A/N: Prompt by... my brain. I just found myself writing this at one point and who am I to tell myself no when I'm given a good thing? We'll get back to actual prompts by you guise on the next chapter, I promise.

This chapter happens after they got together but before they leave the hotel. Also... *looks in the direction of chapter 6 of Fine, jackass!*

It was quarter past midday when Alastor finally received the quiet notification from a shadow minion that Husker had emerged from his room and situated himself at the front desk. It was later than usual, but not unheard of, so he wasn't concerned when he dropped the conversation he had been having with one of the clients in favour of appearing by his sheik's side to wish him a good morning.

"Hello, Husker, my only sunshine!" Alastor said cheerfully and pulled his fluffy kitty into a side-hug. Husker hummed passively and leaned against him, which prompted Alastor to drop a kiss on his temple. "How are you this fine day?"

Alastor begun scratching behind Husker's ear while waiting for the answer.

Husker shrugged. "It's a day."

Alastor's scratching halted for a second and his smile dimmed in mild confusion. Husker sounded… off. Like he was just reading the words from a cue card without any emotion behind them. It was concerning, and needed to be fixed.

He widened the smile again and moved his scratching to the base of Husker's skull, hoping to get a better reaction from what he knew to be a sweeter spot. "Are hung over again? You sound a little unenthusiastic today. Have you eaten anything? Would you like a smoothie?"

Husker shook his head. That's all. Just a shake of his head and no other answer. Was it a collective answer to all of the questions? He didn't have a hangover, hadn't eaten, and didn't want a smoothie? Also, he wasn't purring, not even a little, despite how easily accomplished that usually was nowadays. And now that Alastor was paying attention to details, he noted that Husker's tail wasn't looped around his leg like usual. Alarm bells were going off in his head, and he turned Husker around to look him in the eyes.

Husker's eyes looked empty. The usual spark was gone and he looked at Alastor like he was a stranger. Or no, not a stranger, there was recognition; more like he simply didn't care. These eyes were worse than any of the similar eyes he had seen when Husker was hung over, very drunk, or having one of his depression spirals. Even during those times he had… emotions. He hated having them and that's why he drank, but he had them nonetheless. But not now. Now all that was there was emptiness.

For a brief moment, Alastor admittedly panicked internally. These were the eyes he saw in his nightmares when he was a second away from losing Husker. And now he saw them for real, outside of a dream.

It was like a punch in the gut. It left his unable to breathe and with an ache in the pit of his stomach.

He had to fix this. Husker couldn't look like this. What was wrong? Had he done something? Not done something? Had something happened? Who did he need to torture and kill messily for this? What did Husker need?

"Is something the matter, dearest?" he asked, widening his grin in an attempt to keep the emotional turmoil inside. He reached his fingers to the base of Husker's wings in a last-ditch effort to produce purrs and make everything better. Husker leaned slightly into the touch, but that was all. No purrs, no smiles, no emotion returning to his eyes.

Husker shrugged again. Alastor was starting to hate the gesture, and a tightness was forming in his chest from the desperate need to somehow fix this, but not having a single clue how to even begin.

He looked at Husker's lips, and then leaned in to peck them. No reaction. Husker didn't even reciprocate.

That was supposed to work. That always worked. Why didn't it work?

He swallowed the rapidly rising panic. It wouldn't help at all. At least Husker was physically here and safe, so the situation should be fixable as long as he focused.

...He wished his mother was here. She would surely know what to do.

"What can I do to help?" he asked, somewhat desperate. He couldn't do this if Husker didn't tell him how. Or he could try making Husker angry, as that was an emotion too and easier to do than happiness, but he would rather not do that in case it made the situation even worse. Maybe he should just drag Husker to the kitchen and cook him something whether he wanted it or not?

Husker looked at him apathetically, and then pulled away from the touch. Alastor's chest squeezed painfully, but before any feeling of despair could spread, Husker spoke: "Let's go for a walk."

...What?

Husker walked past him, and Alastor stood there like a completely gob-smacked moron for a few seconds before following, filled to the brim with questions and concerns and apparently hosting all of the feelings Husker currently lacked, because he was sure he didn't have this many himself. Although admittedly Husker had the habit of making him experience new feelings in a new context on a regular basis, so he should be used to it by now.

They were already outside and walking towards the central city before Alastor's confused brain worked well enough again to realize that their sudden departure wouldn't be appreciated by Charlie. He didn't particularly care about the inconvenience it caused, but it would be rude of him to not notify her, at least. He waved a hand in the hotel's direction, and a short note appeared on Charlie's desk. That ought to do.

He turned his attention back to Husker, who was simply walking forward and idly looking around without any focus. It was worrisome, but at least this was somewhat familiar now. He remembered an occasion, from decades ago, when Husker had called him and then dragged him out for a walk. Granted, Husker had been somewhat aggressive and conflicted then, rather than the apathy he was in at the moment, but they had walked and he had gotten better, and the rest had been fixable with cuddles and food. Hopefully that would happen now as well.

They walked in silence until they reached the city. Alastor saw a pub and assumed they'd go in, but Husker walked right past it without even a glance. It left Alastor feeling off-balance again, so he started talking to make the situation feel less alien. And, admittedly, to keep himself from being able to think too much. Husker didn't seem to care one way or another, which Alastor made the deliberate decision to not take personally.

They walked for hours, and Husker's situation didn't seem to improve. He walked past every pub and casino without any urge to enter. Alastor asked if he was hungry or thirsty whenever they passed a restaurant or even a distasteful little kiosk that he would normally not even consider buying anything from, but he got a shake of a head as an answer every time. They exited the city and found themselves in a random housing area, yet Husker kept on walking. Alastor stomped down any concerns along the lines of "what if he doesn't get better?" and just willed himself to be patient while keeping a one-sided conversation up.

It took a long time yet, but finally Husker stopped in his tracks in a completely random spot. Alastor immediately turned to look at him and searched his face for any change and finally, finally there was one.

Husker was frowning in thought, which was an actual expression, but most importantly the spark was back. He looked a bit out of it and weary, but that was still an emotion and it was better than the empty eyes.

Alastor's smile widened and he leaned towards Husker to get his attention. And he got it. Husker looked at him, actually looked at him instead of looking practically through him. "Are you feeling better?"

Husker looked into his eyes for a long moment, and then a tired, yet gentle smile rose to his lips. Alastor's heart sang with joy and the anxiety from before evaporated completely with just that one quirk of lips. "Yeah. Thanks. ...Sorry for worrying you."

Alastor laughed, pulled Husker into a hug, and nuzzled his fluffy cheek in relief. Husker's arms wrapped loosely around his waist after a couple of seconds, and that made it even better; his Husker was always more than welcome to return his hugs, unlike most people in Hell. He had had that privilege for decades, as rarely used as it had been in the beginning.

"You know, I'm pretty hungry now", Husker said, and Alastor's mood lifted even higher. "And tired. And sorry I didn't appreciate the kiss from earlier as much as I should have."

"Nonsense! All of that can be fixed now!" Alastor said with an elated laugh, snapped his fingers to magically relocate them to his kitchen, and then planted a big kiss on Husker's much more responsive lips.

The purr he received in return proved that Husker was finally working the way he was supposed to. Excellent! Now to apply food, cuddles, and a nap, and everything would be just swell again.

And now he knew what to do if this happened again.