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The grand penthouse was quiet, bathed in the soft, ambient glow of neon lights from the city below. The silence was broken only by the occasional hum of electronics and the muffled ticking of an ornate clock on the wall. Somewhere in the darkness, Angel Dust stirred.
His eyes fluttered open, heavy with sleep but tinged with confusion. He rubbed at them with his fists, the soft, childish pacifier in his mouth bobbing gently as he sat up in bed. His plush bunny, worn from years of comfort, was clutched tightly in one of his arms.
Angel looked around the room, the shadows of furniture unfamiliar and eerie in his regressed state. Something was wrong—where was Val?
“Daddy?” Angel called out, his voice soft and high-pitched.
The room offered no answer. Panic bubbled in his chest, and he slipped out of the massive bed, the hem of his oversized pajama shirt brushing against the floor as he shuffled toward the door. His little feet padded softly on the cold tiles as he clung to his bunny, searching for any sign of his caregiver.
The halls stretched endlessly in his mind, the grandeur of Valentino’s penthouse feeling far too large and lonely. Angel peeked into the living room, the kitchen, even the bathroom, but there was no sign of Val.
Tears pricked at his eyes as his anxiety grew. He didn’t like being alone when he was little. “Daddy?” he whimpered again, his voice trembling.
Finally, he stumbled upon a room at the end of the hallway. The door was slightly ajar, and a soft, mechanical hum emanated from within. Angel pushed it open, revealing the sleek, glowing space of Vox’s office.
The room was awash in electric blue light from various screens, and Vox himself was seated at his desk, typing away with a focused expression. His sharp features were illuminated by the glow, his visor flickering slightly as he worked.
Angel hesitated in the doorway, his bunny hugged tightly to his chest. “Vox?” he mumbled around his pacifier, his voice barely above a whisper.
Vox turned, startled by the interruption. “Angel? What are you doing up?” His voice was laced with irritation, but his brows furrowed when he noticed the regressed state Angel was in.
Angel shuffled closer, his tiny frame dwarfed by the large room. “I can’t find Daddy,” he said softly, tears welling up in his big, glassy eyes.
Vox stiffened, clearly uncomfortable. He wasn’t exactly the nurturing type, and he had never dealt with Angel like this before. “Uh… Valentino’s not here right now. He’s handling business downstairs.”
Angel’s lip quivered, and he clung tighter to his bunny. “When’s he comin’ back?”
Vox sighed, rubbing the back of his neck. “Soon, kid. He’ll be back soon.”
Angel didn’t look convinced. His small frame trembled, and a tear slid down his cheek. “I don’t wanna be alone,” he whispered.
Vox froze. He wasn’t used to handling emotions—least of all from a regressed Angel Dust. He let out a resigned sigh, standing up from his chair. “Alright, alright. Come here,” he said awkwardly, motioning for Angel to come closer.
Angel sniffled but obeyed, waddling over to Vox and reaching up with his free hand. Vox hesitated before picking him up, holding him at arm’s length as if he were a fragile piece of tech he didn’t know how to fix.
“Okay, uh… what do I do now?” Vox muttered to himself, glancing at Angel, who was snuggling against his chest with a contented hum.
Angel looked up at him with sleepy eyes. “Can you hold me, Vox? ‘M sleepy…”
Vox sighed again, his visor flickering in frustration. “Yeah, I got you, kid. Just… don’t drool on me, alright?”
He carried Angel over to a nearby couch and sat down, holding the regressed demon awkwardly in his lap. Angel shifted, settling against Vox’s chest with his bunny in tow. His pacifier bobbed softly as he started to relax.
“Daddy always rubs my back when I’m sleepy,” Angel mumbled, his voice muffled by the pacifier.
Vox’s eye twitched. “Your Daddy does a lot of things I don’t,” he muttered under his breath. But when Angel looked up at him with those wide, pleading eyes, he sighed and began to rub small circles on Angel’s back.
“Like this?” Vox asked gruffly.
Angel nodded, a small smile tugging at his lips. “Yeah… jus’ like that…”
As the minutes passed, Angel’s breathing began to slow, his tiny body growing heavier as he drifted off. Vox stared down at him, feeling more than a little out of his element.
“Val, you owe me for this,” he muttered, glancing at the clock.
– – – – – – – – – –
Hours passed, and the quiet of the penthouse remained undisturbed. Angel stirred occasionally, clinging to Vox like a child would a security blanket. Vox, despite his initial discomfort, had settled into the role, his hand continuing to rub soothing circles on Angel’s back.
When the door to the office finally creaked open, Vox looked up to see Valentino standing there, his expression one of mild surprise and amusement.
“Well, well,” Val drawled, stepping into the room. “Ain’t this a sight?”
Vox glared at him. “Don’t start with me, Valentino. Your little spider came looking for you, and I had to pick up the slack.”
Val chuckled, walking over to the couch. He leaned down, brushing a hand over Angel’s hair. “Thanks for lookin’ after him, Vox. I appreciate it.”
Vox huffed, carefully transferring Angel into Val’s arms. “Yeah, yeah. Just don’t make this a habit.”
Val smirked, cradling Angel close. “Don’t worry, I know you’re not cut out for this kinda thing.”
Angel stirred, his eyes fluttering open as he felt the familiar warmth of Val’s embrace. “Daddy?” he murmured, his voice groggy.
“Yeah, sugar, I’m here,” Val said softly, pressing a kiss to Angel’s forehead. “Sorry I wasn’t there when you woke up. Had some business to handle.”
Angel nuzzled into Val’s chest, his bunny still clutched tightly in his hands. “Vox was nice,” he mumbled, his eyes already drifting shut again.
Val glanced at Vox with a raised brow. “Nice, huh? That’s a first.”
“Don’t push it,” Vox muttered, turning back to his desk.
Val chuckled, carrying Angel out of the office and back to their bedroom. As he tucked Angel into bed, he couldn’t help but feel a twinge of gratitude toward Vox. For all his rough edges, the guy had come through when it mattered.
“Sleep tight, baby,” Val whispered, settling in beside Angel and wrapping an arm around him. “Daddy’s here now.”
And with that, the penthouse fell silent once more, the city lights casting a soft glow over the peaceful scene.