Work Text:
Most sinners sighed when they saw their own demonic reflection stare back at them in Pentagram City’s store windows for the first time. Others wept, despising their new, eternal appearance. Everyone, however, quickly learned about the cruel irony embedded in their hellish forms.
Information about a sinner’s old life and their death was sensitive. Hell, Velvette barely even knew about the two other Vees. She had simply assumed Vox to be a television show host in life. He’d instantly picked the job up again after death, if rumors were to be believed at least. For all she knew the idiot could have gotten himself killed working backstage at some trashy program. Her running theory on Valentino was that he honestly hadn’t changed much over the decades. Roaming shady alleys in life and after death. Only difference being that he’d gained a couple of feet in height and lost the majority of his vision. Admittedly, she’d find it hilarious to see him squint whenever his phone’s brightness wasn’t turned up to its maximum. However, she did feel slightly guilty for yelling at Vox after his blackout-causing outbursts. It wasn’t like either of them could do anything about those quirks in their forms.
All things considered, Velvette thought she didn’t have it all that bad. Sure, her doll-like form was meant to poke fun of her constant chase to perfection in life, but it could have been worse. She didn’t have to charge and didn’t have to speak through a stupid filter, nor did she have huge, bothersome wings and red smoke surrounding her at times. The one thing that did bother her, was her hair. It was beautiful, don’t get her wrong, but it absolutely sucked. She’d taught herself how to do some basic styles, her signature ponytails, buns, simple braids, but she hadn’t quite mastered the art of it all yet. It was fine, her hair would cooperate most days; today, however, wasn’t one of those. On days like these, she’d usually pass by a local stylist, which was another massive challenge. It was incredibly rare to happen across a stylist that actually knew how to handle her curls properly down here and if she did find one, they’d usually be gone after an extermination or two. Speaking of, going out was off-limits anyway, as the extermination ran rampant that day.
Velvette sat in her room for a while, staring at her mirror with a brush practically stuck in her hair. She’d considered just leaving it alone until tomorrow and hanging out on the Vees’ shared couch watching television with Vox while Valentino complained about whatever show they were watching, but she’d promised her followers to show off their ‘totally certified and safe, official Vee bunker’ that was in reality just their penthouse. Until someone knocked at her door.
‘Velvette, dear, we’ve got everything all set up, you coming?’
‘Shoo, Vox, not now, I’ve got shit to figure out.’
For a reason that most souls owned by them called ‘the Vees’ incomprehensible and delicate little ecosystem’, that reply prompted the Television Demon to waltz right in anyway. He stopped in the doorway and looked at Velvette, who seemed like a complete mess on the verge of breaking down at this point, for a few seconds.
‘The fuck are you staring for?’
He could tell the remark wasn’t genuine, her usual vigor was lost completely.
‘Mind if I help you out?’
All she did was nod in defeat. Vox sat down on the edge of her bed while she moved herself to the floor in front of the mirror. He carefully pried the comb out of her hair first before combing his claws through her curls. Maybe his shit excuses for hands did prove useful sometimes.
‘You do know you could’ve just told me you were having a bad hair day and I would have been in here in a minute, right? It’s extermination day, as in, the one day a year I don’t have better shit to do.’
‘Yeah, yeah, I know, whatever. I can do it myself next time.’
‘If you say so dear.’
Even though her curls had been untangled for a while now, Vox kept dragging his claws through them, taking time to appreciate the rare sensation and moment of peace while war raged on outside. Velvette felt no need to comment on it, always tuned in to the other Vee’s emotions and appreciative of the quiet as well.
After another few minutes, Valentino’s footsteps approached Velvette’s room.
‘What the fuck have you two been up to? I have literally been waiting for at least half an hour now even though you kept fucking insisting we watch your stupid shows today.’
‘Val, can’t this wait for a moment? Please?’
Vox just nodded after Velvette’s answer. Valentino, miraculously, seemed to get the hint and walked into the room, closing the door behind him. He sat down on his knees and took a small, untangled section of Velvette’s hair. Vox took that hint in return and let go of her hair, sitting himself down on her other side. As Valentino started braiding the section he had separated, Vox took out his phone, set it down in front of them and turned on his and Velvette’s favorite show without any complaints from the Moth Demon. Velvette sighed in content and smiled gratefully at the both of them. A rare gesture, making it last just a little bit longer in all of their minds.
When Valentino was about halfway done with Velvette’s hair, Vox got up to retrieve the three of them some snacks from the kitchen.
‘Val? When did you even learn how to do this?’
‘I’ve got a whole studio to run, people need to look good and sometimes hairstylists and makeup artists have more important things to do.’
‘Thanks, Val, I appreciate it.’
‘Say, Babydoll, weren’t you supposed to record one of those room tour things for your Voxtagram?’
‘Eh, fuck it, they’ve got all of eternity to wait for it if they don’t die out there today.’
The next time Velvette had a bad hair day, she knocked on Vox’s door herself and like he promised, all three Vees were on the couch together ten minutes later while Vox and Valentino carefully tended to her hair.