Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

He didn’t know whether to be hopeful or full of dread. There. Right there stood the demon, the overlord, that he had been looking for about a year. And now he was standing there, teeth bared, yellow and sharp right at his front door. The Radio Demon pushed past him and took a skipping step inside the Villa.

“My, my, what a lovely place. I’m sure you won’t mind me helping myself to a better introduction.” That slick smile never went away.

Angel had completely lost his voice. Stuttering at him to stop and explain himself.

“Who the Hell--”

“Alastor,” his hand shot forward at Husk and grabbed his hand, shaking it vigorously, “pleasure to be meeting you.”

Husk growled, trying to pull his hand to himself. “Get off me, you can’t just come in here-- how did you even get past security?”

The crimson demon smiled widely, eyes full of mischief, “they don’t call me the Radio Demon for nothing, you silly kitten. No, I come and go as I please.” He turned, inspecting Angel still in the hallway.

Both Husk and Angel watched each other as the demon had confirmed himself. It wasn’t just their imagination, it was The Radio Demon.

“What do you want?” Husk snarled.

“I must say,” he drew out as he inspected his staff only to point it directly at Angel, filling him with fear of what the demon was about to say, “you have been exceptionally busy trying to find me. I must admit my name dances on many demonic lips to see what will happen, but after your little visit ,” he snarled delightedly, “to my old pal, your skills have been brought to my attention. Quite the efficiency, my dear.”

Angel could have sworn the antlers on the Radio Demon grew another three inches.

“That doesn’t answer my question, you flimsy demon. What. Do. You. want?” Husk tried again. Angel watched as his claws came out, brows knitted tight.

Alastor turned his eyes over his shoulder to snarl at the overlord. Then within a second he fixed himself again, and continued as if this was merely a friendly interaction, “my my my, your little boytoy has simply coloured me intrigued,” towering over Husk he tilted Husk’s head with his staff. Husk pushed it aside, but before he could grab the wily demon, Alastor continued, “you leave for a while and suddenly you’re the talk of the town. I must say I didn’t expect this. You,” he turned to Angel again, who’d had dared to walk closer to the others, “have created a spectacle all in my honour, especially when a lowlife man like the TV demon gets his pants in a twist, I simply must congratulate the one who’s responsible,” then he whisked over to grab Angel’s hand before he could retract it and shook it firmly, “and I prefer to do so in person.”

A glow appeared from Husk, but Alastor paid no mind to the growling. His eyes fixed like pins on how Angel was going to respond. Angel swallowed for a second. This was it. He’d looked for this prick for a year now, and now he was parading around his kitchen as if it wasn’t a life or death situation. He’d been searching for this fucker to talk about Lux, and get her soul back - he still hadn’t figured that out yet - but now he stood here shaking his hand, and was he, was he making a deal? Angel quickly tried to get his hand out of the creep’s grasp.

“You trying to strike some fucking deal without me knowing?” Angel spat, eyes sharp.

Alastor’s eyes sharpened then softened, “good heavens no,” he laughed and waved his hand. Swirling his staff until the end met the floor with a prominent thud he narrowed his eyes, “not yet anyways.”

This guy is 1 to 100 in seconds, Angel thought to himself. We can play that game. “So you want Vox’s balls on a platter? And you come to us, why?”

Alastor laughed heartily, “well, my dear, he has something you want, and you have something I want.”

“Which is?”

He snickered, “hm-hm, that’s where the deal comes into the picture.”

What possibly could that be? They knew what they wanted from him, but what could the Radio Demon want from them?

“I’ve heard a lotta stories about ya, mista. You don’t  do anything without something in return. What do you want?” Angel asked cooly. “Can’t expect you’re doing this out of the goodness of ya heart.”

“We don’t have to sort out trivials now,” Alastor scoffed. “For the moment I want the attention of the flat faced excuse of a mediocre video podcaster, that’s all.” He said it so carelessly, and still a threat was hidden between the words. But they seemed to be focused on whatever would be waiting for Vox when Alastor got to him.

“Why not just step up on his doorstep? Pick a fight?”

“My good man, I’m only offering my services because of your own ingenuity.”

“Ingenuity?”

Alastor snaked up close, “I can’t risk you end up decimating poor Vox without giving me the time of play first. If I leave him to your capable hands, there might not be anything left of him for me, my dear pal.”

So that’s how it fitted. Alastor is afraid he doesn’t get a chance to annihilate Vox first.

“If Vox is all you want, you can have him.”

“Angel!” Husk interrupted. But Angel ignored him.

“I don’t care about Vox. I only care about my babies. And to be frank, you’ve held us back for far longer than I’ve wanted. But--” Angel stared down the crimson demon, eyes glowing, “if I found you’ve tried to stall us, backstabbing us, you’re going down and I’ll do it myself.”

“Very well,” the demon shrugged sportsmanly.

Angel turned to his husband, “c’mon. Let’s get the peanuts back.” He marched and the others had to keep up with him. Outside the security team had gathered, waiting for further instructions. Murder was in his eyes, and he made damn well sure his staff was aware of the result of failure of not retrieving the babies. From the landline he’d attached to the Villa, he called his oldest friend. At the mention of destruction of capitalistic property Cherri was already packing her weapon of choice. Enough dynamite to turn the entire V tower into dust and rubble.

As they entered the car he loaded his own Thompsons with a snap of his fingers. There hadn’t been time to change, and thus Angel still wore the dress Husk had gifted him the night before. But it didn’t matter. He was gonna take down Vox and Val and look good while doing it.

“You think we can trust him?” Husk dared lowly. Angel watched him closely. He was talking about Alastor of course. There was every chance of Alastor listening in on their conversation. So Angel shook his head. There was too much at stake. This was a personal vendetta against Vox, and the fear of not beating him to a pulp himself seemed to be a nightmare to the Radio Demon. 

The night didn’t stop the parties around Pentagram City. As they closed in on the V Tower, it seemed like the party only grew larger and larger. But that was not gonna stop Angel from demolishing the fucking tower. When they finally arrived at the big ass tower that inhabited the three most egocentric, pain in the ass, horrible demons in Pride he practically jumped out the car, Husk right behind him. In the corner of his eye he saw Cherri - and Sir Pentious? - patiently, yet excited, waiting by a motorbike similar to his own. He nodded and Cherri, followed by the inventor, quickly ran up to him as he called out at the team behind him. She grabbed Angel by the elbow and nodded at Alastor.

“What’s he doing here?”

“He’s here to help,” Angel quickly said before gathering the troops, “Listen up. These fuckers took my babies. That’s priority number one. Locate the babies and bring them to the car, take them back to the Villa. Priority number two,” he pulled out two Thompsons and eyes glowed hot, “fuck up the entire building and everyone inside.”

Countless guns cocked and loaded ready for the big entrance. It sounded like sweet music to his ears.

“ Amore,” he heard behind him. He turned back to Husk. One last glance of surety. There was no stopping Angel, not this time. And Husk wasn’t gonna try. So in a quick nod at each other they both knew there was no stopping this.

Angel marched in through the front doors, and aimed a Thompson right at the receptionist. She looked awfully awake with a gun pointed between her eyes. “Sorry Marta,” he began maliciously, “Vox has something that belongs to me. Would you mind letting us in?”

Marta didn’t dare to question the threatening aura that vibrated off Angel as he spoke to her. She reached for the phone, “sh-should I call Vox?”

“Nah, but you can make sure the elevators goes straight to his floor and let security understand we’re only here for three things. If they interfere, I will have my whole team blast this place to smithereens. Ya understand?”

The poor receptionist swallowed and nodded. But Angel knew well enough Vox would have his security go right into a war the second they stepped out of the elevators.

They gathered in the elevators and a few groups used the stairs to cover more ground.

Angel fumed as the elevator rose. Not even Husk dared speaking to him.

There was a shiver as the elevator doors opened, letting them all out. Where to begin? He sent another group further up to the penthouse suite, Val’s apartment. The thought alone pissed him off even more. With Husk, Cherri, Pen, and the Radio Demon behind him, he walked straight to Vox’ office. His sanctuary and crow’s nest. Where he could spy on everybody he wanted to, whenever he wanted. He kicked the door open and aimed at nothing. If Vox would stand at the end of the barrel that would work.

At the corner of his eyes, Alastor vanished in a pool of shadows. What the fuck? He continued down the runway he’d previously beaten Vox up on. The screens in front of Vox’ were all on, showing all the video feeds in the building. He watched his own team run from angle to angle, checking rooms and finding nothing before continuing to the next room. However in the middle of all the feeds he spotted four feeds showing the penthouse. Val looked like shit. Good. While Golden was unloading a shoulder bag. Steaming hot anger steamed from Angel and he stomped out of the office, the others following suit.

Once again he kicked a door open and aimed at the sofa where Val had been sitting a moment ago.

“Ah, Angel. Took you and your band of misfits long enough.” Vox’ voice sounded from across the room. He walked over, not minding the endless sea of guns aimed straight at him. He had too much confidence, Angel thought pissed.

“Where are my babies, you motherfucker.”

“Let’s be civilised.”

“You threw that out the window when you took my babies.”

“Minor detail. Maybe you should’ve vetted your own staff better.” He glanced over to Golden standing looking sheepish.

“I’ll make sure to take that to heart after I rip yours out and slit your throat. Lotta cables in that neck to keep you alive, huh. Where. Are. My Babies?”

A small meowing came from the couch area. His heart skipped a beat at the well known sound of his babies calling out to him.

“You really think you were going to get away with this?”

And then Vox did the worst thing possible. He reached down and took one kitten up into his hands. Cosmo. “I wouldn’t be so quick on the trigger if I were you. Would be a shame if something happened to your . . .” he watched disgustedly at the kitten meow and squirmed in his hands, “ babies.”

“Put him down!” Angel gripped his guns tighter.

“No, because now that I have him in my hands you’re gonna listen to what I’m gonna say. And you’re gonna give me what I want.” He smirked confidently.

Angel weighed his words for a hot second before giving in. “What do you want?”

“I want Val’s soul.” A smile danced on the TV demon. Knowing full well he could get it if he just squeezed hard enough. “Oh don’t be so surprised. We’ve been trying to get that back for years now, what makes you think we’d stop?”

“You already got him back,” Husk broke in, “sitting right there, that should be enough.”

