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Chapter Text

It took Valentino three whole minutes to stop laughing, then he simply pulled out his gun and aimed it at Husk's head.

“Who do you think you are, little cat? You come to me – in my studio – to ask me to give my number one whore... to you?” He laughed again, his voice bordering on hysterical. “I should shoot you where you stand.”

Husk hadn't moved an inch, his arms crossed in front of his chest and his gaze unwavering on Valentino.

“You can shoot me, but then you'll still have to deal with Alastor”, Husk said unimpressed.

In the background Angel sat still on the bed, his eyes fixed on Husk and fear - as naked as he was - on his face. All of the film crew were also around, awaiting in stunned silence, what would happen next.

All they knew, was, that this strange winged cat demon had waltzed into the studio a moment ago, disrupted the scene they were shooting and asked – no, demanded Valentino to hand over Angel Dust – body, soul and contract. The porn star himself hadn't been able to say even one word. He was wrapped into a fluffy pink blanked with a big, muscular demon, who still wore parts of his plumber costume, next to him. They both looked equally lost.

“Yeah, but I would have shot you in your insolent little mouth and that would have made my day so much better”, Valentino drawled, pushing the barrel of his gun against the side of Husk's mouth.

“I could kill Alastor for you”, Husk said unblinking.

That caused a murmur to rise in the room.

The situation in hell hadn't been nice to begin with, but lately the war between Alastor and the Vees had escalated to new heights. Nobody knew what was really happening with all the lies, schemes and disappearances.
But they knew, that it would all escalate tomorrow.

The situation had gotten out of hand and no matter how much Lucifer and his daughter had tried to calm them down, it really seemed like there would be a showdown the very next day. Even though they didn't know what it would look like, they all knew it was going to happen... and now there was this guy offering to kill Alastor, to end it all before it even began.

“... how?”, Valentino asked and his employees gasped.

“I'm... his”, Husk said with open disdain in his voice. “I'm close to him. He'd never expect me to betray him, because he thinks, I'm too afraid he'll kill me. Guess what, I'm not afraid and I have this.”

He pulled out a dagger. The blade shimmered with holy energy. Angelic steel.

Nobody moved for what seemed like eternity, but then Valentino smiled, even though he didn't take down his gun.

“Very nice, kitty cat. I guess, you want me to give Angel to you and accept your good word, that you'll honour your part of the bargain? I won't lie, I'm intrigued, but I'm not stupid.”

“Neither am I. I won't kill Alastor and hope you'll free Angel. That's why we're going to play.”

“Play?”, Valentino was so surprised, that he lowered the gun a bit.

“Yes. Poker. I win: I'll take Angel with me and if you're lucky, I'll even kill Alastor for you. You win: you'll keep Angel until I've killed Alastor and maybe you'll be kind enough to let Angel go. It's a win-win for you.”

Pulling the gun down completely and taking a step back, Valentino seemed to contemplate his choices.

“But I could lose my favourite plaything”, he whined and for the first time Husk's face showed a sliver of emotion: rage.

“Or you could avoid a battle, which will cost you a fuckton of money and resources, maybe even some of your other whores and actors, because I don't think Alastor will spare them, when he comes and he will come here. Tomorrow. You know that.”

Yellow eyes never let Valentino escape as the moth sat down on his plush sofa, the gun now almost forgotten in one of his hands, other hands on his face as he tried to weigh his options.

“So what will it be?”, Husk disrupted his thoughts. “Will you play or are you afraid?”

“I am not afraid, kitty cat! Not of you and not of your master!”, Valentino screeched and stood up again. “But...” He reached out to Husk with a free hand. “You have your deal. One round of poker, no tricks, no cheats. You win, you can have that used-up whore over there, I win...” His smile got big and bigger. “...you kill Alastor for me.”

Husk took his hand and shook it.

“Deal.”

“Are you out of your mind?!”

Angel was shaking as he stood in front of Husk.
They only had a moment till the studio crew would finish setting up a poker table. Husk had stayed close to Valentino most of the time, but then the moth had decided, that he would like to wear another outfit for that event and had vanished into a dressing room, leaving Angel with a few precious seconds to talk.

“It's okay, Angel. Don't worry”, Husk said with a soft smile.

“You idiot! How should I not worry? Even if you win, Val will just kill you on the spot!”

Tears shot to his eyes and Husk reached up to gently wipe them away.

“He won't kill me and he won't win. I promise.”

Angel's heart beat like a steam hammer, new tears threatening to fall. He didn't want this. He didn't want any of this. Husk would die and it wouldn't change a damn thing. This wasn't how the story should go.

“Listen, Angel. I have a plan, but I need to be quick. Maybe you can help me. Valentino is as stupid as he's arrogant. Velvette and Vox, those are the brains. He can't talk to them until the game is finished. I already nicked his phone, but I need someone trustworthy to guard the door. If either Vox or Velvette come up here, I need you to distract them, get them to leave. You hear me? Once we're playing, I need to finish the game or that deal will be off.”

Angel was still shaking, but he did his best to nod. Whatever Husk was planning, it really seemed like a solid plan.

“Please don't die.”

“I won't.”

For a moment it was just them, just Husk and Angel.
One was trembling and close to tears, the other one stood there with his hand raised halfway as if he wanted to say something, do something. Pain and fear shone in both of their eyes.
Husk let his hand sink and forced a smile on his face.

“Go, Angel. Keep them away and I'll... I'll save you from this hell. I swear it to you.”

Chapter Text

“Hands off the goods, kitty! You haven't beaten me yet”, Valentino snarled as Husk walked towards him. “Angel is mine and he will be until you win... if you win.”

Husk put on a mask of indifference once more as he heard Angel leave. Now he had to concentrate on their game. No tricks, no cheats. This was the most important game he'd ever played. He let himself fall on a chair and put the angelic dagger on the table, on the other side Valentino did the same with his gun. The moth snapped his fingers and a pink glowing roll of paper appeared next to the gun.

“That's Angel's contract?”, Husk asked calmly.

“Noooo, that's my shopping list for dildos... Of course, it's the contract you fucking moron! Are you sure, you have enough braincells to play against me?”

“We need a dealer”, Husk said not taking the bate.

“Hmmm... who should it be? Maybe sweet Angel? I mean, we're playing for him."

Angel fidgeted nervously. If he was to be the dealer, he wouldn't be able to also guard the door.

“No”, Husk answered very much to Valentino's surprise. “He's not impartial.”

“Huh... and here I thought you'd take every advantage you could get.”

Valentino leaned back in his chair with a grin.

“I will beat you fair and square.”

“Big words for such a small kitty cat. Alright, but we still need a dealer. Who'll you choose? Everyone here works for me and if you've brought one of your friends... well, they're not unbiased themselves, are they?”

“I choose the most impartial demon in hell. I call Zestial to be our dealer.”

The shadows in the corners grew deeper and slowly crawled towards the table. The remaining crew screamed in terror and tried to hide as out of the darkness the tall spindly form of one of hell's oldest demons arose. Zestial threw open his cloak and bathed in the noises of anguish around him.

“Good evening”, he greeted them, politely ignoring the annoyed look on Valentino's face.

“Him?”, the moth screeched. “How is he impartial? He hates the Vees!”

“Oh, but I would never degrade myself to such low deeds as to... cheat on a mere game of poker.”

“Then why are you here? Why do it if not to cheat, grandpa?”

Zestial smiled. It was a horrible sight.

“Let us say... it is one final favour, which was called in. From one former overlord to a still reigning one.”

That made Valentino raise his eyebrows at Husk.

“You? You were an overlord? Ha! How could you fall so deep and become... this?”

“That's not important”, Husk blocked. “We have a dealer, so you can play. Do you agree?”

Valentino pulled a face as his gaze wandered between Husk and Zestial, but after a minute of maybe thinking, maybe only staring, he just shrugged.

“Eh... guess he's the best choice we have. Oh, but when I win, I want you to tell me, how you two know each other.”

“If you win. Sure.”

Zestial took up the deck of cards and shuffled it.

“Gentlemen, let us begin the game.”

In the meantime Angel was nervously stalking the entrance.
Valentino's phone swam in a flower vase and he had cut the landline. All curtains were drawn, so Vox' drones wouldn't spot them, so the final threat was Velvette or Vox coming to the studio by themselves.

To get here, they would have to use the elevator and Angel had even sabotaged that and since there was no fire escape – Val hadn't wanted one for aesthetical reasons – they should be safe. They really, really should stay undisturbed until it was all over.
But there was one very important question left:
How long would that fucking game go?

A few weeks ago Husk had tried to teach Angel the basics of poker, but he hadn't really been interested. Now he very much regretted that.
A look over to the table told him literally nothing. All they did was move cards around, take up new cards and stare at each other without blinking. For all Angel knew this was now taking more that thirty minutes and if it was up to him that were thirty minutes too long.

Suddenly he felt a shiver run up his spine like he had touched a lose wire. Instantly he knew what that meant and rushed outside to the elevator.

Blue lightning crackled around Vox' boots as he stood in front of the jammed elevator. The panel was broken and a chair had been wrenched into the door, so it wouldn't close. Vox let out an annoyed sigh as Angel hurried towards him.

“You!”, he harshly addressed Angel. “What's going on here? Has Val one of his... mood swings again?”

“Um... y-yeah”, Angel tried his best to lie, but his racing heart and trembling legs didn't make it easy. “It's... um... not good. You shouldn't go inside. Everything is a mess. He killed some of the crew, set things on fire. I think, he needs a moment to cool down.”

“Yeah, whatever. You're here to get fucked, not to think.”

Vox tried to shove past Angel, but the spider did his best to stop him. All arms out he blocked the door, tried to push Vox away as careful as he could.

“No!”, he failed to keep the fear out of his voice. “Please don't! It's... it's really... not good. Please leave him alone for... an hour? Two? I think he'll be better soon, but not now... please...”

Even though his words were a lie, his fear was genuine and Vox could tell that much. Seeing Angel so frightened made him stop for a moment.

“That bad, huh? …fuck. What happened? Did you do something?”

“I-I... yeah?”

Vox snarled and grabbed the fluffy lapels of Angel's robe to pull him down.

“What the fuck did you do, you fucking whore? For all I care you cost us more money lately than you bring in. You moving out. That bitch princess coming by, because of you. All your fucking talks about Alastor, when you're in the studio. Do you know how often Val flips, because of you? So what did you do this time?”

“Ummm...”

For a moment Angel wished he'd be able to be more than just a porn actor, who only did lousy scrips, because then he might have come up with something better than to annoy the shit out of Vox. But, well, at least he had his attention and Husk could keep on playing.
Hopefully it was enough.

“I might have... mentioned... how well prepared Alastor is for your fight tomorrow, if you know what I mean?”

He winked.
It was the most unconvincing lie ever told in hell, but Vox took one disgusted step back and Angel counted that as a win.

“What the fuck are you talking about?”, Vox asked incredulously. “Is that one of your shitty sex jokes? About Alastor?”

Yeah, he really hadn't thought that through.

“What? Noooo... of course not. All of hell knows, that Alastor isn't up to stuff like that”, he giggled nervously.

“Then what did you tell Val, that made him flip?”

“Ugh... I... well, I mentioned Alastor...”

“And?”

Vox was visible losing his patience and Angel felt his fur cling to his body with sweat.

“You know... just mentioning Alastor seemed to be enough. That he might be stronger than you guys...”

“Hmpf. That's bullshit. That old-timer is no match for us and Valentino knows that. So what is really happening here?” His eyes narrowed. “What aren't you telling me? What is going on here?... Let me through!”

With that he tried to push Angel out of the way, but he was met with panicky resilience.

“No! You can't go in there!”

“This is my fucking tower and I'll go wherever I want to!”

Angel used all his strength to keep Vox from reaching the door handle. He wrapped his arms around him even though touching Vox felt like hugging a battery. Then, in the blink of a eye, he was gone, evaporated into blue lightning. Angel had only a second to see a sliver of electrical energy vanish underneath the door.

He ripped open the door and ran inside.

Out of breath he reached the table just in time to hear Vox scream.

“What the fuck are you doing? Why are you playing poker? Why are they here?”

He pointed at Husk and Zestial, who didn't seem impressed by Vox' sudden appearance.

Angel tried to take in the scenery. Were they still playing? Was Husk winning? Was he losing?
At the centre of the table lay a mountain of chips and it seemed like Val had just pushed all of his chips towards the pile. On Husk's side were no chips left.

“Uuuuuh... we're playing poker”, Valentino said dumbfounded. “The old man is our dealer.”

Vox' face blurred with anger, his voice glitched as he spoke.

“Why... the f-fuck... are you playing poker against Alastor's pet? D-Don't tell me, you've bet something valuable!”

He leaned forward and grabbed the fur of Valentino's coat, but the other one still didn't seem the least frightened.

“We're playing for Angel or for Alastor's death.”

“YOU WHAT?!”

Valentino made a dismissive gesture.

“Wait a minute, okay, darling? I just went all in. When I beat this alley cat, he'll have to kill Alastor for us or die trying, isn't that nice?”

Angel felt a hand on his hip. For the first time since he'd entered the room Husk had moved and it was to pull Angel close to him. With his shaking knees failing him, the spider almost collapsed on Husk's lap.

“Ah-ah! No touching the goods, I've said!”, Valentino snapped.

A pink chain appeared around Angel's neck and he was yanked over the table, only Husk's hand on his shoulder stopping him from falling down face-first.

“Show me your hand”, Husk growled.

Angel felt cold inside. So very cold. Had Husk tried to cheat? Had Val? If they were playing fair, did Husk really have a chance of winning?

On the other side of the table Valentino grinned and Angel felt like his heart had just stopped. Slow, so slow as if the time had turned into syrup, Valentino laid down his cards one by one:
A six of spades, a seven of spades, an eight of spades, a nine of spades, a ten of spades.

“Straight flush, loser.”

Husk pulled Angel closer, so close, that the spider could feel his breath on his cheek, his gravely voice as he spoke oh-so calmly and placed all of his cards on the table.
Five heart cards shimmered in the dim light.
A ten, a jack, a queen, a king, an ace.

“Royal flush, bitch.”

Chapter Text

“That... can't be... You've cheated! I'll kill you!”

Valentino tried to grab his gun, but it wasn't there anymore. It had vanished... together with the contract. Angrily he looked around, only to find his belongings in Zestial's hands.

“Are thou searching for these?”, the old demon asked calmly. “Thou might get this toy back” He waved the gun around. “But first thou must pay the debt. This one here... Husk has won the game and so thy bet. This young spider demon now belongs to him, body and soul, as was agreed.”

He handed Husk the contract, who simply put it in his pocket. The angelic dagger was already back at his belt.

“I will not accept this!”, Valentino screamed. “That fucker cheated for sure! There's no way he could have pulled that Royal Flush out of his ass!”

Valentino's claws left deep scratches on the table. Beside him still stood Vox, unmoving like a statue, his mimic unreadable.

“Let's go, Angel”, Husk rose from his chair and helped Angel to stand up as well.

The pink chain around Angel's neck had turned a warm, deep red before it had vanished for the moment. Angel felt his heart beat faster. He didn't belong to Val anymore... but it seemed that now Husk owned his soul.

“You're going nowhere”, Vox suddenly said very calmly and dead-serious. “That whore knows way too much about us and for some reasons my friend over here is very fond of him. So I don't want him to lose his favourite toy, especially not if tomorrow is such a big day. We don't want to distract him, do we? So would you please be so fucking kind and give him back?” He reached out his hand. “Or I'll have to TAKE HIM BACK!”

With the breath of his last word the air itself turned into electricity. The lights flickered and every device in the room turned itself on. A cacophony of noise screamed around them and blue lightning danced over the walls and floor. The crew abandoned their posts and ran towards the exit.

“Ah, it is time for me to leave. This is not my fight”, Zestial said serene as ever. “It was a fun adventure. Farewell, old friend.”

With a last nod towards Husk he vanished into the shadows, leaving Valentino's gun behind on the floor.

Angel took a step back, then another one. He had thought, that Val would freak out and try to kill them, but dealing with Vox was a completely different shit show. Besides that, Val was also pissed as hell. Pink smoke rose between the lightning, made it crackle even more dangerously.

“Well, it was all fun and games, kitty cat, but now we have to end this and I have to end you!”

He launched himself forward, claws out, his coat revealing itself to be his wings. Husk jumped backwards and flung a handful of cards in Valentino's direction, stopping him for a second, as the buried themselves into the carpet right in front of his feet.

“Cute trick, but you're only one fucked up former overlord against us two. You have no chance to get out of this alive.”

Vox walked gingerly towards them, the lightning around him growing bigger with every step.

“That's the nice thing about hell”, Husk said and pulled Angel close to him. “We're all dead yet.”

Then he picked up Angel and dived towards the windows. He threw some dice bombs against the glass, their explosion causing a huge crack. Without even slowing down, he turned his body a bit, so that he hit the fracture with his shoulder. The impact was enough to shatter the glass and let them fall through into the darkness.

Angel screamed on the top of his lungs as they pummelled downwards for a second. The air ruffled his fur and the ground came too close too fast. He tightened his grip around Husk's shoulder even more and then... Husk spread out his wings with a groan and made them soar up again.

“We're gonna to die!”, Angel screeched and tried to press himself even closer to Husk.
“Didn't you listen to what I've just said? We're already dead.”

“We could die again! Or... or at least get hurt very fucking much!”

“Hey...”, Husk smiled at him, even though it seemed a bit strained. “We're not going to die and I won't let you get hurt, okay? Trust me... everything's going to be alright.”

He sounded so confident, that Angel really wanted to believe him... and then a huge lightning hit the wall next to them.

“YOU WON'T ESCAPE!”

Vox' voice echoed from every public TV screen around them, the noise made their ears ring and brains hurt.
Another lightning hit a house to their left, so close that Angel could smell Husk's wings smouldering. Then a blast of wind nearly knocked them out of the sky. Angel looked over Husk's shoulder to see Valentino fly closely behind them, his form way taller than usual.

“I'M GOING TO FUCKING RIP YOU INTO A THOUSAND PIECES!”, he screamed.

That was the moment, when Angel closed his eyes and accepted his end.
For one glorious moment he hadn't belonged to Val. He hadn't been free, but at least he had been rid of that fucking asshole. So if he died now... again, he could be... almost happy.

A loud hiss ripped the air apart as if a plane had crash-landed next to them. There were screams, but one voice was familiar among the ruckus: Valentino.

Angel opened his eyes again just in time to see Val get slammed into the ground by a giant black tentacle. In the distance Vox screamed with anger.

“WHY THE FUCK ARE YOU HERE?!”

A cackling laughter arose all around them, sounding from every public speaker, every radio.

“Don't start a party without me”, Alastor said, calmly as ever, while his monstrous form pushed itself back towards the V Tower. “Nobody touches, what is mine, do you understand?”

The shadows grew bigger and darker around Alastor. At his feet Angel saw the bright flashes of Velvette's power and heard her angry screams, but they grew thinner and thinner as Husk didn't stop and flew away from the fight as fast as he could.

“Was that...? That was Alastor! Why is he helping us?”

“Why shouldn't he? He knew what I was planning and he offered to help me.”

“He what?! Why?”

There was no answer to this question as Husk landed them almost softly in a dark alley. Gently he put Angel back on his feet before he let himself fall against a wall with a pain-filled sound. Instantly Angel was next to him, keeping him from collapsing.

“You're hurt!”

“Thanks, Captain Obvious”, Husk said with a pained voice.

“Ey! Don't piss off the only one, who's right here to help you.”

“Okay... won't say a thing...”

Husk tried to stand up straight, but groaned as he moved his shoulder.

“Have you hurt yourself as you broke the window?”, Angel asked nervously.

“Seems like it”, Husk admitted. “Feels like... the bone popped out of its socket... ugh... don't worry. It will be fine in the morning.”

“Don't act like it's nothing! You've just...” His anger dissipated like smoke in the wind and left only the feeling of being lost. “... you've saved me... You won my contract from Val. I-I... I don't belong to him anymore.”

Angel felt tears rise in his eyes and he tried to wipe them away, before they could fall. Husk leaned against the wall and smiled at him with a tired expression in his eyes.

“I'm really happy for you, Angel. Believe me, I am. But we're not done yet.” He took a deep breath. “The hardest part still lies in front of us.”

Chapter Text

“Wha... What do you mean?”

Angel took a step backwards. Did he have to fight somebody? Val? Vox? All three of the Vees? Would he have to keep running till the end of time? His breath grew louder with every heartbeat and he felt himself on the brink of hyperventilating.

“Shhh... It's okay. Calm down. Don't get so worked up. I haven't even said a thing.”

There was a hand on his face, caressing his cheek. It was so soft and unfamiliar, that Angel couldn't help, but lean into the touch for a second, before he pulled himself back together. Blinking once, twice he found himself back in that alley, Husk in front of him, his good arm raised and his hand on Angel's face. Of course, it had been Husk. Who else was he expecting?

He wanted to say something, ask something, but the sad look in Husk's eyes stopped him for a moment.

“You're going to be alright”, Husk said calmly and slowly pulled his hand away.

The loss of his touch felt weirdly cold. Must have been the shock.

“Please...”, Angel tried his voice again. “Tell me, what you've meant.”

Husk took another step back and put his hands into his pockets, let his head hang down a bit.

“When it became clear, that it was only a matter of days till the fight between Alastor and the Vees would escalate, the princess tried her fucking best to open a path towards heaven. Sir Pentious had managed it and she refused to let that be a one time thing. So... she managed to meet that other angel, the seraphim and they came up with a plan. It's... not perfect, but... I thought you deserved to go up. You know... since the hotel only existed because of you...”

A weird warmth filled Angel's heart as he heard Husk speak.
In the last few days he hadn't been able to go home. Valentino had made him work all day and all night, only giving him a break, when he blacked out from exhaustion. He had only heard through rumours, that things were going to blow up, but he hadn't known when exactly or how.
The fact, that Charlie hadn't given up on him and that Husk had come to rescue him, brought new tears to his eyes.

“Thank you, Husk... for everything.”

Husk's ears laid flat against his head.

“Don't thank me yet...”, he said with a rough voice. “The way into heaven is... it's dangerous. If I make a mistake... you might die... for real.”

“....oh.”

“Yes...”

They stood there in silence, Husk not looking at Angel and Angel staring at Husk trying to decide, what to do next.

“Then... I won't go up.”

That finally made Husk look at him.

“If it's too risky, I'll stay here. I mean... that way, I can help defend the hotel and protect you guys, if the Vees attack us.”

“You... don't have to.”

“Yeah... but I kinda want to. Keep you all safe and stuff.”

To lose some of his tension he walked up to Husk and put his arms around him.

“Isn't that, what my new sweet owner wants me to do?”

He let his hands glide over Husk's neck. Normally this would anger him, make him push Angel away and call him out for being fake and disgusting, but this time Husk only lowered his head again.

“I don't own you. You're free.”

He pulled Angel's contract out of his pocket and tore it up without even a moment of hesitation.
Angel could only stare as the pieces of paper fell to the floor. It was like he could feel the chain round his neck disappear. Taking a huge breath, he let himself fall forwards, hugging Husk tightly.

“Thank you!... Thank you! Thank you! Thank you... I... I'm free... Really... absolutely fucking free!”

A hand hesitantly touched his back.

“Sorry for making you wait”, Husk said quietly as he hid his face on Angel's shoulder.

“It's alright. I'm free! I don't mind it taking a bit longer. Fucking hell! I'm free! We... we have to get back to the hotel! I want to celebrate with everybody and... and then we better prepare to fight, because Val will come by eventually, but hey! We're gonna kick his ass!”

“Angel?”

The soft question made Angel stop in his enthusiastic rambling.

“Yeah?”

Husk didn't look up, if anything he pressed himself a bit closer, but Angel didn't mind. It felt good. Everything felt amazing right now.

“Do you trust me?”

Angel tilted his head curiously.

