A/N: Prompt by Calliecature:
Alastor somehow finds out that one of the demon overlords tried to recruit Husk to spy on him after it was known that Husk is his friend. When confronted, Husk refuses to name which demon lord did.

This chapter happens between chapter 6 of Fine, jackass! and chapter 12 of Afterlife.

Husk had known this would happen sooner or later. He had known both of the things would happen sooner or later, and naturally shortly after one another. It had quite honestly been a fucking inevitability, and perhaps it was kind of a good thing to get it out of the fucking way. He didn't have to like it, but he would take the silver linings where he got them.

It had started with a fucking phone call about a week ago.

ooooo

"Husk speaking, who the fuck is this?"

"Greetings, Mr. Husker", a slow, sleazy sounding voice said. Something about it made his fur stand on end. "This is Valentino speaking. I'm sure you're familiar with the name."

Shit. Fuck. Shit shit shit.

"Might have heard of you in passing once or twice", Husk said, keeping his voice calm and collected and ignoring the way his tail was poofing up like a fucking duster – he was alone in his home, so the tell didn't matter. "What the fuck do you want?"

There was an ominous chuckle. Funnily enough it made Husk feel calmer, because it made him think of Alastor, who would chop this motherfucker into soup ingredients if he got wind of this conversation. Yeah, this bitch wasn't half as intimidating as the fucking Radio Demon, and Husk had been snuggled up to said jackass just a couple of days ago while watching a movie.

When one fucking cuddled with the scariest fucker around, one had little need to be intimidated by the smaller fries.

"Ah, the better question is: what would you like?" Valentino asked. "I simply wish to have an occasional conversation with you about a certain mutual acquaintance, confidential between two good friends. I'm a generous person whose friendship can be very beneficial. You, my good man, are in a position where you get to name your price. So what will it be?"

...Was this fucker for real? He really thought he could pay Husk to… to get him info about Alastor? Delusional. First of all, betraying the fucking Radio Demon was simply suicidal, end of story. Secondly, Husk betraying Alastor was not in the fucking cards, even if he actually was feeling suicidal. There was nothing in the entirety of Hell that he desired more than Alastor's presence in his afterlife, and there was nothing he could be threatened with to make him jeopardize that – he didn't fucking care about himself enough to give a damn about threats.

That, and Alastor had made it extremely fucking clear that he would annihilate the entirety of Hell if something happened to Husk, so Valentino would have to be really fucking stupid to threaten him In the first place.

Husk huffed.

"How about you go fuck yourself with a barbed baseball bat and die in a ditch, you over-sized fucking cockroach. You have nothing to offer me", he said, and hung up.

He summarily ignored any and every phone call for the next few days.

Alastor called him with the radio, after all.

ooooo

After that little episode Husk had been waiting for the other shoe to drop. Alastor was a snoop and a gossip, so it was really only a matter of-

"Husker, my pally old pal", Alastor said, materializing into Husk's personal space and latching onto him immediately like the limpet he was. Yep, today was it.

"Hey, Al."

"I heard a curious little rumor", Alastor said without further ado, and adjusted his position in Husk's lap. Yes, his lap. He was lounging on his couch, and his clingy and possessive friend had opted to magic himself sideways on his lap rather than on either side of him. Husk's heart was trying to beat its way out of his chest like the traitor it was. "Something about an Overlord harassing you about me? Tell me, do I need to off someone?"

...Ah, right. No time to panic about his attractive best friend being on his fucking lap. Time to make sure said best friend didn't go start unnecessary shit.

"Nah, I can handle it", Husk said, and carefully wrapped his arms around Alastor's waist to support him. He was extremely aware of every part of him that was touching Alastor. He as doing his level best to ignore everything it made him think or feel.

Alastor squinted at him and his grin sharpened. "Truly? Hmm… You could still satisfy my curiosity by telling me who it was. The rumor mill can't agree on a name."

Of course it couldn't. Valentino likely started the rumor himself to get Husk in trouble for defying him, but wasn't stupid enough to frame a specific person – he had probably started rumors about every single Overlord, himself included. Not that it worked as intended, as Alastor was a lot more keen on murdering the asshole bothering Husk than entertaining the idea that Husk might be working against him now – there was enough trust between them that Alastor had probably dismissed the entire concept the second he heard it.

Alastor was out of his fucking mind, however, if he thought Husk believed for a moment that he wanted to just "satisfy his curiosity". No, the fucker wanted a name, an address, and an estimate of the enemy's defenses so that he could plot murder.

Not gonna fucking happen.

"I seem to have forgotten", Husk said, and smirked. "Must not have been particularly intimidating a person. I don't see why you would need to waste your fucking time with them."

Alastor looked like he wanted to argue his point, so Husk frowned at him. "No. Listen. If they actually harass me, I'll let you know, okay? But as it is, the fucker just made an offer that I declined and that was that. This was fucking expected and I'm surprised it took this long. It's not a big deal."

They stared at each other in silence. Husk could see Alastor's mind working a mile a minute, until his red eyes fixed on a spot on Husk's forehead instead of his eyes. No, a bit lower. Between his eye-

Oh.

"You'll tell Rosie", Alastor said, snapping Husk out of it. "If something happens, like you disappear or…"

The unsaid word hung in the air between them like a tangible presence.

'Die.'

"...I'll know where to go", Alastor finished.

Ouch. Fuck. Yeah, that was a low blow, but fair enough.

Damn it.

"Okay. Yes, I'll tell Rosie."

Alastor's arms tightened around Husk's shoulders, and Husk pulled him close. Yeah, they could certainly cuddle for a bit for no particular reason at all.

Fucking bugs and tigers and shit.