Charlie lets Husk know when the pool's been completely re-renovated.
She and the others will be having a swim this afternoon. He's under absolutely no obligation to join them, she says kindly, and that no-one would judge him for it.
...
Husk judges himself, though. He remembers never go alone.
And he'll admit to himself, he likes these idiots. Sitting alone behind the bar all day and worrying for them is not an appealing option.
...
So he does go.
The pool is pretty swanky, actually. Pale red and gold tiles throughout. The water is clear all the way down, and only deep enough to come up to Angel's shoulders.
Husk doesn't get in, but he sits poolside and lets a long breath out (and something else, a bit of old stress knotted in his windpipe); lets delighted voices wash over him instead.
Angel preens. Charlie and Alastor tug him into idle conversation; Vaggie quizzes his Spanish. He's asked to referee an impromptu volleyball match at some point - somehow Niffty wins.
...
Husk stays there, with the others as they swim, until it's late.
He trapses along as everyone heads out into the corridors after, still dripping wet, and Niffty shrieks indignantly about water getting on the carpets.
Angel leans against Husk, and the conveyed feeling of you watch my back I watch yours eases the old cat's mind, even once the princess, Vaggie, Al, and a fuming Niffty disperse to their rooms.
The halls are empty and his head is quiet, and his chest feels light and free for the first time in a while… and Husk realises he'd like to keep it that way tonight.
...
Later, he will gruffly ask Angel if he can stay the night… and Angel will smile and press his lips to Husk's cheek in reply.
A/N:
There's the fluff at the end of the tunnel. :-)
Building off the theory that Husk was a soldier in life (and that it's probably more likely that he fought in World War 2 than the Vietnam War), I chose to explore Husk having a fear/phobia of water from his traumatic experiences.
The trigger of the shark-monster in Pt. 2 (chapter 17) was inspired by the sinking of the USS Indianapolis in 1945, where sharks killed many of the initial survivors in the water before rescue eventually arrived. Even if Husk didn't serve in the Navy or on the Indianapolis, I'd assume there were many other shark attacks during WW2 that Husk could have been a survivor of.
Knowing I'm safe and secure, or that things are under control, is something that reliably eases my anxiety or phobias – so I applied my experience to Husk. He can see what's in the water, he can see that the other Hazbins are okay, and that lets him start to relax.