A Rough Night

It's four in the morning, and Husk hasn't closed the bar. He tells himself it's the alcohol. Or the coffee. Or anything other than the truth - that he's waiting.

When Angel finally comes home battered, trembling, and pretending he's fine, Husk stops pretending too. He helps him upstairs, cleans his wounds with careful hands, and doesn't push when the words won't come. In a place like Hell, comfort is rare - but tonight, Angel finds it in the quiet steadiness of someone who stays.

A short HuskerDust story written by Sparkymind.