Vox clicked his tongue and his brow knitted, “yeah that’s not enough. He’s useless like this. Under your will he can’t even continue his work. He’s just a pitiful-- heh well, a pitiful husk.”  

Valentino sat on the couch, and looked nothing short but awful and dried up like a grape. His wings still tattered from the many times Husk had torn them off and offered to Angel as a peace offering. Curled up on the couch he didn’t move a muscle, and didn’t seem like a big threat.

“The fucker has done enough damage to be put back into full power, forget it!”

Vox pretended a surprised look and shrugged, “fine, then it won’t matter that I do this,” he closed his hands hard around Cosmo and a pitiful scream came from the kitten.

“Don’t!” Angel called out. How the fuck did he diffuse the situation? And where was Alastor? Did he decide not to join the band anyway? It was up to Angel to fix this. “Stand down,” he told his team and guns were lowered, as well as his own. Vox loosened his grip and the screaming disappeared and was replaced with a sobbing. This had been their plan all along. No matter if Angel had stormed the tower alone or with an army, the Vees would have the upper hand. But letting Val have his soul back . . . the anxiety, the danger would increase. None of them would be safe, ever. Hell they hadn’t been safe anyway! But to have another predator, one who’d been so close to Angel's mind and body, destroying it bit by bit. To have him back. He was not doing anyone a favour. But he’d already lost one child. He wasn’t going to lose another. “Husk baby.” Husk looked to him, still ready for a fight, ready for Angel’s signal to fly and cut throats with his claws. Which was why he jittered when Angel told him to hand over the contract on Val’s soul.

“What? Angel!”

He didn’t grant him a single glance. “Do it. I will not lose another one.” It was the only thing he could do. To Hell with his own safety. His own sanity. His babies were not going to die tonight.

“Trouble in Paradise, Husk?” Vox sounded from across the room. Smirking from ear to ear. Husk growled. Snapping his fingers a contract appeared next to him, floating in the air with Valentino’s name written on the dotted line. Vox nodded at the paperwork and beckoned them closer.

“But we do this my way. I get my babies, you get the contract.”

“Yada yada, whatever, gimmie,” he held out his hand to accept the contract flying next to Husk. 

Angel grabbed the contract out of the air in a tight grip. Three security demons followed him to collect the babies and everyone held their breath as it came down to Cosmo. He was so close to them. In a moment they were his again and Val would strut around in the city looking for fresh meat to exploit, just like he had with Angel. He would haunt him. Try to kill him whenever he gets bored. A future he had to prepare for. They knew where the Villa was, they knew everything. There was no hiding from these fuckers.

His heart sank.

This was it.

Angel watched as Chip and Cookie were safe in the arms of security, and turned his attention to Cosmo in Vox’ tightening grip, mewling.

“Vox, ol’pal.” Alastor’s voice crackled through the speakers of the penthouse suite.

“The fuck is this?” Vox looked up.

“Have you already forgotten about me? That doesn’t look like you.” The voice chuckled.

Vox looked to Angel, “What is this?”

“Don’t you think this was his idea. I have a bone to pick with you. Meet me in your little sanctuary, spit-spot, I don’t have all night.”

If Angel wasn’t mistaken, it looked like Vox was sweating over the conundrum. To stay and get Val’s contract, or meet Alastor. How many years has it been now? Four? Five? Why was he showing up now? Was this Alastor’s secret weapon? His reputation? Or was there more to it? And with a flash, Vox disappeared into the nearest security camera, with Cosmo still in his hand.

“Cosmo!” Angel shrieked as his eyes followed the vanishing demon. “Husk! Where--?”

“Get the others and get downstairs! Now!” Husk ordered the two demons still carrying Chip and Cookie. “We’ll get Cosmo, amore,” he pulled closer to Angel and guided him out of the penthouse, leaving Valentino to his own miserable husk.

Not long after they received a call over the radio. The two kittens were secure. That gave Angel and Husk, and the rest, time to return to Vox’ office.

A crackling of electricity was dancing through the many wires of the endless room. They could hear the mocking laugh of Alastor haunt through the air and Vox shouting after the other.

“You indeed prove yourself to be unable to catch up with the superior medium! ” Alastor echoed.

“You fucker! Come back here!”

“Where the fuck are they?” Cherri asked what they were all thinking.

Then a glint caught their attention. A lightning, a flicker, whatever was heading straight to them and aimed for the radio on Angel’s dress.

“Are you just going to gawk? Move on!” Alastor called out to them from wherever he was calling from.

“What about--” What about my boy? Where’s Cosmo?

“Are we not gonna blow this shit up?” Cherri called.

“Not until I got all my babies!”

“Move you idiots!” Alastor’s voice hurried and they did. Out the office, and down the building as quickly as they could. The Radio Demon summoned the rest of their troops to the outside and was met with the whole team unscathed. They got back in the car. Cherri and Pen followed suit on their own bike and sidecar and followed the cars back to the Villa.

Not until they were back could Angel call for Alastor and with a split second the crimson demon was in front of him with his still so eerie sharp smile.

He shut the car door hard, “my boy? Where’s my boy?” He grabbed the demon's lapels and pulled the demon closer. He didn’t care that he hadn't blown up the V Tower, because what if Cosmo was still there?

“Will you let go of me, my dear fellow.” He grinned calmly. Husk backed Angel immediately

“Where’s our kid?”

“Calm down, he’s right here.” 

They both felt their hearts pop into their throats, waiting to see little Cosmo safe and sound as Alastor pulled him out of his pocket.

“Cosmo!” Angel called and reached out, but Alastor stepped away.

“Not so fast.”

Angel stopped. His heart dropped to his stomach. What did he mean?

“I think it’s time we discuss your deal.”

Chapter Text

Every gun aimed at the smiling freak.

“Oh, come now. I’m not going to hurt him,” he settled with a wave of his hand and a chuckle, “I just want insurance to get what I want.”

“Don’t play games with me. ” Angel warned, “what do you want?”

“Angie, you can’t fucking trust this guy!” Cherri shouted from behind him. Angel was well aware about that little nugget of information.

Alastor chuckled as he petted Cosmo in his hand, “I want Val’s soul.”

A shot of confusion went through him - and Husk. “Why?”

“I don’t really care for the Vees, and having that red buffoon on my roster should be a great way to handle Vox when I don’t care for his snooping.”

“He’s gonna try and pry it from your hands either way.” Husk argued.

Again he chuckled like this was all a game, “that is, if he can find me. So far he’s not been very successful.”

Angel and Husk both looked at each other. Husk read him clearly. Snapping his fingers, the contract for Val’s soul came flying up next to him. Grabbing it he pointed at the Radio Demon, “how do we know you won’t disappear the second we hand this over?”

Alastor made a cross over his heart that lingered for a second, “cross my heart and hope to die - oh, ha. If your business fascinates me enough then I’ll stay and listen to what you have to say. Again I’m fairly impressed with your persistence,” he watched Angel closely. Cosmo shouted in his hands, fear stricken across his face. The confusion and tiredness was filling the little bottle.

“Just give me the kitten and you’ll get Val’s soul.”

In a sick way Angel couldn’t stop thinking about how this was just like how Lux was handed over to the Radio Demon when Val didn’t care for her anymore. Weirdly fitting, however Angel wasn’t indifferent in changing Val’s soul to just about anyone. But this was what Cosmo’s life cost right now. If he could he would go back and wring Vox soul out of him and give that too.

Angel nodded to Husk. And with two steps Val’s soul changed ownership and Cosmo returned to his dad’s embrace, still shouting and crying.

“You tricked us.” Angel dared, fists balled tightly.

“I’m a demon, just like you.” Alastor commented nonchalantly as he inspected the contract. “My my, your contract sure is thorough ,” he applauded cooly. Then snapped his hands together and the contract disappeared down his inner pocket. “Now, was there a business deal you wanted to venture?”

Husk looked to Angel. What did they have to offer? They’d just given their most valuable trading card to this fucker. 

Angel walked to the front door and opened it, inviting Alastor inside. Husk demanded the rest of the staff back to their stations. Right now, with having tricked the Vees there was a chance of them retaliating any minute. Dispersing Husk walked over to the main entrance, but before he could enter he felt a tug in his elbow. He turned to find Cherri. She looked more worried than he had seen her before.

“You can’t fucking trust him. Husk. You cannot put your lives in that demon’s hands. Don’t let Angel do anything stupid.”

Husk closed the door again. “Why? What do you know?”

Cherri hesitated for a second, “please promise me. Don’t let him make the same mistake as . . .”

“As what?”

But Cherri couldn’t say. She just couldn’t say it. And then something clicked inside Husk. Something about how Cherri had glided out of Angel’s life. Unwilling - or unable - to reconnect with him inside the Casino, because there was one thing that allowed sinners and demons to enter. The ability to freely gamble their own soul.

“He owns your soul too, doesn’t he?”

She nodded.

Why did they keep standing in the shit pit, with more troubles washing over them? He had to speak to Angel before he started sweet talking that creep.

Inside a security demon met him. He was promptly sent upstairs to the nanny to deal with the babies and get them back to sleep. He could still hear the crying grow prominent upstairs, but he had to speak to Angel first.

The dark Villa lit up in the living room. The Radio Demon inspected the interior quietly as Angel poured him a drink. Husk placed a hand on Angel’s shoulder to get his attention. He watched him carefully.

“You gotta be careful.” His voice low and trying to stay out of the creeps ears.

“Yeah I know. We don’t have anything to deal with anymore.”

“That’s not the only thing.”

But before he could say anymore Alastor turned to them, telling them to hurry up.

“Busy disappearing again?” Husk dared, knowing it might annoy the demon.

“Quite.”

Angel grabbed the drink and handed it over to the demon, “it’s fine, gattino.” Husk didn’t agree on that.

“Now, what is the reason for your sudden interest? It has carried on for a year now I hear.”

“You have something we want.”

“I see, and you have nothing I want, so what do you have to offer?”

Angel swallowed. “You have a soul we want back.”

“Funny, I don’t remember ever meeting your acquaintance before. But colour me intrigued. Who do I have that has got your knickers in a twist? Hmm-hmm.”

“You have Husk’s daughter’s soul.”

“A daughter?” Alastor exclaimed, “tell me more. Which one? I imagine plenty of them are daughters, so you have to be more specific.”

Disgust went through Angel in the way Alastor spoke about the souls in his possession.

