"And action!" Valentino called out before sitting down in his chair, watching while practically salivating.
Angel painted a fake smile on his face, allowing his mind to disconnect while acting out his role as a slutty schoolboy.
It had been three days since... he smothered the memories. He was done with that. Val had won and Angel left the hotel, went back to the poison. To Val, abandoned his redemption, the hotel... Husk.
"Cut!" Valentino called out. "Thats a wrap. Angelcakes?"
Angel sat up and looked at his boss.
"Good boy." Valentino replied, caressing the younger demon's face. "Go get ready for your next shot."
Angel threw on his robe and headed to his dressing room. Were the people thinking about him? Did anyone care about him? The way he unceremoniously left...
"Are you fucking serious, kid?" Husk yelled.
Angel looked up from the suitcase.
"W... Whiskers?" He asked in surprise. "What are you..."
Husk angrily held up a pink piece of paper. "This is how you're telling me you're leaving? A fucking dear John note? You couldn't say it to my fucking face?"
Angel exhaled, smothering the guilt that was bubbling inside him. "It's easier this way."
"Why? Why are you going back to that abusive piece of shit asshole?" Husk screamed. "Did I do something wrong? I thought you were happy!"
Angel didn't turn around. How could he tell him? How could he say that Valentino had seen Angel and Husk together.
A few months prior, the two of them had been returning from Consent after a night of drinking and some playful flirting on Angel's part when they stopped by an alley.
The two of them stood silently, trying to get Hell to stop spinning... but it wasn't spinning like usual. There was something a little more intoxicating.
"Feeling okay, Angel?" Husk asked.
Angel laughed. "Of course, Whiskers. What do you take me for? A fucking lightweight?"
Husk averted his gaze. Angel practically seemed to sparkle under an alcoholic haze.
"Must have drank more than I thought..." he muttered.
"What was that?" Angel asked.
Husk shrugged. "Nothing. Must be hearing things."
Angel sighed. For a few months now, the cat demon had invaded his thoughts a lot more than usual, and lately the two of them had gone out drinking more frequently.
Husk turned to look at Angel again, he couldn't resist the cheeky smirk anymore. Reaching out, he gently caressed Angel's cheek before leaning in and stealing a kiss.
"H... Husk?" Angel asked in surprise.
Husk blushed. "I'm sorry. Was that too much? I should have asked first, I..."
Angel leaned in and kissed him again. This time it was a lot more passionate. "I wanted that too..." he replied, leaning back in.
It must have been fifteen minutes or so before the two of them broke apart, slightly panting.
"We'd better get back to the hotel." Husk replied, "or Charlie is going to send Vaggie to look for us."
Angel nodded in response before following the cat.
"Um, Husk?" He asked. "Does us kissing... change anything?"
"How do you mean?"
"Well... we were drinking... drunken mistake or..."
Husk took Angel by one of his hands. "We'll see how we feel tomorrow."
Angel nervously nodded as the two of them reached the hotel.
Angel glared at his hands. How could he tell Husk that Valentino had given him an ultimatum: return to his side permanently in three days, or he goes after Husk with an angelic weapon, fuck the fact Alistair owned him.
Angel immediately began packing.
"Angel... please." Husk whispered. "Don't leave... don't leave me..."
Angel snapped his suitcase shut before turning to Husk, hoping his tears would stay in a little bit longer.
"You'll be okay." He said to his now ex before picking up his suitcase and Fat Nuggets and headed out.
"ANGEL DUST! PLEASE!" Husk's anguished screams flooded Angel's ears as he turned in his key and sprinted back to the studio.
"He'll be okay." Angel thought to himself as he sprawled out on his bed.
Reaching into the mini fridge Valentino installed in his room as a reward for making another grand, Angel pulled out a bottle of curocao.
Popping the bottle open, he took a swig before pulling out some coke Cherri had given him. As he cut himself a line, the image of Husk's pained face and sound of his scream invaded his senses.
"Leave me alone..." he angrily said to himself.
Looking down, he noticed something. Somehow he accidentally brought a picture of him and Husk to the studio. He was tempted to rip it to shreds, but instead, he slid it under the bed. Out of sight, out of mind.
Angel glared at the bed, before snorting the line. "It's better this way..." he whispered. Tears starting to fall.
