The Only Light in My Darkness

by The_Darker_Aspect

Summary:

Charlie finds out about what her parents have done to Vox

 

Sort of based off of Vox's New Contract by LeePipinpaddleopsicopolis

Notes:

Here's the work this is based on, go check it out ^^
https://archiveofourown.org/works/54262453

Chapter 1: the actual stuff

It was night. In a way, it was better than day, since it gave Vox an opportunity to recover from all the Morningstars did to him previously, but in another way, it was worse, because it gave him time to think about what led him here in the first place, and everything wrong with his life. He was trapped in a room that one would call luxurious, but the ironic part was, he could access no part of the splendors this room provided. He was chained to the floor, right beside the bed. How cruel. His wrists and ankles had shackles, and there was a collar around his neck. All of them had chains which were firmly rooted to the ground. He spent the entire night curled up uncomfortably, crying himself to sleep. Tonight, he was reliving the events that led to his current position as the pet of the Morningstar family.
Alastor and Lilith, above him, smiling like mad. Him, in a corner, feeling strangely weak. Then the alcohol down his throat, and the haziness of his mind. The contract. What were the rules of the contract again…?
Subject must obey all the orders of the Morningstar family and Alastor the radio demon.
Subject cannot fight back.
Subject loses all of their previous powers.
Subject may not take their own life.
That was a big one. It was a failsafe to make sure that Vox couldn’t escape his reality. He couldn’t end his misery. Not on his own. There was only one way. To provoke his owners, and trick them into taking his life for him. He wasn’t sure how much longer he could keep up this torture. Sooner or later, he would take this action, and therefore indirectly commit suicide.
He doesn’t realize that he’s gouged new wound on his arms, a byproduct of his frustration. When he sees the blood, he winced, but doesn’t shy away from the deep cuts. Instead he embraced them, and lied down to sleep. It will take time. The floor was very hard, and Vox’s body ached all over. He was in a half-sleep state when he heard the telltale click of his door unlocking and the creaking of it slowly opening. Soft footsteps could be heard. He tried to pretend he was asleep. For whatever reason, someone had come in the middle of the night to his room. Probably to torment him.
“Vox?”
The voice was female, but too gentle to be Lilith’s. It was someone else. He pondered for a moment before remembering. Charlie, the daughter of Lucifer and Lilith. The kind one. The light in his darkness. She was the only one who treated him somewhat well, and perhaps she would treat him like a real person, if not for all the secrets her parents kept from her. He laughed inwardly at the thought. The Morningstars knew what they were doing wrong. Otherwise, they wouldn’t be keeping all that they did to him a secret from their only child.
“Vox, are you awake?” Charlie asked. Innocent. Sweet. Vox loved her. And he hated her. Hated her for not knowing. For not understanding. It wasn’t her fault, he knew, but he couldn’t stop the thoughts of disdain and frustration penetrating his mind. He hears her walk closer.
“Vox?” She pats his shoulder, gently. It hurts, for that was a place where he had gouged himself out of anger.
“Don’t look at me,” Vox mumbled weakly to her.
“Oh, good, you’re awake! I snuck in here so I could spend some time alone with you,” Charlie said, still optimistic. She sat down next to his and started stroking his back.
He flinched away from her.
She withdrew, confused. “Are you ok?”
A shrill laugh from Vox. “Am I ok? Am I ok?!! Of course not. You know what your parents are doing to me, right?”
Silence.
“What have they been doing? Why are you chained to the ground?” She asked, rather tentatively.
Vox sat up, groaning. He turned to face her. He looked tired. He looked like he wasn’t supposed to in front of her. Charlie withdrew, shocked.
“You’re bleeding! Do my mom and dad know?”
Another laugh. “Oh, they know, all right.”
“How could they let this happen? I thought they were taking good care of you.” She took his arm, starting at his wounds.
“Oh, no. not at all,” Vox breathed. “In fact, they think it’s quite entertaining, to see myself tear at my own skin,”
A gasp from Charlie. “You did this to yourself? Why?”
Vox chuckled. “You really are so naïve.” A raised a claw and brushed her face lightly. “You’re beautiful, you know.”