“Hm? Of course, I do. I mean... you've risked fucking all back there. The least I can do is trust you.”, he grinned.

“...thank you.” He heard Husk take a big breath, felt him shudder. “...this better work...”

In a blink of an eye there was pain in Angel's body, searing cold and sharp. Had he been shot? No, he hadn't heard anything. A shiver took hold of him as he glanced down to look where the pain came from. His eyes widened as he saw the silver glimmer of the angelic dagger stick out between his ribs and the hand on the handle... belonged to Husk.

“Why...?”

He let go of the other and stumbled backwards, dislodging the blade along the way painfully, splattering his blood on the ground.

“Why?! Why did you do that? I trusted you!”, Angel screamed as he felt coldness seep through his body.

“To get you into heaven”, Husk answered and finally looked at him again.

“What...?”

“That angel... Emily had found a backdoor into heaven. Something like the thing Sir Pentious did. She said, you'd have to be... redeemable. Be selfless, don't steal, fight back. I don't know, why it's that shit, but you've done it all. You can go into heaven... but to get there, you'd have to want to stay down here... That's what she said. You're already so good, that it would be enough for you to... die by an angelic weapon...”

Husk wiped his face and took a shuddering breath. There were no tears in his eyes, but the look on his face was worse than sadness, deeper than grieve.

“I... I don't want you to fall into Valentino's claws again, when shit goes down. You don't need to get in the crossfire... If anybody down here deserves to go to heaven, it's you.”

“You... did this all, so I could go up?”

Angel was sure, he should feel grateful, but at the moment, he only felt pain. Not only from the wound in his chest, but from the way his heart felt like it was breaking.
His legs gave way and he fell to the filthy floor, barely managed to land in a sitting position rather than faceplant on the pavement. In a blink of an eye Husk was by his side, so close, but he didn't touch him, as if he wasn't allowed to anymore.

“You freed me from Valentino... rescued me from the studio and... you're killing me... so I can become a real angel?”

“...yes...”

Angel gathered his remaining strength and reached up to caress Husk's face. Even though his lips felt cold, he smiled.

“...thank you, Husk...”

“Don't thank me... don't...”

Husk screwed his eyes shut as if he was in pain himself, but Angel kept on smiling.

“...can you do me one last favour...?”, Angel asked, his voice getting quieter and quieter with every remaining breath.

“...whatever you want, Angel.”

“....hold me.... hold me till the end...”

Hesitantly Husk followed his request and wrapped his arms around him. His shoulder must still have hurt him, but he didn't make a noise as he pulled Angel close.
Together they sat in silence, not saying a word, but Angel could hear Husk's breath hitch as the world grew dark around him and he felt the top of his head get ever so slightly wet.
Husk had betrayed him, ignored his wishes to save him. Not even that kind of irony could make him laugh anymore. He felt too tired.

“...Oh, please god... please let this work... please...”

Husk's broken voice was the last thing Angel heard, before he closed his eyes in hell one last time.

Chapter Text

He felt terrible.
Sure, he had a dislocated shoulder and several cuts from the glass, but that was nothing compared to the gut-wrenching feeling inside of him. In his arms Angel's body grew heavier and heavier, colder and colder, while the blood on Husk's hand coagulated and dried.
Angel's blood.

His hands still trembled. He was a terrible person, who deserved to rot in hell for all eternity. Of course, he had done it all to try to get Angel out of hell, but who would be able to actually murder a friend? To thrust a dagger into the heart of the person, who...
Husk pressed his face against Angel's head, tried to stop thinking. It was useless. What was done, was done and now he could only hope it would work.

It had surprised him how easily Angel had forgiven him for betraying him, but on the other side... it was Angel. He had always been too trusting, too kind... too good for hell. So, obviously Husk had tried to save him as soon as he learned about the possibility to get into heaven.

He'd had to ask Alastor for a bit of help and thankfully the demon hadn't been opposed to attacking the Vees earlier than all of hell expected. He had even laughed as he'd thought about the potential chaos it would bring. Of course his help came with a prize, but Husk didn't mind the cost. He'd done everything to make this plan work...

Husk had been terrified as he'd entered the studio and challenged Valentino, but you couldn't become a good player, if you didn't learn how to pull off a perfect poker face. Up until now he had at least looked like he was in control of the situation, when he was in fact as scared as Angel, if not even more.

When this plan failed... if this plan failed, Husk would have to live with the fact, that he had killed Angel.
...he didn't know, if he could do that.

A sudden silence made him freeze. Something was different than it was a second before.
Angel had stopped breathing.

A shudder ran through Husk's body and more tears streamed down his face. He looked up towards the sky in a mixture of fear and grief.

“...Oh, please god... please let this work... please...”

A moment passed, then another. His words got lost in the cold night air and left them alone in that dark alley, Husk in tears and Angel not moving, not breathing, no heartbeat at all.

A noise like of a wounded animal wrenched itself from Husk's throat, not quite a scream, but all of the pain and he buried his face in Angel's hair.

“Please, please, please... please let him go up... oh god, please don't... don't let him die for nothing. I can't... he...”

His words got lost, mixed up with his sobs, which shook his body. He had tried to be so brave, do it all, plan and pull through and now... nothing happened.

Husk screamed at the sky, cried in pain as he pulled Angel... Angel's body closer to him. Softly, oh so softly, he wiped lose hair from Angel's face.

“...I'm sorry... I'm sorry, Angel... you trusted me and... oh god... it... it didn't work...”

Another sob made him collapse against Angel. He hid against his shoulder, hid so the world wouldn't see, what he had done. Such an unforgivable sin.

Then slowly, very slowly the darkness faded a bit, gave way to golden light. At first Husk didn't notice it until it became bright enough for him to see it through his veil of tears.
Angel's body was glowing.

“W-what...?”

Husk sat up straight and watched in wonder as the golden light encompassed Angel completely and then... he dissolved into what looked like thousand of fireflies, which calmly drifted upwards. They flew higher and higher, seemingly surpassing even the moon. Husk didn't take his eyes of them until he lost sight of the last tiny light.

New tears fell from his eyes, but this time his broken heart felt another kind of despair.
He'd made it. Angel had ascended towards heaven. All the fear and pain hadn't been for nothing. They really had made it and he... hadn't killed his only friend... at least not really.

A dry laugh escaped Husk's lips as he still stared into the darkness. Now, that the fear had left, he tried to keep another darkness at bay: loneliness.
He had known, that there was no chance in hell, that he would ever see Angel again if he managed to get him up there and still he had pulled through with that plan, because now Angel was safe. Safe from Valentino, safe the horrors of hell, safe from eternal damnation.
Husk closed his eyes. That knowledge had to be enough for him.

Slowly he staggered back at his feet, wiped the tears away, winced as he tried to move his arm. Yep, still dislocated. He'd better get that fixed soon or he would be worthless in the fights to come.
He looked at his blood-crusted hand. Angel's blood. Of all the reminders he wished he could have kept, this was the one he didn't want.

“Are you done yet?”, a crackling voice asked behind him.

Alastor stood at the end of the alley, back in his normal form and grinning as always.

“Yeah... I'm done”, Husk answered bleakly, putting his hand into his pockets.

“Since I can't see a body, but quite some blood, I guess, your little plan has worked?”

“Yeah...”

“Ha!”, Alastor laughed, the static in his voice grew louder for a moment. “So now there's a whore in heaven. Well, it had been a while since the last one got up there.”

“Don't talk shit about him”, Husk growled, which made Alastor smile even more.

The radio demon walked up to him and bowed down to look Husk straight into the eyes.

“I don't think you get to tell me what to say or not to say, Husker. But... I'll honour your grief and let you get away with it. Now hurry up. We have some insolents upstarts to kill.”

“...yes, boss...”

“Oh, don't be like this. I know how much you like to fight. Cheer up a bit. This will be fun!”

Alastor's voice crackled again, a noise, which made the fur on Husk's neck stand up straight. He tried not to look at the other demon as he followed him back to the V Tower.

“Oh, and one more thing, Husker...”

Alastor turned towards him and grabbed his injured arm. Husk tried to pull it away, but Alastor didn't let him, instead he held him with both hands. Seeing that struggling would only hurt him, Husk gave in, let Alastor do whatever he wanted. The radio demon leaned in close again.

“Don't forget our little deal”, the demon whispered. “I've advanced my plans for you, risking quite much, so you could save Angel Dust. Don't forget, what you owe me.”

“I won't...”, Husk answered, his ears pressed flat to his skull.

“Repeat it for me”, Alastor insisted.

Husk closed his eyes and took an unsteady breath.

“I will... never try to get into heaven myself. I will stay here... and I will never try to break our contract.”

“Very good.”

Alastor smiled and then he suddenly pushed against Husk's shoulder with all his strength, making the other scream in pain. A very audible popping sound could be heard and Husk sighed weakly. His shoulder was back in place and Alastor finally let him go.

“So, now that we've done that, let us go. Come on, Husker. There's a long night ahead of us.”

The shadows grew deeper, feeding Alastor's form until he reached his monstrous height again. Behind him, Husk had his eyes still closed. Golden lightning danced over his fur, raised it, let his body grow. It had been quite a while since he'd used his power, but when if not now?

Husk opened his eyes and spread his wings. Now he didn't have the time to think about Angel anymore. Now was the time to fight.

“Welcome to heaven!”

Emily danced bubbly around him, nearly bursting with joy, while behind her Sera sat down in the nearest chair, pale as a sheet.

“I am sooooo happy, that you made it. I've heard so much about you. It is wonderful to finally meet you, Anthony... oh.... oh, why are you crying?”

Angel Dust... no, Anthony stood in that wonderful bright golden room. The air was fresh and he heard soft music from afar. Everything was nice and clean. He couldn't feel the pain anymore, but he knew, that the weird heavy feeling on his back came from a pair of beautiful white wings.

He was in heaven.
Finally.
He should be happy beyond words.
He wasn't.

Chapter Text

“Oh no, oh no... please don't cry, my dear. You made it. You're in heaven. Yai!... What... what can I do to cheer you up?”

Emily was fussing about him, not leaving his side even for a moment, while Anthony – this name felt so foreign after all this time – just sat on the floor, head hung low and cried.
What was the matter with him? That little angel was right: he made it to heaven, that had always been his goal... well, it had been his goal after he had started to take the whole thing seriously, but... he just felt sad. So sad like it was impossible for him to even feel happy again.

With his eyes closed all he could see were the friends he left behind: Cherri, Niffty, Charlie, Vaggie and... Husk. Oh, he remembered Husk's warm, but broken voice as he'd slipped away. He had done so much for him, even... killed him.
Anthony shuddered. It had hurt. Very much. But he still couldn't be angry at Husk for thrusting that dagger into his chest, not when it had been the only way to get him up here. Yet still... his heart felt like it was broken into a thousand pieces.

Suddenly the door flew open, but Anthony heard no footsteps as someone entered.

“I came az zoon as I could!”

Anthony lifted his head and stared with an open mouth at the one, who had come in: the one and only Sir Pentious.
Without hesitation the tall snake wrapped his arms around him.

“You made it! I'm zo happy!”

The hug felt so real, so warm, it held all his broken pieces together, mended some of them. A bit slower he returned the hug.
Pentious was different, he looked different with his bright clothes and even smelled different – like flowers and fresh air instead of sweat and metal – but it was still him. The familiarity finally calmed Anthony down.

“It's good to see you”, he said with a hoarse voice, trying to smile a bit.

“Welcome, friend”, Sir Pentious answered, tears in his eyes as well. “I know it'z much to take in, but I'll be there for you.”

With that he helped Anthony to his feet, kept hold of his arm, even though Anthony thought he could stand very well on his own. But he didn't complain. It felt nice.

“Thank you, Ce-... Pentious”, Emily said with a smile. “I think it's best for Anthony so be around someone he knows. At least for now.”

“Who?”

Pentious looked at her questioningly.

“Uhm... Anthony. That's his name.”

“Ooooooh....” Pentious turned his head towards his friend, now known as Anthony. “Okay, I'll take care of him. Thiz iz probably all a bit much. It waz for me, ha! Oh, well, thank you for calling me.”

He gently guided Anthony outside like a child. His friend, normally so fierce, hadn't said another word.

For half an hour Pentious showed him around in heaven, around the beautiful golden streets, told him how peaceful it all was and how there were no wars, no crime, no pain.
Anthony took it all in, followed him like a sleepwalker. The tears had stopped a while ago, but he still didn't seem fully aware of his surroundings.

Finally Pentious gave up and made them both sit on a bench in a park. There was a little lake with ducks on it nearby and angels wandered all over the green, enjoying the sunny day.
On this very bench the mood was a different one. Neither of the two spoke a word for a long time, Anthony too lost in his thoughts, Pentious unsure what to say.

“You know...”, he tried to talk. “When I came here, I felt... overwhelmed... and zad az well.” He let his gaze wander over to a group of fluffy ducklings. “I didn't know anybody around here... I mean, there muzt be someone... back from when I waz alive, but... I don't remember them anymore, zo... I waz alone.”

Anthony slowly raised his head and looked at him with an unreadable expression which Pentious answered with a smile.

“Emily waz there for me in the beginning, told me what I needed to know, showed me everything. I waz.... ztill zad, that I had to leave my friendz behind... leave you all behind. I didn't have my Egg Boiz and I'm... still on a “trial” to zee, if I'm really good, zo I'm not allowed to create new ones yet...” He seemed to deflate at his own words, but he immediately pulled himself together and smiled once more. “But I believe, that I'll zoon be allowed to create new onez. Till then, I'll help you zettle down.”

Anthony didn't answer him right away, but he took his hand, squeezed it a bit.

“Thank you...”

It was small thing, so quiet, that it was hard to be heard about the rustling of leaves in the wind, but Pentious heard it nonetheless and it made him smile even more.

“Don't worry, my friend. Everything will be alright.”

Chapter Text

Sir Pentious scratched his chin and hummed thoughtfully.

“There'z no need to work in heaven, but I guezz you could... do zomething if you want to.”

“Great. All the sitting around it driving me crazy!”

Anthony jumped up from his chair and began pacing the room.

In the last few days he had tried with all his might to settle in, to make himself feel welcome in heaven, but all he had managed was to break down in tears at least once a day and feel sorry for himself. His friends had tried so fiercely to get him up here, negotiated with heaven not once, but twice! They had fought the exorcists and when all had seemed to be lost in another war... Husk had...
Anthony clenched his eyes shut. Thinking about his favourite barkeep still hurt too much and he was under no impression that this would change soon.

So for now he would try to actually do something.
The news had made their round very quick in heaven, that another former sinner had managed to climb up the clouds. Some of the angels avoided Pentious and himself like the black plague, other were curious beyond politeness and straight up gawked at them in the streets.

Every other day Emily dropped by to check on them and every time Pentious asked for permission to build new Egg Boiz. Up till now he wasn't allowed to and Anthony had the serious assumption, that it was Sera's doing. The taller angel was the one most suspicious about them after all.

“Okay, what can I do up here? I don't think they do pornos, do they?”

The way Pentious' face turned a deep shade of red answered his question. With a sigh he kept on pacing and thinking as suddenly there was a knock on the door.
Anthony looked at Pentious questioningly, but the snake only shrugged. Not many people knew, that they were living in this nice little house far from the promenade. It was cosy with a small garden, a picket fence and they had liked the peace it offered... until now obviously.

Anthony walked to the door and opened it cautiously.

“Hello? How can I help-uff!”

He only saw a mountain of blonde hair and heard a shrill scream as he was tackled to the floor.

“Away, you vile creature! Leave my friend alone!”

Pentious was immediately next to him, armed with a cooking spoon and ready to use it. It didn't seem necessary as the person – Anthony guessed it was a person beneath all that hair – didn't do much more than... hold him.

“Um... hello? Are you... are you alright?”, he asked carefully, earning a noise similar to a purr.

Big dark eyes appeared beneath the hair, looking at him through tears. Then more of a cute face rose into view: a sweet smile and a little button nose and six pink freckle-like dots above it.
Anthony gasped.

“M-Molly?”

“I've found you! Oh, I've finally found you! I'm soooo happy!”, the woman in his arms squeeled and hugged him even tighter.

“Do you... know thiz one?”, Pentious asked, his spoon still raised.

Anthony couldn't answer. Tears had gathered in his eyes, falling without his permission. With trembling hands he touched the soft platinum blonde hair. It wasn't a dream. He wrapped all of his arms around her, pulled her even closer.

“Molly...”, he whispered through the tears. “...Molly... it's you... I... I can't believe it...”

“It's me. I'm here and I'll never leave your side, my sweet lil' brother!”

“BROTHER?!”

Pentious' scream ripped Anthony from that lovely moment with his sister, but the look on the face of his friend made him laugh. He wiped the tears away and helped Molly and himself back on their feet.

“Yeah... Pentious? May I introduce you...? That's my twin sister Molly. Molly, that's my friend Sir Pentious.”

“You called me your friend!”, Pentious was immediately lost in tears, but he still managed to shake Molly's hand.

“I'm glad you have a friend, Anthony. And such a protective one on top”, she said with a smile, having wiped away her tears as well.

That made Pentious cry even harder, but between the tears he offered to make them some tea, which they gladly accepted.
Anthony led her into the sitting area and its plushy sofas. As soon as they sat down, Molly started talking again.

“I've seen you on the news! You look different, but I look different as well and they said your name, so I just knew, that it had to be you! I didn't know how to find you, so I checked every new house in the area, till I thought to myself 'Hey, what if he's living with the other one from hell' and ta-da! I just had to ask around for him and then I found your house and I was soooo nervous, but now I'm also so happy!”

Overwhelmed by his sister's flood words, Anthony could only sit there and smile. Tentatively he reached out to take her hand. It stopped her from talking for a moment as she grinned happily at him.

“Is... um... is mom also here?”, he asked a bit nervously.

“Of course she is! And our grandparents, too and some of our great-grandparents. I didn't know them before, but they're really lovely. Oh, you have to meet them! I didn't tell anybody about you – just in case I'd be wrong – but now that I know I was right, you have to come and meet them! You can bring your friend as well, if you want to.”

They heard the rattling of porcelain by the door and looked up to see a very teary-eyed Pentious with a tray of teacups in the door.

“I... I may vizit your family az well?”

Anthony smiled, its confidence masking how nervous he felt.

“Sure, if Molly says it's okay, then I guess, it is. Sounds like fun.”

A soft hand touched his cheek, made him turn around to Molly, who smiled reassuringly at him.

“Don't worry, lil' brother. I know, you've been in hell for a long time, but you redeemed yourself. That's all that matters.”

Fighting new tears Anthony hugged her.

“I... don't know... if mom would be so happy about... the things I've done”, he whispered into Molly's hair.

“Oh, don't worry about that. We know about what happens in hell”, she said cheerily.

Anthony let go of her and looked at he questioningly.

“You do?”

“Yeah... kinda. Sometimes, someone walks aaaaaaall the way to the edge of the clouds and peeks down to hell and when they come back they tell everyone about what they saw.” She pulled a face. “It's quite violent down there, isn't it? All the fighting, stealing, I've heard about cannibalism, sex all over the place, drugs... really wild things.”

“And... have you been to the edge?”

“Oh no! The way is very long and...” She quieted down. “... and I didn't know, what it would do to me... if I actually saw you down there... or... the others.”

Anthony felt a rock of the size of a mountain fall from his heart. Even though he hadn't been ashamed of his work as porn star in hell, it wasn't something he wanted his sister to see... or everything related to Valentino.

“Have you met them down there?” Molly's question dragged him from his dark thoughts. “Have you met... father? … or our brother?”

Anthony took her hand anew.

“No. No, I haven't. Not really. I know... our brother goes by the name Arackniss now, but otherwise... I tried to stay away...”

“Good. That's good.” She smiled at him, her eyes shining with unshed tears. “I guess, it's better that way.”

Silence settled like a heavy blanked around them, leaving only the two of them on that couch, holding each others hands.

“Um... do you want zome biscuitz for your tea? I made them thiz morning.”

“Oh, yes, I'd like some. Thank you very much.”

That simple question dissolved the dread efficiently and renewed Molly's vigour. Happily she munched a cookie while her other hands added lots of sugar to her tea.

“These are fabulous! You should bring some, when you come to visit!”

“You are too kind,”, Pentious swooned.

Anthony sat between them with a smile, which almost concealed his sadness. Maybe this was it: his way to finally feeling at home... in heaven.

Chapter Text

Husk lay on a pile of rubble and stared at the night sky. Far, far away heaven shone its beautiful silvery light down on their blood-drenched plane, made the shadows seem even darker than they actually were.
A wet cough wrenched itself from Husk's punctured lung. Machine guns, evil stuff. At least it hadn't been angelic ammunition or otherwise Alastor would have been really unhappy... more than he already was.

In the last few days the fighting hadn't stopped for even a second. It seemed like all of the pride ring had chosen their sides, which was either the Vees' side or Alastor's. In between it all stood only the Hazbin Hotel and its inhabitants. Lucifer had succumbed to another wave of depression a couple of days ago, when he'd realized, that he couldn't stop the fighting on his own, at least not without killing someone for good. Poor fellow. He couldn't end this war and not make his daughter unhappy at the same time.

Charlie still tried to calm everybody and Vaggie had a full-time job protecting the princess. It pained Husk to see them fight their own fruitless battle. Maybe he would have loved to help them, but that wasn't a thought he dared to give much time.
He couldn't choose.
Alastor chose for him.

At least Niffty was left alone. For all Husk knew she was still inside the hotel, cleaning shelves and killing bugs. Like it was supposed to be.
Husk sometimes asked himself if his bar still stood. The hotel had taken a couple of hits, but it didn't seem that serious. The onslaught had ceased, when Alastor had – temporarily – moved out of the hotel. He was busy fighting the Vees day and night and Husk really asked himself, when... if this guy ever needed a break.

As for Husk... his task was to fight the smaller battles. Take out minions and drones, keep them away from the hotel, keep them away from the V Tower. It was exhausting and most of the time simply too much for him to handle.
Like right now, when he was bleeding all over the place, because some psychos had literally shot him down from the sky. That's what he got for attempting to fly.

With a groan Husk sat up and brushed the dirt and blood away. It was crazy how fast sinners healed, when they were hurt... but hurting it did. Maybe that was part of this 'eternal damnation' stuff.
He wobbled over to a building, tried to take cover under the marque of a shop window. It was a small electrical shop, which used to sell all sorts of electronics, but now it lay dark and barren, the window smashed and almost all goods stolen. A half-broken radio droned in the back of the shop, switching between music and static randomly.

Husk let himself fall against the wall, slid down, careful to avoid the broken glass, which littered the ground. He didn't know how this would all end. For now neither Alastor, nor the Vees had been able to hit each other with one of the countless angelic weapons, they had in their arsenal. Even Husk still carried that one dagger, even though he hadn't used it since... well, since the night he had sent Angel up to heaven.

Letting his gaze wander back up towards that small white bauble in the sky, he wondered, if Angel was now... happy. He dearly hoped so.
It was hardly a secret, that he missed the spider demon. His mood had been worse that ever and he tried to be too drunk to feel anything, but sometimes he became sober enough to... miss him.
His awful jokes.
His laughter.
Him.

Whatever that was between them – he might call it friendship, because he was too scared to think about it – had been doomed from the start. Yes, he had been able to free Angel from his contract, but that had meant binding himself even more to Alastor.

Never trying to get into heaven himself...
Husk hadn't even thought about that, before Alastor had made it part of their deal. It had seemed too impossible to even hope for and now... two of his friends had redeemed themselves and went up. Of course, Husk knew, that he could never follow them, even if he wasn't chained to Alastor. He may act selfless from time to time and he didn't really steal, because there was nothing he would want, but rebelling? Rising against higher powers like Alastor? No. He wasn't brave enough for that.
He had told Valentino, that he didn't fear Alastor, but that had been a straight up lie.

