What if Charlie didn't listen to Angel when he told her to leave. What if she saw deep in to his eyes and knew that he actually wanted help but instead would rather protect her from Val. Charlie maybe a sweet angelic demon, but remember that you never mess with her loved ones. EVER!
An AU of episode 4 of Hazbin Hotel. Wanted to give a spin to it. I wanted to create more or make a habit of Charlie and Angel fics, more of a brother-sister type of thing.
I also got inspired by an amazing fic called- Unlikely Companions by Vencaer_Garmr on AO3.
"All right, get your asses back on set and we are taking this from the top!" Val ordered everyone, as he yanked a bruised Angel Dust back to his position on the bed.
"What makes you think you can treat him like that?!" Charlie, engulfed in demonic fury, strode over to Val, her hair flowing upwards like flames, her horns erupt from her head, her eyes as red and deadly as the fires of hell. She was not going to mix words, that's for sure, she was going to-
"CHARLIE!" She was cut off by an angry Angel Dust in her way. "Just stop!" he said with added heat.
"Angel, what are you talking ab-?" She asks, confused and a bit sad.
"Charlie leave!" Gesturing a finger towards the door. Not leaving room for argument, he shoves the Princess towards the door in a forceful manner.
"I didn't want you to come here. I already asked you to leave and you didn't listen. You made things worse." Angel said, pushing towards the door frame.
"I just wanted to help you." Feeling the tinge of guilt and blame
"Well, you ain't! You actually want to help me? Get the FUCK out of here! Right now, and let me finish my work." As he said that, shut the door in her face, but before it closed, Charlie could see a pang of guilt flash across Angel's face, even if was for a second.
She just stood there, tears threatening to betray her as they would fall across her plump cheeks and down to the floor. Charlie had just witnessed a sight that could only cause a person with a kind heart' blood to boil with anger. But she wondered what she could do now.
Ever since she met Angel Dust on the streets of hell, she knew in her heart of hearts that he was a good person who lacked the helping hand to lift him from the pits of despair and shame that he was so accustomed to. Even when their first meeting did not start off with happiness and grace, she knew from the glimpse, even if it was a little, that he wanted to be free, to be happy, to be REDEEMED and that was the first in all of it. Wanting it, even it was a small flickering flame, as long as it was not snuffed out, then there is always hope.
Living with Angel Dust was like having an annoying little brother, not like she would know anything about that but she loved him like any other family member, even if her family was flaky at times. She at times would be annoyed by his turf wars, his sexual innuendos, and the way he makes snide comments about her or the other hotel residents. Charlie loved Angel no matter what, because she knew that he was just shielding his heart from the pains and sorrows of hell, in doing that, he closed off any form of real love that he came across, not wanting to be hurt all over again.
It was a challenge at first when they lived together, but Angel, despite being a pornstar, understood people's feelings and boundaries. He loved the hotel with all his heart, not just for the free food and no rent; okay that was a given. But he was slowly changing for the better and that was something that Charlie could not let be destroyed, no matter if it was another overlord.
Pushing back the tears, she was not going to cry home, but Burn. This. Shit. To. The. Ground.
As Val was about to start his latest video with favorite toy, they were interrupted by the doors of the studious slamming open and crimson red eyes beamed from the shadows, peeking in to the room as if a beast was at the door.
As the devilish being strode over to the set, leaving red and white torched foot prints behind, everyone was either shocked, confused, or feeling a rising sense of fear at what they were witnessing.
Angel tore his eyes off Val to see something that made him sweat bullets.
Charlie stood in the center of the porn studio, standing at 10 feet tall, with a few inches above Val himself. Her horns were bared out in a radiating tone, hair wildly flailing in the air. She called upon her inherited angelic wings from her father, beaming a golden ray of hope and wonder. As she made her way over to a bored looking Val, she was stopped again by a familiar voice.
"Charlie! W-what the fuck are you doing here?! I told you to go home. You will only ma-" He interrupted by a hand raised in the air that motion him to silence. Angel didn't know why he stopped, could it be the sudden confidence that the princess gave off right now or was it the anger that could be seen in her eyes, ready to spill out and decimate all that was in her way.
"Angel." Her voice was a mixture of a demonic and angelic tone, the latter doing nothing to calm the fear in the spiders eyes. Sensing this, the princess took hold of his hands in a warm embrace that did wonders to stifle his fear. Their moment was cut short by a now angry overload moth.
"Angie Cakes." That name brought a familiar sense of fear back to the spider demon. "I thought I told you to get rid of your little friend here. Are you defying me?" He asked with a mock tone of sadness but Angel knew there was underlying sense of anger boiling up to the surface. Angel quickly took his hand from the demon princess and walked over to calm his pimp down, much to her annoyance.
