Chapter Text
Green chains manifested around his neck as the Radio Demon slowly stood up from his chair across the poker table.
"Well," he drawled, body growing larger with each step towards still-shocked Husk. He could do nothing but look at him with blank, wide eyes. "This was fun, don't you think?"
And with a flash, his owner —his owner— yanked at his chain, sending him crashing right in front of the Radio Demon's feet.
The demon, still in his eldritch form, leaned down, mouth so stretched it didn't even look like a mouth anymore. When he talked, his lips didn't twitch, they were only glowing with each word.
"It has been a pleasure, old friend." Husk tried to shy away from his too-sharp, too-close smile, but Alastor simply yanked the chain back. It felt like nothing he had ever felt before. It wasn't only bodily. His every being was held in place by the Radio Demon's firm chains. "Uhh uh uh, look at me."
When the ex-overlord's gaze forcefully met the other’s, somehow the grin even grew bigger.
"From now on," The demon started to wrap the chain around his arm, pulling Husk closer, suffocating him. "You are mine. A pet." Husk bristled at that word, it was his first reaction, the first thing he did and felt since he saw that royal flush. But Alastor seemed to be out of it.
He was slowly turning back to his usual self, the impossible grin turning to one of unfiltered joy and excitement.
"Oh, we'll have so much fun, friend."
Ugly laughter rose from Alastor, sounding even more delighted than a few times Husk dared to listen to his slaughter broadcasts. His eyes were sparkling and Husk knew that his future would be miserable.
Just when it was getting good, just when existing didn't feel like only staying alive like a cockroach -getting over everything and anything only to face more- he had to go and gamble it all away. Because he was fucked up like that.
Always landing on four, only to throw himself off the cliff next time.
Maybe he could.
Throwing himself off the cliff, that is.
Looking at those red, red eyes he knew that his chance at that was long gone. Or perhaps he had done it, and this was the rock bottom.
It didn't matter, did it?
Chains stayed there, even as the Radio Demon backed away and straightened his suit. For a horrifying moment, he thought, Alastor would parade him across the pride ring. As far as he knew, he was the first overlord owned by him and even if he wasn't one of the most powerful ones, it was not an easy feat to manage.
It looked like that though.
It fucking felt like that.
"I'll be calling you soon!" His tone was as chipper as ever, but it sounded giddy. "Pack your things. I saw at the entrance, pets are not allowed here."
Alastor glanced at Husk, eyes bright but narrowed. He was looking at him expectantly, Husk didn’t know why. What was he waiting for? For him to lash out? Start yelling and cursing? It seemed like Alastor didn’t know him well as much as he thought.
"I hope you won't keep this silent attitude, old pal, it doesn't suit a showman like you."
And with that, he resolved into darkness, chains disappearing with him.
Too bad. He thought. Alastor wouldn't get what he wanted.
He turned to look at all of the personnel who were watching him and the Radio Demon. He didn't even have the power to yell at them to fuck off, and maybe kill a few of them in blind rage.
He simply grabbed a bottle of whiskey as he walked past the bar, reaching upstairs to start to pack up.
Because the show just ended.
°●°
When Alastor had met him, Husk was glowing with pride. It was in his every move, in every word he said. His eyes were sharp and there was always a charming smile on his face. People wanted to hear what he would say; they came to his casino sometimes only to watch him gamble because he made even the most boring of the games something thrilling, something you just couldn't keep your eyes off of.
The Radio Demon was not entirely immune to him either. Husk knew that because once he entered his casino, there was no kicking the Radio Demon out.
He never really played, just lingering on the bar until Husk had to come and talk to him. He had a weird way of Husk's "Get the fuck out of here, drink sales are down because of you" talks easily change to just talk about what they have been up to since the last time they saw each other.
And at one point, he didn’t even try to make him go away. It was known that Magic Kat was never a safe place. Even in his best time, Husk didn’t want it to become an “elite” place. He wanted a place for miserable people, a place where everyone lost but kept coming because it was the closest thing a loser could feel as if they won, as if they did something good.