Husk didn't fear dying, but he was terrified of the way Alastor killed those, who opposed him. Ripping his soul apart and broadcasting his screams all over hell for everyone to hear... that wasn't how he wanted to go.
So it seemed like he would just stay here and fight for Alastor until the radio demon won or until a stray angelic weapon ended him. It seemed all the same for Husk.

The radio inside the shop decided to play some music once more. At first Husk didn't listen, but then he recognized the voice.
Angel.

“-ned a new leaf underneath my tree
I now see life's a beautiful dream
Gives me strength, gives me all in a year
Of disease, I have thrived
Lucky m-”

Husk felt something stir in his chest, something he thought had died a long time ago. His heart beat loud, louder than ever and he found himself up on his feet again and crawling though the broken window inside the shop. Fuck that broken glass, fuck the rubble on the floor. Husk walked towards the radio as if he was hypnotised, stopped only a step away from it and held his breath, hoping for it to send him Angel's voice once more.

“-what is mine

If the sun's in the sky
If the day follows the night
If the clock's still keeping the time
Thеn you're on m-”

The static ended the song again and Husk rushed towards the radio, grabbed it, shook it forcefully, hoping to make it work again.

“Kiss me, hold me, that feeling is holy
Nobody's loved me like you
Ah, life moves too fast to get stuck in the past
But I-”

Husk fell to his knees as the song was ripped away again. This time he didn't find it in himself to torture the small device back to life.
Angel was... safe. He was in heaven, singing such a wonderful song, that it broke Husk's heart just to listen to it. He closed his eyes, replayed it in his memory.
A love song.
A song of longing.
Oh, how Husk knew that feeling.

Having known Angel – to have known the real Angel beneath all that fake smiles and attitude – had been... a wonder. At one point Husk had even dared to call himself his friend, but he had known, that his greedy heart had wanted more.
'Lost my ability to love years ago'
That's what he had told the princess once.
My ass! What a cheap lie!

Husk remembered the nights he had sat at the bar and tried to get it into his thick skull, that there was no way in heaven or hell, that someone like Angel Dust could feel anything more than friendship for him.
He had failed unimaginably hard.

And then things had escalated.

With the rising rivalry between Alastor and the Vees all Husk could've done was to rescue Angel. Get him out of his contract and send him as far away as possible.
To heaven.
Because even though that song wasn't about him, it was right at one point:
Nobody loved Angel like he did.

To save Angel, he'd had to let him go.
He had to never see him again.
He'd had to kill him himself.
It had shattered his heart, shattered the tiny bit of hope he still had left, but Husk knew every waking moment, that he would do it all over again, if he had to.

Chapter Text

“I'll hold onto the life I craft
So one day I can give it back...”

Anthony's voice faded, leaving the piano to play the last notes of the melody on its own. As the final tone died away between the chirping of birds, he sighed and took off his headphones. With a practised smile he turned towards the people behind the recording desk. All of them had tears in their eyes.

“Anthonyyyy! That was fabulous, my dear! You made me cry! I've been in heaven for... I don't know... 80 years? And that's the first time I've cried. Your song is so beautiful. A work of art if I've ever listened to one!”

The older sheep-like angel pressed her hands to her chest and looked at him with big wet eyes. Anthony only smiled politely.

So this was his new job: singing.
It shouldn't have been something special. There had been songs in hell and there were songs in heaven. There was even music on earth, so what made Anthony's songs different from the rest?
The answer was simple: sadness.

All divine music was ever so happy and joyful, nothing bad ever happened to those, who lived in heaven. For most of them their lives on earth were nothing more than a faint memory and so was the pain, which had come with it.

For a few weeks Anthony had been singing his songs in clubs and tearooms – yes, heaven still had those. The first time he had sung, a whole room of innocent souls had been weeping and applauding at the same time. That was when he realized, what would make him special up here.

Of course, Sir Pentious could've sung similar songs, but the snake had very shyly declined the offer to sing a duet.

One day the people of the local radio had approached him, asking him if he would like to sing for all of heaven. What they didn't knew was, that Anthony very well remembered, that you could receive heaven's broadcast in hell.
That's when he decided not to sing for heaven and its righteous inhabitants, but for hell with all his lost sinners. Send them a sign, that they could get into heaven, if they tried hard enough. If he – a former porn star – could earn his wings, then so could every other sinner.

The door opened and a small angel hurried in, carrying a tower of very flat packages.

“Anthony! Mr. Anthony, sir! The records have arrived, fresh from the factory. Now all that is left to do, is print the label.”

The sheep angel, known by the name Lavender, took the records from the smaller angel.

“Thank you, dear.” She turned towards Anthony. “He's right. We already took the picture of you and set up a layout, now all we need is a name for your very first album and we're good to go. So, what is it going to be?”

Anthony leaned against the wall, his eyes closed in thoughts.
Even though hell may hear him sing, they'd probably never get their hands on one of the records, but still... they might hear a broadcaster say the name. This was an important question...

“Let's call it... 'Songs For The Hopeless'.”

Lavender applauded.

“Such a beautiful melancholic choice. I love it! Alright, then let's put the title on it and-”

“Wait.”

She stopped in her fussing.

“Yes, dear? What is it?”

“Don't... don't release it... under my name.”

“Oh, you silly goose. Under whose name should we release it, if not yours?”

“A pseudonym. A stage name... release it under the name 'Angel'. That's my name now.”

Things were going great in heaven. Angel was a star again. His family loved him, everybody loved him and even the higher ranking angels smiled at him.
Everything was perfect.

It wasn't.

It had taken Angel awfully long to gather up his courage, but one day he finally started his journey to the end of the clouds.
Molly had told him, that it would take quite some time, even if he flew and she hadn't been wrong. Angel had flown for hours and now he finally knew why Husk didn't like it that much. When the adrenalin of being fucking able to fly faded, all that was left was the sheer exhaustion from doing it. It was faster than walking, but also way more tiring.

Angel hadn't counted the hours it took him, walking, flying, walking again. The city had faded to a small dot on the horizon and he still was walking until... the endless landscape of fluffy white suddenly stopped and revealed a familiar deep red beneath.

For a moment Angel just stood there and gawked at hell. He let himself fall to his knees, almost lay flat on his stomach, just to be a bit closer, to see more.
He hadn't realized how high up they were until now. He could see the whole pride ring from the tall skyscrapers of the Vee's turf to the small sugary houses of cannibal town and at the edge of the pentagram stood massive and still shining in its neon lights... the Hazbin Hotel.
It was all so small. No wonder hell was horribly overpopulated.

He had to swallow some emotional tears, before he averted his gaze to sift through his backpack. Happily he pulled out some binoculars. It still felt strange how they had just been given to him. He didn't have to pay for them, nor steal them. Most of the time angels just gifted stuff like that to each other. It was weird.

At least the binoculars were pretty good. With their help he could see people running around in the streets, murdering each other, fucking each other, sometimes both at the same time. It was a normal day in hell.

Angel's gaze wandered over the hotel. In front of the hotel, seemingly fixing a barricade, was Niffty. Warmth grew in Angel's heart as he saw his friend. Sadly he couldn't spot neither Charlie, nor Vaggie, so he looked over the streets, wondering who he might find. Maybe Cherri? Maybe Alastor on some sinisterly secret trip? He didn't find either until his search reached the Vee's district.
There he saw signs of a battle near the V Tower.
Was that war still going?

A shudder ran down his back.
It had been weeks, if not months since he'd left hell, but if the battle between Alastor and the Vees was still going on... then how was the situation down there? It must've been worse than ever.
Did heaven know about that? Did they care?

Angel tried to find more familiar figures among the battle. He saw Alastor in his giant form, he saw Valentino and wished he hadn't, he saw Velvette fighting fiercely.
He saw Husk fighting alone against multiple thugs in the streets.

His heart jumped nervously in his chest as he saw his favourite bartender hurl sharp cards and explosive dice at his opponents. Golden lightning danced around him, shrouded his form, seemingly made it harder to hit him.
Angel felt himself hold his breath.

This was... the first time since he'd died that he saw his friend. His heart ached with yearning loneliness. How could that be? How could he feel lonely, when he had his family and Pentious?
But to see Husk... it was... different.

He wanted to reach out and touch him, pull him closer, close enough to hear his rough laughter. Oh, how he missed that sound.
A stray tear ran down his face, followed by others.

Down there were his friends. The people, who had given all to bring him up here and right now he wanted nothing more than go back. No, he always had wanted that. It had never stopped.

A sob escaped his throat, danced through the clear, cold air.
He missed them.
He missed them so much it broke his heart all over again.

Angel didn't want to be ungrateful for all their sacrifices, but if jumping down that cloud would have brought him back to hell, he would have done it that very moment.
His eyes still tried to track Husk. The cat demon seemed exhausted, his movements still quick, but the way he held himself gave away how tired he was.

“Husk...”

Angel pressed a hand to his lips, the name had escaped unnoticed, unintentional and so did more tears. Trying to wipe them away seemed useless and all he could do was feel the pain inside him grow.

With rising restlessness Angel rose to his knees, the binoculars beside him on the cloud as he leaned as much forward as he dared to and screamed.

“I miss you! I'm sorry, you've put so much work into me getting here, but I miss you too much. I'm sorry! Can I... can I come back home? Please? I will-”

The rest of the sentence was swallowed by tears and sobs as Angel sat on the edge of the cloud looking down on his friends, seeing them, but still feeling so awfully far away.

Chapter Text

“You want to what?!”

Sera's left eye twitched.

“I... want to go back down. To hell.”

Angel stood calmly in front of the highest angel, unsmiling.
It had taken him forever to dry his tears and to walk to the city. To fly back had been out of the question. And now he stood before Sera and Emily with other angels in the room with them and declared an unthinkable request.

“An...gel. Angel, why do you want to go? Don't you like it in heaven?”, Emily asked with a sad smile.

“Of course, I like it here. Everyone's so kind and it's beautiful... I finally got to meet my mom and my sister again. I got to meet so many of my family, but... I don't fit in here. You know, that I don't.” Now it was up to him to smile unhappily. “And... I miss my friends. Of course, I have Sir Pentious and... I've really thought long and hard about it... but I wanna go back down. Can I, please?”

The look on Emily's face grew fonder.

“I understand, but... I'm afraid, I don't know how we could send you back. In all of history, there had... only be one person to fall from heaven...”

“Lucifer.”

Emily nodded and looked towards Sera.

“I'm too young to remember, but... I was told, it hadn't been... a nice experience.”

That dragged Sera out of her stupor.

“Of course, it wasn't. It had been a punishment. Ever since then, nobody ever tried to... to fall.”

Angel's gaze was glued to the floor, his mind occupied with hundreds of what-ifs and maybes.

“Is there... at least a way I can visit hell? For a day or so? A couple of hours?”

The angels looked at each other.

“Well... there's no rule against that”, Sera admitted. “We don't know what would happen to you, if you've stayed down there for too long, but I don't see a reason, why you shouldn't... go to hell.”

Her face scrunched up as if she had finally given up on pretending that the whole scenario wasn't utterly insane. Oh, it was. Angel would happily admit that himself, but it also wouldn't stop him.

“Great! Then I guess, I'll pack my stuff, say my goodbyes and be... um... on my way... temporarily. Until you guys figure out how I can stay down there, 'kay?”

There was a rustling of feathers and all of a sudden he found himself hugged dearly by Emily.

“I'll find a way to let you go back home”, she promised as she held him close. “It may seem ridiculous wanting to leave heaven, but I understand. Home is where your heart is and I want to help you go back home with all my power.”

Angel softly returned the hug.

“Thank you.”

“What do you mean 'you go back to hell'? Without me?!”

Angel held up his hand defensively.

“Pentious, it's my decision to leave heaven. I don't want to drag you with me.”

“But I want to be dragged!” The snake rose to his full height, hands braced at his sides. “You zaid, I'm your friend and friendz don't leave each other behind!”

“You want to leave all this behind? Aren't you happy here?”

“I am not!”

The sudden realization stopped them both. For a moment their laboured breathing was the only sound to be heard. Carefully Angel stepped closer to his friend, reached out to put a hand on his shoulder, lifted another to wipe away the tears, which had gathered in Pentious' eyes.

“I... I waz so lonely, before you arrived. No friendz, no Egg Boiz...” He sighed. “And... and every day I regret, that I told Mizz Bomb... so late about how I feel. I want to zee her again, talk to her... really talk to her... you know?”

“I know... I'm sorry. I didn't want to leave you alone, buddy. Do you... want to come with me? Little trip back to hell?”

Pentious looked at him with shining eyes.

“I do! Let me juzt pack my ztuff.” He slithered away towards his room. “Do you think, they'll let uz take thingz back to hell?”

Angel smiled.

“Well, I guess, unless it's weapons, they can't be bothered. And hey, we're going to hell, so a bit of stealing, is expected, isn't it?”

“You won't go! I-I don't allow it!”

Oh, boy. He should have guessed, this part of his preparation for going back to hell would turn out this way.
In front of him stood Molly and tried to look very imposing, but failing miserably.

Angel sighed heavily. This was going to be worse than talking to Pentious.

“Sis... I don't want to hurt you-”

“Then don't!”

With a smile he took her hand, pulled Molly closer as he saw her resolve fade and tears threatening to fall.

“I don't want to hurt you”, he repeated. “Not you, not mom, not anybody, but... I'm selfish. As long as I stay in heaven, I can't be happy and... it took me ages to figure out, what would really make me happy. For a long time I thought getting into heaven would do the trick... to meet you again...”

“And... and it wasn't? Why can't I make you happy, Anthony? Am I... not enough?”

He hugged her even tighter as he felt his heart break a little. This was way worse than talking to Pentious.

“It's not you”, he assured her. “I've been so glad to see you again, to know that you're in a good place... but heaven... it's not for me. I don't belong here.”

“But you're a good person!”, she insisted. “And good people don't belong in hell.”

“Maybe... but on the other hand... was I ever a bad person? Back then in New York?”

She sniffled and buried her face deeper in his shoulder.

“No... you were always a good person... just... maybe a bit broken...”

He stroked her hair and hummed approvingly.

“It's okay, Molly. You know... heaven... hell... that's just places. You either get send up or down. What really matters is, what you make out of it. You have your place here with our family and all the beautiful things, which suit you so well. I know, that you're in good hands and I'm happy for you. To have been able to see you again... it was more than I've ever dreamed of.”

“I just... I don't understand...”, she cried.

Angel sighed again.

“To be honest... I know it's ridiculous. Heaven is... wonderful and I know, I'll miss you the minute I step outta here, but... I still have to. Everything in me wants to go back. I miss my friends, who did so much for me, that eternity won't be long enough to make it up to them. I miss them so much, it hurts... like... every day a bit more...”

“Can't they come up instead?”

“I don't know, if they could. One is the princess of hell, you know and the other ones... I don't know, if they would try. It's dangerous.”

His heart clenched as he remembered Husk nonchalantly telling them at the club, that he didn't want to get into heaven. Cherri hadn't even wanted to stay at the hotel and Niffty... who knew, what was going on in her twisted little mind, but ascension wasn't it.

Molly slowly let go off him, her gaze downcast and pain unhidden on her face.

“You care for your friends... and I want to believe, that they're worth it...”

“They are”, Angel agreed and he wasn't too surprised to notice, that it wasn't a lie.

“Do you... think we'll ever meet again?”, Molly asked sorrowfully.

He pulled his sister back into an embrace.

“I don't know... and I can't promise, but... wherever I'll be, I'll always think of you and I always love you, Molly. Never forget that.”

Hot tears drenched his suit as Molly sobbed and hugged him tight. Angel felt tears run down his own face, but he didn't try to stop them.

“And I will always love you, little brother. Till the end of time. Never forget that...”

“I won't... I'll always remember.”

Chapter Text

“Husker, my dear, if you get any slower, I might as well glue you to the pavement.”

“Some of us need a break from time to time, you know? And by that I don't mean five fucking minutes in two weeks.”

Husk leaned heavily against a metal fence. The broken mesh dug painfully into his wings, bend the feathers, but he couldn't be bothered to move. Beside him, looking as pristinely as ever, was Alastor. For once he was back in his normal form due to one of the very rare moments, when really everyone was too tired to keep on fighting. The quiet wouldn't last long, so the best thing one could do, was to rest as much as possible.
If you could.

As for Husk, his break had been interrupted by Alastor nagging about the way he fought, the way he flew, his choice of weapons and so much fucking more. He was just tired. Bone deep tired. It had been weeks since he'd realized, that you couldn't die of fatigue in hell... or thirst... or hunger. It just kept on draining you.
It wasn't something he'd ever had wanted to find out.

“If it's time for useless criticism: how is your battle against the Vees going? Already snacked on one or two? Chewed them thoroughly?”

The smile on Alastor's face didn't vanish, but Husk could have sworn, that it looked a bit tighter than usual.

“My affairs are none of your business. All you have to care about is keeping their annoying goons away from me, understood?”

“Sure, boss. I'll do my job to your abso-fucking-lute satisfaction... as soon as I've learned how to multiply myself.”

“Oh, don't whine. I said, we could take Niffty with us, but you were against it”, Alastor snapped.

“And I still am.”

“Then you'll have to find a way to do it on your own as I fight on my own against three overlords, don't forget that.”

Husk let himself fall to the ground, barely holding himself upright. Man, he was tired...

“Guess, we're lucky, the other overlords haven't thrown their own shit into this battle, aren't we?”, he sighed.

Alastor made a disdainful noise.

“Luck had nothing to do with it, Husker. The other overlords are merely waiting for the outcome of our little war, so they can side with the winner... or plunge a knife into their back, if they seem weakened enough.”

“Hm... that the reason, why you haven't collected the favour from the princess yet?”

“Oh, my...” Alastor raised an eyebrow. “I hadn't been aware, that you knew about that.”

Husk snorted. The way Vaggie had yelled back then, it had been near impossible not to know about Alastor meddling with Charlie.

“But you're right. A favour from the princess of hell herself is a mighty thing and I don't intend to throw it away so easily. Besides... things are looking good for us, don't they?”

An explosion shook the whole street right at the very moment, when Husk wanted to ask, if Alastor had lost his last braincell. Maybe it was luck, because this way he wouldn't have to deal with a pissed off Alastor, but on the other side it meant, that his break was already over.

“Ah, and on we go”, Alastor said with undeserved optimism in his voice. “I'll leave you to it. My own opponents are waiting over there. We'll see each other soon, Husker. Stay-”

Whatever Alastor had wanted to say got swallowed by the the most holy sound of a portal opening right above the city.
Every citizen froze in fear. Was that it? Was heaven sending a new army of exorcists to kill them all?

But the portal didn't spew a horde of angry killer angels down on them. Instead only two small figures emerged, one nearly falling under the weight of two overpacked suitcases, the other flying more gracefully downwards. It took all of the pride ring a moment, but when they recognized the two beings... well, that must have been, what that old saying named 'all hell broke loose'.

All sinners rushed towards the point, where they thought the two angels would land, but they drifted steadily further northwards towards the Hazbin Hotel.
Before Husk could even gather his thoughts, he found himself running to the hotel as well, Alastor's calls behind him ignored.

Never before had Husk been so thankful for having wings. This way he could fly over the mob, which had gathered around the barricades separating the hotel from the rest of the city. The two angels hadn't landed yet.

“Fuck off, you lunatics! Don't you have shit to do like killing someone or- ugh! Fuck off, I said!”

Vaggie stood on one of the higher barricades and pushed demons back into the crowd, sometimes kicking them away. She held her spear tightly in her hands, using the blunt end to stand her ground. Next to her were Niffty – simply stabbing people with a kitchen knife, which was very effective – and Charlie, who tried to reason with the crowd.

“Please, go away. I know, you want to talk to them, but they're just arriving right now. I'm sure, they'll talk to you, if you – oh, hey! Husk! It's so good to see you. Uhm... could you maybe please help us a bit?”

“Sure.”

Husk turned around to help them keep the sinners away. Since the portal had opened, he hadn't had one tiny second to realize what was happening here. No time for thinking. He pushed and kicked and hardly even noticed two winged beings landing behind him, nor did he see Alastor walk through the crowd unbothered.

Even in this mess people made way for him. Nobody dared to even touch Alastor as the stopped only a couple of steps away from the first barricade. He gently let his microphone stick hit the ground one, two, three times. It should have been impossible to hear that noise among the chaos, but it rang loud like a church bell.

“Well, well, well... haven't you heard, what the princess said? We should let our new arrivals have some peace and quiet. Why don't you all go back to your places, hm?”

His voice was calm as ever, but every last sinner obeyed his command. The place cleared as fast as it had been filled and moments later it was only Alastor standing in front of the hotel.

“Alastor...”, Charlie whispered sadly. “Thank you... but...”

“Oh, don't worry, my dear. I won't disturb the peace of this place further. We wouldn't want the hotel to be a target for the Vees... again, would we?” He bowed shortly. “Husker and I will be on our way. Just say our angelic visitors hello from me. Husk? We're leaving.”

Husk's legs moved on their own and he found himself climbing down the barricade, as...

“Wait!”

One word. One simple word made him stop immediately.
He heard footsteps behind him, coming closer, but he couldn't move, couldn't flee, couldn't turn around. It was the voice he had missed so dearly in every waking hour, dreaming about it in his sleep. And now... he was terrified.

A hand grabbed him by the arm and pulled him back, made him turn around.
There he was in all his pastel-golden glory: Angel.

“Please wait a moment. I came all the way down here and... I'd really love to talk to Husk for a moment. Can I?”

Husk stared at Angel's face as he spoke to Alastor. He didn't see, nor did he care what his boss answered, because in this very moment his whole world was just Angel. Other words were said, but Husk didn't hear them. It didn't matter. Angel was here, beautiful, radiant, a slim golden halo above his head and perfect white wings on his back.
Why... why was he here?

Angel nodded and pulled Husk away, a bit to the side, away from the others. Only now could Husk take in his surroundings, see his friends fuss over an angelic Pentious, while Alastor still stood at his place, unmoving, with only his gaze following them until Angel pulled him behind a corner of the hotel.

There they stood and Husk could still do nothing more than stare with his mouth open in awe.

“You're...” Husk surprised himself as his mouth spoke aloud the first thought, which had formed in his head. “You're as beautiful as the day I... I killed you.”

A triple slap hit his face, nearly knocking him down. Only Angel's other hands on his suspenders kept him upright.

“Say that again, you fucking idiot!”

Chapter Text

Husk held his hurting face. Being slapped thrice in just one second was pretty awful.

“Sorry...”, he mumbled and lowered his gaze, wishing he could take back his words or even better: disappear that very moment.

“You... no! I meant... Fuck!”

All of a sudden Husk found himself embraced by six trembling arms. Angel pressed himself so close to him as if that hug was the only thing keeping from breaking apart.
Maybe that was the truth.

Slowly, very painfully slowly Husk returned the hug, gently wrapped his arms around Angels bony body.

“I'm sorry”, he repeated.

Something warm and wet drenched the fur on Husk's shoulder.

“You better be!”, came the tearful answer. “You tricked me!”

“I know.”

“You killed me!”

“I'm sorry.”

“You... saved me... from Val... from hell...”

This time Husk didn't answer. He just kept on holding Angel. A small part of him asked himself if he shouldn't cry as well, but he didn't think he'd have any tears left to shed.

“I was... so lonely...”, Angel cried. “I mean... I had my family... and Pentious... but he was lonely, too. So... so... that's why we came back.”

Husk caressed his back.

“You fucking idiots...”

Angel let go of him a bit, so he could look him in the eyes with very miffed expression, wiping away his tears.

“You're the on to talk! You look like shit! When was the last time you've slept or ate or... Ugh! When was the last time you bathed?! You reek!”

This made Husk chuckle a bit. Oh, man... how he had missed this.

“Yeah... things aren't great down here... so I hope, you don't plan on staying long, because who knows, when shit starts to burn again.”

“I'm not going back. I'm staying. And so is Pentious.”

As Angel said these words with dry confidence, he could feel Husk go still in his arms. Yellow eyes stared at him, unblinking, unreadable.

