Work Text:
Husk groans as Angel’s phone goes off for the seventh time in the past minute, pissing him off more and more as each small vibration rattles through the wood of his bar, and Husk has to keep telling himself that he won’t look at it. For one, he does not want to see the nudes Angel is most certainly receiving at this moment, but it also isn’t his business, and he is a huge proponent of minding his own business.
And there’s a beat. Two.
Buzzzz.
Oh, fuck it, he thinks to himself as he snatches the phone off of the counter, turning the screen toward himself and reading the text messages that continually pop up from Valentino:
Angel-cakes, I have the best idea for a shoot. Give me a call back as soon as possible! <3
Are you ignoring me? Babe?
What the fuck is wrong with you, ungrateful fucking whore
Amorcito, please, don’t do this, I’m worried about you.
Fuck you, Angel Dust, I’m going to make sure next time that you work its with no breaks and you’re getting fucked until you’re fucking bleeding from every slutty little hole of yours, do you understand?!??!
I’m sorry mi amor, I just miss you terribly
And your body ;) please text me back and we won’t have any issues I swear, I love you baby! <33
“Don’t ya know that curiosity killed the cat?” A voice from the bar deadpans, startling the man and breaking him out of his stupor, and something like anger coils in his gut as those messages repeat in his mind.
“Your fuckin’ phone was annoying the shit out of me,” Husk grumbles, tossing the pink device to Angel, who snatches it out of the air.
“Watch it! This thing’s expensive,” he hisses, his second pair of arms crossing against his stomach disapprovingly as he scrolls through the messages. Husk notices immediately that the spider’s entire demeanor shifts as he nervously runs his gloved hands through his hair, worrying at his bottom lip, eyebrows furrowing together as his eyes flick across the screen, and Husk could see a wet sheen glazing over his eyes.
“Is he always like that? Hot and cold? Pretendin’ like he loves you?” Husk asks, his voice much gentler than usual. Angel glances at him, lashes catching small tears before he sniffs and the pained look on his face is gone as he schools his features into that of arrogant nonchalance.
“He just gets upset when I don’t respond right away, s’all,” he mumbles back, and Husk frowns again, much deeper. He hates that he acts like this is ordinary.
The saddest thing to Husk is that it most definitely is ordinary for Angel.
“Angel…” Husk starts, but he can’t come up with anything in the moment, unable to verbalize what he’s feeling, the rage and sadness coalesce into a jumbled mess that he can’t quite pick apart in the moment.
“Don’t worry about it, Husk. I’m fine, it’s just work,” Angel responds, his usual cadence back in his voice, if slightly off, a little wobbly and unsure.
“Right, well, if you get back in time I can make you a drink or somethin’,” Husk mumbles, busying himself with cleaning an already sparkling glass.
“I’ll take ya up on that, but don’t wait up for me, yeah?”
“Yeah,” Husk agrees with a nod, biting back a multitude of comments that pop in his head.
I’d wait up if it were for you.
You’re worth waiting for.
I would never let that slide if I could do something about it, if you’d LET me do something about it.
Husk watches as Angel walks out the door, the sharp tone of his heel clicks ringing through the lobby until they disappear into faint nothingness.
He sighs and picks up a book instead of a bottle, hoping that keeps him more awake than drinking his night away would.
——
Husk is startled from sleep, his head snapping from where it rested on his chest as he hears the front door of the hotel slam shut. He quickly fumbles for his playing cards, throwing one of them in the direction of the intruder.
“Fuck! Husker!” A familiar voice yelps from the darkness. Husk immediately straightens, the growl in his throat dying out as a tired looking Angel Dust emerges into the light.
“Shit, I’m so sorry Angel-“ Husk starts, before the metallic scent of blood wafts into his nose, making it scrunch in disgust, “What the fuck? Are you bleeding?”
Angel waves him off, “It… It’s nothing, Husk, just leave it.”
“No!” Husk exclaims, jumping over the bar, knocking over a couple of bottles that spill over the counter and onto the floor, but Husk could not care less about that in this moment, instead, he zeroes in on Angel, trying to see the source of the blood, and quickly puts his hands out, silently asking for permission to check the other man.
“Husk-“
“Please,” Husk pleads, his voice strained, almost scared, if he thinks about it too hard. But he can’t care less in this moment, just wanting to make sure that Angel Dust is okay.
