Track 11: It's A Long Way To The Top (If You Wanna Rock'n'Roll) -AC/DC
Part 2
…
Later that day near midnight, Husk stepped out of the elevator on the top floor. There were four suites, but only three were occupied, and he made a beeline for the one that had the occupant listed as THE DICKMASTER. He knocked softly, but firmly.
His ears twitched as he heard a rustling from the other side, followed by a click as the door unlocked. "Adam, I-" His voice caught in his throat as he realized who had actually answered the door.
It was Lute, Adam's Second, wearing a very unamused expression and a loose shirt that went down to her thighs. "What?" She asked flatly.
Husk tried not to shiver or stare her in the eyes, moving his gaze to a point somewhere behind her left ear. "Oh, I'm uh, sorry to interrupt," the scent of sex was heavy on the air, and Lute's cheeks were flushed despite her glare, "Very sorry. I just wanted to talk to Adam for a bit, could you let him know that? A-at some point, not right now."
The angel hummed thoughtfully, the hostility in her face fading somewhat. "Very well. Is that all?" Her eyes glinted dangerously, the message clear.
There better not be anything else.
"No, thank you. Have a good night." Husk nodded and made his exit.
Lute watched him go, then closed and locked the door, padding back towards the bedroom and shucking the shirt off as she went, gracefully slipping back under the blanket and snuggling up to Adam's side. "Who was it, babe?" He muttered, his hand brushing down her naked back as she tilted her chin up and kissed him.
"The cat Sinner," she replied, licking his lips as she reached down to stroke him back to full arousal, "Wanted to talk to you."
"Later," he groaned, swelling in her palm, "You're insatiable, you know that?"
"Only for you," she murmured, rolling onto her back and pulling him on top of her.
…
Well, he was up for something, just not me. I'll try again when he's not preoccupied.
…
4:
…I have no words. I…why…what…what the fuck just happened?
Here's how it started: I went to talk to Adam again after giving him the weekend to spend with his lady friend, it's only right. Come Monday, I went to find him and instead…
…
Husk was strolling down the halls headed for the dining room, a whistle on his lips as he thought of what was likely to come. Sure, he could've asked Charlie, but something felt more right about asking Adam instead. The First Man would understand.
He'd just turned towards the door when he heard…something. An odd, fleshy crack and a squish. It was a familiar noise, for sure, but not when it came to the hotel. Cursing his curiosity and vowing to hand Angel Dust a beating if it was his fault, Husk followed the disturbing noises to a janitor's closet which, given that the hotel cleaned itself, was unused. With a tentative hand, he turned the knob and pushed the door open.
His mouth dropped open in horror, a choked gasp escaping his throat as he beheld what was within: a large, fleshy pod that pulsed sickeningly like a heartbeat, veins of black and white running through the pod that glowed darkly.
"Oh hey, Husker," Angel Dust purred as he strutted up to the bartender, "What are you looking at…oh christ." His jaw dropped open and he hid behind Husk with a strangled gurgling noise.
The pod flexed and squelched and cracked.
"Well, well, well, what's so intriguing that-" Alastor started, striding up to the two Sinners, his monocle nearly falling out of his eye as he looked at the pod, "…Well, color me intrigued, too."
The pod squirmed and squished wetly, the veins bulging as they pulsed.
"What are you all staring at-goodness gracious!" Pentious hissed as he slithered up to the trio, hiding behind Husk.
The pod bounced lightly, a strangled groan coming from within.
"The fuck are you guys doing…" Vaggie grumbled as she stomped up to the quartet, her eye going wide as she looked into the janitor's closet. "Urp." Her cheeks bulged as she clapped her hands over mouth.
The pod stretched from within, a bent limb scratching at the flesh as it deformed.
"What are you tards missing breakfast for-" Adam stepped up behind them and looked over their shoulders, "-Holy shit, what the fuck is that?!"
The pod wriggled and jiggled excitedly, skin slapping as whatever was within tried to get out.
Adam quickly stepped in front of the group, summoning a golden spear to his hand.
"Oh hey guys, have you seen KeeKee any-" Charlie chirped as she skipped up to the gathered residents, her red eyes bulging as she saw the pod. "…Oh. Oh dear."
At the sound of her voice, the pod writhed strongly and finally, a clawed hand punched through skin, spraying dark liquid that splattered onto the floor, a figure clumsy crawling from the depths and slowly coming to their feet, shaking out a head of long gray hair…and then throwing it back to reveal a completely normal, and in fact shapely woman.
