When Alastor manifested back inside the Hazbin Hotel after dropping off the overnight case for Angel Dust his red eyes widened in momentary surprise to find that both Charlie and Vaggie were still sitting at the front desk despite it being his turn for the night duty shift. The blonde Princess of Hell grinned keenly at the sight of him the moment her girlfriend nudged her.
"Sohh....?" Charlie drawled with a hopeful look in her bright shiny eyes. "Did he like what I packed him?"
"No idea.." The Radio Demon replied in a chipper voice and this made her expression fall slightly with disappointment. "I was catching up with Husker, didn't see his reaction."
"Did you at least respect their boundaries as a couple by knocking and not manifesting in unannounced." Vaggie piped up as she remained leant against the reception desk. Her eyes were narrowed towards him looking like she hoped he had listened to their concerns before he had left.
"Don't be absurd, my good friend doesn't mind me popping in.." Alastor replied unconcerned as he strode over to the two women with a happy smile and leaned on his microphone.
"What?!" Vaggie snarled, standing up straight and balling her fists in fury.
"Oh no..." Charlie sighed wearily, facepalming.
"You can't just barge in! THAT'S AN INVASION OF PRIVACY!!" The white-haired moth demon screeched out, her orange and white iris eye glaring hard at him.
"What she means is, what if they were doing... y'know, couple stuff... That would be embarrassing." Charlie interjected with a concerned look, trying to reason with the Radio Demon.
"For them, maybe.." Alastor replied unaffected by her words, the smile still present on his face. "Incidentally, I have already seen that.." He added casually lifting his microphone and twirling it unfazed.
"Oh my gosh.." The Princess of Hell deflated with a look of dread in her face.
"Charlie, can I stab him?" Vaggie exhaled looking dead serious with her question.
"Alastor... You can't keep doing that. Sooner or later they will ask you to stop. And when they do you have to respect their wishes." The blonde princess said trying once again to explain.
"Nonsense. Husker has never stopped me before.." The red-clad demon replied with a small chuckle, clearly thinking they were being silly. Behind her the female moth demon with long white hair was banging her head off the reception desk repeatedly at how obtuse he was being.
"But things are different now! Husk is with—"
"—Angel. I know the current status of their relationship, thank you Princess." The Radio Demon responded with a clear look of disdain flashing in those brilliant red eyes as his smile tightened.
"Look, I know this might be difficult to hear since you and Husk have clearly been friends for a long time and obviously there's co-dependency—"
"Poppycock!!" Alastor erupted in a loud static-like voice, his dial-like red eyes spinning and glowing was his smile strained impossible wider, looking wild and homicidal and dangerous. "What utter hogwash are you trying to insinuate about me?! I am not dependant on him! Co-dependant indeed! Hah! Well I've never been so insulted in all my life in Hell!!" The air around Alastor seemed to grow thick with static energy which only made Charlie cringe backwards in fear and the female moth demon immediately summoned her angel spear and shot around the desk with it up to protect her girlfriend. She need not have bothered as the next second the Radio Demon vanished in a curl of shadow with a slightly static-like huff.
"Uh.... Isn't it his turn to take night duty?" Vaggie frowned lowering her spear since there was nothing for it to point at.
"I'm sure he'll come back after we're gone when he has time to process what we talked about." Charlie added in a somewhat unsure voice, her black painted fingernails tapping off each other as she flashed a nervous smile.
"Don't count on it.." The high-pitched voice of Niffty sounded from the stairwell making both ladies turn their heads and lean around the corner to gaze at the petite woman in a bright pink hoop-skirt and soft pink cardigan who was dusting the old-fashioned black banister with her feather duster speedily.
"What do you mean?" Charlie asked her still looking a touch nervous.
"Even if your chat had gone better Alastor still wouldn't listen, no offence. Oh my, there I go again! Eavesdropping on conversations without consent when I should be finishing this job.." She tutted in disapproval at her own actions and resumed furiouslydusing the stairwell.
