"You'd follow him to the end of the earth without ever admitting that your feet were moving."
David Levithan

Despite having spent the last year sleeping next to the snake and waking up to the sight of his distinct silhouette on the other side of the mattress, Angel couldn't help but feel like this was a particularly special morning.

At least that was the excuse he planned on using to justify spending the last half hour leaning on one elbow and watching the other Demon sleep quietly next to him like a goddamn creep.

For once, Angel wasn't in a motel room or sneaking out of someone else's home at the crack of dawn. He had been invited into Pent's bed with full permission to leave at his own leisure. Though now that he'd finally seen the snake's personal digs, there was no way he was going to let himself get kicked out any time soon.

Pentious shifted, tightening his tail around a large black body pillow and Angel couldn't help but smile as he reached out to trail his fingers over the other man's smooth cheek.

Fuck he was in deep wasn't he?

Next to him, his phone vibrated and Angel quickly silenced it with his opposite hand, pushing the device away before continuing to pet along the subtle grooves of Pent's skin. However he could still see the notification light blinking, alerting him that he had a text, and Angel sighed, carefully sliding out from under the sheets before getting up onto his feet.

With some difficulty, he made his way across the enormous circular mattress to the rim of the sunken bed pit, climbing out and leaning over to scoop up his phone. Angel glanced back at Pentious (who had already rolled into the warm spot he left behind) and resisted the urge to chuckle as he unzipped the duffel bag he'd discarded the previous night, digging out a pack of cigs and his lighter.

Angel briefly checked on Nuggets as they snoozed in their basket before heading to a door that led to the snake's private balcony overlooking the city. He was careful to not let too much light in as he slipped out, closing the door behind him with a soft click.

Once outside, Angel let out a yawn and walked to the iron railing, leaning over the edge on his upper elbows as his lower hands tugged a single cigarette loose and put it to his lips. He flipped his lighter open as he stared down at his cracked phone screen and scrolled through all the unread texts from the night before. He had a few unopened messages from Val (likely asking him whether or not they were still chained), a few from Charlie (fuck, he'd forgotten to let her know he made it back to Pent's place in one piece), and of course the latest text which was from Cherri.

Opening the thread, he lit the end of his cigarette and closed the lighter with a metallic clack.

Last night had been a real goddamn trip.

Through the entire taxi ride back to the Happy Hotel, Angel's thoughts had been on the ring he'd left behind. Pent would probably find it in the morning and either throw it out, ask him if he wanted it back, or maybe (maybe) deliver it in person. It was a stupid and impulsive thing to do, but he couldn't take it back now. The ball was in the snake's court and Angel would just have to wait and see what would happen.

Of course, he'd spilled everything to Cherri as soon as he'd gotten back to Room 404. As embarrassing as it was to admit that he had something of a crush on Pentious, he needed a second opinion or at least someone to assure him that he wasn't just going crazy and seeing shit that wasn't there.

Cherri had initially asked if he was fucking with her, but after he'd confirmed that no, he was being dead serious, she cut the back and forth and just called him.

"Angie, you sure it's not just from being stuck with him for a year? You guys were fucking for a while so it might be just residual shit from that?"

Angel bit his lip and stared at the half-empty closet before his gaze drifted to the bed. Shit, the nightstand looked so fucking barren without Pent's stupid little kettle on top. "I mean, I can't say for sure, but fuck...I can't tell ya how goddamn hard it was for me to walk outta his house."

And it truly had been...but as difficult as it was to leave, it was easier than being honest.

Cherri paused and then let out a tired sigh on the other end of the line. "Well, I guess the only way to know for sure is to give it some time. Pretty sure there's some old bullshit saying about absence and fondness or whatever."

They continued talking until Angel felt his phone buzz next to his ear. He minimized his call and froze when he realized the text was from Pent. Why the hell wasn't the snake in bed?

"You left your ring at my house. Do you want me to mail it to you?"

Oh goddamnit, how had he found it already!?

After a short panic attack (and with some encouragement from Cherri), Angel responded as casually as he could. The last thing he wanted was to seem desperate (he was) and out of his depth (also true). He'd propositioned plenty of guys before, had tons of good time hookups, but he'd never gone about trying to date a fella (or 'woo' as Pent was oft say).

Then Angel had stupidly asked Pent if he could stay the fuckin' night and he'd regretted the text as soon as he sent it. Of course, there was no taking it back now and he could only stare at his phone in terror with Cherri on speaker as he waited for the response. "Fuck that's gonna look so goddamn needy," he muttered, quickly typing out an addendum: "I can come by another time if tonight's no good."

Hopefully that would fix it. Pentious had to be exhausted and not at all in the mood for hosting guests anyway. With this, Angel had given the other man an easy out that simultaneously didn't make him look like he was a pining moron with the tact of a prepubescent teenager on their first date.

Then his phone buzzed and the thread updated: "I'll call you a cab."

Angel stared down at those five little words for a good ten seconds before chucking his phone across the room in sheer panic, making Nuggets squeak and hide under the bed as it hit the dresser and clattered to the floor.

Holy fucking shit, Pent wasn't supposed to do that! He was supposed to say, "Yes, another time sounds lovely and posh. British shit, cheerio and all that rot!"

After retrieving his phone (wincing at the crack that now cut through the screen), Angel apologized to Cherri and relayed the text to her. She was just as surprised, but being the badass she was, told him to just go for it. "The worst case scenario is that you get one last booty call," she said as he began to repack his duffel bag with a fresh set of clothes. "Which isn't great, but it's a better send off than nothing, right?"

Angel had agreed with her. He didn't know if Pent was feeling similar to him or if the snake just wanted to get his dick wet one last time, but Angel would take what he could get even if it was just a sad lil' swan song.

Pentious was asleep on his couch by the time he arrived and Angel was unable to resist snapping a picture before gently rousing the snake with the help of Fat Nuggets. When the other man's bleary red eyes blinked up at him, tired but unmistakably happy, Angel felt any lingering doubts melt away.

The entire stunt was worth it just to see this shit one last time.

Despite his hopes for a booty call, Angel had been fully prepared to go and set up shop in the guest room, but Pent had clearly decided that one fuck-off surprise wasn't enough and instead dragged his ass upstairs.

If Angel had thought the guest room was nice, fuck the snake's personal quarters really took the whole damn pie. First of all, it was at least three times the size of the guest quarters and themed with white and gold rather than red. Immediately Angel's eye was drawn to the sunken bed that was big enough to comfortably host an orgy and the massive white crystal chandelier that hung above it. The entire room was hardwood, but covered in intricate rugs that had to be close to a century old (despite being in crazy good condition) and housed a white-silk chaise reading lounge with a matching coffee table, several dark wood dressers and chests (in addition to the ridiculous fuck-off walk in closet and what had to be the master bathroom).

The walls were fairly bare, but were papered with a nice gold foil surrounding a goddamn marble fireplace that sat right across from the bed in a manner that could only be described as excessive.

Of course, Angel hadn't had a ton of time to take it all in as Pent stole his duffel bag and quickly unpacked Nugget's basket and water bowl (filling it in the bathroom which looked absolutely fucking huge from what little Angel could see of it) before gesturing to the bed.

After unharnessing Nugs, Angel kicked off his shoes and descended into the strange basin while Pent fiddled with a remote that turned off the lights and actually closed the goddamn curtains, leaving them in almost complete pitch darkness.

Pentious slithered into the bed and slowly dragged the enormous silk pillows into a half-circle around him before tugging up the sheets to his hips. "Are you coming to bed?" Pent asked quietly, his mouth stretching open in a tired yawn as he settled down into the soft mattress, resting his head against one of the cushions.

Angel had initially assumed that being invited up to Pent's room meant the snake wanted to bang, but it was clear from Pentious's body language alone that he really was just being asked to sleep with him in a completely non-sexual way.

Which both threw him for a loop and made his pulse pound like a goddamn jack-hammer. Instead of saying anything, Angel just crawled over, slotting himself next to Pent under the sheets. His breath hitched when Pentious wrapped an arm around his waist and pulled him in close, the tip of that thick tail coming in to tangle with Angel's legs.

He hadn't been able to fall asleep for over an hour after that, still too shocked by the fact that he was really here in the snake's bed firmly held by the stubborn asshole himself.

Part of him ached at the tenderness of it.

Part of him wanted to run far away.

None of this was what he had expected to happen when he initially left his ring behind. It was like Pentious was purposefully trying to fuck with him or throw him off his game and the uncertainty of it all was as thrilling as it was scary as shit.

But damn if it wasn't nice in a weird way. The mattress was one of the most plush (if not the plushest) he'd ever sat on and Pent was so wonderfully warm and solid at his back. They'd snuggled plenty of times before now, but normally it was Angel cuddling into Pentious' side or back. He couldn't remember a time where the snake had been the one to volunteer himself as the big spoon.

When Angel woke, it actually took quite a while to untangle himself from Pent, offering the long body pillow in his stead which the sleeping snake readily wrapped himself around (and fuck him if that wasn't precious as shit).

But then rather than get up, Angel just kept staring, watching the steady rise and fall of Pent's chest as he cuddled against a fucking pillow.

Now he was here and gazing out at the Pentagram in a weird old mansion that was probably constructed before he was even born (nevermind before he fuckin' died), trying to figure out his own damn feelings for a fucker he never should have met let alone become friends with in the first place.

"I would have been dead long before that war broke out."

And Pent wasn't wrong. They never would have encountered each other in life even if the big idiot hadn't blown himself to kingdom come.

"Maybe I was born in the wrong era…" he mused to himself, tapping the ash off the end of his cigarette as he played with the lighter in his hand. It was a bizarre feeling. Angel had finally met someone who made him happier than he probably had any right to be, but was also kinda a total train wreck of a person.

And perhaps that's all they were: two train wrecks on opposite tracks that somehow managed to merge against the odds.

Angel snorted at the mental image and shook his head, blowing out a plume of smoke as he looked over Cherri's text which was simply: "?"

Should he tell her? It wasn't like he ever kept secrets from his best friend, but at the same time, he'd also never crushed on someone like this while he was down here and any feelings he had towards a fella when he was alive had to be hidden from everyone save for Molly.

Angel sighed and thumbed over the engraving on her lighter. He wished he could talk to his sister about this. Not that she ever had any good relationships to draw experience from, but she could at least give it to him straight if he was getting stupid over a guy.

As he smoked and tried to think of how to word this all to Cherri, Angel heard the door open behind him. Glancing back over his shoulder, he caught sight of Pent standing in the frame, a silky emerald green robe wrapped around him with a cup of tea and matching saucer in hand. "I was afraid you had run off," Pentious murmured quietly as he lifted his cup off the tiny plate. "But I assumed you wouldn't be callous enough to abandon Fat Nuggets."

Said pig snuffled out from behind the snake's thick tail, trotting curiously onto the balcony before nosing at Angel's feet. Smiling, Angel bent down and scooped up Nuggets in his lower set of arms. "What kinda dad would I be if I left my precious baby behind?" he said, pulling the cigarette from his mouth with one of his upper hands so he could press a kiss between Nug's horns.

Looking back at Pent, Angel gave the other man a once-over and said, "How come you didn't bring that lil' number to the Hotel, huh?" He gestured to the slinky robe and Pent just shrugged, sipping his tea.

"I wasn't going to drag my entire closet along for the journey and I prioritized the items with the greatest degree of practicality," he explained before raising an eyebrow at Angel, who was wearing nothing more than a pair of mismatched socks and tight pink briefs. "You're fortunate that my nearest neighbors are several miles away."

Angel laughed and shrugged. "Ain't like most of the Pentagram hasn't already seen my ass." He gave Nugs a gentle squeeze and set the pig down, leaning his top elbows against the railing as he moved his cigarette back up to his mouth. "Sleep well? You were out pretty fast."

Pentious slithered onto the balcony, letting the door close behind him as he sidled up to Angel, facing away to stare at the city. "I was very tired. Working the forge all day will do that," he said with a sigh, setting the cup down on the saucer he held in his opposite hand. "What about you? I imagine my bed felt rather strange and unfamiliar."

"Strange in a good way," Angel corrected with a small grin, blowing smoke through his nose as he kept an eye on Nugs. Thankfully the metal rails were narrowly spaced so the curious pig wouldn't be able to slip through the gaps in the bars. "You have a nice ass bed." He glanced down, taking in the way the silk clung to the curves and dips of Pent's spine. "And a nice ass."

Pent rolled his eyes and let out a small sigh next to him. "You really won't give that up, will you?"

"Why the fuck would I?" Angel asked with a chuckle, reaching out with one hand to palm over the dramatic slope of the snake's back. "Just accept it already. I'm not changin' my stance any time soon."

The green did look real good on him though. Normally Pentious stuck with reds, grays, and blacks (sometimes gold), but a dark green actually suited him in a strange way. It reminded Angel of the first time they shared a drink and emptied out Pent's good absinthe in the study downstairs.

"I suppose that's one battle I can surrender honorably to," Pent muttered in a tired voice. "The semantics of function don't matter all that much in the grand scheme when it's the form that is pleasing to your eye." He shrugged and lifted the cup to finish off his tea. "Are you hungry? I was thinking of making some muffins before I head out to the forge."

"What kind of muffins?" Angel asked, lifting one long leg and gently nudging Nuggets until they stopped obsessively licking over the partially rusted iron of the railing.

Pent smiled and said, "That will depend on what ingredients the eggs have bought." Settling the cup in his saucer, he lifted the small plate and turned to head back to the door, Nugs immediately following behind the snake. "If you don't like them, I can have the minions whip up some pancakes for you instead."

Angel shrugged and stubbed out his cigarette on the underside of the metal railing before heading inside as well, closing the door with a gentle clink.

The curtains had been drawn back on all the windows, lighting the room beautifully and showing off just how detailed Pentious' personal furnishings were. "This place is bigger than it has any right to be for one person," Angel teased as Pent handed his saucer off to a waiting egg and stretched one arm above his head, yawning loudly.

"I enjoy having my space," Pent said as he slithered into the bathroom and Angel, now curious to see the big tub that Pentious had boasted about, followed suit.

Almost immediately he stopped short in the doorway and stared at the massive sunken pool tiled entirely with black jade that only parted to make room for the jacuzzi jets scattered around the perimeter. "Ok...we're definitely fuckin' in this thing," Angel said as Pent began to brush his teeth at the counter. He caught Pent giving him an amused eye roll in the mirror before Angel turned to get a look at the shower which was roughly the same size as the one in the guest room but tiled black to match the tub. The countertops and flooring were a white marble by contrast, occasionally interspersed with small black and gold veins. "You really are the most extra asshole I've ever slept with."

Pentious leaned over, spitting into the sink as he grabbed a washcloth to wipe his mouth. "Oh please do shut up. If you were allowed to design a house, you would strip every pink stone from the earth for your own bathroom." He turned and gestured toward Angel's toothbrush (which it seemed Pent had unpacked while Angel was out smoking). "Also I find it interesting how you're so quick to judge my tastes when your own lies somewhere betwixt a pastel themed cupcake shoppe and the world's tartiest strip club."

Shrugging, Angel just took his toothbrush and bumped Pent's hip to get him to move out of the way (even though he had plenty of space given how oversized the countertop and mirror were). "I happen ta think I got great taste. I'm friends with your dumb ass, aren't I?"

Pent crossed his arms and raised an eyebrow. "The exception does little to disprove the rule," he said, lifting his chin and grinning wide enough to expose all his teeth, briefly raising one hand where it was tucked into the crook of his elbow to make a dramatic flourish that was so ridiculous Angel nearly dropped his fucking toothbrush.

"Keep tellin' yourself that, Pen." Angel winked and then began to brush his teeth as the snake left the bathroom. Angel's eyes followed the other man's path in the mirror as Pent went about folding the sheets and adjusting his pillows into a decorative stack around the rim of the basin. He'd seen Pent make their bed at the Hotel nearly every morning for a year, but there was something more intimate about watching the process here in the snake's home, with his own bed.

It felt less perfunctory and more...domestic.

When he finished brushing his teeth, Angel walked back out and slipped on a pair of red shorts, grabbing the hoodie he'd worn the night prior before pulling it on over his head. "So, muffin time?" he asked as he leaned over to give Nugs a pat while the pig drank from their bowl.

Pent nodded and then adjusted the tie of his robe before slithering to the door. "We'll see what I have to work with anyway." He beckoned Angel and the spider followed, closing the door behind them as they went down the stairs.

It was strange to see this perspective of the foyer which was much closer to the black chandelier hanging from the ceiling. Angel could finally see and appreciate the finer details in the metalwork though he was now curious if Pent had made it himself or had commissioned it from someone.

The eggs were already in the kitchen, lined up at the gray-stone island with fresh pots of tea and coffee made. "Bossman!" they greeted, surrounding them in a loose semi-circle. "Can we help with breakfast? #445 said you wanted to make muffins," one of them piped up.

"Your assistance isn't required," Pent said, waving them off as he looked through the fridge and pantry, rubbing his chin thoughtfully while the tip of his tail flicked against the white tile. "We have some nice fresh lemons…" he murmured before glancing back to Angel. "Do you like lemon and poppy seed?"

Angel sat down on one of the wooden stools propped up next to the island and shrugged. "I ain't a huge fan of lemons, but your shit usually turns out pretty good regardless. I'm down ta try 'em," he said as he pulled his phone out from the hoodie pocket, letting one of the eggs hand him a cup of coffee while pushing a bowl of sugar cubes his way. He smiled and patted their head as he continued to scroll through his phone. "Thanks, pal."

The egg beamed and bowed their head. "Of course, anything for the boss' boyfriend!"

Immediately Angel flinched, his wide eyes flicking up from his cracked screen to Pentious who was busy rummaging in the cabinets for equipment and ingredients, lost in his own work.

Clearing his throat quietly, Angel looked to the eggboi and whispered, "Let's not call me that around Pen, kay lil' guy?" The egg looked confused, but then nodded and hopped down from the stepping stool they'd used to reach the counter.

Sighing, Angel reached over and dropped a few sugar cubes into his coffee before taking the spoon that had been provided with the bowl to mix it all in. They were probably going to have a talk about this mess at some point, most likely after all the shit with Val was finally settled.

