Chapter Text
The loud pitching sound buzzing in his head was annoying and tiring. It reminded him from those time Valentino would make him work three days-and-nights on movie shots...under water and high on ketamine.
His mouth felt dry and acid, bringing back the memory of how tonight didn't go well.
He's an the stage, where he has been performing songs and shows two years now since he's working for Husker. The spotlight was bright and the people clapping at his songs, he could see the cat overlord among the audience drinking his whisky, the same spot every night he would sing...
Ever since his soul was taken away from Valentino's control over a poker game, Angel couldn't help to wonder if that night Lady Luck had smiled at him or blessed him...
Because even after testing the waters around Husker that first night, crossing his legs and letting his cleavage exposed, he learn that Husker-allowed him to call him Husk-was a different man. Pushed him away, didn't bat an eye at him, told him to stop trying to seduce him and to talk seriously how his new role with him as his boss would be. Hustle, trick people, distract the tables...even if he had to play along.
The cat didn't think much at the moment before he could see the spider's potential and talent, soon his tongue would be gotten by such show. Little did he know that Angel Dust, 'Anthony Ragnone' during his lifetime, had trick under his sleeves...and skirts, taught by his mob family. And soon, it happened without them knowing how.
The way Anthony would charm his heart and slowly enter into the gambler's heart without any warning...and Husk would hold that scarred heart tenderly within his warm hands. There's nothing that could stop the chemistry slow burn them into a new mix...
As a heart Ace card on his hands, a sweet drink touching his lips, lovely jazz music ringing into their ears.
The first night together, felt as natural and warm like a blanket after a snowy winter night, like water while inside the desert. Or like winning a prize nobody could expect-
Connection. Bond...love, even? It's something that would happen every now and then.
Drinks, talk later at night, having fun, making out...silent looks, seductive smiles, secretive jokes. Within a year, their relationship started to grow into something new, something intense and deeper.
Time passed by and things were great.
But this night, something felt off. Actually, Angel could say that some weeks ago, things felt off for him. Couldn't be withdrawal nor the booze, he's feeling hot, tired and sick-he could hardly keep food down and it's just miserable!
He tried pushing that aside, drink some water as maybe him not drinking water often would have been the issue. Yet he recalled how during his show, the light felt too strong for his eyes as he tried swallowing the nauseating feeling in his throat but his feet staggered briefly...he suddenly felt his body heavy and foreign.
Husk's face turned from confusion to worry and horror within seconds as he run towards him before his eyes closed.
"Angel! Legs, wake up! Shit, get the doctor here, NOW!"
The loud noises were blurred, the world around turned black and his mind shutdown after that.
He must have hit his head hard when he fall, the throbbing headache was killing him.
"Angel?" Husk's voice caught his attention before he opened his eyes cautious due to the bright light.
Groaning, the spider moved his head aside to see a worry Husk hovering him "Lower your voice, babe...my head hurts like a fuckin punch on the wall"
"Shit, what happened?" Lowering the lights a bit, Husk looked back at him as he checked his temples. They're in their bedroom-Husker's but he spent so much time there that he could even call it theirs. No wounds nor bruises were gonna happen.
"I think I need to change my bottle for some soda or somethin" mumbles Angel tired.
"Angel, you haven't had booze for a long while" stated Husk looking at him confused.
"Wha?"
"The bar told me you have not been around for almost a full month, or just when offered something, you would look so sick they would give you some juice or nothing with alcohol" explained Husk mildly upset "How long, Legs? How long have you been feeling sick?!"
"... almost a month, I guess" he didn't want to start arguing now, his head wasn't clear and felt like vomiting any second.
"-There's a bucket here, wait" moving quick, Husk pulled a gray plastic bucket towards him, ready to act if needed.
"No, not yet-" said Angel before suddenly a bile feeling rushed up to his throat, throwing up into the said bucket. He felt Husk's hand holding him up as the other rubbed his back warningly.
Thankfully, they removed his Cher wig or else it would be a big mess.
"Where the fuck is Dice with the damn doctor?" Mumbles Husk in anger as he looked by the door.