"But why wouldn't be listen?" The blonde princess asked the petite red-haired woman with white skin and one large round eye.
"Because we're women.." She responded matter-of-factly as if this was nothing to be concerned about.
"Urgh! Chavanistic bastard. She is royalty, he has to listen to her.." Vaggie growled automatically in response gesturing to her girlfriend, her fist then curling in annoyance.
"Well, that's not true, most Overlords don't listen to me, just my dad.." Charlie replied before turning to Niffty with a soft sigh. She was used to being ignored or spoken down to by high-up demons, this was nothing new to her. "So I'm guessing the only one who could make Alastor listen is Husk then?"
"Mhm. He's the only one here who's word carries any weight in the Radio Demon's eyes." The tiny female nodded vapidly then finished off the banister and scuttled off with her feather duster. There was an echo of what sounded like a soft giggle that followed her as she vanished.
"So I guess nothing is going to happen then." Vaggie drawled looking both somewhat annoyed and frustrated by the Radio Demon's attitude and knowing fine well that Husk was lazy, unmotivated and generally apathetic when it came to the plights of others, unless it was his new boyfriend but even that seemed to have limits. He only did his job because Alastor expected him to and never listened to a word she said. The tall demon cat drunk heavily the whole time he was on shift, took frequent smoke breaks and she was pretty sure that Angel was gratifying him behind the bar when they were alone. The very thought made her want to shudder as it was so gross to picture but the effeminate spider made perverse jokes on it so often that she wouldn't put it passed the pair..
"I guess.. that's fine. I-I mean, it's not really our issue. I only wanted to try and make Alastor see things from their point of view.." Charlie replied with an unsure shrug trying to make light of the situation.
"Hon, I know you were just trying to spare him from Angel having a bitch-fit but seriously, that's probably what the pair of them need.." The lithe moth demon replied with a sympathetic smile. Both girls already knew first-hand from Angel going 'cold-turkey' when first arriving that his mood could swing into dark, violent places when he was aggravated and pushed to his limits and they both knew that he valued his privacy above all else..
........................
"Oh-kay.. Somethin's buggin' ya, so spill it. What's up cause what I want up isn't.." Angel exhaled heavily as he pushed himself up with all six hands into a sitting poison, still straddled across his older boyfriend's groin. He had finally given up trying to get a rise out of his clearly distracted boyfriend. Even the moves he knew were a sure fire pleaser to the grizzled demon cat laid under him were failing which was unprecedented and he didn't like it.
"Huh? Oh, fuck. Sorry doll.. Was kinda distracted.." Husk drawled back flashing what he hoped was an appeasing grin but may have come off more as a crooked grimace considering how his slim pink furred effeminate boyfriend folded his all three arms, narrowed his odd sclera eyes and pouted dissatisfied.
"Uh, yeh. No shit genius." Angel retorted as his pink eyes rolled, "I don't use just any old moves on ya and usually ya all over me by now..." He broke off as the cat demon raised one long red plume with a look of doubt. "Fine maybe not 'all over me' but more over me than this.." His bottom set of hands gestured to the fact that his boyfriend was hardly enjoying the attention he was trying to lavish on him then dematerialised back inside of his sides. "And since ya clearly don't wanna fuck ya gonna talk and don't give me the bullshit that it's nothin' cause, heh, that ain't gonna fly mister.." He leaned forward with a wicked grin, both sets of hands gripping Husk's much larger wrists and slamming his hands back against the bed. Angel's face was close to his but just out of reach and he was practically draped across his whole torso throwing his most seductive look and a wicked smirk twisted his mouth. "Alright cat, start talkin'.."
"I'm just waiting for an important phone call.." Husk responded and this made the effeminate male spider demon raise his brows.
"Pfft.. That constitutes a quickie babe not a case of—" The pale pink furred spider began to retort but was cut short.
"From your father.." Husk interrupted in a serious tone before his boyfriend could finish his comment on his bout of impotence.
