Husk's tail flicked the top of the small snow pile that had formed near the steps, his hands stuck firmly in the pockets of the jacket he was wearing. He looked down at the snow and ice covered sidewalk, rocking back and forth, his dress shoes squeaking slightly. He watched as a car passed down the street, his eyes following the driver before she disappeared. He sighed and sat down, shifting slightly as he sat on the snow. His eyes looked up to the sky, the light roar of a plane's engine overhead catching his attention, his mind going back to when he was a kid growing up in Chicago, the sounds of planes flying low overhead as he and his friends played. The screams of B-52's taking off overhead, the silver hull of the B-58's flying over on their test flights. He smiled slightly before looking back down, his stone expression covering his face once more. The streets weren't that busy but they were busy enough to cause him some discomfort.
'It could be that bad, stop being such a wimp. Who the fuck even goes to Church in hell anyway?' He thought to himself, his shoulders slumping even more. He let out a deep breath and stood up, beginning to pace back and forth, from pillar to pillar, kicking the snow slightly as he walked. 'What was taking him so long?' Husk groaned and leaned against the other pillar, looking towards the doors of the hotel, then back out towards the street, another car passing. The doors opened, drawing Husk to the noise, his eyes opening wide as he looked at Angel. He wore a pair of brown slack pants, a white button up shirt complete with a brown jacket coat, a magenta tie sitting nicely around his neck, under his jacket was a brown vest complete with a gold pocket watch and sitting on his head a dress hat. Husk blinked multiple times then looked down at himself then to Angel, comparing, he looked like a bum.
Angel adjusting the curl to his head, then stopping and looking at Husk, a smile coming to his face, "What? Thought' I only wore' whore clothes?" Husk could help but smirk and chuckle, "To be honest yes." He stood up, "That or dresses." He stepped forward, Angel coming down a step, putting his bottom pair of arms over Husk's shoulders, "I gotta' look presentable for the big man." Husk chuckled and nodded, "Well, come on then." He stepped back, Angel coming to his side, "Lead the way I don't know where this fuckin' joint is." Angel laughed and nodded, leading the way.
As they walked, Angel talked, Husk listening, nodding along giving the occasional, "uh-huh," and "Yep." His mind wandered, his eyes taking in the sights. Even though he'd travelled down these streets countless times, most times following Alastor, he hadn't seen it sober or even in this condition of weather, giving it an odd glow. "Hey Huskie!" Angel called, bringing Husk back to the present. Spinning around he found Angel standing by a food stand, smirking, "Come on' let's get' somethin' ta' eat." Husk walked over and looked up at the menu, scrunching up his face, "I'll have a hotdog no sauce and a milkshake." Angel raised an eyebrow and tilted his head to Husk, "I'll have the same."
Sitting down at one of the tables, Angel licked his lips before taking a bite out of his hotdog, letting out a satisfied sigh. Husk sat across with a raised eyebrow, "You know that's a hotdog right?" Angel dropped his shoulders and his eyes, "I haven't had a hotdog in like 30 years, gimme' a break." He took another bite. Husk shrugged and followed, both sitting in silence as they ate. Husk rested his head on his hand, slipping away at his milkshake, his eyes following the cars, taking in all the little details of the drivers and passengers, things you never quite think of by always take in, like what colour their hair is, what scarf they're wearing, their earrings and jewelry. He was only snapped out of it when he felt something brush against his leg. Husk slapping over to Angel, an evil look on his face, his foot rising higher.
Husk narrowed his gaze until he felt something brush, then sighing, "No." He simply shook his head, "No what?" Angel cocked his head to the side, "No." Husk stood, grabbing Angels foot and pushing it away rather forcefully, taking Angel by surprise, "No." He repeated, sitting his milkshake and turning away. Angel scrunched up his face and leaned on the table, "Why are you so scared?"
Husk snapped to Angel, raising his hand and pointing at him, "I'm not fuckin' scared." He growled, the fur on his neck rising. Angel sat back, surprised and put up his hands, "Alright." Husk sat back, sucking on the straw. "Sorry." Angel said lowly. Husk groaned and leaned forward, putting a hand to his face before spinning and looking at Angel, "Look. I want this to be slow. I don't want you to commit yourself to me and you realize you don't want me." Angel looked up and shrugged, "Who's to say that don't matter?" Husk narrowed his eyes and sighed, "Well… We'll have to see, won't we." He gave a small smile, that small smile seeming to make Angel glow, his exuberant self coming back. "Come on Huskie." Angel smiled, taking Husk by the hand.
Husk stood looking up at the opening. It looked like it was a mile away, so high up those steps, so far from where he had been through the later portion of his life. He looked around, saw a few people coming towards it, a few of those coming up the steps and entering those massive doors. He turned around, looking at the park that was on the other side of the street, the trees drenched in snow making them look like snowballs on sticks. Fuck he was distracting himself.
