Don't own the Hazbin Hotel Story, but I do love the story I've seen so far.

Chapter 1

Angel grumbled to himself as he stood on the street corner, hoping that a client would come by soon. The past two weeks had been particularly difficult, as it was getting harder to keep Valentino happy. Despite the fact that he couldn't use drugs due to the agreement he had signed with Vaggie as part of the "Demon Reformation" initiative, he could still find some "enjoyment" outside of the hotel. However, prostitution was a different story. As part of the agreement he had made when he moved into Charlie's building, he had to stop soliciting clients on the streets of Pentagram City.

This was a major problem, as Valentino expected him to continue providing sexual services to the residents of the city. By doing so, Angel knew that he was violating the terms of his contract with the hotel. There had been times when he had considered explaining to Charlie -with or without Vaggie included -that prostitution was part of his employment. But doing so meant he'd have to reveal the almost constant rape, abuse, and torment he suffered on a regular basis.

He didn't really know Charlie or her partner well enough to trust them with such a sensitive confession. As a result, Angel felt trapped in a difficult situation where he had to keep up appearances for Valentino's sake, even if it meant putting himself in jeopardy.

Charlie and Vaggie genuinely meant well, or at least Charlie did. Angel could sense her sincerity in wanting to help him. While Vaggie had some doubts about her girlfriend's belief in redemption and the residents of the hotel, she loved Charlie enough to support her in this project. Even if she was only going along with it until it was proven to Charlie that the project was a flawed endeavor.

As hair-brained as the whole redemption experiment was, the blonde princess believed in it enough to want to see if it was possible. However, Angel couldn't help but wonder what would happen if things didn't work out. Everyone at the hotel could see that there was no concrete plan in place to enable redemption, aside from "Just do a few good deeds, act respectfully, and don't say or do anything offensive that could hurt others." It seemed like a simplistic approach that could easily fail.

Glancing at the red, glowing cigarette in his hand, Angel winced as it reminded him of his boss's leering smile. He could perform at clubs and film shoots without issue since Char and Vaj didn't really watch that kind of stuff. Plus, Charlie had made an allowance for the studio since it was still his primary source of income. However, she had also hinted that he should consider taking a break from work while they tried to get the redemption experiment underway.

The porn star, however, always had an excuse for why he couldn't take time off. He claimed that rescheduling shoots or replacing him would cause too many issues, in reality it would be easier to ask Valentino to break the neck of one of his employees. The Moth didn't believe in sick days, which created additional problems. The Overlord would become extremely angry if a performer vomited on set, throwing off the shot.

This was particularly challenging during times when Angel sensed a storm coming in. Sensitivity to one's surroundings was one of the inherent abilities of being a Spider Demon. While it kept him alert and aware of any potential danger, it also made him feel ill when he could sense a shift in the weather. Unfortunately, this often resulted in punishment from Valentino once the storm had passed. The pimp didn't care about how the weather affected his star performer, only how much it would cost him to reschedule everything because his "bottom bitch" was being affected.

He didn't know what would happen if Charlie or Vaggie caught him out here now, but he was sure it would cost him his living situation. The memory of Charlie's disappointed expression after the interview and how he had messed up by helping Cherri during the turf war weighed heavily on his mind. But why did it matter to him what she thought? He didn't know her and didn't owe her anything. He didn't even know if he could trust her. Plus, her girlfriend could go screw herself as far as he was concerned.

And yet...Charlie had been one of the rare few who had seen him as more than just a means of entertainment. She was the only being in Hell, aside from Cherri, who treated him like a person with value. She didn't see him as disposable or a commodity, unlike others who viewed him as just an "irritating means to an end" as Alastor would snidely comment towards him. Just the thought of the Radio Demon made Angel shudder. Alastor's smile reminded him too much of Valentino's. Being near the Deer Demon sent a chill down his spine. Although, to be fair, Alastor didn't seem to take pleasure in breaking people into submission, unlike Valentino. However, he still had his own ways of maintaining control, which made Angel hesitant to trust him.

