Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

Every night on the full moon. 

That was the deal, and Blitz was a demon of his word.

Even now, with limbs aching from a rough day on the job and his mind near the brink of exhaustion from several nights of poor sleep, he climbed the side of the palace without fail, entering the bedroom from the balcony doors.

"Ah, there you are, darling." 

Blitz followed Stolas's low, sultry voice to the bed where the owl lay stretched out on his side, head propped up on one hand. Hooded ruby eyes glowed in the low-lit room, Stolas's tail fanning out behind him as he slid one of his talons down the length of his stomach, slipping between his now parted thighs.

It almost seemed unfair at times to Blitz that his end of the deal was just a one-night fuck session a month. In the beginning, he had expected it to be a chore despite how well their first sexual encounter had gone- After all, Blitz liked being the one to call the shots, to decide the who and where and when, and yet...the full moon never loomed over him like the obligation it was supposed to be.

Unfortunately... tonight was not his night.

He'd felt relatively fine on the drive there, but now the queasy feeling in his stomach that had been coming and going for the last few days had returned. Blitz was beginning to think he should have canceled- Stolas wouldn't have minded, and they could have always rescheduled, but Blitz was not backing out now- not when the owl was right in front of him looking like... that.

Regardless of the nausea, Blitz felt his pulse quicken, pupils dilating as the sight sent heat spreading from his chest down to his groin.

'I can do this real fast,' he thought, actually meaning it this time.

Despite the usual adventurous nature of their sexual encounters, Blitz knew he'd get no complaints from the Prince for giving it to him fast and hard, even if he happened to doze off afterward before another round. He knew Stolas would join him rather than wake him up, which Blitz was grateful for since he desperately needed a good night's rest, especially if he had any chance of fighting off whatever was making him sick.

Ignoring how rundown he felt, Blitz tossed the book on the dresser and quickly undressed, smiling seductively as he approached and pounced onto the bed. He snatched the owl's wrist, pulling it away to pin it against the mattress, and swung his leg over Stolas's waist, pinning the Prince's other wrist against the opposite side.

"Hey there, Birdie," he leered down at the horny owl, his low, husky voice already making the Prince shiver beneath him, "Daddy's a little impatient tonight."

And that was as good as a warning Blitz would give; the pinprick white pupils in Stolas's lower eyes and how he felt the Prince's pulse quicken from his grip on his wrists felt like permission, as did how slick the owl's cloaca already was as he slid in without much resistance, Stolas moaning his approval.

Before long, they had settled into a steady rhythm, Blitz thrusting in and out of Stolas's warmth as the owl whined and begged, canting his hips up as he pleaded for more, more, more - and Christ on a stick, it felt good!

Just as the pleasure started to reach its peak, though, Blitz felt a non-sexual heat flush through his entire body, his stomach protesting against the movements he was making.

'fuck'

He felt lightheaded now, and his vision was getting blurry, but he managed to disguise his groan as enthusiasm as he tried even harder to please Stolas and not ruin the whole night, his hands moving from the owl's wrists and tightly gripping his waist instead.

Stolas was still lost in the throes of passion, and with his hands now free, he reached down to grab the imp's horns- a common move between them and something Blitz had never minded in the past. However, the following tug threw Blitz completely off balance, and there was no time to call out a warning or even cuss as the room spun and his blurry vision gave way to darkness.

The next thing he realized was that he was lying on his back, with someone gently patting his face and worriedly calling his name.

Not good.

He groaned and blinked his eyes open to see Stolas's anxious face hovering above him.

"Blitz? Oh, thank hell," the owl sighed, shoulders slumping, "I was so worried, Darling. Are you alright?"

When Blitz realized that Stolas had one of his hands gently placed on the side of his face, he instinctively flinched back from the tender display, shifting his weight to try to sit up despite Stolas insisting he remain still and rest.

"Mn... fine," Blitz grunted as he finally got upright. He was glad that the room wasn't spinning anymore and that Stolas didn't look like a blurry mess, but he was annoyed at the lingering queasiness in his guts. 

"You fainted, Dear," The owl informed him, "Gave me quite a fright, but you were only out for about a minute."

Blitz rubbed his hands over his face to poorly muffle a loud groan before reaching over to try and push Stolas back against the bed.

"Shit- that was my bad," it was the closest to an apology Blitz could manage at the moment, "Let's just get back to fucking and-"

"No, no, none of that," The bird protested, "You're clearly unwell, Dear."

Blitz scowled.

"I'm fine," He insisted, "Just haven't been sleeping well. Plus, we got a deal, remember?"

Stolas frowned as if he had forgotten why Blitz was there. He was also still staring at the imp as though he was worried—like he actually cared.

"Just stop fucking looking at me like that!" Blitz snapped, spines raising on his back, "I'm not some helpless fuck that you get to pity."

"I'm merely concerned for you," Stolas corrected, brow furrowed, "Are you certain you're up for our usual activities?"

Blitz smirked, eyes narrowed at the challenge.

"What? Worried I can't still get you off?" 

Stolas's gaze remained frustratingly soft.

"That's not what I'm worried about, Darling."

Blitz gave a low growl as he lunged at the unsuspecting demon, who was far too sentimental at the moment. Using what little strength he had, he pinned the owl down on the bed by his shoulders and felt a surge of excitement when Stolas let out a gasp of surprise and pleasure at being manhandled—this is what they were supposed to be doing, this is what made sense.

"Now, let's-" his stomach turned, and he closed his eyes in frustration, "fucking hell, you have got to be kidding me!" 

Blitz pulled away from the owl and scrambled to get off the bed. He ignored the worried cry of his name as he frantically surveyed the room, his gaze darting around until it finally settled on the small wastebasket next to the polished dresser.

Blitz darted forward just in time to fall to his knees and empty the meager contents of his stomach inside, heaving and coughing at the foul taste left behind in his mouth as he tried to catch his breath.

He flinched at the gentle touch on his back as Stolas knelt beside him, wordlessly handing him one of the bottle waters they usually kept nearby. Blitz sighed as he rinsed his mouth and finished the rest of the water before tossing it in the trash can with everything else.

Damn it.

"Are you feeling any better?"

Blitz winced at the gentle question, feeling so unworthy of the kindness in Stolas's voice that the words felt like nails scratching against the chalkboard of his mind.

"This....this doesn't fucking mean anything," he insisted weakly, "I can still-"

"No." came the gentle but firm reply, "You are not well, and we will not continue our usual activities tonight."

Blitz shut his eyes, wishing those words didn't make him feel like an even greater failure. After a moment, he sighed, shoulders slumping in defeat and exhaustion.

"Yeah," he finally agreed, voice low and resigned, "I'll just g-OH!"

He had been completely unprepared for the owl to pick him up, cradling him in his arms like a child or, damn, like a blushing bride.

"What the fuck, Stolas!" he protested, squirming slightly as the Prince carried him over to the bed and gently laid him down, ignoring Blitz's glare as he pulled the cover up past the imp's waist and then placed the back of his hand on the smaller demon's forehead.

"Hmm, you don't seem to be running a fever."

Blitz pouted as he crossed his arms over his chest.

"I'm not sick." he stubbornly denied.

"The contents of my waste basket would say otherwise," Stolas quipped back, one eyebrow raised slightly in a challenge.

Blitz felt his face heat up.

"Yeah, well...I'm fine now," he insisted, "If you don't want me to fuck you, then I should just leave."

"The only thing I want is for you to rest," the owl replied, "Even if you don't feel ill, you are still clearly exhausted, and I wouldn't feel right about you driving yourself home."

"Just open a portal then," Blitz griped, "I'll come back for the van tomorrow."

This time, Stolas pouted.

"I'd feel better if I could watch over you," he revealed, "Just in case."

Blitz sent the Prince a suspicious look.

"So what? You want me to just sleep over? No sex?"

"That's precisely what I'm proposing, yes." Stolas replied, "Although I'd feel much better if a doctor were to see you as well."

Blitz scoffed.

"Oh fuck that," he said, "No way am I paying some crackpot to tell me I got the Flu or some shit. Waste of fucking time and money."

"I'd be more than happy to cover the bill," The Prince volunteered, "If nothing else than to ease my concerns over the matter."

Blitz narrowed his eyes at Stolas.

"You are not gonna let this go, are you?"

The owl stared right back at him in stubborn silence.

"Fuck! Fine!" Blitz snapped, pulling the cover up to his neck as he twisted to lay on his side, still facing towards the Prince- damn it, why hadn't he turned the other way?

"I'll go tomorrow after work, alright? That good enough for you, your Highness ?"

The owl's expression instantly lightened at the news, not bothered by the imp's moodiness.

"Oh, Blitzy, that would be wonderful."

A sense of relief washed over Stolas even as Blitz closed his eyes, signifying the end of the conversation.

The owl moved to join him on the bed, covering himself as he snuggled down to admire the imp, who appeared to be already fast asleep. Now that Stolas was paying closer attention, he could see the bags under his lover's eyes that spoke of sleepless nights and stress, and he felt himself frowning again.

He wished he could do more than just offer to pay doctor bills and let Blitz sleep in his bed. After all, if Blitz so desired, Stolas would have him share his bed every night- especially now that Stella was out of the picture.

After a few moments of quietly worrying, Stolas reached over and gently ran his fingers down the curve of one of Blitz's horns. However, the imp wasn't as deeply asleep as the Prince had thought, and yellow eyes blinked open to regard him with drowsy confusion.

Stolas immediately pulled his hand back, feeling guilty for disturbing Blitz's much-needed rest, but the smaller demon just let out a short sigh before scooting across the sheets until he was up against the other's chest.

Blitz wrapped his arms loosely around the owl, his tail curling around his waist.

"It's just the flu," he mumbled sleepily into Stolas's feathers, "Stop worrying."

Blitz felt Stolas melt.

The owl wrapped his arms around Blitz and pulled him closer with a pleased-sounding hoot that didn't make the assassin feel warm and fuzzy inside.

"I'll try, my dear." Stolas replied, voice soft and content, "Just rest now."

Blitz closed his eyes with a small exhale, letting himself drift back off to sleep, but not without thinking about how stupid he was for staying in the first place.

Chapter Text

Blitz woke up to Stolas staring adoringly at him from the other side of the bed. The Prince had propped his head up delicately on his hand, and a content smile played on his lips. Blitz cringed inwardly at the open affection in Stolas's gaze. It seemed like the Prince had begun looking at him like that more and more, and it always made Blitz feel out of his depth.

"Good morning, Blitzy," The owl cooed, "How are you feeling? Better, I hope."

Blitz stretched his arms above his head and let out a groan as he sat up. Even though he felt more rested than he had in days, he didn't want to admit it out loud. 

He waved a hand in the Prince's direction, "I feel fine."

He looked out at the sun through the balcony windows and then at the alarm clock beside the bed and cursed.

"Shit! I'm late for work!"

He scrambled off the bed, frantically gathering his clothes from the night before and getting dressed.

"Must you run off so soon?" Stolas pouted as he stood next to his bed in nothing but his robe, 

"We could have breakfast together if-"

"No time, bitch," Blitz interrupted, "Daddy's got work to do."

He glanced up at Stolas's disappointed face and winced, rubbing the back of his neck.

"But, uh, thanks," he mumbled, gesturing vaguely with his other hand, "Ya know, for letting me 

spend the night."

Stolas's expression brightened.

"Of course, my dear. You're always welcome to spend the night with me," He walked around the bed to stand in front of the imp, reaching down to touch the side of his face, "I do so enjoy waking up to you."

Blitz fervently hoped he wasn't blushing.

"Yeah, well-"

As he stumbled over his words, the owl suddenly leaned in and gently kissed his lips. It was an unexpected change from the urgent, lustful kisses that Blitz was used to receiving, so he quickly pulled away.

"Okay, that's enough domestic sap for one morning," Blitz announced, turning to leave, "Now, where's that damn book..."

Said book floated toward him, surrounded by Stolas's magic.

"Fortunately, I was able to finish my duties while you were sleeping," The owl said, "Although I hated to leave you for even a moment, especially since you were so delightfully clingy."

Blitz snatched the book out of the air, ignoring the Prince's words as he turned toward the balcony.

"Do message me after your trip to the doctors," Stolas said, following close behind the imp as he tried to make a hasty retreat, "You do still intend to go, don't you?"

Blitz rolled his eyes with a groan.

"Said I would, so I will," He griped, "Now stop being such a mother hen."

"Very well," Stolas replied, not bothered by Blitz's moodiness, "Until next time, dearest."

Dearest?

'That's a new one,' Blitz thought, hoping Stolas didn't notice the way his tail perked up as he turned to leave.

"Yeah, yeah."

-----------------------

The drive to work was torture. 

Blitz thought he'd been doing better, but his driving speed, coupled with the winding roads of Imp City, had set his stomach off again. He clenched his teeth and tried to breathe through the waves of nausea that washed over him.

After parking, he let out a deep sigh and rested his forehead briefly on the steering wheel. He waited for the rolling in his stomach to subside before shakily entering the building and up to his office. When he opened the door, all eyes turned towards him.

"Good of you to finally show up, Sir," Moxxie greeted with a judgmental stare.

"Moxxie," Millie gently reprimanded her husband, "You know the full moon is a busy night for him."

"Yeah, I'm sure he had his hands full," Loona smirked from behind her desk.

"Yeah, yeah, yuk it up, all of you," Blitz replied, rolling his eyes as he made his way inside, "Never mind the fact that the work I'm putting in is what keeps us all employed."

"Sorry, sir, but you must admit that 3 hours late is a little excessive," Moxxie pointed out, "Even for the day after a full moon."

"The point is, I'm here, and so is the book," Blitz replied, lifting the book slightly to make his point, "So enough chit-chat; let's get to work."

"Are ya sure you don't want something to eat first?" Millie politely asked, "Mox and I brought some muffins."

She picked up the plate of half-eaten muffins on the nearest table and held it toward him.

The smell immediately hit him, not unpleasant, but still overwhelming enough to make his stomach roll.

He gagged, recoiling slightly.

Moxxie rolled his eyes.

"Honestly, Sir, they're not-"

Blitz ignored whatever else was said as he dropped the book carelessly on the ground and quickly covered his mouth. His eyes darted wildly until he spotted a waste basket near Loona's desk. He fell to his knees in front of it and heaved, his arms tightly wrapped around his stomach.

Loona let out a sound of disgust and quickly backed away from him while Moxxie and Millie exchanged concerned looks. Blitz continued to gag and heave, but he had little in his stomach to actually empty. 

"Oh, Hon, are you sick?" Millie gently asked.

Blitz groaned.

"Gee, what gave me away," he sarcastically replied, still bending over the little trash can.

"Sir, if you're feeling under the weather, you could have just called in," Moxxie said, "No sense getting us all sick."

"I thought you seemed a little run down yesterday, too," Millie commented, "Maybe you should see a doctor."

Blitz sighed as he pushed himself to his feet, exhausted.

"I already promised Stolas I'd go after work," he explained, "So you can all get off my case about it."

"You should go now."

Blitz looked at Loona in mild surprise, but the hellhound just shrugged.

"You haven't smelled right in weeks," She informed him.

'weeks?' Blitz thought.

"I've only been sick a couple of days," He replied, "And what the fuck do you mean by smell?" he straightened his back, looking offended, "I'll have you know I bathe almost semi-regularly."

"Look, you only have one client for today anyway," Loona pointed out, "The other two stooges can handle it."

Surprised by her persistence, Blitz looked at his daughter before his eyes grew misty.

"Aww, Looney," He cooed, "Are you worried about your dear old dad?"

"That's not what I said," Loona grunted, clearly embarrassed, "Just don't need you puking your guts out all over the office; it's gross."

"She's right, Sir; it's quite unsanitary," Moxxie added.

Blitz rolled his eyes.

"Ugh, Okay, fine, I'll go to the fucking doctors," he picked the book up and placed it on Loona's desk, frowning, "But he's just gonna tell me I have the flu and send my ass home, mark my words."

------------------------------------------

It was not the flu.

Blitz slumped down on the cold, hard chair in the cramped doctor's office. His heart raced as he tried to come to grips with the news that had just been delivered.

"I'm what now?" he asked, feeling strangely detached from the moment, his mind a tangled mess of thoughts.

