Chapter Text
Angel practically skipped to work after leaving Hellbucks. He effortlessly ignored the usual cat-calling and vulgar shouts as he walked the short commute to the studio. As he approached the entrance, unsteadiness hit him like a brick. Hoping that his boss would not pick up on his change in attitude and decide to take it out on him today, Angel calmed himself and opened the door. Bright lights, loud music, and the scents of sex and smoke accosted him as he entered the humble sex dungeon. He donned a sultry smirk and winked at some passersby as he made his way over the director’s chair to get his script for the day.
“Ah, Angel, baby, it looks like you finally made it,” the tall, slender moth demon purred before even turning around to see the spider approach.
“H-hey, Valentino, good to see you, baby. What’s cookin’ for today’s shoot?” Angel asked awkwardly.
A thick script was shoved into his hands as his boss turned to shout another order at the actors currently on stage.
“Get ready, now! You’re on in five,” Valentino demanded before returning to his previous tantrum.
Sensing his boss’s mood, Angel hurried to his dressing room, quickly scanning the garbage script as he walked down the hall and got changed into the revealing lingerie already laid out for him on the dresser.
Angel power-bottomed his way through his shift, which dragged on infinitely longer than usual. He nearly launched himself off of the co-star he was riding when the producer called “cut” and told them to wrap it up for the day. He bid his coworkers a peppy farewell and walked as slowly as he could manage to his dressing room to shower and change for the evening ahead.
As he stripped out of his sweaty costume, the door opened abruptly and Valentino strolled into the room. Angel had to stop himself from instinctually covering his nudity. He turned towards the intruder and put on a sexy smirk.
Valentino sauntered over to Angel and ran his thin fingers up the smaller man’s arm and wrapped a hand around the back of his neck, pulling him forward suddenly until he was face-to-face with the moth. Val bent down to Angel’s height and pressed him into a violent kiss. Angel reciprocated, of course, to avoid earning his master’s ire, and moved to place his hands on the other man’s chest. Just as his fingertips touched the fabric of Val’s shirt, the overlord straightened and turned to leave the room.
“Just a little reward for your fantastic performance today, Angelcakes. Keep up the good work, and Daddy will give you more of what you crave. See you tomorrow,” Valentino purred as he slammed the door behind him, leaving Angel feeling gross and helpless.
He sighed and ran his hands through his hair roughly, shaking away the disgusting feeling that graces him whenever he has to have intimate run-ins with his overlord. Decades ago, he would have been crying happily in the corner after having been teased by his powerful lover, but now, he wanted nothing more to erase the feeling of the moth’s tongue from his memory.
Exhausted, he almost wished he was still sitting on the little barstool at Hellbucks, nursing a hot double espresso cappuccino while watching the sexy kitty work. But, he had a much better event to get to - his date with said sexy kitty! Angel snorted a line of coke before jumping into the shower; renewed energy and confidence spurring him into action to get ready as quickly as possible.
He exited the shower and stood in front of his wardrobe, rifling through numerous articles of clothing. After taking nearly every item out and putting them back, he decided on a simple button down and his favorite pink blazer, leather pants, and ankle boots. Angel wanted to appeal to the cat’s interests and didn’t get the vibe that he would like anything overly extravagant or revealing, especially on the first date.
Texting Husk that he was ready and sending him his location before finishing his makeup and checking his hair again in the mirror, he finally made his way out of his dressing room and through the studio which had mostly cleared of any staff. A few other actors were leaving at the same time and he struck up conversation with one after she whistled at him as they walked through the exit. They idly chatted about their evening plans outside of the studio when the sound of a rumbling engine caught their attention...
~~~~~
Husk was nervous. He couldn't say he'd ever felt this emotion before. His whole life and afterlife he'd been confident; ready to face the day that he succeeded (though it was more likely to be another day of failure). He quickly drove home and cleaned up, combing back his fur and selecting a fresh button down and slacks. He hadn't accumulated much in the way of clothes since he'd been in Hell. No use in having lots of material goods when it’ll just end up blown up during an extermination, lost in a bet, stolen, or simply just left behind.
His hand hovered over his bowtie, but decided it was too much and undid the top two buttons of his shirt to expose some of his fluffy chest. Husk flushed lightly as he checked himself out in the small bathroom mirror, uncertain of his appearance. He determined that he couldn't look much worse than how he does at work, (considering he's wearing pretty much the same clothes, only lacking the hat and apron), and if Angel thought he looked okay like that then...
Husk shook his head, turning away from the mirror. He sat on his bed and pulled on his boots, grabbing his wallet and keys from the bedside table and pocketing them. He checked his phone one last time and copied the address Angel had texted to him into VoxMaps. He sent Angel his estimated arrival time and grabbed his spare helmet, locked the door to his apartment, and forced himself not to jog down the steps in excitement as he left to go pick up Angel.