But fuck, what did that mean if even these little idiots assumed that they were dating? Pent had said that their grasp on social cues was loose at best, but still: "They're not capable of distinguishing nuance."

Angel just huffed and laid the spoon off to the side, lifting his mug as Pent donned a black apron over his robe and tied his hood behind him. "How soon until we can eat?" Angel asked as the snake preheated the oven and began to butter the slots of a muffin pan he'd grabbed.

"Maybe 40 minutes," Pent said as he set the pan down and began to measure out the various ingredients with a chemist's precision. "You can take Fat Nuggets for a walk while you're waiting if you would like."

Shaking his head, Angel said, "Nah, I'll do that while you're in the forge." He took another gulp of his coffee as Pent began to zest a lemon into a bowl, adding sugar to the mix and thoroughly incorporating them together. "How long do you think makin' that bullshit will take by the way?"

Pent blinked and glanced up. "What, the knife? Several days at least." He sighed and shook his head as he added the wet ingredients to the bowl and stirred it all together with a spatula, making the kitchen smell like a bizarrely nice mixture of lemons and coffee. "Remember that I have to heat it to a partially molten state every time I work the metal. Today we'll be melting everything down and shaping the steel into its basic form. I'll likely spend tomorrow and the next day properly balancing it, and then there's the sharpening process." Pent frowned and added, "It will be a big pain in my ass, but alas. Valentino wanted a knife so a knife he shall have."

Standing, Angel put down his phone and lifted the mug, wandering over to Pent as the snake mixed the dry ingredients in another basin. He stared down at the wet bowl and then ran a single pink finger over the rim, bringing it up to his mouth. "Mmm, not bad," Angel said, licking the excess off his thumb pad as Pent gave him an annoyed look for tasting the unfinished batter. "What? Like you ain't ever taken a lick?"

"Only to make sure I haven't ruined the recipe and never with my fingers," Pent said, folding the bag of flour closed and lifting it up, only for the package to slip from his grasp and fall to the floor where it exploded against the tile. Pent winced as a cloud of white engulfed the lower half of his tail and cascaded down in a blizzard of powder. "Oh for fuck's sake!"

Angel snorted as he watched the snake futilely try and shake the flour off the bottom half of his robe and apron. "You keep on mixin'. Once that shit is in the oven, we can clean up the rest while it's cookin'," he said, patting the other man's shoulder before putting his mug down to turn on the roomba in the corner, watching as it began to suck up the mess on the floor.

"You're going to need to empty the canister a few times," Pent muttered as he pinched his brow and leaned against the island counter. "It can only hold so much."

Angel nodded and then grabbed the dustpan and hand-broom that hung by the trash can next to the walk-in pantry. "Don't blow a gasket. It's just some flour, Pen." Though it did get everywhere and when it was on his hands, it left white imprints on everything Angel touched.

His eyes flickered back to Pent who had finished combining all the ingredients and was now pouring the batter into the pan's circular molds. Once the mixing bowl was empty, the snake slithered back to the oven and bent over to put the tray in.

Glancing down from his floury hands to Pent's exposed backside, Angel grinned and stalked up behind the other man, gathering more flour in his fists to thoroughly coat both palms. He waited until Pent had closed the oven and was about to stand back up before making his move.

THWAP

Pent stiffened and then turned his head to look over one shoulder, a fierce glare on his face as he stared at Angel. "Really, now? Both hands?" he groused tiredly.

Continuing to grin, Angel just dusted the flour off his fingers and said, "Well yeah, I wanted it ta be symmetrical."

Frowning, Pent twisted his hips and then gawked as he realized Angel had left two distinctive white hand prints across his backside. "What the-" he groaned and gritted his teeth. "Why?"

Angel just winked and then said, "Cuz that's some art right there." Before Pent could protest, he grabbed his phone off the island and snapped a picture.

Pent turned bright red and he immediately brushed the flour off as best he could (though the imprints were still entirely recognizable). "Don't you dare post that!" he hissed, poking Angel's collarbone with his index finger. "You won't get a single muffin if you do!"

"That your big threat? No muffins?" Angel asked, leaning back against the counter as he watched Pent set his little egg timer and place it next to the oven. When the snake turned around to face him again, Angel grinned and spread his legs, both lower arms coming up to fondle over his tits. "I mean, your muffins smell pretty good already, but I bet mine are perkier."

Pent rolled his eyes and crossed his arms over his chest. "I thought muffin was a euphemism for vagina. Since when did it also cover breasts?"

Angel shrugged, giving himself one last grope before letting his arms drop down. "I work with what I got." He winked and then turned around, sticking out his pert ass. "But here, if it'll get ya ta forgive me, you can smack mine too." He tilted his head back, licking across his teeth as he swung his hips to and fro. "C'mon, it's been a hot minute since ya spanked me."

"Does it truly count as an apology when you enjoy getting hit?" Pent muttered, nevertheless scooping up some of the floor flour into his palms.

"I don't like bein' hit. Spankin' ain't gettin' beat," Angel said with a laugh, arching his spine to create an alluring curve as he leaned over the island. "C'mon, leave a nice big print on my shorts."

Snorting, Pent brushed off the excess and said, "Hold onto the counter," as he twirled one flour-covered talon in the air.

Angel exhaled and then grabbed the island with all four arms, shivering in anticipation as he waited for the impact.

But it never came. Instead he felt two sharp prods (one to each ass cheek) and then the drag of Pent's finger in a U shape underneath. He furrowed his brow and glanced over his shoulder to see Pent had moved back and was now suppressing his laughter (poorly) behind one hand. "Did you just draw a fuckin' smiley face on my ass!?" Angel hissed, twisting around to get a look at the flour marking the red shorts.

Pentious only continued to giggle like a goddamn kid, the loud cackles finally spilling out from behind his palm as he physically shook with laughter.

Angel just stared at him, unable to believe that this was the very same asshole who was determined to rule the entire city. Fuck he was such a goddamn dork.

Finally Pent got himself under control, wiping a tear from the corner of his eyes before looking back at Angel with a big shit-eating grin. "Your reaction was priceless," he said, as he picked up the roomba and emptied the cartridge into the trash can before setting it back down to clean up more flour.

Angel sighed and shook his head as he watched the other man take the abandoned dustpan and begin to sweep up the larger piles until there was only a light dusting of powder against the tile. Of course Pent's entire tail was still covered in it and the snake sighed, brushing as much of it off as he could with his hands. "I suppose I'll have to shower before heading to the forge," he muttered, slithering to the oven to lower the heat as the timer went off.

"I dunno, ya look nice in white," Angel said as Pent reset the alarm, removing the tie from his hood as well as the apron from his waist. The spider's eyes flickered to the emerald silk underneath and he smiled. "I like the green on ya too."

Pent glanced down to his robe (which was also dotted with patches of flour) and pursed his lips. "Well it will have to go into the laundry for now," he said as he undid the belt and slid the silk off his shoulders, folding the fabric over one arm and placing it on top of the island next to his discarded apron.

Raising an eyebrow, Angel sidled up to him and bumped Pent's bare hip. "Damn, gettin' naked in the kitchen? Might start givin' a fella some ideas," he teased as he wrapped himself around the snake's bare back, hooking his chin over Pent's shoulder. "Y'know this island is nice and big. Perfect for gettin' bent over."

He heard Pent snort and then the snake turned his head to meet Angel's gaze, an amused smile on his face. "Of course you'd want to have sex in the kitchen," he said as Angel's hands stroked up and down the length of his chest and sides.

"Yeah? That a problem?" Angel asked, pressing a small kiss to Pent's cheek before letting his lower hands roam down the snake's backside to grope the thick curve of his ass. "I ain't hearin' a nooooo…"

Pent huffed and rolled his eyes, but his smile didn't fall. "We don't even have lube," he muttered as the roomba bumped against his tail and changed direction.

Angel laughed and gave the snake's ass a playful pinch before removing his hoodie, tossing it next to the discarded robe and apron. "Pen, you're a genius right? Just improvise and get some oil." He winked and stepped back to go and rummage in the pantry until he found some cooking oil. Turning around, Angel posed dramatically against the door with the bottle framed by his upper hands as his bottom set cupped his own hips. "So, wanna bend me over that counter and have a lil' fun before breakfast?"

The snake's red eyes flickered from the oil and back to Angel before he slithered over and pressed the spider bodily up against the wall. Angel gave a muffled grunt and eagerly wrapped his three free arms around the other man's shoulders as his fourth clung to the neck of the bottle.

Before he could get comfortable, he felt Pent's hands cup under his ass and lift. Angel's eyes went wide as his back scraped up against the wallpaper and both legs were abruptly hitched over the sharp jut of Pent's hip bones.

"Whoa! Didn't think you were that inta it!" Angel said with a small chuckle as he felt Pent's talons dig into the muscle of his thighs and ass, securing his grip on both. He groaned and curled his own nails into Pent's shoulders. "Fuck, Pen...Have I told ya how much I love when ya get all pushy an' shit?"

The first time Pent had shoved him against a wall and lifted him like he was nothing had been the morning after his D-Day. Wall-sex wasn't his favorite position, but getting bounced on the snake's dick for a good half hour had totally been worth the back chafe.

"If you really think you're heavier than the machinery I operate on a near daily basis, you're certifiably insane," Pent said with a smug toothy grin. "I'm reasonably sure the only fat on your entire person resides here." Angel hissed as Pent pressed in, burying his face between his tits and nuzzling before nipping the side of one (careful not to use his fangs). "I won't drop you if that's what you're worried about."

"I know, but still..." Angel murmured, his hands rising to cup the back of Pent's hood and keep the other man's face shoved into his chest. "Get on with it then. Fuck me right up, Pen."

He felt more than heard the other man laugh, the vibrations shaking against his chest as Pent continued to leave licks and bites to Angel's breasts all while his long tapered fingers flexed against the spider's ass. "Hmmm, you wanted to be bent over the counter, correct?" the snake purred with a low growl.

Angel nodded, letting out a breathy exhale. "Yeah, not that the wall-sex ain't appealin' but we can do that in any room." He grinned and Pent pulled back to look Angel in the eyes, his slitted pupils large enough to the point of appearing round. "You got any saucy lil' aprons I can wear?"

Snorting, Pent adjusted his hold and then lifted Angel off the wall, forcing the spider to tighten his own grip on Pent to keep from falling backwards as the snake slithered over to the counter. "My aprons are practical, hardly the frilly lacy things you'd find on a porn set."

"Too bad," Angel purred as Pent sat him down on top of the island. "I make that shit look good." He released Pent's back and cupped his bare tits with two hands, placing the bottle of oil off to the side (but still within reach). "Fill 'em out real nice up top."

Pent chuckled darkly, the sexy rumble making Angel shiver and squeeze his thighs around the snake's wide hips. "I'm sure you do," Pent murmured as he leaned in, pressing a kiss to Angel's collar, his fangs grazing along the bone before pulling away and maneuvering Angel to turn over onto his front.

Angel grinned and immediately arched his back, shaking his ass against Pent's floury tail and not caring at all as he smeared even more white powder over his stained shorts. "Tell ya what, you make me a sexy lil' apron ta wear and I'll prance all around the damn kitchen fer ya," Angel teased as Pent's hands gripped his hips to stall his rocking and sink those red claws underneath the hemline of the spider's shorts and underwear, dragging them down his legs.

"I'll take it under consideration," Pent said as Angel passed him the bottle of oil. Instead of cracking it open right away, Pent just set the oil down and gripped Angel's thighs, sliding backward and up again to lick a long line from the start of Angel's taint to his asshole.

"Unf," Angel bit his lower lip, his upper hands curling into fists against the counter. "Fuck yeah, get that tongue up in there," he hissed as he stared out at the window above the kitchen sink. He spread his legs and felt the fabric of his shorts stretch around the gap but he didn't care if he ripped a few stitches. He had a very enthusiastic snake tonguing his hole and if he lost some clothes to that cause, well...he'd had worse casualties.

And fuck, Pent's tongue was so thorough, teasing against every inch of exposed skin. Angel was already over half-mast, his dick rubbing against the side of the counter as he angled his hips back into the other man's mouth. "One of these days, I'm gonna sit on your fuckin' face-" he panted, groaning as he felt Pent finally slip inside of him. "-an' ride you until your goddamn tongue hurts."

Slowly, Pent pulled back, leaving a teasing kiss to Angel's rim. "Hmmm, rather bold to assume that I'd be the first to break in that scenario," he teased, giving Angel's ass a swat before he plucked the bottle off the counter and unscrewed the cap, pouring some oil onto his talons.

Angel laughed and let his lower arms reach back, grabbing his ass cheeks and pulling them as far apart as he could, fully resting his chest down against the counter. "Challenge accepted," he said, looking at Pentious over his shoulder as the snake smirked down at him and pressed a pair of fingers against his slicked hole, going at a snail's pace and making Angel groan as those smooth claws drove into him.

"You can't turn everything into a competition just to rile me up," Pent said with a grunt, the talons of his opposite hand shifting around to grip Angel's cock, making the spider gasp as his dick was finally given some nice warm pressure to hump against.

"Mmm, I'll stop doin' it when it stops workin' on ya," Angel said, flashing him a winking grin. "Ain't my fault you're a competitive shit who can't stand losin'."

Pent gave him another squeeze and Angel moaned, shifting back further until both of the snake's fingers were all the way inside of him, the pressure accompanied by a sweet delicious burn. "Shit, next time we cook, I'm wearin' a plug so you can get right the fuck to it." Not that he disliked the foreplay, but damn, Angel just wanted one of Pent's fat dicks in him already.

The other man chuckled and Angel felt Pent lay a soft kiss between his bare shoulder blades. "Another time. For now, stop being a spoiled brat and let me get you good and loose." He began to rock his fingers and Angel groaned as those firm talons brushed over his prostate, sending minute tingles up his groin and spine. "You need to learn to be patient."

"Fuck bein' patient," Angel huffed, moaning as Pent began to jack his dick in time with his thrusts. "We're not in Heaven, jackass. I'm allowed ta be as bitchy and needy as I want!"

Pent let out a barking laugh and Angel couldn't help but smirk as he listened to it. It really was amazing just how open and honest Pent was with his feelings and thoughts. Not that the snake never lied or covered things up (badly), but when it came to the things he liked and the things he was passionate about, Pentious just lit up like the goddamn sun.

And having a guy that enthusiatic, enough to actually smile and laugh at his stupid jokes even in the heat of the moment…

Fuck, it was like he'd just snorted a line.

"Very well," Pent said as his laughter peeled out, mirth still lacing his voice. "The muffins will be ready soon anyway so we should probably hurry this along." He slipped both fingers out to add a third, making Angel grunt at the stretch before relaxing into it.

"You are not interruptin' this for the goddamn muffins," Angel growled over his shoulder as Pent began to curl and press his fingers further inside, all the while continuing to jack Angel's cock under the rim of the counter.

Nipping Angel's exposed nape, Pent murmured, "Oh hush, I only need to take them out of the oven so we don't burn the bloody house down." He then adjusted his grip to firmly thumb over Angel's cockhead and the spider let out a high-pitched whine as the sensitive nerves were teased with delicious pressure. "Trust me, you'll be hungry afterward."

"The only thing I'm hungry for is a fat cock in my-" Angel gasped as Pent shoved all three fingers up against his prostate hard enough to get his shaft spitting precum into the snake's palm. "You fuckin' dick…"

Pent just grinned and continued pressing along the soft node, teasing around it until Angel was keening and shifting his hips desperately against the counter. "You were saying?"

Angel just continued to wordlessly moan, closing his eyes as he thrust his hips back onto those devilish talons, wanting more of that addictive pulsing. His cock didn't stop leaking messily over Pent's palm and he couldn't give a shit if it dripped onto the floor. Angel would blow his load over the entire goddamn kitchen if he wanted to.

After what felt like an eternity, Pent removed his claws and released Angel's dick to press down on his own swollen groin until both his cocks flopped out (wet and throbbing) against the spider's backside. Angel purred and released his grip on his own ass to tug on the nearest shaft, giving it a solid squeeze. "One day we're gonna get both of these bad boys in me," he said as Pent poured more oil into his palm and began to slick the opposite dick.

"If they will even fit," Pent hissed, his voice low and raspy as he rubbed the lubed cockhead against Angel's rim. They both groaned as the snake traced teasing circles around the sensitive skin before pressing in with a grunt, both his hands shifting to Angel's waist and digging his talons into the white fur as an anchor.

Biting his lip, Angel's upper hands scrabbled across the seamless counter, his spread thighs twitching and tensing underneath him. "Oh they'll fit alright," he purred, his eyes falling closed again as he panted against the island.

Shit, as annoying as Pentious' deliberate slowness was at times, there was something really fucking hot about the way the snake took his time going in. It felt like Pent was savoring the feeling of his body and that thought alone had Angel shivering.

Just as Pent was about to bottom out, the egg timer dinged and Angel let out a frustrated growl as the snake pressed an apologetic kiss to his throat before carefully pulling back. "Are you fuckin' serious right now!?" he groused, twisting slightly to glare at Pent as he wiped both his hands clean on a washcloth and slithered to the oven. It really was quite absurd to watch the snake slip on a padded mitt to pull out the hot pan while both of Pentious' wet dicks were still hard and bobbing against his tail. "Oh my fuckin' god, Pen."

The snake just rolled his eyes and turned off the oven, setting the muffin tray down to cool. "I told you I was going to have to take them out. You were given fair warning."

"Yeah, but right when we were gettin' it in!?" Angel hissed through gritted teeth as he turned back to glare at the window, only to realize several pairs of eyes were now staring back at him. He blinked and furrowed his brow. "Uh...we got a coupla' peepin' toms out there."

Pent frowned as he removed the oven mitt and glanced to the window. "What are you-?" He paused, his hood flaring as his cheeks turned bright red. "Get the hell out!" he screamed at the eggboiz, waving his hands wildly until the group of minions panicked and began scrambling (heh) to get away from the glass.

Angel couldn't help but laugh, slapping his palm down repeatedly against the countertop all while Pent shrieked behind him. "Holy shit," he said as he caught his breath, tears brimming at his eyes. "I've been walked in on before, but that was goddamn hilarious."

