Chapter 1: My House, My Rules
Chapter Text
“Hey, boss? Valentino is here. He’s requesting your presence.”
Husk couldn’t hold back the growl he let out, the imp at his door taking a step back in precaution. He waved them away, his employee scurrying off without having to be told twice. The glass of whiskey in his hand grew warm in his tight grip, gently placing it down on the redwood desk before he could shatter it. He’d done it way too many times before.
Instead, he goes to fix himself another drink.
He’s aware he’s stalling, but Lucifer knows he can’t stand Valentino’s presence. He and the V’s were obnoxious, pompous assholes who believed Hell revolved around their entire beings. Val could wait just a while longer.
Husk pours the rest of the admittingly expensive liquor down the drain of his own personal bar, setting the glass down by the sink. He watched mournfully as the liquid disappeared little by little. What a waste of perfectly good, aged whiskey.
Grabbing another glass, scotch this time, he walks toward his window wall overlooking the entire casino. It was his own personal little kingdom, the souls he owned tasked to help run it.
It was a particularly busy night, every slot machine and pool table occupied by some of the regulars along with a few newcomers. His casino had to be the most popular on this side of Hell. Almost every booth was taken up by customers who were either enjoying some of the appetizers or engaging in a game of cards.
Sitting in one of the booths is none other than Valentino himself, on his lap a pretty young thing dressed in a long, sleeveless golden dress. The poor thing looked uncomfortable, forcing a smile a blind motherfucker like Val wouldn’t be able to tell was fake. His long arms were wrapped around his neck, another gesture he wasn’t exactly content doing.
Now, Husk wasn’t exactly the most kindhearted, compassionate person out there, though he doubts anyone but his friend Charlie even was. However, something about the scene just didn’t sit right with him. Grabbing his drink, he makes his way down to the floor.
The atmosphere is completely different from his cozy yet rather depressing office. Either way, he enjoyed it just the same. It brought back pleasant memories from his time as a living being, just a young man spending all of his time and money in clubs and casinos.
Valentino’s arm candy is the first to notice his presence from a few feet away.
The regulars instantly move out of his way as he walks towards their table. Valentino flashes him a blinding smile as he approaches. Husk nods in greeting as he takes a seat directly across from him.
“Husker! How are you, darling?”
Ignoring his attempt at small talk, Husk jumps straight to the point.
“What do you want, Val?”
A look of annoyance flashed across his face, quickly replaced by yet another mischievous grin.
“I’ve come to see if you’ve considered my offer yet, kitten. I do hope you see what a wonderful business opportunity it is.”
He'd forgotten about that stupid strip club Val was so persistent on building and morphing with his casino. He’d told Val he’d think about it. It was a lie. He never even gave it the time of day. It was the very reason he'd forgotten about it.
“I did. (not) I can see where you’re coming from. (and fuckin’ hate it) . I just don’t think it’ll work as well as you think it will.” (I’m not having goddamn strippers in my casino, Val).
The moth demon doesn’t reply instantly. Those ridiculous pink glasses he was so fond of wearing prevented Husk from reading him, and Husk was great at reading people. For example, the spider demon currently sitting on Valentino’s lap was shooting him a flirty smirk, yet his eyes screamed something along the lines of Help me, I don’t want to be anywhere near him.
Valentino finally shows some form of reaction, his lips curling into an awful smile.
“Let’s make a deal, baby.”
Husk allows him to continue, eyeing him suspiciously.
“One game, old-fashioned American poker. I win, I get the entire casino. You win, well..."
The Overlord seemed to be at a loss for words, looking around the room for until his eyes settled back on the most precious thing he had with him tonight.
"If you win, I'll let you borrow my precious babycakes right here, Angel Dust. I promise you'll have lots of fun with him.”
"I ain't interested in any of your hookers, Val." Husk sneered.
"Oh, but darling, my Angie baby isn't just any cheap hooker. He's Hell's number 1 star! He'll show you a great time, ain't that right, baby?"
Angel Dust smirked, a hint of his golden tooth shinning between the red-tinted lips. "Sure can, daddy."
The gambling Overlord rolled his eyes, unamused by the seductive display.
"I don't want sex, so you either offer something that's actually worthy to me, or you can find some other fucker to pimp out your toy to."
"Fine!" Valentino exclaimed, "His soul, then! How does that sound?"
Angel's eyes widened, immediately beginning to protest.
“Val-”
"Shut the FUCK UP!"
The spider demon did as he was told, fearful for the sake of his own soul.
“I'm sorry for yelling at you, baby. You have nothing to worry your pretty little head about. Daddy doesn’t plan on losing anytime soon. In fact, he plans on winning big time!”
And that, was another gigantic fuckin’ lie. Husk takes him up on the deal, and desperate to get the bastard out of his casino, he doesn’t let him win the first game of cards like he usually does.
Val takes it as well as Husk thought he would, doing anything to back out of his end of the deal.
"You sly motherfucker! You cheated."
And if he did, well...
His house, his rules.
After realizing he’d been beaten, Val jumps up from his seat, Angel thankfully falling back on the booth’s cushioned seat right next to him. He spouts threats and insults faster than Husk can bring himself to care to listen. He makes sure Angel’s okay before calling over security. Thankfully, the hellhounds were on the angry overlord in an instance.
He’d rather not take out the trash himself like he usually does. Not tonight, and not in front of Angel.
Valentino finally leaves the casino, kicking and screaming and flipping him off on the way out.
The patrons seem to pay no mind to the commotion. After all, at least one heated argument had to break out a night. With the whole fiasco over and fortunately no fire to put out, Husk leads Angel to his office, but not before instructing one of his employees to prepare one of the suites for him.
He opens his office door and directs Angel to his couch. The poor guy seemed to be exhausted, the changes happened too fast, all at once.
Besides, Husk had spent enough nights in his office to know the spider would be out like a light once his head hit the cushions. It was just that comfortable.
Angel takes a seat, but he doesn’t seem to be in the mood for a nap just yet. He seems lost in thought, no doubt processing everything that happened tonight.
“You alright there, kid?”
Angel snaps his gaze up to meet his, instinctively shooting him another one of his signature, sultry smirks as he leans back.
“Sure am, baby. Whatcha’ gonna do to me~?”
Husk ignores the implications.
“You want a drink?”
Angel’s eyes widen for a brief moment, worry flashing in those red eyes before putting on his fake mask once more. He giggles nervously.
“Ha! No need, baby. We can just jump right into it.”
The overlord is confused for a moment, until it finally clicks.
“Kid, I’m not gonna drug you! And I'm not going to sleep with you. You can quit the act already. It’s never worked before, it’s definitely not gonna work now.”
It was now Angel who was completely lost. “Huh? Then what-?”
“Nothin’! I brought you up here while Minny fixed up your room. Figured you could use some rest."
He couldn’t exactly blame Angel for believing he’d brought him up here for sex. It had been his line of work. However, Husk had absolutely no use for a porn star in his casino. His original plan when he made the deal was to just get rid of Val, but the truth of the matter was now beginning to sink in. Soul contracts came and went during gambles, none of them important enough for him or his opponent to even consider.
What was it about this guy that made it so different? If the situation ever called for it, Husk didn't think he'd be able to bring himself to gamble away Angel’s soul to another demon.
He'd obviously gone through so much in this shitty afterlife for Husk to contribute and add more to it.
And he sure as hell didn't want to deal with a soul with so much trauma.
So when Angel asks, "What are the terms of my contract?", Husk gives it to him straight.
"There aren't any. There's no contract, and there won't be. You're free for all I care, kid."
Husk snorts, taking in the look of pure shock on Angel's pretty little face.
Not only had Angel managed to escape from Val disgusting ass, but he had now granted him the ability to be in charge of his own soul.
His free soul.
It was something Husk cared so little about, a decision he didn't even give much thought to, yet was a complete turnaround for the demon right in front of him.
"I don't understand-"
“Listen: I’m ain't gonna force you to stay, but you can if you want, at least for the night 'cause you look like shit. We can get you a job here if you decide to stick around. You’ll get your own room, bathroom, three meals a day, running water, everything. Anything you want or need, just name it and I'll see what we can do.”
Angel nods.
“I’ll stay.”
Husk grins, feeling just a bit proud of himself for doing something good and changing this guy's life for the better. It was all thanks to him. Gotta give credit where credit was due.
“Alright then. I’ll write up your paperwork and let ya 'know your wage tomorrow.”
Angel blinks. “Wait, you're paying me?”
Husk is taken aback by the question. Who in all of Hell did this guy think Husk was?
“Of course I am. You don’t get shit for free; you don’t do shit for free. Got it?”
Angel nods wordlessly.
“Now, do you want a drink or not?”
“I- yeah. Lemon drop, please.”
Husks gets to working on his drink, pretending not to notice the growing smile on Angel’s face.
He was a damn hero to this kid.
Chapter 2: You Ain't Special, Darling
Summary:
“I just ain’t used to workin’ this type a’ scene. There’s gotta be somethin’ else I can do.”
Notes:
Hi!!!!!!! I said I'd continue this after Huskerdust week but got pretty busy during the month of March. I'm not sure how the update scheduled will be but it should be at least once a week. IDK we'll see how it goes :)
I hope yall like this chapter <3
(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)
Chapter Text
There were certain times in Husk’s life in which he wondered what he would’ve done differently if he hadn't been an Overlord.
Hell, sometimes he even wondered what his life would’ve been like if his soul were owned by someone much more powerful than he was.
He’d shut those thoughts down rather quickly. He’d much rather die twice than be owned by some sadistic, evil asshole who had the ability to make him do anything with the snap of their fingers. He pitied those who suffered that very fate, and those who found joy in having the upperhand in that relationship. Nonetheless, it was none of his business.
The only thing Husk ever did with the souls he owned was making them work various jobs in his casinos, in turn becoming the very backbone of his establishments. He was far too prideful to ever admit that, and far too selfish to treat them as something worthy of his appreciation. They were under his command, after all, some more than others. Husk would be lying if he said he didn’t feel just a tad bit of satisfaction knowing he had control over thousands of souls.
All except one, anyway. The one he’d freed just the night before. Why? Hell if he knew.
He watched from the comfort of his office as the demons working the floor took turns training the new hire. It was Angel’s first night and he'd already tried a bit of everything, the poor thing struggling due to his inexperience in all fields of the casino. He couldn’t shuffle a deck of cards to save his life, spilled most of the drinks he’d mixed and took about a decade to serve a single line of tequila shots. He couldn’t wait tables without flirting with most of the patrons, giving up once they became too touchy. Husk doubted he’d give a shot at cleaning duty, and he certainly didn’t have the physique to try working security.
How many jobs had this guy had before throwing himself into the adult industry? Was there anything he could do other than flirt and fuck?
It doesn’t surprise him when Angel pays him a visit.
-
“I don’t think I can do this.”
The overlord could sense his presence standing before him. Nevertheless, he couldn’t be bothered to look up.
He continued to examine one of the many business opportunities on his desk, the one in hand courtesy of one Missi Zilla. They’d worked together in the past, her clubs and his casinos incorporating a bit of each other’s influences to attract more business. Behind her proposal was another contract from a new runner-up in the area willing to make a deal with him to get a head start on his business. Stupid and vulnerable, just how he liked them.
Angel continued to state his case.
“I just ain’t used to workin’ this type a’ scene. There’s gotta be somethin’ else I can do.”
Husk only looks up from the stack of papers in front of him when he senses Angel’s presence grow closer. Four gloved hands grip the edge of the mahogany desk, magenta eyes glaring hungrily.
“Y’know, I can be of much better service up here with-”
“No.” Husk snickered, cutting him off.
Angel doesn’t put up much of a fight, clearly too tired by the various jobs he was asked to do on his first night. The spider demon simply rolls his eyes and throws himself against the cushioned seat behind him.
He’d grown mighty comfortable after just 24 hours. In a way, Husk is quite glad. He couldn’t stand those awkward interactions.
“Then I dunno what ya want me to do, boss. You’re aware you kinda just threw me out to the wolves, right?”
_
Angel circles the rim of his glass with the pad of his finger, the grains of sugar falling from the edge and making a mess on the counter. Neither had said a word after the overlord served him his drink. Husk, his name was, stood behind the bar nursing his own glass of brown liquor. He couldn’t bring himself to care what it might’ve been.
Angel finally decides to break the ice. He could only handle the silence for so long.
“If you don’t want to sleep with me, what are you going to have me do?”
Husk stares into his glass, thinking the question over. After a few seconds, all he does is shrug.
“Dunno.”
His answer only seemed to confuse the spider demon more.
“Then why’d you take the bet for my soul? Why else would you want me for, other than for my body?” He spat. Angel winces at the sound of his own voice. Valentino would’ve punished him for speaking that way.
Angel watched with an hefty ounce of fear as the overlord took a sip of his glass, pondering for a moment yet again. Angel was beginning to think he was doing it on purpose. His eyes remained focused on Husk’s hands, aware of every move he’d make. Angel was a free soul now. He could run. He could fight back.
“Honestly? I don’t know. To be honest with you, I just wanted that motherfucker out of my casino. I would’ve taken that bet if it were any other soul. You ain’t special, darling.”
Angel pretends the words don’t hurt him. He takes another sip of his cocktail to mask his disappointment. The blend is just sweet enough to mask the bitterness of the vodka. After the words the overlord had just uttered to him, perhaps he would’ve appreciated another shot or two mixed in there.
He throws the rest of it back and slams the glass onto the counter. His eyes are burning, no doubt from unshed tears threatening to fall. He squeezed his eyes shut instead, pretending it’s the burn of the liquor.
He knows he’s nothing more than a hot body. Val made it very clear, and he made sure Angel knew it every day. It was nothing he hadn’t heard before, so why would this be any different?
In a way, the overlord before him still had some control over him. He may not be the owner of his soul, but he was still his boss. He couldn’t risk getting on this guy’s bad side already. He needed a job, food, a place to stay. Angel had none of it, and Husk offered all of this.
“You should get some sleep, Anthony. Got a big day tomorrow.”
“My name is Angel,” He gritted.
Off to a great start already.
Husk frowned, nodding nonetheless. “Sorry. Angel.”
-
“You’ll figure it out, I’m sure.” Husk attempts to comfort, getting back to the paperwork.
He ignores the exasperated huff Angel lets out before getting back to the task at hand. He had way too much stuff to get through before the night’s end. He didn’t have time to deal with a newbie bitching about his job.
“And how are you so sure? Did ya see me down there? I can’t do anything right.”
Husk didn’t want to embarrass him further by admitting he was indeed watching.
“I just don’t want you to get rid a’ me, alright? I don’t wanna have to go back to the V’s-”
“And who the hell said you were?” Husk asked with a raised eyebrow, finally looking up at him. The defensive tone in his voice falters as he takes in the man in front of him. Angel looked defeated, unable to look him in the eyes.
Husk sighed.
“Angel, you’re a free soul. You don’t have to go back unless you really want to. I mean, I’ve heard some shit about the way they treat their souls and employees. Can’t imagine anyone wanting to willingly work for those three assholes.”
Angel shrugged, his eyes trained on a spot in the rug.
“Val is all I know. Even if he was a shitty boss, I had a place to stay, ya know? I was fed, clothed, and employed. Hell, I got famous because of him.”
“Yeah? And how did that go for ya?”
He didn’t mean to, but he also couldn’t stand the thought of chasing away his new employee back into the arms of someone like Valentino. It was a low blow, and by the look on Angel’s face, he seemed to think so as well.
“You ain’t got any friends or family ‘round here?” Husk asks, changing the subject.
Angel recovers rather quickly, something he’d grown used to when all eyes were on him.
“One friend, but she’s usually on the move. Never stays in one place fa’ too long. And got my dad and big brotha’ somewhere ‘round Pentagram city but might as well not have any family at all.”
That was a can of worms neither wanted to open at the moment. Husk himself didn’t have any family in Hell. At least, none that he knew of, anyway.
Friends? Well, he ain’t got many of those, either.
Husk stands from his seat and leans forward, now his turn to stare the spider down. “There’s gotta be more to you than just sex.”
“Think about it;” Husk continues, “What do you do before you sleep with someone?”
Angel looks at him like he’s grown a second head. The overlord awaits his answer, his yellow slit eyes boring into his soul. The spider demon looks away, the glare of the older man preventing him from thinking straight.
“Talk to ‘em, I guess?” He finally answers.
“Mhm, and how exactly do you talk to ‘em?”
“I…flirt? I dunno.”
Husk smirks, nodding approvingly before taking a seat back. “There you have it.”
“I don’t get it. How exactly is that going to benefit you?”
The overlord chuckles, making the taller demon feel like the punchline of some sick joke.
“What I’m trying to say is,” Husk paused, chuckling once more before continuing, “-that you should distract them. Pretend you’re just another customer trying to make conversation. Stroke their ego, make ‘em take risks until they’ve got nothing else to lose. Make them spend money, more than they can afford to waste. Ya see where I’m getting at?”
