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Husk didn't normally keep the bar open this late. Past midnight and he’d just retire to his room for the night and take a bottle with him. Not that he was usually awake much longer anyway. What could he say? He got tired early.
But tonight? It was half past 2:00am and he was still polishing bottles and wiping down the counter in between taking swigs from some old brand whiskey bottle. And occasionally pausing to lazily skim through the newspaper Alastor had left on the counter. It was dark in the lobby of the Hotel, the only light coming from the small LED ones decorating his bar. He wasn't sure what he was still doing up to be fair, but the princess’ girlfriend had downed a few more shots before heading upstairs so he supposed he did have a few more glasses to clean than usual. Still, he should be plenty done by now.
But some nights were just like this, and Husker felt restless today. So instead of dragging himself back upstairs, he just kept polishing off the bottles and glasses in between taking swigs. He’d been expecting to do that again and again and probably end up passing out right there. (Not like it hadn't happened before.) But right as he went to take a particularly long gulp of the fermented poison, the front doors of the hotel opened with that familiar soft jingle.
And in walked Angel Dust.
Husker groaned quietly to himself as the spider appeared in the doorway. Ugh, the lanky porn star was always throwing himself at him. And every other male demon in the damned hotel. Although he’d stopped trying that shit with Alastor after the radio demon had made it very clear that he wasn't gonna tolerate it in the slightest. And Angel didn't seem to think the snake could pay for him so… Yeah, that just left him.
It was so fucking fake. The whole 'sex-hungry, flirtatious pornstar' thing. Husk saw right through that mask and even though he couldn't quite make out what was underneath, he didn't particularly care. He just hated the whole act. Fake people were the worst.
And because of that, he almost turned off the bar lights and ducked behind the counter to hide before Angel caught sight of him. It had worked for him before..
However, just as he went to do that, Husk got a better look at the long-legged prick and paused… Ah, it was one of those nights.
Now, Husker didn't make a habit of watching people. Especially Angel. But this place could get pretty boring and the interactions here could be funny if he was in the right mood. Not that he’d ever tell anyone that, but still.
That being said, he hadn't failed to notice the nights when Angel came back crazy late. Sometimes even early morning. And he hadn't failed to notice the change in his demeanor or general appearance either.
On nights like this, Angel would often slug his way back into the hotel. Not strut or stride or prance. No, instead he would drag his way back through the doors, looking more like a washed-up, runaway druggie than the usual confident pornstar he claimed to be.
A glimpse through the mask.
And worse, on these nights, Angel Dust would usually walk back in looking pretty beat up. Bruises, black eyes, scratches, even burns. They weren't always super noticeable or common, but Husker knew enough about abuse to see the signs. To see the way Angel winced with every step and the way he hugged his arms tight around himself, like he was trying to shield himself from the blows and protect the pieces that were left of the real Angel.
And his expression… He looked how Husk often felt. Tired, sad, alone. There was something else there too, something that the bartender couldn't quite make out. But he supposed it didn't matter. They were in Hell for a reason, right? Everyone had their demons. Well, inner demons.
Anyway, tonight seemed even worse than the others. And Husker didn't realize he was staring until it was too late. Angel’s eyes met his very briefly and before he could duck down behind the bar, the spider had flipped back on the mask and started strutting towards him, pushing his hair back.
Damnit.
“Heya, Whiskers. You’re up awful late~” And there it was, the usual flirtatious line that Angel always dealt him. This time though, there was the barest hint of the exhaustion the other man tried so desperately to hide.
“Fuck off, Legs,” he grumbled, returning to polishing the same old whiskey bottle.
“Aww, come on now~ I know there's a soft side underneath all the gruff, old man energy!” Angel was laying it on thick tonight, crawling a little up on the bar space and shoving his chest out. Husk refused to acknowledge it.
“I just cleaned the damn counter; get off.” He scowled, casting a brief glance at the bruises scattered over the other demon's neck. He knew enough of the intimate side of things to know that they weren't all love bites.
