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Illnesses spread like wildfire in the Hazbin Hotel. Which is rather frustrating, because it's supposed to be a welcoming place, but they have to quarantine every time soneone gets sick and... let's just say it's not a happy day in Hell for the staff and guests of the hotel.
There had been a nasty cold spreading through the hotel for the last week. It started with Charlie, who was determined to keep working despite the fact that she was clearly unwell, resulting in Vaggie having to carry her to bed, before declaring that the whole hotel should be put in quarantine until they are sure this virus was completely gone. They didn't want to risk having new residents join and then also getting it, that would make the hotel look bad. At some point, Vaggie got it from Charlie, and quarantined herself in her bedroom for two days, the only demons being allowed in there being Charlie (because she had already had it, and insisted on looking after her girlfriend), and Niffty (who could not bear the thought of leaving one room unclean in the entire hotel). But of course, this led to Niffty catching it as well, and she began hallucinating bugs around the hotel. Eventually, everyone decided to lock Niffty away in her room for a while so she was less likely to hurt anyone, after she'd hallucinated that Angel Dust was a bug and she tried to stab him. Speaking of Angel Dust, he would be the next to fall victim to this awful virus.
Angel woke up late one Wednesday morning (actually more like midday by the time he'd forced himself out of bed), in a cold sweat, with a pounding headache and a slight pain in his chest. He rolled over and looked at the time on his phone. It was 11 am. His phone started to vibrate. Ever since the hotel went into quarantine, since Angel was not allowed to leave the hotel, Valentino had been sending him angry text messages telling him to "come into the studio or else I'll make you pay". Angel picked up his phone and saw that he'd received a few just this morning. He sighed, turning his phone off and rolling over again to look away from his phone. But the notifications still kept coming. Angel chose to ignore them, and spent another hour in bed. Within that hour, he developed quite an impressive cough, and a bit of the shakes too.
At about 12, he forced himself out of bed, dragging his body, which was progressively getting weaker, down the stairs and out to meet with everyone. Charlie, Vaggie and Sir Pentious were sitting on the sofa. Angel decided to join them, sitting down on the edge of the sofa. They all turned to look at him. Charlie immediately noticed he wasn't his usual spunky self. "Hey, Angel. Are you ok? You look kinda... um... uh..." she asked, unsure how to finish her statement. Vaggie finished it for her. "-Like you fell in a hole and got the wind knocked out of you by a tree." she stated. "Mm, fuck off." Angel mumbled, stifling a cough. "Angel... you really don't look well..." Charlie said slowly, her worry showing in her face. "I'm fine." Angel replied, before getting up to talk to his favourite cat demon bartender.
"Jesus, Legs, you look like you got hit by a bus or somethin'." Husk remarked as Angel walked up to him. "Make me a drink. Something strong." Angel said, ignoring Husk's comment. Husk looked at him like he was crazy. "No." he said. "Awwwww, Husky, why?" Angel asked, giving him his best puppy dog eyes (which weren't convincing because his eyes were bloodshot). "You look like shit." Husk replied bluntly. Angel stared at him, before looking away, embarrassed. "I... I know... I feel like shit too." he sighed, before coughing. "Angel... are you sick?" Husk asked. "N.... n... no. I'm..." Angel coughed again, this time more aggressively, "Ugh, fine. Yeah, I am.".
"You should go back to bed." Husk said, a slight look of concern crossing his face. "Nah, can't do that. Got too many things to do." Angel replied. "You can't do anything when you're sick like this! And besides, we ain't allowed to leave the hotel, remember?" Husk interjected. Angel sighed. "I know. But I can't just be layin' on my ass all day." he said. "Of fucking course you can! Look at you! You're practically coughing up a lung, and you look half-dead, you ain't doin' shit today. Not on my watch." Husk replied firmly, taking Angel by the shoulders. Angel was about to protest, but before he could, he was hit with an intense coughing fit. He leaned heavily against the counter of the bar as his body shook from the fit. Husk stepped around to the other side of the bar, going up to Angel from behind and rubbing his back while he coughed. Once he was done, Angel slumped back in his chair, flopping his (slightly spinning) head onto the counter. "Jesus..." he mumbled hoarsely. Husk sat next to him, still rubbing his back. "I think we need to get you back to bed, Legs." he said earnestly. "I'll be fine, Husky." Angel replied, although when he tried to get up from his seat, he was overcome with dizziness and collapsed onto the floor. Husk knelt down next to him. Angel was clutching his head. "Fuuuuck..." he whined. Husk grabbed him by the shoulders. "You dizzy?" he asked. Angel mumbled something that wasn't quite audible, before he grabbed onto Husk for dear life. "I'm gonna die!" he mumbled. Husk held him tightly, and placed a paw on his forehead. "Damn... you're fuckin' burning." he remarked, "C'mon, let me carry you back to your room.". And he lifted the weak spider and carried him bridal style to his bedroom.