Angel thinks it over, and Husk can almost see the gears in his head beginning to turn. The patience he had for this spider was beyond his comprehension. Any other employee would’ve been kicked out or even punished if they pulled a stunt like this.
The only difference was, Angel could make him money. He already had a reputation around town. People knew him, and they loved him. He was beautiful, talented. It was why Valentino tried to put up a fight when he’d lost his star actor.
Husk watched him closely, watching as his eyes lit with excitement.
“Yeah,” Angel grins. “I think I can do that.”
Notes:
Thinking about changing the name of the fic, what do yall think?
Chapter 3: The Risk Of It All
Notes:
If you noticed me change the title three consecutive times no you didn’t
Yalllll I am so sorry for the delay 😭 on the bright side, this is one of the longest chapters yet
And no, English is not my first language so apologies in advance for accidental misinformation 😬
(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)
Chapter Text
Angel was back on the floor the very next day. He was more than ready to take on his new responsibilities and prove that he was indeed a valuable asset to the casino, and that Husk hadn’t made a huge mistake by deciding to employ him.
And by freeing his soul, not to mention. He was still coming to terms with it. It just seemed so surreal, and it was all because the Overlord who’d won his soul had absolutely no interest in owning it.
Sure, it’d admittingly stung at first, Husk telling him he wasn’t special straight to his face, but the thought of being in charge of his own self, his own body, his own soul, was enough to take that pain away. It was all going to turn out okay in the end.
The job paid well and he even had a place to stay. Husk had also sent a couple of his men to pick up his belongings from the studio as well as his beloved pet pig the morning after his very first night.
Though his first official work day didn't go as smoothly as planned, after a brief discussion with Husk, Angel’s brand new role came with many more perks and liberties that he could definitely work with. One of the biggest (and best) perks was the ability to wear absolutely anything he wanted (as long as it was deemed appropriate and was within the casino’s signature colors). Angel didn’t need to be told twice to switch out the hideous red and black uniform to literally anything else in his wardrobe. After all, a pretty face and a dull uniform weren’t going to be enough of a distraction unless he showed off what his mama gave him.
(“If I gotta act pretty, I gotta look it too, boss man. Even I can’t make that ugly ass uniform look good.”)
So Husk lent him his personal credit card and told him to go nuts. He could grab anything he needed, reminding him yet again that his attire had to be black, white, red, and/or gold. Sadly the Overlord wasn’t too keen on him showing too much skin, grumbling about how his establishment wasn’t a “fuckin’ strip club”.
It’s whatever. Angel could make do with what he was given.
And if he bought a few extra outfits for Nuggets, well, the boss never really said he wasn’t allowed to do that.
It was on the second night of his new job role that he realized just how the casino’s uniform had served as a form of disguise compared to what he was used to wearing on screen. Those ugly rags prevented him from getting recognized better than he thought they would. Or maybe they just never noticed because the uniforms were just that hideous to look at.
It was ridiculous. All he could think about that night was how it took a mere show of skin for these people to know, for their minds to click. All it took was a quick peek at his chest fluff to recall the memories of him leaning in through their car window offering his services, his chest in full view.
Angel was sick of it. He wanted to put all of that behind him. He was a free soul now. He could do whatever he wanted. He did that shit because he had no other choice, and those just weren’t the circumstances anymore.
That night, as he laid in bed after a relatively tiring night, he couldn’t help but think about how that interaction could potentially lead to some sort of domino effect, leading to him getting recognized more often than not the more time he spent on the floor, which would then lead to these bastards spreading the word about the former adult actor who had left the porn industry to work as a…
Well, he didn’t exactly have a job title.
But he hated how he was so right.
As expected, the night after that, people would stop him far too often and ask if he was the infamous porn star. They’d make lewd comments, sometimes even going as far as to attempt to grope him, especially while he was in the middle of taking food and drink orders.
Security was on them in seconds. Guess the Overlord kept his word about that.
Other than that occasional occurrence, his job was fairly simple.
‘Boss man told you to be nice and look pretty. You got this, Angie. We’re here to take their money, and you ain’t even gotta fuck ‘em.’
So if there was one thing he was even remotely good at, it was boosting the egos of the wealthiest, dumbest patrons that walked right through the door. Thanks to the decent amount of fame, some of his old clientele would make an appearance as well, unaware of the way their favorite ex porn star was going to play them like a violin, sometimes without even laying a finger on them.
For safety reasons, he still made sure to keep security in his line of sight. After all, he had to play it safe after the several stalker incidents he’d encountered in his past job. As long as they didn’t dare touch him, he couldn’t care less how they benefited from his presence. All he had to do was flatter them with his words, which in his opinion, wasn't too different from simple dirty talking. A seductive whisper went a long way.
“You should go all in, darling. Got a pretty good set of cards right there.”
“What do ya mean this is ya last game of the night? Come on, hun, don’t ya wanna keep the wins coming?!”
“Boss has got a pretty good selection of liquors. You wanna buy us a drink, baby?”
And 9 times out of 10, these suckers fell for it.
He thought of it as another way of selling himself, only using his looks instead of his body this time. He knew he was pretty, and knew many wanted him. Seduction and flattery were key, a brief hand on the shoulder, a wink here and there, the raking of his fingernails up someone’s arm. It was all it took for these bastards to give in to Angel’s temptations. They spent more and more money the more he flirted, and Angel didn’t even have to give them a taste of himself. Words alone made him all the more alluring.
It was nice for a change.
This particular night, he’d chosen a long, gold satin dress with a wide slit on one of the legs. It was a new piece, falling absolutely in love with it once it’d caught his eye. It was beautiful, much more classier than anything Val ever allowed him to wear.
“Nice dress, Angel.” Kim, one of the bartenders, complimented as he neared the bar. Angel set the empty drink tray on the counter, posing playfully for the shark demon.
“Ya like it? Boss said to charm the pants off a’ some of these losers, so that’s what I’m tryna’ do.” Angel grins watching his coworker cackle, proud of himself for beginning to make at least some acquaintances in his new workplace.
“Is it working so far?”
Angel winks. “You know it.”
The opening in the back was just long enough to still give off an elegant look. Husk couldn't stress it enough when he sent him shopping. He said he was supposed to resemble the “rich, sophisticated trophy wives that often accompanied their husbands at the tables (or were kept at home while their husbands brought different gals in with them)”.
Husk wanted him to blend in, to not dress like a “solicitor looking for a ‘fun time’ with the patrons.” (yes, those were his exact words).
“What’s wrong with that?” Angel had asked.
“Nothin’! Let’s just be realistic here, sweetheart; how often do you see hookers and sex workers walkin’ in ‘ere hand in hand with men like the ones out there? Never! You know they tend to keep them a secret instead.”
Angel couldn’t argue there.
He grabs another tray filled with various drinks and heads over to distribute them to the correct table. It technically wasn’t part of his job requirement, but he couldn’t stand idly by and watch as the waiters and waitresses did all the work in front of him. His mother raised him to be a gentleman after all.
The chatter amongst the table settled down once he arrived, setting the tray down and calling out the names of each cocktail and mixed drink he presented. His habit of trying new things was finally coming in handy.
“I know you from somewhere,” one of the older men from the group suddenly spoke. Angel’s hand briefly froze around the martini glass he was about to set down.
Recovering quickly, he grins in the guy’s direction.
“I don’t think so-”
The realization flashes across his face faster than Angel would’ve hoped.
“Holy shit! You’re Angel Dust! You’re the pornstar!”
The spider demon offered a small smile, placing the rest of the drinks on the table for them to grab. He tucked the tray under one of the second set of arms.
“You betcha, toots. Anything else I can get ya’ lads?”
Another one of the gentlemen at the table shot the first guy a smirk, and Angel has a vague idea that the next words out of the guy’s mouth will make him want to shoot his brains out.
“Depends. What you offerin’?”
‘You gotta be kidd-‘
“Not in front of the ladies, fellas!” Angel attempts to joke, crossing his arms to show at least some form of defiance.
Unfortunately, said ladies seemed to be getting a kick out of the scene, sultry smiles hiding behind the rim of their cocktail glasses.
‘Oh, great. Looks like they’re a couple a’ freaks, too.’
“Right then, folks. If that’s all, I’ll be right ova’ there by the bar if ya’ need me. Ciao!”
He walks away before they can reply. The night had barely begun. They were getting quicker with it.
‘Gee, Angie. You just left the studio and you already think you’re too hot shit to be known as nothing more than just a whore.”
As much as it may sound like it, Angel didn’t hate being a sex worker. That profession is what brought him fame, gave him a place to live, and kept him fed. Hell, it even gave him Fat Nuggets.
And he loves sex, and he knows how to appreciate a hot guy every so often. What he couldn’t stand was being treated and viewed as nothing more than a sex symbol; nothing more than a piece of meat to devour and toss aside once a horny motherfucker had their fill, just to repeat the process all over again. He wasn’t an object, a pretty thing to touch and use. He was a person, a very real person with feelings and emotions.
But the entire thing made him feel like his body was the only thing good about him. Valentino had done nothing to prove that otherwise. His entire career had completely ruined his perception of himself, his relationships, and intimacy in general. It all did nothing but bring the horrible memories back.
“You look like shit. Need a quick break?” Kim asked once he’d arrived at the bar, giving him a brief look over and taking the empty tray from him.
Angel smiled in gratitude, letting her know he’d be right back before walking off to Satan-knows-where.
He wasn’t paying attention, just kept walking, the clink of his high heeled boots growing louder and the ruckus from the casino becoming simple background music. The sound of the slot machines, the arcade games, the conversations from the patrons, all of it growing more quiet the further he walked away from it.
Only after turning a corner and coming face to face with complete and utter darkness does he realize he’d never set foot in this part of the building before. The dark hallway continues on ahead of him, and against his better judgment, he takes another step and keeps on going. The long corridor grows darker the further he walks, the only sources of light coming from behind him. Perhaps he should’ve checked if there was a light switch before walking into unfamiliar, dark corridors.
His eyes adjust to the darkness rather quickly.
The hallway leads into another open space, similar to that of the casino floor. There were many tables scattered across the floor, chairs turned on their side or stacked on top of the tables. The table clothes were practically torn to shreds, and now that he thought about it, nothing in the room seemed remotely salvageable. There were arcade games on one side of the wall, a much smaller bar counter than the one they’ve got on the main floor on the opposite wall. Taking in more of the scene, it was no doubt that the place was abandoned.
But what mainly caught his eye was the silhouette of a wide, long curtain directly across from him. Bullet holes adorned the dark red fabric, the eerie sight of it sending a chill down his spine.
He should have known there was something off about this new Overlord. What took place in this room? Why was it abandoned? What could this guy be hiding?
What the heck was behind that curtain? An interrogation room? A stash of weapons? Drugs? Dead bodies?
Fuck it. He’s dealt with all of the above before, both in the living world and in Hell. Without a second thought, Angel marches right up to the stage and finds the opening between the two fabrics, spreading them open.
Just an empty stage.
Unimpressed with the result, he heads towards the different slot machines aligned against the wall. Running the tip of his finger across the screen, he’s not surprised to watch the white fabric come back completely gray.
He turns back towards the open floor, finding the silence and stillness around him oddly comforting.
His eyes land yet again on the stage. It reminded him of the time he was alive, sneaking into gay clubs to watch the drag queens perform in some of the most beautiful ways he’d ever seen. The anticipation as the crowd began to form, tables and chairs full of people shamed by society for their lifestyles.
The stage still seemed quite sturdy despite the obvious lack of use. He could only imagine what took place here. The question still stood - why was it abandoned?
Yet, little did he know he’d get that answer much sooner than he thought.
“What are you doing back here?”
Notes:
No I’ve never been in a casino
Chapter 4: Only Had Himself To Blame
Summary:
Angel spins around, his hands in the air and his revolver slipping from his clutches.
“It’s not what it looks like, I swear!”
Notes:
As someone who doesn’t swear much, these get so hard to write sometimes 😭 still fun though!
Title taken from Cell Block Tango from Chicago
(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)
Chapter Text
“You shouldn’t be here.”
Angel slowly turns to face the source of the voice, embarrassed to be caught lurking in places he shouldn’t be.
His response dies on his tongue when he notices the way the fox demon is looking at him, from his bust to his toe. He then glances around the room.
“Anyone else here with you?”
He slowly starts to walk to him, close enough to where Angel can make out the security badge on his jacket. Angel shakes his head, looking around just to be sure.
“This area is off limits, you know?”
Angel offers him what he hopes is a sheepish smile, hiding the utter terror he feels on the inside. He could practically feel his heartbeat racing. He’d never seen this man around in the couple of weeks he’s worked at the casino. He was a complete stranger to him, but the way he stared him down reminded him of his past clients.
Angel shakes his head again, faking a short laugh. “Right! Sorry. I kinda just stumbled in ‘ere. I’ll, uh, leave.”
And then he starts to get a bit too close for comfort. By the time he stops, Angel is cornered between the stage and the man’s chest. The spider demon backs himself further against the wooden fixture.
“You don’t have to. We can have some fun while we’re here”
If the guy’s entire vibe hadn’t radiated bad news and intentions, Angel perhaps would’ve given this guy what he wanted and went on his merry way. No one would know anything, and he’d get out of there scot free. There was just something about that smile that reminded him way too much of his past employer, or the shitty clients he rented him out to who played a little too rough with him.
“Eh, y’know, I don’t really do that anymore.”
The predator smirked. “If you’re waiting on someone, I don’t mind them joining. More fun and all.”
The nerves on this guy!
Angel laughed nervously, the security guard entrapping him with an arm on each side when he noticed his attempt to scoot away. His four arms were stuck to his side, unable to move without the guy noticing.
”Uh, nope! Just really gotta get back on the floor, ya know? I’m still kinda new to the job and if the boss finds out I ain’t back yet, well, let’s just say I really need this job. We’ll just keep it at that.”
Despite how obviously uncomfortable he was, the fox just wouldn’t let up. He leaned in towards the spider, taking a heavy whiff of his neck. Angel felt motionless.
He began to wonder just how much he really needed this job. If assholes like these littered the casino floor, then perhaps sticking around wasn’t going to be in his books. He’d dealt with these types of men constantly in the sex work industry. It brought back some less than pleasant memories.
No. He wasn’t going to let this bastard run him away from the first decent job he’s had so far. Even if the majority of the patrons said some out of pocket shit, they weren’t allowed to put their hands on the workers. They could get them kicked out anytime they stepped out of line, banning them if they went too far. Unfortunately, Angel wasn’t too informed on the rules against sexual assault coming from another employee. As much as he’s tempted to, he doubts that punching another employee, one of the security guards at that, would look great on his behalf. He was trying desperately to keep his job here.
A clawed hand grips his waist, another reaching for the fluff on his chest. Angel moves out of the way to avoid his touch.
“Mm, can ya’ not?” His tone was playful, but the meaning behind his words was obvious.
He didn’t want to be touched.
The security guard cackled, his voice dropping an octave.
“Come on. Don’t act like you don’t want it. Once a slut, always a slut, baby.”
Angel uses all the force in his body to push him away.
He always did hate being called that. Only he was allowed to degrade himself.
“Yo, get the fuck away from me. I ain’t gunna tell you again,” He warns the fox gravely.
The look of surprise is wiped off the guy’s face when he realized Angel wouldn’t play the part of his prey. He grips Angel’s hip tightly, sinking his nails into the spider’s skin. His free hand moves towards his neck, and Angel decides to damn it all.
His third set of arms extract from his body in the blink of an eye, knocking the wind out of the fucker with a heavy hit to his gut. The fox doubles over, clutching his stomach with both arms. It’s so much more satisfying when they aren’t expecting it.
The security guard takes a moment to compose himself, the angry growl he lets out informing Angel that he wasn’t quite done yet.
The tiny revolver in his pocket is also extremely handy during moments like these.
He whips it out, aiming it straight at the spot between the man’s eyes before him. The fox’s eyes widened for a moment, his eyebrows furrowing in anger before he stupidly attempted to grab it from the barrel.
The sound of the gunshot was almost deafening.
The realization hits him immediately. “Fuckfuckfuckfuckshitshitshit I am SO fired.”
Running his hands through his hair, he watches as the blood begins to trickle down his face.
It was nice while it lasted, he supposed. The time spent at the casino was one he wouldn’t forget. Now he had to call Cherri and figure out where the hell she was staying at so he could crash. He hoped he would’ve at least saved up a bit of extra cash to get back on his feet before leaving.
He stared blankly at the body, unable to recall the last time he took a life with his own, bare hands. Taking the life of a soul that no doubt belonged to the Overlord Angel’s currently working for. Considering the amount of souls Husk owned, would he really sense the loss of this one singular life?
People would definitely notice his lack of presence though. The guy had a significant role in the casino. It would be just a matter of time before the issue was brought up to the boss.
“Angel Dust?”
He was so royally screwed.
Angel spins around, his hands in the air and his revolver slipping from his clutches.
“It’s not what it looks like, I swear!”
