Chapter Text
Just Say Thank You
Husk looked… uncomfortable.
Angel was about 80% certain it was his provocative outfit annoying the bartender, but since he’d come straight from work to the bar Husk was just going to have to fucking deal with it, because Angel needed a drink.
Thankfully, no matter what was pissing Husk off it didn’t interfere with his uncanny ability to know just what Angel wanted, and before his overworked ass had even hit the bar stool Angel’s drink was in front of him.
“Thanks.” He grunted, taking the cocktail glass by the neck and downing it in one, before slumping wordlessly over the bar.
“Rough night?” Husk guessed. Angel opted to say nothing, he only raised his middle finger - then changed his mind.
“Fucking Val, he’s got a total hardon for snuff an’ necro films right now so he keeps havin’ ‘em choke me out. Course the dumbass don’t care that I’m already dead, so I gotta lose consciousness and then if I come round mid-scene I’m not being professional. Ugh!” He slammed his empty glass down on the bar and gave Husk an adorable pout, silently asking for another. Wincing at the fact Angel had literally spent the day being murdered, Husk took the glass to replace it without criticism.
“At least I got to nap?” Angel joked looking for the bright side. Husk smiled softly, but busied himself making another cocktail.
“Niffty got herself into a scene in cannibal town…” Husk began carefully. Angel blinked, immediately concerned.
“Is she okay?” He hadn’t seen her when he’d first got home and she was usually flitting around somewhere this time of night.
“Is she okay?” Husk scoffed. “You ever fuckin’ met Niffty - she’s fine. The cannibals, on the other hand…” Husk hummed and Angel laughed.
“Atta girl!” He grinned, proud of the little psychopath for whatever mischief she’d found herself in.
“Alastor sent me to go pick her up and uh… clean up.” Husk sighed heavily - being on Alastor’s leash was a nuisance, more than anything. He’d gone from overlord to unappreciated grunt work, and that was a sore spot that wouldn’t be healing any time soon. In context of Angel’s night though, being made to run errands seemed a piss poor thing to complain about.
“Ooft.” Angel sent him an apologetic look, sipping his next drink more slowly.
“Yeah, well she dragged me into the stores that end of town an’…” Husk looked uncomfortable again as he pulled something out of his pocket and hesitated. “Don’t read too much into it. It was just your colour and… here.”
He set a small bottle of hot pink nail polish on the bar. Angel froze, shocked.
“You… bought me a gift?” He whispered, surprised.
“Don’t flatter yourself, it cost like 80 cents.” Husk grunted, turning his back on Angel and pretending to busy himself with cleaning Angel’s previous glass.
Angel slowly removed his gloves, feeling oddly more naked without them than in the bondage gear he was still clad in. He unscrewed the cap and remained silent, carefully drawing the brush over each of his sharp claws - watching the colour change. When both left hands were finished, he switched to do his right, and by the time he’d finished the fourth set of nails the first three were dry. He blew on the last four digits to keep them from sticking, and admired the view. In the time it had taken him, Husk had finished with the pretence of washing the glass and was facing him again.
Angel smiled, apparently pleased with his manicure.
“Want me to suck you off?” He offered, seemingly out of nowhere. Offended, Husk hissed, his fur standing on end.
“What the fuck, Angel?!” He crowed. “We talked about this, knock off the fake flirting bullshit!”
“I ain’t being fake! I’m offerin’!” Angel reeled, alarmed by the dramatic response. Husk pinched the bridge of his nose, clearly annoyed.
“Why are you offering?” He demanded.
“…” Angel had opened his mouth to speak and then words failed him, and he only sat back, looking a little confused. “Generally that’s… how this works… Guys buy me something and I thank them. If… if you still don’t wanna fuck me, I don’t… I don’t really know what to do here.” He admitted, a little unsure of himself.
Husk took a deep breath. It was taking everything in his power not to throttle the spider. As annoyed as he wanted to be, Angel did honestly seem confused by the interaction so he needed to set the record straight.
“I didn’t buy you it to get into your pants, dumbass. Just say thank you like a normal fuckin’ person. ”
“Thank you.” Angel whispered obediently, but then shook his head. “It don’t… it don’t seem like enough?” He said carefully.
Husk sighed heavily.
“You sleep with every guy who buys you shit?” He asked suspiciously. Angel paused before answering honestly:
“Yeah.” He agreed. “Guys only ever buy me stuff when they want something in return.”
“Angel, it’s a cheap bottle of crappy nail stuff that’ll probably chip in twenty seconds. You don’t… Christ, I dunno how to explain to you that you don’t have to whore yourself out for gift store tat!” Husk yelled, losing his temper.
Angel flinched and immediately Husk regretted raising his voice. Poor bastard had dealt with men yelling at him all day at work, coming home to it was probably a little much.
“Yeah, but…” Angel paused and tried to put it into words, his brow furrowing. “You thought of me. You… this was really nice, Husk.” Angel spoke slowly and carefully. “I…” he trailed off and then murmured “I ain’t used to guys bein’ nice to me.”
And there it was.
Angel wasn’t antagonising him on purpose. He genuinely didn’t understand - he’d assumed Husk had ulterior motives because everyone else always did.
Husk wanted to smash every glass in the bar out of anger. Not directed at Angel, though. That every guy he’d ever encountered had tried to use him, to buy him, or abuse him. That Angel had spent half his afterlife treating his body as a bartering chip, at Val’s insistence. All of it was fucking infuriating. He clenched his fists so hard his claws dug into his skin.
Getting angry wouldn’t help.
“Suits you.” He said eventually, keeping his tone calm and nodding at Angel’s newly painted nails. “Matches your eyes.” And like a magic spell, Angel’s face lit up, pleased with the compliment. He twinkled his fingers and admired his nails.
The quality was terrible. They’d dried a little too thin and even if he applied a second coat Angel was pretty sure Husk was right that they’d chip in no time. Angel loved them all the same.