Chapter Text
As they walked back to the hotel, Angel almost found himself wishing that Husk had waited until after Angel got fucked up enough to feel numb to pull him out of that shithole. Sure, he was a little high, but his body had a tolerance threshold and one line and a drink wasn’t enough to get him shitfaced anymore. Everything hurt, the events of the past day finally catching up with him as his body seemed to realize it didn’t need a constant flow of adrenaline around Husk like it did with Valentino. His head was pounding, the headache that had been slowly brewing all day finally deciding to announce its presence properly. His arms were sore from being yanked around, his jaw was sore from…activities, and that was nothing compared to the sore, almost fiery ache below his belt. It was all familiar to him, but that made it no less painful to make the walk back to the hotel.
Angel prided himself on his acting skills, on being able to fool people into thinking that he wasn’t scared, that he was enjoying himself, that he wasn’t hurting. Limping was unacceptable in the studio, unless that was a part of some kinky shoot or video. It wouldn’t do for people to see the Angel Dust acting like he’d been split open. And…he didn’t really want Husk to figure it out either. So the walk home was painful as fuck, but the conversation was nice. Husk didn’t ask him about why he was so ready to get fucked up or worse, but he did talk about how nice it felt to murder some bastards. They both managed to make the other laugh a few times, and Angel could feel his heartbeat slowing from its steady panic, Val, drugs, sex, state to a much quieter breathe, walk, listen to Husk talk. Husk didn’t seem to mind when Angel didn’t catch something because of his lack of focus, only repeating whatever it was.
Even as the conversation lulled and all he could hear was the soft patting of Husk’s paws in contrast to Angel’s sharp click-clack against the concrete, he reveled in it. His body ached, but his muscles weren’t as tense. His smile was real.
The hug hurt. Angel would kill himself all over again before he let her know that, but Charlie’s bone-crushing apology hug made his body explode into pain all over again, and he could only pray that she didn’t feel him flinch. Vaggie’s interference was a blessing she didn’t know that she was giving him, and he silently thanked her for pulling her well-meaning girlfriend away.
He longed to face-plant directly into the couch and fall asleep right then and there, but he knew he’d feel worse in the morning if he didn’t at least try to clean himself up. He stared up at his room, mentally preparing himself for the strain of walking up the stairs. He felt slightly dizzy, looking up at the generally manageable but really egregious-for-his-current-state amount of stairs.
Husk cleared his throat, and Angel jumped slightly, almost forgetting that he’d been behind him. “Angel, you uh…you good for tonight?”
“Huh?” Angel blinked, his slightly out of it brain trying to figure out what he meant. “I mean, I’m not coked up in a bar right now, so I’d say I’m doing just fine, thanks to my hero.” He sent a wink Husk’s way, his smile faltering a bit when the other man didn’t react.
“Stop it.” Husk said, “We talked about this.”
Angel swallowed, trying very hard to not chew on his lip. “Right. Not a flirty guy. Alright, I’ll ease up on-”
“Do you need help up those stairs?” Husk interrupted, hooking his claws underneath his suspenders as he followed Angel’s previous line of sight. “Can’t imagine it’s all gentle handjobs in your line of work.”
“I-No, I’m fine.” Angel cursed himself inwardly, wondering when he’d slipped up. “A little sore, I guess, but y’know. It comes with the territory.”
Husk frowned, but he didn’t push it, instead gesturing to the blood coating his fur. “Whatever. I’m gonna clean this shit off of me before Alastor decides that I look delicious in all this red.”
Angel huffed, a smile tugging at his lips despite the pain. “He ever eaten a cat before?”
“I’m not planning on finding out tonight.” Husk rolled his eyes, following Angel as he started up the stairs. Angel’s legs screamed at him, but he just concentrated on not giving it away to the man walking just behind him. Husk was saying something, but Angel couldn’t be bothered to respond, using the banister as support as he forced his muscles to move .
As he got to the top of the stairs, Angel felt a nudge against his lower arms, and looked down at his new…friend? Husk was frowning as he said, “Angel, wait.”
All Angel wanted was to take a hot shower and go to bed, but he reluctantly stopped, “Hm?”