Husk, oh-so-surprisingly, doesn’t buy it, glancing between the gun on the floor, the bloodied body of one of his security guards, and the former pornstar.
”I’m so sorry,” Angel blurts out, “I dunno what came over me.”
“Hey, you ain’t got nothing to apologize for. Fucker had it comin’.”
“I swear I-“
Angel stops, the words sinking in.
“Whadaya’ mean he ‘had it comin’?
Husk continues to examine the corpse, kicking it lightly to ensure he was really dead.
“What were you doing here, Angel?”
“No. No, you don’ get ta’ change the subject. What the fuck do you mean he had it comin? Did ya’ already know how much of a fuckin’ pervert this dickhead was?”
Angel is staring him down, awaiting his next answer. Husk doesn’t seem all that intimidated by the angry spider’s confrontation.
“Go to your room. Not to the floor. Not to the bar. Just- go to your room.”
Angel scoffed. “What am I, a fuckin’ child?”
“Damn it, Angel, just go!”
The spider is taken back by the growl in the Overlord’s voice, staring daggers into him one last time before leaving wordlessly.
Husk calls upon a few of his closest employees and has them take care of the body.
Kim’s got a shot of whiskey neat waiting for him at the bar when he gets back on the floor. He throws it back, muttering his gratitude when she slides him another.
“It was my fault. I told him to take a break. I didn’t know he’d gone over there.”
Husk shrugs, deciding to nurse the second shot and savor the burn this time. It was the good stuff, the kind she kept behind the bar.
“He’s a feisty one, ain’t he?” Kim attempts to light the mood.
Husk runs his hands down his face, the warmth in his stomach returning as he thinks about Angel.
”He shot Andy. Fuckin’ killed him.”
The bartender scoffed. ”Serves him right. Can’t tell you how many times he made so many of us uncomfortable.”
Husk sighed, sliding the empty glass over to her for a refill. She fills it to the brim this time.
“I know. Still can’t have my workers killin’ each other, especially my souls.”
Kim remains silent, wiping the same spot on the bar, deep in thought. Husk took notice of it, though deciding not to comment on it.
A long, silent minute passed between them before she finally spoke.
”I still shoulda’ kept an eye on him. My apologies, boss.”
Husk shrugs again, sliding the glass back, stopping her before she could refill it. He stands from his seat, sliding a $10 into the tip jar.
”I don’t care.”
”I do.” She replies, leaving him at a loss of words. He meets her eyes, watching as her eyes began to water.
”Another kill in the theater. Must bring back alota’ memories, huh, boss?” She chuckles wetly.
She finally turned away to assist another patron.
Husk watches her work for a brief moment, their eyes meeting for a split second before looking away immediately.
He missed her husband, too. He was a nice guy, trustworthy, one of his best employees.
But he wouldn’t dare call any of them his friends.
As Zestial once said-
“An Overlord should never grow too close to the souls they own. They are not your friends. They are not your family. They are under your command. You own them. They owe you everything. You owe them nothing.”
Yet one thing was clear - If Andy would’ve died by the hands of any other one of his employees, that damned fox wouldn’t have been the only worker Husk would’ve lost tonight.
And that thought terrified him.
Notes:
LOREEEEE
Some of y’all thought it was Husk in the beginning hehe
Chapter 5: Forgiveness With Conditions
Summary:
“I need you to accompany me to an event Saturday night.”
Husk went quiet, awaiting his reaction.
On the other hand, Angel patiently waited for him to continue. Husk couldn’t expect him to agree without knowing all the details of this so-called ‘event’. When it was clear he wouldn’t go into further depth, Angel took the initiative and responded with the only question in mind.
“Like a date?”
Notes:
I finished this way earlier than expected :o I guess this is sort of like a filler chapter.
BTW I will be rewriting the first chapter. I've already made some changes to it (nothing too drastic) but this is just a start. I will let y'all know when it's ready. I've also added a note to the first chapter.
(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)
Chapter Text
Angel runs a hand down Nugget’s back, the piglet’s eyes fluttering open before closing again. He watched in adoration as the piglet curled up on his side, wiggling a bit to make himself more comfortable and allowing his owner to continue petting him.
There was no better way to calm the spider’s unsettling nerves.
He’s aware he should be packing his bags right about now. He should be gathering the very few possessions he owns and picking up any loose change he could find. Then, he’d go down to the floor and say goodbye to Kim, maybe even Steph and Carlos from the kitchen. They had always been pretty nice to him, too.
Instead, here he was sulking on his bed, debating whether he should go and beg Husk to let him keep his job or just accept his inevitable fate. Hell, he’d even take a pay cut at this point. If he had to get down on his knees and offer him the Angel Dust special, then so be it. He just needed a bit more time and money to get back on his feet and find somewhere else to stay.
If the free housing hadn’t come with the job, he couldn’t imagine just how much rent was for the suite he currently resided in.
A knock at the door interrupts his train of thoughts, Fat Nuggets stirring beside him. Mustering the courage and physical strength to get up, Angel makes his way to the door and swings it open.
The Overlord himself stood at his door, leaning on his dice cane in front of him.
Oh, he was so screwed.
Husk gives him a look over, taking in his disheveled state. Angel never did bother to change out of his outfit.
He did his best to smooth out the dress and offer his best fake smile. “Mista’ Husk.”
Husk nodded in greeting. “Angel Dust.”
“Just call me-,” Angel caught himself before he could continue, debating whether he should finish the sentence.
What was the worst that could happen at that point?
“Just Angel is fine, boss.”
Though was he really in a position to be correcting his boss if he was on the verge of being fired?
“Or you can call me whateva’ ya want.”
That did NOT come out the way he wanted it to.
Husk frowned, proving his point. “Angel, then,” he lets out a heavy sigh before continuing. “I’ve come to apologize.”
Angel eyes widening in disbelief. “Respectfully, sir, I believe I should be the one apologizin’.”
Husk ignored his response, motioning towards the inside of the spider demon’s room. Angel steps to the side and lets him in.
At the sight of a new guest, Fat Nuggets immediately jumped to his feet, carefully sliding off the bed covers before trotting over to his owner’s boss. The piglet gives him a few sniffs, rubbing himself against Husk’s pant leg when he’s familiarized with the Overlord’s scent. Angel eyes softened at the scene. Perhaps Nuggets could convince the man not to fire his daddy.
“Cute pig. What’s his name?”
Angel grins at the compliment. “Fat Nuggets.”
Husk huffs a laugh at the name, leaning down to pet the piglet. The sight of the usually grumpy Overlord interacting with his baby was too cute to handle, fighting the urge to snap a picture. He’d rather not give the boss any more reasons to let him go.
After a few more seconds of playing with Nuggets, Husk eventually straightens up, his face shifting back to an expression that meant business.
“How are you holding up?”
The question is simple and straightforward, yet Angel can’t help but overthink it.
“Fine.” He automatically answers. Husk is clearly unconvinced, watching his face closely for any signs of emotion. Angel does his best not to squirm under his stern gaze.
The Overlord grows bored of attempting to decipher his expression, taking a look around Angel’s room. The spider had immediately gotten started at making himself at home the first night he’d arrived, decorating the room little by little to fit more his style with whatever he had in hand.
“I like what you’ve done with the place,” Husk says, examining the polaroids Angel’s hung around the room.
Angel’s dealt with enough jobs to recognize that small talks usually lead to some much more serious topics.
“Thanks.” He doesn’t know what else to say, anxiously waiting for the ball to drop.
The Overlord gives one last look around the room and turns back to him.
“I need to speak to you about something.”
Angel drops to the floor, his top set of hands gripping each of Husk’s knees tightly.
He had to resemble the pure, unadulterated image of complete, utter submission.
“Sir, I am so, so sorry for killin’ one of yer’ souls. I swear I’ll neva’ eva’ do it again. Please. I need this job so badly . Please don’t fire me, Sir. I’ll do anything!”
His hands slowly began to slide up his legs, sultrily watching him through his lashes.
“There must be something, anything I can do ta’ convince you-”
Husk’s steps back abruptly, Angel managing to catch himself in time before his face hits the carpet.
The Overlord growled. “Angel, for fuck’s suck, you ain’t losing your job. Get off the damn floor!”
The spider demon obliges instantly, noticing the way Husk avoided his eyes. Taking a seat on the edge of his bed, Angel takes a quick peek at his groin area, looking away before he gets caught.
No visible tent. Damn it.
His heavy sigh brings Angel back to reality, watching as the cat runs a hand down his face. Husk takes a moment to compose himself before facing him again and asking -
“What are you doing this weekend?”
Angel froze at the question.
Well, that was certainly a new one.
Husk glared at him expectantly, leaning forward on his cane.
Angel smirked.
“Why? You needa’ think about what you wanna do ta’ me? I can assure you, baby, I’ll-”
He scowled. “No! Damn it, Angel, I don’t want to sleep with you. Get that through your thick fuckin’ skull!”
Alarmed by the boom in his voice, Fat Nuggets runs and hides under the bed. Angel couldn’t blame him. He wanted to do the exact same thing.
He couldn’t decide what was worse: the outward, brutal rejection or the fact that his advances just weren’t working on Husk, meaning he’d have to try much harder not to screw up at his job in order to avoid having to convince Husk not to fire him.
No. Husk already told him he wouldn’t lose his job, and he seemed like a man of his word. He couldn’t be a liar and a cheat, could he?
“Did you just flinch?”
The tone of Husk’s voice was much calmer, though not quite gentle enough to be misinterpreted for genuine worry.
“No, I didn’t.” Angel quickly answered. He wasn’t even aware he’d done so.
Husk watched him quietly, no doubt attempting to read him again. Angel fought the urge to roll his eyes. This talent of his was really starting to tick him off. Before he could comment on it, Husk suddenly changed the subject.
“I need you to accompany me to an event Saturday night.”
Husk went quiet, awaiting his reaction.
On the other hand, Angel patiently waited for him to continue. Husk couldn’t expect him to agree without knowing all the details of this so-called ‘event’. When it was clear he wouldn’t go into further depth, Angel took the initiative and responded with the only question in mind.
“Like a date?”
Husk’s eyes widened.
“No!”
Another harsh rejection. Could this night possibly get any worse?
Husk sighed, clearly struggling to put into words what he wanted to say. “It’s just a business meeting at a nice place in town. Great food, good ambiance, and the guy rented it out so you ain’t gotta worry about your creep fans. It’ll just be us and a couple of other guys hearing some sinner out on a business opportunity. All I need you to do is be a…distraction, of sorts.”
Angel let the words sink in.
Work. Of course. Husk just wanted him to pose as arm candy. He wanted him to distract his competitors, and what other way could he possibly do that than underneath the table?
No wonder Husk came to him.
“What? Is this some sort of punishment for killin’ that guy?”
“I’m sorry?”
‘Well, when ya’ say distract, I assumed ya’ meant-”
“No. No. That is not at all what I meant. Why the hell is your first thought always sex?! ”
Husk waved his arms dismissively, realizing he was only making matters worse and far more confusing than they needed to be.
“Let me put it this way - I’ll forgive you for killing one of my men if you accompany me to this event. All you gotta do is talk to them, sweeten ‘em up, and sit there lookin’ pretty. Nothin’ physical. I want all their attention to be on you. Not much different than what you already do on the floor, right?”
Angel thought it over.
“You can sit on it for a few days. You don’t have to decide-”
Angel shrugging, the sudden movement stopping the Overlord mid-sentence. “Sure, why not?”
Recovering from the surprise at the quick answer, Husk nodded.
“Good. I’ll have my assistant book you an appointment with the dress maker then. Usually, I’d let you wear whatever the hell you wanted, but-”
“I get it,” Angel cut him off with a gentle smile, “If I gotta’ look pretty, I’d much ratha’ do it in a fancy dress.”
Husk finally shows his second smile of the night.
“Well then, I guess we’re done here. Do let me know if you have any questions about it before the day arrives.”
Angel nodded apprehensively, watching as the Overlord turned back around and headed for the doorway.
“Oh, and Angel?” Husk stops, looking over his shoulder.
“Yeah, boss?”
“Try not to interrupt me when I’m talking next time. I can’t stand it.”
With that, the Overlord leaves and shuts the door behind him.
And that, in Angel’s honest opinion, was one of the hottest goddamn things he’d ever seen.
Notes:
Let me know your thoughts in the comments <3
Chapter 6: Back To Black
Summary:
No amount of liquor will ever kill the memory of the night of the ambush, nor will it get rid of the pity he feels at the thought of what Angel Dust went through. He had way too much going on in this fucked up head of his. He didn’t need her adding more to it.
Chapter Text
Charlie Morningstar became a good friend (he was still coming to terms with it) a few months after the ambush.
It all started with a “Get me a meeting with the King of Hell.” and his assistant worked her magic, making it happen.
Sort of.
Next thing he knew, he was in a meeting room with a young woman who looked extremely close to the King of Hell but most definitely wasn’t, an angry Latina sinner beside her glaring daggers despite missing one of her eyes.
“ Hi! It’s so nice to meet you. I’m Charlie Morningstar, Princess of Hell and future heir to the throne. My father sent me in his place, but I promise I will do everything in my power to help with whatever you need.”
And though the process is still ongoing, the Princess had proved she really was fighting tooth and nail to make his request happen.
“Mr. Husker! What a pleasant surprise!”
Husk smiled softly, an automatic response at the sight of the Princess.
“Princess Morningstar. You look well.”
Charlie waved her hand dismissively, the light blush adorning her cheeks prominent thanks to her pale complexion. Vaggie, her girlfriend, sat beside her with her hands on her lap. She’d managed to warm up to him over the past few months.
“I guess I’ll jump right into it. You know what I’m here for.”
The Princess’s grin slightly faltered.
“Right! I, uh, well, I’m… afraid I don’t have anything new to report.”
“ But- “ She continued before he could respond, “I know how much this means to you, and even though you’re far too stubborn to admit there’s an ounce of good in your heart, I’m not giving up.”
Husk decided not to argue with her. It wasn’t the first time she’d claimed he wasn’t all that evil, and it certainly wouldn’t be the last. He was in Hell for a reason. It didn’t exactly scream ‘good’ person after all.
To Husk, it was more of a business strategy. That’s all it was. He’s only requesting some form of protection for the souls under his command because training new empl- souls, was a pain in the ass. He had to keep the ones he had alive or else the casino would take a hit. It’d happened before, and he’d be damned if he let it happen again.
“Thank you, Princess. I appreciate all of your help.”
Speaking of soul protection…
Kim is one of the souls he’d much rather keep alive than dead. She'd be one of the first with extended protection, even when she was being an asshole. And that was most of the time.
“I’m just saying, boss man- if anyone else had stepped foot in that theater, they would’ve been a total goner.”
She would’ve also been a goner if she weren’t the best bartender in town. He doesn’t say it out loud. Lucifer knows it’ll go to her head.
The Overlord doesn’t answer right away, staring down into the brown abyss that was his glass of sweet, sweet liquor.
After his talk with Angel, Husk had made his way down to the floor to grab a drink. It doesn’t come as a surprise when there’s already a glass of scotch waiting for him at the very end of the bar, the bartender already sensing his arrival. She even placed it at his favorite spot.
While he sat, he witnessed several patrons come and go, remaining silent as the world continued on around him. He’d lost track of time, even with the leather-strapped watch adorning his wrist.
As the night reached its end, Kim had begun to close up the bar just quarter after 2. She’d cleaned the counter around him, closed up every bottle except the one he’s currently nursing, cleaned the glasses, etc. Not a single word had been spoken between them the entire time.
At least, not until then.
“It’s off limits.” He responds after a few seconds. “There should be caution tape or something blocking off the entrance.”
Kim nods briefly. “I’ll tell security.”
He grunted in acknowledgment, leaving it at that. He hears the clicking of a screen a few seconds later. She knows he won’t reprimand her for being on her phone behind the bar, especially not when the bar’s already closed.
She’s sticking around to make sure he doesn’t drink himself to death. Again. She used to do the same for her husband.
The memories of that night will never cease to haunt him.
The thought of one soul causing so much damage…
“Say, if you don’t mind me asking, who did you go talk to earlier?”
He doesn’t know why she’s asking, but Husk is pretty sure she already knows the answer to her own question.
She frowns.
“Was it about the theater incident? Cause I don’t think-“
“No. Not about that.” Husk interrupts, lacking the energy to provide more context on the matter. After the night he’d just had, he was exhausted.
She doesn’t say anything after that. He would’ve noticed the sudden change in her demeanor if he weren’t so busy sulking and glaring into his drink. The clicking sound of her cell phone screen reaches his ears again
“You should go. I’ll clean up after myself.”
Kim glares at him through her lashes, turning her attention back to her screen.
He throws back the rest of his drink, slamming the glass onto the counter.
“I said, go. ”
His patience was practically nonexistent in his drunken state.
“At least tell me the kid is alright first,” she snaps, throwing the towel over her shoulder. Her tone is serious, her eyes hard as she awaits his answer.
