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It had been a fairly normal evening. Angel had come back from the studio a little roughed up and more than a little pissed off. Husk had been waiting with a rather large bottle of disgustingly cheap vodka and a sympathetic ear. They had talked for a while, until Angel had yawned one too many times and Husk had suggested they head to bed.
But then Husk had asked if Angel wanted to come back to his room on the other side of the hotel. And everything had gone tits up.
Angel’s hands shook as the cat demon led the way. He knew what was coming - he guessed he’d been lucky avoiding it for this long. This was how it always went. That didn’t mean he had to like it; but he liked Husk, and he was willing to do what it took for reciprocation.
“It’s a bit of a shithole, Legs, if I’m being honest with you. I’m not one for interior design.”
Angel chuckled a little at that, anxiety heavy in his stomach.
“You act like I don’t spend half my time having sex on screen in dirty basements, Kitty Cat.”
“Don’t call me that, prick.” There was a smile in Husk’s voice. Good. The better the mood he was in, the easier it would be on Angel.
The door opened to a dimly lit room, and Angel took a moment to steel himself. He’d done this a thousand times before - the only difference was this time he had far more to lose. It was show time.
He clicked the door shut behind him, and within seconds he was on his knees, arms behind his back like the obedient spider he was. Husk whipped around at the dull thud of his knees against the wood, and his eyes widened in shock.
“Legs? What the actual fu-”
“Tell me what you want from me, and I’ll make it happen. I promise, I’ll be such a good boy for you… Daddy.”
He looked up through lidded eyes at Husk’s dumbfounded expression. The demon was beyond confused. Had he said something that made Angel think they were coming back here to fuck?
“Angel, cut that shit out. Get up, what are you doing?”
“I’m doing whatever you want, Husky,” the spider purred, standing up and making his way to an increasingly bewildered Husk. “That’s what I’m here for. I just wanna make you feel good.”
There was a split second of silence before Angel’s lips were on his, and he couldn’t help but push back and return the kiss instinctively. Fuck, it felt good. But this was wrong, all wrong - this wasn’t his Angel. This was Angel Dust, porn star extraordinaire who did what he needed to keep himself safe.
Gently but firmly, Husk pushed Angel off him, fixing him with a stern look.
“Legs. What the fuck do you think you’re doing?”
“The fuck do you think I’m doing?” His voice had lost its seductive purr, and the bitterness was palpable. “You’re the one who invited me back here!”
“W-What?”
“You asked me back to your room.”
“Yeah, but not for- Angel, what?” He was honestly dumbfounded. Surely… surely Angel didn’t think…
“Listen, Husky…” His voice was back to dripping with seduction, but this time, there was an edge of desperation to it. “You’ve been awful kind to me. Waitin’ up for me, fixin’ my drinks, listening to all my shit with Val and the studio… You deserve something in return.”
His hands wandered across Husk’s broad chest, sliding down his torso until they reached the buckle of his belt.
“Let me make it up to you, Daddy.”
“Stop calling me that!” Husk’s tone was sharp this time, and Angel flinched back. This needed to stop, right here, right now. “Angel, stop. I didn’t- I don’t want that from you. Not like this.”
“What do you mean?” Angel’s lip wobbled. Husk felt sick.
“I’m not being nice to you ‘cause I wanna fuck you, Legs.”
“But then…” Angel’s face was heating up, and tears were welling in his eyes. “You don’t- want me?”
Ah, shit.
“I didn’t say that, kid. I-” Husk sucked in a deep breath. “You don’t know how bad I want you. But we ain’t doing this ‘cause you think you… owe me, or some dumb shit like that!”
Angel sniffed, his face a mask of confusion and devastation.
“I don’t understand.”
“Shit, kid, Valentino really did a number on you, didn’t he? I’m not nice to you ‘cause I’m waiting for you to agree to let me fuck you, Angel. I’m nice to you ‘cause I like havin’ you around. You’re funny, and smart, and yeah, you’re fuckin’ annoying sometimes, but I… that’s what I love about you. I’m not gonna sit here and let you do this when you don’t want to. That’s not how our first time is gonna be.”
“But- but I want this! I want you!”
Husk sighed, taking a step forward and holding out a hand palm-up. He waited in silence until Angel slipped one of his still-shaking hands into his.
“You don’t want this, baby.” The pet name slipped out before he could stop it, but he powered on. “You’re shaking, and you’ve been eyeing the door since we came in here. I’m not doing this with you because you’re scared I’ll leave if you don’t.”
And there it was. He’d hit the nail on the head, and he felt Angel’s hand tighten on his own as the spider lowered his head and let out a sob that gave Husk chest pains. Without thinking, he opened his arms, and Angel fell into them like he belonged there.
“‘M sorry, I’m so- so sorry-”
“Stop apologising, it’s alright. I’m here, understand? I’m going nowhere. You don’t gotta do anything you don’t wanna.”
“Just- don’t leave, don’t- I don’t wanna be here by myself, I don’t wanna be alone, don’t leave-”
“Angel.” Angel’s pleading tapered off to silence, the only sound an occasional sniffle or grinding sob. They stayed like that for a good while, Husk’s claws tracing nonsense patterns against Angel’s twitching back, Angel nuzzling into Husk’s neck and letting his tears run their course.
“Listen to me, Angel. I want this with you, you know I do. And I know you want it too. But you’re not ready for anything intense yet, baby, not when Valentino’s still got you convinced your only use is as a toy for people to play with. Not when the only way you think you can make people stay is by letting them bleed you dry.”
The words cut to the bone, but they were true. Angel let them wash over him. As frightening as it was to be called out so honestly, he knew it was all the things he needed to hear. But now he’d been flayed open, exposed so rawly, he still needed to hear something else.
“Husky,” he started, his voice hoarse with tears.
“Hm?”
“I need…”
“Anything, baby.”
“I need… tell me…” He couldn’t force the words out, but he didn’t need to. Husk knew.
“I’m right here. I swear to you, I’m not going anywhere. I won’t leave you alone.”
Angel heaved an audible sigh of relief, one that slowly turned into a yawn as he pressed his face into the cat demon’s furry neck. Husk chuckled at that.
“C’mon, Sleeping Beauty. Let’s get you to bed. You wanna stay in here with me for the night?” Angel pulled back a little, his face a picture of anxiety and carefully concealed hope. “Not for anything other than sleeping, kid.”
That was clearly the right thing to say because Angel nodded sleepily and let himself be led over to the ridiculously large bed and tucked in, before Husk joined him on the other side. He lifted an arm and Angel curled up without a second thought, head on Husk’s chest and legs tangled with his.
The spider demon hissed as he adjusted his position, and Husk raised an eyebrow.
“You good, baby? You hurt?”
“My- my wrists.” He buried his face properly into the cat demon’s chest, and the rest of his sentence was barely audible. “Had a private session with Val. He wouldn’t let me loosen the cuffs.”
Husk, without a word, took one of Angel’s hands in his own and brought his wrist to his lips. No words were spoken, but as Angel felt cracked lips against his bruises, it felt a little like redemption. It felt a lot like love.
“Get some shuteye, kid. I’ll be here when you wake up.”
I love you. I need you. Let me fix the hurt. I’ll never leave you alone.
I won’t let them bleed you dry.