MINOR CONTENT WARNING FOR THIS CHAPTER. CHARACTERS BEING SEXUALLY OVERWHELMED TO THE POINT OF MINOR SUB DROP. READ AT YOUR OWN RISK.

"I know what I have given you...
I do not know what you have received."
Antonio Porchia

There was something undeniably terrifying about hearing his own name come out of someone else's mouth for the first time in well over a century. He hadn't quite found the exact words to describe just how dumbstruck he'd been when Angel revealed not only his real name, but that he had known Pentious' for the last several months of their shared captivity.

Angel (or Anthony) had held real power over him and deliberately chose not to use it. Sure, they hadn't exactly been mortal enemies for some time now, but Pentious still couldn't help but think of all the ways Angel could have used it against him, could have sharpened his identity into a metaphorical knife and stabbed him through the chest at any point in time.

But he didn't.

Pent's feelings on their relationship were already complicated enough without all of this nonsense, but now he was completely and utterly lost in his head.

Before he might have been standing on shaky and uneven ground but now it was as though the floor had collapsed in, leaving him trapped in a dark cavernous tunnel of his own messy thoughts with no light to illuminate the way.

Of course, he didn't let any of this outwardly show. He woke the next day in the hotel bed with Angel tucked against him and they calmly went about packing their things (though not leaving before he'd fucked the spider up against the wall with those ridiculous legs draped over his shoulders). Neither of them acknowledged the more emotional events of the night prior and instead just continued their usual back and forth as they met with Cherri to check out of the resort and get some breakfast (surrounded by dozens of other hungover guests staring blankly into their coffee cups).

"So, how was last night?" Cherri asked with a snicker as she tore into her croissant sandwich, flaky crumbs wafting down onto her plate. "Did you get that Happy Ending, Angie?"

Pent gritted his teeth, resisting the urge to groan as Angel just laughed and leaned back in the seat next to him, casually dumping three packets of sugar into his mug of black coffee. "What happened to not wanting to know the details of our sex life?" Pentious sniped, lifting his own cup of Earl Grey and removing the bag, squeezing it against the rim with his spoon before laying the damp packet on the edge of his plate.

Cherri just did one of her blink-winks and glanced back to Angel. "I don't need anything specific. Just wanna know if the D-Day boy had a good night," she teased, elbowing Angel playfully.

Exhaling, Angel stirred his coffee with one hand while the other tugged his collar open and aside to reveal the distinctive bite Pentious had left the evening prior. "What do you think?" Angel said, grinning at the snake as he ran his fingers over the marks before hiding them away again under his clothes. Cherri cackled obnoxiously loud (drawing the silent ire of some of the more tired-looking patrons) as Pent blushed and sipped from his cup, very much wishing he could be swallowed up by the gaudy pseudo-French tiling beneath their chairs.

"You're both terrible and I should have never agreed to participate in this," he muttered, lowering his tea to pick at the bagel he'd ordered. "You always make me out to be the muck snipe."

"Could you speak fucking English?" Cherri said, chewing with her mouth open and making Pent slowly pull his plate a few inches away from hers in mild disgust. "No one knows what the hell you're talking about."

Pent pinched his brow and shot her a glare. Dear lord, why was everyone from the former colonies so goddamn thick in the head? "I'm from England. We originated the bloody language."

Cherri swallowed her mouthful of bread and gestured between her and Angel. "Yeah, but you do realize it's like changed in the last century, right?" she said with a toothy smirk, wiping away the crumbs that clung to her chin. Angel gave a confirming nod and took a gulp from his coffee, nudging one knee along the side of Pent's tail underneath their table as he picked up his danish (an icing-laced pastry that was far more dessert than breakfast).

Rolling his eyes, Pent shook his head and pulled out his phone, letting the two friends carry on their conversation regarding slang and the different words and phrases that they were more familiar with. He blinked, realizing his device was off rather than asleep and he frowned, hitting the power button on the side of the mobile. He'd actually forgotten that Angel had turned it off last night after Val's last message to him. Probably not a smart decision, but Pentious hadn't challenged it much at the time.

The sex was very distracting.

After a few moments, the home screen loaded and he raised an eyebrow, surprised to see that there were no new notifications from Val after the final text that had interrupted them.

"¿Quién te crees, gusano?" was the only thing written aside from the two heart emojis that Val always signed his texts (unnecessarily) with.

Opening up a translator application, Pentious pasted the foreign text into the field and rolled his eyes once it populated the English translation. He was very tempted to respond back with "I am Sir Pentious you half-witted cretin!" but instead he typed: "With great respect, I was indisposed last night and away from my mobile. I would suggest refraining from spamming my inbox going forward." No doubt the sarcasm would be lost through text, but he was too annoyed and too tired to give a damn about what that asshole thought.

Message sent, he picked up his tea and took a languid sip from the rim as one of Angel's hands skated down his lower back. He glanced up and caught Angel staring at him over his coffee mug, one brow raised. "Everythin' ok?" the spider asked, gesturing to the phone in Pent's opposite hand.

"Of course," Pent said, lifting his chin as he took another sip from his cup. "Just tending to the needs of a rather pesky insect." Angel's eyes went wide and the spider nearly spilled his coffee as he let out a high-pitched snort, drawing a confused look from Cherri as she glanced up from her own phone. Pent just smiled behind his tea, a warm feeling spreading through his chest as he watched Angel do his damnest to suppress his laughter. Mocking Val in such a childish fashion was maybe a bit below him, but it made Angel chuckle and that had to be worth something.

Pentious kept his device close as they continued to eat, fully expecting to receive an annoyed response from Val, but his phone sat eerily silent for the remainder of their meal.

After they finished breakfast, they waved goodbye to Cherri and caught a cab back to the Happy Hotel. The ride was short, but Pent still found himself nodding off occasionally against Angel's shoulder during the drive as they had gone to bed very late (and while the other Demon might be used to partying the night through, Pentious certainly wasn't as accustomed).

He blinked his eyes open as he felt the cab slow down to pull up to the Hotel, lifting one hand to shield his face from the sunlight that cut through the window. "Mind if I drop you off here? Someone else is already parked out front," the cabbie muttered before clearing his throat and turning the wheel to drive along the sidewalk that led up to the building.

Yawning behind his palm, Pent nodded. "Yes, that should be perfectly-" he began, only to drop his hand back to his lap as he caught sight of the vehicle in question. "-fine..." Next to him, Angel went stiff as a board before instinctively grabbing Pent's arm, digging his fingers in as the taxi pulled to a stop.

Parked outside the front doors was an all too familiar red limo, engine idling next to the steps. The windows were rolled up and the tint prevented them from seeing inside, but there was no mistaking the signature heart emblazoned on the front of the vehicle's hood.

Pent quietly paid the cabbie and they both slipped out of the car, letting the vehicle drive away before they stepped around the front of the limo. Now on the driver's side, they could see that only the chauffeur's window was rolled down. The man didn't even look up at them as they passed, too busy smoking and reading a wrinkled porno mag that he'd propped up against the wheel. "Inside," the driver said gruffly, flipping the page of his magazine and exhaling two plumes of smoke through his nostrils.

Angel bit his lip and rubbed the center of his chest through the fur. "He's just tryin' to scare us," the spider murmured quietly as he turned away from the limo to head up to the double doors. "He hates bein' ignored and we ghosted him hard last night…"

Pent nodded and took a breath before following him to the entrance, noting that the front handle was bent entirely backwards while the surrounding metal was covered in dents and deep gouges. He frowned and looked back to Angel who just winced and forced a smile onto his face, easily sliding into the cultivated persona of the confident hooker.

Pushing open the doors, they stepped into the lobby and were immediately greeted to the sight of a doll-like woman in a tea-length dress texting away on the couch. Pent blinked and looked around, expecting to see some hint of Valentino, but no, there was only this strange looking woman. Angel twitched next to him, his smile tightening all the more.

The woman glanced up as the doors closed behind them and grinned, practically bouncing to her feet before smoothing over her poofy skirt. "You two finally got back! I swear, I've been sitting on this shitty couch for like an hour." Pent's hood flared as she stalked right into their personal space and raised her phone to snap a photo with the three of them in frame. "There we go," she said, immediately overlaying a filter on the image with the text caption of "Found them!" trailed by several blaring horn emojis.

Angel laughed, the sound a touch high-pitched and overly loud as he said, "Velvet baby, long time no see." His eyes flickered across the length of the lobby and surrounding hallway before adding, "Is uh, Val around?"

The woman (Velvet) giggled and continued to text without bothering to meet his gaze. "Lucky for you, no. But I had some free time and nothing better to do so I figured I'd check in and see where the fuck you've been." She turned her phone to them, scrolling through the spider's social media profile with her thumb. "Normally I can figure out your location based on all the selfies, buuuut you didn't post any last night." Her white eyes flickered down to the bags slung over their shoulders and she flashed them a toothy smirk. "Soooo, where'd you goooo?"

"We were celebratin' my D-Day," Angel said as he elbowed Pentious which snapped the snake out of his more rigid posture, deflating his hood. "Had ta drag this moron around the whole night," Angel gave another laugh even as Pent rubbed his arm and frowned. "Nothin' but a big pain in my ass."

Pent gritted his teeth behind his lips. Considering how much they'd fucked in the last 12 hours, that statement wasn't necessarily untruthful...

Velvet just continued smiling as she glanced back to her phone. "Hmmm, I dunno," she hummed, her fingers rapidly typing across the screen. "Vox did a lil' surveillance since I couldn't find you on social media and it looks to me like you were having plenty of fun."

She turned the screen back to face them and Pentious' stomach sank at the sight of several stills taken from grainy hotel security footage. Among the photos were images of Angel drunkenly clinging to him at the craps table, the two of them walking through the lobby together with his arm wrapped around Angel's waist-

Then Velvet flicked her finger and scrolled to the final file which was from the aquarium and his eyes widened as the distinct silhouettes of them kissing loaded into frame. "You guys are soooo cute," she teased as she enlarged the image for emphasis. "Also, the Isla isn't a bad choice for a D-Day bash. I took a few of my gal pals there like a decade ago and we got totally wasted."

Inwardly, Pent's heart was beating a mile a minute and he hoped to god that none of his terror was bleeding through his face. They hadn't exactly been discreet but now that Val knew they were on friendly enough terms to have sex, it was a weakness waiting to be exploited. An Overlord worth their salt would take advantage of any feelings shared between two people, romantic or otherwise.

As they stared at the picture, Angel reached one arm up to rub the back of his head, his smile waning slightly, but not falling. "Hey, a guy's gotta let off some steam somehow, right? It's either this asshole or waitin' until the end of this bullshit-" He tugged on the chain between them, making the links jangle in the quiet of the lobby. "-to get a lil' action."

Velvet's attention flickered from Angel to Pentious and somehow her lips quirked even wider. "Oh yeah. I get it, Angel." She gave them both a highly exaggerated wink, complete with an unnecessary tilt of her head that made her fluffy pigtails bounce. "But y'know, Val did ask you guys to text him back and well, that clearly didn't happen. Too busy sucking face I guess."

As she spoke, her phone vibrated and she raised the device, clicking her tongue. "Ah, that's Val." Her white eyes quickly scanned the message before she looked between them both, bouncing up and down on her heels. "He's like, super pissed by the way," she said, leaning in towards Angel who actually flinched when she tapped his chest with her index finger. "But I'm sure you already knew that."

Swallowing, Pent cleared his throat and slithered forward, putting himself between the spider and the Overlord. "I've reiterated my stance to Valentino multiple times. Until I have the material I need for constructing the key, I have no further status updates for him." He gave her a firm glare and crossed his arms, flexing his talons idly. "Pestering me will not make time speed up."

Velvet just looked him up and down, her fixed smile almost manic with a barely restrained energy that was equally unnerving as it was staunch. "You still shouldn't leave someone on read, dumbass. It's like, totally rude!"

Before Pentious could retort, Vaggie walked into the hall, her single eye widening as she caught sight of all three of them standing in the middle of the lobby. "Angel, did you let her in?" she asked, schooling her expression to be more neutral as Velvet turned on her heel, wide skirt twirling with the motion.

"We just got back," Angel muttered as he affected a less stiff and more casual posture, tucking his two upper arms back behind his head and pointing both elbows to the ceiling. "Vel was already here when we came in."

Velvet giggled and waved them off as she continued to stare at Vaggie. "Oh yeah, I let myself inside. Didn't feel like waiting in the limo, y'know?"

Immediately Vaggie's gaze went to the door and her expression tipped from mild confusion tinged with irritation into one of repressed anger. She took a deep breath and then squared her shoulders as she stalked up to Velvet, showing the other woman absolutely no hint of fear. "Overlords aren't allowed on the Hotel's premises. You're not welcome here so please leave." She then gestured with both hands to the exit and Velvet rolled her eyes, twirling back around to face the two men.

"Um, no? What are you going to do? Make me?" She lifted her hand and let out a high-pitched cackle even as Vaggie's eye twitched behind her. "Besides, I'm not here for any of your staff. Val just wanted to make sure Angel was being good and not trying to run off with his new boyfriend."

The label made Pentious' freeze up and he purposefully avoided looking at the other man, not even wanting to see Angel's reaction.

Vaggie's frown only deepened and she grabbed Velvet by the shoulders, forcibly twisting the other woman around to face her again (earning a distinct flinch from both men). "Look, I don't care who sent you or why. This Hotel is a safe haven for Demons seeking redemption." Vaggie lifted one hand to point to Angel over Velvet's shoulder and added, "The contracts we make with all our guests state that we will protect them from the hazards of Hell, including Overlords who think they can barge onto royal property to make demands." Her brow tightened and she released Velvet entirely, crossing her arms over her chest. "So take your leave before I have to force you out."

Velvet raised an eyebrow and clicked her tongue mockingly. "Oh shit, you really think you can talk a big game to me just because you're the princess' little side piece? That's sooooo cute." She leaned in and pinched Vaggie's cheek, pulling back before the other Demon could make a swipe at her. "Lucky for you, I wasn't planning on staying in this shithole for long."

Turning back to Angel and Pentious, she raised her phone and tapped the screen with one manicured nail. "Anyway, you both need to remember who the fuck owns your asses." Velvet stepped forward and Pent couldn't help baring his teeth, uncrossing his arms to flex his talons as she leaned up to peck the side of Angel's face, patting the spot with her palm. "Especially you, Angel."

With that, she stepped around them, giving an unnecessary twirl that made the skirt of her dress and her thick hair spin playfully. Then she paused to wave at them mockingly before proceeding to kick the broken door open with a loud bang. "Laaaaaater!" the Overlord called over her shoulder as she danced down the front steps and out of view.

Vaggie growled, glaring at Velvet's back until the doors closed with a loose clack before she took a calming breath and lowered her hands to rest at her hips. "I think I'm owed an explanation," she said, her eye flickering from Angel to Pent and back again.

Pentious sighed and relaxed his own stance, finally letting his shoulders slump. "Valentino has been making more demands of me as of late and I chose to ignore them last night. I expected some retaliation, but not this soon." He chewed his bottom lip and turned back to look at the busted mechanism behind them. "I can fix the lock on the front door, though you may want to consider investing in a better security system."

Vaggie pursed her lips and reached up to pinch the bridge of her nose. "I'll have to talk to Charlie about it, but I'm sure she'll be thrilled to have your help." She then lowered her hand and glared at Angel. "Just how many Overlords do you have rallied against you? I thought it was just the one."

Angel huffed, adjusting the strap of his duffel bag with one of his lower arms. "Val rolls with a buncha other Overlords, but Velvet and Vox are his main posse. Normally they don't bother with his business bullshit, but Vel said she was bored and probably thought it'd be fun ta fuck with us."

Nodding, Vaggie's expression softened. "How often have they been threatening you both?" she asked in a more neutral tone, the annoyance slowly bleeding out of her voice. "Do we need to tighten security in general to keep you guys safe?"

Pent shook his head and slipped his phone out of his jacket. "It's mostly been a series of texts," he said, scrolling through to show Vaggie before Angel pulled out his own phone to flash the chat logs he had from Valentino. "But this was definitely an escalation of sorts."

The texts had been irritating and mostly harmless, but now Pentious longed for the increased surveillance and armaments of his own home. This Hotel had little more than the princess' good will as protection and that would do very little to stop a man like Val from getting what he wanted.

Vaggie rubbed her chin as she read and then pulled back, crossing her arms over her chest. "Well, I don't trust that they won't try something like this again. I'm going to talk with Charlie about putting up some wards in addition to your lock upgrade. Our guests shouldn't have to fear any retaliation from other Demons as long as they're attempting to rehabilitate themselves."

Angel blinked and then grinned as he put his phone away again. "Aw, Vags, I didn't know ya cared!" he teased, leaning in so that his face was just a few scant inches away from hers. She rolled her eye and shoved him away, nearly making the spider stumble back into Pent, only for Angel to barely catch his balance just in time.

"Just let me know if you guys get more threats or if any of those Overlords show up at the door. I'll be monitoring packages that come in for you both just to be on the safe side." She exhaled and added, "Also, you should probably let Charlie and I know where you are whenever you're not at the Hotel just in case they decide to try and ambush you off the property."

Snorting, Angel straightened up and began to step around Vaggie, tugging Pent along with him. "Sheesh, ya don't need ta babysit us. Are ya on the rag or somethin'?" he muttered in a dismissive tone that was harsh enough to make Pent groan.

Vaggie's single eye bulged, but before she could speak, Pent slithered behind Angel and flicked the pink heart on the back of the other Demon's head. Immediately the spider winced and turned to shoot him an irritated glare. "Hey! The fuck, snake!?"

Pent lifted his chin and gestured to the door behind them. "You were just threatened not five minutes ago by an Overlord of the Seven Rings. That Velvet woman would likely still be here doing lord knows what had Vagatha not kindly intervened on our behalf." He poked Angel's shoulder as he added. "Be at least somewhat gracious for the assistance."

Vaggie's frown softened and she nodded politely to the snake. "Thank you, Pentious," she said before clearing her throat behind her fist. "We'll get the front reinforced, but let us know if you also want extra protection on the door to your room. We can provide it, though we'll need some time to gather materials."

Pent gave her a grateful tip of his hat before yanking a grousing Angel past her. "Will do. Thank you again."

He ignored Angel's grumbling until they arrived at the stairs, only then meeting the other Demon's scowling face with his own tired glower. "Is there a problem?" he asked as he began to slither up, holding to the banister with one hand.

Angel gave a loud scoff and threw up his top hands. "You're supposed ta be on my side, not hers."

"I'm on no one's side but my own," Pent said with a snide snort. "And there's no need to be unnecessarily hostile to someone who is actively trying to help you. Dislike her all you want, but maybe you should learn to choose your enemies more wisely."

The spider just lowered his arms and continued to pout childishly as they climbed. "Ain't my fault she's easy as shit to rile up. And you're one ta talk. Al hasn't done jack to ya, but you act like he's taken a piss in your cheerios every time he enters the goddamn room."

Pent just sighed, choosing not to respond as they reached the fourth floor. He was far too tired to argue with Angel over this and he just wanted to get settled in again. After digging out his key and unlocking the door, they were both greeted to the sight of Nuggets waiting for them, the pig eagerly tapping their hooves against the carpet. Thankfully that's all it took to twist Angel's annoyed scowl into a genuine smile and the spider eagerly leaned down to scoop up his pet.

"Hey baby, were you a good piggy while we were gone?" he asked as Pentious closed the door behind them. "Daddy had a lot of fun, but he also missed you." Angel glanced up to meet Pent's eyes and added, "Y'know you're kinda like their daddy now too."

"What?" Pent blinked, dropping his bag on top of the dresser before removing his hat and hanging it on the rack. "If anything, I'm a temporary caretaker."