Angel pauses for a moment, an unreadable look on his face, before he nods and gingerly removes his jacket to show marks from a whip slicing open his back, the blood still oozing from the fresh wounds, mixed in with another bodily fluid that has bile rising in Husk’s throat dangerously.
“Angie…” Husk mumbles, the nickname slipping off his tongue without even noticing, “Hell, was this for the shoot?”
Angel stays silent, but shakes his head ever so slightly, looking nothing short of mortified.
“He did this to ya?” Husk whispers.
“He was mad about me ignoring him…” Angel admits, his voice wobbling with unshed tears. Husk feels his hands begin to shake as a heat rises in his face, a barely contained growl escaping his throat. Angel looks to him, giving a sad smile, “S’all right, Husky, he went easy on me. I know better, y’know?”
It’s supposed to be a joke, but it falls flat as Husk bites back the heated words on his tongue.
“C’mere, I’m gonna help you lay down,” Husk whispers, voice soft, but stern enough to leave no room for discussion, despite Angel wanting to protest. The two make their way over to the couch in the corner of the room, Husk gently steadying Angel as he lays on his front, his claws lightly running up and down the spider’s arm in an attempt to provide comfort. “I’m gonna go grab some stuff to clean you off and some bandages alright? I’ll be right back.”
Angel doesn’t say anything, but Husk can feel him tracking his movement across the room to where the first aid kit was located. Husk made quick work of grabbing the necessary supplies, hands still unsteady as he collects the materials before making his way back toward the spider demon on the brink of unconsciousness on the couch.
“Angel, this is gonna sting, alright? But then we won’t have to worry about infection,” Husk explains as he douses a rag in alcohol, before tenderly wiping at the weeping wounds on Angel’s back. The other man protests with a loud hiss, arching away from Husk’s hand unintentionally. “I’m sorry,” the cat mumbles, genuinely apologetic.
“S’fine,” Angel croaks, eyes hazy from the pain, unrestrained tears rolling down his face. Husk grimaces as he continues to wipe at the long gashes that decorate the spider’s back, each whimper or hiss cracking his once cold heart, chipping away at the tough exterior until his soft insides ache with each stroke of his hand.
When he finishes, he gives a sigh of relief, tension he didn’t know he was holding in his shoulders bleeding away as he grabs ointment to help soothe the burning sensation and rubs it into Angel’s back, before bandaging the wounds. Afterwards, Husk quietly sits back, allowing Angel as much time has he needs to sit-up and orient himself.
“Thanks, Whiskers, you really didn’t have to do this,” Angel whispers, and his voice holds a mixture of gratitude and guilt.
“It’s no problem, Legs, ya know I’ve got ya anytime. ‘Sides, I don’t want ya bleeding all over the carpet and Niffty throwing a fit over it,” Husk responds, his teasing gentle. Angel smiles at that, but the usual mirth in his eyes is absent, making Husk uneasy. “You want a drink? I closed the bar down, but I can make an exception for my favorite patron.”
Angel gives a genuine giggle at that, before nodding, “That’d be great, kitty-cat.”
Husk grumbles noncommittally, no bite behind it. He walks over to the bar and begins pouring Angel his favorite drink, a strong but sweet martini that is Husk’s own creation, just for Angel Dust. Handing Angel the glass, he accepts it gratefully, sipping the drink and letting out a sigh, his shoulders slumping forward.
“Are ya… are ya doing alright? I mean, I know it’s not alright, but in the moment at least?” Husk rambles, suddenly nervous at the proximity of the other. The cat knows he’s been developing feelings for Angel, but he chooses to ignore it, instead trying to focus on just being there for him as a friend. He has a fear that Angel not only doesn’t like him like that, but would be repulsed by his advances, maybe even think Husk was trying to use him, and so Husk bottles up his feelings and makes sure things went at Angel’s pace. It’s the least he can do after everything the man has been through.
“I’ll be okay… I got a day off to let the wounds heal. Val says that, while that’s a kink, it’s not the vibe he’s looking for in our next shoot,” Angel recounts, clenching his teeth so hard Husk swears he hears the hinges of his jaw squeak.
Husk growls low and deep at the mention of Valentino, his fur beginning to stand on end and his wings involuntarily ruffling, chest rumbling with a hatred that runs through his core.
Trying to keep his demeanor cool, he says, “If ya got a day off tomorrow, how about we get ya out of the hotel, I’ll take ya to a club and I’ll pay.”