Normal in that she looked completely human, but had claws, fangs and cat ears.
The woman blinked up at them with her large red eyes, uncaring of her nudity, until her gaze fell onto Charlie. "Mistress!" The woman rasped and flung herself at the Princess, embracing Charlie tightly and rubbing their cheeks together…and was she…purring?
Charlie blinked rapidly, hands tight at her sides until a realization struck. "…KeeKee?" She asked faintly.
"Yes, it is I!" The woman crowed, licking Charlie's cheek affectionately, "I knew you would recognize me, Mistress!"
"Oh…yeah, heh," the Princess took a deep breath before spinning on her heel, horns erupting from her forehead. "WHAT THE FUCK DID YOU DO TO MY CAAAAAT?!" She howled at Adam, beating her fists against his chest.
"Ow! Stop-ow!"Adam winced, trying to shield himself from her assault, "Bitch, knock it off, I didn't do shit-!"
"Master!" The new KeeKee called, making them all freeze as she bounded over to the First Man and leaped into his arms, hugging his head to her bountiful and completely naked chest. "Now I can sit on your face without it being weird!"
"…Untrue," Husk couldn't help but add.
KeeKee cracked an eye and looked at him, suddenly spinning herself around to crouch on Adam's back, hissing at the bartender. "Mine!" She snarled, her eyes falling on Vaggie and hissing again as she reached out and pulled Charlie against Adam, her eyes glowing a hellish red-orange. "MINE!"
Charlie blinked, as did Adam. "…The fuck is going on?" They said.
"Oh, Mistress, I told you I was going to change how I looked!" KeeKee giggled, all smiles and purring as she rubbed her cheek against the Princess' hair.
"…I don't speak cat, though," Charlie pointed out.
"I told Master, too!" The former cat chirped.
Charlie glared up at Adam. "You do speak cat!"
"I thought you were going to roll around in some dye or something, not…this!" He protested, turning to give KeeKee a once over, "Lookin' good though, ten outta ten."
"Thanks! Although it's more like nine out of nine!" KeeKee giggled again, "And don't blame Master, Mistress! He didn't change KeeKee, KeeKee did. With the new energy throughout my home, I decided to incorporate it into myself so I can serve better!" She jumped off of Adam's back and flicked her hair, a clean maid outfit appearing on her body. With her standing up straight, they could see that the majority of her hair was gray but became black on the fringes, moving inward down the length of her hair to create an inverted heart shape.
She also had a tail.
Adam looked down at the former cat smiling cheerfully up at him, then at the other residents. "…I need a fucking drink."
They all nodded.
…
So, that happened. I'm not sure how or why it happened now but it did. KeeKee doesn't seem to like me much, or anyone besides Adam, Charlie and Pentious, on occasion. Actually, I expected her to hate Nifty on the spot, but they just stared and circled each other before nodding, shaking hands and then jumping on Adam's shoulders.
I don't know what that means, and I don't want to.
We have two maids now. Good for us, I guess. I mean, technically one is also the key to the hotel, but…ah, whatever.
It's been hours since then, hopefully the ruckus has died down a bit. I'm going to try again.
…
Husk checked around the corner of the hall and, seeing no one, stepped around it and headed for the library. He could hear the subtle crackle of the fire, and saw that one of the chairs in front of it was occupied by a large if slumped form. Taking a breath, the bartender walked quietly into the library. "Adam?" He asked softly, "Can I talk to you?"
The First Man glanced up at him and nodded at the empty seat. "Sure. I heard you wanted to speak to me anyways, I just…kinda forgot with the whole KeeKee thing."
"Understandable," Husk muttered, jumping as Adam snapped his fingers and summoned a bottle of whisky and two glasses. "Oh. Thanks. So…" he took a sip to brace himself, enjoying the smooth burn of top-shelf alcohol, "When you talked about music the other day, it got me thinking…"
"Want me to Create an instrument for you?" Adam asked.
Husk blinked. "Yeah, actually. How did you-"
"Sax?" He added with a smirk.
"…Yeah. How do you know that?" The bartender was getting a little alarmed at that point.
Adam held up a hand, "You said you managed a casino after 'Nam which was a recession and had enough money to support an alcoholic friend and get him a job, so the casino was obviously mid-range and fairly classy; add to that the bartending skills, bartenders also tend to fill in for cooks," he ticked off another finger, "And the fact you use playing cards as a weapon- esoteric, but if it works, it works -so a dealer as well, plus the hat and cumberbund, add to that most casinos prefer to promote from within. Mid-range and classy means jazz, jazz means sax." He eyed Husk thoughtfully, "Plus it's just really easy to imagine you playing a sax. Am I close?"