Pent groaned, dragging a hand over the side of his face as he slithered to the window above the sink, yanking the shades down to cover the exposed glass. "We should go into one of the rooms. We'll have more privacy."

"Nah, we made our bed in the kitchen," Angel said, wiggling his hips playfully as he stared at the snake over the island. "So you're fuckin' my ass right here, busta. 'Sides, who cares if we got caught by those lil' idiots? Ain't like they're gonna be out gossipin' ta all your enemies."

Sighing, Pent just slithered around the counter, briefly adjusting his oil-slick cock to line up with Angel's twitching rim before sliding back inside with little preamble. "I care," he groused as he leaned down, pressing his chest to the spider's spine while both his hands came up to grip the wrists of Angel's upper arms.

Angel sighed as he was filled, adjusting easily to the stretch of Pent's thick shaft. "Only you could bitch about this shit while you're balls deep in my asshole." He reached one of his lower arms up to gently smack the side of Pent's face. "Stop focusin' on them and get ta work fuckin' me." Angel purposefully clenched around Pent, grinning as the snake shuddered and let out a low groan. "You'll be less crabby after we milk these puppies dry."

He felt Pent exhale against his back and Angel smiled as the snake's talons gripped tight to his wrists. "Fine." Then Pent leaned down, mouthing over Angel's neck to tease those fangs against his throat as he bottomed out and began to circle his hips. Angel quivered as the snake rubbed the length of that hot cock against his inner walls, not pulling out or pushing further in, but keeping consistent pressure on his prostate.

"Shit," he moaned, tilting his head away to give Pent more skin to kiss. "Oh fuck, keep doin' that." He pressed his ass as deeply as he could into the cradle of Pent's hips, feeling the other neglected cock pulse against his crack and leak precum down the dip of his spine.

Pent purred and nipped the underside of Angel's chin as he began to rock, barely pulling out before humping back in, each time sinking more and more of his body weight down ontop of Angel until his torso was pressed flat to the counter, completely pinned by the snake's heavy bulk. Angel groaned deeply, his eyes rolling back as he spread his legs as wide as they could go, not caring about the slight discomfort that came from the edge of the counter digging into his hip bones.

He should feel scared shitless by the fact that he couldn't do more than kick his legs up helplessly on either side of the snake's tail, unable to even draw a full breath into his compressed chest.

Pentious was heavy and strong, capable of manhandling him with ease and literally trapping him against the counter. If he wanted to, he could fuck Angel until it hurt, refuse to let him cum, even beat up on him if he got pissed enough.

But the snake was so damn soft and too set on making Angel feel like he was going to explode with pleasure before finally giving him what he wanted.

Angel hadn't once felt unsafe with this stupid asshole. If anything, he'd never felt more secure than when he was wrapped up in that ridiculous tail, surrounded on all sides by firm powerful muscle.

Suddenly Pent's pace picked up and the snake slammed into his prostate hard enough to make his hip crack. Angel gasped, clawing at the island as the other Demon began to really fuck into him, his thrusts no less measured, but firm on the reentry as if the snake was determined to drive him into the rim of the counter with every pulse. He felt Pentious' hot breath against his neck and Angel shivered, purposefully clenching down every time the other man began to pull out of his body if only to hear Pentious' desperate whining.

Slowing down Pent even more had to be a form of self-torture, but damn it felt so good to fight against the pull, only loosening when the snake fucked back into him, skating across his prostate before skimming past in a brutal slide that reached deeper than it had any right to.

Angel tried to reach down and stroke his own cock, but Pent growled, releasing his wrists to interlock their fingers and curl them together, red claws pressing into the meat of his palms. "I'm close," he huffed into Angel's sweaty throat, bucking his hips as the spider's long legs quaked beneath him.

Angel nodded and then turned his head, meeting Pent's mouth in a sloppy kiss as their bodies continued to crash together in a reckless bash against the countertop, dust from the flour on Pent's tail kicking up with each impact.

Then Angel felt Pent tighten his grip on his fingers and the snake let out a wailing moan against his lips before giving a few solid but shuddery thrusts into him. Angel groaned, blinking his eyes open to stare at Pent who was panting helplessly, his face flushed and brow knotted as one dick pulsed inside while the other spat ribbons of cum over Angel's back.

After a few beats, Pent's red eyes blinked back open, hooded and glassy from pleasure as he stared at Angel before his mouth curved into a slightly embarrassed smile. Angel couldn't help but kiss him, purring softly even as cum dripped down the sides of his ass where the second shaft had blown its load.

Having sex in a fella's kitchen was a common porno scenario, but Angel couldn't remember a time where he'd done it outside of a shoot. It was always about the fantasy, never the reality and while the fantasy sure filmed nice it just couldn't compare to the real deal.

There was a thrill that came with being truly welcome in another man's home and hearth; to be allowed to do something so spontaneous and bold like having sex in the kitchen without any fear of repercussions.

Slowly, Pent broke their kiss and pulled out, Angel wincing at the squelch that accompanied it. "Shit, you really went ta town on me," he told Pent with a laugh as he stood, his hips aching from where they'd been pressed up against the unforgiving stone.

"Hmmm, I gave you exactly what you wanted." Pent flashed him a lazy smile and grabbed a clean dishrag from one of the drawers, wiping over the top of Angel's ass and dripping hole before tending to his own dicks.

"I dunno, I'm still hard," Angel pointed out, gingerly turning around and hopping up to sit on the edge of the counter. He spread his legs as he leaned back on his bottom set of hands, batting his eyes at Pent. "If ya wanna really make my day, you'll finally let me cum on that pretty face of yours."

Pent rolled his eyes and leaned in, cupping one of Angel's cheeks to pull him into a brief kiss. "Is that what will make you happy?"

Purring, Angel grinned and shifted his legs even further apart so that his socked feet dangled above the ground. "If I said yes, will ya let me?" he asked as he reached down with one of his upper arms, slowly jacking his throbbing hard-on. "Don't worry, I'll make sure not ta get it in your eyes."

"How gentlemanly," Pentious said with a snort, kissing Angel one last time before sinking down on his coiled tail so that he was situated just below Angel's groin, his hands gently clutching Angel's knees for balance.

Angel exhaled as he stared at Pent, a bit surprised that the snake had actually agreed, but not willing to ruin it by being a dumbass and asking why. Instead he just began to jerk his cock, keeping eye-contact with the other Demon all the while. "Open your mouth," Angel murmured as his stomach tightened. "-an' stick out that tongue." Pent made a face up at him and Angel chuckled, flashing him a flirty wink. "I gotta have a nice target ta aim fer."

Sighing, Pent shook his head and then obliging parted his lips, black tongue peeking out to lick up the length of the shaft in Angel's grasp before pulling back and waggling playfully between his fangs.

Oh hell. Now that shit was just unfairly hot. Angel had wanted to keep this slow if only to make the snake work for it, but Pent being so goddamn obedient was just too fucking much.

Angel groaned, gritting his teeth as he tightened his hold and stripped his cock with only his own precum as lube. Pentious didn't break eye contact all the while. He just sat there patiently, his tongue occasionally brushing the leaking dick in Angel's hand but otherwise simply waiting for the money-shot.

Damnit, he should be taking a video of this shit, but there was no way Angel was gonna stop just to grab his phone on the other side of the island. Instead he groaned and grunted as he rocked into his own fist, already close to the edge thanks to this asshole's stupid goddamn face.

Then Pent chuckled and teasingly tapped his talons against Angel's trembling kneecaps. "Do you require assistance?" he asked, punctuating his words with a ridiculously cocky wink and another purposeful flick of that goddamn tongue against the slit of Angel's needy member.

His breath hitched and Angel keened through his teeth as he came, barely managing to keep his eyes open to watch the first rope land across Pent's nose and mouth, partially coating one of those yellow fangs (fuck). The next managed to make it inside the snake's mouth and the third just dribbled over Pentious' chin in a messy line.

Pent winced and slowly retracted his tongue, swallowing what had made it into his mouth. "That wasn't as bad as I expected," he admitted as Angel fought to catch his breath, still a little shaky as he panted on top of the counter. Pent then leaned in and lapped up the leaking mess that trailed down Angel's knuckles, licking at the gaps between his fingers and the swollen slit of his cock.

Angel bit his lip and grabbed the snake, dragging him up into a fierce kiss before Pent could clean his cum-streaked face off with the dishrag.

The kitchen around them smelled like coffee, lemons, and sex.

Pentious' mouth tasted like tea and cum.

Goddamnit, Angel was never gonna be able to smell lemons ever again without getting stiff as a board.

He didn't pull away for several minutes, continuing to kiss the snake within an inch of his afterlife before finally releasing his hold, both of them flushed and panting hard. Slowly, Angel took the used rag and lifted it, cleaning Pent's face carefully. "Thanks. I know that ain't your thing cuz it's messy," he murmured as he dropped the rag to the counter and cupped both of Pentious' cheeks. "-but fuck that was really...that was hot as hell."

Pentious smiled and turned his head to nuzzle against one of Angel's pink palms. "Well, I agreed to give these things a try and I am a man of my word." He then nipped the spider's fingers and rose to stand. "I also had to make up for my shameful performance the other day."

Angel rolled his eyes and let his arms drop down to grip the rim of the island. "You were fine," he assured as he watched Pent take the tray off the top of the oven and grab a clean kitchen towel, flipping the pan into the fabric so that the cloth would catch the muffins as they tumbled out. "That kind of shit happens sometimes."

Though he had felt real crappy about it afterward. Seeing Pent actually cry hurt in a way he hadn't expected.

"Still, I'm normally more composed," Pent said as he loaded the muffins right-side up onto a plate and placed them atop the island next to Angel. "Your coffee is likely cold by now, but I think there's some left in the pot," he added, gesturing to the coffee maker by the sink.

Slowly sliding off the island, Angel pulled his (very stretched out) underwear and shorts back up before grabbing his mug and taking a test taste. "Yup, not even lukewarm anymore," he said with a grimace as he slipped past Pent (briefly squeezing the other man's hip) to dump out the contents into the sink and fill it with a fresh portion. "We gonna eat these here or in the other room?" Angel asked as he grabbed some more sugar to mix in.

Pentious glanced down to his floury tail and said, "Let's eat in here to avoid tracking flour through the house." He tucked his flaccid cocks away before going to wash his hands, making sure there wasn't any cum on the island or the tiles below it. "If you could bring me a towel from the other room, I can have the eggs mop the floor while I get the rest of this off me."

Angel nodded, making sure to brush his own feet off before he stepped out into the carpeted hallway to grab a towel from the guest bathroom. By the time he got back, two eggs were busy cleaning the remnants off the flour while Pent sat atop the island, a fresh cup of tea in one hand while his tail trailed over the edge of the counter, hitched up so that it didn't disturb the mopping below.

Wetting the towel in the sink, Angel sidestepped around the eggs and ignored Pent's outstretched hand to begin wiping the snake's tail down, being careful with each of the red eyes that lined the muscle. Pent's arm dropped and he simply sipped at his tea while Angel washed off the remaining patches of flour. "You should try the muffins," the snake murmured, reaching back and grabbing one before taking a bite. "They came out perfect."

Angel raised his head and took a nibble from the other side of the muffin, chewing thoughtfully before swallowing. Like all of Pent's baking, it was wonderfully textured and solid (a testament to his perfectionist nature). Flavorwise, the muffin was pretty damn sour while still being sweet enough to keep the pastry from tasting off-puttingly bitter. "It's good, but ya still gotta make me somethin' with strawberries one of these days."

"Perhaps next time," Pent said, taking another bite and licking his lips. "Though you should also cook for me every once in a while. I quite enjoyed that pasta dish of yours. What was it? Ziti?"

"Yeah," Angel said with a small smile as the eyes on Pent's tail tracked the movements of his lower arms until the entire appendage was finally clean. "I ain't no chef, but I got all my nana's best recipes up here." He raised one of his upper arms to tap the side of his head before swapping the towel for his coffee, shifting so he and Pent were hip to hip on the island, enjoying their steaming cups and sharing bites from the same muffin until it was little more than crumbs in Pent's fingers.

Angel gave a wink and lapped those up with a grin, enjoying the way it made Pent swallow, his adam's apple visibly dropping. "So, you're gonna be locked up in the forge all day?" he asked, gesturing to the window that Pent had blocked off earlier to keep the eggs from peeking in on them.

"Most likely. You're free to do as you will aside from going into the workshop," Pent said with a pointed stare. "That is off limits when I'm not present to supervise."

Angel scoffed and kicked up his legs to lay them across Pent's tail. "What!? Ya don't trust me down there?"

Pent just rolled his eyes and Angel sighed, taking another sip from his steaming mug. "Fine, I'll stay away from all your toys. Probably just walk Nugs around fer a bit, maybe head out to meet with Cherri later." He'd figure out a way to keep himself entertained while Pentious worked. He was a big boy.

Also, this would give him the opportunity to snoop around Pentious' room and see if the asshole was actually hiding any kinky shit. Now that he had free access, there was no way Angel wasn't going to at least look.

Once the floor was spotless and the remaining muffins were boxed and put away, they went upstairs to change into some clean clothes. "If you require anything specific, just ask the eggs, but if it's urgent, then come by the forge," Pent told him as he slipped on a clean undershirt and tied his hood up. "I should be back around dinner time, though if you get hungry before then, don't feel as though you have to wait for me."

Angel smiled and stepped into his boots, zipping them up to his thighs before grabbing Pent's shoulders, turning the snake and planting a fat kiss on his mouth. "Don't worry about me. You go make the stupid knife." He pinched Pent's arm and added, "Just don't faint. I'm gonna kick your ass if you do end up heat-strokin' out in there."

Pent blinked before his lips curled into a small smile. "Your concern is unnecessary, but noted," he murmured, patting Angel's cheek. "I'm not as prone to fainting as you like to believe."

"Yeah, well considerin' the way you like ta push yourself like a fuckin' moron, I ain't buyin' it." Angel released him and then harnessed up Nugs, scooping the piglet into his arms. "By the way, you're gonna need ta write down that fancy passcode for the forge and the backdoor so I can get in an' out. There's no way I'm gonna be able to remember all that shit."

Pent nodded and slithered over to his nightstand to pull out a small notebook, jotting down the codes to the forge, front, and back doors. "Do not lose this," he said, folding up the paper and offering it to Angel, only to pull it back when the spider actually reached for the slip. "I'm serious. You may call me paranoid all you like, but I do have enemies in this world. I'm putting quite a bit of faith in you to not compromise my personal security."

Angel sighed and nodded. "I won't lose it, Pen. Scout's honor." He crossed an X over his heart and Pent hummed, lowering the scrap of paper again, this time allowing Angel to snatch it from his fingers. Smiling, Angel glanced down to Nugs and said, "Alright, ready for your morning walk, baby?"

The pig just oinked and Pent chuckled, petting Nugget's soft ears before turning to head to the door.

They parted ways once they stepped out onto the back porch, Pentious heading to the forge with a small group of eggboiz while Angel wandered the empty field with Nuggets trudging out ahead of him.

As he walked in the mid-morning sun, Angel felt his phone vibrate in his pocket. He lazily tugged it out of his jacket with a yawn, only to freeze when he saw Val's number flash across the cracked screen. He quickly picked up and brought the device to his ear as he tightened his grip on Nugs' leash in his opposite hand. "Hey Boss, what can I do ya fer?" he said, hoping he didn't sound as manic as he felt.

"Are you free?"

Curt and to the point. Probably pissed. "Heh, uh yeah. Got the handcuff shit settled this morning," he lied, "Pen's workin' on your knife as we speak."

"Good, I'll come and pick you up in an hour. I've already lined up several clients for you tonight and your first shoot of the new year is scheduled for the end of the week. Be ready to perform by then," Val said in a flat tone, leaving little room for argument.

Angel glanced back at the forge where smoke was already climbing high in the sky from the exhaust vents. "Val, can I get just a few days before jumpin' back into the swing? I-"

"You had an entire year," Val hissed, making Angel wince as he clutched his phone all the tighter. "So no wasting any more of my goddamn time playing house with a useless fucking worm. Got that, baby?"

Angel stopped walking and took a deep breath, making Nugs snort and glance back at him before trotting over to sit at the spider's feet.

If Angel left now, he'd never be able to go back. Val would run him ragged until the deadline and then...

The genuine happiness he had this morning could very well be the last he ever got for a real long time, if ever.

Swallowing, Angel clenched his teeth and let out a slow exhale through the gaps. He couldn't believe he was doing this, but there wasn't anything else he could use as a bargaining chip. Not with Val anyway. "I'll give ya a 100 years. Gimme the rest of the fuckin' week and you'll get another century from me."

The other end of the line was silent for a moment and then he heard Val laugh, quiet at first before building until his cackles practically echoed mockingly in Angel's ears. "Angel baby...you really like this asshole, don't you?" Val mused. "Trading a century for one fucking week?"

Angel squeezed his eyes shut, lower lip quivering as he muttered, "Do ya want it or not, boss?"

Val hummed in the background as Angel lifted his eyes back up to stare at the forge, tracing the trails of black smoke as they curled artfully into the sky.

"Alright, darling. I'll give you the week." Val chuckled darkly and added, "But when it's done, you're coming straight to the Penthouse. We'll have to wipe the taste of worm dick from your mouth before we get you working with any clients."

Angel shuddered and bit his lip. "Right...got it, boss," he said in a low voice as Nuggets tilted their head up at him, both confused and concerned.

He could practically hear Val's smile through the phone as the Overlord teased, "See you then, baby. Remember, straight to the Penthouse. No detours." With that, the line went dead and Angel sighed, lowering his phone and staring down at the broken screen as it went dark.

He'd probably just agreed to the stupidest most short-sighted deal imaginable...

But today had been everything he'd ever fucking wanted and Angel would be damned twice over if he didn't give himself a second dose, and a third, and even a fourth.

This shit was more addicting than any drug and if there was one thing he was good at, it was knowing exactly how to get his fix before withdrawal set in. Sometimes the price was shitty, but the high was always worth it.

