everything goes so well- then the past comes back and causes it to fall apart.

Then Husk fucks up.
Badly lol

Husk tried his damnedest not to be an insecure asshole- he really did. He worked on a lot of stuff thanks to the wonderful princess who promised to be there for him when he finally wanted to talk about his human life.

Hell, he even had Niffty clean his room and the princess helped repaint it since the walls were scoffed up.

He cut down his drinking down to one to three bottles a day. He told Charlie he was sorry about his insecure need to glare at Alastor and that yes, he would be ok if she danced with him. He couldn't ignore the flicker of surprise in her eyes but she smiled. He didn't want Alastor fucking things up for him because the bastard would do it in a horrifying way.

He wasn't a big dancer like Alastor, Charlie or Vaggie but that didn't mean Charlie should have to give it up completely. When he saw them dancing again, he realized the dancing they had wasn't even remotely sexual like at all. Alastor made it a show of power over the princess who simply didn't mind it.

Fuckin' freak.

He saw the complete platonic love between her and Vaggie. They were best friends who were there for each other in the hardest of times. Vaggie was a lot easier on the eyes than him but he chilled out after seeing how supportive Vaggie was for the both of them being together.

It was like that between the princess and Angel too. Charlie was just an overly affectionate person and he came to terms with that. She asked him to set limits and that she would comply as long as they were reasonable. It was weird to have someone who actually wanted to avoid hurting him. She wanted to listen. She wanted to make things work. For someone with such a cute face, she was super mature compared to his first initial impression of her.

So weird.

When the pool tables came in, he and Niffty helped the princess to put them together. That night, it was Angel and Vaggie VS Charlie and Husk. Apparently they were all out of practice because they accidentally embedded a ball into the wall more than once; they ended up calling it a draw after three games.

Weeks ended up passing.

Great weeks of Charlie trying out Husk's magic tricks, morning coffee, occasionally office sex much to Vaggie's dismay of walking in on them twice even if they did lock the door and watching different TV series. They even went dancing every other week and Husk helped Angel Dust meet a nice guy who actually really liked him. Things had been great.

Things were improving along with everyone's behavior. They even got a new client while they were out grocery shopping- a guy named Baxter who looked like a fish of some sort.

Husk was sure at this point he had fallen for the princess. He couldn't deny that anymore but anytime he thought of saying it, he just did the opposite which involved stripping her naked and having her regardless of what was going on at the moment.

It was bad enough Vaggie had to make them promise to do it when Charlie wasn't working. He couldn't even tell the moth demon why he constantly was on Charlie because it just sounded so damn stupid he kept to himself. It was something he didn't even want to tell anyone.

He wanted to tell his woman but he just couldn't.

It was a little stressful for him but Charlie took his grumpy moods with stride because she knew it had nothing to do with her actions.

He really had it too good and he knew soon enough things would come crashing down. It never failed.

It was in the middle of a Sunday. All the hotel staff pretty much relaxed except for Niffty of course. Charlie was in the middle of showing Angel Dust some of the magic tricks she had been working on. She looked at the cards closely and pulled out the five of diamonds.

"Is this your card?" she asked softly.

Angel slapped his face in shock.

"FUCK IT IS! HOLY SHIT!" he shrieked.

Husk snorted, watching them from the bar. He had cleaned it off several times already just to stay busy and his paws smelled like lemon polish. It was amusing to see the resident porn star acting more like an innocent child than a disgusting teenager. He had to give it to him though- he stopped his flirting even though he started asking how good Charlie was in bed.

"You got so good! Can we do it again?!"

"Of course!"

The princess started shuffling the cards to set them up again for the spider demon when there were a few loud knocks on the glass windows of the hotel doors. Husk's ears perked up and twitched. They hadn't expected anyone else to show up and it was already eight in the evening.

Charlie had mentioned there could be a scenario where someone could show up hurt and needing help. She would deny no one- even if they were going to leave after getting help.

Alastor appeared at the doorway, head tilted to the side just staring when the knocking started again but more urgently this time. He glanced at the princess looking for instruction whether he should open it or not. Charlie gave a short nod making Angel turn around in his seat to see who would walk through.

