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snippychicke · 9 months ago

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We all know I cannot help but rewrite shit. Or rather post drafts and then come around to polish it up.

Anyways, have some expounded scenes from my earlier post of Husk/Reader/Angel Dust.

Except this is mainly just Overlord!Husk/Reader. Maybe I'll do more later.

Three's a Charm

Genre: Fluff, hints of past violence and sexual assult. LOTS of alcohol mention/use plus gambling. Obviously.

Pairing: Reader/Husk

Life was hell, or so you had claimed while alive. Now you were wondering how much of that was true considering you had died and gone to hell.

You realized the hows and whys didn't matter. The fact you did what you could to offset the evil around you meant nothing to whatever forces judged you. All those pure actions of helping the less fortunate was for naught.

Granted, your pure actions were revenge killings pro-bono for those that had been abused and assaulted, whom the legal system had failed. Apparently no matter how righteous your fury was, the fact was you ended several lives. Murder was murder.

And so here you were. Hell. No longer human but something else. Something Demonic.

And confronted with the men you had killed.

“You fucking bitch!” Your Ex hollered as you tried to out run him and his friends. He recognized you as easily as you recognized him despite his own new features.

God had to have a sick sense of humor to do this to you.

Cars honked and people--if that was the right noun for them-- yelled and cursed at you as you darted and weaved through streets and alleys, stumbling like a newborn with your new legs.

You saw a large building before you, towering towards the deep red sky, and don't even think before you aim for the golden revolving doors. All you care about is its a place to hide. A place to escape.

The lights and sounds of a bustling casino meet you. You stumbled your way through the slot machines and card tables, fear still gripping your heart. You didn't pay any attention to any of the signs on the doors as you darted into one of the back hallways. Dimly lit, walls painted white with familiar motifs of clubs, spades, and hearts on the various doors.

At the end was one painted with all four, which was also the one you ducked into when you heard talking behind you.

The room was filled with the scent of smoke, but you paid that little mind as you pressed your ear to the door, trying to see if you could hear any familiar voices.

Only to hear a very clear, unfamiliar, one growl from behind you. “And who exactly do you think you are?”

You froze, an innate sense ringing alarm bells in your head. You could feel the small hairs across your.body stand on end. You weren't in danger--you were dead.

Of course, you had already died once, but.you still had that sense of self preservation.

You slowly turned around, pressed against the door and searching desperately for the handle. You expect some fierce demon to own the deep guttural voice

And was stunned in more ways than one when you saw the humanoid-cat lounging in an office chair, feet kicked up on the desk, a black tophat sitting between his ears, and grand black wings stretched almost lazily from his back. Lazily smoking a cigar.

Golden eyes however, betrayed he wasn't as at eased as his posture conveyed.

“I-I, uh,” you stuttered, trying hard to think of both what to do and what to say and failing. Especially as he pulled the cigar from his mouth (which of course was full of sharp teeth) and kicked his feet off from the desk.

“You're fresh blood,” he commented before you could make a decision, his small black nose twitching slightly. “You've been down here… what, a day? Two?”

“Less,” you answered just before one of your persuers shouted your name, making you flinch. You had killed the bastard but yet here you were, cowering in fear. Granted, you never fought them--not really. A syringe full of air shoved into a major vein, poison slipped into a drink, brake lines cut, those were easier and less dangerous for you.

The demon's eyes glittered as a smile stretched across his face. “And it seems like you're in quite an ordeal.”

“I'm in fucking hell,” you couldn't help but snipe back at his casualness in the fave of your terror. “What do you think?”

Oddly, his grin grew as he stepped closer to you, a large bird-like tail sweeping behind him. “I think you could use some help, sweetcheeks. How about we play a game?”

Playing cards suddenly sprung from one of his paw-like hand to the other, making you narrow your eyes--both suspicious and annoyed. “What part of this situation makes you think I wanna play a game?”

The smile took on a far more menencing. “Lets look at your choices, shall we? You obviously don't wanna be out there, but staying in here is gonna come with a price. All I'm asking for is a quick round of baccarat with a simple wager. You win, and I'll take care of those assholes for you. I win, I get your soul.”

At first, you wanted to scoff. Your soul? Seriously?

But… you were in hell. And as fluffy ss he looked, this odd being was a demon. (As were you, which was a hard pill to swallow)

Your Ex seemed closer as he bellowed your name again, along with some familiar slurs that reminded you of life before.

Never again. That's what you had swore to yourself when you had grabbed the gun. Never would he lay another finger on you. And that had started your vigilante work.

