#[ husk era ] ── settling debts

[gambling-bartender]

@tangledfate asked “What more do you want?!” { from Angel } from ask meme

Husk took a deep, frustrated breath. Angel started going out to bars again, started coming home in the early hours of the morning again. Husk knew what he was out there doing, knew he was self destructing again. He had tried to bring it up in a gentle way, but gentle had never been his strong suit.

"I want you to treat yourself with some god damn respect. You're better than this shit and there are other ways to deal with how fucked up everything is than literally throwing yourself to the god damn sharks."

[phoenixduelist]

College verse

Rozália had a peaceful childhood. Loved by both of her parents, her talents encouraged, their love not suffocating. Despite her appearance, she was rarely trouble, or better said the source of the trouble. Bold and always getting in fights for the weaker earned quite a reputation but her heart was warm, kind. She was an outgoing spirit, readily showing off the newest kickbox or taekwondo moves she'd learned or improvised something on electric guitar to entertain. Her joy was broken when her mother revealed she had breast cancer.

Despite the treatments, her state was rapidly worsening; the sight of her beloved mother turning into a husk of herself hardened and broke her spirit. She no longer found enjoyment in anything, just in her achievements, so she pursued both the physical and mental challenges. As a result she graduated from highschool as one of the best of her year, having a black belt in both kickbox and taekwondo.

She thought she will probably end up in the Honvédség like her father with all of her pent up sorrow, but her mother had a different idea. Before her death, without Rozália's knowledge, she had sent applications to the best universities, colleges in hope of giving her daughter a chance in life she had given up on. She was accepted, the letter arriving the day after Serena passed away.

Her father not only convinced her to go but also traveled with her to America. He quickly found a job in the police department due to his military past and Rozália took on a double major: English language and History. Just when life supposed to settle, her father took part in a case stretching way past him and the members of the mafia gunned down their door at night. He was almost immediately killed, for punching one of the executioners her right hand was shot through, with an another two bullets following into her chest.

By miracle Rozália survived and her physical condition was the same as before after years of physiotherapy. And there she stood, in a foreign country as an orphan, with lost scholarship due to the time she spent in hospital. All she had was her mom's last unspoken wish to live a better life than the paths grief guided to.

She had no intention of being trapped in debt, so she made use of her talent: she became an illegal cage fighter, soon gaining favors, better pay and the Devil alias; which she honored with a full back tattoo:

However one job didn't cover all of her expenses, so she decided to use her acrobatic abilities in a strip club, as a pole dancer. Her upper body was always clothed to conceal the tattoo along with a mask to protect her identity. Due to her always wearing leather or latex, never allowing to be touched by clients and the tattoo peeking out from the bodysuits,

her alias in that world became Burning Rose, a name that hinted at her incredible strength for the acrobatic pole tricks, nor the passion in her dance.

Rozália is often late to her classes, her accent is strong and she won't hesitate to harshly correct someone guessing she's Eastern European. Full of mysteries and secretly longing for to play the guitar once again, she balances her triple life extremely well, save it for a few times when she couldn't hold her opinion at the supposed notes of the professors.

She could pass as Kate Beckinsale's stunt double in Underworld with her clothes and hairstyle, goddess with a switchblade. A rare glimpse of her light which is clouded by the raging storm within shines through at the playful flirting and almost Victorian era gestures.

Since leaving the hospital, Rozália tried and succeeded in making her life too busy to mourn, to remember; the scar on her palm however still manages to haunt her. And she haven't dared to touch a guitar since, despite the raw yearning to hear creation flowing from her fingertips.

[gambling-bartender]

Closed starter for @a-hazbin-spider

The night had been fun, at least up until they'd noticed Valentino and after Angel's altercation with him the group pretty quickly left. Cherri had checked in with Angel but split ways with the group pretty quickly after, leaving the four heading home together.

Husk fell behind Sir Pentious and next to Angel, a now sleeping Nifty laying over his shoulder cradling the tuft of Val's collar.

The two walked in silence for a moment before Husk broke it, "You doing okay?"

[gambling-bartender]

closed starter for @hclluvahctel

It had been 23 days since anyone at the hotel had heard from Angel Dust. He had gone out one day for work and just... hadn't come back afterwards.

Husk hadn't been able to sleep for days when he first disappeared. At first he just didn't leave the bar, desperate to be there when Angel got home. After the third night be crashed at the bar and ended up waking on the couch where he later found out charlie and vaggie had apparently worked together to move him.

