The bittersweet victory

Chapter nine: Valentino

Angel dragged a trash bag out of the casino, it had been a particularly busy day so the bag was fuller than normal. He tossed the bag into the dumpster "Jeez what was in there" Angel groaned, he turned to go back into the casino when someone grabbed his arm, "Hey!" he half yelped in surprise, "You really thought fucking with me would end well?" Valentino pulled Angel back "Shit" Angel reached to grab his gun but before he could find it Val threw him against the wall "Agh!" Angel hit his head on the wall, he quickly reached for his gun, fumbling it out of his fur "You really think you can pull a gun on me?" Val hissed, grabbing Angel's wrist and snatching the gun, throwing it aside "Val leave me alone, I'm not yours anymore" Angel pushed himself against the wall "You actually think I care if that cat owns you?" Val bent down, grabbing Angel's chest fluff "Get off!" Angel swung his fist at Val, landing the punch on his cheek "OW! What the fuck!" Val stumbled back, taken off guard, Angel quickly got to his feet, running for his gun, he was able to grab it but Val had recovered from the punch quickly and was just behind Angel "Fuck off Val" Angel raised the gun, "Go on shoot me, you won't" Val kept walking closer, Angel looked away, shutting his eyes and firing, he looked back to see he'd shot Val in the leg "Shit" he muttered "Bad shot" Val smiled, grabbing Angel's wrist, "You really thought escaping me would be that easy?" Val threw the gun aside before pinning Angel to the wall, grabbing all his arms "Get off!" Angel kicked at Valentino "You can't fight me" Val laughed at Angel.

A card hit Valentino in the shoulder "Agh!" Val screamed, dropping Angel "Leave now" Husker hissed at Val "Give me back Angel dust then" Val straightened himself again "Now why would I do that," Husker asked "Because otherwise, I'll just kill him" Val grabbed Angel off the floor "Get the fuck off me!" Angel punched Val again, hitting him in the gut, causing Val to stumble again, loosening his grip enough for Angel to pull away. Angel grabbed his gun off the floor and ran over to Husker. "Get lost Val" Angel aimed his gun "I'm not scared you slut" Val grabbed his own gun out. "That's enough." Husker hissed, Val stepped back, as Husker towered over him, his lip curled back, revealing his teeth, "You don't scare me" Val looked up at Husker, who didn't respond, just lifted his front paw and slashed Valentino's chest, leaving deep claw marks across his torso, Val stumbled back, blood pouring from his wound "Shit-" He muttered, crumpling over, coughing up blood. Husker shrunk back to his usual form, "Pathetic" He hissed walking away from Valentino as he gasped for breath one last time, before going limp. "Shit you killed him" Angel stared at Valentino's limp body "He'll manifest again, its not like my claws are angelic" Husker shrugged "He's going to be so pissed when he comes back" Angel rubbed his lower hands together nervously "We won't be back if he knows what's good for him" Husker reassured Angel "I hope you're right" Angel looked from Val's body to Husker "Let's go inside" Husker offered Angel his hand "Yeah ok" Angel took his hand, following him inside.

"I'm so fucking stupid" Angel sat down on his bed, burying his face in his knees, "No you aren't" Husker sat next to him "It was my idea to piss off Val, and now look what happened" Angel looked at Husker "Yeah and it isn't your fault he reacted like that" Husker put his paw on Angel's shoulder, "But I should of known he would off" Angel looked away "And I was so fucking useless when he attacked me" Husker shuffled closer to Angel "No you weren't, you got yourself free didn't you?" Husker wrapped a wing around Angel "You still had to come save me" Angel buried his face back in his knees "Sure but he's an overlord" Husker pulled Angel closer with his wing "Yeah but" Angel started but Husker cut him off "It wasn't your fault, and you weren't useless" Husker wrapped his other Wing around Angel, "You shouldn't blame yourself for what he did too" Angel wrapped his arms around Husker.