Husk and Niffty were usually okay. Angel didn't quite know what to make of the tiny cyclops demon. Niffty could be neurotic at times, jumping from one topic to the next, but mostly kept to herself as she scurried around the hotel cleaning. When they did talk, it was usually for Niffty to ask for his assistance with tasks that were harder to get to. Angel would oblige, hoping it might earn him some redemption points in Charlie's eyes, as his height allowed him to reach things that others couldn't. However, whenever he set her down, Niffty would hug his legs and thank him hurriedly before darting off to clean something else.

Husk was easy to comprehend, and he could craft any cocktail or alcoholic drink you could name. He was also fun to tease because of how flustered he would get whenever Angel flirted with him, even though there was never anything seriously intended, aside from maybe wanting him as a potential client. Despite not having been in Hell for as long as Angel had, Husk had lived considerably more years. Like Niffty, the Cat Demon also kept to himself and was more content to drink his booze rather than talk, though he did grudgingly look after Fat Nuggets when Angel was at the studio.

The only thing that puzzled Angel and everyone else was why, out of all the demons in Hell and all the people they had tried and failed to convince to participate in this project, Charlie felt that he was capable of redemption. Alastor had once asked her this, and the Blond Princess couldn't really explain why she felt that the porn star was a good choice. This response only caused the Radio Demon to dismiss it as a reckless decision based on desperation. Charlie, however, continually insisted that she had a reason for believing Angel was the person they wanted.

Angel hated to admit it, but he found himself agreeing with Alastor about Charlie choosing him out of desperation. If she knew anything about him at all and understood who he was associated with, she would have done the smart thing and just driven on by. It would have saved her a lot of grief. Still, why did she bother him so much? Maybe it was because, unlike everyone else, Charlie unconditionally believed that he could be redeemed.

"There is a lot more to you than you think there is, Angel," Charlie had said sincerely as she put a gentle hand on the clump of fur on his chest, the fur he had fluffed out to make it seem like he had a pair of tits. "We want to help you." Her eyes gazed joyfully into his as she grinned a hopeful smile up at him, a smile he remembered seeing on his twin sister's face decades ago.

Not a day had gone by over the past seventy-plus years that he hadn't thought of his younger sister. Yet, Molly had been coming to his mind more frequently in the past couple of weeks since meeting Charlie. His second pair of arms hugged around himself. If only she could see him now...what he had become. She wouldn't recognize him...his father and older brother were probably laughing at him from wherever they were in the city. They were likely saying that the life of a whore was fitting for a worthless queer like him. Angrily, he wiped away a tear that came unbidden to his eyes.

"I dig catchin' a glimpse of those tears, Angel Cakes." Valentino had said long ago. His red-toothed smile leering over him. "It sure makes you seem mighty fragile, darling." His leering smile faded as Angel had felt his hair being pulled roughly. "Tears also make you look like the little bitch that you are. Ain't nobody payin' for a waterworks show, you feel me? When you're in the thick of it, you gotta strut your stuff with that killer smile and soak in the vibe like the piece of ass you are."

"Damn, what have I gotten myself into," Angel sighed in self-disgust. " I shoulda had the stones to tell Charlie straight up, right from the get-go, that this whole deal ain't gonna work out. But nah, I had to go and be a soft touch" Charlie had pitched an interview about the hotel just a couple of days ago and he also had participated in that turf war with Cherri. Both the interview and the turf war were broadcast on the '666 News.' It was a wonder he hadn't heard anything from Val about it yet, given that his buddy Vox...ran the TV station…Oh shit, the interview. A buzz was coming from his phone as someone sent him a text message...there was only one person who had that number.

"Sono così fottuto!" (I am so fucked!) Angel muttered in Italian as he anxiously pulled out his Hellphone.

VAL: "Angel Baby…"

~Oh no!~ Angel Dust thought as he read those words. ~Oh no, nononono!"

VAL: We need to have ourselves a...chat

The lanky spider winced as a familiar red limo pulled up and the door opened.

"Oh...h..hi Val," Angel Dust said nervously.

"Angel…" The Moth said, crooning his name.

~Not good,~ Angel thought to himself as he reluctantly crawled into the limo and sat down on the cushioned seating. The door and all chance of escape closed behind him as the limo drove away. He knew he was in deep trouble, and he couldn't shake off the feeling of dread that settled in the pit of his stomach. He had messed up big time, and he had no one to blame but himself. ~I'm as good as double-dead anyway,~ he thought bitterly.