“Okay,” you breathed, automatically holding your hand out. “You got yourself a deal. But I don't know how to play.”

His laugh would be pleasant in a less tense situation. “No worries, it's an easy game. We both get two cards, and whoever gets the highest number wins. The 2 through 9 cards in each suit are worth face value while the 10, Jack, Queen, and King are worth zero; aces are worth 1 point. The goal is to get the highest number, though you can't go over 9.”

It sounded easy enough you supposed. The demon made a show of shuffling the deck before offering them to you. “Pick any two.”

You grabbed two from near the top, and he took the very top two before the deck disappeared into a pocket.

“Tough hand,” he swore as he showed you his two cards. The King of Hearts and a 5 of clubs.

Your heart was a lump in your own throat as you showed him yours. A 3 of hearts…and an ace.

4. You had four points.

His pointed teeth were on displayed as he grinned. “I take that back. Looks like Lady Luck is on my side after all.”

Shackles formed around your wrists, heavy and unyielding, linked to heavy chains that the demon held. He took a breath as unnatural light and smoke swirled around both of you.

“Fresh souls are powerful,” he grinned as he clenched his fist around the chains, gold eyes glittering. “Never had one that was less than a month old before and damn, sweetheart. Yours packs a punch.”

You looked at the shackles at your wrists. “Now what?” You croaked, feeling your heart sink, assuming the worst. You just traded one asshole for another. At least with your ex you knew what to expect.

“Now I'm going to go get rid of those scumbags causing a ruckus in my casino. Then we'll get you settled into your new life.”

♡♤♢♧

Husk. Overlord Husk. As in one of the top demons of this realm.

Oddly you were more ashamed that you had sold yourself to someone you didn't even know their name.

Yet watching Husk take care of those chasing you had given you a brief sense of satisfaction. Despite his fluffy form, he proved that there was far more to him that met the eye.

A lot of people seemed to defer to Husk as well, reinforcing the idea of being an Overlord. The various patrons and workers on the Casino floor nodded politely in his way that reminded you oddly of a well known mafia boss.

He certainly strutted as if he was.

Your worries of your ‘new life’ slowly eased as you were shuffled off to some of Husk's own henchman-- Alfonso and Reid. They showed you to a small apartment--more of a hotel room equipped with a small kitchenette--and explained your job.

You sold your soul… and now you had a job, a place to live, and otherwise free to do as you pleased. At first you had been worried that things would go south quickly and yet…

And yet here you were, weeks later, and feeling rather comfortable with your new ‘life.’

Being a new ‘employee’ meant you had some of the more menial jobs. Cleaning the hotel rooms of the upper floors, which were often left in such a disarray it would take a whole day to clean just one floor. Then in the evenings you would wander the floor to assure no one was cheating, and also offer customer service by fetching drinks from the bar or exchanging cash for more tokens.

Because of course hell would be a capitalistic society.

Tonight you were wandering around the black jack and poker tables, trying to understand the games just by watching. You had heard of them, of course, but never played them. Everytime your ex and his friends would play, they never bothered to teach you.

And you had learned quickly never to ask.

“What're you so interested in, sweetcheeks?” Husk's voice drawled, spooking you. Other than your initial deal, the Overlord didn't seem too interested in you. You could feel your shackles sometimes, but they had otherwise disappeared to the point you could almost pretend they weren't there.

“I-uh, sorry!” Yyou squeaked, clutching the drink tray to your chest as you faced him. “I'm sorry, I'll get back to work!”

His face darkened as he grabbed your arm, preventing your escape. “Hey, that wasn't what I asked. I've seen you watching the tables pretty intensely, I wanna know why.”

You blushed and avoided his gaze. “I'm trying to learn, sir.”

“Learn?” The anger was gone, replaced with confusion. “Wait, you're telling me you've never played blackjack before?”

“Yes sir,” you answered quietly. “Or any of the others, to be honest. My curiosity just got too much so I thought maybe if I watched a few games, I'd learn.”

You glanced at him, his golden eyes gazing over the table in thought for a moment before he shook.his head. “Fuck it, I'm not having one of mine not know how to play cards.”

Before you could question him, he dragged you over to a table that had an open chair. All the patrons stiffened slightly as he took a seat-- and then pulled you into his lap. You squeaked once more, feeling your face grow hot as the fur of his.chest brushed against the bare back of your dress.

“Deal me in, Chapo,” Husk stated. “ I'm going to show sweetcheeks here how we play blackjack in hell.”

“I-uh, is-is this really necessary?” You asked as Chapo followed Husk's orders.

“You work for me,” Husk answered, chin resting on your shoulder as he looked at the cards the dealer placed. “You need to know how to play the games. It's as simple as that.”

It was not as simple as that. You were sitting in an Overlord's lap in sight of the entire casino. You could feel the eyes on you. Virtually hear the plotting.

Demons were backstabbers after all. Husk may be untouchable, but you weren't. You knew exactly where you fell in the totem pole.

Absolute rock bottom.

“Focus, don't pay attention to those assholes,” Husk whispered in your ear. “If they have a problem, they'll have to deal with me. You belong to me, after all. And no one touches what's mine.”

How was that calming? It should remind you of the shackles chaining you to him, yet you felt vaguely reassured.

Along with something else as one of his hands slipped from the table to rub your leg. Not overtly sexual, but yet another gesture trying to assure you.

Yet a new heat tried to spark in your groin, but you swiftly doused it. This was your.boss--literally your owner. A walking cat demon with wings. The literally last person you should be attracted to.

Even if his voice was like dark chocolate--deep, rich, smooth.

And him whispering in your ear as the game progressed? It was a sweet kind of torture to struggle not to melt but instead focus on what he was trying to teach. Pair that with the little touches he used to get your attention and your head was an absolute mess.

“Listen to your gut,” he grumbled as he lightly touched your stomach. “Now we're sitting pretty at 19, but there's still a few combos that could beat us. Look at your cards and the others. What are the chances Chapo has 20 or 21? And what are our chances if we tap we'll get a two or an Ace?”

There were already a few aces and 2s in play, but your focus was on the black cards sitting face down. “Stand?” You hazard, and swore you could feel him grin.

“See, you're a natural at this. We'll have you Dealing in no time.”

A few more rounds and there was a decent stack of tokens when Husk finally called it quits. Your legs were shaky as you finally stood, and you took time brushing your dress smooth in hopes it would help you regain your balance.

Then you met Husk's golden gaze, the smile on his face almost soft, and you swore the world spun even more. “You did good, sweetcheeks. Here,” he offered you some of his winnings, even though you had mostly just sat and watched. “Payment for being my lucky charm tonight.”

♡♤♢♧

If you thought that had been a one off time, you had been very wrong. Husk apparently took offense that you didn't know any card games. At least once or twice a week you found yourself being tutored by the Overlord while acting as his ‘lucky charm.’

But you would see him throughout the week, virtually everyday in fact.

Which made today very odd because you hadn't seen hide or hair (or was that fur or feather?) of the Overlord. Granted, you had been assigned to cleaning the floor of the casino after closing--those few precious hours where you bustled to vacuum the floors, wipe fingerprints and whatever else from the nearly-endless sparkling surfaces. Fill the coins of the slot machines, restock the tokens of the tables.

Empty the myriad of ashtrays and trashbags full of half-filled drinks.

Your last stop was the bars dotting the casino to empty their trash as well. Except one was currently being occupied.

The last person you expected to see was Husk, a large bottle of some kind of liquor next to him as he leaned against the well polished wood.

“Boss?” You hazard as you approached, and saw his ears flick before he turned. There was a dark flush apparent even through the fur of his face, warning you he was quite intoxicated.

“Look at that, my luck is returning,” he grinned, the slur of his words proving your initial thought. “My lady luck in the flesh.”

You sighed softly as you took a seat next to him. “Bad day?”

His smile disappeared as he grunted before knocking back a shot. “You could say that. Lost more than I won.”

Without thinking, your reached across to run your fingers down the fur on the back of his head towards his neck--only to freeze as he tensed.

“Shit, I'm sorry!” You apologized as you yanked your hand back. Just because he had taken you under his wing at times did not mean you were friends. He was a demon overlord and you were one of the many souls he owned.

He gave you a side eye. “Did I say not to do that?”

You frantically searched your memories, sure that your ass was toast. “I-I can't quite recall, to be honest? But I'm sure it's still inappropriate.”

He snorted before turning in his seat, his knees brushing against yours. “Still can't figure out how a gal like you ended up down here. Fuck inappropriate, sweetcheeks--did I tell you to stop?”

“N-no?” You squeeked, earning a dark grin. Your heart raced from his expression, and even more as he wrapped his claws around your wrist and pulled it to his cheek.

