Chapter Text
It wasn’t chance. It wasn’t luck. Those things don’t exist, at least not in a casino. It was deliberate and Husk loved it. He watched as the moth, also known as Valentino, the famous porn producer, realised what just happened before his face began to crumble in front of the table. For the entire evening Valentino had won, mostly because nothing he was betting with interested Husk one bit, until one little thing.
A contract.
A contract on a certain arachnid employee, who Husk had been eyeing for a while. It wasn’t unusual that Valentino brought Angel Dust to the casino, displaying his ownership over his money maker. And the second Valentino had added the contract to the betting table, Husk made sure it was time for the house to win.
The moth overlord held his head in his hands, panicking over his golden porn star changing ownership in front of his very weak eyes, trying to convince Husk that there had been a mistake, but the Casino owner only let a satisfied smug grin show when he told him there had been no such thing.
“Look ol’pal you had a good running, but y’know,” he bared his teeth in a furrowed grin, “at some point the luck runs out.”
“No! You pesky feline! This is a set up!” Val screeched with indignation.
At the same time Husk held out his hand against the arachnid standing perplexed behind the moth. Uncertain of the situation he took a step away from his former employer towards his new owner, but before he could leave, Valentino reached out grabbing Angel’s wrist hard.
“You’re not going anywhere !” he hissed at the pink arachnid.
“ Uh-uh-uuh- - careful or you’ll meet the magician, remember” Husk clicked his tongue and drew out the contract in question. “You betted this little contract, and you lost. Angel Dust is mine. Right now you’re attacking my property, and in my casino,” he chuckled deviously and then turned serious in a split second, “you get shot for touching my property.”
On cue more than ten guns were aimed at the moth overlord. Angry, he tried to twist his way out of the situation, but as that only led to the guns cocking, he gulped and reluctantly released the wrist.
The momentum made Angel stumble to the ground with bruising speed that ensured a hurtful yelp from him.
“Now,” Husk continued, posture assertive and threatening “get out of my casino. Or I’ll have my guys blow holes in those pretty wings of yours.”
That was enough to let the moth wake up. This cat demon wasn’t playing around. His reputation did proceed him after all, and that was enough to know this guy wasn’t at all close to empty threats.
The moth hissed viciously, “I’ll get him back-- mark my words you fucker,”
“Hmph, as if I would gamble something that valuable,” he grinned with a growl, assuring he was ready to let his boys begin fire practice any second. “Now, get out of my casino.”
Val got to his full height towering over Husk and sent a deathly glare at his former goldmine, slowly getting to his feet and a bruise clearly forming around his wrist. Then he finally walked away from the table with his remaining party, but not without complaining the whole way out of the building.
Once gone Husk turned to Angel Dust, still watching Val.
He placed a helpful hand on his back, “follow me,” he said comfortingly, catching Angel’s confused eyes “let’s get you sorted out.”
Husk guided the arachnid through the casino until they reached the elevator, taking them to the top floor where Husk had his penthouse and office. Not a word was uttered between them until he let Angel take a seat in the nice brown leather couch under a nice painting of Hell under the glowing pentagram.
Husk walked over the bar table, fixing himself a drink. Then he asked Angel if he wanted anything. It brought him back to the office, but only asked for something strong, cause this couldn’t be true. Like was this actually happening? Had his ownership changed hands? No it had to be a dream. A drink would most certainly help this bizarre situation.
Once the drinks were done Husk returned to the sitting area. He handed Angel his drink and proceeded to sit down in the chair opposite the spider. “I guess a lot of things are going through ya mind now, ain’t it?”
“Is this-- are ya for real?”
Husk shrugged and took a sip of his drink, “look Val is an idiot. If he didn’t wanna lose his precious possession he shouldn’t have gambled it away.”
“What’s gonna stop you from gambling me away? I heard stories about you as well ya know.” Angel countered. It was true. Husk leaned back in the armchair and crossed his legs. It was true he carried a reputation of gambling. Hell he owned a casino, didn’t he? Of course he gambled. But then he looked up at Angel, confident.
“I gamble, yes. But I’m not gambling what I don’t own.”
“What?” Angel looked even more confused.
Husk snapped his claws and the golden contract appeared, letting Angel jolt and as his face fell into worried folds. In a split second Husk let his claws rip through the contract and the pieces fell to the floor one by one. Destroyed.