"Wai—what?" Angel blinked in disbelief, sitting up and letting go of the grey and white furred demon with red wings still pinned below him. "B-but why would my papi be callin' ya? He's in the middle of a gang war wi—" He broke off as the penny finally seemed to drop and his odd sclera pink eyes widen further shock. "Fuck off! Ya can't be— Husk, are ya fuckin' w'me again? Cause this ain't fuckin' funny.." The effeminate spider had crawled off of his boyfriend completely now and picked up the pink hoodie he had discarded onto the floor then pulled it on.
"Hey, I would never fuck with you at a time like this." The much older demon cat stated firmly as he sat upright and the second Angel's long, fluffy fringed head popped out the neck hole of the hoodie and threw his boyfriend an expression of wry amusement. "Dammit, I meant that figuratively."
"I knew what you meant, mi amore.." Angel grinned still looking amused.
"Of course you fucking did.." Husk exhaled wearily and facepalming at his dirty-minded boyfriend, this was why he hated trying to have a serious conversation with him. "Why don't you believe I'm him?" He refused to call himself the 'Casino Demon' on principle, it didn't even cover half of what he did.
"Ya shittin' me? Ya too fuckin' lazy t'be runnin' an underground syndicate. Why should I believe ya?" The effeminate pale pink spider raised his brows.
"Well, I'll give you that I'm lazy but for the record my operation can run by itself. I just give the orders and only take control when I have to, why do you think I take so many smoke breaks?" Husk responded turning a little and letting one long grey furred leg bend around as he leant back on one arm casually.
"Wait. Ya really serious with this, ain't ya?" Angel blinked finally realising that his boyfriend was not kidding around with this. At this moment the sound of Husk's Hellphone ringing made both demons turn their heads to where it lay innocently on the side.
"Hmh. Here's your proof now." The demon cat smirked a little as he picked up his phone glancing at it before turning the screen to Angel so that he could see that the caller ID was indeed the Don of the Spider Mafia finally getting around to calling.
"Holy shit! Ya really are him." The spider demon's pink eyes widened in awe looking a little impressed now.
"If you promise to stay quiet I will put this on speakerphone and let you listen in, deal?" Husk uttered softly patting empty spot on the bed right next to him with a crooked but kind smirk to his suddenly nervous looking boyfriend.
"Ok.." Angel barely registered the word slip out of his mouth as he slipped next to his older looking partner and took his free hand in two of his own and leaned his head against his grey fluffy shoulder feeling timid, dreading what his father might say about him. He even stiffened a little when Husk answered the call and transferred it to speakerphone immediately.
"Evening Don, I was wondering when you would call.." Husk stated simply as he squeezed the hand inside his grasp and felt Angel nuzzle his shoulder.
"It's been a busy night as I'm sure you know considering your hijacking of one of our loose ends. We respectfully ask for it's return, unfinished business does not sit right with us as I'm sure you can appreciate.." Henrion's voice crooned softly down the other end with no pleasantries, this was business pure and simple. Angel had remained snuggled in close to his older boyfriend turned his head a little to look up curious to see how the demon cat would respond.
"I could do that but he is Alastor's charge, I pulled him out to spare you the wrath of my associate. Of course, if the gesture is unwarranted I would be happy to return him and allow you to deal with the Radio Demon yourselves.." The demon cat pulled his hand out of Angel's when the spider pulled back glaring with a soft huff and an arm fold at this, he put one long clawed white finger to his lips in a silent shush.
There was a long pause which made Husk smirk, already knowing what would follow.
"No. That won't be necessary. In light of the situation we will let this one slide, send our regards to the Radio Demon and tell him that his 'charge' is unwelcome in our territory, we give fair warning that we will not be this lenient next time.." Angel's pale pink head turned back when he felt his boyfriend's long, slim, white-clawed fingers grip his lithe shoulder and gently pulled him back up against his his side as his grey furred forearm held him around the middle.
