Angel Dust
In the months that Aconite had been living in Hell at the hotel, she had flourished and had a decent relationship with everyone.
Vaggie promised to teach her the wonders of bladed combat when she was older but had shown her a few tricks with a small knife for now.
Husk would listen silently when she had moments of doubts about being worthy of love and being cared for.
He didn't try to assure her like Charlie would in these moments, but he would give her advice in his own way.
What really stuck with her when she'd talk to the bartender is that he'd say, to some interaction,
"Yeah, kid, the world's all kinds of fucked up. I ain't gonna lie to you; look at where we are, and you can feel like the most worthless scum in the world; everyone feels like that at some point, but it's the choices you make that matter. You're choosing to embrace Charlie and Alastor. You may never feel like you're worthy, but you also understand it's their choice to love you in their own ways."
Husk was no-nonsense, and while he did try to choose his words more carefully, he knew what she needed to hear.
Husk's lessons weren't academic; they were life. He encouraged her to trust her gut. How to know when to listen to that instinct and when to wait and see. He noticed how she already had the basics of reading people and helped her improve. How to read the microexpressions people made, the things that gave away what they were really thinking and feeling? He was also teaching her some of the basics of the languages he could speak. And to Charlie's eternal frustration, how to play every card game in existence.
Aconite had developed quite the poker face; how could one not with both Alastor and Husk, who'd once been the Overlord of Gambling, teaching her? It wasn't uncommon at this point to see them in some of the most heated poker games in the evenings.
Niffty, surprisingly, didn't just teach her about household chores, which, thanks to her 'relatives,' Aconite already knew a fair bit about. Or how to take joy in tormenting various pests. But how to enjoy cooking.
It was different cooking with Niffty. Aconite got to learn properly, with supervision, how to cook things she enjoyed. Instead of what her 'relatives' forced her to do. Yes, she was still a child, but she loved cooking.
She quickly fell in love with cajun cuisine; after being forced to cook bland, greasy foods, the spices in cajun foods were heaven. She and Alastor made jambalaya so much that the mention of it turned everyone green. Hey, she may mainly eat raw hearts, but she can eat other things, too, in small amounts.
Sir Pentious inspired her inventive side. Encouraged her interest in science. Though, Charlie had to implement the 'No inventing without Alastor or Charlie' rule.
Because without them, there were far too many explosions. One had nearly leveled the hotel!
Charlie taught her how to handle herself in any situation, and not just with a smile. The most important lesson is, 'Don't take shit from other demons.'
Etiquette, politics, and every else the future Princess of Hell would need to know.
Yes, future princess, because Charlie had named Aconite her heir, something she'd discussed in length with Vaggie and her father.
Things between Vaggie and herself were still a little strained after learning her lover had hidden the fact she was a former exorcist. Charlie was hurt by the deception but was careful not to let Aconite see.
Alastor's teaching, of course, consisted of mastering her magic as much as possible.
Currently, Aconite has three shadows: her sparrow, a spider, and a stag.
The only member of the hotel Aconite could say she didn't have a close bond with would be Angel Dust.
The spider wasn't mean or avoided her, but he also made no effort to get close to her either.
Aconite had just finished her lessons for the day and was given free rein of the hotel. So she had a plan. She'd befriend Angel today! She would!
Right now, Angel was sitting at the bar with Husk, nursing a drink. Aconite was coming down the stairs when she heard Husk speaking to the spider.
"You know, you're hurting Aconite, right? Avoiding her like you are." Husk said, and Angel sighed loudly, making Aconite pause at the top of the stairs.
"I know that! But it's better for her. She doesn't need to deal with my issues. She's a kid Husky. She don't need to be around me," Angel sighed, he loved kids, don't get him wrong, but Aconite was safer far away from him.
"Better for her? Or better for you, Angel? Because we both know the bullshit you're saying isn't true." Husk replied knowingly.
"Her! Me....I don't know! But she doesn't need to be exposed to what I do,"
Aconite listened quietly, hidden by the banister.
"Why?"
"Do you really have to ask? I'm a whore, Husk. She don't need to be exposed to that. It's only a matter of time before she's known by the rest of Hell. She's gonna hear plenty." Angel huffed, downing his drink in one go.
"Is it really about protecting her, or is it you're afraid that you'll get hurt if, for some Hell forbid reason when she understands what it is you do, she'd turn on you?"
Husk asked knowingly. Angel was self-destructive on a good day. Not that the former Overlord blamed him. Husk was no stranger to self-depreciation.
"Yes!" Angel exclaims, "I know she's a good kid, but....folk don't take kindly to what I do for a living, Husk. Charlie and the others, yeah, they accept me, but Aconite is a kid.."
"Being raised by the Princess of Hell and Alastor. The latter is a serial killer with a hobby of cannibalism. Aconite herself is a Peryton. She ain't human Angel. She eats hearts, Sinner's hearts, for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. You really think she's gonna care about what you do?" Husk asked with a raised brow.
"YES...no...I don't know!" Angel bangs his head on the bar.
"Anthony, she ain't gonna care. Kids don't judge others on their past. They judge you on what you do to them. What do you think Aconite thinks about you avoiding her? That kid has been treated like shit for as long as she can remember." Husk says simply, and Angel frowns.
"She's gonna think I don't like her, ain't she?"
"I don't put words in other's mouths. But yes," Husk replied, making Angel feel guilty.
"I never meant to make her think I don't like her. She's a sweetie, but I ain't good for her."
"Again, she's related, by blood, to Alastor."
Angel had to concede to that point.
"I ... can't argue with that."
"No, you can't." Husk agrees, his eyes flicking to Aconite, still hiding at the top of the stairs.
Aconite ducks and hides, sneaking back to her room with a plan.
A few hours later, Angel is sitting on the lobby couch, doom-scrolling through his phone, barely hearing the sound of little feet approaching the couch. He doesn't react; the sound wasn't the skittering of Niffty, which only left Aconite. He's aware of her but doesn't react as he continues looking at his phone. He feels the weight of something being placed on the couch by his feet and the rapid footsteps retreating.
Waiting until she was far away, he looked down to see a little doll by his feet, messily made but in his image. It was knitted, and he could feel the traces of shadow magic on the doll. It was barely the size of his palm, but the color scheme was of Fat Nuggets, not of himself. The little button eyes secured with green thread.
With a smile, he scoops up the doll, cooing at it.
"Well, now, what a cute little thing; where'd you come from, huh?" Angel asks the doll, pretending to not know who left the doll at his feet. He gently thumbs the doll before tucking it into his chest fluff; he'd stow the doll away in his room later before he had to go to work. Valentino would destroy it in a heartbeat.
"There, all nice and safe. I'll have to thank whoever left me such an adorable gift when I find them, huh?" Angel says, patting the doll on the head. He hears a faint giggle at the top of the stairs and smiles to himself.
Maybe it wouldn't be so bad to let her close. She had a decent talent for knitting, and it was a secret hobby of his. Maybe because he is a spider?