Angel was simultaneously sweating like he was in a furnace and trembling like a leaf in Husk's arms as he carried him up the stairs. He felt awful, and he was pretty damn sure he looked awful too. "Mmmm... Husky?" he mumbled, as they were slowly but surely making their way up the stairs. Husk didn't look at Angel as he gave a soft grunt in reply. "Can ya... um... gimme a hug? When we get back to my room?" Angel asked, his tired eyes gazing up at the deep concentration etched onto Husk's face. "Yeah, whatever. Now let me focus before we both fall down these fuckin' stairs." Husk replied, not breaking his stride. Angel began to cough aggressively again. Husk sighed, and kept going. Eventually, they got to Angel's room. Husk laid Angel gently down on the bed, before beginning to head out of the room. "Ahem... Husky, you promised me a hug..." Angel stopped him. Husk sighed. "Gimme a minute to get you some meds, then I'll come back and give you some cuddles." he said, before leaving the room. Angel was honestly excited at the prospect of drugs, until he remembered that they weren't that kind of drugs. He rolled over in his bed. His little pig Fat Nuggets was sitting in the corner of the room, looking at him with big shiny eyes. "Heya, Nuggs. Mama's not doin' great right now. I could really fuckin' use a hug." Angel sighed. Fat Nuggets somehow seemed to know exactly what Angel was saying, and trotted over to him and jumped up onto the bed to give Angel a cuddle. The tiny pig licked Angel's burning forehead, and Angel giggled slightly at the feeling. "You're a good boy, Nuggs, you know that." Angel said softly, picking up the small pig and holding him close to his chest.
Soon, Husk came back, with two tablets and a glass of water. "Hey, Angel. Gotcha the meds you needed." he said. Angel smiled. "Thanks, Husky." he said, sitting up slowly to take the meds, and then laying back down. "Anything else you need?" Husk asked, a certain softness in his tone that isn't used often at all. "You sound so nice when you speak like that, Husky..." Angel said, giving Husk a look that said "that voice makes me wanna fuck you...". "Are you even listenin'? I asked if you need anything." Husk replied, slightly more gruffly this time. "These stupid clothes are real uncomfy... can ya, um, get me my comfort jumper?" Angel asked. "Your what?" Husk replied, clearly confused. "The pink fluffy one." Angel said, then, when Husk continued to look at him like he was insane, he sighed and said, "I'll just get Nuggs to get it. He knows what I'm talking about.", before asking Fat Nuggets to "Go get Mama's favourite pink jumper for me please?". Fat Nuggets leaped off the bed and ran to Angel's wardrobe and pulled out an oversized fluffy pink hoodie, before coming back to give it to Angel. "Thanks, Nuggsy." Angel said, giving the little pig a few head pats, before sitting up and getting changed right in front of Husk. "FUCK! Angel, don't go strippin' in front of me like that!" Husk exclaimed. "I was just gettin' changed, bab-" Angel started, before he was hit with another small coughing fit. Husk sighed. "Take it easy there, Legs." he said. Angel breathed heavily once the fit was over, and slowly put on the thick jumper, before rolling back onto the bed.
"Now... how's about those cuddles you promised me?" he asked, a small grin contrasting with the tiredness in his eyes. "Okay, but you better not cough on me. That's just nasty." Husk replied. "Oh, baby, I promise. I'll be a good boy for you." Angel said, a slight bit of his regular sexual humour coming back despite the hoarseness of his voice. Husk sighed begrudgingly, before slowly sitting down on the bed and pulling Angel close to him. The closeness was... surprisingly comforting for both of them. Angel nuzzled into Husk's embrace. "You give the best hugs, Husky... they're so soft... like a warm blanket..." he said. Husk smiled, a rare occurrence, as he softened up to the touch. He ran a paw through Angel's fur. "You feelin' any better?" he asked. Angel said nothing, he just cuddled Husk even more. "Yes, then?" Husk asked. "Yes, you just huggin' me like this is makin' me feel tons better." Angel replied, before letting out a yawn. "You tired, Legs?" Husk asked. "A little... your touch is so soft, it's almost like it could make me fall asleep..." Angel mumbled, before closing his eyes and slowly drifting off into a sound sleep. Husk did not move as he watched him sleep in his arms, just tucking his wing around them both like a blanket and kissing Angel's forehead. If he was truly honest, he wished he and Angel could have more moments like this... they were so peaceful, calm, and comforting.