“You... what? No... no, you're not. You're joking, right?” Husk let go of him and took a couple of steps back, shaking his head in denial. “I haven't... I haven't moved fucking hell to get you outta here just for you to swing back in like it was some kind of fucked up amusement park!”

His voice had grown louder and with it his whole body had started to tremble.
Angel was lying. He had to! Husk had risked so much, had given even more to keep him save and now...

“Husk...”

Eyes wide with panic locked with very calm ones. Angel smiled, even though he really didn't feel like it. Carefully he reached out to Husk, not quite touching him, but offering his hand instead.

“It's okay. I'm not in danger, thanks to you. You got me out of that fucking contract. Valentino can't... use me anymore, thanks to you.”

“But... you're back here... why?”

Husk's voice broke at these last words, but he still took Angel's hand.

“Because I've missed you. I've missed Cherri and Niffty. Charlie and Vaggie... and even Alastor... but most of all, I've missed you. There wasn't a day in heaven, when I didn't think about everything you've done for me. Not just getting me into heaven, but being there for me, listening... and I've missed that. All of that... all of you.”

These words calmed Husk a bit down, replaced his panic with bittersweet despair.

“But you're still not safe, Angel. Maybe you're not caught in that contract anymore, but Valentino is still powerful. An overlord. And I don't know, what he will do to you, if he finds out you're back.” Husk felt his eyes burn. “You were safe in heaven...”

“But I wasn't happy.”

Angel pulled him close to him again. Oh, he would have given everything to make this stubborn man understand, but then he remembered a very important moment. Back then as his eyes had been closing and all he could hear had been Husk's pleading prayers and his heartbreaking sobs.

“There will never be enough time for me to thank you for what you've done for me, Husk. I've been afraid and you pushed me... towards something, we both thought was what I've wanted... what was good for me, but it's not. I want to be here, no matter how dangerous it is. Right here...” He felt his heart pick up a giddy beat, driving him to say more than he had intended. “Right here... with you.”

Again Husk stared at him like he was... well, an angel.

“You're... still stupid as hell”, he whispered with almost a smile, wrapping his arms around the spider.

“Thanks, asshole”, Angel answered with a grin.

Husk closed his eyes and let his head sink against Angel's shoulder. They were close, so close that it should have been awkward, but it wasn't. Being there, embracing each other, felt like the most common thing in the world, just way more nicer.

“I still worry about you...”, Husk confessed silently.

“Oh, good. That makes two of us. Don't think I haven't noticed how thin you've become. We're gonna change that.”

“Okay...”

“And you're gonna shower. I've meant it: you stink like a corpse and look like one, too.”

“Alright...”

“And we're gonna get you out of your contract.”

“....WHAT?!”

Chapter Text

Husk held Angel an arm's length away and practically growled at him.

“Whatever you've planned in that pretty head of your: forget it. It's too damn dangerous to deal with Alastor. Don't ever underestimate that smiling fucker! I made that mistake and I've paid for it.”

Angel still smiled at him, so much, it was bordering on a grin.

“I won't. Alastor is powerful and clever, but even he wants things and with my cute little wings and shiny halo there might be a chance I can help him with that... and I want you in return.”

Warmth crawled up Husk's neck towards his face, but he tried to keep his composure. Angel wanted him? Yeah, of course he had to use one of his innuendoes in a situation like this. Except... the smile on Angel's face wasn't the sultry one, which normally accompanied such phrases.

“And how do you think you could help him?”

“Hmmm... right now it seems like he wants to kill the Vees. I'm all for that, but I don't think I can help much with that... but when Pentious and I came down here, he was here as well. He's interested in us, but I have to figure out why. Does he want to eat an angel?”

Husk shuddered.

“Naaa... he had plenty of opportunities for that, when we've fought Adam and the exorcists.”

“Huh... guess, you're right. Then what else could it have been?”

With a thoughtful hum Angel let his head rest on top of Husk's. This was nice, even though Husk's hat was in the way. So he took it off him – ignoring Husk's protests – and put his chin right between Husk's ears, placing the hat on his own head. Yes, that was better.

“Maybe... maybe there's something else about angels... that he wants... maybe it's something we... I could do for him like... fly? No, you can do that, too. Hm... get into heaven? I mean... he could try that for himself, but I pretty much doubt, that he would be able to be selfless. Pft! That manipulating self-centred ass...”

“Angel...”

“Uh! Maybe I could take him into heaven? You know? Like, literally take him up there.”

“Angel.....”

“Of course, I don't know, what he would want up there, but-”

“ANGEL!”

He looked down and saw the very rumpled face of Husk glaring at him sourly.

As nice as it had been being close to Angel, but having his face pressed against his fluffy chest... had been a bit much. Husk felt like his face was on fire as Angel finally gave him enough space to breathe. The two sets of arms, which had locked him in a death grip released him and the third set of hands thankfully let go of his ears, with which Angel had played thoughtlessly while talking.
Husk took a couple of steps back, trying desperately to compose himself and just fucking breathe.

“Ooops... sorry, Husk”, Angel said with a giggle, while definitely not looking sorry at all.

“I know, you come straight back from hippie heaven, but down here people tend not to get so touchy-feely, ya remember?”

Husk tried to comb through his fur with his fingers, but blood, sweat and what-not had turned it sticky and unruly. Angel watched rather disgusted.

“I can't believe, I've put my head there...”, he said a bit too loud to himself.

“Yeah, well? I didn't ask you to!”

“Awww... don't be like that. It was too nice not getting shoved away and called names. Are you going soft on me, Husk? Maybe missed me a bit?”

Angel leaned dangerously close, but still kept a halfway safe~ish distance. At the moment he couldn't read Husk's expression, mostly, because the other had turned away from him.

“...maybe”, came the surprising answer, yet Husk still didn't look at Angel. “You weren't... fake... so I let you...”

These words made them both fall silent, dragged them into their own heads and thoughts.
A mechanical sounding cackle at the front of the house brought them briskly back to reality.

“I guess, I better talk to Alastor, before he gets away”, Angel said rather unenthusiastically.

“Angel... that's dangerous...”

The spider smiled, a bit happy inside, as Husk finally turned to him, even though the look on his face spoke of pure concern.

“I know, but I'll try anyway. That fucker wants something from me. I know it. And the only way to find out is to talk to him. So let's go and grab this chance by the balls!”

With that he took Husk's hand and walked back to the others, which were chatting rather happily with Alastor at the barricades.

“Ah, there you are. Have you caught up with each other after your time apart?”

Angel smiled, it was fake as fuck.

“Sure, we did, but I'm note done yet. Say, daddy-o, couldn't help but see you gave us one of your special smiles as Pentious and I came down here. Have you missed us, too?”

He leaned over the barricade, let his chin rest on his hands and spread out his wings, causing Charlie to squeel in delight.
Alastor, on the other hand, didn't move a muscle.
The game was on.

“Oh, I had been quite busy since you were gone, so I hardly had the time to... miss you.”

“So I've heard. Trying to kill the Vees. Sounds nice, need a hand or two? Or six?”

“Thank you for your offer, but I can handle my own business.”

Angel felt the strained silence around him. On one side were his friends, all gawking quietly, not understanding, what was going on here, but absolutely sure, that Angel was up to something.
On the other side was Alastor, as always an enigma.

Gracefully Angel swung his legs over the barricade, so he could sit on the other side right in front of Alastor, the radio demon trapped between his long legs.
Angel knew too well that Alastor hated his flirty act, but if he was lucky enough the flirting would distract him enough to make his perfect facade crumble a tiny bit.

“Oh, come on. It's no secret, that I want to hack Valentino into itsy-bitsy tiny pieces. Don't ruin my fun. And maybe...” He leaned forward and let one finger dance over Alastor's chest, close, but not quite touching him. “...maybe we could do something afterwards, hm? With these nice wings of mine, I could fly you anywhere you want... the highest mountains of the pride ring? Up to the clouds?” He looked at Alastor with a lustrous smile, not daring to even blink. “How about I fly you to heaven? It's nice this time of the year.”

There it was!
It was tiny, almost invisible and gone in an instant, but Angel had seen his face change, when he mentioned heaven. So it was true. Alastor wanted to go to heaven and Angel finally had something to bargain.

Angel let the silence fall around them, gave the radio demon a moment to think. His hands were back at his side. He had wanted to distract Alastor and he had made it, even though he wasn't foolish enough to believe, that the other hadn't noticed what he had been doing. Now it came all down to how desperately Alastor wanted his help.

“If I wanted to see heaven, I could ask our dear Sir Pentious to help me.”

“Oh no!”, came the yell immediately from the hotel. “I finally made it back here! Now I am going to zee Mizz Bomb! That haz the highezt priority!”

“See?” Angel tilted his head. “He's busy. But I'm not.”

“I could also try to redeem myself, like you did.”

“Don't make me laugh. You're many things, but selfless ain't one of them. And the way you're still talking to me says everything about how you don't want to stay in hell forever. That's not how that works.”

The smile on Alastor's face looked a tick more strained. With him everything was always subtle, but if you knew him long enough – and half a year had been long enough – then you could read him... a tiny bit.

“So... let's say, I would like to visit heaven... or other high places. And... if I would require your help killing the Vees... I guess, your help wouldn't come without a cost.”

Angel felt his heart like a jackhammer, while his expression stayed unbothered. Husk might not have been able to teach him poker, but damn, his business smile was flawless.

The bartender stood a couple of feet behind the whole scenery and could do nothing but hold his breath and pray to a god, who had only disappointed him so far.
This was dangerous, so fucking dangerous and it looked like only Husk knew how much.

Next to him Vaggie tightened the grip on her spear. The others didn't know, what was going on, but one would have to be blind, deaf and stupid not to realize how the air was crackling with anticipation.

“I want to have Husk's contract. Give it to me, cut him free from your chains and I will happily kill Valentino and fly you right into the capital of heaven afterwards.”

The laughter wasn't unexpected, but Angel still couldn't help but flinch a bit.

“You... want to free him...”, Alastor said, still laughing. “...and you expect me to give in to that deal? How disgustingly sweet, how awfully tragic!”

Angel extended his hand.

“Yes, I do. That's the deal. Take it or leave it.”

Alastor stopped laughing and looked at the hand in front of him thoughtfully.

“A washed up servant for a kill and a favour... hm... oh, well.”

Suddenly the air really crackled as Alastor's sickly-green magic danced around them.

“You will kill Valentino and you will fly me to heaven once the battle is over. In exchange I will release Husk from his contract, but only after you've fulfilled your part and if you fail to do even one of them, Husk will be mine till his last breath in this godforsaken hell. Are we... having a deal?”

“Angel...” Husk had taken a step forward, placing his hand on Angel's shoulder. “Don't... I... I appreciate, what you're trying to do for me, but... don't. You don't know, what he's planning to do up there.”

Angel didn't turn around, but he grabbed Husk's hand, held it close.

“I don't care.” He grabbed Alastor's hand as well. “We have a deal.”

Chapter Text

“Angel! What the actual fuck?!”, Vaggie yelled as the last bit of Alastor's magic faded. “Not you, too! Isn't it enough, that Charlie...”

Her voice drowned in emotion and let herself be hugged by her girlfriend.

“My dears, don't act like I'm Satan myself, I'm only offering trades for the sake of everyone. Angel wants to end Husk's contract with me and I don't mind a little help. In the end everything's going to be fine.”

“Are you... are you sure, Alastor? This all... you fighting the Vees... it all seems so much... too much. Can't you just stop fighting?”

Charlie looked at him with big dark eyes, but Alastor didn't bat an eye.

“I'm very sorry, sweetheart, but this fight will only end when one faction is destroyed. You have seen how they've gathered power and influence since your father took his leave. Somebody has to reign them in and this somebody is me.”

“Yes, but...”

“Ah-ah-ah. No talk back. This is all for the future of hell. A stability granted through several overlords under the lord of hell himself.”

“Sometimes I ask myself, if you believe that bullshit yourself”, Husk muttered, earning and immediate cold stare from Alastor.

“Oh, my, how time flies, when you're having such a nice conversation. I guess, we'll have to go back.”

He extended his hand towards Husk, expecting him to come to him.
With hanging shoulders Husk took a step, but he didn't get further as Angel held him by his arm.

“I will join your fight, Alastor, but I have to do something first... can I take Husk with me?”, Angel asked with determination on the outside and nervousness within.

Of course, he had noticed how frail and exhausted Husk looked. He needed a break, which lasted longer than a couple of minutes and he needed it soon. Who knew what would happen if Alastor took him away now.

“Asking for more favours, Angel? I'm afraid I'm still in need of Husk's aid.”

“Please, Alastor. They haven't seen each other for months. Let them have a break.”

Angel looked amazed at Charlie as the princess walked up to the barricades. Of course she had a golden heart full of compassion, but to use it for such a small thing like some rest from this ugly fight... well, Angel shouldn't have been surprised after all, should he? No matter how big or small, Charlie couldn't help, but get involved. For better or worse.

“Hmmm...” Alastor turned around again. “How could I dismiss such a nice question”, he mused. “But Husk is still one of my most important fighters.”

“He won't be of any help to you, if he's exhausted”, Angel interfered.

Husk himself stood behind his friends shielding him physically from Alastor. His heart felt like growing and breaking apart at the same time. His gaze wandered from one to another, stayed a bit longer at Angel and finally landed on Alastor's unwavering smile.
The radio demon seemed to ponder the thought.

“I guess, I could do... one day without him. My shadows will have to step in for him.”

He snapped his fingers and three shadow creatures appeared.

“You could summon those all the time, you prick?!”, Husk growled, anger giving him new energy.

“Of course”, Alastor answered unbothered. “Do you think I really fought the Vees on my own all the time? These shadows are extensions of my power. Three of them are hardly a replacement for you - no thoughts in their dark skulls - but I'll manage, thank you for asking.”

At that moment it seemed like a good thing the others were standing between Husk and Alastor, because this way the cat demon couldn't do something very stupid like trying to strangle him.

The radio demon bowed and so did his shadows.

“Now it's really time for me to take my leave. I'll be back tomorrow to take you with me Husk. Rest well. And Angel? I'd appreciate it, if you could join us, too. Not, that Valentino manages to meet his untimely end through something other than your hand... that wouldn't be... fortunate for our contract.”

Then he turned around a final time and walked away like he was strolling through a park on a sunny afternoon and not through the rubbles of hell.
The inhabitants of the hotel remained at their place in silence.

It wasn't until Angel felt a tug on his clothes that he looked down right into Niffty's staring eye.

“Does that mean, that you're staying with us again?”

They did indeed stay in the hotel.
Charlie had insisted, that it was probably the best place to rest in hell right now and she was absolutely right. Even with the hits the hotel had taken most of it was still fine.

Husk had felt a melancholic tug at his heart as they had walked through the foyer and he had seen the bar still standing, not a scratch in the beautiful smooth counter top, not a glass broken. Working at the bar seemed like another lifetime away.

Vaggie had led them to their old rooms, which were close, even though not directly next to each other.

As Angel opened the door the first thing he saw was not his old stuff untouched and unchanged, but the little cushion on his bed and on top of it the sleeping form of Fat Nuggets.

With a cry, which bordered on a sob he rushed towards his bed and picked up his pet.

“Nuggets! You're alright! Oh, I've missed you. I thought, you were... I thought...”

Tears sprung to his eyes as he cuddled the little hell pig.
Vaggie patted his shoulder.

“When you went to heaven Husk took care of him and after he had to move out with Alastor, Charlie and I made sure Nuggets had everything he needed.”

“Thank you”, Angel sobbed. “Thank you all.”

When he had seen the destruction in hell, he had tried not to think about what could have happened to his pet. Everything had seemed too big and too important to fear for one little pig, but now he held him safe in his arms and knew, that his friends had cared for him, he couldn't stop the tears of relief.

His gaze wandered to Husk, who leaned in the doorway, the wall seemingly the only thing, which still kept him upright. Still he had a slight smile on his face. Seeing Angel happy let him forget for a moment how fucked they all were. More than usual.

“Thank you, Husk”, Angel said. “For taking care of Nuggets.”

“You have to thank Charlie and Vaggie way more. I only fed him a couple of times. They had him most of the time.”

He felt his words come out slowly and slurred. Man, he was tired.

“Yeah... Charlie let him play with KeeKee. He missed you, but we made sure, he was well”, Vaggie told Angel.

“Thank you”, Angel said again, this time at Vaggie.

“It's okay. I guess, you really want to rest now.” She pulled a face as she breathed in a bit too deep and shot Husk an annoyed look. “Or you can take a bath first. The hot water is still working and we have soap. Lots of it.”

Husk sighed.

“Message received.”

He pushed himself away from the door frame.

“I'll go to...oh.”

The room tilted to the left and Husk found himself on the floor. Huh? That hadn't been planned, but on second thought the floor was really nice. He could even ignore the agitated screams around him. He would close his eyes for just a moment, okay?
Just a second...

Chapter Text

Husk sighed and stretched his whole body. This was nice. He was laying on a soft mattress and clean sheets covered him. Fuck heaven, all he ever needed was to wake up every day like this. Oh, he couldn't remember the last time he'd actually slept in a bed. Must have been before all that chaos with Alastor and the Vees started and before Angel went to heaven... Angel!

He sat up with a jolt, immediately awake.
Angel! He had been supposed to help him with something! The spider and his friends had even gotten him a day of from fighting for that and what did he do? Fall asleep the second he relaxed. Fuck!

Not bothering to put on more than he already wore – which were his pants, thankfully – Husk hurried out of his room and down the hallway towards Angel's place. He knocked rapidly, waited a second for a response, knocked again.
Finally the door opened and gave way to the sight of a very tired looking Angel.

“Husk... why the fuck are you awake?”

“I'm sorry, that I fell asleep. You wanted to do something, right? We can go now, I'm awake. It's not too late, is it?”

“It's... 2 in the morning... I ain't going anywhere, but my bed”, Angel said with a yawn.

“...oh.”

The nervous energy left Husk standing there like a fool. He scratched his neck, missing his bow tie.

“Sorry... for waking you... I... I'll go back to bed...”

A simple lie. His heart hammered in his chest, telling him, that he wouldn't sleep any time soon.
A bad lie, because the look on Angel's face made it very clear, that he didn't believe him.

“Naa, it's okay. Come in. It's better than standing in the hallway.”

He opened the door wider for Husk to walk through.
Even though it was nighttime, the heart-shaped fairy lights on the wall glowed and illuminated the whole room in soft golden light.

Husk stood there for a moment, feeling a bit lost, until Angel simply pulled him down to sit on his bed. Slowly the awkward silence turned into a tense silence as Husk didn't know what to say or do. He hadn't planned for any of this and now here he was: absolutely clueless.

“My, if you get any more rigid, you'll turn into stone”, Angel laughed. “Never been to a pretty boy's room? Sat on his bed? Don't worry, your chastity is safe. I won't touch you inappropriately... unless you ask me to.”

That earned Angel a sour look.

“Don't act like I'm from the Middle Ages. You were born only born 10 or 12 years later than me...”

“Yes, but you got older than me and you're always so standoffish, when it comes to sex.”

“I should go...”

“That's what I meant... hey!”, Angel pulled him back to the bed. “I'm sorry, okay. Please stay. I... I haven't seen you in a long time. Let's not fight.”

The sweet apologetic look on Angel's face tore down Husk's resolve. With a sigh he sat back down, much to the spider's delight, who moved a bit closer.

“Okay...”, Husk started a bit insecure. “Is there... something you want to talk about? Your glorious plan? Your stay in heaven?”

Angel pulled a face.

“Yeah, well... there isn't much to tell about heaven, other than that I've met my sister, my mom and some family members I didn't know. It's... very big and shiny up there...”

“You have a sister?”, Husk stared at him. “You never mentioned her.”

“Yeah... I also have a brother, but he's a fuck-up, so I don't like talking about him. As for my sis... I knew, that she's in heaven... so I thought, I'd never see her again. I guess... that's why I didn't talk about her... didn't want to feel that pain...”

“But... if you've found her up there... then why didn't you stay?”

Angel rubbed his neck, a sheepish grin on his face.

“Yeah, I know, it sounds stupid, doesn't it?” He let his gaze drift to the window and the dark night sky beyond it. “For as long as I've been in hell, I always missed her like... like missing a part of your body. She's my twin, you know. They say twins have a deeper connection and... for Molly and me that's kinda true. I was... so happy, when she found me, but... I still couldn't stay...”

“Why?”, Husk asked softly.

“Because... because... I didn't fit in there. Pentious and I were always the odd ones out. Heaven is... nice, but after living in hell for over 70 years... you get so used to it, that everything else seems to strange... oh, and I missed you. You and Niffty, Charlie, Vaggie... I had my family, but I didn't have my friends. We – Pentious and I – were just... lonely. I know, it sounds stupid, but...”

“It doesn't.”

Husk didn't knew where he took the courage from, but at that very moment he took Angel's hand, held it gently, but safely. Warmth wandered up his neck as he looked into Angel's slightly surprised face, but he swallowed his anxiousness down for a moment to say something very important.

“I've missed you, too. Every day... I hoped, that you were happy, because that would have made everything worth it. All the...” He shook his head, denying himself to recount the pain of the last few weeks. “I wanted you to go to heaven, so you could be safe and happy. That was what made it all... worth it...”

His eyes burned and he tried blinking away the sadness, which had crawled up his mind. It turned harder as Angel put a soft hand on his face and smiled at him so softly, so understandingly.

“I've thanked you for all you did, Husk. I didn't want to kick your gift. I'm still thankful to have been able to meet my family again, but being here... it's more important.”

He saw the bartender avoid his gaze again. Something was up with Husk, he could feel it, but he didn't know what it was.

“When you could do it again”, he asked carefully. “Play against Valentino, make this insane plan... kill me to get me to heaven... would you do it?”

“Yes.”

There was no hesitation in Husk's answer and Angel had to take a deep breath to fight his feelings from overwhelming him.

“But... would you want to?”

This time he hesitated. He turned his head away, so he wouldn't have to look at Angel, maybe wouldn't have to let him see the emotions, which his face couldn't conceal.

“...no...”, he answered finally so quietly Angel barely heard him.

“Yet still you did it... for me... why?”

It was something, that had been bothering for some time. Husk had done so much for him, that it would take him a life time to properly thank him, but he had done it without ulterior motives. For all he knew Angel would have gone to heaven and they would never have seen each other again.

“I... you weren't safe in hell... and there was nothing I could do, but... send you up there... and with Alastor's help, I could...”

“Alastor. I kinda have a hard time wrapping my head around the fact, that he helped you... helped me just... out of the goodness of his heart?”

Angel shook his head in disbelieve. His eyes searched for Husk's, trying to get a reaction – any reaction! - from him, but the other had turned away. If anything, he sank even more into himself. Which made... Angel curious.

“He... did it without asking for anything in return, didn't he? Because there was no way I could have helped him from heaven... since I didn't know anything... right?”

“Sure...”

This almost dismissive answer made Angel's heart pick up a nervous beat.

“Did he... ask you? For anything?”, he asked timidly.

“It doesn't matter.”

Why did Angel ask all of these questions, when Husk would have very much have liked to never talk or even think about that evening ever again? He could almost feel the drying blood on his hands again... Angel's blood.
He clenched his eyes close, trying to chase away the feeling.

“Husk... what did Alastor ask of you? Please... tell me?”

Angel put a hand on his shoulder, trying to ground both of them. He was afraid for what Husk would say, but a part of him needed to know, needed to know why he had done so much for someone like... him.

“It's nothing”, Husk tried to avoid his answer again.

“Please”, Angel insisted.

“It's... not a big deal. It's not like I wouldn't have had to help him fight the Vees anyway and... there's surely no way I would ever try to... get into heaven myself...”

He sad said the last part very quietly, but Angel had heard him anyway. The weight of what Husk was implying made Angel shiver.

“What... do you mean?”