“Excuse me?”
The bartender huffs.
“The latest addition to your little collection of souls. Tell me you didn’t do shit to him.”
“ That -” a burp erupted from his throat, “is none of your goddamn business.”
Once his voice begins to slur, he definitely knows he’s had enough. It took an alarming amount of alcohol in his system to get him this drunk, and somehow he’d managed to achieve it. Nothing good ever happened when he was this wasted.
“He’s fiiiine ,” He slurred. “Di’n’t do nothin’ ta’ him.”
The bartender rolled her eyes and resumed her task of wiping down the already spotless counter, killing time until he’d decide to up and leave. He doesn’t appreciate feeling rushed in his own establishment. He’d already told her twice to leave him to it, but Husk knew her well enough to tell when she’s standing her ground.
She’s doing it for his own safety. He’s all the family she’s got left. Husk cared for her, even when she said shit that was way out of line.
“Can’t blame me for lookin’ out for a fella after a one-on-one with an Overlord, ‘specially after his last boss.”
Husk looks up from his glass.
“ ‘the fuck is tha’ sup’pose to mean?”
Kim shrugged. “You got alotta souls and time on your hands, boss. I don’t know the sick shit you do in private. Especially with a soul who used to be a sex worker.”
She knew he wasn’t into that. She was trying to get under his skin, trying to pull more information out of him. And goddamn it was it working.
Everyone’s in Hell for a reason.
“Yeah, well, if it’s any consolation, I didn’t gamble any of my souls for his.”
“Maybe, but you certainly didn’t hesitate to take the bet for him. I could see it in your eye, boss. You were so fuckin' proud of yourself, weren't you?”
“Watch yourself,” He growled, the glass in his hand shattering from his tight grip. He can already feel the blood begin to trickle down his palm.
He wills himself to stop talking. He’d had more than enough drinks tonight, the bartender sliding him a new one each time he’d drunk the last drop of the last one.
No amount of liquor will ever kill the memory of the night of the ambush, nor will it get rid of the pity he feels at the thought of what Angel Dust went through. He had way too much going on in this fucked up head of his. He didn’t need her adding more to it.
“You DO have a heart, Mr. Husk!” Charlie’s voice taunted in the back of his mind.
“Goodnight, boss.”
Kim turns the lights off and leaves him to clean up the mess he’d caused.
Both literally and figuratively.
Notes:
I didn't expect to incorporate Kim this much in the story but she's one of the only ones who know what happened the night of the ambush.
Let me know what you think in the comments <3
Chapter 7: Sinners Just Wanna Have Fun
Summary:
...after a few weeks of the same routine, he’d had enough. Angel had to get out of the hotel. With that being said, he called up Cherri and made plans to go shopping.
Notes:
(See the end of the chapter for notes.)
Chapter Text
Hugging Cherri always felt like coming home after a long, hard day. She had what Angel liked to call ‘hugging arms’. Her embrace was always so warm and firm, balancing him when he needed it the most. Whether it was a comforting hug, a graceful hug, or even a simple hello hug, hers would always be his favorite.
He doesn’t recall the last time he was held this way, his chin resting on her head as her arms enveloped his small frame tightly. Her ponytail is close to his face, the scent of cherry blossoms and smoke reaching his nose. He’s definitely missed this.
“Is it true, then?” She asks when she finally pulls away, her hands still resting on his sides. “You're free?”
“Damn right, baby.”
She squealed with excitement, diving back in for a quick yet still equally tight hug.
“I’m so proud of ya, bitch!”
Angel grinned, reaching for her hands and giving them a quick squeeze.
“Me too, babe. Now let’s do some shoppin’!”
His shifts typically start once the sun begins to set, the night coming alive with bright lights and heavy chatter. The shifts would take a toll on his body back when he first started, spending his mornings dead to the world until well after noon. Thankfully, the buffet was never empty.
However, after a few weeks of the same routine, he’d had enough. Angel had to get out of the hotel. With that being said, h e called up Cherri and made plans to go shopping.
Now, he had plenty of clothes back in his room, but none of them were comfortable enough to lounge in during his free time. Most of his outfits were courtesy of Val and his need for the spider to look ‘hot’ and ‘easy’ at all times, looking for any opportunity to make a quick cash grab with a rando on the street. While they were cute and did indeed make him look hot, he wouldn’t mind adding a few comfy clothing options in his closet.
Angel made sure to grab plenty of basic tees and sweatpants to make up for the too short articles of clothing he owned. Some were definitely fun to wear, but Husk would surely have a fit if he ever wore them on the floor.
“So, what’s the deal with this new boss of yours?”
Speak of the devil.
Angel shot her a quick glance over the clothing rack they were both browsing through.
“Hm? Whaddaya’ mean?”
Cherri shrugged. “I dunno’. What’s he like, I guess?”
Angel thought the question over for a moment, hanging a cropped hoodie he was eyeing back on the rack.
He was never much of a fan of the color green.
“He’s…okay. Pretty short. Kinda uptight.”
“Sounds like a catch.” She joked, getting a laugh out of her best friend.
“He certainly ain’t the worst. I mean, I’m free, after all.”
Cherri furrowed her eyebrow curiously. “Which is a whole ‘nother thing I was gonna ask about. He just let ya’ go, just like that?”
Angel nodded.
“Yeah. Said he just took Val’s offer to get ‘im out of the casino. Then he offered me a job, food, housin’, everything included. And get this - he’s even paying me after alla' that! Can you believe it?”
Cherri listened carefully, a contemplative expression on her face.
“So, he’s nice? Treats ya’ well?”
“Yeah, babe! He’s even lettin’ me use his card to buy what I need.”
His choice of words only seemed to worry the cyclops more, and Angel wanted to smack himself for not realizing it before.
Cherri had every right to be concerned.
She was there for it all - the day he met Val, the first date, the job offer, the soul contract, the first fallout, the crash, the realization of what he’d gotten himself into.
She was with him every step of the way.
So of course, when she finds out he’s holding onto Husk’s personal credit card with his complete permission to buy whatever he needs, the nostalgia hits just a little too close to home for them.
“Aw, you ain’t got nothing to worry about, toots. It’s just a job. Like I said, he don’t even own my soul.”
“Val didn’t own your soul when he started buying you all that expensive shit, either.”
Her tone was harsh, but the meaning behind her words is anything but ill intentioned. If anything, her mood may have soured at the simple thought of the moth overlord. He and Cherri stuck through thick and thin together, and while Cherri may have been a bit wary of his involvement with the powerful porn overlord, she was partially to blame for encouraging his early relationship with Valentino.
She would forever regret it, but she’d be damned if she'd let it happen again.
Angel smiles softly.
“I'll be fine. You can trust me.”
Cherri still looks conflicted, debating whether she should believe him or not. Angel snickered, desperately hoping for a mood change.
“As much as I’m fuckin’ offended he didn’t want my soul, I guess I’m alright with it. I ain’t got a fucker breathin’ down my neck to do whatever he says. I can leave anytime I want.”
Cherri grinned, his mood beginning to rub off on her.
“Fine, but don’t you go fallin’ in love with him, hoe.”
The two share a laugh, receiving more than a few glares from the customers around them.
Neither had much of a great experience with love, both in the living or the afterlife.
Angel had been a closeted man back when he was alive, forced to work in a field full of masochistic, misogynistic men along with a father and an older brother whom he never seemed to be quite enough for. The men he’d get romantically involved with were often repressed homosexuals who threatened to beat the shit out of him if he ever ratted them out.
Cherri had been a delinquent when she was alive, not much different than what she's like now. The boys pursuing her often had one plan in mind - to control her. They wanted her to be the perfect housewife and provide them with a child or two. They wanted the whole white picket fence life that went completely against everything she and the female rock stars of her time stood for.
Hell brought them some pretty shit relationships as well.
“Relax, babe. I've got it handled. Just because he’s hot and he treats me with respect doesn’t mean I’m gunna fall in love with ‘im.”
“Hold up! You never said he was hot. ” Cherri smirked. The spider demon grinned.
“Lil’ on the older side, but definitely daddy material, if ya’ catch my drift.”
“Well, damn. Hook a bitch up!”
“I ain’t hookin’ ya’ up with my boss, hoe!”
Cherri cackled, Angel joining her a second later. His best friend’s eye suddenly widened; her grin still present as she elbowed him lightly. His eyes settled on the disgruntled imp employee heading their way.
“Please keep it down, or you will be asked to exit the building.”
“We will. Sorry, babes.” Angel winked.
While unconvinced, he left them to it. The pair broke into quiet laughter yet again.
“Alright, fine!” Cherri finally spoke, catching her breath. “I trust you. You betta’ promise me we’re gonna hang out more so I can keep tabs on your stupid ass! Betta’ not forget where ya’ started, either.”
Angel rolled his eyes, nodding in response to her statement. The two continued to look around, picking up several articles of clothing and showing each other their options. Thank Lucifer their styles were so similar.
He’d managed to find quite a few clothing options for both work and to wear during his free time. Husk never gave him a spending limit, but Angel knew not to push his luck. There was no telling what he looked like or what he’d do when he was angry, and Angel would rather not find out. Overlords were always the cruelest when enraged.
The thought gave him an idea.
He wanders over to the jewelry section, examining the selections while he thought of which ones he could pair with his outfits. Cherri came up next to him with her own bundle of clothes.
He had his eyes set on a pair of white gold drop earrings.
They should've kept these behind the counter or in a glass display. Instead, there they were out in the open, begging to be taken by a fluffy, white spider demon.
“Just ta’ prove I ain’t gettin’ sucked into the money and fancy shit-'' And despite having his arms full, Angel snatched the diamond earrings from the display in front of him and stuffed them into his chest fluff.
Having 6 arms was a major advantage in these situations.
Cherri watched with a mischievous smile.
“Now we’re talking, baby!”
And if they got caught, well, what was that imp going to do? Dig into his ‘breasts’?
His eyes settled on a pair of spade- shaped studs. Black diamonds. Perfect for work.
He ended up taking those, too.
Notes:
I promise we're getting to the good stuff y'all stick with me
Anyway Cherri and Angel friendship my beloved <3
Let me know your thoughts <3
Chapter 8: Me and My Head High
Summary:
Angel finally finds his voice. “I can see your busy so I’ll just come back-“
“Nonsense. You’re already here. Curiosity kills the cat, as they say.”
Chapter Text
A position of leadership takes a lot of work and responsibility. An idiot could tell you that much.
Meeting after meeting, bill after bill. All of it falls on him. He doesn't trust any of his workers enough, not even Elena, his own assistant, to sub in for him. Lucifer knows they already had too much insight into his personal and work life.
But seriously, what good was it to be the founder of the largest chain of casinos in the Pride ring if he couldn’t even find the time to indulge in the fun himself?
Inventory stocks are low in the Main St. warehouse, so he’s got to send someone down there to do an inventory check. The casino near Cannibal Town is due for an inspection, and he only knows about it thanks to Rosie. The employees in that building are made up of her own people, and considering how unsanitary, for lack of better word, they tend to be, he had to get on that quickly.
He has a meeting with the Gavianchi siblings on a brand new selection of wines they’ve created. Though he’s never been much of a fan, it was an absolute hit with the more sophisticated clientele in the casino. They came here and spent a ridiculous amount of money. It was the least he could do for them.
Even if they were the worst of the lot.
So here he was, rummaging through the seemingly endless amounts of bills and receipts he needed to get through to budget the costs while awaiting the arrival of two of the most important business partners he was acquainted with.
Elena stands guard just outside his door, away from her usual position at her desk, waiting to greet the two Overlords and announce their arrival to her boss.
The life of an Overlord was no easy feat, especially when most of them acknowledged the sort of power they held and obnoxiously flashed it at any given opportunity. Were they truly so ignorant to the immense dangers they were putting themselves in or were they really so dull not to realize they were becoming a target to other much more sinister, astute Overlords who’d defeat them in an instant?
Perhaps that was one of the upsides of his position. He’d managed to take down some of the dumber ones as well, snatching their souls and forcing them to work amongst those they deemed inferior during their prime time. And while it was satisfying, Husker had to admit that the constant addition to his collection of souls did take a toll on him. Keeping them all in check while dealing with the overcrowdedness could sometimes become too much.
Which is why he tended to let some go every so often. Killing them just because he ran out of space to put ‘em seemed unreasonable. As long as they kept their mouths shut and didn’t let it get out, they could go on and live their lives. As long as they also paid their debt to him, of course.
So what in Husk’s right mind was he thinking when he let Angel’s soul go? What exactly motivated him to do that? Was it really just because he wanted Valentino out of the building? Or did he feel bad about Angel’s situation? It could be both, he supposed.
Elena cracks open the door to his office, just enough to peek her head through.
“The Gavianchi’s are here for you, sir.”
The white Siberian Husky demon standing outside Husk’s door looks incredibly bored.
That didn’t mean she was anything but harmless.
In fact, she definitely looked the part of a security guard, bulky, intimidating and ready to deal with anyone who she deemed a potential threat to her and her boss. Considering his past experiences with the security guards in this place, Angel wasn’t going to take any chances.
Angel’s hand brushes softly against the pocket knife tucked into his garter belt, mustering up the courage to go up to her and ask to talk to Husk.
All he had to do was ask what he was going to wear to the meeting on Saturday. It was a quick question, an in and out sort of thing. He shouldn’t be this nervous to talk to the boss. Honestly, just knowing the colors of his outfit would be helpful. Because apparently, the dressmaker wasn’t informed of any details regarding what his dress should look like.
So as soon as Angel watches her leave her post and disappear into another room, he takes it as an opportunity to barge right on in.
“Hey!-“
The door is already wide open, Angel bursting in before she gets the chance to reach out and stop him.
From interrupting a very important looking meeting. Shit.
No one in the room is amused by his sudden burst in. In fact, the only lady in the room seems to be far from pleased by his presence. The man sitting beside her is watching him with furrowed eyes, glancing between Husk and the ex-porn star.
“I- I uh-,” Angel’s at a loss for words. For a man so used to being in the spotlight, in front of cameras and fairly large audiences, in that moment, he felt like a deer caught in the headlights.
Husk is the first to break the silence.
“Can I help you, Angel?”
The spider demon swallows nervously, his gaze flying from one person to the other.
“I tried to stop him, boss!” A female voice shouts behind him. Angel’s head whips around and meets the source of the sound, the husky’s icy blue eyes staring daggers into his very own.
Angel finally finds his voice. “I can see your busy so I’ll just come back-“
“Nonsense. You’re already here. Curiosity kills the cat, as they say.”
His guests seem to find the joke funny, and though he would’ve offered a small chuckle in response, Angel couldn’t help but feel like he was being taunted. He hated that feeling.
“You didn’t give the dressmaker anythin’ to work with. Just wanted to know what you were wearin’ Saturday night.”
Husk raised an eyebrow, glaring at him condescendingly.
“I thought you had it handled. Do I have to do everything for you?”
“No, sir .” He gritted, “We’d just like ta’ know what colors you’ll be wearing. That way we don’t look stupid pullin’ up in completely different color schemes.”
That seemed to get his attention, his gaze hardening at the tone of Angel’s voice. Whether it was due to the distasteful way Angel spoke to him or the realization that it was actually a completely valid question considering Husk had made the appointment for the dress today , Angel didn’t care. He wasn’t going to allow anyone to speak to him that way; like he was stupid. Not anymore.
He continued to stare him down, and Angel being the stubborn little shit he was, refused to break eye contact, either.
Husk briefly shook his head, snapping back to reality and turning back to his guests with a sheepish expression.
“Where are my manners? Freddy, Mandy, this is my newest employee - Angel Dust.”
The lady, Mandy, nodded in greeting. The man beside her, Freddy, stared dumbfounded.
“Wear something black.” Husk tells him before directing his attention back to the pair.
Angel watches the exchanged small talk, unsatisfied with the answer he received from the overlord.
”My dear friend, were you really that desperate for workers? You know, we could have lent you some of our warehouse employees. We’ve got plenty.”
Mr. Freddy didn’t miss a beat before beginning to trash talk him. He damn well knew Angel was still in the room.
Husk grinned.
”Nah, I don’t. I just took his soul to piss off Val. Heard through the grapevine that this one was his best money maker, so now I’ve got him putting that pretty face to use and working the floors.”
“The floors? That’s it? No private shows?”
Husk frowned, shaking his head. “Why would I do that?”
”Don’t tell me you haven’t seen his films!” The Gavianchi brother exclaimed, slapping his hands against the arms rest. His sister sneered at his response.
”Seriously, Fred?”
”What? I like some of his stuff! It’s good! What do you think, Husker?
The cat demon shrugged nonchalantly. ”A man likes what he likes.”
”See? He gets it!”
Mandy glares at her brother with disgust. Husk does his best to mask his, awkwardly joining in the man’s hysterical laughter.
There was absolutely no shame in the way they spoke about him in his presence. Angel took it as a sign to finally exit the room.
“My apologies, boss. It won’t happen again.” The husky states, stepping to the side and allowing Angel to walk past her.