Before he can say anything else, Val's hand was raised, threatening to bruise the already tender face of the spider. He closed his eyes, bracing for the burning sting of the attack, but when the pain was not felt, he opened his two big eyes to see what happened. He was shocked to see that Val's hand was caught by a familiar grip of the princess. His face showed levels of shock and wrath, something Angel was all too familiar with.
She swatted his arm away, jerking him to hit the director's chair behind him with a thud. Everyone gave uncontrolled gasps at the scene.
Val quickly recovered, pretending like that never happened. "Well Angie cakes. It seems you have this little princess by your side. Hmm. Will it do you all that well when tomorrow is another day?" A devilish smirk plastered across his face, red drool dripping down as he bared his teeth at them. If Angel Dust was not scared before, he was petrified with absolute terror at the prospects what Val will do to him, and not just him but all the people he has come to love and care for; who also loved him.
As tears pricked down from his eyes and he shook with terror, two comforting hands enveloped him from behind and held him with a certain type of warmth that he hadn't felt since he hugged his mother and sister Molly in his human life. The hug did wonders to calm him down, even if it was just for a short span, he happily reveled in it.
Suddenly, he was brought face to face with the princess, in her still demonic form. He peered in to her eyes once again, now an angelic white shone on her right side. He saw something that he was all too afraid to have, to nurture, to completely go towards to; hope.
Not wasting time, she summons the contract from Val's grasp, much to his shock and fear, too late to do anything about it. She then activates a protective barrier to keep unwanted intruders out. While Val was frantically pounding the shield, unleashing what magic power he had on it, but it was no use in Charlie's hybrid demonic angelic form, a very powerful tool she did not use lightly.
"W-what's h-happening Charlie?" Angel nervously shook in her grasp, justifiably scared at the outcome.
Charlie squeezed his shoulder with her free hand while the other one was gripping hold of the reluctant contract. She took a moment to stare in to the spider's eyes and said, "Do you trust me?" with utmost conviction and plea.
Angel Dust was not one to give his life or trust to just anyone off the street, but he knew the person standing right here was no ordinary John he picked from the club; she was his friend.
He gave a nod. "Yes Charlie." That was the Princess needed to do what she had to do.
Her wings spread wide as she clenches the contract in one hand and brings the other up to his neck. With a snap the dark red mist that has haunted him for decades solidifies into a solid collar, chains and shackles. They cling closely to the spider, completely entangling his body and almost seem to slither through his fur.
Everywhere the chains touched, Angel could swear he could feel phantom touches from the roach. As if he reaching through the barrier to grab on to his possession.
Seizing the chain connected to one of his bound wrists Charlie begins to feel along the manifested magic. It's almost as if it shies away from her touch. Like it KNOWS what is about to happen. After finding the exact spot where Angel's essence ceases and Valentino's begins, she takes the link in her hand and seems to pinch it. The otherworldly material bending and buckling as her hands glow white hot. The demonic magic that makes up the chain thrashes and shrieks like metal across metal.
Angel cries out making all the people on set look at him. Everyone was in stunned silence as things played out, even more so when they saw the same overload that caused him pain, thrashing on the floor with great agony.
Anthony cries out as Charlie Morningstar pinches yet another link in the contract and watches the link carefully. If she is even slightly off the mark it could have unforeseen consequences. Upon the second chain connected to Angel's other wrist being severed the ones around his legs tighten. The collar around his throat follows suit as the possessive magic does everything in its power to keep the contract intact.
The contract in her other hand glows bright red. As if it shares the same rage as the overlord.
With every severed link Angel feels his memories resurface. Painful memories. Memories of being tricked into believing he loved that possessive bastard. Memories of being forced to obey his every whim. All the times he was forced to bed a creepy, gross or violent client. Every time after a show he was taken to his own dressing room and forced to sleep with the slimy moth that held his soul in a vice grip. Every smack, every backhand, every kick, every bruise, cut and broken bone over the last 80 years seemed to reignite inside of him as he let out more strangled pain filled screams.
'Fuck You Valentino.' She thought to herself, actually seeing all the memories in her friends mind.
Grabbing the second link closest to the contract Charlie began to pinch off the connection like nothing had changed between each chain. Her strength was beyond what an overlord could begin to muster even while having only minimal training from her father. Her father had also warned her about this. It's a defence mechanism that some overlords have to confuse the one severing the contract. It intermingles their essence with the victim and makes it impossible to tell which is which.