Angel snorted and then lifted the pig to Pent's face, prompting Nuggets to lick the snake's cheeks with excited abandon as Pent scrunched his eyes shut. "Hate ta break it to ya, but you've been a full-time Pig Papa for almost a year now."

Pent entire face was coated in a thin layer of saliva before Nugs finally stopped and oinked insistently until the snake sighed and gave the little piglet some head pats. "Well, it's still impermanent. I'll be moving back into my own home after this ordeal is over," Pentious reminded as he slithered to the bed to unzip his luggage and begin unpacking his things.

"I mean, you can visit," Angel said, rolling his eyes as he kissed the top of Nugs' head. "Nuggets would be real sore if ya didn't come by at least once in a while ta check in." He then gently shook the pig, making Nugs' floppy ears bounce with the motion. "C'mon, this little fucker has grown on ya. Admit it."

Sighing, Pent put his dirty clothes in the laundry basket before hanging up the corset vest in the closet. "I make no promises," he said, purposefully averting his eyes away from Angel as he worked.

If he refused to make promises, then there would be nothing to hold him back in the end. He already felt as though he had fallen deep into this pit and they still had almost two full months to go until they finally hit Extermination.

Pulling out the red tie he had worn last night, Pentious swallowed, thumbing over the wrinkles that marred the sheen of the fabric as he listened to Angel play with Nuggets, baby-talking the pig all the while.

Things had simply progressed too far, too fast. It felt as though he'd blindly traversed the tunnel he'd fallen into only to realize the only exit led to the edge of a cliff.

Worst still was that he wasn't sure if he should go back down the way he came or just run out and jump.

As Extermination Day approached, they began to spend more and more time at Pent's mansion if only to get everything prepped to forge the key and knife. Using Stolas' blueprints, Pent constructed a mold for the talisman and then made the outer-casing for the navaja out of normal steel so that once the blade was itself fashioned, all he would need to do is lock it into the pre-made spring.

Of course, despite their increased time spent away from the Hotel, Pentious kept his word to the princess (he was a gentleman after all) and always made sure to clear his schedule every other Saturday for what Husker and Angel had uncreatively dubbed Band Practice.

Not that they were really a band of any sort given they were entirely composed of one instrument and a single vocalist, but that didn't stop the hecklers regardless.

Still, it was nice to regularly practice his skills again. He might not be anywhere close to the skill-level of a concert pianist, but there was a sort of meditation to the simple act of playing. Angel would sit with him at the bench and fiddle with his phone while Pent and Charlie would rehearse a song, fumbling through together as they tried to work out the pacing and rhythm.

Pentious wasn't used to being accompanied by a singer and he found himself occasionally having to speed up, slow down, or even skip entire notes to match Charlie's tempo as she sang. It was frustrating at times, but he also found himself relishing the challenge it brought.

All the struggle and strife made the times they did finally sync up so very worth it.

It certainly helped that Charlie had quite a powerful voice and her genuine enthusiasm was absolutely infectious. She threw her entire body into even the smallest performances, dancing and twirling around the lounge, sometimes interacting with random objects (or anyone passing by). If Vaggie was present, Charlie would often grab her girlfriend and twirl her as she sang.

Pent always enjoyed watching the two of them. Their open affection was something rarely seen in Hell and it reminded him of how Kat used to look at him whenever he played for her: unabashed and utterly without shame.

Showing nothing less than complete adoration.

Both Niffty and Husker would occasionally stop by to observe them out of curiosity, but the most frequent visitor during their sessions (aside from Vaggie) was annoyingly Alastor.

Pent had visibly stiffened on the bench the first time the Radio Demon sidled up to watch him play, that infernal smirk large enough to practically cast a shadow all its own as Alastor hummed to the tune of Hallelujah.

Whenever he missed a note, the other Demon was quick to point it out under the guise of "helping him," (a load of absolute bollocks) and made sure to never offer praise to him, only to Charlie.

Not that he needed the damned deer's approval, but the constant nitpicking was definitely grating on his already frayed patience.

Thankfully, Charlie (being as sweet as she was) would usually take notice whenever it was clear that the Radio Demon's words were getting to him and would kindly ask Alastor to join her in a duet as a subtle distraction.

At least as long as Alastor was singing, he wasn't talking.

In Pentious' opinion, the Radio Demon's voice wasn't terrible, but unlike Charlie's there was something incredibly artificial to it (beyond the fake laugh-track and static that clung to every word spat from that horrid mouth). Angel had explained that was just how radio hosts used to talk and that the 'trans-atlantic' accent (whatever that meant) was quite common across most American media in the 20th century.

Not that he was all that surprised to learn that Alastor's true accent was hidden under the gilded veneer of showmanship. Everything about Alastor felt like a polished facade and if there was one thing Pentious absolutely could not stand it was being blatantly lied to.

But between Charlie and Angel, he managed to rein in his anger and keep cool while Al taunted and mocked him for his playing. "He digs in because he knows you hate it," Angel said to him one night as they went back up to their room after a particularly infuriating session that nearly had Pentious visibly shaking on the bench. "That's the shit he pulls with Vags all the time. You both are easy fuckin' targets for assholes like him because you care enough ta get pissy over it."

"Is caring truly such a fault?" Pent huffed with a scowl, closing the door behind them as he ripped off his hat and clenched down tight on the brim. "I didn't realize that taking pride in one's work was somehow a character deficit."

Rolling his eyes, Angel nabbed the hat from Pent's grip, earning the spider a peeved hiss. "It ain't, but that's what people who ain't got nothin' better goin' on like ta do. He's bored as shit and antagonizin' the fuck outta you is somethin' he can fill the day with."

Angel played with the brim, chuckling as the hat's teeth stretched out in a worried grimace before the spider went ahead and hung it on the rack. "You can still be proud, just don't get so damn upset when people give you unwelcome criticism."

Pent sighed and unbuttoned his jacket, scowl still firmly fixed into place. "Easy for you to say. You're beloved. A star in your field." Though calling pornography a field made it seem far more technical than it truly was.

"Uh, you really think that everyone likes me just cuz I'm famous?" Angel asked with a grin, flopping down on the bed. "Fame brings just as many haters as it does fans, Pen."

He gave his body a long luxurious stretch that immediately drew the snake's eyes and added, "I think I'm fuckin' hot shit, but for all the fan letters I get tellin' me how I'm responsible for hundreds of thousands of boners, I get plenty sayin' I'm ugly, have no ass, that they have no idea why a scrawny twink like me is more popular than their favorite star, etc, etc, etc." Angel shrugged and leaned back, tucking his upper arms behind his head. "So who cares? Even if you're the best of the best, there's always gonna be critics. Just let 'em keep on whinin' inta the void."

Pouting, Pentious sat down next to him and tucked his tail up, coiling the muscle on the sheets. "But why can't they just stuff it? Why do they feel the need to voice their terrible opinions?"

It wasn't that he couldn't take any form of criticism, but it so rarely felt constructive. It always came with words made to cut.

Angel sighed and sat up to wrap his two lower arms around Pent's shoulders. "I mean, you're plenty critical yourself, busta. Hate ta break it to ya, but until you stop givin' other people shit, you really don't got any room ta talk." He kissed Pent's cheek and winked. "If ya dish it out, ya gotta learn ta take it, y'know?"

Pent continued to frown even as Angel's hands ran up and down his back in soothing strokes. "I guess that is fair…" he muttered in a low voice. "But I still don't like it."

Especially when it came from Alastor. It still hurt to get rude comments from other Demons, but there was something about the Radio Demon's mockery that was truly demeaning.

It felt like he wasn't worthy to breathe the same air. Like he was barely more than a worthless speck in the other man's eyes.

He froze, memories of being physically stepped over by well-dressed men on a stroll with their wives and gilded carriages kicking up muddy puddle water onto his already damp dirty trousers bubbling to the surface.

"Mind yourself among your betters, gegor brat."

"Never said ya had to," Angel said with a loose shrug, his hands continuing to skim along and massage the muscles of Pent's shoulders. "Just gotta learn to let it slide off your back an' move on. You might be someone's least favorite person, but that doesn't take anythin' away from the people who do like ya." He reached his chained arm up to teasingly pinch Pent's cheek. "Like who's opinion of ya matters more? Mine or Al's?"

Sighing, Pent shook his head, pushing the sour images of his childhood aside. "Alastor has more power and influence than you could ever-" Angel rolled his eyes and placed a finger to the snake's lips.

"Hey, asshole. I'm asking who you think matters more. None of this objectivity bullshit," Angel corrected, poking the front of the snake's chest with his index finger. "Also, Al might have more power, but I definitely have more influence." The spider pointedly waggled his brows and took out his phone to display the absurdly high follower count on his social. "That fucker doesn't even have a profile let alone any real friends. Just cuz folks are scared of him doesn't mean that he's got any effect on 'em livin' their day ta day."

Striking a pose, Angel puffed out his chest and lifted his lower set of arms to cup his tits. "Meanwhile if I endorse anythin', people will be buyin' it up by the millions. How's that for influence?"

Pent snorted as he glanced to Angel's social media page. "Alright, that is also very fair," he muttered with a nod as Angel continued to play with his breasts, clearly trying to get a rise out of him. "And if I'm being honest, I do value your personal insights more than his."

Angel beamed and dropped his hands to hang them back over Pent's shoulders. "See? That wasn't so fuckin' hard now was it?" he said with a laugh, sweeping in to peck the side of Pent's brow. "So ignore 'em. Charlie likes your pianoin' just fine and I think you're good despite how much ya keep insistin' that you're some fuckin' layman." He rolled his eyes and sighed, tracing nonsensical patterns into the collar of the snake's unbuttoned suit-jacket. "I've said it time and time again, but you're hella talented, Pen. Like, you're the only asshole I know who can just make stuff from scratch whether it's metal shit, clothes, or fuckin' bombs. You got every right ta be proud of that."

Blushing faintly, Pent smiled as he turned his head to meet Angel's stare, his chest tightening at the soft look the other man gave him. "Thank you…"

The spider nodded and squeezed over his shoulder, digging his fingers into the hollow space of Pentious' collarbone. "So, are ya done bein' pouty and shit?" Angel asked as he lifted his head back up and raised a brow. "Cuz you like to bite your tongue whenever you play piano and starin' at that all afternoon has put me in the mood for a blowie."

Pentious' smile dropped and he let out an exhausted groan as Angel just grinned toothily next to him. "What you said was actually very sweet," he muttered, reaching one hand up to rub over his eyes as the spider's hands began to pull off his jacket and slowly unbutton Pent's shirt. "Must you ruin it?"

"Hey, me wantin' a blowjob doesn't make anythin' I told ya any less true. It ain't my fault that you messin' with your tongue and teeth makes me horny." Angel clasped Pent's cheeks in his upper hands and batted his lashes playfully as his lower set of arms continued to fumble with the buttons. "Plus you got a real cute face that I wanna paint up nice and pretty."

Pent gave the other man an annoyed huff as he turned and pushed Angel to lay down against the mattress. "You're lucky that you put me in a somewhat decent mood. I'm feeling generous," he said, hovering over the other man as he let his own fingers trail down Angel's abdomen.

He leaned in to kiss Angel and both sets of the spider's arms fully abandoned any attempts to undress Pent, instead wrapping around the snake's broad shoulders. Pentious was about to close his eyes and let himself sink into the kiss when he heard a knock at the door and the sound of a key turning in the lock.

"Hey Sir Pentious, you left your phone on the-" Charlie stopped, hand still on the door knob as her eyes flickered to the two of them tangled atop the bed. "Oh shit...um, I can come back laaaater…" she said with a nervous smile as a small blush rose to her pale cheeks.

Angel just sighed and rolled up to sit while Pent remained half-frozen in place, tucked against the other man's chest. "Don't act so damn shocked. We stopped hidin' this shit like two months ago." Angel held out one hand and Charlie winced, stepping forward to place the device in his open palm.

"I mean, I didn't want to say anything," Charlie said, tapping both her index fingers together awkwardly as she looked at them, being sure to make direct eye-contact. "It's not like either of you made an announcement that you were dating."

Angel snickered and gave a firm pat to Pent's lower back, jolting the snake out of his panicked surprise. "I wouldn't call it datin' so much as keepin' our damn selves from goin' nuts. You really think I'd survive a year with no sex?" he asked with a pointed waggle of his pink tongue.

Charlie shrugged as Pent slowly straightened up and began to close the buttons of his shirt (earning him a disappointed pout from Angel). "I mean, it makes sense. I figured if you guys wanted to tell me that you would." She straightened her shoulders and coughed behind her fist, taking on a more professional tone. "You're both my guests and you have a right to privacy as long as it's not endangering yourself or others."

Pent swallowed, his mortification slowly fading as he straightened the hem of his closed shirt and jacket. "I suppose it was only a matter of time before someone walked in on us." Though he was glad it was Charlie rather than the others. More than anyone, she always went out of her way to make sure that he was comfortable and treated with respect despite the fact that they rarely spent time together outside of their music practice.

"Hey, at least we weren't in our birthday suits yet," Angel said with a laugh, raising a hand to rub the back of Pent's hood as he handed him the forgotten phone with his opposite arm. "Coulda been worse."

Charlie nodded and added, "I should have knocked and waited for you guys to answer in your own time, but I didn't think you would go from our practice session right to...well..." She laughed and leaned back on her heels. "Guess I should have known better considering Angel's, um...tendencies?"

The spider just slapped his knee and cackled even harder. "You can just say I'm a slut, babe. I don't take offense ta that crap." He then shifted to plop himself down into Pent's lap, both his upper arms hanging off the snake's neck. "But hey, I gotta question to ask while you're here."

"Go for it," Charlie said, continuing to rock back and forth idly. "What's up?"

Angel poked Pent's chest with one of his lower arms and said, "A few months back we got a package of condoms. Was it you who left that shit? Cuz it nearly gave this fucker a goddamn heart attack."

Pent stiffened and glared down at Angel even as Charlie blinked. "Um, no? I mean, if you needed them I would have added it to our shopping list. Better to be safe and all." She frowned and rubbed her chin. "Were they left in your room?"

"No," Pent said with an embarrassed pout as he set his phone to the side, wishing he could will away his obvious blush. "They were in an unmarked box just outside of our door. It had to be one of your staff given that we're the only ones who stay on this level and there aren't any other regular guests in the Hotel."

Charlie nodded and clapped her hands together, interlacing the fingers. "Well, I don't think it was put there with bad intentions. If it was meant to be a threat they probably would have left some sort of note." She glanced to Angel and raised an eyebrow. "Your boss knows about you guys right? He's gotta be aware of it by now at least."

Angel nodded and sighed, one of his lower arms coming up to sweep through his hair and tousle the white strands. "Yeah, Val knows we're fuckin', but he wouldn't have known around the time when the box was delivered. He doesn't play coy with his threats, either. He'd make sure I knew if he was the one sendin' that shit."

"Yeah, I guess that makes sense," Charlie said, unclasping her fingers to fiddle with her own hair in turn. "I never got the impression that Valentino was any sort of decent." She exhaled and added, "By the way, now that we're getting close to the end of the year, I wanted to ask if you guys needed any help? I know that you have plans and stuff, but as your host and princess, it's my job to make sure you're both safe and happy even after you leave."

Pent looked at her and then raised the palm he'd used in his deal with Valentino, clacking his claws together. "While outside help would be very much welcome, any interference on your part would only complicate things. The arrangement is binding."

There was also the very real potential that any retaliation would be made all the worse by involving a member of the royal family. Charlie might not be held in high regard among Hell's major population, but royalty interfering with the affairs of Overlords was generally frowned upon.

While the monarchy ruled, they still weren't supposed to take sides against any one individual unless direct threats were made against their power.

Charlie's assistance (however small) would be viewed as her breaking her impartiality and would no doubt lead to a bigger mess than any of them were prepared to deal with.

Nodding, Charlie frowned and let out a tired huff. "You're right, but it still sucks to sit back and watch. I just don't want to see either of you hurt or make shit worse for you guys."

In the awkward silence that followed, she fixed a smile to her face and cleared her throat again. "Well, is there anything I can do that doesn't relate to your impending meetup with Valentino?" She blushed and gestured to them with both hands. "You guys need like...I dunno, lube or something?"

Pent mirrored her flushed face, groaning as he raised a hand to cover his eyes while Angel just snickered on top of him. "We got plenty of the good stuff, babe," the spider told her with a flirty wink. "But it's appreciated, right Pen?"

Pentious let his hand drop and he took a deep breath, trying his best to school his facial expression into something more neutral and less mortified. "Your offer is appreciated," he parroted after a few moments, looking up at Charlie as Angel continued to lean into his chest, pulling the buttons of his jacket loose yet again. "If anything comes up, we'll be sure to reach out."

Though even if he survived every Extermination from now through to eternity, he wasn't sure he would ever be able to live this down.

The only daughter of the Devil himself, heir to the throne of all Seven Rings had just offered to buy him lube.

Strike me now. I welcome the bitter end.

Charlie smiled (the expression genuine, but still clearly a bit uncomfortable) as she gave them a double thumbs up. "Ok. Um, I guess I'll leave you guys to it?" She edged to the door, laughing awkwardly as she flapped one hand. "Be safe and have fun!"

Then she stepped out, closing the door with a quick snap of the lock behind her.

Pent closed his eyes and chewed his lip. "Well that eliminates Charlie as a suspect…" he muttered in a tired voice. "That only leaves everyone else."

Angel shrugged and pushed Pent to lay down, giving him enough space to properly straddle the snake's hips. "I mean, I mostly asked outta curiosity. We're already public so it doesn't matter all that much anymore." He leaned down to press a kiss just under the eye in the center of Pent's chest while his hands hastily re-unbuttoned his jacket and shirt. "Don't twist your ass inta knots over it."

Scowling, Pent's eyes snapped open and he leaned his head up to glare at Angel. "I'll twist my own bloody ass into whatever shape I want," he growled, batting the other man's hands off the buttons. "I want to know who left them and why."

For a moment, Angel just stared at him blankly and Pent's frown deepened. "What?" he hissed, watching as the spider's mouth slowly twisted into a wide mocking grin. "Did I say something particularly amusing?"

Angel clicked his tongue and poked Pent's exposed collarbone. "So, what happened ta all that 'it ain't my ass, it's my taaaaail' bullshit, huh?" he teased, making Pent groan and lay his head back flat against the sheets.

"Is that what you're taking from this?" Pentious muttered, pinching the sides of his jaw before rolling up to sit. "Ugh, you know what, my good mood is gone. No blowjob for you."

Immediately Angel's smirk fell and the spider let out an indignant whine, bouncing on the snake's tail. "What!? Aw, c'mon, Pen!" Angel said, draping himself over the Pent's shoulders even as the snake continued to glare at him. "Lemme blow a load on your face at least? Ya can't leave a fella with blue balls."

"I can and will," Pent said with a huff even as Angel kept rubbing up against his body, desperately trying to entice him. "Besides, what on earth makes you think I'd ever let you cum on my face?"

Angel pouted, puffing out his lower lip far more than was necessary before lightly smacking Pent in the chest (careful to avoid the eye). "Hey, I let ya do it for a week straight. We're in the 21st century, motherfucker. We're all about equality now."

When Pentious didn't respond, Angel leaned in to press a quick kiss to the snake's cheek and added, "Ok, here's the deal: we're gonna head to the store and get a nice bottle of wine an' all the shit fer ziti. It's been a while since I made my nana's recipe and I'm willin' ta wager that a good meal will get you outta this stupid funk."

Pent met Angel's stare, gaze hard even as the spider gently stroked his fingers down the delicate scales of his face. "I guess that doesn't sound like a terrible way to spend the rest of the day," he murmured after a few moments.

Beaming, Angel kissed him again with a wet smack before slipping off Pentious' tail. "Then afterward, you should let me cum on your face. Compliments ta the chef an' all that jazz," he said, hopping off the bed and swinging around to offer Pent a hand in turn.

