Chapter Text
Both of their breathing was a bit labored, their bodies were too close to be considered just friends. Anyone would doubt it! He hated when this happened, but Valentino felt completely cornered, both metaphorically and physically. Zestial had him pressed against a wall, smiling shamelessly, enjoying the moment. But how did he get into this dreadful situation?
The idea was mainly Vox’s, but Velvette improved it. Both of them were completely obsessed with wanting to improve their image for the people, especially the head of TV. The three of them were sitting around a table that served as their meeting place. The two Overlords were talking and polishing what they would do, while Valentino held a notebook on his lap, sketching some rather boring drawings.
—And then we post them everywhere! —the girl exclaimed.
—It's too good to leave this aside, —he smiled contentedly, until he turned to the other side— And you, Tino, what do you think?
—What about?
—About what we’re talking about!
There was a hint of irritation from Vox. Throughout the meeting, he had been trying to get the moth to speak or share an opinion, but had received nothing more than indifference, which remained the same.
—Oh, that... I guess it’s fine, although I can count on one hand the number of people who would accept it. —he smiled mockingly.
—Pfft, that’s not the point. As long as there are two or more, it’ll be perfect. —Velvette replied, then took out her phone— But we should play it safe for the first one. Who should it be?
—What about Carmilla? —The moth mentioned, clearly intending to provoke.
—We’re feeling funny today, huh? Did a clown screw you over? —she responded angrily.
—Or maybe Zestial.
Vox raised an eyebrow when he said this, looking at the other Overlord. He had noticed how these two had grown closer in the past few weeks. He had seen them walking together calmly through the streets, even indulging in coffee shops! And Val had even had the cameras removed from his studio! He had no concrete proof, just speculations, but that was enough to give him the feeling of jealousy gnawing at him. It only increased when he noticed how Tino tensed slightly at hearing that name. He was about to start an interrogation when he was met with an equally sharp response.
—I have a better idea. We could invite Alastor and you can take another solo picture with him. How about that?
—E-eh... —he stumbled over his words, not knowing what to say— N-no, because he wouldn’t come. —he said in a disappointed tone, almost immediately correcting himself— I mean! I’d kick him out of here!
Val was about to add something more about how he would probably beg to come back later, but Velvette beat him to it, perhaps avoiding World War III.
—Yeah, yeah, we all know Vox’s obsession with Alastor... But it’s not a bad idea for the first one to be Zestial.
—Oh sure, now you’re on his side.
—Think about it, Val. He’s one of the most powerful Overlords, and after all this closeness, you could convince him.
He tried to argue against it but couldn’t think of anything. He raised a finger and opened his mouth, but quickly retracted. Now his two companions were looking at him with great expectation. He could obviously refuse outright, pretend to be offended, and leave, but it was too good of an excuse to miss... to talk! Yes, just talk.
—Ugh... Fine, I’ll talk to him. —he surrendered frustrated— And when do you want your stuff?
Then they gave him all the details, the time, and that it would be right there at the V's tower. That same afternoon, the moth contacted Zestial, feeling like his heart was going to leap out of his chest, not even he understood why.
The next day, while riding in his own limousine, he nervously tugged at the fur on his neck, realizing he was actually pulling it out. It was Zestial's idea to meet in person to settle on the date. Why meet up? They could have done it right when he contacted him, but no, now he was going to meet him.
Once he arrived at the coffee shop, he got out of the limo only to realize that his "date" was already standing outside the café. He looked at him, and a wide smile formed on his face. Val didn’t understand why just his presence made him so nervous. No one had ever made him feel like this. But he had no choice but to approach him, trying to fake confidence as best as he could.
—I hope I didn’t keep you waiting too long.
—Not at all. Besides, a little meeting with you would be worth waiting for hours.
With delicate grace, he took one of the moth’s hands, kissing the back of it softly, causing the other to tense noticeably and force a nervous smile. After that, Zestial opened the door for him, and the place was surprisingly empty. Most people seemed to have run off when they realized the Overlord had arrived first. Still, this was the least of their concerns, so they approached a more comfortable table for both and sat down.
—So, what’s the deal with that photo you want to take?
Zestial finally spoke after a little chat filled with laughter before their orders arrived. He gently stirred the tea they brought him while the other just made a slightly irritated grimace.
—Mhm... That. Velvette and Vox got it in their heads to strengthen our image in front of the others. —he took several sugar cubes and put them in his coffee.
—Oh, and why was I the first one called for such an important project? I don’t think I was invited by the youngest of the Vees.
There was a certain ironic tone in his voice, which made Valentino laugh. He stirred his coffee, trying to think of a real answer for that. Why had he been the first? The truth was, he hadn’t really thought about it. He just did what the other two told him to.
—I think it’s because of the contact we have. —he finally answered.
—I see. I’d gladly do it if you asked me for something personal, but this time it’s for all three of you. Given that... What do I get out of this?
