*ANGST*

=Valerie's point of view=

"So...what you're telling me is that you're a sex worker too? At this age? Isn't that illegal?" I asked, staring over my sunglasses at Stitches who was wearing a crop top, booty shorts, and hooker boots that Angie would kill for.

"As far as the government cares, I don't exist." Stitches smirked. "There are really no records of me ever having been born except that the Radio Demon had birthed five total spawn, all of which don't have birth certificates. Plus...my libido is really high and fucking broken, so...I will do just about anything to satisfy it at least a little bit. So...why not satisfy my body a little bit and earn some cash?"

"That's risky business there, kiddo, but I like your style." I chuckled. "Have you gotten any STDs?"

"Luckily not. I now how to pick men based on appearance and the way I pick has something to do with a Sherlock Holmes style deduction of character and lifestyle." Stitches popped his lips.

"Okay...deduce Vox over there. You don't actually know him that well based on your uncle-nephew relationship, right? Well. What's he like?" I asked.

"Insecure as fuck. He's divorced you probably...twice now. He ignores his feelings, a lot like Dad, very depressed. Hanging onto existence by a thread, maybe wants to get exterminated. No STDs, luckily for you, because he doesn't smell like any type of medicine other than anti-depressants. He loves you a lot, but he has to argue to get certain points across and it sometimes leads to breakups. He's been smoking again, but he always makes sure that he doesn't smell like smoke when he's around you because he doesn't want you to worry. Screen cracked...possibly pissed off Dad again with his "VIDEO KILLED THE RADIO STAR" bullshit again. Or he and Dad made eye-contact at the grocery store and just had to duke it out. Safe to have sex with, but very VERY cold to the touch." Stitches rattled off before sighing. "And he just got a new speaker installed to replace the old one. By the way...his voice sounds like that autotune filter on TikTok."

I stared at him for a few moments as Stitches picked dirt from under his acrylic nails before looking over at Vox, who was slightly slumped as he scrolled through his phone looking so tired.

"Darling, come here." I called out to Vox as Stitches left to use the bathroom. Vox marched right up to me, acting like he was perfectly happy. I pulled him into my lap and gently held the sides of his screen.

"What is it, Val?" He asked as I hugged him tightly.

"You know what it is, don't sass me, Vox. I'm worried about you. You don't need to hide how you feel, even if to do it you need to make those obnoxious emoticons." I told him. He hugged back making a soft sobbing noise of pure helplessness. I rubbed his back reassuringly.

Stitches came back and took the cue to leave when he saw what kind of mess that Vox was.

"It's okay, darling, everything will be okay eventually." I whispered gently.

"How can you be so sure?" Vox asked, taking on a more humanoid form so I could pet his hair.

"Because we've always come out of bad things together, even if we had to split up for a long time to help us get through it." I replied.