He turned back, looking up at Angel who was already at the top of those steps, his lower arms on his hips and his upper arms crossed over his chest, waiting patiently for Husk. He grimaced and put his foot out, hovering over it for a moment before placing it down onto the first step, a thought of lightning suddenly striking him coming over his mind. He breathed a sigh of relief before he continued his climb up the stairs, eventually reaching the top, a cool breeze blowing up the back of his coat making him shiver. "Alright let's go." Angel nodded and stepped to the door, pushing it open, Husk stepping in first, Angel coming in behind him.
Stepping into the church, Husk was met with lights, so many lights. All candles, leading up to the altar and then up to the statue of Jesus nailed to the cross, above his head was a piece of paper, INRI. Husks eyes moved down, a short-ish spider, maybe around Husks height, a little shorter, stood behind the altar with a white stole around his neck, his black outfit match the colour of his fur. Looking down further, Husk could see that the front 3 pues were full of demons, different shapes and sizes, from regular human demons to imps. Husk stepped forward, the heels on his shoes echoing as he walked, Angel following behind, his footsteps echoing Husks. They moved down the carpeted isle, their footsteps dulling and made their way to an empty pue, stepping in and sitting down.
Husks mind arcked back to when he was a kid, sitting in church. His mother constantly on him and his siblings about staying still and quiet, though one look from their father set them straight. Husk remembered the pues stacked from front to back, the sounds of the organ that filled the building and the hymns of the choir mixing with the notes, creating an angelic noise that would make even God smile. Husk's mind was pulled back and he could still hear those same hymns play, those same notes from the organ. Looking around he saw it, an older demon sitting and playing the organ and small choir donned in white, singing. His eyes cast over to the priest, Arackniss rolling his shoulders and putting out his arms, he began to speak, "We are gathered here this day to commemorate our loved ones, our family members, still alive back in the living world. Where they continue to carry on our names and our family's graces…"
Husk looked down at his feet, "our loved ones." He'd heard those words many times before, often from nutjobs on the street and he'd never thought anything of it, but now, for some reason, it stuck with him. He thought back to when he told his mother that he was signing up, that he was leaving to go to Vietnam. He remembered his mother crying and screaming, he remembered his father shaking his hand and wishing him farewell and good luck, he remembered his younger sister hugging him, his brother reacting the same as his mother. It all came flooding back, the emotions, the hatred, the sadness, the loneliness, the dread and the fear. He had no loved ones, no family. "May God, our holy saviour, bring us into his light and grant us, eternal safety in the family of Angels, in the house of Heaven. May he grant us, even in dark places such as this, safety and comfort amongst the darkness. May the wicked acts we commit be forgiven in his eyes, may the words we say he forgives, may the company we keep he bless."
Husk shook his head, Angel looking over to him, concern washing over his face, "Hus-" Husk stood up before Angel could comfort him, quickly stepping out and walking down the aisle and towards the door, he could barely breathe, his chest was tight, his ears were filled with cries and screams, the mix of gunfire and childrens happy laughs, the sound of cars, trams, trains, jets and piston engine planes, the sound of the wind, the rumble of a storm, the crash of thunder, the heil of rain, the firing of artillery guns, the screams of wounded men, the cries of civilians, then suddenly as he pushed open the doors, it all stopped.
The wind wrapped around him, filling his ears with peace, the sounds of the city, the rustle of the bushes, the swaying of the trees, the slight murmur of the people on the street. He opened his eyes and looked around, snow. He stepped forward, then onto the steps, sitting down on a small mound that had formed and put his head in his hands. He could feel his heart thumping still against his furry chest, his tail curled up tight. His wings folding out and around him, covering him from the world and securing him in his own. He felt a hand on his back, then the body heat of another, the weight shifting him slightly, "I'm sorry." The familiar voice said. Husk turned, his wing folding back.
Angel's face was covered in concern, in dread. Husk hadn't realised it under Angel had reached out and thumbed it from his face but he was crying. "See… Now you know why I don't go to church." He turned away, then standing. "I'm gonna' go. You can stay here for however long it'll take. I'll be at the hotel in a few hours. I need to… Drown my thoughts." He turned to walk away, a hand firmly grabbing hold of his shoulder, "No Husker. You aren't." Angel stepped down moving down the steps and turning so he was lower than Husk, "You're not gonna' do that."
Husk closed his eyes before leaning forward, putting his head against Angels, "I'm a mess." Angel nodded and reached out, holding onto Huskers hands, "I know. But you're my mess." Angel squeezed Husker's paw, smiling as he did. "I'll put you back together piece by piece if I have to."
Husker chuckled, a faint smile coming across his face, "Alright then…" He stood up, then stepping down so they were around the same height, leaning forward, Angel was caught off guard by the sudden kiss, almost falling down the stairs by quickly being caught by Husker, a smile on his face as he pulled away, "Thank you. Anthony."
Only a short one today, might do a few more, uh, character building things perhaps? Idk, really just trying to get my mind going again.