The spider perks up at that, “Really? I mean, you don’t have to-“
“I want to, Angel,” he cuts in, giving him a genuine smile as he reaches over and places his paw over one of Angel’s hands. Angel looks down at where their bodies meet for a moment, before smiling a toothy grin at Husk, gold tooth glinting.
“Well, I guess I’d be okay with your company at a bar,” Angel teases, putting a second hand over Husk’s, creating a warm pocket for the cat’s paw, a slender thumb gently rubbing over his knuckles.
Husk bites his lip and quickly nods, “Sounds like a date.”
Suddenly, the world tilts and a blush rises in his cheeks, Angel’s eyes widening, as he realizes what he said, “I-I mean, not-not a date date, unless, I mean, fuck, fuck, shit-“ Husk scrambles trying to save himself, but is caught off guard when Angel bursts into laughter, and the cat’s ears pin to the side of his head as he looks down, embarrassed that Angel was laughing at even the idea of having a date with Husk-
“You are so adorable!” Angel exclaims, his eyes sparkling, and Husk does a double take, eyes larger than saucers, his pupils dilated so much that only a sliver of his amber irises can be seen. Angel bites at his lip before leaning over the bar and brushing a feather-light kiss across his cheek, “It’s a date, Whiskers. I’ll be ready to leave in the evening, gotta make sure I’m looking my best for you.” Angela winks at Husk and he thinks he potentially blacked out for a moment because what the fuck.
“Y-Yeah, I’ll be ready… you, uh, you always look your best though, Angel,” he stammers out, his inability to flirt in the moment on full display, and Husk wants to crawl into himself, mortified.
Nailed it, he thinks sarcastically as Angel makes his way toward the steps, practically floating up to his room, throwing one last wink to the other before disappearing behind the wall. Husk lets out a groan as soon as he knows Angel is out of earshot, quietly berating himself for almost ruining his chances with the spider demon. Slumping over the bar counter, he puts his face in his hands until the adrenaline and heat in his face wear off… and before he makes his way to bed, he grins to himself, the words ‘it’s a date’ replaying in his mind over and over until he falls asleep and dreams of cerise eyes and soft, white fur.
——
The next morning, Husk gets up bright and early, desperate to catch Charlie before the days activities began. After throwing on his pants and hat, he quickly clipped his suspenders on and casually sped-walk to the lobby where he knew Charlie would be setting up. And just like he predicted, Charlie was on the couch looking over a colorful binder full of various stickers, notes, and papers. She looks up as Husk approaches, giving him a wide grin.
“Husk! You’re up awfully early, I’m so sorry about the mess, I’ve just been planning today’s activities on the importance of telling the truth and being vulnerable with people! I think it’ll be a wonderful opportunity for us to work on being open with each other!” Charlie rambles, excitedly gesturing with her hands, eyes wide.
“Uh, yeah, that sounds great Charlie… uh, I have a question if that’s alright?”
Charlie puts her hands up to her mouth and gasps, “Oh, of course! Here, sit down sit down!” Charlie fusses over Husk, pulling him down into the seat next to her, cupping her face in her hands, “Tell me what’s going on in that furry little head of yours!”
Husk suppresses a groan and eye roll.
“Would it be alright if I closed the bar early today?” Husk asks, not wanting to divulge anymore information than he has to.
Charlie quirks an eyebrow, “I mean, sure! Why? Do you need a break? I know you pretty much man the bar all day so if you want like a vacation I can have that arranged!”
Husk shakes his head, “No, no. I…” he hesitates, internally struggling on whether or not he should say more, “Angel and I are going to go out tonight since he has the day off from the studio.”
His ears instinctively pin to the side of his head as Charlie lets out a high-pitched, excited squeal, “Oh my god! Wait! We can all go and have some bonding time! That’s such a great idea, Husk!”
“No!” Husk exclaims, desperation bleeding into his tone, before he clears his throat, glancing away from Charlie’s shocked and confused expression, a blush creeping slowly across his chest, “No, erm, I wanted it to be just Angel and I, y’know?”
Charlie cocks her head to the side, brows furrowed, before a smirk slowly makes it’s way onto her face, “You and Angel are going on a date… aren’t you?”
Oh shit, Husk thinks to himself, before stuttering out, “Well, I… I don’t— it’s not-“
“Husk,” Charlie coaxes, “If you’re open and tell me the truth now I won’t make you come to the activities today!”
