Angel, Husk, Sir Pentious, Cherri Bomb, and Niffty are all at a Club called Consent, Cherri having been dancing in the mosh pit, and Husk says "I'll admit, 'Consent' is a good name for a sex club."
Pentious notices Niffty sweeping like her life depends on it, and asks "Niffty, dear, what are you doing?"
"Sweeping, look how icky this place is!"
"…that's because we're in a club, Niffty."
"Oooh," Niffty says, "I thought the hotel looked different!"
Angel sits down at a barstool, and says "I need a drink after today. Val's into this new waterboarding shit…says it's a kink." He privately thinks it's just some new way to torture him for refusing to move back into the studio, but he's got no way to actually prove it. And, so long as Val doesn't actively abuse him, Hedwig can only sit there and watch with sheer malice in her gaze for the moth - he hasn't actually tried to lay so much as a finger on him since Hedwig started coming to his shoots, something he's profoundly grateful for, but Val's found ways to get around Hedwig's obvious protection role and threat. Longer shoots, worse and worse 'kinks' anything he can think of where he doesn't need to lay a hand on Angel personally.
Cherri offers him a few pills she had stuffed in her pocket, but Angel shakes his head saying "I've had a really shit day, Cherri, I don't need to go too wild tonight." Plus…he doesn't want to fuck up all the progress everyone says he's made. And, he figures, the longer he goes without doing drugs on his own, the easier it'll be if Calli's deal ever springs him from his slavery to Valentino. "Let's just get wasted tonight, please?"
Cherri Bomb shrugs, saying "Suit yourself, Angie. Still, if you've really been working that hard, you deserve some R'n'R, know what I mean?"
Angel nods, knowing exactly what she means - he used to jump at the chance to get higher than a kite with Cherri Bomb whenever they could meet up, since it was the only way he knew to numb the agony Val always manages to ignite in him. Now, though…that band of green wrapped around the cuff that looks like a ribbon one moment and a sleeping serpent the next if he stares at it long enough is what's keeping him going, right along with the support from the others at the Hotel. Hedwig's weight on his shoulder, Husk always ready with something to drink when he gets back, Charlie insisting on including him in every activity even when he's made a jerk out of himself after a long shoot, Vaggie with her stories of working under Adam…it's not getting high and being numb to everything, but it helps.
At about round twelve, Angel notices Niffty's swaying on her feet as she reaches for another glass - about a foot away from where the actual glass is, and takes the closest one out of her reach and hands it to Husk, saying "I think you've had enough, Tiny!"
Cherri Bomb says "Aw, c'mon, she can handle it!"
"She's, like, ten pounds soaking wet, Cherri! And- oh, shit, where'd she go?!" Quickly locating Niffty - who's clearing the glasses off another occupied table, Angel quickly says "Sorry, fellas! Next round is on me!" Quickly throwing enough cash to cover the next five rounds on the table, he goes to grab Niffty but sees she's already vanished again. When he finds her this time, she's in the supply closet rummaging through their cleaning stuff.
Shit, Nif…note to self, don't get Niffty drunk.
Cherri Bomb walks over, asking "Angie, the fuck you doing? You're supposed to be relaxing, not playing nanny!"
Angel rubs the back of his head, saying "She's not used to this scene, Cherri! I just don't want her to end up in the gutter like I used to!"
Cherri scoffs, saying "What'eva, Nerd! Just catch up when you're done!"
Angel sighs in relief when he picks Niffty up, but says "You can't take this stuff, Nif - Gods, why ya being such a mess?!"
Angel quickly realizes that was the wrong question to ask, as Niffty asks "I'm the mess?" Not a second later, she bursts into tears, prompting Angel to panic.
Angel quickly cuddles her close, hoping she's the kind of drunk that just needs some affection, then says "Oh, oh shit, hey, calm down! You ain't a mess! Hey, shh…you wanna play with the kitty?"
Niffty finally stops crying, nodding her head and mumbling "…yeah…"
Husk shoots Angel an annoyed glance when Niffty lands on his back, asking "What is this?!"
Angel says "She's absolutely wasted, Husk. Just go with it…" Please, Husk, just go with it.
Husk sighs and nods his head, even as Niffty starts poking at his wings.
Pentious promptly proves he's absolutely wasted as well - along with confirming for everyone that he's got a massive crush on Cherri Bomb - when he asks her to go into a room labeled the 'sex room' via a neon sign above it.
Cherri snorts, asking "Excuse me, why would we have sex?" They've been at each other's throats for how long? And now...he wants to fuck with her?
Pentious stammers, eventually yelling out that the next round of drinks is on him.
Angel walks over, and Cherri down another glass before saying "We could be doing this shit every fuckin' night, bitch! You don't have to spend all your off-hours working on yourself, you know!" She's missed having her favorite drinking buddy, believe it or not! The Angel she knows is fun, loves a good party, and loves a good time! Time was, they'd be twenty rounds deeper by this time and high as a kite to boot, having an absolute blast!