Husk all but melted as you buried your fingers in the fur of his cheek, his eyes closing as he leaned into your touch. It gave you courage to rub your thumb through the silky fur which was met with a literal nuzzle. Your lips twitched into a smile as you took the risk and raised your other hand to rub his ear. A deep groan escaped Husk as he sunk even deeper against you, making you giggle

Maybe this was why you were in hell. Not because of the murders, but because some deep part of you was apparently attracted to furry beings. Sure, you had looked at some furry porn, but it was never a deep seated interest.

But Husk? You were quickly growing fond of him and caught yourself wondering what a physical relationship with him would be like.

“You tell anyone, and you'll be in deep shit,” he tried to threaten, but it was weakened by the fact a quiet purr coming from somewhere deep in his chest. You weren't about to comment on it, however. Not just because you feared for your life, but that it would stop.

This demon that literally owned your soul was becoming far too precious. “I promise, your secret is safe with me, sir.”

He huffed, allowing himself another moment before pulling away. He looked a bit bleary as his golden eyes opened once more, and had to blink a few times to focus. “Anyone else and I wouldn't even risk it. But damn if you ain't something special, sweetcheeks.”

“I'm happy,” you confessed as he poured you a glass. A careful sip confirmed it was a hard liquor--whiskey maybe? It was smooth and warm as it went down, making you feel even hotter. “That you trust me. Hell, I'm happy that I stumbled into your office that first day.”

“You're happy you ended up selling your soul?” Husk asked with a hint of amusement as one of his large eyebrows arched.

“Well, pretty sure out of any demon you're probably one of the better ones.” You had heard horror stories, seen others treat the souls they owned like true possessions.

“Well there goes my rep,” he grumbled. “Overlord Husk, the nice one.”

“I'm pretty sure no one else knows,” you tried to reassure. “Everyone is still plenty scared of you.”

He hummed as he took another sip. “Ya know, I'm happy you broke into my office that day too. But I gotta ask what did you do to end up there?”

“Er,” you itched at the base of your horn, now finally getting used to the extra weight on your head. You never spoke about your side project back when you were alive. Those who found you had heard solely through the grapevine and sought you out. “Do you recall those demons chasing me?”

One of his large eyebrows raised, intrigued. “Yeah?”

“I…kinda may have killed them?” You offered, voice muffled by your own glass.

There was a beat before Husk laughed--a deep rich sound that made your heart thump. Something that happened more frequently through the last few weeks, much to your despair.

“You?” He swore after a moment. “My little lucky charm killed a man?”

“Well, several of them, actually…” you admitted, hoping your new skin tone didn't betray your blush. Because you were embarrassed, and not the impressed look on his face. “But in my defense, they deserved it.”

He chuckled, shaking his head. “Now I know why you look like a jackalope. Innocent as a bunny but with horns that can maul a man.”

You touched the horns on your head before chuckling yourself, though a bit self consciously. “Never thought of it that way.” You had figured it was just happenstance you looked the way you did, but maybe there was meaning behind it.

And maybe… that meant that Husk hadn’t drawn the short end of the straw with his own appearance.

♡♤♢♧

It became a new routine. Every time Husk had a bad day or even if he hadn't seen you, you inevitably would end up sharing drinks. Usually one of the bars that dotted the casino, or the small restaurant space if you were shuffled over there to waitress.

Always public spaces, yet also frequently out of the way to not draw attention. You couldn’t help but feel touched that he was taking care not to corner you (even if he didn’t realize what he was doing.) Yet sometimes, you couldn’t help but want a little more privacy. To see him able to drop his guard completely, unafraid of an interruption.

“Overlord Husk requests your presence,” Alfonso murmured into your ear as he stepped close to your side while you were working the floor, making you pause. You looked at the security demon, his eyes covered by shades--if he had eyes behind the black lenses. There was no expression on the.demon's face, but he tilted his head towards the elevators. “Top floor.”

Top floor? Husk’s personal suite? No one had access or privilege except his personal guests. You hadn't been given access to clean the place, let alone visit.

Alfonso coughed faintly as you hesitated, mind alight with different thoughts and emotions.

Right. If Husk wanted you, waiting wasn't a good idea. Especially, if somehow, he was in a particularly bad mood. You handed your pouch of money and tokens to the security demon before walking briskly to the elevators.

You half expected the button with the heart symbol not to work for you when you pressed it. But it lit up easily as the gilded doors closed. The ride was short despite the dozens of floors the elevator had to climb, leaving you little time to worry before the doors opened once more.