Taking Angel's fingers and allowing the spider to help him stand, Pent rolled his eyes and groused, "When I go to restaurants I don't let the chef jack off onto me in gratitude for the meal they've served."

Angel winked and pulled Pent close, his hands skimming up the snake's chest to close the buttons of his shirt and jacket before smoothing his palms back down the front of the fabric. "Mmmm, maybe you should try? Might start gettin' betta service."

The next two months passed in relative quiet aside from the occasional text from Val (which was always curt and to the point, though never failing to remind Pent of the fact that the Overlord considered him little more than a worthless worm).

During that time, things between the two of them neither escalated nor deescalated with Angel and Pent both refusing to have any in-depth conversations on the nature of their relationship all the while continuing to take pleasure in the company they offered one another. The end was nigh and rocking the boat didn't seem like a smart idea when they had a perfectly serviceable sex life going for them (occasionally interrupted by trips to the movies, 'band practice', walks around the park, work in Pent's lab, and their other usual routine outings).

So when the day before Extermination finally arrived, it almost felt surreal. Pentious had spent a whole year living in this cramped Hotel room with Angel as his unwilling roommate and now he would finally be going home for good.

Sure, he'd been wanting to leave as soon as he had moved in, but there was still something rather melancholy about it all as he went through the process of packing up his things.

Charlie insisted on helping of course, making sure that his clothes all fit neatly atop the toiletries, and few personal possessions he'd brought with him. "It's going to be sad not having someone else around to sing with, but you're probably pretty homesick by now," she remarked as she folded his small collection of neck and bowties into a shoebox on the dresser.

Angel sat on the bed next to Pent, his own duffel bag already packed with everything he'd need over the few days while the key was forged (including Fat Nugget's favorite treats and toys). "I mean, we always knew this shit was temporary," the spider murmured, petting over the pig's back with one hand while his chained arm thumbed through his phone. "Shouldn't have gotten attached in the first place, babe."

Closing the shoebox, Charlie stacked it inside of Pent's large black suitcase and raised a brow. "Well what about you two?" Charlie asked, gesturing at them with both hands as Pent continued to rifle through the closet. "Are you guys still going to be friends after you're free?"

Pent stiffened and glanced over to the spider who hadn't looked up from his device. "It will depend on how we both feel I imagine," he murmured quietly, folding a stack of jackets over his forearm before placing them next to the filled shoebox. "Who is to say until we are actually separated?"

He had thus far managed to mostly avoid thinking about all the possible outcomes (though the more pessimistic ideation would poke its way through his subconscious on occasion, usually after a night of drinking or when he found himself unable to sleep).

Whatever they were feeling right now could vanish in an instant, no more permanent than flowers in spring.

Pent went back to the closet and grabbed the next item off the rack, blinking when he realized he was holding the vest that Angel had bought him for Cherri's Death Day celebration. He hadn't worn it since that night, but he also hadn't disposed of the vest either, instead leaving it to hang in the closet like a bizarre souvenir. Frowning, he thumbed over the cheap leather and looked back at Angel out of the corner of his eye.

It was not at all his style and would likely fall apart if he wore it more than a handful of times but he nevertheless folded it up and placed the vest into his suitcase atop the rest of his formalwear, more casual hoodies, button-downs, and sweaters.

Closing his eyes, Pentious slowly exhaled through his nose, zipping the luggage shut as Charlie finished packing up his toiletries and accessories in the other smaller bag. "All that remains is the piano downstairs, but that will have to wait until after the Extermination to be moved," Pent said, checking the closet one last time for anything he might have forgotten.

It seemed oddly empty without his clothes there to divide up the space despite the near constant threat of Angel's outlandish outfits bursting off the rack and onto the floor. The sight of their things paired next to one another had become oddly familiar and the absence was all the more noticeable for it.

Sighing, Pentious gently tugged the chain and Angel stood, pocketing his phone to follow Pent into the bathroom for one last sweep. Their eyes met in the reflection of the mirror and the spider offered him a weak smile as he rested both sets of arms on his hips, dragging the chain between them up into a deep lop-sided U. "Kinda strange huh? We've been dyin' to get ta this day and now we're here and it's like...the fuck do we do?"

Pent pursed his lips, his eyes sweeping the empty shower stall and countertops for any missed items. "We do what we've planned to do. After that, we can decide how to move forward from there." He slithered back out and flicked off the light as he went, noting that Charlie was already moving both large bags out into the hall, grunting as she struggled with the load.

Angel scooped up his duffel off the mattress and harnessed Nugs while Pent grabbed the leash from the wall rack, attaching it to the hook once the straps were secured around the pig's belly. Their hands brushed and Pent slowly pulled away, not meeting Angel's eyes as he cleared his throat and fumbled with the inside of his pocket.

"I won't be needing this anymore," Pentious murmured as he pulled out the room key he'd been given at the start of their cohabitation, the charm nothing more than a small scrap of metal shaped in the Hotel's signature winged eye with a slightly rusted 404 carved underneath. For an entire year, he'd never evaluated the key with anything more than utilitarian purpose but now as he stared at Charlie, it weighed heavy in his hand like an anvil.

This was the last time he would live in this space. Even though this bed wasn't his own, there were memories here now, just as tangible and enduring as all those that had come before.

Ghosts to haunt the halls of his mind long after he thought he'd been freed of their shadow.

Charlie lowered Pent's heavy bags to the worn red carpet and straightened back up, her strained grimace quickly schooling into a smile as she stepped forward to take the key from him. "I hope that you enjoyed your stay. I know it wasn't ideal, but we really were glad to have you here, Sir Pentious," she said softly, their eyes meeting as she wrapped her fingers around the handle. Then Charlie slipped the key from his loose grasp and gently tucked it into the front pocket of her black slacks. "You'll always be welcomed back if you ever decide that Redemption is the path you want to take."

Swallowing hard, Pent felt his chest grow tight at her words. He had never bought into the concept of a sinner's redemption, but Charlie's unwavering faith made him hopeful. Pentious might never be a redeemed man, but maybe he could be a better one.

Slowly, he returned her broad smile and extended his hand for her to shake. "I will consider it, but I make no promises," he murmured quietly. Charlie just chuckled and clasped his fingers in her own before yanking him down into a swift hug. Pent flinched at first, startled by the sudden jerk, but then relaxed into it, lifting his arms to wrap around her back. "And thank you for being a truly wonderful host," he added, feeling a deep ache pulsing in the pit of his stomach.

She chuckled, giving him a tight but brief squeeze, "I mean, every day is filled with mistakes, but what matters is that we still keep trying. It's a process." She slowly released him, her eyes looking a little watery as she stared up at him. "The last two years haven't been super successful, but I have learned a lot."

Pentious nodded as Angel sidled up next to him, closing their door and locking it behind him with his own key while he held Nuggets in his bottom set of arms.

Charlie's struggles were all too familiar. Pent knew what it was like to have a dream that seemed impossible and forever out of reach. But unlike him, Charlie was a good person, someone who deserved far more than what she had.

Failure was always painful, but Pentious also recognized the many ways that it presented new opportunities, specifically avenues that may have never been considered if they'd succeeded from the start.

His eyes flickered to Angel and he exhaled, quickly averting them again when the spider's gaze met his. "Well, we should probably head down. We don't want to be caught outside when the reaping starts," he murmured, shooting one last look at the number plate for Room 404 before lifting the largest bag up into his arms (Charlie taking the lighter load) to head toward the stairs.

Due to how late it was, the lobby was dark and empty save for Husk who was sitting at his post, sans his normal bottle. The cat raised one long feathered eyebrow at the sight of them and let out a low grunt. "So it's go-time then?" he asked, glancing at the grandfather clock offhandedly. "You finally ditching us to head back to your weird ass lair?"

"I'm afraid so, Husker," Pent said as Razzle and Dazzle entered the lobby through the double doors to come collect the bags from him and Charlie (both goats somehow managing despite the fact that they were roughly half the size of the largest suitcase). "As fun as this whole ordeal has been, it was ultimately going to end one way or another." He pursed his lips and lifted his chin, gesturing to Husk's empty hands. "I'm surprised you're not drinking."

Husk shrugged and uncrossed his forearms, pushing off the counter as he rounded the desk to watch the goats attempt to lift both suitcases up into the trunk. "Saving it for once the Angels arrive. I don't do well with the constant screams." He exhaled and looked at Pent, raising an arm for a handshake. "Well, I guess I'll see you whenever you come by to mess around with legs."

Angel snorted and rolled his eyes at them both. "Nah, I'd be goin' ta his place fer a booty call. It's creepy as shit, but still way nicer than this dump, right Nuggies?" he asked, glancing down to the pig who just tilted their head and gave a passive snort.

Sighing, Pent shook his head. "In any case, I most likely will not be returning. Should you decide to go back to the casinos, I suppose I'll see you there."

He made to tip his hat and Husk let out an exasperated groan, though there was a hint of amusement twinkling away in his yellow irises. "Shake my fucking hand like a man, Pentious. None of that-" He mockingly tipped his own hat right back at the snake. "-bullshit."

Pentious huffed and then offered his palm, letting Husk clasp it in his own. "Very well then, I'll be seeing you, Husker," he corrected, shaking the other man's hand firmly. Husk just laughed.

"You'll be fucking back. The kid isn't gonna let her music partner up and leave for good," he said, jerking his thumb back toward Charlie who was now helping Razzle and Dazzle organize the bags in the back of the limo.

Pent shrugged and said, "I make no promises, but who knows what will happen after the Extermination."

He had a plan of course, but there was no guarantee that things would go his way. Over the centuries he'd had countless ideas blow up in his face and this was probably the greatest risk he'd ever taken (though not of his own volition).

He just hoped that by the end of it, his soul would be free and intact. Everything else he could deal with in time.

Husk nodded and dropped his hand back down, sighing as he shifted his weight from one leg to the other. "Just keep yourself and legs safe. You're both jerks, but compared to the rest of these clowns, I'll take your bullshit any day."

"Is that supposed ta be a fuckin' compliment?" Angel interjected with a huff, leaning into the cat's space and forcing Husk to fall back against the rigid counter behind him. "Shit, Husky you're worse than Pen." He gave the snake a playful shove and Pent scoffed as the spider added, "Anyway, I'll be back once this shit's off." Angel waved the chain and grinned, licking his lips as he gave Husk a thorough once-over. "So keep that sweet ass right here for me, baby. Don't think fer a second that I'm done with ya just because I've been bangin' this dickbag."

Husk raised an eyebrow skeptically as his tail swished in irritation behind him. "Sure legs. Just don't get offed on your drive across town," he said, scooting back to the other side of the Welcome Desk as if using the counter as a shield. Of course, Angel just leaned right over it, giving the cat one last flirty wink before Pent tugged him toward the doors where Charlie was waiting.

"Well, I think that's everything aside from the piano," she said with a smile, clapping her hands together as her two goats rounded the limo to get into the driver's side. "Unfortunately, I've got to stay here to give out the signal, but Razzle and Dazzle will get you guys home before the Extermination starts." She sighed and interlaced her fingers, giving them both a pleading expression. "Please stay safe, guys. Seriously."

Pent smiled and twirled his chained hand, tipping his hat to her in a showman's bow. "I've lived through 132 Exterminations, Miss Magne. I'm afraid the Exorcists will not be breaching my defenses this year."

Angel just sidled up to him and bumped Pent's hip, almost making the snake lose his grip on the hat (which he quickly stuffed back on top of his head). "We'll be just fine, toots. We're pretty fuckin' hard ta kill." He grinned at Pentious before he yanked open the door and slid inside. "I'll be back in a few days give or take," Angel called as Pentious got in and sat down next to him.

Charlie sighed and lifted one arm up in a slow wave, her expression no less assured as the door closed and the limo pulled out onto the road.

Immediately, Pent twisted in his seat, staring at the building through the tinted window glass until the Hotel was entirely out of view. He exhaled and settled back down, only to glance up when he realized that Angel was still smirking at him. "What?"

"Nothin'," Angel said, his voice dripping with faux innocence "Just thinkin' that if Charlie wasn't buried up to her elbows in Vag's puss that you two would be all over each other." The spider snickered at the disgusted grimace that appeared on Pent's face and added, "What? It's true. You both are giant optimistic dorks with way too much free time for your hopeless pet projects. Also you guys love music and you're bi as fuck."

Rolling his eyes, Pent sank deeper into his seat and rested his chin in his palm. "I'm not attracted to Charlie, though she is very sweet." He exhaled, staring out the window as he watched the city pass them by. The streets were emptier than usual, most Demons locking themselves up early to avoid being caught outside when the Exorcists flew down to begin the Extermination at the stroke of midnight. "I appreciate her sincerity is all. There's not a great deal of that down here."

"Suuuure," Angel said, nudging the snake's thick tail with his knee. "Just keep tellin' yourself that."

Pent shrugged, not dignifying Angel's prodding with a response. Charlie had grown on him, but his affection wasn't romantic. In a way, he sensed a kindred spirit in her (which was rather strange considering he was a mortal soul and she was a true Demon, but that very well might just speak to his own twisted nature rather than hers). Thankfully Angel dropped the subject, content to text Cherri on his phone for the rest of the ride.

They arrived at the manor not long after, the glow of Heaven above them all the more menacing as Razzle and Dazzle dragged the bags up to the door, giving them both a salute before jogging back to the limo and driving off.

Pent exhaled and unlocked the door, flatly ignoring the eggs who greeted them in the foyer to slither over to the guest room so they could drop off their bags.

After Angel had set up Nugget's toys, food bowl, and bed, he turned to Pent and jerked his thumb back toward the hall. "Hey, one last walk before we get locked in?" the spider asked, offering him the pink leash.

Nodding, Pent slipped the line from Angel's fingers and looked down at the pig who was curiously sniffing along the edges of the dark gray rug. "One last walk," he agreed, leaving the room to head out into the hall.

Once the back door closed behind them, they were met with an almost eerie silence, not helped by the sky being entirely dark save for Heaven and the red glow of the moon above. Pent stared out at the field, watching as the grass swayed gently in the light breeze that swept through the mostly unkempt grounds.

Next to him, Pent heard the sound of a flint being struck and caught sight of a small orange flare out of the corner of his eye. He turned to watch the spider light the tip of a cigarette, his face cast in harsh shadows by the small flame of the lighter. Once the end ignited, Angel closed the lighter and slipped it back into his jacket, taking a drag on the stick until the tip glowed a dull red. Releasing a plume of smoke, Angel turned his attention to Pent, his expression soft if not thoughtful. "You nervous?" he asked as they left the steps of the back porch, starting down the path leading to the forge in the distance.

"A bit, but Extermination has always put me on edge," Pent admitted, tilting his head back to the sky and the white orb that was Heaven. "I'd be happy to never have to look one of those creatures in the eye ever again, but at the same time, our fates depend on the treasures they leave in wake of their divine rampage."

Angel folded his upper arms behind his head and crossed the lower set over his abdomen. "I ain't ever seen one up close, but the pictures are pretty spooky." He shuddered and shook his head. "Their faces look like goddamn masks."

"I believe that they do wear some sort of veil," Pent said as he continued to slither along the gravel rocks, Nuggets leading the charge at a slow but steady trot. "And if I remember from my schooling, Angels are supposed to look rather monstrous and entirely inhuman. Mortals were never meant to gaze upon their true form."

He gestured loosely between him and Angel with one hand as he yawned behind his opposite palm. "We may no longer be mortals ourselves in body, but our souls still remain."

Angel let out another stream of smoke through his nose and shrugged. "What'd you think was gonna happen after you died? I know ya said you never really were a believer yourself, but did you think this was what was waitin' after we kicked the bucket?"

Nuggets pulled off the path and Pent followed, letting the pig snuffle through the uncut grass. "Truthfully, it was never a thought I spent a great deal of time entertaining. Of course, I attended church with Kat as was expected, read scripture to our son, and donated an acceptable amount of money to the faith, but I never believed a word of it. The bible was nothing but a book of fables to me, no more real than Grimm's fairy tales." He snorted and smiled, meeting Angel's eyes in the dark. "Though instead of frightening children, they were meant to curtail adults into being slightly less shitty to one another."

Angel chuckled and Pent felt his mouth turn dry as moonlight caught against the subtle grain of the spider's soft fur, making it glow a light pink even in the dark. Clearing his throat, Pentious quickly turned back to look at Fat Nuggets and added, "But I think a part of me wished there was an afterlife if only to give me hope that I might one day be reunited with all the people I had lost. A childish notion, but one I held in my heart nonetheless."

Though now he was far too ashamed of himself to ever want to face his loved ones. As much as he ached to see Kat or his grandfather again, Pent knew he had thoroughly poisoned the well. He was a Demon after all, a twisted soul locked in the body of a monster.

Nothing would cut him deeper than to see the grim disappointment in their eyes when they realized just what he had become.

"I don't think it's childish," Angel interjected, tapping the ash off his cigarette and stepping out in front of Pent to walk backwards through the grass, the covered chain stretching out between them. "Death fuckin' sucks but there's no escapin' it. If you were born on Earth, you were gonna die one way or anotha." He took another drag and tilted his head back to exhale the smoke as his brow furrowed into a tight knot. "I wasn't optimistic about death, but I was also a lil' more careless." Angel chuckled and uncrossed his lower arms to lean down and pet Nuggets as they stopped to chew on some weeds. "Thought I was invincible. Sure I'd get banged up pretty bad from time to time, but killed? Nah, that was for some other poor fella."

"What did you believe then?" Pent asked with a raised brow as Angel straightened up and brought the cigarette back to his mouth. "If anything at all?"

Angel paused, removing the stick just as he'd settled it against his lips. "I thought that there was nothin'. No punishment, no reward, just...nothin'." He coughed and then laughed, gesturing out with all four arms to the empty field around them. "Obviously I was fuckin' wrong. Your guess was closer to the truth than mine."

Adjusting his grip on the leash, Pent offered him an amused smile. "How sacrilegious for a Catholic to believe in nothing," he teased. "Your pastor must be ashamed."

"Eh, I was already doomed ta Hell by their standards anyway. Liked suckin' cock too much," Angel said as he stepped back in line with Pent and winked, blowing him a playful kiss.

"That was actually another reason that I didn't take scripture all too seriously," Pent said, leading Nuggets around the forge before heading back toward the house. "While I agree that some sins are truly worthy of punishment, theft and murder being the two that immediately come to mind, I felt that the restrictions on sex were absolutely archaic. It's one thing to limit one's self-pleasure and not overindulge, but to just ban sodomy entirely and for no discernible reason other than the argument of it being unnatural?"

Pent rolled his eyes and scoffed as Angel just continued to smoke next to him. "By that very same logic, clothes are unnatural. Adam and Eve were naked in their natural state and yet the church never argued that we should all become nudists in order to be considered godly. Quite the opposite in fact." He gestured over his shoulder back to the forge behind them and added, "And as a man of science, everything I do already flies in the face of the natural world order."

Angel raised an eyebrow and took another drag, the embers of his cigarette glowing dull like a dying firefly. "Pretty forward-thinkin' stuff considerin' the time period."

"Oh I was hardly the only one. Scientists have been and continue to be condemned by the church at large," Pent said with a tired sigh as the mansion loomed out in front of them, casting a massive shadow over the already dark hillside. "I was prepared to be an enemy of God the moment I stepped into the field so what's a little sodomy alongside my countless other sins?"

Angel immediately let out a loud snort and he grabbed the snake by the shoulder, stopping Pentious just as they reached the steps of the porch. "You really are a goddamn edgelord," he muttered, shaking his head incredulously. "Enemy of God? Fuckin' hell, Pen, cut the drama." Pentious blushed and rubbed the back of his head as Angel lifted a leg to stub his cigarette out on the bottom of his heel. "You're just a weird nerd who likes to play both fields. It ain't that serious."