"Pregnant, Mr. Blitzo," The doctor cheerfully repeated, and it was a testament to just how stunned Blitz was that he didn't correct him on the name.

'Pregnant'

He snapped out of his daze, shaking his head. 

"Like Fuck I am," Blitz protested, finally finding his voice, "How is that even fucking possible?!"

The imp doctor adjusted his glasses, looking taken aback by the blatant profanity despite it being Hell.

"I must admit it's very rare in cases of male imps," he replied, "But the test results don't lie. You're nearly a month along already."

A month along would align perfectly with the last full moon. Shit.

Fucking shit.

Still feeling a little shocked, Blitz lightly placed his hand against his stomach, mind reeling.

'Fucking Pregnant?'

"Sir, are you alright?" the doctor asked.

He blinked up at him.

"Yeah...yeah," he answered faintly, "Just a little nauseous."

"Ah well, we can give you something for that," the doctor assured him, "Unless you're simply planning on terminating?"

"Terminating?" Blitz repeated, confused.

"It's understandable if this is an unwanted pregnancy," he continued, "It's not uncommon, especially at this early stage, to get rid of the fetus."

The hand on his stomach clenched into a tight grip over his shirt, a sudden fierce protective instinct taking hold even as his rational mind reasoned that this was probably the best course of action. 

He could terminate...get rid of the pregnancy and tell everyone it had simply been the flu, just like he predicted. No one would have to know. No one but him. Nothing had to change.

"Of course, I understand if this is something you need to discuss with your partner first," the doctor said, oblivious to Blitz's inner turmoil.

'Partner.' Blitz thought, 'Stolas...'

Fuck what would the bird demon even think of such a predicament? Would he want to keep the baby or discard it like trash? Their arrangement was never supposed to go beyond sex. He was just a plaything to the Prince. Nothing more despite the soft gazes Stolas had started to send his way. 

Would he terminate their agreement for good? Decide Blitz was more trouble than he was worth and take back the book?

"Sir? Mr.Blitzo?"

Blitz blinked, looking back up. 

"Uh, yeah," he replied, still numb, "I'll need to...to talk to my...yeah."

"I'll just get you something for nausea along with some prenatal vitamins and send you on your way," The doctor said, "You can make a follow-up appointment with the nurse outside."

Blitz nodded as he slipped out of his seat to stand.

His hand never left his stomach.

Chapter Text

When Moxxie and Millie exited the portal, another successful mission completed, they were greeted with the sight of a disgruntled-looking hellhound.

"It's about fucking time," Loona snapped, "We got a situation."

Moxxie and Millie glanced around, seeing nothing out of place and exchanging confused looks.

"Blitz got back about 10 minutes ago," Loona explained, "Didn't say a word. Just went straight to his office and locked the door and.." She faltered, voice going a bit quieter, "He didn't look right."

Another look was exchanged between the couple before they made their way to the Blitz's door. Moxxie tried jiggling the handle, but it was still locked tight. 

"Sir?" He knocked, "Is everything okay in there?"

Loona growled, "Don't you think I tried that already? He's not fucking answering. I even tried threatening to burn the damn book, but he won't come out."

"Mox...," Millie placed a hand on her husband's shoulder, looking concerned.

"Sir, this isn't funny," Moxxie yelled through the door, "Let us in or...or I'll break down the door!"

Still no answer.

Moxxie cursed as he withdrew a pistol concealed inside his shirt and took aim at the door handle. A loud bang echoed through the room as he pulled the trigger, the sound of splintering wood filling the air. Moxxie braced himself for the inevitable backlash from Blitz for ruining the door, but instead, an eerie and unsettling silence descended upon them.

With mounting concern, the three employees wasted no time marching inside, stopping just a few feet in when they immediately spotted their boss.

He was seated on the floor, with his knees drawn to his chest, his arms wrapped around his stomach, and his tail coiled tightly around one of his ankles.

His head was bowed over his knees, but he raised it slightly upon their entrance, his gaze not landing on anything particular. Instead, the faraway look in his eyes had them all exchanging troubled glances.

"Um, Sir?" Moxxie stepped forward, one hand held out cautiously, "Are you....alright?"

Blitz blinked but didn't answer.

Moxxie looked back at Millie and Loona and shrugged helplessly.

Loona growled and marched forward, ignoring Millie's instructions to take it easy and reaching down to grab the front of Blitz's shirt and yank him up off the ground.

"Snap out of it already," She barked.

Again, there was hardly any response from the imp, who remained limp in her grasp, making no attempt to hold his weight or even look her in the eye. 

Loona's ears pinned back in sudden distress, and she used the only card she could think of.

"Dad."

Finally, a response, but different from the one she was used to. Usually, the word would cause Blitz's whole face to light up; sometimes, he would even become teary-eyed and emotional; this time, the word caused him to flinch violently. Still, it seemed to do the trick, and Blitz's gaze finally focused.

"Wha...what's happening?" he asked, looking around as Loona set him back on his feet and cursing when he saw the door, "Who the fuck ruined my door?!"

He narrowed his gaze on a guilty-looking Moxxie, but Millie quickly intervened.

"We had no choice, Blitz. You weren't answering, and we were worried."

"You were practically catatonic when we found you," Moxxie added.

"So start explaining," Loona said, crossing her arms, "What the fuck happened at the doctor that's got you so messed up?"

Blitz's expression immediately changed, wincing as he stepped back, wrapping his arms around his stomach, a haunted expression on his face that set everyone on edge.

"Whatever it is, B, You can tell us," Millie said, her voice low and soothing.

"Are you dying or what?" Loona asked.

"Loona!" the two smaller imps reprimanded.

The hellhound shrugged.

"It's a valid question."

"I'm not fucking dying," Blitz answered, much to the relief of everyone in the room, " I'm.." he ducked his head, mumbling the rest of his sentence.

"Come again, sir?"

"Didn't quite catch that, hon."

Loona's ear perked up, eyebrows lifting in surprise.

"No fucking way.."

Blitz glared up at them as he snapped.

"I said I'm fucking pregnant!"

These words seemed to zap him of all his strength, and he practically collapsed back on the ground before his desk.

"Satan, I'm so fucked!" He cursed again, hands pressed against his temples in distress, "We're gonna lose the damn book over this bullshit and, and.." 

His breathing picked up speed, and Millie and Moxxie were kneeling by his side instantly.

"Sir, you're going to hyperventilate," Moxxie warned.

"Just try to breathe, Honey," Millie coaxed, "Everything will be alright."

Loona shifted uneasily.

"If you're so worried about it, then why don't you just..you know...get rid of the thing."

Moxxie and Millie sent glares in the hellhound's direction, and Blitz visibly flinched, ducking his head into his knees and mumbling again.

"What was that, sweetie?" Millie asked, rubbing her boss's arm in what she hoped was a comforting gesture.

Blitz sighed as he lifted his head, refusing to look any of them in the eyes as he admitted quietly.

"I...I want to keep it."

He didn't know exactly when he had this realization, but he knew it was the truth. He had been feeling confused and lost during the entire drive back to the office. He had taken his nausea medicine and prenatal vitamins in the parking lot before entering the building. He didn't even remember going into his office and locking the door behind him. But despite all his thoughts about how this pregnancy was putting his entire life in danger, he was certain of one thing - he wanted this baby.

"Shit, I'm such a selfish fuck," He buried his face in his knees again, "But I want to keep it."

"Oh, honey, of course you do," Millie said, still running her hand up and down his arm, "This is wonderful news."

"Honestly, Sir, it's a miracle you were even able to get pregnant," Moxxie added, "It's incredibly rare, you know."

Blitz scoffed.

"Yeah, I should play the fucking lottery," he sarcastically replied.

It was quiet for a moment, no one sure what to say until Loona spoke up.

"So...I'm going to be a big sister?"

Blitz immediately looked up at that, heart soaring.

"Oh, Looney," He cooed, eyes growing misty, "You'll be the best big sister ever."

"You bet I fucking will," the hellhound replied, crossing her arms, "Kid doesn't know how lucky they are."

Blitz chuckled wetly.

"See, boss, everything will be fine," Millie said, grinning encouraging, "And we'll be here every step of the way."

"Exactly, Sir," Moxxie added, placing a hand on his boss's shoulder, "You don't have to do any of this alone."

Suddenly overcome with emotion, Blitz engulfed the two smaller imps in a tight hug.

Loona scoffed, and Blitz immediately rushed to hug her as well.

"I didn't forget about you, Looney," He cooed, rubbing his head affectionately against his daughter's chest, "No matter what, you'll always be daddy's little girl."

"Ugh," Loona grunted, trying to push the affectionate imp away, "Don't make it weird."

"Um, Sir?" Moxxie asked, "What were you saying earlier about the book?"

"Yeah, why would the prince take it back?" Millie asked.

Blitz allowed Loona to push him away, looking back at his other two employees.

"A kid was never part of the deal," he stated, one hand going toward his stomach, "Stolas might not want anything to do with this."

"You think that rich asshole is gonna knock you up and leave you out to dry" Loona snarled.

"I don't know, Blitz," Millie said, "The prince seems fond of ya."

"Millies right, sir," Moxxie added, "We've seen how he looks at you. I think he'll take the news better than you anticipate."

"Well, right now, he doesn't know jack shit," Blitz replied.

"You are going to tell him, aren't you, sir?" Moxxie asked.

Blitz groaned.

"Can't be avoided," he griped, "The nosey bird will be expecting me to message him today anyway."

"You're going to tell him over the phone?" Moxxie asked in surprise, "Isn't that a little impersonal for something like this?"

"What? you think I should invite him over and light some fucking candles or some shit?" Blitz quipped.

"Going to see him in person might not be a bad idea," Millie pointed out, "But that's up to you, B."

Blitz groaned again, running a hand over his face.

"Yeah, well....right now, I just wanna lay down and nap," he complained.

"You do look exhausted, sir, no offense," Moxxie replied, "Being pregnant is sure to take a lot out of you. You need to take care of yourself."

"Speaking of which," Millie continued, "Have you eaten anything today?"

Blitz thought back over his day and winced.

"Not really," he admitted, "Felt too sick to eat."

"Well, you have to eat something," Loona pointed out.

"How bout I make you a smoothie?" Millie offered, "That should be easy on your stomach."

"Good Idea, Mills," Moxxie replied, "We can go to the break room now and fix one up."

Blitz smiled slightly, touched by everyone's concern.

"Thanks, fam. Oh, and Moxxie?"

"Yes, sir?"

"You're paying for that fucking door."

Chapter Text

With no more clients for the day, the members of I.M.P. spent some time in the break room before deciding to call it a day and head home. Blitz had managed to finish the smoothie that Millie and Moxxie prepared, but the thought of eating anything more substantial made him want to gag, so he declined the gracious dinner invite from the pair, suggesting that they take Loona out instead. There was some initial resistance; none of his employees were too keen on leaving Blitz alone, but the taller imp insisted that he was going straight home to nap and didn't want Loona to miss out on eating just because of him. 

Now Blitz was back home at his apartment, curled up on the couch as he flipped through the channels on TV, tired but unable to sleep. It wasn't long before his phone went off, alerting him to a new text message. He no longer had Stolas under the name Creepy Mouth, having changed the title many months ago to a far more affectionate 'Birdbrain.'

Birdbrain: I do hope you are feeling better, my dear. Have you gone to the doctor yet?

Blitz stared at the message for some time, debating what to say.

 His phone dinged again.

Birdbrain: I've been thinking about you all day.

What was he supposed to say to that? 

Another ding.

Birdbrain: Do let me know something at your earliest convenience. 

Blitz groaned, typing up several different replies before deleting each one.

'fuck this,' he thought, getting up from the couch.

He would go over to Stolas's place and tell him face-to-face. Get it over with and deal with the fallout. He left a note for Loona when she returned and headed out the door.

When he arrived at Stolas's palace, he was nauseous again but still managed to climb the balcony up to his room despite being winded. 

Blitz wasn't sure if he was disappointed or relieved to find the Prince wasn't in his chambers when he entered. He thought about texting him that he was there, knowing that would have the horny owl hurrying to his room in no time, but at the last second, Blitz decided against it.

He was already tired, and the thought of the conversation that would follow and the consequences made him feel exhausted. So, instead, he slipped off his jacket and boots and hopped up on the sizeable bed, curling up on the covers and deciding to take a quick nap as he waited for Stolas to show up.

He let out a deep sigh as his eyes slipped closed.

What felt like a moment later, he awoke to someone clearing their throat.

Stolas stood over him from the side of the bed, dressed in his regal attire, complete with crown, a disapproving look in his dark red eyes.

"Stolas," Blitz scrabbled to sit up, "I-"

"What in hell are you doing here?" The Prince asked, "This is not part of our usual arrangement."

Blitz was momentarily taken back by the owl's cold but calm tone but found his voice.

"Yeah, no shit," he replied, "But there's something really important I have to tell you."

"And you couldn't have simply called?" The bird asked, raising a skeptical eyebrow, "Instead, you felt the need to break into my chambers uninvited?"

"Well, I..uh.." Blitz floundered slightly, "Seemed like the kind of thing that needed telling in person."

"Well then?" Stolas said, arms crossed and impatient, "Out with it so you can be on your way."

Blitz didn't understand where the Prince's attitude was coming from, but he'd had enough.

"Damn it, Stolas, I'm trying to tell you I'm pregnant!" he snapped.

Surprise flashed across the owl's face but was quickly replaced with disgust.

"And you thought this was something I'd want to know?"

Blitz frowned.

"Well, considering it's yours-"

"Get rid of it."

Those words hit Blitz like a ton of bricks, momentarily stealing his breath away.

"What?"

"You heard me," Stolas sneered, "I'll not have my name associated with such vermin. Get rid of it."

Shock faded into anger, and Blitz barred his teeth as he snapped back.

"I'm fucking keeping it!" 

 The Prince's gaze grew vicious as his form shifted into a black and red mass, his voice deep and primal. 

"Then I'll get rid of it myself!"

Blitz flinched back as Stolas's demonic form loomed over him. He wrapped his arms protectively around his belly and closed his eyes and...and someone was shaking his shoulder, gently but urgently calling his name.

"Blitz! Blitzy, wake up!"

Blitz gasped, eyes flying open as he scrambled back against the head of the bed, his heart beating wildly in his chest.

Stolas was there, not in his royal attire but his robe, a look of deep concern on his face and a hand held out toward him.

"My dear, it's alright," his voice was low and soothing, "You were having a nightmare, that's all."

'A nightmare, ' Blitz thought, 'A fucking nightmare."

"Fuck," he cursed, still breathing heavily, "Fucking hell."

Stolas scooted toward him cautiously, placing his hand on one of Blitz's, his gaze soft and worried. Everything about him was in stark contrast to the Stolas from his dream, and Blitz felt himself relax under his touch.

"There now," The Prince said, still speaking softly as if he were a frightened toddler, "Nothing to fear."

"I'm fine," Blitz managed to spit out.

"I'm terribly sorry, my dear," the owl apologized, "If I had intervened sooner, perhaps I could have spared you the fright," he admitted, "But you looked so adorable curled up on my bed that I didn't want to wake you at first."

Blitz scoffed.

"It's not your fault I had a bad dream." 

"You called my name, and you looked frightened of me upon awakening." the Prince revealed, eyes somehow knowing, "Am I correct in assuming the nightmare was about me?"

Blitz looked away.

"I see," came Stolas's sad reply, his hand moving to cup the side of Blitz's face and bring his gaze back up to meet his, "My dear, please know that I would never harm you. Never."

The words were nearly enough to make the imp come undone.

"Yeah, sure," he managed to reply, his voice suddenly strained.

"Oh, Blitzy.." the owl scooted closer, gathering the imp in his arms and pulling him forward in a comforting embrace.

Blitz found little resistance in him as he leaned into the hug, burying his face into the soft feathers on the bird's chest and letting out a shaky breath.

"I was worried when I didn't hear back from you," Stolas revealed, "Imagine my surprise upon finding you in my bed of all places."

Blitz chuckled weakly.

"May I ask what brought you out here?" the Prince inquired softly, "Does this have something to do with your visit to the doctor?"

'here we go,' Blitz thought, sighing as he pulled away from the embrace, placing himself back on the bed next to the owl.

"Yeah, I...I needed to talk to you about that."

The look of concern on the owl's face intensified.

"Oh dear, is it serious?" he asked.