“You’re…is that your blood?” Husk’s eyes were downward cast, staring at Angel’s legs.
“I-no, probably not.” He said, following Husk’s gaze. There was indeed blood on his legs, flowing steadily into his boot. He cursed himself, wondering if something had opened up during the fight or during the struggle upstairs. Now that it had been pointed out, he noticed a stinging pain on his thigh. “I…fuck.”
Husk’s wings flapped a bit like they were settling themselves, “Angel, I don’t want to pry, but…is that…?”
“No.” Angel shook his head, wishing he was anywhere but there as he felt his face heat up. “No, it’s not. I-I think it’s just a cut.”
Husk raised an eyebrow, “A cut?”
“Valentino doesn’t usually hurt me like that if he can afford it, unless it’s a part of the shoot.” Angel quickly clarified, “Doesn’t like to…to damage the merchandise.” He swallowed, hating how he could practically feel the moth’s hands on his thighs, his poisoned lips tasting too much like sugar. His breathing hitched.
“Angel-”
“I’m fine.” Angel said quickly, interrupting Husk before he could ask any more or give him any pitying looks. “I just-I’m gonna go take a shower. I’m fuckin’ filthy.”
“You shouldn’t-” Husk stopped himself, worrying his lip before saying, “You should at least look at that. Don’t want it getting infected.”
“Yeah, no shit, pussycat.” Angel snapped, his patience beginning to run thin as he felt the blood get sticky on the outside of his boot. “I know what I’m doing.”
“That’s…that’s not what worries me.” Husk said softly.
“I can handle myself, Husk.” Angel started to his room, ignoring the sharp stabbing pain in his thigh whenever he put pressure on it. That was a part of what had hurt so bad coming up, he should have noticed it earlier.
“Angel Dust, wait, let-” Husk let out a frustrated growl, “I’m asking if I can help you.”
Angel blinked, pausing. “The fuck can you do that I can’t?”
Husk hesitated, his tail swishing almost nervously behind him. “I just think that, if you can avoid more pain, you should. Treating your own injuries can be a pain in the ass, I just think it might help if you…I’m not saying it has to be me. But if you’re hurt-”
“I’m not-this is fine, this is normal.” Angel said, regretting the last bit immediately as Husk’s demeanor went from hesitant to worried.
“Normal? You get into bar fights all the time?”
Angel relaxed slightly as he realized that Husk thought it was an injury he’d gotten in the fight, not at the studio. “So what? It lets me blow off some steam!” He forced a laugh, putting his hands on his hips, “Besides, an injury isn’t the end of the world. It’s a cut, that’s all!”
Husk folded his arms, “But you won’t let me help you with it?”
“Not necessary.” Angel said, waving his hands. He wanted to stop this conversation. He didn’t want what Husk was offering. He knew how these things went, it happened at the studio all the time. People would offer to help with his injuries, sex-related or not, tell him to undress, and…and… "No.”
Husk sighed, "Okay. Yeah, okay, do what you want. I need to take a shower too, blood smells so fucking strong.” He scratched the back of his head, “Let me know if you need help though, okay? I’m always here.”
“Yeah, yeah, thanks.” Angel nodded stiffly, hating the ideas circling in his head. Husk wasn’t like that. Husk wouldn’t hurt him. Husk had protected him, he wouldn’t…he wouldn’t…Angel knew he wouldn’t. He didn’t really, though. He barely knew Husk, he didn’t know what owing him meant. If it had been Valentino, Angel would be pressed into a bed by now. Husk was just standing there. “Right. Gonna…gonna do that too.”
He felt Husk’s eyes on him as he finally let himself limp into his room, cursing under his breath at the sting. He should have fixed himself up earlier than this, but he hadn’t thought that the injuries he’d sustained during the shoot were anything worse than normal. A quick peek under his shorts confirmed his suspicions, a wound from one of his last shoots oozing steadily down the inside of his right leg. He was relieved it wasn’t really a sex-related injury, just an aftereffect of getting blown by a guy with razors on his tongue. At least he’d taken precautions to avoid slicing Angel’s more personal parts.
