Chapter Text
The day has been dragging on longer than it should. Usually, days don’t last this long for me. Today might just be off for some reason. It could be because I feel like puking my brains out. It’s odd because my systems usually sense it before I get sick. It’s not too horrible, though. I’m just mildly dizzy, and my mouth is dry. My gills have been doing most of the work to regulate my body temperature. I sigh loudly as I drag a hand across my face and stare at my screens.
I check my messages to make sure Valentino hasn’t messaged me. He’s also been feeling under the weather lately. His sickness started a little bit before mine. It’s just poor timing, really — really unfortunate timing. It doesn’t bother me too much since I’m not too sick. Despite not feeling too sick at the moment, I still feel my stomach turning. I despise this so much. I use my wires to yank the trash can towards me just in case my stomach decides to empty itself.
If my stomach were a person, I’d probably cuss it out. It’s irritating. I practically glare at the trash can like it’s the reason why I feel nauseous. Of course, an inanimate object is the reason why I feel the need to upchuck. Whatever. Valentino would probably snap at me for blaming the “innocent” bin. Speaking of, I check my messages again with another sigh. Maybe he should’ve texted me by now. I might want to check on him in a bit.
I place an order for some chicken noodle soup so I can bring it to him and try to pass it off as my cooking. I know he won’t believe me, but it’s worth a shot. Maybe he’ll just laugh at me and give me a small kiss. We’ve gotten better after the Might Of Lilith, at least in my opinion we have. It’s easier now to be around him. Now that I’ve gotten over Alastor, everything has been easier. I check my phone again with a huff and feel myself getting a little stir crazy now that he still hasn’t messaged me.
Should he’ve messaged me by now, right? It feels like out of nowhere, when my stomach turns, and I have to spill my guts into the trashcan. I blame the plastic bin. Its presence made me sick. I groan softly as I finish puking and wipe my face with a wince. There goes breakfast… Wait, did I even eat breakfast? I glance down at the contents of the trash with a grimace. There are definitely chunks of something in there. They look like little spaghetti noodles, which is odd since I haven’t had pasta in a while.
The thought of messaging Ethan to either check on Val or empty his trash crosses my mind, but I reject it. He’s my boyfriend… I’ll check on him myself. He’ll probably yell at me if I don’t. I probably deserve to get yelled at for not taking care of him myself. I check my phone again to see that my order was delivered, though. Success! I get up from my desk and brush myself off with a small hum. I head out of my office with a little bit of pep in my step. I feel a bit better after emptying my stomach. Maybe that was all I needed, really. I step into the elevator with a hum and check my phone. I shoot Valentino a message just so he knows he’s getting a delivery soon.
@FlatFacedPrince: Bringing you chicken nodle babe.
@FlatFacedPrince: noodle*
I sigh softly as I tuck my phone back into my pocket and step out of the elevator. The lobby is busy like usual, and the assistant that I can never remember the name of hands me the bag with the soup. I almost cheer because I am truly the greatest boyfriend. Look at me, bringing him soup. I hum the smallest tune as I step into the elevator again and give Ms. No-Name a thumbs up before the doors close. I feel like a dork sometimes but know that no one can say anything. I decide that I should visit Velvette before finding Valentino.
I’m sure she’d like to see me before I see him. He can wait a bit longer. The thought does give me an uncomfortable feeling in the back of my head. I shrug it off, though, and step out of the elevator as we reach the floor where we all live. I pass by Valentino’s door since I know for a fact that he’s in my penthouse instead. Velvette’s place is right in the middle, though. Poor woman. She probably hears so much. I give her door a couple of knocks and wait for her to answer. I grin once she does, and she simply raises an eyebrow at me.
“What’s with the shit-eating grin?” Velvette almost immediately interrogates. I gasp lightly and press a hand against my chest. Am I not allowed to be happy anymore? My grin turns to a smirk as I look down at her. “Just proud of myself. I’m bringing Val soup,” I emphasize the P at the end as I lift the bag to show her. I know it’s a big thing for me. I must be the best boyfriend ever, really. People wish they could be this good. They never actually manage it, of course.
Poor them, lucky me. “Wow. Want a reward, love?” She sighs lightly as she criticizes me as always. She should get the stick out of her ass. It’s just Velvette being Velvette though. “You’re just jealous that I didn’t bring you anything,” I cross my arms as I lean my weight to one side. I feel a bit relieved that I didn’t come earlier, or I might’ve puked on her. I wonder how she would’ve reacted… Not well, probably. My gills puff up lightly as I contain my laughter. I’m not too sure why they do that, but I accept it. Who cares?