Gritting his teeth, Husk looks away and mumbles, “Yeah, I think it’s a date.”
Another loud squeal that reverberates through Husk’s ears painfully explodes from the blonde, “Oh! Oh I am so excited for you Husk! Oh this is just so exciting—“
“Please don’t tell anyone, I… just please,” he pleads with her, burning embarrassment and nervous adrenaline snaking through his veins, constricting around his lungs. He isn’t embarrassed to be taking Angel on a date, quite the opposite, actually. But, he is not confident in his ability to actually make Angel want to go on one a second time with him, and he would rather as little people know as possible in case that very real situation occurs. Charlie gives him a nod and a smile, patting his shoulder gently.
“Go! Go get ready! Don’t even worry about opening the bar, you and Angel are typically the only ones who use it regularly anyways.”
Husk gives her a grateful smile, before walking very quickly back to his room to get ready, deciding to forgo the alcohol he desperately craves to help calm his nerves, wanting to be as sober as possible for this occasion. Wanting to remember as many details as he possibly can.
Eventually, the red sky begins turning a deep maroon color, indicating to Husk that it is now, indeed, go-time. Finding his way to Angel’s room, he can feel his hands shaking, buzzing with a mix of pure excitement and utter anxiety that makes his chest tight and stomach flip, and as he stands at the door after knocking, he begins to worry that he might be reintroduced to his lunch, when Angel opens the door.
Husk looks at Angel, mouth agape.
He’s wearing a tight fitting, pink mesh shirt and his usual black miniskirt and boots. His makeup is a little bit more natural than his usual for when he has to go to the studio, accenting his features perfectly without overwhelming them.
Angel’s flirty words and sultry tone bring him back to the present, “Careful, Husky, you might catch flies if you don’t pick your jaw up soon.”
Husk blinks dumbly a few times before he clears his throat, looking down at his own outfit, which is the same as what he usually wears, except he tried finding pants with the least amount of liquor stains on them.
“Fuck, you look — ahem, ya look real nice, Angel,” he says, before tacking on, “sorry I didn’t dress up, I can change if ya think I should!” It’s too quick and too loud to be nonchalant, feeling a little embarrassed that he looks so bland compared to the drop-dead gorgeous demon in front of him.
“You ain’t gotta change, Whiskers, you’re already so handsome. I just bought this shirt so I thought I’d wear it out, but you ain’t gotta get all fancy or nothin’. How do I look?” Angel asks, doing a small twirl in place, putting all four of his arms out to make sure Husk can see the fabric that leaves his chest and abdomen exposed and how it hugs his slender body. The whip marks on his back from the previous night are already almost completely gone at this point. A heat rushes from Husk’s gut all the way through his chest to his face and ears, the tips of them turning a light shade of pink.
“It looks really great on you,” Husk replies, smiling so wide his canines sparkle in the lowlight. He puts his hand out and waits for Angel to take it, “Shall we?
“I think we shall, lead the way,” Angel gives Husk a grin that rivals his own, and the cat can feel the shake in the other’s hand, how the spider is practically vibrating in place. From excitement or nerves, Husk isn’t exactly sure, but he’s hoping that either way it’s a good sign.
The two walk hand-in-hand to a bar down the street, one that is a little more tame than some of the other bars around; although, that isn’t saying much as every single bar in Hell is a zoo on the best of days. Still, the two are hoping for a relatively calm experience where they can just drink and talk and de-stress.
Walking into the bar, they are met with an egregious number of people dancing to very loud music, the chatter of what seems like a thousand voices overwhelming every single one of Husk’s senses. There is a moment where Husk worries he might pass out, becoming dizzy with all the stimulation he is receiving; unfamiliar bodies against him, flashing lights shining brightly in his eyes, the smell of alcohol and musk wafting into his nose, it’s all too much.
Then, there is a hand in his that squeezes his, and he is pulled out of his spiral by warm cerise eyes looking at him.
“You okay?” Angel asks worriedly, leaning so he is by Husk’s ears.
“Peachy, I just think I need to sit down,” Husk says, leaning up into Angel’s space so that he can hear him. Very suddenly, their faces are mere inches from each other, Angel’s hot breath fanning across Husk’s face. They’re stuck like that for a moment, before another demon bumps into Husk with a growl, knocking him sideways, off-kilter. Angel quickly grabs him with a couple of his arms to prevent him from falling, shooting the rude patron a dirty glower.
