Chapter Text
Melissa sat at a chair in her own apartment, the plant beside her, a mirror across. She was wearing something much nicer than she normally did. She’d added a black bow to her mouth hair, white pearl earrings and a white pearl choker to go with it. A fuzzy red sweater with black dots, and a white skirt.
The plant definitely wasn’t what she’d imagined. But still what she had asked for. A pot with one huge red bow absolutely caked in glitter and rock solid with a pink heart pin on the middle. And of course the flower, it was just one flower, it took up all the space in the pot.
This was a horrible idea, Melissa was stupid.
The glitter was already all over Melissa’s hands snd clothes. That wasnt going to make keeping this a surprise any easier.
And if it was getting all over her already, it would get everywhere in whatever room Velvette put it in.
If she didn’t just throw it out.
Velvette would think the bow was tacky and cheap looking.
The pot was full of soil, what would giving Velvette a gift that was one flower and mostly soil say about what she thought of Velvette?
Velvette would have to care for the plant. Melissa was effectively just giving her boss another responsibility as a Valentines gift.
She was an idiot.
———————————————————————————
“Paycheck deduction for expense?”
The fuck did Melissa buy?
”Authorized by Val-why did it go to Val?”
Velvette was already pulling up her contacts and scrolling for Val.
The phone buzzed once before he picked up.
”Heyyyyy babydoll…what’s up?”
”Why’s there a paycheck deduction on my assistant’s record?”
”Oh, yeah, the one with the freaky mouth hair?”
”Yes, her.”
Velvette could hear Val giggling on the other end.
”I cant tell youuuuu~”
“Val what the fuck? What do ya mean ya cant tell me. Do you not know?”
”Oh I know.”
”Then tell me!”
Val tried to speak through laughter, struggling to get the words out.
”Cuz I caaannntuhhh~.”
“Are you high right now?”
“No! Well maybe? I can never actually tell. But thats not important, I actually can’t tell you, you need to ask her.”
“Damnit Val.” Velvette hung up the phone and groaned. Slamming her face down on her desk. Her hand blindly felt for the intercom mic. She slapped a hand down on the button and cleared her throat.
—————————————————————————
“Melissa, get your ass over to my office, preferably now.”
“Fuck.”
Melissa wouldn’t get time to get all the glitter off. She wouldn’t even get time to change out of the outfit she’d picked out to give Velvette her gift in. Melissa threw on her vest to try and at least somewhat conceal it.
There was no point, nothing was gonna save this.
Melissa could already imagine Velvette questioning the outfit. Eventually pressuring her to spill everything.
Melissa took off the vest and picked up the pot.
Let’s just get this shit show over with, quickly.
And so Melissa began the long dreaded walk of shame through the apartments down to the office hall, her head low the whole time, hugging the pot tight. Trying and failing to ignore the stares, block out the whispering.
Sometimes Melissa questioned whether she was working at an actual company or attending a high-school. Sinners were so immature they might as well of been one and the same.
The looks and whispers only got louder and more obvious as she got closer to the office. To the point where she could make out what some of them were saying.
“Oooh…someone got called down mid date, thats gotta suck.”
Melissa doesn’t even look up to push open the door. Stepping in and pulling it shut behind her. As always Velvette was at her desk.
“Whats with the Paychek deduction on your record, Mel?”
“I’m sorry, Ms. Velvette”
“I didn’t say I was mad, hon, I’m just confused, why’d you go to Val, I tried callin’ him and he wouldn’t tell me shit.”
“It’s stupid.”
“Oh for fucks sake just fuckin tell me-what the fuck?”
Melissa could feel Velvette’s eyes on her now. Melissa herself finally looked up.
Velvette was still in her valentines photoshoot outfit. A black and gold dress with an off white coat, pink on the inside, fur trim, covered in hearts. One side of Velvette’s hair was done up in a way that shaped it into hearts, the other spheres. She wasnt wearing her favorite skull earrings, instead large gold hoops with even more hearts inside them.
She looked especially gorgeous.
“Why are you-what’s that for?”
Melissa swallowed hard. She held up the pot and turned her own face to the wall.
“This is what the expense was..It’s for you.”
“From you? To me?”
”Yeah, It’s from me, it was my idea.”
Melissa heard velvettes heels hitting the floor. Melissa shut her eyes, and braced herself for the expected, ‘its stupid.’ But instead, the weight of the pot in her arms vanished. She didn’t hear a smash. She heard the rustling of leaves and a slow inhale, and then an exhale. And finally, the very last thing she expected.
Sniffling, and laughter.
