the room, almost immediately bumping into someone.