Husk walks over, Niffty thrown over his shoulder, saying "The Hotel isn't the problem in his life, it's-"
Angel suddenly stiffens, saying "Valentino."
Husk nods, saying "Exactly-"
"No, guys, Valentino. He's here!" Of all the clubs Val could've gone to find more souls…Angel never would've thought he'd pick a place called Consent. Angel edges towards the door, saying "Let's get the fuck outta here- fuck, where's Niffty?!"
Husk snaps his head to where he was just carrying the little cyclops-demon on his shoulder - she was just there a moment ago!
Angel takes off at a sprint when he sees Niffty running straight towards Valentino and the four females he's surrounded by - of all the times for Niffty to hyperfocus on a 'bad boy' it did not have to be now!
And it definitely did not have to be Valentino of all people!
Quickly making his way through the crowd, Angel dives forward and just manages to catch Niffty…right in front of Valentino. And, of course, the moth's eyesight isn't so shitty he doesn't notice the bright white spider demon landing directly in front of him.
Valentino raises an eyebrow, saying "Holy shit, Angel Dust! What're you doing here, baby? Didn't get enough-"
Angel cuts Val off, saying "Getting drunk. And, now? Going home. C'mon, Nif."
Val smirks down at Niffty, who's gaze is almost manically focused on him, and asks "Who's this Chiquita? You bringing me fresh-!"
Val quickly pulls his finger back just before Niffty can bite it off with a muttered "I just want a taste…"
"Eh, weird…but I'm sure there's a kink for that…"
Angel gets to his feet, saying "Fuck off, Val."
Valentino sits forward at once, asking "Excuse me?"
Angel says "I said, fuck off, Val!" Everyone freezes, even as Husk and Cherri make their way through the crowd - and Angel sees Husk has two of his exploding dice between his fingers in one hand, and a few poker cards he fights with in the other hand. "I may have to put up with your bullshit, but you ain't fucking with any of my friends!"
Valentino stands up at once, looming over Angel, and says "You forget who you're talking to." He makes the chain reappear out of the smoke from his cigarette, adding "I own you!"
Angel gets pulled closer to Valentino by the chain around his wrist, and says "Yeah, you do - in the studio, just like that 'work contract' says. And you can do anything you want to me there. But, out here? I get to do whatever I damn well want. So, once again, fuck off, Valentino!" Angel suddenly goes flying backwards, feeling his face burn from the way Val just backhanded him, and hits the floor - making sure to take the worst of the fall for Niffty, before rolling over to keep him from trying anything on her. Husk actually growls, and it's only Cherri Bomb's hand on his shoulder that keeps him from going off on the moth demon right then and there - as much as she wants to punch Valentino's lights out to, this isn't the place for it and she knows it.
Valentino says "Enjoy the rest of your night, bitch - because I'm going to enjoy making you pay for it tomorrow!"
Angel plants the hand that's still magically cuffed on the floor, feeling it shaking as he does - it's only when he gets a look at it that he realizes it's not from nerves or anything. It's from the cuff - more specifically, it's from the band of green that's now glowing brighter than the disco lights in the club. Green cracks suddenly form in the rest of the cuff, spreading to the first of the chain links, and Angel glances at Husk in amazement, understanding filling the feline's gaze, before saying "Hey, Val! Think you forgot something!"
Valentino turns around just in time for those cracks to shoot down the chain links, hitting him squarely in the chest - Val goes flying, actually going straight through the wall at the other end of the club.
"Oh, shit!" Cherri Bomb cheers, asking "Was that from her?! That red-head?!"
Angel nods, sitting up and feeling at his wrist and throat, and says "Yep. Calli just rules."
"Well, damn, I think I might start to like her to if that's the kind of shit she can…did you hear that?"
There's a very distinctive screech from the hole that Valentino just made, followed by Valentino screaming at the top of his lungs, and Husk says "Damn, Hedwig found him." He was seriously hoping to get a shot at Valentino! He still has his power as an Overlord, after all!
Vox and Velvette start in surprise when Valentino bursts through the door and quickly slams it shut, yelling "HIDE ME, THAT DEMON BIRD IS AFTER ME!"
Velvette's jaw drops in shock as she takes in his appearance - the fur on his wings is ripped and torn in several places, there's deep gashes going down his face, neck, and wings, even as Vox asks "Demon…you mean the owl? Peverell's Familiar? Did she do this to you?"
Valentino opens his mouth to respond, but there's a terrifying screech and he squeals and moves to crouch behind Vox and Velvette. When the other two Vees look over, they see Hedwig sitting on the railing, glowing yellow eyes locked onto Valentino's form with far more malevolence than either of them thought a bird capable of possessing…and several large clumps of fur in her red-stained talons. "Hide me, hide me, hide me from that monster-bird!"