As if summoned by his name, a knock at the door was heard as Billy black goat looking demon with white lab coat and a tall bear in a black guard suit entered the room. The said bodyguard was calm and quiet as he guided the doctor that seemed...nervous and uncertain.
"Why, you are awake! Good, good" says the doctor looking at his chart as he moved his glasses back on and looked back at Husk "Mr. Husker, I may need to talk with your performer in private. It's rather a delica-"
"I'm not moving out" said firmly the cat as the spider sits up.
"Chillax, Whiskers. It's nothin serious! Just some stupid bug or somethin" puffed Angel at Husk as trying to ease the tension without avail, noticing the doctor's face "...it is nothing serious, right?"
"Well-"
"Oh fuckin...-" Angel cussed under his breath looking nervous at Husk and the doctor "Husky, please watch out for Nuggs! He likes to eat junk but he cannot eat pork meat-!"
"No, no. No, no! Nothing lethal!" Interrupted the doctor nervous "it's just... unusual-scratch that-nothing I have see since...eh, ever?"
"Would ya stop the charade and say it?" Spat Husk annoyed and nervous as he didn't dare to move from his spot.
"Congratulations! There's a bun in the oven!" Said fast the goat at them, giving wiggly jazz hands at them...or rather jazz hooves-
"...what?"
"Che cosa?"
"Eh...Pea in the pod? Or preggers?" Suggested the doctor again, looking at both overlord and former actor for a reaction.
They both blinked confused, taking a moment for their brain to process what was just said. They know what they're told but-
"Get this quack outta here!" Snapped Angel at the guard while getting up. Husk was taken aback when he heard Angel's legs pushing a glass of water of the night table as he got up.
"Hey, Legs, Wait-!"
"How can you-?!" Angel turned from Husk towards the doctor in anger "Where the fuck did you earn your damn license?! By Hellbay or what-?!"
"Angel, calm down" tried to speak the overlord to his lover firmly.
"How tha fuck am I supposed to be calm when some goat looking quack here is tellin us some shit-!" Argued back Angel at Husk "how am I pregnant?! You know I have a dick! Cazzo, all Hell knows that, I know everyone in this fottuto hole can tell ya!"
"For fuck sake-Anthony, shut the fuck up!" yelled back Husker in anger, his energy shifting as his eyes glowed and his wings fluttered. Even the lights flicker-
Angel paled at his voice as the room seemed to shake, the doctor and guard mildly startled at the display.
Took a moment for Husk to register what he's doing before noticing Angel's scared look. He instantly turned away and tried to put back his poker face, cool down...
"You may need to sit down, Mr. Dust..." spoke Dice, the guard helped the spider sit on the bed again as Husk notices how shaken the spider looked. He's regretting the outburst very much now.
"As for...eh, the biology or anatomy dilemma-" stepped in the doctor unsure of he's safe to start explaining but continued either way "I have came to see during your physical examination-"
"Wait, ya touched me?!" Angel felt violated as Husk looked at the doctor warning him at any other comment would be his last parting words if he didn't speak clearly.
"I-well, I had to check out all! I mean, nothing so invasive, just blood test, salvia sample and...palpation around" continued the doctor afraid under the cat's golden threatening gaze "I have found that your body anatomy shares many aspects within the intersexual spectrum-"
"Intersexual? Wait, so... you're saying Angel has-?" asked Husk taking a moment.
"Both genitalia and organs, yes" confirmed the doctor nodding along.
"Great...cazzo, che figata! So I'm a freak with two sets" chuckles Angel on his spot looking so astonished at the new information "a fuckin pussy and a dick as well, just- just-!"
"But how...?" Asked Husk lowly, asking the question everyone was having now "I mean, we're sinners! We cannot- only hellborns can reproduce-! Hell, we-?"
"That's...why I said it's something I have never seen before, sir" explained the doctor uncertain, smiling nervously while cleaning his glasses "I have read plenty while here! I mean, the Queen's pregnancy was one thing since...well, the King is Lucifer, fallen angel! But...you two aren't hellborns nor angels. There's some theories that may-"
Angel turned his eyes to his lap, feeling how surreal was this situation, his mind moving away towards the stage. All this was a dream...yeah! It must be! He's performing at the casino's stage.