He thought house would always win.
Back to Radio Demon, even though Magic Kat was never known with its safety, after he came along, the casino both became more popular and more unhinged. At least Alastor was good at dealing with them. He didn’t ask for anything in exchange, only saying he was repaying this way.
Husk didn't think much of it. Okay, fuck it, he did. In the first days he lost sleep overthinking if he was going to get broadcast on the next Tuesday. But it never happened. Yet, Husk kept thinking.
And the most outstanding question was always, “Why me?”
Alastor was “friendly”, he would talk to a wall if he thought the wall was worthy of it. And that was the root of the problem. Husk wasn’t outstanding. Yes, he had some tricks under his sleeves, literally, but nothing good enough to entertain the big bad Radio Demon.
So he thought and thought.
Why Husk?
Alastor took him by an unwanted side hug as soon as he was summoned. Without giving Husk any time to react, he started to walk him down the cannibal town with a skip on his steps, hands on his shoulder, body too close for any normal person.
"Glad you could come, old pal!" His voice was too loud and his pace was too quick but his grip was even harder because somehow he managed to keep Husk up and walking along with him. "I have wonderful things planned for a few days ahead of us, Husker. I am sure you'll love it when you see it. Oh, I can imagine your reaction even now!"
The red head talked the same way he always did. Husk was usually happy with just listening to him speak, he had interesting things to say when he wasn’t talking about mass murder and best ways to cannibalize people.
But today he was drunk, had a headache and didn’t feel like his old easygoing himself. Today, Alastor was practically pushing him to walk and he couldn’t even do that without tripping over in every ten steps.
The Radio Demon grabbed his shoulder almost enough to bruise and looked at him when he finally noticed in exactly what his companion was in. Husk searched to see if he felt anything but it just wasn’t in him to feel ashamed.
After a moment that nothing happened, Alastor, accompanied by a low static, said, "Out of shape, aren't we?"
It had been only three days since he lost his soul. First day, he packed whatever he saw and as many booze as he could to get out of his casino, his district. Of course, he couldn't find a house in that small amount of time, so his first night was out in an alleyway, trying not to sleep all the while he was drunk out of his mind.
The second day passed with a hangover and more booze in the same alleyway.
If he had it his way, the third day would too. And maybe forth day.... fifth and six too...
He would find a place to live eventually.
"No, no, this simply wouldn't do!" He heard Alastor tsk. "I always thought you a gentleman, Husker, you are disappointing me." He shook his head and tapped his cane after conjuring it up out of thin air.
Things started to shift around Husk and get darker and darker till it was the only thing. It felt the same way chains did. It reeked of the same magic. There was no color here but that same flash of green was like thunders under his eyelids. That sobered him up a little.
Alastor drew his hand back and narrowed his eyes at him. Not like Husk noticed it
"Hmm," Alastor's voice was lower now, static once again becoming a soft buzz in the background, as if talking to himself. "It is only a fair reaction, I assume, after losing everything you ever had, ha!"
He grabbed his arm and when Husk finally looked up at him through bleary eyes, the Radio Demon gave him a less menacing smile. "Let's get you to the bath, Husker. You are in dire need of it."
He walked them through corridors of what seemed like his house. It was a small one, if Husk had to say. It was small, felt haunted -even though they were the only dead souls in there- but also looked more humble than what he would ever think Alastor would like.
His thoughts seemed to swim with these trivial things until he was in the middle of a bathroom, looking at the mirror that was hanging there while Alastor talked.
"-n't have you going to Rosie's like this, Husker! What kind of master I would be to let my pet go out like this? And what I said about silence? I love a lively audience, you know that, and can surely understand. Oh, I still remember that time when you banned a man because he wasn’t paying attention to your magic tri-"
Alastor kept talking and talking, not giving Husk time to talk even if he wanted to. He was looking through his cabinets; presumably looking for a towel Husk could dry himself with after the bath.
