Chapter 35:

The culprit

The room fell silent as everyone stared at Pablo….

"P-pablo…." Charlie stuttered "Y-you're saying…."you" are the one she is after?"

"I'm afraid so…." Pablo looked at his own feet in shame "Tempest…..Olivia…she is my ex-wife…..once I was written in the will to i herit the family fortune….we….went out boating…and….i drowned her at sea….almost right after, i regretted my choice...i couldn't live with the guilt...and i slit my own throat..." As he looked at his hands "I created this monster…and now all of you are in danger….because of me….."

He would take a deep breath as he raised his head to meet the crowd "None of you should have to suffer because of my mistake…..this is MY mess….i should be the one to clean it up…."

Vaggie would get up "She is going to kill you, you know that, right? And it's going to be slow and excruciatingly painful. She's been harboring this grudge for 200 years now"

The man took a deep breath "I know…..and it's the least I deserve for what I did to her…..i haven't been able to look at myself in the mirror since"

Charlie would approach Pablo "M-maybe we can show her that you've changed, you know? Talk some sense into her?"

"You fookin kiddin me? Talk some sense into THAT?! Charlie have you fucking lost your mind?" Velvette piped up as Ashley added "Hate to say it, Charlie, but Vel is right, there's no talking with her"

"But we can't just turn him in, right?!" Charlie practically begged as he gestured to the wolf eared man with pleading eyes "Pablo here worked so hard to be better, even now, he's willing to risk his own neck to get Tempest off of our backs"

Lute cleared her throat, catching Charlie's attention "As much as I hate to make the comparison….she reminds me a bit of myself…..3 years ago….." as she got up and put both her hands on the princess' shoulders "Charlie, this woman no longer listens to reason…..she is completely consumed by revenge and has been for nearly 200 years…she doesn't want reason, she just wants to be angry…."

The demon belle drooped her head "So…are we just supposed to hand Pablo over when she comes back?" to which Pablo put his own hand on her shoulder "You won't have to….i'll go with her willingly" as he took a deep breath, a dark, solemn look on his face "It's time I faced the consequences of my actions….." as he straightened his posture and walked off, probably to say his goodbyes to the fellow hotel guests he came to call friends…

..

..

"You think…..you think it will turn ugly?"

Emily asked Lute as they sat on that same half wall again, on the roof of the hazbin hotel, the fallen angel next to her in the process of trying to light a cigarette "With Tempest? Yea, and I'm going to be honest, and I want you as far away from the fight as possible" to which Emily pouted "Not you too, I can protect myself, you know"

The horned exorcist would sigh as she gently cupped the seraphim's cheek "I know that, Em, and it's not because I don't think you can. I have full faith in your capabilities…..i just….don't want to see you get hurt…..i care about you, you know"

The 6 winged woman's pout softened into a fond smile, tho there was a sad undertone "I know…..and I've grown to care about you too…." Before she gently grabbed Lute's demonic hand "But I don't want to see you get hurt either"

Lute gave a short scoff like chuckle "I'm an ex-soldier, Emily…." As she stared off towards the skyline of pentagram city "….pain is an old friend of mine…"

Her eyes would widen in surprise tho when the young seraphim cupped her cheek with one hand, turned her face towards her own, closed her eyes and placed a tender kiss on her lips.

Feeling all her stress melt away for a moment, Lute allowed herself to close her eyes as she lost herself into the kiss.

Once Emily pulled away, she looked her in the eye "i…..i think I'm in love…."

This sentence made Lute's heart flutter as slowly, Emily slotted her fingers into Lute's "If….if it comes to a fight…..i want you to know that…." As she gently ran her fingers over the former lieutenant's horns.

"Yo, am I interrupting anything?" they suddenly heard behind her.

Recognizing the voice, Lute groaned as she turned towards the noise "Kinda in the middle of something, Adam" as the first man casually strolled up to them and plopped down next to them on the half wall "Well better get used to it cuz I'm staying at the hotel, got a room and everything"

Reading her former general like an open book, Lute begrudgingly pulled out her box of cigarettes "You're out of smokes, aren't ya?"Giving a shit-eating grin, Adam would grab one of the smokes from the pack as he spoke "You're a real one, Dangertits" as he began to pat his pockets "Aw fuck-nuggets, forgot my lighter"

Groaning, Lute would snap the fingers of her demonic hand as a small flame emerged from the tip of her thumb.

"Woa….wicked" Adam spoke as he lit his cigarette on the flame as Lute stated "One of the perks of being a fallen angel, demonic powers"

As Lute shook her hand to extinguish the flame, Adam took a drag from his cigarette as he piped up "So…..you and Emily hu?"

At this, the 2 angels would exchange a look.

Even tho they had become closer and closer, they hadn't exactly made it official yet….but when Lute would look Emily in the eye….the young seraphim gave her a fond smile before turning her gaze to Adam, gently grabbing Lute's hand "Yes…..me and Lute…."

"Em….are you saying…." The former exorcist spoke, eyes wide.

"Yes…I'm ready when you are" to which the former lieutenant would fling her arms around the 6 winged woman's neck and planted an excited kiss on her cheek.

Wincing at first, Adam would ponder as he would look down at the cigarette in his hand before he spoke "…..good for you, Dangertits….glad you found happiness…"

Lute would look at him with a smile "Thank you….Adam…."