After that he started going out, looking for Angel, he had gotten into an argument with Alastor about it but managed to get Charlie's support on it so the radio demon had backed down.

He had spent weeks searching the city, he had tried to get into the Vee's tower, even going so far as to fly around it to try to spy into the windows but hadn't caught sight of the spider inside or in his dressing room so he figured he must be elsewhere.

He had not expected to catch wind of Angel Dust being posted up on a street corner taking clients and when he first heard he was almost angry. No call, no nothing for weeks and he was just out on a street corner fucking working?

It didn't take long for him to track down the exact corner where Angel was, news spread quickly among the degenerates in hell. But that anger that had almost built up evaporated the second he saw Angel's eyes.

They were both black.

"Angel? Where have you been? What happened?"

[gambling-bartender]

a closed starter for @mxthbladed

Husk didn't think about his time in Germany often. He had had enough memories both good and bad since that time that he didn't fixate on it the way he had when he was alive.

But that didn't mean that the time didn't still haunt him.

It haunted him in the little things, like the recurring tremor in left hand, his aversion to loud noises, and the way that he couldn't handle physical affection, not that he was admitting that one to himself.

But sometimes it haunted him in bigger ways too. Sometimes it permeated his dreams, cutting through the recurring nightmares about the screams of Alastor's radio. Sometimes it stuck a song in his head, their song. And sometimes, sometimes it just plain haunted him.

It crept into his thoughts, into the sounds of doors closing and steps across the floor, into the sounds of voices and the taste of drinks.

It had been more than half a century since that time, but occasionally it felt like Husk never left that trench in the first place.

Those nights, days, and sometimes weeks were when Husk's drinking got the worst. It was like he was trying to drown something, whether that was himself or his memories was anyone's guess, himself included.

And tonight had been one of those nights. It was late, Husk taken to staying up till Angel Dust got home, just to make sure he did, and the spider demon hadn't yet and so he was awake but he was apparently not there. He had sat himself on the couch rather than behind the bar and had a relatively full bottle in his hand but an empty one back on the counter of the bar and was quietly and depressingly humming to himself.

[gambling-bartender]

‘ bleed for me. you owe me that. ’ --Alastor to Husk from @defiedfate

Husk glared at Alastor but he didn't argue, softly he said, "Fine."

"What do you need?" He asked, "Just... try not to make too much of a mess unless you're gonna clean it up, okay?"

[gambling-bartender]

A closed starter for @infernalight

When Husk had fallen asleep, Angel had been there next to him all curled up and with Husk wrapped up in his arms. The cat demon wasn't one to prefer being the little spoon but considering their height difference Angel had argued it just made sense and Husk had gone along with it, not being too upset about the outcome in any case.

But when he woke up, Angel was gone. Their shared bed was empty of the spider demon and despite having no particular reason to be scared, Husk's heart rate jumped. He groggily got out of bed and went to check the bathroom. Upon finding that empty he got actually concerned and headed out towards the lobby, not bothering to change out of his striped pajamas as he went looking for Angel.

"Angel?" He called out, "Are you out here?"

[gambling-bartender]

"So, word on the street is you're trying to steal another man's property. More importantly mine." A pause. "I'm going to give you one warning out of respect to Angel, but you better back off and keep your hands to yourself, coño, or we're going to have problems." (valentino to husk) from @infernalight

Husk had grimaced at the sudden sting of claws digging into his shoulder and was about to turn and tell the owner to fuck off -- and maybe swing on them, he hadn't decided yet -- when he heard their voice and he went still. Husk'd heart rate ticked up, being a soul owned by Alastor came with come protections but he wasn't sure how much Valentino would respect that.

"Ain't tryin' to steal shit." Husk started, planning to just deny the accusation as a whole, but Husk wasn't exactly known for his ability to back down from trouble especially when he definitely should, and so he added, "but maybe if you treated him a little better you wouldn't be so worried about a old has-been like me."

[gambling-bartender]

closed starter for @infernalight

It had taken a while for Husk to relax, years actually. The first two to three years he had spent paranoid, waiting for that shoe to drop, for a pull at his soul as he was summoned across hell or a knock at his door.

But it hadn't come.

He knew Alastor was still around, he could feel it in the recess in his chest that had been there since his soul had been lost. The guy wasn't dead but he wasn't here and on some level Husk had started to hope that maybe Alastor had just forgotten about him. It may not be the freedom he was looking for, but maybe it was close enough.

Or so he thought.

His peace was rudely and abruptly interrupted one day about 7 years since he had last seen the overlord. A familiar yet achining tug at the center of who he was, his name, his person.