Charlie started crying. “No. No, I’m not beautiful. I wear the face of my mother and father. And I just learned they were terrible people. I am not beautiful if I have their face.”
“I suppose you do have their face,” Vox mused. “But not their eyes. You have the eyes of Charlie Morningstar, princess of Hell. Those eyes are yours alone. I see them, and I smile. They are the only light in my darkness.”
Charlie was still crying. She held Vox’s hand against her face. “Do you really think that?”
“I do.”
She stayed there for a long time before regaining her composure.
“Tell me exactly what my mom and dad did to you. And Alastor too.”
“Are you sure?”
“Yes.”
He quickly checked his internal clock. There was plenty of time in the night to spend telling Charlie his story. So he began.
~~~

“It started one cloudy night, when all was calm. I was at ease, walking back home, admiring the stars. I had not a care in the world. It seemed as if nothing would ever go wrong. I passed an alleyway, then stopped. I sensed something strange down the alley, so I cautiously explored the area, to check if there was anything interesting. There I found a device emitting strange frequencies. I ran it though several programs to see if it means anything. Nothing. It was complete gibberish. I quickly turned to leave, but it was a little to late. I had been tricked. However, the people before me weren’t the average demon. It was my long-time rival Alastor and the queen of Hell herself, Lilith. We had a quick exchange of words, me asking what they wanted, and Lilith telling me of Alastor’s grand plan and how great it would be to keep a demon overlord as a pet. A tried to escape. I couldn’t. There was an inhibitor taking away my powers. The next thing I knew, I was backed into a corner, with my arms and legs bound. I remember seeing Lilith’s face as she pried my mouth open and forced multiple alcoholic beverages down my throat. The next part was hazy because by then, I was very drunk. I remember her voice. Her voice, and Alastor’s gleeful grin. I remember not really thinking as a signed the contract. Everything was black after that. I woke up chained to the floor, like I am now. I was Vox the media demon, overlord of Hell and leader of the three Vs. now look at me. I am nothing. I will continue to be nothing till the day that I die.”
With that, Vox concluded his tale with a heavy sigh. He looked up at Charlie. She was staring deep into his eyes, tears running down her face, crying silently. Those pure, kind, and gentle eyes, marred by their first administration of cruelty.
“I’m sorry,” she whispered.
“It’s not your fault.
“I know. But I think someone needs to apologize.”
They were silent for a moment, letting all that transpired between them sink in.
Finally, Charlie took his hands and examined the shackles that bound them. After a long moment, she tapped each bracelet with her finger. They fell away and dissipated. Vox’s hands felt… free. He felt like he hadn’t in a long time. He looked down at his wrists, no longer manacled, and then at Charlie.
“You don’t have to do this.
“But I want to,” was the replied, before removing the shackles around his ankles.
“You’ll get in trouble.”
“I don’t care.”
His collar fell away. It felt nice, refreshing. He enjoyed the feeling of the cool air against his skin. He lifted his hands, high above his head, then let them drop. He felt his eyes welling up.
“No! don’t cry!” Charlie said, holding a hand out.
“Thank you,” Vox said. “Thank you.” He pulled her close and embraced her. A few moments later, he felt Charlie’s own arms wrap around him. “You’re welcome.”
For a second they stayed there before Charlie broke away and stood. Dismay filled Vox. She was leaving. Then she held out her hand.
“Come with me.”
“What?”
“I’ll take you to my room.”
“I don’t think that’s allowed.”
“To hell with that then. My parents lied to me.” She took Vox’s hands in her own, despite the fact that they were so much bigger than hers. She closed her eyes and smiled. “Hang on tight.”
There was a flash, and then they were standing in a different room. Vox looked around, bewildered by the sudden change of scenery. Charlie let go of him and started rummaging around in her desk for something. Vox watched, not sure how to feel. Charlie eventually found what she was looking for and tossed it at Vox. It was a first-aid kit.
“Get yourself fixed up,” Charlie told Vox. “I’m gonna get you something to eat. You haven’t had a real meal in days, have you?”
Vox stared in shock. “Wait—” But before he could finish his sentence, she was gone. He sighed. There was no choice but to patch up his wounds now, he supposed.

