Cheater
@sirhusk Success! This one was really interesting to write actually, I didn’t think Pentious would be so fun to mess around with vocabulary wise. The beginning was a little rough but I think I got the character down at the end. I didn’t want to keep you waiting too long! I hope you enjoy it 🥰
Word Count: 2011
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Husker was a well-known gambler. Despite losing his Overlord title long ago, he was still remembered by some of the older demons within Hell and fiddled around with a few tricks. It was late at the bar so Husk had no patrons to attend to. The hotel was quiet as the habitants were likely off sleeping, or in Angel’s case working. He finished cleaning the glasses and reorganized the bottles and cans a while ago, so he pulled out a deck of cards he kept under the counter to pass the time. As he shuffled and practiced some of his old moves, he heard a voice break the silence.
“Husssker? Good that you’re open.”
He instantly knew who it belonged to. Looking up in mild surprise, he was greeted by the slithering figure of the snake demon, Sir Pentious. He let out a sigh, but he wasn’t actually annoyed that the snake had shown up. The company was appreciated because Charlie insisted he stayed open into the later hours to ‘get ready for when the hotel is a huge success’. After all, Pentious was…a friend of his, despite his more excitable and loud personality.
“Yeah. Charlie insisted that I start opening later for when guests bombard this shithole. But what about you? What are you doing here this late?” His voice was as scruff as it usually was as he raised a brow.
Sir Pentious moved with a serpant-like grace as he slithered up to the bar to take a seat. He let out a slightly dramatic sigh in response to Husker’s question. “I’m taking a break. I’d thought you’d be familiar with the concccept.” He quipped jokingly. “Coming up with ssschemes takes a lot of brain power, you know.”
Husker chuckled as Pentious snaked up sat down. He assumed that he would be here for a drink, so he set his cards down to grab him a glass, giving him a small smirk as he spoke. “Yeah, yeah, I’m familiar with it alright. What can I get ya, something strong?”
The serpent was going to get a drink. It was what he came down here for, after all. But his eyes locked onto the deck of cards previously in his hands. “Cardsss?” He spoke slowly, eyes narrowing as his gaze flashed up to give Husker a toothy, devious grin. “I don’t sssuppossse you’re any good with them, are you?”
Husk glanced down at the cards, picking them back up before looking at him. “Pfft, yeah, I’m good. Why? You want to play?” He put the glass away and moved to begin shuffling them, his eyes holding a hint of mischievousness. He’d never played cards with the demon before, and his interest intrigued him.
A flicker of excitement filled Pentious’ eyes as Husk replied, and he let out a scoff-like hiss of a laugh, leaning in closer as his tongue poked out in interest. He rested his chin in his hand watching as the cat-demon shuffled. “Play? Oh yesss, I very much want to play. You have no idea how long it’sss been sssinccce I’ve had a good game of cardsss. I think we’re going to have a jolly good game!” His voice held a sly tone.
Husk placed the deck down, picked up his cards, and examined them closely. He smirked mischievously before looking up. “Alright, you’re on. You’re in for a good game, so don’t give up on me if I kick your ass.”
Pentious chuckled, filing out his deck and glancing at his cards. He was well aware of Husker’s skill, yet he was still cocky. He was confident in his abilities and was determined to win. “Hah! Preposssterousss! You dare underessstimate the cunning intellect of Sssir Pentious? A game of cardsss is but a trifling matter for a mind asss sharp asss mine!”
So the games began. And it didn’t take long for Husker to win the first game. And the rematch. And the next rematch. And the next. At first, Sir Pentious assumed that it was just bad luck. But as the games continued Pentious' confidence quickly started to fall, his sly smile falling with every victory. The snake demon's slender frame got visibly more annoyed as he grew increasingly suspicious of Husker for cheating.
And there’s no denying he was. He was counting and marking cards with a barely noticeable bend, pulling the correct cards that would benefit him. He could read Pentious' body language like a book, and it didn’t take long for the snake demon to snap. After winning the thousandth rematch, Pentious let out a loud and irritated hiss and slammed his fist down on the counter. “Sssir Pentious never sssucks at anything! Thisss isss an outrage! A travesssty! A ssscandal of monumental proportionsss! You’re cheating aren’t you?”
Husker chuckled and leaned against the counter, cards still in hand with a small smile on his face. “Oh, come on, Pentious. What makes you think I’m cheating?” His sly grin widened as he purposely taunted him more.
“There’sss no quessstion about it! I demand an admisssion by the guilty party!” He threw his arms up in a dramatic fashion before standing and moving behind the bar. “You’re usssing trickery! Confess and ssstop thisss already!” His eyes narrowed.
Husk watched slightly surprised at Pentious moving behind the bar. He maintained eye contact with the snake demon, loving every minute he was under his skin. It was clear he was losing his temper, tail twitching in frustration. “I ain’t confessing to a damn thing. You’re just mad ‘cause you’re losing.”
Sir Pentious was not taking any more of his taunts. He stopped a mere foot or two away from him and crossed his arms. “Admit it, or I’ll forccce it out of you!”
The cat demon just laughed slightly, putting down the cards. “Oh, really? I’d like to see you try, Pent.” The snake was very close, and Husker could practically feel the heat radiating from him. Despite that, he was still unbothered.
Pentious needed no more provocation, as in the blink of an eye he grabbed Husker and pinned him to his chest. “If you think that a few cheap tricksss will get you out of thisss, then think again. Becaussse if you continue to lie to me, I’ll have no choice but to... tickle you into sssubmission!”