Well, until he came back down that is.

Aside from Pent spending most of every day in the forge, it was almost too easy to fall under the spell of domesticity. Call him corny, but there was something truly special about being able to wake up every day in the same bed as this goofy dumbass with no chain to tie them down. Between all the home cooked meals and nightcaps shared out on the balcony, Angel found himself sinking deeper and deeper.

Fuck, it all felt like a dream.

But then Pent would show him his progress on the navaja and Angel was instantly yanked back out of the clouds. Just glimpsing the unfinished knife was a stark reminder of how fragile this whole situation was, how his happiness could (and most likely would) evaporate in an instant. Val could snuff it out by killing Pent or (if he wanted to be extra cruel) by telling Angel he was no longer allowed to have any contact with the snake.

Val might let him have a pet, but the Overlord would never stand for Angel being in a relationship. He could practically see it now: "Angel Cakes, the customers want the fantasy of owning you. If you're dating someone, that's always gonna be in the back of their mind."

Though that was if Pent even wanted a real relationship. They still hadn't spoken about the ring, but Angel knew Pent wasn't that fucking dumb and had probably realized it was a plant right away. He just didn't want to ruin what they had by asking the snake any questions and the more time passed, the less appropriate it felt to bring up at all.

So instead, he just focused on enjoying every goddamn moment he had whether it was flirting with Pent, cuddling the snake's tail against the sheets, walking Nugs around the field in the back, sitting on the porch swing as he talked to Cherri, etc.

But then two days before the deadline, Pent came home with the finished blade. The snake looked exhausted as he lifted the bare knife with a gloved hand and demonstrated it on a sheet of paper just as he had with the prototype. "The biggest difference between the two designs is the lethality," Pent said as an eggboi swept up all the scraps of paper that rained down to the carpet. "The only thing left to do is to attach it to the spring and case, but that's a job for tomorrow."

The snake gave a deep exhale as he put the blade into a plastic box and handed it over to the eggboiz to lock away in the weapon vault. "Tonight I just want to enjoy a long soak in the bath," he muttered, rubbing at his lower back as the eggs scuttled to the hidden elevator.

"Probably a massage too," Angel said as he stepped up and pinched the other man's shoulder, earning him a tight wince. "Yeah, you're nothin' but knots."

Pent nodded and stretched out his arms above his head before letting them drop back down to his sides. "A massage sounds nice. If you don't mind-" He was silenced with a finger to the lips and Angel grinned as he pulled back, stroking over the side of Pent's face.

"I neva mind gettin' my hands on ya. C'mon, let's get in that fuckin' pool you got upstairs." He let his hand slip down and brush over the dip of Pent's spine as they both headed to the staircase leading to the master bedroom.

"I prefer not to make assumptions," Pentious said as they climbed the steps, his tail dragging as he held onto the banister.

Once they were inside, Angel stripped down, kicking off his boots while Pent slithered to the bathroom to run the tub, letting it fill before he pulled off his soot-covered undershirt. "So, ya got any bubbles?" Angel asked, sidling up to the snake and leaning over to check the cabinets under the sink for fancy bath shit that Pent might have squirreled away somewhere.

Nodding, Pent opened a hidden drawer next to the tub and pulled out several vials of bath oils and salts. "I don't take bubble baths, but I've found these help."

Angel picked up the first bottle and casually glanced at the ingredients before flipping the top to get a whiff. "Lavender, huh?" he said before dumping a bunch of it into the water, tossing some salts in for good measure. "Well if it loosens ya up that's all that matters."

"What's wrong with lavender? I think it's a rather charming scent," Pent said as he slowly slid into the tub, wincing a bit at the heat before slowly becoming accustomed to the temperature. "I probably should have eaten some ice before starting this. After being in the forge all day, I'm still rather baked."

Raising an eyebrow, Angel put the bath stuff aside and pressed the back of his hand to Pent's brow. "Well if you get light-headed, I'm draggin' your fat ass out." He kissed the top of Pent's hood and then stepped in, planting one foot on either side of the snake's tail before sinking down on top of Pentious's cloaca beneath the warm water.

Immediately Pent gave him an annoyed look. "I'm far too tired for that right now," he muttered, raising one hand to rub over the bridge of his nose. "You'll simply have to continue fantasizing about having sex in my bathtub."

"Calm down, asshat. I ain't gonna start shit when you're halfway ta passin' out on me." Angel lifted his hips a few inches and twirled one finger. "Now, why don'tcha flip an' lemme get at that dumpster fire you call a spine."

Rolling his eyes, Pent slowly turned underneath Angel before hooking his arms over the rim of the tub. Angel sat back down and then leaned in to lift Pent's hood, pinching his nape. "Lemme know if you're gettin' too hot," he reminded, waiting for Pentious to give him a nod before he let his third pair of arms emerge from his torso.

The upper set began to loosen up the snake's neck and shoulders while the middle pair tackled the sharp dip of Pent's lumbar, and the lowest arms worked over the wide set of hips that tapered into the Demon's thick tail.

At first Pent was fairly stiff, but gradually he did relax into the massage, at least right up until Angel began to rub along the section of the snake's back connecting his waist and hips. "You ok?" Angel asked, sliding his thumb firmly over the spot with a little less pressure.

Pent nodded and exhaled, tightening his grip around the edge of the bath. "Please go slow. It's going to be agonizing regardless, but that's where the majority of my pain lies."

Angel frowned, pressing into the muscle slowly but firmly even as his other hands worked to distract Pent by petting down his hood and over his arms. "Y'know, since you finished the knife early, we should go and do somethin' tomorrow," he suggested, figuring that a little conversation would only help keep Pent's mind off the tight knot he was working loose. "It'll get your ass outta the house one last time before we meet up with Val."

Pent hummed, lowering his head to rest across the fold of his forearms. "That's not a bad idea. Did you already have a specific place in mind or were you asking for my input?"

Angel furrowed his brow and shifted back on Pent's tail to give himself more room. Where could they go? Pent liked the movies, but Angel didn't want to just sit in a dark theater all day (especially if this was their last not-date date). Going out to eat would only kill an hour or two and while the casinos were fun, Angel didn't have a ton of cash left to burn as his D-Day party had killed most of his savings.

Then his mind wandered back to the beach and more specifically the amusement park that ran alongside it. "How about the boardwalk? We can ride some rides, play games, eat a fuckton of junk food, an' maybe hit the beach later in the day when it ain't so damn hot?" Angel suggested, shrugging all three sets of shoulders. "It's been a long time since my ass was last on a coaster."

Pent lifted his head and looked at Angel over his shoulder. "I'll have to bring a parasol...and a lot of water, but I suppose we could spend the day at Pillager's Point." He grunted and dug his claws into the side of the tub as Angel began to unravel the knot at the center of his lumbar. "Shit!" Pent hissed, clenching his teeth as his entire upper body shook, the water around him trembling in equal measure.

"I know. Just hold tight," Angel said, leaning over and kissing Pent's hood as he worked the knot under the surface, keeping his weight firmly pressed to Pent's back so his tail wouldn't thrash. Finally he felt the muscle give and Angel smiled as the snake slumped bonelessly underneath him, Pent's chin hooking over the rim of the basin. "You alive?"

He received a weak groan in turn and Angel snorted, getting off Pent and stepping out of the tub to squat down in front of the snake. "Feelin' betta?" he asked as he took in the other man's exhausted expression, petting over the top of his head.

Slowly, Pent gave a small nod, sinking even further into the tub and under the water. "You have no idea," he moaned softly as Angel chuckled and cupped his chin, lifting Pent's face just high enough to give him a tender kiss. The snake sighed into it, his eyes half-lidded as he smiled. "Thank you…"

"Course," Angel said, setting him down to climb into the tub again, going right back to gently rubbing over the length of Pentious' body and breaking up the smaller knots in an effort to turn the snake into complete mush beneath him.

They were both pretty pruned (and reeking of lavender) by the time they drained the bath and got out of the tub. "You actually look like you might pass out," Angel said as he stood, grabbing some towels and handing one to Pent as the other man leaned against the counter, his tail loosely coiled underneath him like a limp noodle.

"I very well might," the snake admitted, drying his scales before wrapping his arms around Angel to gently tug the spider's back into his chest. "But it was wonderful."

Angel grinned and touched over Pent's hands where they interlocked underneath his bare tits. "Happy ta help," he murmured as the other man squeezed him. "Can't have ya goin' ta bed all grumpy and tangled."

Pentious chuckled and then kissed the heart on the back of Angel's head. "I will probably turn in early though. Especially if we plan to spend our last free day at the boardwalk." He yawned wide enough to crack his jaw and added, "I'll need the rest."

"You're eatin' somethin' first even if it's just some tea an' toast," Angel said as Pent released him and hung up his towel to dry.

The snake rolled his eyes and opened the bathroom linen closet to pull out another silky robe, this one a silvery blue. "Aren't you the one who always insists on calling me 'fat'?" Pent teased as he slipped into the robe and tied the belt around his waist before running a hand back over his hood.

Angel shrugged and gave the other man a shameless once-over. "I mean, you are fat, just in all the right places." He playfully outlined the other man's body with two hands before Pent slithered out of the bathroom to grab his phone off the charger. "But seriously, you should eat somethin'."

"Yes, yes. I heard you the first time," Pent muttered as he began to text (presumably the eggs). "We'll have supper up here for once, as uncouth as that is." He yawned behind one hand and slithered to the chaise, shifting to lay against the white silk cushions with his tail dangling over the end. "Though I don't have all that much of an appetite."

Angel changed into some briefs and a sleep shirt as Pent rested his chin in the palm of one hand, scrolling through his feed with the other all while the loose fabric of the slinky robe draped down and exposed his collarbone. Rather than draw Pent's attention to his alluring posture, Angel just tiptoed over to grab his own phone, snapping a picture while Pent read.

Flipping through his camera album, Angel frowned and noted that he had actually amassed quite the collection of candids over the last few months. Most of them were vaguely suggestive (like the one he'd just taken), but there were plenty of shots where Pent was simply being cute in his own weird nerdy way. Each photograph was a moment captured in time, something he'd wanted to keep even if it was just for himself. The sheer volume of them was actually pretty staggering when he thought about it.

Angel pursed his lips as he sat down in the chair opposite the chaise and began to move all the photos he'd secretly taken of Pentious over into a new album simply labeled 'Creepshots'. "Are you nervous about the deal?" he asked with a raised brow as he lowered the screen. "I know you've been focusin' on makin' the damn knife, but now that it's done-"

Pent lifted a hand to cut him off and sighed, his tired eyes flickering up to meet Angel's. "I'm trying not to dwell," he murmured quietly. "Regardless of how this all ends, I'm liable to lose a lot." Slowly Pentious rolled back to sit, letting his tail spill out over the cushion and onto the floor. "If I had a whole century to come to terms with this mess, it wouldn't change the fact that I'm fighting a losing battle. Not that I'm unaccustomed to getting my ass kicked-" He frowned and picked up his phone, fiddling with the device. "-but I can't give Valentino the blade and neither can I hand over my soul."

Angel blinked and stared at the other man as his brow furrowed in confusion. "Is your plan to just...go to war with Val?"

Pent nodded as he rubbed over his chin with one hand. "After sneaking the knife onto his property to break the deal of course." He sighed and twirled the wrist of his opposite hand in a manner that was far too lackadaisical given the serious shit they were discussing. "I won't have a lot of time to melt the bloody thing down, but yes, I've been slowly preparing for the inevitability." Pentious met Angel's wide shocked eyes and added, "I may have planted loopholes, but I still don't have a great deal of wiggle room."

Angel pursed his lips into a firm line as Pent spoke. After all this time and the snake's constant boasting and bragging about his amazing master plan, this was all he had come up with? "You're never gonna win that fight, Pen. Goin' to war is the stupidest shit I've ever heard come outta your mouth and that's really sayin' somethin'." His frown only deepened when the snake began to chuckle behind his hand. "What the fuck is so goddamn funny?" Angel asked, curling the fingers of his lower hands into fists atop his thighs.

"You say that as if I didn't preface this conversation with that very fact," Pent said with a sardonic smirk, leaning back against the chaise. "Ultimately, I only need to survive the encounter with my soul and freedom intact. This method isn't perfect, but still gives me both caveats. Besides, I might have never faced an Overlord before, but I've engaged in plenty of turf battles." He yawned and stretched out his tail, flexing the thick muscle. "It's not a new hat for me."

Angel shook his head and stood, stepping over the glass coffee table that separated them to leer at Pent. "This ain't a turf battle. This isn't even a rivalry. You fuck Val over and you won't just be beaten ta death and left to respawn." Angel exhaled and ran a hand down the side of his face, resisting the urge to shake the stupid snake. "Pen, he'll capture you and fuckin' torture you every day for the rest of your goddamn afterlife. Even if you begged, pleaded...fuck, even if you tried to give him the knife afterward, it'd be too late."

Pent swallowed as he stared up at Angel, his smile now tight against his face. "It's torture either way. I'd rather fight against it rather than submit with my head bowed and back bent." He took a deep breath and added, "Though if I don't have time to melt the damn knife, I'm going to need you to take it from me and deliver it to Stolas so he can have his blacksmith remake the cuffs."

Angel gritted his teeth and squared his shoulders. "Oh fuck no. If you think I'm just gonna sit back an' play delivery boy for you, you're insane," he snapped as a few eggs scuttled into the room with a dinner tray. Angel closed his mouth and glared at them as they set the food down on the coffee table, only leaving after Pent waved his hand to dismiss them. Once the door was closed, Pent's eyes dropped to the tray, refusing to meet Angel's stern gaze even as the spider hissed, "Did you hear me, asshole!?"

"I did," Pent murmured cooly, picking up his decaf tea and blowing across the steaming surface. "And I'll respect your wishes if you truly have no desire to assist me. Neither will I blame you for choosing not to get involved." He took a sip and added, "Impartiality is hardly a crime."

Angel groaned, wanting nothing more than to pull his own hair out in frustration. Instead he took a breath and sat down next to Pent, clasping the other man's shoulders before turning the snake to face him. "Jackass, I'm already involved, but you're also not gettin' what I'm sayin'." He exhaled through his nose and dug his fingers into the silk covering Pent's scales. "I'm not lettin' you go to fuckin' war with Val on your own. That's literally suicide."

Snorting, Pent tapped one talon to the rim of his teacup and said, "And what do you propose? That I submit to rape for the next 300 years of my existence?" He frowned, his red eyes flickering back down as he scowled. "I spent most of my early life being under the heel of someone else's boot. I refuse to ever be in that situation again, no matter the cost."

"No, but maybe take stock of your fuckin' allies rather than just assume you have to go in alone?" Angel growled, squeezing Pent's shoulders and thumbing over the joint socket. "Shit, if you're gonna pull a stupid stunt like this, you at least need some goddamn backup."

Pent smiled, but the expression didn't reach his eyes. "What allies?"he said simply before gesturing dramatically around the room with his free hand. "Tell me, Angel, aside from you, who else is willing to align themselves with me?" Pentious raised his teacup (the wobbling surface betraying the slight tremble he was desperately trying to hide) before adding, "Besides, you'd be a fool to step in. Whatever punishments your employer already planned for you will be increased tenfold should you openly take my side."

Angel scowled, glaring hard at the other man. "Too fuckin' bad, asshole. If ya wanted me gone, you shoulda never let me back here in the first place. You had a goddamn choice and you made it."

Sighing, Pent shook his head and took a gulp from his cup, swallowing hard. "I suppose I have," he agreed in a softer voice. "But the only offer I can make in good conscience is for you to assist in breaking the deal, not to fight alongside me." He reached up and carded the talons of his free hand through Angel's hair. "If you want to help, take the knife to the studio for me and return it to the forge before he realizes I'm not coming. I'll let you decide what you wish to do from there." Pentious bit his lip and murmured, "If I were you, I would use the opportunity to make a new deal with Valentino, one that overrides your current one. Wipe away the debt."

Angel continued to frown even as he was unable to help leaning into Pent's gentle touch. "I ain't got nothin' ta offer him," he said quietly. "Val wouldn't part with his favorite toy anyway. He makes a lotta money off me."

"So don't give him any choice in the matter," Pentious said before planting a kiss to Angel's cheek and nuzzling into the side of his head. "You'll have the knife for a time. If he's under the assumption that I'm the one keeping it from him, that leaves you with an opening to force his hand."

Angel flinched, nearly knocking Pent's mostly empty teacup out of the snake's grasp. Threaten Val? That had to be one of the boldest (and stupidest) things he'd ever heard...but he probably shouldn't be surprised by this shit anymore. The dumb snake already displayed open hostility towards Val at nearly every chance he got as if they were both Overlords on equal footing rather than a surly Kingpin snarling at the heels of a much more powerful enemy. "Pen, I'd be dead after that. He wouldn't let me live freely even if I grew the nuts an' took a leaf outta your crazy ass book."

Pentious removed his hand from Angel's hair, dropping it to the spider's nape in a warm gentle press. "Then be sure to word your offer carefully. Leave no loopholes to be exploited and don't give him an inch of wiggle-room." He smiled weakly and said, "You know him better than I do so you'll know what to look for. Take advantage of that knowledge."

Angel sighed as Pent put his teacup back in his saucer and wrapped his arms around the spider's shoulders to pull him into a tender kiss. Angel allowed it, both sets of hands coming up to run along Pentious' sides and back as he let the other man's tongue slip into his mouth. If this was how the snake plotted, no wonder so many of his plans went to shit. He was asking for them both to take a fuckton of risks for the smallest chance to come out on top. In truth, every one of their options was some flavor of shitty, but the worst of them all was just letting Val have his way. The mere thought of Pentious being erased or enslaved the same as he was made Angel feel sick to his stomach.

Whimpering into the kiss, Angel shifted to straddle Pent's tail, dinner forgotten on the tray behind him as he focused on the man he pinned to the chaise.

In the end, there wasn't gonna be much of a choice to make. He was simply in too deep.