“What did you do?”
“I set ya free,” he smirked satisfied, “don’t try and tell me ya actually liked the conditions of that contract.”
“No-- I didn’t, but . . .” he looked at the pieces and for the first time in decades he felt himself smile genuinely. He was free. “Why did ya do that? What’s your catch?”
Husk held up his hands, drink nearly splashing over the edge, “Do I have to have a reason?”
“Yeah ya kinda do. This is hell, there’s always a reason,” Angel continued skeptically.
Then Husk let his mouth widen in a smile, “fair, you’re not stupid. I just don’t like Val. He doesn’t value what he owns. And this casino runs by my rules. You’re not the first that idiotic moth has treated like shit.”
The arachnid leaned back, all four arms crossing over his pink pin-stripe jacket, “Uh-huh-- so now what? I’m grateful ya got rid of that pimp, but what am I supposed to do now? Ya basically made me homeless ripping that contract to shreds.”
With a deep sigh Husk got to his feet, wings relaxing now they were alone. He walked over to the window and gazed out on the city below him as he continued, “I don’t expect anything from ya, kid. Ya welcome to stay here, if you want, but don’t think it’s because I want ya to. There’s a room for ya down a few floors down. Plenty of employees live there. But if you decide you want to stay, you work for me. We can figure out the details once you’ve decided what’ll be.”
Angel let the words sink in for a moment. There was a solemn way the overlord was referring to his employees, that told Angel this demon couldn’t be more different than how Val ran his business. With Val it was always fear. Fear when he would boil over, fear of when he would lash out or pull out his gun and aim it mindlessly at your head, not knowing if he would fire it or not. Husk on the other hand seemed like a safe space. All he wanted was your loyalty and your skills be put to use to help everyone in the casino.
The gambling demon turned around, looking away from the skylight and took another swig. The arachnid har barely touched his drink, the overlord watched it carefully.
Husk changed his voice to his usual business tone, “I bet you have plenty of skills in your holster. If you’re gonna stay at my casino, what can you offer?”
A short snort escaped Angel, “are ya kiddin’? I’m a porn star , baby, what do ya think I can offer?” His thin eyebrows wiggled with a flirt, mentioning his previous job description, “I can do whatever ya want me to do--”
Husk held up a hand, stopping Angel in his tracks, “cut the shit kid, I don’t want you to do performances like that. Save that for ya bedroom,”
“Alright, shortstacks, what do you suggest a good boy like me do in ya fancy casino?” His words dipped in six pounds of sugar. However the tone seemed to annoy the overlord more than what Angel had first thought.
“Let me give it to you straight,”
Angel continued to listen with a horny attitude. But realizing the arachnid could make anything sound like an innuendo Husk gave an annoyed growl.
“I don’t care for that side. When you’re with me you talk as yourself, not this facade you’ve made while Val owned you. That level of horniness isn’t going to work on me.”
“And why’s that kitten?” His words still lathered in sugar.
But Husk eyed him once before taking a drink, “I know you’re bluffing.”
The words hit him like a slap to the face.
Of course. What else could he expect from a class A gambler and casino owner? But, if he couldn’t use his bluffing, his skills to sugar talk anyone into his own advantage, then what could he do?
“Then what do you want from me?” Angel asked. His voice settled, still a bit too sugary for the overlord’s taste, but it was a start. “I don’t gamble, I don’t know how to flip cards or hand them out, what could you possibly use me for?”
Husk finished his drink satisfied, placing it on the wooden desk in front of the sky light. He turned to Angel as he leaned confidently against the desk, “I’m not going to force you, but I have an idea.”
When Angel woke up the day after Husk’s proposal, he woke up to a different luxury he had ever experienced with Valentino. When he’d woken up in the Moth’s penthouse there had been an obligation to fulfill, and sometimes he’d been woken up from Val’s advances against him. Relief overwhelmed him that he never had to experience a wake up like that ever again.
Relief was quickly changed with worry when he remembered Fat Nugget. His little pet pig was still at Val’s penthouse. Fearing what possibly Val could do out of spite, he suddenly imagined Fat Nugget being turned into bacon. He didn’t care about his other possessions, only his pet pig who had been his only friend in the penthouse.