Dolled up, bright and carefree-! Husk looking at him from VIP as he bat his eyelashes. But he feels cold...
Cold and absent-
Dream. Dream...not real-
"What should we do, doctor?" Husk's voice broke his concentration, feeling suddenly his claw grip his cold hand. Suddenly the coldness was starting to banish and the stage was gone. He's at the penthouse, back to...this.
"Well general advices: eat healthy, avoid stress, rest when needed and vitamins...I can't say I'm 100% sure if this works like any other pregnancy?" explained the doctor musing on a thought "maybe this phenomenon could help study-"
"No. Nein...no study, I'm not consenting for Angel into some testing-lab shit" snapped Husk as he tight his grip on the spider's hand, not so hard to hurt but as a protective gesture.
"-We-well, I mean, I could try researching but there's no-"
"Do it. Research, read some damn books, I'll pay you to even interview the damn Queen for tips, just do it!" spoke firmly Husk as he massaged his forehead.
Suddenly, his legs straighten and got up from the bed. He felt so sick, tired...
"Angel-?"
"I'm...heading to the bathroom, I...need-" spoke aloofly Angel as he left the room, avoiding Husk's eyes.
"Are you sick? Lemme help yo-"
"No. No, please, Husker..." calling him by his full name felt foreign and strange on his tongue "I need a shower, I feel...tired and...-"
Disgusted? Weird?
Husker gave a nod to him before gesturing Dice to follow and keep an eye.
Pulling away the silky mauve dress from his body, Angel's eyes darted to the mirror making his way to the shower. A soft oink followed him from the other room, the small piglet run towards him.
Scratching his ear, Fat Nuggets snorts happily under his touch "Aw, did daddy worried you? I'm sorry, baby"
The piglet snorts happily on his spot by the bathtub, keeping his eyes on him expectant while Angel finishes stripping his clothes off.
The mirror was bright pink and gold, LED lights by the vanity brought up a less sterile generic bathroom design.
Tentatively, he turned to his side, he began to glare carefully his midsection, wondering if there's anything he could even see now. He couldn't see any difference or notice a detail...
Angel felt so cold, so hollow...so alone. First he felt disgusted by how his body was so foreign and unknown to him now, even after decades in Hell, he couldn't understand his damn body! Six arms, eight eyes, fluffy hair all over his body- now he finds out he is a freak of nature with two set of genitalia and hosting a baby in it?! What the fuck was this?! His Nonna-wherever she may be-would be cussing so bad and loud that even Val would be horrified from her foul language!
And in Hell?! From all places to become a parent, Hell! Where freaks are everywhere, sickening humans that were the worst beings that Earth had thrown into this big hole! Where any child would be doom to misery and torture!
Rubbing the soap around his body, Angel couldn't help but feel his body colder despite the warm water. There's nothing he could do as he stands naked under the water and the candy soap clean his fur...
This body felt so ugly and freaking abnormal!
This anxiety was similar to the first night under Husk's contract.
The realization hit him like a physical blow: he was trapped in his own head.
He slumped against the cold marble wall of the bathroom, sliding down until he was a ball on the floor. He began to hyperventilate, the polished gold fixtures of the walkthrough shower spinning into a blur.
He recalled that night clearly, how he stood in the center of the room, his hands shaking so violently while his skin began to crawl, a thousand needles pricking him from the inside out.
Lost, drunk, breaking down, aloof...
He didn't remember when sunrise nor when Husk arrived to the room "I expected a few tears, perhaps some midnight pacing. But I didn't expect my property to be vandalized"
"Fuck off"
"You are exactly what Valentino made you" Husk hissed, his eyes narrowing "A creature of the gutter who thinks he’s only valuable when he’s out high as a kite. You think the drugs will help you? We won't give you here"
"I don't need yar help, you fuckin pussy" sobbed Angel under his breath "You’re a monster"
"You're dead" Val’s voice echoed inside his head.
"No. I'm an Overlord"
Why him? Was he even good for this?! He's never been good for crap! His entire life was prove of that. Failure like a son, failure like a brother...
Failure as a man.
Just a whor-!
His mind returns to the present,
Fat Nuggets looks at him confused, titling his head aside as he watched from outside the shower.