The next day, Angel woke to see that Pent was already up, leaning against the rim of the bed with pillows cushioning his back as he held a cup of tea in one hand and his mobile in the other. As soon as he noticed Angel was awake, the snake shifted and set his phone off to the side. "Good morning," Pent murmured, taking a sip as Angel sat up and tousled his own tangled bedhead. "Breakfast is being made, but we can have your coffee brought up here beforehand if need be."

Yawning loudly, Angel shook his head before rolling on top of the snake, resting his chin just underneath the eye in the center of the other man's sternum. "It can wait," he said, appreciating the subtle rise and fall of Pent's chest as the smooth scales expanded with every breath.

Angel hadn't slept well at all, too distracted by the multitude of ways shit could and would go sideways when Pent enacted his so called 'plan'. But he didn't want another fight or disagreement, not on what might very well be their last day together so he bit back his concerns and instead offered the other man a tired smile. "We still goin' to the boardwalk today?" he asked, watching as Pent took another drink, the other man's adam's apple dropping low as he swallowed.

"That was the plan, unless you changed your mind?" Pent asked with a raised brow, bringing his free hand up to tangle his talons in Angel's fringe. "I think we could both use the distraction going into tomorrow at any rate."

Heh, that was a fucking understatement. Angel nodded and let his upper arms come up to loosely clasp Pent's shoulders while the lower set rested on top of the sheets. "Yeah, that's for sure."

Though it was weird hearing Pentious advocating for a distraction. Normally the snake was all about focusing on the task at hand and careful preparation, but instead Pentious was seeking the temporary pleasure that going on their not-date date would bring. The more Angel thought about it, the more he worried that this was the snake's way of saying goodbye.

Instead of prodding Pent, Angel just crawled out of the sheets and went to his duffel bag, pulling out the bundle of clothes he'd thrown together in his rush to leave the Hotel. He hadn't packed any trendy outfits (Angel assumed that he was being called back for one last romp in the sheets after all), but the short pink sundress he'd grabbed wouldn't be out of place on the boardwalk (or be too damn hot to walk around in).

Glancing back over his shoulder, he saw Pent was getting up as well, the blankets sliding off his naked tail and onto the bed as he headed to the walk-in closet. "You gonna wear your Hawaiian shirt?" Angel teased with a small smile as he stood and grabbed a white bra and matching panties, putting them on and adjusting the straps until he felt secure and lifted. Underwear in place, he slipped the flowy skirt over his head, fitting his arms through the peasant sleeves before pulling the hem down to cover his upper thighs.

Pent tugged on a white sleeveless undershirt and said, "I doubt I'll ever wear it again after how thoroughly I was ridiculed." He thumbed through the rack of clothes and pulled out a blue-button down with a wave pattern that ran along the bottom of the short sleeves and the hemline. "Though for someone who has consistently derided my fashion, you certainly are fond of stealing it." He turned and gave Angel a pointed scowl. "I'm missing four hoodies."

Angel grinned and picked at one of the embroidered roses sewn along the skirt of his pink dress. "Your style's dorky as hell, but still cute. 'Sides, you got plenty of hoodies ta pick from. It's not like you're gonna miss 'em."

Rolling his eyes, Pent took his hat off the wall post to shift it into a baseball cap, turning the accessory backwards and sliding it on over his hood. "Theft is still theft," he said, slithering out of the closet and closing the door behind him so Nugs wouldn't wander inside. "You also have quite the collection of clothes and you don't see me stealing from you."

"That's because you don't got the titties ta fill 'em out," Angel said, sidling up to Pent and cupping the snake's pecs through his clothes, giving the muscle a playful pinch. "Don't worry, I think your lil' A cups are adorable as hell."

Pent just sighed and batted Angel's hands off his chest. "Even if I was endowed with a sufficient bust, I would never be caught dead in most of your wardrobe." He glanced to Angel's dress and said, "This right here is rather nice, but the vast majority of the clothes in your closet are poorly made and just...well-"

"Skanky?" Angel finished with a knowing grin. "Eh, I go back an' forth between the soft-pastel girly shit-" He pulled up the short hemline of his dress, exposing his upper-thighs. "-an' the slut-wear."

"Well, I think it would be interesting to see you in more masculine attire," Pentious said as he slithered back to the bed, folding the sheets and organizing the pillows to be more aesthetically pleasing. "Even if it was still pink."

Angel hummed and grabbed his makeup bag out of his duffel before heading to the bathroom to brush his teeth and apply his face. "I wore full suits most of my life. Ain't a huge fan, but every once in a while I get the urge ta wear pants." He smiled as Pentious followed him into the bathroom, the snake sidling next to him to grab his own toothbrush. As stupid as it was, their little tradition of brushing their teeth together was something Angel had grown to enjoy.

Fuck, he was gonna miss it.

"Well I've made most of my own suits. It wouldn't be difficult to acquire some pink fabric and simply make one." Pent wet the bristles and then plucked at the sleeves of Angel's dress, specifically the ones on his secondary arms. "Though pattern concessions would need to be made for your extra limbs."

Angel raised an eyebrow. "You offerin' ta make me a suit?" he asked before sticking the toothbrush in his mouth, watching the snake in the mirror as he squeezed out some toothpaste and fumbled with the cap.

"Perhaps. I'll consider it should I find myself in need of a project to occupy myself with," Pent said with a shrug before beginning to brush his own teeth.

When it came time to spit, they both fought for the sink before Angel managed to push Pent back with all four of his arms and claim victory. He spit and laughed as the snake just scowled, cheeks still puffed up with saliva and foam before he leaned over and spit as well. "Just because you're in my space doesn't mean you're allowed to take over my home," Pent huffed, wiping his mouth with a washcloth as Angel set his toothbrush aside and began to apply his makeup.

"Shouldn't have let me in then," Angel reminded with a chuckle, choosing a softer look for the day that included a rosy blush, a small cat eye, and pink lips. "I coulda been down in the guest room, but someone wanted me up here." He looked at Pent in the mirror as the snake stubbornly lifted his chin and crossed his arms over his chest. "Hey, I ain't complainin'. I like the big bed." He reached over with one of his lower arms, pinching Pent's hip as he began packing up the makeup bag with his other three hands.

Pentious clicked his tongue and gave a playful shove to Angel's shoulder. "I could always kick you out," he said before turning to slither out of the bathroom, only for Angel to grab his arm and pull his back flush into the spider's fluffy chest.

"'Cept you're not," Angel teased, hooking his chin over Pent's shoulder and grinning up at the snake. "Especially when I'm givin' ya free access to the goods." He gave an exaggerated moan and rubbed his boobs against Pent's spine, enjoying the pink flush that rose to the other man's cheeks in response. "Plus all the back rubs you could ever want."

Exhaling, Pent twisted in Angel's hold and brought his hands up to boldly cup Angel's breasts through the dress, squeezing firmly. "You do realize that tit for tat isn't supposed to be taken literally, yes?" he said, smiling through the flush that tinged his scaley cheeks. "In any case, the rubdowns are appreciated. My back is far less sore for it," Pent added, releasing Angel to head back into the bedroom.

Angel just laughed and followed him out of the master bath, leaning over to pet Nugs who was now awake and drinking from their water bowl. "I'll bet. You've got the worst knots I've ever fuckin' seen." But that wasn't all too surprising after spending a year watching Pentious bend awkwardly over worktables or contort himself to fit underneath his engines, nevermind all the insanely heavy equipment he worked with. "Ya got plenty of cash for regular massages. Why haven't ya ever tried that out, huh?"

Pentious raised an eyebrow at him and said, "In all the time we've known each other, have I ever been fond of being touched by strangers?" When Angel didn't have an answer, Pent nodded. "There's very few people I will trust my physical body with. Consider yourself fortunate to be among them."

Frowning, Angel straightened up and went to slip on some closed-toe sandals. That was right. He'd gotten so used to being intimate with the snake that he'd nearly forgotten just how goddamn jumpy Pent was in the beginning. Fuck, Pentious had practically ripped his head off that first day in the bathroom when he cupped his waist. But Angel just couldn't help himself at the time. He'd never seen a fella with that kind of natural build and his curiosity had gotten the better of him.

Now he was spending every night wrapped tight around that thick tail like it belonged to him.

Angel chuckled to himself and then sidled up to Pent. "Hey, take a selfie with me," he said, wrapping one arm around the snake's waist to pull him in close. "While my makeup still looks nice."

Pent blinked and then said, "Only if you take it. We both know how my pictures usually end up." He passed his phone to Angel before adding, "Use mine. The camera is far superior."

Rolling his eyes, Angel took the snake's phone and opened the front facing camera, shifting them back a few steps to get the good natural light from the windows. "Alright, gimme a goddamn smile, ya goof," he said, tapping his finger against the shutter several times to get a burst of pictures. After they'd taken a couple of photos in various poses (Pentious insisting on several with dorky little peace signs), Angel flipped back through the album and selected the best ones to forward to himself. "Now doesn't that look cute?" he asked, enlarging one photo in specific of them both with an arm around each other's shoulder, Angel pressing a kiss to Pent's cheek as he flipped off the camera.

"You do have an eye for this sort of thing," Pent agreed with a chuckle, taking his phone back from Angel and straightening his hat. "Now, let's eat before we head out to the park. I'm famished, but I refuse to resort to faire food for breakfast." He gave a shudder and Angel nodded in agreement as they both headed to the door. He'd eaten a lot of questionable shit over the years, but carnival food this early was definitely pushing it, especially for being sober.

It was close to mid-morning when they arrived at the boardwalk, Pent sunscreened up and carrying a plain white parasol to shade them both as they wandered through the growing crowds.

"It's rather strange to think that we were chained the last time we were here, isn't it?" Pent said with a chuckle as they passed the various food and drink stands interspersed by carnival games bursting with overstuffed plushies and cheap looking plastic toys.

"I mean, kinda?" Angel said with a chuckle, tucking his upper set of arms back behind his head. "We only just got our asses unshackled a few days ago. It ain't been that long yet." He grinned as he caught sight of the wooden coaster soaring above them and reached over with one of his lower arms, tugging at the hem of Pent's shirt to get his attention. "You've ridden a roller coaster before right?" he asked, pointing it out with his opposite hand.

Pent nodded, lifting his head to watch as the cars rolled past, carrying screaming guests through the air at break-neck speed. "Yes, but it was a long time ago." He sighed and added, "I remember the stares more than any of the rides. I must have looked rather pathetic being by myself."

That did paint a pretty sad picture, but what else was new with Pentious? "Good thing you're with me this time around then, huh?" Angel said, taking Pent's hand and squeezing it in his own. He saw the snake's lips quirk into a small smile and Pent squeezed his fingers right back, curling his talons over Angel's palm as the spider insisted, "Should be more fun this way too."

"Did you ever go to one of these parks when you were alive?" Pent asked as they headed to the end of the line for the coaster in question which was still fairly reasonable given how early it was. "New York had, what was it...Cone Island?"

Angel snorted, resisting the urge to fall into a full blown snicker at the snake's expense. "Close, Coney Island is what you're thinkin' of," he corrected as he thumbed over the back of Pent's hand. "We had way more parks than that, but I went there plenty as a kid. I loved the coasters, but Molls preferred the dark rides and carousels."

Pent hummed and glanced over to the carousel further down, the attraction just barely visible from their spot in the line. "I was never fond of real horses, but the fake ones seem manageable enough."

"Scared of ponies?" Angel asked, stepping forward with the line as the previous guests exited the train cars to let them climb in. Pent let go of his hand to put his parasol into the cabinets set out for any loose belongings while Angel got into the third car back, scooting to make room for the snake.

Pent bit his lip, awkwardly arranging his tail in order to fit and slide the safety rail down. "Real horses spook very easily and I cannot tell you how many times I was nearly trampled by one in the street as a small child." He shuddered as the conductor gave a cursory check of all the rails before returning to their podium at the front of the platform. "You could not pay me to ride one of those animals. Give me a car, a boat, or a plane any day of the week, but you shall not mount me atop a horse."

Angel leaned in and pet a hand down the front of Pent's tail, barely skimming the other man's cloaca under the hem of his undershirt. "Mmm, good thing I can think of plenty better places ta mount ya, huh?"

He barely heard Pent's embarrassed squawk as the coaster kicked to life, chugging along the tracks in an upward slide that slowly became more and more steep. Angel laughed and kissed Pent's cheek, still brushing over the snake's tail underneath the railing as his other three rested atop the warm metal bar.

Adrenaline began to climb as the carnival below them became smaller and smaller until they were almost as high up as the ferris wheel near the park exit. Angel glanced to Pent, seeing that the snake was breathing heavier now, his visible eyes a little more wide and darting around nervously. "You ok?" he asked, shifting his hand from the top of Pent's tail to the other man's back, letting his fingers tease over the outline of the snake's spine through the blue-button down.

Pent exhaled and nodded, swallowing thickly. "Just...not used to being this high up without being enclosed in my airship," he said with a weak chuckle. "I forgot how exposed we are on a roller coaster." He looked to Angel and gave an embarrassed bow of his head. "I'm not going to faint, if that's what has you worried." At that very moment they hit the top of the hill and Angel felt Pent stiffen next to him as the hydraulics let out a loud distinctive hiss. "Oh shit," Pent breathed as the first car rounded the crescent before suddenly the entire train began to plummet. Angel raised two of his hands and gave an excited whoop as Pent immediately clung to him, talons digging into the spider's shoulders and sides.

"This is so much worse than I remember!" Pent shouted over the mechanical clack and shrieking of the other passengers as they bounced onto the lower hill before turning in a steep curve to round the entire width of the track.

Angel just laughed, happy to have the wind tangling his hair, the sun on his face, and a man in his arms. "You're fine," he said loudly as the train dipped into a tunnel section only to come back out and climb another massive hill. He grinned and met Pent's eyes at the top just before they fell, their asses momentarily leaving the bottom of the seats before gravity began to drag them back down along with the train car. Pent whimpered and only tightened his grip, the tip of his tail wrapping around one of Angel's feet as they climbed the final hill. Angel kept smiling, planting a kiss to the snake's cheek before taking one of the other man's hands, forcing his fingers loose and intertwining them with his own. "I got you," he insisted as they reached the top. "Ain't nothin' gonna happen to you on my watch, Simon."

Pent's eyes widened in a mixture of shock and terror as they dropped, clinging to one another as the train careened along the wooden slates before finally slowing down to chug back into the main station. Once the car pulled to a stop, Pent slowly loosened his grip and took a few deep breaths before schooling his face like he'd hadn't been having a mild panic attack the whole ride through. Angel snickered and stroked down his back and shoulders with one of his free hands as the rails all lifted up to let them get out on the other side of the platform. "No more coasters, huh?" Angel said as he offered Pent a hand.

Swallowing, Pent let Angel help him up before going to retrieve his umbrella with slightly shaky fingers. "I'll survive riding a few more, though I ask that we space them out with other attractions if possible." He let out a deep exhale and touched his chest. "It will give my heart some time to rest."

"Heh, you really are an old man," Angel teased as they descended the steps of the exit that fed back out into the park. "Alright, then let's find a dark ride and get you calm again," he murmured, reaching out to stroke down Pent's shoulders until the other man was more or less breathing normally again. Pent nodded and took one of Angel's hands into his own as they merged with the normal park traffic and began to look for their next ride. All the while, Angel felt his heart swell in his chest and he hoped to God (if there was one) that Pent couldn't feel his stuttering pulse through their palms.

To hold another fella's hand in a public place was a pipe dream when he was alive and yet here he fucking was.

He almost wished his dad was here, just to laugh in his stupid fucking face.

Almost.

As they rode the various attractions, Pent talked about the engineering involved in each ride, pointing out the flaws in the mechanisms and animatronics that Angel would never have noticed in a million years. Somehow rather than ruin the experience, it actually made him appreciate it more. Angel had always known this sort of shit was a lot of work, but being with someone who could actually explain how it all came together gave him a much clearer sense of how something complicated (like a roller coaster) functioned. Of course, Pent's shameless enthusiasm for over-explaining nerdy shit certainly helped.

The snake was actually real charming when he let loose.

Occasionally they took a break from rides to play the games that were set up in booths between the various attractions. Pent made sure to steer Angel away from the ones that he claimed were "physically impossible" and rigged from the start such as the rope ladder ("The ends are twisted so that no matter how well you grip the rungs, you will ultimately lose your balance and fall over the side,") and the milk bottle toss ("The baseballs are designed to be too large to fit through the neck of the container. You'll only ever glance off the top,").

Instead they ended up at one of the shooting ranges with Angel's accuracy scoring them a set of stuffed cartoon pirates in blue Hawaiian shirts ("Look, they match ya!") along with a bright rainbow pinwheel hat which Angel immediately swapped with Pent's normal hat (stealing the snake's accessory for himself of course).

After a ride on the carousel ("As suspected, these are far superior to real horses,") they stopped to get some food, splitting a tray of nachos and a cone of electric blue cotton candy ("It's called candy floss. Ugh, why do Americans always ruin everything?") before finding an empty bench to plop down on. Pent set up his parasol so they could both huddle under it for some shade as they pressed hip to hip and chewed through their sickeningly sweet and salty carnival lunch.

"I haven't eaten food this disgusting in quite some time," Pent remarked, sliding another nacho into his mouth and chewing. He swallowed and glanced back to Angel with a snide smirk. "You have terrible taste."

"You're still eatin' it," Angel said, grinning right back as he pulled off a fresh chunk of cotton candy. "So it can't be all that bad."

Pent snorted and lifted his chin, licking some queso off his thumb. "If I can eat your asshole, I can handle some sub-par nachos."

Angel nearly choked, leaning hard into Pentious as he struggled to keep hold of the now crumpled paper cone in his fist. After a few deep wheezes, he shook his head and muttered, "How the fuck do you blush like a goddamn schoolgirl wheneva I crack a sex joke at you and then say shit like that without battin' a single eye!?"

Pent shrugged and smiled. "What? It's simply the truth," he said, lifting his hand from the spider's thigh to pull off a piece of cotton candy for himself. "I certainly don't engage in oral sex for the flavors it presents."

Snickering, Angel just smiled as he watched Pent roll the cotton candy onto his tongue, curling the appendage back between his fangs. "I swear, sometimes you make shit sound so goddamn unsexy. It's pretty unbelievable how the fuck I still find you attractive."