And somehow, somehow out of all the things he could say it was this he decided on.
"I can’t get dry with only towels. I need a blow-dryer." His voice was hoarse. Husk thought it made sense since he used his mouth only to drink these past three days.
Alastor seemed happy he was finally talking, and without much input conjured a blow-dryer, setting it on the sinks counter. "Back to the living world, Husker?" There was a beat of silence where Husk just watched Alastor for the joke he knew was incoming. "No, of course you are not!"
A laugh track erupted from nowhere, and Husk just stared. That was a very bad joke, and if it were only a few months ago, maybe he would laugh at it like Alastor was.
Now he stood there, dull eyes looking but not seeing.
Radio Demon offered him a toothy grin as he tapped the floor with his cane, summoning Husk’s bag from whatever alleyway it was in before and letting it stay on the floor. "Anyway, pal, go take a bath and get out in... hmm, let's say fifty. We'll have lunch together afterwards."
With that, Alastor dissolved to his shade, because he was dramatic like that, promptly getting out of the bathroom and leaving Husk to an emptiness in him he doesn't think he can fill this time.
He threw his clothes next to his bag and used every minute he was allowed.
°●°
It was a bit late when he returned but Alastor didn't seem to mind much, so Husk didn't either. The Radio Demon was in his kitchen, looking out of place and belonged at the same time.
Husk didn't try to come up with anything to say but it was obvious by the way the other's ears twitched that Alastor knew he was there.
It didn’t take long before he started to talk. It never took anyway.
"I hope the bath was okay? I hope it is because you sure took your time. I was thinking about summoning you down here, Husker."
Husk didn’t know what to say to that either. They were close, especially after that Vox fella, Husk thought he was the closest person to a friend for Alastor. Not a friend, they both knew that but something close. Yet, even then it never felt this…
….This domestic.
It probably took so much for Husk to answer because Alastor’s red eyes were piercing him when he finally looked up. “You are awfully silent, my friend. I thought you’d show me that colorful vocabulary of yours a lot earlier.”
“I…” Husk’s eyes drifted towards the kitchen, not because he was ashamed or afraid but he couldn’t get his mind to focus on that fucking smile. “I don’t have much to say.”
“Hmm…” Alastor turned to whatever he was cooking and laughed. “Can’t argue with that. Please be a dear and set the table, will you?”
Husk did what he was told. It was kind of hard to find necessary things because of how foreign the place was but he managed it till Alastor was done.
And that is how he found himself on a table with the Radio Demon, his fucking owner, eating lunch and listening to whatever the other had to say.
It wasn’t like he abused his contract signers in their first day, or ever really, but this was something else. Alastor acted like nothing happened, and nothing would happen. As if it was only two of them in this weird smelling small kitchen. As if they were finally friends and not just drink buddies.
“Maque Choux with Sausage.” Alastor declared joyfully as he set the dish on the table. “This is usually a side dish but it has variations. Goes well with” He placed another plate at the same time he sat down. “Cornbread. Both my mother’s recipe, with additions from yours truly. Enjoy!”
If Husk knew anything about the man sitting across the table, it was that he was a sick fuck whose “additions” would be sinner meat. So, instead of eating he took the spoon, placed some of it on his plate like the said sick fuck did and never looked at it again as Alastor kept talking.
“Though I must say I am disappointed, Husker. Where did your fashion sense go? I hope you didn’t sell that too.” A laugh came from nowhere as Alastor took his first bite. “I told you to pack up, not just leave and find your clothing from trash!”
“Didn’t think wearing suits would mean much when you live on the streets.” Husk muttered, because it was true. He knew trying to act like an overlord while he was at the bottom would just make him look more miserable.
“You are living on the streets?” Alastor asked, volume higher now. Husk learned that it meant he was surprised a while ago. What he didn’t know was if it was because he finally spoke or the contexts of what he said. Husk was surprised because of the first one, that was for sure.