Pouting, Pent slithered onto the porch, bending over to lift Nuggets into his arms before handing the pig to Angel. "Is it not true?" he asked, pointing up to Heaven before adding, "Are we not cast out because we chose to live sinfully?"

"Eh, I don't think about it that much," Angel said, tucking the half-smoked cigarette back into the crumpled pack as Pentious turned to unlock the door. "Sure, I probably deserve bein' down here, but we don't know what their motherfuckin' standards are." He slid the pack into his jacket and adjusted his grip on Nugs so that his pet was securely tucked up against his chest. "Maybe there isn't anyone in those white clouds and it's all a ruse ta fuck with us. This whole afterlife thing could just be some wild fuckin' reality show that the Angels made to keep themselves entertained between jerkin' off and gorin' folks on the regular."

Huffing, Pent opened the door, letting Angel inside first before he followed and locked the entryway behind him. "Now that's a rather depressing idea," he muttered as they both headed back toward the guest room.

Angel just shrugged and smiled, gently bouncing Nuggets in his arms. "Like I said, best not ta think about it too hard." He turned and poked Pent squarely between the eyes with one of his free hands. "So don't waste your big ol' brain on it, jackass."

Pent winced and rubbed the spot, flashing Angel an annoyed frown as they entered the guest room. "And what exactly should I be wasting it on then?" he asked as Angel kicked the door closed behind them and unhooked Nuggets from their harness before setting the pig down on the carpet.

"I dunno, shit that makes you happy?" Angel said simply as he tossed the harness and leash line onto the dresser. "If all this stuff's already a punishment, then there's no sense in makin' it any worse for yourself, right?"

Continuing to frown, Pent crossed his arms over his chest and heaved a sigh. Easier said than done, but Angel was (per usual) not technically wrong. As he stood there pouting, Angel rolled his eyes and stepped into his space, clasping the snake's cheeks in his two top hands.

Pent's eyes met Angel's and he swallowed as the spider leaned in, planting a tender kiss on his mouth. "I get that you're all about bein' in control and not lettin' yourself go absolutely apeshit, but it's ok ta loosen the goddamn reins a bit, y'know," Angel murmured as he pulled back, gently petting down the snake's cheek and jaw as his mismatched eyes searched Pent's face.

Slowly, Pentious raised one hand to touch over the back of Angel's as the spider continued to cradle his head. "In any case, tomorrow won't be a day for loosening restrictions," he said with a tired smile, dragging his phone out of his jacket and wincing as he checked the clock. "Speaking of which, we should try and get some sleep before it starts."

"What, no pre-E-Day/D-Day sex?" Angel teased as he pulled back and began to undress, prompting Pent to follow suit and set his hat down on the nightstand. "Guess we do have all day tomorrow," he added as he kicked his boots off to the side of the bed before plopping down onto the mattress to stare up at Pent, his naked body stretched out alluringly against the sheets.

Pent inhaled sharply at the sight, not bothering with a sleep shirt either as he turned off the lights and slid into bed on top of Angel, enjoying the way the other man let out a little gasp as he was pinned under the snake's much heavier body. "Sleep is more important right now. Once the screaming starts, it will be harder to get any rest." He kissed the other man's brow and then stared down at Angel as the moon's red glow cut between them through the gaps in the window curtain.

Maybe it was just his own heightened emotions due to the impending Extermination, but in this light, Angel was actually quite handsome. Not that he ever thought the other man was unattractive, but there was a genuine softness that he didn't often see on Angel's face…

Particularly in his eyes.

Angel just smiled back up at him, loosely wrapping his top arms around Pent's shoulders as the chain dragged against them both. "Guess so…" he said with a tired huff. "But we're definitely gonna fuck tomorrow if only to give you a nice memory on your D-Day for once." He leaned up and kissed Pent in turn before laying down on top of the sheets, his white hair mussed and messy against the pillows.

"I'm looking forward to it," Pent said with a chuckle before slowly rolling off Angel to scoot under the blankets. Immediately the other man shifted to cuddle right back up to him through the tented fabric, resting his head on Pent's collarbone. Pent swallowed and raised one arm to stroke his fingers through Angel's hair, the motion as familiar as it was soothing.

It really was almost scary just how natural it felt to have Angel laying against him and in his arms, but he didn't want to question it. He didn't want to think.

Just once he was going to take a page out of Angel's book and simply let himself indulge the simple pleasure of holding another person and feeling their heart sync with his.

Besides, these nights would be coming to an end very soon and then his bed would be empty again.

For now, Pent was tired and just needed to sleep. His restless thoughts would no doubt be there again when he woke up.

The ghosts could wait another day.
There was always tomorrow.

The next morning, Pentious woke to Angel snoring softly against his cheek and distant screams filtering through the walls of his home. He groaned and rubbed over both eyes with the heel of his palm before checking his phone. The Extermination had only been underway for the last 6 hours and yet there was already a swath of red covering the digital map of the Pentagram. He sighed and placed the device face down on his abdomen, snuggling into Angel's hair and inhaling the scent of the other man's fruity shampoo.

Of course now that he was awake, there was no drowning out the death wails. When he'd first built this house, he'd assumed that it would be far enough outside of the city and that he'd never again have to hear those terrible noises, but no. There was just too much death and terror outside to even begin to mask the shrieking.

Slowly Angel shifted next to him and eventually blinked open his eyes. "Fuck, it's goin' already?" he asked with a yawn, stretching his top arms out over his head before nuzzling into Pentious' collarbone.

"Yes," Pent nodded as he yawned as well, loosely wrapping an arm around Angel's shoulders and running his fingers through the soft fur that covered the spider's lean muscle. "I'll have my minions put on the gramophone. It usually obscures the worst of it."

He lifted his phone again, one-handedly texting the eggs to tell them to get breakfast started and to put on some music so they wouldn't have to listen to the dead and dying outside. Angel eventually grabbed his own device, flicking through his social as he continued to use Pent's chest as a pillow. "So, what are we gonna do ta kill time until Val shows up with the goods?" Angel asked as he scrolled. "I'm always fer spendin' the day in bed fuckin' each other's brains out, but I get the sense that wouldn't fly with you."

Pent snorted and glanced down at Angel. "As pleasant as that sounds, I don't think I could waste an entire day in bed." He sighed and stretched out the length of his tail under the blankets as he added, "Though before we make any concrete plans, I want some tea and breakfast. Your libido will have to wait."

Angel shrugged and rolled up to sit. "Kinda figured that was the deal anyway," he muttered, leaning over the side of the bed and hitting the button to deploy the ramp built into the wooden frame. "Here Nuggies. C'mon up and cuddle with Daddy an' Papa!"

The pig woke slowly, lifting their head and stretching their tiny legs out in the basket. Pent snorted and rolled his eyes as Angel sank back to sit next to him against the headboard, shoulder to shoulder. "I'm not Fat Nuggets' Papa," he insisted as the sleepy pig trotted up the ramp and onto the mattress, sitting down next to Angel who then scooped them up onto his lap.

"You can deny it all ya want," Angel said with a chuckle before kissing the snake's cheek, his lower pair of hands petting the pig while his upper set rested loosely at his sides. "You're a Pig Papa now. Deal with it."

Pent huffed but reached down to pet Nugs nevertheless as he read through the morning news, enjoying the small gentle licks against his palm.

Eventually he did get up, forcing Angel to follow him through their usual morning routine. By the time they were both dressed, one of the eggs came to the door to announce that they'd set up breakfast in the dining room along with their preferred tea and coffee. Pent dismissed the minion and then adjusted his hat atop his head before heading out, letting Angel close the door behind them.

Once they were seated at the dining table, Pent set his phone off to the side, leaving the Extermination Tracker on as he looked over his plate of eggs on toast. "Normally I'd be preparing to raid right now, readying my ship for departure, and checking to see if I had enough fuel," he murmured, taking his tea cup and lifting it to his mouth with a disappointed sigh. "I suppose there is always next year."

Angel sat down as well and grinned, taking the coffee mug and dropping five sugar cubes in before picking up his fork (ignoring the spoon next to it entirely) to mix his sugary concoction. "Y'know, you might wanna look fer a new hobby. If you were gonna be some big time conqueror, I think it woulda happened by now. Face it, Pen, you're a dorky inventor, not some fuckin' badass warlord."

"That was when I was alive," Pent corrected, raising his chin as he waved one hand over his cup to disperse the steam. "In death, I'm more or less immortal so it's easier to justify taking risks and engaging in live combat." Though he didn't particularly enjoy having the shit beaten out of him or being murdered and respawning on the outskirts of the city regardless. "I had no inclination to go to war in life because like most people, I had basic survival instincts."

Sipping from his coffee, Angel took his still damp fork and used it to cut the toast in half, splitting the egg yolk so that it leaked all over the bread and onto the china below. "Yeah, that's true. You had that happy family life goin' fer ya: marrin' the woman of your dreams and poppin' out a kid." He chuckled and picked up a piece of the toast, letting the excess yolk drip down. "All you were missin' is the picket fence and the dog."

Pent stirred the lemon in his tea, pursing his lips as he glanced at the tracker on his phone. "I wouldn't say I dreamed of marrying Kat. At the time, she was an older disabled woman with few marriage prospects and I was a mildly respectable engineer with very little to my name." He shrugged and put his cup down to lift a piece of toast to his mouth, taking a solid bite and chewing as he kept his eyes locked on the screen.

"So no love at first sight?" Angel asked as he ate, liquid yolk continuing to dribble down messily onto his plate. "Damn, and you made your marriage sound so romantic."

Pent sighed and lowered his device to meet Angel's stare. "I won't lie. Her father's wealth was the primary motivation behind my proposal. Marriage back then was rarely for love, especially in upper class circles, and despite coming from a good family, Kat's disability made her an unsuitable bridal prospect for most men of her status." He finished the toast and wiped at his lips with a cloth napkin before taking another sip of his tea. "Under normal circumstances her family wouldn't have allowed her to wed a man like me even though I was no longer impoverished, but her father was desperate to marry her off before she became an old maid and I was a better prospect than nothing at all."

Angel stared at him as he licked the yolk from his own fingers. "If you just married her for money, why the fuck do you always go on and on about how wonderful she was?" he asked, lips quirked in a confused frown.

Humming, Pent traced the rim of his favorite cup with one talon, being careful not to scrape against the edge of the porcelain. "Because over the course of our marriage, I did fall in love." He spooned the lemon wedge over, flipping it a few times in the light brown tea as he spoke. "I wouldn't have married her in the first place if she was a truly wicked person or unpleasant to be around. Kat was a bit older sure, but she was pretty, very sweet, and came from a family far above my station. I expected us to be friends if nothing else, but she was patient and caring through it all. Moreso than I likely ever deserved, really."

As he described his wife, Pentious couldn't help but think back to the first night of their honeymoon and how awkward it had been, or rather how awkward he had been. Kat had just smiled and took it all in stride, explaining that they didn't have to consummate their marriage right away if he was afraid.

Which was ridiculous given that she was the virgin, not him, but he had appreciated it nevertheless.

They did have sex that night, though it wasn't the best (especially considering their later relationship) but at the end of it, she had snuggled up to him under the covers and held him close, tracing letters against his bare chest.

T-H-A-N-K Y-O-U S-I-M-O-N

She finished the statement with a small timid heart and he remembered feeling so unsure of himself in that moment. He knew that Kat wasn't stupid. She was aware of the fact that he wasn't here for her…

But still she thanked him anyway and that made him question whether or not he had any right to stay.

That became the nightly tradition for them both: having a good round of intense sex, followed by Kat writing messages against his skin as they went to sleep. Sometimes she drafted silly little limericks, other times it was gossip she had read about in the paper, but most often she would end the night with a short message of gratitude for him.

And then maybe a year and a half into their marriage, her messages changed from a simple thank you to a more specific piece: "I am half agony, half hope."

It was a vaguely familiar phrase and that familiarity bothered him enough to get Pentious hunting around for the origin of the line in his own time (asking Kat would certainly be cheating after all). When he finally discovered the passage after weeks of private research, he nearly fainted at his desk.

The declaration was so simple and yet so bold and he couldn't help but clutch the book to his chest, feeling as though his heart was going to burst.

He'd wooed many women while he was still a bachelor chasing skirts, but never had he spun such a skilled web as Katherine. Most impressive of all was the fact that she'd done it all without saying a word.

That night he had approached his wife in their library and hugged her from behind, pulling Kat up against his chest before laying her palm out flat to write the other end of the passage against her skin: "I have loved none but you."

He felt her stiffen and then shiver in his grasp before she finally turned to look at him, her soft brown eyes a touch glassy in the candlelight. Then before he could react, she pulled him down into a passionate kiss and he was swept away.

Pentious exhaled and took another sip of his tea which was now a bit lukewarm for his taste. "She made me want to be better if only to make her happy. No matter how often I failed or disappointed her, she never made me feel small for it." Unlike everyone else who was above his station.

Angel furrowed his brow and leaned back in his chair, crossing one long leg over the other. "Fair, but what about your kid? I don't think I even know your son's fuckin' name."

Gulping down the rest of the tea, Pent set the cup to the side and frowned. "His name was Dorian and he was our only child," he murmured, lifting the second piece of toast and picking at it. "I never wanted any children, but Kat's family expected an heir and hopefully one that didn't inherit her disability."

"So was he deaf too?"

Pentious shook his head. "He had no disabilities," he said as he peeled off the crusts and dipped them in the spilled yolk, nibbling on them slowly. "Kat adored him, but I never bonded with the boy even as he grew older." He exhaled through his nose and met Angel's eye-line. "Of course, I made sure he never wanted for anything, but Dorian had dreams of being an artist and held no passion for the sciences or engineering. A few times he came down to my workshop to paint, but it was always very awkward and he stopped after maybe three or four attempts."

Rubbing his chin, Pent picked up his phone, idly scrolling through the newsfeed without reading any of it. "Our son was a good boy and never misbehaved or acted out, but he and I had nothing in common. Worse though was that I felt as if his birth created a rift between Kat and I." He curled his tongue around one long fang and murmured, "Call me selfish, but it hurt to realize that I wasn't the most important person in her life anymore. I was her heart, but he was her soul."

Angel winced and chomped down the rest of his toast, wiping his mouth off on his forearm before letting out a small burp. "Well least ya didn't beat your kid, right?" he said, going back to his coffee mug and swirling what remained of the liquid around the basin. "That already makes ya a million times better than my old man."

Pent closed his eyes and pinched his brow, rubbing his talons into the pressure points on either side of the bridge. "Neglect comes with its own set of problems," he said quietly.

He'd done everything in his power to keep history from repeating itself and to give his son the life he never had, but material wealth and support didn't ever close the distance between them.

At the end of the day, he might have not been the worst father, but he'd still been too self-centered and set in his ways to change for the greater good.

It had hurt Kat so much, though she was good at hiding it from him. He wished he had done better, if only to keep from disappointing her.

Clearing his throat, Pentious opened his eyes again and dropped his arm back down to his side. "In any case, I'd say we were mostly happy. Not that we were without our problems, but our family life was very peaceful."

Angel downed the rest of his coffee and shook the empty mug at the nearest egg standing by the doorway. "Got any more Joe?" he asked the minion who immediately grinned and leapt into action to retrieve the coffee pot from the kitchen.

Turning back to Pent, Angel rested his chin in one of his palms and said, "Alright, you're makin' me sad so let's switch topics. What about your sex life? You said you and Kat were gettin' busy on the regular." He winked and Pent groaned, rolling his eyes at the spider. Of course Angel would segway from talking about his family into sex of all things.

Though at the same time, he wasn't going to pretend that he wasn't more than happy to change the subject. "We had an active sex life," Pent confirmed as he tore the now crustless toast left on his plate into more manageable bites and lifted one to his mouth. "Kat wasn't as persistent as you, but there were plenty of nights where I'd stay too late in the lab and she'd sneak down to pull me away for a good romp in the sheets." Angel laughed as Pent chewed, swallowing the mouthful before reaching for the next piece of egg-laden toast.

"Aw, had ta pull ya outta work to get that good dick, huh?" The spider grinned, watching Pentious clear what was left of his plate. "I could see that though. You're such a fuckin' workaholic, it's ridiculous."

The eggboi came back in, holding the half-filled pot of coffee and Angel took it from them, pouring the steaming liquid into his mug before handing it back and patting the top of their head. "Thanks, fella," he said, grabbing a fistful of sugar cubes off the tray and plunking them into his coffee one by one. "Ok, so what's the wildest thing you ever did in bed?" he said, picking up his fork and licking the crumbs off the tines before using it to stir his coffee. "You tell me yours, I'll tell ya mine."

Pentious watched the eggboi run off with the pot before his eyes flickered back up to Angel's face. "I really don't see why you care, especially considering you have done far more outlandish things in bed than I could ever hope to match just by the nature of your work alone."

"So? It ain't a competition," Angel said as he dropped the fork onto his empty plate where it landed with an obnoxious clatter. "You're the competitive one between the two of us anyway. I mostly just do shit outta spite because some fucker told me I couldn't." He took a sip and licked his lips, staring at Pent over the rim of his mug. "So spill. What's the craziest shit you've ever done in bed?"

Blushing as the memory in question swam into his mind's eye, Pent cleared his throat and straightened his posture. "I only did this once," he prefaced, holding up a claw as Angel's grin widened all the more. "But I slept with a close friend of mine and his wife." He coughed awkwardly. "At the same time."

Angel's eyebrows shot up as he opened his mouth to dramatically click his tongue. "Whoa, you fuckin' cheated?" he asked as he shook his head in disbelief. "And for a kinky threeway? Damn, didn't see that comin'."

Still flushed, Pent crossed his arms over his chest, tapping his talons against the bend of both elbows. "I never said I cheated. Kat was present." He chewed his lip as he watched Angel drink from his mug. "Part of our agreement was that she was allowed to watch."

Angel choked, his cheeks bulging as he fought against spitting out his coffee all over the table. He put down the mug and forcibly swallowed, wincing as he touched over his throat and looked back at Pent. "You fuckin' what!?" he rasped, raising an arm to wipe his mouth. "Holy shit, were you two goddamn swingers!?"

"I already said it was just the one time," Pent huffed, already regretting his own honesty. He should have known that this would have been Angel's reaction. "Before either of us married, Jean and I would occasionally meet for some casual sex, but when Odette came into the picture, I was no longer required."

Angel cupped his top set of hands around the half-filled coffee mug, leaning in as his face split into a suggestive smirk. "So what brought on the threeway then? Just feelin' nostalgic for the good ol' days of bangin' your boy-toy?"

"Something like that," Pent admitted with a sigh as Jean's handsome face came to mind. "That and Odette was rather curious. According to her, Jean used to wax on and on about my knot tying."

Letting out a low whistle, Angel lifted his mug and took a long sip before lowering it back down. "Damn. So not only were you your best friend's daddy dom fuck buddy, but you were good enough to get his wife interested?" He licked his lips and tapped a finger against the side of the ceramic. "How'd ya convince your wife to go in on it?"

Pentious loosened the cage of his arms and shrugged. "Odette brought it up to Kat first actually. After mulling it over, she came to me with the proposition." He then chuckled and shook his head at the memory. "She was actually far more excited than I was."

Angel laughed as well before finishing off his second cup of coffee. "Is it weird that I kinda love your wife? Seems like she was a pretty cool broad," he said, setting the mug aside and tucking his upper arms back behind his head. "Now I'm wonderin' if you guys were just extra kinky for the day or if the Victorians weren't as prudish as I was led ta believe. The more I talk to ya, the more it feels like I was fed a bunch of lies."

Pent snorted and let out a heavy sigh. "I've told you time and time again that we had plenty of sex and kink in our lives. It was just something you kept behind closed doors and never discussed in polite company. Holding hands in public was more taboo than raunchy fucking in a private room."

