Chapter Text
It was the world's worst-kept secret just how infatuated Husk was with Angel Dust. The way he leaned against the bar when Angel was halfway across the room, the way his pupils blew themselves wide when he was in view, the dreamy tone he got in his voice whenever his partner came up? It was obvious to anyone with half a mind.
And Alastor certainly had more than half a mind.
The day had been like any other. Charlie was back at her whiteboard, drawing up talking points for her publicity meeting with Katie Killjoy. The last one had gone poorly, to say the least, she wanted to be better prepared this time. Vaggie sat back on one of the pleather couches, occasionally telling her ideas that came to mind and more frequently telling her that she was generally doing a good job.
Niffty scurried across the floor of the entrance, dusting anything with even a modicum of dust or grime. Cherri watched from a seat at the bar, getting pictures of the hyperactive maid when she wasn't looking. Whenever the shutter went off, Niffty would freeze and space off before coming back to her senses and resuming her cleaning. Angel was upstairs, taking a hot shower while he still had the time.
That only left Husk and Alastor, seated outside. Well, to be more accurate, Husk was seated on the front step of the hotel. Alastor paced idly in front of him, passing his cane between his hands, his usual smile plastered on his face. "So, Husker, my good man. I feel there's something we need to discuss."
"I don't, but whatever." Husk shrugged, cocking his head to one side. His neck felt stiff.
Alastor laughed, finally staying put and looking Husk in his eyes. His smile, normally so natural and clean, seemed forced and uncomfortable. "I couldn't help but notice that you and Angel Dust have grown quite... close in these past months. Am I wrong?"
Husk shook his head. Alastor nodded. "And your relationship is... explicitly romantic. Yes?"
A warmth came to Husk's face, but he nodded. He wasn't ashamed of his relationship with Angel, far from it. The two had gotten quite comfortable with each other and with public displays of affection. Sometimes it was larger stuff, often initiated by the spider; passionate kisses, playful groping, and inappropriate comments that had earned them a long lecture from Charlie about mutual respect. But most of the time it was smaller things. Husk liked being close to Angel, liked holding his hands, liked letting Angel lean his head on his shoulder, liked calling him pretty, liked when Angel would pet behind his ears. He liked showing all of Hell that, despite his reputation and career, Angel Dust was his and the rest of the world could suck it.
"Is this about my contract?" He asked, cocking a brow.
"No, of course not!" Alastor laughed again like he had said something stupid, "What a ridiculous assertion! I guarantee it says nowhere in your contract that you can't have romantic or sexual relationships with anyone of your choosing. What kind of man do you take me for?"
"Do you really want me to answer that?"
"As a matter of fact, I don't." He smiled just the slightest bit wider. "We have more important matters to attend to. You see... I'm not sure what the culture surrounding your types of relationships was like in your day, but in mine... It was considered rather improper to string a man along like you've been without a formal proposal of marriage."
Husk sputtered, his ears pinning back. "I'm sorry, what?!"
"No apology necessary! I'm curious if you plan on proposing to our dear Angel Dust.
"I mean..." He fumbled with his words, trying to find the right ones. "Maybe? Someday? Does that even happen down here?"
"Of course it does! I'm rather familiar with a handful of hellborns who have been engaged, married, and divorced. It's not a foreign concept."
All of a sudden, Husk felt stupid for asking. Did he want to marry Angel? He certainly wouldn't mind being married, especially to Angel. And the concept of seeing Angel in beautiful wedding attire (he wasn't sure if Angel would wear a dress or a white suit, but he was fine with it either way) made his heart leap in his chest. Why not? He and Angel loved each other, there was no reason not to. He had certainly seen quicker couples, and he had certainly seen worse pairings. The two were good for each other, he thought. Why not?
And it certainly didn't hurt that Alastor was not-so-subtly pressuring him into an answer. Even if he didn't want to marry Angel or was hesitant, it didn't matter so long as Alastor wanted it. As much as he hated to admit it, Alastor essentially had him on puppet strings, and he would dance so long as Alastor wanted him to.
So that only left one question.
"Know where a guy can get a ring?"
The day had come and gone. Alastor had managed to get a ring (somehow, Husk didn't want to question his methods), and it seemed like it would fit Angel just fine. It was double banded, rose gold with an ovular pink cubic zirconia in the center. He'd tried to give it to Angel a couple of times, but he'd chickened out of it each time. He knew Angel wouldn't hate him or anything, but he still was afraid that Angel would laugh...
He was standing behind the bar, turning the ring over in his paw. He had to do this right but how?
Something small and warm nuzzled against his leg. It was Fat Nuggets, the only creature Angel loved more than Husk himself. He chuckled, reaching down to pet the piglet on the head. "Hey, buddy."
A lightbulb went off in his mind. He crouched down, pulling a piece of spare ribbon from a nearby shelf, and fashioning it into a bow, tied around Fat Nuggets' neck. Then he carefully tied the ring to the ribbon with a smile, taking a deep breath. "Mind bringin' that back to him?"
The pig snorted and trotted away from the bar. Angel was sprawled over the couch with the others, genuinely engaged in a board game night. He was laughing, sipping a pink lemonade mimosa that Husk had made. He'd made it nearly an hour ago, and Angel had been idly nursing it for that time. That was where Fat Nuggets ran to. All according to plan, he was a smart boy.
The pig sniffed at Angel's sweet drink with an excited snort before his owner scooped him up. Angel giggled, pressing his forehead to his pet's with a big smile. "Not for Nuggsy."
He smirked at the ribbon tied around his precious pig, giggling again as he tried to undo it with mostly occupied hands. "What did you get yourself tangled in, baby?"
Charlie, Vaggie, and Cherri had all already caught the glint of the ring and were waiting for Angel to notice. Husk had snuck up on him and was leaning against the back of the couch with a lazy smirk. The ribbon came undone fairly easily, and the ring fell to the floor when the knot was freed. Angel cocked an eyebrow, still smiling, and bent down to pick up whatever had fallen. When he finally got a look at what had been tied to his precious baby, his eyes began to tear up.
"I... Husk?" He turned over his shoulder, meeting Husk's eyes. "I-Is this yours?"
Husk nodded, extending a hand for Angel to hold. He did, gripping it like it was his vice. "The two of us have been... going good for a while now. I thought this seemed like the next step. If you want to, of course."
Angel nodded, beginning to openly cry. He brought Husk into a kiss, loving but still chaste. "Of course! I love you so much~!"
Husk rolled his eyes, still smiling. "I love you too, legs."
Charlie lept from her seat, clapping excitedly. "Let's get a picture for the big moment!"
Angel fumbled with the pockets on his skirt, pulling his phone from one of them and handing it to Charlie. She excitedly took it and snapped the picture of the two of them. In the last picture of three, the two embraced in a quick but passionate kiss. When they broke away, they could only look at each other in sheer adoration. Angel silently mouthed a quick "love you". Husk pulled him into a second kiss, and then a third.
This was the rest of his afterlife... and he didn't mind it a bit.