His hands hovered over his abdomen, without thinking much as he bite his lips, wondering if this was gonna work out well.
There's something-someone small in there, inside him! He couldn't say if it's because he know there's someone in there but he felt so different, as if his hands were shielding a precious fragile being inside him...
Coming out from the shower and drying his fur, Angel felt refreshed as if the water washed away the stress. Putting on a pink robe over his body, Angel opened the door and noticed the quietness in the penthouse, Dice was nearby the door-startling him for a moment, Fat Nuggets snorts upset at the bodyguard before Angel picks him up.
"Son of a-! Dice, warn a man would ya?"
"Boss told me to keep an ear around...if anyt-"
"Relax, toots. I get it...I was kinda somewhere else in my head" spoke Angel in a chuckle "I don't even know if this...Hell, I dunno nothing now"
"....Boss isn't mad at you, y'know"
"What?"
"He wouldn't even try to be mad at you. You don't need to feel fear around him... he's really concerned for ya, you two are quite a pair" explained the bear demon earning a wide eye look from Angel "C'me on, I have see you two go freaky in the VIP room many times, I'm not dumb"
"Well, shoots...we should've been careful-"
"Or lock the door, just an advice here"
Angel rubbed his face as he groans. He noticed the penthouse quiet, aside from their presence.
"...where is Husk?"
"Boss said he had some work to be done for tonight, so he left short after the doctor..." explained Dice hesitant "maybe you should rest, he's probably gonna be a while-"
Or maybe-avoiding him.
"I'm heading out. You need me for anything?" asked the guard pointing the door but giving Angel an apprehensive gaze.
"No, no. Ya can go, toots...nite" the spider heard the guard walking towards the exit, closing the door behind him.
The silence was deafening and loudly, agonizing.
Tightening his own embrace, Angel sat without a word by the bed, leaving the piglet on his lap. Soon, Fat Nuggets snorted on his stomach as if he knew something or someone was there, taking a moment before Angel placed him next to him.
Do animals in Hell had some sixth sense or something like on Earth? Angel shook his head, brushing those trivial thoughts away.
Angel didn't know what to feel or think.
He didn't know what to expect. This wasn't something he would ever expect-
But he's ready for anything...
A punch, a slap, insults...
But Husker wasn't Valentino, but he didn't know what to even expect at all.
He couldn't pull Husk into this. He shouldn't deal with this...
This was never part of their deal. Hell, how to even expect this when making a deal?!
The contract doesn't say a thing about anything like this! His mind nagged him crudely how Husk must be disgusted, mad at him and thinking how to get rid of him.
A freak. A dirty abomination.
No, no. Too much, his mind goes away and his body feels cold-
He is singing. Dancing and twirling around! Fat Nuggets followed him behind, worried careful to not get to close to make him trip or anything.
Maybe find a number of a doctor? Pills? A hanger?!
He could still feel Husk's hand over his, his arms around him. It's even just a mild comfort-
"...I...I dunno" sighing tiredly, Angel looks at Fat Nuggets as he says by the floor "I mean, this is Hell. How will a kid grow up here safe? Fuckin depravities around the corner and creeps?"
Fat Nuggets listened to him, without judgement.
"But...I dunno! I just, I was raised in a Catholic household, damnit! I know, I know, some queer crossdressing ex mafia mob and ex pornstar here who is known as the biggest whore win Hell-?!"
An annoyed oink interrupted him.
"But I just cannot think about... killing this bean! Sure, I did kill while alive but this..." Gesturing his midsection "-is just...another type of mothafuckin' degree! I cannot kill a kid!"
Letting all out, Angel looked at a sad piglet that only could lick his hands in a way to relieve his angst without much avail.
Yet, it's something.
Defeated, the spider picks up the piglet within his arms and lays down in bed. Drained out by the emotions and the stress, Angel drifts instantly into sleep and numb to the world.
He was out cold that he didn't feel his arms wrapped him as his wings covered them as a cocoon.
Their embrace didn't dissolve nor loosened when they laid in bed, quiet and with the small pig now sleeping by their feet.
Just give him peace and coziness.
Would all be ok? He wondered