Angel sighed, suddenly wanting nothing more than to sleep. He knew he should take a shower, knew he should clean himself up, but he just grabbed a towel, pressed it to his thigh and lay back on the bed, closing his eyes. Nifty was going to change the sheets soon anyways.
Angel knew he’d fucked up as soon as he opened his eyes again. His fur felt matted and nasty, his head felt full of cotton, and his muscles ached something awful while his thigh burned. “Nghh….fuck.” He shifted, hissing as it pulled something in his back. “Ow…”
Shower first. That was what Angel kept repeating to himself as he forced himself to get out of his bloodstained clothes, removing his shoes to expose the red on his disgusting feet. His thigh was still bleeding slightly - how fucking deep had that guy cut him? “Bastard.” Angel muttered, stumbling into the bathroom without bothering to put his dirty clothes anywhere in particular. He should probably burn them anyway.
He twisted the knob to the shower, making sure it was heating up as he stood in his birthday suit, picking at the dried blood on his leg. He glanced at the mirror, grimacing when he caught sight of himself. Dark circles were still pronounced against his fur, his white-sclera’d eye bloodshot. His fur was matted with sweat and other fluids, and now that he looked properly at his thigh, the cut seemed jagged and nasty. His muscles screamed at him as he bent down to inspect it, and he was just glad to have a hot shower to get them to relax.
He was on the floor.
“The fuck…?” Angel sat up, his head swimming something fierce as a new pain on the back of it joined the cacophony that was his body’s current state. “When did I…?” He was sitting up against the wall, his body trembling as he put two and two together - he’d passed out.
His phone was going off in the other room. He ignored it.
“Hgnnn…” He put his hand on the toilet seat, using it as leverage to help himself up. “Ah- fuck!”
Everything hurt. He was used to pain after shoots, that was normal, but this? This was bad. His eyes misted over as he whimpered through clenched teeth, barely able to close the toilet lid and sit down. The room was filling with steam from the still-running shower, and he vaguely wondered how long he’d been out. His stomach churned, the drinks from earlier not doing much to help him now.
He wasn’t sure how long he stayed there, focusing on breathing slowly, but after a while, he was startled by a knock on his door. “Ngh…goddamn it.” He muttered, “Who tha’ fuck is it?” He yelled, surprised by the hoarseness of his voice.
The knocking paused, “It’s Husk.” The voice on the other side of the door was raised and slightly muffled, giving the impression that he was outside of Angel’s room, not his bathroom.
“What is it?” Angel forced his voice to be a little more even, despite the pained noises that wanted to escape his throat.
“You weren’t answering your phone.”
“So what?” Angel shouted, “I’m…I’m taking a shower.”
“I can hear the water running, yeah.” Husk sounded sarcastic, and Angel could imagine him crossing his arms, “But I’ve been able to hear it running for the past half hour. And you never answered your phone.”
Half an hour? “So?”
“So I’m…I’m just worried. Are you okay?”
Angel bit the inside of his cheek, looking around at the mess that was his bathroom. “I’m fine!” He stood up, intent on getting closer to the door so he didn’t have to yell as much, but he winced and let out a gasp as pain shot up his legs. “ Fuck-”
“Angel?”
“Fuck off!”
“Angel, you sound hurt.”
“I-” Angel grit his teeth against the swimming in his head. He couldn’t do it. He couldn’t even take a fucking shower. “I-”
“Angel, can I come in?” Husk’s voice was lower, barely perceptible under the sounds of the shower running and Angel’s own heavy breathing. “I don’t…I won’t if you really don’t want me too, but you’re…you’re sort of scaring me.”
Angel choked out a noise that could have been a laugh or a sob at that. Husk knew something was wrong anyways, what was the point in trying to keep it from him? And anyways, if he was going to hurt him, he would hurt him either way, permission or not. Maybe… “Let me-let me get-no, hang on.” Angel wasn’t shy, but he shakily grabbed a towel and wrapped it around his waist, unsure how he felt about Husk seeing him fully nude in this unfortunate position. “Come in. It’s fine.”
There was a pause, and then he heard the door click open - his dumb ass hadn’t locked it - “Angel?”