At Angel's skeptical frown, Pent unfolded his arms and pulled at the chain snaking between them. "For example, prior to meeting his wife, Jean had no tattoos or piercings, but less than six months into their marriage, both his nipples were pierced and he had a massive inkjob on his lower back." He lifted his chin, growing just a touch smug at the look of complete shock on Angel's face. "All of it hidden under his suits of course."

"Pierced nipples?" Angel repeated before his eyes darted down to Pent's chest. "What about you? Did ya ever do anythin' like that when ya still had nips?"

"Ah, no. I was never a fan of pain," Pent said, raising one hand in polite refusal before clearing his throat again. "I flogged Jean whenever he asked for it, but I disliked being hit much myself. I did let Odette tie me up and have her way with my person though during our session. Kat had to rein her back whenever it got to be too much for me to stand."

Angel chuckled, his mouth curling into a soft smile. "Good on the wifey lookin' out for your ass. Did that Odette chick try an' stick a finger up your fun hole or somethin'?"

Pent scowled and clenched his teeth as Angel began to laugh all the harder. "That is absolutely horrid phrasing," he hissed, trying to collect himself even though he knew he had to be bright red by now. "No. I've never been on the receiving end of any form of penetration." He folded his hands together and rested his elbows on top of the table as he added, "I'm a top so to speak."

"Mmmm, you're missin' out. Prostates are made to be played with," Angel said with a suggestive eyebrow waggle, raising one hand to circle his index finger in a smooth practiced motion. "Not that it ain't fun ta top, but there's a whole different feelin' to gettin' a good dick up against your sweet spot."

Sighing, Pentious pursed his lips as his eyes tracked the rhythmic circling of Angel's finger. "It's never been on my radar and my sex life hasn't exactly suffered from a lack of internal stimulation."

Angel just stared at him, dragging his chained hand down the side of his face as he let out a low groan. "Y'know, sayin' it like that just makes it sound so clinical and not fun at all. It ain't internal stimulation-" he corrected as he got to his feet, making air quotes with his fingers. "-it's gettin' dicked deep inta the mattress!" Angel grinned and punctuated the statement with two solid hip thrusts to the table, jostling the utensils against the wood.

Pent frowned and snapped his fingers, gesturing to their plates and then toward the nearest eggboi. "How about we change the subject? We don't need to spend all day talking about my sexual encounters," he muttered as his minions began to clear away their empty dishes.

The spider pouted and stepped back from the table as Pent stood and pushed in his chair. "Fiiiine, but we still got a whole damn Extermination left and I need somethin' to fill the time. It's not my fault you're a fuckin' weirdo who refuses to buy a goddamn television."

"I don't watch a lot of TV and what little I do peruse can be downloaded onto my tablet," Pent defended, snatching his phone as they left the dining room. "I have some games in my study that we can look through. Do you play chess?"

Angel stopped in his tracks and turned around to glare at Pent. "Bub, do I look like the sorta fella who knows how to fuckin' play chess?" he asked, dropping his lower set of arms down to his hips while the upper set folded over his breasts. Pent snorted and slithered around the spider, pulling him into the study anyway.

"I can teach you," he assured, flicking on the lights before gliding over to his desk and pulling open a cabinet to remove a wooden box hidden inside of the drawer. "It's not difficult."

Sighing, Angel followed him as Pent moved a lamp off the table adjacent the silk couch and sent the eggboiz out to retrieve chairs for them. "I'll even be generous and let you play white," Pentious offered as he set the box on top of the table and began to unpack the board and pieces.

"What, cuz it matches me?" Angel asked, picking up the white Queen and waving it mockingly next to his own face.

"No, white always goes first in chess," Pent explained as he plucked the Queen from Angel's grasp and set it down on the board while his minions shuffled in with a set of chairs.

Once the board was set up and they were seated on either side, Pent grinned and gestured to the table with both hands. "The rules of chess are simple. You corner your opponent's King and take them out. When you have a chance to take the King, it's check, but when they have no further moves to make, it's checkmate."

Angel sighed and leaned back in his chair, crossing both sets of arms against his torso. "Ok, kill the King, got it. What are all these guys?"

"Well there are six types of pieces, including the King, and they all have a specific move set. Figuring out how best to maneuver them across the board is how strategy comes into play." Pent grinned and added, "It's modeled after war and how different types of troops will have various challenges to face as they prepare to face an enemy." He picked up his own Knight and traced an L-pattern in the air. "Knights are your cavalry and they can jump over other pieces in this shape while Pawns are your infantry, only moving one square at a time aside from their first move." He demonstrated by moving a pawn forward two spaces. "On the unit's first move they can go two squares in."

Angel pursed his lips and slowly untangled his arms as Pent reset his own pieces. "Sounds like a lotta complicated crap to remember," he muttered as he rubbed his chin. "But ultimately you're just cuttin' the other fucker down before he can get to your own side?"

"In a way," Pent said with a nod, his hat tipping slightly as well. "Both in chess and war, you achieve victory by correctly determining how your opponent will react to the situation given their available moves and resources. It's most advantageous to know your opponent when attempting both."

Raising an eyebrow, Angel hummed and curled his tongue around his teeth. "Ok, that kinda shit I can do," he said, spreading his legs and leaning over the board to pick up a Bishop. "Now how do these scrawny lil' fuckers move?"

It took a little while to explain the rest of the rules to Angel, but it was easier to show the spider how it all worked together through actual play. Pent kept his strategy simple for their first game to let the other Demon get used to the mechanics, though he did ultimately take victory when he slid his Rook into position. "Checkmate," he said with a small smile, crossing his arms as he stared at the spider.

Angel's own expression twisted into a scowl as he looked down at the board in front of him. After a few moments he huffed and began to pick his own discarded pieces out of the box, resetting the playing field. "Ok, we're havin' a rematch. That first round was practice. Time for the real deal."

"Getting into the spirit of things?" Pentious teased as he began to organize his own side of the board, enjoying the way Angel was now taking this more seriously. "Not so boring a game is it now?"

Honestly, he didn't understand the other man at times. Angel was by no means stupid, but he so often played at being dumber than he was. Of course Angel didn't pay much attention to subjects that disinterested him, but when he was focused, he was actually fairly adaptive and quick-thinking.

"Well I gotta knock that smarmy look off your face," Angel said as he moved his first pawn, glancing up at Pent and waiting until he had the snake's full attention before giving him a sly wink. "Though we could make this a bit more interestin'."

Pent's eyes narrowed. "Are you suggesting a bet?" he asked as the spider grinned at him across the table. Angel nodded and Pent sighed, biting his lip in frustration. Damn him for taking advantage of his competitive spirit. "Alright. What are the terms?"

Angel chuckled and lifted one hand, extending three fingers out from his palm. "We're gonna play three more games," he confirmed, wiggling the digits playfully. "If I can win at least one of 'em, we head on over to the guest room and I get ta call the shots for the afternoon." Pentious shivered at the near predatory look Angel gave him and swallowed as the spider added, "If I lose all three, you're in charge and I'll sweeten the pot with a nice long backrub."

Pent's eyes widened and he lifted his chained hand to rub at his chin as he considered the offer. "You really do underestimate my skills...or overestimate your own." Chewing over his tongue, he hummed and glanced down to the board before them. "Well I certainly won't be going easy on you now that there are actual stakes." Pentious picked up his Queen, rolling it between his fingers as he flashed his fangs at Angel. "The kid gloves are officially off."

"Good. It won't be a satisfyin' win unless I'm rubbin' your face in it," Angel shot right back, his smile not dipping once. "So put that shit back where it came from and let's get started."

Laughing, Pent set his Queen down on the board and leaned back in his chair, grinning toothily at Angel before picking up his own pawn to shift it two squares in. "Very well. Show me your best."

The first game was another easy victory (of course). Angel might now have a better grasp on the rules, but he was still very much a beginner and didn't really know how to take advantage of his own pieces yet. Despite this, the spider's confidence didn't wane and Angel just accepted his checkmate with a nod before moving to reset the board, lifting one leg up onto the other as he reached into the box to retrieve his fallen pieces.

Surprisingly, the second match lasted a great deal longer as Angel had figured out how to maneuver his king across the playing field in an frustrating game of keep away. He failed to pose any real threat to Pentious' pieces, but he certainly survived a great deal longer than Pent expected him to which was impressive in its own right.

Though there was also something rather coy about the way Angel moved his pieces (not helped by the fact that the spider kept nudging his tail with one leg underneath the table). Angel didn't even seem to be trying to win. It was as if he was merely using the match as an excuse to flirt.

But then the third game started and suddenly Angel became aggressive. It was still sloppy in the way that most beginners were, but Pent found himself on the defensive more often than not as they danced around each other. Angel also made eye contact with him after every move, as if daring him to lose his patience and retaliate.

"Y'know, this is more fun than I thought it would be," Angel said casually as he moved a Rook, his gaze not leaving Pent's all the while. "I mean, there's plenty of games I'd prefer ta play over this, but chess ain't bad." He licked his lips and grinned at the snake. "Plus you look real goddamn intense when you're thinkin'. It's kinda sexy."

Pent rolled his eyes and moved his Bishop to block the Rook. "Why do I get the feeling that strip poker is your favorite game?"

Angel immediately scoffed. "Wow, way ta stereotype me," he said with a faux offended tone, touching one hand over the exposed fur on his chest. "Not that I'll eva turn down a good game of poker, but nah, that ain't even in the top three." Angel leaned back in his chair, bouncing his leg as he considered his next move. "Spades is probably my number one for card games."

"Hmmm, I don't think I've ever played that," Pent admitted as the spider casually moved his Pawn, taking out the Bishop. Pentious responded by moving his Knight to take the Pawn in turn. "What are the rules?"

Grinning, Angel flicked the pointer finger of his chained arm up into the air. "It's a lot easier than chess: Spades trump all." He chuckled and lowered his hand, adding, "You can play alone, but it's more fun with other folks. I used to drop by the soldier bars across the river whenever I needed a good dickin'. Those fellas were plenty happy ta give me a nice fuck and teach me how ta play whatever game they were runnin'."

Pent blinked, tilting his head slightly as he stared at Angel. "Soldiers? From the second war, right? You were still a child during the first, yes?"

Angel's smirk fell, his expression flattening into an annoyed scowl. "No shit, sherlock. But yeah, lotta gays in the military. Course it helped that the uniform was sexy as shit, but everyone still had ta be under the table in more ways than one."

Curious now, Pent pulled out his phone and searched for images of American military uniforms. As he scrolled through the pictures, he gave an approving nod to the various designs. "Hmmm, they're more practical than what the British Navy and Infantry wore," he admitted, scanning the WWII models specifically. "They also have a more rugged charm to them that's rather appealing."

Angel let loose a horny little giggle, his eyes slightly out of focus as if lost in a memory. "Fuck yeah they were. My pops made sure that Niss and I didn't get drafted, but if I had been, I woulda fucked every guy in my platoon." As he spoke, Angel moved his Rook again so that it wouldn't be taken by Pent's encroaching Knight. "Hell, maybe I woulda gone overseas and dicked down a coupla British guys too," he said with a smirk, looking Pentious right in the eye.

Huffing, Pent shook his head and shifted his Bishop into place to track the Rook. "I would have been dead long before that war broke out."

Of course that fact did little to deter Angel who just shrugged and said, "Who knows, I coulda ended up in bed with your great grandson or somethin'."

"That doesn't-no," Pent winced at the mental image and raised both hands, making an X across his chest as Angel openly cackled. "I'm not even going to entertain that thought."

"Lucky for you then, the only soldiers I fucked were American," Angel said with a sly wink as he picked up his Queen and rolled the piece in his fingers.

Pent sighed and uncrossed his arms to gesture down at the board. "Are you going to talk or are you going to play?" he asked snidely as the spider continued to smile at him from across the table.

"Oh, I'm definitely here ta play, baby," Angel said, lifting one hand to blow the snake a kiss before setting his Queen down in front of Pent's exposed King. "Pretty sure that's checkmate, by the way."

"What!?" Pent's hood immediately snapped open as every eye on his body scanned over the pieces that were left out on the field. All the while, Angel just continued to grin, hugging himself smugly as he tapped the side of his boot against the table.

"Yeah, guess you were right," the spider teased as Pent attempted to suss out just exactly where he had gone wrong. "Knowin' your opponent's weaknesses is a solid strat." Angel then leaned over the board, pecking Pent's cheek. "C'mon busta, time ta pay up."

Pentious swallowed as his hood deflated, unable to fathom just how easily Angel had distracted him. Had he just gotten too comfortable? Too cocky?

Rising out of his seat, he glared down at the spider and declared, "You lied to me. You have played before, haven't you?"

"Scout's honor," Angel said, drawing an X over his heart as he moved to stand. "All I did was take your advice." He laughed and tugged the chain between them, making the snake jolt at the unexpected yank. "Helped that I had a pretty sexy teacher to pay attention to," the spider said as he stepped forward and wrapped two of his arms around Pent's waist to lead them both out of the study.

Pent sighed, allowing himself to be manhandled as they left the room. "No need to gloat," he muttered as they traversed the hall leading to the guest room.

How humiliating to lose to an amateur. Pentious shouldn't have let his guard down just because Angel was new to the game.

He'd allowed himself to be played like a fool.

"Only if you quit poutin'," Angel said as they entered the room (the spider lifting one long leg to nudge the door closed behind them) "I swear, you're the sorest loser I've ever met an' that's sayin' somethin'." He then moved to drag Pent into a kiss, only to pause as he caught a glimpse of Nugs snoozing away in their basket out of the corner of his eye.

Pent followed his line of sight and then leaned over to retract the wooden ramp descending along the side of the bed. The last thing they needed was Nuggets waking up and getting curious. "I'm allowed to be sore," he muttered, still scowling at Angel. "You cheated."

"It ain't cheatin'. No one told ya not ta pay attention ta the board," Angel huffed as he slipped out of his jacket and then unbuttoned Pent's, unzipping the side seam to angle the fabric around the length of their chain.

Pent huffed and then pulled off his hat before undoing his button-down. "It still wasn't very sportsmanlike," he said as he tugged his shirt and sleeveless undershirt up and over his head.

Angel shrugged, dropping his skirt and panties to the floor before stepping out of them. "That wasn't in the rules you laid out," he reminded as he leaned down to unzip his boots. "It ain't my fault you couldn't keep your eyes on the prize." Angel paused and then pressed himself into Pentious, his soft breasts squished against the snake's ribs. "Or I guess you had your eyes on a different prize, hmmm?" he murmured with a sultry bat of his eyes.

Blushing, Pent just placed his clothes atop the dresser and sat on the bed, pulling his tail up as Angel followed and tucked up into his side. "Alright then, you have free rein. What is it that you wanted?"

Angel purred and trailed a finger down the front of Pent's chest, licking his lips. "Hey so, you remember our original agreement?" he asked, his eyes following the length of the snake's long body. "Specifically the part about you bein' willin' ta try out some stuff?"

Pent stiffened and nodded. "I do…" he murmured in a quiet voice. "I assume there's something specific you had in mind?"

The spider chuckled and leaned over the side of the bed to drag his mostly empty duffel out from underneath the wooden frame. "Yeah." He rummaged around in the contents for a moment before pulling out a bottle of lube and what looked like a very small corded bullet vibrator.

Pent raised an eyebrow. "You want me to use a toy on you?" he asked as Angel snickered and then curled back into Pent, placing the items on the other side of the snake's hip.

"Nah, I wanna use it on you," Angel murmured, dipping the fingers of his chained hand down to slide back and forth over the slit of Pentious' exposed cloaca.

Pentious froze and Angel quickly pressed a soft kiss to his lips. "Calm down, I'm gonna take it nice and slow. Finger ya a bit until you're feelin' loose and then we can get this sucker in your snussy." He picked up the vibe with one of his free hands and turned it on, letting it buzz between his forefinger and thumb. "I know you don't got any experience bottomin', but I think you'll enjoy this."

Continuing to nuzzle the dumbstruck snake, Angel began planting kisses over the column of Pent's throat, wicked fingers teasing over the yellow scales of his chest. "If you're feelin' too uncomfortable we'll stop, but you did promise to give my stuff a chance."

Pent groaned and straightened to sit against the headboard. He had given his word and the vibrator was at least very small (though he doubted it would feel as tiny going inside of him). After a few moments of consideration, he let out a deep exhale through his nose and nodded, raising one talon. "I will let you try it on the condition that you stop if requested and that you never use the word snussy in my presence ever again."

Angel's grin slowly fell. "So when you say never, do you mean never ever or-"

"I mean, for all eternity," Pent confirmed with a cool glare.

"Well fuck, you're no fun…" Angel muttered with a pout before turning the vibrator off and setting it back down onto the sheets.

Rolling his eyes, Pent dropped his arm. He couldn't believe he was having this conversation at all, nevermind actually considering letting Angel put a toy inside of him. "Do you want to finger me or not? Decide which is more important."

"Ok, ok…sheesh," Angel murmured, taking the lube and pouring some out into his fingers. "Just do me a favor and try ta relax. You're gonna go tense at first, but keep takin' deep breaths." He met Pent's skeptical stare and bit his lip, clearly trying to temper his own excitement. "I ain't gonna hurtcha."

Pent nodded, swallowing as he felt Angel's slick fingers probe along the length of his cloaca, not dipping in, but certainly teasing against the sensitive seam. Angel might be one of the most experienced partners he'd ever had, but that didn't make Pentious any less nervous for what was to come. Regardless of how patient and gentle the spider was, penetration was still not a small hill to climb.

"Hey, look at me."

Blinking, Pent's eyes snapped up to Angel as the spider pet down the side of his face with one of his clean hands, pinching the snake's chin between his index finger and thumb. "It's fine ta be a bit scared, but you're gonna be ok. I promise this will feel really really good." He leaned in and drew Pentious into a tender kiss, barely nibbling the snake's bottom lip. "You're gonna be real open an' wet by the time this goes in."

"If you say so," Pent murmured, doing his best to relax the tense muscles of his abdomen all while Angel's other hands encouraged him to fully lay down flat against the pillows and sheets below.

Though as soon as the spider did begin applying real pressure to his cloaca, Pent was immediately all too aware of the presence of those questing fingers. Rather than lean into his panic, Angel just kissed the snake and purred, continuing to rub against the slit slowly as his tongue slipped between Pentious' lips.

Then before he could take another breath, it was in, the tip of Angel's finger a strange and foreign (but thankfully not painful) sensation under his skin. Pentious swallowed and the spider leaned back to stare down at him with half-lidded eyes. "See? Easy as pie," Angel said, wiggling that finger around up to the first knuckle. "It'll go even faster once you're hard enough to get those dicks poppin' out."

Angel leaned in for another kiss and Pent pressed up into it, closing his eyes as he wrapped his arms around the spider's shoulders. Angel's tongue probed the seam of his mouth and Pent parted his teeth, letting this small penetration distract him from the one that was occurring further down.

As that one finger pressed into his body, the other three hands continued to explore his scales, teasing under his ribs, along his collarbone and the skin around his cloaca. Pent's own fingers weren't idle either, skating down Angel's back and taking in the smooth glide of soft fur and firm muscle.

Angel nipped his lower lip and Pent exhaled, feeling a jolt of arousal at the small bite. Grinning down at him Angel continued to gently ease the tip of his finger in and out of the seam of Pent's body, purring in the back of his throat. "Am I allowed ta mark ya up a bit?" he asked, rocking his hips against the side of Pent's tail.

Pent nodded and tilted his head back to expose his throat, letting Angel kiss down the column of skin and tendon, nibbling small bites against the scales that only increased in pressure with each nip. In response, Pent lifted his tail slightly, his breath a little more raspy as Angel's sharp teeth dug into his neck, not quite breaking skin, but bordering on bruising.