The bartender gulped, the smirk on Adam's face and the glint in those eyes reminding him that the First Man before him had been dealing with life far longer than he had. "…Higher end of mid-range and very classy, thank you," he finally said, sipping his whisky.
"Mm," Adam nodded and snapped his fingers, a saxophone case appearing on the ground before Husk.
Husk set his drink aside, slowly cracking open the case to look at the shiny brass instrument within. His hands were shaking as he pulled it out, taking in the old, familiar smell of oil as he ran his fingers along the instrument, making all the small, minute adjustments he remembered preferring all those years ago. He licked his dry lips and brought the mouthpiece up and blew, fingers carefully going through a test.
The notes echoed beautifully through the library, fading out as he stopped and drew in a shaky breath. Husk blinked, startled to realize that at some point, he'd begun crying. "I, uh," he turned to Adam, who was gazing at him with an understanding expression and a small smile, "I'm a little…rusty," he chuckled, tapping the buttons as an idea started percolating in his head, "…Want to help me knock it off?"
The First Man arched an eyebrow with a smirk. "…You want to jam?" He asked, already getting to his feet, "Fuck yeah. In the lounge though, obviously."
"Obviously."
…
Angel Dust wiped his eyes as he stepped into the lounge, pausing as he heard the brassy, jazzy tones of a saxophone and the powerful thumping of a bass. He looked up and found Adam and Husk on the stage, the First Man plucking away at a bass guitar while the bartender was blowing into the sax. Both were dancing, and both were wearing sunglasses despite being indoors. "…The fuck are you doin'?" He couldn't help but ask, wincing a little as the two stopped playing and turned to him.
Adam and Husk traded looks. "…Jammin', obviously," Husk said with a shrug.
"Oh…" Angel wasn't sure what provoked him to ask. The loneliness, probably. "Can I jam, too? I uh, don't know how to play anything, but I'm good with my hands." It wasn't even an innuendo.
The two on stage traded looks and shrugs. "Yeah, sure," Adam said, summoning a drum set, "Bet with some practice you'd kill it on the drums. And the harp. And…most instruments, actually," he frowned, peering at his golden wings, "Kinda wish I had four arms, now…" He shook himself. "Anyways, hop on up."
…
Charlie rubbed her eyes as she walked into the lounge, feeling tired from the events of the day. She'd gone searching for a glass of milk or tea, but then she'd heard music drifting into the kitchen and couldn't help but follow it. She blinked at the stage, where Adam, Angel Dust and Husk were playing instruments. All of them were wearing sunglasses, despite it being nighttime and them being inside.
The pornstar was grinning as he tapped along to the other two as they jammed, slowly gaining more confidence as they played.
Charlie tapped her toes to the beat as she bobbed her head, a smile curling her lips. "Hey guys!" She called, skipping up to the stage, no longer feeling tired, "Jammin'? Mind if I join in?"
The three guys looked at each other over their sunglasses and shrugged. "Fuck yeah, Ministar," Adam said with a grin, "Hope you don't mind if we switch it up a bit, Husk. Love me some jazz, but I'm feeling something a little more energetic."
The Princess tapped her chin in thought and smirked as an idea occurred. "Switching it up, you say," she murmured, snapping her fingers and summoning an old friend under her arm, delighting in the looks of surprise on their faces, "Know any AC/DC?" She asked innocently as she blew into her bagpipes.
The First Man looked at her like he'd never seen her before, a wild sort of smile on his face. "Of course I fuckin' do!" He crowed, handing the bass to Husk and summoning a guitar, quickly giving it a quick tune as he turned to Angel, "Don't worry about keeping pace, you're good with that, just watch me for the cues."
He started strumming out a crunchy tune, joined swiftly by Husk and Charlie as she summoned a lead guitar to join in. He looked back at Angel Dust and nodded, mouthing directions. The pornstar wasn't quite on time, but he made up for it with enthusiasm.
"Ridin' down the highway!" Adam sang, blinking as he realized Charlie was grinning at him as she made it a duet, "Goin' to a show! Stop in all the by-ways!"
"Playin' rock'n'roll!" Husk joined in, with a smile, bobbing his head, "Gettin' robbed!"
"Gettin' stoned!" Angel chimed in, "Gettin' beat up, broken boned!"