"Understood." Husk responded coolly, his yellow eyes narrowed in some disdain at his phone before softening as he turned his face to the side of the younger pale pink spider's head. "Didn't think I was selling you out, did you?" The soft but deep timbre of Husk's throaty whisper in his unseen ear made Angel feel a pleasurable shiver run down his spine and a gentle smile curved his mouth. Purely because he couldn't say anything at this current moment did the much younger spider demon shake his head lightly with a smirk then lean in and sweetly kiss his boyfriend's cheek. This made the older cat demon flash a toothy grin.
"My other reason for calling is of course to arrange a meeting to discuss the terms that have lead to the recent, unpleasantness, that has befallen our two sides. Allow me to extend the olive branch and invite you down to the Gentleman's Club so we may discuss business face-to-face like men." Henrion's voice continued to speak over the two lovers' silent exchange obviously not knowing what was going on but his words made Husk suddenly blink in some confusion before frowning suspiciously towards his phone still being held out in his right hand.
"Fine. I can come now if that suits you.." The grizzled demon cat exhaled after a moment of silence and immediately took his phone off speakerphone, moving it to his ear and listening to Henrion continue.
"No.." Angel uttered softly with a worried look to Husk who was nodding as he listened to the Don of the Spider Mafia on the other end before his older cat demon boyfriend finally hung up with a grunt of displeasure. "Ya can't go.."
"Got no choice babydoll.." Husk replied in a tone that suggested that he would rather get this over with and pulled himself up off the bed anyway. "This could make or break the gang war. Now I gotta figure out what your pig has done with my hat this time.." He added looking unimpressed, carrying his phone with him as he left the bedroom and a somewhat bemused Angel who quickly got up and followed.
"Fine, just promise me ya comin' straight back.." The effeminate spider said as he watched his much older boyfriend move over to where Fat Nuggets slept soundly and look around with a slight frown.
"Yeh. Sure. If it stops you worrying.." The cat demon responded gruffly finally bending over and picking up his top hat from its abandoned spot on the floor. The piglet had obviously dumped it after discovering there was nothing of interest to him inside it. When he straightened and put it on Angel appeared beside him wrapping his top set of arms around his neck and hugging him tight. His lower set of fingers reaching up to stroke his boyfriend's white jawline as he peppered his muzzle with soft kisses.
"Thanks mi amore.." Angel cooed softly as Husk pulled himself out of his grip trying to look unhappy with the sudden burst of affection but his more effeminate partner had learnt how to read passed that.
"Yeh, yeh. I ain't doing anything special for you, no need to fuss me. Just stay here and don't do anything stupid, ok?" Husk's voice came out in an apathetic drawl but there was a definite undertone of concern with it.
"Pfft.. Whadda ya take me for?!" Angel responded with a light-hearted grin but this only earned him one kink of his boyfriend's plume eyebrow once the demon cat had reached the front door of the penthouse suite. "Y'know what, don't answer that. Just go get this meetin' over with and come back soon, 'kay? Bye now." He waved his boyfriend off then collapsed onto the couch with a heaving sigh after his older partner left..
...........................
"Wait? You had a couple of lines of coke? I thought you were in that rehab program, is that not why your staying at that shitty hotel.." Cherri's voice came out the speaker on Angel's partly charged Hellphone and the pale pink spider demon exhaled a ring of cigarette smoke and flicked the ash away out the open window he was leaning out of. Behind him on the glass coffee table was a discarded paper straw, a small empty bag, some white powder residue and his bank card. His pink hoodie was also draped across the arm of the couch nearest him as he had ditched it after growing too hot and was now just in a cropped white t-shirt with pink bralet and matching booty shorts. He had been feeling a little down after his boyfriend had left him a couple of hours ago to go to his meeting and had needed the pick-me-up as he hated being alone, it was depressing for him.
"Urh! It was just to take the edge off babe, no biggie.." Angel rolled his odd sclera pink eyes unconcerned taking a sip from the tumbler of golden booze he had brought with him. "Besides, I had to finish the bag off, there was no way I would get to sneak it passed the Duchess of Dorks and her psycho-bitch girlfriend.." His description of the two girls made Cherri giggle in amusement on the other end of the line.