Hell was not pretty, yet the view through the floor to ceiling walls was still breath-taking. The crimson sky with dark clouds, the city sprawled below. Very few other buildings towered as high as the casino, letting you feel as if you were almost above it all.

“It's not Vegas, but it's not too bad,” Husk commented, grabbing your attention away from the view. There was a bar (of course) just to the side, overlooking a sitting area right before the windows, and your boss was sitting on one of the bar stools, bottle in hand.

Not a glass--the whole damn whiskey bottle. And judging by the darkened color on his face, he had been at it for a while. Which explained why he asked for you, you supposed. He obviously wasn't thinking straight.

“Is that where you're from?” you asked as you went to join him.

There was a bittersweet expression as he met your gaze. “Yeah. Lived and breathed the Strip. Worked at a few joints, did a few shows. Was on my way to being a manager at the Fremont before I ended up down here. Never trust the goddamn mafia.”

He took a heavy swig of the whiskey bottle, making you wince. Definitely not in a good mood today. “Well, that sucks ass,” you offered sympathetically before gently taking the half-empty bottle from him as soon as it left his lips. You took a quick drink yourself to bolster your courage, though couldn't help but notice the warmth of the glass against your lips--heated by his own mouth.

Which was not where your thoughts needed to be right now.

“Story of my life,” he grumbled. “Every high point was followed by a landslide that would bring me back to rock bottom to the point I was always worried about everything being taken from me. I took to drinking just to relax and enjoy it.”

“Something that continued down here,” you hazard. Hell, if Las Vegas was stressful and full of backstabbing, hell was even worse. Not only were other sinner-demons vying to become an Overlord, but the Overlords all had knives poised to strike each other when it would benefit them.

Husk grunted before furrowing his brows at his empty hand, apparently confused as to where his drink went. Which only proved he likely had too much, at least in your opinion. He’d probably argue… if he had been sober enough to.

You tapped the knee of his black slacks, catching his attention the same way he often would yours. “You wanna tell me about the good times? I've never been to Vegas, and definitely won't get the chance now.”

The confusion dissipated as he shook his head. “Fuck, you missed the best thing about being alive.”

The somberness left as Husk delved into telling you about his life. The lights and glamor of Las Vegas during the 60s, which was a surprise to you but not as nearly as the fact that Husk liked magic tricks and used to play the saxophone. Professionally.

Not much later, you ended up curled up on one of the plush couches, enjoying the magic Husk was willing to show. Even still quite inebriated, the demon's magic was impressive--both literal magic and the illusionary kind. Card tricks, pulling things out of his hat, the whole routine.

You… you couldn't remember the last time you felt so happy, laughing and applauding. Your heartbeat caught several times by the proud delighted expression on his face, which did nothing in your eternal mission to control your growing feelings for him.

After a while, he flopped down on the couch beside you, reaching behind your floppy ear, only to pull back a playing card. “Was this your card, sweetheart?”

A king of hearts, making you grin and clap. “Yes! It was.”

A quick gesture and the card has somehow turned into a deep red rose. “Ya know, I asked Alfonso to bring you here for a reason.” He confessed before he offered the rose to you. “No matter how down I get, being around you makes me feel better. You really are my lucky charm.”

Oh. Oh. Your stomach clenched as your heart thundered in your chest as you accepted the rose. There was a faint smoky smell to it that regular roses didn't have, but if anything that just added to the mystique of it. “Husk…”

He rubbed the back of his head, looking rather awkward which was highly out of character for him. “I know we have a power imbalance, and I ain't going to be one of those fuckers that demand you to do whatever I want. So if you don't feel the same, that's fine. I ain't going to force you into anything. I won’t punish you either--that wasn’t part of our deal.”

Fuck it. Any reservations you had regarding your feelings for him suddenly gave in, allowing you to admit how deeply you had fallen for the overlord. Maybe he owned your soul, maybe you were both demons stuck in hell… but you loved him.

And he trusted you. Out of everyone he trusted you. You could see that and more in his golden eyes as he met your gaze. “I was kinda convinced it was all in my head,” you confessed softly. “How could I believe I'd be special enough to catch the attention of someone like you?” You bravely brushed the messy fur of his cheek before rubbing his ear--something you knew he liked but only in private. Only when it was the two of you and no one else.

His lips quirked into a slight smile. “I've told you a dozen times you're something special.”

He had. And as his lips met yours far more tenderly and gently than you had felt in a long time, as if he couldn't believe his luck, you started to believe it.

#husk/reader #husker hazbin hotel #hazbin hotel

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