HuskerDust Oneshots

My Safe Place

During his lifetime, Husk had traveled to many places. Russia, Germany, Italy, China, Mexico, and Japan. They were beautiful places full of interesting people and many things to learn. But no matter where he went outside of his home town in Las Vegas, Nevada, he always managed to find himself in a casino. He had always thought of casinos to be his safe place. After all, he grew up in one. He loved everything about them, the colored flashing lights, the music, the high stakes gambling, the drinks, but most of all, the magic shows. They always seemed to fascinate him. Even when he was old enough to figure out how the tricks worked, they still retained a sense of magic in his mind. Perhaps as an escape from all the other chaos in his life.
His father was a gambler, a compulsive drinker, and owned the casino, and his mother hated everything about it. They would fight all the time while Husk taught himself card tricks with his father's old deck. When he got old enough, his father eventually let him start playing in the casino. When Husk eventually took over running the casino from his father, he became known as the Casino King. He knew every card game like the back of his hand. He could look at another player and know if they had a good hand or not. Gambling seemed to be the only thing he was good at, and the only thing that would peak his father's interest in him. But sadly, all good things must come to an end. He started losing, drinking himself out of his mind and gambling every cent he had; winning some and losing more than he could afford. Eventually he stopped winning altogether, even by underhanded methods. The more bets he lost, the more he drank, and the more he lost himself. Soon enough, his safe place became one of misery and all he wanted was to drown out everything.
Not only did he drown in debt, but in booze until it finally killed him.
When he ended up in Hell, it seemed he still hadn't learned his lesson. He managed to become an Overlord. Once again, casinos and bars became a safe place again. Somewhere he could escape the chaos, and do what he was good at; what he loved.
But once again, a better player came along. The vicious cycle repeated itself. He knew he'd hit rock bottom again when Alastor, the Radio Demon waltzed into his life. He sold his soul to save the little power he had left.
Now he was stuck helping out with Alastor's latest sadistic entertainment investment; the Hazbin Hotel run by Princess Charlie. Alastor described it as a "misguided attempt at redemption". Whether or not he was right was still up for debate, but it's not like Husk believed he had a shot at redeeming himself anyway. But he'd be lying if he said he didn't think there was one who had improved lately.
Angel Dust, the loud, vulgar, abrasive, chaotic porn demon with a drug addiction.
Husk had to admit to himself, he'd gotten quite attached to the lanky spider. They were comfortable with each other. Husk and Angel knew more about each other than anyone in the hotel knew about the two of them combined. Their similar addictions and complicated, often painful situations being chained to two psychopathic, power hungry Overlords caused them to form a bond with one another; one that ran much deeper than a friendship.
Once upon a time, Husk believed himself incapable of loving anyone or anything as much as the adrenaline rush of a high stakes gamble and the buzz of alcohol, but Angel changed all of that without even trying to. Yes, Angel could be obnoxious, but he meant well. He used his flirtatious maneuvers as a coping mechanism after years of being hurt by Val and other men like him. But of course, Angel quickly learned that Husk was not like them. He could let his guard down with him. With each other, they weren't the puppets of their masters. They were simply Husker and Anthony.

One thing they realized fairly recently that they have in common, they both liked to cuddle. Husk was a cat hybrid, and Angel was notoriously touch starved, so it was a perfect match.
The two were currently in Angel's room, cuddling on the heart shaped bed. Husk was laying on his back purring softly while Angel lay fast asleep, his face buried in his chest. All of his arms were wrapped around Husk's waist. Val decided to have him shoot for twelve hours yesterday and he had a show to do at one of Valentino's clubs tonight, so he desperately needed to get some sleep. He was too tired to even bother taking off his makeup or changing out of his black choker, his long pink gloves and striped baby pink and white blazer, and thigh high stiletto boots.
Though Husk was wide awake, he enjoyed watching Angel. It brought a warm feeling to him that the spider was comfortable enough to sleep so soundly around him. It was one of the rare times that he could see his lover truly relax. It also never failed to make the cat himself feel safe as well. Having Angel's four, sometimes six arms, wrapped around his frame provided the feline with a comfort that copious amounts of alcohol could never give him.