“In the bathroom.” Angel sat on the toilet lid again, using the sink to steady himself as he took a few breaths. “I’m…mostly decent, I guess.”
There was a shuffling outside, like Husk was kicking his clothes aside, and the bathroom door slowly eased open. Husk’s fur was damp and ruffled, his usual clothes exchanged for loose pajama pants, and his eyes widened as they landed on Angel. “What the fuck?”
“Hi.” Angel mumbled, averting his eyes as he tried to stop himself from shaking. “Sorry, I’m…fuckin’ mess.”
Husk frowned, taking a few steps forward, “Can I touch you?”
“No.” Angel shook his head, regretting it immediately as it screamed at him. He clasped his hands in front of him, putting them firmly on his lap.
Somewhat to his surprise, Husk nodded. “Okay. That’s fine.” He kneeled down next to Angel’s leg, looking at him until Angel met his eyes. “What happened? It doesn’t look like you showered.”
Angel shivered, crossing his lower arms over his stomach, “I dunno.”
“You don’t know?”
“I fuckin’ passed out, okay?” Angel snapped, wishing he hadn’t been so stupid as to have gotten hurt in the first place.
Husk blinked, opened his mouth, closed it, and opened it again. “How badly are you hurt?” He asked instead of whatever he’d thought about before. He scooted closer to Angel, still kneeling on the ground, but he didn’t touch him.
“I…” Angel hunched over slightly, “I don’t know.”
“Alright, fuck.” Husk sighed, “Do you think you can clean yourself up, or do…do you want to rest first? Have you fixed yourself up at all?” Angel pressed his lips together, unable to think of an answer that wasn’t obviously a lie. Husk’s wings shifted, flapping slightly. “So that’s a no.”
“I tried!” Angel exclaimed, his face hot.
“I’m not saying you didn’t.” Husk ran a hand down his face, “You at least need to clean up whatever was bleeding, you don’t want it to get worse.”
Angel scowled, knowing full well how correct Husk was. “I’m aware. I can’t. My fucked-up body wants to eat me alive, apparently.”
Husk hummed, putting his arms on his knees. “I could help. If you’re okay with that.” He leaned back, getting out of Angel’s space. “But if it fucks with you, I won’t. And I won’t, either. Fuck with you, I mean.”
“I need to get clean.” Angel said, glancing at the still-running shower. “Not much use fixing myself up without that.”
“Can you do that? Safely?”
“I’m not a child!” Angel growled.
“I know!” Husk’s ear flicked, the only telltale sign of…something, Angel could see. Annoyance, maybe. “I just don’t want you to hurt yourself any more than you are! You’re lucky you didn’t hit your head on anything!”
Angel tensed, “Don’t-don’t do that.”
“Do what?”
“We barely know each other. Don’t act like you care about me.”
Husk looked slightly baffled, “I-Angel, what do you think that was back at that club? Yeah, we might not be…I don’t know, long-time friends or anything, but I don’t want you to hurt yourself. I like you, it’s not some weird thing. Loser.”
Despite himself, Angel snorted, “Still using that?”
“Loser.” Husk repeated himself, giving him a smile. “Okay, how about this. What do you want? I’ll do whatever it is. I’ll leave, if that’s what makes you feel better.”
Oddly, that wasn’t really what Angel wanted. He thought about it for a moment, his arms slowly loosening around his stomach. He felt disgusting, the blood and other bodily fluids clinging to his fur like the phantom hands that he still felt along his body.
“I…I want to get clean.” He finally mumbled, “I’m just…it hurts.” He swallowed, “I’m scared to pass out again. ‘Kay?”
Husk nodded, “That’s a start. How can I help? I’m sure Charlie has some wipes or something-”
“Shower with me?” Angel blurted out, his face heating up again as soon as the words left his mouth. “I mean - not like - I - fuck.”
Husk looked taken aback for only a moment, coughing into his fist. “Huh.”
“You don’t have to-Husk, fuck, I didn’t mean, uh…”
“Sure.”
“What?”
Husk shrugged, “Sure. If it makes you feel safe. I mean, I don’t want-I won’t have sex with you, not like this.” He paused, “But if it’s a sex-free thing, I’m okay with it.”