Blitz rubbed the back of his neck.

"It's pretty fucking serious, yeah."

The Prince reached out to capture Blitz's hands in his.

"Whatever it is, my darling, we will face it together," he stated, his frightened gaze intent, "Is it..are you.."

Blitz groaned as he pulled his hands away, rolling his eyes.

"I'm not fucking dying, okay?"

Stolas's relief was apparent.

"Oh, thank Satan. I don't know what I would do if anything happened to you," the bird sighed.

Blitz frowned.

"You would have found some other guy to be your plaything," He said, "It's not like I'm irreplaceable."

Stolas looked stunned and hurt over the implication.

"That is blatantly untrue," he said in earnest. "There is no one in the seven rings who could ever replace you, my dear. You are far more precious to me than you realize."

Blitz cringed and looked away from the owl's sincere gaze.

Why was he saying this? It couldn't be true.

"Damn it, Stolas, how can you act like.."

'..act like what we have is anything more than you wanting me to fuck you.'

The memory surfaced, and Blitz swallowed back the rest of the words, clenching his teeth.

"Blitz.."

He reluctantly looked up.

Stolas's hurt and guilty expression revealed that he was thinking of the same thing.

"My dear, I...I am so sorry."

Blitz shook his head; he didn't want to talk about that night. 

"You don't have to-."

"No, I do," the Prince insisted, "I should have told you what you mean to me sooner. Ever since that night, I thought...I thought I could show you instead."

Blitz blinked, thinking over the last few months since their disastrous date. The soft looks the owl would give him, the texts and calls he would receive asking about his day, the gentle touches and kisses he'd started to give.

Had all this been Stolas's way of showing him?

And Blitz had been shying away at every effort, so confident it was some kind of ploy, so afraid to get attached.

"You are far more than just a plaything to me," Stolas continued, "I fear I would be lost without you."

This was too much.

Blitz swallowed the uncomfortable lump in his throat.

"I'm pregnant."

The words tumbled from his mouth before he could stop them.

Stolas blinked, looking confused.

"What now?"

Blitz groaned in annoyance.

"I said I'm pregnant," the imp snapped back, "And before you even ask, yes, it's yours."

Stunned silence.

Blitz shifted on the bed uneasily.

"So, uh-"

"Pregnant," the owl repeated softly, still looking blank, "I...I didn't think such a thing was possible."

"Yeah, well, apparently I'm just lucky like that," Blitz replied, still waiting on the other shoe to drop, "Are you gonna say anything else or.."

Finally, the Prince's expression changed. Tears gathered in all four of his eyes as a shaky smile found its way onto his beak.

"Oh, Blitzy..." he stood, cupping his hands before him, gushing, "What marvelous news!" 

Blitz could only gawk at the owl as he engulfed the imp in a tight hug, lifting him off the bed and spinning them around with a joyous laugh.

"Oh, what fantastic news, indeed," The owl crooned.

"Ugh, put me down, you birdbrain!" Blitz practically squeaked.

"Oh, I'm terribly sorry," The Prince began to fret, gently placing Blitz back on the bed, "I didn't hurt you, did I, my dear? Or the little one?"

"I'm fine," Blitz replied. "I'm pretty sure the kid is, too. I just wasn't expecting all that." He gestured at the owl with one hand, lifting an eyebrow. "You're really okay with this?"

"Okay?" the owl repeated, "Blitzy, I'm ecstatic."

"Yeah, I can tell," Blitz chuckled. "Really wasn't expecting that, but yeah."

"Are you not happy as well?" Stolas asked, looking worried.

"Yeah, no, I'm happy," Blitz hurried to reply, "At least, I'm pretty sure I am. Definitely better now that I know you're not gonna throw me away like yesterday's trash, heh."

Stolas looked stunned once again.

"You thought I...Oh dear," he looked suddenly so sad, "Then I've done an abysmal job showing you what you mean to me."

"Hey, it's not like I make it easy to-"

His words dried up in his throat when Stolas brought a hand up to delicately place against the scarred side of Blitz's face. 

"My dear, I would like us to be so much more than we have been," he admitted shyly, blushing, "If you'll have me?"

Blitz blinked.

"Uh, what exactly are you proposing? You're not taking back the book, are you?"

"The book is yours to use as you like. I will still need it back on the full moon to fulfill my duties, but you are under no obligation to have sex with me," The owl explained, "Instead, I hope we might actually begin a new..relationship of sorts."

Relationship?

Blitz pulled away from the owl's touch, shaking his head to try to clear his thoughts because this was the last thing he expected when coming here.

"Hold on now, are you saying you wanna ..date me?" he asked, perplexed.

"Very much so, yes," Stolas replied.

Okay...

"And if I say no?" Blitz ventured cautiously, "What then?'

The owl looked saddened at the question.

"I will not take the book from you under any circumstances," he replied, "I know how much your business means to you and your employees. If you don't want a relationship with me, I'll understand."

Blitz blinked.

No obligations?

No deals? 

"I also understand if you need some time to-"

"Okay."

Stolas stilled, blinking owlishly at him.

"...Okay?"

Blitz shrugged, attempting to seem nonchalant despite his frantic heartbeat.

"I'm already having your fucking baby, so it seems a little backward, but what the hell, let's give it a try."

"Oh Blitzy...," The Prince began to tear up again, "You have no idea how happy you've made me."

Stolas leaned down to capture Blitz's lips in a tender kiss, one hand delicately laying over the imp's stomach.

This time, Blitz did not shy away from the affection.

Chapter Text

Their kissing became more passionate as Blitz's hands slipped inside Stolas's robe and teased his cloaca, eliciting a pleased moan from the bird.

"Blitzy.." the Prince's needy voice sent a shiver of pleasure down Blitz's spine as Stolas squirmed, trying to press himself closer to Blitz's touch.

"Someone's a horny little bitch," Blitz teased, fingers continuing to stroke lazy circles inside him, "Hows about I make up for last night, hm?"

Stolas moaned at first but then shook his head, bracing his hands on Blitz's chest and pulling away.

"N-no, wait."

Blitz frowned as he stopped his ministrations, pulling back.

"What's wrong?" He asked, not used to the resistance from the owl, "If you're worried about me, don't be. I took my medicine like a big boy, and I'm ready to play."

"It's not that, My dear," Stolas replied, "Although I'm glad to hear you're feeling better." 

"What's the problem then?"

"You always take such good care of me, Blitzy," The owl answered, eyes still filled with want as he brought his hand down to rest against the sizable bulge in the imps pants, "I want tonight to be all about you."

Blitz's eyes widened slightly.

"You sure?" he asked, "Cause I can-"

His words cut off as Stolas caught him in a passionate kiss, his hand rubbing against his already tight pants, causing his dick to harden even more.

Without further prompting, Blitz quickly discarded the rest of his clothes, allowing Stolas to lift him higher on the bed and lay him on his back.

Stolas pressed his lips against Blitz's neck, leaving a trail of soft kisses as he moved down his chest, pausing to admire the curves and dips of his body. He then continued down to his stomach, where he lingered, placing extra tender kisses that made Blitz tremble.

'fucking hormones'

Then Stolas went down on him further, very slowly inching his mouth down Blitz's shaft, open-mouthed, creating tingling with his soft, wet tongue, moving up, from front to sides, as if French kissing it with adoration.

When Stolas's mouth reached Blitz's head, he skillfully circled it with his tongue teasingly. The tip of his tongue delicately dipped into the small hole where a droplet of precum had formed, patiently awaiting to be licked away.

Blitz couldn't help but moan and thrust his hips, urging Stolas to take him deeper. Stolas chuckled, understanding the hint, and Blitz gasped when the owl engulfed his entire length.

"Fuck, Stolas..." Blitz exclaimed in pleasure.

Stolas continued to move his mouth up and down, each time taking Blitz's shaft all the way. Overwhelmed with pleasure, Blitz gripped the sheets tightly, letting out another moan.

Stolas's throat had accumulated a considerable amount of saliva from taking most of Blitz's length, resulting in his mouth dripping. Stolas took advantage of this by repeatedly sliding the wetness up and down Blitz's shaft with his sucking mouth, relishing in the pleasurable sounds it elicited from the imp.

Stolas's wet mouth then found a rhythm that built, and built, as he gradually increased the pace.

Blitz was breathing rapidly, thrusting his cock into Stolas's mouth in rhythm with the Prince's head bobbing, pressure building in his groin.

"Fuck...s-stolas...gnngh..I'm gonna..."

One final thrust and Blitz cried out, seed spilling over into the owl's beak.

Stolas diligently swallowed every last drop. 

"Shit..," Blitz panted as he collapsed and went limp on the bed, covering his face as if embarrassed, "I can't believe I came that fucking fast. Fuck."

Stolas chuckled lowly, licking the last remnants of cum from his beak.

"I'm just that good, my darling," he cooed, moving to lay down next to the imp.

Blitz started laughing, at first quietly, but then it built, sounding slightly hysterical.

Stolas tilted his head at him.

"What's so funny?"

Uncovering his face, Blitz turned to look at him, eyes half-masked and cheeks flushed with pleasure. Stolas had never seen anything so lovely in his entire life.

"We're gonna have a kid," the imp said, and suddenly he was laughing again, "Satan, that's so fucking bizarre."

"I must admit it is rather surprising," The owl said, propping his head up on his hand, "I hadn't known male imps were even capable."

"fuck, me neither," Blitz admitted, "Apparently, it's pretty damn rare. Go figure."

"Hmm," the owl hummed as he reached over with his other hand to lay over Blitz's stomach, "How do you feel about all this? really?"

Blitz sobered up instantly.

"Honestly? I'm still trying to wrap my fucking head around it," he answered, looking up at the ceiling, "But I always wanted kids, ya know. Adopting Loona was one of the happiest days of my life."

"I felt the same when Via was born," Stolas said, "I do wonder how she'll take the news."

"Yeah, I get the impression I'm not her favorite person," Blitz replied, "But I wouldn't worry about it too much. Kids can surprise you. Loona seems pretty excited about being a big sister."

"Via always did want siblings," Stolas revealed, "But her mother and I...we...it just wasn't..."

"Hey," Blitz grabbed the hand over his stomach and gave it a reassuring squeeze, "You don't have to explain shit to me."

Stolas blinked at the imp, stunned for a moment, then with teary eyes, he leaned over and ducked his head under Blitz's chin, curling his body close to his, long legs tucked under him. Their hands parted as Stolas wrapped his arms around the imp's waist and nuzzled into his chest.

Slowly, hesitantly, Blitz's own arms came around him.

"Is this okay?" The owl asked, his voice muffled.

"Uh, yeah, it's fine," Blitz replied, unsure, "Just not usually the cuddling type."

Stolas frowned, starting to pull back, but Blitz tightened his hold.

"No, don't," the imp replied before sighing, "I said I wanted to try this whole couple thing with you, and I meant it."

Stolas tilted his head to look up, and Blitz shifted his weight as he looked down at the owl with a strained half-smile.

"I'm not good with this kinda shit," He admitted, "You're just gonna have to be patient with me, pretty bird."

The affectionate name caused a blush to spread over the Prince's feathered cheeks.

Blitz smirked, looking pleased.

"You like me calling you that, pretty bird?"

Stolas nodded meekly.

"I'll change the name in my contacts later."

The owl let out a pleased little hoot and leaned his head back against Blitz's bare chest. Blitz shifted his weight to the side, reaching down briefly to pull the cover over them and yawning as he curled into the embrace.

After a few quiet moments together, the owl asked, "How long do imps stay pregnant? I'm afraid I'm rather ignorant on the subject."

Blitz blinked, having almost drifted off to sleep.

"Oh, uh, six months, I think," he answered, "But this kid is only gonna be half imp, so who the fuck even knows. How long did it take with your kid?"

"One month before Stella laid the egg and three more months before she hatched."

"I'm not laying a fucking egg," Blitz griped.

Stolas chuckled.

"I'm well aware, my dear," the Prince replied, "It's far more likely the pregnancy will be more consistent with your imp biology. I'll have to read up on the subject."

"You and your damn books," Blitz said, a note of affection in his voice before he yawned.

"Are you tired, darling?" the owl asked, pulling back enough to look up at the imp.

"I'm fucking exhausted," Blitz complained, frowning in annoyance, "Don't know why; you're the one who did all the work."

"You're pregnant, my dear," the owl told him, quietly amused.

"Yeah, yeah, so I keep being reminded," Blitz replied before suddenly cursing, "Fuck, I just realized I'm gonna have to stop smoking and drinking. God damn it. And I could really go for a cigarette right about now, too."

"Is there something else I could get you instead?" Stolas asked, pulling away from the imp to sit in bed, "Perhaps something to eat? or drink?"

"You're not my servant, Stolas,"

"No, but I am your partner now," The owl declared, sounding ridiculously proud, "And as such, it is both my duty and privilege to take care of you."

Blitz blinked. Having spent most of his life looking out for himself, the concept of someone else doing so -actually wanting to do so- was both strange and oddly comforting. 

"Privilege, huh?" Blitz said, sitting up and considering the Prince's offer, "I guess I am kind of thirsty. Haven't had much to drink today, to be honest."

The owl was instantly on his feet, hastily pulling on his robe.

"I'll get you some water straight away," he replied, "We don't need you getting dehydrated."

"I'm not-"

"Be back in a jiffy!"

The owl hurried out of the room, returning moments later with the tallest glass of water Blitz had ever seen.

"Fuck, Stolas, why not bring the whole damn sink in here," He quipped.

"Oh, don't be silly," The owl replied, handing him the glass.

It wasn't until he took the first sip that he realized how thirsty he really was. The water wet his dry mouth and felt cool and refreshing as it slid down his throat. Before he even realized it, he was guzzling the whole thing, some water escaping and dripping down his chin.

"Fuck," he gasped as he finished, "That was good."

Stolas immediately offered to refill it for him, but Blitz waved him off, handing him back the empty glass and fighting back another yawn.

"You're more than welcome to spend the night again," the owl offered, a hopeful look on his face.

Blitz smiled.

"Hm, two nights in a row? You sure you won't get sick of me?" He lightly joked.

"Never." 

The Prince's sincere tone had Blitz looking away, a light blush against his cheeks as he nonchalantly agreed to stay.

Stolas let out a pleased sound as he slid in beside him, surprising the imp by leaning over to kiss his cheek before snuggling back down in the bed, reaching out an arm invitingly.

Insides squirming and a blush still bright on his face, Blitz laid back down, cuddling up close to the owl, who immediately took him in his arms.

"Are you comfortable, my dear?" Stolas asked.

"Uh, yeah," Blitz answered softly, "Ya know, you're pretty good at the couple-ly type stuff."

The owl laughed softly.

"Only with you, darling."

"If you say so, pretty bird."

Blitz smiled at the little hoot the nickname caused, relaxing more against the warm feathers on Stolas's chest and closing his tired eyes.

'I could get used to this,' he thought before falling asleep.

Chapter Text

Blitz woke up with a slight groan, feeling the unpleasant churning in his stomach. He opened his eyes and found himself disoriented at first, trying to figure out where he was until he saw Stolas's sleeping face. The memories of the previous day's events flooded back to him.

'I'm pregnant,' this revelation was soon followed by another, "Stolas and I are in a relationship.'

 He couldn't decide which thought was more shocking, as both filled him with equal parts fear and excitement, doing nothing to help settle the nausea in his stomach.

He let out another small groan before sitting up and quietly gathering his clothes.

He hesitated once he was dressed and looked back at the sleeping owl in the bed. It wasn't unusual for Blitz to leave without Stolas knowing, but doing so now felt like a betrayal.

He walked around to the other side of the bed and gently shook the owl's shoulder.

"Stolas, hey." 

The Prince let out a sleepy little moan that unexpectedly caused Blitz's heart to flutter.

"Mmm...Blitzy," dark red eyes blinked open, looking adorably confused as his gaze landed on the imp.

Blitz smirked.

"Good morning, pretty bird." 

The owl demon was suddenly alert, sitting up in bed and looking at Blitz in disbelief.

"I thought..." he trailed off, reaching out to touch the imp's face, "Are we really.."

"Having a fucking baby? In a goddamn relationship? " Blitz rattled off, "Yes and yes." 

The owl let out a shaky breath, tears glistening in his ruby eyes as he leaned forward until their foreheads were touching. The intimate display had Blitz frozen in place.