There was a quick knock on the door. He ran over to the door and yanked it open only to discover one of Husk’s demons holding a breakfast tray.
“Uh-- Boss sends you breakfast.” she said, looking at Angel in a frenzy. “Once you’re done he has something to show you in his office.”
Before Angel could do anything the demon handed the breakfast tray and left. He quickly put the tray down inside the room and ran down towards the elevator and pressed the button to Husk’s office floor repeatedly.
When he barged in, Husk nearly dropped his coffee in sheer surprise, wings spread out showcasing the pattern of white dots across the dark feathers. Yellow eyes looked at Angel’s cerise eyes, full of a worry he hadn’t noticed the day before.
“Fat Nugget!” Angel hurried.
Confused at the name drop, Husk put his coffee down, and collected his wings “not a nickname I expected from you, and not so quickly into this partnership.”
Angel shook his head, “no! Fat Nugget, I forgot about him. He’s still at Val’s penthouse and I don’t know what he’ll do to him if I don’t get him. But if I go there he’ll never let me leave—“ the top pair of his hands fidgeted and the bottom pair fidegetted against each other. “Please you gotta help me get him back before Val turns him into his next meal--”
If he wasn’t mistaken there was tears collecting in the arachnid’s eyes. Taking a deep breath, he gestured to the armchair next to the desk for Angel to collect himself. “Calm down kid. Who is Nugget?”
“Fat Nugget. He’s-- he’s my pet-- he’s my only friend in the Vee Tower. Please, I have-- I have to get him back,” his voice hitched between stutters.
“Alright, alright, kid, don’t worry. I’ll have someone go get Fat Nugget today. Anything else you need?” He asked calmly, Angel almost stopped in his hitching tracks.
He didn’t know what he expected, but somehow the solution was so damn simple. He really just had to ask Husk for help and then he got it. It had never been easy to get anything from Valentino, apart from a slap across the face or too much unwanted attention.
Deciding the issue was urgently pressing to Angel, Husk picked up the phone and called around until he found who was looking for. While listening to Husk manage the situation with his employees Angel suddenly realised he had barged into the office with barely any clothes on. Clothes weren’t ever a big issue, but with the entire casino not being bathed in the porn industry’s customs, he suddenly felt even more embarrassed. He didn’t think he would sit nearly naked with his chest floof out at the overlord who clearly didn’t encourage the nudity in his establishment. Awkwardly he folded his arms to cover up to his best abilities.
When Husk finally hung up the phone he returned to Angel impatiently waiting for what to do next. He quickly explained the situation to the upset Angel in front of him in a calm manner.
An ease ran over him that he couldn’t remember when he last experienced.
Then Husk clicked his tongue, almost flustered, “did ya get a chance to eat your breakfast?”
Met with a shaking head Husk then called in a demon who clearly was his assistant. It was someone other than the demon who had brought Angel breakfast, and he suddenly felt somewhat silly and dramatic to leave his breakfast back at his room.
Not long after a new tray of breakfast arrived at the office and for the first time Angel got a better look at what was served. Coffee, juice, toasted bread and what looked like the fluffiest portion of pancakes he could feel his mouth starting to water. Again an amazing upgrade from Val’s treatment. He munched the pancakes in him with delight, dipping small pieces in the coffee before popping it into his mouth.
In the meantime Husk finished some paperwork from the previous evening’s gambles and bets. When the tray was empty Husk cleared his throat, quickly catching Angel’s attention. A smile widened on the overlord, making sure his new employee was feeling better.
“You had something you wanted to show me?” Angel asked curious of what possibly the overlord had up his sleeve this time.
Husk gave a light chuckle. “Take a look at this,” he handed him a catalogue, “pick ten outfits and I’ll have it delivered by tonight for when you start working.”
Shuffling through the pages of the many variations of clothing, Angel was dumbstruck. Looking up at the overlord, was like a pinch when he nodded down to the catalogue’s many offers.
“I marked a few I liked, but don’t feel pressured.”
Deciding to check what Husk had thought would be appropriate for his new gig, he found the most ultimate flatter. There was no chance Husk didn’t know who Angel Dust was. His face had been plastered all over town on Valentino’s request. He had been a front page model for multiple magazines in all sorts of designs, and assuming Husk didn’t know of any of that would imply the feline demon was living under a rock.
