Nifty giggled as she showed off her show and tell to the gang. "Behold, a taxidermy!" She shouted. "It's of the first rat I mutilated … isn't he a charmer?"
"He's … lovely, Nifty." Charlie nodded with a small and shaky smile. See, this is why she liked the hotel. Everyone in here was so supportive of her creations! "I… like that it's… clearly a stuffed rat you… killed..."
"Yep, kids wouldn't play with me for some reason during school, so I had to play with the tiny little animals, and when they didn't want to play with me, I hunted them down and forced them to play with me!!!" Nifty cackled with delight. "It still doesn't compare to the first roach I stabbed, but it's a close second."
"Sometimes the most important things to us are forever lost and out of reach." Al lamented.
"Wow, it's beautifully stitched together." Iruma smiled as she analyzed her prized beauty. "It's like it was never brutally maimed before."
"Thank you, I use a very special thread that makes the stitching almost invisible to the naked eye." Nifty giggled.
"…. You're into this shit?" Husk questioned.
"Octavia's given me an appreciation for taxidermy. I can admire the effort and art that goes into it." Iruma shrugged. "Maybe I should have invited her over …"
"No offense kid, but we just cleared the hotel of the hellborn that took Charlie's words out of context as a sign to freeload, might be best if we keep the visits limited till we clear that shit out." Vaggie grumbled.
"The loan sharks were distasteful, but their screams were an absolute delight!" Alastor cackled. "Shall I go next, dear Charlotte, or do you want to save me for last out of fear?"
"Anyone have objections?" Charlie asked the room, ignoring Al.
"I feel like the faster we get it out of the way, the better." Iruma nodded.
"In that case, allow me to show it off." And the man showed off … a bill. "The first dollar I ever earned through a job as a broadcaster."
"…. And isssss it covvvvvered in the blood of your firsssssssst victim?"
"Nope, just a normal dollar bill." He chuckled.
"Did you talk about mutilation or cannibalism on that broadcast?" Vaggie questioned.
"Nope, it was back when everything fun was still heavily censored against."
"So … what's the torturous gimmick?" Iruma asked skeptically.
"None at all. It just helped inspire me to keep sharing my voice with the world. Like we're all doing now."
"…. Husk, is there any downside to this that you can tell us about?" Charlie asked the cat demon.
"Story's real. Dollar's real. Just don't think about it." The bartender drank a whole bottle.
"Yeah guys." Nifty scoffed. "Just because we like murder and pain doesn't mean it's ALL we think about. We're three dimensional people too." She saw something crawling. "Aha, I knew flies were starting to swarm in!" She threw her needle and pinned it to the wall. "Bullseye!"
"... Angel Dust, why don't you go?" Charlie questioned with a weak grin.
"Sure thing princessa." He smirked, pulling out a vhs and putting it into the tv. "This won me a SexXXX award."
"A what now?!" Vaggie screamed as the tv turned on.
The screen began showing off … "Wow, I didn't know people bend that way." Nifty idly nodded.
"You think it's a skill or just a demon thing?" Iruma asked, his lips pursed in thought. "Because I would kill to be that flexible when someone's shooting at me."
"ANGEL!" Charlie shouted as she smashed the TV.
"Best show and tell by far, now we've moved on to smashing Tevelsions, the ONLY thing to do with a Tv!" The boss cackled.
"What were you thinking!?" Charlie shouted, admonishing Angel Dust.
"I was thinking I would bring something valuable of mine to show and tell." The spider demon shrugged. "And it was either this or crack for the group to share. I think I made the right call."
"But it was just you making babies with a hellhound." Iruma tilted his head. "Unless you somehow broke the octo mom record …"
"Oh I broke MANY records here, and condoms, and dildos, and strap ons, this list can go on already." Angel Dust continued. "And I won something over that slut Tiffiny Tit Fucker, so it's my greatest achievement to date."
"I'm sure that's what you tell yourself at night." Husker rolled his eyes.
"Oooh, kitty's finally beginning to purrrr for me?" The spider asked suggestively as he leaned forward on the couch.
"Would you cut the act and just admit these snuff films are nothing more than hot garbage?" Husker glared. "You've bitched and moaned about them every fucking night when you get drunk."
"Ooooh, kitty thinks he knows me cause I was a little tipsy." Angel Dust said sarcastically.
"I know everything about ever single fucker in this hotel because EVERYONE bitches to the Bartender at somepoint." Husker waved off. "For starters, the princess of hell's a bleeding heart that latches onto everyone else's problems because she doesn't know how to approach solving her own." Husker started off as he cleaned his glass.
"I wouldn't say…" The princess started to look sheepish.
"The snake's an unconfident loser who's ego can't be stroked due to some kind of inferiority complex."
"I DON'T HAVE A COMPLEXXXXXXXX!"
"Eyepatch here hates everyone around here due to her self resentment and inability to cling to anybody other than her girlfriend."
"I can bond with other people." She grumbled.
"Kid's just a doormat that needs to learn how to have autonomy without getting his hand held."
"Fair."
"Oooh, me next, me next, me next!" Nifty shouted as she raised her hand.
"You continue to exist."
"Scathing!" Such a fun new game!
"HAHAHAHAHA, wow, he nailed you bitches good, harder than anything my last time in bed." Angel cackled.
