Work Text:
Husk was not one to fall “head over heels.”
If you asked anybody staying at the Hazbin Hotel, they’d mindlessly depict his character as the ‘grumpy old soul’ who also happens to be the hotel’s only bartender. A regularly drunk bartender, to be precise. One that chugs booze as if it’s the only thing he’ll ever need in his afterlife.
But that’s the Husk that everybody else knows. Ever since that night when he saved Angel from that shark gang, Husk knew exactly what he desired the most — and it certainly wasn’t his favorite cheap booze or winning all the poker games in the world.
Several months ago — the night that the two kindled an unlikely attachment — Husk learned of Angel Dust’s true identity. Anthony. Anthony. Anthony. The damn name infected his brain like a curse. Since that night, it almost became a daily ritual for the two to discuss their long days together by the bar, whilst the other hotel guests were sound asleep. Over time (rather quickly), Husk became a safe person that Anthony could confide in. By now, it would be rare to catch Angel trying to pull his old frequent flirtatious facades on Husk.
Even on one of those nights, filled with deep discussions and nothing but time itself, Anthony had said with a genuine smile: ’Sitting here with you, Husky, has to be the best part of my day. Nearly every day. I… I never knew peace could feel like this.’ It took an act of God for Husk not kiss Anthony’s perfect little face right then and there, but he somehow remained calm and composed behind the bar. Though, these precious moments of Anthony saying sweet things like this around Husk have been tattooed onto his mind already.
And the same could be said for Anthony, himself.
“Ughh,” A present Angel Dust groans, now with a freed hand over his eye as he heaved the heavy hotel doors open with his other arms. The slender spider-like demon is shivering — presumably from the frigid night air, Husk had thought, but the theories in his mind dissolves as he spots exposed violet bruises, scattered all over the spider’s face.
Husk is standing beneath the glow of the bar sign, eyeing down the spider in the abandoned parlor. Given that Angel arrived home later tonight (past their usual meet-up time), it’s obvious that Angel had one of those nights.
And God, Husk is fucking fed up with Valentino. If he was still an Overlord, he’d have that bastard slaughtered within a snap of his fingers.
“The fuck did that asshole do to you this time?!” Husk roars, his wings extending and feathers ruffled with fury.
Angel scrambles his several arms around, doing his best to cover up his bruising and cuts and gashes. There was too much of everything everywhere all at once, Husk had no idea if he felt like crying over Anthony or beating the shit out of Valentino. Both.
“H-Husky, just let me take care of it, okay?” Angel sounds incredibly hoarse, but he still attempts to sound like his usual upbeat persona voice. It sends daggers right through Husk’s heart to see him like this.
The two may have grown closer within these past several months, confided in one another during those dreadful and sleepless nights, but Anthony never just gave up his Angel persona entirely. He still believed that the serious effects of Valentino — like this — shouldn’t have to be burdened onto anyone else but himself. Sure, Anthony would have the occasional deep vents about Valentino with Husk, but he hated people seeing him like this, all bloody and bruised. And Husk is not an exception.
Despite his aching injuries, Angel somehow manages to rush to his room before Husk can stop him.
Instead of treating his open wounds, Angel submits to defeat and slides down into the corner of his room. A concerned Fat Nuggets waddles over, and Angel scoops him up into his arms soothingly. Angel even hated that his own little pig had to witness this side of him.
Reaching for his back pocket, Angel pulls out a crumpled-up polaroid picture, so raggedy that it looked like it was salvaged from a fire. It was a picture of Angel and Husk, sitting by the bar and smiling on one of their nights together.
Angel cracks a smile as he murmurs to his pig, “It’s all gonna be okay, Nuggets. I just need to sit down for a—”
Knock, knock. Knock. Knock.
Even if Angel was unaware of Husk being awake right now, he knew it was him immediately. Angel had memorized the way he’d knock. He wouldn’t let others enter whenever he didn’t feel right — he’d only let Husk enter. But what about now?
“I, uh,” Angel stammers as he tries to yell through the door, “I’m changing, Husky!”
Husk groans in frustration. “Ugh, you’re just wasting my time. I know what I saw, Anthony.”
The casual use of “Anthony” sliding from Husk’s mouth always sends a throb through Angel’s heart, despite the fact that Husk has only referred to Angel by his true name when they’re alone. Like it’s their own little secret.
The silence is loud, but Husk breaks it with a sigh. “Listen, I understand if you don’t want to talk about it, but I…” He trails off, feeling stupid if he crossed Anthony’s boundaries. But Husk wanted to let him know that he cared deeply for him — maybe more than he should. “I really care about you, Anthony. I don’t want you to be hurt, but if you’re gonna be hurt, at least don’t hurt all alone. I’m here for you.” Without an immediate answer, Husk’s chest heaves and almost begins to walk away. “Just know that.”
It takes several seconds, but the door opens.
The spider towers over the smaller cat in the doorway, though he’s trying not to cry over the cat’s sweet gesture and words. Angel welcomes Husk in as he sits down onto his bed, the room’s magenta neon lights casting onto the two.