"Gettin' had! Gettin' took!" Adam and Charlie vocalized, rocking to the beat, "I tell ya folks, it harder than it looks-"
"It's a long way, to the top, if you wanna rock'n'roll!" They all sang, grinning, "It's a long way, to the top, if you wanna rock'n'roll~!"
"If ya, think it's easy doin' one-night stands, try playin' in a rock-roll band!"
"It's a long way, to the top, if ya wanna rock'n'roll!"
Charlie slung her guitar over her shoulder and pulled up her bagpipes, blowing into the mouthpiece as her fingers found the right holes, and the soothing screech of bagpipes joined with the rock to create something glorious.
As they rocked, at some point Nifty had joined them, dancing in the middle of their jam session to approving calls from the rockers themselves.
Adam grinned at Charlie as he strummed out the chords, and she copied them on the pipes, back and forth until dueting together, their gazes locked as they rocked. He couldn't help but laugh at her puffed-out cheeks, and she couldn't help but return the mirth at his expression.
Husk glanced at Angel Dust, a knowing smirk on his face. The drummer nodded back with the same expression, waggling his eyebrows as the other two seemed to forget they were there.
Outside of the lounge, Alastor peered in with his ever-present smile. "Sounds like quite the cacophony," he said to himself, his grin seeming just a bit forced at the sight of them laughing as they played, "I think I shan't take part in that tomfoolery, no sir…too loud for me." He turned and strutted away, pretending that his knuckles weren't white around his cane. He pretended further that he didn't look back over his shoulder before leaving.
"Hotel motel! Make you wanna cry!" The bagpipes finally faded out as Charlie took up the guitar again, swinging her hips to the beat, "Ladies do the hot sell! Know the reason why!"
"Gettin' old!" Husk chimed in, bobbing his head as he strummed the bass, "Gettin' gray! Gettin' ripped-off! Underpaid!"
"Gettin' sold, second-hand! That's how it goes, playin' in a band!" Angel joined in, almost head-banging as he banged the drums.
"It's a long way, to the top, if ya wanna rock'n'roll!"
"If ya, wanna be a, star of stage and screen!" Adam pointed at the drummer, who flipped one of his sticks in response, "Look out, it's rough and mean! It's a long way, to the top, if ya wanna rock'n'roll!"
Despite their hard rocking, none of them missed the way Angel winced.
As they started in on the chorus and the bagpipes piped in via Charlie, the door to the lounge was silently pushed open as Vaggie peered around the frame. She saw her girlfriend looking ridiculous, blowing into a set bagpipes, and smiled. Then she followed Charlie's line of sight, and of course her eyes were locked with the First Man, the two of them sharing that caring, fond, tender look that made a tingle of something unpleasant race up Vaggie's spine and congeal in her chest against her heart.
Charlie fumbled a note because of her giggles, the ringing screech of a squeaky elephant fart almost covering the rest of the instruments. The four of them looked at each other, and burst into raucous laughter, letting the notes fade as they leaned on each other, nearly bent double with mirth.
Vaggie smiled slightly, and it dropped as she saw Charlie reach out and take Adam's hand. She swallowed a lump in her throat and turned away, hugging herself as she shuffled away from the lounge. Why won't they look at me like that?
She tried to deny that her desires went in two directions.
…
"I'm tellin' ya, we should totally form a band!" Angel Dust insisted again, insistently tapping the bar counter with a hand while waving a margarita around with another, "We take this show on the road, hit all the big places in the rings and we'd be rollin' in cash and groupies!"
"And I'm telling you," Charlie replied just as insistently, "I'm the Princess, I'm already rolling in cash and who even needs groupies?!" She blew a raspberry at him.
"'Who needs groupies?'" Adam quoted at her side with a grin, before raising his glass, "Yo!"
Angel and Husk toasted at the same time and laughed as Charlie rolled her eyes. "Men," she booed even as she smiled, "…So we're totally forming a band, right?"
"Damn right!" The bartender cheered as the foursome clinked their glasses together and drank, "But first, we need a name."
"Angel Dust and His Bitches!" The pornstar immediately threw out.
"No," Husk shot down.
"Adam and His Bitches," the First Man chimed in.
"No!" Charlie denied, lightly smacking him on the arm, "How about…The Happy Hellborne?"
"You're the only Hellborne here, hun," Angel Dust replied, shaking his head, "The Horny Hellborne?"
"No…" The bartender tapped a claw against the wood, a thoughtful look on his face, "I think…we should have something about the Hotel, and there's only a few of us, so…" He shook his glass, the ice cubes lightly rattling against the glass, "…The Happy Few?"