Vox asks "What the fuck happened?!"
Velvette tries to shoo the bird away, but only succeeds in getting Hedwig to do the single most terrifying thing with her head any of them have seen since that video of Calliope having beat up Mammon, bobbing it like her neck is dislocated while crouching down like she's about to take flight.
Suddenly, Hedwig's head turns a full 120 degrees around, straight towards the Hotel, and she snaps her beak warningly at Valentino before taking off towards the Hotel once more.
Calli gets back to the Hotel, her search in the Wrath and Gluttony Rings for any sign of Lilith or what might've happened to her having been absolutely fruitless, she sees Angel and Husk drinking together like there's no tomorrow, Pentious looking like he's already completely wasted, and Charlie looking absolutely ecstatic.
And Lucifer just looks really confused, like he's got no idea what the celebration is about.
And then Hedwig comes soaring in, dropping some tufts of familiar white and red fur in front of Niffty before landing on Calli's shoulder. Niffty starts cackling away like she's just won the lottery, then stampers away while muttering about her collection. Sitting down between Charlie and Lucifer, Calli asks "What'd I miss?"
Charlie says "Angel's free! Valentino happened to be at the bar they went to, Niffty noticed him, Angel told him to fuck off..."
Calli grins, saying "So that's why Hed feels so self-satisfied! Congrats, Angel!" Hedwig manages to hate Valentino even more than she does, something that's really hard to do.
Angel looks up from where he was singing 'Two-Minutes Notice' off-key, and beams from ear to ear at her. "Calli! Have I told you lately that your magic is the best? Like, seriously, the best! Along with your cooking!"
Calli waits until Angel sets her down, as he picked her up and span her around in something like a happy dance, and asks "How much of the Bourbon did you have?"
Husk calls over "One shot glass, this time. But about twelve or thirteen rounds of something else back in Consent."
Angel picks Calli up again and crushes her to him, saying "Oh, if I wasn't sure I'd get ripped to pieces, Calli, I'd kiss you right now! I'm not drunk enough to forget that, though!"
Calli takes a step away from Angel to stare up at his face, asking "Uh…what now?"
"You two aren't subtle! One of you kiss the other already! Or I'll lock you in a closet! I've had enough, I've hit the wall, I'm tired of taking your calls! It ends today, now there's just one last thing to say-ay-ay FUCK YOU!"
Calli shakes her head as Angel goes back to using his phone as a microphone, and murmurs "You're clearly drunk enough to not be thinking straight…anyone know what he was talking about?"
Alastor shrugs from his own chair at the far end of the little seating area - as far away from the makeshift party Angel, Husk, and Cherri Bomb are throwing while still being present - and says "Not a clue. How did everything go?"
Calli runs a hand through her hair, saying "Waste of time, didn't find anything. I'll keep looking tomorrow." The countless Point Me Spells she was casting didn't show anything in either Wrath or Gluttony, it's like Lilith has just ceased to exist.
Which…she would've been told if Lilith had died, all four of them know how much the Morningstar family means to her, but Lilith isn't dead she's just…missing.
And that's gonna be a mess and a half to try and explain to Lucifer, that the woman that left him maybe wasn't actually the woman he fell in love with at first sight in Calli's cottage. He'll either start blaming himself for not realizing it wasn't the real Lilith…or it'll just break him all over again, and she won't allow that.
Cherri Bomb pulls Calliope out of her darkening thoughts, clearing her throat and says "Hey, uh…Calli, was it?"
Calli nods, saying "Cherri Bomb, right? Heard you guys had a great time."
Cherri nods, saying "It was a blast…'specially watching that dickhead go flying through a wall. That…that was your doing, right?"
Calli nods, saying "Angel and I made a deal of our own. My magic would enforce the one loophole Angel had in his favor in the contract, and he'd give up drugs once the contract was over. Relax, he can still go out and have a drink whenever he wants - just can't get high on purpose." Getting drugged without his knowledge is another matter - not his fault, not something he wanted, not going against the deal they made.
Cherri sighs, saying "Seeing as you managed the one thing I couldn't for him…I'm not gonna be crashing here, Angie's already offered. I'm doing great, really. But, you guys need me, I'm here."
Calli nods, saying "Thank you. But, things change and you need somewhere to stay…any friend of Anthony's, and all."
Cherri nods, saying "I'll keep it in mind."
Lucifer, meanwhile, is glancing between Calli and Alastor suspiciously - the Radio Demon hasn't ever struck him as much of a conversationalist, yet he's just casually asking Calli how her day was? And he mentioned or referenced Calli almost thirty times when he first met the guy, so…wait, wait just a damn minute.
Alastor doesn't like Calli, does he?!