"Go slowly?" Angel muttered.

"Of course." Thorne replied. "How slow would you like?"

** Three Months Later **

"Thorne" moaned Angel; his face buried in a pillow.

Thorne looked up from his desk at the spider, dressed not in his usual pink suit but instead a sparkly red dress and a large blond wig has buried himself face-first on his couch.

"Don't get lipstick on my cushions, Angel." The doctor growled, as he continued scribbling in his notebook.

"But Thorne!" Angel whined, "I have to tell you something."

"Yes dear?"

The spider demon rose gracefully from the couch and made his way to the desk.

Thorne lifted his gaze to meet Angel's, who gave a strained smile.

"I'm leaving you for another man." The spider muttered.

"Again?" Thorne smiled wryly.

"Yer, this guy gives me more love and affection than you."

"I'll have to up my game then." Thorne huffed sarcastically.

"It's too late for that kitty." Angel spoke, biting his bottom lip, looking down and taking Thorne's hands in his own. "It's over between us."

Releasing the cat demon's hands, Angel bent down, picked up Nuggets and plopped him on the black granite desk.

"Hey!" Thorne growled, gently tapping on Nugget's snout.

The pig turned to face Thorne.

"I thought we were friends' pig." Thorne choaked, "But then you go and steal my man. What do you have to say for yourself?"

Nuggets oblivious to the situation, trots over and licks Thorne's nose.

"That's alright, I forgive you."

"What about me?" Angel cooed, spreading himself over Thorne's desk. "What should I do to get your forgiveness?"

"Get off my paper work?" Thorne smiled comely.

"Is that all?" Angel asked seductively, striking a pose while running a hand down Thorne's fluffy shirtless torso.

"Well, you could let me take that dress off you."

Angel grinned, and leant forward.

"Only if it's with your teeth."

"Is there another way to remove a dress?"

They both drew closer, their eyes closing. They hadn't kissed before, well not a proper one as a couple. Thorne was determined to take it slow. They had gone to his favourite art gallery and Angel's aquarium, no matter what they did it was always nice. And Angel was happy.

Thorne could feel Angel's shaking breath on his face, after three months, he was still nervous. That made two of them. But in a few seconds their lips would meet and…

Angel's phone buzzed.

They both opened their eyes and growled.

"Fuck that mood killer." Thorne grunted, as Angel shuffled off his desk.

Angel chuckled, looking at his phone his face fell and he stiffened.

"It's pop."

"Perhaps not then." Thorne winced. The relationship between Angel and Henroin had been slowly mending over the past few months.

"He wants to have a family meeting."

"By family you mean…"

"The other Dons." Angel sighed, making his way to the shower at the back of the office, "I'm sorry Thorne. We're gonna have to reschedule that kiss. And I'm gonna have to change."

Thorne just smiled as he saw Angel remove his wig and retreat behind the frosted glass of the bathroom. As much as he wanted to join him, he wasn't a cad.

"So, these are for when he's good." Angel smiled now in his dark suit, shaking the small box of treats.

"Legs, he aint good." Husk snarled.

"Think ya find Husky, that m'baby is a little cherub." Angel's smile widening, scooping up Nuggets and putting him on the bar. Who promptly started inspecting an upturned shot glass, his snout pushing it around the bar before it tumbled off and shattered on the floor.

"DAMN IT PIG!" Husk roared, bending over to pick up the glass.

"Oh, I don't know Husk." Thorne chuckled, "It does give me a nice look at your ass."

"Fuck it kid." Husk grumbled.

"If you want."

"Oh, I wanna watch." Angel pleaded.

Husk blushed, scowled and went back to picking up glass.

"Do ya promise to be good for me baby?" Angel asked.

Thorne looked at Nuggets trotting up and down the bar, till Angel poked him in the face.

"Babe? You in there?" Angel queried.

"I thought you were talking to Nuggets." Thorne replied, turning on his stool to face the spider.

"Oh, I trust him." Angel winked. "But can I trust you to be alone with this handsy bartender?"

"Handsy, what the fuck?" Husk fumed.

"Don't you worry Angel." Thorne affirmed, "I've got water in a spray bottle, I can keep this wild animal in line."

Angel smiled softly, leant forward and kissed Thorne's cheek.

"M'Hero." The spider joked. Before turning and making his way to his meeting with the Dons.

You're no hero. Thorne's internal monologue thundered. You're a monster.

