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What a stupid mistake he's made.
It was always a ridiculous oversight, letting Velvet borrow his laptop charger, but he had been too exhausted to properly think it through.
Ritz’s backup charger was already torn through from his own frustration, and now he's had to track down Velvet’s address just to retrieve it.
She had told him to ‘Drop by whenever’, but that didn't stop Ritz from hesitating outside. He didn't usually leave the studio, let alone come all the way out to the residential area of the entertainment district. In his frustration at the situation and rush to get out the door, he had forgotten any sort of disguise. The hallway of the apartment building was empty, but Ritz’s skin still crawled with the feeling of being watched.
Unable to bear the exposed feeling any longer, Ritz finally swallowed his pride and knocked on the door. There was the sound of a thud from inside, followed by loud shuffling, before the door finally swung open.
“… Hey.” Veneer was the one leaning against the doorframe, slightly out of breath. With smudged makeup and disheveled clothes, he had clearly just woken up, likely hungover judging by the smell and- fucking hell, he's a lot taller than Ritz remembers.
“Is Velvet here?” Ritz tried not to scrunch his nose at the lingering stench of alcohol.
Veneer blinked at him slowly, trying to process the question with his hungover mind. “Uh- I don't think so.”
“What do you mean, you don't think so?”
“She was on her way out when I got home this morning, something about a job interview? I dunno, I passed out as soon as I hit the couch.” Veneer recounted. “Her shoes are still gone, so she's probably not home yet.”
“Right. Can I wait for her? She has something of mine.” Ritz kept his tone even, hiding his annoyance. Veneer was easy to interact with, straightforward and unskeptical. There were no ‘mind games’, as Velvet had called them, with him.
“So cryptic~” Veneer teased, stepping aside to let him in. “Go ahead. I’m gonna get changed and wash my face, so feel free to hang around in the living room for a few minutes.”
Ritz didn't respond verbally, a nod felt like enough. Once Veneer had disappeared into the back hallway, Ritz bothered to get a good look around. The living room was decorated with a millennial interpretation of art deco, though the decorative knick knacks and tiger painting indicated whoever picked out the furniture was really going for maximalism. The kitchenette had obnoxiously pink stick on tiles above every countertop, strangely juxtaposed against the neutral ivory of the counters and cabinets. Either way, it was a home that was lived in, and it felt strange for Ritz to be in a house that didn't look like a showroom at Buykea.
He had barely taken an awkward seat on the fluffy white couch when Veneer emerged from the hallway(one that presumably led to the bedrooms) in comfortable-looking yet distinctly obnoxious loungewear, giving Ritz a better idea of who picked out the decor.
“Sorry it's kind of messy, I haven't picked up since I crashed.” Veneer said, but his dismissive tone indicated the admission was more small talk than a genuine apology.
“It's fine. I don't really have a house, so I don't have a frame of reference.” Ritz answered, realizing too late that he may have said too much. Perhaps Velvet’s lack of meticulous conversation was rubbing off on him- how annoying.
“Really?” Veneer poured a glass of something in the kitchenette behind him. “Aren't you like, rich?- Want something to drink, by the way?”
“No thanks- I suppose I am,” Ritz answered the interjection and carried on, “But it’s my father’s money until he retires, and I really wouldn't want to live with him given the choice.”
“That's rough.” Veneer dropped into the plush pink armchair, glass of water in hand. “Where do you live, then?”
Ritz hesitated, but he knew it was just genuine curiosity, and if he didn't tell Veneer, Velvet would. “The break room.”
“In the studio?” Veneer eyed Ritz’s nod as he gulped down the glass of water, coughing and sputtering after it had been empty. “Fuck-”
“You alright?” Ritz raised an eyebrow, not particularly concerned in any real capacity.
“Yeah, just-” Veneer paused to cough again, “-Drank too fast. I’m still hungover, I think.”
“You're not going to get any help with cold water.” Ritz sighed and stood up. “Adelaide comes into work hungover sometimes, and she taught me this hangover cure she uses. I never thought I’d need it because I don't drink, but I’ll make you one.”
Ritz didn't bother listening for a protest, grabbing some ingredients from the cabinets and fridge and mixing them together.
He held it out to Veneer a few moments later. “Plug your nose when you drink it, it smells like ass.”
Veneer glanced up at him, but didn't say anything and followed his instructions. “… I don't feel any better.”
“That's because you just finished it 20 seconds ago.” Ritz frowned, sitting back down. “Give it a bit.”
Veneer settled back into his seat after a moment, looking over at Ritz. “You're not the most friendly person when you aren't working, huh?”
Ritz bristled for a moment. Veneer was more observant than he thought. “When you get paid to do something, there's no reason to do it when you aren't.”
“I mean, fair enough. I just worry you're being a dick to Vels.” He shrugged. “The way she talks about you, it's like the girl in high school who just got her first boyfriend and hasn't realized he hates her yet, y’know?”
“I was homeschooled.” Ritz answered bluntly.
“… Oh. Well, my point is, it's nice to know you're a dick to everyone and you aren't like, singling her out.”
“Is that a good thing?”
Veneer let out a sigh. “Ritz, listen. I don't like saying this because it makes me sound like a major bitch, but Velvet like, isn't smart. She likes people and she likes making friends, but when her friends suck she won't realize that until someone tells her.” He was wringing his hands in what looked like a nervous habit, tapping his fingers against his other palm rhythmically. “I’m not saying that to be like, mean, but I worry about her, y’know? People have fucked her up before because she didn't realize what happened until it was too late, I just- … I don't want to see her get hurt again.”
Ritz felt an odd pain in his chest. This had been a test of sorts, impromptu as it was. Veneer is just someone who cares enough about Velvet to make sure she's surrounded by good people. The concept felt distant and foreign, but Ritz supposed it made sense that someone like Velvet would have people who love her that much.
“You're good to her.” He blurted out suddenly, only realizing when Veneer looked up at him in surprise. Realizing he's in too deep, Ritz continued. “She’s lucky, I think. Not everybody has someone who cares that much.”
Veneer’s expression turned from appreciative to almost sad, but he smiled at Ritz. “You can come over anytime, y’know. One of us is usually home.”
That wasn't a response Ritz had been expecting. He took a moment, trying to figure out how he was supposed to react, when Veneer laughed a little.
“What are you even here to get, again? I can grab it for you.”
“Uh- My laptop charger. I let Velvet borrow it, but my backup broke.”
Veneer nodded, telling him to wait here, and disappeared back into the hallway. He came back with the charger in hand- “Is this it?”
“Yeah, thanks.” Ritz answered as Veneer handed it to him. “And uh- yeah. I’ll probably come back. At some point.” He could already feel his face burning from the fumbled sentence, but Veneer just smiled.
He was politely walked to the door and they said their goodbyes, Ritz waited until he was in the car to finally breathe.
Someone who cares that much… Velvet really is a different kind of person. Ritz wasn't sure why he craved her attention so badly, but pushing her away felt impossible, like the very idea of doing so was akin to being stabbed through the chest.
An image of her came to mind, when they had been playing games the other day, and Velvet had turned to grin at him with all the sunlight in the world in her smile. Ritz's heart felt like it was in his throat, his face felt like it was on fire. Just the Velvet in his memory smiling at him made his stomach churn.
Ritz realized far too late what had happened to him. The one thing he swore he'd never bother with, the one thing he found a hindrance above all else.
Ritz had fallen in love.