~~~

Vox just finished bandaging the last of his injuries when Charlie reappeared with a box of cereal.
“I know it isn’t much, but it’s what I could get.”
“I’ll take it,” Vox said a bit too eagerly.
“Okay,” Charlie said before conjuring a table with a bowl and utensils. She poured some cereal into the bowl for Vox.
He quickly shoveled the food into his mouth. Charlie was right. It had been days since he had a real meal. All he had been fed were the leftover scraps no one wanted. He looked up at her.
“Uhh.. can I… have more?”
She smiled. “Of course.”
Vox had three bowlfuls of cereal before he finally told Charlie to just give him the entire box. Confused, she passed the cereal box to the TV demon. He immediately took it and poured all the contents into his mouth, crunching on it for a little bit before swallowing all of it. He then set the box on the table and looked at Charlie, who was gaping at him.
“Sorry,” he said awkwardly, his face going red.
A smile broke out on Charlie’s face. “It’s ok. I was just surprised because I do that to.”
“Really?”
“Yeah.”
Vox found himself laughing. The princess of Hell, downing an entire box of cereal? Now that he’d like to see. Soon Charlie was joining him, and they laughed for an entire minute before Charlie glanced at her clock and cursed, making the table and its contents vanish.
“What?”
“We should really be going to sleep.”
“Ok.” Vox paused. “Where am I supposed to sleep?”
Charlie laughed. “In my room, of course!”
“Are you sure?”
“I’m always sure!”
“Ok…”
Vox got on the ground and began curling up to sleep when he heard Charlie above him.
“What are you doing?”
“Uhhh… I’m going to sleep.”
Charlie knelt beside him. “They must have treated you really bad, if you think you have to sleep on the floor.”
Vox stared at her. “You mean, I don’t have to?”
“Of course not. You’re not a dog.”
Charlie helped Vox to his feet, and he apologized.
“You don’t need to apologize, Vox,” Charlie told him. “Now, are you ready to go to sleep?”
“I guess?” Vox said as he watched Charlie crawl into her bed. He stood there awkwardly. There wasn’t any place for him to sleep. Charlie looked at him.
“What are you waiting for? Get in!”
Vox’s face flushed. “Wait—what? You me me—to sleep with you?”
“Yeah, why not? It’s the only bed in the room.”
“I’m not sure—”
“Stop being so hesitant about everything! Just go with it!”
Vox sighed. “Fine.” He supposed, that for one night, he could spare himself of his worries. He very awkwardly shifted into Charlie’s bed and laid there in silence. He heard a chuckled beside him.
“What?”
“I dunno—you’re just so stiff, like you’re nervous about something! I’m not gonna hurt you, you know.”
He felt Charlie poke him.
“Owww, ok, ok!”
He relaxed a little. He lay there, staring at the ceiling. When was the last time he had actually slept in a bed? He felt Charlie shift beside him and her small arms wrap around his midsection. He stiffened before relaxing again. There was nothing to be afraid of. He glanced at the girl. She was asleep with a smile on her face. He smiled, and wrapped his arms around her. For once, he thought, maybe things would be ok.

Chapter 2: epilogue

Summary:

title of the chapter explains itself

Valentino and Velvette sat at a table, chatting with each other about random stuff. The talk was to distract themselves from Vox’s absence, but somehow to conversation always circled back to their missing friend. Eventually they just gave up and sat in silence, staring awkwardly at each other. It had been a few months since Vox disappeared. They had sent out all sorts of reports and made efforts to find him, but everything proved to be ineffective. The silence weighed on the two until suddenly there was a flash of light and Vox was there, standing on the table. He looked confused.
“Vox!” Velvette screamed.
He stared at them for a second before a huge smile broke out across his face.
“You guys! I missed you!!” He leapt down from the table and crushed the other two Vs in a hug.
“Vox, what the heck!” Vel screeched.
“Oh, I never thought I would miss you and your stupid temper tantrums!” Vox said, nuzzling Val’s fur. “And I never thought I would hear your voice again!” he told Velvette.
“What happened?” Velvette said, grimacing in Vox’s embrace.
“Oh, uhh…” The TV demon suddenly started crying.
“Waaah! I missed you so much, you don’t understand!!” He sobbed into his friends.
“What’s gotten into you! What were you doing when you were gone?” Val said, confused.
“I—Alastor, Lilith, alcohol!!” He wailed before breaking down completely.
“Hey, maybe you can explain once you’ve calmed down,” Velvette said, shifting Vox so that he was resting on her shoulder.
“Y-yeah…” Vox sniffled.
As Velvette and Valentino carried Vox to his room, Val asked him a question.
“I hope I’m not prying, but how did you get back here?”
“Oh,” Vox said. “Charlie helped me.”
Val almost dropped Vox. “Princess Morningstar?!!”
“Yeah.”
“You’ve gone hell of a story to tell, once you’ve gotten your rest,” Val said under his beath.

Notes:

now guess who my favorite character is