As the limo continued on its way, Angel couldn't help but wonder what Val had in store for him. He knew it wouldn't be pleasant, but he had no choice but to face the music. All he could do now was hope that he wouldn't wind up erased.

"Angel sweetie," The Moth Demon said, his voice low and dangerous. "Hey, baby, word on the street is you mixin' it up at that swanky joint, the one owned by King Luci's fine daughter. What's the deal, sugar?"

"D-did ya see the interview?" Angel asked, already knowing the answer.

Val nodded slowly. "You know it, baby."

Angel started to explain, his voice tinged with desperation. "Val, I swear I didn't mean to cause any trouble. Those two girls just picked me up and told me they were running a rehabilitation program for demons in some old hotel. I don't believe in what they were selling, but they offered me free accommodation, so I went along with it. The only requirements: I couldn't drink, do drugs, or sell my services on the street. And I made sure not to get caught doing any of that. I've been playing along for the past two weeks and making them believe that I'm trying to turn my life around."

Val raised an eyebrow. "Don't be frontin' with me, Sugar. I know about your business on the Channel 666 News. You ain't gonna slide by causin' mayhem without payin' the price? You messin' with my reputation, tryna make my studio look bad."

"I'm sorry, Val," Angel said, feeling his heart sink. "I didn't mean to-"

"Cut the crap." Val snapped, cutting him off. Angel felt a cold sweat break out on his skin at the coldness in the overlord's tone. "You know what you mean to me, baby, but then you go pullin' off some wild show on the tube. Gettin' wrapped up in all this craziness without even givin' me a shout? That's a shitty move."

"I wasn't thinking, okay? I messed up," Angel said,

"I peeped you out there, rollin' with your compadre too." Valentino said, his smile continuing to glow red.

"Who...Cherri," Angel asked? He tried to play up the innocent act. Though he knew quite well his hand was caught in the proverbial cookie jar. "I was, lendin' a hand to my best girl, tryin' to kick that creepy snake demon to the curb. The name he went by? Sloppy... Slippery Penis, or something like that. I ain't one to waste brain space on rememberin' trash like that."

"Angel Cakes?" Valentino asked. "Where you s'posed to be at?"

"So, see, there wasn't much for me to do, Boss," Angel defended. "After the big Extermination, things are gonna be quiet 'round here for a good while. It's gonna take at least a month for the shit to settle. I count myself lucky that I managed to scrape together any cash for you, considerin' the sheer number of demons that were put down."

"Where was your spot, baby?" Valentino growled the question as his hand grabbed hold of Angel Dust's chin. He didn't apply too much pressure, but it was enough for the effeminate spider to understand that he didn't want to test how thin Valentino's patience could go.

"Out…Out getting money for you," Angel obediently grumbled.

"You really out there doin' that, huh?" The Moth asked, a threatening tone lacing his words, as though daring the younger demon to test him.

"No sir," Angel bitterly answered. The Overlord always had a way of making him feel like shit.

"So, this hotel," Valentino asked conversationally, "Think they got the mojo to save your fucking soul?"

"No, boss," Angel responded with a sigh, though his heart cracked as he said those words. Perhaps part of him had wondered, had hoped that there was something worth the chance. As confused as he was that Charlie had picked him to be her first attempt at this, a spark of hope had appeared in his heart. Someone who actually believed he could be so much more than just a cheap lay. Still, the whole thing felt far-fetched. Souls were sent to Hell for a reason, weren't they? And it's not like he minded or cared about being a damned soul anyway. It was so much more fun to be bad and revel in chaos with his friend Cherri. It was the nature of things in Hell. But as much as he saw Cherri as an adopted sister, she could never replace Molly. He couldn't be sure if his twin sister was in Heaven, but if one of the three of them had to be there, she was the most deserving.

"Can you be brought back from the edge, baby?" Valentino inquired.

"No, daddy," Angel responded, closing his eyes sadly. He gritted his teeth as he felt tears threaten to fill his eyes.

