Welsh New Year
Jan. 16th, 2026 09:16 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
cornerofmadnessSo going by the older calendar this week was actually New Years for Wales and we had a party. I was...disappointed not in the event but over the fact that I was literally the ONLY faculty member to show up. At least I was well received. For that matter neither did any of our students. The only rep my school had was the Welsh liasion, two of our success coaches, the choir director, me and two faculty from Buckeye Hills (does the more certificate type jobs). Got to mess about the with mari lywd and then got roped into the twmpath dances. It's a lot like square dancing. My knee was going What the Actual Fuck Dana? We're only a month from the 5 year anniversary of being broken. You wanna revisit that? Stop jumping around one m.
Nope, knee, suck it up. Dance baby dance. Are we good? fuck no. Was it fun? Yes. I also got to make a little puppet mari lwyd. Why? because NO ONE brought their kids. If there wasn't the 20 Welsh students here on tour (your parents let you come to America?!?) there would be just like 6 of us. I wish it had been better attended but it was fun.
Now I FINALLY got my lab fixed. Registrar is like you never sent the paperwork. Oh really? Found it, the email it was in etc etc. Yeah I did. Eye roll
I have a story for today. It'll be chapter one of a long fix-it (or maybe more correctly S3 speculation). I'm only posting it here because it's not quite ready to go to AO3 mostly because I have one WIP right now and I don't want two right now. It's pretty much where I want it to be though.
Title: I Need to Go Home (And Salvage What's Left of My Soul)
Summary: Angel has thrown himself to the wolves and refuses to go back to the hell, sinking deeper into addiction and hell with Valentino. Husk and the others will not let him be destroyed there. They will get him home and they have from an unexpected source.
Rating: teen
Notes:Written for Spikesgirl58’s 6 words and the six words were Skillful, Answer, Decide, Extra- small, Plucky, & Husheda and for the allbingo prompt of Madam Satan and the lyrical titles bingo prompt of Chart Topper. I chose Lost All Control by Seether.
Chapter one
Husk wished every new person in the hotel would disappear. They were a distraction. They weren’t part of the tiny family they had formed. None of them cared that Angel was walled up in Vee Tower like a helpless princess. He had always thought those fairytale princesses had more bravery than their time periods attributed to them and so did Angel if he’d only remember that.
He’s too wrapped up in trying to protect the people he loves. Husk’s wings sagged at the thought. He believes he deserves this.
Husk had tried to bring Angel back twice already; Cherri tried more than that. He wouldn’t speak to them other than to try to run them off. Husk didn’t know what to do now. No one was near his bar at the moment because anyone who had tried today had met with his sarcasm and outright hostility. He was in no mood for their bullshit. He paced in front of the bar with Fat Nuggets dogging his heels. Cherri lounged on a lobby chair watching him while Vaggie and Charlie spoke in hushed tones at the front desk. Charlie had arrived only a minute or so before fresh from one of her therapy sessions where she pretended she had the answer for redemption. It hurt Husk’s heart that he had spoken up when Charlie had forced Angel to try for insta-redemption. It was just that he’d believed in Angel’s inherent goodness and if it were going to be any of them next, Husk was sure it would be Angel.
It was one of the things he’d been overthinking. Now that Angel was lodged so deep in his heart Husk had turned his own thoughts to things he never thought he could have: love and redemption. He didn’t want to be the one left behind but now that’s exactly what he was: the man left behind. While Husk had been trying to decide if he could allow himself to admit he loved Angel, he had tried to prop him up only to have it fail miserably. He hadn’t expected Charlie to try to fast track and force a redemption by making Angel act like Pentious. Husk might not know how redemption worked but he was a betting man. His money was on the fact it couldn’t possibly be the same for everyone. By the time he had realized she was desperate and clueless, it was too late. Angel ended up hurt and disheartened. And he’d ended up talked into wearing a dress and nearly getting run the fuck over by a train. He was still furious that Angel had tried to stop a train instead of jumping with him off the tracks but who was thinking straight in that situation. Vaggi, who else?
“Husk, you’re wearing out the carpet, ya cunt. Quit pacing.”
He whipped around, glaring at Cherri. “How are you not pacing? Angel has been your friend longer than any of us.”
“Because it ain’t gonna help. We’ve both tried to get Angie to see the light. The stubborn twat has forgotten Val can only control him within Vee Tower. He can’t hurt us unless we go there.”
“It’s not that. He knows Vox can mind control him at a distance. He shattered Angel’s trust in himself. He thinks the only way to keep us safe is to sacrifice himself. We have to make him see that isn’t true.”
“And we’ve all tried. Charlie even went down there and Val was completely gross to her. And you know what kind of movie he threatened to make Angel do if she ever came back.” Cherri shuddered. She tossed her head back, letting her wild spray of hair dangle over the arm of the chair was sitting cross-ways on. It caught KeeKee’s attention.
“I know but there has to be something we can do.”
“Maybe you should have told him you loved him before this.”
Husk wilted, hugging himself as guilt swamped him but it quickly gave way to rage. How dare she? “The Should Haves help nothing other than to make me want to drink myself into oblivion.”
“Which helps no one. Angel was so high the last time I saw him I’m not sure he knew who I was.” Cherri grimaced.
She yelped as KeeKee attacked her ponytail. “Damn cat. All of you are a pain in the ass.”
Husk figured he was included in that but ignored all of her bile. Cherri was suffering too and ill equipped to handle it, especially sober. She’d been lashing out all over as much as he had. They both owed Vaggi and Charlie apologies. Baxter and Niffty had wisely stayed out of their way and Alastor…, he worried Husk more than Husk had been willing to share. Things were different now. Husk could feel it. He just hoped Charlie understood that.
Before he could address Cherri, the front door opened and Vaggi sat up straighter at the front desk. Charlie beamed at the newcomer. He could all but see her spiel spooling up onto her tongue. A spider sinner strolled in wearing a suit and fedora. The only splash of color was his signature yellow web-design bowtie. He was small, not extra-small like Niffty or Baxter, but definitely small enough to look defenseless. He was nothing of the sort. Husk reached into his pocket and tucked a die between his fingers. What in the world was this minor overlord doing here? Husk had used him for security and knew what he was capable.
Charlie crossed the lobby and Husk moved to join her, just in case he was needed. “Welcome. I’m so glad to see you.”
“Nice to meet you too, Princess,” he replied in a cigarette-roughened voice. He put his current cigarette to his lips and breathed deep. “But I’m gonna stop you right there. I’m not here for the hotel or redemption. That probably ain’t open to someone like me.”
“I believe anyone can be redeemed,” Charlie said, her optimistic expression unwavering.
“Is that a spider sinner thing? Angel said the same,” Vaggi muttered.
“Now that’s why I’m here. I need to speak to him.”
“Why do you need to see him, Arackniss?” Husk couldn’t imagine why Arackniss would need Angel for anything. They were world apart in personality and spheres of influence.
Arackniss smiled around his cigarette. Husker believed he was actually trying to be friendly, which made the creepy smile even worse.
“Thought I saw you with the big movers and shakers trying to stop Vox from blowing half of hell away. Been a long time, Husk.”
Husk relaxed a fraction, nodding. “It has.”
“You know each other?” Vaggi asked.
“Arackniss is one of the web overlords, sort of partners with Carmilla Carmine,” Husk replied.
“What do you want with Angel?” Vaggi knitted up her brow, honestly confused. Husk was too.
“Nothing good, I’ll tell you that much,” Cherri huffed, taking a step toward Arackniss.
He chuckled. “I was trying to ignore you. Should have known that was impossible.”
“That isn’t very nice,” Charlie said. “Do you have business with Angel?”
“I poured his ass into a cab last night after a bunch of chucklefucks roofied him senseless. Didn’t expect to see him in the bar but I went back into the place to make sure everyone understood you don’t do that to him unless you want to have you teeth in your pocket. When I came back out, the cab was gone. I saw him dissing this place on TV but this was the last place anyone knew he was living at. Is he here?”
“Angel moved back into Vee Tower,” Husk answered miserably.
“You helped Angel?” Cherri snorted. “Since when? You hate him.”
“Don’t tell me how I feel about Anthony!” Arackniss growled.
“Anthony? Is that Angel’s name?” Charlie widened his eyes.
Husk shrugged. Angel had never told him that. “Why do I think this is going to require whiskey?”
“I wouldn’t say no,” Arackniss replied.
“You hate him,” Cherri insisted, ignoring the suggestion. “You always have.”
“No, I haven’t. Anthony and I are complicated.”