"And you, you pink striped chuckle fuck, you're the fakest person here!" Husk shouted as he pushed Angel off his body. "Pretending you're this proud oscar winner when all you make is third rate snuff films."
"Hey! There's nothing fake about my talent." Angel scoffed, now actually looking angry . "No one can suck a dick like me."
"Is that what your pimp daddy tells you that makes you keep crawling on your knees to him?"
"Oh, you want to fucking go-" Angel Dust began to grow bigger… before his phone rang. "Shit…" He answered it. "Hey…." The expression went from angry to stressed. "No, no, I didn't forget-" He paused. "Right … right you can hear I'm not doing anything important …" Charlie looked like she wanted to speak up, but Vaggie pulled her hand down. "... Yeah … yeah I'll be over in ten … see you then." He hung up. "... Welp, work calls." He spoke, putting on a lazy grin as the spider demon walked to the door. "I'll be back sometime in the mornin', probably."
"Whatever." Husker rolled his eyes, only getting Angel back to angry.
"Look here, porn critic, I don't give a flying shit about what some dried up, crusty bartender thinks about me, so crawl back to you cave and FUCK off." Angel Dust flipped Husker off before opening the door.
"Angel, we're still in the middle-" Charlie tried to catch up to him.
"And I have a job princessa, so I can't stay. Later." He gave them all a peace sign, before slamming the door shut.
"... Ssssso … do we keep going?" Pentious asked awkwardly.
"Ugggggggggh, this is terrible, our clock's running out for the hotel to prove itself and we STILL don't have proof redemption works!" Charlie groaned as she slammed her head on the door, sliding to the ground.
"I think it's working on Pentious." Iruma spoke up. "He doesn't threaten lives… anymore, and he even came to our daily activity with only a toy ray gun in his back pocket."
"It wasssss a bluff for her!" The snake screamed at Nifty, hiding behind a couch and out of stabbing range.
"At this point, I think we're just gonna have to make Pentious our best shot." Vaggie sighed. "He actually listens for the most part, and I'm not saying give up on Angel…. But I am saying stop placing so much hope in him getting better… at least in the short amount of time we have."
"Besides, the fornicator is one of Valentino's MANY pitiable lackeys, it wasn't like there was much hope for him to begin with, which IS making the downfall all the more hilarious!"
"Oh fuck off Alastor." Charlie said her catchphrase.
"I'm just saying it would be just like Young Suzuki, his soul will be dragged right back down with the rest of us upon demise."
Charlie blinked in surprise, and gained a grin. "...You know what, I'm going to use what you told me about IMP and apply it here, Vaggie." Charlie's smile widened. "I'm gonna march right up to Valentino and DEMAND he give Angel more time for the hotel!"
"PFFFTHAHAHAHAHAHAAAAAAAAHAHAHAHAAA!" Alastor cackled. "Ladies and gentlemen, the princess of hell has managed to say something even more naively delusional than Iruma Suzuki!"
Charlie growled. "Fuck off Al-!"
"Actually … he's right. As sad as it is." The blue haired boy nodded. "Alastor and the Vs are jerk overlords. They won't do anything unless you make it fun for them."
"Come on … they can't be ALL as bad as Alastor..."
"I'm not saying all Overlords are bad." Iruma nodded. "Rosie, Missi, Ms. Carmine, and Zestial are actually among the nice ones….. And I say that because they're all the overlords that haven't tried to kill/torture me in all my time in hell…. Barring that one time Missi broke my ribs."
"Listen to the kid princess." Husker said. "That ain't a fight you're gonna win." Husker took one glance at Al, who chuckled knowingly.
"I have to try, if not for the Hotel's sake, for Angel's at least." Charlie marched out the door.
"...On a scale of one to horrible, how bad is that going to be?" Iruma asked worryingly.
"Remember that period of your life whenever you were happy Al balanced it out?" Nifty asked. "With physical violence?"
"...Can someone say the F word for me please, because I still have trouble cursing."
"Ffffffuck." Pentious spoke up.
"Thank you."
"I'll get her crying pillow…. And couch, ready." Vaggie sighed as she got up.
"... So do you have any bartender info on Alastor?" Iruma asked curiously after the princess' gf left.
"Mama's boy." Husk said plainly.
"What can I say? She was a lovely woman."
Charlie marched to the front desk, ringing the bell. "Greetings!" She spoke in an authoritative tone. She was the princess of hell, and she was going to act like it…. In her own way of course "I, the princess of hell, would like to meet with Valentino!"
"Sorry, we've filled our Saturday hooker slot." The Baphomet looked over a clipboard. "I can schedule you in for an audition for Semen Swimming Sunday."
… Welp, that threw her for a loop. "No, I came for a meeting. To talk business?" She clarified. "About his actors?"
"Aaaah, looking to rent." The secretary nodded. "Fourth floor, wait for the filming light to turn off or you'll disturb the set."
"Thank you." Charlie nodded as she walked towards the stairs… and shivered a little. "What the fuck, is sex all everyone thinks about in here?" She knew it was a porn studio, but come on! There was more to life than just sex… or watching sex…
Charlie had really, REALLY tried to be patient with Angel, and she was… for the most part. Even for when he got extra cagey and yelled at Iruma for no good reason, she did her best to be understanding about it as best as she could…. But showing an explicit video of his…. Exploits was just a step too far for her ….. And after she got Angel more free time, she would give a lesson about self-awareness.