“Well, I should go see Val. I have to go be the model boyfriend, yknow?” I continue tooting my own horn as I step away from the door. Velvette looks very unimpressed that I literally just knocked on her door to rub it in her face that I’m being the best. I wonder if she ever gets lonely. I don’t care that much though. That’s none of my business, and surely if she needed help, she would actually reach out to me. I shrug it off either way and make my way to my door with a little skip. I open the door with a sigh and shut it behind me.
If I had a nose, then I’d scrunch it up. It smells horrid. I won’t judge too much, though. Maybe Valentino is just having a really hard time right now. It’s okay to be sick… I look around the apartment a little before switching on a couple of lights. Surely he knows that I am here by now. I brush myself off lightly even though I don’t need to and place the soup on the coffee table. Time to search for the man. I approach the bedroom door, and I feel the small nagging in the back of my head again. It’s like my brain is screaming for me not to go. Don’t enter. Run. Get out of there. Leave. I ignore it, though; what is there to fear? It’s just my sick boyfriend, and I’m here to take care of him finally.
“Val? Tino? Hey babe?” I peek inside and make sure to dim my screen before entering the room fully. It smells even stronger in here. Dear lord. There is vomit on the floor with the blanket tossed on the floor. Okay… Gross. I have a strong stomach usually, but that definitely makes it turn a little. Time to blame the trash bin again. “Valll… I have your soup,” My voice wavers just slightly, and I feel like an idiot. Why am I so nervous? Clearly he isn’t in the bed right now. I don’t blame him. It’s filthy. I’ll get some random employee to clean it up for us. Not a big deal.
I look around the room before hearing a loud clatter from the bathroom. Bingo. There he is. He must be in there since he was puking so much. That makes sense to me – a perfectly logical explanation. I twist the handle and hear another scuffle in the bathroom. The voice in the back of my head is getting louder. Turn back! Turn back! It’s just Valentino, though. He won’t hurt me. I open the door to see him partially slumped in front of the toilet. He looks horrible.
“Oh, Val.” I frown as I approach him and crouch beside him. My hands find him easily as I hug him. The poor thing. His breathing is so ragged. I make it a point not to pull him away from the toilet. As much as I love him, I love not having puke on my nice suit. I rest the bottom edge of my screen on his shoulder as I hold him for what feels like forever in my mind. It must be only a few minutes, though. Valentino finally stirs a little and gives me a hard shove. I wince as my ass lands hard on the tile floor.
I’m about to snap at him when he comes at me fast. I yelp as he climbs on top of me and my head hits the floor next. It makes a harsh crack noise but doesn’t actually break, thankfully. It takes me a moment to get back to my senses before I realize that he’s trying to actually attack me. “Woah! Woah! Val! What the fuck?! It’s me! Stop!” I cry out as I shove at him before using my wires to try to restrain him. I wince as his nails dig into my arm before I finally manage to get him away from me.
He writhes in the restraints like a rabid animal. Valentino looks like one too. It reminds me of when he’s drugged out, and his eyes glaze over. I keep him there while I search the apartment. I should find out what the hell he took. The first spot I check is in the bedroom. I step over the puddle of vomit on the floor as I check the blankets and drawers before heading to the living room. I search the couch cushions and drawers in the coffee table. Nothing. Not even a pill bottle. I get back to the bathroom and notice that he’s slumped in my wires now.
I feel a bit guilty for tying up my very clearly drugged-out boyfriend. I let the wires release him and approach again. My arm throbs as I hoist him up so he’s at least sitting properly. “Voxxie… Voxxie… Voxxie…” Valentino finally mumbles, which makes me feel like a weight has been lifted off my chest. At least he’s well enough to speak to me. I lift his head and give him a serious look. He still looks extremely out of it. “Val. What did you take?” I interrogate him and shake him a little when he nods off just a little. What the fuck is wrong with him right now?
I huff softly as I pull away from him and stand up. I turn away from him as I think about what exactly to do. I could just drag him to the living room and clean it up while I wait for whatever drug he’s on to wear off. I pull up a few screens to do a couple of Voogle searches on his symptoms. I chew on my cheek as I focus on that and don’t even pay attention to the mild shuffling behind me. I do unfortunately come back to reality when I feel teeth sinking deep into my previous wound.