The Offer
Warnings: Heavy cursing, 18+ tv show
ARTWORK BY: @khankave GO FOLLOW!!
ARTWORK BY: @khankave GO FOLLOW!!
You sigh, packing up your belongings on your desk, ready to head home. You thought working at Vee Tower would be more glamorous, maybe even give you a little extra weight in the world. Unfortunately, you were wrong.
You came here to be a writer, a journalist for their newsletter. Getting hired was no easy feat, either. You had to interview with multiple people, eventually leading up to Vox himself. Nothing here could go unapproved by him, after all.
What you didn't realize was how often your work would go unappreciated, not even being read, just tossed to the side. They had their own select writers who filled the newspaper. But you kept trying, because eventually, someone might read it and see your potential, right?
...right?
"(Y/N)!" The shrill voice of Katie Killjoy cuts through your inner thoughts. "Vox wants you in his office, NOW." She turns, sauntering off without giving you a chance to reply.
You feel your heart sink. The only time you'd met Vox was at that one interview. He was cold, but somehow charming at the same time. You knew his game, and you were determined to beat it, and make something out of yourself in this afterlife.
But now, being called into his office so suddenly? Surely, you're getting fired, right? What else could he possibly want from you?
You swallow the lump in your throat, grabbing your back and slowly stepping towards the elevator. The noise of your heels clacking on the tile fills the now-empty workspace.
The ride up feels like a lifetime. You watch the city fly by in a blur through the glass on the other side. You swallow again, knowing there's a camera watching your every move, every step you take inside this building.
The elevator dings. The doors open. You immediately see Vox sitting at his desk on the other end of the room. His chair is spun, facing the city below. "(Y/N)! Come in, dear." He says in his usual, charming demeanor.
You approach. "Take a seat." You obey, sitting in the chair opposite his desk.
You fiddle with your hands in your lap nervously. "Well, I'll just cut to the chase, (Y/N)." He spins around, that same charming smile on his face, and a stack of papers in his hands. He tosses it on the desk for you to see.
When you lean over to read the title, your heart drops. It's a.. brutally honest review of how Vee Tower runs. Not hateful or anything. Just.. the truth. It was a draft you had written when you were angry with your superiors one night. You never meant for it to be read by anyone - in fact, you find yourself wondering how the hell he even got his hands on it, considering you tossed it in the employee bathroom downstairs.
"Sir, I didn't- I never meant-" You begin stuttering, attempting to explain yourself, to save your job.
Vox cuts you off with a boisterous laugh. "My dear! What are you so worried for? I have to say, this is one of the most compelling pieces of work I've read in quite some time."
You blink slowly. "..really?"
"Absolutely! It's honest, it's refreshing, and more importantly, it's not a quick cash grab, not some magazine filler with a trashy title." He leans forward, grabbing the papers. "Maybe it's not something I want published necessarily, bit too.. honest for my taste." He gives you one of those flashy smiles. "But, the writing is better than all of my department combined! And I think you could make me, some serious money."
You sit up straight. Is he going to.. offer you a promotion??
"However.. as I'm sure you're well aware, things are not going as smoothly as we'd like right now. Ratings are dropping, and that stupid fucking Inferno+ is taking all our views!" He slams his first down, his screen glitching momentarily.
You've heard of Inferno+. They're one of the newest streaming companies in Hell, and they sure are popular.
Vox chuckles, his screen going back to normal. He stands, turning towards the window again.
"The point is, I need something to put us back into the spotlight. Something big, something that catches people's attention."
He turns to look at you, smiling wider than you'd ever seen. "And that's where you come in, my dear."
"..m-me?!" Your head swirls, filling with possible article ideas to get the ratings flowing again. You never thought Vox of all people would finally recognzie your writing!
"I can get started on something right away sir! I already have so many ideas to run by you, and I-"
Vox cuts you off with another laugh. "Oh no, dear, I think you misunderstand. While your writing is fantastic, that's not what I need from you at the moment."
You blink, feeling the lump appear in your throat again. "Then.. what?"
"You're going to be my girlfriend."
"Your.. your what?!" You stand in shock, your knees bumping the desk, earning a hiss of pain from you and knocking a mug over in the process. You quickly pick it up. "I- I am so sorry, but I don't think-"
"Hold on now, (Y/N). This isn't an actual offer, it's a paid position. Just think of it! The headlines! 'Vox's new beau,' 'Who's the girl Vox is dating?' This is what the network needs to put us back into the loop, to get people talking about us again.
It's not permanent, of course. Just a temporary arrangement. But I will boost your pay while this is ongoing, and you'll be promoted to senior writer after. How's that sound, eh?"
To be honest, it sounds like a dream come true. Just smile and look pretty on Vox's arm for a few photos or interviews, and then you get a pay raise, AND your writing will actually be in the papers?
But, there was still one thing bothering you.
"Why... why me?"
Vox takes a breath, sitting back in his chair with a smile, gesturing for you to do the same.
He picks up your discarded draft once more, skimming through it with a smile.
"You know, I don't typically use the bathrooms downstairs. But, well, when you've had one too many drinks, any bathroom looks appealing." He chuckles.
"I happened to pick the bathroom you threw this paper in. I was bored, I'll admit, and that's the only thing that drove me to grab it and read it on the can.
At first, I was irritated, even a little angry. But the more I read, I couldn't help but.. laugh. Like I said, it's refreshing, it's honest, and, do you want to know the most important thing I pulled from that article?"
You nod.
"You're not obsessed with me, or the Vees, or being famous. I could tell just from reading. You see all of us as ordinary sinners. And that's what I need - someone to play the part without getting too attached."
"That... actually makes sense." You agree, finding yourself surprisingly convinced.
He grins at you. "So, my dear. What do you say?"
He pulls a contract out, placing it on the desk in front of you with a pen.
You look up at him, into his glowing, red eyes, and somehow you feel that lump forming in your throat again.
It sounds like a perfect offer, you shouldn't even be taking the time to think it over.
But somehow, you get this strange feeling, like you're making a deal you'll regret later.
But.. what happens if you refuse? You could lose your job.
And so, with one last glance at Vox, you pick up the pen.
And you sign.
--
Part 2 coming soon!
I hope you enjoyed! ❤️