Husk intervened, clearly full of ick. “Her name’s Lux. You got her soul from Valentino decades ago.”

“Oh-ho, so you’re Lux’ father. Yes I see where she gets her temper from.” His eyes narrowed at Husk.

“What’s that supposed to mean?” Husk said, bristles rising, claws pointedly digging themselves into the bar table next to him. Angel rested his own hand on Husk’s shoulder, calm down.

Alastor giggled self-assuredly, polishing his knuckles on his chest, “oh Lux and I have had plenty of talks to make the time pass.”

“Why did you want her soul in the first place?” Angel cut in.

Something shifted in Alastoir’s demeanour, “Oh, for a delightful situation like this. You never know when you might need to ask for a favour from someone.”

“Quite more than a favour, than that. It sounds more than blackmail to my ears.”

He shrugged gleefully, “semantics.”

“So what do you want?”

“My good fellow, I thought this was about what you wanted.”

“Why not both?” Angel dared smugly. Clearly seeing Alastor was here. He wasn’t all that nonchalant. He wanted something.

“Yes, why not both? Well let’s get your daughter, shall we--?” the demon sing-songed and wiggled his fingers into a quick snap. In the same second a figure conjured into the room in front of them. Without any chance to adjust to Alastor’s announcement, Husk felt his heart jump into his throat as he saw the well-known, never forgotten, outline of a dark tabby cat with a strict haircut. Two tassels swung from her pointy ears as she turned around with an oven tray in her oven-mitts covered hands.

“Motherfucker!” was the first thing they heard Lux shout as she stood there in the Villa’s living room. “You fucking creep, this is the third time you summon me while I night bake.”

Alastor scoffed, “you could always not bake at night,”

“It helps me relax,” she shot back, seeming like the complete opposite. She turned her head and spotted Angel and looked rather confused. “Hey aren’t you the pornstar? That married--” she trailed off and her eyes shifted to Husk standing right next to him. “Dad?”

“Baby?” he whispered, not daring to believe she was actually here, right now. After all these years. She was there, she was right there. And alive. And baking, apparently. While they had been out looking for the peanuts and managed to get them back, Lux had been stress baking during the night. “Is it really you?”

Even Lux seemed perplexed. Vexed at who she was staring at. Then she sort of remembered what she had previously been doing. She looked down at the oven tray full of unbaked batter in muffin molds. She shifted her gaze back to Angel and lifted her tray. “I need to borrow your oven.”

Husk remained silent. Of all he had never expected, this was one of them. Years ago, when private eyes had thrown in their towel, he had resigned himself to never seeing his daughter again, and now she was standing here, passing him without a single glance, and entering the kitchen with Angel. He had to sit down for a second before he lost all balance and sense in his body.

In the kitchen neither Angel nor Lux spoke a single word apart from turning on the oven to the needed setting, but even so, there was no glance between them. She set a timer the second it was in and placed the oven mitts on the counter.

When they all reconvened in the living room her arms were crossed, and she was staring from Alastor to Husk.

“So what is happening tonight?” she sounded nothing like a relieved daughter to see him. She sounded pissed .

“Well my dear, it’s a reunion!” Alastor celebrated, arms raised over his head, exaggeratedly.

“A what ?” even less enthused. Now she was glaring at Husk. “So what you, you lost me, forgot about me, decided to marry this--” she gestured at Angel as she counted the reasons on her fingers.

“Hey!” he shot at her, but she ignored him.

“--and then you decide it’s time to hit me up , after Satan knows how long. You decided this was good ?”

Husk couldn’t believe it. He couldn’t believe what was happening. This was nothing like he’d been thinking or dreaming about. For a moment he was stunted. Thrown back at every memory of an investigator promising him success, promising they’d find his daughter after Val had given her up. Every memory ended in failure and he could only find peace at the bottom of a bottle, in the void, the void she had dragged him out of once before, and now she stood there in his living room pissed as hell.

“Hold on--” Angel started, standing in between her and her father, but Lux shot him a disapproving glance. He was gonna make damn sure she didn’t go for her dad’s throat like an assassin in the night.

“This isn’t about you,” she shot at him.

That was enough to make Angel boil over. “Hang on, how fucking dare you! You think this has been easy?” 

“I’m not listening to you. I don’t fucking know you.”

“Listen here, missy!”

Husk watched as the two true loves of his lives he had ever had bickered and snarled at each other and he shut down. How was this happening? Why was she so angry with him? Angel was taking his side, defending him. The angry words flying through the room was enough to forget who had started this, Husk didn’t even notice the Radio Demon standing like a shadow with a never faltering grin plastered on his face.

“Stop!” He tried, but he had to clear his throat to get both of them to stop shouting at each other. At the loudness of his voice a sudden fresh baby cry wailed from the nursery upstairs. They all looked up at the ceiling.

Angel felt his chest hurt at the sound of one of the peanuts crying. He looked at Husk, not wanting to leave him alone with the fight, but seeking the approval to go upstairs to comfort. Husk nodded and let him leave.

The cry even seemed to have stopped Lux in her tracks.

“What the fuck was that?”

“That was . . .” He was about to tell her she had siblings. And he was scared to do so. But he couldn’t lie to Lux. Not even when she was angry with him. “Either your baby sister or one of your baby brothers.”

“What?” She asked in crystal clear disbelief.

“You heard me.”

“You guys adopted a child?”

Husk looked at her. Of course she didn’t know about what they’d been through.

“We didn’t adopt,” he says flatly. “We had some . . . help . . .”

“Thats . . . that’s not possible.” Her brow knitted together, trying to make sense of what Husk was saying.

“No, but it is.” He said, determined, remembering how Asmodeus’ crystals had taken effect and made him take Angel harder than usual, how they had altered his mind to be rough and control him without him knowing.

Lux’ knitted brows turned downwards and she crossed her arms. “So after all this time, you decided you wanted to get new kids - I don’t wanna know how you did it, I don’t care - and you thought it was a good idea after you didn’t bother to come find me. You thought, instead of looking for me you just wanted to replace me? Did I mean nothing after all the times I got you set straight? Pulled you out of every single bottom? ” Her eyes dampened, and she forced a lump down her throat, because she was not gonna let her dad see her feel betrayed.

“Lux-- baby,”

“Don’t-- I don’t . . .” she looked away. And for the first time Husk thought he saw her shift in a different direction.

“Families can really bring out the worst in people, wouldn’t you say?” Alastor chuckled from the shadows and suddenly returned to the room. He had been watching the whole time. Husk looked at him carefully. Not really knowing what he was looking for. A hint. A tell. But nothing came past that grin. “Now, Lux, don’t be so hard on your dear father. He’s only just a man trying to be a good parent. Trying to do what he thinks is best for you, but failing miserably at it.”

Both cats averted their gaze. One looking away from the shame, one looking away from betrayal.

“It’s no fault of his own. We just aren’t blessed enough to have good fathers. In one way or the other, they will disappoint,” he chuckled at his own wittiness, but none of them joined in.

Upstairs the crying had stopped. But none of them reacted to it. Sitting in silence on each side of the living room, bearing with each other’s presence seemed so hard for all but Alastor.

A ding sounded from the kitchen.

“Oh dear, is that the time?” Alastor said, like he was late for something. “Lux dear, your baking wants your attention.”

Lux had gotten herself reluctantly comfortable in a chair, but as Alastor commanded she was quickly in the kitchen, although half way through the arguing she’d forgotten all about it. The smell of muffins erupted in the kitchen and wafted through to the living room.

With a sigh Husk lifted his head and looked to the kitchen, watching his daughter maintain the hot cakes as a second nature. He couldn’t remember her ever standing in the kitchen to make baked goods. She could cook for sure, but she had never stressed baked in all the time knowing her. Getting to his feet he turned in her direction when suddenly he felt Alastor behind him, leaning in close, with a snickering smile.

“Seems like she doesn’t need you. Leaving her all alone for so long.” His voice was low enough for Husk’s ears only.

Husk growled and moved away, facing the Radio Demon, “look here fuckhead, you don’t get to decide anything.”

“Don’t be so sure--” he sang, “her soul is mine, and I can do whatever I want with it. But I’m willing to hear her as well if she wants to reunite with her dear daddy,” he said mockingly.

“Shut up, besides she’s not the only one we want back.”

“Oh and who’s the other one?”

“Cherri Bomb.”

“What about Cherri?” Angel’s voice interrupted hearing his friend’s name.

Husk looked to Angel. Ice went down his spine. “There’s a reason why Cherri doesn’t visit the Casino. And this fucker is the reason.” He pointed at Alastor, who seemed rather unbothered with the accusation.

Angel stood nailed to the floor. Words failed him as Husk explained what Cherri had insinuated to him earlier. And a new anger started to boil within him. This red motherfucker was the reason for Cherri and him falling apart. He already decided he didn’t like Alastor. This just added to the distrust. Now he wanted to tear that grin from his face. But if he wanted Cherri’s and Lux’ soul he had to keep himself composed. At some point he would kick the fucker’s ass. Violently. Preferably with a bat and fill him with bullet holes.

“Now are either of you going to give me an offer I can’t refuse, or can I leave?” He sounded bored. 

The fucking audacity of this melodramatic demon. “Hang on,” Angel interjected.

“So far neither of you have given me a reason to make a deal, so I can only assume you don’t want either souls desperately enough to make an offer.”

Angel heard the demon warn them. If they didn’t say anything now, both souls were definitely lost. Indefinitely. “What do you want?” he asked through gritted teeth.

Alastor’s eyes narrowed at Angel with a smile, “as I said before, your skills are quite impressive. I might need them. If you’re willing to lend me your skills for when I need them for, then I’ll give you Miss Bomb’s soul.” He stretched out his hand at Angel. The last time he’d been handed a hand like that he had sold his soul to Valentino. The memory shot through him like a bat to the face. His vision swam, but with a few controlled breaths he looked back at Alastor’s face.

“I was wondering. . . Is there any way for two demons to bind themselves to each other? I mean since owning one’s soul is an imbalance between the two?”

Carmilla gave a chuckle “sí, it’s called marriage my friend.”

Angel thought of Carmilla’s words two years ago. Not long after the two of them had bound their souls together. Whether Husk liked it or not, he once again had bound his soul to another, and Angel knew it. Their souls were tied together with each other. If Alastor was trying to rob Angel’s soul he would steal Husk’s soul as well.