"Damn, you are such a bitch Angie." She added in a low tone of jesting and this made him smirk as he took another drag of his cigarette.
"Heh, I know. I learned from the best sugar tits.." He exhaled the smoke as his eyes scanned the cityscape of Pentagram City. After seeing it from above the sight was less impressive than it should have been as the view was nice, just not as nice as the pictures he had taken earlier. "Wait.. I-is there someone with ya?" He asked positive that he had heard something that wasn't Cherri from her side of the line.
"Yes but don't read too much into this. We just ran into each other while I was out taking down a couple of Valentino's billboards.." As Cherri explained this to her best friend the spider frowned curiously at his phone taking the final drag on his cigarette.
"Why would I give a shit who it is? About time you got fucked. So, who's the guy?" He responded stubbing out the cigarette butt and flicking it away casually before leaning on the window. He casually moved the golden booze in his glass tumbler purely so he could watch the liquid swirl.
"It's just Niss.." Came Cherri's response before her voice became a little indistinguishable as she had pulled her phone away from her head to clearly say something to his brother who's voice could barely be heard responding to it. Angel's expression slackened into shock, his cocky smirk vanishing instantly.
"What?" He blinked serval times leaving the half glass of booze sitting on the window ledge before adding with a scowl, "When I said 'get fucked' I didn't mean by my own brother!" He declared with a scowl. "How the fuck did you even run into each other anyway? Spider Town is on the other side of Sir Hiss-A-Lot's turf.." He scowled to his phone in disapproval.
"See, this is why I said not to read too much into this. We're just hanging, nothing else. Your dad sent him on a job while he was the meeting with your 'sweetie', he was on his way back home and I literally ran into him and we got talking so I invited him to mine for a drink. That's it, no big deal Angie so cut the shit, 'kay?" Her voice sounded a touch defensive and irritable before becoming a little indistinct once more as she must have pulled away to talk to his brother. "..What? Oh.. Ok.." Then it was like she was back again. "Niss has gone out to take a call. So what's your problem Angie, I thought you'd be made up about me trying to get to know your brother.."
"Ya don't even like him and ya called him a creep for a start!" Angel glared hard making a fist with his top right hand, swiping up the glass of golden liquor and taking a sip.
"Who's a fucking creep!" A gruff voice made the effeminate spider choke on the mouthful he had just taken, swallow thickly and spin around to see his grizzled demon cat boyfriend throwing him a confused look, one long plume eyebrow was quirked up. He hadn't even heard him come in the front door which was impressive..
"Oh. Not you bello, we're on about Niss.." Angel winked playfully feeling himself cheer up instantly simply due to the fact that his boyfriend was back 'home' with him. At these words Husk exhaled heavily and sagged a little looking exhausted as he whipped off his hat and tossed it casually down onto the glass-top coffee table.
"Right. You planning on finishing that?" He added pointing one long white clawed fingers to the half-drunk glass tumbler of booze and without speaking, as he was listening to Cherri on his phone, Angel handed his glass over. The demon cat then slumped down onto the couch with a weary sigh and drained the contents of the booze. Once he put the empty glass down he raised the fingers of his free hand and rubbed his eyes.
"Hey babe, can we finish this convo t'morra? My man looks like he could use a little attention.." The pale pink spider said in a soft voice as he fluffed his long fringe and adjusted his chest fluff under his white cropped t-shirt and deep pink bralet. "Heh.. I'm not the one that has to behave, that's you bitch. Later!" He hung up with a slight chuckle then approached the couch standing next to Husk who had leaned his head back with his eyes shut. "I'm all yours now, mi amore. Whadda ya say we go t'bed?" Angel bent over with two arms outstretched to him.
"Fine but just for sleep doll, that's what I need.." The demon cat sighed sleepily, lifting his head up then allowing himself to be hauled up by two of his boyfriend's hands..