Angel, for once, actually listened and sat back in his stool with an over-dramatic sigh. “Fine. But if we ain't gonna play, will you at least make me a drink? Please, Husky~?” The spider leaned forward just slightly and fluttered his lashes coyly. The barkeep just rolled his eyes and turned away, back towards the shelf of different liquors.
“...Fine. One drink and then I'm gone. Whaddya’ want?” He huffed out, feathered tail swaying behind him. If Angel grabbed it, he'd forgo his previous promise to Charlie and throw the pornstar out the top window of the hotel.
But, surprisingly, Angel didn't. And instead, Husk heard the other demon shift on his stool and try to conceal a hiss of pain. “Hmm, hit me with a shot of bourbon and scotch. Make it your strongest!”
Husk raised a brow, but still moved to pour said concoction into a shot glass. “You want a chaser?” He asked, lazily adding a bit more ice and skimming through the few chasers. Most bartenders didn't ask, but he liked to offer the choice. It had become habit.
“Ew! Don't insult me! You know I can take it raw, babe~” Husk refused to acknowledge if his cheeks tinged at that crude remark. Screw Angel and his stupid-ass innuendos.
Still, he scoffed and turned back, sliding the finished drink to the other demon. “Yeah well, just don't hawk it up over the counter or I’ll cut you off from my supply for a week.” He threatened, but there was no real promise behind his words. He didn't wanna lug all this alcohol to his room to guard it every night. Plus, Angel would probably just appear outside his door or some shit.
Angel just grinned and swirled his drink a little, “You wouldn't do that! Not to me~” He gave the cat a little wink before downing the shot. He got it down, but Husk saw the way he had to force it back as a little caught on his tongue. It was a hard shot. Even for experienced drinkers.
He rolled his eyes, the tiniest glimpse of a smile touching his lips before it was gone the next moment. “Hack that up and we’ll see…” He restrained another smile, seeing the younger demon grimace. “Still don't want that chaser?”
Angel finally looked back at him and grinned again, but Husk saw the truth behind it. “Oh, please, baby~ I know what I'm doing! Hit me with another! Make it a double on the bourbon and add some amaro in there!”
Husk raised a brow. Okay, he had to admit, he was impressed. Not that he’d ever tell the other man, but still. He was holding his own against the heavy stuff and still asking for more. He'd certainly made Angel drinks before, but this was different. Angel didn't usually like the extreme shots; not without at least a dash of something sweet.
Husk moved to grab the needed bottles and went to work making another shot, this time facing Angel. For once, the spider let the silence between them settle, and instead pulled out his phone. Through the corner of his eye, Husker saw Angel cringe as he scrolled through something. The mask fell again.
And for that brief moment, he caught sight of the despair Angel was trying to bury. That, and the flash of genuine fear that spread over his expression. There one moment and gone so fast that most demons wouldn't notice it at all. But Husk was an expert at catching sight of that kinda shit. He was a bartender after all. And he also just knew from experience. Maybe not exactly, but he did get it. To an extent at least.
That being said, he took another glug from his own whiskey bottle, nearly reaching the bottom just as Angel turned off his phone and shoved it back into his chest fluff. He looked back over at Husk and his fingers tapped on the bar impatiently, eyeing the half-complete shot. Without a word, he reached for it and downed the bourbon in one go before Husker even had a chance to finish it with the amaro.
“Another.” There were no quirky one-liners or innuendos attached this time and Husker recognized the way Angel looked now too. Desperate for the high, for the numbness. Desperate to forget.
Husker had half a heart (and head) to refuse and send Angel on his way. But at the same time, he couldn't deny that he felt a little bad for the guy. And even if it wasn't healthy, alcohol helped.
So, with a heavy sigh, he started mixing up another. This time replacing the scotch with amaro entirely. It would make it easier to get down and he'd also noticed that Angel seemed to really like amaro in general. Not that he cared, but it was his job to keep track of that kind of shit, so.