“Were you a…boyfriend?” Charlie stumbled over the word as if she almost had said client, which is what Husk had been thinking but couldn’t have imagined. He’d only see Arackniss with a partner once and she’d been one of Husk’s pit bosses and he couldn’t imagine Arackniss being to Angel’s taste.
Arackniss screwed up his face. “Fuck no. He’s my baby brother.”
“Wait, what?” Husk goggled at him and then immediately went back to the bar. He yanked down a bottle and guzzled from it. He set that one aside and brought out glasses.
“Did he never mention me?” Arackniss sounded somehow sad at that.
“Why would he? You treat him like garbage,” Cherri said.
“No, Henroin treats him like garbage but he always has even before Anthony put fourteen bullets in him. You have no idea how much shit I get if I talk to Anthony but he was more fucked up last night than I’ve ever seen him. I wanted to be sure he was okay. We might fight, Cherri, but he’s still the little brother I used to swab mercurochrome all over when he’d fall and skin himself up. He’s my family and I’m supposed to watch out for him. But it’s usually better if I watch from a distance.”
“Except now? Why? Angel’s been roofied in a bar a lot of times. Hell, I’ve even stopped it once myself.” Husk pointed to his bottles. “Name your poison.”
“Because I’m curious, why was he here? Why isn’t he here now? Why the fuck can’t he quit that moth motherfucker? And I’ll take gin however you want to serve it.”
Husk grabbed a bottle of tonic water and cranked it open. “Do you know his relationship with Valentino?”
“That the coglione sold his soul? Yeah I know. It’s one of the reasons we don’t talk much. Also didn’t help I shot Valentino once when he was being a bastard in public and I happened to be there. I can’t go to Vee Tower.”
“And Angel won’t leave,” Husk said, mixing up two gin and tonics for him and Arackniss. No one else asked for a drink. “He’s convinced he’s protecting all of us by running away there.”
“I need more context than my brother’s an idiot. I know that part.” Arackniss lit a fresh cigarette from the tip of his other.
Husk held up a hand to Charlie who looked ready to protest and slid an ashtray to Arackniss.
“Yeah, brother of the year right there.” Cherri rolled her eye. “Got any lager back there, Husk?”
He nodded and opened the minifridge to get it. “As for context, when you heard him talking smack about the hotel, Vox had mind controlled him and when Cherri and I broke into Vee Tower to get Angel out of there, Val pulled on his soul contract. You and I know what we can make people do if we want to when we own their souls.”
“He strangled the hell out of me.”
Arackniss nodded. “Okay got it, so Tony thinks because of this you don’t want him here.”
“No, he knows we do,” Charlie said. “He just thinks we’re not safe with him.”
“Princess, you ain’t. Not if he has two overlords living in his brain.” Arackniss inhaled smoke and let it out. “Maybe even without them. He was a dangerous man once, no matter how he acts now. Got a coworker who loves Anthony’s movies. I know he presents himself as a brainless piece of fluff. He ain’t that.”
“He might have forgotten that part,” Husk grumbled.
“Not surprised. Papa told him he was an idiot enough times and I didn’t exactly help in that department.” Arackniss sighed. “Anthony is a skillful…man of honor shall we say?”
“I don’t understand,” Charlie replied.
“Mobster,” Husk supplied. “I had wondered even if he never came out and said it to me. Of course, knowing now he’s your brother and Henroin’s kid, well what else could he be other than a mobster?”
“He was an enforcer for Papa and after he machine gunned him straight to hell, Tony worked for me.” Arackniss shrugged. “If someone controls his brain, you could be in a world of hurt, Princess.”
“Val can only control him at the studio,” Husk said. “But Vox doesn’t seem to have a limit…but we also saw Valentino rip Vox’s head off. I’ve been around long enough to know Vox can exchange his heads because he was not always a flat-screen TV. I doubt he’s dead but who knows where he is now and what he’s doing.”
“Vee Tower,” Arackniss said. “At least that’s what my intel says. He’s still a bodiless head. I don’t know if his power has been diminished by what Val did but if you want Angel out of the tower, Valentino is distracted trying to run the whole empire. He ain’t the brightest bulb. Guess Vox is helping or Velvette. She seems brighter.”
“We know Val’s distracted. We tried to get Angel out.”
“But he ain’t having it,” Cherri said, taking a swig from her beer bottle.
“Then don’t give the coglione a choice.”