The first outfit pickout was a long satin dress, golden with a long slit to the hip. He couldn’t help but feel flattered Husk knew what would look good on him, or at least feel comfortable at. Remembering Husk’s words to him the night before still sat with him. “ I know you’re bluffing.” If he knew when he was bluffing, then that meant Husk knew exactly how confident Angel was in his own body.
After deciding on ten outfits, varying between dresses and suits, Husk gave him a new catalogue, this full of accessories. Angel swallowed hard at the pricing.
“Holy hell, you’re willing to spend that much? I’m going to be a walking treasury in your casino--”
Husk shrugged cockily, “so?”
There was a way around Husk, something that confused him in understanding this overlord. There had to be something lying under the generosity, like this was insane, and unlike Husk being able to tell his bluff, he couldn’t pick Husk apart and read him like a book. He made sure to remember to ask Husk for some hints to learn how to tell a bluff so easily later.
After picking out various amounts of accessories that would bedazzle him even more than Val’s guns, Angel couldn’t help feeling excited for when he would finally wear it all and feel like a million dollars.
When the afternoon arrived there was a knock on Angel’s door. He couldn’t control his heart jumping into his throat, but seeing it was the clothing delivery sent a different calm through him. Trying each outfit one by one, Angel thought it only appropriate the final dress was the golden dress with the long slit. Husk might not be into the horny side of him, but he definitely wanted to see Angel in this dress, it was worth a try to see if he could make Husk look inappropriately at his long legs and accentuated chest, as the dress had a criminally deep cut.
Apart from saving him from Val, would Husk’s wandering eyes be the biggest flattery. Adjusting the finishing touches by the vanity he heard a knock on the door.
“Enter--” Angel sing-songed flirtatiously. In the mirror he could see the door open. A recognizable pink colour was held carefully in Husk’s arms.
“Fat Nugget!” he gasped as he was finally reunited with his dear friend. Peppering the little pig with an infinite amount of kisses Husk couldn’t help but smile at the scene.
“Not a single scratch on your friend.”
“Did you miss me babycakes? Did you miss mommy? Yes you did--” he turned towards Husk with a thankful expression, “thank you kitten.” if he wasn’t mistaken he was sure to see a slight blush the demon tried to force down. Giving a slight chuckle he put the little pet pig on the bed. He then made sure to pose himself as the hottest host the casino was ever gonna see.
“Looking good,”
“So do you,” Angel complimented as he quickly fixed a stray strand of hair on Husk. He was wearing a classy tuxedo jacket and matching pants, cuffs white dominating iridescent pearls and a golden satin bow tie hugged his neck. He looked classy as shit.
The demon gave an accepting chuckle as he opened the jacket finding a box inside an inner pocket. The lining, shining gold just like the dress and bow tie. He opened the box showing matching pearls to his cuffs in a short string.
An inaudible gasp left Angel as he looked down on it. “Are they--?”
“They’re real, oh yes. Will you let me?”
“Holy shit,” Angel managed as he nodded and sat down at the vanity again, giving Husk a better chance to reach the lock around Angel’s neck.
Despite the unwanted attention from Val, the moth had also sometimes showered him with gifts, but never as tentative as Husk was at the very moment, taking his time not letting his claws poke Angel because he wasn’t concentrating.
When he was finally done with the infernal lock, he placed both hands on Angel’s shoulders, letting his lips align with his ears, letting him listen to the slight purr that made a hot feeling coil in Angel’s stomach and if exposed too long could turn his legs into jello.
“You look beautiful,”
“Oh shucks, and you said you didn’t like the unsuitable scene,” Angel dared flirting.
Husk continued the purr from one ear the other, as he nuzzled his nose into Angel’s perfect fluffy white hair, “I said no such thing. I said I didn’t like the facade you put on. It reeks of Valentino’s filth. I know you can be better than that.” An undoubted smile making its appearance.
“ Me--ow-- ” Angel gasped.
“Now, will you accompany me downstairs and open the evening’s ball with me?”
Angel turned seductively, “how can I refuse when a gentleman asks like that?” Despite Angel towering over the overlord, it didn’t stop them from linking arms and heading down to the casino.