Thorne gave a quick glance round the room. Nifty had gone out before they arrived. Alastor had said that she was out buying a "Hent-pie", and he was confused as to why she didn't just make one with him, as they were getting rather good at cooking together. Thorne chuckled, he didn't correct Alastor, and let him leave and "make his own entertainment", whatever that meant. Charlie and Vaggie had gone out to the movies, leaving Thorne and Husk alone for the evening.

Seeing Nuggets making a beeline for another shot glass, Thorne picked him off the bar and sat him on his lap.

"Soft pig, warm pig, little lump of fat. Small pig, cute pig, Pat, pat, pat."

"You got too much free time." Husk snorted, disposing of the broken glass, and reaching for a bottle.

Thorne sighed and Husk growled.

"If I ain't gambling, then I gotta drink to keep my shit together."

"Can we talk, Husk?"

"Not 'bout this." Husk protested, the bottle shaking as he drank.

"It breaks my heart watching you do this to yourself."

"Fuck sake kid. I've got this."

"You shouldn't have to do it alone."

"Wha' the shit do y'know 'bout… fuck." Husk grunted, wiping his eyes, planting a hand on the bar.

Thorne reached out gently, putting his smaller hand on Husk's larger one.

"Thought you and Angel…" Husk muttered.

"Doesn't mean that I can't be kind."

Time passed with the two feline demons taking seats by the fire and talking at length.

"So, when you and Angel flirt with me…"

"We're just teasing you. But, if you want us to stop, please just say."

Husk opens his mouth to answer but his stomach rumbles.

"Looks like Husky's tummy gots the rumblies, that I know only chicken nuggets can satisfy." Thorne chortled.

"Ya remember that?" Husk murmured, his eyes widening.

"Course. It was our first date."

"It weren't a date." Husk grunted, downing the last of the bourbon.

"No, it wasn't." Thorne mused, "I was high on heroin and you were so drunk, that McCluckins was the only place that could understand what the fuck we were talking about."

"Should order from them again."

"Can't", Thorne replied, "Lost them a few exterminations ago. But I'll see what I can do."

It took a while to find a place that would deliver, since the hotel had become locus non grata since the TV interview. Thorne was also pleased that he got the order for free, as the driver pissed himself at seeing that he was delivering to an overlord.

Thorne took the order and sat it on Husk's poker table while he went to help the bartender get plates from the kitchen.

"What's with the plates?" Husk sniffed.

"You know I don't like getting anything on my suit."

"Just take it off."

"Why Husk, are you telling me to get undressed?"

"Why not?" Husk murmured, "Angel should see that you got a pretty sweet body under there."

Thorne just stood stunned at Husk's statement.

"Just givin' as good as I get." Husk chuckled.

"Y'Know kitty." Thorne leered, "If you wanted to go the extra mile, you could always give my ass a little squeeze."

"I ain't doing that, you'd tell Angel."

"Worried about a jealous spider?"

"Nah, worried that he'd want a threesome."

They both chuckled at that, with Thorne staring into Husk's amber eyes. He had to be careful, he could end up staring into those for hours.

He didn't have to as a mighty crash came from the main room.

Both demons came running back in to see the poker table turned on its side, poker chips and chicken nuggets scattered all over the floor.

The pair stared in confusion till Nuggets poked his little plump face out from behind the table.

"We were gone for a few seconds." Thorne said puzzled, "How did you manage all this? There isn't anything for you to pull on."

Not expecting an answer, he took a step forward and heard a metallic clicking.

Looking down he saw Nuggets with something in his mouth.

"What you got there Nuggs?" Thorne asked reaching forward before plunging two fingers into the pig's mouth.

Nuggets was not keen on the idea of having what was in his mouth forcibly removed. So, he bit down, hard.

"Ouch" Thorne cried; it took some wrestling but he finally managed to drag the offending object out of Nuggets' mouth. A poker-chip.

"I think he ate one of your chips." Thorne muttered nervously.

"So?"

"Either there'll be a blockage or he'll perforate something. And neither of us want to spend the rest of our afterlives on the run from Angel."

"Can't ya' operate?"

"And say what? The scar is because Nuggets begged us for liposuction?"

"Well, what ya' gonna do?"

Thorne picks the offending pig up, who was scowling at him and looking very disgruntled.

The doctor stared into Nuggets' big black eyes.

"Forgive me pig." He muttered before pricking him with one of his claws.