“Why do you keep calling him col-yo-nay?” Charlie stumbled over the word.
“That what he is.”
Husk glowered at him. “It means he’s an idiot. Not nice, Arackniss.”
Arackniss shrugged. “Like I said, I’ve known him all his life from his first cries to when I had to clean up his body before Mamina saw it after the dumbshit overdosed. Sometimes he absolutely is a coglione. And he’s stubborn as fuck. Henroin would beat him simple to get him to change his mind once Anthony dug his heels in. You’re going to have to do the same. Get him out of there and get his head clear.”
“We’ve tried and failed. Think you can do better?” Cherri sneered.
“Than a plucky psychopath whose answer to everything is to throw a bomb at it?” He asked acerbically. “Yeah but we’ll need a plan.”
“Do you have one?” Husk asked hopefully.
“Not yet. I thought he was here. Didn’t know I’d need to mount a rescue mission.”
“Would you help us?” Charlie asked.
“Yeah, actually I will. I’ll clear my calendar. Some of the cousins can take over for me for a while, some of the young jackasses who want to make their mark.” Arackniss rolled his eyes. “But I need to know a few things to help come up with a plan. First, Husk, you still got your fighting prowess? I heard you were dead or compromised.”
Husk’s wings sagged. “I’m Alastor’s man now but one of the conditions of our deal is I have all my power so yeah, I can bring it. Niffty can too but Alastor will be a stumbling block. Charlie you might have to deal with him to get him to agree to allow us to do something about Angel.”
She nodded. “Of course. I’ll manage it.”
“I can help too,” Vaggi said. “I’m good in a fight and so is Cherri.”
“I know what Cherri can do,” Arackniss replied. “The next thing I need to know is which is real, Vox saying Lucifer is powerless or all the spin on 666 News’ competitor saying that was a lie? Can Lucifer hurt us because that would make taking on Val so much easier. I’m thinking you’re the ones lying or you would have already asked him.”
“Let’s leave it as your instincts are good,” Husk said bitterly.
“Then we have Madam Satan over here.”
“He’s sort of my uncle not my….anything else,” Charlie replied, trying to be diplomatic.
Arackniss raised all his hands in apology. “My point is you have power, right?”
“Charlie’s not one for beating people up,” Husk said.
“She prefers non-violent methods.”
Arackniss wrinkled his nose. “That will make things more difficult. I’ll have to brainstorm on this a while.”
“Want to stay here and brainstorm with all of us?” she asked.
“Is there room? I heard there was a waitlist now.”
“We refuse to give up Angel’s room,” Charlie said. “You can use it.”
Arackniss grimaced. “Probably give me an STD but fine. Let me make some calls.”
“You really want to bring your brother home? This ain’t a wind up?” Cherri asked.
“I’m serious, Cherri. Seeing Sir Pentious on the news, realizing we could get redeemed ….” Arackniss snuffed his cigarette, pausing, looking overwhelmed. “Anthony had a kind heart once. Papa and I helped ruin it. The least I can do is give him a fighting chance and that ain’t happening if he’s with that moth bastard.”
“Give yourself a chance too,” Charlie said. “And thank you.”
“Come on, I’ll show you to Angel’s room and Vaggi can get you a spare key for it. I know you have to make arrangements but as soon as you do, I’m ready to help you.”
“Great.”
As Husk led Arackniss up the stairs, he allowed himself some hope, something he hadn’t felt in far too long. Maybe they could get Angel away from Valentino and make him see he wasn’t a threat. Even if they couldn’t…no, he refused to accept that. Angel would see the light even if Husk had to knock it into his hard head. Everyone would help. Angel was coming home.
And here are my fannish 50 fandom recs
State Visit Stargate Atlantis
Proper Appreciation Torchwood
Passion And Desire FAKE
Tonight The Professionals
Satisfaction. Hazbin Hotel
The Hazards of Exploring Atlantis Stargate Atlantis
Adjacent Hazbin Hotel
Rest In Peace Torchwood
Meeting Old Teachers Stargate Atlantis
Leave the Lord of Starving Faithful Hazbin Hotel
i taught him that Helluva Boss
all my blood, for the sweetness of his laughter
Arcane: League of Legends
M is for Murder Murder She Wrote/Mistletoe Murders
Vastra/Jenny Week 2026 Doctor Who
I Lived Here, I Loved Here, I Thought It Was True. Hazbin Hotel
Medical Emergency Torchwood
Blue Stargate Atlantis
Too Late, Too Late Hornblower
an eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth (a love for a love) Merlin
Nope, knee, suck it up. Dance baby dance. Are we good? fuck no. Was it fun? Yes. I also got to make a little puppet mari lwyd. Why? because NO ONE brought their kids. If there wasn't the 20 Welsh students here on tour (your parents let you come to America?!?) there would be just like 6 of us. I wish it had been better attended but it was fun.