"I could say the very same thing about you," Pent teased, his hand lowering back to Angel's thigh to slide up and down until his fingers brushed over the hem of Angel's dress. "So either we both have very good taste or very terrible taste."

"Why not both?" Angel countered with a wink, wrapping one arm around Pent's shoulders. "Trashy and classy are two sides of the same coin, ain't they?"

"In a way," Pent agreed, stealing more cotton candy, only for Angel to lean in and take a bite from the chunk in his hand. The snake huffed, watching as Angel swallowed the mouthful and waggled his now blue-stained tongue at him. "You're such a little tart," he muttered, pinching the top of Angel's exposed leg.

Angel just grinned and kissed his cheek. "Tart is British for slut, right?" he said as Pent stuffed the rest of the cotton candy into his own mouth. "Cuz if you're tryin' ta insult me, you'll have ta think of somethin' better than that."

Humming, Pent passed the box of gooey nachos over to Angel and said, "Whoever said it was meant to be an insult?" He winked and Angel laughed, gripping Pent's shoulder all the tighter as he scooped up a few cheese-damp chips and shoveled them into his mouth before they could drip onto his dress.

He couldn't ever remember having this much fun with another guy before. All his best memories were with women (specifically Cherri and Molly). What was even weirder was the fact that all the shit he did with Pentious was pretty damn small and tame when compared to what he was used to. Angel had been to huge ragers before, massive orgies with tons of hot guys who were DTF, amazing fights that blew up literal city blocks, but all of it was beaten out by a box of shitty carnival nachos, a gum-stained bench, and cotton candy so sweet it made his teeth ache…

All because of the stupid fucker he was sharing it with.

He sighed and looked at Pent as he shoveled a few nacho chips into his gob, the cheese little more than lukewarm now. "Wanna ride the ferris wheel? Should be real pretty with the sunset," he said, gesturing toward the massive ride at the end of the boardwalk in question.

Pent glanced up and over his shoulder, shifting the parasol to get a better look. "Oh the view will definitely be worth it," he said, getting up and collecting his umbrella along their plushies as Angel dumped the remaining nachos and cotton candy into the fly-covered trash can behind them.

The line for the wheel was fairly long as plenty of other people clearly had the same idea they did, but they managed to get into one of the pirate ship-shaped carriages before the sunset started in earnest. Angel grinned as the enormous wheel began to slowly rotate, giving them a nice view of the blood red ocean and the crowds peppered across the black sand beach. He turned back to Pent, surprised (but also relieved) to see that the snake was completely calm next to him as they climbed into the air. "How come you're only scared of the coasters? Y'know we're goin' up even higher on this thing, right?"

Pent sighed and said, "True, but we're also going a great deal slower so it's not as, shall we say, heart-attack inducing." He smiled and leaned into Angel, staring out at the ocean which was sparkling in the light of the dying red sun. "I don't feel like I'm about to be launched into the bloody sky."

Angel nodded, wrapping his arms around Pent as the wheel stalled, their compartment swinging idly with the momentum before settling again. "Hey Pen…"

"Hmmm?" the snake hummed, turning to meet Angel's eye-line, his expression soft and made all the more handsome by the dramatic lighting that reflected off his scales like polished obsidian.

Angel swallowed, the words drying up in his throat as he stared at Pent, noting the way the sun's reflection settled in his red eyes, mirroring the beautiful view behind him. How had it come to this? He'd never had a problem propositioning any fella, flirting, or just chatting folks up, but now it felt like he'd just inhaled a spoonful of peanut butter all because Pent was looking his way.

When he didn't respond or elaborate, Pent frowned and blinked. "Is everything alright?" he asked as Angel exhaled, dragging a hand down the side of his face in mild frustration.

"Yeah, I just…" Angel huffed and shook his head. "Today's been...today's been real fuckin' good." He bit his lip and added, "I wish I could just bottle it all up and keep it forever." As he spoke, his shoulders began to shake and his eyes watered uncomfortably. Angel forced himself to look away from Pent, staring out at the ocean instead as the wheel shifted back to life, taking them up even higher. "Fuck, I'm sorry...I just-"

He felt Pent touch his cheek and suddenly he was being turned and pulled into a tender kiss. Angel whimpered, all four of his arms coming up to hold onto Pentious as his eyes slid closed. The wheel stopped again and slowly Pent pulled back, his hand still stroking over Angel's face. "I had fun today too," he murmured in a quiet voice, wiping away a stray tear that had escaped Angel's notice. "But time never stands still, even in eternal damnation. The hands of the clock continue to turn and we're just along for the ride." He chuckled and playfully tapped his talons against Angel's cheek and jaw. "Well, as long as our souls exist at any rate."

Angel sniffled and nodded, his eyes still closed as he clung to the snake. "Yeah…" he agreed, leaning his face into the other man's palm. "Ain't it a bitch like that?"

He felt Pent laugh and Angel's throat only tightened all the more as the other Demon gently pulled away, lifting Angel's head up with one hand. "You should open your eyes. You're missing the view."

Swallowing, Angel blinked his eyes open and watched as the last bits of sunlight peeked out along the horizon beyond the vast stretch of sea. The blood reds and oranges had started to fade into more temperate blues and purples with Heaven's white light cutting through the dim fog that came in with the tide. "Shit…" he said, feeling his breath catch in his throat.

Pent exhaled as one hand idly pet through Angel's hair. "We didn't get many sunsets like this in England. Too much rain and smog from the factories." He shrugged and shook his head. "It's rather sad to think of how many 'firsts' I experienced only after I died. The limitations of life, I suppose."

Angel tightened his hold on Pentious as the wheel began to turn again, taking them over the arch of the wheel before rounding to the other side. "Heh, you're tellin' me," Angel murmured, laying his head on Pent's shoulder as they stared out at the darkening sky. "Y'know, that first day we were chained was the very first time I ever held a fella's hand in public…"

Blinking, Pent glanced down and Angel nodded, blushing softly as he chewed his bottom lip. "Yeah…" he said with a weak laugh. "So you ain't the only one who had to wait a literal goddamn lifetime for some firsts."

"If I remember correctly, we weren't exactly holding hands that day because we were friends," Pent teased before taking his free hand and interlacing it with one of Angel's, making the spider inhale sharply through his nose as their fingers locked. "Though circumstances aside, I'm glad I could be your first for something."

Angel snorted and smiled, his heart throbbing deep in his chest as he thumbed over the back of Pent's palm. "You were also the first fella I fucked with two cocks, my first snake," he lifted his opposite hand, ticking off fingers as he squeezed Pent's hand. "-first guy ta let me stay the night and not kick my ass to the curb in the mornin'-"

Before he could list off any more, Pent lifted his face up into yet another soft kiss, talons flexing over the spider's shoulder and against his palm. Angel's eyes went wide for a moment before he sank into it, his free hands digging into the fabric of Pent's shirt before he stood without breaking their kiss. Pent squeaked as Angel straddled the snake's lap, the carriage swinging wildly with the shift in weight before settling again as Angel leaned into Pent's chest. Slowly pulling back, he looked down at Pentious and bit his lip, pressing their locked hands against his upper thigh.

A year ago he'd have gladly smeared Pent's bloody pulp of a carcass against the asphalt without a second thought, now the idea of anyone harming a single goddamn scale on the snake's body sent him into a worried panic.

I'd give up everything else if it meant I got to keep this.

"Are you alright?" Pent asked and Angel exhaled, giving him a rather pathetic nod.

"Yeah, just thinkin' too damn much..." Angel took a few calming breaths and gave the other man a sardonic smile. "I'm pickin' up some of your bad habits." Pentious huffed, but didn't offer any verbal response. Instead he pressed up, kissing Angel again until the spider wrapped his three free arms around him, keeping as close as he physically could if only to feel Pent's heartbeat against his own.

They continued to make out like teenagers until the carriage descended back down to the ground, the ride conductor coughing loudly to get their attention. Pent blushed a fierce red as Angel dismounted and straightened the skirt of his pink dress next to him. "We may have gotten carried away," he murmured quietly as some of the other customers hooted after them.

"Fuck 'em," Angel said as he squeezed down on Pent's hand, having refused to let it go the entire time even as he carried their plushies under his opposite arm. "We're havin' a damn good day and they can go eat my entire ass."

"Already turning to other partners, hmmm? And here I thought you were a fan of my oral technique," Pent teased, making Angel snort and devolve into giggles next to him. Shit, it was fun to have Pentious occasionally lean into the dirty jokes, though he was still fond of Pent's embarrassed flushing too.

As they stepped down from the platform, Angel caught sight of thunderclouds rolling in from the sea. He frowned and glanced back to Pent who was staring up at the ferris wheel, completely oblivious. "Hey, I don't wanna ruin the fun, but looks like we got a storm comin'." He pointed out the clouds and Pent raised an eyebrow, opening his parasol to hoist it over their heads.

"We're covered," he said, laughing at his own pun until he noticed the more serious expression twisting across Angel's face. "Though I suppose we can take our leave if you're that concerned about wet fur."

Angel pursed his lips and tightened his grip on Pent's fingers. "Rain's fine, but that's gonna be a loud one. I can tell." He met the snake's eyes and said, "Do ya mind headin' home a bit early?"

Pent shrugged and then closed the parasol, handing it to Angel so he could take out his phone and call for a taxi. "Not at all, though I'll have you know that it wasn't considered a normal day in London without at least a small drizzle," he said, clearly trying to lighten the mood as they headed toward the parking lot. "A sunny morning was practically a sign of the end times."

Grateful for the distraction, Angel turned away from the growing cluster of clouds and followed Pent as the snake led them to the parking lot to wait for their ride. "You always talk about it like it was the worst place ta live, but ya still never left. If ya hated London so much, why'd ya stay?"

"That's because for all its many faults, it was my home," Pent said as he removed the pinwheel hat from his head, taking his own cap back from Angel and placing it over his hood. "I wanted to travel more of course, but I didn't have the funds for such extravagance until I was married." He paused, glancing at the approaching storm behind them as he thumbed over the brim of the gag prize. "We made occasional trips out to the countryside and it was beautiful...but I was also incredibly bored without access to my tools and workshop. I can appreciate the beauty of nature, but my world has always been and always will be industrial."

Angel nodded in agreement, watching the cab approach through the app on Pent's screen. As nice as it had been to travel around on occasion, New York's chaotic stream always felt like home. He was a city-boy and no amount of quaint trips to rural Pennsylvania or Connecticut were ever gonna change that.

After a few minutes of waiting, their taxi rolled up and Pent untangled their fingers to open the door, letting Angel in first before sliding onto the seat beside him. The storm hit almost immediately and Angel winced as thunder rumbled through the staticy air that permeated the vehicle's controlled air conditioning. Before he could say anything, Pent reached over and pet down his thigh as they drove through the city, chased along every mile by the howling wind and rain.

Dark clouds circled overhead as they arrived at Pent's mansion, barely managing to make it inside before getting soaked. "Excellent timing," Pent said with a small laugh as he handed the parasol and their carnival prizes to one of the eggs in the foyer. "A moment later and we would have been doused for sure."

Suddenly a loud boom echoed through the house and Angel practically jumped, caging his arms around himself as lightning flashed behind the windows. "Fuck, I hate that shit," he muttered as Pent frowned and lifted both hands to brush over Angel's shoulders.

"How about we get settled while the minions make us something to drink?" Pent suggested, gently steering Angel toward the staircase and away from the large windows flanking the front door. Angel nodded and followed Pentious up the stairs, flinching each time he saw a flash of lightning out of the corner of his eye. Then the thunder followed and he squeaked, grabbing Pent's arm in a vice grip. The snake sighed, but hurried his pace, unlocking the door and letting Angel go on through before shutting it behind them.

Pent must have soundproofed his bedroom with stronger stuff than the main foyer because it was much quieter, though not entirely muted. Angel watched the clouds through the windows until Pentious drew the curtains with his remote, hiding away the lightning and leaving only the interior lights of the wall sconces and the crystal chandelier to illuminate the room. "What would you like to have brought up?" Pent asked as he slithered over to the bed to plug his phone into the charging station. "We can send the eggs to the store if needed."

Angel shook his head and walked back over to the mattress, taking off his shoes and sitting down on the black silk sheets. "I don't need nothin'. I usually just stay under the covers 'til it's ova," he said, grabbing the blankets and tugging them over his long legs. "But thanks fer checkin'."

Smiling, Pent leaned over and nuzzled Angel's brow before removing his blue button-down and hat, folding the fabric before dropping the shirt and accessory on top of his dresser. "It's not a problem. In the meantime, what shall we have for dinner?"

The casualness of the conversation made Angel's heart clench and he exhaled slowly. "I don't got a preference," he murmured as he watched Pent slip under the covers beside him, opening the drawer to the nightstand to retrieve his tablet and dorky little reading glasses.

"Hmmm, well we could have the eggboiz make something or order a take away," Pent said with a shrug as Angel curled into his side, tucking his legs up against Pent's tail. "Do you eat curry?" he asked, settling his glasses over his nose before turning on his tablet and opening a delivery app.

"What, like Thai food?" Angel said with a raised brow, looking down at the menu that Pentious was casually perusing. "I usually avoid that stuff for work." Pent's confused expression made Angel chuckle and shake his head. "It ain't exactly good fer keepin' a clean asshole, y'know. Same with Mexican food. Tastes good, but when you're gettin' dicked by at least five different fellas in a day-"

Holding up a hand, Pent groaned and said, "Yes, I understand. No need to elaborate any further." He moved to flick away from the page, but Angel grabbed his wrist, keeping the menu open.

"Ya can order it. It's just one night," Angel said, resting his chin on the other man's bare shoulder. "'Sides, I got ta pick the crap we ate at the carnival so you should take dinner."

"If you're sure," Pent said before scrolling through the items. "Their portions are very large so we could probably just share. Red is my preference, but if you like yellow or-" He trailed off as Angel reached over and added a red curry with tofu and extra mushrooms to the cart. "Well, alright then." He placed the order and set the tablet aside. "It should be here in an hour depending on how much the roads flood." As Pent finished his sentence, another loud boom of thunder shuddered through the house, making Angel flinch and curl even deeper under the blankets. In response, Pent sighed and gently pet over his back. "Do you want me to put on a movie?" he asked, gesturing back to the tablet.

Angel shook his head and looked at Pent, reaching up to remove the snake's readers and place them on top of the screen. "It's easy ta ignore the bullshit outside when I've got my hands full" he said softly, noting the way Pent's brow furrowed. "If ya don't feel up to it-"

"It's hardly a chore," Pent said, shifting to grab the remote that controlled the lights and curtains, dimming the room and leaving them with a soft intimate glow. "And this isn't the first time I've played the role of diversion."

Angel frowned even as Pentious nosed over his cheek. Is that what the snake thought? That Angel was only using him? He opened his mouth to speak, but quickly found it occupied with the other man's forked tongue and he groaned, easily letting himself be seduced by that familiar dance. It was pretty unfair for Pentious to be this good at kissing. How the fuck was he supposed to keep a clear head when he had an eager snake licking into his mouth?

After a moment, Pent pulled back, his eyes half-lidded and a touch playful as he said, "So why don't you get up here and let me play with your ass one last time before we ruin it with curry?"

Blinking, Angel just shook his head and chuckled, allowing himself to be dragged out from under the covers and lifted to stand on his knees. As much as they needed to have a serious talk (one that they had put off all week), Angel couldn't bring himself to speak. He'd rather take the wonderful distraction being offered than spend the rest of the night circling around each other verbally.

He could be the confident slut who just wanted sex with nothing attached for one more night. He could push aside everything else as long as he got to see Pent smile and hold the snake in his arms before it all went to shit.

Today had been good. Today had been great.

Why ruin a good thing?

Once Pent's eyes were on him, he smiled and dragged the pink sundress up and over his head, leaving just the white push-up bra and matching panties he'd worn underneath. "Do I get ta sit on your face?" Angel teased, tucking his upper set of arms back behind his head while his lower set cupped under his bra, bouncing his tits as he gave two small hip thrusts. "Actually, I got an idea." He flashed Pent a sultry wink and then his lower set of hands slid to pull his underwear down, letting his mostly flaccid cock spring free from the hem. He licked his lips as he stepped out of the fabric, reaching behind himself to drag the panties all the way off his long legs.

"Oh?" Pent asked as Angel leaned over him and grabbed some of the pillows to rearrange them behind the snake. "What pray tell-" he stopped as Angel turned and then mounted Pent, pressing his ass back into the other Demon's face. Giving Angel an amused smack to the thigh, Pent huffed and said, "69ing is hardly a revolutionary concept," as Angel peeled up the hem of the snake's undershirt to expose his slit. "Especially in your industry."

"Still fun," Angel said, shooting Pent a wink over one shoulder as he rubbed over the seam, leaning down to press his tongue to the thick scales. He felt Pent shiver as he massaged into the skin above the slit where Pentious' cocks were hidden all while lapping at the other man's cloaca. After a few moments, he felt Pent's hands come up and spread his ass cheeks and Angel exhaled through his nose as that forked tongue ran up and down his taint. Damn, that always felt so nice. Having a fella who was not only super into oral but also was actually fucking good at it was a blessing Angel never knew he needed until now.

Refusing to get too distracted by the snake's sinful licking, Angel continued his own slow tease, paying attention to the minute shifts underneath Pent's scales that were the only clues he was getting anywhere with his gentle touches. Unlike most men who he got to feel go from flaccid to hard, Pent's cocks wouldn't even be ready to pop out until they were full blown erections. The closest Angel could get was rubbing against the pouch, feeling the outline of both shafts as they began to firm up under the other man's smooth skin.

Meanwhile Pent's cloaca had started to leak and Angel eagerly lapped up the clear slick, giving a soft moan as he dipped his tongue inside. Pent stiffened underneath him and Angel chuckled, petting over the other man's tail before raising his head. "Don't worry, just a little tongue action. I won't stick anythin' inside ya without givin' some warnin' first." He kissed the slit and then lifted his head, noting that all of the eyes on Pent's tail were staring at him with dilated pupils. "Heh, I always forget you can see this." He made a show of scooping up some of the fluid with his index and middle finger, licking the pads clean and sucking on his fingers hard enough to hollow his cheeks. Immediately Angel felt the snake's cocks pulse through the scales and he couldn't help the laugh that belted out in response. "Mmmm, ya like that huh?" he teased, leaning back down to run his tongue along the slit before teasing back inside, keeping his eyes locked on the cluster of pupils that stared right back at him.