“Let’s get a seat at the bar,” Angel directs, leading them away from the packed entrance and to a quieter corner of the long counter, right against the wall. Husk orders two drinks, which gets set down in front of them.
There is a moment of awkward silence, making Husk’s sin prickle uncomfortably as he takes a long pull from his glass, practically finishing off his whiskey in one go, sifting through his brain to grasp hold of the usual confidence and comfortability he has with Angel.
“So, um, how was your day?” Husk asks lamely, taking another sip of his drink to hide him cringing at himself. Why was it so hard to talk to Angel right now? They’ve had times where they have talked for hours into the dead of night, why is it that his tongue is stuck and his throat closes each time he tries to speak.
Angel chuckles lightly, his eyes soft and smile wide, “Husker, you don’t have to be nervous just because this is a date, we can talk like we normally do. But, to answer your question, my day was great! It felt good to just relax and take my time getting ready.”
“Good! That’s… that’s good,” he says, before looking away, embarrassed, “I just don’t want to fuck anything up,” he admits, tracing his finger around the rim of his glass.
Slowly, Angel Dust puts a hand under Husk’s chin, guiding him gently to look at him, speaking earnestly, “You’re not going to fuck anything up, I swear. Trust me, this date’s already better than any I’ve been on like, ever.”
Husk relaxes a bit at that, nodding at Angel and nuzzling slightly into his hand. They stay like that for a moment, staring at each other, before Angel perks up as the song that was playing changes to another.
“Ooh! This is one of my favorite songs to dance to!” Angel exclaims, eyes sparkling brightly as he looks to Husk with a hand out, “Will you dance with me?”
Husk groans, “I ain’t no dancer, Angie.”
But when Husk sees Angel’s bottom lip jutted out into a pout and his eyes wide and begging, he sucks on his teeth in feigned irritation before accepting, standing up and taking the other’s hand. Angel lets out a squeal and giggle, practically skipping to the dance floor, blessedly leading him away from the majority of the crowd into a less packed space near the edge. Angel starts moving his hips to the beat, Husk turning beet red as he begins swaying side to side, albeit a little off tempo but trying his best.
As he gets a little looser, Husk begins to get into it a little bit, smiling at Angel as he bops his head, gently grabbing Angel’s waist and pulling him a little closer, “This alright?”
“Absolutely,” he responds with a grin letting himself press against Husk, not aggressively or sexually, but rather comfortably, a strange familiarity that makes him at ease as he dances, with no expectations to start grinding or humping or anything like he usually does. The two sway to the beat of the song together, giggling like schoolgirls at their first dance, with Husk occasionally spinning Angel around and dipping him.
Suddenly, Husk feels Angel stiffen against him, instinctively pulling himself closer to the cat. Husk looks up at him before looking a little beyond his shoulder as a group of jeering men stand right behind him, catcalling and wolf whistling at Angel… his Angel. He growls, pupils turning to slits as he moves to say something. Before he can though, Angel tightens his grip.
“Don’t. It’s not worth it, Husk.”
And Husk couldn’t disagree more. It was more than worth it to protect Angel. But, he didn’t want to disobey his wishes, knowing that the man could very much take care of himself.
One of the men stumbles forward, pressing himself against Angel’s back, mouthing at his neck. Husk immediately goes to jump into action, but Angel beats him to it.
“Get the fuck away from me or you’ll be meeting the cold end of my fucking gun, dickhead,” he threatens, spinning around to shove the guy away, “I ain’t on the clock.” His eyes are fierce, cold and harsh and so different to what Husk usually knows.
The demon is stunned for a moment, before he growls and his eyes narrow.
“Fuckin’ whore, you’ll take what I decide to give you!” The man shouts angrily, but before he can do anything, Husk extends his wings to their full span, flapping so he purposefully hits the guy and knocks him back on his ass. He then gently pulls Angel close and wraps the large red and black wings around him, the feather’s softly tickling Angel’s back as he is enclosed in a cocoon of just him and Husk.
A shaky exhale from both of them brings them back into each other’s company.
“You okay?” Husk asks, his fists balled so tight his arm shakes and spasms.
Angel notices.
Of course he does, Husk thinks to himself, and Angel slowly unfurls Husks hands and intertwines their fingers, nodding solemnly.
“Unfortunately, that isn’t as uncommon as I’d like it to be.”
