Inbox for Heckin' Game

[youbeautifulidiot]

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[outrageon]

Uh, okay? Well, you are.

[She doesn't even look back at him, fussing with whatever makeup she's left on the counter.]

I made a contract with a professional. It's fine.

[youbeautifulidiot]

Oh yeah... Well! If he's so professional, then who even is he?!

[And what kind of professional brands their clients?!]

Y'know...we're professional, too! ...sorta. We never signed contracts before!

[outrageon]

Yeah, and we were never in magic hell before either, now, were we?

[Sigh. Well, she doesn't know what Angel told Veneer, so she can very casually say;]

He's a big director from another Hell. Angel's agent, or whatever.

Valentino.

[youbeautifulidiot]

[.......hilariously enough, Angel never gave him a name. Still, Angel said contract bad, and even if this is his agent... Well, maybe if he acts disgusted enough, he can make Velvet hate it all on her own.]

Never heard of him, sounds like a poser name.

[outrageon]

Ugh, I know. But everyone knows Angel Dust's name, okay?

And once I'm done with Valentino, they're all gonna know mine.

[youbeautifulidiot]

[Oh.

His heart drops.

As does his act.]



...just yours?

[outrageon]

[Well, that seems to snap her out of it.]

Huh?

No! Of course not.

But only one of us has to make a deal, right? All we really need is a publicist.

If he works for me, he works for you.

[youbeautifulidiot]

[It's...hard, for the first time, he's...not sure if he believes her. But he pushes those feelings of doubt to the side for a second, he can question her motives later.]

But he doesn't work for you. You work for him. You're the one who signed the thing, you're the one who got changed.

[outrageon]

But my job is being a popstar.

His job is making me a pop star. Again.

[She seems a bit more confident about this one, at least.]

That's how it works! A deal goes both ways.

[youbeautifulidiot]

Well....what did you even have to trade for this deal? How much money are we losing now because of you?

[outrageon]

[That sure is her not answering.


A couple seconds more, and Velvet still hasn't volunteered a response. She is definitely digging her brush into that blush a little too hard though.]

[youbeautifulidiot]

[Ugh, god forbid she just answer him!]

Well? What's the deal?

[outrageon]

It's... nothing.

It's like, metaphorical. Like, royalties, you know. whatever.

[Yeah, very believable.]

[youbeautifulidiot]

Uh huh, metaphorical royalties, right. I'm totally buying that.

Oh wait, no I'm not. What's the deal, Velvet?

[outrageon]

Why are you grilling me right now? What's this vibe?

I thought you said you were gonna trust me when I said I had it handled!

1/2

[youbeautifulidiot]

Ungh...

[Did...he? Ugh, this being smart thing means he actually has to think, and they DID talk about her handling it... A part of him really just wants to give up, she's looking angry now. Maybe...she's right? If he said that, then he doesn't want to be a liar. There was like a pinky promise and everything and, yeah! Wait!]

[youbeautifulidiot]

No I didn't. You promised me no one was getting hurt. It had nothing to do with you giving stuff to creepy weirdos! So what was the deal, Vel? If you wanna keep your promises, you have to tell me so I know no one's getting hurt.

And that includes you!

[outrageon]

[That... actually seems to get Velvet. Big eyes blink in confusion at a Veneer that Velvet doesn't seem to recognize.

If he says no, that's his choice.

think bout it this way. they might find somthing you really want. and you wuldnt want them not to tell you abot it hmn?

A gravelly voice speaks in her memories, and then a much lighter one.

So, y'know. Make sure you take advantage'a it. You could be stuck down here with no way to even talk to your brother for the rest'a eternity. Wouldn't that suck.

Ugh, why is she thinking about what they said right now? What does it matter?

It's just her soul. It's barely a cost at all! But she can't see a way out of this without lying, somewhere. Is he going to abandon her just for this?

How can she get out of this?]

Look, it's sweet that you're worried!

But I said it was fine. The whole— tooth thing— it's just a hiccup.

We're gonna be here— what, a few months more max? There's no way that's enough time to make anything bad happen from trading a soul.

[youbeautifulidiot]

[Veneer shakes as she goes on, mostly because it appears as though she's just trying to weasel out of giving him a real answer. AGAIN. Just a hiccup, she says. Just the world's tackiest fashion disaster, if you ask him.

He balls his fists. "Just a few months more," like it isn't an excuse to not waste time chasing after fame again. Don't get him wrong, he loves performing with her, and he's so glad they can do it again. But he just wishes...she could just...care more about the fun than the fame. Yes, he knows it's asking a lot, he only had to stop her from literally walking off a ledge since it's ALL she cares about. But...is it really so much to ask to be the higher priority?

And then she drops that bombshell. He certainly can't accuse her of beating around the bush anymore, but now he kinda wishes she did.]

You didn't.

[outrageon]

Oh— what?

You wouldn't be complaining if you found out I made a deal with Greed, would you?

[youbeautifulidiot]

[Unbelievable. She breaks her promise, crushes his heart, and can only scold him further.]

Greed didn't ask us for our souls. ...And if he did, I'd probably stop hanging out with him, too! But he doesn't!! Because he's COOL!!

You don't even... You don't even care, do you?!

[outrageon]

No! And neither should you!

You are making such a big deal out of it!

You like performing with me, don't you? And I can't perform without my talent!

[youbeautifulidiot]

Vel...don't you get it? I like performing with you because I like you.

I would never choose performing over your soul. That's...basically you!! ...isn't it? And I'd way rather just hang out than be famous if it meant you could keep it. We gotta fix this! I'll...I'll talk to Angel, it's still early. Maybe you can still get out of it!

[outrageon]

No!

[Velvet stomps back his way, gesturing toward herself, the fur in her tail fluffing up.]

I want to be famous! I want to be talented!

I'm not giving this up!

[youbeautifulidiot]

[Veneer flinches, his own tail drooping and wrapping around one of his legs like a little self-hug. He used up the last of his confidence spilling his heart in hopes it would make some sort of impact, but instead she just sort of stomped all over it on her way over to him. He really should stop being surprised, Velvet wants what she wants.]

I know...

[And if this were like the old days, he probably would've left it at that or try to smooth things out. Maybe he'd laugh, even if it would be nervously, and encourage her to keep on going. But he's new Veneer now, and although new Veneer rubs his arm and feels incredibly small right now, that won't stop him from standing his ground.]

I think...I want to be alone tonight. Maybe you should sleep in your room.