Melissa opens her eyes. Velvette had made her way back to the desk and placed the pot on it, not minding the soil getting on her desk at all. He was wiping her eyes.
“Oh, oh-aww it’s lovely!” The tone of her voice was completely foreign. It was very high pitched, and soft. It was the most genuinely pleasant she’d ever seen Velvette act.
“How’d you even guess these were my favorite?”
Melissa pointed at the vase on the other end of the desk.
“Ive been trying to find why nobody sells them in this color for vases, now I guess I have my answer, It’s huge!”
Melissa fell over as it finally fully registered to her that Velvette didn’t hate the gift.
“Oh shit-hey!”
Melissa’s head hit fluff rather than the floor.
”Don’t pass out on me, baby!”
Velvette was holding her.
Velvette was hugging her.
“You like it?”
“I love it! I didn’t know you could be such a sweetheart, Mel!”
The fur on Velvette’s coat was so soft. What material was it, and why did something so cozy exist in a place like hell?
Melissa straightened out when Velvette suddenly pulled her away.
”Too much?”
“Oh shit-Val was right.”
”What?”
“Val’s been teasing me for months about you. He said you kept checking me out. And some other things that are…uh..ya know what, don’t think about it.”
Melissa wasnt sure if that last part was more meant for her or for Velvette.
Velvette pulled out her phone, and began typing something in.
”Are you over it already...?” Melissa prodded softly.
”f’course not, I’m removing the reduction from your paycheck.”
“Wont that make Mr. Valentino mad?”
”Im the wealthiest sinner woman in hell, I can pay him back.”
“Oh, ok…so-“
Velvette walks backward until she hits the desk, she slides her phone to the other end before hoisting herself up on it. She reaches her arms out to her assistant, opening and closing her hands, waving her over.
”C’mere c’mere! I’m not gonna bite ya!”
As if Melissa would push back if Velvette did. Melissa walks up to Velvette, fidgeting with her hands.
“You like the jacket?”
Was that even a question? Melissa nodded enthusiastically.
“You can have it if you want after today, just don’t wear it in public, I can’t exactly re wear something as specific as this.”
”Really?”
”Really! I didn’t exactly plan on getting you a gift, cause I didn’t expect this, f’course.”
“Nonononono its fine I don’t need anything i’m so sorry if I made you feel bad that wasnt my intention at all”-
Velvette cut her off by pressing a finger to Melissa’s lips.
”No need to say sorry…although…if you really want to, there is something you could do.”
”What?”
”Let me do this,” Velvette closed her arms around Melissa and pulled her up against the desk, their lips briefly met in a some peck. And then another, light quick kisses one after another. Velvette eventually moved down to Melissa’s neck, still light quick kisses, although that might have been even more torturous for Melissa.
Near immediately, Velvette heard Melissa giggling.
“Awww…are we ticklish?”
Velvette hands moved to Melissa’s sides, dragging out louder laughter from her.
“No! Stop! Velvette-Please!” Melissa begged through laughter. Velvette paused for a moment, holding a finger up to boop Melissa’s face.
“mmmmmhh…no.” Velvette continued as before, using one arm to hold Melissa as she started squirming. Melissa not being able to lean out, leaned in.
A thought popped into her mind, and before she could even think about it, impulse took control. Melissa leans all the way in and actually kisses Velvette. Not the pecks like before, but not exactly a full make out either.
Velvette stops, for good this time, wrapping her arms around Melissa’s neck and her legs around Melissa’s waist
The kiss broke up into short ones with little breaks in between, if you could consider them breaks, still intimate, just not as drawn out.
Melissa was the first to break it for real.
“Why’d ya stop? You taste really nice by the way.”
“You don’t want to stop?”
“No, I don’t. In fact…” Velvette tilted her head and looked up at her through her lashed, eyes half shut. She broke the look when she didn’t get any reaction other than confusion from Melissa.
”You do know what I’m sayin…right?”
Thats when it clicked.
“Oh-OH. Oh my god.”
“Is that a yes or a no…it’s okay if it’s a no.”
“sure, I’m up for that!”
“I cant bring up a bottle of my love potion-no not like that, I’m not stupid, I know what it’s usually used for…Im talkin like..a cap full each for us, no alcohol. Its actually really nice.”
”…how do you know.”
“You wanna find out babe?” Velvette cupped Melissa’s face with both her hands.
”Yes..”
“Alright, how about you go up to my apartment and sit tight, I’ll be there in 10.”
Melissa felt like fainting again.
”is this real?”
”pretty sure.”
Velvette kisses Melissa’s forehead.
”See you soon, Mel.“