An: Chapter 7! Had this saved up just before I got my first Helluva commission coming up!
Anyway, I hope you get the reference(s) in this chapter! Only hint I'm giving is that it's live action, hehe.
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XXX
'No barbs, sexual comments, or random bits of spite,' Moxxie glanced at Angel Dust doing his best to walk in front of the imp, only glancing back on occasion with a glare. It almost made Moxxie squirm.
"Hey," Angel Dust finally spoke after a few more steps and Moxxie nearly jolted, "why do you keep doing that? We barely even know each other."
"What?" Moxxie asked him as they were starting to get more isolated from the rest of the city.
"First you," Angel Dust glanced around to be sure before speaking up in a low tone, "take care of that Angel. Then you try to speak up against my boss-"
"Overlord. There's a difference," Moxxie interrupted to Angel Dust's chagrin.
"For you maybe," the Sinner nearly hissed, "but why? Who asked you too?"
"No one. I made that choice myself," Moxxie had a little emphasis at the end, stressing his own will on the matter.
"Alright, why?" Angel Dust asked again, now turning back completely to speak with Moxxie face to face, "Since when do demon born stand up for Sinners? Last I check, Hell ain't the place for civil rights movements and help."
"Demons can… be nice on occasion by human-"
"And here's where I interrupt your sorry little ass," Angel Dust poked his index finger into Moxxie's little frame, "I've been here since the fifties. I've been a demon for the longest I've been conscious. So don't give me the "human mentality" bullshit."
"Well, it's true. My kind don't do the whole kindness thing by nature… for the most part," Moxxie somewhat reiterated, "I mean, it's just rare."
"Especially to do that for some random whore, right?" Angel Dust clarified, "Being a good Samaritan and all that."
"I… I didn't like seeing those angels slaughter so happily," Moxxie quickly answered, trying to come up with a genuine answer. The next part had some truth to it, "they go around with such impunity and I was sick of it."
"That answers the first time, but what about at the studio, huh?" the Sinner kept prying. A smirk crept onto his face and he bent low, "Aw, did I grow on you that much already."
"What-no, certainly not like that!" Moxxie swiftly shook his hands, "Charlie was worried is all and I had to."
"Right," Angel Dust drawled before softly kissing his cheek, "thanks Moxxie. But don't do that shit again at the studio. I mean it. Next time I'm slapping you so hard you turn white all over. Got it, chuckle nuts?"
Moxxie blinked. That was oddly affectionate, especially for him. His mind fixed the reboot and he stiffly nodded, "Right. Understood."
Angel Dust chuckled and started leading the way, albeit with a little more sway in his step than usual. It made Moxxie a little flustered. Mainly because of the kiss beforehand. This hadn't happened in a while.
Sure, Moxxie had been flirted with and even eye groped on occasion. But that either elicited a nervous refusal or, at worst, Moxxie trying his best to ignore it. This had actually got Moxxie's heart pumping a little. And in a good sort of way. He hadn't had such a positive… sexual? Romantic? Intimate interaction for a long time.
"Pick up the pace, little man," Angel Dust's words stopped the train of thoughts twisting of Moxxie's thoughts, "what, you enjoying the view or something?"
"No, I mean, I'm just… relaxed is all," Moxxie almost stuttered and he could practically feel Angel Dust getting a kick out of this. But he had to admit… It felt nice.
"About time you two showed up!" Once they were a short walk from the hotel, they were called out to by none other than Husk. He was having a smoke break on the front by the door, "what took you?"
Angel Dust rolled his eyes, "What do you care?"
Husk shrugged "I don't. But talking here keeps me from working."
"Well Moxxie here decided to pay me a visit before I got back," Angel Dust budged the Imp's shoulder, "that was the only interesting thing that happened tonight."
"Oh yeah? He met Valentino?" Husk saw their expressions sour and nodded, "Looks like it went about as well as I expected."
"That man is nefarious. I've only had the pleasure of meeting a few reprobates that actively angered me so quickly," Moxxie hissed, memories of his own upbringing and further on surfacing.
"And here I thought you'd have something nice to say," Husk sarcastically quipped.
"What about you?" Angel Dust quickly changed the subject and brought back some levity, "anything happened since you're number one went to work?"
