LOVE OR SEX || Radioapple

Chapter 10

Angel slowly opened his eyes, squinting at the harsh fluorescent lights overhead. His entire body ached, like he'd been run over by a truck. The sterile smell of disinfectant filled his nostrils, and as his vision cleared, he realized he was lying on a clinic bed. Husk stood at the foot of the bed, arms crossed, while Lucifer leaned casually against the wall, observing him with his usual unreadable expression.

"What the fuck happened?" Angel croaked, his voice hoarse. His head pounded as he tried to sit up, but the room spun, forcing him to lie back down.

Husk sighed, rubbing his temples in frustration. "You're lucky you're not dead, Dust. You were spiraling out of control, so I had to knock some sense into you."

Angel blinked, his mind still foggy. "What... what do you mean? I feel like I just had an overdose."

"You were losing it," Husk replied flatly. "I punched you in the stomach to calm you down. You were acting like a maniac, and there wasn't any other way to get you to stop."

Angel stared at him, the memory slowly returning. He had been spiraling, emotions getting the best of him, and Husk had stepped in. His gaze shifted to Husk, who now seemed uncomfortable under the scrutiny. Angel sat up again, this time more steadily, and without a word, leaned closer to Husk, their faces only inches apart.

Husk's eyes widened, and a faint blush crept up his cheeks. "What are you—" he started, his voice wavering, clearly thinking Angel was about to kiss him.

But instead of leaning in further, Angel brought his forehead crashing against Husk's, hard. The loud thud echoed through the small room.

"OW! What the hell, you stupid brat!" Husk yelped, stumbling back, rubbing his forehead in pain.

Lucifer, who had been watching silently, chuckled under his breath, clearly entertained by the scene unfolding before him.

Angel smirked, leaning back on the bed, clearly amused by Husk's reaction. "That's for knocking me out, asshole."

"You deserved it!" Husk snapped, still massaging his sore forehead. "You don't get to go berserk and then headbutt me like it's my fault!"

Angel just shrugged, his playful grin never fading. "Yeah, well, maybe next time try not hitting me so hard. You're not supposed to break your toys, doc."

Husk scowled, muttering under his breath about how he should've let Angel deal with his own mess, but Angel just waved him off, clearly enjoying how flustered he had made Husk.

Lucifer finally spoke up, his tone casual but with an underlying amusement. "You two are quite the pair, aren't you?"

Angel glanced over at Lucifer and rolled his eyes. "Whatever, Luci. I'm not in the mood for your games right now."

Lucifer merely smirked and pushed off the wall. "Well, I'll leave you to recover. Just try not to kill each other while I'm gone." He gave a nod to Husk and then slipped out of the room, leaving the two alone.

Husk sighed heavily once Lucifer was gone, his usual gruff exterior returning. "You're a pain in my ass, you know that?"

Angel gave him a sly smile. "You love it."

"Not even close, Dust."

Lucifer, watching the playful exchange between Angel and Husk with a dark glint in his eye, leaned against the doorframe and spoke up, his voice dripping with mock desire. "Now I want you even more, Angel," he said, his tone low and teasing, eyes flickering with lust. Angel rolled his eyes, clearly unimpressed.

"Yeah, well, tough luck, Luci," Angel shot back, waving him off. Lucifer smirked, a knowing glint in his eye, before casually snatching one of Husk's cigarettes from the pack on the table. He lit it with a practiced flick of his lighter, taking a slow drag before exhaling the smoke.

"I'll be around, Dust," Lucifer said in a low voice, leaving the room with a lingering look at Angel before disappearing into the hallway.

Once Lucifer was gone, the atmosphere lightened. Husk let out a sigh of relief and sat down in the chair beside Angel's bed, tossing the cigarette pack back on the table. "He's got a real flair for the dramatics, doesn't he?" Husk muttered, his voice full of dry sarcasm.

Angel laughed lightly, but there was a heaviness in his eyes as he turned to face Husk. "Yeah, he's all show," Angel said, running a hand through his hair, but then his voice softened. "But, uh, I gotta level with you, Husk. I don't really have anywhere to stay."

Husk raised an eyebrow, leaning back in his chair. "What do you mean?"

Angel hesitated, his usual bravado fading. "My sister, Molly... she's gone. Killed herself a while back." His voice cracked slightly as he mentioned her, but he pushed through. "And my old man, he's in the mafia too. A real piece of work. He sold me off to Lucifer to pay off some debt. Now I gotta work for him. It's either that or... well, let's just say I don't have much of a choice."

Husk's expression softened as he listened. He wasn't one for sentimental displays, but he couldn't ignore the vulnerability in Angel's voice. "That's rough, kid," Husk said quietly, glancing down at the floor for a moment.

Angel shrugged, trying to brush it off. "Yeah, well, it's the life I'm stuck with. Not much I can do about it."

There was a beat of silence before Husk spoke up again. "Look, I've got space. If you need somewhere to crash, I've got room. I ain't gonna charge you rent or anything. I know how Lucifer works; it's not like you're getting paid."

Angel blinked in surprise, not expecting the offer. "Wait, you're serious?"

Husk shrugged, trying to play it off like it wasn't a big deal. "Yeah, why not? You're a pain in the ass, but I don't hate you. Besides, better you stay with me than end up on the streets or back with that psycho."

Angel smiled for the first time in what felt like forever. "Thanks, Husk. I appreciate it."

Husk grumbled under his breath, but there was a hint of a smile on his lips. "Don't make me regret it, Dust."

Angel chuckled, his mood lifted slightly. "I'll try my best not to be too much of a nightmare."

"Too late for that," Husk muttered, but his tone was warmer now. Despite everything, there was an understanding between them, and maybe, just maybe, Angel had found a bit of stability in the chaos of his life.