“It's... I... I promised him to... never attempt to get into heaven myself.”

Four hands turned him around and he was met with the pain-stricken look on Angel's face.

“Why did you do that? Now you can never go to heaven and... all because of me? Why? Why did you do that? I'm... it's not worth it!”

Angel felt tears rise in his eyes. It wasn't fair. This wasn't fair. How could Husk sit here so calmly and tell him, that he had given up his chance of redemption, when he very much knew it could work for... for him? How could he look at Angel with this annoyingly serene smile?

Still holding Angel's hand, Husk squeezed it for a moment. He didn't know why he was smiling, when he felt like crying. Oh, he was crying. One tear after another slid down his face. Proof of the pain he still felt in his heart.

“You're worth it...”, he said, his voice rough, almost breaking. “Your happiness and safety is worth everything, Angel. I don't care if I'm stuck here till the end of time if only you're okay. Do you understand? I didn't want you to make this deal with Alastor. I want you to stay as far away from that asshole as possible and... let me deal with it...”

“But why? Why are you like this?”

Angel felt tears on his face as well. Angry tears, helpless tears, because he just couldn't understand, what Husk was telling him. He didn't want to understand, but the other didn't give up.

“Did I fucking stutter?”, Husk asked, annoyance lacing his voice. “You're worth it! I hate being Alastor's pet. I hate, that he found just one more way to chain me to him. Every time I close my eyes I see you lying in that fucking street, bleeding out. I can still feel the knife in my hand as I...”

Husk's voice broke, but he took a deep breath.

“I hated everything about it and I'm fucking scared since you've been back, because something might happen to you... But it doesn't matter, as long as you're just happy! I hate, what I had to do, but I would do it all over again as long as it makes you happy! Because you're fucking worth it, Angel... You mean more to me than heaven ever could...”

Finally Husk's voice broke for good, drowned in tears and emotion. His only anchor was Angel's hand in his... and the faint hope, that Angel would finally understand him, even if it had cost him revealing almost everything about himself.

For a moment there was only the two of them, the tears on their faces and the sound of their soft breathing. Neither moved as is it would break that fragile spell, which caught them in this very moment.

“I... I still don't understand... why you could do all this... for me...”, Angel finally said, making Husk groan, but he kept on talking. “This is more than somebody does for a friend... but you... made it very clear, that you didn't want more of me. I mean, you've never reacted, when I've flirted with you and... you never asked me for sex, so-”

“Angel...”, Husk interrupted him. “Don't make me repeat myself... I did, what I did, because of you. Because you're... you. It doesn't matter if you see me as a friend or... something else, I did it all anyway. You don't need to do anything in return. You never did. Just be... you... that's enough.”

A sob wrenched itself out of Angel's throat and he tried to hide his face as more and more tears spilled out of his eyes.

“That's... the nicest fucking shit anybody has... done for me... in a very long time. I don't know, if I still remember what to do... when... when somebody does something nice for me.”

“Idiot...” Husk ruffled Angel's hair gently, indulged himself for a moment as he pulled the other close and let him rest against his shoulder. “You've already said thank you. That's enough.”

Angel wrapped his arms around Husk, making the other gasp slightly.

“I know...”, he sniffled. “But I will say it again and again, because I want to, deal with it.”

Husk chuckled as Angel snuggled closer, completely embracing him.

“Thank you, Husk.”

“You're welcome, Angel.”

Another sniffle.

“You should really take a bath.”

A sigh.

“I know.”

Chapter Text

Husk walked back to his room with Angel in tow.
He rummaged through his drawer, looking for fresh clothes and Angel was waiting in the doorway.
Finally he made his way towards the bath, turned around to close the door and there he was: Angel.

“Uhm... don't you have... things to do?”, Husk asked slightly annoyed. “Like... sleep... or feeding your pig? Something like that?”

The spider grinned at him.

“Nope. It's still too early to feed Nuggets and too late to go back to bed, so I thought I'd join you.”

“I'm going to take a bath.”

“I know. Great decision.”

“Alone.”

“Aw, come on!”

Angel tried his best puppy dog impression, but Husk hardly raised an eyebrow.

“I mean it, Angel...”

“But...! I can help you... wash your wings or something. They're really dirty, you know?”

Husk suppressed a growl. It was way too early for such a conversation.

“I can do this on my own. Been doing that for some years now and-”

He felt a tug on his hand and turned around to see Angel standing there holding his hand with an almost sad expression. Oh, if Angel ever learned, that Husk had no defence against that, he would be doomed. As for now... yeah, he was already fucked.

“Okay...”, he said with a sigh. “Just sit... over there and... turn around until I'm in the bathtub.”

A grin immediately appeared on the spider's face.

“Are you shy, kitty cat?”

Now Husk did growl.

“Don't call me that. You can do as I say or you can leave. Your choice.”

In a blink of an eye Angel was on the little stool in the corner of the bathroom, obediently facing the wall. Husk sighed again, trying to chase away the warmth from his face as he turned on the water to fill the tub with steaming hot water. He added a bit of saccharin-sweet smelling bath essence in the hope of gaining a bit more privacy... and because he had to admit, that he really smelled awful.

He glanced a bit nervously over to Angel, who sat in his corner turned away from him and humming to himself, before he started to undress himself.

“No peeking!”, he reminded him tensely.

“Yeah, yeah... I won't. I've seen more butts and dicks that I can count, I will survive not seeing yours.”

Feeling mildly reassured and offended at the same time Husk hastily threw his clothes in a corner and almost jumped in the water.
Oh, this was nice. The water was almost too hot, but at the same time it felt wonderful on Husk's bruised body. He could literally feel his stiff muscles relax. Unconsciously he started to purr.

“Can I turn around now?”, Angel ask with an impatient tone.

“Yeah... yeah, you can”, came the hesitant reply.

Angel did not only turn around, but stand up, walk over to a fiercely protesting Husk and sat down next to the bathtub, letting his head rest on his folded arms.

“I didn't say you could come over!”, Husk nearly hissed, but Angel still grinned.

“You didn't say I had to stay there either.”

As he realized that staring darkly at Angel's smiling face wouldn't help, Husk grabbed some soap and a brush from the side of the tub and started washing his arm, still grumbling. Better get this over with.
A gasp made him stop and stare annoyed at Angel... again.

“You're not doing that!”, Angel said, sounding strangely insulted.

“Doing... what?”

“You're washing your fur with... that soap? And a brush?!”

Husk shrugged.

“Yeah? Gets the dirt out.”

“Oh, no, you don't! No wonder you always look like you've crawled backwards through a wire fence! Wait here!”

With that Angel was up on his feet and out of the bathroom in a second, leaving the door open behind him.
Husk considered for a moments getting out of the tub to close the door, but then with another groan he kept on washing himself. Who knew what Angel was up to, it wasn't of his concern. The cool air slowly drifting in made him shiver a bit, but in the end he decided, that it wasn't worth getting out of the warm water just to close that damn door.

He was halfway through washing his limbs as the door was kicked open even further and a gasping Angel stood there, his arms full of all kinds of pink bottles.

“Stop that!”, he practically yelled at Husk as he walked over to him and threw the bottles on the floor. “You're ruining your fur! Give me that fucking brush. Here, take that instead.”

He grabbed the brush from Husk and replaced it with a shampoo-drenched washcloth.

“What... is that?”, Husk asked, clearly overwhelmed with the whole situation.

“It's one of my shampoo. I also have a softer one for your wings, conditioner and a moisturizer – also for your wings.”

“Uhm...”

“Go on, use it”, Angel grinned.

“...it smells like strawberry.”

“Good, isn't it? You wash your body and I wash your wings, 'kay?”

Husk instantly folded his wings around him. There was still foam left on the water, but he didn't want to know how long it would last.

“No, not okay. I can wash myself. Don't need your help.”

Angel stood next to him, all of his armed braced at his side and sighed.

“I'm not coming on to you. I just try to help. When I was in heaven, I learned how to take care of wings. You see them? All nice and shiny white. But I also learned, that cleaning your own wings is a pain in the ass... or in the back, to be honest and you don't look like you could turn around enough for that. So stop being a whussy and let me help you.”

That speech made Husk stare at the water more than mildly ashamed.
Angel was probably right. Even though the water was nice, there were still a couple of bruises beneath Husk's fur, which would make the whole ordeal nearly impossible.
Giving up his resistance he nodded.

“There you go. I'll try to be extra careful”, Angel said cheerily as he kneeled behind the bathtub and slowly started to let his fingers comb through Husk's wings.

Husk on the other hand tried to concentrate on washing himself with that sweetly smelling shampoo and definitely not on whatever Angel was doing there. At least the shampoo was surprisingly good at washing away the blood and grime.

He had almost finished his task as Angel plucked a not-that-loose feather, making him wince.

“Sorry”, came the immediate reply. “...can I keep it?”

“Can you keep what?”

“The feather. It's already broken, so I guess, it wouldn't be of any use...”

“You can't just pull my fucking feathers out. I need that shit to fly”, Husk grumbled.

“Yeah, yeah, but it was broken. And don't worry, you've got plenty left here. Aaaaand I'm done, starting wash round one now.”

Angel didn't know what he had expected, when he had followed Husk. A part of him just wanted to spend more time with him and he really didn't mind being here while Husk bathed. Maybe he had hoped for a nice conversation... maybe not quite so tearful like the one they'd had in his room, but still... he liked talking to Husk.

The bartender very obviously didn't agree.
Since he had sat down in the tub, he had only been grumpy and almost silent with his shoulders drawn upwards and his back so tense Angel could see his wiry muscles work.
Maybe it was, because Husk still feared he would try some dubious shit, maybe it was, because he thought Angel might laugh at him. Well... Husk was now literally a wet cat and like other felines he was... way less, when wet.
His fur clung to his thin frame, making him look even more haggard than usual.

Angel tried to de-escalate the whole situation with soft humming as he cleaned Husk's wings carefully. It was quiet, not what he had expected, but at least after some time Husk started to relax bit by bit.

Admiring the deep red and black of Husk's now cleaned wings, Angel let his fingers glide over them for a moment and got a response, he hadn't anticipated: Husk purred.
Angel bit his lips, trying not to squeel in delight as he repeated the caress. In front of him Husk was so concentrated on rubbing away a sticky spot of grime on his knee, that he didn't seem to notice himself, what he was doing.

It took him several seconds to realize, that Angel had stopped washing his wings and was now... petting them? Instantly he flared his wings, brushing away Angel's hands. He pressed a hand over his mouth, trying to stop the fucking purring.
It didn't help.
A shiver ran through his body as he felt his face heat up. Oh, this was embarrassing. Why couldn't he get a grip on himself and why did it have to happen in front of Angel?

“Husk...? It's alright. I'm sorry. I won't touch you any more than necessary, okay?”

But Husk didn't... couldn't leave his huddled position.
This had been a terrible idea. Why had he given in? The purring didn't stop, Husk knew that it was a reaction of his body to calm himself down, but by keeping on purring, he only stressed himself out more and more.

He flinched as soft hands touched his face. When had Angel moved next to him...?

“Husk? Hey, please look at me. What's up? Wanna tell me?”

Angel's voice was so soft and full of the promise of understanding, that it made Husk want to drown in that soapy water.

“'s nothing”, he whispered, just to say something.

“Bullshit”, Angel said, but his voice lacked the bite. “I can see, that you're not okay. Is it the wings? You can tell me to stop touching them, if you don't like it.”

“It's... not that...” Husk sighed, still not looking at Angel, still looking for the right words. “I... don't... not like that...”

“Okay... then what's the problem? You can tell me, I won't judge. I just don't want to hurt you.”

Husk drew his knees up. The foam was almost gone, he should have known it wouldn't last long enough.

“It's... the purring.”

“What about it?”

“I...” Husk felt like fighting for every single word. “I hate it. Can't control it. Like... these ears... the tail... the whole cat stuff.”

Angel sat back on his heels, giving Husk a bit more space. The purring had become quieter, almost disappeared, but Husk still seemed disturbed by it.

“Do you... purr, because you're happy?”

“Mostly... not right now. I dunno... should calm me down or some shit... does the opposite.”

“Hm...”

For a moment nobody said a word and they both waited for the soft purring to end. It took longer than expected, but when it finally ceased, Angel could hear Husk sigh.

“You... do you like being a cat, Husk?”, he carefully asked, when the other had seemed to relax a bit.

“....no...”

“And being able to fly?”

“...'s alright... just fucking exhausting...”

Angel chuckled.

“Yeah, it is...” He tried to catch Husk's gaze, but the other avoided him. “I don't mind you being a cat. Or the purring. It's kinda-”

“If you say 'cute', I'm gonna fucking lose it!”

“That's a heavy problem, huh?”

Husk sighed in defeat.

“All the time it's 'kitty', 'cute', 'pet'... like I'm only some kind of animal, with no... with no control... no right for respect... I hate it.”

“I'm sorry.”

“You're not the worst of them.”

“Yeah, but I'm one of them.”

That made Husk look up and meet Angel's calm sad smile.

“I'm sorry, I made you uncomfortable, Husk. I genuinely want to help you... not just, because you did so much for me, but... I think you deserve some kindness, too. Helping you wash your wings seemed... like something I could do, but I understand, if you don't like it. You can tell me.”

“It's not... that I... don't like it”, Husk said, fighting a wave of embarrassment with tooth and nail.

“But you don't like the purring.”

“...yeah...”

“Hmmm... what if... I tell you, I really don't mind.”

“You... don't?”

Angel's smile grew wider.

“If it only shows, that you can finally relax, then I don't mind and I will ignore it, if it makes you happy.”

Husk looked incredulously at him, but Angel's smile didn't fade.

“Come on, let me finish, what I started. Your wings need some oils back or you won't be able to fly. I have something really nice for that. I think, Pentious stole like five bottles of that stuff...”

Angel rummaged around in the pile of bottles, carelessly tossing Husk the conditioner, which he caught, still bewildered by Angel's behaviour. It took him a moment, but then it clicked.
The spider showed him a way out of an uncomfortable situation. Husk could now send him away or let him stay, but Angel let him subtly know, that he wouldn't mind it either way.

Swallowing his rising feelings, Husk carefully spread out his wings for Angel. It was a timid sign of trust, but he wanted to believe, that Angel was the right person to trust.

Chapter Text

It seemed to take ages for Angel to finish Husk's wing, but all the time he chattered lively away, telling Husk about all the family members, he met in heaven, the cute things Fat Nuggets had done since he had him back, his chats with Pentious and so on. He didn't expect Husk to answer him, but there was always a smile on his lips, when the other said something, even if it was only a short grumble.

After a while, Husk needed to pour more hot water into the tub. He felt like furry raisin, but even though he had finished washing himself a while ago, he held still and let Angel work.
It was weird, but the talking helped him relax. With closed eyes he sat in the nice, warm water and let his chin rest on his knees.
And if he maybe purred... then it wasn't acknowledged by anyone in this room.

“And we're done! All clean and ready to fly”, Angel eventually announced with an exhausted sigh. “You can get out of the tub now, before you turn into mush.”

“Hmmm...”, came the lazy answer.

He didn't move immediately, so Angel had enough time to take back his seat back in the corner, facing away from the bathtub.
Husk watched this with a warm feeling in his chest, before finally getting out of the tub and drying himself off. The fact, that he didn't even have to ask Angel again to face the other way... it was weird, but it also made him a tiny bit happy. He hurried to get into clean clothes, even though his fur was still slightly damp, but he somehow didn't want to keep the other waiting for too long.

“I'm done”, he announced a sheepishly.

“Already?”, Angel asked, but turned back around. “Are you... ewwww... did you pull on your stuff over your wet fur? It will take ages to dry.”

Husk shrugged. It was only sweat pants – his normal sleeping attire.

“So? It dries eventually, doesn't it?”

Angel sighed anew and went to pick up the bottles off the floor.

“Come with me. I don't want to drag all my stuff over here, just because try to live your best filthy life.”

Husk followed him without any objections. Whatever Angel planned next, he seemed to know what he was walking about. At least Husk's wings felt clean and silky and... he really couldn't remember the last time he'd felt this presentable, even though he was only wearing his pyjama.

Arriving in his room, Angel quickly petted Nuggets, who squeaked sleepily, before turning to the other side.
Husk obediently followed him to Angel's own bathroom and waited till he was done rummaging around.

“Sit on the rim of the tub. I don't have a stool here”, Angel commanded and Husk complied.

He pulled out a couple of brushes and – not to Husk's surprise, but to his annoyance – a hair dryer.

“Is that really necessary”, he tried to complain.

“Not, if you want to look like a hacked up furball.”

Husk tried to stand up and leave.

“That means 'yes'!”, Angel yelled and pulled him back. “Yes, it's necessary. Don't be a child. It's only a hair dryer.”

“It's loud...”

Angel stopped and stared at Husk in wonder. Of course, with such big ears and probably cat-like hearing a hair dryer must be an awful thing for him.
He smiled reassuringly.

“I'll put it on low, that way it's quieter”, he offered.

“But then it takes longer...”

Another sigh.

“Yeah... that's up to you. Quick and loud or slow and quieter.”

Husk seemed to consider his options for a moment. Going back to his room was still on the table, but... somehow he was intrigued, what Angel would do. He had proven himself with the work on Husk's wings, so he would surely know what to do with Husk's fur as well, not only, because he had fur himself and he always looked really good.
Staring at the ceiling, Husk tried to chase away the last thought. Of course Angel looked good, all of hell knew that and by now probably all of heaven, too. No need to emphasize it.

“Huuuusk? You still with me?”

“Hm... Turn it on low.”

“Low it is. Tell me if it's still too loud or too hot, 'kay?”

With that Angel started working. He combed Husk's fur with two different brushes and sprayed something delicious smelling on him before drying it all off with the hair dryer.

“Why do you make it more wet?”, Husk asked out of curiosity, making Angel chuckle.

“That's not water, dummy. It's heat-protection. It helps make your fur soft and silky. Don't tell anyone, but it's the way I keep my good looks. You know, spider fur isn't normally that soft, but this stuff definitely helps.

“I see...”

For a while Angel worked happily, humming little tunes as he dried off every part of Husk's head, neck and shoulders, when he tried getting lower he noticed Husk starting to squirm.

“Are you okay? Is the air too hot?”, he asked concerned.

Husk turned his head away, trying to hide his face.

“No... it's just... weird...”

“Huh? Why?”

Husk sighed.

“Because it's in the middle of the night and I'm sitting in the bathroom of hell's most famous porn star, while he literally blows me dry and all I'm wearing are a pair of old sweatpants.”

That made Angel laugh.

“Others would pay a fortune for this experience.”

“I'm not other people”, Husk growled.

“No, you're not.”

Carefully Husk dared to glance at Angel only to see him smile so softly at him, that it made his heart miss a beat.

“We can stop, if you want to”, Angel offered. “But I promise, I won't flirt or do anything you don't want to. You can trust me, Husk.”

“... I know... I do...”

The smile on Angel's face grew into a full-blown grin. Husk trusted him.
Of course, he had realized quite some time ago, that he trusted him as well – even after the whole... stabbing thing – but to hear, that the feeling was mutual... it was nice. More than nice.

“Okay... go on”, Husk muttered, straightening his shrimpy posture a bit and put on an almost brave face.

Angel giggled.

“Don't act like I'm going to torture you. It's only a dryer.”

Oh, but for Husk it was bordering on torture, because every so often Angel would tug a stubborn strand of fur out of the way or wipe away some loose hairs and the moment he touched him so softly, so carefully it was always like Husk was hit by lightning... in a good way.
He grumbled an unintelligible response, but let Angel keep on working.
For now.

At first Angel dried his back, his arms after that and then finally his chest.
Husk was right, it was weird. There was no good explanation for why he felt so... nervous as he combed and dried Husk, yet his heart was beating faster and louder with every second. Maybe he combed the fur more carefully, maybe he used a bit too much heat-protection, which ended in him having slowing down his own work speed, but...

He looked up as he heard Husk start to purr again. The other had his head turned away from him, but he could still see the embarrassed look on his face. Angel cleared his throat and tried to continue working a bit quicker.
Finally he reached the hem of Husk's sweatpants and stopped for a moment.

“Uhm... I can't dry your fur through your pants...”

“I'm not taking them off!”

The embarrassment was now so plain on Husk's face, it made Angel sigh with slight annoyance.

“I told you, I wouldn't do anything funny.”

“Yeah. Still no.”

Husk stood up. The fabric of his pants was clinging slightly to his legs, but whatever. It would dry eventually. His body felt like it was on fire right now – especially his face – so it wouldn't take long.

Angel took a moment to look at Husk, really look at him.
For Angel there was nothing to be embarrassed about being naked or even half-naked. He had accepted his new form the second he had arrived in hell. He loved his body. Everyone told him how good he looked, but most importantly: he thought that himself. So he had a hard time wrapping his head around the idea, that Husk very obviously didn't think the same about himself.

Husk stood in front of him, all nicely styled with a very unhappy look on his face, gaze turned downwards, ears pressed flat on his skull and hands on his own arms as if he was hugging himself. With his wings folded close and his tail whipping around his legs Husk was pure personification of discomfort.

“Hey, Husk”, Angel softly tried to get his attention. “Wanna take a look in the mirror. I think I've outdone myself here.”

Even though he didn't really seem convinced, Husk did him the favour and walked over to the mirror over the sink. Angel switched on some extra lights around it, then took a step back to watch Husk's reaction.

It was a curious thing to witness.
The very moment Husk looked into the mirror, he froze, mouth slightly agape. Slowly, very slowly Husk lifted a hand towards his face, let his fingertips glide over the nice quiff.
Angel huffed with pride. Of course, he thought that Husk didn't look bad any other day, but right now, even with only his pants hanging on this bony hips, he looked really nice, even a bit younger to be honest.

So it came as quite a surprise as he saw Husk's silent awe turn into a pain-filled grimace. He turned his head away, shoulders hunched, eyes clenched close.

“Husk? Are you alright?”, Angel asked nervously. “What's the matter? Don't you like it? I can change it. I-”

“No”, came the hoarse reply. “No... it's... okay. I just... I didn't...”

Angel carefully took his hand.

“It's alright. I'm sorry. You don't need to explain”, he said, even though he was absolutely clueless.

But Husk only shook his head. It took all of his strength to open his eyes, look at Angel and keep the tears at bay, but somehow he managed.

“I didn't... expect to look like this... after all this time”, he whispered, but only earned a confused look. “When I... first arrived in hell... I tried to find my place, ignore how... how much I... despised my new form. So I always tried to look my best. Wore fine suits, styled well... the whole charade. When I was still an overlord... I could afford it, but when I lost it all... my power, my influence... my soul... I didn't really see any meaning in keeping up that appearance... especially not in that fucking bartender outfit Alastor made me wear... so... it's been a while... I... I didn't think I'd still be able to look like this...”

Internally Angel wanted to strangle Alastor for doing that to Husk. He must have known how insecure Husk was about his looks, that manipulating bastard had a knick for figuring out other people's weaknesses in an instance and even though it was quite impressive it also made Angel nearly tremble with anger. But he kept that to himself.
This wasn't about Alastor.
It was about Husk.

“You look very handsome”, Angel said honestly. “You always do, but I thought you could look a bit nicer, with a bit of help... That's why I did this. Do you like it?”

Husk felt his face warm up. Normally he was good at detecting lies, but he couldn't find any in Angel's words. Did he... really mean it?

“I... like it... thank you.”

Angel took a step forward till he was toe to toe with Husk. His heart beat so loud again, but he still found the braveness in himself to lift a hand and comb a stray hair back into place. For a moment he let his fingers dance slightly over Husk's ears, then down the side of his face, then resting on his cheek.

“You're a handsome man, Husk. Don't let people tell you otherwise.”

The look on Husk's face was hard to read as he stared at Angel with his mouth slightly open and his eyebrows furrowed, but then he cleared his throat – or at least tried to – and almost managed to smile.

“For someone, who could have the most beautiful people around him you give a compliment like this... to me? You're a weird one, Angel...”