“Are you bargaining with my soul.”

“ Pffft--,” Alastor spat and waved his hand, “no I don’t have a need for your soul. I just want your skills. As far as I’m concerned you have ties with the mafia. Skills like that are quite useful for what I need them for. This,” he stretched out his hand again. Red claws stretched warningly, “is only a bargain for your expertise and skills. Nothing more. Do we have a deal?”

Angel watched him carefully. Behind him he could see Husk’s eyes, begging him not to shake his hand. His mouth whispering, don’t trust him. Husk did all the soul owning, the contracts, Angel just had the privilege to co-own them.

“I want to see it in writing first.” He could see Alastor be annoyed with him. And there, right there was a tell. A slight squint and a faltering of the smile, it was quick, but Angel was certain he saw it. Alastor wasn’t doing this for fun. He had a plan. A plan he couldn’t afford to fail at.

Alastor sighed begrudgingly, “if you must,” and snapped his fingers, summoning a short contract with the words:

I, Alastor, hereby agree to hand over Miss Cherri Bomb’s soul over to Angel Dust, once Angel Dust has provided a satisfactory work with his assistance to a single favour.

Angel studied the contract closely. Not until he had reread it a bunch of times did he look up at Alastor again, still standing with an unwavering grin. But it had wavered. And this didn’t seem like a trick. Husk still looked nervous behind the Radio Demon’s back. But what caught him most was Lux standing in the kitchen door watching him. He couldn’t determine what her eyes were trying to tell him, but he knew he finally had something to bargain with, and he wanted his friend back.

And with that Angel took the Radio Demon’s clawed hand and shook it.

Chapter Text

As Alastor’s face twisted in a green light, Angel feared he’d committed the biggest mistake yet. He forced himself to swallow the fear and brace himself as the green light dimmed around them.

“What the fuck was that?”

“Ignore it, he’s just a drama queen,” Lux said from the kitchen door. There was no sound of hatred towards Angel, more of an annoyance with Alastor’s dramatic flair. Angel however couldn’t shake the last time he’d done this. Once he had shook Val’s hand the infamous smoke from Val’s cigarette had seemed to expand around them, trapping Angel in Val’s enclosure. But this wasn’t the same. This time he was getting a soul back not selling it.

The dust settled around them. Angel brushed himself off and Husk looked away. Returning to the living room Angel dared, “so when do you need my skills ya think so highly of?”

“All in good time, my effeminate fellow. All in good time. The hour is late, and a new day soon starts, Lux my dear,” he called out in song. Lux appeared from the kitchen, mittens removed. “Why don’t you stay here for a while.”

“What?!” the other three exclaimed in unison.

Alastor waved his hand, “I’m sure you have plenty to catch up on with your dear ol’dad.”

“You can’t make me!” But that was exactly what he could do. He shot her a glary grin, and she crumbled like tissue paper. It was not up for discussion, even when he called her closer and leaned into her sharp ears, he told her something unintelligible to Husk’s own impeccable hearing. Lux’ shoulders sank and straightened quickly before the Radio Demon turned to Angel.

“I’m sure you will be the perfect host to your-- stepdaughter . I will let you know when I need your expertise. Ta-ta.” And then he vanished into the floor in a puddle of shadows. Angel expected that was how the demon had arrived by their doorstep earlier this night.

Silence filled the space between the three of them. They all looked at each other and just shifted between glances. Outside it seemed like the sun was shouting its arrival. The adrenaline that had kept Angel going was dissipating and he fought down a yawn. It was like being stuck in a limbo but the outside world was busy waking up, carrying on without their consent.

Finally Husk looked at Lux and asked her to follow. He led her upstairs into a guest room that had been vacant since Angel had organised the whole Villa a while back.

“It’s not much, but you can stay here until the creep decides to come and get you.” Husk muttered. Lux had not said a single thing since Alastor left, and had followed him without argument. She looked around the bedroom and caught the windows displaying the gradient morning coming closer. Her ears piqued as Husk turned to let her be. “You don’t have to go to bed, I’m not going to tell you what to do. . .” and for a split second they caught each other’s gaze. So much time had passed on their faces since the last time they had been in a room together. 

Time they weren’t getting back. 

Time they couldn’t avoid changing them into different beings. 

Time where they hadn’t been a family.

He left with a weak goodnight and retreated to his own and Angel’s bedroom. He found Angel checking on the peanuts sleeping. “Are you coming? You must be absolutely fucked.”

Angel turned to the low voice calling from the door and followed his husband, closing the door after him. “How was she?” Angel asked as he undressed.

Husk closed the curtains, exiling them to the darkness in the bedroom. He sighed.

“That bad, huh?”

“She hates me. Of course . . . she has every right to. I left her. I gave up.”

Angel walked over to his husband. Wrapping his arms around the other was the best he could do for now as a comfort. “She doesn’t know better. She’s angry, but you did everything you could. Also this whole night has been so fucking unprecedented, I think the best thing we can do to ourselves now is to go to bed.”

He sighed again and kissed one of Angel’s forearms. “You’re right.” But the cat still wasn’t in a calm mind. Inside a storm was smouldering like embers, and he was just waiting for the storm to break loose.

***

The next day, after the whole Villa was once again awake, Angel spotted Lux traversing through the grounds. With the help of a few calls over the radio he was confirmed in Lux’ attempts to run away. However, to her own as well as Angel’s displeasure, that seemed to be impossible. Because as she arrived at the gates, she was flung back, rolling over the dusty road each time she tried to either exit or even leave the estate grounds.

“Just let her get it out of her system.” Angel had ordered over the radios and went downstairs to find Husk sitting with a coffee and a newspaper. “Morning gattino. Your daughter is trying to run away, but it seems the red fucker really has confined her here.”

“I heard you on the walkie,” Husk said without looking up at him.

Angel kissed his brow and poured his own cup of coffee. “What are you going to do today?”

“What else can I do other than go back to work? My daughter won’t speak to me. You made a deal with the Radio Demon, and we have the peanuts back. I’m still waiting for the Vees to proclaim their current status and their imminent and neverending threat to take you back. I’m cool as a cucumber that you have everything under control.”

That felt somewhat too pointed. Angel wrapped his arms around him before turning around. He knew his deal with Alastor was going to be a thorn, but he couldn’t not make it, when Cherri’s soul was on the line. Maybe he should ask her how that happened. If she could ever find the trust in him again. He remembered vividly how they’d broken up and their short reunion at the hotel before Vox had abducted him and flaunted his torment on TV. However, Cherri had shown up with no questions asked, ready to blow up the V Tower in attempt to save the peanuts. Maybe there was hope. Maybe that was what he was supposed to do today. However, he didn’t like the tone Husk had given him, and he refused they parted on unfriendly terms. He couldn’t deal with that anymore.

“What was I supposed to do? When ya said he had Cherri’s soul, I couldn’t just let him, I had to--” had to what? No he was not going to let that grinning freak tear even more on his friendship with Cherri. “I don’t regret it. At least . . . not yet. I’ve been wanting to patch things up with her anyway, and I think I’ve been an ass to her.”

“I recall her being rather unkind as well.”

They’d both been terrible friends. Angel had been busy, very busy preparing for the new hotel and The Velvet Room, finding the Radio Demon, and the whole time . . . “Wait a minute!” he exclaimed, disturbing Husk’s reading. “He had her soul this whole time! And she never even thought to mention it? I was very up front with her with Val owning my soul, why the fuck did she not tell me?” And just like that the thoughts started spinning in his head. If he had only had more time with Cherri, she might’ve been able to help him find the fucking demon! An annoyance stirred in him, an annoyance that was gonna stay warm all day, burning in his pit.

“Doesn’t sound like you thought this through.”

“Husk, stop. Cherri is my oldest friend, I wasn’t gonna risk it. I couldn’t risk him disappearing and we never saw him again. Cherri has helped me loads. I don’t know why she didn’t tell me, she must’ve had her reasons, but I don’t care. And maybe, if your daughter wants any deal in it, we might buy her some time to figure out what we can use as leverage to get him to hand over her contract.”

Husk looked up from his newspaper and watched his husband closely. This subject wasn’t easy. And there were too many sides of this decision to make a deal he realised he was in no right to blame him for his decision he apologised. Angel still looked hurt, and kept to himself.

“What am I supposed to do with your daughter now that you’re going back to the casino? Will you come back later?”

“Of course I’ll come back.” But he seemed hesitant to the idea. Where was the temptation to return to a place where someone didn’t want to speak with you? Blame still festered in him like rot.

“Hey, stop that.” Angel snapped him out of the spiralling thoughts. “You cannot blame yourself. You’re letting her think you’re a terrible person, and ya’re not. Ya hear me?”

“But I did leave her.”

“ After professionals told you they couldn’t find her. You did everything ya could. Do you want me to go up to the peanuts and tell them they got a horrible father? A horrible father who would do everything in his might to get them out of trouble? Hmm?”

In a weird way that seemed to improve Husk’s mood. Angel was right. He was gonna do everything he could do to protect the ones he loved. It wasn’t like he hadn’t tried at all. After all, Nixxie had spent plenty of time helping him with finding new investigators, and helped him out of every other bottle bottom in between failures.

“No, don’t tell them that,” he said with a smile and reached out for Angel’s hand over the kitchen island, passing Lux’ night muffins. He took it gratefully and let it be pulled to Husk’s lips for a quick kiss. “I’ll come back as soon as I can. And be a good dad. And we’ll figure out what we’re gonna do. About the whole thing. Alright?”

“Only if you kiss me properly.” Angel comforted teasingly.

“I think I can manage that.” Husk obliged and jumped down from his chair and walked over to his husband. Carefully he held the other, dipped his long feature into his arms so he was looking down at Angel, and locked lips. He felt Angel’s thin fingers comb through his fur, and two lower arms hold onto his back, tickling his old red wings. His tail did a loving flick and wound itself around Angel’s leg, hugging him gently.

“Not bad. Think you got another one of those in you?”

“Plentiful.” Husk chuckled and leaned in.

“Oh yeah?” And again their lips met before Husk had to leave. Angel waved him off. Then he quickly spotted Lux following the car leaving the estate grounds. He just had time to get the walkie and call the staff to let her follow the car when the door gates opened. He watched from the Villa as Lux was flung back at least fifteen feet. Angel winced at the vision, but also felt a sort of satisfaction. He didn’t like the way she had spoken to Husk last night. He called the security by the gates to help her up.