Husk froze for a split second, more out of surprise than fear. Then, he burst into a gravelly laugh, leaning back in Pentious’s hold as if the whole thing was a joke. "Tickle me into submission? Seriously? That’s the best you’ve got?"
Sir Pentious’s eyes narrowed further as his grin grew more wicked. "Oh, you underessstimate me, Husk. I’ve sstudied the art of villainy to perfection! And while you might find thiss amussing now, you won’t be sssmiling ssso sssmugly sssoon.” The snake demon’s tail flicked sharply, curling up to Husk’s side. Husk flinched, trying to jerk away on instinct, but Pentious tightened his grip.
“Hold ssstill, you deccceitful feline!” Sir Pentious hissed, his fingers wiggling dramatically like an evil mastermind preparing for his grand plan. “You’ve forced my hand, or rather, my clawsss!”
Husk snorted, attempting to maintain his cool facade. “You’re really leaning into this whole villain act, huh?” The words had barely left his mouth before Pentious’s slippery fingers and tail struck. The sudden, precise jabs to his sides sent an involuntary jolt through Husk, followed by a low, rasping laugh that he couldn’t fully suppress.
“Ah-ha! Ssso, you are ticklish!” Pentious spoke triumphantly, his grip tightening as he went in with renewed vigor. “Confesss your crime, Husssk, or faccce the wrath of my relentlessss tickling ssstrategies!”
Husk squirmed, huffing through his teeth as he swatted weakly at Pentious’s hands. “Cut it out, you oversized garden hose!” he barked between half-suppressed chuckles. He squirmed and continued struggling to contain his laughter.
Pentious leaned in closer, his grin positively devilish. “Not until you admit your treachery, you conniving cat! Ssso confesss, or prepare for never ending laughter!” He quickly sped up the wiggling of his fingers and moved slightly higher, up to his ribs while his tail stayed low.
Husk’s composure crumbled as the snake demon’s tail and fingers found the sensitive spots between his ribs. A deep, raspy laugh burst out of him as he thrashed slightly, his hands pushed futilely against Sir Pentious’s hands and tail as the snake’s grin widened with villainous delight.
“D-damn it, Pent! Quit it!” Husk growled through his laughter, his voice cracking slightly under the relentless tickling. He can’t help but throw his head back with a surprised and slightly embarrassed squeal when his tail moved from his side to his hip.
Sir Pentious’ grin grew impossibly wider as he caught the sharp squeal that escaped Husk’s lips. He froze for a dramatic moment, eyes gleaming with mischief as his tail hovered near the feline’s hip.
“Oh ho! What’sss thisss?” he hissed with exaggerated delight, his voice dripping with mockery. “Isss that a weak ssspot I sssee? Oh, Husssk, my dear friend, you’ve made a grave missstake by revealing it to me!” Before he moved to focused his energy on digging soft circles into his hips.
The cat demon let out an even louder laugh, his composure completely shattered as he twisted and bucked against the assault. “Fuck! P-Pentious!” Husk barked, his voice cracking between involuntary bursts of laughter. His arms flailed as he tried to push Pentious away, but the snake demon’s grip remained firm, his tail relentless.
“Sssurrender, Husk! Admit your guilt, and I may sssee fit to ssstop thiss torturouss punishment!” Pentious declared, his tone both commanding and ridiculously theatrical. If anything, he digs into Husk’s soft fur more.
“C’mon! C-Cut it out! You’re never gonna get me to c-confess like this!” Husk laughed out, snorts beginning to slip through his laughter as he began to realize that he just might have to tell Pentious what he wanted to hear.
Pentious leaned in closer, enough that his breath even tickled the back of his neck. Though, the voice was still slightly shrill. “But I’ve already won, Husssker! Every chuckle you make isss a ssstep toward your sssurrender!” The snake demon’s fingers moved up, targeting the sensitive area just under Husk’s armpits, and Husk let out a startled yelp. It was his final straw, as his body squirmed and his mind struggled to catch up with the onslaught of ticklish sensations. “Admit it, admit your treachery, or I’ll keep going! I will not ssstop until you do!” He teased.
“Aha! Shit, okay! F-Fine! I cheated, I cheated!” He squealed, gasping for breath as he laughed hysterically and gave up squirming.
Pentious pulled back instantly, his grin smug as he released Husk with a theatrical flourish of his hands and tail. “Ah-hah! A confession at last! Oncce again, the mighty Sssir Pentiousss prevailsss!” He straightened up dramatically, fluffing his cape and tail like he’d just won some great battle.
Husk, now free, stumbled slightly as he tried to catch his breath. He leaned against the bar and he shot Pentious a glare, though his expression was softened by the flush on his cheeks. “You’re the absolute worst, you know that?”
The snake demon adjusted his hat smugly, his tail curling with satisfaction. “Why, thank you, Husssk! I take that asss the highesst of complimentsss. Now, perhapsss you’ll think twice before trying to cheat me again!”
Husk can’t help his slight eye roll, though he was still smiling. “Yeah, yeah. Message loud and clear. So you want a proper game now?”
Pentious perked up at the sound of that. “A proper game, you sssay? One free of your petty deccception and underhanded tacticsss? Of courssse!” He moved back to the other side of the bar. “Prepare yourssself, Husssk, for I intend to prove my unrivaled ssstrategic ssuperiority!”
Husk let out a low chuckle, and with a shake of his head as he shuffled the deck of cards. “Sure, Pent. Sure.” He could only hope that Pentious would believe him when he plays fair and still kicks his ass.
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I honestly forgot how much fun writing was. It’s such a nice exam studying break, so honestly until exams are over for me mid December I’ll be pretty active. Thank you again for reading if you did, it brings me so much joy hehe ☺️