The other three traded nods and impressed looks. "Sounds good to me," Charlie said, holding out her glass of iced tea, "The Happy Few."
"The Happy Few!" They chanted and clinked their glasses together.
Adam smacked his lips, reaching for a bottle of rum to refill his glass. "Speaking of groupies," he started, "When I don't want to bother my Babes, I have an absolutely foolproof method of picking up chicks," Charlie tilted her head, giving him a small frown, "I don't do it all the time."
"I wanna know," Husk added, shrugging as the Princess shot him a look, "Hey, I had my own method of dropping panties, I just wanna hear how the Master does it." Angel Dust was nodding, too.
"So what I do is, I walk into an open mic, there are a lot of those in Heaven," Adam continued, taking a sip, "I pull out my guitar and I say, 'I can play the entire guitar solo of Free Bird…'" He opened his mouth, "'With just my tongue.'" He stuck his golden tongue out at them.
Charlie looked at the moist appendage poking between his lips and tried not to blush. "…Not sure I'm a fan, but that is legitimately impressive," she nodded, taking a drink and squinting at him, "…If you can actually do it."
"Haven't actually finished the whole thing," Adam shrugged casually, "I can never get more than a third of the way through before the ladies rush the stage and start trying to rip my clothes off."
It was said so simply and factually that it just had to be true. Charlie ducked her head, trying to hide the heat in her cheeks, while Angel eyed the First Man with a saucy smirk. "I hope you understand that only makes me want you more," he said simply.
"And I hope you understand that it's never gonna happen," Adam replied, equally as simply, "I mean, fuck, don't stop trying, shoot for the stars and aim for their kneecaps and shit, but no, never gonna happen. I don't mind being the carrot, just as long you don't get your hands on my stick."
"Speaking of kneecaps," Husk started, looking around, "What happened to Nifty?"
"Oh, she passed out from all the dancing, so I teleported her to bed," Charlie answered, pressing the cold glass against her forehead, hoping the condensation would help halt the flood of images rampaging through her brain.
"Speaking of passing out," Angel Dust chimed in, "I never thought of you as a 'bagpipes' type of girl, Charlie."
"Mm," Adam nodded as he took drink, "Caught me off-fuckin'-guard seeing you pull some pipes outta nowhere, Ministar."
"Yeah, it doesn't seem very…Princess-y," Husk added, "No offense."
"Why," Charlie gasped theatrically, "I have never been more offended in my life! How dare you insult the long, storied history of one of the most unique instruments ever created? They're difficult to play, require a skilled hand and many, many hours of supervised practice!"
Adam tapped his glass against the bar, a slow grin growing on his face. "Charlie~" he sing-songed, "Did you learn how to play the bagpipes just to torture your parents?"
She gave him such an innocent look he half believed butter wouldn't melt in her mouth and a halo would appear over her head. "Of course not," Charlie said emphatically, "That would be mean."
There was a second of silence. Then she grinned and giggled deviously.
They all laughed, Adam throwing an arm around her shoulders and her leaning against him. "To Charlie!" Husk called, holding up his glass.
"Charlie!" They cheered and drank.
The Princess couldn't hide her blush, "I mean, it's obviously not the only instrument I know, but it was my favorite to learn," she coughed into her hand, "Though, being honest, I think having me and Adam in the band has gotta count as some form of cheating."
"It's Hell," Angel shrugged, "Like literally, if you ain't cheatin' you ain't tryin' because everyone else definitely is."
Husk looked at the other three as they chatted, a happy smile on his usually grumpy face that fell slightly. …Do I even deserve to feel happy? he asked himself, licking his lips, "Speaking of cheating," he started, drawing their attention, "Can I…tell you all something?"
"Of course, Husk!" The Princess chirped, adding a bit of lemonade to her tea.
"I…" He took a deep, bracing breath, "While I was alive, my name was Henry Whitmore. Not every orphan took Missus Whitmore's name after they moved out, but I always thought there would be nothing better than being related to a woman who was the soul of charity. Heh, after what I became, though…she would've been rolling her grave at the thought of sharing a name with a bastard like me." He shook his head. "I moved out and started running games, back-alley card games, running suckers for their money. Some days I'd make a hundred bucks and that went a lot farther back then. One day, though, I got caught with a card up my sleeve; I was arrogant, thinking there was no way a bunch of suckers like that would notice, but they did."
"…That's not that bad-" Angel Dust started, only for Husk to hold up a hand and cut him off.
