Chapter Text
Valentino's POV
The morning light filters through the curtains, casting a soft glow over the disheveled hotel room. I’m awake before her, leaning against the headboard, watching as she stirs beside me. The night did its job; my mind is clearer, the anger reduced to a faint, steady pulse beneath the surface. But as the haze of lust fades, the nagging irritation creeps back in, like an itch I can’t scratch.
She wakes up, blinking sleepily before giving me a lazy smile.
-Morning~- she purrs, stretching out beside me, the sheets sliding down to reveal more of her skin.
-Morning.- I reply, though the usual enthusiasm in my voice is lacking.
It was fun, sure, but it didn’t solve anything. The moment of distraction has passed, and reality is hitting me once again. She notices the shift in my mood, her smile faltering slightly.
-Everything alright?- she asks, trailing a finger down my arm.
I catch her hand, holding it still. -Fine,- I say, my tone dismissive as I slide out of bed and start getting dressed. -but it’s time for me to go.-
She pouts slightly but doesn’t push. -Will I see you again?- she asks, watching me with a mixture of curiosity and hope.
-Don’t count on it.- I reply, not unkindly, but with a finality that makes it clear this was a one-time thing.
I leave the room without looking back, stepping out into the cool morning air. The city is still waking up, the usual buzz of activity starting to build as demons go about their day. I need a drink.
.
.
.
By noon, I’ve already hit five different bars. The alcohol numbs the frustration, but not enough. Delta’s face keeps flashing in my mind, that infuriating defiance in her eyes. I chug down another drink, the burn doing little to quench the fire inside me. Bar after bar, drink after drink, yet no matter how much booze I pour into my system, I can’t get her out of my head. By the time I’m stumbling out of the seventh bar, the daylight has disappeared, everything a blur of neon lights and garbled voices. My legs feel heavy, and my mind swirls in a fog of booze and pent-up frustration. I crash into someone, barely realizing what’s happening.
-Hey, watch it!- a voice snaps sharply, pulling me out of my drunken stupor for a brief second.
I blink, looking down at the demon in front of me. My mind is too foggy to properly register who she is. All I see is a demon with soft, glowing tendrils of jellyfish-like hair and an annoyed expression. She glares up at me, irritation flashing in her eyes.
-Sorry, didn’t see you from up here…- I mumble, still stumbling slightly.
She rolls her eyes, not even remotely intimidated by my presence. -Clearly…- her tone changes slightly as she realizes who I am, but without making it obvious. -You look like you’ve been through it. What’s your deal?-
I let out a bitter laugh, stumbling again. -Just one of those days…or weeks, or whatever.-
She eyes me critically. -Yeah…you look like you’ve had way more than just one drink. What are you even doing out here like this?-
-Drowning…thoughts.- I slur, swaying again. -You wouldn’t get it.-
Her brow furrows, and after a moment, she sighs. -You know what? You’re a mess. Come with me.-
I don’t know why I followed her. I wasn’t in the mood for company, but maybe I needed to vent to someone who didn’t know who I was, who didn’t care. I couldn’t vent to Vox; I said I could deal with this whole situation myself. I couldn’t embarrass myself more than I already had.
We end up at her shop: small, cluttered, filled with strange potions and jars. The smell of herbs and something sweet lingers in the air, but my head is too foggy to care.
She shoves a cup of something into my hands. -Here, drink this. It’ll help sober you up.-
I stare at the glowing liquid. -What is it?-
-A potion. Hangover remedy. Drink it.-
-And why should I? Why should I trust you?- I ask.
-Just drink it. I mean no harm; I don’t randomly poison demons as a hobby…- she says dismissively.
I grunt, too tired to argue, and I down the liquid in one gulp. It’s bitter, almost medicinal, and I grimace at the taste. -If it kills me, I’ll kill you before it affects me.-
As I sit down on a nearby stool, she leans against the counter. -Sure, sure…so, what’s going on? You look like you’ve been through a lot.-
I scoff, rubbing a hand over my face. -You ever deal with someone who just…gets under your skin? No matter what you do, no matter how hard you push, they just keep pushing back?-
She raises an eyebrow. -Yeah, it happens. Sounds like you’ve got a personal problem.-
-Yeah, you could say that.- I mutter, my voice thick with frustration. -She’s impossible. She just won’t bend. Won’t break. I throw everything at her, but she keeps standing. She challenges me at every turn, and I hate it. I’m used to people falling in line, doing what I say. But not her. She’s a goddamn headache.-
The jellyfish demon frowns slightly. -So…this is about a girl?-
-Not just any girl,- I snap, my temper flaring again. -she’s an Overlord like me, a new one. Delta. The most infuriating demon I’ve ever met.-
Her eyes widen slightly, but I don’t notice. She doesn’t say anything; she just listens as I continue to vent. -I don’t know why I can’t let it go. She’s always defiant, always fighting back, like she’s trying to prove something. And for some reason, I keep getting pulled into it. It’s like a game, but it’s driving me insane.-
She nods, but her expression is unreadable. -Maybe you’re overthinking it. If she’s that much of a problem, why not just…you know, leave her alone?-
-Because I can’t,- I growl, my fists clenching. -I want to break her, make her submit. But she’s too damn stubborn. It’s…complicated.-
Before I can say more, I feel a strange sensation creeping over me. My vision blurs, and a wave of dizziness hits me hard.
-Wait…what did you give me?- I ask, my voice slurring even more.
Her eyes widen in panic. -Oh no…I might’ve used the wrong ingredient…-
The room starts spinning faster, and I feel my legs give out beneath me. -I shouldn’t have trusted you…I’ll fucking…kill…you…-. The last thing I hear before everything goes black is the jellyfish demon’s frantic voice.
.
.
.
Mel stares at Valentino’s unconscious form, panic surging through her chest. She leans down, giving his shoulder a firm shake.
-Oh no, no, no...I’ve really messed this up.- she mutters under her breath, the weight of the situation sinking in.
When Valentino doesn’t move, she groans, covering her face. -Great…just great. What do I do now?-
Her gaze darts around the room, but the clutter of potion bottles and magical trinkets offers no answers. She bites her lip, trying to think. Valentino is out cold, and the thought of leaving him here crosses her mind, briefly. But she knows better.
-Snap out of it, Mel.- she tells herself.
The only person who might know what to do pops into her head, and the realization makes her stomach twist. Delta. Of all people, she knows Delta won’t take this lightly.
With a resigned sigh, she grabs her phone and scrolls through her contacts. Her finger hesitates over Delta’s name before she finally presses call. The phone rings twice before Delta picks up.
-Hey, it’s me. Uh...I need you to come pick someone up...yeah, it’s kind of an emergency.- Mel starts, her voice wavering slightly.