“She’s alright, sir. Just determined to leave. Over.”

“I know. Keep an eye on her. She’s a guest, even if she doesn’t want to be. Make sure she doesn’t get hurt. Over and out.”

He put the walkie back in the kitchen where it usually resided. Not long after Angel returned to his babies in the nursery. All feeding from bottles, Angel watched their small ears wiggle.

“They’ve grown so much.” The nanny smiled as Chip burped milk up. He didn’t seem to be bothered and was indeed more interested in more milk. His big eyes tried to charm in on the nanny giving him more milk. Both Angel and the nanny chuckled at the adorable attempt.

“I didn’t think babies would grow this fast. I thought they’d take longer, but maybe Asmodeus’ crystals have a say in that.”

“By this rate they could be as big as toddlers even within a few months. Maybe weeks.”

She’d said it so calmly, as if it wasn’t a heartbreak in itself. He’d taken so long to get to know his babies, get to actually accepting them and his own future. The fact this stage of cuteness had gotten to him was inevitable, but to lose it faster than he would’ve on a normal basis, was just devastating in itself. Because nothing of this was normal. There were so many first to witness and he didn’t want to miss them. Funny thing, he’d never really thought much about having kids. Being gay, in the mafia didn’t really help on his prospect of ever getting married happily with the family, so it had always been a dead give away he’d never get kids. And then that changed.  Now he was a papa, had a fellow dad to his babies, and a stepdaughter. There was still so much he had to learn. Thank fuck for the nanny to help him.

When they were down for a nap he decided to go down and make himself another cup of coffee. As the brewer did its thing, he swung by the landline phone next to the door frame and hit up Cherri’s number.

She took her time picking up, but did so eventually. After the third call.

“Who’s this?” She spoke on the other end, clearly sounding annoyed.

Angel’s insulted brows softened, “Cherri, it’s me.”

“Angie,” she hesitated. “Everything good? What’s this number? Where’s your phone?”

“This is my phone now. Sorry. Cherri, do you think you could stop by today? Or maybe tomorrow?”

“Of course, I can do that.”

“Cool, thanks. I think I need my best friend.”

They both hoovered over the phone, waiting for each other to speak.

“When you get here, I need you to turn off your phone. Dump it. Whatever, I need this place Vox free. Alright?”

“Don’t you think that’s a bit over the line?”

“Cherri . . . please.”

“Alright, alright,” she said exasperated, “let me just get myself ready, and I’ll be there.”

She hung up before he could say more. 

An hour later he sat on the terrasse with an empty coffee cup, and the newspaper Husk had read earlier. A wide brimmed hat was protecting him from the hot sun. As he looked up he expected to see Cherri appear around the corner. Instead he spotted Lux.

“You look like shit.” He returned to his newspaper.

She did a mocking grimace and then sat down in the shade.

“Got it out of your system?”

She didn’t answer. Which made Angel wonder why she’d sought out his company in the first place. Unless it was the shade she’d decided to seek out along with a lawn chair.

Angel returned to the paper instead. Not giving a flying fuck at Lux. But increasingly as he read the same sentence over and over again, his mind kept focusing on his anger at the tabby in front of him. He pushed out the chair and got up, leaving her to herself in her own loathing.

He seemed to be wandering aimlessly. At least three times did he peek into the nursery to check the nanny and the babies were alright during their nap. They were. Thankfully.

It was the sound of the walkie in the kitchen that called him back. It was the guys down by the gate calling to tell Cherri’s arrival. Angel made them check her phone was off and then let her come up to the Villa. She didn’t look too pleased, but seemed to understand when Angel explained his reasons.

“You really let them get under your nerves, huh?”

“Babe, you have no idea.” Angel groaned, thinking how he had taken every precaution to keep the Vees out of his life.

As the day was already leaning into the afternoon, the two friends found a place down by the pool to talk. Angel had made sure they avoided Lux, not to intrude on the pissy energy she was exuding, and he couldn’t deal with that now that Cherri was here. At some point they’d probably meet, but that was not a thing for now. However, despite having just infiltrated the V Tower hours prior, they both seemed to have retracted back into the roles of before and after their old break up. The talk was awkward. Icky. So Angel tried his best to ask about her. At some point he’d tune into the whole Alastor-owning-her-soul-deal, but let’s start easy.

“So how’s Pen?”

Cherri flashed a sweet red, “you know, tinkering away. Whenever I get to his workshop he’s working on a new thing. A deathray, new guns, bikes. He really got some exposure, so that’s cool.”

“Good-good. You probably shouldn’t mention I haven’t driven my bike in a while now.”

“Why not-- Oh, shit, right.” She quickly remembered. She looked embarrassed, but even Angel couldn’t avoid that feeling. “How did that go? Like you were packing.”

“Hey!” Angel exclaimed fast. That day Vox had taken him away from the hotel and packed him in his old room. And it was only a few days before he had given birth. He was big. “I’m gonna let that slide, but . . .” remembering meant he had to relive the pain, the memory of it, Angelina. “I really hope you don’t accidentally get pregnant. Just saying.”

She quickly caught on, reading his pain easily like she’d always done. “Why? What happened?”

Angel swallowed, considering what he was gonna tell her. Instead he got up, waved his hand and let her follow him.

“Just a few days after the hotel . . . lemme just say it was a hard birth. Shit Cherri, I’ve done a lot of painful things before. I’ve taken a lot of shit from Val, and even Vox when he was in on it, but that night. It was visceral,” he explained as they walked through the lush garden. It was probably the most lush of the whole estate. With grapevines running far around the place, it would maybe be possible to extend the richness to the rest of the estate. But for now he had other worries than producing wine. 

He took them down a small path to a little encased grove, where trees screened them from the spying eyes. In the centre of the grove stood a stone statue. On it were two wings spread out and underneath the careful written name: Angelina.

“Husk was there the whole way through that pain. I said some things that I didn’t mean. It was a real shit show and he got me through it. I was not kind to him, but he was there. I really hope you never get to experience that.”

“Angie, you’re not making any sense.”

He pointed at the statue. “Husk had that put here when we bought the place.”

Cherri narrowed her single eye, “who’s Angelina?”

He had to be up front, for Cherri, for his daughter, for himself. With great difficulty he took in a deep breath, “she didn’t make it. That night the babies came. She was too small, dead before she even took a breath outside of me. Husk named her, and as I lost my first daughter, he lost his second.” Yet we found the other and she’s radiating pessimism up by the terrasse. “I blamed myself, partly I still do. But not as much as I blame Vox.” He balled his fists. Vox had beaten him on live TV as pay back and blackmail towards Husk. He had hurt Angel’s pregnant stomach repeatedly. After speaking to Theo, the therapist, he had started to rethink the whole runway of events leading up to the night of birth.

Cherri faced him again and saw her friend hugging himself, looking away.

“And then Husk made me go here, and it was good, but I can’t be too careful. I have to take precautions, to protect my family. It’s cliché, I know, but I already put my kids in danger by giving birth to them, and with Vox being the fucking bitch that he is, I just can’t be too careful. I don’t know how or why, but he found my assistant, dug his claws in him and made him take my babies away from this place.” He felt the lump in his throat dissipate as anger was heating up and taking control, “don’t you see? I can’t trust anyone or be too careful. I have to be hundred and ten percent sure that my staff is on my side, ready to fight whoever think they can hurt my family, and that means you too!”

“Me?”

“Look Cherri, I was shit friend. I see that now. I didn’t then but I do now, and I know you’re the only one outside of this place, besides Husk, that I can trust. I should’ve seen what was driving us apart, I really should’ve but I was too much in my own business, to not see clearly. I know about your soul, and I’m gonna fix that, I promise.”

“Angel!” she exclaimed.

“No,” he closed the distance between them, placed his hands on her shoulders and begged her, ”I mean it. I will fix it. Please be my friend again.”

“Anthony--,” she dragged out his name, nervous, “what have you done?”

There were so many ways he could say it. Endless possibilities of how she would react, but in a matter of lightning speed he looked her dead in the eye and said, “I’m protecting my family. Because up until this point, I have not been very good at it.”

Chapter Text

“It is a shit idea!”

It was the third time someone even hinted his deal at him since he’d shook hands with Alastor. Husk had warned it, Lux had mocked him, and now Cherri sat across from him in the dining room, pointing a speared pasta at him, sauce dripping onto the table as they were all gathered around the table. Husk had gotten back during the early evening, and just in time for dinner. As per requested, Angel had ordered the nanny to join dinner with the peanuts and at the moment they were all investigating the texture and squishiness of pasta, rather than eating it, which meant they currently sat down around the dinner table  as a family, dysfunctional and all. In a way there was nothing normal about this, and at the same time it was perfect and dirty just as it should be.

“Yeah I get it, you’re all fucking pissed at my deal with mister creepy face,” he was full on annoyed they somehow cornered him, but he wasn’t going to be scared into a corner of shame.

“Angel!” Husk tried at his husband, making him stop swearing in front of the kids. However it did not work and Angel continued as always, foulmouthed.

“But neither of you seem to fucking get it!” He helped Chip drink from his cup. It wasn’t successful and water sprayed all over his plate. Chip however was thrilled at the water in front of him and hit the little puddle in front of him, sending more drops of sauce-water through the air. “And I mean neither of you!”

“You’re putting yourself and everyone in danger, like, I warned Husk--!”

Husk lowered his own fork quickly with a clatter, “hey, don’t pull that card! What was I supposed to do?”

“Warn him!” Cherri said with her other hand waving aggressively at Angel, “now he’s at the radio freak’s mercy! You should have stopped him!”

“I can make my own decisions!” Angel shot back. “Plus if you’re so fucking sure you’re in the right, remember you didn’t fucking tell me about your little deal. Why the fuck--”

“Angel, can you not?”

“-- do you think I fucking--”

Husk sighed in defeat.

“--made the deal in the first place? Not to get her soul back, since she clearly doesn’t fucking care,”

Lux ate her dinner in silence, but followed all of them closely.

“No I did it because in a shit second I get to hear your soul is owned! I can’t have that. I’m trying to have your back, and you’re just angry at me for doing that? I spent the better of a year looking for your ass,” he pointed at Lux who seemed adamant on ignoring him, “which I have to say is fucking hard when the fucker didn’t want to be found. Now you’re stuck with us, and gives just a about a rat’s ass on staying here for who knows how long, and to be honest I’m not fucking thrilled about it.”