She began walking by rooms … and heard things …
"I'm working as fast as I can!"
"Work faster or Vox will use your brain as a processor chip!"
"I can't … I just can't walk out there again. I need a break."
"Your broken feet mean nothing to Velvette, honey. Come on, keep pushing."
"Just one more day and I get tomorrow off, just another hour after another hour after another hour."
"Stop talking so much and stuff this Twenty foot dildo down your throat!"
Was… was THIS the kind of life all people had under overlords? They…. They couldn't ALL be under contracts… could they? She knew sinners could be put under desperate situations…. But…. this felt so… dehumanizing. They didn't sound like they were being treated like people… they sounded just like Iruma under Alastor…. Just…toys… objects to break.
Charlie took a deep breath, and reached the room before she realized it, seeing the 'filming in progress' light flicker overhead … where Angel was … probably like everyone else … she opened the door.
"Oooh yeah." She saw him pinned under a boar. "What do you want to do to me …" His eyes turned to her, widening with surprise and … fear. "Charlie!?"
"...Uh, my name is Rocky… but… I guess I can be a Charlie-"
"Yeah yeah whatever." He pushed the guy off, reaching for a robe. "Taking five to get my head straight, I'll be ready for the rest of the night Val, just a sec!" He spoke quickly as he moved to her.
"Fucking hurry! You've wasted enough time as it is!" A man with red glasses and a coat screamed out.
Angel looked frantically back to the red suited man, before shaking his head and turning back to her. "Charlie, what the fuck are you doing here?"
Okay Charlie, brave face, brave face. You needed to commend respect if you were getting Angel out of here. "I am the princess of hell, and I GO where I please!" She shouted … before pulling him in for a whisper. "I'm going to talk things out with your boss so you can get more time off."
He slapped his face with a groan, before grabbing her arm. "Look, we can talk about whatever the fuck you want at the hotel. Just leave, now, alright?" He began pushing her to the door.
"Angel, hurry the fuck up!"
"I'm coming Val!"
"Not offset you're not!"
"Just please, please go back, don't come here, alright?" Angel … begged her.
"Angel… are… are you worried about me?" Why ... why was he afraid for her?
"Just leave before-!"
"Ahhhhhh…your majesty." The man spoke up, using a voice that just sent shivers down Charlie's back from the oozing creepiness. "Welcome, to my humble sex dungeon, Ms. Morningstar. Have you come for carnal pleasures, or to have yourself displayed?" He grabbed her hand and licked her arm. "I can make a face like that a true star … one higher than even ... Your Papito-"
"Oh fuck that-!" Charlie let out her disgust as she pulled away, wiping the slobber off … THIS was Angel's boss?! What a fucking creep! "I… take it you're the Valentino I've heard…. so much about…?"
"Correct, Ms. Morningstar." He smirked. "I only hope my Angie's been saying good things about me …" There was a bone sickening crunch as he grabbed Angel Dust's shoulder. "You have, right?"
"Yeah, haven't bad-bad mouthed you at all, Val. Promise." Angel hesitantly spoke up ... afraid … horrified….
"Yes… all… nice things…." Charlie chuckled nervously. "So nice … I was hoping, that… we could negotiate him getting more time off for the hotel…"
"Aaah." He nodded with a grin. "And what are you offering in return? Money? Power? Territory?" Valentino held out his smoke covered hand.
"... What?" She blinked.
"Oh, did you think you could come over here and ask for something valuable as my top performer's time without offering anything of equal value in exchange? He's already spending his off days at your hotel trying to 'redeem' himself." The man chuckled like it was a joke. "If you want anymore, you'll need to give something back."
"I…" Well, she was the princess of hell… and she did have the money... "How much would his time be worth?"
"Charlie-!" Angel shouted, only for red smoke to pull him back.
"Quiet Angie, daddy's making a deal here." The man growled, choking the soul, before looking back. "Twenty million per hour."
That would be a lot … sure as royalty, most, if not all, of hell's money went to the royal family… but that would be enough to probably BANKRUPT the Morningstar name… then again, her father was Lucifer himself, and money was never an issue to begin with…. And this.. This would be for angel's sake… Angel… who was being choked through his soul….. "You can't do that."
"Do what, exactly … sweetheart?"
"You can't…" She felt pressure build up in the room as the red smoke filled the air. "You can't keep treating him like this, him or anyone else under your employ."
"... My property, I can treat my souls however I want." He shrugged.
"But they're … they're suffering!" She argued.
"THIS is the deal." Valentino took out a golden contract, where after a long list of conditions… it was signed…. By someone named Anthony. "I pay him for his work, and until the day he dies, he's my bitch. The only reason I haven't shot bullets through his SKULL for going to your hotel, princessa, is because his face and holes keep making me money! So until he's worn out that usefulness, he does whatever I say when I say!" He turned back to Angel, making a grin so grostuque. "Angel cakes … beg for me."
Angel was forced to his knees, looking distressingly submissive. "V-Val … please … please give me more …"
"Stop it…" Charlie growled.
