Archive of Our Own ^beta

The thing about Husk, was that he was never too far away.

He had a knack for blending into plain sight, despite his physical demon form. Illusion was about confidence, and Husk had plenty.

"You're basically Edward Cullen."

Husk snorted into his drink. Since Angel's departure from the hotel, Cherri and Husk's friendship grew close. The first few months Husk found himself wandering around the hotel in shock, only having enough energy to take care of Fat Nuggets.

It took Cherri finally convincing him that Angel wouldn't want him to live like this.

"Who the fuck is Edward Cullen?"

"This whiny teenage vampire from these movies that Angie made me watch with him," Cherri shrugged. "He was so proud of being able to get them past Voxtek walls and made me binge all five of them."

"Right," Husk rolled his eyes.

"Anyway, you're acting like Edward Cullen with Angie."

"Ain't that a good thing?" Husk asked. "You said he likes the movies, yeah?"

"Ugh, Husk, keep up please," Cherri let out a dramatic sigh. "The movies are good, yes. The character Edward is insanely clingy to Bella…"

"Okay, who the fuck is Bella?"

"The human sheila that Edward basically stalks," Cherri flicked her fruit stem at him, her unique way of asking for a refill. 

"I'm not stalkin' Angel," Husk protested a little too loud. Cherri grinned, giving him a pointed look.

"Pretty much looks like stalkin' from here, kitty cat."

"It's not…I'm not…" Husk groaned. "I'm just making sure he's staying safe…"

At this, Cherri's eyes softened. She accepted her new drink from Husk with a sad smile.

"I know, babe," she poked at the floating ice cube with her straw. "When you love someone like Angie you just want everything to be okay, even when it feels like you can't help anything."

Husk nodded in agreement.

"But bein' creepy and stalking him on your days off aren't going to bring him back home," Cherri concluded.

"Alright, we're done here," Husk downed the last of his drink. Fuck. He knew Cherri was right. There was no way Angel would find his measures of protection…settling. If anything, Husk could see the spider demon become angry at him for just keeping a close watch.

Still.

Husk absolutely hated feeling helpless. His own emotions and feelings for Angel were developing at a pace he couldn't deny anymore. Everything about Angel being away from the hotel…away from him…

Husk just couldn't sit back and do nothing.

The cat demon glanced at the clock. "Close up for me, will ya?" He tossed Cherri a rag as he stepped from behind the bar.

Just as he had been doing every night recently.

"Only if you actually try and talk to him this time," Cherri called after him. "Y'know, instead of being a creep."

Husk just flipped her off after grabbing his coat.

Husk didn't think of himself as a creep. He just happened to know Angel's particular bar he liked to hide out in after working for Valentino all day.

Pentagram City was very active at night, Husk having to step over the occasional drunk passed out in public. He passed his old casino, memories of watching Angel's performance fresh in his mind. As if he experienced that night yesterday and not months ago.

Husk paused, stepping into an ally once he saw Angel get out of a cab a few feet away and enter the bar, Nine Lives. The familiar ache at the sight of the porn star tugged at his own heartstrings. Angel looked exhausted, and wary, as he made his way into the bar with a nervous glance behind his shoulder.

He reached out as if to call for him, but pulled his arm back.

Fuck! What was even wrong with him? Cherri was right, there was no point in watching Angel from afar, despite his intentions.

"You're never gonna get him back this way," He scolded himself.

No. He didn't need to call over to him. He needed to just make sure that Angel stayed safe.

Slipping into shadows. That was the plan. Stay hidden, stay out of sight.

Husk never frequented Nine Lives much before (the name itself made him always hate it on principle) but he was familiar with this area of the city. Quietly, he slipped down the back of the bar building to get inside undetected.

The bar itself was a jazz bar, another quirk that made Husk dislike it out of pettiness. Sure, he loved jazz. However, being chained to the Radio Demon over time diminished his enjoyment of the genre.

Angel was at the bar, sat almost directly in the center. His back faced towards Husk, Husk watching him down a shot of liquor while nursing a pink martini. Husk nodded over to a server as he settled into a booth in a darkened corner.

"Thanks Jasper," He heard the spider say to the barkeep. "This is almost as good as the drinks made by my favorite bartender."

"Good to know," the demon huffed. "But why keep coming to me if ya already have a favorite, hm?"

Angel let out a choked laugh. "Ain't that a loaded question…"

Husk smirked against the shadows. Loaded wasn't even the half of it.

"I dunno Jas," Angel sighed. "Not that I don't enjoy ya company. I guess I just…"

"Miss your favorite bartender?" Jasper finished for him.

"Yeah," Angel agreed, sadly, twirling his olive skewer between his fingers.

"Sounds like you're pretty close to him."

"Very," Husk heard Angel sigh longingly, and felt his own heart twist. "I just…I fucked up real bad, and I hafta stay away from him."

You didn't fuck up anything, you fucking beautiful idiot, Husk wanted to shout. He forced himself to stay quiet.

"Sure it ain't something you can't talk out with him?" Jasper asked. "We all fuck up down here…kinda why we're in hell, doll."

"Hah," Angel laughed. "I know, I know." Another sad sigh. "I just think it's better for me to stay away for now. It's complicated…"

"Complicated," Jasper scoffed, setting a new shot in front of Angel. "I've heard that one before. Listen, here's some free advice. Whatever ya did, you're probably overthinking it. And even if you're not overthinking it, then you probably need to accept it for what it is. The quicker you accept your reality, the easier your reality becomes to handle."

Husk mulled over the bartender's advice, finding himself agreeing to every word. The spider demon seemed to agree himself as well, because he nodded softly, and threw back the second shot.