“I know, but I don't want some chic hunks with no brain”, Angel huffed and put his arms around Husk's shoulders. “I want to be at your side... and I mean it. You're good looking, Mr. Wise Old Bartender. And don't even try to tell me, that I don't know what I'm talking about. I've fucked Mr. Pride Ring of the last... I don't know, ten years? Twenty? Anyway, I'd prefer you over any of them.”

It took a couple of seconds and then some more till Angel realized, what he had just said and by the way Husk's eyes widened, he had gotten it as well.

“Uhm... I mean...”, he stammered.

Nice work. He had worked his ass off for Husk to trust him so much, only for Angel to get his foot into his mouth and say something like that. What had he been thinking? Had he even used his brain or had it been his unsatisfied libido talking.
The loud beating in his chest wanted to answer that question, but he tried to ignore it. If he was lucky, Husk would think, that he was joking... and that would be worse enough.

“I... do, too”, came it somewhat cryptically from Husk.

Angel blinked and dared to look him in the eyes. Never before he had seen this expression on Husk's face. He looked somewhat embarrassed, but there was more to it... the way his eyes were fixed on him...

“What...?”, Angel asked unintelligible.

Husk took a deep breath. A shiver ran through his body, but he chased it away. This might be the best or the worst thing he ever did.

“I'd prefer you, too. Over... anybody.”

Angel just stared.

“I like you, Angel. Very much. I think... I think, I've fallen in love with you.”

Chapter Text

"Won't you... say anything? ...anything?”, Husk asked nervously, after Angel had just stared at him for almost a minute.

Meanwhile in the spider's brain absolute chaos reigned.
Had he... heard that correctly? Not only did Husk like him, but... he's fallen in love with him?
Angel tried to remember the past times, when someone had told him they'd loved him and carefully tried to ignore the memories of Valentino.

Normally a guy came on to him, told him, that he'd fallen in love and almost instantly tried to shove his tongue down Angel's throat while manoeuvring him towards the bed... or a wall... a table... sometimes a bathroom stall.
Husk had done none of that. He had hardly done more than take his hand or hug him, but that had been so vanilla, that Angel never had felt threatened or compelled to follow Husk's demands... again, not that he'd have any. All he had wanted, was to keep Angel save.

Right now Husk wouldn't even take off his pants, so Angel could dry his fur, even though he probably wore underwear beneath that.
So... what was his point again? Ah, yes. Love.

“I... I've never said... 'I love you' to anyone... and actually meant it...”, Angel said softly, his arms still wrapped around Husk's shoulders.

“And you don't have to now”, Husk said quickly with rising embarrassment. “Listen, just... forget, what I've said, okay? I like you and... shit... it's enough to be friends with you. It's enough for me. Don't force yourself to say something you don't mean.”

He tried to backpedal as quickly as he could.
This was stupid.
He was stupid.
Better take it all back quickly and maybe come out with a halfway functioning friendship than to ruin it all.

He hadn't expected for Angel to pull him even closer till they were face to face and stare at him inquisitively.

“Tell me”, Angel demanded. “How can you be so sure, that you love me?”

“I-I... didn't...”

“Please.”

Husk sighed and closed his eyes. So much for his glorious plan.

“It... grew slowly... at first... I didn't like you.”

He heard Angel chuckle.

“But, when I got to meet... the real you... I thought 'Hey, that guy isn't that bad'. You have a dirty sense of humour and a nice laugh... I grew to like that and... at some point I began to worry about you... for you. I know, you can handle yourself, but I've also seen you, when you came back late at night after being at the studio for almost a day... So I tried to take care of you, so you'd sleep more, eat a bit, not drink too hard stuff.... You called me your friend... It... made me very happy...”

Husk had to look away as he said this words or he would have gone up in flames. On the other hand, Angel hung on his lips, taking in every word he said with intense sincerity, that it made Husk want to squirm. He took a deep breath. Oh boy, on he went.

“After... after a while I noticed how I... wanted to be around you more and more... I stayed up till you came home, always... eager to talk to you... and one day... I caught myself thinking, that your laugh was not only nice... but the most beautiful fucking sound I've ever heard... that I... wanted to know how soft your hair was... and that I'd... do anything to make you happy... no matter the cost...”

“Even if it meant, that we would never see each other again?”

Looking back up their eyes met, making Husk swallow down his own heartbeat.

“Yeah... but I never expected anything in return!”, he said hastily. “You have to believe me. This whole thing here was unplanned. I really only wanted to-”

“Idiot...”

Husk watched in awe as Angel smiled. This was still the most wonderful thing he'd ever seen and would ever see, he was sure about that.

The chaos in Angel's head tried to clear itself, succeeding on some, failing on other parts.
So Husk did love him. That felt... nice... warm. He liked that feeling.
As for the other things he'd said, Angel had a tough time wrapping his head around it. It was no lie, that he'd found Husk attractive from day one on. That's why he had flirted to heavily with him, trying to get him to fuck him. The fact, that Husk had rejected him, had made him only try harder... until Husk had taken a look behind Angel's carefully constructed masquerade... and he had stayed.

From this point on Angel hadn't known, what to do.
Normally people got out very quickly after fucking him or seeing, what he really was like, but Husk... he did neither.
It was nice.

So many things about Husk were nice... besides his look. He was grumpy, but kind. He always acted like he'd care for nothing, but then he'd given up everything... for Angel.
Was that love?
What a frightening thing...

“I am... attracted to you”, Angel said, carefully choosing his words. “You only need to say a word and I'll let you fuck me till next week, but... I kinda want more than that... I want to... be with you. Just be with you... talking... Does that make sense? I think, I... definitely like you, Husk and... if this is, what love really is all about... then I may love you... but it also scares me. It made you do all those things with... Val and... the other stuff... all that out of love? How can you be so brave? I don't feel brave. Right now, I'm feeling... so small... compared to you and your love.”

It was a roller-coaster listening to Angel. So he... may love him back, but he was afraid at the same time? Huh...

“It scared me as well”, Husk confessed. “Still does. For a very long time I didn't care what would happen to anyone, but now... I was... so afraid... terrified, that Valentino would do something to you as all that shit between Alastor and the Vees started... and I still am. Something happening to you... it's scary as fuck, but... being with you is... just wonderful. So, I'll take the fear every day, if it means I can spend time with you.”

Angel just shook his head in disbelieve.

“Still sounds... big”, he said with a sigh. “I've been in hell for over 70 years and I almost thought, that love wouldn't exist down here, so I made my peace with it, but you... you turn everything upside down. I'm happy... it makes me happy, that you love me and I... like you very much. Is that... enough?”

Fear crawled up his back as he looked into golden eyes. Maybe he should have just said 'I love you' back, but Husk was very good at detecting lies.
...would it have been a lie? He felt so confused.

“Take all the time you need, Angel”, Husk said with a soft smile. “For now... I'm fucking relieved, that I didn't crash and burn everything between us, so...”

“What? By telling me, that you love me? How could you ruin anything with that? It's great!”

Angel's grin was infectious, even though his words hardly made sense to Husk. He decided to leave it at that and count it as a win.

Outside the window a hell crow cawed, welcoming a new day.

“Oh... I guess, it's too late to go back to sleep...”, Angel said with a sigh. “Guess we better get dressed and... can I dry the rest of your fur?”

“Still no!”

Another sigh, way more annoyed this time.

“Fine... but let me give you some of my clothes. I put too much work into your style just to let you walk around in your normal stuff and maybe ruin your hair with your hat.”

“You don't need to. I don't think your clothes would even fit me...”

But Angel had already grabbed him by the hand and dragged him back into his room.

“Bullshit. You can roll up the pants and sleeves, but other than that you're definitely thin enough. Wait a moment, I think I have something good in here.”

With that he started pulling out all sorts of clothes of his wardrobe, very much to Husk's rising panic.
Clothes. From Angel.
In his mind Husk already saw himself wearing a pink mini skirt and high heels... it would be awful. He was pretty sure, that he couldn't walk in those.

“Angel, I-”

“Here it is!”

He held up some black and dark crimson pieces of fabric, threw them at Husk, who eyed them suspiciously.

“Do I have to...?”

“Try them on at least. There's nobody here, but you, me and Fat Nuggets.”

With a grumble Husk took the clothes and retreated to the bathroom, making sure that the door was closed behind him.
Angel watched him go with a small smile. Husk hadn't reacted to his offer of sex and despite the compliments he rather got changed on his own. Well, this seemed to become a lot of work, but somehow... he didn't mind. If it would take ages to earn enough of Husk's trust for him to let Angel closer, then so be it. He could be patient. He would be.

For himself Angel chose his usual boots, black shorts and a huge pink pullover, which slid lazily down his shoulders. It was an unusual look for him, not as revealing as usual, but Angel felt good in it. The most important thing was, that it was neither pastel, not gold. He'd had enough of that. The dark and intense colours fitted him way more.

“Uhm... Angel? I don't think, this will fit me?”, came the rather shy sounding voice of Husk from the bathroom door, as Angel pulled on his boots.

He looked over and saw his favourite bartender standing there, looking very miserable in too long black pants and a too long jacket. With a sigh Angel got up and walked over to him.

“I told you, you'd have to roll it up. Lift your leg a bit.”

He kneeled down in front of Husk and folded over the spare fabric of the pants, then pushed up the sleeves of the suit jacket and the pullover below to Husk's elbow.

“Much better”, he said and rose to his feet, admiring his handiwork.

Now, that Husk wasn't lost in his clothes anymore he looked damn fine. The dark crimson turtleneck had a slim fit and snug close to his form and the jacket accentuated his this waist, without letting him look haggard.
Angel felt his face grow a bit warm as he took in the sight. Yes, definitely good looking.

“If you say so...”.

Husk didn't sound completely convinced, but he also didn't go to change back.

“I do. Trust me”, Angel answered confidently as he turned around to rummage through a pile of jewellery. “Can you help me put that on, please?”

He handed Husk a pink velvet choker and sat down on his bed, back turned to him.
It took a moment, but then he heard Husk move behind him. He glanced at the mirror in the corner to see him fiddle with the clasp.

A little shiver ran down his back as he felt Husk lean in close and put the band around his neck.

“Will you tell me now, what your plan for today is?”, Husk asked softly as if loud noises would shatter their little world. “You didn't get me off for a day for nothing, did you? And these clothes... What are you planning?”

Angel leaned back against Husk until he could look him in the eye with a grin.

“Today, we get someone on our side, so this fucking fight can finally stop.”

Husk raised an eyebrow.

“Huh... nice idea. Who do you have in mind?”

The grin only grew bigger.

“We're going to visit Lucifer.”

Chapter Text

In the end being awake at dawn didn't do anything for them, since they had to wait for Charlie to wake up. They passed the time drinking coffee – with rum in it – feeding Fat Nuggets, standing on outside the hotel to watch the destruction of Pentagram City and more coffee – again with rum.

Despite the deep heaviness of their previous conversations, they tried sticking only to small talk... or something like that. At least for a moment.
Angel told Husk about heaven, his family and especially his sister.
Husk told him about how all of hell had been waiting in anticipation for weeks now which faction leader would fall first to an angelic blade.

“That fucker is either absurdly lucky for evading every fucking bullet or knife, which gets flung his way or he is some sort or psychic”, Husk groaned, nursing his fourth coffee – with rum.

They had found a nice spot in the lounge, near the bar.
Daylight illuminated the big stained glass windows, casting the area in multicoloured light. So early in the morning they were the only ones around, sitting in almost silence. The only noise came from an old gramophone in the corner playing some kind of elevator music. Angel had turned it on. It wasn't the best of music, but it calmed his nerves.

“I've seen Alastor fight once or twice. One second he's that huge ass abomination with all the tentacles and shit and the next second he's back at his normal form, because Vox tried to blast out his brain with angelic ammunition. The poor fuckers around them aren't so lucky. The Vees' goons and Alastor's creepy shadow die left and right every day and nobody cares, some are gone for good if they find themselves on the wrong end of a heavenly weapon...”

Angel took his hand and squeezed it.

“I'm glad, you're still somewhat okay. I don't know... I can't even think about... what I would have done, if you...”

It was impossible to say it out loud, but the way Husk held onto him, told Angel, that he understood him anyway.

“I won't go down that easily, Angel”, he said with a reassuring smile. “And it's not like they're constantly fighting. Most of the time they try to sabotage each other. Alastor destroys their factories, they smash every radio shop in the city. Sometimes they meet or a fight escalates, so they get involved, but most of the time they only direct their goons... and me.”

“I want... to end this. If you're right and they are all too cautious to be killed for good, then this fight will never end, it will only turn into some fucked-up partisan warfare. I didn't think hell could get any worse, but I'm afraid now every day is like extermination day.”

Husk took another sip.

“You're not wrong...”

“Did you say extermination day? Has heaven changed their minds again?”

They turned around to see Charlie standing in the doorway, eyes huge like saucers and her pale skin ever whiter as usual.

“Naaa, heaven won't mess with us”, Angel said calmly. “But they won't help us either. Something about 'not wanting to interfere' or some bullshit... after all these years of extermination. Thank fuck.”

Charlie came closer, Vaggie in tow.

“Oh... oh well. I guess, that's alright. We can handle our own problems, am I right?”

She didn't seem convinced by her own words, her smile paper-thin.

“Yeah, about that...” Angel started and leaned her way. “I need your help.”

“Of course, Angel.”

“Hon, don't you want to know first, what he's asking of you?”, Vaggie tried again to save her girlfriend from potential harm.

“But it's Angel...”

“Sure, but I...”

“Don't get your panties in a twist”, Angel grinned. “It's not dangerous.”

The look on Vaggie's face didn't speak of much trust in that words... or in Angel.

“I want to talk to Lucifer, get him to stop that shit. And who's better at convincing our dearly beloved short king any better than his own daughter.”

The nervous smile on Charlie's face vanished.

“I haven't seen my dad in months... When... when the conflict between Alastor and the Vees grew, he tried to interfere, but they... they didn't listen to him... mocked him. It... made him feel so powerless and... sad. Then he just disappeared. I think, he's back at his place, but I don't know for sure.”

“One more reason to talk to him”, Angel interfered. “He's the King of Hell, for fuck's sake. Let's remind him of that!”

“Yeah, but... he's... a very gentle person. He tries to let everyone have their own will and-”

“Didn't look like that, when he was beating Adam to pulp”, Husk said pouring a new cup for himself and for Charlie and Vaggie as well.

“That was an exception”, Charlie tried to correct the situation.

“Then we need another exception! I want this fight to end, but for this we'd either have to unite the other overlords – and I don't know how to do that – or we get your dad in.”

For a moment Charlie sat in silence, contemplating Angel's words.

“Charlie...” Vaggie put a hand on her shoulder. “You've told me yourself, that you hate to know, that your dad is all alone again. Why not... try it?”

Angel stared at her.

“You're on my side, Vaggie? Wow... hell's really fucked up, isn't it?”

She glared at him.

“You're not wrong. I don't know how much longer till the hotel falls. This needs to end and if you've got a plan... than that's better than nothing, I guess.”

“I won't question your motifs. Beggars can't be choosers”, Angel said, his hand held up defensively.

“I... I'll try”, Charlie said quietly. “You're right. All that fighting has to end and... I want to help my father... I only hope... we can convince him.”

Angel put a hand on her shoulder.

“We won't know until we've tried. What do we have to lose? We're already dead and in hell. Can't get any worse from here, eh?”

Getting to Lucifer's house had been an adventure on its own and Angel was more than thankful to have Husk by his side. Of course, he could fight on his own, but the others reflexes were some kind of marvel. He threw his exploding dice in a direction, when Angel had only realized, that there had been someone coming their way.
Or maybe it was a nervous paranoia carefully developed over the last few weeks and perfected under the influence of sleep deprivation and anxiety.

Vaggie had stayed behind at the hotel to guard it and the last remaining guests. Of course, she hadn't let them leave without grinding into their heads, that Charlie was to be protected no matter the cost. Neither Angel not Husk did want to find out, what would happen if they failed this task.

When Lucifer's mansion finally came into view they all nearly started running towards the gate, which was – thankfully and stupidly – unlocked.
Standing in front of the main entrance Charlie tried to make herself look presentable again and brush loose hairs from her face. Next to her Angel fixed his clothes as well and then Husk's.

“Ready?”, Charlie asked with an unsteady smile.

The others only nodded.

Charlie took a deep breath and rang the doorbell.

Chapter Text

“I don't need a new vacuum cleaner and I won't give money to save the three eyed hell rat. There are too many of these little shits!”

They stared at the closed door befuddled.

“Dad?”, Charlie yelled and knocked forcefully. “It's me. I brought some of my friends. Can you please open the door?”

There was a moment of silence followed by an unholy noise as if someone was moving all of their furniture at once. It lasted only a couple of seconds, but it was plain to see how the princess became more and more nervous with every shattering sound.

“Dad...?”

She raised her hand to knock again as the door was ripped open and they found themselves face to face with someone, who must have been the King of Hell... only that he hardly looked like him.

Instead of his usual white suit he wore a greying bathrobe, which either had a little duck stitched into the collar or it was a really nasty mustard stain. Equally greyish sweatpants peeked out underneath and... that was all he wore, if one didn't count the dark rings beneath his eyes.

“Charlie!”, he greeted her with almost his usual cheerfulness. “I... I didn't expect you. Oh, my... sorry about this mess. Pretty busy, you know, but I would have cleaned up, if I'd known you'd come around.”

“Dad...”

Charlie looked like she was close to tears. Taking a step forward she wrapped her arms around her father, drawing him close in a heartfelt hug.

“You don't need to pretend for me. I'm sorry it took me so long to come by.”

“Oh, what are you talking....” His smile fell and gave way to unfathomable sadness. “It's okay, Charlie... you're here now... That makes me very happy.”

Despite his word he hid his face at her shoulder and let himself be held for a moment.

Angel and Husk stood at the bottom of the stairs waiting in silence. To see father and daughter united once more should have been a joyous moment, but Angel only felt the growing doubt in his heart, if this here was a good idea.

Seeing the uncertainty on Angel's face Husk took his hand and squeezed it lightly. No, it didn't look like Lucifer would be able to help them, but they were here anyway and so they would follow Angel's plan. For better or worse.

After a couple of minutes Lucifer straightened himself up, wiping his face and even tried to smile at his daughter, failing completely.

“I'm sorry, I'm such a mess...”, he said quietly.

“No, dad, you're not a mess. It had all just been... too much. It's okay.”

Lucifer tried to keep a brave face as he took her by the hand.

“Uhm... do you want to come in? It's... I... uh... haven't cleaned, but it's better than standing out here, right?” He gave way for them to enter. “You came all the way, so I better try to be a good host and- why are you an angel?!”

He finally looked at Angel, who waved at him with a grin.

“These old things?” Angel let his wings flare and spun around making his halo shine in the morning light. “Got them a while ago. And it's actually part of why we want to talk to you. But you're absolutely right. We should talk inside.”

Lucifer was completely shell-shocked and let them pass by without another word.

After seeing the state of him and his body, the house shouldn't have been a surprise... unless it was.
Every available surface was covered with little yellow ducks. There were piles of them in the corners gathering dust, uncountable amounts on the floor and even on the couch. Everything was dark and dirty with the curtains of the high windows drawn shut.

Charlie walked among this chaos her hands pressed to her mouth as she took it all in. Tears gathered in her eyes, but they only fell, when she noticed a couple of paintings in a corner behind a little table. She walked over to them and picked one up. It was of her father, her mother and her, when she'd still been a child.

“I... couldn't look at them... anymore”, came it quietly from the entrance.

Lucifer had closed the door behind him, shutting out the light. In front of that massive mahogany wood he looked even smaller, his gaze cast down and his arms wrapped tightly around himself.

“I failed you... again... I should have protected you, but... I couldn't even do that... maybe... that's why she left...”

“Nonsense!”

Charlie put the portrait back down and walked briskly over to her father to hug him again.

“You did not fail me! And it's... I don't believe mom left because of that. I don't know... why she did, but I won't believe, that it's because of you.”

“Thank you...”

These words didn't sound very convinced, but Charlie led it slide for a moment.

“Even if you don't agree to Angel's plan, I want you to come with me, dad. Live with us at the hotel. Please. I'd love to have you around.”

Unshed tears shone in Lucifer's eyes as he looked at his daughter with unending love.

“Oh, Charlie...” He blinked. “What plan are you all talking about?”

That moment the curtains were shoved open forcefully, blinding them all for a second. Angel stood by the window and smiled. It was a moment like a painting itself as the daylight made his halo and wings, his whole body glow etherially. Husk almost dropped the last duck, which he had picked up from the couch just to stare at this beauty.

“We have a plan to end this fight, but we need you to help us”, Angel declared cheerfully.

“To be honest, it's Angel's plan”, Charlie said as she led her father towards the couch.

“Pfff, details”, Angel waved it off. “What matters is, that it can work.”

“Ah... okay... but I already have some questions. For starters: why the fuck are you an angel? Weren't you a... porn star or something like that?”

“Yeah... long story.”

They all sat down as Angel told the very abridged version of how he had gone to heaven and how he had gotten back. While Charlie was delighted by the fact, that redemption was really possible, Lucifer only stared at him with his mouth hanging open.

“You...”, he started slowly as Angel had finished his story. “You have made it into heaven and... you came back... not, because they've kicked you out, but because... you wanted to return to hell? Are you nuts? Who in their right mind does something like this?”

Angel pouted.

“Heaven isn't that great. You should know that”, he said dryly. “And anyway, I like it here. I want to stay. Uhm... by the way, do you know how I can stay? Do I need to... change something about me or do I just never leave?”

“You cut off your wings”, Lucifer stated without emotion. “You can burn them off, too, but I wouldn't recommend that.”

The others stared at him in horror.

“It that... what happened to you, dad?”, Charlie asked nervously.

That made him blink and change back immediately to his semi-happy self.

“Don't worry, duckling. That stuff happened ages ago. I hardly remember it.”

“But... you have your wings back”, Angel interfered. “I've seen them twice.”

“You did, because I have them back.” He turned towards Charlie again. “Your girlfriend Maggie-”

“Vaggie.”

“Oh. Vaggie. Sure. She got her wings back as well, doesn't she? You fall, when you lose your wings, but you can gain them back, when you realise, that there's still love in you. Angels are normally beings of love – except those exorcists, I don't know what's wrong with them. So, when you find love in your heart, you get your wings... but you still can't go back to heaven. Once your halo has faded, you're out for good.”

Carefully Charlie took her father's hands.

“When did you... regain your wings?”, she asked curiously, making him smile like the sun itself.

“Can't you guess?”, he teased her. “I got them back, when you were born. When I first held you in my arms. What a cute little thing you were... In that moment I've felt more love in my heart than in all my time in heaven.”

“Oh, dad...”

They hugged each other as if they've never wanted to let go. It was a sweet moment, but Angel couldn't look at them. He was too busy not throwing up at the thought of having his wings cut off. Again it was Husk, who saved him from himself as he took his hand and smiled reassuringly at him.

“Don't worry about that, Angel. You're here now. That's all that matters.”

Angel could only nod and let the whole scenery drown in silence for a moment – half full of love, hall full of fear.

It took Lucifer and Charlie a moment to compose themselves, but eventually they turned back to Angel.

“Sorry, about that”, Lucifer said sheepishly. “Anyway, you wanted to tell me about your plan, right?”

“Yeah...” Angel had a hard time regaining his enthusiasm. “It's simple. Tell the Vees and Alastor to stop fighting and if they don't: fuck them up.”

Lucifer stared at him as if he'd grown a second head – not that it would have been that unusual in hell.

“I can't do that”, he said, shaking his head. “They don't listen to me.”

“Then beat them up.”

“I can't...”

Angel felt anger rising within him.

“Why the fuck not?”

“Because... because...” Lucifer squirmed in his seat.

“Because you've lost faith in yourself.”

It was the first thing Husk had said in a while, but it made everybody look at him in shock, except Lucifer, who's face only showed deep sadness.
Husk sighed.

“Charlie said, you've tried to talk to them before and that they didn't listen to you, mocked you instead. I wasn't there, but... let me guess. Was it Alastor?”

Lucifer pressed his lips together and nodded.
Before Charlie could pull him into a another hug, Husk got up from his place and kneeled in front of Lucifer.

“It's okay”, he said calmly. “Nothing to be ashamed of. You know, that's what Alastor does. He finds the things, which will hurt you the most, then uses them against you like a weapon. One look and he knows all your insecurities, two and his words will cut you to shreds.”

Angel still sat on the couch, watching Husk talk to their king and felt his heart breaking. Of course, he had known that this was the way Alastor treated everybody, who stood in his way, but to hear Husk admit it... to know, that it had probably happened to him, too... it was just painful.

Despite everything Husk smiled softly.

“You know what?”, he continued. “It hurts, but in the end it's just words. He's not as powerful as you, that's why he tried to get rid of you. He lost to Adam, but you wiped the floor with that asshole and didn't even break a sweat. You know... I was once an overlord, too and among us we knew damn well, that we could only be so powerful, because you let us. You let us keep our free will even in hell, in your kingdom and we... did the worst with it... But when it all comes down, all overlords together aren't nearly as powerful as you are. You can make them stop fighting, you only have to want it... fuck whatever Alastor said. He's nothing compared to you.”

Tears ran down Lucifer's face, but he managed to smile anyway.

“I remember you”, he said quietly. “Not from the hotel, but back when you were an overlord. I've only seen you once, but now I remember. I... I didn't recognize you... What happened to you?”

The look on Husk's face grew dark.

“Alastor.”

Lucifer flinched.

“Ah, I see.”

Husk slowly rose to his feet.

“But that's not your problem. You have to deal with some shitheads, who now call themselves overlords and who try to burn this city down to the ground. But you can stop them. Get your royal ass of the couch and come with us. I know it sounds impossible, but believe me, you'll be surprised what you can do, when you only try.”

The smile was back on his face and it easily spread to to Charlie and – a bit more slowly – to Lucifer. It almost took Angel as well, but the loud beating of his own heart distracted him for a moment. There was this loud, warm sound in his chest and a single emotion, which coursed through his body.
It took him a moment to name it, since he had never felt it before, but then only one name was right for what he felt:
Love.

Chapter Text

“So... what do we do now, Angel?”, Charlie asked nervously.

They had gathered in front of Lucifer's mansion with the King of Hell back in his usual attire and more or less ready to kick some asses.

“Now we go to the V Tower. It's the best place to find them, I guess”, Angel answered full of false bravado.

It was happening.
To be honest, he hadn't completely believed in his plan himself, but thanks to Charlie and Husk they had really been able to gain Lucifer for their mission to save the city. If they were really, really lucky this nightmare would end today... It was hard to imagine.

“Maybe I should call Vaggie and let her come as well”, Charlie mused. “We might need her.”

But Angel only shook his head.

“No, we don't. Husk was right. Lucifer is powerful enough to deal with the Vees and Alastor on his own. So...” He took a deep breath and steeled himself for their responses. “You and Husk should go back to the hotel. You'll be safe there until everything's over. I'll go with our dear king to fulfil my contract with Alastor.”

He was immediately drowned in a flood of angry and concerned voices. Yeah, he had expected that.

“Angel, it's unsafe. I'll go with you and dad. You don't have to do this on your own”, Charlie cried.

“You have made a deal with Alastor?! Are you stupid? What do you have to do? Kill me, when we get there? Was this all a trick?”, Lucifer yelled.

And Husk stated with a growl:
“I'll go with you. I'll sure as fuck won't go home, when you throw your twink ass into the next best war zone.”

Angel held his hands up defensively.

“I know, that you want to help, but it's simply not necessary. Charlie... Husk... the hotel needs your protection more than me. I'm with the all-mighty King of Hell himself. There's no safer place for me.” He turned to Lucifer. “I have to kill Valentino. By myself. Not you. I'm not so stupid to betray you.”

“But... kiddo, why did you do such a dangerous deal? Contracts with overlords hardly ever work out well for the poor soul, who took it...”

“I know...”, Angel sighed. “But you know... I've been trapped in a contract myself and Husk... rescued me from it. And now... it's up to me to do the same for him.”

He glanced over to Husk and felt his heart beat louder again. Oh, he was in danger, but not the way Husk thought. Should he... talk to him? But now was hardly the time for heartfelt conversations...

“I understand you, Angel. I really do”, Lucifer said softly. “But it's still stupid. Do you think the fighting will end, if you kill one of the Vees? Maybe I can talk them down, but then what? Then you casually walk by and shoot Valentino with an angelic gun? What do you think will happen after that?”

“I... I... uhm....”

Fuck.
Maybe he wasn't as smart as he thought he was.

“But you... could talk them down again? Or... beat them up?”, Angel said with empty hope.

As Lucifer shook his head, he knew, that he'd fucked up.

“That won't do and you know it. Vox and Velvette will come after you, when you kill the friend... associate... whatever he is to them.”

“And... what if we let Alastor deal with them instead? He said, that he was close to winning...”

“Alastor is full of shit”, Husk interfered.

He took Angel by the hand and pulled him closer. The look on his face spoke of well-known resignation... and of love. Angel had to close his eyes. It wasn't fair.

“B-but... what if we kill all of them...? Then the fighting will stop, too, won't it?”

Tears gathered behind his eyelids, ready to fall. All of him pleaded, that Lucifer would give in... even if it meant killing four overlords.

“Angel...” Charlie put a hand on his shoulder. “This isn't right. You know that...”

“Do I?”

Suddenly his sadness turned to agonising anger. He pulled his hands free and wiped around to stare at Charlie.

“So we do it all: get Lucifer back up and running, end the fight and Val gets to walk away? After all he has done... after all he has done to me? All those fucking years?! A-and... Husk... his contract...”

His lips wobbled and he felt hot tears run down his face.

“This... this isn't fair, Charlie...”

Gentle hand pulled him backwards into an embrace. Husk held him close, his arms wrapped close, but not too close around him. Just enough to keep the despair at bay.

“Don't worry about me, Angel”, he whispered softly into his ear. “You're free now. Free from Valentino. He can never hurt you again. Don't waste this chance... Don't let him destroy this as well. Don't let him destroy you...”

“This isn't fair...”, Angel sobbed.

“This is hell, kiddo”, Lucifer said with heavy sadness in his voice. “We can either fulfil your contract and kill Valentino and risk a new turf war in the city, when all the other overlords fight for the power. I could try to stop them as well... but new ones will rise where old ones fall... and the fights might never end... or... I could talk them down, maybe with some... physical arguments. I don't mind giving Valentino an especially good thrashing, but to kill him... for good... that's a bad plan.”

“There are surely other things we could do like... sabotage his business, so he'll slowly lose it all”, Charlie said with forced cheerfulness.

Lucifer raised his eyebrow approvingly at his daughter.

“That might work. If he slowly loses power, the other Vees might step up or his territory will be consumed by other overlords, but without a fight”, he carified.

Angel's tears hadn't stopped falling.

“But then I won't be able to fulfil my contract and Husk...”, he sobbed.

“I said, don't worry about me. This isn't worth it.”

Husk let go of him and turned to Lucifer.

“Angel shouldn't fulfil his contract with Alastor, because there's another thing.”

“Husk!”, Angel yelled, but the other only glanced at him with a sad smile.

“After he'd killed Valentino, Alastor wants him to fly him to heaven.”

“WHAT?!”

Lucifer was livid. His eyes turned red and flames danced around his feet. With a deep growl he turned to Angel, thrust his finger to his chest. Even though he was more than a head shorter than Angel, it still was an imposing sight.

“You won't take that motherfucker to heaven, do you hear me? Do you have a clue, what a demon like him could do up there?”

“But... the angels... they could deal with him, couldn't they?”, Angel stammered, taking a step back.

“They surely could, but it would take what? One minute? Two? Do you have an idea how many innocent souls he could hurt till they get him? That man is too dangerous to get into heaven on his own. If this is your plan, then I won't help you!”

“No! Please!”

Angel tried to grab him by the shoulder, but Lucifer swatted his hand away. The flames died down and his eyes returned to normal, but the cold expression on his face remained.

“You're a stupid child to be willing to risk so much. Didn't you say you have family in heaven? A sister? What would you do, if Alastor hurt her? How would you deal with that?”

Drained of all his energy Angel sank to his knees.
He hadn't thought about what Alastor would do in heaven. There had been the possibility, that he wanted to see someone, who was in heaven, but... maybe Lucifer was right. Maybe Alastor was planning to do something awful in heaven... it didn't seem impossible.

So now here he was with all his plans in shambles. He couldn't kill Val without risking a new war and endangering himself and he couldn't fly Alastor to heaven, because who knew, what that psychopath was planning.
So that meant with his contract unsolved Husk would...

“I'm sorry, Angel. I should have stopped you from taking that contract in first place”, Charlie said, her voice full of compassion. “I didn't think about the consequences... but my dad is right.”

Angel could only cry harder.
No revenge.
No freedom.
This was hell as it always had been.

Chapter Text

He heard the others talking, but he couldn't care enough to actually listen to them. Right now he didn't even have enough energy left to raise his head, so Angel just sat one the pavement in front of Lucifer's mansion and cried.
He cried for all the unfairness.

He cried for his lost hope.
He cried for his broken heart.
Until he felt a warm hand on his back, gently caressing him.

“Hey... it's alright. Let it out...”

Husk's voice was as warm as his hands and even softer as he spoke to him. Without hesitating Angel turned around and threw himself in his arms.

“Husk...”

Whatever he had wanted to say got lost in a new wave of sobs and tears.

“I know”, Husk said while he pulled him even closer. “It's not fair... but maybe Charlie is right and we can sabotage Valentino slowly. It'll take some time, but you'll get your revenge... just maybe not the way you thought.”

“B-but... what about you...”

Husk smiled and wiped his tears away, even though new ones still fell.

“You don't need to worry about me. I'll be fine. I made it this far and I'll sure as hell won't give up now...” He took Angel's face between his hands. “Thank you, Angel. Thank you for trying to free me...”

“I...”

He couldn't say, what was going on in his heart. There was so much to tell, so much he'd desperately wanted to say to Husk, but as he opened his mouth... nothing came out.

“It's okay”, Husk soothed him. “You did your best.”

Still feeling so powerless... useless, Angel let himself fall forward and hid his face on Husk's shoulder. For a moment he just stayed there, save from the world, which only ever hurt and disappointed him.

“Uhm... Angel?”

Of course it was Charlie, who disturbed his little painful moment of peace.

“Do you... uh... my dad is still in on the plan to stop the fighting and... I wanted to know, if you'd go with him or... not?”

Angel sniffed and wiped his eyes. His makeup was ruined, the eyeliner completely smudged and his eyes red from all the crying. Still he tried his best to keep it together.

“Yeah...”, he said quietly and got back on his feet.

“I'll go with you”, Husk offered immediately.

“I'll go, too!”, Charlie said quickly, making Lucifer groan.

“Oh, no, not that again”, he said with a sigh. “Charlie... my wonderful girl... I know, that you're a fierce independent woman, but please... I beg you, go back to the hotel. Protect your guests together with Vaggie and let me handle this.”

“But... I want to help you...”

Lucifer took her by the hand and smiled at her.

“I know, duckling. And I don't doubt, that you can, but I'm afraid... I'm afraid, that Alastor will try to use you against me and if you get in any kind of danger... I don't know, what I would do...”

Charlie would have liked to tell her father, that this wouldn't happen, that Alastor wouldn't try to hurt her just to weaken him, but after all this time even she had come to realize, that Alastor would do a whole lot more to reach his goals and even though a part of her still thought about him as a friend, she understood her father's concern.

“Okay...”, she finally said quietly. “I'll protect the hotel together with Vaggie... but you have to look after yourself as well, dad! Just because you're powerful, doesn't mean you're invincible.”

His smile became even softer.

“I promise, Charlie. I'll take care of myself, so I can come back home to you.” He hugged her briefly and turned to Angel and Husk. “What about you? I don't need you to deal with those assholes and I can tell Alastor, that you're deal is off, if you want to.”

Angel stood there for a moment, his head hung low, but as Lucifer spoke to him he defiantly raised his head.

“I'll go with you. I know... that I can't fulfil my deal with Alastor... and I... I won't... I want to talk to Alastor myself. Please let me do at least that.”

Lucifer seemed to consider his words for a moment.

“It wouldn't be fair to allow you to accompany me, when I send my own daughter away, who is – to be honest – a fuckton stronger than you.”

“Please! I-”

Husk chose this moment to put a hand on Angel's shoulder and step next to him.
Seeing Angel cry had hurt him. Really bad. He had given his best to build him back up, even though deep inside he felt like crying as well.

Freedom had been so close, he could've almost tasted it. He had trusted Angel to have it all figured out and had been too stupid not to ask any questions.

He should have known better.

To kill one overlord meant weeks, if not months of turf wars for their territory and power.
To kill Valentino would have meant making an enemy out of the remaining two Vees for all eternity or to kill them as well and give Alastor way too much influence.

It had been all fucked up from the beginning. They couldn't trust Alastor. He knew that. He'd learnt it the hard way.
But... for one glorious day there had been hope. It had been based on pure ignorance, but it still had been there... and it had felt wonderful. Its loss now hurt like a thousand knifes through his heart, but Husk would've rather bitten off his own tongue than admit that to Angel. The poor spider was beating up himself already too much.

So he decided to do the only thing left: accept his fate and make the best out of it.

“I'll go with you as well. My day off is nearly over, so Alastor will await me. I'm heading back anyway and if anything strange happens, I'm there to help and protect Angel.”

Lucifer didn't look completely convinced, but he nodded as he saw the determination on their faces.

“Alright. I'll take you with me, but don't try anything funny!”

“I won't”, Angel promised.

His heart beat so loud in his chest, but this time the feeling wasn't very nice. Fear made his hands grow cold, but his resolve still stood.

“I'm sorry, Charlie. I just have to go”, he told the princess.

“I understand, Angel. I really do. Just... take care of you... all of you, okay?”

“We will, duckling.” Lucifer gave his daughter a quick peck on the cheek. “It will be fine.”

The he turned around and spread his wings.

“Let's fucking go!”

The area around the V Tower looked like a bomb had exploded there. This was, in fact true. There had been multiple bombs, other explosions, fires, a tank full of acid and numerous smaller battles.
It seemed like a weird kind of miracle, that the tower still stood.

In front of the building Alastor was waiting for the next wave of attacks. Today he had concentrated the fights at their main base. He was sure, that Angel would show up as soon as Husk had to come back to him. Those two had seemed awfully close yesterday and Alastor didn't like it. It made things unpredictable, but for now it gave him a very good guess about Angel's next move.

Lazily he looked around, snapping his fingers to summon one small group of shadows after another as he saw something on the horizon. He squinted his eyes, the widened them as he realized what he was seeing.

Heading straight towards him were non other than Lucifer himself gliding on six red and white wings with a determined look on his face and next to him were Husk and Angel, holding hands, while they flew. Oh, dear, could they get anymore obvious?

The weird trio landed before him.

“What an honour”, Alastor said, his voice laced with venom. “I didn't expect you here. How is your duck business going? Haven't seen much of you these last months. Don't you want to go back to your pretty little mansion and stay out of my way?”

Lucifer didn't seem the slightest bit impressed.

“Yes, I've been away. I won't pretend, that you hadn't chased me off quite effectively, but guess what, bitch! I'm back and thanks to some good friends of my daughter, I'm better than ever!”

His grin turned malicious as his horns grew and flames travelled down his arms and legs. It was only a bit of fire, but somehow in that orange light one could see Lucifer for what he really was: The King of Hell.

“Oh, wonderful. So you had help to pick up those little pieces of yours. How lovely .”

Alastor shot Husk a menacing look, which made the other gulp. Oh no, this meant trouble. Maybe not right now, but Husk was sure, that he would regret this later.
A slim hand took his, held it tight. He looked up to see Angel smile at him.

“I'll be with you”, he said reassuringly and Husk believed every syllable.

They were close to sinking into a little moment all by themselves again, but Lucifer's voice dragged them back.

“I've come to make an end to all this useless fighting!”, he declared, earning only cackle from Alastor.

“You...? Excuse me”, he wiped a tear of laughter from his eyes. “ You want to stop this? Oh my, these two must have held quite an impressive speech, when it made you believe, that you could just come here and act like you had any authority.”

Lucifer remained calm, his hands resting on top of his walking stick as he listened to Alastor.

“Oh, but I have. You see... this is my fucking kingdom and you'll do as I say or I'll – and I've learned to say the right thing – fuck you up!”

“Such big words for someone so small, but it won't matter. You have no power here. Go back to your ducks, I'll handle this on my own. After I've killed those little pests upstairs, I might even visit you... and bring your daughter, if you ask nicely.”

There was only the slightest frown on Lucifer's face betraying the anger he must have felt inside.

“Enough of this. You've tried long enough to keep me away from Charlie and you've long enough tried to become powerful as I am, but you've failed and you will fail again. Save your words for someone, who'll still listen to them.” He walked up to Alastor until he stood face to face with him. “This whole thing ends now!”

With that he grabbed Alastor by the waist and flew up with him to the top of the V Tower, leaving Husk and Angel behind listening to Alastor's aggravated screams.

“So... this is it”, Husk said after a moment. “Guess we better go up as well or you'll miss seeing Valentino having his ass beaten.”

“Uhm... sure...”

The insecurity in Angel's voice made him turn around.

“Are you alright? You... don't have to go there, if you don't want to.”

“That's not it...”, Angel said, his voice a bit unsteady.

He still held Husk's hand.
It felt nice.

“Before go, too... I... I wanted to say something... just in case...”

Husk smiled.

“Angel... everything's gonna be alright. You've seen Lucifer. He'll deal just fine with them.”

But Angel only shook his head and pulled Husk a bit closer.

“I know, I know... but still... let me say this, before I lose my courage.”

That made Husk shut up and look at him with an earnest expression, waiting for whatever Angel had to say.

“When you told me, that you've fallen in love... with me... it made me very happy, but I couldn't say it back. I didn't love anyone, when I was still alive and like hell I didn't love anyone here! But when I saw you talking to Lucifer, helping him... I realized something for myself.”

Angel stood up tall as he clutched Husk's hand like a lifeline. Oh man, he had said this stuff a hundred times in movies, but right now he felt like his mouth was glued shut. Before him he could see Husk grow nervous as well.
He had to say it, he just had to. If he didn't do it now, he might never find the courage and drown himself in self-doubt if Husk wasn't too good for him, too caring for someone as filthy as him and maybe he should-

“I love you!”, he yelled way too loud.

The words had burst out of him, scarring them both. Angel was panting, his eyes wide open and locked with Husk's.

“I love you...”, he said again, softer this time. “Sorry, that it took me so long.”

Husk stared at him like he was heaven itself. Hesitantly he raised a hand towards Angel's face, caressed it gently.

“Say it again...”, be begged so quietly that Angel almost didn't hear him.

“I love you, Husk”, he said with a growing smile on his face.

“One more time, please.”

“I love you.” He pulled Husk close till their foreheads touched each other. “I love you. I love you. I love you...”

“...I love you, Angel.”

This moment belonged only to the two of them as they tilted their heads just a little bit till their lips touched. The kiss was soft, gentle, just a second and almost not quiet there, so they kissed one more time.
And another.
And another.
They kissed till they giggled, which turned into happy laughter.

Fuck the world and all it's problems. Right now they had found something, which made this whole mess more than bearable.

Suddenly a loud noise descended from above, sounding frighteningly like an explosion.
Angel and Husk both looked up towards the top of the V Tower, only to see smoke rising up from it.

They opened their mouth and spoke at the same time:

“Fuck!”

Chapter Text

Angel hadn't known, that he was capable of flying so quickly as he followed Husk up towards the top of the tower.
As they arrived they saw, that one of the big windows was broken, giving them a way inside and there was... absolute chaos!

It didn't look like the Vees were giving up easily. Velvette and Valentino were standing on the side shooting at Lucifer, while Vox tried to grill him with his lightning.
One the other side was Alastor, hitting Lucifer with his shadow tentacles.
The King of Hell was standing in the middle yelling at them all. It should have been easy for him to control the situation, but instead he was... bleeding.
Angel gasped as he saw blood gush from several puncture wounds on his wings.

“They use ammunition made out of angelic steel!”, he called to Husk.

“Shit! We gotta help him. Distract them, so he can deal with them one by one.”

With that Husk pulled a handful of dice out of his pocket and threw them at Velvette. Angel followed quickly, dodging bullets as he ran up to Valentino and kicked him right into the face.

“Have you missed me, bitch?”, he asked as Val wiped a bit of blood from his mouth.

“Oh... putita... how nice of you to come back. What's about that golden thingy above your head. New fetish?”

“Fuck you!”

“Oh, I'd rather fuck you ! But since you betrayed me, I guess I'll just shoot you in the face.”

He aimed his guns at Angel and fired while cackling like crazy. Only a jump behind steel table saved Angel from ending up as a sieve. At the same moment the doors flew open and a handful of assistants ran into the room, weapons ready to fire. Angel recognized one close to him: it was Vox' personal secretary, the little fish dude, who always seemed so nervous. Right now he didn't look like he knew how to even hold a gun. Angel decided to take that burden from him and snatched it away while he was still standing there obviously lost.

Newly armed he took aim and shot at Val. The bullet hit him right between his ribs, made him scream in anger and pain.

“You worthless piece of shit! How dare you shoot me?!”

Ignoring Val Angel took a second to check his ammunition. The magazine of the tommy gun was filled with sleek grey bullets, no glow, no silvery shine. These were simple bullets... so it wouldn't matter if he shot Val his ugly grin out of his face.

Right next to him Husk dodged barely the set of spears Velvette had flung at him. He thanked her by throwing some cards at her, each one crackling with yellow lightning.
This was bad. This was really bad.
Alastor had summoned more shadow creatures to deal with the Vees minions, but behind him Lucifer still had a hard time getting Vox and Alastor under control. Normally it should have been easy, but the Vees used angelic weapons and on top of that Lucifer only wanted to knock them out, not kill them.
It was more difficult than one might have thought.

“I said: stand down, you little fuckers!”, he yelled at both of them and got promptly ignored.

Vox slammed against him, knocking him off-balance and Alastor took that opportunity to wrap Lucifer into his tentacles.

“You shouldn't have gotten involved, my king ”, he hissed into his ear, as he drew him close.

“Yeah? You shouldn't have tried to become more than you are, asshole!”, Lucifer yelled back and with a burst of power he freed himself from Alastor's grasp. “I've been nice long enough. It's already late and little brats like you should go to sleep!”

With that he took a swing with his cane, spun around and smashed it against Vox' face, cracking the monitor right through. The other yelled in pain, stumbled blindly backwards, but Lucifer chased after him and threw his cane between Vox' legs, making him tumble and fall. The same moment he was above him ready to strike again.

“Oh no, you won't!”, Val screamed from the other side of the room and emptied the rest of his magazines into Lucifer's wings, making him hiss in pain.

This was the real deal. These were angelic bullets and they had the power to hurt even the mightiest demon of all.
But Angel didn't hesitate and took his chance to shoot at Val as he was distracted for a moment.

“Eat shit, bastard!”, he yelled.

He shot until his magazine was empty. Most of the bullets missed, but enough hit to stop Val for a moment. It was good enough for Angel. With a scream he lunged at the moth and swung his gun right at his face. It hit its mark with a satisfying crack.

Lucifer had barely flinched as the bullets had hit him. His cane lay by his side while he pummelled Vox relentlessly with his fists. The hits didn't come quick, because after each punch he checked if the other was still moving, still breathing. It took not much for one of the most powerful overlords to lose to their king.
As Vox finally stopped moving Lucifer stood up with a sigh, grabbed his cane and turned to Alastor. His face was bare of emotion as electric blue blood dripped from his hands.

