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No matter how tightly packed Vox’s schedule was, Valentino was never too far from his mind.
Of all the many screens he had in his monitoring room, one was always reserved for his sweet moth. Call it obsessive, call it stalkerish, but he had to know what Val was doing at all times. His peace of mind required Val to always be a single button click away from his watchful eyes.
Wherever he was, Vox knew. In the studio, screaming at another dumb whore who couldn’t do their job right. In some club, taunting all the sinners with what they so desperately craved but never could have. In their bedroom, looking shockingly docile when exhaustion finally took over his body and he fell asleep on his vanity.
And Valentino, with that twisted mind of his, preened under the attention. Every wink, every blown kiss, every teasing hand pulling his skirt down just an inch for Vox to catch a glimpse of his lingerie – all a testament to how much Valentino adored seeing the red dot on the cameras light up, knowing that Vox was watching his every move.
Perhaps there was something to be discovered here, some deeply hidden fear that chained them together in this circle of observer and actor, but none of them were particularly interested in tearing open old wounds.
The point was that Vox knew where Valentino was at all times, with two exceptions.
One: Valentino had found a new triviality to be pissed about and was punishing him with his absence like the high-maintenance diva he was.
Or two: He wanted to play.
They had a game, the two of them. Valentino had invented it and subsequently found it a lot more amusing than Vox. The rules were simple: Valentino hid, Vox sought.
Val never told him when the game started. It was always on Vox to find out when he wanted to play, indicated by his elusive lover vanishing into thin air. No screen would show his darling moth and all texts and calls were left unanswered. That was all the cue Vox got, and it was all the cue he needed.
Now, it wasn’t like he didn’t enjoy the game. It drove him as mad as it excited him, their twisted version of hide and seek. Valentino knew exactly what to do to make his blood boil and to ensure that, no matter how busy he was with VoxTek, he would come and look for him.
It was thrilling, the chase, igniting all the deep, possessive instincts inside him to run out and capture his darling again and bring him back where he belonged: Under the view of his always-filming cameras, where Vox could see him.
Yes, it made him feral, he wasn’t ashamed to admit it. Dark thoughts quelled up inside him whenever his lover vanished, thoughts of locking him up like a sweet songbird so he could never flee from him again. Pin his gorgeous wings to the wall and keep him there, like a beautiful insect in a glass case, all for him to admire.
But he never acted on those thoughts, pushing them back into the abyss of his mind where they belonged. Valentino was a proud creature, only letting himself get caught because he wanted to. Their push and pull were held in a delicate balance, and just a single push too strong would make Valentino turn his back on him and vanish forever.
Besides, Valentino was so much more beautiful when he was free than when he was trapped.
But there were limits, and Vox’s limit had been reached an hour ago. Tapping against the armrest of his chair, his work lay forgotten as he glared at the screens in front of him. All different and yet all the same, showcasing all of Valentino’s favorite spots, and yet in none of them he was to be seen.
An hour ago, Vox’s internal timer had run up, the lenience he gave Valentino to correct his mistake and reappear on his feed. But no. He should have known better when he had seen that mischievous twinkle in Valentino’s eyes earlier, blowing another kiss to the camera before leaving the studio.
How he managed time and time again to avoid all cameras leading outside, as well as all of them on the streets would forever remain a mystery to Vox. Valentino refused to tell him, and he loved and loathed it equally.
"Where are you hiding this time, my darling?" he murmured, letting his gaze wander over the screens for any sign of those beautiful wings, that lavender skin, or those red eyes reappearing back where they belonged.
They didn’t, of course, making his lips curl into a grin that was as thrilled as it was furious. With a quick press of a button, he connected himself to the intercom of his assistant.
“Clear my schedule for tonight,” was all he said, not bothering to wait for the confirmation that his order would be carried out.
“You’ve never cared about my work, have you, love?” he continued his self-talk as he slid out of his chair, turning his back to the disappointing screens. “It’s always about you, isn’t it? It doesn’t matter how busy I am, I have to drop everything as soon as you want something. When you say run, I have to come running.”
He sighed, slipping his suit jacket back on as he made his way to the elevator. “You’re driving me insane. One day I’ll chain you to my desk until you finally learn that your place is by my side.”
Valentino knew, of course. He knew that he belonged to Vox and that Vox belonged to him, heart and soul. They were one, forever and always. No matter how often they broke up, they always found their way together again like two poles of a magnet.
But the idea was tempting nonetheless.
Vox’s first stop was Valentino’s last known location, his studio. His lover was a tease, always had been, and liked to mock him with his absence by leaving little traces of him behind wherever he went.
Even without Val around, the studio was as lively as ever, since the employees knew very well that their boss’s absence was not a free pass for slacking off.
But with how relaxed everything seemed to be right now, they had to be on break.
As soon as he entered, all eyes were on him, for good reason considering he was technically the boss as long as Valentino wasn't here. Seeing his darling’s pet on shift today, he immediately made a beeline for him.
Angel was sitting on a bed, amiably chatting with some of his co-stars who were sitting cross-legged on the floor in front of him, eagerly listening to him rant about some minor inconvenience. Rising drug prices, too-small dildos, or whatever a whore like him could be worried about.
The conversation ceased immediately when Angel’s eyes set on him. A smile tugged at his lips, as sweet as it was fake, his favorite way of charming up to Valentino. What worked on him didn’t work on Vox though, and he had no interest in interacting with him longer than necessary.
“Hey there, daddy. Need help with somethin’?” Angel asked, batting those eyelashes of his in a perfect imitation of how Valentino did it. But perfection or not, the lacking set of monochrome eyes to go along with it immediately made his stomach turn.
“Angel, dear,” he said, pronouncing both names like an insult. “Where’s Valentino?”
Angel’s smile faltered for a brief second, knowing very well what this question meant. And if there was one thing that was more dangerous than getting in the way of Vox’s business, it was withholding information about Val. “Oh, uh...I dunno. He left earlier, said he had some business to take care of.”
Vox raised an eyebrow. Surely this would not be all. Val always left something behind, no matter how small. It was just as much of a trace for Vox as it was a test – a test from Valentino to see if he truly knew him as well as he claimed he did.
“If you think this lackluster answer is enough, then you’re wrong,” Vox said, leaning forward until Angel backed away. “What else? A word about where he would take care of this ‘business’?”
Angel held his four hands up protectively. “No, I swear I don’t know where he is! He said he had to take care of a client, told us to keep workin’, and then he left!”
“A client?” Vox stood up straight again, his mind already working on connecting the threads of the web Valentino had spun around him. “That’s the exact word he used? A client?”
Nodding, Angel hesitantly lowered his hands again, apparently thinking himself out of danger for now. “Yeah, that’s what he said.”
“I see.”
That was all the confirmation he needed. The mechanical parts of his mind immediately made their way through his endless network of cameras, looking for a very specific feed – only to come up empty.
A small bolt of electricity flashed between his antennae and his eye pulsed red, making the crowd before him flinch away.
“Little bitch,” he muttered to himself, an angry grin spreading across his face. There was a hint of fondness swinging in his words, but it wouldn’t be audible to Val’s playthings.
Straightening his jacket, he got his expression back under control and pulled out a random bill from his pocket before handing it to Angel. “Thank you, dear. Go buy some drugs or something, but behave while Valentino is gone.”
His words were as much threat as they were patronizing, but Vox had already turned his back to Angel before he could have caught his reaction.
A ‘client’ Valentino had said, hm? So he was at their hotel then.
Stepping out of the V-Tower, he signaled for one of their drivers to start doing their job and entered their limo.
An amused smile tugged at his lips as he leaned back into the soft leather of the seats.
“Ready or not, my love.”
Big, luxurious, and far away from the filth of Hell, the Vice & Virtue represented the priciest place to stay in the district of the Vees.
Vox strode into the lobby with the authority only an Overlord could command, not bothering to make his way to the reception. He and Valentino owned the penthouse suite of the Hotel, despite them only occupying it once or twice a year.
Making his way up the elevator to their room, he had no illusions about finding Valentino anywhere in the hotel. No, no, if Valentino wanted to play, if he wanted to be chased, he wouldn't just stay in one place. His darling wanted him to go insane from all the frustration, desire, and obsession he felt for him, he wanted to see Vox be ready to chase him to the end of the world if it was necessary. And they both knew that, for his moth, he would.
To no surprise, the room was empty when Vox entered. It was a lavish space, red velvet draped over every corner, a king-size bed that had to suffer through their passionate love each time they visited. From the endless wardrobe to the giant bathroom to the bar that was always filled to the brim, it was their favorite place to drown in hedonism.
The doors leading to the balcony stood wide open, the curtains billowing in the fresh night air, leaving no guess as to where his elusive lover had escaped to.
Vox only regarded them with a raised eyebrow. “Your pretty wings won’t save you every time, darling.”
Closing the doors again, he gave the room a quick look-over.
Several special memories connected them to this place, but he hadn’t thought Valentino would hide here of all places. There was a camera in the room after all, neatly tucked into one of the corners of the wall.
Or rather, there had been one. When Vox glanced up at the spot where his precious spy usually hid, the spot was empty.
That slippery snake had actually taken the time to come back here and remove it just so he would have more spots to hide.
Vox sighed.
“You drive me insane,” he said, making a mental note to send someone to replace the camera before he started to scan the room, looking for anything Valentino might have left behind.
That Val had been here was sure, even if Vox hadn’t seen the doors open. The word “client” was all it had taken for him to get the message.
One of the memories that tied them to this room was that it marked the last place that Valentino had offered his services to, in Vox’s opinion, undeserving bitches. But it was a nice memory – Val and his client had done their business, and then Val had killed him. Needless to say that afterward, Vox had fucked his darling moth on the very same bed until there was no memory of that little bitch inside his mind anymore and all he remembered was Vox’s name.
Smoothing out the blankets on the bed which Valentino had brought into disarray during his little visit, he couldn’t help but notice that there was still a faint scent of cherries clinging to them. Almost washed away by the cool night air, but still fragrant enough for Vox’s systems to pick up.
His claws dug into the fabric and his eyes darted around, looking, as if someone was going to barge into the room and catch him being a pathetic mess for his darling. But of course, no one was around.
Weak as he was, he gave into temptation and let himself fall onto the bed, ruining the order he had just created. With closed eyes, he buried his face in one of the pillows where the fragrance seemed to be the strongest.
A groan escaped him, equal part frustration and desire, when the soft fabric caressed his screen. He drove him to madness, that damn brat. His darling, his elusive, pretty moth, the one he loved so dearly.
Valentino's laughter practically rang in his ears, teasing him for being such a mess over the faintest trace of him, but he couldn’t help it. The combination of the smell of Val’s ever-present smoke and his absence made him want to rip his sweet moth to pieces.
One time he had actually come close to doing it. It had been the week before their anniversary.
One week. One fucking week Valentino had made him chase him all across their district, from nightclubs to abandoned factories to casinos to cinemas. One goddamn week without a single trace of his darling, except all the shit he had left behind every time to taunt him with how whipped Vox was for him.
By the time he had finally found him – on their anniversary – Vox was about ready to rip him to shreds. But, alas, he was only a man as well, and when he had seen his sweetheart lay on this very bed, in nothing but that corset Vox loved so dearly and a pair of lace panties so short they might as well not have been there; the way Val had smiled at him with that look of sultriness that made Vox see nothing but hearts, how he had beckoned him closer with a crook of his finger, knowing very well Vox would do whatever he said…
Safe to say, it had been a long night.
The sound of tearing fabric rang through the empty room as Vox’s claws slashed through the pillow. Damn it. He had to find him before he would fall apart under all his longing. Getting up from the bed again, he left behind the sweet scent of cherries and made his way across the room, searching for any sign that might tell him where his lover had slipped away to this time.
Eventually, the clue he was searching for rested in the trash can of the bathroom of all places, empty save for one little object. Fishing it out, Vox found himself confronted with a glittery lip gloss. He didn’t know much about make-up, but he knew that this stuff made Valentino’s already so irresistible lips sparkle like the night sky when under the right light conditions, as Val never failed to tell him.
Pocketing the lip gloss – it was barely used and Valentino would want it back – he turned on his heel and left the hotel room.
His moth had to be in a club. Some underground thing, someplace his cameras didn't reach. Some place with low, pointed light, that would bring out the stars on Valentino's lips.
And there were so many secret clubs in their district, despite his meticulous camera network. This would be a long night.
Of course, Valentino was not in the club either. After what felt like hours of searching, he had finally found the place Valentino had decided to hide, but all that remained of him was a still-lit cigarette and a ring.
Val was toying with him. Everywhere he went, his darling was one step ahead of him, slipping out of his grasp with a precision that made his blood boil. The hunt was as thrilling as it was frustrating, heightening all his possessive urges to the maximum. Each trinket he found that Valentino had left behind, each echo of his laughter ringing in Vox’s head made his mind short-circuit with deep-seated longing.
Longing to feel that lavender skin under his fingertips again, to hold him close until he could feel his darling's heartbeat press against his body. Longing to stare into those hypnotizing eyes while he held him, focus all of his lover's senses on him until Val remembered that he belonged to him and that his place was where Vox could keep an eye on him and keep him safe the filth of Hell.
He wanted to touch, kiss, run his fingers over Val's skin, card his hands through the precious fur around his neck. He wanted to bite, claw, make him bleed from his fierce grip, and watch those pretty droplets of blood run down his gorgeous body. He wanted to tear him apart and then fix him up again, all pretty like he was before, and drown him in kisses until the pain would ebb away into pleasure.
It was maddening, these conflicting desires and it was even more maddening to know that Valentino would let him do all that and more. To his moth, it was all the same – as long as he got attention, as long as he felt chased, desired, and adored, he didn't care how Vox showed it. Val was a sadist as much as he was a masochist, just like Vox was.
But no matter what he would do to him eventually, right now, hidden between the flashing lights and the pulsing rhythm of this secret nightclub, he was sure he had found his darling.
At first, it was just a feeling, an instinct that told him Valentino might be here somewhere. His body seemed to recognize his presence before his mind did, making his heart race with both love and anger.
As he pushed through the throng of people, intending to find a bar or a secluded area where Valentino might have retreated, he finally saw it.
There, between all the heels and shoes: The unmistakable zebra pattern of Valentino’s wings.
The sight alone made him go insane. His eyes shot up in the direction of where Valentino should have stood, but there was nobody except more unworthy sinners he couldn’t care less about
Pushing through the crowd of drunkards and dancers, he chased after him, eager to finally claim him as his again and feel those lips on his.
And then, as he shoved another demon out of the way, their eyes met. Everything around him disappeared as he stared right into those devilishly red eyes of his sweet moth, and they stared right back at him. There was no music in his ears, no conversations, no thrum of the beat, only those half-lidded eyes staring at him from a few meters away. But then, just as Vox wanted to go over to him, he saw that gold tooth sparkle in the light of the club as Valentino grinned and vanished between the crowd.
The lights above Vox flickered and the demons next to him cried out in pain as they got hit by a current of pure electricity.
“You little...get your ass back here!” Roughly shoving everyone away who blocked his path, he rushed after his elusive lover.
He could hear him. He could hear him, he was sure of it. The pulse of the music ebbed away in favor of his darling’s little chuckles and the way his heels clicked against the floor as he ran away from him. Taunting him, mocking him, luring him through the crowd.
Such a fucking brat, it was unbelievable. Valentino thought he could play games with him, tease him and make him chase after him like a goddamn dog. Forget worship. Forget spoiling. He didn't deserve shit. As soon as he had his hands on him, Vox would ruin him, break him apart piece by piece until he held his core in his hands, until Valentino would beg for forgiveness and Vox would see tears flow out of those wide eyes. Not a single damn inch of that skin he would leave uncovered, he would sink his teeth into every fiber of his being until his moth couldn't move a muscle without feeling him all over his body.
The crowd thinned towards the back and the music got quieter until he really could hear those deadly heels hit the ground as Valentino fled from his inevitable fate, luring him through corners and corridors.
But unfortunately, his darling wasn’t dumb.
Just as Vox turned around another corner, he was faced with an open back door, leading out into the cold night, and a hint of those red wings disappearing out of sight.
He ran after him, but it was too late. The last thing he heard as he stormed out into the alley was that velvet laughter and a flutter of wings before his moth vanished from sight again, flying off to where Vox couldn’t catch him.
A feral growl escaped his throat, his fingers twitching at the lack of flesh between them.
“You’re gonna regret that, sweetheart,” he muttered, staring at the empty night sky that had made the mistake of keeping his darling away from him.
Looking around for something his slippery snake of a lover might have lost in his hurry, his attention fell on an empty pack of cigarettes near the open door. Technically, I could have belonged to anyone, but those cigarettes were expensive, not something the peasants inside there would be able to afford. As he held it in his hands, he only got more sure that it was Val’s. It felt like him.
Mindlessly throwing and catching the thing again, he pulled out his phone and dialed the number of a certain bar. Valentino loved those cigarettes, but they were a special brand that only got sold by the owner of a small, hidden bar.
When the other side picked up, all Vox said was “Bring the pretty moth a raspberry daiquiri. And make it quick. I’ll pay you later.”
When he arrived at the bar, he was not surprised to find an empty cocktail glass waiting for him on the counter. Next to it laid a cherry-scented napkin with a red kiss mark on it, along with a single cigarette.
Vox had no idea for how long he had to chase Valentino through the city after that. Every time he thought he had caught his lover, Val slipped out of his grasp again. It was way past midnight by now, and he started to fear that this might turn into another week-long hunt.
So, when he entered this underground lounge, a little, hidden place he had never even known existed, he was prepared to find simply yet another trinket of his darling, with no sign of his actual presence.
And yet, there he was.
As soon as Vox pushed the heavy door open, he got hit by a wave of that addictive cherry fragrance that followed his lover around like Vox did right now. The only reason he didn’t bolt into the room like a madman was the silence. Compared to the nightclub, this place was dead silent. A gentle hum of jazz music, alongside the faint murmurs of hushed conversations, maybe the clink of a glass. That was all the sound he caught.
But the place was small.
As soon as he had descended the stairs, he saw him.
Not awaiting him with a taunting grin on his face, not in the arms of another to make him jealous, no. In the far left corner of the room, there was an elevated platform, and there, draped across the red velvet of a chaise longue, he was, eyes closed and fast asleep.
The long, black dress he wore had fallen beautifully over his body, pooling around him like the night itself was shielding him. One of his wings was loosely draped over his waist, keeping him safe and cozy in Vox’s absence. His face was hidden by the plush fur around his neck that he had sunken into, making his darling look adorably sweet and innocent.
It was a testament to Val’s influence and power that none of the other patrons even thought about taking advantage of him in his sleep.
All of Vox’s anger, all the frustration and dark thoughts faded instantly at the sight of his lover, here, in front of him, back in his grasp where he belonged.
As he made his way over to him in quick strides, he knew exactly this was not a coincidence. Valentino was elusive. He wouldn’t have fallen asleep on accident. Vox could only catch him if he let himself be caught, just like right now.
With a raised eyebrow, he noticed the empty glasses on the table, along with the filled ashtray, but didn’t pay them any further mind, kneeling in front of his darling instead.
Before he could think about it, one of his hands shot out to cup Valentino’s cheek, and he almost let out a sigh of relief when he felt that smooth skin under his fingertips again.
“Caught you,” he murmured, leaning forward to connect their lips in a surprisingly gentle kiss, compared to all the fury he had felt earlier.
But such was the way of their dynamic. One second, he wanted to pull Valentino’s heart out and put it on display, the next he wanted to spoil him rotten, feed him little fruits while his moth just lounged around and looked pretty, just like he always did.
Right now, he was in the second mood, the thrill of the chase slowly settling down to the calm euphoria of a successful hunt. And had there ever been a more beautiful prize?
Valentino let out a small noise of contentment as their lips touched, but did not yet wake up.
“Come on, love.” Vox’s low murmur blended in with the sweet jazz tunes playing in the background. “Time to wake up. Let me see those darling eyes.”
And while his words didn’t make his sweetheart stir, the soft touch of his fingers trailing over his antennae certainly did. He brought one of them to his lips, pressing a soft kiss against the feathery ends. A small shiver coursed through Val’s body at that little show of affection and a sleepy noise escaped him, clearly unhappy at being awoken so rudely from his land of dreams.
“Mhm...Voxy?” he muttered even before he opened his eyes, the antennae already sensing him before his sight could. And yet, he still didn't bother to open his eyes, only nuzzling further into his makeshift fur pillow.
“Don’t tease me now,” Vox murmured, leaning his screen against Val’s head. “Let me have my prize. Open your eyes.”
Valentino didn’t answer, instead languidly stretching with that feline grace Vox adored so much. Shifting into a more comfortable position, Val let out a sigh before finally opening his eyes a slit.
Beautiful, deep red. Vox’s favorite color. He smiled. “There you are.”
Without tearing his eyes away from the dashing sight in front of him, he reached for Valentino's hand and relieved it of its hold over his glasses. Since his darling didn’t seem inclined to move anytime soon, he gently slipped them on his face so he could actually see him and not just his lights.
“Here I am,” Valentino repeated. His voice was still low from the sleep clinging at it, but a lazy smile appeared on his lips nonetheless. “You found me, baby.”
Vox pressed another kiss against his lips, which got lazily returned this time. “Of course I did. I’ll always find you, no matter where you go.”
Flopping onto his stomach, Valentino rested his head on his arms. Those beautiful wings of his briefly unfolded behind him as he stretched the sleep out of them, making him look like an ancient deity of mystique and allure.
“Hm...you sound mad,” he murmured, a tired but mischievous grin tugging at his lips.
Vox’s hand slid from Val’s face to his side, running over the soft and thin fabric of his dress. The warm feeling of Val’s skin underneath calmed the possessive side in him, knowing that Valentino was back in his sight, safe and sound under his watchful eye. "Oh, you have no idea, my love."
He was mad, sure, but Valentino’s presence overwhelmed his senses in all the right ways, and anger wasn’t his top priority right now.
The dress shifted gently under his touch as Valentino chuckled. “Will I get punished?”
“Absolutely.” Vox took one of Val’s hands into his, lifting it up to his lips to press a gentle kiss against it. “But not now.”
“No?” Valentino shifted languidly, dangling one of his legs in the air until the slit in his dress fell just so it revealed all of that beautiful skin underneath, all the way up to his thigh. “Why not?”
It would forever remain a mystery to Vox how someone could sound so sleepy and yet so alluring.
“Because….” Vox moved his hand from Val's side down to the slit of the dress. Sneaking beneath the fabric, his hand came up to gently grope Val's ass in the way that made his sweet moth purr. "...I'm not in the mood to be rough with you right now-"
“Oh, you wanna be rough with me, baby?”
“- and you don’t look particularly awake. I can’t have you fall asleep while I teach you a lesson, sweetheart,” he finished, ignoring Val’s quippy remark.
Yes, he wanted to be rough with him, but Valentino was such a gorgeous sight right now that he would feel bad for destroying it. Besides, Valentino the pettiest demon this side of the Pride Ring. He would absolutely manage to fall asleep during the most depraved sex known to man, just to make a point.
Valentino grinned. “Hm, but I think you would enjoy that.” He reached out a hand to trace the edge of Vox’s screen. “I can’t run away when I’m asleep, can I?”
Leaning into his teasing touch with a soft sigh – god, he was helplessly addicted to him – he put his own hand on top of Val's.
“No, you can’t. But even when you’re awake, there’s no escaping me. I’ll always watch over you. And I’ll always be faster than you can run.”
Vox narrowed his eyes. “But that doesn’t mean you can test me every time, darling. You enjoy it, don’t you, making me run through the entire city just to catch you again?”
Valentino let his hand flop back down, lazily dangling over the edge of the chaise longue.
“Aw, you’re making it sound like it’s all my fault. No one said you had to come and get me,” he teased, knowing very well that Vox would never let something like this slide.
“You don’t get to disappear on me like that, Valentino. You belong where I can see you. And if that won’t get through that thick skull of yours, I’ll remind you until it sticks.”
Despite their talk, they both knew that this game was something they needed and that spiced up their life. Vox needed the feeling of control, of always knowing that he would catch Valentino again and that no matter how far away he flew, he would always come back to let himself get caught. Meanwhile, his darling needed to feel desired, needed to know that his absence was noticed and his presence was missed, that Vox would spare no expense to come and look for him, and that he knew him so intricately well that he always knew where he would be next.