"Talk dirty to me, Angel Baby…."
"You're … you're so big and strong Val … you'll wreck me …"
"Stop It…."
"Now…" He began taking off his pants. "Suck it like the dirty bitch you are."
"Y-yes-"
"STOP IT!" Charlie screamed in rage, fire brewing everywhere. "I AM THE PRINCESS OF HELL! AND I DEMAND YOU TO STOP THIS NOW!!!" She screamed. "YOU WILL GIVE UP HIS SOUL, AND NEVER TREAT ANYONE-"
"No." The moth said flatly… unafraid…. And unthreatened.
"What was that?"
He laughed. "You think anyone in hell respects the biggest hypocrite in Pride?"
The biggest what!? "Hey, I'm not-"
"You keep preaching about what's good, but when the brat you claim to care about actually had a chance to be free, you stopped in the name of 'killing is wrong'. When IMP continued their slaughter, you didn't stop them at all. When your staff threaten each other with violence, you keep scooting away the issues. You don't have the guts to actually force it … so we'll play a little game."
"You think this is a-"
He pressed his face against hers, his vile smile showing sharpened teeth. "Any injury you give me, I'm gonna give double to Angel Dust. Every minute you waste without anything substantial given to me, I'm going to add an hour to how long he works. The only two ways you're 'helping' him are staying here forever and leaving the human brat to suffer, or having the balls to kill me … so bitch, what's it gonna be?"
Kill kill kill kill kill kill kill….. This monster…deserved to die, him and everyone else like him. "You asked for it-!"
"Charlie…. Just…. Just fucking LEAVE ALREADY!" Angel Dust yelled… at her. "... You're just… making it worse for everyone, just like you always do!" That burned out her wrath.
"Angel …" He … no, she needed to help-
"You can't help me, you can't help Iruma, you can't even help yourself, so… just… STOP!" He screamed. "Just leave before it gets even shittier!"
"... I … I'm ….I'm sorry…." She felt her lips quivering, and her eyes getting teary. She…. she pushed him too far….. She pushed THIS too far… "I'm sorry…" She cried weakly as she turned around.
"Better hurry back princessa." The monster cackled. "Last I heard, Alastor planned on bringing the radio brat as help when the next freeloader showed up. And we all know how much you care about him compared to everyone else."
"..." Charlie didn't have the energy … or will … to fight it… she only took one last look at Angel Dust, who turned away… in disappointment, before Charlie went through the doors.
"Alright, bitches, we're taking this from the top, and we're going to be filming ALL NIGHT." She heard the voice of that abomination as she walked down the hall… the sounds of screams filling her head…. And Charlie couldn't get them out of her head no matter what.
Hellborn, sinners, it wasn't just the extermination, every moment of their existence was nothing but endless suffering day in and day out.
Iruma nervously looked up the stairs. "Has … Charlie still not gotten up?" He asked Vaggie. It had nearly been an entire day since she came back from trying to talk to Valentino…..going by the lack of silence AND Angel Dust, it hadn't gone well for anybody.
"She hasn't let anyone in her room… not me… not Razzle and Dazzle… not even KeeKee." Vaggie looked disheartened as she held up the little feline demon.
"Meow." The cat mewed in disappointment as it snuggled into the demon's arms.
"...She shouldn't have gone to Valentino's place." Iruma muttered. "Not alone at least."
"It would've been worse if someone came with her." Husk muttered as he kept cleaning glass bottles. "All it did was give the girl a wake up call that life isn't as sparkly as it looks."
"Way to rub it in." Vaggie glared.
"I'm not, that's just life. The kid can already attest to that." Husk pointed to him.
"He's got a point. Government's a lie, people are cruel, and the first signs of happiness I ever found were demons in hell." Iruma nodded. "Charlie can't break contracts, so unless she kills Alastor or Valentino, they're just going to get more and more angry the more she stops them until they can torture us whenever we're alone."
"Not helping kid..." Vaggie shook her head.
"I'm not saying I WANT Charlie to do that, I'd never ask her to … but at some point, you just have to accept there are bad things you can't fix." He turned to Husk, feeling empathy brew deep within. "... But having someone who understands … it can help."
Slam
The doors slammed opened, and in came Angel Dust ... looking VERY worse for wear. A shiner on his left eye, his hair fluffy out of place, and he was slumping while walking in a bit of a daze. "Ughhh… fuck…." The spider moaned as he strolled in, slumping on the bar counter. "Pour me a drink, strongest one you got."
"Rough night?" Husk asked ambivalently, only showing the mildest of interest in Angel Dust's condition.
The spider took a deep breath, grabbing his hair and slicking it back. He forced a confident and carefree grin, putting up a mask hiding his obvious pain. "Who? Me? I love it rough. Best kind of play there is."
"...Should we say something…" Iruma whispered to Vaggie.
"Not now…" Vaggie nodded.
Angel Dust took a long gulp of his glass, chugging it down in one go. Then squinting at his empty glass. "Ugh, what's this, baby hour? I said a strong drink."
"Excuse me, I didn't know this was a drink to forget kind of night." Husk rolled his eyes.
"Right, because I forgot you're the wise old bartender that's seen it fucking all, you know everything about every dick in this joint cause you're old and lonely." Angel Dust slapped the glass away, smashing it against the wall. "Now pour me a real drink."