"Good boy," Valentino chillingly said. ""I'm lettin' that hotel hustle slide, sugar, but don't think I'm lettin' it slide forever. You better stick to the groove I lay down for you, ya hear? But..." The Moth grabbed Angel by the throat and threateningly squeezed. "If I catch a whiff that you've flipped the script, if I sense any betrayal, you gonna wish you played it straight like a loyal cat, tellin' those ladies they were barking up the wrong tree with you. You feel me?"

"Whatever you say, Mr. Valentino, sir," Angel obediently said as the limo pulled to a stop. He was shaky as he got out, knowing that Valentino would be keeping a close eye on him. He had seen what happened to demons who dared to disobey the pimp's orders.

Taking in his surroundings, Angel realized he was about twenty blocks away from the hotel, a good New York mile give or take. He heaved a deep sigh and started the long walk home, lighting a cigarette and trying to let the tobacco settle his frayed nerves. He couldn't afford to cave under the pressure now; he had to maintain control of his end of the situation.

Valentino was only happy if he showed up for film shoots and performances, fucked who he was told to, and brought in money as required. Charlie and Vaggie were happy with him as long as he "visibly" conformed to their rules, but he knew that "Vagie" had it out for him. It was clear from day one that she had made up her mind about who she believed he was, and all she needed was an excuse to kick him out of the hotel.

If it had been up to her, the day they had approached him with the hotel proposition, she probably would have stopped the car and thrown him out herself. But Angel couldn't let that happen. He had to prove himself to Charlie and Vaggie, show them that he was capable of change, of being something more than just a demon in Hell. It was a long shot, but he was willing to take the chance.

"Hey, Angie," A female voice said up ahead as the familiar figure of Cherri Bomb raced up to him.

"How's it going, baby girl?" Angel asked, giving a customary smirk to his sister in chaos as Cherri Bomb raced up to him.

Cherri returned the smirk and leaned in close to him. "Same old, same old," she said, her voice low and sultry. "But I'm always down for a good time, you know that. I was headed to the club, you wanna tag?"

Angel chuckled, but his mind was preoccupied with thoughts of Valentino and the hotel project. "Thanks, but no thanks, Cherri. I have a lot on my mind right now," he said, trying to keep the worry out of his voice.

Cherri's expression turned from playful to concerned. "Is something going on?" she asked. "He didn't...he didn't hurt you, did he?"

Angel shook his head. "Nah, nah, o' course not. Val just found out 'bout my involvement in the hotel I told yah 'bout, the other day. And he was checkin' to see if it would affect anythin'. I told him it wouldn't, so there ain't nothin' to worry 'bout."

Cherri's eyes narrowed. "If you want me to wreck his shit, just say the word and I'm there," she said, her voice full of anger.

Angel put a hand on her shoulder, trying to calm her down. "No, no, it's okay. I have it handled," he said, even though he knew deep down that he didn't.

Cherri looked at him skeptically. "You say that, but you don't, not really," she said, her voice full of concern.

Angel sighed. "I have it handled," he repeated, even though he knew it wasn't entirely true. "Just trust me, okay?"

Cherri nodded, but Angel could tell that she wasn't entirely convinced. "Okay, okay," she said, concluding that her friend was going to be stubborn as always. "Just looking out for my favorite guy. Your boss is a nasty piece of shit who needs to get what's coming to him."

Angel couldn't argue with that. "I've been in this gig longer than you've been in Hell, Sweetheart," he said, trying to reassure her. "Trust me, I can handle myself."

"Best bitches forever," Cherri asked? She held out her hand and gave a friendly smile.

"Best bitches forever," Angel responded as he clasped hers before he continued down the street. "See you around, Sista."

Cherri watched him walk away until he disappeared into the crowds of Hell. Her single eye filled with concern.

"You need help, Angel," Cherri said to herself, saddened. "You're in too deep with the wrong crowd, and it's only a matter of time before it catches up to you. You can't keep going it alone like this. You need to trust someone, even if it's just me. You have to let someone have your back before it's too late."

Glaring up at a billboard about twenty feet above her, Cherri's anger intensified. The image of Valentino's face beamed down at her with his trademark shark-toothed smile. The only contrast in the uniformly red grin was a single gold tooth. His glowing red eyes peeked out from behind his obnoxious and ugly red heart-shaped shades, and his black fingers formed a peace sign. Gritting her teeth with fury, Cherri reached into the bodice of her top and pulled out a bomb.