Huffing, Pent pulled back from rimming to nip at Angel's ass. "You're being rather cruel I hope you know," he said, digging his claws into Angel's thighs before releasing the spider's legs and groping for the control panel on the bed.

"You can always look away," Angel mocked, glancing over as Pent hit a button, opening a compartment on the side of the sunken frame that he'd never noticed before. "What's that?" He paused and blinked as the drawer revealed a small collection of expensive looking sex toys. "Oh shit! That's where you've been hidin' your junk?" he said, reaching out to comb through the contents with one hand.

Pent batted his fingers away, fumbling for a small bottle of lube inside the deep basin. "Nothing in there should be unfamiliar to you," he muttered, popping the cap and smearing some clear slick across the talons of both hands.

"So?" Angel said as his eyes flickered over the various toys. Admittedly, it was all pretty standard for a dom: coupla' crops and leather floggers, a nice broad wooden paddle, blindfolds, silk, rope, and leather restraints (along with matching collars, leashes, and gags). "Shit, you should have brought some of this to the Hotel. I woulda let you have a go with this bad bitch." He lifted the paddle and grinned only for Pent to snatch the toy back from him and place it inside the drawer.

"I was planning on being celibate the whole year through," Pent reminded, shutting the drawer and setting the bottle of lube aside. "You were the one who decided to change the nature of our relationship."

Angel inhaled sharply as he felt the tease of those slick fingers against his rim. "Are ya complainin'? I've been fuckin' you good these last few months." He hissed as two talons pressed in, curling against his walls as soon as they were deep enough.

Pressing a kiss to Angel's taint, Pent ran his other hand down Angel's thigh, thumbing the back of his knee and tickling the sensitive skin beneath the white fur. "In any case, now you've seen my toolbox. Are you impressed?" he asked sarcastically as his fingers trailed back up to work over Angel's cock which was now fully hard and swinging between his spread legs.

"Hmmm, I might have been if I didn't already know your kinks," Angel replied, rubbing over the thick bulge above Pent's wet cloaca. "Back when I still thought you were this prudish baby, seein' that cache woulda blown my mind." He slowly began to press down on the snake's pouch, groaning as he felt the thick members shift, the wet tips now peeking out through the seam. "Well hello there, boys," he laughed, continuing to slowly massage them out until both the bulbous heads were free and the shafts began to emerge in earnest.

"Must you talk to my genitalia?" Pent asked as he continued to pump his fingers in and out of Angel, his opposite hand firmly squeezing the base of the spider's own throbbing cock.

Angel grinned and pressed a kiss to one swollen head and then the other. "They're better conversationalists than most of my regulars," he joked before sucking one into his mouth, hollowing his cheeks as he began to bob. Pent's hips shifted underneath him and Angel groaned around the dick as the snake's fingers began to press along the outside of his prostate in that frustratingly teasing manner that Pent always used when he was loosening him up.

With all those red eyes on him, Angel sank down, deep-throating the thick cock and swallowing around it while one hand pumped the other. Part of him wanted to make a show of it and tease the snake right back, but the other part wanted to let go and be sloppy, to just enjoy the ride while the storm raged outside. Pent kept going deep with his fingers, not increasing his speed, but pressing into his walls with every thrust as if he was trying to map out Angel's insides by touch alone. It wasn't helped by the steady squeeze of those sharp talons around the spider's dick, equally languid albeit nice and firm.

Angel was used to getting loose fast, having had way too many years to practice relaxing his muscles for a good pounding, but Pent didn't seem to care and continued to stretch and push even as Angel opened and yielded to him. He did mercifully add a third finger though and Angel moaned, pulling off to kiss the wet slit before taking the other dick down all the way into his throat, not giving a damn as saliva dribbled over his chin.

His prostate throbbed desperately as Pent continued to needle around it, sending minute sparks up his back, but never giving him the real pressure he needed. Though despite his constant frustration with it, Pent's teasing never felt cruel. Angel had been with plenty of fellas who withheld his pleasure and made him beg for release, but with Pentious, it was like the snake was actively trying to build it up rather than just be an asshole looking to have a power trip.

"There's something to be said for the careful unravel. My best orgasms have come from long nights stretched all the further by tender foreplay."

And that's exactly what it fucking felt like: being taken apart like he was one of Pentious' machines strapped to a work bench, broken down and ready to be rebuilt into something better.

Pulling off the other cock, Angel panted, rocking his hips gently back into Pent's fingers as the other man carefully pried him open. "As nice as this shit feels," he murmured, squeezing both dicks as a third hand teased the wet slit at their base. "I really want one of these suckers in me before we get interrupted by the delivery driver."

"True," Pent said, his own voice rather husky as he curled his fingers and removed them from Angel's ass. "I forgot we're on a bit of a time limit." He chuckled and leaned up to kiss the back of each of Angel's thighs before the spider pulled off and turned around, straddling Pent from the front.

The snake's red eyes were now hazy with lust and Angel grinned as Pentious' lube-slicked talons came up to unhook the clasps of his bra, letting Angel slip out of it before tossing it to the side. "I will say that it's much easier to take off a bra than a corset or a set of petticoats. It's one of the many aspects of modernity that I appreciate," Pent said as he stared up at Angel, one hand tracing the heart that outlined the curve of Angel's breasts.

Angel smirked and bounced on top of the snake, enjoying the way those eyes followed the jiggle of his bare tits. "I'll fuckin' bet," he teased with a sultry flick of his tongue, arching his back while both lower hands cupped his own knees.

Suddenly a loud boom of thunder clapped through the room and Angel went stiff, his arms immediately dropping to grip Pent's shoulders as goosebumps ran up the length of his spine. Pent's brow furrowed and he carefully rolled them over. "You're ok," he assured, pressing Angel's back down into the cluster of pillows as he shifted his tail to lay between the spider's quaking thighs. "Just breathe."

Angel nodded and swallowed as he raised his legs, bringing his knees up to bracket Pent's wide hips while the snake mouthed over his throat and shoulder. "Sorry. Wasn't expectin' it and that was a loud son of a bitch," he muttered softly as he grabbed the lube, only for Pent to snatch it out of his hands.

"Don't apologize," Pent said in a firm voice, slicking one cock before setting the bottle back on the rim of the bed. "Just focus on me." He leaned down and Angel groaned as the other man's warm weight pinned his body against the soft sheets.

Wrapping his arms around Pent's shoulders and spine, Angel stared up at the other man as he felt the slick head brush his hole, teasing the rim, but not pressing in. "Missionary, huh?" he murmured, trying to affect his more confident persona even as the echo of thunder outside kept him trembling underneath Pentious. "Kinda vanilla ain't it?"

The snake smiled and reached his free hand up, thumbing over Angel's cheek. "Vanilla isn't so bad," he murmured, leaning down and kissing Angel as he began to guide his cock inside with one hand. Angel tightened his grip on the snake's back, moaning softly against Pent's lips as he was stretched all the wider by that beautifully thick shaft.

"Oh shit," he hissed through his teeth as Pent kept going, not giving him any quarter until he was hilted, leaving his second dick pressed up against Angel's own pulsing erection.

Pent nodded, pressing his brow to Angel's as he let out a shuddery breath. "You're tighter today," he murmured, leaning down on the elbow of one arm as he adjusted the grip of his other hand to squeeze their erections together.

Angel chuffed, shivering underneath the snake. "Heh, well enjoy it while it lasts," he murmured just before Pent began to wiggle his hips, circling the head along his walls and rubbing that thick shaft against his prostate. "Fuck, Pen…"

The snake sighed and began to roll into Angel, his glide a smooth undulation that shifted his weight up and down against the spider's abdomen. It forced Angel to exhale every time Pent pressed in and inhale on every pull out, almost like a meditation. He could sink into the steady pace of Pent's thrusts, letting the white noise of his own breathing cancel out the storm that battered the house outside. Pentious was a warm shield, a living barrier that covered every inch of his body and made him feel like he was bulletproof even as he was penetrated to the core.

Angel groaned and raised his legs, hooking them around the back of Pent's thick tail to pull him deeper into the tight clench of his body. He could distantly feel his dick weeping against his stomach and Pent's fingers, but the steady shift in weight along the cradle of his hips was what had him whining against Pent's collarbone, fingers scrabbling over the snake's hood in desperate rakes. Angel wanted to be smothered until he couldn't hear anything aside from Pent's pounding heart. He wanted to feel the warmth of his skin and the mist of his breath.

Angel needed the taste of Pent's lips in his mouth and the burn of his venom thrumming through his veins.

Shit, he'd been through withdrawals that were less painful than this.

Swallowing hard, Angel tilted his head back against the black pillows and let out a desperate whine. "Baby...fuckin' bite me. Please bite me," he breathed, clinging helplessly to Pent. "I need it. I need it so fuckin' bad." Pentious groaned and Angel whimpered as the snake's eyes met his, the slitted pupils wide and flickering over Angel's face as they both panted shallowly. Biting his lip, Angel tightened his legs around the snake's thick tail and gave a series of pulsing squeezes that had him clenching down hard on the other man's dick. "What are ya waitin' fer? Ya got an open invitation."

But rather than bite down on the exposed throat, Pent just let out a slow breath before sinking inside all the way, making the spider gasp as their hip bones rubbed against one another. Angel whined when the snake began to press kisses along his jawline, teasing him as he worked his way over Angel's chin and down the front of his neck.

Then Pentious paused as he reached the juncture of the spider's shoulder, letting out a shaky sigh. "As you wish," he said quietly, the words almost lost to the howling of the wind outside.

Angel felt those sharp fangs graze across his skin for a few tense moments before they finally sank in deep. He let out a full body shudder, holding firm to Pentious as the snake slowly began to thrust again, keeping his mouth locked in Angel's throat even as his tongue gently soothed over the skin between his teeth.

Pain and pleasure burned through him from his neck down to his pulsing groin, lighting a fire in his veins that enveloped his entire body in gentle warmth. Angel was caught between two yellow fangs that threatened to bury themselves in his flesh forever and two black dicks that pulsed against his pleasure centers, one ruining him from the inside while the other rubbed desperately against his own weeping cock.

After what felt like an eternity (and yet still somehow not long enough), Pent pulled back and Angel felt his heart stop as he met the snake's eyes again. He was entranced, unable to look away as the other man licked across his own fangs, smearing a small drop of blood that clung to the sharp needle-like teeth.

He had been bitten so many times by so many different men. Sometimes it hurt, sometimes it felt good, but with Pent, it was the perfect mixture of both.

And trapped under the other man's bulk with snake toxin pulsing through his body, limbs as sloppy and loose as his thoughts, Angel wanted to be devoured.

But Pentious didn't stop just because Angel was lost to the haze of a venom-high. The snake continued to fuck into him as he palmed their cocks together, making Angel work to keep his grip on the other man's back and tail. "Pen," he panted weakly as his dick throbbed against Pent's talons, precum dripping helplessly from the swollen slit. "Shit, I can't-"

"Don't," Pent growled through gritted teeth as he tightened his hold on their shafts, making Angel gasp before he leaned down and captured the spider's mouth in a messy kiss, tail rocking between Angel's quaking thighs. Angel squirmed, digging his nails into the grooves of Pent's skin as his entire body hummed with pleasure. He felt like a goddamn snowflake left to melt in the heat of an open hearth.

Or molten steel cradled in the blaze of a lit forge.

Pent broke the kiss, a string of saliva connecting their lips as he panted shallowly against Angel's cheek. "I've got you," the snake breathed, giving a hard slow thrust, followed by a second and then a third. "I've got you."

The overwhelming slams to his sweet spot combined with the far-too intimate mantra sent Angel over the edge with a loud cry. His open-mouthed moaning quickly tapered off into a whimper as his legs slipped to the sheets on either side of Pent's thick tail, both limbs quivering and sore from just how tightly they'd clung to the snake.

Spurts of cum painted his own belly as Pent pumped him through it, smearing messily across fur and scales alike while the snake's own needy dick continued to rock against his own. Angel wearily blinked his eyes open again and clenched around him until he felt Pentious snarl and pulse, the snake bowing his head as he bit down on his own lip hard enough to break the skin.

Pent gave two more deep thrusts before shivering and lowering himself carefully to lay on top of Angel, making sure not to compress the spider's chest too much as they both collapsed in a panting tangle of sweaty limbs and silk.

After a few moments of quiet breathing, Pent lifted his head and murmured, "I hope you're comfortable because I'm not moving from this spot for quite some time."

Exhaling through his nose, Angel nodded. "I got a betta spot to put that head of yours." He lifted an arm to grope his tits and Pent sighed, spent cock slipping out of Angel as he shuffled up to lay his head on top of the spider's fluffy chest. "Nice an' pillowy, right?" Angel said as he pet down the snake's hood.

"We've already established that I'm a fan of your breasts," Pentious muttered tiredly, reaching his clean hand up to flick Angel's brow. "Stop fishing for compliments, you vain brat."

Angel chuckled as he stared up at the ceiling, taking in the details of the tray design and chandelier that sat in the middle of it all. He could hear the storm rumbling distantly outside, but it had clearly passed, moving further into the valley and toward the west side of the city.

Before they could do more than catch their breath, there was a distinctive knock at the door, too hesitant and quiet to be anything other than the eggboiz. Pentious groaned and pushed up onto his elbows, reaching for the blankets that had been kicked down to Angel's feet. "That will be dinner," he muttered as he dragged the sheets up and over their lower bodies to leave only their chests exposed. "Come in," he called as he laid his head back against Angel's tits.

There was a pause and then the door opened to admit a small group of eggs holding a takeout bag marked with the logo Angel had seen on the delivery app. "Hey boss! Dinner's here for you guys!"

Pent just flapped a hand toward the coffee table next to the chaise and several more eggs marched in with plates, silverware, and two cups of water. "Do you need anything else, sir?" one of them asked as the rest filed out, waiting at the top of the stairs for further instructions.

"No, now leave us," Pentious groused even as Angel chuckled and lifted one arm to give a friendly wave to the eggboiz.

The eggs smiled and returned the wave. "Ok! Also, congrats on the sex, boss!"

Pent hissed and grabbed the nearest pillow, sitting up to chuck it at the retreating eggboiz, but only succeeding in smacking the door as it closed behind them. Angel chuckled and looked at Pent as he leaned back against the stack of pillows cushioning his shoulders. "Aw, they're just happy for ya."

"They're imbeciles," Pentious groused, slowly sliding off of Angel and pursing his lips at the mess of cum between them. "Well these sheets are going right into the wash tomorrow."

"I call not sleepin' in the wet spot," Angel said as he slowly rolled over and tried to stand, only for his shaky legs to wobble underneath him. Pent immediately rose up and grabbed him by the hip and shoulder, steadying Angel before he toppled back onto the bed. "Shit, your venom is still makin' me fuzzy…" Angel laughed and leaned over, kissing Pent's cheek. "Feels pretty nice actually."

Rolling his eyes, Pent helped Angel walk to the rim of the bed and step out before he slithered to the linen closet in the bathroom, coming back with a towel. "Bend over and spread your legs," he said as Angel hobbled to the chaise, sore from the good fucking and still fighting against his partially paralyzed muscles.

"Mmm, round two already?" Angel teased as he gripped the back of the chaise and leaned against it, letting Pent clean off the cum dribbling from his gaping hole.

"You're not getting semen on my furniture," Pentious said with a small huff before moving the towel to Angel's front, cleaning his soft dick and stomach before wiping down his own flaccid members.

Angel snickered and turned around to grab both of Pent's cocks once they were clean, giving them an affectionate squeeze as he tucked them back into the snake's cloaca. "Like you ain't got the cash for dry cleanin' this shit," he said as he sat his bare ass in one of the chairs, unpacking the tub of curry and ladling out some on both of their plates. "You want rice or are ya watchin' that girlish figure of yours?"

"Not too much. It's very filling," Pent murmured as he tossed the towel into the laundry chute by his closet. Stretching out his arms, he slithered over and laid on the chaise, tugging the hem of his undershirt down to cover his slightly swollen cloaca.

As they tucked into dinner, Fat Nuggets tumbled out of their basket with an adorably wide yawn, trotting over to nudge at Angel's feet. "Oh hey, Nuggies. Glad you were able to sleep through all that," Angel said, picking up his pig and planting a fat kiss on their head. "Woulda been awkward if you had decided you wanted cuddles while daddy was gettin' plowed."

Pent winced. "More than awkward, I'd wager," he amended as he picked up his own fork and began to mix the rice and curry, spooning it up into his mouth with a contented sigh. "Mmmm, there's nothing like curry on a rainy day." He smiled softly as he swallowed and Angel couldn't help but mirror the expression, petting Nugs with one hand as he watched Pent eat.

"This your comfort food?" Angel asked with a raised brow as he mixed his own rice. "How come ya don't ever make it?"

"Oh, I can't cook worth a damn," Pent said with a laugh, waving Angel off. "Baking is simple. You follow the instructions to the letter and you end up with a beautiful product, but cooking requires actual skill." He took another forkful into his mouth and sighed, licking the utensil clean that his ridiculous tongue of his. "I leave that to the eggs for a reason."

Angel raised an eyebrow and began to eat as well, giving Nugs a spoonful of plain rice to distract the pig from trying to dive headfirst into his plate. "I hope you know how fuckin' ridiculous you sound. You designed your own custom blimp, but ya can't manage a goddamn curry?"

Pent shrugged, twirling his fork before scooping up more curried rice. "There is a limit to even my eclectic set of talents. In any case, I choose to 'stay in my lane'." He curled the talons of his free hand to make air-quotes and then paused, blinking up at Angel. "That is how that saying goes, yes? I'm using it correctly?"