Once again, Valentino’s mind went blank. What was he supposed to say? With any other Overlord, he would have lied outright, and if he were a regular sinner, the flirting would have started immediately. But with Zestial, he felt like he couldn’t do either. He didn’t understand why he couldn’t be a jerk with him. Something held him back. Was it some kind of ability from the other? Or just his own conscience? While debating this, he took a sip of his coffee to clear his throat, knowing he needed to act like he thought was best.
—Look, Zestial, I could easily tell you a thousand lies right now about some silly benefits, but I won’t. Honestly, for you, it wouldn’t be a big deal. —he raised a finger to stop the other from speaking— Still, I’d like to ask this as a favor, one that I promise you can cash in whenever you want.
He wanted to think that he had used the right words. He preferred to be honest. How was he not being a complete jerk? Even he was surprised. Still, if the answer was no, he wouldn’t care anymore. He wasn’t a messenger, and he certainly wasn’t going to beg for anything. If it were begging, Vox would be the one for the job. But the response was even more sudden than he expected. One of Zestial’s hands slid to his own to gently caress his knuckles, the fur on his neck standing on end from that touch.
—I really appreciate your trust in me. —he looked up to meet the moth’s gaze— I know I could outright refuse, but I could never turn down a favor, much less from a ‘friend.’
One of Zestial’s fingers slowly moved up his hand, reaching Valentino’s wrist. He felt foolish for getting nervous over such childish touches, but it wasn’t just those subtle caresses. He felt something deeper and much bigger. He was about to let himself go with the moment when, upon shifting his gaze slightly, he noticed one of Vox’s cameras in the corner of the café. If the damn voyeur saw this and returned to the tower, he would make a scene that could easily end with him ripping his head off. But he wasn’t in the mood for that, so he quickly pulled his hand away.
—So it’s a deal, right?
—Of course. —Zestial replied calmly, taking a sip of his tea, though deep down, he was quite disappointed.
—When are you free? So we can prepare everything. And I hope it’s relatively soon; the other two get very anxious.
—Mm... Is three days fine?
—Totally perfect. —he said with a smile.
In the end, Valentino spent the rest of the afternoon with Zestial. They even treated themselves to a walk to chat about other trivial things. Val had the chance to complain about some of his workers, feeling good that the other didn’t treat him like a little kid or just say "it’s not a big deal." He even gave him some advice on how to assert more psychological authority.
After his walk, Val returned to where his limousine was parked, standing outside it. He had found the time spent with the spider far too short, so before getting in, he turned to see him.
—Uh... I guess this is where we say goodbye, right?
—Unfortunately, yes. It was a pleasure to spend a lovely afternoon with you.
They were going to shake hands as a cordial goodbye, but this time it was different. Zestial took his hand with a bit more force, pulling him closer to give him a small kiss on the cheek. After doing this, he immediately let go and started to walk away, leaving Val completely disconnected from reality.
—I'll see you in three days, Valentino —he sang cheerfully—
—A-ah... Yes, see you.
Still with a blank mind, he got into the limousine, which took off right away. He gently touched the cheek where he had received the kiss and almost rolled around in the seat, squealing with excitement. However, he stopped when he thought that perhaps Vox had seen them. He wished with all his demonic soul that this hadn’t happened. When he took out his phone, he saw not hundreds but thousands of calls from both Vox and Velvette, with plenty of messages from Angel and others from Travis. Apparently, they were supposed to be recording in the afternoon, but he had never shown up to oversee everything.
—Weones inútiles —he spoke to himself— Deberían poder hacer algo mínimo por si solos, ni que fuera su madre
He erased all the notifications and threw his phone aside, replaying the scene from a few minutes ago in his mind. He wasn’t going to let some fools ruin his childhood fantasy.
The three days they had agreed upon passed strangely quickly for everyone, though it was even stranger for Val’s employees to see him so calm—not pretending—, more fearsome to them than when he got angry. Even for the photo day, he let them out much earlier. That day, Valentino felt both excited and nervous, something Vox could tell the moment he saw him at the place where the photos would be taken. They clearly wanted to present their best image, so Vox's assistants were running from one side to the other.
—I hope your little friend actually comes —he commented while approaching the moth—
—Why so much distrust? Of course he will come —Val replied as he took a drag from his cigarette—
—Mhm, I guess you convinced him well, didn’t you?
Val raised an eyebrow at this comment, not understanding where Vox was trying to go, but he could feel there was much more behind that simple question, almost accusatory. So, annoyed, he flicked the ashes of his cigarette onto the TV.
—Hey! What the hell is wrong with you? —he immediately took off his hat to shake it—
—Nothing, it's just that you're asking a lot of questions. They wanted him, and I brought him—why prolong it more?
There was a short tense silence between them until the head of TV spoke, unable to avoid sounding extremely jealous and clearly angry for not having been able to maintain control in that moment when they had said goodbye. For some reason, both in the café and before the limousine, his cameras had completely gone dark, only coming back after “some thing.”
—What did you do before you got into the limousine?
Another silence.
—We said goodbye? —he replied as if it were the most obvious thing in the world—
—I wouldn't be so sure about that, Tino. Why are you acting so strangely afterward? You arrived here like a lovesick girl.