Now I FINALLY got my lab fixed. Registrar is like you never sent the paperwork. Oh really? Found it, the email it was in etc etc. Yeah I did. Eye roll
I have a story for today. It'll be chapter one of a long fix-it (or maybe more correctly S3 speculation). I'm only posting it here because it's not quite ready to go to AO3 mostly because I have one WIP right now and I don't want two right now. It's pretty much where I want it to be though.
Title: I Need to Go Home (And Salvage What's Left of My Soul)
Summary: Angel has thrown himself to the wolves and refuses to go back to the hell, sinking deeper into addiction and hell with Valentino. Husk and the others will not let him be destroyed there. They will get him home and they have from an unexpected source.
Rating: teen
Notes:Written for Spikesgirl58’s 6 words and the six words were Skillful, Answer, Decide, Extra- small, Plucky, & Husheda and for the allbingo prompt of Madam Satan and the lyrical titles bingo prompt of Chart Topper. I chose Lost All Control by Seether.
Chapter one
Husk wished every new person in the hotel would disappear. They were a distraction. They weren’t part of the tiny family they had formed. None of them cared that Angel was walled up in Vee Tower like a helpless princess. He had always thought those fairytale princesses had more bravery than their time periods attributed to them and so did Angel if he’d only remember that.
He’s too wrapped up in trying to protect the people he loves. Husk’s wings sagged at the thought. He believes he deserves this.
Husk had tried to bring Angel back twice already; Cherri tried more than that. He wouldn’t speak to them other than to try to run them off. Husk didn’t know what to do now. No one was near his bar at the moment because anyone who had tried today had met with his sarcasm and outright hostility. He was in no mood for their bullshit. He paced in front of the bar with Fat Nuggets dogging his heels. Cherri lounged on a lobby chair watching him while Vaggie and Charlie spoke in hushed tones at the front desk. Charlie had arrived only a minute or so before fresh from one of her therapy sessions where she pretended she had the answer for redemption. It hurt Husk’s heart that he had spoken up when Charlie had forced Angel to try for insta-redemption. It was just that he’d believed in Angel’s inherent goodness and if it were going to be any of them next, Husk was sure it would be Angel.
It was one of the things he’d been overthinking. Now that Angel was lodged so deep in his heart Husk had turned his own thoughts to things he never thought he could have: love and redemption. He didn’t want to be the one left behind but now that’s exactly what he was: the man left behind. While Husk had been trying to decide if he could allow himself to admit he loved Angel, he had tried to prop him up only to have it fail miserably. He hadn’t expected Charlie to try to fast track and force a redemption by making Angel act like Pentious. Husk might not know how redemption worked but he was a betting man. His money was on the fact it couldn’t possibly be the same for everyone. By the time he had realized she was desperate and clueless, it was too late. Angel ended up hurt and disheartened. And he’d ended up talked into wearing a dress and nearly getting run the fuck over by a train. He was still furious that Angel had tried to stop a train instead of jumping with him off the tracks but who was thinking straight in that situation. Vaggi, who else?
“Husk, you’re wearing out the carpet, ya cunt. Quit pacing.”
He whipped around, glaring at Cherri. “How are you not pacing? Angel has been your friend longer than any of us.”
“Because it ain’t gonna help. We’ve both tried to get Angie to see the light. The stubborn twat has forgotten Val can only control him within Vee Tower. He can’t hurt us unless we go there.”
“It’s not that. He knows Vox can mind control him at a distance. He shattered Angel’s trust in himself. He thinks the only way to keep us safe is to sacrifice himself. We have to make him see that isn’t true.”
“And we’ve all tried. Charlie even went down there and Val was completely gross to her. And you know what kind of movie he threatened to make Angel do if she ever came back.” Cherri shuddered. She tossed her head back, letting her wild spray of hair dangle over the arm of the chair was sitting cross-ways on. It caught KeeKee’s attention.