Snorting, Angel just laughed and shook his head as Nugs happily licked the spoon to clean off any remaining grains of white rice. "Yeah, you're good, Pen," he said, giving the other man a playful wink before he set his pig back down to the carpet. "Right on the mark."

Pentious smiled and Angel found himself once again trapped in the soft glow of those red eyes.

Today had been great. Tonight had been better.

But tomorrow-

Angel frowned, his gaze lowering to watch as a dollop of curry trailed down Pent's teeth and chin, the distinctive blood red vivid even against his dark scales.

Tomorrow…

Fuck.

Angel watched as the clock on his phone turned from 11:59 to 12:00. Pent was asleep next to him, the snake's back pressed to Angel's chest while his tail curled around the spider's long legs.

They now only had a few hours left before Pentious was supposed to deliver the knife to Val. One last morning of peace before the metaphorical bomb went off and sent everything flying out in all directions with no way of knowing which way was up.

Angel's eyes slid down to Pent, watching as the other Demon's ribs rose and fell steadily with each breath. This week he had experienced all the shit he'd been dreaming of since he was a teenager who'd just realized he liked men and exclusively men. Everything he'd done with Pent (both in public and private) had flown right in the face of the toxic shit his father had poisoned him with his entire life.

He could find someone.

He could be happy.

He could be-
Loved.

Swallowing hard, he brushed a hand down the side of Pent's cheek, enjoying the smooth glide of the snake's scales against his palm. Pent shifted next to him and Angel's breath caught as the other man groaned, only to relax again after a few short breaths.

Inside this weird creepy mansion, warmly embraced by a guy who died several decades before he was even born, Angel had never felt more at home. The idea of leaving all this shit behind after he'd finally gotten it made him nauseous.

Biting his lip, he slowly sat up and looked down at Pent as the other man continued to sleep, oblivious to Angel's inner turmoil. He shouldn't have to sacrifice this. Angel had busted his balls for his old man's business in life and now Val's in death, getting nothing in exchange but scraps of love and affection that were almost always followed by beatings and abuse.

He was owed a slice of fuckin' happiness, his very own goddamn rainbow!

And so what if that rainbow was actually black and covered with way too many goddamn eyes and had the dorkiest fuckin' laugh he'd ever heard? It was beautiful regardless.

Exhaling, Angel leaned over and pressed a kiss to the side of Pent's cheek, smoothing his fingers over the other man's jawline before slowly untangling himself (making sure to slide the body pillow up against Pent in his place). He continued to watch Pentious sleep as he quietly got dressed, slipping his phone into his pocket before heading out the door (being extra careful as he closed it behind him).

It was only when Angel was halfway down the stairs that he realized he had already hit a roadblock. How the hell was he going to get to the workshop? Pentious had never given him the goddamn passkey.

As he rounded the rail, still deep in thought, he jolted, nearly jumping back as he caught sight of one of Pent's egg minions at the bottom of the landing. The egg blinked and then smiled up at him, waving enthusiastically. "Hello Mr. Bossman's...umm...not-boyfriend? Are you having trouble sleeping?"

Angel pursed his lips, wondering what kind of excuse he could give the little shit before an idea sprung to mind. "Yeah actually...I left somethin' down in the lab, specifically that big ol' weapons vault. Ya think you can let me in, huh?" He leaned over and batted his eyes at the egg, grinning as the minion glanced to the wall concealing the hidden elevator.

"Boss said it was ok?" the eggboi asked as Angel descended the last few steps and rounded the banister. "Well, I guess I can help. What did you lose?"

Angel hummed and folded both sets of arms at his back while the egg unlocked the elevator, patiently waiting until the carriage doors slid open with a small series of mechanical clicks. "I can't tell ya. It's a surprise for him." Angel winked and walked inside with the egg following closely behind him.

The little moron's yellow eyes went wide as the doors closed and the carriage descended down the shaft. "Oooh! I can keep a secret! I'm not like #67. He can't keep anything to himself."

"That right?" Angel teased as the elevator slowed to a halt and the doors opened again, revealing the dark empty workshop. "Well first I need ta get inside that vault." He said as he sidestepped the small egg to exit the elevator, hitting the light switch with one palm on his way out.

The minion beamed and nodded, running after Angel's long strides as the overhead fluorescents buzzed to life. "Right! Let me get that open for you," the egg insisted as Angel pushed the supply cabinet out of the way and stepped back to let the minion type the code into the keypad. "The Boss doesn't really like surprises, but he likes you so I'm sure he'll like this!"

Angel chuckled as the lock disabled with a small beep. "He'd fuckin' betta," he said as he opened the door, the lights automatically flickering on to reveal the ridiculous hoard of guns and ammunition that Pent kept stored underneath his house. Looking over the shelves, Angel grinned, feeling like a kid who was just given free rein in a goddamn candy store.

"So, what are we looking for?" the egg asked, sidling up to Angel as the spider's eyes flittered around the cache. "Is it a gun? The Boss looooves guns."

Smirking, Angel nodded. "Yeah, I know. He's a man after my own heart that way." He paused when he came across the plastic box containing the finished knife, grabbing it without a word and tucking it under one arm before leaning over to take a look at the items stacked along the lower shelves. As he searched, a flash of yellow drew his attention and Angel clicked his tongue, dragging the bin out from underneath the last rack with his two lower arms. "Jackpot," he said as he removed the clear lid to fully reveal a dozen or so finished venom bombs neatly piled on top of one another.

"I see I'm going to have to change all of my passcodes."

Angel froze and grimaced, slowly turning to see a very tired looking Pent standing in the doorway, both arms crossed over his robed chest. "What on earth are you doing down here?" the snake hissed, his eyes darting from the container of bombs at Angel's feet to the knife held under one of the spider's arms.

Immediately the eggboi jumped up, rushing forward to greet the snake. "Surprise, Boss! We were-" Pent shoved the minion aside, using his tail to cover their mouth.

"Go upstairs with the others," Pent ordered in a stern voice, still glaring at Angel all the while. The egg frowned and looked like they were about to argue, but Pent just gave them a harsh shove and that sent the poor little minion practically sprinting toward the elevator. Once the egg was out of the workshop, Pent raised one hand to pinch the bridge of his nose, the other lowering down to rest at his hip. "So, would you kindly explain what you're doing down here at-" He paused, reaching into his silky blue robe to pull out his phone. "12:46AM?"

Angel exhaled and adjusted his grip on the box. "I'm takin' the knife and givin' Val exactly what he deserves, a fuckin' gut job at the hands of yours truly." He gave a mocking bow and straightened up, adding, "None of this shit was ever about you or even the stupid knife. Sure he'll take it off your hands, but he only ever wanted my ass under his thumb again." Angel frowned and rubbed the back of his head with one of his free arms. "He only gives a damn about you because he knows he can get to me through what we have..."

"His motivations hardly matter to me," Pentious muttered, his glower not wavering even as he slithered forward and held out his hand for the box. Angel just stared at him and then shifted the case out from under his arm only to hide it behind his back. Immediately, Pent furrowed his brow in annoyance and groaned."Angel-"

"You only made the damn deal in the first place cuz you were stuck with me and I'm stuck with him," Angel defended, raising one hand to poke Pent's chest, meeting those fierce red eyes with his own. "So let me help get you outta the mess I got you into."

Scoffing, Pent shook his head and slipped his mobile back into his robe. "Angel, you're not going to be able to do this on your own. If you think I'll struggle to hold him off, you'll definitely-"

"And as you said, he'll be expectin' it from you, but not from me." Angel brushed his fingers back through his hair and let out a long slow exhale. "Val's had me tied down for so long, Pen. He thinks I won't challenge it anymore, not seriously anyway. Well, unfortunately for his stupid ass, I had a pretty sexy chess master teach me that knowin' my enemy and how they're gonna react is the key ta beatin' 'em." He chewed his lip and murmured, "Remember, I know Val in all the ways you don't."

Pent gritted his teeth and slithered forward, leaving less than a few scant inches between them. "You will still need help. A distraction if nothing else." He swallowed and averted his eyes. "Even moreso should Valentino's little posse decide to make an appearance."

Angel frowned. That was very true. There was no telling if Vox or Velvet would be there waiting for them too. The other Overlords went their separate ways plenty, but they could very well be at the Penthouse with Val, wanting to see the knife for themselves. "So you want to play the decoy?" Angel asked in a soft voice as he searched the other man's face.

Sighing, Pent crossed his arms and raised one forearm to prop his chin with his knuckles. "Val will be expecting me. So why not feed into that assumption?" he said as he slithered behind Angel, eyes scanning the shelves for specific weaponry. "But you are aware that if this fails…" Pent paused, taking a deep breath. "-we will both be erased from existence."

Angel turned to look at Pent, taking in the way the snake's shoulders slumped, his posture almost defeated before they had even started. He bit his lip and touched Pent's hood, thumbing over the smooth skin and tracing the yellow lines that framed the sides of it. "Well, it's about time I picked my ass out of the gutter and chased after the shit I want." He pulled the other man around to face him and then pet the back of his hand down one of Pentious' scaly cheeks. "I don't know what's gonna happen tomorrow, but I'm in your corner for as long as you'll lemme stay."

Pentious bit his lip and shuddered, his eyes flickering from the floor to Angel before finally holding the spider's gaze. "I never wanted you to leave," he said in a quiet voice, barely audible over the distinct hum of the overhead lights.

They stared at each other for a moment before Angel dropped the knife and dragged Pentious into a fierce kiss with all four hands, pouring everything he had felt over the last week into the embrace. Pent's arms twitched underneath him, but Angel didn't loosen his hold or stem his passion until he was forced to draw breath.

By the time they separated, both of their lips were swollen and they were panting, staring at each other with glassy unfocused eyes. "Pen, I swear you make me feel so fuckin' crazy and stupid and so goddamn happy it hurts." Angel exhaled and thumbed over the other man's cheek. "I don't know why, but you do…"

The snake just frowned, his eyes wide with disbelief. "You are crazy...and stupid," he finally said after a few moments spent chewing his bottom lip. "Unfortunately it seems to be rather contagious." Pent took a deep breath and squeezed the spider tight. "There are only two possible outcomes if we do this. Either we win or we go out guns blazing in triumphant defeat." He shivered as his talons dug into Angel's sides. "But if we must light the entire district on fire, I say bombs away."

Angel blinked, briefly loosening his hold on Pentious as the snake's phrasing echoed in his mind.

When Angel didn't respond, Pent frowned and cleared his throat. "Is that not what you wanted? To properly team up so to speak?" he asked, glancing around as if Angel was seeing something he wasn't.

Shaking his head, Angel raised one hand to pet over the snake's hood, cupping the base of the other man's skull in his palm. "Nah, you just gave me an idea," he said as he pulled his phone out of his jacket. "How'd you feel about requestin' some backup?"

Pentious' eyes narrowed as his gaze shifted to Angel's phone. "What sort of backup?" he asked, watching the spider swipe through his contacts and hit call before bringing the phone up to his ear. "Angel?"

Rather than respond, Angel raised his only remaining free hand to silence Pentious as the other end of the line picked up. "Hey Angie, everything ok? You finally get bored at the Edgelord's house?" Cherri's tired voice came through, the overly sappy soundtrack of a rom-com playing in the background.

"Yeah, I'm fine, but I actually gotta question ta ask," Angel said, watching as Pent's confused expression only grew. "Are ya free tomorrow?"

"Why? Isn't tomorrow when all the shit with V is going down?" Cherri yawned. "Or it's today, I guess..."

"Uh huh," Angel said, pacifying Pent with a few gentle pets down his back and thoroughly enjoying the way the other man subtly leaned into it without saying a word. "Pen and I are gonna fuck his shit up. You want in?"

There was a pause and then he heard Cherri cackle on the other end of the line. "You goddamn hell-raiser!" she practically shouted, making Pent's eyes widen as her distinctive voice carried through the speaker. She continued laughing for a good minute or two (much to the snake's silent, but visible irritation) before slowly beginning to come back down.

After the last few chuckles faded to silence, Cherri cleared her throat, taking on a more somber tone as she asked, "But fuck, are you sure, Ange? I mean, you're drawing a line in the sand if you decide to do this."

Angel exhaled and gave Pent a warm peck to the cheek before saying, "Never been more sure of anythin', babe." He winked at the snake who just sighed and shook his head even as his mouth curved into a small smile. "Can't promise that we'll come out on top, but there's no way I'm lettin' this dumbass go in alone."

"You really are crushing hard on the old man," Cherri said with a small sigh. She paused and then followed up with, "He better be worth it, Angie."

Still staring at Pent, Angel nodded as he rubbed the other man's back through the smooth silk of his robe. "So are you in? I ain't gonna hold it against ya if you don't feel like riskin' your skin." It really was a lot to ask, but there was no one else he'd trust with something like this or even want to have at his side other than his best gal.

Cherri let out a huff and fell silent for a few beats. "Tell the snake I'm doing this for you and not him," she muttered with a tired groan. "And if we get out of this alive, he better treat you like a goddamn princess for saving his tail."

"Kinda already feel like one, to be honest," Angel chuckled as he switched over to speaker mode so Pent could listen in on the conversation. "But I knew I could count on ya, bitch. Get over ta Pen's place ASAP. We'll outfit ya with all the toys."

He could practically hear Cherri's grin on the other end of the line. "If we're raiding the old man's goodie box, I got dibs on the 'splodey shit."

Angel nodded, pulling away from the snake to nudge the bin of bombs at his feet. "I don't think that's gonna be a problem, right Pen?"

Pentious just pouted and pinched his brow, the tip of his tail sweeping against the floor in mild annoyance. "If she sets off a single bomb in my home-"

"He says it's fine."

"Excuse you!"

Angel flapped his free hand at Pent as he began to casually peruse all the guns that the snake had forbidden him from messing with the entire time they'd been chained. "Shush, babe. I can't hear Cherri," he said which only earned him a loud bark of laughter from the other end of the line.

"Oh shit, it's babe now? Gaaaaay. GAAAAAAAY!"

Pent rolled his eyes and crossed his arms back over his chest. "Can we please cut the bullshit? We don't have a lot of time to prepare and we're going to need every second," he groused, tapping a talon against the crook of his elbow.

Angel just smiled and turned to cup Pent's chin, teasing a finger along the snake's jawline. "You hear that, sugar-tits? Pen says ta get your sweet ass over here pronto."

"Got it. See you two sluts in a bit." Angel lowered his phone as Cherri ended the call and grinned at Pentious who was now sighing deeply and looking thoroughly peeved.

"What?" Angel asked as he tucked his phone back into his jacket and continued to pinch over Pent's chin. "Why so pouty?"

Shaking his head, Pent looked at Angel and said, "Should we survive today, you are under no circumstances to give that woman free access to my weapons or equipment ever again." He pursed his lips into a flat line, hissing, "Understood?"

Angel hummed and said, "Huh...so...I got the official invitation ta stay? Is that what you're sayin'?"

Pent stiffened and the snake cleared his throat, pink tinging his cheeks as he averted his eyes. "You're free to leave if you so desire, but I don't get the sense that-" Angel swallowed Pent's words with another kiss, pressing the snake up against the shelves and rattling the weapons that rested on them.

Pentious gave a startled yelp, but then relaxed, his hands coming to rest on Angel's shoulders as the spider nibbled his lower lip. "You know, you could just use words like a civilized adult," he muttered even as made no move to extract himself from the cage of Angel's arms.

"Where's the fun in that?" Angel purred with a smile as he pressed their foreheads together, closing his eyes and letting out a long exhale through his nose. "I let ya kick me out once and it ain't happenin' again, busta. You had your chance ta get rid of me." He swallowed and leaned even closer, pressing his chest to Pent's so he could feel the rise and fall of every breath. "It's too fuckin' late now."

When Angel opened his eyes again, he saw Pent curl his tongue around one yellow fang, his pupils darting in circles around Angel's face as if he was searching for something. "You shouldn't make promises unless you're prepared to keep them," Pentious said in a soft voice as his eye-line finally settled on Angel's. "A true gentleman's word is binding."

"Well," Angel began, leaning back to nuzzle under Pent's chin, forcing the snake to tilt his head up to make room. "I ain't no gentleman, but I got Scout's honor. That good enough fer ya?"

Snorting, Pent smiled and began to snicker, his entire chest and throat literally vibrating with mirth in a way that sent warm tingles down Angel's spine. "Were you ever even a Scout?" he asked as the spider continued to mouth over his neck, leaving a few playful nips to the scales there.

"Eh, I fucked a troupe leader once. That counts, right?"

Pent rolled his eyes. "...By that logic, you're now an accomplished engineer and scientist."

Angel grinned and pulled back, slipping a hand under Pent's hood to play with the snake's nape. "And you're a class-act hooker," he retorted with a sly wink. "How's it feel ta be the most wanted piece of ass in the entire city?"

Slowly the snake's annoyed smile loosened, the harsh cut of his eyes melting into a soft rose hue as Angel massaged over the base of his neck and teased the tendons hidden beneath a layer of black skin. "Rather nice, actually…" Pentious chuckled and shook his head. "Though we shouldn't waste anymore time. Valentino will be expecting me around ten o'clock and there's a great deal of work that needs to be done before we can attempt this little coup of ours."

Nodding, Angel planted one last kiss to Pent's lips, his heart fluttering in his chest as he took in the way the snake looked right now under the harsh flourscent glow. "Sei tutto per me, jackass," he said in a soft voice, idly stroking the smooth black scales underneath the press of his palms.

"What on earth does that mean?" Pent asked furrowing his brow as his own hands tensed, tightening their hold on Angel's upper arms. "I only speak English and a touch of French...and I do mean a touch."

Angel just smiled and shook his head. "Means gimme one more kiss," he lied, purring as he kicked one leg up and back, leaning his weight into Pentious. "Then we can get this show on the road."

Pent heaved a sigh and returned the smile. "One more kiss," he conceded, tilting his head to meet Angel's lips with his own in a tender embrace.

Moaning softly, Angel let his eyes slide closed again as he pressed against Pent, savoring the taste and feeling of the other man's mouth.

There was no telling what the day would bring, but Angel knew that no matter what, he wasn't going to let go of this.

Not without a fight.

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Beta assistance by SirDust & DerpingLina