"Please see to it, Elena."
“Back to business, please!” Is the last thing Angel hears from the woman’s voice before the door completely shuts.
Elena must’ve noticed the tears threatening to spill, hands balled up tightly on each side.
“Don’t take it personally, kid.”
He leaves before she can say anything else.
He had to call the dressmaker.
Notes:
Finally getting somewhere!
Let me know what y'all think in the comments <3
Chapter 9: Shaking, Blind, and Hazy
Summary:
There was just something about him that intrigued him. The relationship Husk had with his workers, his decision to randomly free Angel’s soul, the fact that he’d never once crossed his boundaries, even when Angel shamelessly flirted with him.
It was just so damn attractive.
Notes:
CW: Masturbation (towards the end of the chapter)
Title taken from Maroon by Taylor Swift
(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)
Chapter Text
He ended the meeting with a massive headache.
As soon as his guests were gone, Husk rummaged through each drawer in his desk in search of the bottle of painkillers. With the endless paperwork he had to get through, most of the time very much hungover, he made sure to always keep some in hand for situations like these. Except it wasn’t the paperwork that caused the headache this time.
“You alright there, boss?”
Husk made a finger gun with his hand and pointed it to his temple. His assistant chuckled.
He grabbed one of the sample wines the siblings had brought and hurriedly opened it, tossing the 3 painkillers back before taking a swing of the drink. He kept the bottle in hand, using the other to grab the receipt and take a look at the damage to his bank account after doing business with his liquor providers.
Elena stood there for a good 30 seconds before he finally noticed her still standing in the room.
“Grab me a bottle of whiskey, will ya’? The good shit, not the house kind. I hate dealing with those motherfuckers.”
The Husky does as she’s told, sorting through the bottles he’s got stocked up in his personal mini bar. He sees her place it at the edge of his desk from the corner of his eye and walk back to the spot she stood in before, as if she hadn’t moved a muscle.
“What?” He finally asks.
“Nothing, sir.”
He’s nearly through with the wine already, yet he hadn’t been focusing on the taste to decide if it’s good enough to keep in stock here. He takes another drink for good measure, smacking his lips as he processes the taste.
It’s got a hint of sweetness to it, something he’s not the biggest fan of. The label says it’s cherry-flavored. Not bad; certainly not the worst he’s ever tasted. At least it’s got a high alcohol volume.
“Did you want me to call for Angel Dust, sir?” His assistant asked.
It doesn’t take a moron to decipher the emotions the spider demon’s currently going through. His eyes are hard, his eyebrows furrowed as his gaze follows whoever’s speaking in the moment. Not one kind word is being said about him, yet there he stood, taking it all in. Freddy and Mandy continue to bicker, and Husk allows it to happen as the very subject of their argument stands in the room.
He tries so hard to indirectly ask him to leave, but Angel is stubborn. Either that, or far too engrossed in whatever’s being said about him to take the hint from the boss.
Whatever. It wasn’t Husk’s fault if his feelings got hurt, nor his responsibility. He wasn’t about to upset some of his most important business partners just because they were talking about one of his employees, and he certainly hoped Angel didn’t expect him to speak up and defend him on his behalf.
“Don’t bother.”
Elena nodded, excusing herself before walking towards the door.
Was that the only reason she waited? Well then. She might as well make herself useful.
He stops her before she walks out.
“Get Princess Morningstar on the phone instead.”
~
“One more time, baby. I feel it in ma’ bones. This is the one!”
It most definitely wasn’t the one.
“Third time’s tha’ charm?”
The rabbit demon standing in front of the slot machine gives him an uncertain look, Angel flashing him what he hoped was a reassuring smile. His charm works wonders when he leasts expects it, watching as the demon takes the bait and pulls down the leaver once more.
The screen flashes in hues of gold and red, the sinner watching it closely in hopes of three identical symbols. Angel could care less, his eyes examining the room in hopes of finding another blind, overly confident fool.
Kim catches his eye in the process, shooting him a brief smile before turning to the customer who’d just arrived at the bar.
A drink would do nicely right about now.
The rabbit sinner, who he never quite got the name of, groans in disappointment as the game’s results go against his favor, showing three completely different symbols.
Angel could truly care less.
The gentle movement of the hem of his black, sleeveless dress swishes with every step he takes. The glances shot his way don’t bother him nearly as much as they did when he first started. He makes sure to smile sweetly in hopes of gaining their attention, to lure them into his trap so he can do his job.
“Hey, pretty boy. How was the meeting with the boss?” Kim asks when he arrives at the bar. She’s in the process of mixing a drink for another customer, and he’s almost tempted to ask her to just hand it over and prepare another.
Angel scoffed, plopping down on one of the stools. “I would hardly call it a meeting, Kimmy. I just went up there and talked to him. Well, I tried to.”
The bartender eyes him curiously, but he’s far too busy looking around the room to notice her change in expression.
“You just went up there? Just like that?”
Angel turns his gaze back to her, completely unaware to the utter surprise in her expression.
“Yeah. Jus’ like that. Probably shoulda’ made sure he wasn’t busy before burstin’ in.”
Just as he’s about to order, a gray hellhound takes a seat beside him, his eyes roaming Angel’s body from head to toe.
“Can I buy you a drink?”
“Looks like it’s back to work.’
“Of course ya’ can, han’some,” Angel answered gleefully. The hellhound turns to the bartender and nods in Angel’s direction, signaling for Kim to take his drink order.
The conversation with the guy is far from interesting, mainly consisting of him indirectly hinting they should leave the bar. Angel acts clueless each time he brings it up, the actor side of him taking the lead in the interaction.
It takes the hellhound an embarrassing amount of time to realize his attempts weren’t working, and after nearly draining his wallet dry with the amount of drinks Angel has ordered, he asks Kim to close him out.
The bartender hands him his receipt, the hellhound’s eyes widened for a brief moment before quickly composing himself in front of the spider.
‘ Looks like Husk told Kim to up the prices on the drinks these fuckers buy for me. Clever son of a bitch.’
“Thanks for the drinks, hun. You truly are a darlin’,” Angel reached forward and pecked the hellhound’s cheek. He leaves before the guy (he’s far too drunk to remember his name) attempts to make another move.
They always expected something in return.
The rest of the night goes without a hitch. He’d managed to scam a few more idiots by tricking them into believing they actually had a chance at winning a few hands against some of the casino’s undercover players. These players were taught more than a few skills from the master himself, with the majority of the winnings going back towards the casino. Husk wasn’t completely heartless, though. He still allowed them to keep a small percentage of their winnings, but his teachings weren’t free. Everyone had to pay up one way or another.
Thank Lucifer he didn’t have to deal with that. Angel was considered to be more of a floater, offering his help in any area he doesn't several suck at while maintaining his charming persona around the patrons. He could still take orders without any issues, serve a few drinks (with Kim’s help), and even bus a few tables. Most of the guests weren’t complete assholes, and even when they were, he’d learnt how to deal with them.
Or make security do it.
He calls it a night quarter past 2 in the morning. After helping the staff with some of their tasks, he’s off the floor and on his way to the bedroom not too long after. He could practically hear his bed calling his name, thinking of Nugget’s cute little face staring up at him as soon as he walked through the door.
Just as he imagined, the hell piglet is already standing at the foot of his bed when he walks in, ready to hop on as soon as his owner does.
But Angel had other plans.
He grabbed Nugget’s bed and headed towards the bathroom, setting it down beside the bathtub. The piglet immediately knew what to do, walking over to it and plopping down, making himself comfortable.
In the meantime, Angel got started on his night routine. After all, his job did require him to look pretty.
Giving his pet pig a goodnight, consisting in what seemed to be an endless amount of kisses to his little head, he shut the bathroom door behind him and finally slipped under the pink duvet Husk generously provided him.
Staring straight at the blood red ceiling, his fingers lightly trail down his chest, the faint feeling causing him to let out a soft sigh.
It’d been so long since he’d had any sort of sexual relationship or been generally intimate with anyone, whether it was voluntarily or because he had to. The simplest touch had him craving for more. Perhaps the lack of sex was taking a toll on him. After all, he’d gone from fucking 24/7 to absolutely no action in the past 5 weeks practically overnight.
He’d tried with Husk, sure, but the old man turned down every hint Angel shot his way. Maybe it was for the best, considering he was his boss. He supposed he could find one of his coworkers and seduce them into sleeping with him, though the whole ‘sex with strangers’ had been more a job requirement from his previous job. He wasn’t too close with most of the people here despite working with them for over a month now.
And it didn’t help that most of the servers and workers here were women.
Angel closed his eyes and tried to imagine some of the decent looking guys he’d come across lately. The hellhound who’d bought him drinks tonight wasn’t too hard on the eyes, though his ego and personality were pretty shit.
Nothing other than the physical aspects of him mattered, though. Not at the moment.
He threaded his fingers through his chest fur, searching for one of his nipples underneath the fluffy, white hair. He gives it a light tug when he finds it, reaching for the other to give it the same treatment.
Trailing his hand down further, continuing with the light touch, he slips his hand underneath the fabric of his panties.
Two fingers hold his folds apart, the fingers from his free hand circling around the bundle of nerves located between them. The wetness emitting from his core is a clear sign of his want; of his need .
As he continues rubbing his clit, Angel uses his bottom set of hands to insert two fingers into himself, stretching them to make room for more. The other hand rubbed at the tip of his cock, smearing the precum over his length.
He had to admit he missed this a bit. He'd been so busy getting used to the new job and responsibilities that he hadn’t had time for his own personal needs. Hell, he’d just gotten the chance to hang out with Cherry again just a few days ago. He was finally starting to put himself first for once.
Adding a third finger to join the two inside of him, Angel began to pump his fingers in and out of him at a steady pace. His free hand rubbed his dick from tip to base, the immense pleasure from the insertion and the rubbing becoming too much too fast.
He felt so close already. He rubbed at his clit rapidly, the pressure in his lower belly growing with each movement.
“ Husk! ”
And just like that, said movement came to a halt.
The name had slipped out unconsciously, though to be fair, it didn’t exactly surprise him.
The overlord was hot, there was no denying that. Not to mention, his voice , especially when he gave orders. He could easily imagine him demanding Angel to get on the bed, lean over the desk, maybe even lay on the insanely comfortable couch in his office. Maybe he’d be the type to enjoy getting his dick sucked before each fuck. He’d tell him to look at him while he did it, force him to take all of him to the point where he’d choke. Husk definitely seemed like the type to like being in control. Maybe he’d tell him to strip, fucking Angel while the overlord remaining fully clothed.
And Angel would do all of it. There was just something about him that intrigued him. The relationship Husk had with his workers, his decision to randomly free Angel’s soul, the fact that he’d never once crossed his boundaries, even when Angel shamelessly flirted with him.
It was just so damn attractive.
So against his better judgment, he continued his previous task, his pace growing faster at the thought of the overlord.
He imagined Husk’s fingers instead of his own, watching him through hooded eyes so close to his erected cock as Angel came undone right in front of him.
He continued rubbing at his clit, imagining it was Husk playing with it as well. Maybe he’d use his tongue, or his nose, or shit, what if he sucked on it?
When he pulled out his cock to fuck him, would it big? Small? Average? Would it reach the deepest parts of him, stretching him to the point where he’d need to use more fingers to prep himself next time? Would he finish inside him, or would he pull out and finish on him or maybe even in his mouth?
Next time?!
Fuck it. Yes, next time. And with every session that went by, he’d get rougher, more passionate. And Angel would trust him. He’d take it all.
“ Ah, Husk!- “
His orgasm hits him like a shockwave, leaving him shaking and cold as he yearns for the warm body of a certain cat overlord next to him.
He dreams of Husk that night.
Notes:
This is the closest thing I've ever written to smut lmaooo
Let me know your thoughts <3
Chapter 10: A Word Of Advise
Summary:
Angel has always had someone make the decisions for him. Val always told him what to wear, what he’d do, what’d he eat, who he’d sleep with; and that was just to name a few. Forgive him for forgetting he had free will or whatever after 80+ years of being downright controlled. He was still getting used to it.
Chapter Text
It’s a business strategy. Nothing more, nothing less. However, at this point in time, it was causing much more trouble than what it’s worth.
“Sorry for missing your call yesterday, Mr. Husk. The next extermination is in just a few days and I'll be honest, it’s been taking up a lot of my time. As soon as I know something, I promise I will set up a meeting.”
Husk refrains from asking why the Princess of Hell was so caught up on something completely out of her control.
“Forgive my forwardness, your highness, but I believe you were going to speak with your father about the matter?”
The other end of the line goes silent, the only sign that the call hadn’t completely disconnected being the sound of her soft breathing.
“ You recall correctly…and I did .”
By the tone of her voice, Husk knew the next words that were going to come out of her mouth were going to be far from favorable.
“ I’m afraid I didn’t really get anywhere with him.”
There it was.
“I see.”
He does his best to hide the disappointment in his voice. After all, it wasn’t her fault the King of Hell had much more important matters to attend to than ‘extended soul protection’.
Charlie sucks in a breath, her next words regaining their usual cheeriness.
“I’ve said it once, and I’ll say it again. I am NOT giving up.”
She pauses briefly, as if debating whether she should say what she’s about to say next or keep it to herself.
But Charlie’s never been one to shy away from voicing her thoughts.
“Tell you what - Find people who think like you and try to get their support. My father will have to consider your idea if he sees it’s getting enough traction. My dad usually sends me to these meetings if he thinks they’re, uh…”
She trails off, no doubt racking her brain for the least offensive way to put it. Why bother? Husk already had a general idea of what she’s going to say.
Charlie is sent to meet with sinners if Lucifer thinks their matters are useless or frankly not worth his time.
“If he thinks it ain’t important enough?” Husk finished off anyway, followed by a sigh from the other end of the phone.
“ But !” She quickly pipes up, “ I’m sure there are others who think your idea’s good, Husk. There has to be. You have to fight for it. Promote your plan and get it out there. Find them and get them onboard .”
Her words are chock full of conviction. To be fair, it wouldn’t be like her to give into defeat and let him leave with his tail between his legs. He certainly doesn’t have the heart to tell her he hadn’t come across a single person who thought the way he did.
Perhaps now was the time to bring it up and figure it out for sure.
“ Hey, Husk? ”
He patiently waits for her to continue.
“ I like what you’re doing here .”
~
The dress had to easily have been one of the most beautiful articles of clothing his eyes had ever had the pleasure of owning. JoAnne, the dressmaker, had seriously outdone herself on this one. In less than 24 hours, the beauty before him was completed in record time.
The striking, one-shoulder chiffon dress sported a high split starting just below the left hip. The lace gloves and their intricate designs would go nicely with his white fur, the texture of the material soft enough that it wouldn’t irritate his skin. The A-line silhouette would flatter his figure nicely, becoming the distraction Husk was hoping he’d be.
Husk.
The man who’d somehow managed to be both a decent guy and an extreme asshole at the very same time.
Perhaps he was being too harsh. After all, Angel technically did interrupt a meeting with a question that definitely could’ve waited until after. While he was willing to step back out and let the grown ups finish talking, Husk had urged him to continue with his purpose seeing as he was already in the room. It seemed so silly once Angel had all eyes on him, feeling like a child being stared down despite being the tallest creature in the room.
And then Husk had to completely ridicule him by condescendingly asking if he had to do everything himself. In front of a bunch of complete strangers, to make matters worse.
Angel has always had someone make the decisions for him. Val always told him what to wear, what he’d do, what’d he eat, who he’d sleep with; and that was just to name a few. Forgive him for forgetting he had free will or whatever after 80+ years of being downright controlled. He was still getting used to it.
He was going to wear something black, alright.
He’d make Husk regret his words. He’d not only be a distraction for his competition, but for the Overlord himself. He was going to look hot, and Angel was going to spend Husk’s money to achieve it. After all, he wouldn’t want the boss to “do everything for him”.
It would have to wait ‘til tomorrow, though. He and Cherri had made plans to go shopping for shoes and accessories the next morning.
He was so tempted to tell her anything she wanted was his treat. After all, Husk still hadn’t asked for his card back.
Angel went with an off shoulder, burgundy red velvet dress tonight. It was a gorgeous dress, but it was definitely one of his more simple options considering Thursday nights weren’t exactly the busiest. He keeps his makeup and hair simple, opting for some comfy platform boots to walk around in. It’s not like they’d be very visible due to the length of the dress anyway.
After completing the look with a white gold, diamond necklace and its matching set of earrings, he was on his way to the floor just a few moments later.
The bar is always his first stop, making it a habit to down a quick drink before he got to work.
He just didn’t expect to run into Husk's very own personal assistant/bodyguard.
The Husky’s signature scowl vanished at the sight of him, no doubt surprised to see him down there, too. Angel worked on the floor, though, along with the rest of the casino’s staff. It was she who seemed to be out of place at the moment.
Nevertheless, he takes the second seat to her right and directs his complete attention to the bartender. “Can I get my usual, please, Kimmy?”