"I'm sorry, Husk. It's better this way..."
"Babe!" Valentino called out. "You're needed!"
Angel quickly wiped away the tears and plastered on a fake smile.
"Coming, Val." He began
"Poor Husk." Charlie whimpered.
Normally, Husk would be tending the bar, mixing drinks and stealing samples for himself. Now, he just stood, cellphone in hand. He didn't even flinch when Niffty accidentally stabbed him while chasing roaches.
"Husk..." Vaggie began, walking over to him. "We all miss him... it's been three days. Do you need some time off the bar? I can take over?"
Husk looked up from his phone. "I'll be okay." Husk lied.
Truthfully, he was the furthest thing from okay. He hoped this was all fake. That he would wake up with Angel in his arms, or Angel would walk through the door saying "Psyche, motherfuckers!"
"Come on, Husk." Vaggie began, pulling him out from behind the bar. "Go clear your head. I'll take over."
Husk began to protest, but a warning look from Vaggie told him otherwise.
Exhaling he looked at his phone once again, hoping it would light up with a text from Angel, explaining everything. Once or twice he wrote out a text demanding an explanation, but erased it before he could hit send.
"How could he do that..." Husk whispered before heading up to his room.
Looking underneath his bed, he found a giant bottle of whisky he was keeping for emergencies.
"I guess this counts as an emergency..." he thought to himself, cracking open the bottle and chugging, hoping it would erase the face that haunted him...
"Morning, Husky..."
It was the morning after Angel and Husk had kissed in the alley.
"Oh... Morning Angel." Husk replied. "Um... did we..."
Angel stood up and began gathering his clothes. "We made out alot, but we didn't fuck. We were going to, but you fell asleep."
"Oh..." Husk replied, embarrassed.
"Do you regret it?" Angel asked, getting dressed.
"Huh?"
Angel shrugged. "Look, I'm a slut. I'm used to one night stands... even though we didn't fuck. I just don't want to ruin our friendship."
After getting dressed and fixing his hair, he turned. "See you at the bar?"
Husk reached over and pulled him back. "I don't regret anything." Husk replied before claiming his lips.
"H... Husky?"
Husk smirked back at him before kissing him again. "This okay?"
Angel nodded and kissed him. They didn't come down until lunch.
Once the bottle was completely empty and shattered against a wall, Husk flopped down on his bed. To his dismay it still smelled of Angel. He needed to get rid of this feeling. He would do laundry later, but, first, a purge.
Looking around for anything to get rid of, he noticed a framed picture. The two of them had taken it on a date. Angel was flipping off the camera while sticking out his tongue and Husk was just glaring. Husk slipped the picture out of its frame and put it in a drawer.
"It's... over..." Husk whispered to himself. "We're... really..."
he flopped on his bed, trying not to think of Angel and where he was.
3 weeks later
"I'm going out to stock the cabinet. " Husk called.
"Okay!" Charlie called back. "Be sure to get lots of vodka! I want to see if Cape Cods are a hit."
Husk laughed to himself before heading out. He didn't feel as much pain as before, but every now and then, he found himself missing Angel, but came to terms with the fact Angel didn't want him anymore.
After purchasing the liquor and a few garnishes, he made his way back to the hotel.
"Husk?"
Turning in surprise, Husk saw Angel standing on the corner.
"Angel!" He exclaimed. "How have you been?"
"The little spider slut is fine." Out of the shadows stepped Valentino.
"Angel, baby. Remember our deal?"
Angel nodded. "Yes, Val."
Husk looked carefully at Angel. His eyes were full of different emotions: fear, longing, sadness and... love?
Seeing him again made the memories come flooding back, and just looking at him, it felt like his world was regaining colour.
"Angel, baby." Valentino hissed. "Remember what I said? Time to say goodbye."
"Oh..." Angel sadly said. "Right. Bye, Husk."
Husk looked even closer. Behind his eyes and words, Angel was practically screaming for help.
"Now let's go, Babe." Valentino continued, grabbing Angel by the arm and marching him back to the studio.
Husk's eyes narrowed as his eyes caught sight of half covered bruises and gashes.
But what did Val mean by the deal? Husk began to head home. Hoping Charlie and Vaggie wouldn't mind if he drank a little extra.
"Hello, Husk."