—Watch your words, Vox —a tone of threat was clearly palpable—
—I am. I'm just saying it would be appropriate for you to tell us about that spontaneous relationship of yours.
Both Overlords glared at each other, Val was furious over the interrogation while Vox was too jealous to admit it. He didn’t really care about who his companion was sleeping with, but for some reason this time felt different. It wasn’t just any sinner; no, it was Zestial, someone close to Alastor. Maybe they were all doing this to sabotage him... to sabotage them in the long run. Although if he said this, the moth could use his sick obsession with the radio demon against him, especially since he didn’t talk much about him after their meetings. Still, they spent nearly entire afternoons walking and laughing like idiots.
His gaze was fixed on the other’s eyes; he hated that Vox was one of the few he couldn’t easily intimidate. Rage was taking over him. He wanted to smash his head in but couldn’t give himself that luxury, at least not today. So he sighed to calm himself, forming a false smile on his face. He leaned in to be face to face with Vox, who tensed a little at this.
—Escucha, cariño, I'm doing everything just as you said. I even convinced “Mr. Blue Fire,” so for this great cooperation, I really ask you to stop getting into my business, okay?
Slowly, he placed one of his hands on the edge of his screen, pressing it slightly, while with the other he wrapped it around his neck, creating a bit of pressure there. The Overlord didn’t do anything to try to pull away; he knew it could be worse... although in a way he wanted to push him to that. How long had it been since Valentino had shared a bed with him? All the blame went to Zestial; that bastard practically took him away and made them have less time together. So that approach, however rough and almost violent it was, made his circuits go haywire, letting out light gasps as the pain started forming on his screen.
— I can be very patient with you, Voxy, but you know what happens when I get really angry, so I hope you don’t keep up with your nonsense if you don’t want me to beat you up and everyone else here while I'm at it. Got it?
—G- got it.
—Buen chico~
Just as it seemed like he was going to kiss him, he only took a drag from his cigarette and blew the red smoke in his face before walking off with Velvette. Vox turned to look at him. How was it possible that he could dominate him like that? He was always the one in control, his cameras gave him control, but Val... Oh, Val could bend him so easily with just the right words and touches. He just wanted to think that it was all part of his partner’s plan to leave him in a state of desperation, and then—Boom!—give him all that affection just like before. He actually loved that idea.
— I don’t like this idea.
The woman responded seriously while looking at her companion with her arms crossed. She had a stern look as if she wanted to scold him like a child, except she couldn’t do it.
— I knew you wouldn’t like it, but it’s already done. This afternoon, I’m going to the Vees’ tower.
— It’s just that... Ugh, them?
— Do you still hold a grudge against the youngest of them? —She asked, smiling.
— It’s not just with her. The three of them are not trustworthy people, and still, you insisted on forming a relationship with one of them.
Carmilla was aware of almost everything related to that friendship that had started with the moth demon. She couldn’t say much since they were two adults, but she definitely showed her disapproval. She didn’t know which one of those three was the worst. At first, she thought Zestial was just testing the waters for something much bigger, but apparently, there was no "something bigger." He had actually formed a bond with one of the V’s.
— What I wonder is... How did you agree so easily?
— Oh, that. Well, Valentino asked me as a favor, one that I can cash in on, like a trade.
— A favor? —Carmilla raised an eyebrow as she heard him— And what are you going to ask for? I find it very unlikely that he can give you something you need—
— A kiss.
The Overlord responded almost immediately, making the woman stop dead in her tracks. A deathly silence filled the room. Carmilla’s expression went from serious to one of almost horror, though she quickly forced a smile.
— You’re joking, right?
— No, I’m not.
— But he... and you... they! What are you thinking!?
She tried to stand up, slightly agitated, but quickly sat back down, putting a hand to her forehead, trying to process it. Zestial waited patiently until she could organize her thoughts.
— First of all, Valentino is part of the V’s, which is already a bad sign. Second, don’t you remember his relationship with Vox? And third, you’re close to Alastor. Don’t you think this might also be some kind of strategy?
Zestial simply remained silent, listening to the thousand and one reasons why what he wanted to do was a sign of madness.
At first, he felt the same way, but for some reason, seeing Valentino’s posters, meeting him in meetings, or just seeing him in public slowly began to melt his brain. He couldn’t go a single day without thinking about him. He never knew how it started, nor when it would stop. He only knew that he had accepted it and wanted to know how far he could go thanks to this crazy thing... Love? Once Carmilla finished speaking, he let out a soft laugh, not mocking.
— I completely understand what you’re saying, my friend. But I don’t think anything you say will change my mind. It’s complicated to explain, very complicated. But what can I do with these feelings? After so many centuries in this place, loneliness starts to take its toll, and with it... that loneliness doesn’t feel so bad.
The woman fell silent, listening to his words. She actually felt pity for her companion. She never would have imagined that her friend was in that situation. She sighed heavily, seeing that she wouldn’t achieve anything with another sermon.
— If you’re that sure, then there’s nothing I can do. I can only wish you luck and tell you to be careful, alright?
— I will, thanks.
They both held hands, wearing warm smiles on their faces.