"SUCK IT... OLD MAN!" She screamed as she pitched the explosive up at the picture of Angel Dust's boss, where it blew the Moth Demon's face away.

The rest of Angel's walk to the Happy Hotel was uneventful, and by the time he caught sight of the familiar structure, he believed he had his emotional faculties back in order. He entered the building with his usual confident swagger and self-satisfied smirk, running his hands through his fluffy hair.

"Hey, everyone," he greeted them.

"Hello, Angel," Charlie replied cheerfully. "How are things going?"

"I'm doing fantastic, as always," Angel replied with a toothy grin, walking up to the front desk. "I ran into my friend Cherri Bomb while I was out."

Vaggie glared at him with her remaining golden-yellow eye, which seemed to glow. "You better not have been in another brawl," she warned him. "Don't forget that you signed a contract agreeing to our terms. This project can't work if our only resident keeps causing chaos and destruction with his reckless friends."

"I will have you know that I have been on my best behavior all day," Angel responded snidely, before turning to face Husk, who glowered at him from behind the desk.

"I can guess what you want," the winged-cat demon grumbled. "You want your piggy, right?"

"Yes," Angel said. "It's time for my 'sweet boy' to have his cuddle time."

Husk rolled his eyes and let out a disgusted grunt before bending under the bar for a few seconds. When he stood up, he passed the small pig into Angel's waiting arms.

"Here you go," Husk grumbled. "For Hell's sake, get someone else to be your damn petsitter."

"Hello, Nuggz," the lanky spider cooed, ignoring the demon cat's complaints. "Have you been a good boy for Husky?"

"If you call the mess back here good, then you must have low standards," Husk growled. "Niffty, could you get your butt over here and clean this up? It's bad enough that I smell like pig shit. I don't need to be standing in it too!"

"Aww," Charlie cooed as she lightly scratched the cute Hell-born pig behind the ears. Then she turned her attention to Angel. "I hope I can meet Cherri sometime."

"Sellin' her on redemption, huh? " Angel asked somewhat flippantly. "Maybe yah could get two people interested in this place?"

"No," Charlie admitted. "Of course, if she's interested in joining our experiment, she's more than welcome. But more importantly, I want to meet her because she's important to you, and I want to know the people who are important to our guests at this hotel."

"I'll...keep it in mind," Angel said after a couple of moments, giving one of his trademark smirks before he climbed the stairs to the second floor and walked away down the hall.

As he approached his room, Angel's smirk faded. Introducing Cherri to Charlie and Vaggie wouldn't be too bad, he thought to himself. It would give him someone he knew he could trust among his somewhat increasing group of companions. He still wasn't certain he could trust Charlie and Vaggie enough to really consider them as friends yet. They wanted to be his friends, at least Charlie did. She often went out of her way to be friendly to him and to make him feel welcome and comfortable. Vaggie was more grudgingly tolerant. She only accepted him being around because they needed him to be their test subject, and Charlie wanted him there too. Their first attempt at redemption...their first failure. Cherri's involvement could add some more excitement to this place, but bringing her into the mix also meant he was bringing other things into it as well. Things that he wasn't ready to reveal just yet, things that proved he was beyond help.

Cherri was aware that Valentino was abusive and heavy-handed with Angel. She had seen him when he was more than a little roughed up following a shoot and had stayed with him, holding him close to her in his darker moments. Still, there were things he had kept secret from her, such as the rapes...and that room. The one hidden room that Val kept aside for him specifically.

Vaggie had already gotten into an argument with him about his "Bad Influence Friend", like she wasn't one to talk. In Hell, everyone had to be a bad influence in some way or another. It was how people survived around here. Still, while Cherri could hold her own in a turf war, her skills in overall mayhem, chaos, and anarchy weren't enough against an Overlord, especially a dangerous one like Valentino. He would have taken out Val years ago if it had been that simple. Blowing up billboards, signs, and other stuff either bearing Valentino's image or association with him was an annoyance. One that occasionally caused Angel to find all six of his arms bound behind his back while he was repeatedly dunked face-first into ice water as Valentino interrogated him about whether he had told Cherri to do this. It was a method of interrogation he had seen his own father using in the past.