“Angel,” Husk tried to cut in, placing his own hand on the other’s, but it only earned him a look from Angel.

“I looked for her, for your sake. I hope you remember that.” He continued telling them off, as he simultaneously looked out for his kids in their high chairs, all playing with their food. “I tried for a year to find her, because I knew what she meant to you. You got me out of my contract with Val and I’m grateful, but I did this for you. Now I found her, I got one chance and suddenly Mister Grin stands, at my door, with the promise to help get the babies back from the Vees, and he fucking tricks us into a deal that is instantly devastating and potentially denying us any chance of getting Lux’ soul back, and then you,” he looked back at Cherri, who jumped at his hard eyes, “had the audacity, and a little too late, to tell not me but Husk, that Alastor has your fucking soul? The fact I only found out by chance, should make you rethink the situation that it put me in. I didn’t have a chance to get Lux’ soul back, but I got a chance to get yours. Do you really fucking think, that I was gonna let that slide by, when the fella has been actively hiding from me for a year, and with no possibility of ever seeing him again?” That shut them up. All of them. Angel looked around, watching them determinedly, not letting him feel bad for making a series of decisions that essentially was to their benefit. “I have spent too much time being afraid, I’m done. I don’t want to be afraid. I did what I did because I fucking care about all of you, and if don’t get that,” he paused as he looked at them all. For once Lux had dared to look at him, but when they connected she looked away. “If you don’t get it, then it’s too late anyway. The deal’s struck and I can only wait for Smiles to call on me.”

A silence erupted at his final words. He gave a glance to the nanny and put a napkin to his mouth. He didn’t even excuse himself as he pushed out the chair and left the dining room.

For that moment there was nothing more to be said. Except for the babies, blabbering and making giggling sounds at the end of the table.

Angel buried his face in his hands, took a deep sigh and combed his hands through his hair, taking in the night air as he stood by the lit pool. There was no wind, and he could hear the sound of hell-crickets chirping through the estate. He felt very alone. Why the hell could the others not understand he was doing everything he could for them? Of course he knew the Radio Demon was a menace to worry about, but he had no other choice. He couldn’t just pick a different opponent. Of course that would be nice, but he had only acted on terms that had already been dealt. What the hell was he supposed to do? At least Cherri was talking to him again, even when she wasn’t supposed to blow shit up, which was a good start to their rekindling. It just sucked it was taking such a rocky road of finding each other again. 

They’d spent the afternoon - while waiting for the chef to finish dinner - getting introduced to the kids. They seemed rather positive to meet what was potentially their Aunty Cherri, however she swore she’d set fire to the villa if she was left alone with them. He understood the feeling of too much adult responsibility of a small child overflood him earlier, but he had laughed it off and promised her she wouldn’t be left alone with them.

Not long after Husk had returned home. He’d found them in the nursery, and shortly stolen Angel away, to return the gesture of the same morning.

“You just promised me you wouldn’t leave me alone with them!” Cherri shouted after Angel as he was dragged away.

“You’re not alone,” he pointed to the nanny and winked as Cookie was settling in her lap while Chip and Cosmo were experiencing a noisy toy.

Angel remembered Husk’s lips on his, his big strong hands holding him safely in their bedroom, which seemed far away now, just like Husk. He sighed. He felt the longing to Husk simmer with the anger that none of them seemed to want to understand him or his decision. He rummaged through his pocket and found a package of cigarettes and a lighter and let himself feel an ounce of indifference.

He sat down on a pool chair and lit a cigarette. “Fuck ‘em. It can’t be undone anyway.” he scoffed at them and let the smoke fill his lungs. 

It had been a sense of relief to return to his smoking in this stressful period. He didn’t do it all the time, but occasionally, when he felt like disappearing into his thoughts, but at the moment his mind seemed to circle around a loneliness he wished wasn’t there.

With the hell-crickets chirping endlessly he could feel the fur on his body vibrate like an ongoing shudder. He wasn’t alone. He looked to the side and saw a flashlight light up the unlit areas through the garden. Just a security guard watching the perimeter.

Angel ignored him. Returning to his own self pity.

In fact, no. He was not going to pity himself. He was doing everything he could to protect the people he loved, and they couldn’t see that. They had all looked at him like he had been a child, but he wasn’t. He pitied them. He was cornered, he did what he had to do. And he would probably do it again.

“So this is where you’re hiding?”

Angel was caught so off guard he felt his heart jump into his throat at the sound of Husk’s deep voice behind him.

“Christ-on-a-fucking-stick!” he exclaimed loudly as he dropped his cigarette on the ground. “What do you want? Come to tell me I was an idiot? Well, shocker I know, but if you are, you can go. I’ll be up when I’m done.” He picked up the last part of the cigarette from the ground and brought it to his lips.

Husk gave a sigh, a smile hiding in it, “no, I’m not here to tell you off.”

There was relief in Angel. He didn’t want to puff up and give another speech. However, Angel was still hurting. “Then what?”

Husk scooted a bit closer, “I came to see if my husband would forgive me?”

It made Angel look at the golden eyes. Two wings spread out in the pool light and Angel saw the pattern only he was allowed to see. The ultraviolet markings following every single feather and highlight the dots and lines across. Just for him.

Angel looked back at Husk’s face and then scooted over so Husk could sit next to him. Husk followed his invitation and sat down next to him.

“I’m sorry . . . about how I acted. You’re right. You spent a lot of time trying to find Lux, and I’m not appreciating that enough. Granted I was taken off guard, and I still don’t know how to talk to her when she seems to hate me. It was a surprise indeed, and I’ll deal with it, but you made it happen, and I didn’t thank you for it. I’m sorry.”

Angel looked at him, letting the words sink all the way to his heart, which luckily had found its place down in his chest again.

“Cherri will come round. I sent her home. I’m sure she appreciates your help too, just like I am.”

“You all just seemed in plenty of hurry to tell me off like some kid doing something they shouldn’t,” he countered sharply.

“I know, I’m sorry. You were cornered, and we’re just worried about you. I can’t really speak for Lux, but I’m sure when I say this you’ll know it’s because even though Cherri and I aren’t the bestest of friends, we worry because we love you. And you put yourself in danger for us both, and that is scary to be close to.”

“I can handle it. Remember, I was in the mafia and in Valentino’s grace in forever , I can handle anything.” He said it bluntly.

It earned him a light chuckle, “you’re right.”

Angel leaned in and their heads touched each other. He felt a heavy strong hand collect his own. With fingers intertwining, Angel put out the cigarette on the ground. “I’m done now.”

“Good. Wanna go in?”

Angel looked up behind him at the Villa. “Are they babies asleep?”

“They are.”

Angel gave a moment of thought, then he shook his head. “Nah, let’s stay for a minute. Look at the stars, if that’s okay with you.”

“We can stay here all night if you want to.” Husk comforted and draped his arm around Angel, letting him rest on his shoulder. His head dipped onto his own and he felt a little spark of relief settle in him. A relief he hadn’t realised was missing, but pleased it finally roots in him again. If only for a brief time.

“Do you think the babies are safe here?”

And just like that the relief dissipated into the night air.

Husk glanced towards Angel, but the other wasn’t looking at him. He looked into the darkness, listening to the crickets chirping wildly in the fields around them. He sighed and spoke, “The short answer. No. I don’t think any of us are safe. I mean, heh, look at us. Enemies with the Vees, in league and deal-limbo with that red freak, which we don’t know when will end, so potentially it could last forever, who knows,” he gave a hopeless shrug.

Angel scoffed, “cheerful.”

“I don’t wanna think about what Asmodeus asked us to do. You know getting rid of the babies, not going through it all, but I can’t help but think that maybe he had a point. But then I look at them, and I look at you, and I know that it was the only right thing to do. I don’t regret it.” It made Angel smile. “But,” Husk continued in a more nonchalant manner, “I also think even if we never had them, we would still be in Hell’s usual dangers, the on and off occasional acid rain, the random turf wars, have the Vees breathing down our necks, and we’d deal with that like it was just another tuesday. We’ll be fine.” He squeezed Angel’s shoulder. It was indeed a comfort. Husk was right. This was really just another tuesday, but since becoming a parent, Angel certainly seemed to carry a new sense of worry. Mostly a worry of not being good enough, and letting his babies have a safe upbringing that was unlike his own. His own childhood in the mafia carried a different type of ‘safety’ but it was the only safety he knew of. The only thing he could replicate and recreate to his kids.

With a single chuckle, Angel continued, “so now that we’re parents. What are we gonna do?”

“What do you mean? Carry on as always?”

“No--  I mean, aren’t you scared for them?”

“Yes, plenty. Just like I’m terrified for you.” Husk chuckled, “remember all the times you came home with bullet holes in you? Scared shitless! But that’s what love is, Legs. In Hell I think the biggest love declaration is to find someone you’re scared to lose. With everyone trying to kill each other. Like sure death-death isn’t really on the table, but you never know with Carmilla’s arsenal out there.”

“Eh, doesn’t seem so different from when I was alive.” Angel said smugly.

“Ha-ha,” Husk added dryly.

“You’re a very clever ol’cat, you know that?”

“Could you say it more often? Just in case I forget.”

“I’ll try. Remember we’re from the same decade.”

Angel sat up, stretching his back, he looked at Husk for a moment and planted a kiss on his cheek. Husk revelled in the sensation of their closeness.

He smiled at him, but then it turned into a frown, “how are we going to do this, Husk? Being parents. I’ll admit I’ve done plenty of things, but somehow parenthood is a whole new territory. I only had one family, I don’t want to be like them, where it was alright to despise me. I don’t want them to come find the peanuts, I don’t want them in the limelight. I want them protected.”

“And we’ll find ways to protect them, I promise.”

“But Golden took them. A demon we trusted, backstabbed us, and went to the Vees. How can we ever be certain that won’t happen again?”

He could easily see how this had affected Angel. He put his face in thoughtful folds, “If we could just, I don’t know-- if there was a chance we could move to the other rings, I hear Gluttony is nice.” It was one of the major curses of being a Sinner. Hell was big. And there was more than the Pride Ring, but never ever had a Sinner been allowed in the other rings, unlike hellborns, which was why demonic deals with hellborns had to be done in Pride. Angel knew. While he’d been in Val’s graces he had been a big deal down in Lust, but not only for his porn but also because of his skills as a seductress sparking temptation with a strict no-touch-policy when performing, since all demons no matter which Ring could visit Pride. And then something in him clicked at what Husk had said.

