🕸️ @grldinnr [ . . . ] cont’d .ᐟ.ᐟ
contrary to his 𝗥𝗘𝗛𝗘𝗔𝗥𝗦𝗘𝗗 𝗕𝗥𝗔𝗩𝗔𝗗𝗢 , whenever an individual takes a pointed interest in him , alarm bells blare through his skull like the cries of guardian angels . it simply pays to be cautious ━━━━ 𝐃𝐀𝐌𝐍 - 𝐍𝐄𝐀𝐑 𝐏𝐀𝐑𝐀𝐍𝐎𝐈𝐃 ━━━━ in hell , where the worst of all creation is crammed together in overcrowded cities and standoffish ‘ communities ’ ( it really isn’t that different from new york , when angel thinks about it ) , but the nature of his 𝒄𝒂𝒓𝒆𝒆𝒓 𝒑𝒂𝒕𝒉 begs an additional layer of security . 𝐡𝐞𝐚𝐯𝐞𝐧 𝐨𝐧𝐥𝐲 𝐤𝐧𝐨𝐰𝐬 how many times 𝑜𝑏𝑠𝑒𝑠𝑠𝑒𝑑 𝑓𝑟𝑒𝑎𝑘𝑠 have tried to APPREHEND HIM , swipe him up like some shiny new toy they can’t wait to play with , and angel’s had to turn them into 𝒔𝒘𝒊𝒔𝒔 𝒄𝒉𝒆𝒆𝒔𝒆 for trying their 𝗙𝗨𝗖𝗞𝗜𝗡𝗚 𝗟𝗨𝗖𝗞 .
that was part of what made the arrangement with val seem so appealing , all those decades ago ; the promise of 𝗣𝗥𝗢𝗧𝗘𝗖𝗧𝗜𝗢𝗡 , of not having to concern as much over filthy hands trying to snatch him up . 𝘩𝘦’𝘴 𝘢𝘭𝘸𝘢𝘺𝘴 𝘣𝘦𝘦𝘯 𝘢𝘣𝘭𝘦 𝘵𝘰 𝘩𝘢𝘯𝘥𝘭𝘦 𝘩𝘪𝘮𝘴𝘦𝘭𝘧 , but the prospect of 𝐍𝐎𝐓 𝐇𝐀𝐕𝐈𝐍𝐆 𝐓𝐎 seemed a welcome reprieve . and for his naïveté , he’s learned a valuable lesson : val is no protector , BUT THE ONE HE NEEDS PROTECTING FROM .
fat chance . he’s chest - deep in quicksand and it’s 𝒉𝒊𝒔 𝒐𝒘𝒏 𝒇𝒂𝒖𝒍𝒕 , and as much as he wishes the void would just 𝐬𝐰𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐨𝐰 𝐡𝐢𝐦 𝐮𝐩 already , he knows the reality of his circumstances . he’ll have to lie in this 𝗪𝗥𝗘𝗧𝗖𝗛𝗘𝗗 𝗕𝗘𝗗 he’s made until he can find a backdoor to his contract [ . . . ] and given that val never lets him see the damned thing ( dumb as he is , he’s smart enough to keep that shit under 𝐋𝐎𝐂𝐊 & 𝐊𝐄𝐘 ) , angel knows he’s in this pit for the long haul .
all this considered , angel dust is slow to trust , especially when it comes to 𝐎𝐕𝐄𝐑𝐋𝐎𝐑𝐃𝐒 . before this hotel business , he’d have spat at the idea of befriending one , given that the vees are the perfect example of the FUCKING SCUM they tend to be . now , he’s a little more open to the idea , but isn’t exactly throwing himself at those 𝒑𝒐𝒘𝒆𝒓 - 𝒉𝒖𝒏𝒈𝒓𝒚 𝒕𝒚𝒓𝒂𝒏𝒕𝒔 . well . not always , at least . there is 𝐎𝐍𝐄 𝐄𝐗𝐂𝐄𝐏𝐓𝐈𝐎𝐍 , and whatever angel had uttered before 𝘀𝗼𝗯𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘂𝗽 must have clued rosie in on it .
