Glitter and Be Gay (And a Mutant) From; Hazbin Hotel: Dawg Outta Hell

Intro: So… it's Pride month. I've always wanted to do something to make people from the LGTBQ+ community feel welcome, and eventually I decided to give this chapter a shot. Essentially, I was toying with the idea that Dawg could be Bi, Pan or Ace, and have been for a while, and this chapter was supposed to be finally addressing that. However… I didn't like it. Read below, and I'll explain why later.

The Story…

A few days (and therapy sessions later) Dawg was nervous pacing back-and-forth outside a door. For the past… while something had been bugging him, and he didn't know what to do about it, to a point where it was kind of driving him nuts. He didn't want to talk about it, because that would reveal a weakness, and in turn, that wouldn't help solve anything, but probably invite more problems to rear their ugly heads and make themselves known. So, after deliberation, sleepless nights, and a lot of coffee, he had made up his mind as he knocked on the door. After he got no response, he exhaled deeply and kept pacing.

"Inedyourhlp…"

"What?"

"Iwannadatyou…"

"…what? Speak up."

"Idunnoifimgayandwannadateyoutofndout…"

"Dawg, if you aren't gonna be clear, I'm going back to bed-"

"DustIdontknowifImgayornotwouldyoupleasegoonadatewithmesoIcantryandfigurethisout?"

"…"

"…"

"…"

"…"

"Did… did you just ask me what I think you asked me?"

"Would… would you consider… maybe… going to get pizza or something?" Mad Dawg slowly asked again, Dust's grin just getting wider and wider with each moment.

"Ha! I never took you for one of us!" Dust laughed. "Actually, hold on. You were pretty adamant you weren't when we first met. Were you just shy about meeting me? Or have you warmed up to my good looks?"

"I…I'm not. I mean, no- I don't- I might-" Mad Dawg sputtered, trying to think of what to say, and Dust nodded in understanding, seeing something in Dawg he hadn't seen in ages.

"I get it, I get it." He nodded. "You're not sure what to do, so you came to the wisest, sexiest, and coolest guy you knew, is that it?"

"Kinda, yeah." Mad Dawg confessed, looking away as he was suddenly pulled into the room.

"So… whaddya wanna know?"

"I dunno, just- everything!" Mad Dawg exclaimed. "I don't know if I'm into hotdogs or buns, and I thought I knew, but things just got so weird recently, and now I don't know anything anymore!"

"Okay. So, first things first; I'm not going to sleep with you." Angel Dust said matter-of-factly. "Even if you were gay, and were totally down for that, you're too young for that. So, don't bother asking."

"I wasn't-"

"Don't interrupt." Dust cut him off. "Second, if you wanna do this, I'm cool with it, but if you get uncomfortable, you gotta tell me. I'm not great at reading people, so I need you to do that for me, okay?"

"O..okay." Mad Dawg exhaled with a nod. "I can do that."

"Awesome, so… like, you want me to take the lead here?"

"Yeah."

(Time passes, Dawg and Dust do stuff together, hanging out, getting coffee, ext.)

"Five bucks says I'm better at putting balls in holes than you." Mad Dawg said, pointing at Dust, who grinned and nodded.

"Oh, you are about to get devastated." The drag queen retorted, and the two began their ski-ball challenge. Dust assumed that since he had six arms, he'd have six times the accuracy. But Dawg had something he didn't… the experience from hanging around in arcades all day with a Yakuza crime lord playing games and wasting time!

(Dawg brings up his unknown feelings, and Angel raises a fair point.)

"Dawg, look at me." Angel Dust spoke, his tone one of a caring older sibling. "Is this because of what happened with Val? Have you been having these thoughts before?"

"…I dunno."

"No, you do know." Angel Dust said, a bit harsher than he intended. "Kid, if you want me to help, I need you to be honest with me."

