Hell's Redeemer

Chapter 22

As Angel Dust descended the stairs, his flamboyant greeting echoed through the hotel lobby. "Mornin', hot stuff," he cooed, his voice dripping with flirtation as he eyed Spawn sitting quietly. Spawn, stoic as always, was about to offer his typical one-word response to brush him off when something caught his attention.

In Angel's arms was a small, pink pig. Fat Nuggets, Angel's beloved pet, looked up at Spawn with its innocent little eyes, completely unaware of the tension that always seemed to follow its owner. Spawn's gaze lingered on the pig for a moment longer than expected. The sight of such a pure, innocent creature in Hell, and in the arms of someone as chaotic as Angel Dust, was oddly striking.

Angel noticed Spawn's gaze and smirked, swaying his hips dramatically as he strolled closer. "What, big guy? Never seen a piggy before? His name's Fat Nuggets. Ain't he just the cutest?"

Spawn didn't respond immediately, his eyes shifting from the pig to Angel. There was something about the contrast-the purity of the animal and the mess that was Angel-that momentarily threw him off. Finally, Spawn muttered, "Unexpected... for you."

Angel Dust chuckled, unbothered by the veiled jab. "Yeah, well, we all got our soft spots, don't we, big guy?" He scratched Fat Nuggets behind the ears, making the pig snort in contentment. "Even you, I bet."

Spawn remained silent, his eyes narrowing slightly. Angel, always sensing an opportunity to get under someone's skin, grinned and leaned closer, holding up Fat Nuggets as if to offer him to Spawn. "C'mon, hold him. I bet you're a big ol' softy under all that hellspawn stuff. Give him a cuddle."

Spawn leaned back slightly, giving Angel a deadpan look. "No."

Angel laughed, shrugging. "Your loss. This little guy's a babe magnet."

From across the room, Charlie watched the interaction closely, surprised by the slight shift in Spawn's demeanor. She still wasn't sure how to approach him, but seeing him react-even minimally-to something as lighthearted as Fat Nuggets gave her a glimmer of hope. Maybe there was a way to connect with him, even if it wasn't through traditional methods.

Angel, meanwhile, was still teasing. "Y'know, I gotta say, Spawn, you and I are a lot alike. We're both tough, deadly, sexy as hell-" he winked "-but deep down, we got a little bit of softness. Mine just happens to be this adorable bundle of piggy goodness."

Spawn didn't flinch at the jab but simply rose from his seat. "We are nothing alike." His voice was cold, but the edge was less sharp than usual.

Angel pouted playfully. "Yeah, yeah. Keep tellin' yourself that." As he turned to walk away, he gave Fat Nuggets a little kiss on the head and strutted toward the kitchen.

Spawn, now standing, glanced briefly in the direction Angel had gone. He wasn't sure why, but seeing someone like Angel, someone so unapologetically chaotic, caring for something as innocent as a pig-it was... strange. For a moment, Spawn was reminded of simpler times. A life he could no longer have. But as always, he buried the thought deep, returning to the stoic silence that had become his existence.

Charlie watched all of this from her spot across the room, her resolve strengthening. There was something more to Spawn. She just had to find the right way to reach him.

Spawn had barely settled back into his seat when he noticed Charlie approaching him out of the corner of his eye. She seemed hesitant, but her determination was palpable. As she closed the distance, she took a deep breath, clearly gathering her courage.

"Morning, Al," she greeted softly, her voice as gentle as she could make it. "How's everything going?"

Spawn didn't bother looking up. His eyes remained fixed ahead, and his response was little more than a grunt of acknowledgment. His body language was closed off, the tension in his frame betraying his discomfort.