"Don't interrupt me, please, this is hard enough already," the bartender took a deep drink and let the burn of alcohol linger. "They beat the shit out of me. Probably would've died, too, if it hadn't been for him…Francis Walker. Owner of a casino, higher end of mid-range, very classy…he drove them away, picked me up and cleaned me off, and offered me a job. Apparently he'd been watching me running my games before. Thought I could make a killing as a dealer at one of his tables, but not right off the bat. He made me an offer: he'd hire me on as a waiter or a busboy, get me some experience being a working stiff, then in a year or so I could start dealing cards. He knew I was homeless, even offered me a room in the hotel of the casino, a small one. I'd heard horror stories of young men getting picked up off the street then disappearing forever, but I didn't have a choice. My reputation was shot after that, no one would play my games again, so I accepted."
Adam reached over and refilled his glass, getting a grateful nod from Husk.
"I didn't make as much money in a day as I used to, but there's something to be said about steady pay and a door that locks," he continued, "Naturally, I had a bright idea. Take my wages for the day, hit up a different casino and double my pay. Then another idea: the more money I could make from work, the more I could double. I busted my ass for years, doing every job I could get my hands on. Cooking, cleaning, drink-slinging, running the tables eventually…" He sighed, a small, nostalgic smile on his lips, "But I always admired the band. Once I got to know them, I asked for lessons, you know, when they had the time. It took me years, but eventually I got my hands on that sax…I loved it, being the center of attention. Heh, and the ladies weren't bad either."
He and Adam clinked their glasses together.
"I did it all, hell, by the time I was made manager I practically already was, I ran everything…and then I found Damon again," Husk slumped over his drink, "I'd been so focused on money for so long, I'd almost forgotten what it was like to take care of someone, to have a brother again…and then, despite everything, all I tried…he went and died on me. And…It felt like I just…couldn't care anymore. Money was all I wanted. I remember, there was this woman, single mother, had her as a waitress…she was clumsy, kept spilling drinks. I thought about moving her to a different job, but then she dropped an expensive order on a big spender. Pulled her into my office, and she knew what was coming. She started crying, begging me for her job. The only way she could take care of her kids…" He shook his head, jacking a thumb over his shoulder, "But she cost me money, so out the door she went…I never found out what happened to her."
"Christ," Angel muttered.
"There was a crime family in town. Francis had been grooming me to take over the casino, I'd never be the owner, but the next best thing, and he took me to meet them. Shit, that was a weird day," Husk huffed, playing with his empty glass, "Kept thinking I was gonna get whacked and buried in the desert, but no. They just wanted to lay down the law. Francis had worked for them forever, so I figured I should carry on the grand tradition. Now, I never killed anyone," he tapped a finger firmly on the counter, "No murder. None. But…I let them launder money through the tables. Provided the odd alibi for a made man or a quiet place to stay if things were a little heated…kept a body or two in the freezer for a couple days. Not particularly glamorous, but it kept the cash rolling in…money." He shook his head in disgust.
Charlie made to open her mouth, but Adam quickly grabbed her hand and her attention. He shook his head subtly.
"Money was all I cared about. More of it, and more often," Husk sighed deeply, "One day, a new family started making waves, approached me. Wanted me to flip on the old family in their favor. These new guys, oh they knew how to make money. So I did. Arrogant asshole I was, I flipped." He swallowed dryly, "Worst mistake of my life. At first, I thought things were fine, but small problems started cropping up. Smaller shipments, money going missing, that kinda thing. Even had a bad case of food poisoning. Dumbass that I was, I thought it was just a problem with the supplier, so I flew to New York to handle it, maybe even make a holiday of it…heh. Never even made it to the hotel. Friends of the old family yanked me right out of my taxi, stripped me down to my skivvies, gave me a pristine pair of concrete shoes and sent me sleeping with the fishes."
"…That's terrible, Husk," Angel Dust murmured, laying a hand on the bartender's shoulder.
"Yeah," Charlie added, reaching over to grasp his arm, "I'm sorry you had to go through that."
Husk cleared his throat and wiped his eyes, shaking their sympathetic hands off. "Not done," he said gruffly, biting his lip, "Of course I ended up in Hell, though I actually landed in the Greed Ring. And…it was like a paradise. Everything I'd known my whole life, but now I could actually use it to become powerful, to actually run my unlife how I wanted…of course, it was only a paradise at first. Bunch of my employees ended up in the Greed Ring, too, and naturally they flocked to the only authority figure they recognized. It was…almost too easy to get their souls for myself…"
Angel gulped, subtly sliding away from the bartender. "…You're an Overlord," the pornstar breathed, trying not to shiver.