"Watch it," Husk growled, though he was surprised Angel Dust was so low-key with his flirting, "and no. Everyone's up to their usual bullshit. At least Ruth is normal."
"Cozying up to the teacher? Trying to get some private lessons?" Angel Dust wiggled his eyebrows and it made Husk let out a low cat growl.
"And like that, we're done talking," the bartender hissed as he quickly went inside.
Moxxie sighed and gave the chilling spider demon a small glare, "Why must you make everything so sexual?"
Angel Dust clicked his tongue and shot back with, "I don't know. Why do you like guns and Broadway?"
"Because those are art," and Moxxie took offense to his passions being compared with his flirting. He already had similar arguments at IMP on a similar subject and he didn't want it here.
Which was a shame because Angel Dust followed up with, "and there's your answer for my schtick."
Moxxie was about to have an outburst over art until he heard Ruth call out to him, "Moxxie, good evening!"
"Good evening!" Moxxie waved back but his smile quickly changed back to a frown, "Hey, since you're a teacher, can you teach this man what actual art is!"
Ruth blinked before she slowly came up with an appropriate answer, "uh, I believe that's a subjective point of view, so I couldn't really answer."
"Holy fuck, I didn't come here to get blasted with educational bullshit," Angel Dust groaned as he started making his way to him room, not at all bothered by Ruth's glare and hiss, "life is the only teacher I ever needed."
"Your career choice certainly shows that," Ruth retorted. Angel Dust heard that and glared right back at her.
Moxxie could feel the temperature in the room dropping and stepped in, "Easy, Ruth. It's been a long day."
Both demons started calming down, Ruth showing some understanding while Angel Dust didn't have the energy for a fight, "Ugh, freakin' school broads."
Once Angel Dust went upstairs, Ruth showed some concern, "What happened?"
"I met his Overlord," Moxxie mumbled before he rolled his eyes, "surprise, surprise, he's awful."
"Oh yes, one of those," Ruth shuddered as she thought the terms Overlords demanded from the poor souls who pledged themselves over, "I heard about them."
"Which means you know to never sign a deal with them under any circumstances," Moxxie's expression was a tad dire as he warned her, "Most sinners are either so down on their luck or stupid they're more than ready to barter their souls."
"Oh come now," Alastor's voice cut through the air like a sword, "surely something in this eternity of torment is worth a measly soul. My mother's jambalaya certainly was, haha!"
"Evening, Alastor Sir," Moxxie almost fell flat on his face from being startled, "I apologize for arriving so late."
"No need, Moxxie my boy," Alastor walked over and once again ruffled Moxxie's hair. Moxxie hated that, but knew better than to openly say so and let Alastor continue, "in fact, I actually meant to contact you myself just before you arrived. While you were gone, I believe Nifty got curious and took one of your guns to clean in her room."
"Oh… that's nice. But I better check up on her to make sure she knows what she's doing," Moxxie wasn't too worried. If she shot herself, she'd just get back up and -
"But of course. Firearms were never my specialty," Alastor continued on as he checked his claws, "and such an interesting gun. I've never seen a weapon with such intricate white markings,"
"Oh crumbs," Moxxie's breath hitched and he froze in place, "E-excuse me. Nifty! Nifty!"
He immediately ran to the boiler room as he shouted her name. One, she wasn't supposed to even see that. He never left that gun out. Second, if anything goes wrong and that gun hurts her, she would die. As crazy as she was, he'd rather not have her blood on his hands, even partially.
"Looking for me, handsome," Nifty called out. Moxxie quickly stopped himself from kicking the door down and came in slowly, making sure not to startle her and subsequently make the gun go off.
Inside, she had just touched up on the finish, "I saw your gun and decided I needed to clean it off after that roach went and touched it! I handled him too, hehe!"
She brandished a knife and gestured with it above him. Moxxie blinked seeing a few roaches absolutely crucified above the door and gutted. He couldn't help but whistle, "well, your dedication is certainly noteworthy… if misplaced."
Moxxie wasn't into to torture unless it was related to retribution. But he still couldn't help but find stuff like this a little off putting. Especially with bugs. Bugs were gross.
"So you like it?" Nifty practically purred as she closed the distance between them. Moxxie backed himself up the door and Nifty was already putting her chin against his chest, "I knew aside from the wimpy front you put up you're such a bad boy underneath! It's so hot how much of a gentleman and baddie you are."