Angel’s vision swam as he realized what Husk was offering. Or accepting. “Yeah, no-no sex. I don’t think I could even handle that right now.” He took a shuddering breath, “I just need to get clean.”
Husk smiled, “Okay. Kick me out whenever you want, okay?”
Angel nodded, “Yeah. Yeah, okay.”
Though he did undress for his second shower of the evening, Husk didn’t end up taking off his boxers, which reassured Angel somewhat as he was helped up, his legs shaking slightly despite the shorter sinner’s support. He gripped the towel around his waist, wondering why he was so shy when hundreds of people had seen him do much more than just be naked under running water. “Husk?”
“Hm?”
“Are you cool with, uh…a very naked Angel Dust?”
“Yeah.” Husk nodded, giving Angel a moment to steady himself. “I’m not lookin’ at anything anyways.”
“Right.” Angel leaned on Husk’s shoulder as he let the towel drop, and Husk helped him into the shower, the water a blessing on his muscles and a sharp pain in his thigh. He grunted, moving to the side to let Husk into the space as well.
Husk kept himself mostly out of the water, letting Angel have the majority of it. “How’s that feel?” He asked, his eyes trained firmly on Angel’s face.
“Mm…good and bad.” Angel mumbled, ducking his head under the water. Not for the first time, he wondered what it would be like to drown. “Mostly good.”
Husk hummed, “‘s good. You want to wash up or just…just be?”
“Just be.” Angel responded, leaning half on Husk and half on the wall of the shower. “For a minute. I do need to wash up, uh…” He swallowed as he looked down, the water slowly turning pink around his leg. “Fuck.”
“Can I look?” Husk’s voice was gentle. Angel bit his lip, but nodded. Husk’s eyes went downward, widened, and he said, “Oh, that’s worse than I thought.”
“Good to know.”
“I don’t know how much blood you lost, maybe you should sit down.” Husk said, “That way you can clean up without fucking yourself over too much.”
Angel narrowed his eyes slightly, his mind going a million different places at once, but he had to concur that Husk was right - if he stood much longer he ran the risk of passing out again, and he really, really didn’t want to be unconscious and naked with another man, regardless of who it was. “‘Kay. Um…help me?”
“Got you.” Husk grabbed his arm a bit more firmly and he helped slowly lower Angel to the floor, the water pounding on his back. Angel slipped a bit once, but Husk kept his promise and steadied him, letting him get his bearings before sitting him down fully.
“Fuck.”
Husk let go of his arm, “You okay?”
“Stop asking me that.”
“Okay.” Husk shrugged and shook his head, some of the water flicking off of his fur. “Shampoo?”
“Yeah.”
“Here.” Husk snatched the soap off of the shelf, handing it to the other man. Angel just stared at the bottle and at the monumental task of washing his hair and fur. He’d done this song and dance before, he just wasn’t sure why it was so damn difficult this time. He sniffed, wiping some of the water off his face. Husk didn’t say anything, just sitting back on his heels as Angel pulled his legs up to hide himself.
“Gonna just sit here for a second.” Angel mumbled.
Husk didn’t respond for a while, letting him have some of the time he needed. When Angel’s shaking hands predictably dropped the shampoo bottle, startling both of them, Husk said, “Do you want me to wash you?”
“I'm not five.”
“And I’m not your mother. I’m asking as a friend.” Husk rolled his eyes, “I’m not trying to treat you like a kid, Angel. I’m trying to help.”
Angel squeezed his legs tighter to his chest, staring at the other. “I fucking hate this.”
Husk leaned against the wall, looking at the fogged-up mirror. “I’m not gonna tell you not to. Do you want help? I won’t touch you if you don’t want me to. You know I won’t.”
“Stop fucking treating me like I’m fragile!” Angel snapped, his frustration getting the better of him. Husk’s ears flattened, and Angel felt a twinge of guilt - Husk had been nothing but kind to him so far, but he couldn’t treat him the same way. “I’m not…I’m not fragile.”
“No, you’re not.” Husk scooted backwards, “But I’m not doing that. I’m treating you like you’re fucking hurt. Which you are. I’m offering help - you don’t have to take it.”