"Forgive me, my dear," Stolas said as he pulled back, "I feared I would wake up alone and find all that had transpired to be but a fantastic dream."

Blitz was suddenly very glad he had decided to wake the Prince.

"Do you dream about me a lot?" he asked, smirking when the owl blushed.

"Quite often, I must admit," Stolas replied. 

Blitz let out a chuckle as he found the flustered look on the owl's face strangely endearing. He leaned over and quickly kissed Stolas without giving it too much thought. He grinned all the more when the Prince let out a surprised hoot and reached a hand up to touch his beak in awe.

"You okay there, babe?" Blitz surprised even himself with the ease with which another pet name fell from his lips.

"I'm not entirely sure if I'm awake," Stolas admitted.

"I could punch you, if ya like," Blitz offered, before wincing, one hand going to his stomach, "Or I could just hurl all over the place."

Stolas's brow furrowed in sudden concern.

"Are you feeling ill again, my dear?" he asked, "Is there anything I can do?"

"I just need to take some more of those fucking pills," Blitz replied, "I woke you up to let you know I was leaving."

"Leaving?" Stolas looked disappointed.

"Yeah, gotta get to work," Blitz answered, "If I'm late two days in a row, I'll never hear the end of it from Moxxie."

"Right..work..," the owl repeated, looking thoughtful, "Don't you think..," he shook his head, "Nevermind. A discussion for another time, perhaps."

Blitz gave him a suspicious look.

"Riiight," he drawled, "You gonna be okay here by yourself?"

"Oh, I'll be fine," Stolas answered, "Octavia will be back from her mother's soon, so I do have that to look forward to."

"You gonna tell her about all this," he motioned toward his stomach.

"Yes, best to just get that out of the way," The owl replied, suddenly looking worried, "I do hope she takes the news well. She's been so distant since I told her about the divorce."

"Eh, I'm sure it'll be fine," Blitz said, "But I better get going."

Stolas leaned forward.

"Don't forget to eat something, Blitzy, and stay hydrated and don't over exert yourself or-"

Blitz covered the owl's beak with one of his hands, a slightly annoyed look on his face.

"Geesh, are you going to be like this the whole pregnancy?" Blitz rolled his eyes, "I know how to take care of myself, okay? Stop worrying."

Stolas waited until Blitz removed his hand before speaking again.

"I'm merely concerned for you and our child's wellbeing," he stated with a stubborn pout, "I'll make no apologies on the matter."

Blitz snorted, amused.

"How about I just text you how I'm doing?" He relented, "Would that ease that big bird brain of yours?"

"It would be much appreciated," The Prince answered, looking pleased, "I do enjoy hearing from you, my dear."

"It's a done deal then," Blitz replied, "I'll see you later, Stolas."

The owl demon leaned forward to capture Blitz's lips in another tender kiss between the two.

"Not too much later, I hope," Stolas whispered, running one delicate finger down the side of the imp's face.

Blitz shivered at the touch, stammering out another goodbye before stumbling over to the balcony doors.

He inwardly cursed himself for acting like such a dork.

---------------------------

As soon as he entered his van, Blitz wasted no time retrieving the nausea pills from the glove department and taking them along with his prenatal vitamins. Then, having the time to spare, he waited another ten minutes for the medicine to take effect, replacing the unease in his stomach with a hollow feeling that reminded him that he needed to at least try to eat something before he went to work.

He sent a text out to Loona asking if she needed a ride, but the hellhound responded that she was already on her way in. Next, he sent the exact text to Moxxie and Millie but received a similar reply.

Deciding he still had time, Blitz stopped at a small cafe on the way and ordered an iced coffee and a cream cheese bagel. Unfortunately, despite not being nauseous, he could only finish half of both before his appetite left him completely.

When he parked in front of his office building, he took his phone out again, changing Stolas's contact name to 'Pretty Bird' and firing a quick sarcastic text.

Blitz: Maed it to wrk alive. 

With that accomplished, he made his way up to the office, feeling in better spirits than he had in a long time. He opened the door with a flourish.

"Good morning bitches!"

His employees were gathered around Loona's desk, and each looked startled by his abrupt entrance.

Millie recovered first.

"Well, someone's in a good mood," She smiled, "How did things go with the Prince?"

"He didn't come home last night," Loona pointed out, smirking, "So I'd say it went well."

"Does that mean we still get to use the book?" Moxxie asked.

Blitz held his hands up.

"Alright, everyone, settle down. I know the inner workings of my personal life are fascinating, but you really should spend your time more productively."

Moxxie rolled his eyes with an impatient 'sir.' 

"Okay, okay. The deals off, but the book is still ours," Blitz stated, "Turns out my baby daddy is pretty excited about having knocked me up. Oh, and we're officially a thing now."

Millie squealed.

"Oh, boss, I just knew he'd be happy!"

"Congratulations, Sir," Moxxie added sincerely, "I'm glad you and his highness were able to sort some things out."

"Yeah, well-" his phone dinged, and Blitz immediately reached into his pocket to retrieve it.

Pretty Bird: I'm reasonably certain you're making fun of me, but I was genuinely relieved to read your text.

Blitz snorted, not even realizing he was grinning like a fool.

"I know that look," Millie gushed, "Oh, B, I'm so happy for you!"

"Yeah, whatever," Blitz was quick to change the subject, shoving his phone back in his pocket,  "So what were you hens clucking about before I showed up?"

The three exchanged uncertain looks, Loona even taking her feet off the desk to sit up straight, which instantly sent off alarm bells in Blitz's brain.

"Actually, Sir," Moxxie ventured carefully, "We were discussing what changes need to be made now that you're, um, expecting."

Blitz frowned.

"The fuck is that supposed to mean? " he took a threatening step forward, and Moxxie backed up against the desk, "What changes?"

"I-I just mean, that is, you-"

Millie stepped up beside him, placing a supportive hand on her husband's shoulder as she faced Blitz.

"We're just worried bout you, is all," she said, "What with you bein' so sick and tired lately."

Blitz grit his teeth, hands clenching into fists at his sides.

"You think I can't fucking do my job?"

Loona stood up from her desk.

"You can't expect to keep going out in the field to kill people with a baby inside you." she stated, "It's fucking reckless."

"I know how to handle myself," Blitz fumed, "This is fucking mutiny!"

"Sir, we're only suggesting that you take a backseat for the time being," Moxxie spoke up again, "You'd still be in charge, I swear."

"Damn right, I'm still in charge," Blitz yelled, "And there's no way I'm going to just sit around the office all day answering phones while you two go topside without me!"

"Sir-"

"But boss-"

"Blitz-"

"That's final!" 

With that said, he stormed into his office, cursing, when he realized the door was still busted.

All three employees winced at Blitz's failed attempts to slam the door shut.

"Fuck! I can't even make a dramatic fucking exit!"

Moxxie sighed, "Well, that could have gone better."

Millie patted his shoulder.

"We'll try again later, Honey," She replied, "He's got to see reason eventually."

Loona snorted, "Doubtful."

The three flinched again when they heard Blitz throw something against the wall, still cursing even out of earshot. 

Chapter Text

Blitz spent the first few hours of his day sulking in his office, until he had to put on his game face and meet with a potential client. 

Despite his usual protocol of introducing the demon to his team, Blitz, still feeling hurt and angry over their earlier conversation, chose to simply dismiss the client with the promise of eliminating his neighbor within the next few days.

When Moxxie had tentatively asked about the job, Blitz quickly replied.

'Don't worry your empty little head about it, Mox. I might take care of this one on my own.'

He hadn't waited for the others to respond to his words, strolling into the break room for a bottle of water before returning to his office.

Blitz sank into the chair behind his desk, the day's tension coiling in his shoulders. With a sigh, he took out his phone, hoping for a distraction. His mood lightened when he noticed a message from Stolas, the text having arrived an hour ago.

Pretty Bird: Preparing a light lunch for Octavia and me. I hope you're remembering to eat as well, my dear. 

Blitz groaned at the reminder, reaching into his desk for sustenance and pulling out a granola bar with a triumphant cry.

Although he still didn't have much appetite, Blitz was determined to eat something just so he could tell Stolas he had.

He took a bite as he texted back.

Blitz: eting now. Howd it go wiht ur kid?

He expected a prompt response from the owl, who was usually quick in responding to his messages. However, Blitz finished the entire granola bar before his phone pinged again. Instead of the detailed response he expected, he received only a sad emoji.

Blitz sat up abruptly, his face creased with a frown. Something had gone wrong, something that the usually chatty owl couldn't or wouldn't put into words. Without even realizing it, Blitz found himself dialing Stolas' number, his foot tapping impatiently as the phone rang and rang. Just when he was about to hang up, Stolas finally answered.

"It's about fuckin time," Blitz found himself saying before he could stop himself.

"I...I'm terribly sorry, Blitzy," the Prince replied, his voice low and congested.

Blitz could immediately tell the bird had been crying. In fact, Blitz guessed he had probably spent the time his phone was ringing trying to disguise the fact.

'fuck.'

"What happened?' his voice was suddenly deadly serious.

"It's nothing," Stolas tried to dismiss, still sounding impossibly sad, "I'm fine, my dear."

"Bullshit," Blitz shot back, "Now tell me the truth."

Stolas sighed.

"Things with Octavia did not go as well as I'd hoped," The avian demon admitted.

Blitz winced.

"She's pissed about the baby, huh?' he guessed.

"Oh no," the owl replied, much to his surprise, "The news admittedly took her back, but she did say she was happy for me."

"The fuck?" Blitz replied, shaking his head, "You're giving me fucking whiplash here, babe. I thought you were just saying it went bad."

"Yes, well, after we were done eating, she-"Stolas choked, voicing suddenly thick with barely controlled emotion, "She said she wanted to move in with Stella. Permanently."

 Blitz blinked, leaning back in his chair heavily.

"Oh."

"Oh, Blitzy," The Prince wept, "I don't know what to do."

Blitz winced. He could imagine how heartbroken he'd be if Loona decided to move out, and she wasn't even as young as Octavia was.

He also hated hearing Stolas so upset, the sounds of his muffled sobs tugging at his heart.

"Did you tell her you wanted her to stay?" He asked.

"How could I?" The Prince sniffled, "She's had such a difficult time during this separation, and she's old enough to make her own choices. I told her I respected her decision."

"Fuck that," Blit replied, "If Loony said she wanted to move in with someone else, I'd throw a fucking fit. Probably cry like a baby right in front of her, too."

"I kept my tears at bay until I reached my bedroom," Stolas said, no longer crying but still down, "I didn't want to make her feel bad."

"Well, I guess that makes you a better person than me," Blitz admitted lightly, "Emotional manipulation is one of my finest parenting tools."

He'd hoped his words would earn him a chuckle from the owl, but Stolas sniffed quietly on the other end, still holding back tears.

"You, uh, gonna be okay?" Blitz asked, not sure what to do from here.

"I'll be fine, my dear," Stola answered, clearing his throat, "In fact, I think I'll take a small nap; I am rather tired for some reason."

Blitz had to stop himself from pointing out that all the crying had probably exhausted him. He wouldn't call the owl out on it.

"Sure, Stols," He replied, "Just take it easy."

"You as well, Darling," The Bird demon replied, his voice suddenly warm with affection, "Perhaps I can call you later?"

"Sounds good."

"Farewell, My dear."

"Later, Pretty bird."

Blitz gazed at the contact picture still displayed on his phone, lost in thought. Normally, he would leave this problem to Stolas, keeping their interactions limited to those passionate full moon nights, and reminding himself that he had no place in Stolas's life beyond that. But now, things were different. They were expecting a child together, they had recently started a relationship, and Blitz felt an obligation to help the sad owl. In fact, he genuinely wanted to do something to cheer Stolas up.

With a determined expression, Blitz rose from his desk and headed out of his office. Millie and Moxxie immediately snapped to attention, standing up straight and giving him their full focus. Even Loona put down her phone to look at him.

"I'm headed out for the day," He stated, "If any more clients call, just book them for a meeting tomorrow."

Millie and Moxxie exchanged silent looks before the latter spoke up.

"May I ask where it is you're running off to, Sir?"

Blitz gave the imp a sharp smile.

"I believe that would be under the category of none of your damn business," he replied in a falsely cheerful voice.

Moxxie frowned, clearly annoyed with his answer, but Millie stepped forward with a look of concern.

"You're not still sore over this morning, are ya?"

It was harder to be rude towards the female imp, but Blitz leveled her with an unimpressed stare before promptly marching out the door.

-------------------------

Blitz parked in front of Stolas's place for the third consecutive day. 

He walked around to the side of the palace, craning his neck up towards the balcony. Sighing, He did a few stretches to prepare for the climb and then stepped forward, finding his footing.

"You can use the front door, you know."

"Shit!" Blitz cursed as his foot slipped, turning around in a defensive crouch.

He blinked at the young owl demon looking back at him, instantly relaxing his stance when he recognized her as Stolas's daughter. 

"Fuck, you scared me, kid."

"Aren't you supposed to be some kind of assassin?" She asked, lifting an unimpressed eyebrow.

Blitz felt his face heat up, admittedly embarrassed that the teen had managed to catch him off guard.

"Yeah, well, I'm still working on the eyes in the back of my head thing," he griped, "What are you doing lurking around out here anyway?"

"I came out here for some fresh air," Octavia replied, "Not that it's any of your business."

"Getting one final look at the place before you abandon it and everyone inside?"

Blitz winced at his harsh tone, realizing he was talking to a child. Octavia looked surprised, but quickly composed herself.

"Dad told you? That didn't take long," her eyes darted down to his stomach and then off to the side, pretending to be uninterested, "I guess he tells you everything now."

Blitz wasn't sure how to take the comment, clearly sensing the teen was upset about something.

"Be honest with me," He said, "Does your moving out have anything to do with me and this kid I'm carrying?"

Octavia refused to look back at him, shoulders hunching as she crossed her arms almost protectively in front of her.

"It does, doesn't it?" Blitz sighed, cursing softly under his breath, bringing his hands up to rub at his temples as a headache started to form.

"It's complicated," The teen finally replied, "You wouldn't understand."

"Understand what? That you feel like you're being replaced?" Blitz guessed.

Octavia snapped her gaze back on him, eyes narrowed.

"It's not that simple," She replied, clearly frustrated, "I'm doing this for him, not me."

Blitz laughed harshly at that, earning him a deep glare from the princess.

"Bullshit," He called her out, "If this was for Stolas, then why was he in tears when I talked to him?"

Octavia's eyes widened, arms falling to her sides, visibly startled by Blitz's words.

"He..he was crying?" Her voice was suddenly small, "But he...he said he respected my decision."

Blitz rolled his eyes.

"Well, that's cause you're both full of shit," he replied before sighing, softening his tone as he continued, "He didn't want to make you feel guilty."

Octavia blinked, tilting her head toward the balcony and her father's room.

"I thought...," She paused, visibly swallowing back her emotions, "I thought I'd be in the way and...and if I left, he could finally have the family he's always wanted."

"You thought he didn't want you?" It was Blitz's turn to be surprised.

Octavia looked back down at him, eyes suddenly misty.

Blitz shook his head, taking a few steps towards her.

"Look, I don't know what's going on in that head of yours," The imp said, "But your Dad is crazy about you."

"Really?"

She sounded impossibly young and vulnerable at that moment, and Blitz quickly replied.

"Fuck yeah," he answered, "You should hear the way he talks about you."

Octavia's eyebrows lifted, "He talks about me?"

"All the fucking time," Blitz exclaimed, "At least when he's not being a horny bastard."

The young owl scrunched up her face in disgust, and Blitz chuckled.

"You remind me of my Loona when you make that face," he said.

Octavia's magenta eyes widened, "You have a daughter? Seriously?"

Blitz took out his phone and swiftly opened a picture of himself and Loona. He stood next to the young owl, grinning proudly as he held his phone out for her to see.

"That's my looney poo, right there," He pointed out, "I adopted her when she was about your age."

The princess blinked at the photo.

"She looks like she's going to bite your head off."

Blitz's grin never faltered, "That's my girl! Full of spirit!"

Octavia chuckled.

"It's hard to picture you as a Dad," she admitted, "I guess I only thought of you as, well-"

"The weird guy fucking your Dad?" Blitz finished.

