Chapter Text
Angel wanted to go home. He hated this dress, he hated these shoes, he hated being here with Valentino. It pissed him off, the fact that he couldn’t even say no. This stupid Overlords Gala only had one good thing, and it was the booze. A full bar anyone could take advantage of, and maybe if you were lucky someone would offer a bump of coke off to the side. The thought of getting high and forgetting he was here was a good one, but unfortunately Val had a tight leash on him as of late.
Valentino tightened his grip on Angel’s waist, guiding him around the room and showing him off. Everyone already knew he was one of Val’s favorite toys, he liked to make it clear.
“Val, sweetheart.” Angel rested his head on his shoulder, speaking quietly up towards him. “I’m gettin’ tired. Can we-”
“If you’re about to start bitching because you want to go home, you better shut it.” Val muttered through a fake smile. “I don’t want to be here either.”
Angel bit his lip. “Yeah, I’m sorry Val.” He looked towards the bar, then back up at his boss? boyfriend? whatever Val was at this moment. “Lemme get you a drink?”
“Fine, just come back quickly. I don’t want you wandering around here.” Val removed his arm, sending Angel over with a smack on the ass.
Angel giggled as he started to walk, but let the smile leave his face as he got to the bar. He tugged on the neckline of his dress, making sure it sat right on his chest fluff and didn’t continue to fall down. Knowing Val, he probably would like that. Ugh.
Leaning up against the bar, Angel waved over the woman manning the bar. “Let me get a tequila soda and uh… you got stuff to make a paloma back there? Great. Thanks toots.” He smiled at the bartender and watched her mix his cocktail, glancing back towards Val, who was schmoozing with another Overlord by a poker table. It looked like she was staring right at him… freaky.
When the two drinks were placed on the counter, Angel turned back and saw a man sitting on the stool next to him. He was a feline demon, with bright red wings and a well fitting suit. Angel vaguely remembered this one, he was the Gambling Demon. He owned the biggest casino outside the Greed ring, a very powerful man indeed. Husk was his name, if he remembered correctly.
Val liked going to said casino, bringing Angel along to look pretty and distract the other players. He had seen Val and Husk discussing things sometimes, left behind outside the office to wait for them to discuss their Overlord business or whatever it was they did.
“Whiskey.” Husk put a five dollar bill under his empty cup and slid it towards her. “Thanks.” He glanced over towards Angel, who realized at that moment he was staring. “You need something?”
Angel’s face flushed pink, more pink than usual, and looked down at his drink. “Ah- no sorry.” he mumbled, taking a long sip.
“Hm… You’re Valentino’s boy.” Husk turned toward him, studying his face. “Yeah, Angel Dust. I remember you.”
Angel slipped into sweetheart mode, smiling at the other man and leaning against the counter in just the right way to make his chest pop. “Yeah, that’s me.” He giggled, taking another sip of his drink. “I really stand out to you that much, huh? I’m flattered.”
Husk rolled his eyes. “You can cut the act, I’m not interested in it.”
Angel paused. That usually worked.
He looked Angel up and down with just his eyes, wordlessly taking in the other’s appearance. He grabbed his fresh glass of whiskey and swirled it in the cup as he spoke. “Val likes toting you around to show off, but this thing you do, it’s just to make him feel better about himself. I don’t need that.”
“I- uh.” Angel wasn’t sure what he was supposed to do here. “I mean.”
“C’mon, I’ve seen you at the casino when he’s not around.” He glanced over at Val, who was still in discussion with the creepy woman. “You even like goin’ to these things? They don’t seem like your type of crowd.”
Angel sighed, taking a sip of his drink while he thought about his next move. Deciding that, hey, Val is distracted, maybe he can turn it off for just a moment… he deflated a little. “Yeah. Been askin’ to go home for 40 minutes but he’s insisting we stay.” He rolled his eyes. “It’ll look bad if we leave, even though I don’t wanna be here either, so stop bitching blah blah blah.” Angel mocked Valentino’s voice. He was somewhat surprised to hear Husk chuckling at his impression. It made him nervous. With slightly ungraceful hands, he pulled a single cigarette from a little loop on his garter, looking for his lighter. Valentino was a bastard for insisting on these stupid clothes with no pockets, he had to get creative with where he kept his shit. Great... where did that lighter go?
“Here.” Husk pulled out a lighter from his pocket, flicking it open and lighting the cig while Angel watched. It was worn down around the edges, black, with a red poker chip engraved on the side. “Yeah. I don’t like these things either, but it’s important.” He smiled, clicking the lighter closed and putting it away.
Angel took a deep drag, pausing to look Husk up and down before speaking again. “You’re a lot more… chill… than I thought you were.”
“Yeah?” Husk leaned against the counter, cocking his head to the side. “What makes you think that?”
“Well, when I come to the casino, you’re usually all business.”
“Makes sense, considering it’s my casino.”
Angel huffed lightly. “No no I mean, when I see you with Val, it’s so serious. I’m not allowed in the room, it’s all hush hush. I know you Overlords have your little secrets, but it’s… hm.” He glanced around the room.
“It’s intimidating. Okay, I see your point.”
“But here, you’re pretty cool.” He took another sip. “I don’t know, I guess I just had this image of ya in my head, when you visit the tables with Val.”
Husk nodded. “Y’know, you’re pretty good when he lets you play.”
Angel looked away, feeling… bashful almost. What was happening? He hasn’t felt this way around a guy in forever. “Ah, nah I’m not very good. But Val doesn’t like me playin’ with his money, so I don’t get the chance to practice.”
“You can’t bet with your own?” Husk raised an eyebrow.
Angel looked back up at him, an uncomfortable look on his face. He didn’t want to talk about it, or blab about how tight of a leash Val really had on him. It wouldn’t look good.
Husk seemed to pick up on this. “I see.” He muttered, looking down at his drink. He sat up a little more, leaning closer to Angel as he spoke. “Hey, next time you’re at the casino, I’ve got-”
“Is he bothering you, Husker?” Val suddenly appeared behind Angel, snatching the untouched drink from the counter and wrapping an arm across Angel’s shoulders. “So sorry.” He leaned down to whisper in his ear, “Angel, sweetheart, what happened to coming right back?”
“No, we were just having a nice conversation, Val.” Husk glanced between the two of them, ears twitching.
Val laughed. “Oh, he doesn’t get paid to talk.”
“I think he should.” Husk stood, finishing his drink and leaving the cup at the bar. “Come see me some time, ‘Tino. I have something I’d like to discuss with you.” He looked at Angel. “Don’t be a stranger, Angel.” His tone was different, it felt softer. It sent a shiver through Angel's chest.
When he walked away, Valentino grabbed Angel by the hips and turned him around. “What the fuck were you doing with him?” He muttered, words spitting poison into his skin.
“I was just chattin’ with him, nothing major.” Angel curled in on himself. “Promise, Val.”
Val opened his mouth to speak again, but he stopped when he noticed Husk staring at him from across the room. He was speaking to one of Carmilla’s daughters, it seemed to be serious from the look on their faces. He reevaluated, pulling back. “We’ll talk about this at the tower.” He wrapped an arm around Angel’s waist and grabbed his drink. “We’re going home soon. I’m tired of these people.”
Angel nodded, glancing back towards Husk, who looked back. They made eye contact for a little longer, before Angel smiled toward him and looked away, focusing back on Val. Hopefully he’d be in a better mood when they got home. He didn’t want to think about the alternative.