mazeofrelationships | today set a standard for bad

today set a standard for bad

By now Angel's used to it. The abuse, the demands, the sixteen-plus-hour shoots with no breaks unless Val himself needs one or he's feeling generous and decides Angel should drink some water so he doesn't pass out and ruin the shoot. Val helping himself to him afterwards, snide comments from Velvette, Vox rubbing salt in the wounds by being himself.

He hates it, hates everything about it, hates himself for being dumb enough to fall for Val in the first place, but he's used to it.

Today, though...Val was in a mood. A trafficking scenario with lots of violence and a gang rape, knives and claws and teeth. No breaks, just Angel getting his holes stuffed with dicks and his body slashed and cut up until he was sure he'd pass out from the blood loss.

Val did the bare minimum of bandaging him and only so he didn't bleed all over "the nice clean floor" which you could run a fucking wet towel over and it'd be good as new. No ride home, either, so Angel was left to limp back to the hotel, trying to block out the pain. At least the randos trawling the streets tonight weren't interested in fucking a whore when he was down.

It's late when he gets back, and he's trying to hide himself in the shadows so no one sees him and makes a fuss.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

"What?" Husk blinks a few times and looks at himself in a mirror. "Well, fuck. I didn't know that was a thing. I guess Hell can't have a shaggy cat as an Overlord."

He climbs into bed with Angel. "Stop starin', you. I'm still me." A pause. "We should figure our shit out tomorrow." What that shit is, Husk isn't certain. All that happened today is starting to hit him hard. "I really did force Valentino on his knees in front of me, didn't I?"

"Yeah, I know, but...look, I don't need an excuse to stare at you." Angel smiles a little, setting the glass back on the night table. "Yeah, you did. And I love you for it, you saved me. Seeing him looking so scared and helpless, it was like he knew how it felt to be me. Maybe this means he'll stop abusing the rest of his stable."

"I hope so. Maybe more good will come of this than just getting you free." Husk drags his hand down his face. "Angel, did I do the right thing back there? Should I have killed him, or taken his soul?"

"Eh, hell if I know. I mean, I sure wouldn't miss him if he croaked," Angel sighs. "And frankly it would've done him good to know what it felt like to be on someone's chain, especially someone who hates him. But the important thing is he's outta my life." He moves closer to Husk, leaning on his shoulder. "Doesn't matter how but as long as I don't have to put up with his bullshit anymore that's already an improvement."

"You're right." Husk wraps an arm around Angel, pulling him close. "He's gone. He can't hurt you anymore." Turning, he looks Angel over. "How're you feeling? Do you need anything else? You're not hurt anywhere, are you? Shit. I should have asked that before."

"Eh, better now that I've had some water and I'm settled in. Probably got a few bruises here and there, but they'll heal." Fat Nuggets comes over to curl up in his lap, and Angel pets him.

"Alright." Husk leans over, kissing Angel on the cheek. "If you need anything at all tell me, alright? I... I kinda want to spoil you a bit. Not like that asshole, but just because you're beautiful, and you're finally fully mine."

"I will. Just...stay with me? I'll let you know if I need anything later, but right now I just want to see if I can get any sleep." Real sleep, not the drugged stupor Val left him in hours ago.

"Of course! Where would I go? This is where I belong." Husk pulls Angel close, arms wrapping around him.

"I love you, Anthony. Sleep as long as you want."

"Love you too, Howard," Angel murmurs, letting his eyes fall closed as he lets himself bask in the feeling of finally being safe.

And he sleeps very well, all things considered...until a few hours later when he wakes up, like his body belatedly realized he hadn't eaten in more than a day.

"Husk..." He nudges his boyfriend. "'m hungry."

Husk was in the middle of a dream. Probably a good one, considering he's practically kneading biscuits in the pillow he's clinging to.

He lets out a questioning purr as Angel nudges him. "wha? Then go to the kitchen and get something, Legs. 'm sleepin'."

It seems he's too sleepy to realize that they're not at the Hotel.

"Sure, where's your kitchen?" Angel didn't get a good enough look around the place earlier. He is, however, enthralled at that purr and the sight of Husk kneading biscuits.

So cute.

"Oh, wait." Husk stretches, turning back to Angel. "We're not at the Hotel, right, and I didn't give you a tour." He drags his hand down his face. "I need to find pants."

"It can wait," Angel says, trying to quiet his growling stomach. "Sorry, I got a little demandin' there."

"No, I can hear your stomach from all the way over here." Husk sits up, looking over at Angel. "Anthony, listen. You're important. Not just to me, but to other people. And you're not just important because of how you look or how much you fuck. You're important because you're you. I want you to feel confident enough to demand things of me. More than anything, I want you to be able to express what you need and want, not just what you think you should." He pauses, taking a breath.

"Anything and everything I have is yours too, Angel. All you need to do is tell me what you need."

Thanks, Husk, he needed that. Angel's going to be unpacking and dealing with a lot of shit over the next few weeks and one of those things is getting used to being treated properly like it's normal.

"If you've got any crackers or cans of soup, that'd be good."

"Of course. It won't be your grandmother's soup, but I'll find something." He leans over, kissing Angel gently, and pulls on his pants.

"I'll be back in a few, love." He leaves the room, returning about ten minutes later with a bowl of soup and some crackers, along with a glass of water, putting it on a table. He's also brought a sandwich for himself.

"No big deal," Angel says. He slowly gets up and comes to the table, sitting down and just...enjoying the aroma of meat and vegetables and salt before slowly digging in. Much better, it my not be Nonna's soup but it's still comforting.

Theoretically, Angel should have good eating habits. He likes junk food, sure, but he loves to cook and is very fond of a well-prepared home-cooked meal. It's his schedule that was the problem, sitting down for a meal wasn't usually an option. How many times had he run to the studio with a piece of toast sticking out of his mouth?

Husk just smiles, quietly eating his sandwich and watching Angel. It's a long time before he finds words.

"How're you doing? Any better?"

"Much better," Angel sighs. The bowl's empty and he's finished the crackers, any feeling of his guts gnawing themselves or threat of residual nausea is gone now. "More filling than three cigarettes."

Husk laughs, getting up to kiss Angel on the cheek. "Just a bit. Promise me you'll start eating better? I worry. You're thin enough as it is."

Angel smiles. "I will. Now that I've got lots more free time that should be easy. Also, I'll have more time to cook for the both of us." Husk should probably anticipate Angel making lunches for him, or bringing him snacks at work.

Husk blushes. "No one's cooked for me in... well, since Miranda left me. I'm a shit cook, so I tended just to eat whatever was around. I'd... like that."

It probably says something about his comfort level that he mentioned his ex-wife.

"Miranda?" Angel blinks. "Someone you used to date?" Wait, Husk died older than him, he probably has a wife and kids or even grandkids.

Oh. Whoops. Husk runs a hand through his hair. "My ex-wife. She left me." A pause. "I had a daughter, too. Missy. Never saw her after she was like fourteen. Miranda wouldn't let me."

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

sorry for making a funny beloved anime gag sad

Awwww.

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject