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“You may now kiss the bride.”
The officiant’s voice wavered as she spoke the words. Of course she did, she was marrying away her own girlfriend to someone else. Velvette tried not to look too smug. She was doing this to help them, after all. It was what they had tricked them into believing, after all.
The ex-Exorcist before her obviously didn’t want to kiss Velvette. Velvette leaned in and pressed a peck to the corner of her mouth. Vaggie didn’t relax much, even as the Hellish congregation applauded.
She took Vaggie in arm and walked her down the aisle. There was Val, acting like this was real in some way (or perhaps imagining what Velvette’s wedding night would be like). Vox’s smile remained. He was ready for the position Velvette would take by joining the Princess of Hell’s side when Vaggie was gone.
Velvette had argued against this at first, but couldn’t deny the power she might receive if she were to play this right. After all, regardless of what they said might happen, Vaggie would die in a few days. There was nothing about marrying a powerful Sinner that would actually save her from her curse. It just so happened that Charlie Morningstar’s information was wrong and the Vees could take advantage of it.
For the first time since it had started, Velvette and Vaggie were alone. There was the party afterward to join, but Vaggie had obviously needed to sit and Velvette wasn’t about to mess up her image by being outwardly cruel to her short-time bride.
“You doing okay, luv?”
Vaggie sighed, shutting her eye. She was gorgeous in her cream gown. Black and pink pearls adorned the hems and the fabric glistened and shimmered under the lights. Velvette had made it especially for her. She had gotten Charlie’s approval on it. It wasn’t every day that a bride didn’t see her dress before the day she got married, but this wasn’t a normal wedding either.
“Thank you.”
Velvette cocked her head to the side. “Oh? What brings this on? You weren’t very thankful before.”
“Because I didn’t think you were going to go through with it.” Vaggie’s expression was mixed. There was relief, but also pain. The pain had to be from the curse, but Velvette wondered if Vaggie thought it was from getting married. What was marriage like in Heaven? Definitely nothing like in Hell—though Charlie had made it rather topsided. Two Sinners were involved, after all.
“I wouldn’t have put all this effort into these dresses if I weren’t going to go through with it.” Velvette sat beside her. “You’re going to learn that about me. Fashion isn’t just my business—it’s my life.”
“That’s something.” Vaggie stared at her. Directly. For someone who hadn’t wanted to get married, she sure was no blushing bride or antsy groom. “I still don’t approve of your business.”
“Of my business practices. I’m sure you don’t have much problem with my business.” Velvette trailed a finger up Vaggie’s sleeve, noting the toned arm underneath. The curse hadn’t made her waste away yet.
Vaggie snorted. “Touché, but yeah.”
“I’ve been making my way in Hell. It’s different when you’ve known part of royalty the entire time. Your way of doing things never seemed possible to the rest of us.”
“Because none of you would listen to Charlie.”
It wasn’t like Velvette wanted to listen to Charlie now either, though she knew changes would come of getting in close to the princess. Still, Vox would shut up about Alastor being too close to the most powerful beings of Hell when Velvette was even closer. If Charlie was really as pathetic about Vaggie as she seemed, she would be in a ripe place to be manipulated when Vaggie died despite the wedding.
After all, Velvette wasn’t the one who came up with the wrong solution. It was pure luck.
“I don’t want to go to Heaven,” Velvette said. “And you wouldn’t want to go back either, yeah?”
Pursing her lips, Vaggie nodded. “That doesn’t mean—”
“Yeah, yeah. I get it. It doesn’t mean be a bad person.” Except bad was in the eye of the beholder. Especially when it was proven Heaven was as hypocritical as Hell. Where did the good people go? “We both got a lot to learn then. Guess there’s time to do it now?”
Against her will, Vaggie smiled. She was at least cute when she smiled. Velvette would make sure to get enough photos of it before she passed. As it was, Velvette leaned in and took one right then. Vaggie blinked.
“Don’t worry, luv. This one’s just for me. We might not be lovers, but we can at least get along. Friends?”
There was still a wariness in Vaggie’s eye when she said, “friends,” and it was that hesitation which made Velvette decide however long it took for Vaggie to die wouldn’t be as annoying as she had thought. She could deal with her for that long. Despite everyone else, Vaggie wasn’t stupid.
Velvette appreciated that.
Despite being married, they went their own ways at night. Valentino moaned about it in the limo, but it was Vox’s comment which bothered her more.
“I’m giving her a bit of space!” Velvette snapped. “She’ll appreciate it. I’ll be headed over there in the morning. I’ll get my nails under the princess’ skin then. Charlie will definitely be happier that I leave her with her girlfriend overnight!”
“But the threesome, chiquita!” Val exclaimed.
She took a drink from the limo bar and threw it at him. Val spluttered and screeched, hackles raised.
Vox sighed, unbothered by all that. “Makes sense.”
“As it is, when the angel doesn’t get better, they might want us to be physically closer more often.” Velvette was glad Val couldn’t bring himself to retaliate against her and her wedding dress. She glanced through her social feed, liking comments and pictures as she went along. “I’m playing nice. You two have to do your parts as well.”
“We are,” Vox assured her. “I’ll tie Val up if he messes around.”
“I already have to give up Angel Dust!” Val spat. “Don’t treat me like a child!”
When he stopped acting like a child over Angel Dust, Velvette would. Still, as Val sulked on his side of the limo, Velvette had to wonder how much would change before they managed to get control of the Princess of Hell. Then they could twist everything back to how they wanted. In the meantime, they were playing nice.
Vaggie texted her about coming by for breakfast in the morning. Velvette sent her a thumbs up and a kiss emoji.
As it was, Velvette had automated and rescheduled a lot of her work so she could be rather hands off during this time. The focus on Charlie was the most important thing she could be doing right now. And focusing on getting through to Charlie meant focusing on Vaggie.
She didn’t look any worse off for all the excitement yesterday, so perhaps the others thought this was good news and she might start improving. Angel Dust wasn’t nearly as snarky (probably still in shock from being free) and the bartender didn’t pay Velvette much attention anyway—his eyes mostly for Vaggie.
It was the little cockroach who tested Velvette’s patience by climbing up all over her, but she simply moved her aside. She was one of Alastor’s belongings, so even if Velvette wasn’t pretending to be nice she would have to be careful with Niffty anyway. She had killed Adam too. No one would dare kill Velvette, if even just for Vaggie’s sake, but it didn’t mean Velvette would put her guard down.
Velvette ended up in the sitting room with Vaggie and Charlie after breakfast. They sat on the couch while Velvette settled in an armchair. “Feeling better today, Vags?”
“Tired still, but yesterday was a lot.”
Despite Vaggie’s smile being outclassed by the big one on Charlie’s face, Velvette could see the worry showing as strain around the eyes.
“That’s perfectly understandable,” Velvette replied sweetly.
“We… we still can’t thank you enough for this. A lot of people wouldn’t go through with something like this for nothing in return.”
Velvette wasn’t getting nothing in return, but she didn’t want to get into that. “Your personal Overlord wouldn’t help?”
Vaggie scoffed. “Even if Alastor would have, I wouldn’t have married him.”
“Vaggie!” Charlie admonished. “It… It’s not like the marriage is for anything other than to save you!”
“You don’t have to excuse him.” Velvette tucked her feet under her, leaning on the arm of the chair. “Not a lot of powerful Sinners would have done something like this. Not even for someone they know personally.”
“Yet you did.” There was both the suspicion and the curiosity in Vaggie’s voice.
“Well, your real girlfriend made a very powerful case. I might not be too emotional, but even I couldn’t ignore her pleas.”
Once again, a lie, but Charlie looked so genuinely grateful that it was yet worth it again.
“And I did ask for one thing, remember? Just some time in public with the two of you.”
“And a whole wedding?” Vaggie reminded her.
“I never planned on getting married.” Velvette shrugged. “So since I did, I wanted a wedding dress. And if I was getting in a wedding dress, I wanted to show it off. It shouldn’t hurt you two much to be seen in public with me. I’m not about to start molesting you in public, if that’s what you’re afraid of. I’m no Valentino. I’m not interested that much in sex to start with.”
While Vaggie looked surprised, Charlie flushed. “Oh?”
It was hard to say if she was embarrassed by the topic or because she was disappointed. Velvette had a hard time believing she was embarrassed, but Charlie had been proving her wrong about a lot over the last couple weeks. It was no surprise she was naive, but the amount of times that seemed to wander into innocent was way too much for someone born into Hell.
Not too innocent though. Either explanation for that blush said as much.
“But when I am, it’s definitely with women.” Velvette smirked at Charlie before turning her attention back to Vaggie. “I’m not stepping on your toes. Don’t want to. Just making sure this all works out for the three of us.”
Vaggie nodded.
“And on that note, you two should let me dress you up. And do your hair. Consider it a perk of being my wife.”
Velvette put them all in ponytails. There were matching elements in all their outfits, but she made sure it was Vaggie at the crux of the matching. Therefore when Velvette had just the two of them in a picture, it looked like it was for them, but the girlfriends would feel as comfortable in it all otherwise. She wasn’t leaving Charlie out and Charlie would appreciate her for it. When Vaggie passed, Charlie would see Velvette as someone who had been growing close to her too and Velvette would have her at her most vulnerable.
Charlie’s ponytail was in one big braid. Vaggie’s was in three, which were braided together again. Velvette had many more braids than that, but the wig she wore was definitely much shorter than the other two in length, though probably just as heavy because of the thickness of the hair. She gave each of them something for the Hellish spring they were experiencing: airy blouses, long skirts held up by wide braided belts, and some comfortable clogs.
Charlie’s was in red and orange with white hems, Velvette’s in purple and pink with similar white edges, and Vaggie’s mainly white with orange and pink outlines. Velvette added some jewelry in those colours to adorn the primary feathers of Vaggie’s wings.
She had to include Charlie in plenty of their selfies, because the three of them looked so damn good.
“I like how we’re the lesbian flag!” Charlie beamed, resting her chin on Vaggie’s shoulder in the picture.
Vaggie burst out laughing. She hadn’t noticed.
“Smart eye, princess!” Velvette smirked, taking one more picture as Vaggie laughed. To anyone else seeing the picture, they could all be friends. Charlie and Vaggie the girlfriends and Velvette along to make sure they were up to being seen in public.
Velvette hadn’t had girls as friends since she was alive. Also a child. She hadn’t really missed it, because in many ways Val filled in those gaps, but she was fast growing to enjoy today too.
Eventually Vaggie got dizzy during their outing, but Velvette steered them to a coffee shop so they could sit down. They got a booth somewhat out of the way, so less people could see them, and Velvette had Vaggie sit against the wall, but sat next to her where she was the one most easily seen. Charlie sat across from her, hands taking one of Vaggie’s hands.
“You okay?”
“Probably just pushed it a bit much after yesterday, yeah?” Velvette pitched in.
Vaggie nodded. “I’ll be okay, hun. Promise.”
Charlie nodded. “Some sitting and a drink ought to help!”
“We’ll get some water first, then something better,” Velvette agreed.
As they ordered, Velvette could take a moment to glance over her social media again. See how everyone was talking about her and Vaggie. And, most importantly, Charlie. It all shot her past trending to dominating almost every discussion online. Even in places which were based in other circles of Hell, the wedding of a powerful Sinner Overlord and an ex-angel who was dating the princess was all anyone could talk about.
It wasn’t always that she was more viral than Vox and Val. She would tease the two about it later.
They discussed the coffee shop. It was mainly Velvette and Charlie talking, as Vaggie caught her breath, but after water and some food she was looking better. It was enough to have Velvette wonder if they were wrong. Perhaps Vaggie wasn’t getting worse. It was just all the energy she had to put out because of Velvette’s half of the agreement.
What would happen if this had broken the curse? If Vaggie got better and Velvette was trapped in a marriage with her? That wouldn’t do at all. Velvette would manage it, of course, but considering Vox and Valentino had to convince her into this in the first place, she would definitely make them pay.
In the meantime, she enjoyed worming her way further into Charlie’s good graces. Hopefully she would get Vaggie’s guard to come down too. Whatever those two discussed in their private time, she didn’t want Vaggie to warn Charlie against her when things went badly.
It was that evening, sitting on the balcony with Valentino, that she got the message from Charlie. Vaggie’s health had turned for the worse and would Velvette mind terribly staying with them at the hotel? Perhaps proximity had more to do with it than they had thought.
“Vags is declining.”
Val sighed. “Good. You should still get that threesome in while you can.”
Rolling her eyes, Velvette got to her feet. “I’m headed over there. Showing my support and all. Not fucking her.”
“Keep an open mind, baby!”
She headed inside to grab what she would want to take with her before heading out. On her way to the lift, she spotted Vox. Velvette didn’t bother to repeat what she had said to Val, because she was very certain Vox had been listening in through his cameras.
“Everything according to plan?”
“The princess is definitely a bleeding heart. She believes I’m helping and that’s the most important part.”
“Be careful arou—”
“Be careful around Alastor, yeah.” She hadn’t even seen him during breakfast. Considering the conversation earlier, she wondered if Vaggie didn’t want to see him because he had refused to help save her life. “I got you, V. At the end of this, Alastor won’t have a finger on the princess, because she’ll like us so much more.”
He smiled. Velvette hated that she like it when he smiled, when she had his approval, because Velvette shouldn’t have needed someone’s true approval. Just the vapid endorsement of the public. Yet, as always when Vox seemed proud of her, something inside her chest burned.
It was easy to put aside and forget about as she headed back to the hotel. The bartender opened the door. He eyed her and past the alcoholism, she saw a familiar sight. Suspicion.
“Charlie asked for me.” As if Velvette needed a reason to be here now that she was married to Vaggie.
“I got ya.” He stepped aside, but there was no change in his expression.
Great. How many people in this hotel would still try to keep her away from Charlie after Vaggie died? Which ones would blame her for Vaggie’s death, despite how she couldn’t have been behind that in the first place either? Wasn’t it this Husk who had brought up the erroneous marriage solution to start with?
Swallowing back her frustration, Velvette headed up the stairs. She had been shown once where Vaggie and Charlie’s room was, so she didn’t need an escort.
Knocking on the door, Velvette didn’t wait to be let in. Charlie sat on the edge of the bed, Vaggie’s hand in hers. Her cat was curled up next to Vaggie’s left shoulder. Velvette put on her best harried expression.
“Any worse?”
Charlie shook her head. “No. But… no better either.”
Her voice was hoarse, as if she had just stopped crying. Velvette took her bag and set it beside the bed before she snapped herself into some comfortable pajamas.
“Hopefully this will make up for it, but… if we have to stay close often, we’re going to need to go over the marriage contract again. I don’t mind being around Vags more often, but after this week I’ll need to be back at work.”
“Anything,” Charlie said quickly. “Anything. As long as she’s all right.”
Desperate people were easy to take advantage of and it seemed like the Princess of Hell was no different. Sitting on the bed as well, Velvette tapped the back of her hand against Vaggie’s forehead. It wasn’t warm, but it was clammy. Such a contrast from earlier today.
“As long as she’s all right,” Velvette agreed verbally, even if inside it didn’t matter. Even if she found it slightly unfortunate that she wouldn’t get to mess with Vaggie for a little longer. She had expected at least a week.
By the end of the third day, Vaggie was gone.
When Velvette woke up, it was to Val’s face.
“Rise and shine, babydoll! Guess who’s getting married today?”
“Don’t hit me with that one again.” Velvette turned and shoved her face into her pillow. She needed her beauty sleep before she became the compassionate friend to Charlie and just as mournful over Vaggie’s death as someone who had only spent a few days with her could be.
“Don’t be silly! I want to see that dress of yours!”
Val tugged her blankets off. Velvette used the blankets to throw him into a wall. Still, while he laughed and peeled the fabric away from him, Velvette couldn’t help but notice what was wrong with her phone. The date was wrong and her feed showed everything she had already seen before her wedding.
When she looked up and saw her wedding dress on its mannequin, never before worn with the pearls adorning the neck and wrists as they had on her two days before, Velvette knew she must have lost her mind.
Everything went exactly as Velvette remembered it going, except she knew it couldn’t be remembering it, because obviously it hadn’t happened yet. Val often talked about having premonitions, but not only had Velvette not believed him, his premonitions were usually vague and feelings-based. This was definitely not the same.
Velvette moved Vaggie’s veil from over her face and Vaggie did the same for her. It was her short-time wife: alive and well. As well as she could be with a few days left to her.
Charlie’s voice wavered. “You may now kiss the bride.”
Vaggie might not have wanted this kiss, but Velvette gave her the same peck to the corner of her mouth as their congregation applauded. Arm in arm, they walked down the aisle. Velvette caught a look of longing from Charlie as she turned.
Val looked enamoured. Vox was pleased. Everything as her mind had told her it would be. Except it obviously couldn’t have happened if she was going through it all right here.
After escaping the eyes of the crowd, Velvette picked Vaggie up.
“H-Hey!”
“Save your energy,” Velvette said. “This might be saving your life, but it doesn’t mean you’ll be feeling right as rain immediately.”
Vaggie scowled, but her movement to push herself out of Velvette’s arms stopped. Velvette settled her down on the same bench in the side room they had stopped in before. Or in Velvette’s dream. Whatever.
Velvette scooted back from her once they had both sat down. “You going to be okay for the party?”
Vaggie nodded, shutting her eye. “Yeah. Just needed to sit.”
“I figured as much. Best for you, me, and your girlfriend if we have you recovered as fast as possible, eh?”
As Vaggie opened her eye again, she studied Velvette. It was the same suspicious look as Velvette had gotten used to—except with an undercurrent of some sort of study she wasn’t used to receiving. What was it Vaggie saw when she looked at her?
Regardless of that, familiar words spilled from her lips. “Thank you.”
“Didn’t think I would go through with it?” Velvette teased.
Vaggie pursed her lips, but nodded. “Can you blame me? I thought you and your business partners had some sort of plan.”
“I can tell you right now we always have some sort of plan, but in this case it’s knowing what might be best for us.” It wasn’t the whole truth, but enough of it that Vaggie might be less suspicious when she considered Velvette wasn’t doing it solely from the goodness of her heart. “Valentino and I would prefer Vox not make a fool of himself with Alastor. Vox is worried about what Alastor might do while close to the princess. Getting along with you all means I can keep an eye on the Radio Demon, assure Vox everything is fine so he won’t do anything stupid, and keep our two sides from getting at each other’s throats when Heaven might want revenge for the whole killing the First Man deal.”
Listening to Velvette’s explanation, Vaggie’s expression relaxed. Not entirely, but enough that she didn’t seem ready to pull a spear out… not that she would have enough energy to make the most of that. “When you put it like that, I trust your intentions a lot more.”
Bingo. “Also, I wouldn’t have put all this effort into these dresses if I weren’t going to go through with it. You’re going to learn that about me. Fashion isn’t just my business—it’s my life.”
“That’s something.” A repeat of precise words still in Velvette’s memory. “I still don’t approve of your business.”
“Of my business practices. I’m sure you don’t have much problem with my business.” Velvette trailed a finger up Vaggie’s sleeve.
Vaggie snorted. “Touché, but yeah.”
“We both got a lot to learn still. I’m figuring it out and you? You have more time for it. With your girlfriend.”
Against her will, Vaggie smiled.
Velvette leaned in to take a selfie with her and that cute smile. “Don’t worry, luv. This one’s just for me. We might not be lovers, but we can at least get along. Friends?”
“Friends.”
There didn’t seem to be the same amount of wariness this time. Not that this was this time. It had to have been a dream. A dream with so much specificity?
Velvette didn’t believe in such coincidences.
“Sounds like a premonition to me!”
To no surprise, Val took the entire thing in stride. Vox still looked uncertain, which was also no shocker. Velvette would have found the whole thing dubious if someone else had said it. But she wasn’t the type to make things up, so despite his doubt, Vox didn’t call her out on making anything up.
He also didn’t say anything like there are no premonitions, which would have put Val into a state.
Velvette took a drink from the limo bar and took a sip. “Whatever it is, it’s been pretty accurate so far. Vaggie dies the evening after tomorrow. She invites me over to the hotel for breakfast in the morning and Charlie asks me over to the hotel in the evening when Vaggie’s health takes a turn for the worse. I stick around all day and she doesn’t make it. Princess is inconsolable, as are the other residents, I leave to give them a moment…” She shrugged.
“That’s not a lot of time to dig your way into Lucifer’s daughter’s good graces,” Vox said.
“I didn’t feel like that was much of a problem.” They hadn’t done a lot of talking on the final day, but Velvette could tell Charlie had appreciated her being there. If not just because she thought it was supposed to save Vaggie’s life, but because no one else who came in and out of the room had been able to hold themselves together very well.
Though she hadn’t seen hide nor hair of Alastor. Velvette would prefer it to stay that way, if at all possible.
“The premonition will guide you into making the best choices, chiquita. Not sure why it didn’t guide you to spending the night with your short term baby girl.”
Velvette pulled a face and tossed the rest of her drink at him. Val spluttered as the drink covered his outfit and he screeched at her, hands twitching as he wanted to grab at her, but didn’t want to ruin her wedding dress.
No. She spent her wedding night looking over social media, like she had last time. There was too much for it to be a premonition. Even if she believed in those, they weren’t so precise, right? Not so many details.
Velvette pulled up the picture of herself and Vaggie, staring at herself as a newlywed.
Vaggie texted her about coming by for breakfast in the morning. Velvette sent her a thumbs up and a kiss emoji automatically.
Breakfast at the hotel was much like it was before. No Alastor, annoying Niffty, and only Charlie and Vaggie paying Velvette much attention. It was fine. She didn’t want attention from the others in this particular case. She looked over Vaggie to see if she looked the same as Velvette remembered her looking this morning and she did.
Not this morning. In her dream or premonition or whatever the fuck it was.
Afterward it was the three of them alone again. Velvette watched the two sit on the couch, settled against in the armchair. “Feeling better today, Vags?”
“Tired still, but yesterday was a lot.”
“Understandable.” Velvette nodded.
Charlie burst forth as she had last time. “We can’t thank you enough. So many people wouldn’t go through with something like this for nothing in return.”
“Speaking of which, where is your personal Overlord?” Velvette hadn’t seen Alastor again and hadn’t asked about it in her dream.
“He’s… been busy.”
The look Vaggie shot Charlie after she said that said more than Charlie’s three words had. Charlie didn’t know what he was up to, wasn’t pushing, and Vaggie didn’t agree with that. Velvette would have to move around that topic with care.
“I suppose he wouldn’t do it.” Velvette shrugged. “Not a lot of Overlords would. Not even for someone close to them.”
“Yet you did.” Vaggie eyed her. “For us.”
“Well, Miss Morningstar here made a powerful argument. I’m not usually an emotional person, but I couldn’t ignore her pleas.”
Charlie looked at her, grateful. Velvette wondered why it was as powerful as the last time she had seen it. (She had never seen it, why did she keep thinking that?)
“But I asked for things,” Velvette reminded them. “It’s not so one-sided, even as you consider yourself as getting the better end of the deal.”
“The wedding.” Vaggie pursed her lips together.
“I wasn’t about to get married and not get to be in a wedding dress everyone would see,” Velvette said. “And some time in public shouldn’t hurt either of you. I don’t want people to wonder why I got married, you don’t want people to know this was for a curse, and none of us want rumours about the princess getting cucked.”
This time, both of them flushed. Velvette noticed how different the way they blushed was. While Charlie was pale, she had those naturally red cheeks and some of it hid in those circles. Meanwhile, Vaggie’s greyish-lavender skin had a more faded pink. Less contrast but something which blended into her perfectly.
These two had such fashion potential. At least Velvette could have fun with that today.
“Let me dress you both up and do your hair. Consider it a perk of Vaggie being my wife.”
Velvette matched their outfits again, like before, but not the same as last time. She styled their hair in large buns, each tied up with a bow. She gave Vaggie a pink bow and herself a red one, with Charlie in a black bow, each longer than where she let any of their hair fall. Vaggie’s bow curled up as loops behind her ears and matched with the ribbons Velvette crisscrossed on the edges of her wings. Charlie’s ribbon ends Velvette braided into her bangs. As for her own, Velvette let them hang loose behind her.
This time she put them each in shorts which matched their bows. Their blouses were still each loose to suit the weather with puffed princess sleeves cutting off right above the wrists and low collars, but no cleavage showing. Charlie’s was pink, Velvette’s was cream, and Vaggie had a pale yellow and black mix to match their hair colours.
She gave each of them a single long earring. Vaggie’s was several loops, to match with how Velvette had done her bow up. At the end of their solid stockings were mules with the same patterns as Vaggie’s blouse.
They looked amazing. Physically they were all so different, but those differences made the comparisons in the outfits Velvette put them in so stunning. Any single one of them would have looked amazing, but all three of them?
“Not only do these look amazing, but they’re so comfy!” Charlie bounced up and down on her heels like she was some sort of child.
Vaggie looked at her like she was perfect. “They are.” She managed to tear her eye away from Charlie to look at Velvette. “I have to admit, some of the things I’ve seen you put out there didn’t seem so… manageable.”
“Sometimes fashion isn’t for daily wear.” Velvette couldn’t believe how many people still didn’t realize this. “Sometimes it is art. It is a statement. And then there are outfits for occasions and outfits for daily wear. It depends on what you want with it.”
“And you always want to show off your skills! No matter how often someone will wear it.”
Velvette smirked at Charlie. “There is little point in having something if no one knows about it.”
Vaggie shook her head. “That’s not true.”
“No?” Velvette cocked an eyebrow. “If you don’t know about something you have, that’s the same as not having it.”
“That’s… not what you said.”
“I said if no one knows about it. There are plenty of outfits worn just for oneself, yeah? Sure, you don’t subject anyone else to them, but if they are for you, then wear what you want.”
“That’s never been something you’ve said in public.”
As if Vaggie had kept track of everything Velvette had ever said in public. “Because what I say about public goes to public. People wear my clothes because they want to show off, luv. I complain about what Vox and Valentino wear because I see them in the penthouse in their casual wear and I shouldn’t be subjected to some of their nonsense. Though I’ll still take Vox’s lack of fashion sense over the amount of times I catch Val naked.”
Vaggie grimaced while Charlie laughed. Velvette tugged them both in for a snapshot.
This time she paced them better. If this was the only day she would have to show them off, she wouldn’t have Vaggie dizzy during their outing. Vaggie could get sick later on and die, but Velvette would have hers. People seeing them like this, Velvette in a different trio where she wasn’t the token woman. And she wasn’t even the third wheel, because she was married to Vaggie while Charlie had officiated.
Not that she felt like a third wheel with Vox and Valentino, but sometimes those opinions rose up on socmeds and she had to do everything in her power to make people stop it. She was younger, sure. She had come to Hell later, of course.
Velvette belonged with the Vees.
This time they stopped at a coffee shop before Vaggie needed to sit, so they didn’t have to hide in a booth. They shared a table, each sitting the same distance away from each other.
“How are you feeling?” Charlie asked Vaggie.
Vaggie flashed her a smile. “I’m doing good. A little tired, but not too much.”
“The marriage is doing it’s work then.” Velvette leaned back in her seat. “Still, we’ll take the rest of the day easy. I just didn’t want everyone talking if they didn’t see us around after yesterday. Easier to preempt the worst of the rumours than redirect them after.”
Charlie frowned, tugging at her sleeve. “Does it really matter what everyone says?”
“Depends on what they’re saying, babe,” said Vaggie. “Right? Like with the hotel.”
“We’ll have to see what we’re broadcasting about that too,” Velvette mused, continuing the pretense.
Charlie blinked, staring at her, as Vaggie’s expression turned suspicious again. “You would… promote the hotel?”
“Well, you’re still working there, right? I’m not about to have people wondering about that. I don’t want to go to Heaven and I don’t think a lot of people really care that much about making themselves better down here, but…”
Velvette trailed off as their server came over, only to continue after they had gotten their orders and Charlie had made sure Vaggie got some water.
“I’m not adverse to you helping people,” Velvette continued to lie. “I just don’t see how sending people up to the people who were willing to kill us would help.” She could tell she stepped on some toes from how Charlie bit her lip and Vaggie bristled. “But it’s a complicated situation, yeah? That’s why we’ll talk about it. But not until I’m not on holiday for my honeymoon.”
The bubble of tension didn’t exactly pop as much as it shifted into a completely different flavour. “H-Honeymoon.” Vaggie swallowed.
Velvette laughed. “We did just get married!”
Maybe Velvette shouldn’t have said all of those things. The rest of the outing felt more awkward than the one she remembered in her dream, but Velvette wasn’t too worried about it. Velvette was still all over everyone’s posts and Vaggie wouldn’t last much longer anyway.
It happened exactly as the dream said it would. Velvette went home and the text came from Charlie. Velvette rushed over to be let in by Husk and went upstairs to find Charlie sitting by Vaggie’s bedside.
Charlie burst into tears so often during the third day and it really got on Velvette’s nerves. But she feigned the same concern to the point where Velvette actually felt the lump in her throat. It rained, something Velvette hadn’t paid attention to in her dream before, as if Hell was crying with its princess. Velvette hated it all.
But at the end of the day Vaggie was gone.
When Velvette woke up, it was to Val’s face.
“Rise and shine, babydoll! Guess who’s getting married today?”
No. No. Velvette sat up. Her expression made him laugh as he swept around the room in his excitement. “Valentino, we have a problem.”
“Don’t tell me you’re getting cold feet! Wishing you could stay married for longer than it’ll last~”
Velvette got to her feet, dragging a robe to wrap around herself with her powers as she went to grab Val by his lower arms to still him. This caused him to notice her expression and his own teasing subsided.
“I’ve had a premonition of the next few days. And in that premonition, I’d already had a premonition.”
“I didn’t know you believed in such things,” he replied with a slight snide tone.
She glared at him. “I didn’t! But I remember both happening like they were the last six days. Not like it was a dream.”
There was his serious expression. As much as she wanted to bring Vox in on this, she knew it would take a lot more explaining and proving to get him on the same page and Velvette needed someone on her side right now or she would lose her mind.
“It’s less a premonition and more a… a…” Velvette couldn’t believe the words coming out of her mouth, but she wasn’t terminally online for no reason, “time loop.”
Val’s antennae shot straight up. “Oh? I’ve never heard of one of those being real before. Did the exact same things happen in both?”
“Outside of what I did differently? Yes.” Velvette let him go and went to grab a wig. She didn’t care if she was naked in her rooms, but she always felt naked if she went too long without hair on. She didn’t put on the wig she had put aside for the wedding just yet.
“End the same way?”
“Yes. The angel died. Two days from now.”
Val frowned, tapping a finger against his chin. Behind him, his wings twitched as he held back some of his energy and anticipation. Velvette was used to this. “Can you extend her life a little more? You should figure out whether the loop is tied to her death or by the end of the third day.”
It made sense. “How the fuck am I supposed to do that when we don’t actually know what’s wrong with her?”
“We know what’s wrong with her, chiquita. We just don’t know how to cure her. And that’s not the issue anyway. We don’t have to figure out how to cure her if it’s tied to the day and not her death.”
He could say that, but Velvette sent in an order to have her rooms searched for any cursed artefact which might be the reason for this. “If it was tied to her, why am I the one repeating everything? Obviously Vaggie and Charlie aren’t. It would be obvious.”
Val hummed noncommittally, which didn’t help.
No matter what, Velvette would not ruin the wedding. Too many eyes were on it and she would not have the media (despite how they were controlling it all, of course) see anything but perfection when she was involved.
“You may now kiss the bride.”
Velvette leaned in, turning her head to the side so people wouldn’t see as she only pecked the air in front of the corner of Vaggie’s mouth. Vaggie’s shoulders lost some of their tension and Velvette winked to Charlie, who also seemed to relax.
They walked down the aisle side by side until no one else could see them, then Velvette picked Vaggie up.
“H-Hey!”
“We’re hoping this saves your life, Vags, but outside of keeping up appearances, let’s make sure you save your energy.”
Vaggie frowned, but didn’t push her way out of Velvette’s arms. They sat down in the same place and Velvette went over her plans.
“We need to have our first dance. We can invite Charlie in for the second one, for helping out her image—”
“What about her image?” Vaggie asked, suspicious.
Velvette raised an eyebrow. “Come on now. People knew you were hers and now you’re marrying me. We need to show that this is all good, that I’m not showing her up, that we’re all happy about this. Right?”
It obviously hadn’t occurred to Vaggie, but considering her complete devotion to Charlie, it must have been her killing curse keeping her from thinking at full capacity. Velvette suddenly wondered what it would be like to spend a day with Vaggie like that, instead of like this. She shrugged the thought off as mere curiosity.
Vaggie studied her, then nodded. “Yeah. That makes sense.”
“They might not understand still, but they’ll think it has something to do with being royalty or whatever, instead of Charlie losing out. Sure, I get a bump from all of this socially, but I’m also dealing with how you and her have been a laughingstock in the past.”
There was that glare. It looked as good on her as the smile, if Velvette were to be perfectly honest. “We stopped the Exterminations.”
“Yeah, and now we’re waiting for Heaven’s retaliation on that. People are scared. This solidarity will also show them that the more powerful people in Pride will be facing this together.”
And the glare was gone. Okay, Velvette had to admit that all of Vaggie’s expressions were good on her.
She returned them to the previous topic. “So we do a few dances, have some food, but we’re going to bounce early. The three of us will head back to the hotel. Let everyone think we’re having some hot threesome or whatever.” At Vaggie’s protest, Velvette put a finger up. “Because it doesn’t matter what they think as long as it’s positive.”
Despite the conflicting emotions Vaggie obviously felt, she nodded. “Right.”
Velvette forced herself to take one of Vaggie’s hands. “Not the partnership either of us ever thought we’d have, but it’s up to us to make sure it won’t be all bad, yeah? It’s already paid dividends for Angel Dust.”
Vaggie finally smiled. “I’m surprised you managed to convince Valentino to let him go.”
“He’s still sulking about it, when he remembers to.” Velvette let go of her hand. “Vox is thrilled though. He’s hated Val’s obsession with him before I knew either of them.”
As Vaggie chuckled, Velvette slid her phone out from her wedding dress and took a selfie of them both. “Now let’s get out there, make a show for the public, and dance with your girlfriend. We can be friends, right?”
Vaggie didn’t say it easily, but she still agreed. “Friends.”
The dinner and dancing went well. Velvette had already known Vaggie and Charlie to be good dancers, but somehow she enjoyed it more this time. Perhaps it was because of how the other two enjoyed it. Perhaps it was because of how Velvette let herself dance more with Charlie this time, instead of simply having Vaggie be the one flitting between them.
Considering the amount of times she spent dancing with Valentino or Vox, Velvette usually didn’t think anything about her height, but looking up at the Princess of Hell as she sang and danced as effortless as Vox did (without Hell making it a musical)? It didn’t take her breath away, but it was… comfortable. Even as Velvette was performing for the crowd, she felt cosy when Charlie spun her into her arms and as Vaggie dipped her.
They were nothing like Vox and Val. Velvette couldn’t believe she was feeling some sort of comparison there.
She could tell Vox was surprised when Velvette left with the two, but she would send him a text. He trusted her to have this all sorted, so it was more his desire to understand what she was thinking than suspicion about her actions. Velvette sent in orders to have a bag brought to the hotel. Another text from one of her trusted maids said nothing had been found in her room that shouldn’t have been there and none of those things had any energies coming off them Velvette hadn’t already approved.
“Thank you so much for this.” Charlie had an arm around Vaggie, who was leaning into her side with her eye already half-closed.
Velvette had to take a picture. If, for some reason, Velvette could solve this whole time loop in one, that would be an image she would like to keep when Vaggie was gone. It would pay forward when she shared it with Charlie. “We’re all getting things out of this. I won’t pretend I’m doing this solely for your sake.”
“But nothing you could get out of this could possibly match what we are.” Charlie’s grip around Vaggie tightened.
Velvette nodded. “I suppose not. I just don’t want you to get confused. Think I’m kinder than I am.”
“We know what you do to your employees,” said Vaggie. “There’s no way we could confuse you as kind.”
“Vaggie!”
Chuckling, Velvette leaned back in her seat. “No need to be offended on my behalf, princess. I’ve never been kind. Doesn’t mean I’m pure evil. After all, we’ve all learned after dying that it has no effect on where we were put.”
“That’s… not entirely true.” Charlie considered.
“You think serial killers and rapists don’t make it to Heaven? Didn’t you learn that most of Heaven wasn’t even aware they had people doing genocide?”
“They don’t make it to Heaven.” Vaggie shook her head. “Not if they did it while alive.”
“Even if that’s the case, luv, nothing is stopping them from becoming that while up there. After all, it doesn’t make them Fall.”
They couldn’t deny it. There was no reason for such a conversation anyway, so Velvette didn’t continue it.
As much as she would have preferred to be at home tonight, Velvette took her delivered bags and was led to a room of her own. She did her best not to gag at it—Charlie and Vaggie’s room was definitely more palatable than any of the other rooms in this place—and settled in for the night.
It was confusing to wake up in the hotel. She had done so twice already, but it was sitting at Vaggie’s deathbed and dozing more than truly sleeping. Before she could do much of anything, there was a knock at her door.
Velvette snapped herself ready and adjusted her wig, opening the door to… Husk. The last person she expected to see. He didn’t look happy to see her. Maybe Charlie had sent him. Velvette swallowed back her frustration and raised an eyebrow.
“Good morning.”
“Cut the crap. I’m here to talk about Vaggie.”
If he wanted to act like this, Velvette felt nothing of sneering back at him. “What about her? I’m not stepping on her and Charlie’s toes. I’m not trying anything. So—”
“Look. You aren’t the only one reliving these three days.”
It wasn’t that her frustration at his tone had evaporated. She grabbed him by a suspender and dragged him into her room, slamming the door shut.
“Is this your fault?”
Husk scowled, yanking out of her grip. “Of course not! It’s Alastor’s!”
The man she hadn’t seen at all. Velvette narrowed her eyes. “Why.”
“You know why.”
While Velvette had thoughts on the matter, none of it actually made sense. “You’re telling me he cares about her?”
“I’m telling you he has an interest in keeping Charlie from breaking down.” Husk crossed his arms over his chest. “Which she does. Every time.”
Velvette did her best not to worry her lower lip, because the way Husk said it… made her think he was talking about more than three loops. “Explain. And where is he?”
“Being part of the loop.” Husk snorted. “Which means we don’t get his help in figuring this out.”
It just meant if she found him she could undo the loop. “Look, it’s not my fault this whole marriage thing didn’t work out each time. I’m even here to see if it’s more about proximity—”
“It’s not.”
This low-class Sinner cutting her off twice twisted her knickers something fierce, but she knew better than to react. He might not be now, but she knew he had been an Overlord. Not as strong now, but he couldn’t be an idiot. And if he was going through this with her, she needed him. At the very least, needed him in order to get to fucking Alastor.
“Then talk.” She eyed him up and down. “Explain whatever so you’ll stop interrupting me.”
Sighing, Husk leaned against the wall, rubbing the bridge of his nose. “Look. The point is we don’t have much time. And every time Vaggie dies, we get shunted back.”
“Explain something I don’t know.”
He glared, but his expression returned to something more exhausted than anything else. “Finding and talking to Alastor’s not going to change anything. He’s tied it directly to Vaggie’s life.”
She was afraid of that, but it didn’t mean it was impossible to change it. It made the time loop sound like a spell. And if it was a spell, it meant the targeting and function of it could be changed. Fixed. “And getting married to her wasn’t enough to save her.”
“Not alone.”
Velvette blinked. “It… did something?”
“It’s one part of the whole! The problem is figuring out the rest of it. But I don’t have the resources to figure this out. And it takes too freaking long to get other people to believe me.”
Velvette swallowed back her rage. “You did this to me.”
Husk laughed. “As if! I wanted to get Charlie’s help. So I didn’t have the waste the first day with her believing the marriage would work and the last day with her head split between searching for an answer and wanting to be with Vaggie.”
Charlie remembering these loops could be enough to get a mind like hers in the game, Velvette supposed. “Why fucking me?”
“Don’t know. But I can’t do it again. Alastor gave me one shot and I blew it.” Husk shut his eyes, before locking them on her again. “Unless you can use that position of yours to find us an answer.”
Fuck it all, if Velvette really had to save Vaggie’s life and be stuck married to her after all of this… but the alternative was stay in this loop, if Husk was to be believed. “So marrying a powerful Sinner was part of the cure, but not all of it.”
“Nah.” Husk pulled out a parchment, handing it over to her. It took Velvette a moment before she risked taking it, reading the old script with narrowed eyes.
Well, trying to. There was a reason cursive was going out of style—it was impossible to read these scribbles. She could make out some of it, before realizing that half of the problem was also the sort of language used. This was why Velvette had an entire department ready to go over these things for her when she was interested in looking up old potion recipes.
“Did you need help translating this?” If he’d taken who knew how many loops and hadn’t figured this out already, Velvette would despair for her chances of using Husk at all in this.
“No. It’s only the first page, is all. The author started rambling about other things at the end, so I’d guessed maybe the marriage was all that was needed. But obviously not.”
People were far too long-winded when they wrote in cursive too. Velvette glared at the page. “I take it you don’t know who wrote it.”
Husk shrugged. Velvette found her body had given in and she was biting her lower lip. She stopped herself and lowered the old paper from her face. Fucking great. “You didn’t bother trying to convince Miss Morningstar of what was happening the last couple loops.”
“No. I was figuring out what had gone wrong with what I’d done.” Husk scratched at his neck. “And now I know I didn’t. It just affected you instead of her.”
“And why’s that?”
“Like I already said: don’t know.”
Velvette took a deep breath. They were stuck in this together. Either it was time to save Vaggie or find Alastor. Either way, everything had changed. And she could understand Husk not wanting to spend the time convincing people over and over about the time loop. She already knew it would take her too long to get it through Vox’s thick head. Unfortunately.
However, she could use the idea that Alastor was up to something to get his head in the game. She would explain the rest of it later.
Instead of spending the day with Vaggie and Charlie, Velvette used the excuse that Vaggie looked to be doing well and she would be back in the afternoon so she could get some other things done. She took the page back to the tower for the writing analysis.
“I knew there was a reason he hadn’t shown up!” Vox’s nails hit the conference table rhythmically. “What is he up to?”
“Husk thinks he doesn’t trust the current solution for saving Vaggie.” Velvette stared at her phone, knowing she couldn’t rush any information coming about the page, but struggling with her patience.
“And he cares about her because…?”
“He doesn’t. He just has an interest in keeping the hotel running. Probably so he can get Charlie to make that deal with him that you’re so worried about.”
“What if she dies for a different reason?” Val asked, eying Velvette with a more complete knowledge of what she was dealing with.
And Velvette considered. What if Vaggie died of something else? The problem would be getting away with it while the princess was hyper-vigilant. Vaggie would be easy to get something past when she hit her turning point tonight.
Still, it was something Husk wouldn’t have tried before. He wanted her to survive. Velvette would be willing to risk the whole issue if it got her out of this loop and ended with her not married.
“If Alastor wants her alive, I want her dead!” Vox slammed his fist down on the table.
That was of no surprise. Velvette ended up with a bottle and a translation of the cursive before heading back to the hotel in the afternoon.
Vaggie sat in the entrance, in front of the crummy TV. It wasn’t on, but she wasn’t watching it anyway. Her eye had drifted up to the ceiling. Velvette didn’t see Charlie, but she would likely be showing up at any moment, so Velvette certainly wouldn’t risk doing anything with the little bottle she had sequestered in her sleeve.
“Tired, Vags? Didn’t you take it easy today?”
Vaggie opened her eye, narrowing it in on Velvette. “I did.”
Velvette considered, wondering what sort of last minute points she might get with Charlie somehow before she poisoned Vaggie to get out of this mess. “Can you stand?”
“Of course I can.”
“Prove it.”
With a huff, Vaggie pushed herself to her feet, but immediately wobbled. Velvette moved against her side to support her. “Yeah, that ain’t good. Let’s get you to your room, yeah? We still don’t want to push it. Don’t know how long it’ll take for your recovery.” She moved Vaggie toward the staircase, glancing over toward the bar where she caught the flicker of Husk’s ears. “Hey! Tell the princess when you see her where we are, got it?”
There was suspicion in his eyes, when Velvette could finally see them, but Velvette didn’t care. “Yeah.”
Vaggie barely made it up the stairs. Velvette pulled her up into her arms and carried her the rest of the way. It meant her wings trailed along the floor, but Velvette couldn’t do much about that.
The groan was more of annoyance than from pain.
“I know,” Velvette sighed, bumping the bedroom door open with her hip. “You hate this. I hate this. It would suck if I got married for nothing, you know?”
That made Vaggie chuckle. Setting her down on the bed, Velvette began to remove her clothes. Vaggie caught her by the wrist. “What are you doing?”
“I’d snap you into something better, but when Charlie gets up you might want her help getting washed up. It’ll be more comfortable.”
Vaggie’s grip didn’t loosen, but it wasn’t strong enough to stop Velvette from loosening Vaggie’s current outfit. She did not strip anything off except her shoes. Vaggie could think whatever she wanted of it, but Velvette was simply waiting for Charlie.
“Vaggie?”
“She needs to be readied for bed. She’s tired,” Velvette said, speaking over Vaggie’s quiet hey, babe as Charlie rushed to her side.
Velvette stayed out of the way as Charlie took Vaggie to the bathroom. She did step in to set in a comfortable cotton nightie, glancing over to see as Charlie, only in her underwear, sat at the edge of the tub as she carefully scrubbed Vaggie’s back. For someone as supposedly powerful as she was supposed to be, her hands on Vaggie were always tender. Velvette knew it was a part of the reason it was difficult to take Charlie seriously.
Yet she could see the exhaustion in Vaggie’s whole body. Despite this, Velvette had to make sure she didn’t stare. From her feathers to the scars over her knees… It was easy to see why Charlie might have gone soft for her in the first place. Both sharp and smooth. Soft and hard. Vaggie had so much to her and it was unfortunate she would die tonight.
The poison weighed Velvette’s sleeve down. “These will be more comfortable.” Velvette stared into the mirror, catching as Charlie looked over.
“Thanks, Velvette.”
She meant it too. How could she mean it? What was wrong with them? Velvette shrugged and returned to the bedroom. She almost made it to Vaggie’s side of the bed when she noticed not only the princess’ cat, but her dragon in its cute little plushie form. Razzle? Dazzle? Velvette remembered learning the names of the both online at some point, but one died in battle and she didn’t know which one this was.
How was it she was feeling watched by both that and the cat? Velvette remade the bed without touching the poison. There was still time.
Waiting until she heard the bathtub draining, Velvette went to check on the other two again. Charlie was drying Vaggie off, whispering something Velvette couldn’t quite hear, as Vaggie leaned limply into her. It was pathetic and perhaps even Charlie could tell, because there were tears in the corner of her eyes.
Velvette grabbed a towel and joined her, kneeling down and starting to dry Vaggie’s legs. “Charlie…” There were so many things she could say right now which would make it easy for her to administer the poison. “I’m going to take a sample of Vaggie’s blood.”
Charlie blinked. “What?”
Velvette met her eyes. “It might be a curse, but it’s having physical effects on her. There has to be something else we can find. Another solution that will help.”
The caution and desperation warred in her expression. Velvette kept her expression flat.
“You can draw the blood, if you want. But we might not have time.”
It was enough. Velvette got her blood sample. The poison remained in her sleeve as she returned to the tower again. She did not interrupt Vox or Val, though Vox definitely knew she had returned. Velvette took the blood and began her work.
It would have been easy to come up with a cure which had poison in it. To try it near the end of the period and see if killing Vaggie that way would break them out of this loop. She even came up with an “antidote” with that in mind. After all, even if it was determined that the injection killed her, if Velvette waited until near the time Vaggie would die anyway, it would just have been an accident.
Velvette couldn’t unsee Charlie’s expression. The caution in her eyes that proved she was more than the doormat she kept trying to portray herself as to Hell. If Velvette focused on trying to figure out anything more about this curse… well, it was so if this didn’t work, she wouldn’t have burnt any bridges with Husk. She might need his cooperation.
The night drew on, but Velvette focused on the blood. The curse still lingered in the liquid, despite being parted from its target, but she was definitely losing it hour by hour. Before long all Velvette would have to work with was angelic blood—no curse.
She said as much to Charlie, when Charlie would text to ask how it was going. Velvette would trick her into thinking she was putting her all into this, because Velvette was.
Coming up with several things she wanted to try, Velvette brought three syringes with her to the hotel. In one of them lay the poison. The others were counter-curses she had limited belief might undo anything, but there was the chance one of them would hold it off. Give her more time. Giving Vaggie more time might also break the time loop, right? Enough time for Velvette to try another and poison her then.
It wasn’t an excuse. If anything, Velvette just didn’t know how sensitive Charlie’s pets were to such things. Whether animals gifted by the King of Hell might be able to spot an assassination attempt.
“I’ve got three here. This is the one I’d put the most stock in.” Velvette showed Charlie the syringe. “Do you need the ingredient list? I don’t usually let others see those, but—”
Charlie shook her head. How could a woman with pure white skin look more pale? “No. No, that’s fine. We’ll try that.”
Vaggie’s chest barely moved. It felt wrong.
Velvette injected it. Limp in Charlie’s arms, nothing seemed to change. Velvette snapped her goggles back on and tried to map any difference in the visual representation of the curse over Vaggie’s skin.
Sickly green lines, all spirals and smooth circles which interlaced all over her body, throbbed in colour. It did not change as Velvette watched, not even around the injection sight. Velvette caught herself biting her lower lip again and stopped herself.
Nothing. Velvette would have been better off poisoning her. Vaggie died at the exact same time she had before.
“Rise and shine, babydoll! Guess who’s getting married today?”
Velvette shot up with the immediate thought that she should have gotten Husk’s number so she could start her planning from the get-go. It was too bad the wedding had to happen at all, because it was a waste of a day as long as this time loop was going on.
“Fuck. Fuck. Val.”
“Don’t look so sour about it!” Val laughed. “I thought you—”
She yanked him over by his clothes and Val squeaked as he slammed into the bed. “Not the time. I’m stuck in a bloody time loop. Starting with today and ending in two more when my cunt of a bride kicks it!”
Val only took one moment to blink before he sat up, his mind already working. “Time loop?”
“I’m not the only one in on this. The hotel’s bartender has been doing this for longer and he got me instead of the princess in on this. Alastor’s gone, because he started the damned thing.”
Val pulled her into his lap. She would have been more frustrated, but after dealing with the nonsense of the hotel, it was nice for Val to be his annoying self. Especially as he was obviously thinking seriously on what she was saying.
“Any time I’ll figure out how to break this loop, so I can’t not have this wedding look perfect. I don’t want our news to say one thing but other tabloids getting out that it wasn’t like that at all.” Their image had to be perfect.
“Of course. So… the Radio Demon caused a time loop because the ex-Exorcist keeps dying?”
“It’ll ruin his chances to get Charlie to do whatever it is he wants her to do.” Velvette feared she would determine a more efficient way of conveying all this information. She needed this to be the last time. “Do you think there’s a way Vox would believe this?”
“Well, it’s not a premonition. You might have a better shot by telling him it’s a time loop.”
Velvette stared ahead at the wall before reaching for her phone. Val reached out and put it in her hand. “What?”
“Trust me on this one, querida.”
Vox had been so hesitant when discussing premonitions. Would he actually take time loops in stride? It felt like that was a part of the internet— What was she talking about? If Alastor caused this somehow, it meant it was something he knew how to do. Her going through this meant it was real and tangible, so Vox might know about it.
“Why didn’t you say this last time?” Velvette demanded.
Val made a noncommittal noise and shrugged. Shutting her eyes, Velvette did her best to not scrunch her face. She still had to look perfect today.
It was her wedding.
Vaggie stood in front of her, in the dress Velvette had designed, alive. There was the fatigue which could be seen through the veil at this close proximity, but in comparison to how she had been eight hours before (in Velvette’s mind), she was gorgeous.
Velvette hated how gorgeous she looked. It wasn’t like she had been oblivious to it before, but it was starting to grate on her more and more now.
“You may now kiss the bride.”
Velvette stepped in, coming in close to kiss her on the tip of the nose. Vaggie’s defensiveness shattered at her surprise and even Charlie giggled.
Arm and arm, they walked through the crowd as the perfect picture. She put her eye out for Valentino and Vox. Val was invested, but she could tell Vox’s eye was far away, though he remembered to put his smile on whenever a camera caught him in its view. He was working on the problem.
Vox had taken her claim of a time loop in stride. He hadn’t even griped too much when she said Alastor was behind it. Whatever he was researching would be helpful, she knew it. Velvette caught Husk’s eyes and gave him a nod.
Then it was her and Vaggie again. There was no reason to carry her when being easy on her changed nothing, but Velvette still guided her to the same couch to sit for a moment.
“Everything’s official by Hell standards now, yeah?” Velvette asked.
Vaggie nodded, settling on the couch. “That’s what Charlie said.” She might have tried to relax, but as Velvette pulled out her goggles, she was on edge again. “What’s that?”
“It helps me look at curses.” It didn’t really work with her wedding dress, but at this point Velvette would have to accept Vaggie seeing her like this. “I want to see whether the curse is breaking.”
“This is supposed to do it.”
“And I want to make sure.” Velvette scanned, but the green marks over Vaggie looked the same as they did on her last day of life. “Because this might be one piece of a whole to the counter-curse. Or it might not work at all. In which case, we have our “honeymoon” to do some research and make sure it does.”
“You… went through with this, even though you thought it might not work?”
It didn’t sound like Vaggie knew what to make of it. Velvette almost wasn’t either. “You don’t think it would look good if my new wife immediately died, do you? Especially when she is known to have been the Princess of Hell’s girlfriend? You need to live, Vaggie. I’m going to make sure of it.”
And it hit Velvette then that she wanted Vaggie to live. She wasn’t sure why, because she definitely didn’t want to be married to her, but ending this with her death had become distasteful. Was it because Velvette didn’t think killing her with something other than the curse would break the time loop? Was it because her brain was conflating the time loop with Vaggie’s state of being? Perhaps.
“If it worked, it would have been worth it,” Velvette said. She would not get into her previous reasons. Her previous wishes. Half were now irrelevant, now with the loop. “But it doesn’t look like the curse has eased up. It might just take time, but again. We ain’t risking this, Vags. You’re coming to the Vee Tower with me.”
“Am I?”
Velvette removed her goggles and put them away. “Not alone, of course. You may bring whoever you wish with you. But you’re my wife now, even if this entire process was done for other reasons. You wrote what you did in the contract. I won’t hurt your friends.”
While she was alive. But when she was dead? Fuck. If Vaggie lived, Velvette would be a liability to the Vees when it came to dealing with the hotel.
“And me?” Vaggie asked, arms folded.
Velvette laughed, placing her hands on her hips. “I don’t have to, remember? If marrying you doesn’t make this go away, then you’ll die if no one does anything. But the choice is yours. I could tell the princess all of this… though I suppose you two could talk it through and come up with whatever you think is best. But I don’t like to waste time. Getting married only for the rumour mills to start up when you die a couple days later? My image is my everything.”
Was she being more honest than she expected to be? Yes, but as honest as she was, Velvette had twisted enough of the truth to make her look good.
“And yet you married me in the first place.”
Velvette sighed. “You want the dirty laundry aired out? I was hoping having someone on the inside to keep an eye on Alastor would make Vox chill out. Have you ever been close to someone so obsessed over a single thing that they can’t focus on anything else until you say you are taking care of it?”
They both knew the answer. Vaggie chuckled, her head leaning back.
Velvette stretched her hand out. “Let’s make a deal, right now. We continue to play nice. Just like it says in our marriage contract. You come to the Vee Tower for testing, with whoever you want to bring, and I promise you that you and anyone you bring with won’t be harmed by myself or anyone else there. The only poking and prodding will be the testing.”
Vaggie studied her hand, but Velvette could see her realizing she had no reason to turn this down. She reached out and they shook on it.
Vox and Valentino might be upset about this later, but this was Velvette’s say. And getting out of this time loop was more important.
After dinner and the first dances, Velvette, Vaggie, and Charlie left the party to head to the tower. Charlie had become antsy from the moment Velvette had told her the curse looked as strong as ever. She even, with great reluctance, let Charlie look through the lenses to see it herself.
“I work in potions, which has a lot in common with the curse sphere of magic,” Velvette said. “I will figure this out.”
The more she said it, the more she meant it. Perhaps there was a great deal of other things Velvette would have to fix and reorganize after this, but if no one else could fix this problem and she could? Velvette loved proving she could do something no one else could.
Charlie fidgeted in place as Velvette had Vaggie lay down on the operating table. She now wore robes, as Velvette had placed their wedding dresses aside so they wouldn’t be mussed. Not that they would be doing any operating unless she had to, but it was easy to spruce it up for some basic comfort and this was where her equipment was. As Vaggie’s eye shifted to Charlie, Velvette called out: “Horace! Bring the princess a seat!”
He did so. Charlie thanked him, settling down near Vaggie. Not close enough to touch unless she leaned all the way out, but that should have been good enough.
Velvette got to work. This curse was something royalty of Hell couldn’t figure out, that Husk only had one page about the cure and nothing more about how the curse had been put together. This was Velvette’s puzzle. Something she would have enjoyed pulling apart if she didn’t have such a short deadline.
Occasionally, Vaggie and Charlie spoke, but Velvette didn’t pay them much attention.
“You doing okay?”
“Yeah. Just tired. But it is late. You look tired too, hun.”
“I’m staying up with you.”
Velvette paused. The green lines didn’t shine as bright on the side Charlie was on. It returned later, but something at that moment, or in the interaction, had affected the curse. If only Velvette could figure out what.
Vaggie fell asleep, but Charlie stayed awake. Even as Charlie’s chair crept closer and Charlie rested her arms on the table next to Vaggie, the previous reaction of the curse did not change. Velvette had long since sent the observation along to the rest of her research department.
She caught Vox’s eyes through one of her monitors. Velvette scowled and gestured for him to get his face out of the way of her readings, which he did.
Apparently they had to talk, but it certainly wouldn’t be around the princess.
“I’ll get a bed set up.”
Charlie blinked, straightening her back. “No. No! I’m awake.” She noticed Vaggie sleeping still and lowered her voice at the last word.
“I’ll get a bed set up and some food. I’ll have to rest too, you know. I have people running through the information I’ve already pulled, so we’ll have a better idea in a few hours.”
She walked out, pulling her phone to text out those demands before calling Vox. His expression didn’t tell her that he had found out anything about the time loop, so apparently his problem was with Charlie and Vaggie in the tower.
“Anything, V?”
“Why are they here?”
Of course she had to be right about this. Velvette sighed. “Because if you can’t figure out the time loop nonsense, I want to be free of it one way or another. And the princess will be smitten with my attempts to save her girlfriend regardless of the outcome.”
“And if you save her?”
“I get to see the next Sunday!” Velvette snapped. “What do you think? You work harder if you don’t want me to solve it this way!”
He sighed as if she was the one overreacting, which was infuriating. Still, Velvette did her best to swallow back the next spiteful words she wanted to snap at him.
“It’ll look good in the end if I do it like this. And I don’t want Husk to get word to Alastor about anything which might make him do this all over again.”
Vox sneered. “Fine. Right. Be careful.”
“I didn’t die yesterday. I know to be careful around the Princess of Hell.”
“And an Exorcist?”
“She’s too weak to do anything.” Which meant it wouldn’t be any fun if Vaggie did want to attack her. Why was Velvette thinking like this? She did not swoon for a pretty face. After all, there were plenty of pretty faces out there and none of them compared to her own. Velvette could have her pick of the crop.
“Velvette?”
Sighing, Velvette pinched between her eyes. “Look. I’ve only gone through this loop three times and it’s already too many. I need out.”
“I get it. Just—”
“Be careful. I know. You too. Don’t find a way to create another loop inside this loop or some nonsense.”
Vox laughed dryly before hanging up.
As she reentered the room and saw Charlie snoozing on the newly placed bed with a half-eaten meal next to her, she knew what it was. Power. Vaggie should have been powerful. Velvette had watched her during the fight against Heaven. Even if she had pussied out and hadn’t finished off the Exorcist she de-armed, she had shown herself as so capable against Adam’s lieutenant. Had convinced Carmine of all people to open up.
Velvette had married her. She wanted to see more of Vaggie. Fuck her afterlife.
“Rise and shine, babydoll! Guess who’s getting married today?”
“You may now kiss the bride.”
Velvette was becoming more efficient. Telling Vox and Valentino what was going on first thing, telling them exactly what they had already done and where Vox’s search had left off.
Having her wedding. Making the deal with Vaggie so she and Charlie would come to the tower so she could do her research. Try to find a way to either stop or slow the curse down.
Three loops went on like this.
Velvette woke up in her chair. Some light came in through a curtain which had caught against the chair which had been moved against the wall. It shimmered a red hue over the bottom of where Vaggie lay. Vaggie was awake, head propped up as she watched Charlie who had fallen asleep on the table with her. Charlie’s back was nestled into Vaggie’s side and Vaggie was stroking Charlie’s hair back.
Grabbing her goggles, she quietly placed them on. There it was. It didn’t count when she was asleep, only when Vaggie was awake. Something about her connection with Charlie undid the foundation of the curse. Perhaps it was how Vaggie had lasted as long as she had? But, in that case, why wasn’t it enough to keep her from dying? Vaggie was already fighting to be awake on the third day. Her falling into unconscious for that length of time… There it was.
Velvette didn’t know what to do with this confirmation.
“Thinking hard or hardly thinking?” Vaggie drawled.
Velvette lowered the goggles. “I’ve had a breakthrough.”
Vaggie’s teasing tone dropped as she stared at her. “You… you have?”
“Yes. I just don’t know what to do with the knowledge.”
Shifting slightly, Vaggie kept an arm around Charlie as she leaned over her shoulder, eye on Velvette. “Can you share?”
“When you are awake, your proximity to Charlie weakens the curse.” Velvette stretched, getting to her feet. “But obviously that hasn’t been enough to make it go away. It comes back. I’m going to have her stay right there next to you through tomorrow.” And see if it kept Vaggie awake.
Vaggie thought it through, as if she could come up with some sort of solution based on this new information. Of course she couldn’t, but Velvette didn’t mind.
“Only when I’m awake…”
“I could give you some liquid adrenaline when you find it difficult to stay awake,” Velvette mused. “I wonder if we keep you awake long enough that whatever magical reaction the curse is having with Charlie will be enough to completely counter it.”
Vaggie chuckled. “I’m for it.”
“Oh?” Velvette raised an eyebrow. “No hesitation?”
“You can’t hurt me. And… whether it’s because it would look bad for you if I died or how you are with a project, but even I’m having a hard time believing that you don’t want me cured.”
Velvette frowned. That should have been good. Exactly what she wanted Vaggie to believe, regardless of any other reason. Regardless of the truth. Velvette didn’t want to tell them she was currently in a time loop.
What she wanted was… well, to be out of it. To keep the photos she kept taking.
“Velvette?”
Schooling her expression, Velvette scowled. “What?”
Vaggie studied her. It was such a familiar look at this point, but without the same amount of suspicion. Some was there, of course, because Vaggie was a cautious woman.
“I’m starting to wish we had more time to get to know each other,” Velvette decided. “In different circumstances.”
“There wouldn’t have been other circumstances. I still think the way you run your company is horrible.”
Velvette grinned. “You see? I like it when you talk like that.”
Vaggie’s eye narrowed. “What? Telling you the truth?”
“No sugar coating it. Get enough of that from your girl there.”
“Maybe Charlie knows that people can’t always take harsh truths. Sometimes…” Vaggie stroked Charlie’s cheek with a thumb. “Sometimes people need a bit of sugar coating.”
“Except that’s what we do.” Velvette gestured at herself. “We coat all the nasty things in Hell in sugar so people can try to enjoy themselves. Hell sucks for most people, but that’s because everyone’s made it like that before we even got here. You ever consider that the reason people don’t believe in Charlie’s message is because she’s two hundred and whatever years old and this is the first time she’s publicly tried to do anything for Sinners? How does anyone trust that?”
Obviously, Vaggie wanted to protest, but the realization hit her harder than she had prepared for. “Charlie—”
“And I ain’t saying she doesn’t mean it now. But for the public who has been fucked over from everything her father put in place?” Velvette moved to her shelves, looking through her basic potions. “People know what we Overlords are about. They know we’re here for power, to be followed. But we give them things immediately. For those who’ve been down here for decades, that’s a luxury. For those who haven’t? Topside is filled with instant feedback these days and it’s only been getting faster. Pretty words don’t do anything until there is evidence. And you had the whole of the Extermination pointed at your hotel.”
“We beat them.”
“Painted a big target on you, is what you’ve done.” Velvette sighed, turning to look at them again. It was hard to see from this angle, but maybe Vaggie was covering Charlie’s ear. Maybe. “The point is, you both have a lot of ingrained systematic prejudice to overcome—and that’s outside of how a lot of people just like being horrible. It’s going to take a lot of patience.”
“And some Sinners who are willing to give us a shot.”
“You’ve got Angel Dust, don’t you?” However, at the look Vaggie gave her, Velvette suddenly realized what she meant. She laughed and that was what woke Charlie up.
“Wuh…?”
“How’s this?” Velvette tapped a finger against her chin. “If this all works out, I’ll go through my staff list and give some of them the offer to stay at your free of charge hotel.” She had to cull the ones who weren’t up to snuff anyway, so Velvette could even fire them if she wanted. Or use them for more information about people when she wasn’t at the hotel.
“Huh?” Charlie sat up, pulling Vaggie with her. Vaggie’s eye widened in some surprise, but it was hard to say if most of it was from Velvette’s offer or from Charlie jolting her. “What? Really?”
“My wife, even if it’s just a platonic thing, works at the Hazbin Hotel.” Velvette shrugged. “I have to make sure it is less of a public laughingstock now that I’m associated with it.”
Charlie looked about to lunge up and hug her.
Velvette rolled her eyes before gesturing to Vaggie. “Want to tell her what we’re doing for the next twenty four hours?”
It came to keeping Vaggie awake at the end. The green light dimmed next to Charlie, but tried to shine more brightly where Charlie wasn’t. What was going on? Why would it survive yet another loop?
Charlie spooned the soup into Vaggie’s mouth, but this dose of potion wasn’t fighting her exhaustion. Vaggie was trying, Velvette could see it, but her gaze became vacant. Charlie’s was filled with tears. And those damned green lines remained. Velvette raised her other wrist and studied the curse where it was strongest.
“Velvette?” Charlie asked, she pled.
“She’s not dying on my watch.”
At that, Velvette noticed the green light on Vaggie’s wrist dim slightly. But not enough and not for long enough before Vaggie passed out.
As Charlie wailed, Velvette put her face in her hands and tried to breathe.
She didn’t want to do this again.
“Rise and shine, babydoll! Guess who’s getting married today?”
Velvette stared at the ceiling. “I don’t want to.”
Val laughed, apparently not understanding the depths to Velvette’s frustrations. At least, he did until she grabbed her pillow and screamed into it.
“Velvette?”
She didn’t want to cry, but she was so tired of this. Velvette didn’t even want to show off for the cameras today. She didn’t want to have a wedding. Val pulled the pillow away from her face and stared through his glasses with too much concern.
“I can’t do this.”
“Not having cold feet, are you?”
“Not the wedding!” Because she had to tell him again. This wasn’t like when Val just forgot things, because sometimes he had a bad memory. Velvette couldn’t be mad at him… except she was furious and there was no one to take it out on which would make her feel better. “I’m in a time loop and Vox hasn’t found an out for me yet!”
She let him take her into his arms. Kiss her on the forehead in the most platonic way Val ever could. Slowly her limbs relaxed and she shut her eyes again. Damned idiot was always so soft. There would be nothing to lose by just staying here until she became angry at herself for wasting time… which would repeat, so it didn’t matter anyway.
“Val… I need a break.” Reluctantly she pulled her face from his ruff. “Do you want to help me run from everything for three days?”
Val tilted his head to the side. “Run from everything?”
“You won’t get to remember it next time… but you like to live in the moment anyway. Let me leave my bride at the altar and we can drive Vox crazy as we go “missing” for a few days.”
His chuckles rumbled against her. “I don’t get it entirely, but… Sure thing, querida. Let’s run away.”
While Velvette felt a bit bad for Vox, he wouldn’t know any of this happened next time. In the meantime, she and Val could steal an old car and drive off into a territory on the other side of Pentagram City. Velvette did some hand sewing in the car and let Val crash it several times. They could both handle some accidents. If it made what she sewed a little wonky, well, they were in hiding. Velvette would risk looking not perfect. She didn’t want to be recognized.
It was harder to dress up Val in a way no one would recognize him, but Velvette liked a challenge she could actually overcome. Where there was an obvious end goal. With a bustle and his lower arms folded at his chest, she could make him look like a very shapely woman instead. Val found it hilarious.
It was time to hang out in places Vox would never be able to find them.
Nor the princess. Velvette couldn’t help but look over her shoulder and into the shadows, but they were all normal shadows. Alastor wasn’t looking in and why would he? He never bothered to look in when Velvette was actively working on helping Vaggie. Husk had never seen him. What did it matter?
What did anything this time matter?
She and Val could laugh at how Vox struggled to cover up their absence at Velvette’s own wedding. He did a good job of it, turning it into an insult toward Charlie instead and that this was always in the works. And after Val had stolen someone’s phone, Velvette could read the gossip online for them to laugh about too. Burnt so many bridges, and Charlie probably wouldn’t believe all of this, but—
What did it matter what Charlie thought? Well, Val had been convinced to release Angel Dust for this. Val had really trusted her on this, or he would have raised a fuss about what he had given up for nothing.
For the first time in over a week, Velvette was outside to see the night sky. So many of those days had been spent in her labs, too focused on the work to look through any of the windows she didn’t have curtained.
“Baaaabydoll~” Val leaned against her, his “chest” wriggling as he tried to hold her with all four arms instead of two. “I don’t think we’ve ever hit up the thrift stores around here!”
“Definitely not!” She hadn’t known there were thrift stores around here and despite their whole brand, Vox was the only one of them who didn’t enjoy perusing these things for inspiration. To be fair, his inspiration required something more high-tech than anything in a thrift store could provide.
Art could be found anywhere.
None of the stores they entered were open, but it didn’t matter either way. No one would remember this and no one saw them now. Val went through the clothes and, after her own perusal of the area, Velvette went through the old dolls and plushies before moving through the books.
It was a long shot, but she dropped each officially published book to the ground as she looked for anything which was handwritten. No dice.
This was supposed to be her relaxing. Her ignoring the loop she was stuck in. But it didn’t stop her from looking through every single store they broke into to find anything on that curse. Or the time loop.
Two more days and she had found nothing. No lucky finds, outside of the hilarious outfits she and Val put together. There was a slew of Rococo-style dresses, which had Velvette thinking of some modern Rococo fits.
Velvette cried again when she remembered Val wouldn’t remember.
Sometimes epiphanies were late.
“Rise and shine, babydoll! Guess who’s getting married today?”
Velvette sat up and stared at her wedding dress. Why had the person writing about the counter-curse waxed poetical about the wedding instead of moving on to the next part of the whole thing. Sure, it was old enough that people in those days were still marrying for dumber reasons than love, but that was it, wasn’t it?
The idiot had spent too much time talking about it because that was the next step. That was why Charlie’s presence made the curse dim. If they had gotten married… would it have given Vaggie the euphoria needed for it to kill the curse?
“Valentino.”
“Yeah?”
“I need a favour. From you and Vox.”
He sashayed over and plopped down on her bed, unlit cigarette in hand. “It’s your special day~ What is it?”
It had to be a Sinner, or Charlie would have already been the other bride. Not Velvette. “I need you to cover for me until the ceremony.”
Val raised an eyebrow. “Weren’t we making some public statements?”
“I have a dress to finish.”
That surprised him. He stared at her, then at her dress. “I thought you finished the other bitch’s dress.”
“That’s not the one I need to finish.”
This would make everyone suspicious as Hell, but Velvette didn’t care. If it worked, if it got her out of this, she would deal with it. Vox would be disappointed, Val would be furious he had given Angel Dust for nothing, but Velvette would be free and they would both accept it in the end.
It was hard to get a hold of Husk. The man did not have a mobile. Probably because of being around Alastor as much as he was, which was why Velvette hadn’t managed to swap numbers with him loops ago. But she had Angel Dust’s phone number.
He didn’t pick up, but Velvette left what she hoped was a voice-mail curious enough he would pass along the message. After all, her wanting to talk to the bartender?
But she had a dress to make for the Princess of Hell.
Her assistants helped with certain parts, of course, but Velvette was doing this herself. In such a short period of time, without all the time she liked to have to design it in the first place? Well, she had the ideas she had scrapped for herself and Vaggie before deciding on their current dresses. Velvette would do more than cobble it together. She would bind them together with the same pearls and make Charlie look like a queen. One Vaggie belonged with.
And Velvette would have saved more than herself. These two would owe her so much—even if they never understood just how much.
It was late morning by the time Husk called. Velvette immediately put him on speakerphone as her hands worked over the dress.
“Velvette?”
“I have the solution.”
“Y-You do? Is that what you’re disappearance last time was about?”
If that was what he wanted to believe, Velvette would let him. “The idiot who wrote the counter-curse was a romantic. Vaggie has lasted as long as she has because of being close to Charlie. She might need to be bound to another Sinner, but it doesn’t mean she can’t be happy with the woman she loves too.”
“You… You want to marry Charlie too?”
“No. I don’t have to marry her. I’m marrying Vaggie. So is Charlie. I’m making her a dress right now and getting the rings ready. She’s not about to be the officiant, so while I could have anyone stand in for it myself, I figured I’d give you something to do. This will be the wedding they remember.”
He laughed. It sounded relieved. “You sound so certain.”
“Absolutely. If this doesn’t work, I’m throwing in the towel and using this loop just to become Valentino point two and do whatever I want for eternity.”
“Let’s… not talk that one into existence.”
Regardless, she left that one to Husk as Velvette continued her work. So much she had done in the morning and early afternoon before, all filled with the silks, the reds, blacks, and whites, which she knew would make Vaggie swoon when she saw her.
She refused to let her hands tremble. This would look perfect. Charlie would deserve to stand by her and Vaggie. And everyone would know Velvette had created these masterpieces. There would be a rush to create the merchandise based on Charlie’s dress, but it just meant Velvette would reorganize the drops. She would have them wait on Vaggie’s, sell hers first, then drop Vaggie’s, then Charlie’s. It would all seem planned.
No one on the outside would know anything different.
Vox sent her so many texts, questioning what was going on, but she promised to explain it all later. She didn’t have time now, so she ignored the rest.
“Um… Velvette? Husk told me to see you before the ceremony?”
No doubt she had been with Vaggie. Well, Husk had the rings to give to Vaggie (rings they hadn’t bothered with before), and now it was Velvette’s turn.
Charlie closed the door behind her. “You aren’t in your dress yet?”
“It doesn’t take me long to get ready, luv. I’m getting you ready first.”
“I thought the suit—”
Velvette snapped. Charlie almost fell over, but Velvette grabbed her hands and steadied her as she checked. Of course she had all the measurements right, but seeing how it draped over Charlie’s form meant she could do the very last minute adjustments.
“Wh-What?” Charlie asked.
“Step into those shoes over there and I’ll do your hair.”
“Velvette, what is—”
She pushed Charlie over so she would get into the shoes and sit down. Charlie had so much hair. It was thicker than Vaggie’s, though not as thick as most of Velvette’s wigs. Some waves, but mostly straight strands.
“This entire process is to make a counter-curse.” Velvette brushed Charlie’s hair, braiding it as she went. “An official marriage with a strong Sinner is part of it, but after a great deal of research, I’ve learned that’s not all. An important ingredient is love, which Vags and I don’t have. But she loves you.”
“I-I…” Charlie swallowed. “How did you figure this out?”
“I told you. Lots of research. This wedding has been organized fast, but there’s been enough time.” Thanks to the damned loops. “I will marry Vaggie and you will marry Vaggie. It should be enough to break the curse completely. Don’t you dare cry while I’m doing your makeup.”
Charlie cleared her throat, staring at herself in the mirror as Velvette continued to put her together. “But I… You’re sure?”
“I wouldn’t have spent an entire morning making you a wedding dress if I wasn’t!” Velvette groaned as she put Charlie’s hair over her shoulder and sat in front of her to focus on the makeup. “You’ll say this is selfless of me, but I don’t want all of this to have been for nothing. If Vaggie dies, this will have been for nothing. And she will not die.”
It definitely didn’t make Charlie cry less, but Velvette managed to get her put together enough to look as queen-like as possible. With a sigh, Velvette went to get into her own dress only for the door to slap open.
“What do you mean my baby’s getting married?”
Velvette shouldn’t have thrown something at the King of Hell, but she did anyway. Charlie managed to move Lucifer away so Velvette could get herself ready.
This was not how Velvette imagined it going. Vaggie stood between them, but her eye was for Charlie. Too many people would be questioning what Velvette was doing here. It would ruin her image. Fortunately Charlie did look to Velvette with those eyes full of gratitude, which reminded Vaggie to do the same.
Lucifer barely managed to sound official, but he was Lucifer. People would accept whatever he did while he was around, because they weren’t about to nay say him to his face.
“And you may now kiss the brides!”
Charlie and Vaggie kissed passionately. Velvette hated it with all her hate. It would make everything between her and Velvette seem secondary. Was it worth getting out of this time loop? Yes. Yes it would be. It didn’t mean she couldn’t internally bitch about the rest of this. At least, until she could explain the rest of it to Valentino and Vox, at which point she would be externally bitching about it.
When they finished kissing, Charlie reached for Velvette and—to her surprise—she found herself in a tight embrace.
“Thank you, thank you,” Charlie whispered into her hair.
Charlie let go and Vaggie took her hands. The smile on her face was the least suspicious one she’d ever had during any of these weddings. This time, Vaggie leaned in. Her hair cascaded as a curtain between them and their audience as Vaggie’s nose brushed against Velvette’s cheek.
“Thanks, Velvette.”
Velvette swallowed. She was supposed to be the cool one here. As Charlie picked her and Vaggie up, walking them out, she was barely able to keep her smile on. She knew she was blushing furiously. Velvette couldn’t even pull herself together enough to look out for Vox and Val.
As was tradition, but only in Velvette’s mind, they ended up in the same room as she and Vaggie always did. Except, this time, Charlie was with them.
Velvette dropped from Charlie’s arm and immediately pulled her goggles from her dress to put it on. It was still there, but the green light was dim all over. Before she could say anything about it, Vaggie spoke.
“Husk told us about the time loop.”
Velvette blinked and lowered the goggles. “Oh?”
“You said you made my dress in one morning.” Charlie set Vaggie down on the couch in the room and sat next to her. “Even if this is all to save yourself from the loop the two of you are trapped in…”
“Let’s not make this something it isn’t!” Velvette snapped. “And we aren’t out of the woods yet. It definitely is looking better, but the curse isn’t gone yet. I’m not relaxing until it is.”
Vaggie and Charlie’s fingers were interlocked. Velvette shouldn’t have stared, but then she realized the most important thing: her pictures would stay. As long as Vaggie didn’t die, she could keep these snapshots. She immediately took a picture of the two, then zoomed in for the image of their hands, the rings Velvette had chosen beautifully framed with the backdrop of cream and red and black skirts.
“Then what’s next?” Vaggie asked. There was some of the same fatigue as there always was after the ceremony, but it took a backseat to the flush of happiness she apparently felt with Charlie.
“We enjoy the wedding. Stay up as late as possible. Wake up as soon as possible and keep together during the next two days… or until the curse completely dissipates.” Velvette pushed her way between them so she could take some selfies. The two women were surprised for a moment, but Charlie immediately began beaming in the pictures. It didn’t take Vaggie much longer to smile as well.
Vaggie’s smile was even more beautiful than it had been before.
“And you both are going to be happy with me in public, so my reputation can be saved after this.”
Perhaps neither really understood it, but neither said no either. As they rejoined the wedding party, Velvette was already making plans for what they would do tomorrow. The three of them danced, only to split when Husk asked Vaggie for a dance, Charlie was pulled away by Angel Dust, and Velvette was hand in hand with Vox.
His smile was as public as anything, but she could see it in his eyes. Are you all right?
“I’ll explain everything,” she reminded him. “And it’ll all be worth it. The princess is going to be so indebted to me.”
It relaxed him, even as Velvette wondered.
It didn’t matter. As long as the loop ended.
Velvette went to the hotel with the other two, expecting to sleep in a different room again. Not to be pulled into Vaggie and Charlie’s room.
“What? You don’t want to consummate your marriage?” Velvette asked with a smirk.
Vaggie rubbed her face. “Tired.”
“There will be time for that.” Charlie didn’t even blush this time. “Vaggie asked me earlier and I was wondering… what’s your favourite movie?”
They didn’t watch it, but they definitely talked about movies until Vaggie couldn’t stay awake anymore. Charlie and Vaggie were in each others’ arms, but Velvette oddly didn’t feel like she was a third wheel as she slept against Vaggie’s side. Not with one of Vaggie’s hands near hers.
Maybe she would have these two eating out of the palm of her hand after this.
There was no amount of coffee to help the three of them feel awake that morning, but Velvette refused to let it get in the way.
“We’ll let Vaggie have naps, but over the next two days we shouldn’t let her sleep longer than four hours at a time. We’re killing this curse with extreme prejudice.”
“And the reason we’re dressing up like this for breakfast is…?” Vaggie frowned at herself as Velvette went through some of her selection for a the ideas she had come up with Val during the last loop.
“We’re having a picnic. You promised to be seen in public with me and you will continue to be wearing my outfits while we’re going through this.”
Charlie sat on the bed, kicking her legs like an excited child. Velvette couldn’t be too annoyed about it, because Charlie really did seem to like Velvette’s clothing choices. Maybe Velvette could fix her wardrobe before the end of this. As it was, all three of their wedding dresses were back on mannequins in this room. A perfect picture (which Velvette had taken).
This time she did not match them in the same way. They all fit together, because of sharing the modern Rococo-inspired style, but Velvette put the focus more in the variety. She put Vaggie in a high-collared lace blouse, covered in purple violets over white, with sheer sleeves and a layered lavender tulle skirt. The short heeled boots matched the red bow Velvette let her keep in her hair. For Charlie, she put together a high-necked yellow ruffled top with fitted trousers of the same colour, embroidered with red roses. Velvette put on a ruffled collared blouse with white sleeves and a red corset and a bountiful frilled skirt which went down to her own short heeled boots.
The car took them to the location Velvette had picked out. One where they could be seen in a beautiful area, but where lowly Sinners couldn’t get away with ruining their moment. She had her people bring a spread of food that fit the appearance… but then added things like pizza and Chinese, because at this point Velvette wanted to enjoy something with more grease too. She also ordered some lemonade smoothies from her favourite smoothie place.
Charlie had gravitated to the strawberry one and Vaggie took the prickly pear flavour. Velvette didn’t mind that she was left with grape, as all of them were acceptable in her eyes. They wouldn’t have made it to the picnic blanket if they weren’t.
“If you feel tired at all, you get a nap,” Velvette reiterated.
Vaggie sighed, rolling her eye. “I got it, I got it.”
“She’s just looking out for you!” Charlie kissed Vaggie’s high-collar, leaning into her shoulder as she sipped at her smoothie. “This is really good!”
“Have you never been to Blended Family?”
Charlie froze in place.
“This isn’t…” Vaggie stared at her own drink.
Velvette burst out laughing. “Of course not! I’m a lot of things, but I’m no cannibal. That’s one of the things which would have gotten me kicked out of the Vees for sure!”
Relaxing, Vaggie took another sip. “Vox that against Alastor?”
“Oh, not him. It’s Val who would be so disgusted he wouldn’t want to be around me. Vox thinks cannibalism is disgusting, but he also doesn’t care if other people do it.”
Vaggie made a face. “I didn’t think I could hate him more than Valentino.”
“Vox does a good job at presenting himself.” Velvette did her best not to flinch as Charlie stretched her legs out and rested her ankles over Velvette’s. “But, lest you forget, Val has a pretty clean reputation as far as most of Pride cares to. It’s not just that we hide the unsavory things. It’s what Hell expects from us. Wants from those in charge.”
“But that’s wrong,” Charlie said, like clockwork.
“Wrong is in the eye of the majority, darling. It’s going to take you a lot of work to change the narrative.” Velvette grabbed a slice of pizza as she sipped her grape smoothie. “But yeah. Blended Family is great. It’s no Sip Happens!”
The two stopped again, paralyzed by a realization Velvette couldn’t help but delight in. “Is that… is that…” Charlie started slowly.
“A place that uses some homegrown ingredients? Oh, yeah.” Velvette took a big bite out of her pizza.
The other two didn’t eat as much after that, but Velvette could still appreciate breakfast. And their fluster.
When they were done being in the public eye for the day, they returned to the hotel. They watched Velvette’s favourite movies. Vaggie pulled out tapes of musicals Charlie had participated in afterward, which embarrassed her.
“How did you get those?”
“Your dad, babe.”
“Aaah!”
Laughing made it difficult to keep a steady hand as Velvette did their nails, but she was nothing if not an expert with nail art. It was simply adding more over the simple colours both had on for the wedding. Something to pass the time as she watched the ugly green swirls around Vaggie continue to fade. Still, Velvette wouldn’t completely relax until tomorrow. Still, giving them all rainbow nails was fun. Charlie’s set was bright, Velvette’s was dark, and Vaggie’s was pastels.
In the meantime, she got to hear some gossip about other important Hell families she never would have if she wasn’t sitting next to Charlie and Vaggie and watching Charlie perform in amateur theatre with her peers. It was all useful information which Charlie tossed out like it meant nothing.
Because to her, it was nothing. Vaggie didn’t seem to think anything of it either.
She drifted off at one point, but they woke her up in an hour. The day faded into night and conversations moved from one topic to another. She learnt that Charlie shouldn’t have too much sugar at once, despite loving frappuccinos, and Vaggie couldn’t handle the same level of spiciness as her and Charlie. Vaggie was a neat freak and the reason anything in the hotel was as organized as it was because Vaggie had the final say over it.
Razzle was the demon bodyguard still alive and he watched her. KeeKee was the name of the cat, and she didn’t mind curling up in Velvette’s lap this time.
These were all things which shouldn’t have been important, but that Velvette found herself memorizing them immediately. Because… despite everything, Velvette was having fun.
And the green light continued to fade.
Vaggie was not too tired on the third day. They went out to Blended Family so Velvette could show them the menu and show off the outfits which made them the colours of lesbians again. Charlie’s comment was the same as it was for the first loop Velvette remembered. Val kept sending her some lewd comments about threesomes, which she ignored after sending him a picture of her flipping him off.
Angel Dust still eyed with her suspicion, but Husk smiled when they passed by the bar. He crooked a finger at her, so she split off from the other two to stop with him. He handed her some drinks for the three and before she could remind him she wasn’t a waitress, he said something which paralyzed her.
“Oh, Alastor said Vaggie would remember all the loops after all this.”
Velvette’s face couldn’t even fall. She was in too much shock. Not that she thought she had done anything Vaggie would think was wrong during the loops (except maybe the time she stood her up at the altar), but the thought she could have decided to use a time loop to get other information and not just have to hide it from Husk, but Vaggie backing him up about the entire thing?
It also meant she would remember what Velvette said about what happened if this all went well. About getting the hotel some residents.
“Bitch.”
Husk chuckled. “What do they say? Hashtag.”
Against her will, Velvette found she really liked Husk. Too bad he was Alastor’s, because she would have given anything to have his contract.
Vaggie was alive and Velvette immediately knew to pull out. She handed the goggles to Charlie so she could check.
“It’s all gone!”
Vaggie smiled and Charlie almost dropped the goggles as she embraced her. Velvette felt herself go boneless, but she managed not to fall over.
“Great. We can quietly get divorced. But, as far as the public is aware, that won’t happen until later. Got it?”
Vaggie nodded, somehow able to despite Charlie’s tight grip.
“But…”
Velvette had no idea why Charlie would say that, but Vaggie didn’t look confused or say anything, so she ignored it. No, what caused her pause was when Vaggie said: “Are we going to keep seeing each other?”
“What? Like hanging out?” Velvette checked her phone. “Of course. We have to so I can keep posting pics and keeping up the charade. You get to live and I’m not going to lose any of my rep.”
Charlie pulled her in and Velvette found herself squished between the two.
“Good! Because Vaggie and I were wondering if you might, like, want to date? Not just hang out like friends?”
Velvette blinked.
“And don’t think I’ve forgotten about the people you’re going to ask if they want to stay at the hotel,” Vaggie whispered into her ear. “I still don’t like how you conduct your business.”
She should have been angry. But Velvette was anything but. For some reason… she was happy and it wasn’t just because the loop was over.
She didn’t know how she would explain this to Vox and Val, but this was for her. Not them. Velvette smiled. “I’ll think about it.”