“I didn't realize this was a drinking to forget kinda night,” he commented idly, sliding the finished shot over and raising his brows. Angel traced the rim of the glass and then cast him a look, a real look. For a moment, he looked like he was about to snap back with something huffy or rhetorical. But then his phone pinged again and the spider demon chose to down the shot instead. In record time too, before he slammed the glass back down and simply said:
“Two more.”
Husk paused. He was plenty familiar with running to the bottom of a bottle to get away from life's problems. He'd been doing that for a long time now… But he could also tell when people were getting wasted off their asses in an attempt to escape the misery of their own mind. And he'd been doing this shit long enough to know when each person was at their limit and about to pass out or throw up or some shit. Everyone was different, but there were always those basic signs that made it hard to miss.
And he knew enough about Angel and his drinking habits to see that tonight was bad, probably the worst he’d ever seen him. And even though he wasn't at his limit yet, he was clearly getting there. Husk could see it in the way he swayed slightly from side to side, the glaze over his eyes, and in the apparent lack of flirtation.
It was odd because Husk normally didn't care when people got drunk off their ass. Hell, it wasn't like he had any right to judge or stop them when he himself had had plenty of those nights. When he still did. But, generally speaking, he usually didn't particularly care all that much. And tonight was no different. He didn't really care... But okay, yes, it was a little different with someone he knew.
Okay, well, he didn't really know Angel. But he knew a little more about him than some of the other patrons here. He knew about some of his habits and he knew that it wasn't all sunshine and rainbows at the porn studio. He knew Angel was in pain and as much as he didn't care to admit it: It was a little harder to watch the spider in particular drink himself into a hole in a desperate attempt to escape that misery…
Husker sighed and readjusted his hat slightly. Damnit. “These two and then I'm done for the night…” Even as he said that, he didn't really mean it. He still had to clean up anway. It was more a half-hearted attempt to get Angel to leave first and go back to his room.. He got to work making the drinks.
“Aweee, is kitten tired? Need me to tuck you in? Ooor, maybe, you’d rather I keep you awake instead, hm~?” Angel flirted, leaning over the bar to walk his fingers up Husk’s shoulder and over towards his wing.
“Quit it. I ain't in the mood.” He said firmly, attempting to shrug off the other man's touch. Angel, however, was persistent.
“Oh, come on, Husky~ Let me pay you back for all these drinks. It must be hard work, huh? I’ll do all the work, baby~ All you gotta do is sit back and watch while I slide—”
Husk, red-faced and at his limit, reached out and covered Angel’s mouth. He shoved him back forcefully, wings coming to guard his front.
“Fuckin’ christ!! Stop doing that!! Hell, can you just cut the bullshit and be real for one minute?!” He cursed, releasing the other demon and stepping back.
.........
.....
...
Angel’s expression had changed drastically now. It was hard to read too, especially through the half-drunken state he was in, but clearly, that rejection had stuck a metaphorical cord. He didn't say anything in reply either. All he did was reach for the whiskey bottle Husk had been working on and finish it in one swallow.
“Ey!” Husk called out, but Angel simply flipped him the bird and scowled, looking away. Husker groaned in frustration and pressed at his temples. “Listen, kid, I’m– I’m not good with all the soft and tender bullshit, but I am trying to help, alright?”
Angel scoffed, turning back to look at him with half-hearted rage in his eyes. “By what? Letting me drink myself to death? Shoving me? Yeah, great fucking job, Barkeep.”
Husk felt like he wanted to ram his head into a wall. He just might if this kept up any longer. “I’m trying to get you to respect my fucking boundaries and talk about something other than sucking dick!” He snapped in reply, his own rage flaring up.
Angel Dust growled under his breath, but he didn't speak again. For a long moment, the two just glared at each other in silence…
Finally, Angel looked away and let out a deep huff of breath, sinking against the bar and burying his head in his four hands. Husk paused there, unsure of what to do; or if he should do anything at all. So he just stood there, ears coming up from where they had previously been flattened against his head.
