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Husk was slouched over the bar, waving at Charlie and Vaggie as they left on business. He didn’t really remember what they had specifically said.
Without warning, Alastor smacked Husk on the head with his cane/mic./whatever the fuck it actually was. He could swear that thing had a mind of its own.
Alastor sat down at the bar with a mysterious glint in his eyes.
“Husker!” Alastor began, but Husk interrupted.
“I ain’t doin’ shit for ya, Alastor.”
“Husk, I am wounded!” He gave Husk a wide, yellow smile. “Rosie offered to make me a meal, and I just can’t refuse her cooking.”
“I ain’t goin’ with ya. I don’t like what you two consider food.” Cannibals and serial killers go together very well. Apparently.
“Ah, I wasn’t going to,” Husk hated the devious look on his face. “Have fun here with Angel!”
Alastor was gone with a sweep of his coattails and tap of his cane.
“Thank fuck.” Husk grabbed his flask of moonshine.
He knew Alastor was up to something. He had seen the glint in his eyes.
Soon after the radio demon’s departure, Angel walked down the stairs, quiet for the first time since Husk had met him. He had a book in one of his hands and Fat Nuggets held up by two more. The soft creme sweater and leggings seemed out of place on the spider demon.
When Angel saw Husk, he said, “Ah, I can go back upstairs.”
“I don’t mind.” He wasn’t prepared for Angel to come down looking so… cute? Husk shook the thoughts from his head as he took a swig of moonshine.
Angel Dust nodded and went to sit on the couch near the bar.
For a while it was quiet, Husk drinking his emotions away, and Angel reading quietly as Fat Nuggets burrowed between his thigh and the couch.
Suddenly, a lovely singing voice filled the room, coming from everywhere and nowhere.
♪ You always hurt the one you love ♪
♪ The one you shouldn’t hurt at all ♪
“What the fuck?” Husk slurred out.
Angel looked around but shrugged and went back to reading. In not much time, Angel was mouthing the words as he read.
♪ You always take the sweetest rose ♪
♪ And crush it ‘til the petals fall ♪
Husk tried not to stare at Angel’s lips as he whispered the words. He looked away and settled on the grubby bar counter. Without meaning to, he started to say the words and try to sing. Angel looked up, surprise written across his face.
“Husk, do ya know this song? It doesn’t seem like somethin’ you’d like!”
He blushed at Angel’s words, clearly drunker than he had previously thought. “I… It was a guilty pleasure when I was alive.”
Angel slowly got up and made his way to the bar and sat down. Fat Nuggets was not very happy but eventually rooted his way into the fold of the couch.
The spider demon looked at Husk with a far away look, as he whispered, “When I was alive, it was one of my favorites. Cut it a little close to my death so I didn’t get to enjoy it as much as I would have liked.”
Husk had had that look before. He wanted to dance with Angel, but he was never very good at it.
Angel leaned forward on his elbows. “Hey, Husky baby, want to dance with me?”
He blushed, but growled at his own reaction. “Okay… I ain’t ever danced before, Angel.”
Angel stood up and pulled Husk towards the center of the room.
“I’ll lead you.” Angel breathed into his ear, making Husk shiver. “Don’t even worry, kitty.”
He put one of his arm’s on each of Husk’s shoulders and his other two around his waist. He slowly led Husk’s paws to his waist. They took it slowly as the song continued.
♪ So if I broke your heart last night ♪
♪ It’s ‘cus I love you most of all ♪
Angel looked right into Husk’s eyes as the words were spoken. He couldn’t remember when he felt the familiar warmth of… Love?
Husk suddenly became almost overwhelmed with happiness, and he wasn’t used to so much emotion. Not like this. He rest his head on Angel’s shoulder as the song came to an end.
♪ If I broke your heart last night ♪
♪ It’s because I love you most of all ♪
Little did he know that Angel had started crying silent tears. That look in Husk’s eyes. That love and trust shook him down his core. He could barely breathe or even think about what had just transpired between them.
-
As Angel Dust and Husk had their moment, Alastor stood at the top of the stairs in the shadows. He turned away and walked down the dark hallway, whistling a simple tune as his cane tapped on the ground. He felt something in him that he would never admit or show. It reminded him of being a child and his mother's smile. He shook away these thoughts of the past.
He liked to see them together, happy. It’s why he played that song for them that they both knew.
He decided Niffty would love to hear about the whole situation, so he made his way to her quarters.