He pays the security guard no mind, taking the opportunity to look around the room and focus on tonight’s possible targets.
“Here ya go, Angel.”
The spider mutters a quick thanks and takes a sip, fully aware of the glances shot his way from the canine near him.
“Put that on my tab, Kim,” He hears her say.
“His drinks are already free, darlin’.”
“I also don’t mess around with chicks,” Angel retorts, refusing to spare her a single glance. He takes another sip of his drink instead.
His comment left her speechless, taken aback by his extreme bluntness.
For a moment, Angel thinks she’s realized he’s not worth the trouble and decides to leave him alone. It was rare to come across someone who did after the first try. But luck wasn’t exactly on his side tonight.
“I just want to let you know that the boss told me not to let anyone in, appointment or not.”
Angel remained silent, taking a sudden interest in the ice cubes floating around in his cocktail glass instead.
Hopefully some random patron comes and offers to buy him another drink soon. He was downing his Sex on the Beach a little too quick for his liking. However, it was best to keep his mouth full before he said something he might regret.
“I didn’t mean to call you out in front of Mr. Husk and the Gavianchi’s, but if you recall, I did try to stop you from going in.”
“Maybe you shouldn’t a’ left your post,” Angel retorted sarcastically.
“Maybe you shouldn’t barge into a room you have no business being in. I was just doing my job. No need to get all pissy about it.”
Angel scoffed, rolling his eyes at her while continuing to look straight ahead. “I wasn’ pissed ‘cause ya’ kicked me out, alright? So let’s get that straight. And I don't need your poor excuses, either.”
She’s silent for a moment. Angel can see her staring at him from the corner of his eye.
“Was it because of what they said in the meeting, then? Because, word of advice - don’t listen to what those pieces of shits have to say. Boss only does business with them ‘cause they sell good booze.”
“I legitimately could not give a fuck.”
She ignores him. “Besides, he’s always preferred to form his own opinion on people when he meets them. He doesn’t care for rumors or gossip.”
“I literally said I didn’t give a shit.”
“It’s true, pretty boy,” Kim strolled over and jumped in, slinging a damp rag over her shoulder. “Boss hates the V’s guts, but if you recall correctly, he kept a mighty straight face when he saw Valentino come in with you that night.”
She was right, and he hated to admit that.
“With a job like his, you gotta’ master one hell of a poker face,” She continued. “You probably wouldn’t have had a damn clue how much he hated him if he hadn't told you!”
If anyone was struggling to keep their cool that night, it had been Val. Husk kept his professional composure at the sight of the man, greeting Angel like he would any other patron and hardly sparing him a glance after that. Any other demon would have struggled to keep their eyes off of him.
“Let’s go-”
And speak of the goddamn devil.
The new voice stopped abruptly at the sight of the spider demon, but it was far too late. Angel had already recognized that smooth, sultry voice coming from behind him.
The exact voice he’d not only fantasized about, but dreamt of the entirety of last night as well.
“Boss,” Kim nodded in greeting. Husk returned the gesture immediately, refusing to acknowledge Angel despite being right in front of the bartender.
“Elena, go wait in the car. Kim, give us some privacy, please.”
Both employees did as they were told, and while their presence had initially annoyed him, Angel would much rather go back to listening to them take turns justifying the boss’s shitty behavior rather than having to deal with him personally.
“Do you have your dress yet?”
The fuckin’ nerve of this guy.
“I do. It’s black, just like ya’ said.”
Despite the noisiness in the casino, Angel could make out the heavy sigh Husk let out. Then, without warning, he gently placed his hand on his shoulder.
The simple act was all it took to send a shiver down his spine, the thoughts from the night before flooding his mind. The direct skin on skin contact was too much too soon. He had to leave before his mind began to wander any further.
“Sorry, boss. I’d love to stay and chat, but I have ta’ get to the floor and put this pretty face to work.”
The stunned look on the overlord’s face was too fucking satisfying to ignore.
Notes:
Let me know what y'all think in the comments <3
Chapter 11: You Know You Don't Gotta Pretend
Summary:
”You know, we’ve had more patrons come into the casino in the last month than there have been in the past year. People genuinely like you, and it’s not just because you’re hot or ‘cause you used to be a pornstar. You’re funny, entertaining, captivating, even.”
Notes:
Get you someone who talks to you the way Husk talks to Angel <3
Title taken from Too Sweet by Hozier.
(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)
Chapter Text
‘I realize I shouldn’t have spoken to you the way I did in front of my business partners, and that you also couldn’t have known that I was in the middle of a meeting. After all, Elena wasn’t in front of the door like I asked her to.’
Damn. He hadn’t even gotten around to the actual apology before putting the blame on someone other than himself and throwing Elena under the bus. The choice in words would definitely result in not one upset employee, but two , and considering one of the two just happened to be his own personal assistant/bodyguard, it would be best if he considered his words more carefully and scrapped the entire rough draft. One thing was for sure - He had to apologize to Angel Dust by the end of the day.
Tomorrow night was the meeting with the newest runner up in town, along with a couple of his buddies who no doubt had more than their fair share of influence, power, and relatively prominent connections. Missi Zilla was going to be there as well, and the thought of another overlord other than himself being present told him this guy meant business and he wasn’t just another fool with reckless, big plans.
Therefore, Angel's presence was extremely crucial. While he distracted the main attraction of the night, Husk would figure out how to convince the others this new guy wasn't worth it.
He hated to stoop so low and resort to exploiting his employees this way, but damn did Valentino know what he was doing by using the ex pornstar as his personal arm candy out in public. It was now his turn to play that card in this metaphorical game of business.
The spider demon was attractive; there was no denying that. But he had a good sense of humor, too, which was another quality Husk couldn’t say wasn’t true. His lewd jokes, while highly inappropriate, definitely made him chuckle on more than one occasion. He could just imagine how efficient it would be to have him present, not just because of his looks, but his ability to entertain a crowd solely using his words.
Unfortunately, that did mean that Husk had to properly apologize first. As much as he hated to admit it, he was relying heavily on Angel’s ability to work his magic. Considering how petty he could be, he may not give it his all if he was still upset by the way Husk had allowed people to talk crap about him in his presence, especially when he did nothing to defend him.
The worst part of it all was that Angel had every right to act that way.
Said spider demon is gone most of the day Friday. According to Kim, he’d come down to the dining area for breakfast early in the morning, dressed up and ready to start his day.
‘I was surprised. He doesn’t usually show his face before noon.’
The bank notifications alerting him of his recent transactions answer his question as to the whereabouts of the spider demon. Each amount is higher than the previous one, and by the looks of it, Angel definitely wasn’t holding back. While the amount of money he was spending was nowhere near steep enough to put a dent in his account, it didn’t take away from the fact that he’d decided to use Husk’s own money without even asking first.
But there was something about the thought of Angel just swiping his card whenever his little heart desired that brought him a sense of…satisfaction? Pleasure?
He doesn’t quite know how to describe it, but he’s certainly positive that he shouldn’t find it so damn attractive.
~
”Angel!”
Was Husk sitting at one of the tables in the hotel lobby just to catch Angel before he disappeared in his room for the rest of the day? Maybe.
Angel stops in his tracks at the sound of his name, all six arms holding a considerable amount of shopping bags from several different stores.
“Do you have a moment?” Husk asked, nodding towards the chair directly across from him.
Angel considered the question, eying the bags in his arms before raising them up for Husk to see (as if what he was holding wasn’t obvious enough). Husk bites back the smart remark on the tip of his tongue and motions him forward.
“You can set them down on the couch over there. I’ll help you take them up to your room after if you’d like.”
Angel snickered. “Yeah, no. I’m good, thanks.”
It was a terrible start to the conversation already.
”You can’t talk or you don’t want to set your bags down?”
Angel thought for a moment before shrugging.
”Both.”
Husk can’t prevent the rolling of his eyes this time. Nevertheless, sitting or standing, Husk was going to continue with what he needed to say
“As you know, the meeting is tomorrow,” He starts, briefly distracted by Angel's strut forward. He stops just a few inches behind the chair Husk offered him.
Angel hummed in acknowledgment, looking like he was over the conversation already. Husk ignores him.
“So, I just wanted to make sure we were on the same page as to what your task is.”
Angel watched him curiously, perhaps waiting for something else to be said. When it’s clear that Husk isn’t going to continue, he answers his question with a hint of sass.
“Be a distraction, hit on ‘em, get ‘em all hot and bothered. I know what I’m suppose’ ta’ do.”
Husk frowned, taken aback by the harshness in his tone.
“You don’t have to do anything too straightforward. Just talk to them and entertain them. Refrain from talking about anything we do here in the casino, but also try to pry any information about what those shitheads do in their line of work. Never hurts to have a little insight.”
”Mhm. Sure.”
Angel is still standing with the bags in his arms, and though he’s trying hard to hide it, the weight of them is starting to hurt his arms. The high heeled boots he was wearing didn’t look too comfortable to be standing in (especially after a long day of shopping), either.
“Can you just sit down?”
”I’m fine right ‘ere.”
He was beginning to push his patience.
Clearly Angel wasn’t the type to forgive and forget without an attempt at a proper apology. It shocked the overlord that, despite spending a mighty large sum of his money shopping that morning without permission, he still felt entitled to an apology.
“Ok, look. I’m… sorry,” Husk finally says, sighing heavily once it’s out of his system. Angel watched him expectantly. There was a certain look in his eyes that made Husk wonder if he'd really been upset over what happened the night of the meeting or if the idea of an overlord apologizing to him, a demon of much lower status, amused him.
It technically could be both. Husk really can’t remember the last time he apologized to an employee.
Angel breaks the silence.” Elena says you only deal with them because they’re good business partners.”
Husk raised an eyebrow in question. “Elena shouldn’t be airing out my business like that.”
”She didn’t say anything confidential. I think she just said that ta’ make me feel betta’.”
Maybe a certain assistant wasn’t going to receive an earful today after all.
In a sudden turn of events, the look on Angel’s face changed drastically, his eyes widening in what seemed to be a sense of realization.
” Shit! Wait, no, actually, don’t apologize. You didn’t even say nothin’ bad about me, and that fella’ wasn’t sayin’ nothin’ that wasn’t true.”
Husk was completely thrown out of loop by the quick turnaround.
”I should be the one apologizin’, boss," He continues. "I can even return some of this stuff if ya’ want. I don’t need half of it.”
”Angel, what’s going on? Why are you acting like this?”
”I swear I won’t do any of it again. I just get ahead of myself sometimes, get too caught up in my own emotions and forget my place.”
”I asked you a question.” Husk's tone leaves no room for questions or excuses.
Angel finally dumps the shopping bags on the couch nearest to him and takes the seat in front of Husk. He takes a deep breath, willing himself to look the overlord in the eyes.
”In the past 80 years, I’ve learned everything there is to know about sex and fucking. Every goddamn thing. For some unknown reason, unless you’re a fuckin’ prude, you ain’t takin’ advantage of that. You ain’t usin’ me to my full potential, makin’ me do the shit I’m good at. What you’ve got me doin’ now? You can find a thousand hot bodies out there who can do what I’m doing and give ya’ half the bullshit I do.”
Taking another breath, he keeps talking before Husk gets the chance to say something.
”Listen, I get ya’ wanted to play hero and stuff by winning me and freein’ ma’ soul, but ya’ done did it. You don’t want sex, you don’t want free labor, you’re givin’ me a place to crash completely free a’ charge, and I just can’t help like there’s some sort of catch here that I’m not seein’.”
”There’s no catch-“
”And how the fuck am I suppose’ to know that?! Even if you ain’t lyin’, you can still fire me with the snap of your fingers once you’ve had enough of my shit and replace me with another pretty doll. You just don’t understand-“
Angel stops briefly to take another deep breath, and Husk knows better than to jump in with his own two cents. A good thing, too, because Angel wasn’t done yet.
“Even if you don’t own me, it still sometimes feels like you do. Like I owe you somethin’, and you can dangle that shit over my head or rub it in my face. I don’t know how or when to pay you back, or when I’m done paying you back because nothing feels like it’s enough.”
”You can leave anytime you want, but I’m not going to fire you,” Husk finally steps in.
Angel scoffs wetly in response, throwing all six arms in the air in exasperation.
” Why?! ”
It’s a good question, but it’s one Husk doesn’t have an immediate answer to. Angel is staring at him intensely, all eight eyes red and wet with tears.
There’s so much he can say to prove what a valuable asset Angel was to the casino, but he starts with the most obvious of them all.
“You’re good for business.”
Judging by the look of disbelief on the spider’s face, it apparently wasn’t as obvious to him as it was to Husk. The overlord would just have to convince him.
”You know, we’ve had more patrons come into the casino in the last month than there have been in the past year. People genuinely like you, and it’s not just because you’re hot or ‘cause you used to be a pornstar. You’re funny, entertaining, captivating, even.”
”The rest of the employees like you, which ain’t somethin’ I usually see with new people. I haven’t heard any complaints about you from them or any of the customers. You know how to hold yourself up, you don’t rely on others to do your job or tell you to do it, and believe it or not, if I didn’t like ya’ so much, your ass would’ve been out of here by now with the "bullshit' you say and do. But I deal with it, and so does everyone else, because believe me, I’ve seen worse.”
Angel sighed for what seemed like the umpteenth time. ”I get that, but-“
”No. I don’t want to hear any more bitchin’ and whinin’ about how you think you ain’t good enough or whatever the hell else you want to complain about. We like you here, and you ain’t leavin by my hand.”
Quickly recovering from the words of affirmation from Husk to save his own dignity and pride, Angel chuckles softly and gently wipes away at the wet trails under his eyes.
”Boss, if you keep going, I think I might just have to drop down to my knees and suck yer’ dick.”
”Fuckin’ Christ, Angel!” Husk exclaimed; eyes widened in shock. Angel cackling at the change in expression, completely ruining the earnest moment.
There’s no real heat behind his words, the grin on his face further proof that he didn’t take it seriously. Angel grinned back softly, growing shy at the thought of Husk’s previous words.
It was nice to have someone point out what he was doing right for a change.
“You know you really didn’t have to apologize, right?”
Husk raised an eyebrow curiously, smirking playfully.
“What are you talking about? ‘Course I did. Now, let's get your bags upstairs because we have a long day tomorrow. The car will be outside the hotel at 6 PM sharp so don't be late. Wear something black.”
Notes:
I COMPLETELY FORGOT ABOUT THE JACKPOT HOTEL LOLLL
I'd been wanting to write about it but I kept forgetting. It's connected to the casino and where all the employees stay along with actual guests :)
Let me know what y'all think in the comments <3
Chapter 12: But If I'm All Dressed Up
Summary:
Angel would be his Lady Luck for the night. If Husk was the Gambling King, Angel would be the Queen. They would be this iconic pair in public even if it was for just a few hours. Everyone attending the meeting would be under the impression that Angel was his and his only.
The animalistic, possessive side of Husk wanted him to be his, and that made him question if freeing his soul was really the wisest decision.
Notes:
Gotta remind y'all with the summary that Husk is still very much an Overlord and still kind of a douche
M.K, what do you mean you've been gone for 2 weeks only for you to upload another filler?
Sorry y'all, my mental health was through the mud these past few weeks but slowly getting better. On the bright side - more Huskerdust moments!
Title taken from Slut - Taylor Swift
(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)
Chapter Text
He should’ve known Angel was bound to be fashionably late.
The car arrived about five minutes before 6 o’clock at the front entrance of the Jackpot Hotel. The bellhop had gone inside and informed Angel of their arrival. 15 minutes had already gone by since then.
“I should’ve told him 5:30, or 5 PM sharp,” Husk grumbled, making small talk with the driver. It’s not like he had anything better to do other than constantly check his watch.
He leaned back against the seat, opting to rest his eyes while he waited to muster up the energy and patience to deal with tonight’s meeting.
It had been planned for weeks now, since around the time Angel first arrived at the casino. He and Missi didn’t take kindly to competitors hoping to start a business so similar and so close to their own. While he and the dino overlord’s establishments had their fair share of similarities, they were also widely different. Where he owned casinos, she owned nightclubs. People went to party and dance at her spots, whereas people came to play games and gamble money/souls at his. They were both places to grab a quick drink and have some fun.
So, a lounge bar just wouldn’t do them any good around here.
“Here he comes, sir,” the driver announced.
“Well, it’s about damn ti-”
The word died on his lips at the sight of his date, walking down the steps while his intricately designed gloved hands held the skirt of his dress to avoid dragging it. It cost a pretty penny, and he was glad to see Angel treating it as such.
Husk would definitely need to hire that dressmaker again in the future.
Angel had curled the ends of his fluffy, white hair, the curls bouncing gently with each step he took. Husk had never seen him with his hair done before, and the thought of Angel going all out to simply look pretty by his side left him feeling just a bit conceited. Angel had really pulled all the strings for him.
Even if he’d spent Husk’s own money to buy the majority of his outfit.