“I know but there has to be something we can do.”
“Maybe you should have told him you loved him before this.”
Husk wilted, hugging himself as guilt swamped him but it quickly gave way to rage. How dare she? “The Should Haves help nothing other than to make me want to drink myself into oblivion.”
“Which helps no one. Angel was so high the last time I saw him I’m not sure he knew who I was.” Cherri grimaced.
She yelped as KeeKee attacked her ponytail. “Damn cat. All of you are a pain in the ass.”
Husk figured he was included in that but ignored all of her bile. Cherri was suffering too and ill equipped to handle it, especially sober. She’d been lashing out all over as much as he had. They both owed Vaggi and Charlie apologies. Baxter and Niffty had wisely stayed out of their way and Alastor…, he worried Husk more than Husk had been willing to share. Things were different now. Husk could feel it. He just hoped Charlie understood that.
Before he could address Cherri, the front door opened and Vaggi sat up straighter at the front desk. Charlie beamed at the newcomer. He could all but see her spiel spooling up onto her tongue. A spider sinner strolled in wearing a suit and fedora. The only splash of color was his signature yellow web-design bowtie. He was small, not extra-small like Niffty or Baxter, but definitely small enough to look defenseless. He was nothing of the sort. Husk reached into his pocket and tucked a die between his fingers. What in the world was this minor overlord doing here? Husk had used him for security and knew what he was capable.
Charlie crossed the lobby and Husk moved to join her, just in case he was needed. “Welcome. I’m so glad to see you.”
“Nice to meet you too, Princess,” he replied in a cigarette-roughened voice. He put his current cigarette to his lips and breathed deep. “But I’m gonna stop you right there. I’m not here for the hotel or redemption. That probably ain’t open to someone like me.”
“I believe anyone can be redeemed,” Charlie said, her optimistic expression unwavering.
“Is that a spider sinner thing? Angel said the same,” Vaggi muttered.
“Now that’s why I’m here. I need to speak to him.”
“Why do you need to see him, Arackniss?” Husk couldn’t imagine why Arackniss would need Angel for anything. They were world apart in personality and spheres of influence.
Arackniss smiled around his cigarette. Husker believed he was actually trying to be friendly, which made the creepy smile even worse.
“Thought I saw you with the big movers and shakers trying to stop Vox from blowing half of hell away. Been a long time, Husk.”
Husk relaxed a fraction, nodding. “It has.”
“You know each other?” Vaggi asked.
“Arackniss is one of the web overlords, sort of partners with Carmilla Carmine,” Husk replied.
“What do you want with Angel?” Vaggi knitted up her brow, honestly confused. Husk was too.
“Nothing good, I’ll tell you that much,” Cherri huffed, taking a step toward Arackniss.
He chuckled. “I was trying to ignore you. Should have known that was impossible.”
“That isn’t very nice,” Charlie said. “Do you have business with Angel?”
“I poured his ass into a cab last night after a bunch of chucklefucks roofied him senseless. Didn’t expect to see him in the bar but I went back into the place to make sure everyone understood you don’t do that to him unless you want to have you teeth in your pocket. When I came back out, the cab was gone. I saw him dissing this place on TV but this was the last place anyone knew he was living at. Is he here?”
“Angel moved back into Vee Tower,” Husk answered miserably.
“You helped Angel?” Cherri snorted. “Since when? You hate him.”
“Don’t tell me how I feel about Anthony!” Arackniss growled.
“Anthony? Is that Angel’s name?” Charlie widened his eyes.
Husk shrugged. Angel had never told him that. “Why do I think this is going to require whiskey?”
“I wouldn’t say no,” Arackniss replied.
“You hate him,” Cherri insisted, ignoring the suggestion. “You always have.”
“No, I haven’t. Anthony and I are complicated.”
“Were you a…boyfriend?” Charlie stumbled over the word as if she almost had said client, which is what Husk had been thinking but couldn’t have imagined. He’d only see Arackniss with a partner once and she’d been one of Husk’s pit bosses and he couldn’t imagine Arackniss being to Angel’s taste.
Arackniss screwed up his face. “Fuck no. He’s my baby brother.”
“Wait, what?” Husk goggled at him and then immediately went back to the bar. He yanked down a bottle and guzzled from it. He set that one aside and brought out glasses.
“Did he never mention me?” Arackniss sounded somehow sad at that.
