Ava, A Different Radioapple Fanfiction- CONTINUATION

Kid's Got Guts

That night, the house was quiet, the only sounds being the occasional creak of the old building and the distant hum of the nightlife in Hell. Asher made his way downstairs for a glass of water. The nine-year-old rubbed his eyes sleepily, his horns catching the dim glow of the kitchen light as he filled his glass.

As he was heading back upstairs, he heard Ava's soft gasp, followed by her small, nervous voice. "I just need to use the bathroom, mister."

Asher froze, the hairs on the back of his neck standing up. Peering around the corner, he saw a slender sinner standing in the hallway, his lanky frame blocking Ava's path to the bathroom. The man had a sly grin plastered across his face as he leaned closer to the little girl, who clutched Quackers tightly against her chest, her eyes wide with fear.

Without hesitation, Asher set his glass down on the banister and stomped up the stairs, his small frame brimming with defiance. "Hey!" he snapped. "Fuck off!"

The sinner turned his head and laughed, sizing Asher up. "And what're you gonna do, kid? Poke me with those tiny horns of yours?"

Asher's jaw clenched. Without a word, he charged forward, lowering his head and ramming his horns straight into the man's chest. The force sent the sinner flying backward into the wall, where he slumped to the floor in a daze.

"Come on, Ava," Asher said firmly, holding out his hand.

Ava blinked in surprise but quickly reached for his hand, her little fingers gripping his tightly. "Thanks, Asher," she whispered as he walked her to the bathroom.

By the time they reached the bathroom door, Lucifer and Alastor had emerged from their bedroom, their expressions a mixture of confusion and concern. "What's going on out here?" Lucifer asked, his voice sharp as his eyes scanned the scene.

Asher turned to them, his chest puffed out with a mix of pride and anger. "Some guy was bothering Ava," he said, pointing to the sinner still crumpled against the wall. "I took care of it."

Alastor's crimson eyes narrowed as he stepped past Lucifer, his gaze locking onto the intruder. Without a word, he strode over, grabbed the man by the neck, and hoisted him off the ground as though he weighed nothing. The sinner squirmed, but Alastor's grip was unrelenting.

Lucifer knelt down beside Asher, his tone softening. "Good job, champ. But let's get you back to your room, okay?"

"But Ava—" Asher started, glancing toward the bathroom.

"I'll make sure she's fine," Lucifer promised, placing a reassuring hand on his shoulder.

Reluctantly, Asher nodded and allowed Lucifer to guide him to his room. Once the door was shut and Asher was safely inside, Lucifer turned back toward Alastor, who still had the sinner dangling in his grip.

"You picked the wrong house," Alastor said coldly, his polite façade gone as he leaned closer to the trembling sinner. "Nobody bothers my family."

With that, he strode to the nearest window, yanked it open, and hurled the man out with a single, fluid motion. A muffled crash echoed from below, followed by silence.

Alastor straightened his tie and turned back to Lucifer, who was leaning against the wall with a smirk. "Think he'll get the message?" Lucifer asked.

Alastor gave a small shrug. "If not, I'll make sure he doesn't have the chance to try again."

Lucifer chuckled, his eyes glinting with approval. "Remind me to thank Asher in the morning. Kid's got guts."

"Indeed," Alastor replied, his voice softer now. "He's more like us than I think either of us realized."

Lucifer nodded, a hint of pride in his gaze. "Goodnight, Alastor."

"Goodnight, Lucifer."

The two headed back to their room, leaving the house peaceful once more. Upstairs, Asher lay in bed, staring at the ceiling with a small, satisfied smile. For the first time, he truly felt like he belonged.

That afternoon, the bar was buzzing with the usual chaos of Hell's clientele, but Angel and Husk were tucked away behind the counter, handling orders with their usual banter. Husk slid a drink across the counter toward Angel, smirking as he did.

"Made you somethin' special," Husk said, his gruff voice tinged with a hint of mischief.

Angel raised an eyebrow, eyeing the drink skeptically. "Aw, you spoil me, Husky," he teased before taking a big sip.

The moment the liquid hit his tongue, Angel froze. Something hard clinked against his teeth. Frowning, he fished the object out of his mouth, holding it between his fingers.

"The hell is this—" Angel started to ask, but before he could even get a good look, Husk snatched the item from his hand.

With a swift movement, Husk dropped to one knee, holding up a small, shining ring.

The bar seemed to fall silent as all eyes turned toward the pair. Angel's jaw dropped, his usual sharp wit momentarily failing him as Husk looked up at him, his yellow eyes soft and uncharacteristically vulnerable.

"Angel," Husk said, his voice steady but low enough that only Angel could hear, "I know I ain't perfect, but I know what I want. And what I want is you. So, what d'ya say? Will ya marry me?"

Angel's hands flew to his face, his long claws trembling slightly. "Oh my God, Husky," he gasped, his voice breaking. "Yes! Of course, yes!"

As the words left his mouth, cheers erupted from the patrons. Angel threw himself into Husk's arms, nearly knocking the cat demon over as they shared a deep kiss.

At one of the nearby tables, Alastor was in the middle of sipping his tea. The sound of Angel's shriek of joy startled him so much that he inhaled wrong, coughing violently as the tea went down the wrong pipe.

Lucifer, seated across from him, raised an eyebrow and passed him a napkin. "Something caught your attention, dear?"

Alastor wheezed, his voice a mix of indignation and amusement. "It would appear that Husk has proposed. A bold move, considering the likelihood of being smothered to death by Angel's enthusiasm."

Lucifer glanced toward the bar, where Angel was now showing off his ring to anyone who would look, tears streaming down his face as Husk stood beside him, ears pinned back but with a proud grin. "Well," Lucifer said with a chuckle, "it seems love is in the air. Shall we toast to them?"

Alastor nodded, recovering his composure. "Indeed, though I'd prefer to toast without any further near-death experiences, thank you."

They raised their cups, their private congratulations drowned out by Angel's exuberant laughter and Husk's quiet, contented smile. The bar, for all its usual chaos, seemed a little brighter that day.