"Pretty much."

"Yeah, well," Blitz put away his phone, "Now I'm the weird guy dating your Dad."

"And having his baby," Octavia added, glancing again at Blitz's stomach.

"That too," he conceded, tilting his head questioningly, "Does that bother you?"

Octavia shrugged.

"It's just weird," she paused before continuing, "But I always wanted to be a big sister."

"Yeah, your Dad told me," At her surprised glance, he replied, "I told you, he talks about you. He said the day you were born was the happiest day of his life."

The teen looked teary-eyed again.

"I don't want to move in with my Mom," She blurted out.

Blitz had figured as much. Even when the Prince had first told him the news, a part of him had been baffled that anyone could have chosen that bitch over Stolas.

"It's not that I don't love my mum," Octavia hurried to explain, her sudden nervousness reminding him of Stolas, "It's just that she can be...difficult sometimes. And she's always yelling about Dad, and I just-"

"Whoa, hey, I get it," Blitz replied, placing a gentle hand on the princess's shoulder, "You don't have to explain it to me, but I think your dad would be interested in knowing how you feel."

Octavia sniffed, discreetly wiping away a tear.

"Didn't have you pegged for the emotionally honest type," She replied.

"Oh, fuck no," Blitz scoffed, "I'm an emotionally stunted hypocrite."

He was pleasantly surprised when that earned him even a weak chuckle. 

"Look, I came here today to try and cheer your Dad up, but I think what he really needs is to hear from you."

Octavia looked at him wide-eyed again, "You're leaving?"

"You want me to stay?" Blitz challenged jokingly.

He sobered quickly when Octavia looked away, tugging self-consciously at her sleeve.

"I mean, I could," Blitz said, feeling out of his depth, "If you want?"

"Maybe just walk me to his room?" She asked, "So I don't lose my nerve."

Blitz was reminded once again how young the princess was.

"Sure thing, sweetie." 

"My name is Octavia," She said, "In case you didn't know."

"Got it, Octapie!" Blitz grinned, purposely mispronouncing her name, which caused the teen to groan in annoyance.

"That name better not stick," She complained, "And we're using the front door; there's no way I'm scaling this wall."

Blitz gave her a mock bow.

"After you, Princess."

Octavia rolled her eyes, but even Blitz could spot the small smile she sported as she walked by.

Chapter Text

Stolas's palace was massive, despite the fact that only the Prince and his daughter lived there. It contained so many rooms that it was impossible to count, and had numerous hallways to navigate through. Blitz, who had never explored beyond Stolas's bedroom, would have been completely lost if it wasn't for Octavia leading the way.

They walked in silence, the young owl clearly daunted by the task ahead of her and Blitz fighting off the return of his nausea. The feeling grew stronger the further they ventured into the palace, his stomach rolling and a burning creeping up the back of his throat.

Blitz distracted himself by studying the pictures lining the hallway.

One of them depicted the Prince holding the grimoire, an imposing figure with a haughty air. Blitz found himself quirking a smile when comparing the owl in the picture to the one who blushed endlessly at the slightest compliment thrown his way.

So distracted, Blitz nearly ran into Octavia, who had stopped before her father's chamber door.

"Well, here we are, kiddo." he needlessly announced.

The teen shifted in place, glancing over at him apprehensively.

"What if he's asleep?" She asked, "Maybe I should just wait til later."

Blitz gave a thoughtful hum as he pulled out his phone, texting Stolas to ask if he was awake. The response was almost immediate.

Pretty Bird: I'm afraid so.

"You're in luck," Blitz replied, turning his phone around for her to see, "Looks like he's up."

Octavia made a face as though this was terrible news but nodded.

"You got it from here, Princess?" Blitz asked, ready to leave and search out the nearest trash can to empty his stomach in.

The teen blinked, mouth set in a determined line as she nodded again.

"I got this."

Blitz gave her a thumbs up, about to turn and leave, when the door nob started to turn from the other side. Octavia shot him a wide-eyed look of panic, which he was sure was mirrored on his face, and with a low curse, Blitz darted behind one of the tall plants outside the door before it could open.

"Octavia," Stolas's surprised voice said, "What are you doing out here, my owlet?"

Octavia glanced nervously at the plant Blitz was crouched behind before clearing her throat, facing her father again with as much calm and control as she could muster.

Octavia could see that Stolas was exhausted. He had removed his top hat with his crown and was absentmindedly running his hand through the feathers on his head, as if trying to regain his composure before facing his daughter. Despite his efforts, the puffiness of his eyes revealed that he had been crying.

"Dad, I-" She lost her voice for a moment, guilt churning in her stomach, "I wanted to talk to you about earlier."

"Oh?" Her father tilted his head, "And what would you like to discuss?"

"I don't want to move in with Mom," she replied, getting right to the point.

Stolas's eyes widened, his eyebrows lifting.

"You don't?" There was surprise and hope in his voice, "Not that I'm not relieved; truth be told, I would have missed you terribly, but why the change of heart?"

"I only said that because I-" She paused, shaking her head, voice suddenly rushed, "I thought you'd be happier if I weren't around."

Stolas looked visibly taken aback by the confession.

"Why on earth would you ever think such a thing?" He asked brows furrowed in obvious distress.

Octavia winced as she looked down at her feet.

"Octavia?"

"I heard you and Mom," She admitted quietly, peeking up through her bangs at him, "That night on the balcony."

Blitz knew he shouldn't be listening; this was obviously meant to be a private conversation, but curiosity got the better of him, and he found himself peeking over the foilage to see Stolas's reaction. Blitz didn't know what that night on the balcony meant, but Stolas clearly did, a pained sort of recognition on his face.

"Octavia...I," The Prince struggled to find his words and lost the battle to silence.

"I know that your and mom's marriage was arranged and that you never loved her," Octavia continued, her voice strained, "And I know the only reason you had me was because you had to. That you needed an heir."

"Octavia-"

"I'm just some political obligation," The teen continued, tears burning in her magenta eyes, "So when you told me about the baby, I thought...I thought this was your chance to have the family you wanted. That you didn't need me around as a reminder of a loveless marriage, and I-"

A sob got caught in her throat, and she was pulled into her father's arms the next moment.

"No, No, No, My owlet," He hushed her gently, petting her hair as he held her tight, "You are nothing of the sort. Your mother and I may not have felt love for each other, but we both love you endlessly. Please believe me when I say that you are the best thing to have ever happened to me, and being your father is one of the greatest joys of my life."

As Octavia hugged him tightly, she buried her face in his clothes and took a deep breath, feeling a rush of emotions wash over her.

"I love you, my little Starfire," Stolas continued, his voice soft but earnest, "And there is nothing in all of hell that could ever change that."

After a few moments, he pulled back, reaching down to wipe the tears off his daughter's face.

"There now," he said, a gentle smile on his face, "No more of these sad thoughts."

Octavia chuckled wetly, sniffling.

"I love you, Dad."

"And I love you, always."

In what can only be described as the worst timing in history, Blitz gagged, losing the battle against his nausea as he heaved into the pot of the plant he was crouched behind. The taste of bile was thick on his tongue and triggered him to gag again. He clutched at the outer edges of the pot as he heaved onto the soil inside, stomach clenching. Finally, when it let up, he allowed himself to fall back, leaning against the wall as he shuddered.

"Blitzy?"

He looked up at the nickname, finding Stolas's wide-eyed gaze upon him.

Octavia was beside him, her beak pulled into a grimace, obviously disgusted by the display.

"Uh...Hi?" he gave a feebly little wave in reply.

"Are you alright?" Stolas asked, concern etched on his face as he crouched before him, "What on earth are you even doing here?"

Octavia answered for him.

"I caught him outside about to scale the balcony," She said, "He's the one that convinced me to come to talk to you."

Stolas was evidently surprised to hear this, looking from his daughter and back to Blitz.

"Is this true?"

"Yeah, well, what can I say? I'm a nosy little bastard," Blitz replied, "Sorry about the plant. I know how much you like those things, but-"

"It's fine, my dear," Stolas interrupted, "I'm far more concerned about you now."

Blitz rolled his eyes but was sure that he was blushing.

"I'm-" he had been about to say he was fine, but his stomach clenched again, the acidic taste of vomit still at the back of his throat. 

Blitz let out a small groan as he placed his hand over his middle, briefly closing his eyes against the unpleasant feeling.

"Fuck," he cursed softly.

"Are you still feeling ill?" The owl asked, his voice going soft and gentle.

"Even after all that vomiting?" Octavia asked, still wary of getting too close.

Blitz forced himself to sit up straight, not liking the unwanted attention.

"I'm fine," He replied, pulling his knees to his chest defensively, "I just need a  minute to settle my stomach."

Octavia's eyes lit up, "Crackers."

When both adults sent her confused looks, she blushed at her outburst.

"You used to give me those little saltine crackers when I was a kid," She explained to her Dad, "Whenever I got a tummyache, remember? Maybe some of those would help?"

Stolas smiled suddenly.

"What a wonderful idea, my owlet," he replied, "Would you mind going to fetch some for us?"

"Sure, no problem."

Before Blitz could protest, she was already hurrying down the hallway. He sighed, closing his eyes as his stomach tossed and turned. When he opened them, it was to find Stolas now kneeling in front of him.

"Is the medicine no longer helping, my dear?" he asked softly.

"Must be wearing off," Blitz replied, frowning, "And I can only take the damn pill once a day, so I'm fucked."

Stolas reached out to place his hand over one of Blitz's. Usually, Blitz would pull away from such a display of concern, but he turned his palm around, gripping the owl's hand in his and giving it a reassuring squeeze.

Stolas's worried expression softened.

"Thank you," The Prince said, "For getting Via to come speak with me."

"It wasn't exactly planned," Blitz admitted, "I was actually coming to see you."

The owl tilted his head.

"Is that so?" 

"Thought I could maybe cheer you up," Blitz shrugged, embarrassed. "But then the kid caught me, and well- you're sure you're not upset? It wasn't really any of my business and-"

This time, Stolas squeezed his hand.
"I'm quite relieved, actually," The Prince said, "If not for your interference, then it's quite possible she would have gone to live with Stella, thinking she was unwanted here."

"Yeah, I guess that would have sucked."

"Yes, it would have, indeed," Stolas said, bringing the back of Blitz's hand up to his beak to bestow a small kiss, his eyes never straying from the imp's face.
Blitz found himself blushing again.

"I'm not interrupting anything gross, am I?"

Blitz looked up at the sound of Octavia's voice, and Stolas turned, rising to his feet in one graceful motion to cheerfully greet his daughter. 

"Found the crackers," The teen replied, holding up a sleeve of saltines, "And I brought a bottle of water, too; I know how dry these things are."

She stepped forward to hand them down to Blitz.

"Thanks, sweetie."

"Yes, thank you, Starfire."

"No problem," Octavia rubbed the back of her head, "Listen, I'm going to head to my room; let the two of you spend some time together."

Stolas's smile slipped from his face, but it was Blitz who protested.

"No, don't leave. I'm the one who was interrupting your father-daughter bonding shit," the imp moved to push himself to his feet, "I should-"

His stomach clenched, and a wave of dizziness assaulted him at the abrupt movement. Blitz closed his eyes and gritted his teeth as he rocked forward off balance.

"Blitzy!" Stolas caught him under the arms, holding him up.

"fuck," Blitz cursed, opening his eyes as the world righted itself, "Shit."

He managed to get his feet back under him, pulling away despite the Prince's reluctance to let him go.

"Are you certain you don't require a doctor?" The owl asked.

"I can call an ambulance," Octavia stated, already holding her phone.

"Whoa, both of you calm your tits," Blitz replied, "I just got up too fast. I'm fucking fine."

"But you're still in no fit state to be driving," Stolas replied, "I insist you stay and rest."

Blitz frowned, shooting a worried look over at Octavia.

The teen rolled her eyes.

"I'm fine with you being here," She said, gesturing behind her with her thumb, "I was planning on heading to my room after I talked to Dad anyway. Plus, he's right; you should rest."

Blitz sighed, "Guess I'm outnumbered then."

"It would appear so," Stolas replied, smiling as he turned to his daughter, "Thank you for being so understanding, Via. Perhaps the two of us could spend some time together tomorrow?"

Octavia smiled gently.

"I'd like that, Dad."

"Me as well," he leaned down to kiss the top of her head, which the teen instantly complained about.

Her embarrassment didn't faze Stolas, and he happily said he would see her later, telling Octavia again that he loved her.

The teen returned the sentiment, looking back at Blitz before she turned to leave.

"I guess I'll be seeing you around more, too." 

"Guess you will," Blitz answered, a smirk coming to his face, "Later, Octapie!"

Stolas blinked at the name, and Octavia groaned, rolling her eyes one last time before marching away.

She was barely out of sight before Stolas turned to Blitz.

"Octapie?" he questioned curiously.

"Just a little joke between us," Blitz shrugged.

"How delightful," Stolas beamed, "It's good to see the two of you bonding."

"Yeah, whatever, let's-whoa." before he could finish his sentence, the owl had scooped him up in his arms, almost causing him to lose his grip on the bottled water and crackers in his hands.

"Damn it, Stolas, I don't need you to carry me," Blitz complained.

"Nonsense, Darling," The Prince replied, "Now, where would you like to go? Of course, the bedroom is always an option, but we could also go to the sitting room if you like. Maybe watch a movie?"

Blitz sighed, resigned.

"The bedroom's fine, " He said, "So long as there's no hanky panky involved."

"I simply want you to rest, my dear," Stolas answered, "I have no ulterior motive, I assure you."

"Don't get me wrong," Blitz said, "I'd tear that ass up in a second if I didn't feel like my stomach was turning inside out."

Stolas blushed.

"Perhaps another time," The owl suggested, a hopeful glint in his glowing red eyes.

Blitz smirked, "It's a date, pretty bird."

Chapter Text

Blitz had seen many sides to Stolas, from the kind father that doted on his daughter to the horny owl that sent him endless lewd texts during all hours of the day to the nerdy intellectual rambling on about stars and plants. Now he wasn't sure how to describe the Prince, who had carefully deposited him on the bed as if he were made of glass. 

Worried mother hen? Dotting boyfriend?

He gently coaxed Blitz out of his jacket and gloves before moving down to remove his boots. Blitz commented about being undressed, half joking and half flirting with the tall demon, but Stolas just gave him a small indulgent smile before placing a pillow under his feet and urging the Imp to start eating.

Blitz frowned at the response, shifting the bottled water to rest between his legs as he tore open the packaging of the crackers in his lap.

"Isn't there some snobby rich person rule about eating in bed?" He asked.

 Stolas was leaning over in the process of fluffing the pillows behind Blitz's back and let out a thoughtful hum.

"I suppose there is," He replied, straightening back up, "I was never allowed to eat in bed as a child," He smiled fondly down at Blitz, "But I've always bent the rules for you, my dear."

Not sure how to respond to such a statement, Blitz ducked his head, nibbling on a cracker. His stomach still felt uneasy, and the headache he'd felt coming on earlier was starting to return. 

He raised his other hand to rub at his temple, and Stolas instantly took notice.

"Are you alright, Darling?"

How many times was Stolas going to ask him that? Blitz inwardly rolled his eyes, deciding to do what he did best and avoid the question entirely.

"Are you going to stand there staring at me all day? Or are you going to join me?" He patted the spot beside him and flashed the owl a charming smile.

"Oh, I, uh-" Stolas was clearly startled by the invitation, staring down at himself, still fully clothed.

He cleared his throat.

"Yes, allow me to get more comfortable," He moved toward the side of the room, slipping off his cape and gloves and gently placing them on the fainting couch against the wall.

Blitz then watched him carefully unbutton his waistcoat, his talons nibble and quick as they shed another layer of clothing before beginning on the shirt underneath. Usually, when Blitz arrived for the full moon, Stolas was already fully nude, posing provocatively on his bed, or only wearing his robe. So watching the prince undress in front of him was something new and oddly fascinating.

Blitz nibbled on another cracker as Stolas folded his shirt and laid it out on the couch, the top half of his body now exposed. The owl then reached down to undo his pants, and Blitz felt something warm and pleasant flutter inside him, heart racing as the material slid down Stolas's long legs to the floor. 

'He's wearing underwear.'