“Why would he? You treat him like garbage,” Cherri said.
“No, Henroin treats him like garbage but he always has even before Anthony put fourteen bullets in him. You have no idea how much shit I get if I talk to Anthony but he was more fucked up last night than I’ve ever seen him. I wanted to be sure he was okay. We might fight, Cherri, but he’s still the little brother I used to swab mercurochrome all over when he’d fall and skin himself up. He’s my family and I’m supposed to watch out for him. But it’s usually better if I watch from a distance.”
“Except now? Why? Angel’s been roofied in a bar a lot of times. Hell, I’ve even stopped it once myself.” Husk pointed to his bottles. “Name your poison.”
“Because I’m curious, why was he here? Why isn’t he here now? Why the fuck can’t he quit that moth motherfucker? And I’ll take gin however you want to serve it.”
Husk grabbed a bottle of tonic water and cranked it open. “Do you know his relationship with Valentino?”
“That the coglione sold his soul? Yeah I know. It’s one of the reasons we don’t talk much. Also didn’t help I shot Valentino once when he was being a bastard in public and I happened to be there. I can’t go to Vee Tower.”
“And Angel won’t leave,” Husk said, mixing up two gin and tonics for him and Arackniss. No one else asked for a drink. “He’s convinced he’s protecting all of us by running away there.”
“I need more context than my brother’s an idiot. I know that part.” Arackniss lit a fresh cigarette from the tip of his other.
Husk held up a hand to Charlie who looked ready to protest and slid an ashtray to Arackniss.
“Yeah, brother of the year right there.” Cherri rolled her eye. “Got any lager back there, Husk?”
He nodded and opened the minifridge to get it. “As for context, when you heard him talking smack about the hotel, Vox had mind controlled him and when Cherri and I broke into Vee Tower to get Angel out of there, Val pulled on his soul contract. You and I know what we can make people do if we want to when we own their souls.”
“He strangled the hell out of me.”
Arackniss nodded. “Okay got it, so Tony thinks because of this you don’t want him here.”
“No, he knows we do,” Charlie said. “He just thinks we’re not safe with him.”
“Princess, you ain’t. Not if he has two overlords living in his brain.” Arackniss inhaled smoke and let it out. “Maybe even without them. He was a dangerous man once, no matter how he acts now. Got a coworker who loves Anthony’s movies. I know he presents himself as a brainless piece of fluff. He ain’t that.”
“He might have forgotten that part,” Husk grumbled.
“Not surprised. Papa told him he was an idiot enough times and I didn’t exactly help in that department.” Arackniss sighed. “Anthony is a skillful…man of honor shall we say?”
“I don’t understand,” Charlie replied.
“Mobster,” Husk supplied. “I had wondered even if he never came out and said it to me. Of course, knowing now he’s your brother and Henroin’s kid, well what else could he be other than a mobster?”
“He was an enforcer for Papa and after he machine gunned him straight to hell, Tony worked for me.” Arackniss shrugged. “If someone controls his brain, you could be in a world of hurt, Princess.”
“Val can only control him at the studio,” Husk said. “But Vox doesn’t seem to have a limit…but we also saw Valentino rip Vox’s head off. I’ve been around long enough to know Vox can exchange his heads because he was not always a flat-screen TV. I doubt he’s dead but who knows where he is now and what he’s doing.”
“Vee Tower,” Arackniss said. “At least that’s what my intel says. He’s still a bodiless head. I don’t know if his power has been diminished by what Val did but if you want Angel out of the tower, Valentino is distracted trying to run the whole empire. He ain’t the brightest bulb. Guess Vox is helping or Velvette. She seems brighter.”
“We know Val’s distracted. We tried to get Angel out.”
“But he ain’t having it,” Cherri said, taking a swig from her beer bottle.
“Then don’t give the coglione a choice.”
“Why do you keep calling him col-yo-nay?” Charlie stumbled over the word.
“That what he is.”
Husk glowered at him. “It means he’s an idiot. Not nice, Arackniss.”
Arackniss shrugged. “Like I said, I’ve known him all his life from his first cries to when I had to clean up his body before Mamina saw it after the dumbshit overdosed. Sometimes he absolutely is a coglione. And he’s stubborn as fuck. Henroin would beat him simple to get him to change his mind once Anthony dug his heels in. You’re going to have to do the same. Get him out of there and get his head clear.”