He hadn't even noticed that Angel had gotten his entire finger inside of him and was happily curling the digit, poking against the warm walls of his body. Pent only became aware when Angel withdrew it to press two fingers inside of him, his cloaca now bulging slightly as his own erections swelled underneath.

The two digits came with a distinct burn, but it wasn't painful so much as it was intense. Angel kept his motions slow, barely pressing in and then withdrawing, getting Pentious used to the tease of his fingers as he continued to abuse the skin of the snake's throat. "Mmm, you're really tight," Angel whispered against his jaw as Pent groaned under him. "If you let me fuck you, I wouldn't be able ta last. You'll have me nuttin' in minutes."

Pent gave a shuddering exhale before blinking up at Angel, not quite able to take the dirty talk seriously. "You're very confident that I'd let you get that far."

"I'm confident you'll like this," Angel corrected as he sat up to look down at him, his eyes scanning along the length of Pent's body. "And that you'll want more."

He punctuated his words by sliding both fingers in all the way and curling them. Pent's eyes went wide he felt a twisted combination of a fierce burning sensation along with a stark pressure that felt like Angel was touching his cocks from the inside. He let out a low moan and shivered against the sheets as the spider chuckled and kissed his jawline. "See? You've got some hidden spots too," Angel teased before pushing the heel of his palm down on the bulging pouch. "Now let's see those beautiful cocks and get to the real work."

Angel nipped Pent's lip and continued to massage over the pulsing scales of his abdomen until the snake's hips were squirming with need. Finally the spider took mercy and pressed down on the pouch as he removed his fingers, both black shafts emerging through the slit and leaving a small hole exposed at their base. Angel rubbed his index finger over the slick flesh and then slipped both fingers back inside the gap underneath Pent's cocks, pumping the digits in and out at a steady rhythm.

Pent dug his talons into Angel's back and he groaned, thrusting up into the spider's fingers as they stimulated nerves he didn't even realize existed. "Shit," he breathed, closing his eyes as he leaned his head back against the pillow.

He heard Angel laugh and then the spider was licking up the length of his throat, paying special attention to the spots he'd bitten. "You look so good right now," Angel panted against his cheek. "So goddamn needy." He pressed another wet kiss to Pent's sternum, just below the eye in the middle. "I just wanna fuckin' spoil you with all the shit you've denied yourself."

"I haven't-" Angel pressed a finger to his lips and Pent opened his eyes, staring up at the other man. The spider just shook his head, both of his red irises shallow rings compared to the dilated pupils that reflected Pent's own whimpering face back at him.

"Ya have," Angel purred, his tongue curling around the edge of his lip as he took a few deep breaths. "You give me shit for indulgin' all the time so I'm givin' you shit right back for bein' too fuckin' strict with yourself. Be shameless for once, dumbass."

Before Pent could respond, Angel was pressing all the way inside of him while two of his three free hands wrapped around the snake's throbbing shafts, squeezing the bases simultaneously. The combined pressure inside and outside of his body made him nearly seize and Pentious shivered, the tip of his tail curling as tingles ran up his spine. "Oh fuck…"

Angel growled and drew Pent back into a sloppy kiss as he began to steadily pump his fingers, curling them every time he bottomed out. The stretch was still there, but it was buried underneath the pleasure that sparked inside of him with every pulse. As Pentious was teased to full burning arousal, he could feel Angel hot and hard against him, the spider's leaking cock rubbing up along the length of his tail (though the other Demon made no move to touch himself or get off).

All four arms were too busy making the snake squirm with want to bother addressing Angel's own insistent hard-on.

Occasionally Angel would pull back, whispering into his ear about how he was doing so well getting nice and loose along with obscene praise describing just how buttery soft he was inside. Maybe it's because Pent was more aroused, but now the spider's filthy words felt less hyperbolic. They actually held weight and he found himself craving more of it, whining softly as he twisted his hips to let Angel get even deeper.

Then those two fingers pulled out and Pent chuffed as a third teased up against the wet slit, their eyes meeting when Angel finally began to press in. "Yeah just like that, Pen," he said as he pumped the snake's cocks, immediately distracting from the burn as Pentious was stretched even more, the three digits spreading him wide in a way that was somehow both too intense and not enough at the same time.

He breathed shallowly, his talons gripping tight to Angel's body and only loosening once all three digits were completely buried up to the last knuckle.

Angel smiled and leaned in, planting a firm kiss to his mouth as Pentious shivered and tensed against him. "Perfect. Absolutely fuckin' perfect."

"Ha," Pent panted as Angel kept all three fingers inside, not moving them, but letting him get accustomed to their presence. "You don't need to...flatter me," he managed between breaths. "I'm sure going this slow is not particularly fun for you."

Angel grinned and then gave a brief hump to the side of Pent's tail, rubbing the wet head of his dick along the smooth scales and almost poking one of the red eyes lining the muscle. "I'm enjoyin' this plenty. Sure, it ain't as fast as I'd like, but you really have no goddamn idea what you look like right now." Then suddenly Angel twisted all three fingers and Pent's eyes went wide as his entire body jolted against the sheets. "You're a sensitive fucker and it's pretty goddamn hot to watch you moan and squirm like a virgin."

Suddenly Angel shifted, moving to straddle Pent's tail just below his cloaca. "Besides," he murmured, briefly reaching down to adjust his weeping dick, laying the shaft flat against Pent's abdomen. "I get the satisfaction of knowin' that I'm the only person you've been with who's seen ya like this." He winked and began to pump his fingers again, curling them occasionally and making the snake whine every time he pressed into the more sensitive spots that lined his innermost walls.

Angel didn't keep the appendages in him for long though. He slipped them out after only a few deep reaches, leaving Pent huffing against the bed as he watched Angel lube up the bullet and then press the plastic casing up to his slit. "Deep breath," Angel said with a small smile, waiting for Pent to exhale before pushing it inside of his swollen opening.

Unlike Angel's fingers, the bullet wasn't warm and soft: it was hard unyielding plastic. However, thanks to the spider's careful work, it didn't really hurt going in. Angel had to maneuver the toy around inside of him for a good minute, making sure it was pressed up against the nerves that he'd spent the better part of half an hour stroking to life. Then he removed his hand and lifted the cord that trailed out of Pent's body. "I'm gonna give ya a low settin' first. This shit gets intense real fast."

The spider leaned in and Pent rose to meet him in a kiss, holding Angel tightly as his heart pounded beneath his ribs. Underneath all their heavy panting and half-swallowed moans, he heard a distinct click.

Pent immediately went rigid, his entire body going tense as a heady vibration rippled out from deep inside of him, buzzing up against his very core. Angel laughed at his reaction and stroked down the shape of Pentious' jawline with his top set of hands. "Right? Isn't that some good fuckin' shit?" he asked in a seductively breathy tone as he watched Pent squirm below him.

Moaning softly, Pent felt both his cocks throb with need as Angel began to rock his hips, thrusting his wet dick between Pent's own erect pair of cocks. "And this is just a toy," Angel purred, nipping the side of Pentious' hood with those sharp teeth of his. "Imagine if I was fuckin' you." He gave a pointed hump, running his cock up along the length of Pent's throbbing shafts. Pentious felt his breath hitch as the spider giggled and whispered, "I'd go nice and deep, get your sweet spot until you were beggin' for a hand on your dicks."

He then began to pepper wet kisses over Pent's skin, starting from his neck and then trailing down over his collarbone and the ball of one shoulder. "Unlike you, I ain't a mean bastard. I'd give you all the shit you want because I'm generous like that."

Pent twitched under Angel, rubbing his tail up onto Angel's cock and trembling at the sensation of their shafts pulsing against each other in a slick slide. Eventually Angel's lower arms came back down, squeezing all three cocks together as his top two hands continued to stroke over the snake's heaving chest.

"Don't stop," Pent whimpered as Angel went back to mouthing along his jawline. "Fuck, don't stop." He sank his claws into Angel's skin and the spider hissed as the sharp talons penetrated through his fur. His chest was so tight that Pent was actually having trouble drawing breath. Every slide of his shafts against Angel's sent a jolt straight through his entire groin, the sensitivity riding up against the steady throb of the bullet underneath his skin.

More than anything, he wanted to cum, but it also felt like they had barely gotten started. Angel had spent so long fingering him open and he'd barely had the vibe in for more than a few minutes, yet he was right up against the edge, not quite tipping over, but see-sawing back and forth at the precipice. Then suddenly the vibration stopped and he groaned, looking down to see Angel had flicked off the bullet. "Why…?" he panted, staring at the spider as he continued to undulate up into Angel's shallow thrusts.

"Hold on a second." Angel placated him with a chaste peck and then pulled off, leaving Pentious ridiculously hard and shivering against the sheets. Pent's eyes followed the other Demon as he stood and dug through his duffel again, digging out a set of matching cock rings.

"Angel," he whined as the spider straddled him again and sank the rubber bands down over his members, constricting them tightly at the base. "Why didn't you do this earlier?"

Angel smiled and stroked over his hood apologetically as he turned the vibe back on. "Hey, I wanted to make sure you liked this before goin' all in. Just cuz you were fine with the fingerin' doesn't mean you'd be ok with the vibe." His hand shifted down to pet the side of Pent's face, thumbing down the length of one long yellow fang. "You ever cum dry before? It's ridiculously amazin'."

Groaning, Pent laid back against the bed as Angel began to thrust against him again, pressing all three shafts into his lube-slicked palms. Pentious wasn't at the edge anymore, but desperate need still throbbed hard and heavy in his groin. All the while, Angel's mismatched eyes never left his and Pent bit his lip, caught in the intensity of that stare.

He'd never felt so powerless before, so passive, and so at someone else's mercy than he did in this moment. Yet his body wasn't bound by anything more than the chain that snaked between them. He was completely free to rip off the cock rings, take out the vibe, and jerk himself off until he spilled across his own trembling abdomen.

Pentious was pinned down by nothing but that confident grin, Angel's solid weight rocking against him, and the gentle hands that held him as much as they tortured him with pleasure.

He hadn't even realized that he was so thoroughly tangled in the intricate web Angel had woven until it was too late to escape. He was completely trapped and left to immolate in the fires of the very lust Angel had stoked within him.

Pent was surprised to realize just how easy it would be to simply let himself burn.

Then Angel flicked the switch on the remote and Pentious felt the vibrations increase, stronger and pulsing even faster against his already screaming nerves. He cried out and arched up as the other man squeezed his cocks and leaned in to slip his tongue between Pent's open fangs. He let Angel devour him, not willing to fight against the onslaught as he was taken apart from the inside and out.

It was only when Angel pulled back to wipe away tears from his scaly cheeks that Pent hiccuped and realized he'd started to weep through the pleasure.

Everything was too much and somehow not nearly enough.

Pentious wanted to cum, but also wanted this moment to stretch out all the way into the night. He might never get this again and the thought of it all ending had his already shallow breath twisting in his lungs, threatening to choke him into even deeper submission. "Please...please, Angel," he sobbed, his entire body shaking underneath the spider. Pent didn't know what he was asking for, but he just couldn't stop babbling against Angel, clinging to the other man like a life-preserver as if holding onto Angel would keep him above water.

As if it would stop him from drowning under the weight of this crushing pleasure that threatened to swallow him whole.

The spider gently shushed him and his two upper hands cupped both of Pent's cheeks, brushing across the scales tenderly. "It's ok. I got ya." As he spoke, the spider's lower set of arms removed the cock rings with some difficulty before laying them off to the side and apologetically stroking over the base of the two black dicks. "Too much too fast, huh?" Angel said, tightening his grip on both cocks before starting to jack him furiously. "Sorry, probably shouldn't have pushed it."

Pent whined in the back of his throat as he stared up at Angel, his heart beating faster than a steam engine as he fought for each and every breath.

It was and it wasn't. He was caught between his mind's desire for more and his body's demand for release.

Please I want to cum.
Please I don't want this to end.

But Pent didn't get a chance to make a decision as both his members seized and kicked against Angel's palms before shooting out over his abdomen in hard spurts. Angel worked him through it, continuing to pump his pulsing cocks until they weren't even leaking anymore and Pent began to hiss and squirm with over-sensitivity. The pulsing vibe was now way too much to handle, but thankfully Angel flicked the switch to turn it off and then slipped two fingers inside of him to gently tug the toy out.

Hot tears continued to trail down his face as Angel shifted to get off of him, cuddling up against the snake's side with his hard-on pressed to the sweaty scales. "You...you're still-" Pent panted and Angel just shushed him, shaking his head.

"You were droppin' hard," Angel sighed and tugged Pent up to sit, adjusting the snake until his back was pressed to the spider's soft chest. "Didn't expect you to fall that fast, especially for your first time." He groaned and bit his lip as his erect cock throbbed against the base of Pent's spine. "As shitty as the blue balls are, I'd rather not fuckin' break you." Pent frowned as he slowly caught his breath, leaning into the four hands that continued to stroke down his shoulders and sides in steady passes. Then he felt Angel kiss the top of his head before whispering, "You need anythin' though? Do I gotta call the eggs ta make ya some tea and cookies?"

Wiping his damp face, Pent exhaled slowly and did his best to get his erratic breathing under control before answering, "They're biscuits…"

That earned him an amused snort and he smiled weakly, staring down at his own shaking body and taking in the messy streaks of cum that covered his abdomen along with the lube-slick vibe sitting next to them on the sheets. He sighed and rubbed over the side of his head tiredly. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to ruin that. It felt very good, it just became a bit...overwhelming."

That was an understatement, but he wasn't going to voice the thoughts that had so thoroughly paralyzed him in the moment. He'd already cocked up this whole encounter for the both of them and shame would likely be eating away at him all evening.

Angel sighed and squeezed him, shifting his long legs to cradle the sides of Pentious' wide hips. "Don't fuckin' apologize. It was your first time gettin' fucked and vibes can be a bit much at times. Shoulda just kept ta fingerin' ya." He chuckled and nuzzled the side of Pent's face. "You certainly seemed to like that."

"I did," Pent admitted, reaching over and picking up the vibe by the cord, letting the toy dangle in the air. "And I enjoyed this too for a while. It just became too much with the cock rings." He leaned back against Angel and let his breath even out to the steady beat of the other man's heart behind him. Slowly he raised a hand and intertwined his fingers with the other Demon's chained set. "Thank you, Angel."

The spider chuckled warmly and lifted their interlaced hands, playfully licking the back of Pent's palm. "I'm just glad it wasn't a total fuckin' disaster. I mean, I wanted to wreck you a bit, but not like that."

Pent felt his heart flutter in his chest and he found himself smiling, slowly coiling his tail to bunch up against his hips. "No doubt I made for quite the sight."

"Oh fuck yeah you did," Angel said with a groan, lowering their interlocked hands back down and pressing them against Pent's stomach. "You know how hot it is ta see a guy who can spank the shit outta me and be a complete daddy dom become a subby baby when I get my fingers in 'em?" He inhaled sharply and Pent felt Angel's cock pulse against him. "Fuck, I was so ready to nut when you began to beg."

Blushing, Pent let out a soft laugh and squeezed Angel's fingers. "You should be proud. It takes quite a bit to get me to beg."

"Oh I'm sure, you're kinda a stubborn asshole," Angel said as he shifted his hips underneath Pent's. "Ugh, ok, I gotta get rid of this. Mind if I jack off on your ass?"

Pent snorted and shook his head weakly. "It's not my ass," he reminded before slowly leaning forward, untangling their fingers to lay on his stomach and arch his tail up off of the sheets.

"You already admitted it's your ass. You can't take that shit back now," Angel said as he straddled Pentious' back and began to hump up against the thick muscle. "'Sides, have you seen this thing? Unf." Pent flushed as he listened to Angel grunt and hiss through his teeth as he stroked himself, two of the spider's hands coming to cup and squeeze along the width of Pent's hips.

Then Angel let out a deep guttural groan and Pent felt the telltale splatter of warm cum against his back before it began dripping down over the scales in a lazily slide.

"Fuck that looks nice on your skin," Angel leaned over and lifted Pent's hood to bite his nape. "Thanks. Didn't wanna be walkin' around with a fuckin' boner for the rest of E-Day."

Pent glanced up at Angel over his shoulder, watching the spider pant as he came down from his orgasmic high. "As nice as the contrast probably looks, I'd rather not wear it all day." He carefully slipped out from underneath Angel and made to stretch out his back only for the spider to grab his waist and twist him around for another deep kiss.

Groaning, Pent surrendered without a fight, his eyes sliding closed as he melted into the embrace. Unfortunately it didn't last long and Pent shivered as Angel released him, the entire length of his tail feeling loose and weak underneath him.

"Alright, let's get clean before that shit dries. If you think cum is bad on scales, wait until you have to clean it out of fur," Angel said as he slid off the bed, Pent following behind and taking the spider's hand as they made their way to the bathroom.

Pentious smiled, slithering over to turn on the shower. "I don't doubt that and I can't say I envy you one bit in that regard," he said, waiting for the water to warm up. As he stood next to the stall, Pent felt the spider's fingers rise up to dig into the muscle of his spine and massage along the natural grooves of his textured skin. Pentious let out a deep sigh, closing his eyes as he sank into the other man's firm touch. After the tingling pleasure that zapped what little energy he had left, the soothing pass of Angel's warm hands was like a balm to his oversensitive nerves.

Once the water was hot enough, they both slipped inside and closed the glass door behind them. Almost immediately Angel was rubbing up against the snake's back, all four of his hands trailing down Pent's chest and abdomen before taking the two flaccid members and carefully tucking them back inside their pouch. "Seriously though, thanks for lettin' me push ya a bit, even if it didn't really go right," Angel said, continuing to stroke over Pent's seam (though it was more of a gentle pet than any attempt to get a round two going in the shower).

Pentious hummed and poured some liquid soap into his palms, cleaning the mess from his stomach before passing the bottle back to Angel. "It didn't go entirely wrong either. We'll simply have to be more careful next time."

Of course, even as he said this, his stomach sank. In all likelihood, there wouldn't be a next time.

"Oh? " Angel asked with a suggestive eyebrow waggle as Pent turned around to face him. "Did I convert you into a bottom bitch?"

Sighing, Pent rolled his eyes even as he continued to scrub his scales. "I liked it. I wouldn't say it's my number one sexual preference by any means." He shoved the spider back a few inches, making the chain between them clink. "Don't push your luck."

Angel grinned right back and began to soap up his own torso and groin. "Fine fine...but I'm glad I didn't scare ya off entirely. Sometimes shit like that spells the end and I'd hate ta ruin a good thing just because I got a lil' impatient."

Pent swallowed and hid his face by shifting under the spray of the shower head.

There was nothing to ruin. We were only ever an escape to one another.

After they toweled off and got dressed again, they shared dinner in the dining room and retired to the quiet of Pent's study. Angel laid across the couch with his head in the snake's lap, headphones plugged into his phone to watch a trashy sitcom while Pentious read from his tablet.

Their quiet companionship was only interrupted by the telltale chime of the grandfather clock and the distinct whistling of fireworks that were somehow loud enough to cut through the music playing from the gramophone just a few feet away. Pent stiffened and Angel unplugged his earbuds, a frown crossing his face as their eyes locked.

Another Extermination passed.

133 down, eternity to go.

The morning after Extermination was quiet, both men only getting a mild amount of sleep before deciding to just start the day as they waited for Val's text. It would take a few hours for the Overlord's men to collect what shards they could (fighting amid all the other Demons looking to claim the rare metal for themselves), but Val had assured Pentious that he would be by that very same day to personally deliver the material.

Of course, Pent suspected the Overlord was more concerned with goading them one last time before the end of the week, but he didn't bother voicing this thought to Angel.

The spider knew Val and his methods far better than he ever would, after all.

Both of them were in the middle of finishing up their breakfast when an egg ran into the dining room, looking absolutely panicked. "Bossman! There's strangers at the door! Should we blast them?"