Alastor opened the door with the creepiest smile on his face and his eyes glowing like red stop light in the dark.

"Hello my good sir! Can I help you?" he asked loudly, trying to sound friendly.

Charlie snorted and Angel started cackling. Husk rolled his eyes at the fake customer service voice the Radio Demon used but it was amusing.

What Charlie didn't expect was the voice she heard.

"Is Princess Charlotte here?"

She stood up so quickly, she knocked all the cards onto the floor. Her head whipped around towards Husk who saw the weird expression on his girlfriend's face. He wasn't sure what the hell that meant but it couldn't be good. She almost looked panicked and annoyed.

She walked slowly around the couch to see Seviathan standing there. He had his hands behind his back in a dark green suit and a bright blue tie. She arched an eyebrow because he looked way too dressed up in her eyes.

Husk came around from the bar and Angel Dust went walking with him. The two of them stood to the side just watching curiously. Once Husk caught a glimpse of the guy, he knew who he was. Charlie had told him months ago that was her ex from high school and they didn't last too long after when he asked about some of the pictures on the wall.

"What do you want?"

Alastor's neck snapped to the side, cracking at the tone of Charlie's voice. It wasn't everyday the princess was short with someone. Even Angel looked shocked.

"That's no way to greet an old friend!"

She wrinkled her nose and placed her hands on her hips.

"Well, it's been a while and I can't imagine you're here to redeem yourself."

"Of course not Charlotte-

"She prefers Charlie," Alastor said flatly.

Husk and Angel arched an eyebrow at the annoyance in his voice.

"Ok, Charlie. I've come to ask you out again."

"No thanks!" the princess said, "You can leave now."

Alastor's shadow popped up with its fingers wiggling in the air to shove the demon out.

"Come on now! We're older now and we can be adults about this! You wouldn't just want any old sinner right? I'm sure your parents would want grandchildren!"

She scoffed, "Not interested in procreating and I have a boyfriend so no."

"You always said you wanted kids."

Seviathan took a step towards her and she backed up. Husk stepped up and stood in front of her. Not like he could physically outwit the guy but his magic would be enough.

"Go away, I'm trying to talk to her," he sneered, looking at Husk like he wasn't even impressed.

Alastor started cackling like a maniac. This was way more entertaining for him than it was for poor Charlie.

"This is my boyfriend, Husk. So, Seviathan I suggest you leave."

The green skinned demon started laughing.

"Sure- sure Charlie! Like your parents would approve that. They would disown you."

Husk stiffened up at this. He certainly didn't want that. Charlie's reaction to that was a little shocking- she busted up laughing.

"Go tell 'em! I don't care honestly. Mom would probably just tell me good job and then proceed to ask the most embarrassing questions but hey I could answer them rather proudly if I do say so myself."

"Come now Charlie! You can't really think that! Where are you going to get money? You gonna slum it with these things?"

"Yup and I'll gladly do it. You can leave now."

"I don't think so-

"If you don't, Alastor will eat you and I will defend him to the end of eternity that he didn't. None of us saw a damn thing and I can be convincing!"

The Radio Demon's eyes flickered to radio dials and a weird screeching started to go through the air.

"You wouldn't-

"I so would."

The demon whipped around with a huff and took off into the night.

That's all it took to make Husk relapse.

That night, he rolled onto his side on Charlie's bed facing away from her. She didn't take it personally- kind of, because she knew her ex had said some stuff. Honestly, she should've known this was going to happen. She had ignored a few of her mom's texts saying Seviathan was asking about her.

She had responded she had a boyfriend but that didn't stop the idiot from coming over here. It made her annoyed and she wished her mother would've given her the heads up but there was a bigger issue- she should've warned Husk in the first place.

She wiggled over closer to him and she heard him make a soft huff.

"Husk…. Can I talk to you?"

He mumbled something but she didn't catch it.

"I…. Mom texted and told me he was pestering her about me. I didn't feel like it was important because I just didn't think he would show up here. I'm sorry…. I should have said something."

She wiggled closer to where she could touch his wings and they twitched at her soft touches. Husk sighed.

"I hope you can forgive me… That was completely my fault. I wasn't all that worried about him."

"It's not your fault."

She wiggled closer to him.