At first, this revelation surprised him; he knew Stolas preferred not to be so restricted, and the black shorts he now sported looked especially snug. But, on the other hand, they also looked fucking hot; hugging the owl's bottom so tightly it left little to the imagination, not that Blitz needed to imagine; he'd seen the prince nude many times, of course.

So why did he feel so flustered now? Taking a long drink from his bottled water to try to quell the heat that had replaced the nausea in his belly.

Blitz expected Stolas to discard the underwear as well, nearly holding his breath in anticipation, but the owl simply placed his pants with the rest of his clothes and turned back towards him.

Blitz felt like he was on fire as Stolas strutted slowly across the room to stand by the bed next to him, never breaking eye contact.

Blitz swallowed hard, mesmerized as he looked up into those burning red orbs.

"Are you finished?" 

The question was like a splash of cold water to Blitz's face, breaking him out of his trance as the owl gestured to the forgotten crackers and bottled water in the Imp's lap.

"Oh, uh-" Blitz stammered, shaking his head briefly as the heat in his belly faded. He handed both things over to the owl with a halfhearted thanks, looking away as Stolas set them aside on the nightstand.

'What the fuck is wrong with you?' Blitz thought, face now hot with embarrassment, 'Since when do you get this torn up over Stolas?'

And yes, they had agreed to no sex beforehand, but since when did that stop the Prince from trying?

When Stolas turned back to him, there was nothing sexual in his gaze.

"Did the crackers help? Are you feeling any better?" He reached out a hand to lay over one of Blitz's cheeks, brows furrowing, "You look a bit flushed, My dear."

'And whose fault is that?' Blitz inwardly quipped.

"I'm fine, and yeah, the crackers helped,"  He brushed the hand away from his face, looking pointedly away from the Prince, "You getting in bed or what?"

His moody response didn't bother Stolas at all. Instead, he walked around to the other side of the bed, pulling the covers back and slipping in beside the Imp. The owl turned on his side, propping his chin up with one hand while the other reached over to tug the covers over Blitz's waist. 

Taking the hint, Blitz snuggled down into the bed, turning to face the owl, one arm pillowed under his head. He was still in his shirt and pants, but the added clothing wasn't uncomfortable.

Stolas looked content, but the silence between them only made Blitz more aware of the headache that had decided to rear its ugly head. 

"So, what now?" The Imp asked, sounding impatient, "We just going to stare at each other's faces all fucking day?"

Stolas let out an amused hoot, smiling all the more fondly at him.

"I could never tire of looking at you, Blitzy." 

Blitz found himself relaxing at the flirtatious tone; this was far more familiar than the worry Stolas had been exhibiting.

Blitz reached for the Prince's hand between them, his thick palm covering the owl's slender fingers. 

The sultry gaze that had only just returned to the Prince's face instantly vanished, a small crease appearing between his two lower sets of eyes.

"You feel a bit chilled," The owl stated softly, worriedly, "Should I fetch an extra blanket?

Blitz rolled his eyes, the mood now ruined, as he pulled his hand back towards himself.

"I feel fine, birdbrain. Now stop fussing already."

"I'm not fussing," The owl denied with a pout, "I'm simply concerned."

"Is this cause we're together now? Or is this about the baby?" Blitz asked, genuinely curious about where this behavior was coming from.

Stolas sighed, looking vaguely annoyed.

"Both, of course," The owl replied, "I care about you a great deal, but your being pregnant does add an extra layer of concern to the matter."

"I'm fine," Blitz stubbornly said, "I don't need you to treat me like I'm made of glass or some shit."

"I'm not entirely sure you know what fine is," The taller demon huffed, sitting up in bed to run a hand through the feathers on his head, "You fainted the other night during our usual session, and you nearly did so again out in the hall."

Blitz glared as he pushed himself into a sitting position, the headache pounding in his temples as his anger flared.

"I told you I hadn't been sleeping well the other night and that thing in the hallway was just a fluke," He retorted, "If you're gonna hold every little thing against me, then-"

"I'm not holding anything against you," The owl interrupted, frustrated, "I'm worried about your wellbeing. I'm worried for our child."

"You don't think I care about this kid?" Blitz fumed.

"That's not what I-"

"I bet you think I can't fucking do my job anymore either, don't you?" The Imp challenged.

The Prince looked momentarily caught off guard.

"Well, I...I do have some concerns regarding that, yes."

"I fucking knew it," Blitz replied, his voice suddenly much lower than before as he turned to get off the bed.

Stolas's eyes widened as he reached out to catch Blitz's hand, stopping him from leaving.

Blitz tensed.

"Blitz, please," The owl pleaded, "Let us talk about this."

"What else is there to say? You and everyone else have already decided that me being pregnant means I'm fucking useless," he felt tears stinging in his eyes and valiantly fought them off. 

He was not fucking crying over this.

"That's not it at all, my dear," Stolas replied, voice going soft and sincere as he gently tugged Blitz's hand to get him to look over.

Blitz met his gaze begrudgingly, waiting for what he had to say.

"I know how capable you are; you're strong, agile, and incredibly resourceful," The Prince effortlessly complimented him, "Not to mention stubborn to a fault."

Blitz raised an eyebrow, "I'm sensing there's a 'but' in there."

Stolas sighed.

"But being pregnant does come with limitations."

Blitz frowned.

"Even at your best, you've been injured in the past. What would happen if you became ill or dizzy on one of your excursions?" the owl asked.

Blitz groaned as he pulled his hand away from Stolas's now loose grip.

"You're making my head hurt," the Imp complained, rubbing at the side of his head.

Stolas sighed.

 "I'm only asking you to consider the possibility of something going wrong," he said, his voice soft, "you'd be putting more than just yourself in danger."

Blitz placed a hand on his stomach, staring at the cover still over his knees. It had been so easy to get angry when Moxxie had brought up the subject earlier that day when it seemed like he was being underestimated and shoved aside, just like he'd been most of his life. Those old wounds and insecurities had surged to the forefront of his mind, and he'd reacted as defensively as he usually did. 

He just...

"Hate being fucking useless," He muttered.

Stolas's hand was on his face, gently tilting his head to look at him.

"I can assure you no one thinks you are useless, my dear," He said kindly, "Our concern for you is not from lack of faith in your abilities."

Again he felt the urge to cry, but he shoved the feeling down deep. He pulled away from the gentle touch, rubbing his face, head still aching.

"Ugh, fuck," he groaned and then sighed, "Okay, fine. A compromise then."

Stolas tilted his head.

"Compromise?"

"Yeah, ain't that the kind of shit you do in a relationship?" Blitz said, raising an eyebrow.

"What did you have in mind?" Stolas asked.

"I'll agree to just go along on the easier kills, and that's only if I feel up for it," He replied, frowning, "I won't go topside if I feel sick or whatever, and when I get further along, and I can't move as fast I'll stay behind on desk duty. But you gotta ease up on this mother-hen bullshit. Sound good?"

"Oh Blitzy, that would be wonderful," The owl gushed, pulling the Imp towards him in a hug that sent him toppling sideways into the bird's feathered chest.

Blitz groaned.

"Okay, okay, that's enough," he grumbled, pulling himself away, "Can we please just lay the fuck down now? My head is fucking killing me."

He hadn't meant to admit the last part out loud and regretted it instantly when Stolas frowned.

"You have a headache?" 

Blitz sighed.

"Yeah, can we not make a big deal about it?"

"Perhaps I can help," The owl replied, raising both hands, the tips of his fingers glowing with magic.

"Whoa now," Blitz leaned back, bracing himself with his hands behind him, "The fuck are you trying to do?"

"A simple spell to help lessen the symptoms of your headache," the owl replied, "It also works wonders on sore muscles. I assure you it's perfectly safe."

After a moment, when Blitz realized the owl was not going to proceed without permission, he gave a slight nod. Stolas smiled and moved his hands to either side of Blitz's head, two fingers touching the sides of the imps temples and slowly massaging them.

Blitz winced as he felt the magic push against his headache, icy cold against his skin. Then his headache started to recede as if being washed away by a cooling tide. He hadn't even realized how tense he was until his shoulders began to relax and his eyelids drooped.

"Fuck," he mumbled, closing his eyes with a slight hum.

"Is that better, darling?"

The icy cool feeling against his temples had disappeared, but so had his headache. After a moment, his entire body relaxed, and he realized that Stolas was cradling his head in his hands.

"Mmm...feels nice," He slurred tiredly. 

He heard Stolas giggle and felt him kiss the center of his forehead.

"Let us lay down, shall we?" the Prince said.

Blitz hummed again, allowing Stolas to ease him down onto the bed. He sighed when his head hit the pillow, and the warm cover was draped back over his body.

It took considerable willpower to blink open his eyes, squinting at Stolas's adoring gaze in front of him.

He wondered if the owl intended to stare at him the entire time. 

'Creepy old bird.' 

Even as he thought this, he snuggled up against the Prince and closed his eyes again.

Stolas sighed contently and wrapped his arms around the Imp, stroking the spikes along his back.

The sensation was calming, and Blitz nuzzled into the soft feathers in front of him, purring softly as he drifted off to sleep.

Chapter Text

Over the next few weeks, Blitz concluded that being pregnant fucking sucked. The bouts of nausea were ongoing, and the medicine he'd been given would only grant him relief for a few measly hours before he found himself bent over another trashcan or toilet. On top of that, he was often tired, falling asleep in his office and spending the evenings dozing on the couch back at the apartment. According to Loona, Blitz had also been a 'moody little bitch', easily irritated during working hours and snapping at his employees only to become immediately weepy and apologetic. His tone abs had also become soft, and there was now a slight bulge to his belly; nothing overtly noticeable, but Blitz had thrown a fit the first morning he could not squeeze into his usual pair of jeans. 

So, yeah, being pregnant fucking sucked.

"You coming to work or what?" Loona asked.

Blitz groaned from his spot sprawled out on the couch, wearing a pair of sweatpants and an oversized shirt, covering his face with his hands.

He'd been so sick the night before that he'd fallen asleep on the couch clutching a trashcan to his chest, and although his stomach felt more settled now, Blitz's entire body felt achy and tired.

Loona raised an eyebrow, "Is that a no?"

Blitz sighed, removing his hands from his face and craning his neck to look at his daughter.

"I think I'm going to sit this one out," He reluctantly admitted, "You can take the van. Tell Moxxie to get my paperwork in order, and don't fuck up on today's kill, okay?"

"Yeah, whatever," Loona replied, snatching the van keys off the table.

She turned to leave but paused, looking back at the imp now curled up on his side on the couch.

"You, uh, gonna be okay here by yourself?"

Blitz looked at her with teary eyes, clearly touched by the question. 

"I'll be fine, Looney toon," He answered, "Don't you worry about me."

Loona rolled her eyes.

"Just try to eat something, okay?"

Blitz felt his heart warm further at the instruction, and he readily agreed that he would fix himself a light breakfast after he rested some more. Seeming satisfied with his answer, Loona said a quick goodbye and left.

Blitz yawned, pulling the horse-covered blanket off the back of the couch and curling it around him as he snuggled down into the worn-out couch, warding off the chill he felt in the air. He'd only just closed his eyes when he heard his phone ding from the table before him. He whined a little as he pried his eyes back open and reluctantly reached out to grab it.

Pretty Bird: Good Morning, Darling!

Blitz scoffed softly at the far too cheerful tone of the text. His phone dinged again before he could reply.

Pretty Bird: How are you feeling today?

Blitz frowned as he replied that he felt like shit and had stayed home from work to rest. His spelling was worse than usual, but he was certain Stolas could decipher what he meant.

Pretty Bird: I'm sorry to hear that, my dear. If you need anything, just let me know. I'm only a portal trip away.

Being in a relationship was still so new to Blitz, as was the constant level of care that Stolas seemed to have for him.

He'd spent at least one night a week at the Prince's palace, and despite still being too tired or nauseous to perform any sexual favors, Stolas still seemed delighted to have him around.

The two would often nap together, although Blitz believed the owl would secretly watch him sleep, something Blitz found both endearing and creepy. Other times, they would watch TV shows or put on a movie, cuddling together on the couch. 

It was nice.

Blitz still wasn't used to it.

Blitz: Thnx, Babe.

He slipped the phone into the pocket of his sweatpants, snuggling back down on the couch, and within seconds, he dozed off.

Blitz wasn't sure how long he slept; it could have been a few minutes or a few hours, but when he woke up, his head was pounding. He groaned as he sat up, and the room in front of him spun. Blitz closed his eyes to relieve some of the dizziness, but it only made him feel more unbalanced. He leaned forward, elbows resting on his knees as he buried his face into his hands and waited for the feeling to pass.

When it finally did, Blitz sighed in relief, the pain still pounding in his skull as he pushed himself to his feet. His legs felt weak and shaky, and he frowned in concern, deciding that he'd probably gone too long without eating and just needed something in his stomach.

He shakily walked around the couch and towards his tiny kitchen, but his knees buckled under him just as he reached the counter. With a surprised cry, Blitz threw his hands out to try to balance himself but failed miserably, just managing to catch the edge of the counter before lowering himself to the ground.

Blitz was suddenly short of breath, leaning back against the counter as his heart beat fast in his chest, matching the pounding in his skull.

It felt like the room around him was shrinking in on itself, and Blitz didn't have the strength to pull himself back to his feet and shrug whatever was happening away.

'Fuck, something's wrong.'

This thought did nothing to settle his heartbeat or breathing, and he fumbled to take his phone out of his pocket.

Raising the phone to his head seemed too big a task, so he hit the speaker button as he dialed Stolas's phone number.

The owl answered after two rings.

"Hello, my sexy little imp," The Prince greeted in a flirtatious voice.

Blitz winced, trying to take in a calming breath.

"H-hey, Stols," He still sounded a little breathless despite his best efforts, "You busy?"

Stolas's voice instantly sobered.

"Is something wrong, Darling? You sound winded."

Blitz swallowed, pushing back his pride.

"I, uh, I need some help."

"Help?" the owl sounded alarmed, "What-"

"Look, can you get your feathered ass over here or not?" Blitz snapped.

"I'll be right there."

Blitz sighed as they both hung up, clumsily putting the phone back in his pocket.

No sooner had he done so than a portal opened up near the front door of his apartment, and Stolas stepped quickly inside, dressed in a grey shirt with a red waistcoat and a pair of black pants.

He spotted Blitz immediately, letting out a sound of distress as he swooped down to kneel beside him.

"Blitz, what happened? Did you fall? You look pale," He released a worried gasp as he clutched his boyfriend's hands, "Oh dear, your hands are like ice."

Blitz instinctively wanted to brush Stolas's concern aside, but now was not the time to let his pride get the best of him. Something was wrong, and for the sake of their child, he needed to be brutally honest.

"My head is killing me, and I'm too weak to stand," He admitted, face burning with shame, "My heart feels like it's gonna beat out of my fucking chest and-" he took a deep breath, "I'm having trouble breathing."

Was he having a panic attack, or was this something else? Blitz had no idea.

Stolas's eyes had widened at the list of symptoms, fear flickering in his gaze before he masked it with steady determination.

"Don't worry, dear, everything will be alright," The owl replied, "I'm going to pick you up, and we're going to the hospital, okay? Just breathe, Darling."

Blitz nodded, taking another slow breath as Stolas carefully lifted him into his arms, bridal style, and stood up. Even with how gentle the owl was, Blitz still felt another wave of dizziness at the change in position, darkness edging into his vision.

"Fuck," He loosely gripped the front of Stolas's waistcoat, leaning his head into the crook of the Prince's neck, "Think I'm gonna pass out."

"Try to stay awake," Stolas instructed.

Blitz had closed his eyes, but the light from a new portal opening made him wince as his headache spiked, the sounds of a busy hospital filling the air that now smelled like hand sanitizer.

"I need a doctor!" He heard Stolas announce, an almost shaky quality to his voice.

There was no immediate response, and Blitz let out an involuntary whimper as he fought to stay conscious. The arms around him tightened, and Stolas's voice hardened.

"Now!" he demanded.

Sounds of movement around him, questions being asked that he couldn't quite make out, Stolas saying that Blitz was pregnant and listing the symptoms that Blitz had shared with him. There was more movement as Stolas started to lower him onto something, but Blitz clung to him with all the strength he had left, another whimper escaping him. He was safe in Stolas's arms, and that's the only thing that made sense to him now.