He drove more carefully than usual. (The last thing he needed was the embarrassment of becoming a meat-crayon on the pavement on the way to a date!) When he arrived at the address about five minutes later, he took in the sight of a popular club in downtown Pentagram City, only a few blocks from Hellbucks.
Angel stood outside near the curb with a cigarette, chatting with another demon who also appeared to be waiting for their ride home. Both startled as Husk pulled up in front of them, popping the kickstand as he killed the engine. At first, the spider demon didn’t recognize the stranger and flicked his cigarette away as he repositioned into a defensive stance.
Husk pulled off his helmet and shook out his matted-down fur, combing it back with a clawed hand before setting his helmet down on the seat and walking over to Angel and his acquaintance - both sporting a surprised look.
“Hey, Angel. Hope I’m not interruptin’ something,” Husk began, clearing his throat and gesturing to the other demon that stood beside him.
“Nah, I was just leaving,” Angel’s companion spoke, winking exaggeratedly before turning on their heel and slowly sauntering away.
Angel flushed and scratched the back of his head nervously, eyes darting between Husk and his bike, “Hey, Husk! I neva’ took you to be the motorcycle type! Nice bike!”
Husk swallowed nervously before responding, “Uh, thanks. I guess I should’ve asked if you’d be comfortable riding it before, sorr-
“No! No, it’s great!” Angel interjected, “Nothin’ to worry about, Toots, it’s hot!”
Husk blushed lightly and grinned, offering the extra helmet to the four-armed demon.
“Let’s get goin’,” Husk invited, holding out a hand to help his partner mount the motorcycle. Angel instinctively wrapped his arms around Husk as they settled into the leather seat of the bike, nervousness and excitement coursing through him.
~~~~~
They arrived at a secluded park just outside of the city. Husk parked the bike and removed his helmet, helping Angel off of the motorcycle and taking the spare helmet from him. Angel pulled out his compact mirror and quickly tried to settle his hair that now stood at odd angles from wearing the helmet. Husk chuckled at this, pushing the compact mirror closed and smirking at Angel’s startled look.
“You look great, Angel. Now, come this way,” Husk praised, removing a basket from the hatch on his bike before gesturing for Angel to follow.
They made their way to a picnic bench by a lake which shimmered in the twilight. Angel had to admit that it was probably the most beautiful sight of nature that he’d ever seen in Hell. Not that he'd ever had a reason to seek out a place like this.
As the taller man stared in awe at the scenery, Husk smiled and began pulling items out of the basket he brought. He produced a generic red and white checkerboard tablecloth, a Bluetooth speaker, a couple of candles, a bottle of wine and two glasses, and a small charcuterie plate featuring various sliced meats, cheeses, and fruits.
Once the table was set, the cat demon cleared his throat, gaining the other man’s attention. Angel’s eyes and grin widened at the display and he walked over to the bench, taking a seat.
“I thought you might be hungry after work, but I didn't want to go overboard for the first, uh, date. I hope this is okay,” Husk commented shyly, sitting on the opposite side of the picnic table.
“This is great, Husky! Better than I could’a asked for!” Angel reassured him, reaching for a strawberry on the plate of food.
Husk smiled and popped the cork of the wine bottle with a claw, pouring two even glasses. Then, with a snap of his fingers, the two candles lit up, and Angel almost dropped the strawberry out of his mouth as his jaw dropped in amazement.
“It's starting to get a little dark, so I thought we could use some ambient lighting,” Husk mused, ignoring the fact that he has night vision, and passing a glass of wine to his partner before relishing in a long sip.
Angel swallowed his mouth full of food and sipped his wine, noticing Husk nearly finishing his glass all at once, then taking another, larger gulp.
A chill settled into the air as night continued to fall. The two men chatted calmly about their likes and dislikes, their respective jobs and day-to-day lives in Hell, and maybe a little bit about their lives before death.
As they finished their bottle and snacks, Husk turned on the Bluetooth speaker and fiddled with his phone until a smooth Salsa began to play quietly. He got up and moved to sit next to Angel.
“Do you smoke?” Husk asked, producing an herb grinder and a pack of rolling papers from his pocket.
“Sure, baby, I’ll hit anything,” Angel replied with a wink.
Husk rolled his eyes as he effortlessly rolled the pre-ground weed into a hefty joint. Angel watched in awe as he snapped his fingers, summoning a lighter from thin air. Husk grinned at his reaction, lighting the joint and taking a long drag before passing it to Angel.
Angel took a quick puff, “Do you know other magic tricks, like aside from producing fire?” He asked in between coughs.
Husk laughed and grabbed the joint from Angel's fingers as the spider coughed, then took another puff.
“I know a few slight-of-hand tricks, I was a magician for a little while when I was alive,” Husk explained, passing the joint when Angel's coughing fit ceased.
Here I go again, talking about this shit.
“That's so cool!” the spider explained, hitting the joint again, “put on a show for me!”
