Just Like You Are

One Likes Me; One Hates Me

Husk walked down the hallway, trying to clear his head. When he'd reach the end of the hallway, he would turn around and walk back. He'd walk to the lobby where the bar was, and turn around again. He didn't really feel like drinking, but if he didn't he would start shaking soon.

Every time he opened his eyes, he would see gold... everywhere. It was scary. Scary, because when he saw that color, it brought on emotions he didn't want to feel.

Joy, Jealousy, hopefulness and anguish.

In that order, a repeating cycle of painful emotions and thoughts would take him. He already had P.T.S.D. Now when he wasn't thinking about the war, he was thinking of her. He almost preferred the war. Combat was easy. Do what your told; You might get shot. Whatever.

But a woman you couldn't get out of your mind, was the devil. Go figure, she had to be his daughter. Everyone knew her mother was a succubus. Whether she had the power to sway people or not, was uncertain. But with how Husk was feeling, he could imagine she could have used that power against him.

But if she had that power, would she really need to use it?

Charlie was perfect. She was pretty, smart, determined, caring, and she knew when to back off. She didn't push too hard. She didn't over stay her welcome. Whenever he'd think he was getting tired of her, she'd dissapear and come back when he'd start to miss her. She was killing him slowly.

He reached the bar again, but didn't turn around this time. He kept walking to the front door and opened it, stepped outside and breathed deeply. Even the red city of violence and death couldn't keep him from seeing gold.

He couldn't deny it for very long. He was falling... fast. After being around her for only a few days, she was all he could think about. She just had to pay so much attention to him.

He heard footsteps behind him, but he didn't bother to look. He already memorized the sounds of those shoes. He decided to light a ciggarette and keep his focus on the city.

Then he heard the sound of another lighter ignite next to him. Vaggie had lit her own ciggarette. That caused him to turn towards her. She blew out her smoke, and ignored his gaze, but started a conversation none the less.

"You too, huh?" Husk snickered. "Yea, I guess so." He said back. They smoked in silence until Husk heard the sound of liquid swishing inside of a bottle. He turned to see Vaggie taking a swig of vodka, and gave her a judgemental look.

She looked back at him, and instead of commenting, or punching him in the eye, she held the bottle towards him. It wasn't his favorite choice, but he accepted it and took a swig. After another moment Husk decided to keep the conversation going.

"What's bothering you?"

She sighed. "This place. Charlie. Angel. You three." She said, looking at him. He took another swig, and puff of his ciggarette, before handing her the bottle. "I guess that's the problem with anything you surround yourself with. It can piss you off." He said to her.

She looked to the ground. "Y'know... it's like I sometimes forget that I'm in Hell." Husk looked toward her like she was crazy. "Don't fuckin look at me like that! I know you know what I mean, because I've seen it on your face. And I know who your thinking about." Husk kept his mouth shut at that comment.

"When Charlie found me, my existence changed in a way I never thought it could. Even while I was alive, I never felt the way she made me feel. She really cares." She took another swig. Husk didn't respond, so she kept talking.

"Charlie is always rushing into things without giving them the proper amount of thought. She just wants to do good things for people, whether it's a good idea or not."

She took a long drag from her ciggarette before continuing. "I thought this Hotel was a dumb idea. I hate that Angel showed up. I'm almost as mad you three did."

Husk nodded. "As long as you don't hate us as much as Angel."

She continued. "I realize that I didn't so much hate the ideas she had, or the people that came here as much as knowing that when all this started, we wouldn't see each other as much. We would be busy."

Husk looked at the ground too. That he could understand.

"Charlie is my best friend. She means everything to me. It hurts to see her make a deal with the Radio Demon. I may not care much for this Hotel idea, but I still want to see her succeed, and I don't want her to get hurt." She said, handing Husk the last of the Vodka.

"Why are you telling me this?" He asked, before finishing off the bottle. "Because I like having you around. You keep to yourself." She replied. They looked at each other seriously for a moment.

"You only speak when spoken to." She said laughing. "Bitch! Fuck you! Husk said, laughing back. They turned their gaze back to the street and finished their ciggarettes. Before heading back in, Husk felt something rest on his arm. Vaggie was right next to him, leaning her head on him.

"Can I fucking help you?"

"Yea, you can shut the fuck up, and stand still. I need comforting, and your soft."

They stood in silence for a few seconds before she spoke. "Charlie is our Heaven, Husk. Please help me keep her happy."

Husk sighed loudly, and turned to go back inside. "Fine... whatever." He said, leaving her outside alone.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Later that night, Husk was drinking his usual cheap bottle of whiskey. It was almost time to close up, but at the last second he could hear someone approaching the bar. He was really starting to miss her... so of course she showed up.

"Hey Husk!" Charlie skipped up to him and sat down, looking way too happy like she usually does. "Hey kid. What'd you do today?" He asked.

"Awww! You never ask me that!" She yelled. Husk rolled his eyes. "Just paperwork. Alastor says that..." Charlie began to go on a rant, but as she spoke, Husk noticed that the sound of her voice began to fade. He sat down on the other side of the bar and leaned in to try and hear her better, but as he looked at her she seemed to glow even more than usual.

Her mouth was moving, but Husk couldn't hear anything. His peripheral vision began to fade, and his heart started racing. She was sparkling at this point. Husk began to pant. His heart was starting to hurt. He turned away from her and shouted.

"Charlie! Knock that shit off!"

Husk was trying to catch his breath, as he turned back around to see Charlie. When he did, he felt worse. She looked horrified and Husk knew why. He had been under the spell of a succubus before, but it was nothing like this. He'd heard rumors that if anyone were to like a succubus without them using their power on them, it would amplify their emotions to the point of physical pain.

He just experienced it first hand. Charlie had her hands over her mouth, and started to tear up. "Hey... kid it's okay. I'm fine." He grabbed his bottle and took another drink.
The cat was out of the bag now. She would know by his extreme reaction to her power, that he had already felt something.

"Husk... I am so sorry! I really thought that you hated me! I was just trying to ease some of the tension. I thought that if I did, you would stay and give me a chance!"

Husk stood up from his stool. "What? Did you think I was gonna just stop working here, because I didn't like you?"

Charlie was crying. She didn't answer. Husk didn't know what to do. "I mean... I don't hate you! I was just trying to keep some distance from you."

She started sobbing uncontrollably before running up the stairs, leaving Husk at the bar.

"What... the fuck... was that!?!?"