Husk looked up to see Alistor smiling down at him.
"Oh... Al..." Husk began before pausing. "I wonder if you could help me with something..."
Six months later.
"And CUT!" Valentino called out.
Turning to the set, he smirked. He rather enjoyed that shoot, and he was planning on enjoying his star very much later that night.
"You can all go, except for you Angel. I want you in my bedchamber in a few minutes."
Angel gulped. He knew it would be a restless night, and after a few nights with Husk, sex with anyone else felt hollow. He had been shown the line between love making and fucking and since then, fucking hadn't done anything for him.
Getting to his feet, he got ready to prepare himself for a long night when Alistor manifested into the room.
"Knock knock." He cheerfully said.
"The fuck is this?" Vox cried out.
"Oh, you're here too?" Alistor sarcastically asked.
"Fuck yes! Unlike you, I was INVITED."
"Well, I invited myself." Alistor replied, his grin widening, "and I'd love to stay and chat, but I'm not here for you. I'm here for YOU!" He exclaimed, pointing at Valentino with a twisted grin.
"Me?" Valentino asked in surprise.
"Yes." Alistor replied. "You see, I've come to understand you intend to fuck with my souls."
Valentino went pale.
Angel's eyes widened. How did Alistor know? did that mean Husk knew too?
"Unfortunately we can't have that... so I guess you're soul will have to go."
With that, Alistor lunged. There was no scream or time to process. There was only green light and then nothing.
Vox let out a scream of anguish.
Angel gasped in shock. Valentino was... GONE!
Alistor turned to Angel, grinning.
"Little spider... you're off the hook. Free. Consider it a favour."
Angel stood open mouthed before running back to his room.
"I'm free..." he gasped to himself.
"Oink?"
Angel picked up his pig happily. "Thats right, baby! Valentino is gone! We can do what we want! go where we want..." then he noticed a piece of paper in Fat Nuggets's mouth.
"What do you have there?" Angel asked. "Give it to Daddy."
Prying the paper out of the pig's mouth, he saw it was the picture of him and Husk.
"Whiskers..." Angel said, bittersweet. He probably was long redeemed or maybe even had a new boyfriend or girlfriend, but he just hoped he was happy, then his phone rang.
"All done." Alistor said. "The spider is free. In exchange..."
"I know... I'm your toy for a little bit longer."
"That's correct." Alistor replied. "But... why would you add more time to your sentence."
Husk smiled, bittersweet. "I still love him... and if Angel can be happy and free. I can be happy."
"But not free." Alistor reminded him.
"I know." Husk replied.
Husk sighed at the predicament as Alistor left. Then Husk went upstairs to his room.
He opened the drawer to look for his phone. Staring at him, dusty, was the picture of him and Angel. Husk touched the picture and smiled at it before pulling out his phone.
Inhaling deeply, he dialed Angel. On the second ring, Angel answered.
"Hello?"
"Angel Dust! I heard you were free."
"Oh? Now how would you know that."
Husk laughed quietly. The way Angel said that was almost knowingly.
"That day we saw each other by the liquor store, I ran into Alistor shortly after. I knew you were being puppeteered and asked him for help. He did some digging and learned everything."
"How much do YOU know?" Angel nervously asked.
Husk laughed. "Just as much. You were trying to protect me?"
"Of course! I didn't want you to be hurt because of me!"
There was silence, but it was almost comforting as a million unsaid words and sentences reached each other.
"Angel?" Husk finally asked.
"Yes?"
"I want you to come back to the hotel." He said. "Vaggie and Charlie miss you and things haven't been the same."
"Oh? You only want me to return because of Vaggie and Charlie?" Angel sounded almost disappointed.
"Well... no. There's other reasons, but..."
"Then say them." Angel replied. "Say the reasons and I'll return."
Husk inhaled. He hadn't said this to him before, but now was the right time. "Because I love you." He said.
There was a gasp. "Y... you still love me?" Angel asked, his voice slightly shaky.
"Yes. I love you." Husk replied, feeling braver by the second. "I love your smile, your laugh, I love how you make me feel, I love how funny you are. I love everything about you."
There was nothing on the other end, except for the sound of Angel crying. "I love you too." He whispered.
Husk happily signed. "I love you, Angie. Please come home."
