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“I’m bored, Kitty, play with me,” Husk heard Angel whine from somewhere behind his back.
Husk rolled his eyes, feigning nonchalance, though his insides twitched at the playful tone. It was kind of pathetic how he’d never really gotten used to Angel’s teasing.
“Are you done?”
Husk had given him the task of preparing a Sex on the beach for one of their newest residents. It was pretty late, though, and the sinner was nowhere to be seen—probably stolen away to sing along to Charlie and Vaggi’s latest song.
“Yes, boss,” Angel said, a hint of mischief in his voice. Husk felt him approach from behind.
They were alone at the bar, the only sounds around them the tinkling of the cutlery Husk was washing in the sink, and the low hum of jazz music coming out of Alastor’s radios around the hotel.
Suddenly, two pairs of silky arms wrapped around Husk’s middle from behind. He startled a bit at first, not yet used to these sudden, casual touches, but melted into the warmth nonetheless. Angel rested his chin on top of his fluffy head, and Husk took it as a sign to stop whatever he was doing, resting his paws on top of Angel’s lower arms around his waist.
He side-eyed Angel’s attempt at a cocktail and snorted faintly. “You might want to ask Vaggi to find you some other task, maybe bartending isn’t really for you,” Husk said playfully, nudging his shoulder to get a reaction from Angel.
Surprisingly, no rebuttal came, only a half-hearted hum.
Husk furrowed his brow and turned around inside Angel’s embrace, facing him fully for the first time. His eyes looked far-away and glassy.
Husk turned them around, tentatively resting his paws on Angel’s hips to hoist him and settle him on top of the stool. Angel allowed him and made himself comfortable, opening his legs to welcome Husk between them.
Husk had known Angel for a while now, he was probably the one who knew him best, besides Cherri. There were many times, though, like right now, when Husk struggled to really understand what was going on inside his head.
“Can I?” Husk asked, tilting his head to rest it on Angel’s chest fluff, his long eyelashes half-lidded.
“Of course, Kitten, you don't have to ask,” Angel said cheekily.
At Angel’s permission, Husk let himself melt against his warm, soft fur, purring involuntarily— building himself a home inside his addicting warmth, just like Angel had found his way inside Husk’s once vacant, hollow heart.
“Just making sure,” Husk added for good measure, finally hiding his face in Angel’s chest, his arms enveloping him around the hips.
As much as Angel insisted there was no need to grant any permission, Husk needed him to understand that consent was important. That he’d gained his autonomy back, now. That he was able to choose what he wanted, and what he didn’t.
After they’d gotten Angel back from Valentino, months after the war, Husk had been trying to get these fucked up, toxic ideas out of his head. Angel still struggled with his self-worth, of course, you can’t just vanish decades of abuse from someone’s brain. And Husk, surprisingly, found himself more than happy to just…try. To remind Angel that he was more than enough. To make him understand that he was the kindest, smartest soul he’d ever known in his life and afterlife.
Slender fingers caressed the tips of Husk’s ears absentmindedly, and Husk knowingly gave Angel time to collect whatever thoughts were swimming inside his head. He always ended up caving in, when faced with Husk’s silence.
One of Angel’s hands stopped its ministrations and started playing with the straw in his cocktail. “Are you… giving up on me already?” came Angel’s doubt—always there, persistent, carved in blood and set in stone in the depths of his all-too-fake bravado.
Husk hummed against him, letting out a faint chuckle. He could never, even if he tried.
“Never, Legs,” Husk said truthfully, leaning back and kissing him where he could reach, the soft fur of Angel’s jaw tickling his lips.
Angel shivered at the touch, but welcomed it with a sigh, bringing Husk closer.
“I might really… I might not be good at anything, Husk. Now that I don’t suck cock for a living, I—I’m no use. What if there’s really nothing else I can do?”
Something wet landed on top of Husk’s snout.
Husk had faced many terrors throughout his life. He barely even remembered the ones he encountered in his past life, but he could count a fair share of terrifying foes and horrible, deathly situations during his time in Hell. But none of them came close to the gut-wrenching feeling that came with watching Angel cry.
Flashbacks from that dreadful night flashed behind Husk’s eyelids. Do me a favor and forget you ever knew me.
“Baby,” Husk said without much thought, possessed by the need to reassure, to protect, to make sure that Angel knew he cared. “Please don’t say that,” he pleaded as he lifted his paw to caress the wet fur on Angel’s cheek.
It felt weird, to be this soft. To be so openly caring, vulnerable, pliant. To go from gambling your whole life away, heartless and hollow—to suddenly realizing you had always had a heart, it had just been in someone else’s hands all along.
Angel had found Husk’s heart, and Husk wanted him to keep it for the rest of their afterlife.
“You’re so good, Angel,” Husk continued. He’d never been good with words, but for Angel, he’d try. There were lots of things he was willing to try, for him.
“You’ve always been the best in my eyes. You’re the best at taking care of my drunk, sorry ass. You’re the funniest sinner in this fucking place. You take care of your friends like no one else.”
Angel flinched at that, a soft hiccup escaping his mouth.
“Come on,” Husk brought his other paw up to hold both his cheeks, and rested their foreheads together. “Give yourself a break, nobody learns how to make the best cocktails in just a week,” he smiled, nudging his snout on Angel’s cheek.
“But you… You said I should ask Vaggi t—”
“I was kidding, Legs,” Husk said, one of his paws traveling down to caress Angel’s side reassuringly. “I want you here. I don’t want you anywhere else but here with me.”
Angel looked at him with his big, wet eyes—his faded make-up and the low light coming from the hallway turning him into an unbelievably beautiful mess. Husk’s heart tugged at the sight.
“I need you, you know that,” Husk concluded, trying to convey every new feeling Angel had made him discover into his words, into his touch.
“You do?” Angel tilted his head cutely, leaning into Husk’s paw and lifting one of his hands to rest it on top of it.
“Yeah,” Husk said breathlessly, his brain about to disconnect from his mouth. It was like tunnel vision—the only thing he could see was Angel’s hypnotizing fuchsia, the dazzling spark of gold in his fang momentarily blinding him, leaving him speechless.
“Okay…” Angel smiled, seemingly convinced, even if temporarily.
It had happened before, ever since they’d brought him back. These sudden moments of insecurity, of self-deprecation. It was normal, recovery wasn’t linear, Husk would know.
But somehow, someone as beautiful, bright and as perfectly imperfect as Angel had chosen Husk to be the one to catch him when he fell, to be the one to gather his broken pieces and help him put them back together.
Somehow, they’d found each other in this horrible place, and life sort of had meaning again. Kind of ironic, to find your will to live during your afterlife, huh.
Angel sniffed softly, one of his arms coming to rest behind Husk’s neck. Caressing the soft fur there, he brought his face closer, their breaths almost mixing. “Can I?” he asked.
Husk smiled tenderly, eyes closing in anticipation. “Of course, baby, you don’t have to ask.”