Husk flushed at the compliment and turned his head to hide his surprised grin caused by Angel’s cute reaction.
“Well, I don't have any props on me right now, but how ‘bout I give you a magic show if you agree to let me take you out on another date?” Husk asked sheepishly, turning his head back to look at the taller man and gauge his expression.
The way Angel’s face lit up at the idea made Husk feel like he was melting. He was sure their stupid smiles matched as they gazed into each other's eyes.
“I’d like that a lot, Husky,” Angel breathed, leaning to the side and placing a smooch on the other’s fuzzy cheek.
Husk’s face exploded in a blush and he stuttered, “T-that's great! Uh, would you like any more wine?” he asked with a shy smile, producing another bottle seemingly out of nowhere.
“Ya know I can't turn down a drink!” Angel cheered with excitement, both toward the prospective second date and the offer of more alcohol.
The winged demon poured two more large glasses that they both chugged with ease. He set the nearly-empty bottle down and stood up as a fast-paced Bachata began to play from the speaker.
“Would you like to dance?” Husk asked, extending his hand.
Angel quickly downed his glass of wine and took the outstretched hand, allowing himself to be pulled up from his sitting position by the surprisingly strong shorter man. He tried not to think about the other’s enormous palm holding his own and placed his other hands on the cat’s shoulders and waist. Husk led him in a fun dance full of spins, dips, and sensual hips.
Angel was thankful for his line of work once again, having learned many dance styles for the nights that he was on the pole. They swayed together perfectly, laughing together in-between the beats of the music.
When the song died down and a slow Tango followed in its place, the two men kept contact and continued to move rhythmically, holding each other's gaze. Husk hoped his cheesy grin wasn't too obvious as he drowned in the other’s heterochromic eyes.
Angel wasn't faring much better, having gotten lost between the glowing, yellow irises and murky, black scleras of his dance partner. Without thinking he leaned forward and captured Husk's lips in a sweet, slow kiss.
Caught off guard, Husk gasped into the kiss and tightened his grip on the spider’s hand and hip. Angel took the opportunity to deepen the connection, slipping his tongue inside. They held each other and made out by the candlelight for several minutes until Husk leaned his head back to breath.
“Ha- haven't you ever heard of breathing,” Husk panted, unwilling to move any further away.
Angel smirked and wiped some drool away from his lips, “Ha! To make it in my line of work, you have to have incredible lung capacity!”
A chime from a nearby bell tower startled the men out of their reviere, alerting them to the late hour of the night, (or early hour of the morning, depending on who you ask).
“Well, let's get you home. I've gotta be up for the morning rush in a few hours,” Husk said, reluctantly removing his hand from the spider’s slender body.
They packed up and drove back to Angel’s apartment in a comfortable silence. It was conveniently only a mile from Husk’s own place, so he was in less of a rush to get back knowing he wouldn't have far to go after dropping the other off. Once stopped outside of Angel’s place, Husk hopped off the bike and quickly removed his helmet, taking his spare from the taller man and offering a hand to help him off of the motorcycle.
Angel kept Husk’s hand held firmly in his own as the other walked him to his door. They stood awkwardly outside, glancing at each other hopefully. Angel’s bravery outweighed his nervousness, and he again leaned down and placed a chaste kiss on the cat's lips. Husk hummed in appreciation and moved his other hand to Angel’s face as they kissed. Rather than deepening it this time, Angel straightened slowly and smiled down at his date, who looked slightly disappointed at the loss of lip contact.
“Thanks for taking me out, Husk. I think that was the best first date I've ever had!” Angel complemented softly.
Husk flushed and cleared his throat, keeping eye contact.
“Well, thank YOU for entertaining the idea and going out with me. I'm hoping to take you on your best second date very soon,” he smirked, then pressed a soft kiss to the knuckles of the dainty hand he still held.
“Good night, Angel,” Husk said against his skin before releasing his hand.
This time was Angel’s turn to blush, a rare occurrence for him.
“Good night, Husky, I'll see you tomorrow,” Angel nearly whispered as Husk lowered his hand.
He turned and unlocked his apartment, waving as he slowly closed the door. Once the door had shut, Husk sighed happily and turned to head back to his bike, unbeknownst to him being watched by Angel through the peep-hole of his front door.
After the cat had replaced his helmet, started his bike, and drove off, Angel turned away from the door squealing to himself. He picked up his pet Hellpig who's excited snorting and shuffling he’d been ignoring and squeezed the pig to his chest.
“Oh, Fat Nuggets, that was the best date ever! Cherri can not WAIT to hear about it!” He exclaimed, pulling out his phone and pressing the number to speed-dial his best friend.
“Heeeeyyy bitch! What's up?!” Cherri Bomb yelled into the receiver.
“OMG, Cherri, you are not going to believe this!” Angel began recounting the day's events to his girl buddy while feeding his pet. He grabbed a beer from his refrigerator and plopped down on his couch, gossipping until dawn.