Angel broke the silence, “what did you say?”

Husk waved his arm and shook his head, “it’s stupid, it doesn’t matter.”

“No, maybe you’re on to something.”

Husk groaned. How could he be onto something when it wasn’t even possible for sinners to move from Pride. The other Rings weren’t even accessible to them. “What the hell are you talking about, Legs?”

“I’m talking about our babies. They’re not Sinners. They couldn’t be, so maybe they’re Hellborns since they were born here, so maybe--”

A spark hit him, “maybe they can be protected in other Rings!”

“Yes! We have to ask Asmodeus.”

“Why?”

“I’m not gonna let my babies live with a stranger,” Angel quickly exclaimed with his hands in front of him, “he’s their god daddy, that was his demand for this whole thing. God parent is serious shit!”

Husk watched him closely for a second, opened and closed his mouth a couple of times before he continued, “you close with you god parent?”

It shut Angel up for a second. In fact, he had been. When his own father was too busy Angel had spent time learning how to handle firearms and drive, practically his god father had taught him everything he knew about handling difficult situations and what to do when he had a gun aimed at his temple and a knife to his crotch. He’d been his confidant, his right hand man, his second in a duel. Until he’d found out Angel was parading around in gay bars. Then he’d withdrawn, keeping his distance for a while. And a new fear unlocked within.

“Thought so.”

“I have my memories,” Angel shrugged with fondness, “and I don’t think the Sin of Lust is going to shame our babies for being themselves.” 

Husk shrugged in agreement. “Sounds like we should get Asmodeus. I’ll call him tomorrow. But now,” Husk rose from the seat and handed Angel a hand, “it is time to go to bed. Will you join me?”

Angel sighed. The thoughts still stuck with him. Being a parent really brought a whole new set of anxieties, but as he looked at Husk’s soft features, he agreed that with him by his side it wouldn’t be as daunting.

He took his hand and followed him back inside.

They both undressed, and turned down the light.

As Husk got into bed he planted a kiss on Angel’s forehead before getting comfortable under the covers.

“Not going back tonight, huh?”

Husk smiled with a deep purring, “no. Imma stay right here, make sure you feel loved,” he kissed his nose, “I’ll make sure you’re treasured. Te adoro,” he kissed the cheek, “Perdonami, tesoro.” Forgive me love. He continued a trail of small pleading kisses down his long neck.

A long, deeply seated hum escaped Angel before he could stop it. Hands grasping for Husk’s neck with a need of pulling him closer.

“You like that, hmm?” his hot breath sent shivers down Angel’s spine. “Tell me how you feel.”

He tried catching his breath. He was not successful. Instead he managed a few shallow gulps of air as Husk started a new hot kiss on his neck. Safe hands held him close on his back, letting their bodies melt into one another. With Husk’s adoration on his body Angel couldn’t figure out where Husk ended and he began.

Oh Satan, how he had missed this feeling.

Chapter Text

The following day Husk managed to summon the Sin of Lust to their Villa. The fiery rooster took in their new surroundings. After their conversation last night, Angel and Husk both agreed it was the best way to handle the situation.

“Why do you think it’s a good idea they live with me?” They could both sense his reluctance. “ You wanted to keep the babies, and now you’re just letting them live with me? Have you not considered what that would entail for them? You’re pushing them away from you when they need you the most. Even if they can live with me, it’s not a guarantee they want to. We don’t know what’ll happen to them.”

“The nanny will follow and help you.”

“Angel, baby, that’s not what I mean. You gotta take responsibility for your own family. This is not some option to just push your troubles somewhere else.”

“Listen,” Husk interrupted, “it’s not that we want to let the babies live with you--”

“Then don’t.”

“--but we’re in shit up to our necks here, and they’re not safe here. All we’re asking is you take them for a while and then when it’s calmed down we bring them back.”

This seemed to make Asmodeus consider it.

“Please. You’re their godfather, they need to know they can trust you too, and now is the perfect time to start that trust. Not just for us, but them too,” Angel says encouragingly. When Asmodeus gave a sceptical frown, Angel added a quick, “you wanted to be godparent. So, step up.”

Trapped in his own promises Asmodeus sighed and nodded, “alright. Alright. I’ll take them. Fizz is not gonna be happy about this.” He mutters the last part to himself.

His usually big size needs to refit the Villa’s interior, and Asmodeus follows the couple upstairs to the nursery where the nanny is letting the three kittens play. Since their birth they have grown exceptionally. Angel made a choked sound, at the time passing fast. There was not really any indicator how fast the kids grew, since Sinners couldn’t reproduce, so they had no source of reference. For the moment they all sported a look of five to seven weeks. They all managed to gift of walking with the lightest grace, but still there was no sign of talking.

Next to them Asmodeus cooed at the three kittens. Their eyes quickly found the flaming mane of the rooster and Cookie instantly went into a huff.

“They don’t really get to be around new people, maybe she’s just not used to new faces.” She argues with a smile, “it’s very normal, so don’t take it personally.”

Asmodeus didn’t, in fact he saw it as a good sign for a baby to react to a new face, “That just makes me wonder about the other two.” He chuckled as Cosmo started to tip toe over to the Sin. “Hello,” he cooed, “you have small socks on. You look so handsome, yes you do.”

Angel smiled smugly at Husk, “oh yeah, our babies are gonna be fine.” Husk joined in on the snickering, as the big Sin was busy baby-talking to the kittens.

They informed the nanny about the plans to move the kids to Lust. The nanny seemed to swallow the information professionally. Then she nodded and ask what they wanted her to do. She seemed fine to follow along to Lust and keep caretaking the kittens, and send them updates. By the end of the day Asmodeus would’ve managed a moving team and conjured a portal for them to go through.

Angel watched the portal in the nursery. From here he could see right into Lust, or rather Asmodeus impromptu nursery in his home, whilst demons moved the nursery from one room to another. In his arms he was cradling Chip, who nibbled to Angel’s fingers and played with the digits, unknowing he soon wouldn’t be able to do that anymore. He couldn’t avoid the somber feeling of having to make and live with this decision. If it was any other life he’d happily keep his children home, see them grow up. Then he had to remind himself this wasn’t forever. He just didn’t know when the kittens would come home again. And maybe that was what made him so glum.

When the time came he handed over Chip to the nanny and a cry came from the kitten, breaking Angel’s heart in half. He planted a kiss on every single kitten before he told them “see ya later alligator,” and watched them disappear into Lust. Asmodeus came to the portal and gave a reassuring nod. “Send updates regularly, please.”

Asmodeus promised to do his best and the portal closed with a swish .

The Villa has never been this quiet.

Angel was left alone in the currently empty nursery. There was no cradle anymore, no playthings, nothing. Just a barren nursery. A tear pressed on by the edge of his eyes, but he refuses to let it fall. There’s work to do. And now there’s room to do it.

***

Lux seemed half pleased the Villa had gone quiet. Especially after the first night where she hadn’t been woken in the middle of the night by repeated child crying. Maybe the lack of baby crying could brighten the mood with Lux, but even during dinner it didn’t seem like it. The first night Husk had stayed in the Villa to support Angel’s loss of the kittens. But the following week Husk was buried in work, which meant Angel was left all alone with Lux. The meals were quiet. Not unpleasant, but Angel didn’t know how he was going to talk to his new step daughter. Practically they shared the similar age, so potentially it wouldn’t be impossible to bond, however their time of death did make it difficult since their life culture’s were not that compatible. And Lux had made it clear she was sceptical of her dad married to someone her age. Which made Angel’s choices towards her seem questionable.

***

Suddenly with all the time in the world, Angel decided to go back to his roots. He inspected the staff and security teams. He started recruiting whistleblowers, informants and installed them in various parts of the Pentagram, to let him know when the walls came crumbling. “If there’s as much as a crack I wanna know.” Within the week he had people and infiltrators in gangs and crews all over town, and then the information started pouring in. Insiders from the Vee Tower were watched. Money exchanged hands.

Knowing his children were safe with a Sin he could breathe again. Of course having the nanny had been a relief as well, but moving them to a safe house felt even better. He felt free, ambition wise. He could put things in motion, he could start pulling strings to his own advantage.

When Husk found out he looked startled. “What the hell, Angel? Is that really a good idea? We just moved the peanuts, and now you’re picking fights?”

“I’m not picking fights. I’m collecting information, so to speak.”

Husk threw his hands in the air, realising he had, honest to Lucifer, married into the mafia.

“Who are you going after?”

“I’m not going after anyone? I’m just keeping an eye out for the Vees. And Alastor. Why is that so hard to get?”

“So you’re not out for revenge?”

Angel clicked his tongue, “not now I’m not. Do you want revenge? Who do you want me to deal with?”

Husk backed off with a good sense that Angel meant what he said. If Husk wanted someone targeted, Angel was ready to step up and do it.

Slowly but effectively, Angel’s spider web of information and infiltration started to form, and he could sit on his porch with his informants with careful consideration of what to do next.

“You are absolutely insane, do you know that?” Angel turned around to spot Lux. As it had become a regular thing Angel raised an eyebrow at her.

“What do you want, toots?”

“Do you think this is gonna help you find him? Alastor goes as he pleases, you can’t find him, he summons you.”

“He can summon me whenever he wants, I’m not afraid of him.” Angel turns back to his collection of information. An informant snickers discreetly at Lux’ attempt of scaring Angel, but even Angel shot him a look that told him to stop it. “Besides, I’m not targeting him. I just want to know his pattern. I’ve spent a year tracking him, I got some idea of Smiles.” Then he looked up again, idea struck in seconds, “wait, you know him better than I do. Does he come when you call for him?”

Lux squinted and looked away, “sometimes.”

“How? When?”

She shrugged. “He mostly comes if he’s bored.”

“Fuck. Wait, how often is he bored?”

Again she shrugged and left the conversation.

He was practically getting all the information he needed on the Vees that he could want to understand the situation within the Vee Tower. “Big V spends most of his time trying to keep his industry afloat. He doesn’t have time for anything else but trying to keep his investors close to the fire, but we got Larry among the board, and he says more and more are pulling out. Some even discuss a new change for the television and streaming monopoly, because Vox is fumbling.”