“What the hell else do you want to talk about then?” Angel said, slightly muffled from where he still rested his head against the bar counter. Despite the somewhat aggressive words, the tone in his voice had sounded weak and almost broken. He sounded tired. Not sleepy, but truly exhausted in a way that Husker was all too familiar with.
Husk, unsure of how to reply, simply opted for grabbing another bottle of whiskey off the shelf and popping the lid before taking a swig.. “I don't fucking know… Something other than sex.” He finally said in a grumble. The silence between them stretched and he could feel the other man getting tense and pent up again. On a desperate and awkward whim, he asked, “What's your favorite color?”
Angel looked back up at him and raised a brow, “What?”
“Urgh! I don't know!” Husk exclaimed, throwing his hands up in exasperation. “I'm trying to start a conversation here!”
“Yeah, well, you're really shit at it,” Angel commented with a quirk of his mouth.
Husker scowled at first and reached for the bottle again, but halfway to it he just snorted and released a soft laugh. His hand fell back to his side. Shaking his head, he idly scratched at his arm and sighed, “Yeah, well, I don't really know what kinda shit people normally talk about. I’m not exactly a people person.”
“No??” Angel asked in a heavily sarcastic tone, and then burst out laughing. This time Husk did scowl. But Angel only laughed harder, and then, with a soft snort, he finally joined in.
After a brief moment of that, the spider demon waved a dismissive hand towards him. “It's fine. I don't know how to talk about anything other than sex and drugs, so it's as good a question as any.."
They shared another small laugh and Husker leaned back against the bar. The silence was brief, but the barkeep still startled slightly when Angel said: “Pink.”
When Husk didn't respond for a moment, Angel added, “You can laugh. I really don't give a shit.”
Husk just shrugged and shook his head, “Wasn't gonna laugh… What shade do ya mean? Like your eyes or your jacket or…?”
Angel waved his hand again and leaned back a little, combing his hair up a bit. “Nah, more like a washed-out kinda pink. Like, kinda almost orangish I guess? Coral? I think that’s what it’s called? Something like that.”
“Huh,” Husk said, thinking it over briefly. “That's cool. Not what I expected.”
Angel shrugged, “Sono un mistero.”
Husk raised a surprised brow. He hadn't known Angel spoke Italian. Although thinking about it, it actually made a lot of sense. Husker smiled just the littlest bit, “Che tu sei, gambe.”
Angel looked up so fast that Husk was almost certain he got whiplash, especially with how many shots he'd already taken. “Puoi parlare italiano???” He asked, sounding absolutely dumbfounded.
Husk just shrugged again, putting away the bottles of bourbon and amaro. On impulse, he also began on cleaning out Angel's empty shot glass. “Yeah. Russian too. German, Mandarin Chinese, Spanish, Japanese. Take your pick.”
“Well, holy shit!!” Angel said, and then broke out in another broad smile. This one was different though and the ex-overlord didn't think he’d ever seen it before. It was softer than the spider’s usual smirks and the expression that spread over Angel's face was something close to genuine excitement and joy. Relief even. After another moment, he asked: “Qual è il tuo colore preferito?”
Husk paused at that, having to think about his answer. Damn, he didn't think he'd ever actually been asked that. Even when he was alive… After a long moment, he finally looked up to meet Angel's curious gaze and shrugged, “Probabilmente un arancione intenso o un rosso.”
The spider demon tapped his chin, looked him over briefly, and then nodded. “Sì, ha senso.”
Husk hesitated briefly before tapping a claw against the counter. Angel had elaborated on his choice so… “Come un tramonto oscuro…” It wasn't necessary, but it certainly made his prior pick seem a little more genuine. Which, hell, was why he’d hesitated in the first place!
—But now, looking at Angel Dust, the porn star only smiled. And it was real. Husk could tell from the way his eyes scrunched up just a little and the angle of his lips was just a little crooked.
Not practiced, not pretend, and not perfect. But real.
And Husk would choose that second option over the first one every single time...