"I get what you're putting down, Jas," He said. "I just hope he can understand I'm trying to keep him safe."

"Jealous ex?" Jasper guessed.

This time, Angel actually laughed. "Yeah, one hundred percent."

"Well, keep looking out for yourself," Jasper told him, cleaning the glassware off the bar and handing back Angel his bill. "You seem like ya got a good head on your shoulders, and you don't gotta put yourself down for no one."

"Thanks again, Jasper," Angel said, getting up. "I appreciate ya. Hey, tell your boyfriend I said hello!"

"I'll do that," Jasper chuckled. "Seth really likes hanging with you when your here."

Husk watched as Angel waved good bye as he left. After waiting several beats, and for a few more people to exit Husk went out the back way he came through.

Only to be pulled from his blind spot into a different alley.

"Yknow, ya really need to get better at stalking if you want to actually be good at it," he heard a voice say.

"I wasn't stalking….!" Husk sputtered in automatic defense. It took him a moment to register who had pulled him to the side. "Angel!?"

"Hey, Whiskers," Angel laughed. Embarrassment immediately flushed his cheeks as Husk stared up at the spider.

"How'd you know I was here?" Husk stuttered.

"Smelled your cologne," Angel shrugged. "And I had a feelin' I was bein' stalked."

"I wasn't stalking you," Husk protested again.

"Sure ya weren't," Angel rolled his eyes. "Ya do realize that Cherri still texts me right?"

"I…" Husk actually hadn't realized this.

"Don't worry, kitty," Angel smiled sadly. "I don't ever reply to them."

"Look," Husk coughed, the shame making it hard to focus. "I just…I just wanna make sure your safe OK?"

"I know, baby," Angel took his hand. "And I'm over here trying to keep you safe, ya stubborn jackass."

"Ya got a lot of nerve, legs," Husk grunted, with no real heat. Before Husk could even process anything, Angel lowered himself to fully hug the former overlord. Husk blinked.

Angel started full on sobbing.

"Hey, Angel…baby," Husk wrapped his wings around him protectively as he gathered the taller demon into his arms, not even registering the new pet names. "Baby, calm down. It's OK, shhh…"

"I'm so sorry I'm such a fuck up, Husky," Angel choked out between sobs, his entire body shaking. "I just miss ya so bad."

"I'm right here, you beautiful idiot," Husk kissed his forehead, shame replaced with an immediate need to protect. "I ain't leaving ya."

He held Angel for what felt like hours, occasionally running his claws through Angel's hair in comfort.

Every shred of denial about his owns feelings had gone right out the fucking window.

Husk started humming a soft melody that seemed to help calm Angel's nerves. The two were fully seated on the ground by this point, Angel's sobs finally dying down.

"I'm sorry I'm such a mess, kitty," Angel pulled out of Husk's embrace and wiped his eyes. "Everything has been so much lately…"

"You're not a mess," Husk insisted. "An idiot maybe, but not a mess."

The spider demon let out laugh mixed with a sob.

"I'm just surprised ya haven't given up on me yet," Angel admitted quietly.

"Baby, I need ya to listen," Husk reached to hold Angel's hands in his own. "I ain't ever giving up on you. I know shit is scary as fuck for you right now but you have to know that I'm here, to help you get through all of this." Husk pulled their hands up to kiss softly. "Ya haven't lost the battle, yet, kid. And you're not gonna."

"But Valentino…" Angel started to say, before Husk shushed him.

"Valentino will have to deal with me, Cherri and everyone at the hotel," Husk promised. "The whole lot of us. I know you signed your soul to him, but I'll fight to get you your freedom from him no matter what it takes."

"I can't ask that of ya!" Angel got up, hugging his middle with his extra set of arms. "I don't need ya hurt because of me, I hate myself for hurting Cherri…." He trailed off, with raw terror, "I can't stand the idea of hurtin' you."

"And I can't live without ya," Husk snapped, getting up to reach Angel's level. His hands lifted to cradle Angel's face so he could get the other to look him in the eye. "I always respect your boundaries legs, but this time you're stuck with us because you have to realize that you aren't alone. You're so loved."

Angel sobbed again before finally nodding, closing his eyes and letting their foreheads touch. "Okay," he murmured. "I trust ya, baby."

"Good boy," Husk purred. "I promise I ain't letting anything happen to you on my watch." He nudged Angel playfully with his forehead, causing Angel to giggle.

"Ready to go home?" Husk reached over to take Angel's hand once again. "Your pig has been driving me insane, and probably will charge at ya the moment we get to the hotel."

"Leave my baby alone," Angel laughed, feeling lighter than he had in weeks. His own pent up emotions felt lifted as he smiled at Husk with hope. "I'm really goin' home, huh?"

"You are if I have anything to say about it," Husk brought the back of Angel's hand to kiss it gently. "We'll take everything day by day, babe. I'll keep you safe."

Angel used his free hand to wipe away some loose tears as he chuckled.

"Man, you really are turning into Edward Cullen ain't ya Husky?"

Husk groaned, and fondly rolled his eyes. "I still have no idea who that is and I get the feeling you're gonna make me watch those movies too."

"Course I am," Angel laughed, the two starting their walk back to the hotel. "I'm your Bella, ain't I? At least I'm actually Italian. Gotta catch you up on some top notch entertainment."

"Whatever makes you happy, legs," Husk chuckled. "Whatever makes you happy."

As Angel started explaining the plot of the films, Husk realized he could listen to the spider talk all day long. The road ahead for both was questionable, but Husk had succeeded: Angel was coming home.

And Husk knew that he would do everything capable of keeping Angel safe, protected and loved. Even if that meant being creepy and protective every now and then.

But that definitely still didn't make him a stalker.