Chapter Text
Everything went well.
The show went well.
Everything was fine.
Everything was ok.
Valk and Dom, after finishing up a performance, walked off stage and into their dressing rooms. Before walking in Valk stood Infront of the tall door with his 'name' on it. Seeing that name rather than his own upset him but he brushed aside his feelings and walked in. His dressing room was bright and messy, lights strung up all across the ceiling and costumes from past phestivals decorated the floor. In the center of the room was a white vanity with various items including Valks phone. He sat Infront of the vanity laying his arms across its table and staring right into the mirror nothing but his exhausted reflection stared back..
He didn't even recognize himself anymore.
"do I really wanna keep doing this?" he whispered as he looked down at his hands.
Silence, complete silence.
Then his phone began to ring.
He declined the call.
Again, it rang.
He declined once more.
It rang,
He answered and put the phone up to his ear.
Screaming.
He heard nothing but unintelligible screaming. He couldn't understand a damn thing they we're saying.
Valk froze, he wanted to move the phone away from his ear and hang up but he couldn't, his body wouldn't let him, it was like he was stuck. The room suddenly became completely dark, he dropped his phone onto the pitch black floor but the screaming was still heard as if the phone was still right next to his ear. Valk felt helpless, trapped. It hurt, his ears hurt, his head hurt, his body hurt. Why wouldn't it stop?
Valks eyes shot open as he quickly sat up in his bed. He was breathing heavily and tears began to form in his eyes. He looked around his messy room and looked back down at his trembling hands.
"you're safe.." He whispered "It was just another nightmare" He said in an attempt to comfort himself.
"you're safe.." he repeated burying his head into his hands as tears began to fall from his eyes.
He knew he was safe but his mind just wouldn't let him believe that. He was still shaking, still scared, like a child..
A stupid, scared, child.
Valk never understood his popularity. Every time someone asked for his autograph, screamed his name, or even did something as little as greeting him. In the back of his head he would always be asking 'why'
'Im a big fan, Valk !'
Awesome but, why?
Why were people his fans? Was it his singing? More than likely but, his singing was mediocre at best. At least in his eyes...
"Valk."
It just didn't make sense to him. It didn't click.
"Valk?"
Why?! Why him?! What was so appeasing about-
"VALK!"
Valks head shot up. He was at the table.. Sitting across from Dom.. Right.
"You zoned out again" His brother said taking a bite of his food.
Well no shit..
"Uh.. yeah- my bad." Valk said looking down at his barely eaten breakfast.
"Since we're off today I though it'd be a good idea to hang out with gramps." Dom said as Valk lightly shoved his food around on is plate with his fork.
"That sounds fun, I guess" Valk replied.
Valk hated having to leave the house. Even though he did it so often it was never his choice. If it were up to him he'd rot in bed all day but he, unfortunately, had a job that required him to be all over the place shows, recording booths, T.V. networks, he also had a brother who cared way more than he should've.
"I suggest you go get ready after you finish" Dom said as he stood up from his chair taking his empty plate with him to the sink.
"What-? We're leaving already?? It's so early though" Valk said looking at the clock that read '8:56'
8:56... Valk would still be asleep if it weren't for Dom waking him up so early all the time. It was their day off they shouldn't be awake so early.
"Gramps said he didn't mind it" Dom said as he washed his dish "Plus crossroads isn't as busy this early."
"oh, awesome.." Valk said taking his plate and clearing it out into the trash, he then took his plate and put it into the sink.
He then walked up the stairs and into his cluttered room. Clothes and papers on the floor, water bottles and empty cups on his desk and nightstand. Dom would constantly tell him to clean his room. It made Valk feel like a child. He hated feeling like a child. Valk walked across his messy room over to his equally messy closet, he pulled out a light yellow sweater, gray jeans, and ankle length heeled boots. He dress himself and began to walk out of his room, but as he was walking out he caught a glimpse of himself in the mirror. His hair was a mess, his horns we're dull, and he had very noticeable eyebags. The fact that he's been loosing sleep was obvious, painfully obvious but, luckily for him nobody's said anything so it's not really an issue he has to deal with.. yet.
Valk sighed and continued walking he walked down the stairs and at the bottom waited Dom. Dom had on a purple and white varsity jacket with a white shirt, black jeans, and purple converse. Dom and Valk dressed so drastically different they we're two different people who we're somehow related, that's probably common with siblings.