"Maybe I'd pour it if you drop the fake act." The cat growled.
"And maybe I'll drop the 'act' ... when you drop your pants." Angel leaned in.
"Gah, you're seriously back on this?" Husk backed away, annoyed and uncomfortable.
"It's hard not to when you turn me on, baby." Angel stroked Husk's wings intimately. "How about… I make this wings flaaaap~"
"Would you cut that shit out!?" He pushed the sinner away, smashing the bottle in his hands as he did. "I ain't interested in you, asshole. If you're lookin' for a fuck, it ain't here!" That made the spider demon snapped.
"You're ….. You're fucking loss, you old geriatric creep! I'm ANGEL FUCKING DUST!" He laughed hysterically, his expression was nearly manic. "Do you know how much my legs cost alone!? Any fucker in hell would be HONORED to have me come onto them!"
"Angel Dust, calm down." Vaggie tried to stop him before he did something he regretted. Unfortunately, that put Angel's break down aimed at her as he glared.
"Oh sure, blame me for this furball being an ass! Cause I'M the hopeless one in this crummy place, the one YOU'VE already given up on! The one that EVERYBODY knows will never amount to anything!" Angel pushed Vaggie aside.
"Where the fuck are you going!?"
"Anywhere that isn't here!" Angel Dust headed towards the door
"Wait!" Iruma spoke up. He … needed to say something. "Angel." He walked up to the demon. "I understand."
"... What?" They asked quietly.
"I know what it's like to be hurt, to be under a contract you have no say in, you don't have to be alone." He offered a hand. "We can just, talk about it."
"…If you could undo it, you wouldn't." Angel Dust muttered.
"W-... What?" He was completely caught off guard.
"MY LIFE DIDN'T GET BETTER BY COMING TO HELL, KID!" The spider raised his arms… as he got bigger… and hairier…. And nastier. "If you could somehow go back and never get sold!" He shouted, he's really angry. Frustrated. "Never get sent down here and tortured, never get to meet any sinners that wanna hurt you, and stay up there in your old life would you!? Because that's what I want!"
"Angel-" Vaggie tried to start.
"We're not all as blessed as Iruma Suzuki! The kid that's his own show all over hell! The kid that got a princess to take a damn pity on his sorry ass! The kid that impressed the Sin just by being a greedy ungrateful fuck and has a future as FUCKING ROYALTY!" He screamed, his eight eyes glowing purple as he grew in stature. "Some of us don't have your little lifelines that always forgive us whenever we make a mistake, kid! SOME OF US JUST SUCK, FOREVER! AND REALIZE THAT THE ONLY WAY IT'LL EVER GET BETTER IS BEING ERASED FROM FUCKING EXISTENCE!"
SMACK
Vaggie … punched him to the door. "Stop dumping all your problems on the fucking kid!" She screamed.
"RIGHT! Fine, you want me gone! I'll go!" Angel Dust screamed back. "Cause clearly you have another patron, what do you need me for!?" He ran out-
"Angel-"
"Have fun with your fucking happy go lucky family!" And the door slammed shut.
"Ugh! ¡Ese pequeño bicho ingrato!" Vaggie grumbled as she kicked the door, before taking a deep breath. She turned to Iruma with a soft look. "...You... you doing alright kid?"
"… He's right …" The boy mumbled. Iruma wouldn't undo anything that happened to him … he wouldn't have friends … family.
"Now that was quite the explosion!" Alastor cackled, having been watching from the sidelines, because of course he was. "And without the wall blowing up for a change, impressive I say."
Shing
Vaggie threw her spear above Alastor's head. "Husk, go after him." She ordered.
"What, why the fuck do I have to?"
"Because you riled him up to begin with."
"I just poured the asshole a drink." Husk shrugged. "It was his fucking choice to leave-"
"Please … Husk …" Iruma asked with a plea. "I can't … he needs someone …" He wouldn't repeat his mistake with Blitz…. Iruma wasn't the person who could help someone with something like this. He would only make it worse.
"... Don't expect me to come back sober... Or with his head intact." Husk rolled his eyes as he headed towards the door.
"I'm not …" Iruma sighed. "...Husk… thank you."
"Yeah, yeah, don't make a big deal out of it." The demon grumbled as he left.
"Aww, a dog and his kitty. Such a fine story." The radio demon grinned.
"Vaggie, can you curse for me this time?"
"Fuck off Alastor!" Vaggie called out.
"Thank you."
"No problem Iruma." Vaggie nodded, looking upstairs. "It's going to be a while before Charlie comes out of her room...Want to watch Razzle and Dazzle make her favorite dessert?"
"Sure." It would suck he can't eat it … but everyone else kind of needed it more than him at the moment.
Angel Dust cackled. "So then I said, 'Hey buddy, I can do way better than a loser like you. I got lines waiting for me to bang 'em'. And then the fucker just scoffs." Now this was the life. Hanging out at a slightly sleazy joint surrounded by pencil dicked loan sharks looking for a free and easy gangbang sheesh.
So what if the hotel didn't want him? He had other things. Like these guys, who would take him back to their place for a fuck. Free room for the night, hell yeah. Sure one of them was bound to try and spike his drink at some point, but it wasn't like he wasn't used to that, and free drugs were free drugs no matter what form they came in.