"T-Thank you, Nifty," Moxxie quickly slid to the side and went to his blessed gun, "especially for cleaning my gun. But from now on, ask me before you take my belongings. Even if it's just to polish it."
"'Kay," Nifty giggled before her pupil started growing with excitement, "I bet you'll punish me if I don't, huh?"
"Whatever you want, I'll do the opposite if you take my stuff again," Moxxie almost growled that out, going from freaked out to annoyed at this point.
"Oooh, you're so mean," Nifty giggled giddily.
"Ugh," Moxxie huffed as he left the boiler room, "she's worse than Angel Dust."
XXX
Charlie softly knocked on Angel Dust's door, "hey, I wanted to talk to you if that was okay. Angel?"
"Yeah come in, the door's unlocked!" Angel Dust called out and Charlie immediately stopped inside, "What's up? We're not doing trust exercises are we?"
"What, no, like I said," Charlie reiterated as she sat down on the bed next to Angel Dust, "I just wanted to see if your day was alright."
"Aside from you sending the little red twink to get me, yeah, it wasn't the worst," Charlie nearly shrunk hearing that. Even if it was in his best interest, it still made her squirm when someone she cared about was so upset.
"I'm sorry about that, but I got worried."
"I know. Don't," Angel Dust's tone was getting a little soft. He was still annoyed and he hated how that may have looked on his image, but even he understands her heart is in the right place, "Charlie, I'm a grown ass demon and stone cold gangster. I can take care of myself out here."
"I know. I know. But Valentino is-"
"Is a prick. Yeah. Everyone knows that. Kind of comes with being an Overlord," Angel Dust added on with an eye roll.
Charlie still didn't like that. She could help it, but Angel Dust had to want it. With a relenting sigh, she stood up, "Well, I'm always here to talk if you want."
"Sure. Now can you please go? I'm trying to text and snuggle with Fat Nuggets here."
Right on cue, the demonic pig ran up and started cuddling his loving owner. Charlie couldn't help but coo at such a display only for Angel Dust to glance at her. A glance that told her to zip the mushy noises. She let out a small yipe before quickly slipping out of the room and leaving the sinner along with his beloved pet.
Once the door was closed, Charlie couldn't help but mutter, "I wish he wasn't so embarrassed doing that. It's so cute."
"Is he cuddling with the pig again?" Vaggie was walking towards with a small smile, "you know, that little thing is kind of cute when it's not nibbling on the furniture."
"Right!?" Charlie gushed as they started walking away, "I just hope he has a plan for when lil' Fat Nuggets isn't such a lil' nugget any more. Even though the miniatures are smaller than wrath hogs, they can still get pretty big."
"So, he's alright?" Vaggie asked.
"I don't think so. But he's a lot better than usual," Charlie had a hopeful smile on her face, "I think he's starting to appreciate us more."
"Seems like it," Vaggie concurred, "so, are you okay? Still nervous about the meeting."
"Oh my god, yes!" Charlie let it all out with an exasperated sigh, "I'm so nervous! We only have theories! No proof! I made some nice drawings and charts, Angels like those, and Ruth, she helped me by the way, was a school teacher before she snapped! I mean, she had one bad day! One! And Angel Dust is good deep down, he has to be! They just have to see that too!"
"Charlie, easy easy!" Vaggie placed both her hands on her taller girlfriend's shoulders and eased her, "there's a lot riding on this. You just gotta prepare. That's it. You'll be fine."
"I just want others to see the potential I do," Charlie took a deep breath, "my people aren't evil monsters… most of them. Just people who need help."
"They are," Vaggie reassured her as she cupped her cheek, "and as long they have one person believe that, then there's a chance."
"Thanks, Vaggie," they shared a soft kiss before the two broke off.
"Before I join you, I'm gonna check on the rooms one last time tonight," Charlie nodded and made her way down stairs while Vaggie went on to find Moxxie. She actually had a craving for an Asian style dish and wanted to see if Moxxie could make something. A nice change of pace around here.
And she also had her own questions. She got a glimpse of Moxxie's intricate pistol when Nifty had run off to clean it. Something about it made her shutter and she felt compelled to know about it.
And she had every right to know anyway. She was a part of the hotel management for goodness sake. Anything related to its protection needed to be known to her. Especially from a new hire.