“He’s sweating. Has been for two years, and now he’s nowhere close to fixing Val. How is he?”

“Still a husky raisin.”

“Good good, that’ll keep Vox occupied. What about Velvette?”

“The doll spends her time salvaging. She doesn’t show, but she might go solo.”

Angel shook his head. “No, she wouldn’t do that. The Vees’ triumvirate dictate only a small percentage of souls in their own possession. The rest are shared through collective ownership. No Velvette wouldn’t jump ship. Even if she did, she would lose her status as Overlord. She’d be no one.”

“Don’t think so boss.”

“What did you hear?”

The informant pushed over a printed photo of Velvette, meeting another demon. Angel can’t tell who it is.

“Up and coming?”

“Possibly.”

“Right. Keep an eye out for that. I wanna know what their deal is.”

Afternoons are filled with updates. Which means the mornings are free for Angel to spend as he pleases. One morning he decidedly called up a car to take him back to Hell’s Fortune. Surprise Husk in the progress, see what keeps him so busy. He knows what kept Husk busy. His whole empire of casinos and new hotel Angel had planned and executed, before he withdrew. On the way to the casino he did feel his stomach do a few flips, but he ignored them. With his biker jacket flung over his shoulder he journeyed up to the top floor where Husk’s office resided. The staff spotting him gave him excited waves. It dawned on him that it had been ages since he’d actually been here among them. He waved back and continued upstairs. Knocking on the door he entered shortly after and found Husk chained to his work while Nixxie sat on the couch with her own laptop and tablet, cursing at the screens.

“Static in here, isn’t it?” Angel comments and they both look up at him.

Husk greeted him in a pleasant surprise to see his husband. “It’s just the connection to the system that’s going off. It keeps breaking off, fucking up our data.”

“This been going on for long?”

“ Too long!” Nixxie cursed through gritted teeth. She looked feral, well more feral than usual. “I bet it’s the supplier.”

“You still use Vox’ Cables?”

“Yeah, who else are we gonna use?”

Fair point, Angel thought to himself and decided to let Nixxie stay at least across the room, just for a bit. That gives Angel an idea that he saves for later.

He turned back to Husk. Sitting on his table, the leather squeaked as it stretched across his body. “So I was just coming by. Hoping you’d come home to me later.” He leaned in for a kiss with a seductive look in his eyes.

Husk chuckled lightheartedly and accepted the gesture, “it won’t be late.”

“How late does that mean?”

“I’ll come by for dinner.”

“And stay?”

“Yes, Legs. And stay” He chided and pulled him down for another kiss. “You doing anything today? Been long since you’ve been ‘out’ out.”

“Going for a ride. It’s been awhile and I miss it. Plus I didn’t really get a chance to move the bike, so I’m picking it up now.”

It felt so natural, this, him sitting on Husk’s desk, making small talk of his plans, just like when he planned the new hotel and casino, and he had an extra ten minutes to chat with his husband. It seemed like a neutral ground.

“Sounds fun. Can I make you go to the hotel and make sure they got everything in order?”

“Why?”

Husk made a little grimace, “I was thinking since they haven’t really seen you take care of the hotel as was supposed to be your thing, they might want to see your pretty face. It would be good for them to see you actually are alive, y’know.”

“Alright. Want me to do anything else?”

“Remind the managers to do their fucking reports to me. They’re behind. Find out why.”

Angel saluted jokingly, stole a third kiss and jumped off the desk and left. “Don’t be late!” he hurried before he closed the door and hurried down to his beloved bike. It stood there, white and pink as he remembered it, with a small hint of dust sprinkled over its surface. “Oh baby, have I missed you.” He chided as he found the helmet and put it on. Then he snapped on the jacket and let the engine roar in the echoing halls around him. It felt invigorating!

He whipped through the streets like a white and pink lightning, warning everyone of his presence. Power bled through his veins as the engine accelerated beneath him, purring like a lion ready for a fight. 

He did a long trip through the districts before he finally ended up at the Silk Hotel and Casino. Pride went through him as he witnessed the stunning hotel tower up over him. His hotel. He left the helmet by the bike in the garage, left in the parking spot reserved just for him. There’s a wonder of never having to worry about parking space when being this high in elite.

Confidently he strided through the lobby to the reception desk. A demoness clearly busy cursing at her operating system and it confirmed Angel in his earlier idea.

“What’s wrong?” he asked before she got a proper change to see who was speaking.

“Ugh, it doesn’t work-- oh, how can I help you?”

Angel gave a quick glance between her and the computer, “what’s wrong?”

“You’re Angel Dust,” she managed, struck with surprise.

“Yeah yeah, I know, are you gonna waste my time or will you call your manager?”

The demoness looked startled, not sure how the manager would be able to fix Angel a room, so she succumbed to Angel’s request. “It’s the computer, it won’t let me do anything.”

“Aha, interesting.”

“It does that every other day, just goes kaput, and then it’s like it won’t work until night fall. I won’t be able to give you a room until then.”

“I don’t want a room.”

“You don’t?”

“No, I want to talk to your manager.” Both annoyance and mischief goes through him as he teases the receptionist. He doesn’t want her to be stressed out over his presence, but she clearly didn’t know who he was supposed to be in the matter of the hotel. But her flustered attitude still makes him smile. “I don’t want to complain, don’t worry. Just go get your manager.”

Nervous, the receptionist nods and shuffles into the backroom through a backroom that very clearly says ‘manager’. When A tiger demon exits the backroom, Angel sends him a smile and ranks himself. The tiger quickly spots Angel and ranks himself respectfully. “Mr Dust. What brings you here?”

“I’m here to make sure my hotel is in tip top shape. I hear whispers that it’s not.”

“We didn’t expect you. We don’t really have any issues.”

“Really? Because your receptionist tells me you have trouble with sorting rooms to guests every other day. What the fuck is that supposed to mean?”

“We’ve found a way around it.”

“Aha?”

“We moved check-in to the evening instead, it seems more manageable.”

Angel nodded but was not furtherly impressed with the handling. The casino doesn’t seem to suffer from the operating system, but that’s not connected to Vox’ Cables, just like most of Pride was. The bar lounges aren’t affected either, and it should remain that way. He instructs them to keep up the good work and warns the tiger to send the weekly reports of flaws for the hotel. The tiger respectfully bowed his head at Angel, promising they’d tighten up procedure.

He made a mental note to have an informant placed in the Silk just to be sure everything was indeed tightening up. 

Furthermore he let the manager know how to be more efficient with the room sorting. “Look pal, we don’t need the operating system. I know it’s smart and all, but you gotta drop it while Vox’ Cables are out of order. The world didn’t use that kind of system until I don’t know when, but sure as hell not while I was alive. I don’t care how you do it, but until that system is replaced and back online you use pen and paper. I’m not risking our establishment crumbling because Vox can’t do his own job. We’re better than that, capiche?”

The tiger nods esteemed at Angel’s knack for solution. With a sharp tone lathering the order in a slick and deadly warning the tiger has enough common sense to oblige the commands.

With another few laps around town, Angel finally drove back to the Villa. The vineranks whipping past him on the dirt road hit him with a nostalgia of him and his sister biking as fast as they could on nonna’s drive to the house. Adrenaline rushed through him as he finally hit the garages and he rolled inside the building.

As he removed the helmet he spotted Lux standing by the front door, watching him closely and all excitement left him. Great. I forgot.

She didn’t say anything. She just watched him from a distance. What is her deal? He thought when she suddenly entered the Villa again. A shot of relief went through him, not having to deal with her continuously annoying presence.

As every day since the kittens went to Lust, Angel is again stuck in his informants meeting from the past twenty-four hours. He proposes one of the informants on the Vees board to suggest a monopoly change.

“There’s too much disruption. Vox is overloading himself while his ship is sinking. This is the perfect time to come up with a new competition for wifi in Hell. Something that promises a stable connection. Removing interest from Vox will give someone new the benefit of an upstart in the game.”

“Any ideas of who?”

“You’re on the board, let the informant in IT suggest there’s interest and money to do it.”

Another cuts in, “you’re putting money in this?”

Angel’s head rolls provoked to the side to stare at him, “listen pal, I need the Vees powerless. Hitting them where it fucking hurts. I don’t care who does it only that we help who ever has the fucking guts to do it. Yes I’m funding the start-up.” He turned his head back to the others, “Vox sits on way too much power for my liking. He’s gonna regret picking fights with me. Got it?”

They all nod and they continue the meeting.

Angel dipped himself in the pool as the evening sun set below the horizon. The vision, picturesque and it let his mind think of the past back with nonna. The water cooled him down and every time he did a lap in the pool he gave a poke on Fat Nugget’s snout, making him squeal excitedly. For a little while he lets himself float around in the sloshing water. He watched as the sky above him changed to darker colours and his mind wandered to a place he’d never expected.

Would his father be proud of him? The hardened mafia boss of Brooklyn, the toughest of nails who’d tried to teach him everything he knew and called him a failed son. Would he be proud now, as he was building his own gang. He’d not talked to Husk about it, not really. But Husk didn’t intervene. So maybe he didn’t mind. He’d talk to him. Eventually. It felt right. All his life and most of his death he’d been under someone’s boot, and he wasn’t anymore. No now he was on top and it felt good. It was a rush, and it had only been a week. He’d never been this adamant on anything before. Even with the hotel he worked hard, but this; his staff numbers had risen about fifty percent, like that’s gotta be some kind of record, right? He needed to talk to Husk. But did he really understand the way his family worked? The way they could sneak into every crook and nanny to get what they wanted? He had to know what he had signed him up for, even if he hadn’t planned it to begin with. But somehow he would get the Vees down under his boot. Valentino was already as good as crushed. Velvette seemed indifferent to Vox’ hissy fits, but even so, Angel wanted to make sure they all got their just desserts.

Once done he swam back to the ladder and climbed out. It always required the biggest effort to wring the water from his fur, but he had to admit swimming had become a sense of free space. For the first time in a very long time he found his mind going blank when he became weightless in the water. He didn’t have to worry about anything there.

He heard the terrace door swipe open with a stopping squeak and he spotted Husk entering the terrace. Happily he gave a wave to him and began the trek up the stairs. He’d talk to Husk about his plans after dinner.