Hazbin Hotel: Sins and Second Chances

Chapter 12

Charlie sat in the lobby, her fingers fidgeting as she tried to be discreet about her reasoning for being there. She kept glancing toward the hallway, waiting for any sign that Zack and Angel Dust's session had ended. Her heart raced with a strange mix of optimism and anxiety. This could be the start of something big, something she had dreamed of since she opened the hotel.

Arranging the session had been no small feat. Getting Angel Dust to agree had taken all her energy and careful convincing from Vaggie. At one point, Angel had given her a smirk, joking on how much Charlie would have to pay him to 'spill his heart out to some shrink.' Vaggie had to step in, her patience clearly wearing thin, and somehow, whatever she said worked. Angel begrudgingly agreed.

"Don't expect me to come back with a halo." He'd said, throwing a teasing wink at Charlie before entering the elevator.

Now, Charlie anxiously waited, her leg bouncing with nervous energy, biting her lip with anticipation as she heard footsteps echoing down the hallway. Her heart leapt as Angel emerged first. She studied him carefully, but he didn't seem angry. His face held something else instead of his usual playful smirk he would wear. No, instead it looked heavier. Troubled. But that looked quickly changed back as he went straight to the bar. She let out a sigh, shaking her head slightly as he began to drink and talk to Husk.

Moments later, Zack appeared, looking thoughtful but not tense. Charlie jumped up from her seat, practically bouncing over to him with a wide, eager smile.

"So, how did it go?" She asked, her eyes brimming with anticipation.

Zack gave her a shrug. "As good a start as any, I suppose."

Charlie blinked, her smile faltering for a moment before she forced it back up. "Did he, you know, open up?"

Zack thought for a moment, then replied carefully. "When he's ready... he will."

It wasn't a breakthrough that Charlie hoped for, and with how vague Zack was being left her a little unsettled. She cared deeply for Angel Dust, even though he still kept his walls high. The idea of his therapy not working made her anxious, but she quickly hid her disappointment behind a nod and a smile. "Right, right. It'll take time, right? It's just, I'm really hoping this works."

"Well, nothing is solved overnight." Zack would tell her, giving them a small, reassuring smile. Though he could tell how much pressure she was putting on this, he was hoping that patience, understanding and the willingness of the recipient to get help was what made it happened. "Things will work out."

Charlie smiled at his words, genuinely grateful that Zack had stayed and did a session with someone with a personality as strong as Angel's. She hoped that he was adjusting well and feeling a bit more comfortable here in the hotel. The best-case scenario is that he can stay with them for the time being, and continue to help out with her plans. It was nice to get a fresh perspective from someone who wasn't a damned soul or a Hell born demon, even if the things they had went through had been but a taste of it. Zack experienced the feeling of being redeemed from his own vices, and it was something she would hope that the other demons will pick up on. A Hell Born, like herself, would never be taken seriously because she wasn't born a mortal and had lived a life of privilege down here. It's why she was laughed at when she tried to pitch the idea on the news and been met with nothing but criticism and scorn from everyone else. She wasn't a sinner demon. Too detached from their situation. But she cared for her people, even if they were fated here due to the choices they made in their life.

"So," Zack said, breaking the sudden silence. "Do you have anyone else in mind for me to talk to, or...?"

Charlie let out a small, sheepish laugh, rubbing the back of her neck. "Well, um, not right now, but!" Her excitement quickly returned, and clasped her hands together. "Since you're here, maybe we can get to know each other a bit more? You know, just chat!"