“We’ve tried and failed. Think you can do better?” Cherri sneered.
“Than a plucky psychopath whose answer to everything is to throw a bomb at it?” He asked acerbically. “Yeah but we’ll need a plan.”
“Do you have one?” Husk asked hopefully.
“Not yet. I thought he was here. Didn’t know I’d need to mount a rescue mission.”
“Would you help us?” Charlie asked.
“Yeah, actually I will. I’ll clear my calendar. Some of the cousins can take over for me for a while, some of the young jackasses who want to make their mark.” Arackniss rolled his eyes. “But I need to know a few things to help come up with a plan. First, Husk, you still got your fighting prowess? I heard you were dead or compromised.”
Husk’s wings sagged. “I’m Alastor’s man now but one of the conditions of our deal is I have all my power so yeah, I can bring it. Niffty can too but Alastor will be a stumbling block. Charlie you might have to deal with him to get him to agree to allow us to do something about Angel.”
She nodded. “Of course. I’ll manage it.”
“I can help too,” Vaggi said. “I’m good in a fight and so is Cherri.”
“I know what Cherri can do,” Arackniss replied. “The next thing I need to know is which is real, Vox saying Lucifer is powerless or all the spin on 666 News’ competitor saying that was a lie? Can Lucifer hurt us because that would make taking on Val so much easier. I’m thinking you’re the ones lying or you would have already asked him.”
“Let’s leave it as your instincts are good,” Husk said bitterly.
“Then we have Madam Satan over here.”
“He’s sort of my uncle not my….anything else,” Charlie replied, trying to be diplomatic.
Arackniss raised all his hands in apology. “My point is you have power, right?”
“Charlie’s not one for beating people up,” Husk said.
“She prefers non-violent methods.”
Arackniss wrinkled his nose. “That will make things more difficult. I’ll have to brainstorm on this a while.”
“Want to stay here and brainstorm with all of us?” she asked.
“Is there room? I heard there was a waitlist now.”
“We refuse to give up Angel’s room,” Charlie said. “You can use it.”
Arackniss grimaced. “Probably give me an STD but fine. Let me make some calls.”
“You really want to bring your brother home? This ain’t a wind up?” Cherri asked.
“I’m serious, Cherri. Seeing Sir Pentious on the news, realizing we could get redeemed ….” Arackniss snuffed his cigarette, pausing, looking overwhelmed. “Anthony had a kind heart once. Papa and I helped ruin it. The least I can do is give him a fighting chance and that ain’t happening if he’s with that moth bastard.”
“Give yourself a chance too,” Charlie said. “And thank you.”
“Come on, I’ll show you to Angel’s room and Vaggi can get you a spare key for it. I know you have to make arrangements but as soon as you do, I’m ready to help you.”
“Great.”
As Husk led Arackniss up the stairs, he allowed himself some hope, something he hadn’t felt in far too long. Maybe they could get Angel away from Valentino and make him see he wasn’t a threat. Even if they couldn’t…no, he refused to accept that. Angel would see the light even if Husk had to knock it into his hard head. Everyone would help. Angel was coming home.
And here are my fannish 50 fandom recs
State Visit Stargate Atlantis
Proper Appreciation Torchwood
Passion And Desire FAKE
Tonight The Professionals
Satisfaction. Hazbin Hotel
The Hazards of Exploring Atlantis Stargate Atlantis
Adjacent Hazbin Hotel
Rest In Peace Torchwood
Meeting Old Teachers Stargate Atlantis
Leave the Lord of Starving Faithful Hazbin Hotel
i taught him that Helluva Boss
all my blood, for the sweetness of his laughter
Arcane: League of Legends
M is for Murder Murder She Wrote/Mistletoe Murders
Vastra/Jenny Week 2026 Doctor Who
I Lived Here, I Loved Here, I Thought It Was True. Hazbin Hotel
Medical Emergency Torchwood
Blue Stargate Atlantis
Too Late, Too Late Hornblower
an eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth (a love for a love) Merlin
![[community profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/community.png){kind=small}
no subject
Date: 2026-01-17 08:06 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2026-01-17 11:16 am (UTC)Yay for getting your lab fixed. Every time I hear a story about your school I just shake my head.
no subject
Date: 2026-01-17 04:10 pm (UTC)my school is special
no subject
Date: 2026-01-17 04:12 pm (UTC)