Nuggets squealed in discomfort, and looked up at Thorne. Who was sure that if Nuggets were capable, his bottom lip would be quivering.

"Sorry Nuggets."

"Wha' happened?" Husk asked, munching away on what nuggets hadn't hit the floor.

"Gave him a laxative."

"Come on pig, it's fuckin' cold." Husk grumbled.

They had been outside for what seemed an age, all Nuggets had done was to sniff the air.

A couple of quick pulls on his lead from Thorne, prevented Nuggets from wandering off too far. Thorne did his best not to look, hoping that just by giving Nuggets privacy it would help him… do his business.

Thorne felt a slight tug on his trouser leg, and looked down.

"Err, Husk."

"Yer?"

"Can I have a branch?"

Branch in hand, Thorne started checking the small brown package Nuggets had left on the lawn.

"Well?" Husk grunted.

"Nothing, perhaps the metallic sound I heard was one of us walking on the chips." Thorne theorized throwing the branch away, giving the lead another small tug as Nuggets made another bid for freedom.

"So, we did all, this for nothin'"

"Perhaps." Thorne shrugged, "Come on Nuggets.", he gave another small tag on the lead but this time there was no resistance. Looking down Thorne was horrified to see that the lead had broken and Nuggets had disappeared.

"Where's the pig?" He cried out.

They both looked around frantically. Before Husk pointed to the rear of the garden.

"There he is!"

Nuggets was near a hole in the wall and was trotting ever closer.

"No. Stay away from that hole." Thorne demanded.

"Never thought I'd hear you say that." Husk sniggered.

Thorne scowled back and pulls Husk to the wall just as Nuggets squeezes himself through it.

"Oh, shit!" Thorne profaned.

"You're so fucked when Angel gets back. And not in a good way. Anyway, I'm going back to m'food."

"Like sweet cinnamon fuck you are." Thorne snarls, leaping onto the wall, "You're helping as it's your poker-chip."

Husk groans, clambering up the wall, "I'm too sober for this shit."

"Can you see him Husk?"

"There", the bartender points to the small pig quickly making his way down the road and turning down a side street.

"Oh no." Thorne mutters nervously, "That goes to the deviant district."

"What's wrong with that?"

"Remember when we had to hide down there when there was that acid rain?"

"Yer" Husk grimaces in remembrance, "What was that place we hid in called again?"

"Scat Sanctuary. Now, I've seen somethings, both as a doctor and a demon. But that… we should've braved the rain."

"Well." Husk sniffs, jumping off the wall down to street level. "We better go get 'im before he ends up in 'Pig Parlour' or some shit."

Thorne remained silent but smiled as he followed Husk over the wall, trying his best not to think what 'Pig Parlour' would entail.

They checked every alley, behind every trash-bin and under every hobo. But no Nuggets. Thorne nearly lost Husk twice. Once to a group of lust murders and again at a plush toy shop. Hush had insisted that he saw Nuggets, but after a few minutes of fruitless searching, Thorne surmised that Husk just wanted to look at the cute and cuddly toys.

Pulling Plush Husk away and back onto the streets searching for Angel's pig, they ended up outside a restaurant and noticed Nuggets scratching at the door.

"Nuggets, come here." Thorne growled forcefully.

Nuggets turns to obeys, but soon a giggling demon couple emerge with the pleasant wafts from the building proving too much of a temptation for the little pig, and he dashes inside before it closes.

"Damn it!" Thorne snarled exasperated.

Husk, still miffed at being dragged out of the previous store, looked up at the sign.

"Sito's?" He murmured. "Was gonna take you here. Ages ago."

Thorne didn't answer, opening the door, gripping Husk's hand and dragging him inside.

It was an anteroom dimly lit with a velvet curtain, the sweet smell of cooking making Thorne's senses tingle.

"Hello boys." Said two scarlet skinned succubae in waiter uniforms, "What are you both looking for?"

"A pig." Thorne said.

"We get a lot of those in here." One of the waiters winked, "Anything more specific?"

"Nuggets?" Husk shrugged.

"I think we can help you two cuties with that." The other waiter smiled, leading them behind the curtain.

There must have been some sort of sounding ward on the curtain, as the pair of demons were hit by a wave of sounds as they entered. The sounds were cacophonous. Deviant District, so of course it had to do with sex. They were in a restaurant alright but the diners were all busy having sex with and around the food they had ordered.

"Well, I'm never going to look at lasagne the same way again." Thorne grimaced looking at a table before turning to Husk. "Was going to bring me here?"