And he was tripping down onto a wooden floor, hands catching himself as he looks up and into the smiling face of the demon that owns him.

"Oh, fuck off."

[gambling-bartender]

closed starter for @hclluvahctel follow up to this post

Husk felt like a fool. He had spent every waking moment for the past few weeks looking for Angel that he hadn't considered that he might have to keep an eye out for anything else.

He opened the doors to the hotel and took a deep breath, quickly spotting the nervous Charlie sitting on one of the couches in the lobby.

"Charlie." He says not quite softly but not quite as his full volume, "I found him."

[gambling-bartender]

❛  how can this be wrong when it feels so right?  ❜ Voxtek!Angel @ Husk from @hclluvahctel

Husk sighed, "First off, just cause something feels right don't mean it is. Lot's of shit feels very right and is very very wrong," He laughed a little, holding up the bottle of alcohol he had in hand, something he'd taken with him as he'd ended up wandering the streets of hell feeling sorry for himself, for Angel.

Angel had found him in quite a state, honestly.

"Second, that's kinda how these things work, Angel," He added without much fanfare, "It feels right when you do what you're told, this contract shit makes you feel like a damn dog how it gets in your head."

[gambling-bartender]

from this post @a-hazbin-spider To say Angel was fuming was likely an understatement, but. Then Husk pulls that on him. His fists clench hard enough for his knuckles to crunch under their own force, one arm raises to do so… but his fist only crashes into wall in the end, an ugly crack giving out from his hand. Tears bead over his eyes despite him trying to hold back, yet. It wasn’t for the pain. “I… I can’t..! I ain’t gonna fuckin’ hit ya! Fuck you! I toldja it’s different when I take it. Quit making a big deal outta nothin’ you old bastard!”

Husk laughs, the bitter old laugh he gets deep in an argument, the one that shows is complete and utter disbelief at the other person. It's not a kind laugh, not the laugh that he has when telling himself a joke or hearing Angel bitch about it boss. It's a hurt laugh, even.

Defiantly he looks up at the spider demon, "I ain't makin it outta nothin', I'm provin' a goddamn point. Why the hell would it be different when you take it?" He asks as he presses a finger to Angel's chest and pushes forward, "What you think you're fucking tougher than me or some shit? Or maybe you think you deserve it more? Please, fucking explain it to me."

[gambling-bartender]

@damnedrainbows asked "Alastor slides a toy fish stuffed with catnip towards Husk on the bar counter, madly giggling in the background."

Husk glares down at the toy on the counter before glowering at Alastor and electing to ignore the toy and the giggling demon.

Quietly to himself he grumbles, "Fuckin asshole, 'm not some fucking pet."

[gambling-bartender]

closed starter for @e-m-p-error

Husk had been particularly grumpy lately, even to Angel who he had been warming up to. He had been snapping at Nifty, rude to Charlie, and mocking of Sir Pentious. The only person who had managed to escape his foul mood was Alastor but that was likely more due to his contract than an actual desire to be respectful.

He hadn't really intended to be so cold to everyone, it was just approaching the date of his death and even if it had been many years since his arrival in hell he was always a man about anaverseries.

-----

Husk eyed where Angel was lingering about the lobby, after the two had gotten into an argument the day before Angel had been avoiding him but it was clear the spider demon had something he wanted to tell him.

"Ya gonna just lurk or ya gonna spit out whatever you're swallowing over there?"

[gambling-bartender]

Closed starter for @bossmanvalentino

Husk had been drunk. He'd been more drunk than he had been in years. Angel Dust had come in the most bruised and zoned out Husk had ever seen him and once he had helped the spider demon to bed Husk had gone out looking for a drink. He really didn't feel like he could be held accountable for what he did in the face of that.

Valentino deserved it, he could argue. He was just defending Angel Dust, he could argue. Maybe the first was true but the second certainly wasn't.

At the end of the day here he was, suddenly feeling much more sober than he had a right to feel, with a broken bottle in hand and looking up at the now scratched and bloody face of one of the most powerful Overlords in the ring.

[gambling-bartender]

@arachniangel continued from post

Husk sighs and laughs a little at the flirting before sighing and just looking down at Angel sadly, at least his tears have stopped. He just sits there for a minute. It was probably only actually 30 seconds or so but the time just seems to draw out, expanding on and on and on.

Finally, he speaks.

"Can we just... talk about this later? I- I can't do the flirting right now. Maybe when we've both sobered up enough..."

He trails off after that before letting out a little laugh, "God knows when that'll happen, knowing us."