“I’m sorry.”
And Husk is genuinely sorry, because how could a man as kind and sweet as Angel be subjected to such fucking bullshit constantly. He shouldn’t be in Hell in the first place in Husk’s mind, and the fact that he is treated worse than most everyone else he knows in this god forsaken place makes the situation all more infuriating.
“Don’t be, I got you to protect me now,” Angel whispers, his lips curled into a beautifully genuine smile that has Husk’s heart nearly bursting out of his chest.
“How ‘bout we get out of here? I might do something I regret if we stay.”
“Fine by me, Whiskers.”
Instead of a snippy remark at the nickname he pretends to hate so much, he just chuckles and gently tugs on Angel’s hand, leadings him out of the bar, keeping his wing protectively around Angel’s back like a shield, making sure that no one behind them could even try to take a peek at his date.
His date. If that doesn’t make his heart stutter… he fears he might be end up on the floor double-dead.
The two walk in comfortable silence back to the hotel, stealing glances while the other isn’t looking. It feels good. It feels right.
“Husky!” Angel suddenly exclaims, tugging him toward the sign of a closed shop on the other side of the road.
“Huh?” Husk asks as they come to a stop in front of the large window on the building. Looking inside, a moving cuddle-puddle of demonic kittens and puppies lay. As Husk looks to Angel, his eyes are alight with something akin to a child opening a birthday present.
“This is where Fat Nuggets is from! Val bought him from here,” Angel says absentmindedly, a small, nostalgic smile on his face, “The best thing he’s ever done for me is get me that little pig.”
“He got him for ya? Didn’t take him as a present-giving kind of guy.”
“Yeah, he got it after the first time he-“ Angel suddenly cuts himself off, shutting his mouth so hard his teeth click together. Husk looks up at him, noticing a distant expression now covers the once happy one.
He reaches over and wraps his arm around Angel’s waist, paw resting gently on his hip, “Fat Nuggets needs a sibling soon, I think.”
Angel snorts, snapping out of the memory, voice a little weaker than before, “I know right? Although, I’m not sure how the little monster would do without my undivided attention.”
Husk honest to Satan giggles at that, which has Angel breaking into a fit of laughter with him, thoughts of Valentino dissipating with it. After a moment the two look at each other, faces flushed and smiles wide. Angel’s eyes dart to Husk’s lips, and back up, and it causes Husk’s breath to hitch in his throat, tongue darting out subconsciously.
A beat of silence follows, before Angel speaks up first.
“Would it be okay if I kissed ya, Husk?”
Husk blue-screens for a moment, only able to give a small nod as a response as his brain completely loses all ability to think coherent thoughts.
Angel leans forwards, pausing for a moment, before Husk closes the gap between them after his mind plays catch-up, lips finally meeting in a sweet and tender kiss, Husk’s paws finding Angel’s face while all four of Angel’s limbs wrap around the cat.
The two don’t deepen the kiss, they don’t slip each other the tongue, it is just a sweet and simple kiss that gives Husk’s stomach butterflies, his heart soaring out of his chest. Husk pulls away first, smiling adoringly at the other man, who has a beautiful blush spreading across the white fur on his cheeks.
“That was nice,” Husk says, voice cracking a bit from the nerves settling in his gut.
Angel laughs softly at that, “I agree, I didn’t think that you’d be so good at that, old man.”
Husk scoffs, rolling his yellowed-eyes at him, but the blush and smile on his face betray his annoyed demeanor, “I’m full of surprises, Legs.”
“Oh, I’m sure you are,” Angel coos, winking at the cat, which makes the smaller demon blush even more, “Wonder what you’re hiding under those suspenders.”
“Watch it, Legs,” Husk jokes, but subsequently cuts off that line of flirting rhetoric. Eventually, they reach the hotel, and make their way up to the floor in which their rooms are on. Husk walks Angel to his room, door lit up with a neon pink sign that illuminates the pictures pasted on his door.
“Thank you for tonight, seriously, I had the best time,” Angel says quietly, looking at the floor, his nervous tone making Husk melt.
“You’re welcome Angie, I had a really great time, too,” Husk replies, before leaning in, pausing to allow Angel to pull away. When he doesn’t, their lips meet in another soft kiss, a parting gift for them both.
“Night, Legs.”
“Sweet dreams, Whiskers.”