Pent glanced to Angel and swallowed his mouthful of tea before standing, pushing his chair away from the table. "No," he said firmly as Angel shoved his last piece of toast into his mouth and got up as well.

They both walked out into the hall side by side, the chain dragging in a steep arc beneath their hands. When they finally got to the door, Pent inhaled sharply through his nose and checked the security monitors, confirming the sight of a familiar limo in front of his home.

He felt Angel's fingers brush the back of his palm and without even thinking, he reached for the spider's hand, squeezing down before releasing him just as quickly.

Deciding to not delay for another moment longer, he unlocked the door and slithered out with Angel behind him as they descended the short steps to the walkway, both of them keeping their backs straight and heads held high as they approached the idling vehicle.

Once they were close enough, one of the black windows rolled down and Val's smirking face greeted them, an unlit cigarette clenched between his sharp teeth. "Well now, we're finally here, aren't we?" he said, lifting his red lighter and casually igniting the tip of the stick.

"You have the shards?" Pentious asked, crossing his arms over his chest and puffing out his rib cage as much as he could.

Val snickered and blew a plume of smoke into his face, making Pent wrinkle his nose and hold his breath as it dissipated into the air. "I wouldn't be here otherwise, worm." The Overlord's red eyes flickered up to the snake's mansion and he laughed, gesturing at it loosely with one hand. "You know, if you want to control any territory, it helps to live where you work."

"I prefer not to eat where I shit," Pentious retorted in a flat tone, earning a distinct flinch from Angel next to him. "Hand over the steel. The sooner you give me the components, the faster I can get to work." After being threatened multiple times, spammed with an ungodly amount of texts, and being left to tend to the aftermath of his abuse Pent was done playing polite with this man. He'd be quite happy to never have to look upon Valentino's smarmy face again for the rest of time.

Laughing, Val lifted up a wooden box, removing the lid to show several small pieces of blue metal piled at the bottom. "This better be enough. It cost me far too many men."

Pent gritted his teeth and swallowed as he stared down into the contents. Aside from the chain he wore, that box contained more metal than Pent had managed to collect in over a century (though given how many people Valentino had working under him, it wasn't all that surprising). "It should be enough to make the key," Pent confirmed as he reached forward, but before he could even touch the box, Val withdrew and his pupiless gaze flickered to Angel.

"You don't get this until Angel Cakes gives me a nice hello kiss and one of his pretty smiles," Val said, flashing his sharp teeth as he looked up at the spider from behind his obnoxiously pink frames. "I can't wait to have you back at work in the studio, baby. Everyone's missed you so much."

"I'm sure they have," Angel groused as he leaned down, only for Val to grab him by the throat and bodily drag him into the kiss. All four of Angel's arms immediately shot out, tightly gripping the sides of the car door to prevent Val from pulling him in any closer.

Pent felt the annoyance that burned in the pit of his stomach whip into a boiling rage and he forced himself to bite back the snarl that bubbled up inside of him. As much as he wanted to do something, he knew it would only make things worse for Angel so instead he simply clenched his fists at his sides, trying to ignore the way the other man's back trembled.

Finally Val released him and Angel ripped himself away, lips saliva-soaked and distinctively swollen. "Where's that smile, baby?" the moth asked with one raised brow, his own mouth slightly red as if Angel had bitten him (which he likely had).

Angel took a shuddering breath as he wiped his mouth. "Boss-" he began but Val's eyes narrowed behind the rims of his glasses and the spider immediately stiffened, forcing a slightly tight grin to his face.

Val huffed and shook his head, clicking his tongue dismissively. "You're out of practice, Angel Cakes. We're going to have to train you right up again before booking you for a shoot. Don't want any of that-" he gestured to Angel with his lit cigarette. "-showing up on camera."

Angel's eyes dropped to the side, one hand coming up to loosely grip the elbow of his chained arm as his smile fell. "Yeah, ok Boss," he said in a quiet tone.

Smirking, Val reached out and rubbed a finger under Angel's chin, lifting it. "Good boy," he purred before his lower set of hands extended the box again, snapping the lid shut over the top.

Pent quickly took it from him, resisting the urge to scratch his claws across the stylized heart logo that was laser-etched into the surface. Almost immediately, Val's gaze slid back to Pent and he chuckled. "I hope you haven't gotten too attached to my little spider." His fingers pinched Angel's chin, making the other Demon flinch in his grasp. "Once this is finished, you'll have to pay for his services just like everyone else."

He then tapped the ash off the end of his cigarette and released Angel to withdraw his arm back into the vehicle. Snarling, Pent dug his talons into the sides of the container and said, "If this is all you have, then our business is concluded." He flashed his teeth and gave the moth a mocking imitation of his own words, "Unlike you I have actual work to do."

The Overlord's smile tightened and he laughed. "Cute. Your stubbornness might serve you well if you had any power to wield it with." He stubbed out his cigarette into the ashtray next to him and added, "Text me when you're free of this worm, Angel Cakes. I'll come by to pick you up." He glanced back to Angel and blew him a smokey kiss, making the spider flinch before the window was rolled up, leaving them with nothing but their own reflections staring back at them in the tinted glass.

The engine revved and the limo pulled out of the driveway, turning to head back down the road leading into the city proper. They both watched the vehicle drive away until it completely disappeared from sight, leaving no trace of Val's presence on Pentious' property aside from the case in his hands.

Angel's shoulders slumped and Pent let out a sigh, looking down at the container before tucking it under one arm. "Well, time to get started. A week is not a long time and the faster I get us free, the sooner I can work on his stupid knife."

Pentious turned to head up the path leading to the house, but Angel tugged the chain, stopping him short on the walkway. Pausing, he raised an eyebrow and glanced back over his shoulder. "Angel-"

Suddenly the spider was twisting him around and hugging him tightly to his chest with all four arms, nearly knocking the box from Pentious' grip. Angel bit his lip and then shuddered, his lower set of arms running up and down the curve of Pent's spine. "Whatever the fuck you do, don't be stupid. I know you've got your plans and shit, but...fuck I'm terrified, Pen," Angel murmured as he tightened his hold and let out a shaky exhale.

Swallowing, Pentious let his free hand come up to card against the hair on the back of Angel's nape. "I'm scared too," he admitted in a soft voice. "But we're at the crossroads now. We have to pick a path and stick to it." He pulled away to look Angel in the eye, frowning at how glassy and red they appeared. "I make no promises other than the fact that you will survive this."

"What about you?" Angel asked, his mouth curving into a weak if not depreciating smile. "You gonna fuckin' survive it, huh asshole?"

Pent winced and exhaled coolly. "I'll have you know that I've survived far more dire situations. Val may call me a worm, but if I have any bug-like traits, I'm more akin to a cockroach." He chuckled and shifted his hold on the package to rub Angel's shoulder. "If you haven't noticed, I'm rather difficult to kill."

Angel's mouth quirked, lips curling at the corners. "Certainly got enough cock, that's for sure…" he murmured quietly.

Instead of getting annoyed or rolling his eyes as he usually did whenever Angel twisted his wording into innuendo, Pent just snorted and shook his head. "You're not wrong," he admitted, watching as Angel's small lip-curl transformed into a genuine smile before his eyes. His chest clenched at the sight and the talons of his free hand twitched as he resisted the urge to hug the other man closer to his chest.

Fuck, how on earth was he supposed to untangle himself from this? Even if it all faded away once they were free, he'd be forever haunted by the memories. It was easier to distance himself from all his regrets and his losses after he died because there was simply no way to go back, no turning the hands of his clock in any direction but forward.

But unlike Kat, Angel would still be here.

Just not with him.

Swallowing, he schooled his features as best he could and slowly pulled out of Angel's grasp to adjust his hold on the shards. "Well, we should go get started. We don't have a lot of time and I'm sure we'll both be happy to finally have this damn thing off our wrists." Pentious raised his chained arm pointedly and Angel nodded as the two of them headed back up the path leading to the front entrance of the manor.

"The owl sent you all the shit you need, right?" Angel asked as Pent unlocked the door and let them both inside.

"Yes, I have the design as well as the enchantment." Pent pulled out his phone and opened the document, showing Angel the intricate sigil. "Once it's been applied to the key, all we should have to do is tap it to both cuffs and they'll unlock."

Angel frowned as he looked over the design. "You ever work with magical crap before?" he asked as Pent sent the eggboiz down to his secured vault to retrieve his own collection of shards.

Pent shook his head as he stared down at the design. "I haven't, but Stolas said that all we had to do was to carve the seal into the key. The lines need to be flawless, but as long as the sigil is properly engraved, it will work without any additional spells or sorcery."

The eggs returned a few minutes later with the missing pieces and Pent unceremoniously dumped all the scraps Val had provided into the new container before handing them the empty wooden box. "Throw this into the industrial shredder," he said, not wanting to look at the other man's branding any longer than he had to.

Angel snorted as the eggs gave a salute and ran off to dispose of the case. "Y'know for someone who wants ta be an Overlord, you certainly aren't endearin' yourself to any of them," he remarked as they both began to walk down the hall to the back door, exiting the house to follow the path leading from the porch to the forge.

"Are Overlords supposed to be friendly with one another? Are they not in constant competition for resources?" Pent asked with a raised brow. "Besides, I don't need their assistance. If I'm to rise to power, it will be through my own means."

"By the bootstraps, huh?" Angel snickered as he glanced over his shoulder, seeing a few of the eggs had followed them out and were quickly toddling behind to catch up. "I mean, it's a noble idea an' all, but from my experience actually runnin' a decent stretch of turf, I can tell ya I had to have a chain of fellas under me. Folks I could trust." He gestured to his own body. "A web of crime ain't gonna last long without the capos and lieutenants to bolster your shit and these guys-" He waved back to the eggs. "-won't be much help if you want to control somethin' bigger than a handful of blocks."

Pent hummed, jostling the metal inside of the bin. "Easier said than done. Remember, I'm rather lacking in the ally department," he said, stopping in front of the door to the massive forge to type in his security code.

Chuckling, Angel nodded and followed him inside once the lock shifted and the door slid open to admit them. "True, but we can work on that. Val's a shit, but he didn't become an Overlord in less than a decade without any help. If you wanna keep your dream alive after all this shit's over with, you might wanna change tactics." He pulled out his phone and checked his texts. "You're never gonna brute force your way to the top even with all your crazy weapons."

Pent sighed and just shrugged. Angel had a fair point, but working with other people required trusting them in the first place and most people (though especially the ones down here) were selfish and willing to backstab even their allies to get further ahead themselves.

You're incapable of controlling anything besides yourself. You lack the conviction necessary to own a person.

Val's taunting words floated back into his mind as he switched on the lights, slithering back to letting the eggs gather fuel and begin stacking it inside of the forge's main deposit.

Loyalty was a fickle thing.

It could be bought temporarily, but as long as there was someone with more cash to flaunt or a better deal on offer, it was tentative at best. When forced through fear of retaliation or punishment, it was a liability as most people would inevitably seek escape. The strongest type of loyalty was through genuine support, to be surrounded by people who believed in his mission and his plans.

But that required vulnerability on his part, showing all the most delicate parts of himself so that they might desire to protect it.
It required a willingness to let himself be open to so many things that could hurt him, namely, other people.

Once the deposit was filled, Pentious turned on the forge so it could begin to heat and then made the rounds of gathering the tools he'd need to melt the shards, getting them settled on the bench alongside the mold he'd designed. As he lined up all his equipment, he felt Angel's breath on his shoulder and he glanced up at the other man out of the corner of his eye, seeing the spider staring down at all the materials he'd laid out.

The world ain't a fuckin' machine that you can just dismantle and rebuild any which way ya want it. It ain't possible to plan for every little thing, especially crap with other people.

Pent swallowed as he took off his hat, jacket, and button-down, handing them to his minions before he donned his usual protective work gear in their stead.

That was the problem then wasn't it? Machines were easy. If they broke, he just needed to troubleshoot the problem, repair it, and make sure there was a fail-safe in place for the next attempt.

With people, there wasn't a fail-safe, no guaranteed repair or fix that would set things back to working order. There was nothing but uncertainty.

"Everything ok? You went real quiet for a bit," Angel said as Pent tied his hood back, adjusting the fit of the ribbon at the nape of his neck.

Slowly nodding, Pent exhaled and gestured back to the heating forge. "I'm just trying to estimate how long this will take." His red eyes flickered to Angel's phone and he tapped the top of the spider's pink case with one claw. "I hope that is fully charged," he warned, "We will be here for quite some time."

Angel smirked and flipped the device to show the battery indicator. "Just let me know if ya need help. I can't do much, but I'm willin' ta be an extra pair of arms if nothin' else." The spider wiggled the fingers of his free hands and Pent nodded as they both settled in to wait for the forge to hit the temperature required to melt the Steel, his own mind repeating a haunting mantra in the recesses of his skull.

The one thing we got any control over in this situation is us.

It took most of the day to heat the forge up to the temperature required to melt the shards and they were both drenched in their own sweat by the end of it. When everything was ready, Pent dumped the bits of metal into the thickest pan he owned and then sat back to watch the material slowly begin to morph from jagged solid pieces into softer malleable globs before collecting into a pool of liquid metal.

"Shit, it really is white, huh?" Angel said, peering at the pan from afar as Pent nodded and wiped his brow, dragging his sweaty hand down the front of his already drenched shirt.

"Indeed," he muttered with a tired sigh as one of the eggboiz came by with cold drinks for them both. Pent snatched one of them and batted the egg away before downing the contents of the entire glass in a single swallow.

Angel watched him with a curious expression as he took his own drink, patting the little minion's head in thanks before taking a small sip. "Ok, I gotta ask, is your no-gag reflex thing because you're a goddamn snake or could you do that shit in life too?" he asked with a quirk of his brow. "Cuz every time I see you go to town like that, it just looks way too smooth and that kinda shit usually takes practice."

Pent snorted and put the glass down, adjusting the fit of his heat-resistant gloves before slithering forward to tip the molten material into the mold he had made. "This specific drinking technique I developed all the way back in my teenage years. Challenging local drunks to drinking contests was not only a sure-fire way to cover the cost of my pints, but it was often easy pocket money," he explained as he carefully poured, keeping a steady hand on the tongs as the white metal slid down into the opening at the top of the form.

"Huh, anythin' fer a dollar then?" Angel asked as he kicked one leg up over the other and leaned back in his chair. "I mean, not that I got room to talk."

Not looking up from his work, Pent nodded and said, "Most men were willing to bet against me up until I developed a proper reputation. It got much harder after that, but there was still the occasional challenger willing to test their mettle against my skills."

Angel snickered and crossed his lower arms while continuing to sip from the sweating glass clutched in his chained hand. "Damn, I wish I coulda seen you smoke some old guys," he said as his eyes followed the slide of molten metal. "Bet the looks on their faces were hilarious."

Placing the now empty pan down, Pent exhaled and set the smoking mold aside to cool. "Oh I took a lot of pride in taking them down a few pegs, but that largely stopped after I married Kat." He turned back to face Angel and lifted his goggles up. "It was no longer appropriate so to speak."

"Had ta rein in your wild side?" Angel said with a small smile. "Guess that makes sense given her family an' all that shit."

Pent exhaled and slithered back to sit down next to Angel, coiling his tail up as a makeshift seat since they only had the one chair. "I couldn't afford to embarrass her by appearing a scoundrel." He paused and pursed his lips. "Mutts that are brought into a line of purebreds will get put out onto the street as soon as they piss on the rug."

"Sounds real shitty, but I get the whole family expectation bullshit." Angel said, tucking his phone back into his pocket to rest his hand across Pent's shoulders, his fingers idly rubbing across the sweaty muscle of Pent's upper back. "Molly had ta keep in line too, but that was just how it was for lady-folks in the mob. You played the good wife and let your husband smack the fuck outta you and cheat all he wanted while tendin' ta the babies and brats."

Angel frowned and then pulled out his lighter, thumbing over the engraving before tugging his pack of cigarettes out too. "Her husband was such a fuckin' asshole," he muttered in a hateful tone, his animosity evident just in the way he spoke about the man. "I decked him once and it was the best goddamn feelin' but Molls still got upset. Said it wasn't my place and I guess it wasn't, but if I had ta see that fucker hit her one more time I was gonna lose it."

Pent frowned as he watched Angel sigh and light the cigarette before bringing it to his lips. "Did you ever marry? If only to keep your proclivities hidden?" he asked, watching as the tip caught and burned red before softening to a lighter orange tone.

Angel snorted and took a pull from the cigarette as he continued to play with the lighter, flipping the lid on and off. "Oh my old man wanted me to, but that was the one fuckin' thing he could never enforce, though not fer lack of tryin'." Angel laughed and exhaled two plumes of smoke through his nostrils. "That son of a bitch lined up plenty of broads from good families and I put my goddamn foot down every time." He glanced to Pent, adding, "But I did always wonder what'd it'd be like."

"What, to be married?" Pent asked with a small snort.

"To be married ta someone I actually liked," Angel corrected, taking the cigarette out of his teeth and tapping the ash off the end of his stick onto the soot-covered flooring. "All the guys I took a shine to were far deeper in the closet than I was though. Guess that shit made it easier for me to fall inta whorin' when I landed my happy ass here. I was already used to havin' sex without expectin' any attachment." He sighed and reached out with his chained hand, pinching Pent's arm. "So what's a happy marriage look like then? You're the only fucker I've ever known who had that so...you tell me."

Pursing his lips, Pent glanced from Angel back to the burning forge in front of them.

He truly wasn't sure how to describe the way that being with Kat had made him feel. Sure, he'd been very happy and there were plenty of saccharine moments they shared over the course of their marriage, but that wasn't really how he would define the relationship as a whole.

With Kat, he'd felt safe and secure in a way that he hadn't felt since he was a young boy living with his grandfather. He could wake up in the morning without endless questions weighing down his already erratic mind.

For once, he could trust again.

"It's a friendship," Pent finally said after a few moments of silence. "The deepest one you could ever hope to have."

Angel blinked, a confused expression twisting his features as he stared at the snake. "What? No waxin' poetry about how your heart is just burstin' every time you wake up and see 'em in bed next ta ya?" he asked, putting the cigarette back to his mouth and inhaling.

Pent rolled his eyes and crossed his arms over his chest. "Those moments do happen, but they're not an everyday occurrence. Happiness in marriage is more simple than love, as strange as that sounds."

He looked at his left hand where his wedding band had once been when he was still alive and flexed his fingers. "What love you do feel ebbs and flows as naturally as the change in seasons, but there is a recognizable pattern to it all. There are times you are cold, times you burn hot with rage, but it always falls back into rhythm with more or less a few words. A simple conversation mends more wounds than any bandage."

What he had with Kat was by no means perfect, but he had been genuinely happy with her, had enjoyed their life together despite the expectations of her family, despite their differing views on their son, despite their own lingering insecurities that were built up long before they had even met.

"We were happy because we worked toward it, but also because we allowed ourselves to be happy," he finished, folding his hands in his lap and interlacing the fingers. "I don't really know how else to explain it." Pentious gave a weak chuckle and shook his head. "Remember, I'm an engineer, not a poet."

He felt Angel shrug next to him and take another drag on his cigarette before blowing out the smoke in a loose huff through his teeth. "I mean, that still sounds pretty nice. Better than beatin' the shit outta each other an' only enjoyin' the sex that comes after."

They both fell silent for a minute with Angel idly smoking as Pent's mind swarmed with memories. He'd never forgotten, but they had been deeply buried in the recesses of his mind. Sometimes it was easier to simply not remember.

Finally Angel let out a huff and plucked out his cigarette again, exhaling a plume into the air above their head. "So, how'd ya know you loved her then? What made ya go from marryin' her for money to fallin' head first inta a full-blown heartboner?"

The odd phrasing dragged Pentious from his internal musings and he grimaced. "What on earth is a heartboner?" he muttered, turning his head to meet Angel's eye-line with a deeply furrowed brow.