"So tell me darlin'." One of the sharks said. "That one clip where you can suck yourself off … fake, or legit?"
"Only one way to find out." Angel smirked. "You wanna take that gamble?" He leaned in with a kissing motion. "Cause it's gonna cost you at least one drink to find out."
"Yo, Ricardo, get the nice little sinner here something delectable as he is."
"Right away boss." The guy smirked as he walked off.
Just drink, fuck, and drug. Over and over, those happy positive feelings will fill you up and make you smile. Then you can break and Val will leave you alone. But you heal, so it won't go away. Just take it until the mask is so broken it can't be repaired. There was nothing underneath anyways, nothing worth remembering, and definitely nothing worth saving or redeeming for shit either.
"Here's your drink, darlin'." Oh yeah, definitely spiked with a love potion. He's seen Velve craft enough of those. Talk business, slip them into a drink, then promise them one kiss in return for servitude for eternity.
"Thanks toots." Angel smirked, grabbing the glass. Just down it, and ignore everything that's happened, and how much it all hurts. It'll numb the pain for tonight, he'll get buzzed and forget everything, just forget just forget just fucking forget everything-
Smash
"Not so fast, you bottle nosed fucker." Out of fucking nowhere, HUSK of all fucking people flung the drink out of the loan shark's hands and smashed it against the wall.
"Hey what the fuck jackass!?" The shark shouted in rage.
"Here, have this instead." The grumpy asshole rolled a pair of dice as he yanked Angel Dust away.
The loan sharks pulled out guns as the cat dragged him against his will. "You think a fancy shiny die is gonna be enough to … wait why is it beeping-"
Boom
"Since when the fuck-"
"Talk later, we're getting the fuck out of here!" Husk shouted as he grabbed Angel Dust and threw those playing cards to carve holes in the shark's head.
"The fuck we are!" He argued, trying to pull back. "Let go of me asshole!"
"They were trying to spike your drink, moron, you clearly needed help-!"
"Help, help!? Oh right, because after insulting me all day you clearly care about me and my wellbeing!" Angel Dust shouted sarcastically. "For your information bt dubs, which stands for by the way, dumbass, I can TELL when someone spikes my drink!" He finally pulled himself away. "I do this all the fucking time!"
"…You let yourself get roofied all the fucking time!?" The bartending bitch growled. "I've seen self-destructive behavior before, but you take the fucking cake!"
"Oh big fucking deal! We're immortal. Self-destructing doesn't do jack shit no matter how hard you try!" He screamed. "So what if these greasy back alley assholes want a piece of me, I can handle myself!"
"Really!? Because it looks like you're hanging on by a fucking thread!" Husk shouted, grumbling. "You're constantly pushing everyone's boundaries, mine especially, but when it comes to your shit, you act all above it all when your the lowest of the fucking gutter."
"Go ahead, insult me even more, that's clearly working!" Why the fuck was this guy so concerned right now!? "I don't need to stand around and listen to someone spewing insults at me, so why don't you just fuck off and drink your bottles and complain about how we all suck somewhere else?!"
"Maybe I wouldn't complain so much if you were actually real." Husk called out. "Every day you walk through life showing this shallow bullshit version of yourself! Well guess what, your statues, your attractiveness, it doesn't mean shit to anybody, especially at that hotel, so just do us all a favor and cut the act!"
"IT'S NOT AN ACT!" He snapped at the cat. "It's who I need to be, all the fucking time! Do you know what the fuck Val does to me when I so much as 'act' like sex isn't important!? That I want to stay at a hotel and want to try and make myself better!? And don't give me any bullshit about privacy, cause we ALL know that doesn't exist around the brat!"
Angel grabbed his head, tugging his hair as he wanted nothing more than to bash it against a wall until he was no longer conscious. "This... all of this… it's the only time I can take control... where I can get high enough to ignore the pain… and forget…" He cried, getting on his knees. "How much… I hate….everything." About himself, about his choices, about how his future was nothing more than the end of a fucking strap on and dick. "And at the end of the day we just live with it, cause everyone knows that the princessa ain't gonna …cross the fucking line."
Cause then every single thing the happy go lucky bitch would have preached … would have amounted to fucking nothing. "The only … only hope I have … is to break myself … break myself enough… to not be his favorite toy anymore … so maybe he'll let me go… or kill me… either way I'm better off." How fucking low did he have to fall… how much longer... did he have to suffer to end it fucking all….? "... So go on, laugh it up, or just talk about what a fuckin' moron I am, or how I'm screwed up in the head. Or just drink in fuck off and leave me be damn it."
There was an uncomfortable silence that filled the air as Husk sat down next to him. "You know, you're not the only one who's had a hard hand here."
Angel sniffed. "If ya gonna give me shit for what I said to the kid, don't bother, cause-"
"It's fucked up, but you weren't wrong to unload." The old man grunted. "Just wrong to forget it's still hell and the kid's been through it."
"Yeah, well, he didn't get screwed in the ass like I did."
"Not all screws are literal, you know …" He sighed. "Iruma's not the only one under contract. Both of us are."
He felt his eyes roll. "Uh huh, yeah, and I bet you fucked over your own life too in the process just like me."