“Uh, I brought some…. stuff with me. You know, for you.” Husk sits next to Angel, clutching an ice pack that he grabbed from downstairs and presses it gingerly against the pale spider’s eye. With the other hand, he reaches into his overall’s pockets and takes out bandages, gauze wraps, and other medical supplies he also snatched quickly before rushing upstairs.
Angel is overwhelmed with so many emotions. Valentino nearly tore off his leg today during his breakdown in the studio. But here Angel is, just an hour later. Sitting next to somebody he always yearned for. It wasn’t a lustful, short-lived fire — it felt like an eternal flame that had ignited his dead soul. Falling head over heels for somebody in which Angel doesn’t know whether or not returns his feelings.
Hell, Angel used to flirt with Husk so much because he wanted to — and to keep up with his facades as well, but that’s a different story. And Husk’s response to the flirting was to push Angel away. It made Angel fully believe that his feelings were one-sided, but he still loved and cherished his time with Husk all those nights together.
And here Husk is now, refusing to leave Angel alone to hurt in his room.
As Angel stares back into Husk’s dark and calming eyes, everything seems okay again.
Husk is also falling apart on the inside, as he gently holds the ice pack against Angel’s eye. The eye contact that Angel held with Husk was so loving, as if they were reincarnated soulmates and fell in love all over again. It made their hearts throb and ache, as Angel extended a gloved hand and held it over Husk’s with the ice pack.
Before he spoke, Angel could’ve sworn he saw glistening tears being held back from Husk. The cat sighed, “I can’t stand him. That bastard. He did this to you, didn’t he?”
Angel slowly nodded hesitantly, twitching his neck at only the mention of Valentino.
“I hate seeing you like this,” Husk finally sheds a tear in defeat. There’s nothing he can do about it. Perhaps if he was still a powerful Overlord like he once was, he might have a chance against that fucker. But now, Alastor owns Husk’s soul, just how Valentino owns Angel’s. And there is absolutely nothing he could ever do about it himself.
“I hate it, Anthony. So please, if there is anything I can do to help prevent this from happening again, you call me. Clear?”
Anthony bawls, his tears spilling over his wounds. Without thinking, he wraps all of his arms around Husk and cradles him. Choking through tears, Anthony croaks out, “Thank you, Husky.”
When he collects himself again, Anthony sighs. He couldn’t believe Husk could actually care this deeply about someone like him. He knew Husk had a loving soul, listened and cared well, but to care for him?
It was unreal. Unheard of.
“Nobody has ever cared for me like you do, Husk. Fuck, you know, I can’t even remember a time before I died when someone treated me better than you do.”
“Well, people should care more than I do,” Husk wraps gauze around a wound on Anthony’s thigh. “You deserve so much better, you know that, right? And… even if it’s just the afterlife, I want to be somebody to you, Anthony. Freely. No chains attached.”
Anthony’s lips curl into a wide smile across his cheeks, tearing up even more. He just got his answer.
“I love you so much, Husky.”
Husk chuckles. “I love you too, Anthony.”
Anthony wraps his arms around Husk to pull him into a soft kiss, one that felt like it lasted forever (though, they wished it did). It was all they’ve ever wanted, in secret. All those months spent together, dreaming for this to happen. Finally breaking the kiss, they put their foreheads against one another’s. Smiling so much, it hurts.
After a pause, Anthony pulls back and pathetically chuckles. “You know, the whole reason Val went batshit crazy was because of this.” Anthony pulls out that raggedy polaroid picture of him and Husk, a big pink heart doodled over the two. “I never get rid of this thing. Seeing it helps me look forward to getting out of work… and coming home to you, too, honestly.”
“Anthony!” Husk shoves him, feeling guilty for partially being the reason why Anthony ended up so injured. “I— I don’t know what to say—”
“Chillax, Husky, I’m over it. Guy’s an asshole. Always has been. I’m used to it, I’ll live. And it wasn’t your fault either, stop kicking yourself over that shit.”
“I know, but,” Husk sighs, still angered at how Valentino gets away with this kind of shit. It was eating Husk alive. He wanted nothing more than to tell Anthony to stop showing up to work for his safety and they’d figure out some way around it somehow, despite his persona being one of Hell’s most famous celebrities. Whatever.
Anthony was only Husk’s, and he wished he could make that clear to Valentino.
“Hey,” Anthony puts a couple hands on Husk’s shoulders to soothe him. “All of this,” He gestures to his wounds, “It doesn’t matter anymore. It was worth it, after all, because all that matters is now I have you with me.”
Anthony cups a hand around Husk’s cheek, gazing at him with utter devotion. Husk does the same, and the pair takes a few seconds of admiration before totally melting into one another’s arms. Kissing passionately like they needed air desperately. Finally feeling free and wanted by someone. Free from their chains. Free to be with each other. Finally. They don’t belong to anybody but each other.
Perhaps the two could be ones to fall “head over heels,” after all.