“I can’t…I can’t have you touch me right now. Not like that, I’m-” Angel swallowed, his skin crawling as he thought about previous showers with previous people. “I can’t handle it. This-” he gestured between the two of them, “is pushing it.”
“Do you want me to leave?”
“No.”
“Okay.” Husk pulled his own legs up and wrapped his wings around himself, keeping his feet away from Angel’s. “Just…you know what you need.”
Angel nodded, looking at the shampoo bottle again. He leaned forward, forced himself to grab it again, and started with his hair. Raising his arms above his head hurt, but it wasn’t anything he hadn’t felt before. The familiar smell wafted through the bathroom, one of the mandated scents the studio workers were allowed to wear. It made him nauseous, but he kept going, fluffing it through the fur on his shoulders and face, the suds arguably doing their job, but he felt no more clean than when he started. It smelled like Valentino.
He smelled like Valentino.
Angel threw up.
Husk yelped, “What the - hey, shit, what the fuck? Angel?”
Angel stared at the vomit between his legs, his hands starting to shake again. His heart hammered, the smell of the soap beginning to suffocate him. It was sickly sweet, a healthy dose of pheromones probably hidden somewhere under its candy-like aroma. Pink suds, pink shampoo, pink vomit, pink poison.
He sobbed, tucking his head between his legs. “I can’t-I-please-”
“Angel-”
“Don’t fucking touch me!” Angel screeched, tucking himself into the corner. “Don’t-please-”
“I’m not. Angel, I’m not anywhere near you, I promise.” That wasn’t Val’s voice. That wasn’t anyone from the studio. He wasn’t in the studio. He was in the hotel, Charlie’s hotel. He was with Husk. Husk, who hadn’t yet touched him without his consent, Husk, who’d helped him into the shower, Husk-
Husk, who was on his knees with his hands up in front of Angel’s sobbing form, his expression full of worry. “I’m not doing anything.” He repeated, his tail nervously sweeping in the water. “I’ll leave, Angel. Do you-”
“Don’t leave. Don’t-don’t leave, please.” Angel slammed the back of his head into the wall, trying to focus on whatever the fuck he wanted. “Just-stay. Please. I can’t-it smells like him, I can’t be alone, he’s-”
“He’s not here.” Husk said firmly, “It’s you and me, no one else, I promise, Angel. Don’t hurt yourself.”
“I know. I know. I know.”
“I know.” Husk repeated to him, “C’mon, let’s get out of here.”
“I need to get clean .” Angel argued, furiously kicking the vomit down the drain. “I need to wash him off, please, I need-”
“Use my stuff.”
“What?”
Husk slowly stood up, “Let me grab my shampoo, it doesn’t smell like that. I mean, Nifty picked it out for me, so y’know. Not mine, mine, but mine.”
Angel didn’t want him to leave, but if he had to inhale any more candy-poison-sweet fumes, he thought he might suffocate. He nodded, tucking his head back into his legs, focusing on the deep gash on his thigh. It was still oozing. Blood smelled better.
“I’ll be right back. I promise.” Angel didn’t respond, focusing on keeping himself present and focused on reality. “Angel, did you hear me?”
“You promised.” Angel nodded, blinking back tears. “Please.”
Husk only repeated himself. “I promise.”
A knock to announce himself. A request to come in. A bottle handed over. Husk’s shampoo smelled like rosemary, something frequently overshadowed by the alcohol and smoke that followed him everywhere, but Angel couldn’t stop shaking long enough to actually wash away the previous smells of blood and sugar. “I can’t.” He said quietly, tears falling down his face in waves now. “I can’t-fucking useless-”
“No, not useless.” Husk insisted, once again sitting with his feet barely under the water. “Angel, I know you said no touch, and I won’t anywhere you don’t want me too, but-”
“Help me.” Angel said, predicting what Husk was going to say and deciding that it was better than smelling like him. The way he wanted him to smell. “Help me.” He repeated.
Husk hesitated, “You’re sure?”
“Help me.”
