"You need to pay me back." Those were some of Valentino's favourite things to say, and after his biggest star Angel Dust ran away and subsequently came crawling back, he got to say those beautiful words again, and now Angel was in his debt.

It was getting a little too easy to manipulate Angel, Valentino would complain often to Vox. But he'd mastered this game decades ago, he knew exactly what to say to make people feel loved, protected, and safe with him. But he also knew how to make people fear him.

Valentino had completely blown up Angel's phone when he left the studio abruptly when he could no longer take Valentino's abuse. He would sent voice message after voice message, which went back-and-forth from love bombing to threats.

Angel ended up crawling back. Valentino made sure his stars became dependant on him, being through they relied on him to supply their addictions, or they were addicted to his presence. His cigars were meant to be that way, give people that slight high, the dopamine when they inhaled the second-hand smoke when they were around him.

It would make people subconsciously crave his presence — and Valentino loved that more than anything. Control, being needed. Valentino had gave Angel a "little welcome home present" in his dressing room when he showed back up to work after a week and a half of radio silence.

That "welcome home present" was a beating. But it got Angel the night off, so Valentino told Angel he should be grateful. The next night, though, Angel was on shift. He would be working like a dog until Valentino became satisfied that Angel wouldn't dare leave him again.

He would yo-yo from abusive to charming, from love-bombing Angel to threatening him. Angel would never catch a break, but he still craved the Valentino he used to know — the fake Valentino that was so charming, and loving, and protective, so convincing that Angel had to sign that stupid dotted line.

Valentino was perched atop a producer chair while Angel was filming. The set was a bed, with a velvet headboard and silky bedsheets, all propped up with expensive lighting and such. Angel quickly forgot a like, he'd barely slept am hour the night before.

"Angel." Valentino said his name sweetly. Too sweetly, that was bad. "Come here, baby. We need to go through your little mistakes, you're not doing this, you'll make us fall behind." Valentino said, smoothly.

Angel approached after slipping a robe on, which he did in-between takes, to spare his dignity. "Do you think anyone watches for the dialogue? Improv it." his tone had switched to patronising. But obviously, Valentino wasn't done, he would never be that sweet unless there was a catch