"Was," Husk snarled, his claws biting into the wood of the counter, "I had everything I could've ever wanted; more money than I knew what to do with, souls who followed my every command, power coursing through my veins like the finest whisky," his wings had spread, his eyes glowing yellow…and then he slumped, just a sad man drinking his sorrows away, "I was a dab hand at cheating cards, and Luck had always been on my side…except for the moments when it really counted. One day, I came across…him. Alastor. We played cards and no matter what, I just kept. Losing. He was cheating, better than I could and I couldn't let that stand. I bet everything. All of the money I had, and when I lost that…the souls. And I lost those, too, so I bet the only thing I had left."
"Your soul," Adam spoke, sitting so still he might as well have been chiseled from stone, eyes as hard as the gold they resembled.
"My soul," Husk nodded, chuckling bitterly, "And I lost that, too. Finally, I learned what it was like, being on the other end of the leash, what it feels like to know that someone else controls your very soul. I…I hate it. And I…those people, my employees, with their souls they entrusted to me and I just…threw them away!" He snarled and hurled the glass, which vanished before it could shatter against anything, "Traded them like chips, like cold pieces of plastic when they were…Souls! Lives! The very…foundation of their existence, and I just…lost them. Like spare change. And I've been Alastor's b-"
"-Bartender?" Charlie cut in gently.
"His Bitch, Charlie," Husk said bluntly, "I've been Alastor's bitch for years. The irony of it all…I had to get a collar clapped around my neck to truly understand just how bad it was…and then, it was too late."
"…Too late for what?" Angel asked, carefully scooting back and putting his hand on the cat demon's shoulder.
"Anything." Husk murmured miserably, blinking away a tear as it hung from his lashes, "All I've wanted to do since then…was find them again, tell them how sorry I was, but…I couldn't act without Alastor's approval, and he wouldn't give it to me. But most of all…Mrs. Whitmore. Mary. How I've dreamed of meeting her again…dreaded it, wished for it. I just…"
He breathed deeply, shakily. "…Adam?" He asked, and he hated how small his voice felt, looking up at the First Man, "Do you…really think it's possible? I was such a bastard in life, worse of one in death, but…can I really earn it? Redemption? After everything?"
Adam almost resembled a statue from how still he sat, if only for the flicker of his eyes as they bored into Husk. "…Do you regret it?" He finally said, voice a hoarse rasp.
"…Yes. So much," Husk nodded, "If I could go back in time and change it all, I would, but-"
"-The past is carved in stone, and neither the heaviest hammer nor the sharpest chisel could ever rewrite it," the First Man said softly as he stood up from his seat, laying a hand on Husk's shoulder as the other two watched them. "The smart man learns from his mistakes. The wise man learns from the mistakes of others. The fool refuses to learn from any mistake, his or other. You are no fool, Husk. Regret is the first step, but the second is the hardest. Forgiveness."
The bartender blinked, feeling his heart sink. "But I…I don't know where they are, if they're even still-"
"-Not from others," Adam cut in gently but firmly, "Yourself. Asking others for forgiveness is hard, yes, but harder still is asking yourself. If you can…" He shrugged lightly, "Who knows?"
"I…" Husk swallowed something heavy and dry, "What if…I don't deserve it?"
"Then you're fucked," Adam said bluntly, lightly rubbing Husk's shoulder, "Don't forget the inverse, though. What if you do?"
Husk opened his mouth to reply, but found that he couldn't. The words simply wouldn't form.
Adam patted his shoulder. "Think about it," he said, and softly padded away from the lounge.
…
5:
I've had time to think about it, but I still don't know. How could I?
…He didn't say 'no' though.
…
I'm a napper by nature, stereotype or not, so I don't sleep all that much at night. I used to wander around the casino, looking for things to fix, but this hotel doesn't need it so I tend to find myself in the library. This Monday, I found Adam there, and it was like seeing into the past.
Slumped in a chair, bottle at his side, staring blankly into the fire.
So I sat next to him. We didn't say a word. Just drank, and stared.
…It was nice.
People, but Charlie especially, feel the need to fill up silence. Me, I prefer to let it sit, like a blanket. It's comfortable. Adam's the same, in some regards…which is a wild thought.
Never thought I'd have anything in common with the Father of Humanity, but there you go.
Something I've noticed, though…we've been meeting up almost every other night for a week. Me, as I said, I'm a napper. But Adam…
…Does Adam ever actually sleep?
