Classic Acting

Part 6

You stared at your phone, covering your face with your free hand at who was calling you. The crew went about their job as they prepared for the premiere. You answered it, forcing a smile on your face as you sang out your greeting, "Lord Stolas! So good to hear from you!"

"(Y/N)! How is everything," he asked joyously. You gave a small cringe at the tone. This man was always like this, it alluded to how he was in every other aspect.

"Oh, you know how it is, going big or going home," you chuckled. "What do I have the pleasure of associating this call with?" There was a small laugh from the other side and you started walking back to your dressing room.

"Well, we were having another soiree soon and I wanted to invite you! I heard about your latest steps and I just wanted to congratulate you," he purred out. You shivered a bit at the thought and laughed quietly.

"I'm okay with that. Just message me the times," you hummed out.

There was a delighted screech from the other end, "I'll see you then, (Y/N)!" You hung up and put your head on your vanity, groaning quietly. You would rather have died than gone back to see that asshole. He was twisted in all the ways you didn't appreciate, particularly in bed. You knew he wanted that again and you just never made face to face contact since the one-night-stand. You looked up, jumping and screaming at Vox in the mirror. You turned to see him on the couch, his legs crossed and his hands neatly placed on his knees.

"Mr. Vox," you forced the smile to your face and a shiver went down your spine at the look in his eyes.

"Hello Kitten," he hummed. "Sorry to intrude. I came to wish you good luck and ended up hearing a very," he rolled his head a bit as he tried to find the words, "Peculiar conversation." Your face paled a bit and you rubbed it, the smile fading from your face.

"Mr. Vox, a woman's calls are very private, are they not," you straightened up and stared at him. You gulped when he stiffened, a smile spreading on his screen as he approached you. He lifted your hand and kissed your knuckles, giving a low chuckle.

"Do you have room for one more at this," the tension and malicious intent in his smile seeped into his words, "Soiree?" You stared for a moment before pushing the nervous smile to your face and nodding. Maybe that would make Stolas at least leave you alone for a while.

"If we don't get dragged into Lord Stolas' bullshit," you felt your fur rise and took a breath as one of Vox's eyes widened, "Then I have no problem with it."

Katie was there when the premiere ended and she held a wrapped gift in her hands as she grinned. Of course, she only did then when she wanted something. You walked up to the blonde and stuck your tongue out at her, smiling, "What's this for? Need me to chance off another ex?"

She snorted and shoved the gift into your arms, "No. I got permission for that interview." You stared and sighed, putting your head off to the side.

"Last minute thing," you hummed.

"I am going to get it one way or another. Who else would be friends with such an old pussy," she teased. You rolled your eyes and motioned her back into the studio. You hadn't left yet because you were looking into the next filming. You sat down in your chair, curling up and crossing your legs as Katie sat on the table in front of you. Katie started the interview, the camera crew had set up to get both of you in the shot and you couldn't help but laugh at Katie's frustration. The questions had been pretty standard up until her eyes lit up.

She stared at you and the smile on her face grew wide, "I know you've heard about the new project the princess has started. What are your thoughts on that?" 

You stared at her and chuckled, "Oh, my honest opinion won't hurt much I'm sure!"

"Come now, don't start slinking back to your den, now," Katie snickered. You laughed and leaned forward, Katie twisting with anticipation.

"I think it's nice to see someone older, and so naive enough to try to change the very nature of our psyche," Katie frowned a bit and then raised an eyebrow. That reporter's smile that had been on her face had faltered but then the little white lights in her red eyes focused on you. "I may be old, but in all my years in here in Hell I've never seen, heard, or witnessed such tomfoolery. You're trying to change years, maybe centuries, of instilled behavior? Of solidified mechanisms? And for what? To stop something Heaven would have done anyway?

"No. You're a fool for trying a feat like that. Sure, you might be able to get the children and the teens, maybe a few of the younger adults but in the end, Heaven wasn't even present on Earth. Why should we cater to such a whimsical scheme of a child who's never seen the human world? Who's never died," Katie was bouncing in her seat while the cameramen looked in shock. You knew you could go on and on about how it was bad, but you felt this urge to keep the flame going. You were going to milk this situation to your benefit. "Go ahead and try the project, I say. You're just going to reconfirm that we are all stuck down here, living the lives we lived while we were human without the restraints."

Katie giggled and hugged you while the camera was rolling. You snickered, your pupils turning to slits as you kissed each other's cheeks.

"Well, I think that tells us everything," Katie sang. She stood up and you followed suit, shaking hands with her as you two smirked devilishly at each other. You perked up and turned to the camera.

"And one more thing! If you think you've got what it takes to be in the limelight, call the studios! We would love to see new acts and I'd love for the entirety of Hell to see what you've got," you sang out. Katie laughed as the cameras stopped rolling and her hand was on your shoulder as you laughed with her.

"Just bury the poor girl now won't you," she got out between laughs. You giggled and shook your head.

"I'm serious though, she can try but think about what we can do on our end," you clapped and bounced. "All the failures that come out of that place? We can keep a tally of all of that! Conduct a little social project of our own." Katie hummed and tapped her finger to her lip.

"You're right, actually," she giggled.

"I have some news for you as well," you shifted a bit, the smile on your face falling a bit. "If I don't end up showing up for a few days don't be surprised." She stared and her face dropped to a scowl.

"Oh don't tell me that man whore is dialing you," she snorted. You sighed and looked off to the side, closing your eyes and rubbing your temples.

"Oh, he called all right. He called and guess who heard the conversation," you eyed her as her eyes narrowed and her lips pursed. "Dear, dear young Katie," you cooed and gave a playful, dry laugh, "Do you not understand courting?"

Her mouth dropped open and her eyes widened, "No!" You nodded and covered your face, dragging your hands downwards.

"Mr. Vox wants to go with me. I know he's going to lose me at that damn soiree if he does go and then I'll have to deal with the damage," you whined. Your ears twitched as she started laughing and you poked her cheek. "Katie! This isn't funny! I didn't even really want to do it with that damned creep the first time! He's going to try something new and I just know it!" YOu shivered at the thought, feeling a pit grow in your stomach.

"I'm not the one that kissed the Overlord at our first meeting. You struck that pot yourself," she pointed and snickered. You rolled your head to the side, dread taking the expression on your face.

"But you know what else that means," you asked. She perked up and smiled broadly.

"And what does that mean, sweet little old lady," she poked at your nose, already knowing the answer and the request.

"We, my youngster, need to go shopping," you hummed out. She laughed and nodded as she turned to leave with the crew.

"I'll be ready in an hour. I have to make sure these idiots don't fuck up the tapes," she waved her fingers at you and you waved back.