"You ready?" Dom asked putting his hands in his jackets pockets.
"Yea, are you driving or me?" Valk asked as he scratched the top of his hand. It was something he often did while anxious. Dom took notice of this.
"I'll drive." Dom said grabbing the car keys off of the small nightstand by the front door.
Dom opened the front door and walked out, Valk followed. Valk walked over to the car and sat in the passenger seat of the car whilst Dom locked the front door. Valk put his seat belt on and Dom sat in the drivers seat and did the same. Dom started the car causing Valk to flinch at the loudness of the engine and off they went. Valk hated driving and just being in the car in general. It stressed him out and made him feel a bit dizzy or sometimes nauseous. A lot of things made him feel like this driving, performing, speaking, being in public, being alone.. The list goes on. There was probably some sort of medication he could go on to make him less anxious but he'd rather die than see a therapist or doctor.
His mother was the same way. Always anxious, always overthinking things, always avoiding responsibility, always avoiding her two children who she claimed to love so much. Valk hated how similar he was to her. It made him want to rip his skin off and eat it. 'I'll get better so I won't been like her !!' Lying through his damn teeth, another thing his mother often did. He was just like her, the spinning image of the women he hated so intently, the women who ruined his mental state, took away him and his brothers childhood. He would never admit how similar he was to her
There was a lot of things he wouldn't admit.
Valk and Dom soon enough arrived in crossroads, and Dom was right... It was a lot less busy than usual. This made valk feel much better about being there so early, he felt relief wash over him. The two walked around for a bit, looked at some shops, Dom occasionally checked his phone so they could find out where their grandfather was. Eventually they found him out in front of one of the MANY coffee shops. They greeted each other and even hugged since Firebrand had worn his gloves this time around. The 3 hung out, checked out stores, and grabbed some food. Valk was relatively quiet the whole time. As the day went on they were continuously stopped by other demons who recognized them this obviously annoyed Valk so Dom decided to call it a day. The two said their goodbyes to Firebrand and they were going to head out but Firebrand quickly stopped them
"I almost forgot to tell you two something about this years get together !" Firebrand exclaimed.
The get together was a yearly thing their family did. They hung out, argued, ate, argued more. Family stuff, usually not everyone attended. whether they were busy or just didn't feel like attending so they made up some excuse to not attend. Valk and Dom's mother never attended these get togethers, so it was incredibly surprising when Firebrand had told the two that she was. This infuriated Valk. Not only was he already being forced to deal with his hell of a family but he now had to deal with his hell of a mother but, despite Valks anger he smiled and nodded and he was silent the whole drive home.
'Maybe i'll just come up with and excuse or better yet kill myself !' Valk thought as he dug his claws into his arms. The two arrived home and walked into the house and just as Valk was going to go upstairs into his room to be pissy and upset about their mother Dom spoke.
"I know you don't want to see her" Dom said "Believe me, I'm pissed too." He said as he put the keys back onto the small nightstand.
"No, Dom ! You've got it all wrong ! I'm just ecstatic to see the women who abandoned us for 9 years !" Valk exclaimed as he turned around to face his brother. Despite being absolutely pissed off he smiled like some kind of mad man.
"Valk-" Dom began to speak but was cut off .
"What?! You gonna tell me I'm overreacting?! That we should just forgive her?! Just like that??" Valk shouted as he crossed his arms.
"Valk, its been 9 years... maybe she's changed.. maybe she wants to be in out lives again" Dom said with a sad expression.
"Bullshit, Dom !" Valk rolled his eyes "Even if she did want to be our lives again the fuck is she gonna do?! Coddle us?! We're grown men we don't need her!" Valk shouted, he was obviously infuriated all of this anger had seemingly built up overtime and now he was letting all his anger out on Dom.
"You say that but you still act like a fucking child !" Dom shouted back.
"You-" Valk attempted to snap back.
"Microphone ! Cut the shit because I don't want to hear it." Dom yelled
Microphone.. Valk hadn't been called that in forever.. The name rang in his ears like an echo..
"Listen to me, Microphone and you better listen good. We're going to that stupid ass gathering, we're going to greet our mother and we aren't going to have any issues." Dom said "Do you understand me?" He said sternly
Valk was quite for a few seconds.
"Yeah, whatever, man" Valk said turning his back to his brother and walking up the stairs into his room slamming the door behind him.
Like hell i'm gonna greet that bitch.
Like hell she's changed.
Dom's delusional.