Another silence passed. "I was an overlord…" Wha-
"Wait, that wasn't the lie?" Angel asked with genuine shock.
"Nope … Unfortunately, compulsive gambling and soul owning aren't really compatible in the long run. Couple of bad hands fucks up your whole career. Leaves you broke." He said, glancing off at a radio in a far off window. "Eventually you end up lookin' for a deal that keeps you afloat yourself … any deal… no matter the price." The cat's wings flopped to the ground. "So I do know what it's like to regret the choices you've made… and living with the fact you can't take it back."
"….It really is hopeless, isn't it?" Angel moaned, running his hands on his face. "We're stuck… we're all stuck here."
Another small silence took place, before Husk stood up. "So things look bad, and your back's against the wall …"
"Am I the only one in hell who wasn't involved in a musical number?" He asked in exasperation.
"Your whole existence seems fuckin' hopeless." They went on, pulling out an umbrella to block some vomit. "You're feelin' filthy as a dive bar bathroom stall … can't face the world sober and dopeless."
The old man really was about to give them 'it's not hopeless speech' wasn't he… well… at least they could live in denial together.
"You've lost your way, you think your life is wrecked." He went on. "Well, let me just say you're …" Wrong … wait that didn't rhyme with- "correct!" Angel blinked.
"Wait, what?" Where was he going with this?
"You're a loser, baby." The man sang as he tossed and spun an umbrella, smirking. "A loser, goddamn baby." He twirled around as if he was singin' some sort of wondrous tour thing. "You're a fucked-up little whiny bitch."
"Hey!" He poured his fucking heart out and this was the thanks he got!?
"You're a loser, just like me." They smirked condescendingly.
"Thanks, asshole." He grumbled. Now Angel was convinced he should have just walked.
"You're a screw's-loose-boozer, An only one-star reviews-er!"
"I don't get one stars!"
"You're a power-bottom at rock bottom!" Oh now he was just rubbing it in! "But you got company!
"This supposed to make me feel better?!?!" Wasn't this the part of those fucking schmaltzy movies where everything was given the unrealistic platitude!?
"There was a time I thought that no one could relate…." Husk leaned against a window, looking at his regretful looking reflection. "To the gruesome ways in which I'm damaged." Hurt … by his own choices. "But lettin' walls down, it can sometimes set you straight!" He spun around once more. "We're all livin' in the same shit sandwich." He held out his umbrella like it was a fuckin' mic.
… Was he supposed to sing or some shit? What the hell was he supposed to say after all that!? "I sold my soul to a psychopathic freak." He lamented.
"Haha! And you think that makes you unique?" The cat asked with a grin, holding him. "Get outta here, man!" He lifted Angel up.
"We're both losers, baby!" The cat took him for a waltz… no judgement, no prying eyes or ears… just… honesty. "We're losers, it's okay to be a-!"
Was it really okay... could he admit it…? "Coked-up, dick-suckin' hoe?" Angel said with a more relaxed voice.
"Baby, that's fine by me!"
It … it was okay… it was actually okay to be himself… "I'm a loser, honey!" Angel shouted to the world. "A schmoozer and a dummy!" Just drifting for money and always making dumb choices. "But at least I know I'm not alone!"
"You're a loser…!"
"Just like me!" They shouted out together.
"I got an appetite for gamblin'." A stagelight fell on the cat from … somewhere.
"I got an appetite for samplin' every drug and sex toy I can find!" Every bit of sex forced and shoved right back up, cause he was broken into loving and hating every moment of it.
"Go ahead baby, sing that song, come on!" Husk shouted.
"I got no holes left to deflower!" Everything's been done and used and abused.
"I sold my soul to save my power." The man honestly admitted. "Now I'm on that demon's leash."
"I'm trapped and it gets worse with every hour." They were stuck where they were, they made the bed and they were sleeping in it…. But… why let it make them feel bad?
"You're a loser, baby…" They leaned against each other as a small amount of rain fell on them.
"A loser, but just maybe if we." Just maybe …
"Eat shit together, things will end up differently." A little bit of hope to lean on.
"It's time to lose your self-loathin'!" Husk sang out as Angel belted out a high c, the two of them dancing in the light of failure and happiness. "Excuse yourself, let hope in, baby-!" Hope… they actually had hope… in being a loser of all things. "Play your card, be who you are!"
They held onto each other. "A loser, just like-"
"Are they fucking singing!?" The one of the guys from earlier asked in disbelief, cutting them off with guns. "FUCK EM UP!"
The two of them ducked behind a car. "I knew musical numbers were weird!" Angel shouted.
"Stay back, I got this!" Husk shouted as he took out more of those cards, making them fly and slice more people as he flapped those wings to hope from shark to shark and stab the fuckers up close. "Really should've gotten practice with these damn wings!"
"Ah relax, I ain't THAT hopeless!" He shot back, pulling out two tommies and going to town. "Come and get it boys!!!!" He let them fire off as he shot several into red goop. "Ahahahahahahahaha!" He let out a laugh, feeling more liberated.
"Whoa." Husk blinked.
"Told ya, sex ain't the only thing I'm good at." Angel smirked. He took out four more tommies and let them fly all over. "These arms have many talents."
"Then start fuckin' blasting." The guy pulled out another card and sliced someone's face off.