"Shh, Darling, it's alright," The owl cooed softly at him, "I'm just laying you down so they can look at you. I'll be right here, I promise."

Despite Stolas's reassuring words, Blitz's hands had to be pried off the Prince before he was laid on some type of bed. Someone spoke directly to his right, asking him something as he lifted one of the imp's eyelids and shone a bright light into them. Blitz hissed at the pain this caused in his head, weakly swiping a hand out in front of him to ward off the invasion. Someone gently grabbed his wrist; another voice much closer than the other whispered comforts to him. Stolas? He called out the owl's name, trying to open his eyes; the bright lights on the ceiling swam into view before everything darkened.

The next time Blitz gained consciousness, he felt tired and worn but nowhere near as weak as before. His headache was now a dull throb, his breathing even, and his heart beating normally in his chest.

He let out a relieved sigh as he opened his eyes; the first thing he saw was the I.V. sticking out of his arm, attached to the stand and bag. 

"Blitz?

He turned his head at Stolas's voice, the owl walking towards his bed and gently taking his hand.

"How are you feeling, my dear?" His voice was soft and concerned.

Blitz squeezed the owl's hand. 

"Better." 

Stolas relief was short-lived as Blitz immediately attempted to sit up.

The owl tried to persuade Blitz to rest, but the imp ignored him and threw an arm out, demanding Stolas's help. 

Realizing he could not win, Stolas eased him into a sitting position.

Blitz groaned, rolling his shoulders back.

"What happened?" he asked- everything after entering the hospital a blur.

"You've been unconscious for a few hours," The Prince informed him.

Blitz felt a spike of panic hit him, his hand going towards the slight bulge on his stomach.

"The baby-"

"Is safe," Stolas was quick to reassure him.

"What happened?" he asked again, feeling like a broken record.

Stolas opened his mouth to reply when the door to Blitz's room came open, and the Doctor who had initially given Blitz the news of his pregnancy walked in. He looked up from the chart he was carrying, seeing Blitz awake.

"Ah, good, you're up," The Doctor said, "And how are you feeling, Mr.Blitzo?"

"The 'o' is silent."

Blitz blinked up at the owl that had corrected the Doctor, stunned. The Doctor seemed to shrink under the Prince's gaze, suddenly becoming more reserved.

"Of course, Your Highness," he answered, clearing his throat before looking back at Blitz, "How are you feeling, Mr.Blitz?"

"A hell of a lot better," Blitz answered, "Can you tell me what the fuck was wrong in the first place?"

At this question, the Doctor frowned.

"You were severely anemic when you came in. Not to mention dehydrated as well."

Dehydrated, he understood; although Blitz had tried drinking as much water as possible, he wasn't always able to keep it down, but the imp was completely ignorant regarding the other word.

"Anemic?"

"It's a condition in which blood lacks adequate healthy red blood cells," The Doctor answered, "In your case, it was caused by a severe iron deficiency."

Blitz blinked.

"Oh."

"Had you bothered to make your follow-up appointment, we may have been able to catch this much earlier," He continued, a clear note of disapproval in his tone and gaze, "As it stands, we had to give you a blood transfusion."

Fuck, had it been that bad?

He looked to Stolas, hoping for reassurance, but the Prince was frowning.

"You didn't make a follow-up appointment?" he asked, his voice both disappointed and confused.

Blitz winced.

"I was kind of freaking out the day I left the doctors," he admitted, rubbing the back of his neck, gazing at the hospital bedsheet, "Didn't really think to make an appointment. I had the vitamins, and I," Blitz shrugged uncomfortably, "Figured I already knew everything I needed to know."

"We tried to reach you," The Doctor informed him.

Blitz winced again.

"Yeah, I may have given you the wrong phone number."

"Blitz!" Stolas scolded him, pinching the bridge between his eyes in apparent stress.

"You would have been experiencing some of the symptoms for weeks," The Doctor noted, clearly not caring that he was digging Blitz into a deeper hole, "Headaches, fatigue, and dizziness, at the least."

Blitz shrunk down into the bed, not looking at either occupant.

"Thought it was normal," he muttered.

"Blitz..."

"Look, I'm sorry, okay?" Blitz replied, his gaze locking onto Stolas's, "I fucking screwed up," he then turned toward the Doctor, "What does all this mean for the baby?"

Because wasn't that the most important thing anyway? 

The Doctor looked down at his chart briefly.

"We did an ultrasound while you were unconscious," He stated, "The baby is healthy, although slightly underweight for a normal imp pregnancy," he glanced at Stolas, "Although I now realize this is not exactly a normal pregnancy."

Stolas stiffened, standing up to his full height.

"Is my being the father going to be a problem?"

Again, the Doctor turned timid.

"It's not a problem, Your Highness," he stammered, "It's just...an unusual situation. You're quite a powerful being, and for an imp to carry your child, there are many unknowns."

Stolas's dark gaze instantly turned to worry.

"Are you saying this could be dangerous for Blitz?"

The Doctor swallowed nervously.

"It is likely to be a difficult pregnancy, yes."

Stolas frowned, face lined with dread as he turned to look at Bitz.

"Blitz," he hesitated, "Perhaps we should consider-"

"No." Blitz's expression hardened as he realized what the Prince would suggest, "I'm not giving up this kid, Stolas."

The owl sighed, looking haggard.

"I don't want to either, my Dear," He replied, voice delicate and heartbreaking, "But I also can't bear the thought that I might lose you in the process."

Blitz looked off to the side.

"We don't fucking know that'll happen,"  he looked at the Doctor then, "There's probably never been a pregnancy like this one, right?" 

The Doctor looked startled at being directed.

"Oh, well....certainly none that I'm aware of," he replied.

"So you know fuck all what'll happen then, right?" Blitz accused.

The Doctor flushed.

"No, I suppose not," he admitted.

"See?" Blitz turned back to Stolas, "This could all be fine."

"Darling, you're in the hospital," Stolas reminded him. 

"And it's my fucking fault," Blitz snapped back, "I won't let this happen again. I'll go to whatever appointments I have to, take whatever medicine they throw at me, and fucking stay in bed if they ask me to, but I can't...I can't," 

His eyes were suddenly stinging with tears, and his breathing hitched as he fought back a sob.

Stolas turned a heated gaze at the Doctor, telling him they needed privacy, and the lesser demon quickly hurried out of the room.

Stolas sat on the edge of Blitz's bed, grabbing one of his hands and kissing his knuckles.

"Shh, my darling, it's okay," He whispered against Blitz's hand, "Take a breath, sweetheart."

Blitz looked up, a few stray tears falling down his cheeks. Stolas moved one of his hands to the imp's face, brushing the tears away with his thumb.

"I'm sorry I upset you, my dear. We will get through this pregnancy together, You and I."

Blitz closed his eyes, sighing in relief as he lifted his hand to lay over Stolas's, leaning into the owl's touch.

It was nice.

And Blitz still wasn't used to it.

Chapter Text

Blitz squirmed in his hospital bed, fighting the urge to pick at his IV as he waited for Stolas to return. The owl had gone to speak to the doctor, but that had been almost half an hour ago.

Sighing, he pulled out his phone, knowing he needed to tell Loona what was happening but dreading the response he'd get. So, being the coward that he was, Blitz decided to text her instead.

Blitz: Hey sweetie. In hosptal but okya now. baby is fien two. No wories. Love you!

Perfect.

Blitz hit send, and a moment later, his phone was ringing.

Shit.

Blitz braced himself as he answered.

"Heeeey Looney, what-"

"What the fuck kind of text was that?!" His daughter yelled,  "Why the fuck are you in the hospital?"

Blitz chuckled nervously as he tried to make light of the situation. 

"You know those commercials where the old lady falls and can't get up? It turns out that shit can happen to just about anyone nowadays."

Loona was not amused.

"Can you be serious for five fucking minutes?" She asked.

Blitz sighed, trying a different approach.

"Look, I wasn't feeling too well before, but Stolas got me to a hospital, and I'm good now."

Loona wasn't satisfied with this response either.

"What did the damn doctor say?"

Blitz rolled his eyes, deciding that honesty was his only option.

"I was dehydrated and anemic and should have made a follow-up appointment with them." 

"You didn't make a follow-up appointment?!" Loona snapped.

Blitz winced, using his free hand to rub his temple.

"Can you not yell, sweetie," He pleaded, "Daddy's got a headache."

"You're a dumbass; you know that," Loona replied, although she did lower her voice slightly.

Blitz sighed.

"Yeah, I know, I-"

"I shouldn't have left you this morning."

Blitz blinked, stunned at the barely concealed guilt he could hear in his daughter's voice.

"What? No, that's not-" he shook his head, frowning, "This isn't anyone's fault but my own, okay? I fucked up. You have nothing to feel bad about."

"Didn't say I felt bad," Loona muttered unconvincingly before carrying on, "So what's the deal? Are they keeping you overnight or what?"

"I sure as hell ain't spending the night in this shithole," Blitz complained, "The whole place reeks of disinfectant and death. Stolas is asking the doctor now if I can leave."

"Fair enough," Loona replied, her tone again disinterested, "Just text me and let me know what's up."

Blitz smiled as he agreed and said his goodbyes, telling Loona that he loved her, heart soaring when the disgruntled hellhound muttered a faint 'whatever' before hanging up.

He slipped his phone back into the pocket of his sweatpants, perking up when the door to his room opened, and Stolas stepped back inside.

"So, what's the verdict?" Blitz asked, "Am I out of here or what?"

Stolas sighed, running a hand through the feathers on his head as he approached the side of Blitz's bed.

"They want you to stay overnight," Blitz groaned at the news, "However," He perked back up, attentive as Stolas continued, "I've convinced them to release you today depending on a few conditions."

Blitz raised an eyebrow, "Such as?"

"You are to be on bed rest for the next two days."

Blitz frowned at that but didn't argue.

"They also requested you eat meals high in iron and take Iron supplements," Stolas continued, "And be kept under a watchful eye from here on out."

That gave the imp pause.

"What? Like a fucking babysitter or some shit?" He asked, not liking the idea.

"I've volunteered myself for the task, actually," The owl replied, looking nervous, "I know this is sudden, but I think it would be in everyone's best interest if you were to move into the palace."

Blitz blinked, mouth gaping for a moment as he processed the words.

"You...want me to move in?"

For a moment, Blitz's mind completely blanked before a mantra of 'too much, too soon' began running through his head.  

He couldn't do this. He couldn't-

"Blitz? Blitz!"

Stolas's hands suddenly gripped his shoulders, and Blitz stared into his worried red eyes as he gasped for air.

"Darling, breathe," The owl instructed, "It's alright. Come now, deep breath for me."

Shame and embarrassment coiled tight in his stomach, but Blitz closed his eyes and took in as deep a breath as possible.

"That's good, just like that," Stolas encouraged him, "Now another."

Blitz did as instructed and, after a few moments, regained control of his breathing.

When he opened his eyes again, he saw Stolas's guilty expression as the owl pulled away.

"I am so sorry to have sprung that on you," The Prince apologized, "I know that moving in is ...a big step."

Blitz let out a quick, sharp laugh.

"Ya think?" he scoffed, "Shit, Stolas, we've only been dating for a few weeks, and we haven't even been on an actual fucking date yet."

Stolas winced.

"This need not be a permanent arrangement," The owl replied, looking sad, "Once the baby is born, you may go back to occupying your apartment if you like, but for the time being, it seems a wise decision."

Blitz rubbed both hands over his face in frustration.

"You may even have a separate room from me," Stolas added- as if trying to soften a blow.

Blitz looked back up, seeing how defeated the owl appeared and realizing he was taking Blitz's reaction to heart.

He sighed.

"This isn't fucking personal," Blitz replied, "I just...don't handle change well."

Stolas's gaze turned more hopeful.

"I'm just getting used to the idea of being pregnant, of being in an actual fucking relationship with you, and-" Blitz sighed, rubbing the bridge between his eyes as his headache mounted, "It's just a fuck ton of change, is all."

Stolas made a slight sound as he cleared his throat, and Blitz looked up to find the owl tentatively holding up a hand, the tips of his fingers glowing with familiar magic.

"May I?" 

Blitz gave a silent nod, and Stolas wasted no time bringing his hands to the imp's temples. The cooling sensation was not as jarring as it had been the first time, and Blitz hummed appreciatively as he brought his hands up to grip the owl's thin wrists. Blitz felt his eyes slip closed as Stolas's magic did its job, the owl's fingers gently massaging the sides of his head until the pain faded away.

The owl's hands then slid down to lay on either side of his face, and Blitz blinked his eyes open. Stolas's face was much closer than before, gaze soft and adoring.

After everything that had transpired, Blitz wondered how the prince could still look at him like that. Shouldn't he be angry? Stolas had been worried about Blitz's health from the start, and the lesser demon had blatantly tossed that concern aside. 

Blitz gently pulled the owl's hands off his face, looking off to the side.

"You should be telling me 'I told you so,' not healing my fucking headaches," He muttered.

Stolas blinked, clearly caught off guard by Blitz's voice and words.

"Now, why in hell would I do that?" he asked softly.

"Because you were fucking right," Blitz looked back up at him, his anger at himself making his voice come out stern, "I don't know what 'fine' is, and I put both myself and the baby at risk cause I didn't see a fucking doctor sooner."

"And you clearly realize the error of your ways," Stolas added softly, "I see no reason to make you feel any worse over the matter. And I will always do whatever is in my power to ease your pain, my dear."

An emotion he was too terrified to identify stirred inside Blitz, making him feel warm all over. The kindness and care, both in Stolas's voice and gaze, was something he so desperately craved, yet, at the same time...

'I don't deserve it.' he thought, but didn't say, 'I don't deserve you.'

Blitz pushed those thoughts away, closing the distance between them. Stolas let out a surprised sound in his throat as their mouths connected but quickly melted into the kiss, beak opening so their tongues could brush against one another teasingly.

When Blitz pulled back, Stolas let out a slight protesting whine that caused the imp to chuckle.

"Thanks for not being a dick about it," The imp said.

Stolas sighed, a weak smile gracing his features.

"I know I'm asking a lot of you," The owl said, "But it would certainly ease my mind to have you near me."

Blitz frowned, another worry coming to mind.

"What about Loona?" he asked, "I can't just leave her."

Stolas's eyes widened.

"Of course not," The prince replied, "The offer extends to her, too. After all, there's plenty of empty rooms available."

"You'd seriously take us both in?" Blitz asked, clearly skeptical.

"I'm certainly not going to ask you to leave your daughter behind, Blitzy," Stolas replied, looking affronted.

"And what about your daughter?" Blitz raised an eyebrow, "How's she going to feel about Loona and me just moving in on her?"

"You needn't worry about that," Stolas replied, "I spoke to Via over the phone about the arrangement prior to bringing it up with you. Initially, she was hesitant but agreed that it was the safer option. She also seemed eager to meet your daughter; apparently, the two have been chatting on Sinstagram for weeks."

"No shit?" Blitz grinned, "Figured those two would get along."

"I was glad to hear it as well," Stolas replied, "I often worry that Via isn't getting enough social interaction."

It was quiet for a bit, and Blitz sighed.

"Look, how about this," The imp began, "I stay with you for the next couple of days while I'm on bedrest and then talk to Loona about moving in. If she's okay with it, we'll go from there."

Stolas smiled and nodded.

"That is perfectly reasonable."

"So, does that mean we can leave now or what?" Blitz asked, "Because I can't fucking stand places like this."

Stolas chuckled.

"Yes, my dear," He replied, "I'll get a doctor to disconnect your I.V."

"Oh, no need- I got this," Blitz then proceeded to rip the I.V. from his arm with a wince, ignoring the shocked cry of protest from the owl.

Blitz shot him a sharp-toothed grin as Stolas covered his face with one hand and sighed.

"I'll retrieve your pills, and we can be on our way," he said after he composed himself, "Can you behave yourself until then?"

"No promises, Pretty bird," Blitz winked, and the blush that graced Stolas's face as he turned to leave made him smile.

"Oh, and Stolas?"

The bird paused at the door to look back at him.

"No separate rooms, okay?"

The prince seemed to take a moment to process the words before a bright smile lit his face. 

Chapter Text

After leaving the hospital, Stolas opened a portal to Blitz's apartment so the imp could pack a change of clothes for the next couple of days.