“Now to you...”, he said calmly.

It was this eery serenity, which made Alastor take a step back. Quickly he looked around, trying to assess his situation.
Vox was down, the minions and shadows were still fighting and so were the other Vees, Husk and Angel.

“Angel!”, he yelled across the room. “I know our little meeting isn't over yet, but I'd like you to take me up now. You can come back later to kill Valentino.”

“Yeah... about that...” Angel barely glanced over to him as he jammed a new magazine into his gun. “Can't do that. Lucifer says you're too dangerous to go to heaven and...” He sighed. “He's right. Our deal is off.”

Angel's voice had been close to breaking as he said these words. It finalized a decision, which had almost been made for him, not by him. He hated every word he spoke, even though he knew it was the right thing to do.

On the other side Alastor stood still like he's been struck by lightning. His eyes widened for a second. This was bad. This was really bad. Why was this happening?
Angel was a very emotional person. To give up on Husk's freedom like that... it shouldn't happen. He glared at the bartender, who had a strangely contempt smile on his face as he threw more of his silly little dice at Velvette.

No.
No, he wouldn't take this.
Not, when he had come so far.

“I don't think it's up to you to terminate our little business relationship”, he hissed and reached out with his tentacles to Angel, completely ignoring Lucifer.

He almost reached him, could almost touch his stupid white wings as a flash of yellow lightning made him flinch and stop.
Before Angel, dice in his hand and claws out, stood Husk.

“Don't you dare to touch him”, he growled.

It took Alastor a second to catch himself. What was it today? First Angel terminated their deal and now Husk acted like he was more than his little pet on a leash. Alastor felt his last piece of patience break.

“You insolent bastard. Who do you think you are? I will rip you to shreds!”, he screamed and lunged forward.

He ran. One step. Two. Three. And he collided with Lucifer's fist.

“No, you won't, bitch!”, Lucifer growled and punched him again.

A rain of fists ascended on Alastor's face, pushing him back one step at a time till he collided with the wall and slid down on it.

“You better stay down or I'll make you stay down.”

He stared at Alastor, daring him to move, while behind him Angel and Husk continued their fight against the last two remaining Vees.

Velvette conjured another set of spears, while Valentino tried to catch Husk with his fog. His guns lay useless on the ground, empty, as they were pushed backwards step by step.
Valentino growled at them as he took yet another step, only to stumble over Vox' unconscious body and fall flat on his ass.

“That's it, Valentino”, Husk said, breathing heavily. “You're done. Stay down.”

“Fuck you!”, came the hissed answer.

It wouldn't end like this. He still had his power. Together with Velvette he could overpower those two fuckers and then they could deal with Lucifer. It would only take one moment of distraction for them to break free.
His hand fumbled around the floor for a save place to push him back onto his feet as felt something sharp. It must have fallen out of Vox' pocket.
He grinned.

With a fluid motion he was back up, his wings flared out. With mighty beatings of his wings he pushed Husk back again, not much, but enough for him to act.
Velvette hid behind a metal shield next to him as Angel shot at her, his aim eerily good.
But he didn't pay enough attention to his surroundings.
Valentino raised his hand and flung the little dagger at him, aiming for his chest.

One second Angel was on his feet shooting at Velvette, the next he was pushed to the floor and something heavy landed on him. He heard Lucifer yell and rush by them, crashing right into Val and Velvette, knocking both of them down.

It took a moment for him to realize what had happened. As he turned his head he found himself face to face with Husk, the other almost lying on top of him.

“Angel... are you hurt?”, he asked hoarsely.

“No...”, Angel answered, still a bit confused. “... you're heavy, Husk. Don't even look like that.”

Husk laughed at that, coughed a bit and smiled.

“It's those damn wings. They're too fucking heavy.”

“Yeah... they are.”

Angel turned his head around to see Lucifer punch down Val. Velvette was already on the ground next to him. It was over. All four overlords were knocked out and so were their minions.
They had won.

Trying to sit up Angel pushed Husk a bit up as well. He placed his hand on his torso... and froze.
With a shiver he pulled his hand back and looked at it. Crimson blood coloured his palm.

“What...?”

Eyes wide with fear he looked up at Husk, who still smiled at him, even though more and more pain mixed in it with every passing second.

“It's alright, Angel. Don't worry.”

“'Don't worry'?! You're fucking bleeding, Husk!”

“Yeah...” He coughed again. “I'm too old for this shit. Should have been quicker.”

“You idiot!” Angel pushed him off and started pulling up Husk's shirt. “You got hit, because you saved...”

A silvery thing had fallen on the floor between them, having itself dislodged from Husk's wound. It lay there shining with crimson droplets running down its perfect blade.
An angelic dagger.

Hastily Angel looked for the wound on Husk's body, ignoring the pained groan from the other.
He found it quicker than he wanted to. A big red spot on the left side of his chest got bigger and bigger with each second.

“Oh no no no no... this is bad. You're hurt. You're hurt bad”, Angel stammered, pressing his hands on the wound to stop the bleeding.

“Yeah... I know”, Husk answered calmly.

“We have to get you to a doctor. I think Lucifer can fly you. Where is he? Lucifer!”

“You called? What is... oh.”

Angel looked up at him with anxious tears in his eyes.

“You have to help him. He needs help. Quick!”

But Lucifer only looked at them with sadness on his face. It made Angel nearly scream in anger.

“What the fuck are you waiting for?! He needs a doctor!”

“Angel...”

He spun around only to see that fucking calm smile on Husk's face.
He hated it.

“It's okay...”

“It's not okay!”, Angel yelled back.

Husk sighed. Coughed.

“No, you're right... it's not okay, but it's not your fault. That fucker got me right between my ribs... I can feel... my lung... maybe even my heart... it's bad...”

“No no no... don't say that...”

Angel did his best to keep his tears at bay, even though he felt like crying. With shaking hands he pulled Husk back to him, held him close, one hand still pressed to the wound. He could feel the blood flowing out of it, turning Husk's body colder and colder.

“I'm sorry...”, Husk whispered. “Getting stabbed with an angelic blade really hurts... like hell. If I'd known that... I wouldn't have... chosen a dagger... for you...”

“Don't say stupid shit like that. You did it to save me, I don't care how you did it.”

“Yeah... would do it all over again...”

Husk raised his head. It was clear, that it took him all of his remaining power to move, but still he used it to raise a hand and caress Angel's cheek.

“You're worth it, Angel... Everything... Not only... because I love you... and I... really do... but... because you're... you ...”

Angel shook his head in despair.

“Being me isn't enough”, he said, his voice thick with unshed tears. “I wanted to free you... and I failed. With Alastor's contract still on you, you can't... you can't...”

“Yeah... I guess... I can't go to heaven... but... I wouldn't want to... All I ever wanted... was to be by... your side...”

Husk's eyes closed, exhaustion taking over.
Angel's eyes widened, fear taking over.

“Don't leave me”, he begged. “I love you, Husk. Please, don't leave me. Please...”

“...love you...”

The words came quiet as a breath as Husk sank against him.

It took Angel a moment to realize, that no more breaths followed. Husk lay still and unmoving in his arms.
No breath.
No heartbeat.

And Angel's tears fell.

Chapter Text

Pain.
Pain so bad it didn't let him breathe.
Didn't let him think.
Didn't let him be.

Angel sat on the floor of the destroyed penthouse with Husk... with Husk's body hugged tight, his face hidden in his bloody fur. Noises escaped his mouth, which were no language, nothing he thought his vocal cords could even produce. These sounds were the product of pure...
Pain.

Tears streamed down his face, so many so quickly, that he couldn't see anything anymore, but he didn't care. He didn't want to.

A single thought in his mind screamed for revenge. It wanted to hurt Val the way he had hurt him, but for that he would have to move... and he couldn't.
All he could do, was sit there and hold the man he loved in his arms. Hold, what was left of him.

Something mostly white entered his blurry field of vision, but it didn't seem important. Neither did the voice next to him.

“I'm so sorry, Angel. I... I should have protected you... I... I'm sorry...”

“...he saved me...”

In his ears Angel's voice didn't sound like his own. It was rough, broken, lost.

“I know”, Lucifer answered, his own voice heavy with sadness.

Angel shook his head.

“No... no, you don't. He... saved me... from Valentino... from hell... from loneliness and... from myself...” He raised his head to look at Lucifer. “This isn't fair... I... I can't lose him... Isn't there something you can do? Can't you bring him back? You're the King of Hell for fuck's sake...”

The look on Lucifer's face became even sadder.

“No... I can't. I may be powerful, but... I don't have control over life and death... I'm sorry...”

Angel drew Husk's body even closer.
It slowly got colder.
He slowly got colder.

“... he doesn't deserve this... if I just... if I just had fulfilled my contract with Alastor he wouldn't... he... none of that would have happened...”

Lucifer kneeled down next to him.

“You can't know that...”

“I can”, Angel said defiantly. “If I've killed Val, he wouldn't have been able to throw that fucking dagger! If I've done, what Alastor wanted, he would have let Husk go! We would have been... happy...”

A new flood of tears rolled down his cheeks, flushed away his voice with sobs.

“There's nothing I can say, than sorry. I'm sorry... for your loss, Angel. Husk seemed to be a good guy...”

“He is...”, Angel sobbed, closing his eyes against the bleak world.

Lucifer let him sit there in silence, in grief.

It was just Husk and Angel.
It was just Angel.

And a gasp from Lucifer.

“Angel! Look! Open your eyes!”

Angel did as he was told, but he couldn't see anything. Everything was too bright.
It took him a second to realize that Husk's body was glowing like the moon itself.

“What...?”

Through his shock his grip on Husk loosened and his eyes grew wide as he saw the body slowly drift upwards. Higher and higher it rose almost reaching a hole in the ceiling.
Suddenly a glowing green chain formed between him and the very unconscious Alastor on the floor, keeping Husk's body from drifting any further.

“The contract”, Lucifer whispered. “It's keeping him from going to heaven.”

“We have to break it!”

Angel jumped to his feet and looked around in panic. What should he do? Should he wake up Alastor and threaten him until he cancelled the contract? Should he try to smash the chain? Maybe he'd have to kill Alastor to...

The chain was pulled taut, Husk's glowing form stopped from rising, but something still tugged on him, didn't let go. It went through his body like waves.
It pulled and pulled and pulled.

The chain snapped.

Angel heard Lucifer gasp as the chain disappeared and he remembered something Alastor had said as he watched Husk ascend anew.

'Husk will be mine till his last breath in this godforsaken hell.'

He had said it himself. In his arrogance Alastor had made a tiny mistake and this was all it took to finally set Husk free.
New tears ran down Angel's face, but even though his heart still hurt, these tears were caused by happiness.

Slowly he flew up to Husk's glowing form, hovered next to him and watched him as he rose higher and higher.
Where Angel's body had dissolved into a million stars, Husk stayed in his form as he drifted away. Not only that, but it looked like the glow dimmed slowly gave way for Angel to look at Husk, to really see him. It left him breathless.

Husk's fur had turned a lighter grey, some parts shimmering even slightly blueish. His wings were mostly white with the little dots turned into hearts. His complete outfit had changed into a white suit, with golden cuffs and bow tie.
And above his head... a golden halo.
The glow faded more and more, leaving behind clear fur and unripped clothes.

They were high over the city, so high, that Angel could see the mountains surrounding the city. Everything was quiet, bathed into the calm red light of the pentagram above.
It was so peaceful, just the two of them, that Angel dared to finally touch Husk, caress his face.

“Wake up, Husk...”, he whispered, his heart beating loudly in his chest.

He held his breath, waiting for a reaction, which might never come, but then...
Husk moved.

A shudder ran though his body and he blinked tiredly.

“What... what happened?”, he asked, his voice so rough like he had been sleeping for a long time.

With a scream of delight Angel threw his arms around him, hugged him so tightly it made Husk gasp.

“Careful, Angel. I'm an old man...” He looked around confused while petting Angel's hair. “Uhm... where the fuck are we?”

He had stopped ascending the moment he had woken up, but thankfully his wings held him aloft. Eyes wide he looked at the city beneath, then he saw his changed outfit, his changed body.

“What happened?”, he asked bewildered, holding Angel at an arms length, so he could look him in the eyes.

“You're back...”, Angel whispered.

New tears sprang to his eyes, but he didn't care.

Husk slowly and carefully placed a hand over his chest, the place, where the dagger had hit him.

“I... I was dead... I mean... for real...”

Angel could only nod.

“Am I... am I a fucking angel?!”

“Yeah. Welcome to the club”, Angel said with a grin.

“Oh, fuck...”

Husk took a moment to look at himself again and at the city. They were so high up... He had never thought he would be able to fly so high... maybe he hadn't been, but he certainly was now.
Above them the gate to heaven shone in etherial light, welcoming them.

“Should we... do I have to go up there? To heaven?”, he asked nervously.

“I don't know”, Angel answered calmly. “Maybe you can choose. Maybe you can stay, if you want to, but... no matter, what you choose, I'll be by your side. You're free now Husk. Your contract is broken and you can go wherever you want.”

“Wow... that's... a bit much all at once. How about... we land somewhere before we fall and... talk.” He smiled at Angel. “Thank you for staying with me, but... I think, we should both decide, where we're gonna be... except not right here. Flying is still fucking exhausting. Let's land, okay?”

That made Angel laugh. Full-heartedly. Joyful.

“Okay, we're going back down for the moment, but one thing first.”

With that he pulled Husk into an embrace and kissed him as they floated above the very heart of hell.
It was sweet and it lasted a small eternity, while they only held each other until Husk chuckled.

“You're a fucking romantic”, he said with love in his voice, his forehead pressed against Angel's.

“Yeah, but I'm your fucking romantic.” He caressed Husk's face, his eyes never leaving him. “I love you, Husk.”

The smile on his face grew even softer.

“And I love you, Angel”, Husk whispered. “...Now, let's get the fuck down, before we fall.”

Chapter Text

Hell had been hell for millennia. Never changing despite all the change on the surface.
Since the beginning Lucifer had been its king. Together with the personifications of the other Seven Deadly Sins, he had reigned all of hell, but watched over the ring of pride especially. That was the place, where human souls went, when they died... and couldn't go to heaven.
Looking after them and seeing their despicable rotten behaviour, unable to change till the end of time... this had been his task and punishment...

So, when he'd slowly disappeared, nobody had asked why, because... who wouldn't?
Who wouldn't try to flee, when they were trapped forever with the worst of humanity?
In his place overlords had started to rise, normal human sinners, who gathered power to rise above the rest. They'd divided the city among themselves and ruled them in Lucifer's absence.

Till now.

The elevator doors opened with a ping and five people gasped as they shoved themselves out.

“I said, we could fly up here, but nooo, you thought it wouldn't make a 'good first impression'”, Lucifer hissed as he tried to straighten his clothes.

“It wouldn't have been that tight if some people would finally learn how to tuck away their wings”, Vaggie answered more than annoyed and shot Husk and Angel a mean look.

“Hey, shorty, don't blame us,”, Angel contered. “We're totally new in that whole wing-business... but he's right, you know? We could have flown up here.”

Vaggie sighed.

“How's Husk new to wing? He had those for ages?”

“Don't drag me into that. Couldn't make my wings vanish before. Believe me, I would've!”

Charlie shoved herself between them, a tight smile on her lips.

“Come on, guys. Don't fight. Good first impression, remember?”

Lucifer put a hand on his daughter's shoulder.

“She's right. In a moment we're going to meet all of hell's overlords and I need you to be the best version of yourselves.” He laughed nervously. “I sure give my best... which is... not much...”

“You're doing great, dad.”

That made Lucifer smile for real.
He took a deep breath and turned towards the door, his walking stick raised.

“And on we go!”

With a grand gesture he flung open the big double door and walked inside, followed my his accompaniment.
At the table sat about a dozen people, some staring at them grimly, others greeting them with a sharp-toothed smile. At the head sat, as always Carmilla Carmine, who had the decency to stand up, as the others entered.

“Welcome, my lord”, she greeted him with a nod, but also doubt in her voice. “Please take a seat and... tell us, why you've wanted us all to come here.”

Lucifer waved at the others smiling brightly, even though that smile became a bit stiff as he looked over to Alastor and the Vees – sitting the farthest away from each other as possible.

“Hello together. Thank you all for coming.”

He took a seat and the others followed with Charlie and Vaggie to his right and Angel and Husk to his left. As soon as they'd settled, Lucifer leaned forward and laid his hand flat on the table.

“What you see before you is your new – in the lack of a better word – government. I take back my duty as King of Hell and those four will help me do my job.”

Immediately a cacophony of voices rose in the room.

“Do thy want to replace us?”

“Are you here to kill us all?”

“Your own daughter as your right hand? I call that nepotism!”

Lucifer let them scream for a moment, before raising his hands, calming them down.

“You got it all wrong. I don't want to abolish the overlords, but recent events have shown, that I have to take responsibility for you and your actions. Most things will stay the same: you will keep your status, influence and territories, but!” He raised a hand to make his point. “You'll answer to me and I'll set some rules. My... assistants and I will review your work and if you ever try again to start a turf war or kill each other behind the scenes, you'll suffer the consequences!”

Next to him Angel stared Valentino straight in the eyes and grinned menacing as the other looked back at him. Oh, he knew, who would watch over Val's work and it would be fun!

Under the table Charlie nudged her father a bit till he noticed her.

“Ah, yes. And every sinner in your territory, who wants to move to the Hazbin Hotel for rehabilitation and ascending to heaven is explicitly allowed to do so. I don't want you to stop them or there will be...ah? Ah? You can guess? Right! Consequences!”

“My lord?”, Carmilla raised her hand. “May I ask... what 'consequences' you're talking about?”

For just a second Lucifer's eyes turned red as he grinned at her. With a disturbingly low voice he said:

“Guess.” The he looked completely normal and calm again, his smile back in place. “You'll find out, when the first one breaks these very nice little rules, but believe me: you don't want to be the one, who does.”

With that he stood up and stretched.

“That was fun, thank you all. Now I have to go. We're all invited to an 'Egg Birthday' and I really want to find out, what that means.”

He spread out his wings, the sheer force of it sending every small thing in the room flying.

“See you later!”, he called cheerfully and smashed through the window.

With a sigh the others stood up as well. Charlie excused herself profusely till Vaggie picked her up and followed Angel and Husk out of the broken window, leaving some flabbergasted overlords behind.

It was indeed an 'Egg Birthday', because Sir Pentious had declared, that he wanted to celebrate the life of his oldest Egg Boi: Frank.
Surrounded by over a dozen new Egg Bois he sat at a table, a party hat on his head and a big birthday cake with a five on it before him.

“Wow. Didn't know, you had him that long”, Angel wondered, nipping on a glass of Champaign.

“Oh, I don't think, I do”, Pentious admitted with a sheepish grin. “Normally they break zo often, that I've lozt track about who iz new and who is older. I used to put numberz on them, but after a while I forgot, zo...”

“Then how do ya know how old the little one is?”, Husk asked.

“Uhm... I don't?”

Cherri leaned over to him and put an arm around Pentious' shoulder.

“The lil' guys can only count to three”, she told them.

“Becauze of the weapon countdown”, Pentious added.

“Yeah, so it doesn't really matter. It's his birthday. The number on the cake... it's just a number.”

“Huh... so it's just an excuse to celebrate?”, Angel asked curiously.

“Damn right!”, Cherri said and raised her glass toast at him.

“Fine by me”, Husk said and took a sip from his own glass.

Around them was an absolute cheerful chaos.
Pentious had put up a bouncy castle, there was a kiddy pool and countless party games. The new residents of the hotel were attending the party as well, some going apeshit crazy, others standing shyly in a corner. Niffty was running from game to game and at that very moment she was stalking the birthday clown, a big smile on her face and an even bigger knife in her hand.
Charlie and Vaggie were dancing and at the bar – as far away from each other as possible – sat Lucifer... and Alastor, glaring at each other, but otherwise behaving.

From their table Angel watched the whole scenario with mild interest.

“Hey... have you thought about the whole wing-cutting thing?”, he asked absent-mindedly.

“Wow... way to go to crash the good mood, Angel”, Cherri muttered, a sour look on her face.

To cut their wings and throw away their halos. It had been an uncomfortable topic between Pentious, Husk and Angel.
For all they knew, it would probably hurt a lot and they weren't sure if their wings would grow back since they weren't born as angels like Lucifer and Vaggie, therefore not being 'beings of love' like the king had called them.

Especially Pentious was unsure about the whole thing, since he didn't have separate wings like the others but his neck collar functioned as wings.
Husk didn't seem that enthusiastically either. No matter how often he had moaned about flying being exhausting and how caring for his wings was so much work – because Angel made him take care of them – he shuddered at the thought of cutting them off.

“Yeah, thought so”, Angel said as silence greeted him.

“How about you guys make a trip back upstairs and ask if those winged fuckers have found another solution”, Cherri suggested and gave Pentious a reassuring kiss on the cheek. “This way you can say 'hello' to the ones, who made it there. That Speedy-guy still owes my twenty bucks, tell him that.”

“Might be our best plan”, Angel mused.

“Of course it is”, Cherri said with a grin.

For a moment they steered the conversation back to lighter topics till Husk asked Angel for a dance. The spider accepted with a bright smile on his face.

The song was a rather slow one and it took Angel a second to notice that it was the instrumental version of the song, he had sung in heaven. With a grin he leaned his forehead against Husk's and sang quietly along.

“Kiss me, hold me, that feeling is holy
Nobody's loved me like you
Ah, life moves too fast to get stuck in the past
But I do, I doooo...”

Husk spun him around, let him fall back in his arms while he sang and finally pulled him back against him.

“I could dance an eternity with you”, he said softly as the song ended and a new one began.

“So could I... but I can also think of... something else...”, Angel whispered into Husk's ear, making the other shiver. “How about... we steal ourselves away? Nobody will notice.”

Husk could only swallow and nod as Angel took his hand and lead him towards the stairs.

Up they went, past Husk's room and past Angel's room, higher and higher till they reached the roof of the hotel. With an enthusiastic push Angel opened the door and stepped outside.

“To be honest... this isn't, what I had expected, but I can work with that”, Husk said looking around a tiny bit lost.

Angel laughed and pulled him closer.

“Watch the moon with me, will you?”

Husk smiled back.

“Whatever you want, honey.”

Together they sat on the edge of the roof and looked over the quiet city, only a few screams and shots disturbing its serenity. After a while a golden dot ascended from somewhere in the city, flowing up towards the heavenly gate.

“Oh, look! Another one!”, Angel said excitedly.

“Hm. I wonder, if that Sera has already lost her mind over the people showing up on her doorstep.”

Since it had made the round, that redemption was really possible every now and then a sinner worked hard on themselves and made it as well. There weren't many, but enough, that they were pretty sure, that heaven was slowly becoming a very interesting place.
Charlie had tripled her efforts to help sinners to rise and for the first time in the history of the hotel... they actually wanted to. A few came back like Pentious, Husk and Angel, but most of them stayed in heaven. Good for them.

Angel leaned against Husk's shoulder and took his hand.

“You know...”, he began slowly. “If you've told me about all this a few months ago... with me going to heaven... coming back and all... I would have laughed at you.”

“But you did all that.”

“Yeah, sure did. But the best thing of all... is that I've found you. Fuck heaven. Fuck hell. I don't care where we are, as long as we're together.”

Husk turned to him and put a hand on Angel's cheek, gently made him look up.

“So do I. You're the best thing, that ever happened to me and I never want to lose you... again.”

Wrapping his arms around Husk's shoulder Angel leaned in for a soft, short kiss, making Husk grumble as he pulled away again.

“I never want to let go of you, Husk”, he whispered. “I love you.”

“I love you, Angel... for all eternity.”

“Sounds nice”, Angel giggled and kissed him again.

“It does. With you. Always and only with you.”