"Yeah yeah I know the drill." Angel said as he fired off bullet after bullet. "An overlord, hah, I would've never guessed."
"Oh the stories I could tell you about." He cackled. "So many suckers gone and lost cause of a simple card trick."
"So, where you like, a magician before going to hell?"
"Vegas." The bartender smirked as he tossed some dice in a shark's mouth. "Back then I got around the whole 'equal exchange' gambit because I gave a win it all or lose it all condition within each contract."
"Wow, that's kind of somehow better AND worse than most demons. Impressive." He praised.
"What can I say, the golden fiddle song inspired me." Husk chuckled as more dice exploded. "What about your guns?"
"Mob family. If you didn't shoot, you were worthless." Angel shrugged. "Old pops lived by that Philip's till the day we were all gunned down." Well, THEY were gunned down. Angel died from drugs … which was arguably better when you were too high to feel the pain.
He popped a bullet in the last fucker's skull, shaking off the blood. "You know, you don't look half bad when you're honest." Husk smiled.
"And you don't look too shabby covered in loan shark blood." Angel grinned.
"Feeling better?" He asked.
"Yeah….I am…." Angel sighed. "...Aw man, I fucked up big time with Charlie and the kid…" The mask just … cracked.
"It's hell. We're all fuck ups who fuck up." He said, patting him on the back. "I'm not the one looking to redeem his soul, but if being down here's taught this old idiot anything, it's that there's always time, cause that never runs out for asses like us."
"…That is true." Angel sighed. "Thanks man… for everything."
"Never mention it … seriously, without the kid around, there's no need for either of us to mention anything." He said. "And maybe cut back on the flirting."
"Don't worry. Met a guy and gonna see how it goes." Blitz did have a really big dick, that and the emotional satisfaction of meeting someone that knew his pain, but the dick was good too.
Husk walked back into the hotel, groaning in exhaustion. "I need a shower." Too much blood in his fur.
"I just need a bed." Angel grumbled. "I've been up for too long." Turns out Angel Dust wasn't that all bad of a guy in the end… damn either the kid and the princess were breaking down more walls than he realized or Husk was softer than he ever thought.
"Well something tells me there's one last thing you need to cover first." Husk tilted his head over to the couch, where Charlie and Iruma were sitting, leaning next to each other in shared sad disappointment.
"I keep pushing too hard." The kid muttered. "I keep trying to pry into other people's problems and they shout stuff they don't want anyone knowing about. Stuff I'm too dumb to try to talk or fix."
"At least you're not the one who assumed they could just... negotiate with a monster." The princess groaned as she hugged the kid. "I'm the princess and I don't know anything about hell or my people… I was an idiot. Angel told me to back off and I didn't listen… I don't know anything about boundaries or limitations..."
"Sheesh, they even mope the same." Angel winced. "I'd almost assume he fell out of her egg factory."
The two mopey morons both turned up. "Angel!" They jumped up.
"Angel Dust, I'm so sorry!" Charlie started hurriedly. "I should have trusted your word and boundaries and just backed off when you said. I just thought I could talk him down and-"
"I messed up, I shouldn't have assumed we had the same type of experience because I'm new to hell and there's probably different form of tortures and-" The kid overlapped.
"Look, kid..." Angel sighed, placing his hand on the boy's shoulder. "I... I was just bitter. I wanted a cheap way to make coke cash and signed my name away to the first sugar daddy that would give it to me. I... I'm jealous… you got the chance I was too stupid to never take seriously. I'm… I'm happy you don't have to suffer like I did…in… the ways I did."
The kid was silent for a moment. "… I'm sorry you have to … and I know hoping and wishing is useless and that it probably won't get better … but I really want it for you too." Iruma sighed. "Thing is… me being a Sin…. it's not guaranteed…. If I'm not good at it, Beez'll just move on with her life and forget all about me… and I'll just go back to where I am…just a failure at rock bottom…."
"A loser." Angel snickered. "Yeah, I know what that's like."
"Yeah…at least being a failure's never bothered me before." Iruma grinned. "I'm a failure and I'm proud."
"That does feel like the motto of the day." Angel laughed as he turned to Charlie, his face softened. "And… it's fine Charlie. Even after how I treated you, you still took a chance on me… I'm… glad you care enough about a broken hoe like me."
"…. WAAA!" She began latching onto the guy and crying waterfalls. "He-he knows I care!"
"Okay, okay, I still didn't agree to hugging..." the spider groaned, looking awkward as he picked the princess up. "Think you can hold her kid?"
"Yeah I'm on it." He lifted the woman. "There, there Charlie."
"I'm gonna make a new activity and it's gonna be for care and boundaries and support." The lady cried.
The spider looked at the scene, before letting out a smirk. "You know, if ya really wanna impress that girl of yours, you should try crossdressing." Angel cackled. "You wouldn't believe how many girls get hard over that."
"… Well that did somehow get Verosika to kiss me." The boy muttered.
"Aaaand I think that's enough bonding for tonight!" Charlie immediately stopped crying and grabbed the boy and rushed to his room.
"… Did you say that just to shut them up?" Husk asked.
"I've gotten to know how people work around here too, you know. Benefit of eight eyes."
"Smart guy." Husk grinned.