"I…I don't know." Mad Dawg repeated himself, shaking his head. "Dust, I'm not human! I was bred in a lab for crying out loud! I don't even know if technically I'm a dude, a girl, or a plant! This never bothered me, and I've been close with several people like you and like Charlie before! But… I don't know why, since I got to hell, I've just been thinking, and no matter how much I think, I can't find an answer."

(Later)

"Dust… do you think anyone could love me? Considering what I am?"

"A furry? Sure, people love that crap."

"No! A mutant… How… do I tell them on the first date? The fifth? Never?"

"I… don't have an answer for you." Angel Dust admitted, somewhat awkwardly. "Look, Dawg. I can't say what you are or aren't. Aside from weird, crazy, annoying, a bit of an asshole, and awesome. But your heart is what will tell you what you need to know. Yes, I know that sounds like a greeting card, shut up." He added before Dawg could say anything. "But, I can't begin to imagine what it's like for you, and I mean that honestly, your story is so… insane! But whichever way you swing, if at all, I know this: you've got a good heart. I think whoever you meet would be happy with that alone."

(Dawg, Dust and Cherri get into a turf war, Dawg and Dust come to a conclusion.)

"I think you could be straight, bi, pan, or ace. I don't think you're gay." Angel shrugged, then lifted Dawg's chin up so he looked into his eyes as explosions went off around them. "But this isn't how you find out. I know this isn't what you wanna hear, but you'll figure it out on your own time."

"I'm sorry…" Dawg sighed, looking away. "I just- I just wanted to try and understand-"

"Kid, you don't 'understand' being gay. You just live it." Angel said matter-of-factly. "I'm not angry with you, Dawg. Don't think I am."

"Whddya mean you don't underst-" Mad Dawg began, but another explosion cut him off.

"Ugh, I mean it's as much in your blood as it is anything else. If you're gay, you're gay. If you're not, you're not. There's so much more to it than simply thinking or acting gay. It's not a lifestyle, it's not just a 'personality trait', it's who you are. Honestly, if you were gay, you'd've known by now. For better or for worse. Whatever you think you are, you have to open up, you have to live a little before you know if you are or aren't."

"That… that's what I was trying to do."

"I know, kid. And I respect ya for doing so. It's scary, and you may not like what you find, but I can't say if you're one thing or another if you don't know yourself. My guess, is you're Ace, Bi, or Pan. I can't tell you what you are, but that's my guess from how you've reacted thus far. I get the want to find answers, and I wanna help, but sometimes… you just gotta find them on your own. But whatever happens, or whatever you turn out to be, I've got your back, don't forget that."

"Thanks… Thanks Angel." Mad Dawg said softly, nodding.

Why'd I Cut It?

Eh, a number of reasons. First and foremost, I didn't really have many ideas for what they could DO that I either haven't already done, or plan to do in later stories. But also, and more obviously, I wasn't sure what I was writing would be seen as 'real'. I actually reached out to some people to get assistance in writing the ending interaction, but when I stepped back, it felt… false. This felt like LGTBQ+ pandering, and that wasn't what I wanted. I don't care who you are, white, black, Asian, Middle Eastern, Straight, Bi, Gay, Trans, Ace (yo), or anything in-between, I'm happy you're here! I'm happy you're reading my stupid stuff, and this chapter felt like a step in the wrong direction. Maybe you'll all get angry and I'll get cancelled for doing this, and cutting this, but I'm just… unhappy with the chapter. And that's the main reason. It didn't feel like something I wanted to write, despite really wanting too.

Also, it's worth noting that Dawg and Dust are still re-building their friendship at this point, and for Dawg to go this far seems weird. Furthermore, Dawg hasn't really shown any signs of being gay, bi, or pan in the past, outside of a few jokes. Also, it was pointed out that you could read between the lines and see 'I-was-abused-and-turned-out-gay', which I NEVER intended. Either way, this chapter is remaining here, and hopefully I can find something better for you all in the future.