But that moment was sadly cut short when Angel’s phone started ringing dramatically from its place in his chest fluff. And Husker didn't miss the way the other demon flinched almost immediately, probably recognizing the ringtone. He watched Angel pull out his phone, eye the screen, and reject the call.
“I–”
The phone started ringing again before Angel could utter another word. Husk cleared his throat, “If you need to take that…”
Angel rejected it once more. Not a moment later, it went off again. This time, he simply let it ring, turning down the volume. “Yeah. Val’s not gonna stop calling til I pick up…” The pornstar rubbed at his eyes and Husk could see the exhaustion there. Maybe the tiniest hint of a tear.
“Didn't you just get back from that dick’s studio?” He asked, putting away the last of the glasses and bottles. He took another gulp from the open one and set it down— Only for Angel to down the rest within the second. Husk didn't comment; the kid had earned that at least.
“Yeah, but it doesn't make a difference to Val. It never does,” Angel said in a bitter mutter. The ringing stopped briefly before it started going off again. Slowly and, what he assumed was painfully, Angel Dust slid off the stool and onto his feet. Husk didn't miss the way he swayed though, staggering as he clutched his head. With a silent sigh, the cat demon gently reached out and steadied him with a hand on his elbow.
It wasn't really needed as Angel seemed to be talking and moving fine otherwise, but Husk was used to steadying drunks. Just another tendency he’d learned over his years as a bartender. Besides, he wasn't the type to let people fall on their faces for no reason. He didn't necessarily care, but if he was there and it didn't cause much trouble, then why the hell not? Besides, he’d rather prevent the potential mess. Simple as that.
“Careful,” he grumbled, letting go right after and stepping back. Angel was silent briefly, but then his phone’s ringing jumped up in volume. Husk didn't have time to question it before he caught sight of Angel pushing back his hair once more and grinning wide, a confident hand on his hip.
On goes the mask.
Husk knew the tease was coming before Angel even opened his mouth. “Awe gee, Kitty, I didn't know you cared this much~” He cooed, batting his lashes.
Husker just rolled his eyes, waving him off. “Don't get it twisted, I just don't wanna have to clean up another goddamn mess.” His wings ruffled behind him and he caught a glance of Angel's phone going off with a flurry of texts now, all while still ringing. “You gonna get that or not?”
Angel tensed at the reminder, gripped his phone tighter, and then nodded. “Yeah, Val will have my ass if I don't.” He broke off with an abrupt laugh, but the sound was forced. Fake. “HA! He'll have my ass either way! They all will~ See ya, baby!” He turned on his heel, starting to strut away.
Husk scowled and watched the spider stumble and then catch himself, once and then again. Husker huffed and blew out an annoyed breath before calling out: “Yo, Legs!”
The lanky demon paused, looking over his shoulder, “hmm~?”
“Finché c’è vita, c’è speranza,” He said, as deadpan and poker-faced as ever. But there was a slight twinge in his expression as he spoke. For just a brief moment when he repeated the common Italian phrase, he offered the other demon what he hoped was a rare, slightly sanguine smile. The phrase was one he hoped Angel would recognize immediately, something from among his past Italian culture.
Something old and inspiring and farmilar. Something that perhaps seemed sad at first considering the fact that they lived in Hell, but the phrase had a secret meaning. One that Husk hoped Angel would catch onto, aided by that small smile. It was something he was sure that Angel had forgotten, something he needed to be reminded of…
‘As long as there is life, there is hope.’
Angel froze in place once he heard it, his expression falling into clear shock and then remembrance as he took in that old, but familiar phrase. Husk couldn't quite see what kind of metaphorical cogs were turning in the spider's head, but clearly those words had hit home.
.....After a long stretched moment of that obnoxious ringing, Angel finally looked up and the sound seemed to quiet. The smile he gave Husk then was one of genuine gratitude and joy; perhaps even bordering on sentimental emotion if the shine to his eyes was of any indication.
Husker didn't comment on it, just returned the gesture with a nod, in a way that felt old and ancient. Holy hell, he couldn't remember the last time he'd smiled like that...