Chapter Text
Hell was like hell today.
The weather was not great in the slightest. It was storming out, with acid rain and loud booming thunder and lighting.
The Hazbin Hotel crew were all safe inside the building they called their home; Charlie was planning more team-building exercises while Vaggie just watched with fondness at her girlfriend, Nifty was hunting for more roaches, Lucifer and Alastor were both hidden away in their separate rooms, and Angel was on the couch both watching Charlie with a smirk on his face while scrolling through his Sinstagram.
*DING-DONG*The clock in the main lobby chimed, it was now midnight. “Good Night!” Charlie said to Angel in a very enthusiastic way like always, meanwhile Vaggie just gave him a smile and a nod. Nifty ended her hunting and also said goodnight to Angel, and so Angel Dust was left all alone. Angel decided he needed a drink before he too went off to bed, and so he got up and made his way to his favourite place in the whole hotel. That was when he finally noticed who was missing from this lazy night.
Usually Husk would close up when everyone else left for bed, but it was weird that he was already gone without saying good night to at least Angel. Oh well Angel thought. He’s probably just extra tired and left a little early since Alastor wasn’t there watching him, again Angel thought to himself.
By that point Angel was yawning and so he decided he would pass on a drink tonight.
He made his way up the stairs to his room’s floor and passed other rooms when he heard something. It sounded like whimpering, and it was clearly coming from Husk’s room.
Angel immediately started thinking the worst, was Husk hurting himself again he thought? He had to be smart about this, Husk opened up last time, but he should still be cautious, he wouldn’t want to spook the old cat.
*KNOCK-KNOCK-KNOCK*, “Husk, you ok? Can I come in?” Angel asked, but when he heard muffled crying, he knew something must really be wrong, Husk hardly ever cries, and so with a warning, “Husk I’m comin’ in,” Angel opened the door, huh it wasn’t even locked???
As soon as he looked up Angel saw Husk cowering in the dark corner of his room, farthest from the window. His fur was standing up as high as it could, his feathers fluffed up as well, while his eyes were screwed shut; he was terrified.
“Husk, you ok? It’s me Angel, I’m just here to help.” With that, Husk slowly opened his eyes to look up at Angel. “Angel?” Husk said. “Yeah it’s me Husk” said Angel.
A loud booming sound of thunder and a flash of lightning from the window cut them off, which made Husk shut his eyes tight and curl up into himself more than he already was.
“Ohhhhhhh” Angel said, he’s scared of the storm.
He made his way over to Husk and sat next to him, which made Husk hesitantly look towards Angel. Angel then held out his hand and Husk slowly took hold of it, careful not to accidentally scratch Angel with his claws.
“It’s ok Husk, we all have things we’re scared of” Angel told him. “It’s stupid, I shouldn’t be scared of a fucking storm” Husk said back, “I’m supposed to be stronger than this!”
“Husk, everyone has their own fears, it’s nothing to be ashamed of!”
“You don’t understand Angel!”
“I would if you told me!”
*sigh* “Look, Angel, it’s not that simple. I don’t know what it is, maybe my stupid sensitive cat ears, but I just don’t like the loud sounds.”
“It’s not stupid if it bothers ya Husk, and stop hating on yourself, you’re perfect just the way you are Whiskers! Look I’ll let you in on a little secret, but you can’t tell anybody!”
At this Husk’s ears perked up.
“In my life, I was terrified of spiders.”
“Seriously? But you are a spider.”
“Ironic huh” Angel laughed. “Yeah I was scared shitless of spiders, but uh, my old man, he uh kind of got that out of me, told me if i couldn’t kill a spider than what kind of man would I be? Yeah I know all about fears and how they make you think you’re not worthy of being yourself cause of them.”
“Wow, Angel I had no idea, thanks for telling me.”
“No problem Husk, and when you’re ready, I’ll be here waiting for you to tell me where you think your fear comes from.”
Husk smiled happily at that. He felt so at ease with Angel, that he didn’t notice the storm was still going on. But when a loud noise and a flash of light came from the window, he cowered again.
This time he wasn’t alone though, and so he held Angel’s hand tightly while Angel used his other arms to wrap around Husk’s shaking body.
That was how they spent the night, just the two of them sitting on Husk’s bedroom floor all night. He would be sore in the morning Angel thought, but at least Husk wasn’t alone and he had started to open up again.
It was progress.