One thing was for certain - no one in their right mind would think to ignore Angel’s presence at the meeting tonight. It wouldn’t even be possible. How could anyone talk business with Angel looking like that in the room?
As he grew closer to the car, Elena, who’d been standing outside his door in watch, reached for the handle to let him inside. The two share a few words, the spider offering his thanks before slipping into the seat with a huff. He fastened his seat belt and began to smooth out the black fabric of his dress.
“You look lovely,” Husk complimented, hoping Angel hadn’t caught him staring just a few moments ago. If he had, the taller sinner certainly didn’t think anything of it. Instead, he gave him a quick once over and smirked.
“Thanks! You clean up nicely, too, handsome.”
The car began to move shortly after, the overlord and his employee sitting in a comfortable silence during the start of the ride.
“I’m glad you decided to accompany me,” Husk says.
Angel turned towards him and shrugged.
“It’s really no biggie.”
Husk watched as the spider demon reverted back to watching the scenery zoom past them.
It’s the first time they’ve been alone since the day he begged to keep his job after killing one of his employees. Husk had heard the gunshot from a mile away, his not-so-newly advanced sense of hearing immediately sensing which room it’d come from.
The theater was still a touchy subject for him. He’d lost so many souls and so much damn business that it took him over a year to recover from the hit. Husk had done his best to refrain from entering that section of the building after that fateful night, but the thought of anyone in there firing off shots overwhelmed him with a sense of deja vu. He’d been struck by the all too familiar feeling of dread.
Angel was great with a gun, something Husk should’ve expected from him. This was Hell, after all. Everyone had to defend themselves one way or another. It was the only way anyone survived.
So here he was, stuck in a moving vehicle with a man so expertly handy with a weapon he could end his life with a single bullet.
Even with Elena and the chauffeur in the same car, the partition separating them from the two sinners allowed them their own privacy. The back of the limo was quite spacious, yet Angel had opted to sit next to him despite that. Husk didn’t mind. It was nice to have one of his newer employees willingly sit next to him and not be completely terrified.
“Refresh my memory a bit. What’s this meeting for again?” Angel asked, turning to him briefly. Husk rolled his eyes before replying.
“Just some new guy trying to get me and a couple of others to sponsor his new business. He hasn’t given us the full details yet, but I assume this lounge of his is something similar to what we do if he needs our support to get started.”
Angel nods understandingly.
“Gotta’ gain support from the big guns. I get it.”
Angel tucks a strand of hair behind his ear, and the glint of the jewel adorning his earlobe catches Husk’s attention almost immediately.
Black, spade-shaped earrings. The street lights shining through the window reflected off the black diamond, attracting the attention his wearer so desperately looked for.
Whether it was an innocently adorning piece of jewelry with no actual intention or a sneaky attempt to match with Husk’s image, he had to admit that it was a wonderful addition to Angel’s outfit nonetheless.
Angel would be his Lady Luck for the night. If Husk was the King of Gambling, Angel would be the Queen. They would be this iconic pair in public even if it was for just a few hours. Everyone attending the meeting would be under the impression that Angel was his and his only.
The animalistic, possessive side of Husk wanted him to be his, and that made him question if freeing his soul was really the wisest decision.
Husk could try to convince himself that if he hadn’t freed him, Angel would still be under his command along with the extended protection he’s working on obtaining for selected employees. After all, he and Charlie were trying their damn hardest to keep the handful of souls he deemed important enough under that spell once it’s been set. He couldn’t have them getting themselves killed, but Angel wouldn’t have that advantage if he wasn’t exactly Husk’s property.
But Angel was no damsel in distress. He wasn’t some fragile thing that had to be protected. He had a fire in him, and he took no shit from anyone. Husk was simply trying to convince himself that he might be.
Because what Husk really wanted was to possess him.
“And you want me to distract the rest of ‘em so they don’t pay any attention to the new guy?” Angel continued, cutting off Husk’s selfish train of thoughts.
“Precisely, but I also want you to distract the guy. Ask him questions, try to make him stumble if you can. I know you’re good at talking people’s ears off.”
“I’m taking that as a compliment,” Angel butt in. Husk couldn’t hold back the chuckle he let out. Angel, however, doesn’t find it as funny.
“I dunno, boss,” The arachnid continued, “You’re kinda’ puttin’ me on the spot here. How do ya’ know I won’t fuck this up?”
“I don’t.”
Angel was left speechless by his brutal honesty.
Husk was putting a lot of trust in him. He was depending on him to throw the whole party out of loop by means of his own hand. Angel was charming and entertaining in more ways than one. He shouldn’t have a problem with it, especially in the presence of complete strangers.
But this was different. Angel had a way with words, but 9 times out of 10, it was merely out of fun. Husk needed him to put up the act strictly for business.
“You were a famous figure, still kind of are. Use that to your advantage. Make small comments here and there when he’s talking. I’d do it, but-”
“They wouldn’t blame you for being rude as shit and sabotaging him. I get it.”
“Exactly, and you’re not the one they’re trying to do business with now, are you?”
“I guess, but not everyone’s a big talker, Husk. I don’t wanna’ talk their ears off and irritate ‘em.”
Angel watched as Husk reached inside his pinstriped coat and pulled out a deck of cards, demonstrating them to the pink spider.
“Play a game with them then. Conversation always comes easily when you’re playing.”
Angel stares wordlessly at the cards in his hand.
Husk raised an eyebrow in question, knowing exactly what was running through Angel’s head at the moment.
“You work the floor and you don’t know how to play cards?”
Angel frowned. “Didn’t realize it was a job requirement, boss man.”
The overlord rolled his eyes at the sarcastic remark.
“What? Do you just carry a random deck a’ cards wherever you go?” Angel shot back.
Husk ignores his question, handing him the deck instead. “Here. Shuffle them. I’m gonna show you a magic trick.”
Against his better judgment, Angel does what he says and shuffles the cards to the best of his ability. Once he thinks they've been shuffled enough, he hands them back to Husk.
“Now, I’m gonna look away and show you some of ‘em. I want ya’ to keep in mind one of any of the cards I'm about to show ya’. Any card at all,” Husk instructs.
With a heavy sigh, Angel obliged. Husk looked away and began to flip through various cards from the top of the deck, Angel stopping him once he had one in mind. Husk smirked, shuffling the cards once more for good measure. He wanted his audience of one to be completely taken by surprise.
Cards still faced down, he placed several cards one by one on the space between them, stopping once he reached the correct card. Husk looks up at the sinner with a wide smirk and flips up the next card, showing it off proudly.
“This ya’ card?”
Judging by his reaction, it certainly was.
Angel’s jaw practically dropped to the floor, his gaze switching between the card and the card master before him.
“Get the fuck outta’ here. You gotta’ teach me how ta’ do that!”
“Nope!” Husk exclaimed, cackling maniacally as the pride swelled in his chest. Angel pouted, snatching the card from his boss’s hand to inspect it closer.
Angel wasn’t a fool. He knew magic wasn’t real, and unless one possessed the supernatural ability to perform such power, it was entirely impossible to perform legitimate magic. As far as he knew, Husk didn’t have any of those powers. He was just a trickster, an expert at the gambling game. He hardly took part in them anymore, if his lack of presence in the casino was anything to go by, yet the poker game he and Val had played the night Angel obtained his freedom made the spider realize Husk wasn’t to be messed with when it came to his area of expertise.
He was a sly genius.
“Where did you learn how ta’ do that?”
Husk’s smirk turned into a nostalgic smile, shuffling the cards in his hand mindlessly.
“Back when I was alive. I loved anything having to do with magic and parlor tricks. As I grew, I learned how to do more than just card tricks. I practically spent my entire childhood in casinos.”
“And now you’re spending your entire afterlife in one, too?”
Angel didn’t mean for it to come out so accusatory.
Husk was silent for a moment before shrugging.
“Feels like home, I guess, as cheesy as that sounds. Dad was a deadbeat, mom worked long hours. Didn’t have any brothers or sisters. It was just me and the casinos in the dead center of Las Vegas.”
Husk directed to his attention to the spider. “Where did you grow up?”
“New York.”
He made a face, recovering quickly before Angel noticed. Unfortunately for him, Angel caught him anyway.
“What was that face?”
“What face?”
“Don’t play dumb. I saw that face you made.”
“It’s just-,” Husk grimaced playfully, “You’re from the east coast?”
“Yeah? What’s wrong with that?”
“Nothing!” Husk shrugged.
“It’s not ‘nothing’, you motha’fucka’. You better tell me right now.”
Despite the confrontational tone, Angel couldn’t hold back the grin forming on his lips. He was having far too much fun conversing with the boss, learning a bit more from the grumpy, old cat and his past life. It was nice to see another side to him than just work, work, work.
But a knock at the window signaled their arrival, cutting their conversation short. They hadn't even realized the car had come to a complete stop.
Neither sinner seemed too pleased by the interruption, but both were fully aware that it was time to…work.
Elena opened the car door for them, Angel being the first to step out as he took in the sight of the large building. “Fuck, this place is huge.”
“It’s not too late to go back.”
Angel turned back to the overlord, glaring at him as if he’d gone mad.
“Uh, yeah it is, boss. You’ll look like a fool not showing up.”
Husk shook his head. “Not me. You. You can go back if you want. I’ll figure it out.”
Angel placed a hand on his shoulder and gave it a gentle squeeze.
“Hey, I said I’d be here and distract them with my pretty face. It’s one of the things I’m best at.”
Husk grinned and offered him his arm, Angel slipping his own through the crook of his elbow and walking alongside him into the building.
Notes:
Got the card ticks from this video -> https://youtu.be/PTy68aZSMvc
I promise the next chapter isn't just another filler lmao.
Chapter 13: New Side Of Me
Summary:
Husk grabs his wrist when he goes to stand. “What are you doing?”
With a quick glance around the room, Angel leaned down and whispered in his ear.
“Just trust me.”
Notes:
Of course Angel’s going to sing New Side Of Me. Cause I’m not original.
Sorry for the delay btw. Depression is no joke. I hope you enjoy though <3
(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)
Chapter Text
Rich people had a distinguished laugh.
It was one of the first things Angel picked up on when he and Husk crossed the double doors and entered the main room in the building. The guy hosting the meeting, who later introduced himself as Sal, greeted them with a firm handshake and led them to their seats.
The table consisted of several high class, nicely dressed demons occupying all seats except for the two reserved for him and Husk. Angel was well aware he hadn’t been exactly on time, but the thought of him and Husk being the last to arrive made him feel just a tad bit guilty.
“Right, then. Let’s get started now, shall we?”
Sal knew how to captivate an audience, Angel had to give him that. It clearly wasn’t his first time hosting a meeting in the presence of a wealthy group of people, either. Angel himself was having a hard time pretending not to get absorbed in whatever topic the guy was talking about. Whether he spoke about business or his successes from when he was alive, the jokes and metaphors he included in his talk made it far more entertaining than any meeting had the right to be.
Angel forced his attention away and examined every individual sitting at the table, searching for something to catch his eye and bring attention to.
“Menus!”
His eyes fly to the perky waitress who came by and set a menu down in front of everyone. A few other waiters came by to take their drink order right behind her. Sal paused briefly to allow them to do their job, clearly intent on having every single one of his words be heard.
Angel gave the waiter his drink order when it was his turn, opening the menu in front of him and looking over his options.
“Bet they charge an arm an’ a leg for a basket a’ breadsticks in this place,” He muttered to the green lizard demon sitting next to him.
“As any upscale restaurant should.”
Angel frowned, forgetting for a moment that he was amongst people who could afford this sort of lifestyle.
He resisted the urge to roll his eyes.
Sal continued his speech once the waiters were gone, ranting on and on about the benefits to their businesses once his lounge officially opened. While many of the demons sitting at the table were technically his competitors, Sal opted to emphasize the positive changes and increase in revenue for the business owners in the room while refusing to budge on the negative impacts it would have on them.
Even though everyone surely had to be thinking about it.
“Once they’ve had a bite to eat, they could head into Missi’s nightclub to dance it off; head into the Jackpot casino if they’re feeling exceptionally lucky and maybe even the hotel if it’s been a long, or lucky, night. I can also see a vast majority of celebratory events taking place in my establishment, and let’s just say someone forgot to pick them up a shiny, new gift. Ms. Reynolds, you see where I’m going with this already, I’m sure.”
Angel turned to whoever Sal was referring to, his eyes settling upon an older demoness glaring back at Sal with disinterest.
She clearly wasn’t buying it.
Once Sal’s attention was diverted to someone else, Angel turned to the older woman who just happened to be sitting next to the lizard demon he spoke with earlier. He watched as she took a drink from her water glass and continued to glare at Sal over the rim. What really caught his attention though, was the gorgeous ruby necklace she sported around her neck. It was just the sort of distraction he was looking for.
“Where did you get your necklace?” He whispered loudly, slightly leaning across the lizard demon’s body to reach Ms. Reynolds. He ignored the nasty glare from the man behind him.
Sal’s voice briefly halted at the sound of Angel’s obnoxious whisper. He was clearly not too pleased with the interruption, but there wasn’t much he could do from the front of the room without seeming unprofessional. Angel flashed him an unapologetic grin, motioning him to continue talking.
The spider turned back to Ms. Reynolds, awaiting her response.
She eyed him distastefully, her wrinkled hand coming up to gently caress the piece of jewelry.
“It’s a piece from my own personal business, LaRousse.”
Angel gasped dramatically, his hand flying to his chest for extra effect. “Seriously? I love that place!”
The demoness didn’t seem as ecstatic by the revelation. She eyed him from head to toe, her brow raised in distaste.
“Really? Hm… I didn’t expect someone like you to know what it was.”
While Angel’s immediate reaction would have been a deeply offensive string of words consisting of the words old, bitch, and hag, Angel continued to smile despite the offhand remark. Who cared if she was right?
Unfortunately, he had an image to uphold, not only for himself, but for Husk as well. He’d definitely get kicked out of the room if he lost control of his temper and his tongue. Instead, he gently elbowed Husk just hard enough to get his attention and pointed at the necklace around her neck.
“I want one a’ those, Husky.”
Husk followed his line of sight to the lady who now seemed absolutely smitten by the attention her necklace was receiving.
The lizard demon watched the exchange in interest, perhaps hoping he would have witnessed an argument between the older woman and the spider. He didn’t even seem too bothered by Angel intruding into his personal space anymore.
He’d successfully shot two birds with one stone.
Sadly, that seemed to be the only opportunity Angel had gotten in which he was able to start up a conversation with the table. Everyone else was either ignoring his blunt interruptions or far too sucked into Sal’s words to give him the time of day. There was no way he could get away with attempting to make conversation with everyone at the table, at least, not without someone (Sal) catching on to him and getting himself and maybe even Husk kicked out.
Not to mention, Sal had gotten chattier somehow. The ex porn demon could hardly get a word in after the first interaction. His eyes wandered around the room and took in more of the scenery to distract himself.
The band onstage played softly. The music was quiet enough as to not interfere with the meeting taking place on the floor, but just loud enough to create a calming ambiance in the restaurant for the handful of guests. The microphone stand stood in the front and center, looking far too sad and lonely for an inanimate object. There was no one singing, and there hadn’t been since they’d arrived.
It was the perfect opportunity.
Husk grabs his wrist when he goes to stand. “What are you doing?”
With a quick glance around the room, Angel leaned down and whispered in his ear.
“Just trust me.”
And whether or not Husker actually put his trust in him, Angel would never know. He’d left his side before he could respond, heading straight towards the staff hanging around the bar area.
The waitress who’d taken their order spots him walking their way, offering a gentle smile as her coworkers disperse in different directions.
“Can I help you?”
Upon hearing his request, the waitress excused herself to look for her supervisor. Angel took this opportunity to turn his attention back to the table, surprised to see Husk’s eyes already on him.
But his attention wasn’t the only one he was trying to get.
He really hoped it would work.
Sal had already grown accustomed to Angel’s constant interruptions, if the look on his face was anything to go by.
Husk had watched as the man paused for no more than a second before continuing to speak, going back to paying no mind whatsoever to the spider demon walking away from his seat.
The cat overlord had no clue as to what Angel was up to, and he’d left far too quickly for Husk to question him further. He knew he had to put at least a little faith in him, especially if his methods of distraction were supposed to seem unintentional and completely unbeknownst to Husk. Angel should have it under control. He had to know what he was doing.
Even if him rummaging through his chest fluff and producing a wrinkled piece of paper seemed a bit too suspicious for Husk to ignore. He had no choice. It’s not like he could do anything to stop him at the moment.
“Husker, what exactly is your partner up to?” The lizard demon whispered to him.
“I wish I could tell you.” Husk responded back with a frown, keeping his eyes set on his so-called “partner”.
But it all became clear as day ans he watched Angel walk on stage and stand directly in front of the microphone. He purposely avoided eye contact with Husk, though it seemed more like he was avoiding looking in the direction of their table in general.
The band each receives a sheet of paper, huddling close and discussing amongst themselves Satan knows what. They then disperse and take their seats, picking up their instruments and preparing to start playing.