"I love you. I really do," she whispered into his fur before burying her face into his neck.

"I know, doll. Thanks."

"No problem."

She slipped her arm around his wing and draped it over his side. He held her hand making her giggle softly and his heart started skipping beats.

He sighed internally.

X

X

The next day, he kind of shied away from her. Charlie understood last night didn't help- especially with the things that asshole said. She reminded him if he wanted to talk she was all ears and ready to drop everything the moment he wanted to.

That did not help.

That day, he thought about Charlie and her having kids. She never mentioned wanting any. She said she didn't want any last night but wouldn't she want some? Most women did and there was nothing wrong with that. The princess would be a wonderful mother.

What would happen in twenty years and she decides she does but he can't have them. What would they do? Would she just up and leave him for someone else? It was way too early in their relationship for that kind of talk.

Was there even an orphanage in Hell?

Fuck, he didn't know.

That was another strike against him. He couldn't father children because he was a dead sinner. He would have to be Hellborn. Like that uppity asshole.

The day after that, he thought about her parents. Would they disown her? He didn't want that. He had gathered that their relationship wasn't the best now but he didn't want to be the reason it was ruined forever.

His parents weren't even the best people but hey, they were someone he could trust once in a while. Well, that was probably where his issues started…. Ok so they weren't a good example.

Maybe he and the princess had a little more in common than he thought.

That's a fucked up thing to have in common.

He avoided her all day. He even went to sleep before she made it to his room since they were alternating between rooms. It wasn't said yet but it was too early to move into one room together.

The third day, he woke up to Charlie naked as the day she was born and she was smiling shyly at him from under her sheet. Hell, he smelled the arousal from her in his sleep but he mumbled something and got out of her room quickly. He wasn't sure how she was going to feel about that later but he would worry about that when he had time.

Husk thought about money. What if Charlie's parents disowned her? What if her hotel went under and she was broke? He couldn't do a fucking thing for her. He would let her down so quick, she would get whiplash.

FUCK I am useless.

The only money he got his hands on was the money he got for gambling from Alastor. Gambling wasn't going to get his girlfriend a fucking place to live. She wouldn't complain about a shitty apartment. She would be the type to think it was a fucking palace and she would try and decorate it the best she could.

He rubbed his face a little annoyed. Vaggie had been shooting him dirty looks all day while he stood behind the bar. His yellow eyes wandered to the bottle of whiskey that was unopened under the bar. He hadn't had a drop of alcohol in four days.

Four days.

All the horrible thoughts just came scratching at his soul from the dark depths of his own personal Hell.

His throat felt dry. His mouth watered.

He wanted to drown himself in that amber liquid so fucking badly.

"Don't do it."

His head snapped upward to see Alastor standing there. His smile was there but he was frowning and twirling his mic around. For once in his life, the asshole Radio Demon looked concerned.

"What the fuck did you say?"

"Don't do it, Husker."

"What do you think I gonna fuckin' do huh?" he snapped.

"I think you're about to drown your sorrows like a pathetic moron."

Husk arched an eyebrow.

"Why the fuck do you care anyways?"

"I don't know."

His pissed off frown disappeared.

"You don't know?"

Alastor shook his head.

The two of them had a stare down for a good five minutes before Husk grabbed the neck of the bottle anyways. The deer demon sighed.

"You're willing to throw away everything you managed to snag with your grimy claws like that?"

Husk pulled the lid off.

"Don't matter, does it? She wants things I cannot give her and I ain't worth a flying fuck."

"Charlie seems to think so highly of you… You want to damage that?"

"She just fuckin' pities me!" he yelled, slamming the bottle on the bar top, "Why the fuck do you care?! You want me to do a damn job? If not, leave me the fuck alone alright?! I belong alone and I'll be alone because I ain't worth anyone's time or breath!"

Alastor glared at him and disappeared.

X

X

"Of course he would be the kind of idiot who allows someone like an ex boyfriend to cause him to act like a baby all over again!" Vaggie snapped, crossing her arms in front of her.

Charlie played with the hem of her suit.

"I think it's my fault. I did apologize the night it happened. Maybe I bothered him when he woke up to me naked…."

"Charlie, you sleep naked sometimes."
She blushed, "W-well…. He can um…. Ya know…. Smell when I'm horny."

Vaggie wrinkled her nose up, "I find that disgusting and mildly amusing. Wait, is that how he knows and why you guys go at it like rabbits?!"

"Well, sometimes he gets this complicated look on his face like he wants to tell me something and then next thing I know, he gets me naked. I'm not going to complain…. It's been really different in the last few weeks though."

"What do you mean?"

"Like…. It's not fucking anymore…."

"Oh my god. Oh my god. He's making love to you! Is that what you're trying to tell me?!"

Charlie blinked a few times.

"Oh. Oh."

"What?"

"Vaggie!" she hissed, "I think he's been trying to tell me he loves me!"

The moth demon blinked, "You're kidding me."

"No! He gets like that when I do nice things or I tell him I love him!"

"Jesus christ, he's sappy."

Charlie squished her cheeks excitedly.

"So, every time you tell him you love him, he can't say it then just starts stripping you instead of telling you?! God, he sounds like a fucking man."

"Well, I think he just acts like Husk. He hasn't told me much of anything other than his parents dropped him as a baby."

Vaggie snorted and choked on her own spit. Charlie snickered and pushed the button on the elevator.

"I think he hasn't been loved before. Maybe I'm doing too much for him? Maybe I'm pressuring him too much and maybe I need to chill out?"

The doors opened up and they stepped in. Vaggie pushed the lobby button.

"I think you're fine. He's just…. Dealing I think? He does care about you a lot. It's obvious- grossly obvious."

"I think so too."

The doors opened up and they stepped out. Charlie's face fell so quickly when her eyes landed on Husk drinking his third bottle of whiskey since the other two were on the floor at his feet. Vaggie started shaking with rage at the sight. They stepped out quietly unable to speak a word.

Charlie's eyes flickered to the front desk where Alastor was leaning at. He wore that sharp yellow smile but it seemed… unhappy? Charlie opened her mouth to say something but no words came from her lips.

"What the fuck are you doing?!" Vaggie screeched.

Alastor cocked an eyebrow.

Husk's head rolled to the side. He was definitely fucked up. Fucked up like the night Charlie dragged him to his room.

"I'm fuckin' drinkin'. What's it look like to ya?"

"You motherfucker-

Charlie raised her hand causing Vaggie to fall silent.

"What are you doing?" the princess asked softly.

"Do I need ta repeat myself?" he slurred.

"B-but why?"

"'Cause it's what I'm good at."

"You're good at lots of things though! You were doing so good. I can understand a glass of it but not several bottles-

"Just 'cause I plow yer ass into the mattress princess, doesn't mean I'm good fer ya."

Alastor straightened up as soon as Charlie turned bright red and tears started to prick at her eyes.

"T-that's n-not what I-I meant!"

"I dunno why yer wit me anyway!" he spat out, standing up and trying to stagger over to her.

"Because I love you-

"Naw I don't think so!" he said loudly.

Husk got a foot away from her.

"The only reason ya want me is because ya got some weird ass daddy issues yer taking it out me and lookin' for the shit dear ol' daddy wouldn't give ya!" he spat out, jabbing a nail in her face

Vaggie slapped a hand to her mouth and her eye widened in shock. Alastor's jaw actually dropped open even his shadow popped up looking shocked too.

The room suddenly turned hot. Charlie's rose colored eyes turned black and her sclera turned red. Horns emerged from her head in a dark red color, twisting as they came out. Her tail emerged and flickered behind her.

"What the fuck did you just say to me?!" her voice screeched out in a demonic way that hurt even Vaggie's ears.

Husk had never sobered up so fast in his life as Charlie started growing and towering over him easily.

He knew he fucked up bad but he barely remembered what he had said.

Charlie stood there shaking with rage he had never seen come from her before. Alastor didn't even comment or even laugh. Vaggie reached up to touch her arm when Charlie clenched her claws. She whipped around, almost slapping her best friend in the face with her tail. She stomped towards the doors, shrinking a little.

"I need time to myself. Don't bother looking for me."

The moth demon only nodded but it wasn't like Charlie could see it. The three of them stood in the lobby in absolute silence for the longest time.

He definitely fucked up.