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"It's time."
"Can't we put it off another week?"
"No," Angel said, sympathetic but firm. "You're showin enough that if we wait any longer it'll be obvious it ain't just weight gain."
Husk groaned, looking down at his small but noticeable belly. "They're gonna freak out. They're gonna start treating me differently. They're gonna be touchin me, asking a million questions... It's gonna be insufferable."
"I know," Angel sighed. "But if it gets too much, I can always pull out some firepower to make em back off." He was joking, but he expected Husk to chastise him for it. Instead, Husk looked pensive.
"Honestly?" Husk said. "Yeah. Threaten em if they get too overbearing. I'm good with that."
"I was jokin, baby. But if you're good with it, I'll do it," Angel shrugged. "I can guilt trip em too. Say that they're stressin ya out which actively contributes to deteriorating our kid's health."
Husk snorted. "Whatever works."
"Alright, ya ready?" Angel said, taking Husk's hand and squeezing it. "No goin back now."
"Yeah," Husk said. "I mean, no. But I guess it's gotta happen eventually, so. Why not today."
Angel sent a text to all their friends in the hotel, asking them to gather in the lobby for some news. He excluded Alastor; not just because Alastor didn't use a cellphone, but because neither he nor Husk wanted him there anyway.
He and Husk went to wait downstairs for everyone. Charlie, predictably, was the first to arrive, with Vaggie close behind her.
"What's going on? Are you guys okay? Is it good news or bad news? Should I be worried??" Charlie rushed out in one breath.
"It's good news, relax," Angel said, subtly taking Husk's hand again to ground his partner from the inevitable stress of Charlie's energy.
"What, are you getting married or something?" Vaggie said dryly.
"No!" Angel said quickly before Charlie could vibrate out of her seat. "Not, uh, not yet...?" He glanced at Husk uncertainly. It was too soon for that; hell, it was already definitely too soon for a baby. "Anyway, it's not that."
Niffty scurried in next with just as much energy. "What's going on? You said it was urgent! I was busy!"
"Doing what?" Husk raised an eyebrow.
"Cleaning the roaches!"
"Cleaning... the roaches? Niffty, you're supposed to get rid of the roaches," Charlie said.
"I did! Except for my favorites. Those are the ones I'm cleaning."
"Okayy, well, promise you can get back to your roach cleaning soon," Husk said. "Uh, who's left?"
"Just Cherri," Angel said. "But I dunno where she's comin from—"
The wall blew up and they got their answer.
"Jesus, we got a door, Cherri!" Angel said, pulling himself and Husk down to avoid the rubble shooting across where their heads had been.
"Doors are borin!" Cherri replied, swinging herself over the back of an armchair and falling into it. "Besides, that radio freak can fix it just fine. So what's this news that's so important?"
"Wait, what about Alastor?" Charlie said.
"He's not invited!" Angel said. "Eh— I mean, he couldn't make it. It doesn't really concern him anyway."
"We're dying of suspense here," Vaggie said, sounding like she wanted this to be over with. "What's going on?"
Angel took a deep breath. "Okay. Ya have to promise not to freak out. Husk doesn't need any more stress."
"What? What's wrong with Husk?" Charlie asked worriedly.
"I said it's good news, doll. So, uh, no easy way to say this, but..." Angel laced his fingers with Husk's and squeezed his hand. "Uh, me n' Husk are havin a kiddo."
Jaws dropped, but nobody spoke for a very long three seconds.
"Ohhhh, so that's why you asked me to take all the alcohol away!" Niffty finally broke the silence.
Another second of silence, and then Charlie screamed.
"Holy shit! Holy fuck! Oh my fucking holy shitting fucking fuck what?!?!"
"Charlie, breathe," Vaggie reminded.
"You're having," Charlie inhaled sharply, "a fucking," another inhale, "BABY?!"
"Aaaand here come the tears," Angel mumbled, rolling his eyes as Husk put his face in his hands.
"I can't, f-fucking beLIEVE—" Charlie choked, fanning her face. "I'msohappy—"
"Damn, you knocked up the bartendah? Respect," Cherri grinned, leaning over and high fiving Angel.
"I ain't just the fuckin bartender," Husk grumbled, his face still in his hands.
"Sorry, Captain Buzzkill," Cherri rolled her eyes, but gave him a light punch to the shoulder. "Happy for ya."
Niffty had scuttled up right in front of Husk and Angel. "Oooh, I can see it! Can I touch it?"
"No," Husk and Angel said together. "No touching, no questions, now ya know the news, so everybody clear out," Angel said. "We only told ya cause we knew it couldn't be hidden forever, but he's still the same Husk, so I don't wanna see anyone treatin him weird, or touchin him, askin him shit, just don't bother him more than ya normally would, okay?"
"But I have, s-so many quest-tions," Charlie sobbed.
"Your cryin is deteriorating our kid's health by 5% every 10 seconds," Angel shot back with a glare.
Charlie's breath caught in her throat and she quieted immediately with what looked like great effort.
"Everyone scram, I ain't gonna say it again," Angel said, reaching for his guns. Fortunately the crowd reluctantly dispersed before he had to pull them out.
Once everyone was gone, Angel looked over at Husk. "Y'okay?"
"I guess," Husk mumbled, sliding his hands off his face exhaustedly. "Guess it went about as chaotically as I expected."
"I knew Charlie was gonna be the worst one," Angel sighed. "Hopefully Vaggie will help keep her in check. Let's get back up to my room and hide before they can come back."
They made it no further than the foot of the stairs before a voice sounded from behind.
"Husker. I believe congratulations are in order!"
Husk stiffened. "Piss off, Alastor."
"What, were ya eavesdroppin?" Angel said, turning to glare at Alastor.
"Oh, I had no need. I've known for weeks." Alastor's ever present smile widened slightly.
Husk whipped around. "What? How—"
"You've been giving off a very obvious scent. Unable to be ignored, I'm afraid," Alastor said.
"If you—" Husk started.
"Now, now, what could I possibly want with a child?" Alastor said dismissively. "There's nothing you need to worry about. All I said was congratulations, and that's all I meant." He strolled away without another word, leaving Husk standing there trying to work out the riddle that was Alastor's entire demeanor.
"I mean, he has a point. What would he want with a kid?" Angel said.
"He doesn't want the fuckin kid, he wants leverage over me," Husk said. "Anything I do— or anything he wants me to do— he's gonna use this kid to make me do it."
"And like I said before, if he tries anything, I'll be there to throw him down," Angel said, leading Husk up the stairs and towards his room.
"You really think you could take on the most powerful overlord in Hell?"
Angel shrugged. "Eh, one well timed and well aimed gunshot should do him in."
Husk put a hand over his face, his shoulders shaking in silent laughter. "Fuck, Legs. I'd sure like to believe it."
"Ya better. Or I'll be personally offended in your lack of faith in me. Now c'mon, enough of the doom n' gloom," Angel said, steering Husk to bed. "I'll getcha a drink and we can hide out in here for the rest of the day."
"A real drink?"
"No, not a real drink, dumbass. But I'll put it in a liquor bottle so you can pretend it's real. And I'll make it real bitter."
"Thanks," Husk mumbled. Giving up booze had been really fucking hard. "You're gonna get bombarded with questions as soon as you show your face down there, though."
"I know," Angel said, flashing Husk a smile. "I'll take it for ya."