The flute player is the first to begin, the sinner at the keyboard following right after.
Angel took hold on the base of the microphone, leaning in before opening his lips and beginning to sing.
“Finally, A new side of me~”
Angel shut his eyes and allowed himself to be immersed in the background music. He swayed his hips softly to the tune of the music. Husk stared shamelessly, forgetting for a moment they weren’t the only ones in the room.
He wasn’t the only one distracted. Angel just looked so damn majestic under the stage lights.
“Push me, pull me, write my story~”
They’d gotten exactly what they wanted. Angel was distracting the group with his voice and his dancing. While it wasn’t exactly what Husk had in mind when he instructed him to divert their attention from the potential business partner, it was an admittedly good idea on Angel’s part. And he was doing an amazing job at it as well.
Angel hugged his torso gently, his facial expressions just exaggerated enough not to seem silly. The soft tremble of his lips around the words added an emotional touch to the performance, emphasizing the lyrics and giving them a more meaningful feel to it.
“Kiss me, hold me, that feeling is holy~”
The soft blinking of his eyes as he sang the words along with that signature sultry gaze of his made it impossible for anyone to look away.
Angel Dust was a gift that just kept on giving. So many hidden talents Husk was slowly beginning to uncover, all of them overshadowed by his equally talented body. It should’ve been a crime, a disservice even, for Angel to hide this version of himself from everyone. Husk shouldn’t have been so stunned by the range of the spider. He was giving him far too much credit for doing something so simple as singing.
Or was he really just trying to convince himself not to care more than he should?
“Nobody’s loved me like you~”
Husk could’ve sworn everything he owned; from his highest earning casino to the thousands of souls he had in his possession, that Angel was looking directly at him when he sang those lyrics.
He wasn’t even aware Angel could hold a note like that. What the hell did he learn how to sing so beautifully? And why was no one aware of it before?
”Oh, he sounds absolutely lovely.” Ms Reynolds is the first to speak up, saying what’s on Husk and everyone else’s mind. Several heads nod in agreement, their eyes glued to the stage and the singer in the front and center.
”He does!” Sal gritted, his voice increasing in volume to be heard over the music, “You know, my lounge will consists of shows similar to this with A-list performers-“
The sound of the drums cut him off his next words, the repetitive tempo continuing even after Angel comes in again.
“I think I take more than I give, kinda’ shit but it’s how I live,~”
The slight roll of his eyes along with the lyrics made Husk chuckle.
The pride swelling in his chest almost becomes too much for him to handle, taking in the sight of the lovely spider demon enchanting the room with his voice alone. Husk couldn’t believe he was doing all of this for him. Angel was showing off talents he’d never showed off before to simply distract a handful of people because Husk told him to; and he was doing a marvelous job at it, too.
Sal himself seemed to be having trouble avoiding the constant glances towards the stage. Husk had just noticed the man was no longer speaking.
By now, just about everyone in the room was completely focused on Angel on stage singing his heart and soul out. His movements were enticing all on their own, but the way he sang the song that Husk was almost positive was an original piece gave the audience another thing to focus on that was an equally welcome distraction.
“Scared I’ll turn out to be just a normal guy, wonder why I’m only grateful when I’m high.”
The bridge of the song is a bit more upbeat than the beginning had originally started off, but something about that particular lyrics had caught Husk’s attention. Whether it was the raw emotion in Angel’s voice or the way he winced when he’d sung it, he didn’t know. One thing was for sure - it was another glimpse as to who Angel was on the inside. Who he hid behind this front he insisted upon wearing in public.
It would’ve been mesmerizing if it weren’t so damn heartbreaking.
Husk doesn’t like being kept in the dark, not when it comes to the souls he owned and his employees. He wasn’t fond of liars or people pleasers, and he certainly wasn't fond of being told stuff he only wanted to hear.
That being said, it was nice to finally get some insight as to who this potential business partner was once he’d had enough of being ignored.
“Can we get back to the topic at hand, please?!”
Sal had officially had enough, and he wasn’t the only one upset by the turn of events. No one in the room seemed too happy by his sudden outburst.
“Who the hell do you think you’re talking to?” One of the buffer demons spat, standing from his seat and glaring at him intimidatingly.
”I thought this place was meant to be enjoyable. You just completely ruined the mood.” Ms. Reynolds grumbled, crossing her arms over her chest.
Sal immediately tried to backtrack. ”No! I-, that’s not what I meant at all. It’s just-, we were here to discuss-“
”Oh, give it up, man. No one wants you or your lousy business here!” Missi guffawed, her laughter shaking the room and its contents as she did.
Angel and the band walk off stage just in time to witness the discussion going on below. The worry in his eyes fades away once he catches word of what the commotion is about. They hadn’t even realized Angel and the band had come to the end of the song.
It seemed everyone was suddenly against the guy who’d organized the entire meeting. Angel was just relieved to find out he hadn’t gotten himself and Husk in deep shit.
Sal finally raised his arms in defeat and headed for the door, angrily storming out while muttering words that no doubt played a part in securing his spot in Hell.
One of the female demons who’d sat on the other side of the table turns to the cat.
“Husk, let me know the next time he sings at the casino. I would love to come and see him perform again.”
“Me too!” Another demon pipped up. “His voice is very beautiful. Creates such a lovely ambiance.”
“Do you perform at the casino often?” Ms. Reynolds asked, turning to the spider once she’d caught sight of him.
Angel chuckles nervously, pushing a loose curl away from his eyes. “Uh, no, I don’t.”
The buff demon turned to the gambling overlord.
“See, Husk? I told you you should’ve reconstructed the theater. Imagine how much traction it would gain if you had him singing every night.”
Angel doesn’t quite know how to react to that, but it wasn’t like it was any of his business anyway. The statement wasn’t even directed at him in the first place.
Perhaps it should’ve been, though, because Husk’s entire demeanor turns cold, ignoring the demon’s words and turning to look at the group as a whole.
“I actually believe it’s time we take our leave. I do hope you all have a great night.”
Angel looped his arm through his once he offers it, the couple silently walking out of the establishment and towards the valet.
Angel was completely and utterly lost.
Where did it all go wrong?
Notes:
Sorry if this seemed rushed 🙈
Let me know what y’all think in the comments <3
Chapter 14: You Ain’t Nothing But A…
Summary:
Just when he was slowly getting back on his feet, came another soul he took in without giving it a second thought. Angel was a great worker, but since Husk had given him back the control of his own life, the dreadful thought of another betrayal like the one in the past couldn’t help but nag at the back of his mind. He feared he’d never know the reason why he released Angel’s soul so carelessly.
Notes:
(See the end of the chapter for notes.)
Chapter Text
Angel can't quite recall the last time he’d seen Husk so visibly upset.
Granted, the overlord has never been the most openly emotional person in the first place, but his exterior was much colder than Angel was used to seeing him. He’s tempted to ask what the whole ordeal was about that supposedly involved the theater. After all, from that point forward was when he’d completely shut down back at the restaurant.
“Are you mad?”
There was a slight startle from him at the unexpected sound of Angel’s voice, but he played it off by simply readjusting himself in his seat. He doesn’t even spare him a glance when he replies.
“No.”
“Well, you sound mad.” Angel retorted, crossing his arms in defiance.
“You don’t know anything about me,” Husk snapped, shooting him a glare over his shoulder before going back to his original position.
Angel resorted to restoring the silence before he said something out of line. He wracked his brain attempting to figure out what got Husk in such a mood after Angel’s performance. Based on the other folk’s reactions, Angel was highly confident he’d done a good job at directing their attention towards him and far from Husk’s competitor. Surely it had nothing to do with him, but Husk’s moody demeanor wasn’t exactly convincing him otherwise.
He could at least thank him for his efforts.
The spider knew it was unlikely. After all, Husk’s pride and ego were far too large for him to offer a simple thank you or admit when he’s done something wrong and apologize. What made him think Angel was any different?
“Did you not like my singing?” Angel bluntly asked, not really expecting a response from the overlord. Nevertheless, his tone didn’t exactly sound like it was meant to be rhetorical.
Husk clicks his tongue before replying. “It was a stupid idea.”
Angel frowned.
“It worked though, didn’t it?”
Husk usually likes his dumb little comebacks, offering a chuckle or a smirk in amusement every now and then. His silence makes him feel dumb. Maybe now really wasn’t the time for jokes.
He doesn’t say anything else until they reach the hotel. The car comes to a complete stop directly in front of the door steps, and Angel vaguely hears the sound of the passenger door opening and shutting a second later.
Maybe he was being too harsh with Husk.
“Despite what happened tonight, I really did enjoy myself. It was fun. Thanks for bringing me.”
Husk doesn’t seem to react to his words, but then again, he didn’t seem to acknowledge his entire freakin’ existence in the first place. Angel still decides to delay his exit even after Elena opens the door for him to allow Husk the opportunity to redeem himself for being such an asshole. Hell, even a good fuckin’ night or a go fuck yourself would be great to hear come out of his mouth.
But Husk says nothing. Not a goddamn word.
Angel practically lunged out of his seat and out of the limo, slamming the vehicle door shut once he’s out. Elena, who was standing just a foot away, flinched from the unexpected sound. Clearly she was expecting to handle both the opening and shutting of the door herself.
Angel takes his time walking upstairs, stopping momentarily on his way up when the realization hits him.
He was about to shut himself in his room, feeling like shit because a man was upset with him.
Cherri would fuckin’ kill him double dead if she found out. She was also just the person to call to forget about what happened and how Husk had completely and utterly ruined his mood because of his bitchiness (which was ironic, considering he’s a fucking cat.) Angel had spent days getting fitted for a dress far too perfect for someone like him to wear and hours getting physically and mentally ready for tonight. He’d spent practically the entire day washing himself, doing his hair, and beating his face with the most expensive makeup he owned.
And to top it off, he didn’t even get a single thank you from the bastard.
So screw it. He wasn’t going to let some entitled fuckin’ overlord ruin this very good night. The night was young and he looked fuckin’ good.
~
The car takes off once Angel disappears behind the hotel doors. Husk had watched him go up the stairs the same way he’d come down, holding the hems of his dress to avoid dragging it. For a moment, he’s tempted to roll down the window and call out for him before he disappears, and to further encourage his intention, Angel does mysteriously stop midway up the stairs. Husk reached towards the door, his claw hovering over the window switch. He couldn’t rectify the way he’d treated him after his performance, but he could still reassure him he’d done well tonight and show his gratitude. Angel would surely appreciate that.
Instead, Husk watches him shake his head and continue on his way.
Husk sighed and sat back.
The idea of him being upset with Husk didn’t sit right with him.
Angel had done exactly what Husk had instructed him and he hadn’t even demonstrated his appreciation for everything he’d done tonight.
But what was he saying? Angel was his employee. He was supposed to follow his each and every order whether he liked it or not. He wasn't supposed to conform to his rules and make sure he’s happy. Husk was his boss. Angel was supposed to make sure HE was happy.
A thank you from him still would’ve been nice. It was the least Husk could do.
Angel hadn’t given him a reason to worry about him, nor had he shown any signs of disloyalty or potential betrayal to Husk and his business.
Yet the past always had a way of rearing its ugly head and coming back and repeating itself. It’d done it when Husk died and ended up in Hell in the exact same situation he’d been when he was alive, gambling and emptying the pockets of dumb suckers who couldn’t pick up on his cheating habits fast enough to prevent going broke.
He’d been played in his past life, and shamefully enough, in his afterlife, too. One unlucky soul had spent a large sum of money that Husk later found out hadn’t belonged to them before they bet their own soul, and a soul was an offer the cat just couldn’t refuse. As expected, the demon they owed the money to eventually showed up to reclaim what was rightfully theirs, and since Husk isn’t the kind of overlord who likes others touching what was his, he refused to give up their soul or repay the money he’d won from them fair and square.
It was the cause of the theater’s downfall and of his very own pride. He’d lost so much in that shootout all thanks to his greed, and just when he was slowly getting back on his feet, came another soul he took in without giving it a second thought. Angel was a great worker, but since Husk had given him back the control of his own life, the dreadful thought of another betrayal like the one in the past couldn’t help but nag at the back of his mind. He feared he’d never know the reason why he released Angel’s soul so carelessly.
Trust is something that’s very hard to come by, especially in a place like this. Especially after everything that’s happened.
The limousine makes one left turn before arriving at his stop. Elena opens the door for him, examining their surroundings as a safety measure. The two hellhounds at the entrance had kept guard all night anyway, but he appreciates the extra security check.
It was ironic. For a cat, he sure had a lot of canines working for him.
The guards greet him as he walks through the door, Elena on his heels. He mindlessly walks past the casino and the bar area, heading towards the restricted section of the building he hadn’t been in since one of his employees killed one of his security guards.
A fox, another dog-like demon he’d employed. And a damn dog he had been.
Elena remains silent beside him as he takes in the view. She hadn’t been his employee yet when the shooting happened.
‘I told you you should’ve reconstructed the theater!’
Running his fingers through the dust on a nearby table, the memories the room holds begin to flood his brain. Husk attempts to shove them to the back of his head before they overtake him. It doesn’t work as well as he’d hoped, so he focuses on the good parts instead.
He remembers the performers on stage singing while couples on the floor danced to the music. The tables around the floor would partake in a game of cards or simply sit to enjoy a drink or two and watch the show. There was chatter, laughter, and awe as the wonderful sound of the talented singers filled the room.
The magic shows had always been Husk’s favorite. The comedy ones were definitely a close second.
It was a time where the theater brought nothing but joy and excitement to any soul who experienced it.
Unfortunately, Husk doesn't think that any amount of rebuilding and/or rebranding will bring back the lively atmosphere the theater never failed to provide.
The ambush had destroyed it beyond recognition, and he doubts anyone would ever want to step foot in it again anytime soon. Performers stopped reaching out for shows, and though it may have been because he hadn’t attempted to build the place back up, it was highly likely that they wouldn’t have come due to the fear of losing their lives as well.
Husk wordlessly turned back around and began to walk away from the scene, Elena following close behind again. He was ready to lock himself in his office after dealing with all those hours of forced socialization.
He and Elena part ways once they reach the top floor. He practically throws himself onto his chair when he gets there, avoiding eye contact with the paperwork scattered across his desk. He mindlessly scrolls through his emails instead, sorting through the junk mail and business opportunities before a knock at the door interrupts him.
Elena peeks her head in after knocking twice, just as she always did.
”Boss, you have two voicemails in need of attention. One from the overlord Missi Zilla and another from Carmilla Carmine. I figured you’d want to call them back personally.”
Husk nods. ”Forward them to me and I’ll give them a call. Thank you, Elena. Go ahead and call it a night.”
The Husky doesn’t need to be told twice, bidding him good night and closing the door behind her.
With a heavy sigh, he reaches into his coat pocket for a match and a thick cigar.
He stands from his desk and walks towards the balcony. The clock tower counting down the days before the angel’s next ‘visit’ is visible from his office, one of the advantages of having it located on the top floor.
Carmilla Carmine only calls when she’s planning a meeting and requires his assistance, and it’s usually after an extermination.
They were just under two weeks away from the next one.
He could already imagine the chaos and bloodshed at his front door during and after the event. It was always a bitch to clean up. The lack of business during the next few days was inconvenient, too.
Although the cleanup was a nuisance, he had to admit that what he hated the most about it was finding out a good handful of his souls had been killed during the extermination. Not many took his advice to stay either in the casino or in their hotel room during the killing. After all, why would anyone give him any more reason to be in debt to him by saving their souls?
What Sal hadn’t and will never know about the hotel was the fact that it was just a form of housing for his employees and those who were in debt to him and were paying it off. Sal wasn’t the only one who thought it was an ordinary hotel. That was the main purpose for its discretion. The hotel receptionist knew to turn away anyone who wasn’t in business with him, and claim the rooms were full or that they just weren’t taking any new guests at the time.
Most of his workers thankfully did stay in their rooms or in the casino if they didn’t have anywhere to go during the extermination. Losing some of these people would be unfortunate not only for himself, but for his business as well. Many of them had far too much insight and information that others outside of the casino had absolutely no business of knowing. Some of these demons had stuck with him since the beginning of his overlordship.
Helen’s husband had been one of them.
He desperately needed the extended soul protection spell to be put in place immediately.
‘Promote your plan and get it out there,’ Charlie’s words rang in his ear.
Husk dropped the butt of his cigar and stomped it out, walking back into his office and sitting at his desk. Grabbing an extra notebook from one of his draws, he grabs the pen sitting on his desk and flips to an empty page. He continues to stare both at the paper and the pen in his hand blankly for what seems like an eternity.
He didn’t have a goddamn clue how to word this objective he’s had in mind for months in a way that seemed appealing and necessary to the other overlords. What he did know was that it had to be perfect. He had to somehow manage to get them to agree and support his idea. He needed them to think the way he did.
He just didn’t know how he was going to do it.
Notes:
Let me know what you think in the comments <3
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