Yet that wasn't all that was happening. She could feel the essence of a third and fourth party in the links of the contract. If the 3 V's had a contract between themselves that was mutually beneficial and had them sharing terms and power then this last link was the cumulative effort to keep Angel on a leash. The closer she was to the contract the stronger it was.
She saw closely the expression on her friends face and it almost deterred her conviction. The pain, the surfaced agony that he had to endure all this time was breaking her heart. She couldn't stop now. No. For she will not let some overlord take what is hers.
When the last link is severed an explosion of pink light blinds everyone as Angel's head is thrown back, if it wasn't for the last minute grip of her embrace, they would have been thrown out of the barrier forcefully.
The light show dies down as well as the barrier. Charlie letting go, reverted back to her normal state before stumbling back on her feet. A hand was there to support the both of them. She looked up to see Angel Dust giving off a tired smile to his…friend.
They took the opportunity to leave the studio and head somewhere before Val or the other V's came around.
Groggy eyes finally peered opened, tired as they were, they took in the environment she was in.
Sitting upright what appears to be a mangled up bed of some sorts, she takes a closer look to see she was probably in an apartment, seems to be in the run down part of pride. She takes in the sight and can't help but feel as if she was here before.
"Good morning toots." She whipped her head to catch the all too familiar voice. On the window seal, she saw a familiar spider demon in his everyday drag clothes, a skirt, pink jacket, thigh high boots and a bow tie.
He turned around with a neutral expression as he walked over to where the sleeping princess lay.
"A-angel Dust…what happened? Where are we?" Charlie asked frantically.
Angel just eyed her with folded arms. "Quite the show you did there Princess. That show got you all tired though and so I figured you needed immediate rest. So I brought you back to my old ritz for some R&R and to get away from the V's for some time." He spoke in a calm voice that made Charlie a little nervous. "Honestly, what were you FUCKING THINKING PULLING THAT SHIT?!" Losing his calm demeanor to give her an ear full.
Charlie only sighs at that. "Angel, I will not apologize for what I did today. I could not just stand there and allow one of family members to be treated like that." Not fault in her speech.
Angel Dust was quickly taken aback by this, but before he could respond, she continued. "Angel, I remember the first time I met you. It was around this area of hell and I was looking for patrons for hotel and I happen to find you. You were so reluctant at first, even Vaggie wouldn't allow it, but I didn't let up. I saw a soul wishing to be better, if given a second chance and took that chance on you Angel. I don't regret a thing." She said with a smile of conviction
Angel could not stand it, his lips were quivering and he was at the verge of showing his fucking tears.
"I never asked you to fucking save me! I never asked for you to come back and deal with Val! But now, I wil have to see him again next time and-" He was cut off.
"Angel, I broke your contract with Val. Your free."
"What?" after hearing two words that he craved for so long. He chose to say that in response.
"I said that I successfully destroyed the contract that bound you Val. You are now free from his control."
"How?" He said disbelief.
"I was taught by my father to break contracts. It's not all that simple as the needs strong magical ability but it severely drains me of strength and stamina until I can rest and recover. It was a risk, but I'd happily do it again for you." She said with her warm smile.
That was enough his shields. "W-why. Why would you-do you give a damn about me? You could have gotten seriously hurt. And for WHAT a FUCK UP LIKE ME?!" Hiding his tear stained face in his hands, he couldn't bring himself to look at her. Two arms embraced him once again, warm as before with no less care and love. It muffled the sobs until they were soft and dying down.
"Because I love you Angel. You are not just my friend now but my family. And I did promise to help you on the road of redemption and as princess of hell, I intend to keep that promise."
He looked up, sniffling. "Even with a broken loser like me, you still care just as much?" Looking at her face to find any traces of a lie, but he could not find any.
"Didn't God said that he came to the earth for the weak and broken. I don't care if you are "broken" Angel. I care that you want to change and I will help you…no matter what or how long it takes." She pulled him in to another one of her comforting hug and this time, Angel took the opportunity to hug back with some much returned love and happiness.
"Thank you Princess." He sighed in her shoulder.
"You're always welcome Angel."
"Anthony."
"What?" Pulling him up to see him.
"Please if it is just us. Call me Anthony, only my family does." He said so shyly.
She looked at him with a heartfelt smile and hugged him again. "You got it Anthony!"
Finally he was free. FREE! And though he doesn't fully believe in redemption, he believes in the new fri-sister who never gave up on him and that is good enough to try.
Okay I wrote this because I hate Val and wish to burn him alive. I also had a brain blast on the idea and wanted to get on the fanfic train. Hope you enjoy and do let me know what you think. Thank You.