Husk mindlessly ran his claw-like fingers through the taller demon's soft hair as Angel breathed evenly, undisturbed by the feeling. The soft sound brought a smile to the cat's normally frowning face.
He softly kissed Angel's head, causing the sleeping spider to stir. He rubbed the sleep from his eyes before finally opening them to reveal his beautiful hot pink irises. Under the neon pink lights of his room, he looked, well, like an angel.
"Hey Sleepin' Beauty", Husk purred. A sleepy smile made its way across the spider's face.
"Hey Kitten", Angel mumbled. His usually high, effeminate voice had dropped two octaves deeper which Husk secretly found very sexy. But he'd never tell Angel that of course. His ego was inflated enough as it is.
"You feelin' better?". Angel nodded as he yawned and shifted his numb muscles. Husk continued to purr and trail soft kisses over Angel's face as he watched his lover wake from his slumber. The spider let out a soft giggle and inhaled deeply as his boyfriend cuddled deeper into him. Husk looked over at the clock on the bedside table.
It read 7:15 pm. Angel's show was at 9:00, and Husk knew it would take a while for Angel to get ready.
"Hey, it's after seven. You should start gettin' ready for your show", Husk whispered. The sleepy spider groaned in protest, not wanting to move from his comfortable, warm spot. Husk laughed and gently shook Angel.
"C'mon baby. The sooner you get the show over with, the sooner we can come home and cuddle, okay?"
"But I don't wanna get up. You're so warm", the spider whined.
"I know, but do you really want to deal with Val bein' pissed at you tomorrow?". Angel went quiet for a moment, weighing his options. He knew he could take whatever punishment Valentino could dish out if he missed the show tonight, but he also didn't want to risk Valentino finding out that he was secretly in a committed relationship. Deciding it was better to keep Val happy and not get the ever-loving shit beat out of him again, he groaned once more and rolled his eyes.
"No", he groaned, finally pulling himself out of his lover's embrace and heading for the shower.

After Angel had freshened himself up and put back on his original outfit, Husk diligently watched from the bed with dilated pupils and a lovesick expression as Angel sat at the vanity, applying different creams and serums to his face so that the heavy makeup he'd be wearing later wouldn't fuck up his skin.
Angel obviously noticed the cat staring at him, and he didn't mind it one bit. He was enjoying the attention. Usually, he makes a point of not getting ready in front of anyone, even just for everyday things. During the process of him applying his makeup, he was also putting on the mask of Angel Dust; the armor that kept Anthony safe, from Valentino, other clients, and sometimes even from himself. Only one person in Hell could see beyond the persona, the cracks in the armor he worked so hard to keep together. And that person was sitting right on his bed.
To think, all this time he believed that bars and sex clubs were his escape from all the pain; the only way for him to feel anything was to get stoned out of his skull. When all along, it was not the drinks, the drugs, or the sex. It was the cat-bird hybrid demon who took the time to shed the layers of armor piece by piece.

When Angel was finally ready to go, he gave his beloved pig Fat Nuggets a kiss on the head then grabbed his phone and keys from the nightstand.
"Alright, I should be back around midnight. If I'm any later than that, I'll call. And I promise, I won't take nothin' and I'll try not to drink too much", the spider swore.
"If you ain't back here by one, I'm comin' to get ya myself, Legs", the cat replied, standing to attempt to look his tall, younger boyfriend in the eye.
"Alright, deal", Angel giggled. The cat grinned and grabbed the lanky spider by the waist, pulling him into a tender kiss.
In that sweet moment, both demons thought the same thing.
I can't wait to be back with you. You're my safe place.