“You’re mine, Valentino. Forever,” Vox murmured, gently tracing his jawline like he was a piece of art, before capturing his lips in another kiss.
Valentino chuckled sleepily, enjoying all the attention he was receiving. “And you’re mine, Voxy.”
Nuzzling against his screen, his sweet moth grabbed his bow tie, keeping him close even after they broke their kiss.
He was not fully awake yet, but his eyes were now filled with a familiar, intricate glimmer, one that spoke of both affection and danger. “When I say ‘Clear your schedule and come find me,’ you say…?”
Vox playfully rolled his eyes, knowing Val’s game very well, but played along nonetheless.
“Yes, Valentino.”
“When I say ‘Chase me until the end of the world, with no knowledge if you'll ever get a hold of me again,’ you say…?"
“Yes, Valentino.”
Vox traced one hand over Val’s cheek, while the other one caressed his still-exposed thigh. Valentino tilted his head a little and grinned.
“When I say ‘Never look at another the way you look at me, never love them like you love me, make me the center of your world and your universe, for all of this life and the next,’ you say…?”
Vox couldn’t hide his own grin.
“Yes, Valentino.”
Sinking back into the soft velvet, Valentino closed his eyes again, hiding his smile in his fur.
"Good," he said, sounding sleepy again as if the knowledge of Vox’s devotion was enough to calm the worries in his heart. “So do I.”
Their dim corner of the lounge lit up as Vox’s screen brightened at this small confession. Valentino’s love declarations were not rare by any means, but it had taken long years into their relationship until words of commitment started to slip from his lips.
A soft chuckle rumbled through Valentino’s chest at the brightened space.
“Te amo, cariño,” he purred.
“I love you too, my sweet moth.” Vox stayed close to him, only moving when his legs started to cramp from kneeling on the floor all the time.
For a short while, it was silent between them. Valentino was drifting in and out of sleep while Vox watched him, both of their hearts calmed by the presence of the other.
“Why are you so sleepy, love?” Vox eventually whispered again, teasing quietly as he carded his hand through Valentino’s fur. “You were the one who wanted to play. Did someone spike your drink?”
“Prick,” Valentino answered drowsily, yet awake enough for insults. “Can’t a beautiful moth be tired after being chased by the scary TV Overlord?”
Slowly, with a roll of his eyes, Vox got up from his spot on the floor, brushing off his clothes. “If the ‘beautiful moth’ would stay in his tower where he belonged, the scary TV Overlord wouldn’t have to chase him.”
He reached out a hand towards Valentino, wanting to pull him up. “Come on, let’s go home.”
But all he got was a whine and a shuffle as Valentino sank deeper into the soft upholstery. “Don’t wanna move.”
Opening his eyes just a slit again, he extended his arms towards Vox with a mischievous smile. “Carry me.”
Vox raised an eyebrow. “First you make me run around town like an idiot, and now I’m supposed to carry you home? You have two functioning legs.”
But Valentino didn’t take his arms down, just looking at him expectantly while his grin widened. It was annoying, how he knew so very well that Vox would give in anyway.
“You’re impossible,” he muttered, as fond as he was frustrated, before hooking his arms under his moth’s legs and shoulders and picking him up.
Valentino immediately closed his eyes again, chuckling as he wrapped his upper arms around Vox’s neck while the others kept his wings safe in his lap.
“Thank you,” he sang in that tone he always used when he got his way, the one that infuriated Vox as much as he loved it.
“Don’t thank me yet,” Vox responded, just so he could get the last word in.
He was happy that Valentino had his eyes closed because it meant he wouldn't see the love-struck expression he regarded him with as he carried him back to their limo.
When Vox sank into the chair in his monitoring room the next day, prepared for another round of infuriating company work, his gaze, as if on instinct, flickered over to the screen that was dedicated to Valentino.
After a few camera switches, he found his darling in his studio, overseeing another shoot. When Valentino noticed the camera in his studio turning on, he briefly glanced over at it and smirked.
Vox returned the gesture, even though Valentino couldn’t see it.
No matter how tightly packed their schedules were, Valentino and Vox were never too far from each other's minds.