“ 𝒇𝒖𝒏 , huh .ᐣ.ᐣ ” angel’s lips twitch toward a genuine grin . “ you ain’t the first t’ d’scribe me that way , but ’m glad i could show y’ a 𝑔𝑜𝑜𝑑 𝑡𝑖𝑚𝑒 without havin’ t’ take my clothes off . ” he laughs , a gloved hand raising to shield his 𝗚𝗥𝗢𝗪𝗜𝗡𝗚 𝗦𝗠𝗜𝗟𝗘 in a manner almost 𝒅𝒆𝒎𝒖𝒓𝒆 . it must look 𝐛𝐢𝐳𝐚𝐫𝐫𝐞 on someone bearing his reputation .
verily , he’s not quite sure what to make of rosie [ . . . ] she’s a 𝐰𝐞𝐥𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐞 𝐩𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐞 , at least so far , and she has the kind of lively sweetness to her that faintly reminds angel of his mother . 𝗢𝗥 𝗪𝗛𝗔𝗧 𝗛𝗘 𝗖𝗔𝗡 𝗥𝗘𝗠𝗘𝗠𝗕𝗘𝗥 𝗢𝗙 𝗛𝗘𝗥 [ . . . ] and she certainly had a 𝐬𝐡𝐚𝐫𝐩𝐧𝐞𝐬𝐬 to her that could come out as suddenly as that of a pearl - handled switch blade . given that rosie is an overlord , angel is sure the same is true for her , and only to an 𝐞𝐱𝐜𝐞𝐞𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐥𝐲 𝐦𝐨𝐧𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐨𝐮𝐬 𝐞𝐱𝐭𝐞𝐧𝐭 .
still , the sudden shift in topic catches him off guard . as often as people desire to gossip about 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐑𝐀𝐃𝐈𝐎 𝐃𝐄𝐌𝐎𝐍 , rarely ever do they come to 𝑎𝑛𝑔𝑒𝑙 𝑑𝑢𝑠𝑡 to do it . at the notion that rosie had , angel can feel a certain 𝒘𝒂𝒓𝒎𝒕𝒉 flooding his face , and he’s not entirely sure why [ . . . ] he’s never been asked to talk about 𝐚𝐥𝐚𝐬𝐭𝐨𝐫 before . and though rosie doesn’t give him the impression of a 𝑷𝑹𝑼𝑫𝑬 , angel isn’t sure they’ve quite reached the 𝒃𝒐𝒚 𝒕𝒂𝒍𝒌 phase of acquaintanceship , yet .
“ well , he’s [ . . . ] ya know [ . . . ] ” hot .ᐣ.ᐣ fucking unhinged .ᐣ.ᐣ 𝐬𝐨𝐫𝐭𝐚 𝐛𝐞𝐞𝐧 𝐝𝐫𝐢𝐯𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐦𝐞 𝐜𝐫𝐚𝐳𝐲 .ᐣ.ᐣ
“ [ . . . ] ain’t never a dull moment wit’ him aroun’ , ” he says , breath carrying a 𝒎𝒖𝒕𝒆𝒅 𝒈𝒊𝒈𝒈𝒍𝒆 . “ jus’ when ya think ya know what he’ll do or say , that fucker gives ya somethin’ waaaaay outta left field . ’sides that , once ya get the chance to 𝒂𝒄𝒕𝒖𝒂𝒍𝒍𝒚 𝒕𝒂𝒍𝒌 to th’ guy , he’s kin’a cool . 𝘄𝗵𝗲𝗻 𝗵𝗲 𝘄𝗮𝗻𝘁𝘀 𝘁𝗼 𝗯𝗲 . ”
bewildered , angel blinks at rosie , long lashes fluttering over 𝗕𝗥𝗜𝗚𝗛𝗧 𝗙𝗨𝗖𝗛𝗦𝗜𝗔 , head canting slightly to his left . “ ‘ 𝒂𝒄𝒒𝒖𝒊𝒓𝒆𝒅 𝒕𝒂𝒔𝒕𝒆 ’ ’s one way t’ put it , i guess [ . . . ] but really , he don’t put me off none . wouldn’ call ’im a 𝑝𝑒𝑎𝑐ℎ by any means , but he don’t need to be one . ” such sentiment is punctuated by a shrug that seems thoughtless , 𝐍𝐎𝐍𝐂𝐇𝐀𝐋𝐀𝐍𝐓 , like his words don’t hold half the depth they actually do . “ i like ’im just fine . what makes ya so curious about it .ᐣ.ᐣ seems like a conversation about 𝒐𝒍’ 𝒔𝒎𝒊𝒍𝒆𝒔 would be more interesting if ya had it wit’ charlie , or husk . ”