Angel steadfastly maintained that Cherri was acting on her own, but he never let it slip that she was only annoying Valentino in this manner because of him. Cherri was one of the few people who knew about Valentino's controlling and abusive behavior towards Angel, along with his coworkers Summer and Dia. She despised the way Valentino treated Angel as his personal plaything, using him however he pleased. Cherri repeatedly urged Angel to let her help him escape from Valentino's grasp, but he always refused. He knew firsthand how dangerous Valentino was, especially when Vox and/or Velvette were involved.

Entering his room, he paused by his vanity mirror looking at the gold tooth set in his mouth. A permanent mark to indicate he was Valentino's *Personal* property.

"You ought to be baskin' in the glory, sugar." Valentino had said to him on the day he had gotten that golden tooth set in. "I don't just pick any dime-a-dozen whore to be one of my personal favorites, sugar. I select the ones who can keep my flame burnin', the ones who bring me real joy and excitement. And you, my dear, you've shown me you've got the spark. Plus, you're in for the special treatment as my prized companion. If you keep me smilin' and act right, well, darling, you'll be gettin' some sweet rewards." A wicked grin spread across Valentino's face, but it quickly faded into a frown. "But if you play the rogue and go biting on the hand that feeds you, sugar, I'll ensure you feel the burn for it. You're aware I've got a knack for dreamin' up some mighty inventive ways to teach a lesson, Angel Cakes."

Angel could feel his Hellphone buzz with a text message. Unsurprisingly, the Moth was checking to see if he was keeping his word that nothing was affected.

VAL:Here's your groove for tomorrow, baby: Strike a pose at 10 AM for the photoshoot. Get those cameras rollin' at 12 PM, film shift number one. Keep that energy up, 'cause it's round two at 2 PM, another film shift. And when the night hits, be ready to bring the heat from 7 PM to 10 PM, holdin' it down for the club performance. Let's make it unforgettable, ya dig?

Angel: Whatever you say, Mr. Valentino, sir.

VAL:Love you too, honey. XOXO. Be there at the studio, clocking in at 9:30 on the dot.

Angel shuddered at the parting words, a chill running down his spine. He put his phone on the charger and unbuttoned his jacket and tie, slipping out of his mini skirt, boots, stockings, and underwear. He put the used items in a small pile to be dealt with later. He examined his gaunt, effeminate frame. The dim lighting of the room made it difficult to see, but there were faded scars around his shoulders, arms, chest, belly, hips, legs, and back. Some of the smaller scars were from lit cigarettes and cigars being pressed against his flesh until they burnt through his fur and seared his skin. Other scars were from the various beatings he had endured over the years, some from leather belts or horse crops when he had displeased Valentino. Others were from suede ribbon whips during BDSM shoots or when his johns were in a kinky mood, or when he was handed over to Velvette for "playtime."

Picking up some fem tight boxer-brief shorts and a loose-fitting t-shirt, he walked into the ensuite bath. The bathrooms in the hotel were shower-only, which was more than could be said for some of the places he had lived in since he first arrived in Hell following his drug overdose in 1947. As much as he would have preferred a nice soak in a bubble bath, he would take what comforts he could get.

Fiddling with the taps, he found a temperature that was hot enough to fog up the mirror over the sink, but not so hot it was scalding. Stepping past the curtain, he allowed the spray to wash over him and ease the tension in his muscles. Pressing his back against the wall, he slid down to his knees and let his head loll between his shoulder blades. He hugged both sets of arms around his body and finally allowed himself to give in to the feelings of fear, grief, and helplessness he never liked to openly show around others. Silent tears fell down his cheeks to be washed by the warm spray of the shower.

"Mamma," he softly whispered in Italian. "Madre del cielo, veglia su di me." (Mother in heaven, watch over me.)

Standing up once again, he shut off the water. Stepping out from the small shower inset into the wall, he toweled himself off and left the used towels on the floor. He got dressed into his nightclothes and settled into bed, closing his eyes and trying to get some sleep.