Hopefully he'ill be in his room. If not then in the kitchen.
"She did a spectacular job. She got out the dust and debris in places only o ever usually do," she heard Moxxie mutter in his room.
Vaggie narrowed her eyes and slowly crept up to the narrowly open door. She considered this in somewhat poor taste, but she wanted to see it. Maybe hear whatever Moxxie had to mutter in private.
Moxxie was sitting there and checking out his pistol. He couldn't help but admire Nifty's handiwork. And she was getting a better look at it too.
She could make out a few details. A mostly nearly pitch black pistol with white markings with specks of gold. It seemed like a standard pistol. Semiautomatic probably, Moxxie had told her he carried a few of those with him on duty. It didn't look all that old either. She wanted to actually no more. Not out of an interest for guns, but just that one specifically.
She had to know why something… instinctual in the back of her mind made her wary of it.
"Better put this somewhere more isolated from now on," Moxxie noted aloud as he moved to his closet.
That's when Vaggie took a step back and gathered herself. She knocked on the door, announcing, "Hey Moxxie."
Moxxie almost fumbled, but quickly recovered and put the pistol into his pocket instead. She didn't like that reaction, but figured it was instinctual too. She could just make him tell her where he puts it anyway. Though, somewhat subtly.
Moxxie turned to face Vaggie and sputtered, "Miss Vagitha, hello!"
"Hey. Get your gun back from Nifty?" Vaggie asked as she walked over.
The Imp nodded and sighed in relief, "Yes, thankfully."
"Must be pretty important. I saw it when Nifty snagged it. Pretty dazzling for a murder machine," Vaggie lightly joked, but she was showing clear interest.
Moxxie didn't flinch and nodded, "It's a family heirloom. It's important to me."
"That's what makes it so special?" Vaggie needed more info than that. She didn't want to just ask him outright. She could, but that would freak him out and that could cause problems. Unnecessary headaches.
And she feared the possibility of something worse in the back of her mind.
"Indeed. Only thing my family gave me," that answer actually struck a chord in Vaggie. That was certainly harsh, "aside from that I just don't want anyone to get hurt by it."
"Right. Well, come on, everyone wants more of your cooking," for now, she would leave the issue alone. But she would pick it back up, perhaps after dinner, "and I have a request… if you don't mind."
"Of course," Moxxie stretched his arms and followed Vaggie to the kitchen.
"Do you know how to make any Asian style foods?"
That caught Moxxie off guard, but he nodded, "Korean, Japanese, Chinese, or Malaysian?"
"Wow, uh… Korean?" Vaggie wasn't expecting that, but hey, don't look a gift horse in the mouth.
Moxxie nodded, happy to show off his culinary skills, "As long as you have the ingredients, I don't see why not."
"Great," that put a smile on her face, but still, Vaggie needed to make something clear, "And Moxxie, if you're going to store your weapons in here, it'd be nice if you let us know. Don't need an incident."
"Of course, my fault," Moxxie genuinely felt bad for that one. She was correct as that was a clear safety violation. That didn't matter anywhere else, but it actually did here. Moxxie looked up and noticed the X over her eye and blurted, "is that how you lost your eye?"
Her expression soured and he kicked himself for being so rude, "I'm sorry, that was foolish to ask."
Vaggie shook her head, "No, it's fine. Yeah, I lost my eye in an accident. I was caught in an Angel purge though."
"Oh," Moxxie couldn't help but think back to the luck he and Angel Dust had. The extreme amount of luck compared to most, "I'm sorry you were scarred from it."
"Don't be. It taught me a lesson," Vaggie mumbled. She felt a phantom pain in her back.
"Nothing like grim reminders to move us forward," Moxxie pulled his collar to the side and gave her a small view of a scar on his body, "I have my share of them too."
Vaggie snorted, "Caught in a few scuffles?"
"It's just one scare," Moxxie waved off, "but yes."
Vaggie couldn't help but share in a small chuckle with the demon, thinking back to moments of camaraderie she once thought she had, "That means we both need to watch ourselves then."
"Definitely," Moxxie agreed. He wasn't expecting this from Vaggie, but it was welcomed from a higher up. He only thought he'd get to have those with Blitzo.
When he wasn't overly crass, abrasive, lecherous, and…
The point was, he enjoyed these moments.