Chuckling, Angel waved the hand holding the cigarette and said, "It's kinda like that demi shit I told ya about. You get horned up cuz you're in love."

The coils of Pent's tail tightened beneath him and Pent exhaled slowly. "I can't pinpoint any specific instance, but I remember when she told me she loved me for the first time. I was scared at first, but once I'd mulled it over with the help of more than a few pints, I realized that I had nothing to be afraid of because I already loved her back."

Angel's mismatched eyes flickered from Pent to the end of his smoking cigarette, watching the vapor trail twist and snake its way through the air. "You're so fuckin' lucky you're bi. You got ta have what you wanted without anyone questionin' that shit." Angel huffed and took another drag. "You had a choice."

Immediately Pent frowned, his fists clenching. "It wasn't a choice as there was no decision to be made. Regardless of preference, no one chooses to fall in love. It either happens or it doesn't." His mouth tightened into a line and he inhaled sharply through his nose, unable to distinguish the scent of Angel's cigarettes from the exhaust coming out of the forge. "Now maintaining that love is a choice. That takes work on both ends."

Kat had made it easy. Maybe it was because she was born deaf and was used to being patient with others as a result, but she knew how to navigate them through the storms when his own rationality failed him.

It had been work, but it never felt like work.

"Guess that's why so many fuckers divorce then," Angel said with a tired shrug. "Either they never laid any good foundation ta begin with or they let that shit erode to crumbs." He took another puff and bounced his leg atop the opposite knee. "You reckon your wife remarried after you kicked the bucket?"

Wincing, Pent glanced to the mold which was no longer smoking in the tongs. "As painful as it is for me to admit, I pray she found someone who was good to her and Dorian and that she lived a long happy life." Though that was unlikely considering she was in her late 40s at the time of his death. Still, he held out hope that she'd found someone and that she didn't have to spend the rest of her life alone.

Angel just hummed and finished off his cigarette before lighting up another one. "Even if she didn't, sounds like she was pretty lucky ta have ya even if it wasn't for as long as you planned. You're a decent fella, Pen. Not perfect, but it's clear you were fuckin' twitterpated and that you woulda roped the goddamn moon for her."

Pent couldn't help but chuckle at the imagery. It reminded him of one of those old cowboy films he'd watched a few years back. "To be perfectly fair, she would have done the same for me. It wasn't just me showering her with love and affection."

He exhaled and leaned into Angel's shoulder, closing his eyes as he recalled all the beautiful letters he used to receive. "Kat was a wonderful writer and she'd sneak poems into my lab and workshop every day. There was always a new passage hidden for me somewhere among my things, though her favorite hiding spot was in my books and journals." Swallowing, he let out a soft sigh. "Sometimes she would draw in the margins of my notes, poking fun at my sloppy penmanship or something I had written." When Angel offered no response or follow-up, Pent added, "There were days where I'd get stuck in a rut, unable to find the solution I needed and then I'd come across something she'd left for me and it was like the answer had been there the whole time, tucked away in her writing."

One of Angel's hands dropped down on top of his head, fingers combing down Pent's hood. "Fuck that's some precious bullshit," Angel said with a small chuckle. "You guys really had somethin' nice goin'..."

Pent nodded, pressing into Angel's gentle touch despite how damn hot it was in the forge. "If there was one thing I could have taken from the mortal plane with me to Hell, it would have been the poems I collected over the years. I used to keep them in a book on my desk, but no doubt that's long been lost to time if not outright destroyed." He shrugged and let out a disappointed sigh. "It's unfortunate, but it is what it is."

This time a more companionable silence fell over them as they waited for the steel to finish cooling. The sun had already set by the time Pent finally pulled the shell of the mold apart to reveal a rounded blue-white pendant. The metal was still very hot, but he had to carve the sigil while it was still partially malleable otherwise he'd have to melt it again and Pentious was already feeling very light-headed from sitting in the forge all day.

Using a set of fixed tongs to keep the pendant in place, he had Angel hold his phone steady so he could see the blueprint while he brought a chisel to the steel.

Pentious took his time, going slow so as to not mess up the design. As much as he wanted this to be over and done with, he also didn't want to have to start all over again from scratch. Not only would it be a huge pain in the ass, but he'd have lost a whole day to the process (and considering he only had a week to deliver the weapon to Valentino, any time wasted was a potential nail in his proverbial coffin).

After over an hour of carving and hammering, he leaned back and looked over his work, comparing it to the image on the screen in front of him. There were certainly no imperfections as far as he could see, but the true test was yet to come. "We're at the moment of truth," he said, lifting the cooler (but still hot) metal into his gloved palm. "If this doesn't work we'll need to melt it back down and try again tomorrow."

He gestured for Angel to roll up his sleeve and the spider exhaled, pushing the fabric of his jacket out of the way and tugging down the cloth that covered the cuff. Angel winced and hissed, "Shit I forgot this crap burns," as Pent took the pendant and tapped it to the cuff as per Stolas' instructions.

Immediately a hidden rune on the outside of the metal burned bright red and the sigil carved into the pendant glowed to match. Pent nearly dropped the key in surprise as the cuff on Angel's hand vibrated hard enough to shake the chain between them before opening with an almost unceremonious click.

The open cuff slid off Angel's wrist and then fell to the ground like an anvil with a little more than a dull thud. Angel's jaw dropped, his latest cigarette tumbling out of his mouth to hit the floor as well. "Holy shit...it really fuckin' worked."

Pent's own jaw was tight as he stared down at the cuff for a moment before looking to where the chain was still attached to his own wrist. "Well, that was the idea…" he murmured as he unwrapped his own cuff, feeling the burning tingle against his scales before he tapped the key against it.

The second cuff opened in much the same way as the first. Gravity immediately claimed the steel and the other half of the chain fell into a tangled heap between the two men.

Swallowing, Pent lifted his arm and turned it to examine his freed wrist. It was almost a strange sensation after a full year of wearing the bindings.

He hadn't realized just how heavy the chain had been until it was finally gone.

Angel likewise was staring at his own bare wrist as if seeing it for the first time. "Shit, this is pretty goddamn weird isn't it?" the spider said with a small high-pitched laugh. "Like, damn...I knew it was gonna happen, but now it's here and it's almost like a goddamn dream." His mismatched eyes flickered up and met Pent's gaze. "Fuckin' crazy right?"

Lowering his arm back down to his side, Pent nodded and leaned over to scoop up the chain, stretching out the length of it and bouncing the still covered links. He should be excited. His work was a success and after a year of bondage they were finally free.

But...what now?

"It's certainly bizarre," Pentious murmured as he closed the cuffs if only to prevent them from getting locked around anyone else until they were melted down to make the knife.

As he untangled the remaining fabric from the steel, Pent felt a hand touch his shoulder and he glanced up to see Angel staring at him. "Guess all that's left now is gettin' Val his dues. That'll probably take longer than this lil' nugget," Angel said, gesturing with his opposite arm to the key.

It would, but Pentious at least had a full six days to complete it.

Exhaling softly, Pent looked at the worn black cotton and then tossed it into the forge fire, watching it curl and burn away to nothing in seconds from how intense the heat was. "You're free to go back to the Hotel," he said in a quiet voice, shifting the bare metal to the opposite hand which was still fully gloved. "Hopefully Miss Magne will let you keep the bigger room."

Angel frowned as Pent began the process of cooling the forge and turning off the surrounding equipment. "Yeah...ya don't need me ta finish this junk up, huh?" the spider murmured as Pent stripped off his work apron and goggles, hanging them on the wall rack.

Pentious nodded and placed the steel down on the workbench so he could remove his remaining glove and fold the pair together. "I don't require any assistance," he confirmed as the eggs took the chair that Angel had been using and placed it back in its usual spot along the wall.

"Got it…" Angel said as he bent over to pick up the dropped cigarette, stuffing it back into the crumpled pack rather than relighting it. "Hope ya don't mind me stealing a shower before I leave." He pulled at his jacket and winced. "I smell pretty fuckin' rank and I wanna wash up and get a change of clothes goin' before I make my way back across town."

Pent nodded, taking the container that once held the metal shards and slipping the chain, cuffs, and key inside. "That's fine," he said as he closed the lid and slithered to the exit, letting the eggs take care of cleaning up the forge.

They were both silent as they walked back to the mansion, Pent unlocking the door and letting Angel go on ahead to the guest room while he went down to the workshop to lock up the steel inside his weapon's vault.

Surrounded by his inventions, Pentious tilted his head to stare up at the fluorescent ceiling light and let out a slow exhale.

He'd done it. He was finally free to be his own person again and not be dragged along to suit the whims of another.

Taking another breath, Pentious clenched his claws into fists and straightened his shoulders. This strange nameless emotion he felt deep in the pit of his chest would likely fade with time. After all, it had taken a few weeks to adjust to being chained to Angel in the first place; no doubt it would take around the same amount of time to settle back in his old routine.

Things would eventually go back to some semblance of normal.

He hadn't realized just how long he'd been standing there in silent contemplation until he felt a pointed nudge to his tail. Pentious whipped around, seeing Angel dressed in a purple galaxy cat hoodie that the spider stole (and conveniently never returned) with his pink duffel bag slung over one shoulder. Angel smiled at him and ruffled his still damp fringe. "Hey, I'm ready ta head on out. You wanna say goodbye ta Nugs?"

Angel lifted one of his lower hands to gesture back to the elevator across the room and Pent pursed his lip, nodding. "Sure, why not?" he said, following the other man out of the vault (pausing only to lock it) and toward the elevator shaft.

The carriage ride was short, but awkward with Pent wanting to speak, but not knowing what he should say if anything at all. In the absence of conversation, Angel just pulled out his phone, no doubt texting Charlie to let her know he would be on his way shortly.

When the doors opened, he was greeted to the sight of several eggs petting over Fat Nugget's head, the harnessed pig snorting happily at the abundance of attention. His minions immediately snapped up and gave Pent a series of guilty grins, but he ignored it, shooing them as Angel stepped forward to pick up Nuggets and lift them to chest-height.

Pent looked down at the pig and smiled softly, offering his hand. "Hopefully you didn't get too used to the guest room," he murmured as Nugs sniffed over the top of his knuckles before licking his fingers. He chuckled and lifted his palm to pet Nugs, combing his claws through the pet's back spines. "Good pig."

Angel returned the grin and cleared his throat. "Y'know you're free ta visit 'em. I'm sure Nuggies will appreciate all the extra love." He hugged the pig close and added. "This lil' sucker's been spoiled rotten between the two of us so it's gonna be hard goin' back to just me." Those mismatched eyes flickered back up to Pent as Angel chewed his lip. "I can't say I'd mind seein' your stupid mug around either."

Pentious exhaled and gave the other man a tired nod. "I'll consider it, but my first priority is finishing this knife." He took a shallow breath, his chest feeling tight around his lungs. "Afterwards, we can talk."

"Sounds like a plan," Angel agreed with a loose shrug of his shoulders before taking a few steps backward down the hall. "I'll see myself out then."

Angel turned and Pent watched the other man's back as he walked, a few of the eggs chasing after him to say their enthusiastic goodbyes. When Angel reached the door, the spider glanced over his shoulder at Pent as one of his free hands clasped around the handle, turning the knob. Pentious raised an arm in a loose wave as the other man gave him a nod before stepping through the front entrance and out into the night.

The door closed with a quiet click behind him, quickly followed by the loud ding of the security system signalling it had been reactivated.

Pent stood there for maybe another minute before he forced himself to go shower and change into some more comfortable (and clean) clothes.

Afterwards, he came back down to the study and sat at his desk with a bottle of absinthe. His minions brought along some dinner, but he barely picked it over, interested in little more than flipping through his social media.

The last year had been a strange sort of chaos and most of it was cataloged through his timeline (and Angel's).

He hadn't posted anything for the first few months of their confinement, but gradually he'd made entries, various pictures of the things he baked in the Hotel's kitchen, of Fat Nuggets snoozing next to him in bed or on his lap, Angel posing behind him in the mirror to show off the newest makeup 'lewk' he'd applied.

As he went through the photos, Angel slowly appeared more often, sometimes just in the background of shots, but other times in direct focus. The spider also wore his clothes more times than he'd remembered (though mostly items from Pent's small collection of hoodies).

Pent sighed as he opened the last selfie Angel had tagged him in, enlarging it to take in the way Nugs was pressed against Angel's collarbone in addition to the flirty wink that Angel gave the mirror as he wore the snake's top hat on his head. #AmIaKingpinYet? and #IMakeThisLookGud were listed under the caption, "Someone better buy this bitch a yacht."

Without thinking, Pentious removed the stopper from the bottle and downed a shot of absinthe, ignoring the glass he'd set out for himself as he continued to stare at the picture. Frowning, he let the screen go dim and then dark, leaving him with just his own tired reflection looking back at him.

Pent turned his phone over and dragged a hand down the side of his face. Why? Why after over a century of living alone did everything feel so bloody quiet? Why did his house, the home he'd made for himself and his own comfort, feel so big and empty?

He swallowed another mouthful and stared out over the desk, his eyes eventually landing on the chess set that they left out, most of the pieces still sitting in place on the table.

They had only been chained for a year and hadn't even been friendly until they were almost halfway through the process. He should be better than this, stronger than this. But after a year of someone else sharing his bed and having another body next to his own…

Nevermind the last few months of physical intimacy.

Pent swallowed and closed his eyes, shaking his head as the alcohol burned along the insides of his empty stomach.

As exhausted as he was, Pentious didn't want to go upstairs and crawl into bed. He didn't want to sink into the cold sheets knowing that he would wake up alone. He didn't want to think about the fact that what was once his normal routine was now foreign if not downright alien.

Pent chugged some more of the green spirit and lazily wiped his mouth on the back of his hand. His eyes flickered back to the chess board and he stood, still holding the bottle as he rounded the desk to go and put the pieces away if only so he didn't have to keep staring at it and be reminded of their game.

However as he approached the table, he caught sight of something bright pink among the black and white pieces. Pent frowned and leaned over, tilting his head to examine the board.

Sitting atop the crown of the Black King was the very ring he'd gifted to Angel the night of his Death Day.

"How did you get here?" he mused to himself as he placed the absinthe on the table and picked up the piece, removing the ring and turning it over in his palm. Had the spider even been wearing it when they were playing? He blinked and then shook his head through the light fog of alcohol. No, he would have remembered seeing it on Angel's hand.

Pentious sighed and thumbed across the facets of the fake gem as Angel's words echoed in the back of his mind. "If it makes me happy for a night, then it's done the damn job."

He huffed, scowling. Now wouldn't that be nice? To be happy for a night?

Even just one.

Picking up the absinthe, he slithered back to his desk and sat down, taking another drink all while continuing to play with the cheap metal in his opposite hand. Was this an accident? A purposeful game? Was Angel rejecting the gift?

Sighing, he picked up his phone and frowned as the picture of Angel blinked back to life on the black screen. He flicked out of the app and opened up his text chats, selecting the short thread he had with Angel (their last messages being their playful flirting during yet another Girl's Night with Cherri). "You left your ring at my house. Do you want me to mail it to you?"

He took a blurry picture of the ring and sent it along with the text before drinking yet another shot from the bottle, swirling the remaining contents idly.

After a minute of silence, his phone buzzed. "Don't go thru the trouble. I can come by and grab it." A string of pink diamond emojis followed along with a lipstick kiss. Pent snorted even as his chest tightened and his heart fluttered at the sight.

"What, right now?" he texted, setting the ring off to the side.

Ellipses pulsed in the text bubble before the device vibrated with: "Yeah, is that a problem?"

He pursed his lips and glanced to the grandfather clock situated along the wall. "It's rather late…"

There was nothing for a good minute and Pentious had nearly resigned himself to the end of the conversation when the bubble reappeared, showing that Angel was typing. Then his phone vibrated again and his breath caught in his throat.

"True. Guess I'd have to stay the night then. That cool with you?"

Pent stared at the screen for a moment before he forced another drink into his mouth. How should he respond? Would it look desperate if he said yes? It hadn't even been a day and he'd already fallen into such pathetic pining.

But Angel had suggested it, which maybe meant he wanted to stay over and was poking him for a formal invitation? He glanced to the very suspicious ring still clutched in his opposite hand and furrowed his brow.

Was this some sort of test?

Before he could make up his alcohol-laden mind, his phone vibrated again and Pent looked back to his screen. "I can come by another time if tonight's no good."

Immediately tensing, Pent quickly opened the text field and populated his digital keyboard. Of course he then realized he was still very much at a loss of what to say.

Sinking back into his chair, he tilted his head up and let out a low groan. Dear lord why was he so conflicted over this? It wasn't even that big of a deal. He could just have Angel stay in the guest room while he went upstairs.

Slowly, Pent straightened up and bit his lip as he forced his fingers to the screen. "I'll call you a cab."

There was another lengthy pause and then he received a pig emoji along with a series of question marks. Chuckling, Pent rubbed the side of his face and smiled. "Yes, of course."

Without waiting another moment, he opened up his taxi app and requested a vehicle be sent to the Happy Hotel. Pent then stoppered the absinthe and stood, slithering in a loose circle around the study as he watched the cab make its way toward the Hotel via the application's overhead tracking map.

Eventually he sat on the silk couch, laying down on the soft pillows as he stared at his phone, tail loosely tucked up against his abdomen.

Pentious hadn't realized he had started to doze until he was woken by a familiar snuffling sound. He yawned and glanced up, seeing Angel leaning over him, holding his duffel bag in one hand and Nugs in the other. "Hey asshole. Passin' out before I even get here, huh? Pretty fuckin' rude," the spider teased, poking him between the eyes.

Groaning, Pent sat up and stretched out both his arms before standing, his body still heavy with drink, but slightly less fogged in the head. "Did the eggs let you in?" he asked as he leaned over, scooping up his hat which had tumbled to the carpet while he napped.

"Yeah," Angel said with a snicker, adjusting his grip on the bag. "You got my ring?"

Pent nodded and slithered over to the desk, snatching the ring up and turning to press it into Angel's hand. "Next time you spend the night at someone else's home, you should double check all the rooms to make sure you haven't forgotten anything important," he lectured as the spider smiled softly, turning the ring over in his palm before sliding it back onto his finger.

"Yeah, yeah no need to break out the stern dad-voice," Angel said, adjusting his grip on Fat Nuggets before glancing over his shoulder toward the door. "Guess I'll go set up in the other room."

Angel turned on his heel but Pent reached out and snatched his hand by the wrist before he could go any farther.

Their eyes met and Pentious swallowed hard, his throat far too dry and tight to articulate his thoughts (though the lingering alcohol certainly wasn't helping much). Instead he exhaled and bit his lip, gently tugging Angel out of the study, flicking off the lights as he went.

The cliff edge was calling, serenading him with a dangerous (potentially deadly) song. The tunnel was familiar, but the light was tempting, no begging him to take the leap.

Angel followed him to the base of the stairs with a raised brow. "You got nicer guest rooms up there?" he asked, his voice oddly quiet as he stared at Pentious.

Shaking his head, Pent took a deep breath and squeezed Angel's arm. "No, only mine," he admitted before beginning to slither up with Angel trailing behind him. His heart pounded with each step they climbed and part of him was screaming to turn back and go into the cave tunnel. It was dark there, it was safe.

But Pentious ignored it and let himself tumble over the edge. He was flying now with nothing beneath his tail and no one to catch him at the bottom.

He could only stare out into the horizon and pray for a soft landing.

At the top of the staircase was a small entryway and a thick reinforced door. Pentious steeled himself as he typed the code into the keypad before grasping the handle and slithering inside, turning to beckon Angel in.

Angel pursed his lips, remaining in the entryway for a moment before stepping through and closing the door behind him.

The locking mechanism clicked into place and the hall light outside went dark.

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Beta assistance by SirDust & DerpingLina