——
That next day, Husk wakes up to a text from Angel:
Just wanted to thank you again for last night, Husky! Have a good day, I’m back at the studio but hopefully I’ll see ya tonight. <3
Husk finds himself smiling at the screen, before he responds:
Try to have an alright day today, I’ll have your usual tonight.
I also had a good time, so no need to thank me. Your presence was that enough.
The day goes by excruciatingly slow, Husk cleaning and re-cleaning the same dozen glasses over and over as he replays his date from last night in his mind. At one point, Charlie sidles up to the bar, a mischievous grin on her face as she sits down.
“So?” She asks, which has Husk raising a red, feathery eyebrow.
“So, what?”
“The date, silly! How was it?” She exclaims, and Husk shushes her, eyes darting around to make sure that no one heard.
“It went… good. We… we kissed.”
“AH!” Charlie screams, “Holy shit! Awe, are you dating now? Oh my gosh, we can go on double dates and hang out as the only couples in the hotel! Oh, this will be so fun, Husk! Congratulations!”
“We ain’t dating!” Husk hisses, “It’s not… it was just one date, okay? We’ll have to see where it goes.”
Charlie nods, trying to school her excited face into one of neutrality, and horribly failing, “Right, right, of course. Well, I am so happy for you both, and I hope you will feel comfortable sharing with us if you end up making it official. Now, I have to go meet with Cherri about her keeping bombs hidden around the hotel, so we will catch up later. See ya, Husk!”
Husk grunts in acknowledgment, before turning back to the bar and sighing, keeping an eye on the clock as the hands tick by slowly.
——
3am… 4am… 5am.
Husk begins to worry at this point, as it was starting to come up on 24 hours straight of Angel being gone. Just as he was about to text Angel, the front door to the hotel creaks open. Husk perks up at the sight of lanky white limbs slip through, making his way through the front lobby. The cat demon smiles at him, but falters as he watches Angel Dust completely ignore him, immediately walking to the elevator and stepping in, not even looking in his direction.
Husk bites his lip, a deep pit forming in his stomach, swallowing the growing lump in his throat. He looks to the drink he had prepared for Angel, a pang of disappointment hits his chest, before he quickly dumps it down the sink before making way to his room, tears stinging behind his eyes.
What did he do wrong? Did he say something? Not enough? Was it just a hard day with Valentino?
His brain whirrs with a storm of thoughts, but almost automatically, he finds himself with his phone in hand, typing out a message to Angel.
Let me know if you need to talk. Always here for you.
Husk watches as the message is delivered.
Read at 5:12am.
Staring at his screen for seconds, or minutes, or hours, he can’t tell, but eventually he puts his phone down, laying in his bed, the tears finally making their way down his furry face.
——
Ding!
Husk shoots up at the sound of his phone going off, quickly fumbling with it until he was able to read the message on the screen.
5:59am
Heyyy Husky, can you come to my room please? ;)
He rubs the sleep out of his eyes, pretending that his heart didn’t flutter when he saw Angel texted as he quickly pulls on a pair of pants, forgoing the suspenders and bowtie at this point. He speed walks a familiar path to Angel’s room. When he reaches the door, he knocks quietly. There is some shuffling he hears, before the door opens and a slightly ragged, tired Angel opens the door with a lazy smile and half-lidded eyes.
“Hey there, big boy, come on in,” he says, the lilt in his voice off, concerning Husk, but he obliges, walking in to the room. As soon as the door closes behind him, Angel shoots him a flirty glance, trying to seductively place himself on the bed, but his movements are uncoordinated and shaky.
“Angel? What the fuck is going on?”
Then it clicks.
“Are you fucking high right now?”
Angel waves him off, “Just a line or two, don’t worry about it baby, what you should worry about is that I can be all yours for tonight, daddy.”
Husk cringes, eyebrows furrowed in concern. He thought they were past this stupid charade of Angel’s, why the fuck was he doing this now?
“What is going on, Angel?” Husk asks, arms crossing in frustration and disappointment.
Angel bites his lip, eyes starting to dart around more, words a little more frantic, “Come on, Husker, I can give ya exactly what you want. I can be good for you.”
“Angel-“
“Seriously, I-I promise I’m not dirty or nothin’!”
Husk freezes in place at his words, but Angel doesn’t notice, instead he continues his rant.
“I-I know I’m ran-through and used but I-I swear I can make ya feel good! Y-You don’t even gotta touch me if ya don’t want! I can do whatever you want! J-Just let me! I can s-show ya!”