Husk shifted slowly closer, a hand reaching out for the bottle. Angel let him take it, knowing the first touch would be a shock - they always were, regardless of the situation - but Husk paused, his claws hovering over Angel’s shoulders. “Tell me to stop if you need me to stop.” He said, “Okay?”
“Mhm.” Angel nodded.
“Okay.” Husk lowered his hands, “I’m going to touch your hair.”
Despite his claws, Husk was oh-so gentle. He was careful, not forcing any tangles out of Angel’s hair, and he practically cradled Angel’s face as he started on that. Angel closed his eyes, simultaneously hating the hands touching him and wanting more. The relief that the familiar scent - familiar in a different way - brought him was palpable, and the claws in his hair at least felt different from the hands he’d had there before. Husk was all fluff and fur and so, so, soft, a sharp contrast to Valentino’s harsh angles and thin fingers.
“This okay?” Husk asked, moving to Angel’s chest.
“Okay.” Angel murmured, the legs against his chest blocking Husk from accessing most of his body, but Husk never asked him to move them.
The claws and soap moved to his arms, “Okay?”
“Okay.” Angel nodded. The gentle massaging motions were bliss and torture on his aching muscles, the hot water and rosemary scent allowing a clearer path to be built in his brain. A new type of memory forming. Husk.
“Okay?” Hands much more hesitant on Angel’s hands.
Angel gripped them, squeezing the suds-covered paws. “Okay.”
“Okay?” Kind claws on his upper back.
“Okay.”
Lower back. Less okay, but still okay.
“Angel?” Angel looked up, his eyelids heavy as he caught Husk’s gaze. His heart wasn’t hammering anymore, most of the previous sickly sweet smell gone and his nerves beginning to calm down. Husk gestured with his chin. “Legs. Okay?”
“I…” Angel hesitated, “O-okay.”
“You’re sure?”
“Let me…let me do my legs.” Angel changed his mind, shaking his head. “I can…I’m okay now.”
“Okay.” Husk handed him the bottle.
It wasn’t just his shampoo. Husk had brought in a pair of his shorts and a loose t-shirt, and Angel found himself giggling softly as the latter framed his damp, thin body like a bedsheet. He had bandages, and Husk avoided watching him as he finally cleaned and wrapped the jagged slash on his thigh, pulling on the shorts. “This is boyfriend typa shit.” He teased, hoping to dampen the awkwardness. "I have clothes, Husk."
Husk’s ears flicked, “Don’t start. I’m just covering all the bases.”
“I…I appreciate it.” Angel watched Husk shaking his head, water flying off his fur. “Hm.”
Husk made a little noise in the back of his throat, “You gonna be okay?”
Angel nodded, ignoring how his chest twisted. “I’m okay now. Gonna just…go to bed.” He paused, then groaned, putting his head in his hands, “I fucked the bedsheets up earlier, goddamn it.”
Husk stood up, stretching, “I have a perfectly good bed.”
Angel blinked, “Wha-no way, you already did so much for me, I-”
“You’re hurt. I’m not asking to sleep with you, and it’s…” Husk trailed off, his ear flicking, “It might be nice, I don’t fucking know.” He shrugged his shoulders, “I just want you to be okay, yeah? If you’re in my room, I can watch you too. Make sure you don’t…I don’t know, choke on vomit or something in the middle of the night.”
Angel flushed, “I-yeah, sorry about that.”
“I’m just…I’m just offering. And the vomit thing…well, I’m a drunk and a bartender, it’s nothing new to me.” Husk smiled, “Think about it and do what you want, but my underwear is wet-” He pointed a finger at Angel when he grinned, “- stop it - and I need to change. Are you okay being by yourself?”
Angel let his face fall slightly, “Yeah. I’ll, uh…I’ll knock if I…if I decide to take you up on the offer, yeah?”
Husk grabbed his pants, slipping them on and wrinkling his nose. “Yeah, that sounds good. Text me if I don’t open the door, I hate leaving that thing unlocked, Nifty creeps in sometimes."
Angel snorted, "Sounds about right."
"And Angel?" Husk paused, "Only come in if you want to. Not because I asked. Okay?"
Angel smiled softly, nodding, "Okay."
"Okay."