“Why, Husker, I thought you’d have other houses to stay, you were a wealthy man after all!” Alastor shook his head as if he heard some bad news but his grin was larger than usual. It was larger than usual since he got Husk’s soul.
“Why would I go anywhere else when all I did was gamble, drink and sleep?” He figured now that he started, Alastor wouldn’t let him stay silent again. So, he did his best to clear his mind out of the fog that surrounded it and tried to pay attention as long as the other kept the “friends” act.
“Right as always, friend, you really make it hard to argue with you.” Alastor responded but volume was lower now, as if not really in the moment.
Husk took the opportunity to take a cornbread. That, and the salad would probably be the only things he’d eat that day.
Not a wise choice, since he almost choked on the bread with the next thing Alastor said. “You’ll stay with me for a while, until you find a place.”
“Wha-“ Husk coughed and tried again. “If you are that worried about me give me some fucking money and let me be, asshole!”
Alastor’s face did a weird thing with that. His permanent smile widened but not menacingly or condescendingly… just happily. Which made it all the worse.
“I do not trust you to take care of yourself, Husker, you’d drink yourself to death, again, if you could... But you don’t need to take care of yourself anyway!” He beamed. “I am here now.”
Husk scowled and distanced himself from the table, his fur and wings rising in contained anger. “You may own my soul but I am not your pet.”
Alastor simply smiled and raised his hand, with an instant, green chains manifested once again. He didn’t even stand up from his chair, only looking at Husk who tried to claw at the chains out of pure instincts. “But you are, aren’t you? Look what a beautiful collar you have, I would probably carve my name on it if I could.”
Husk was practically snarling, but he couldn’t do much when Alastor tugged at it. “No, remember your manners, Husker!” He sighed. “We were going so well… Sit again, and this time eat what you are given, would you?”
The ex-overlord didn’t. How could he?
“The fuck is wrong with you?!” He finally snapped, body tense with late rage.
“Why are you acting as if everything is the same, as if better? Fucking broadcast my screams already, wasn’t that the purpose when you first came to my casino? Why do you care if I look miserable? You know me looking like shit means you looking better!”
His claws were digging in the table, making dents that would ruin the wood. Not that Husk cared. If there was even the slightest of looseness he could use in that chain, the whole kitchen would be covered in worse. “What is the fucking point, Al? Why am I different?”
Alastor sat there, smile so small that it was hardly even one. Yet he stayed silent.
The Radio Demon stayed fucking silent.
“Motherfucker, answer me!” Husk didn’t know what was the treatment before this talk was about but now, maybe he would really be the co-host of an impromptu broadcast.
He thought that would be better.
Better than whatever the bullshit Alastor was trying because it made no sense. Because questions were worse than torture. At least with torture he could protect himself by saying he didn’t care.
Then, there came the cackling. The same ugly laugh.
“What makes you think you are different?” Alastor wasn’t even looking at him, he was laughing so hard that his eyes were on the ceiling. “Your casino was nice, then you got in debt and who am I to refuse an easy target like that?”
“That,” Husk raised his voice so he could be heard between laughter. “is not the answer, Alastor. Why not just kill me? Why bother feeding me, letting me live in your house?”
“Don’t you understand?” The chains disappeared, as if Alastor didn’t deem him worthy enough. “You are the best entertainment I had for ages, Husker. Ages! If you want me to kill you that desperately, surely I can arrange something but you are too fun to just toss away.”
Husk knew that was a lie too. Whatever Alastor said, he just knew it wasn’t the truth. You could never believe Alastor’s mouth anyway. Not the smile, not the words.
But he didn’t have time to point that out. Dark tentacles emerged from the floor and grabbed Husk, forcefully sitting him down and opening his mouth so wide he couldn’t form any word.
Alastor stood up, grabbed a spoon, stuffed it with Husk’s untouched “Maque Choux” and turned to him.
“Say ‘Aa’, Husker.”