Angel scurries over to Husk, trying to grab onto him, but Husk grips his wrists to stop him, firm but not hard, and he shakes his head, mouth still agape in shock. Angel has tears running down his face. Fuck, when did he start crying?
“H-Husker, p-please let me show ya I ain’t useless. I-I know you think I’m a whore or somethin’ but I promise I-I can be good for ya! I-I swear I’ll show ya I’m not useless!” Angel is panicking now, eyes wide with fear and trembling in Husk’s arms. The chimera’s brain finally catches up with his mouth.
“I don’t think that, Angie.”
Angel shakes his head, “No, no I know I’m a whore. Everyone fuckin’ knows it but that don’t mean I-I can’t be good for ya! I can! Like I said, you ain’t even gotta touch me, I can just please you!”
Angel’s words cut through Husk like a hot blade, searing his chest. Husk leads Angel to the bed to sit down, still shaking his head at his words as Angel continues to babble.
Husk lets him get it out of his system: the thoughts and the sobs and the screams. He holds Angel as he gasps for air between his wails, wraps his arms around him as he promises his ‘cleanliness’ and ‘usefulness’ to Husk.
Eventually, the words and cries die away, leaving an eerie silence in its place. Husk looks down at the spider curled in his lap, a broken soul with mascara streaks running down his face and lipstick smeared across his white fur around his lips.
Husk tsks, “What’s goin’ on, baby? And don’t go tryin’ to tell me nothin’ because that would be a damn lie and we both know it.”
Angel sniffles, pausing, before he begins to speak, voice meek and absolutely destroyed, “I wanted to show you I-I’m not some dirty, slutty, addict off the streets, but that’s exactly what I am, and I’m sorry.”
Husk shakes his head, “I absolutely do not think that. Where did this come from?”
“V-Val saw us, he watched us go on our date with all those stupid VoxCams all over the Pride ring. H-He saw us kiss and dance and he was furious at me. Told me I was a traitor and that addict trash like me could never find someone to actually love me, that I was dirty and disgusting. He made me film longer than he ever has before, before he…” Angel trails off, and Husk sneers at the wall, picturing all the ways he could kill Valentino with his bare hands, enjoying the particularly gruesome images his mind conjured up.
“That fucking moth better count his fucking days,” Husk growls, low and deep in his chest, before he looks down at Angel once more, sighing as he realizes that his anger can wait, that Angel, his Angel, needs him right now, “Angie, I’m so sorry. I don’t think that at all.”
“You should, he’s right,” he mumbles back.
“Hey,” Husk encourages Angel to look at him, to which he does, fur matted with tears and runny makeup, and it breaks his heart, “It ain’t right at all. You’re so much more than what Val tells ya you are.”
Angel gives him the most pathetic look and it has tears stinging behind Husk’s eyes as well.
“Husker, I… I know y’can’t ever… really be with me. Because of who I am a-and I understand-“ Angel starts, before Husk cuts him off.
“Hush, that ain’t true. I don’t care about how many guys you fuck or what Val has done with ya, your body is beautiful. Your personality is beautiful. All of you is beautiful to me.”
There is silence, Husk too afraid to look anywhere but the floor as he continues to rub Angel’s back absentmindedly.
“Fuck you,” Angel says, shocking Husk.
He was about to retort, gut twisting and heart pounding hard, but when he looks to his face, Angel was smiling up at the chimera, gold tooth glinting along with the fresh tears in his eyes, “Ya fuckin’ sap, makin’ me cry all over again.”
Husk lets out a sigh of relief, with a small chuckle.
“I ain’t no poet, I’m bein’ honest, Angie.”
“Anthony,” Angel whispers, and Husk smiles, the name ringing in his head like the bells you must hear when entering the pearly gates he never got to see.
“Henry.”
“Henry,” Angel repeats, the words falling from his lips like a prayer.
Henry begins to kiss over Angel — Anthony’s — face, and his shoulders and arms and stomach. Not in a sexual way, but reverently, a man worshipping a God he never believed in until now, worshipping a god with six arms and white fur and a personality that could light up any room. Anthony lays back, letting hot tears continue to stream down his face, love pouring through Henry’s lips and into his body.
Henry cuddles up next to Anthony, laying the spider’s head on his chest, stroking his hair until his breathing evens out and his body relaxes.
“Goodnight, Anthony.”