XXX
"I want him dead. Who the fuck does he think he is talking to me like that, that little fucking rat…"
Another day, another dollar. And also another day for Moxxie to slave away in the workforce. Luckily, his morning seemed to be nice so far. There was even another sharply dressed Imp walking beside him he met at the coffee shop. And on the way to the same building!
He was having a really nice conversation with him too until Blitzo called.
"Blitzo, for the last time, I don't know where you put that camera," Moxxie then came to a realization and narrowed his eyes on his hell phone, "wait, in fact, why the heaven are you asking me!?"
He turned to his new acquaintance and shook his head, making the other Imp giggle.
"No, tell me where you…" Suddenly, his new acquaintance dropped to the floor with a hole in his head and Moxxie went behind a car, "hold on sir, I'll call you back. Yes. Excuse me, please."
He looked at the cadaver and noticed the bullet had entered through the side of his forehead. And it seemed a tad sloppy in his opinion. Moxxie moved under the car and looked in the direction where the bullet came from. That's when he spotted the van parked on the side of the street with a rat sinner demon atop of it trying to load a sniper from an open roof with three other sinners below yelling at him.
Question was why were they still there?
Moxxie pulled out his pistol, but not the special one he left in his suit, and started walking to the van without any sense of fear.
"Hello," they all stared at him and they became more frantic, "Yes, you! What's going on, gentlemen!?"
"Hurry, hurry up!" He heard the owl-like Sinner with the trilby in the passenger seat shouted.
The rat Sinner growled back, "I'm hurrying!"
"Take the shot!"
"Sir, don't pull your rifle on me," Moxxie warned them then he quietly hissed, "Sir, keep your rifle down. Don't pull it on me."
"Shoot him, shoot him, shoot him!" The beetle Sinner driver shouted as the Imp walked closer.
The rat Sinner didn't listen to anyone and once his ammo touched the opening, Moxxie rolled his eyes and swiftly gunned him down. Next was the beetle Sinner then and then the passenger. The third, the coyote Sinner, ducked inside the back and Moxxie was quick to suck under the hood the second the third Sinner returned fire.
"Yes!" She shouted before rushing out of the van. Once she rounded the corner of the vehicle, a bullet went right in her eye and she dropped to the floor like a sack of potatoes.
Moxxie stood back up and started walking around the van. He cautiously checked inside the back and, aside from a sexual gear and a bag of chips, nothing. No one else.
But he felt something wet on his cheek and touched it. A bullet managed to deeply graze his cheek. He glanced to the side and noticed some of it drip on his suit.
"Oh crumbs," then some of it dropped in the white parts and he cursed, "no, shit! And I'm too far from the hotel to put on a new suit! To heaven with it, I'll clean it in the bathroom!"
He was kicking and cursing on his way to work after that. The last thing he wanted to do was look sloppy.
He was so angered by the blood staining his clothes, he didn't bother to check on the dashboard for anything. If he did, he would've noticed a camera swiveling and zooming in on him.
XXX
"Are you kidding me!?" Valentino, shacked up in his room with Velvette, was watching this all go down and threw his drink at what he saw, "What the fuck was that just now!?"
"Are you still on about that Imp?" Velvette clicked her tongue and started posting on her socials, before she saw what was on camera. She was actually shocked at the footage, "Wait, they didn't kill him? Pfft, you need to start hiring some guns instead of those fake scantily clad nuns."
"Oh eat a dick and choke on it," the moth Overlord motioned his robot over for another drink, "whatever! That old english weirdo Vox hired for us should be able to get me more dirt on him."
"Isn't our big target Alastor?" Velvette reminded him with an eye roll, "Even if he's not focused on us, he's still the bigger fish."
"Yes, yes, priorities and all that," Valentino waved off, "if Vox can get what he wants, then I certainly can. No one disrespects me and gets away with it. Especially not some bratty little Imp."
Velvette noticed how intently Valentino was watching one part of the feed and deadpanned, "You hate to see him, but you love watching him leave don't you?"
"Quiet Velvette, I'm trying to be angry and horny right now!" Valentino licked his lips, "That's right, daddy's gonna get you, you little red puto! Unf!"
"Gross," Velvette began walking away, "I'm gonna go do something useful, piss baby."
Valentino was in his own little world, "Yeah, he does have a fatty."