"Kid, I didn't…"

"Not on a date obviously!" Thorne grinned. "Now come on, we need to find Nuggets. And don't eat the breadsticks, you don't know where they've been."

"Here you are boys." The waiter said bringing them to their table, which already had a large plate of crispy nuggets waiting to be devoured.

"Ummm, think these are ok?" Husk asked, prodding them.

"Find out." Thorne shrugged, "I need to find Nuggets."

The doctor took off at pace, looking under the tables for Angel's piglet. He finally found him, munching away on the remains of a blueberry pie that had fallen to the floor.

"Come here you." Thorne rumbled, grabbing the fat pig before he could make another bid for freedom.

Walking back to Husk, Thorne found him wide-eyed and staring off into space.

"Husk?"

The bartender just grabbed Thorne's free hand and put it behind his ear.

"Scratch!" Was Husk's command.

"You feeling alright?"

Husk launched himself at Thorne, wrapping his gangly arms around the doctor.

"HOLD ME!" Husk bellowed, and started purring as he rubbed his face against his ex's.

Thorne sighed; they must have dosed the food with an aphrodisiac.

"And you tell people that you're not capable of love." Thorne rolled his eyes. But scowled again as he felt Nuggets press up against his suit. Looking down he saw the pig rubbing his blueberry-stained face against Thorne, soiling his jacket. Thorne gently pushed Husk away and brought Nuggets to eye level.

"Pig, if Angel wasn't…"

"Hold me, God damnit!" Husk demanded, grabbing Thorne's jacket sleeve and pulling as hard as he could. Thorne could only snarl in anger as he heard fabric tearing as Husk tore the sleeve off and crashed to the ground. That was another suit ruined, one by vomit, one by acid and now one by a horny cat and greedy pig.

Thorne picked up the intoxicated cat and snarled in his and Nuggets' face.

"You're both lucky that you're cuties, now how am I getting you two squishes home?"

"Squish?" Husk asked, tilting his head slightly. Before launching himself at Thorne again.

"SQUISH ME, THORNE, AND BITE MY TAIL LIKE YOU USED TO!"

Oh, tonight was going to be a long night. Thorne thought, dragging the cat and pig, back to the hotel.

"Can Dons retire?" Angel asked as he sat at the bar with Thorne. While Husk snored in an armchair.

"I take it that's what your father wanted to say at the meeting."

"Yer, took us by surprise."

"How did the other Dons take it?"

"Poorly."

"Well, let them squabble amongst themselves. What new venture is your dad going into now?"

"Didn't say. But he wanted me to ask you somethin'."

"Hmmmmm."

"What's your favourite flower?" Angel asked with a frown, "… I didn't get it neither."

"Well, it's the French Hydrangea. Why did he want to know that?"

"Didn't say, just that he'd call you.", Angel replied typing something into his phone.

Thorne just smiled as he watched Angel sip his drink. Wonder if he'd get that kiss later.

Nuggets trotted over and tugged on the ankle of Angel's trousers.

"Hey Nuggets." Angel fussed, "Have ya been a good boy for mama?"

"We've had a little adventure haven't we Nuggets?" Thorne smirked.

Nuggets answer was to perform a small jig of tippy-taps.

"Ya' wanna go outside?", Angel asked, rising from his bar stool.

"Careful Angel." Thorne said quickly, "There's a hole in the back wall."

"M'baby would never run away from me." Angel gasped in mock offence. As he scooped Nuggets up and took him outside.

Thorne sat alone for a few minutes; felt his phone buzz in his pocket. Pulling it out, a message from Corvus. Thorne unlocked the screen and went to read it.

The door to the garden opened.

"Thorne." Angel sighed, "How t'fuck did Nuggets eat a poker chip?"

The doctor sat there in silence.

"I'm not getting that kiss tonight, am I?"

"Nope."

Thorne's heart was racing, the message from Corvus. Thorne's operatives had managed to capture a minion of Halantines. Not alive but they did recover a message from the phone the minion was carrying and a sample of the new drug Halentine was peddling. He had a thread! All he had to do now was make sense of it.

10LBS DG-IT Length5,1stDEVIL,N3,AATWTTAHHWTXDDAUXXYOTYTUAAHWTYTHOTTTOHDXYU

XOXMH

Well wasn't that fun?

Feel free to try and solve Halentine's code. Please let me know what you think and if there is anything you would like to see more of.