Actually, it's about that time again. I think I'll break the silence and ask, just this once.
…
Husk padded down the carpet to the library, pausing as he saw another figure softly open the door and walk inside. It was a little hard to tell, but no one else in the hotel had that hair.
Charlie, hair down and wearing a long, plain white t-shirt, stepped into the library and found Adam sitting at a chair before the fire, slumped down with a glass of bourbon in his hand. With her long, pale fingers, she gently plucked it from his hand and set it aside. "Adam?" She asked softly as he looked up at her, "These things that keep you awake…do you want to talk about them?"
"Mm-mm," he grunted negatively.
She frowned a little. "...Are you alright?"
"Mmhm," he grunted positively.
"…Can I sit here with you?" She asked.
"Mm," he grunted ambivalently.
Charlie nodded decisively and instead of taking a seat in the other chair, she planted herself in his lap, curling up on his thighs as she leaned against his chest. Adam blinked, but made no effort to remove her. They sat there for a few long minutes, in the silence. She reached up and touched his cheek, gently pulling his head down. "Adam…" she said gently, lightly brushing his skin with her fingers, "Whatever keeps you up at night, whatever haunts you…I'm here for you, okay? When you want to talk, I'll listen. Or, if you just want to sit quietly…I'll sit with you. I'll be…I'll support you."
Then she leaned up and kissed his cheek, the quiet smack of her lips echoing in the library.
Husk watched it all from around the door. He saw Charlie's face as she ducked her head and rested against Adam's chest; he saw the surprise and wonderment in Adam's expression as he softly wrapped an arm around Charlie.
He smiled and silently left, closing and locking the door behind him.
…
…It's hard to believe what I just saw. The First Man, and the Princess of Hell. I know those faces…she kissed him on the cheek, but wanted it to be somewhere else.
And so did he.
It seems impossible, but it happened right in front of my eyes. Adam and the daughter of those who betrayed him the most…
…If that's possible, what else is?
…I don't know if redemption is just a dream, or if it's even real. It's a gamble, pure and simple. Gambling carried me to new heights and dropped me to new lows. It's ruined my life as much as it made it.
…But I think I'm going all-in on this one. I think it's worth it.
And…I want to spend more time…
…With my friends.
…
…
…
…
…
…
A/N: (Message from the future: this story's up to chapter 15 on AO3, and up to chapter 18 on my p-atreon. I haven't been keeping this one updated as often as the ao3 one because there were no alerts; now that they're back, I'll be updating this version until it matches the ao3 one in chapter count over the next couple of days.)
And here we come to the end of part two of Husk's tragic backstory: turns out there's a reason he's in Hell. Plus, there's been a dearth of Adam/Lute in this fic despite the tags, so I had to fix it just a little bit.
And it's as I said, Senpai - KeeKink.
Dude, are we in a band?
Dude, we are totally in a band!
And hence the name I've been using for the collective group has an actual reason to be used! Suck it.
Honestly, it was nice to write a bit of music again, and I hadn't actually imagined a song for that whole sequence until I got this picture in my head of Charlie playing the bagpipes and burst out laughing…at work. Again.
Yeah, they think I'm a whackadoo, what can I do?
But yeah, Husk was originally Henry Whitmore (completely made up). I was looking at his character and it just kinda came to me, all these little pieces. Like, obviously he's in Hell for a reason, but he has good points and an inciting incident that changed him for the worse, but he's not irredeemable…is he?
The relationships are starting to deepen, both between the Sinners and Adam, and Adam and Charlie, and oh boy is there more to come. Chapter 14's been completed already, too.
Next two-parter…Angel Dust. Uh-oh. Let's just say part one is a doozy. And part two even moreso. You'll just have to wait and see…
Big thanks, as always to NSG for being THE MAN. Read his stuff! Please.
Thanks to the peeps in my Discord, the Solarium, and the First Man Collective for being (mostly) kickass dudes and dudettes. If you like my take on HH, you should check out AkumaKami and ZeroThe0mega's stories, too. Plus there's a whole buncha others, too.
And thank you, specifically, (yes you, Alexis) for taking the time to come and read my story. If you liked it, maybe leave a review and comment and whatnot, but if not, no need. Your time's enough for me. Hope you look forward to more.
I hope you've been having a good time this summer, mine's been pretty alright so far.
Stay Awesome!
~Soleneus
P.S.: Keith David's voice…mmm…just listening to him talk into my ear…man could read the tax code and I'd listen to the whole thing.
…that's it.
Stay Awesome Some More.
~still Soleneus