Without the urgency from the previous visit, Blitz found himself slightly embarrassed at the mess his apartment was in, apologizing to the prince, who looked confused by his words, saying that he found Blitz's place charming and cozy. Blitz rolled his eyes at the description but was secretly pleased that the owl didn't look down on him for it.

However, a melancholy feeling washed over him when Blitz realized he might not even live in the apartment for much longer. If Loona agreed to move into the palace, which he believed she would, they'd be leaving this place behind forever. 

"Blitz? Are you okay?"

The imp paused, arms full of clothing he was only half sure he could still fit into, and looked back at the owl hovering nearby.

"Yeah, fine," he answered shortly, "I got what I need. Let's get out of here."

Stolas nodded, opening another portal directly to his bedroom and allowing Blitz to walk ahead. Once the portal closed behind the pair, Blitz took a moment to look around the ample space he may now be permanently sharing with the prince.

The sheer size of the room put his tiny apartment to shame.

"Darling?"

Blitz blinked, having spaced out again. Stolas was giving him a look of concern, brows furrowed, and mouth turned down.

Blitz forced a smile as he unceremoniously dropped his clothes on the floor.

"There, all unpacked," He announced, "Guess I better get started on that bedrest, huh?"

Blitz was still wearing his sweatpants and shirt and felt no need to change into anything as he turned toward the bed. Stolas bent down at the last second, reaching a hand out to lay on the imp's shoulder, making Blitz pause.

"My dear, I can tell something is troubling you," The prince said, "Won't you tell me what's wrong?"

Blitz briefly closed his eyes, holding in a sigh as he turned to look up at his boyfriend. 

Blitz hated talking about how he felt. 

Why did being in a relationship require so much fucking talking?

"I'm fine- for real this time," Blitz insisted when he saw the skeptical look on the owl's face, "I feel better than I have in weeks."

And it was the truth. The fatigue that plagued Blitz for days had lifted, his stomach was settled, and Stolas had taken care of the last remnants of his headache. He felt surprisingly good and was still willing to rest as instructed.

Stolas tilted his head, a very bird-like move that Blitz tried to tell himself did not look fucking adorable.

"But something is still bothering you," The prince said knowingly.

Blitz sighed, giving in.

"I'm just trying to wrap my head around the idea of moving in here," He confessed, gesturing around him, "This room is bigger than my whole damn apartment, and it's not exactly my style."

Stolas stood back up straight, red eyes examining the room around him critically.

"I suppose it is a bit spacious," He reluctantly admitted.

"Which is fine," Blitz rushed to say, "It's very...you- which is also fine! I like you! I just- ugh!"

He embarrassedly covered his face at his little rant and heard Stolas hoot softly in amusement.

"It's just not home, okay?" Blitz finished, looking up at him, still red in the face, "Just gonna take some time to get used to."

Stolas looked sad for a moment, but then his expression turned thoughtful.

"Perhaps we can change a few things," He replied, "Maybe add some of your lovely drawings to the walls?"

Blitz looked up at that.

"Really?" he tried not to sound too eager at the idea, but his tail swung excitedly behind him.

Stolas smiled.

"Of course, my dear," he said, "I want you to feel comfortable here."

Before Blitz could respond, the phone in his pocket began ringing. Blitz pulled the device out and held it to his ear as he answered without looking away from the owl.

"Yeah?"

"You didn't make a follow-up appointment?!" Moxxie's shrill voice came on the other end, and Blitz held the phone away from him with a wince.

"Sir, what in hell were you thinking? You could have-"

"We're just worried," Came Millie's much softer voice, "Loona said you were in the hospital."

Blitz sighed, pinching the bridge between his eyes.

"You got me on speaker?" He asked. 

Both Moxxie and Millie answered yes at the same time.

 "Is Loona there with you?"

 A much less enthusiastic reply from the hellhound.

 "Good cause I"m only saying this once," Blitz continued,  "I screwed up, but I'm fine now."

"Are you actually admitting you made a mistake?" Moxxie asked in disbelief.

"Don't get used to it," Blitz replied, frowning.

"Are you still in the hospital?" Millie asked, "We can come visit after work."

Blitz felt his annoyance melt away at her obvious concern and thoughtfulness.

 "They let me leave," He answered, looking briefly back at the prince, who remained respectfully quiet, "I'm with Stolas."

"What did the doctor say?" Moxxie asked, curious.

"I'm on bedrest for the next two days and will be staying at the palace, so you chucklefucks will have to handle things there on your own," Blitz's voice became stern,  "Think you can do that?"

"Absolutely, Sir!"

"Don't worry, B, we got this!"

Blitz sighed.

"And Loona? I'll be back at the apartment tomorrow evening, and the two of us are gonna have a little talk."

He heard Loona groan.

"If this is about my attitude with clients-"

"No, not that," Blitz interrupted, "Something else. Something important."

"And you can't just tell me now?" She complained.

"It's serious face-to-face stuff, sweetie, you'll see."

Loona groaned again before saying, 'Fine,' and Blitz said his goodbyes to her and M&M before hanging up.

He looked back up at the owl before him and shrugged as if to say, 'What can you do?'.

"I take it your employees were concerned?" Stolas said.

"Yeah, well, they're like family to me," Blitz admitted, rubbing the back of his neck as he looked away.

Stolas smiled at the bashful expression on the imp's face.

"So I've noticed," he replied, "I'm glad to know there are people out there who care as much about you as I do."

Blitz fought the urge to blush, clearing his throat instead.

"So, what now?" He asked, shifting his feet about anxiously, "I just stay in bed for the next two days?"

Stolas chuckled at the put-upon expression on Blitz's face.

"Is it really such a chore, my dear?" The owl asked, amused, "The rest will do you good."

Blitz sighed and turned toward the bed, crawling up on the mattress without another word. Stolas moved forward as he adjusted to pull the covers over the imp's lap.

"You think I could get something to eat?" Blitz asked as he sat up, putting a hand on his stomach with a grimace, "I'm fucking starving."

Stolas's eyes widened in alarm.

"Have you not eaten today?" the prince asked.

"I was planning on breakfast before ...all this," he gestured a hand in the air, "But never got around to it."

"Oh, my poor Blitzy," Stolas sighed, "I'll make you something right away; just stay put."

Blitz rolled his eyes, wondering where exactly the owl thought he would go, and nodded.

He sighed after the prince left, laying back down on the silken sheets and staring at the ceiling, one hand ghosting over the overly soft comforter across his lap. 

Satan, this bed was fucking comfortable.

He always enjoyed falling asleep on it, but the thought of doing so every night from now on made his heart ache for the old squeaky mattress back at the apartment.

He groaned, heart and mind still torn over the subject.

Talking to Loona tomorrow would determine whether or not he needed to adjust to the change at all.

Blitz tilted his head down at his stomach, one hand going to lay over the slight bulge.

"What about you, kid?" he asked, feeling somewhat foolish as he spoke to the baby inside him, "You wanna grow up in a big fancy palace and be spoiled fucking rotten?"

Blitz sighed into the silence that followed, head going back against the pillow as his eyes unexpectedly pricked with tears.

He wanted his kid to have the world, and he didn't give a damn if that meant the kid was spoiled or not. After all, Stolas had grown up with a silver spoon in his mouth and had turned out alright. Better than alright. 

And this kid would have two loving parents, something he was confident that neither himself nor Stolas had growing up.

'You'll never know what it feels like to be unloved,' he thought, taking in a deep, shaky breath, 'You'll never have to go hungry,' his eyes burned, 'You'll never have to worry about having a place to sleep. You'll never have to struggle or fight to survive.'

He wished he'd been able to spar Loona that kind of pain, too. 

Blitz covered his face with both hands and breathed heavily as he fought back the urge to cry. The tears came anyway, and he found himself sobbing softly to himself.

This was how Stolas found him when he returned.

"Blitz!"

The owl cried out in alarm, setting the tray he'd been carrying quickly on the bedside table as he bent over the distressed imp.

"My dear, what's the matter? Are you hurting?"

Blitz shook his head no, uncovering his face to reveal his tear-stained cheeks and puffy eyes.

"I'm f-fine," he stuttered slightly.

Stolas frowned.

"Darling, you're crying," He pointed out weakly, "Please talk to me."

Blitz sat up, rubbing the remaining tears off his face as he sniffled.

"It's just these fucking hormones," he muttered, "Don't worry about it."

Stolas sighed but decided to let it go.

"Are you still hungry?" he asked.

Blitz shot him a grateful look before nodding, and Stolas picked up the tray and helped position it in front of the imp.

Blitz blinked at the bland-looking bowl of mush, a bran muffin, and a glass of milk. He stirred the sludge around with his spoon, frowning.

"It's oatmeal," Stolas said as if Blitz's expression was simply confusion.

"No shit," Blitz quipped back, causing Stolas to blush.

"Our cook is out for the day, and I'm afraid I'm not much of a chef myself," The owl confessed, "I also wanted to make you something high in iron, and my options were limited, so-"

"It's fine, Stolas," Blitz interrupted, suddenly feeling like an ungrateful asshole, "I just haven't had oatmeal in a long time. I'm sure it's great."

"I added some honey to help sweeten it," The prince responded. 

"Thanks, babe."

The oatmeal was mushy and bland, and Blitz could barely taste the added honey. Still, it wasn't terrible, and if it were good for the baby, he'd be sure to eat every bite. He'd never been a picky eater, and he was practically starving, so finishing the bowl wasn't too tricky. The muffin was dry but just as bland, and Blitz had to drink milk between each bite but soon finished it off as well.

Stolas looked pleased as he took the tray and set it aside.

"Are you feeling better?" He asked, adjusting the blanket over the imp once more.

"Well, I'm definitely full now," Blitz stated, shooting the owl a wink and a smile, "Thanks again, pretty bird."

As always, the nickname sent a lovely blush across the prince's cheeks. 

Blitz chuckled and patted the space next to him invitingly. 

Stolas wasted no time, hurrying to the other side of the bed and discarding his clothing before crawling in next to the imp.

Blitz barely had a moment to admire the prince's nude body before the bird was snuggled under the covers.

Blitz felt a mischievous smile come to his face as he pulled the blanket over his body and pressed himself close to the owl. 

Stolas moved an arm to drape over the imp, but Blitz's hands were under the covers, one hand trailing down the prince's stomach until he reached down to-

Stolas let out a surprised hoot as Blitz's fingers found his entrance.

"Blitz, I-" Another strangled sound escaped his beak as Blitz worked his fingers inside his cloaca, finding the bundle of nerves near the top and pressing gentle circles around it.

Blitz smirked when he felt the owl shudder, his feathers fluffing as his eyelids drooped in pleasure.

"Oh, Blitzy," the owl moaned.

"You like that, pretty bird?" Blitz asked, his voice breathy as he applied more pressure with his fingers, "Gonna get nice and wet for daddy?"

Stolas suddenly shook his head, gasping as if coming out of a trance, one of his hands going under the covers to capture Blitz's wrist.

"Blitz, stop."

The imp frowned at the stern words and obeyed.

"What's-"

"You're supposed to be on bed rest," Stolas interrupted, cheeks still flushed, "This is not resting."

Blitz frowned, feeling like he'd reached for the cookie jar only for his hand to be slapped away. Heat flooded his face, shame and embarrassment filtering through but being quickly replaced by anger.

"So what? We can't fuck anymore?" he asked, pulling his hands back and shifting away from the owl.

Stolas sighed.

"That's not it at all," He replied, "But we've had quite a scare today. You've been through so much. I truly believe rest is the best use of your time."

Blitz frowned as he sat up in bed.

"We haven't had actual sex since you knocked me up," He pointed out, suddenly feeling self-conscious as he looked down at himself, "Look, I get that I don't exactly look attractive right now, but-"

"What?" Stolas instantly sat up, protesting, "No, no, darling," He reached over and captured one of Blitz's hands in his, "That's completely untrue. How could you think such a thing?"

Blitz looked up, still appearing skeptical.

"I'm dressed like a fucking hobo right now," he stated, hesitating before looking down at his stomach, "And my belly is getting big."

Stolas shook his head.

"Nonsense. You look adorable in that outfit," The prince declared, "I would have mentioned it sooner if things hadn't been so hectic. And as for your stomach," Blitz scowled at the mention, but the prince placed his free hand over the slight bulge and smiled affectionately up at him, "I positively adore it."

Blitz felt his face heat up.

"You seriously don't miss the abs?" he asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Darling, you are carrying our child," Stolas replied, voice lowering, "Trust me when I say there is nothing more sexy to me than that."

Then, with one hand still gripping Blitz's and the other laying over the imp's stomach, Stolas leaned down to plant a passionate kiss on his mouth.

Blitz closed his eyes and leaned into it, probing the owl's beak with his forked tongue until he gained entrance. The prince hummed in appreciation, tilting his head to get better access as their tongues intertwined. They continued to make out for several minutes until Stolas finally, reluctantly, pulled back.

Both were breathless.

Neither sated. 

"You sure we can't have sex?" Blitz asked.

Stolas chuckled.

"Soon, my dear," he promised, "But for now, you should rest."

"How am I supposed to sleep now?" The imp pouted, "You've got me all worked up, you fucking tease."

Another faint chuckle.

"Come here," Stolas opened his arms, and without much hesitation, Blitz found himself in his warm embrace. 

The two settled back down into the covers, and Stolas kissed his forehead gently.

Blitz huffed as if annoyed by the display of affection but soon buried himself into Stolas's chest feathers. 

The prince brought a hand to the back of Blitz's head and stroked the spikes there. Blitz hummed, feeling his body begin to relax against his will, his tail coiling around Stolas's waist.

This place wasn't home, but Blitz found the idea of sleeping next to his boyfriend every night oddly comforting. 

Chapter Text

"Are you sure you should be up? It's hardly been two days."

Blitz sighed as he slipped his shirt on, tugging it down over his stomach as best as he could before grabbing the pair of pants he'd brought. 

The last day and a half of resting had been exhausting. Aside from getting up to use the bathroom, Stolas had made sure he didn't have to move for any other reason. Meals were brought to Blitz in bed, and when he complained, the owl would carry him to the sitting room to watch TV. He slept on and off from sheer boredom and diligently took his medicine- his new iron supplements having the charming side effect of making him more nauseous.

"I told Loona I'd be back at the apartment by the time she got home," He shot the owl an annoyed look, "And stop acting like I'm going to fall over at any moment."

The last statement would have gone over more smoothly if Blitz hadn't been struggling to get his pants on and teetered sideways, Stolas reaching down at the last moment to help steady him.

The prince raised a haughty eyebrow, and Blitz immediately shrugged off his assistance.

"That doesn't fucking count," He griped.

Stolas looked amused before carrying on.

"You know, if you're having trouble fitting in your clothes, I could-"

"Uh uh, no," Blitz shook his head, "I'm not some fucking charity case and don't need you to buy me new clothes."

Stolas pouted.

"Blitzy, be reasonable. You can't expect to keep fitting into those tight pants," The owl looked him up and down appreciatively, "Although I must say, you look ravishing in them."

Blitz fought off a blush as he leaned against the bed to put his boots on.

"I can buy my own shit," he replied.

"I could simply have my tailor alter the clothes you have right now," The bird offered, "Nothing new need be bought."

Blitz let out an impatient sigh.

Damn, the owl could be persistent.

"I'll think about it," he relented.

Stolas beamed, taking the imp's words as a yes. 

Blitz looked down at himself, fully dressed, and frowned, fiddling with one of the buttons on his shirt. 

He just had to talk to Loona, that's all. 

He could do this.

He looked up at Stolas, staring at him with a soft smile.

"What?" he asked, defensive.

"I'm certain everything will go fine," The owl said.

Blitz found it both infuriating and comforting how easily the bird could read him. 

"I'm not nervous," he denied, crossing his arms.

Stolas's expression remained kind.

"Of course not, my dear."

Blitz rolled his eyes.

"Just open a fucking portal already," he insisted.

The prince chuckled slightly but lifted a glowing hand to do just that, leaning down at the last moment to kiss the imp's cheek before sending him through the portal into his apartment. 

He didn't have to wait long for Loona to arrive, the hellhound slinging open the front door before slamming it shut, her eyes narrowing on Blitz, standing in the center of the room.

"There's my Looney!" he greeted, his smile a little too big to be honest, "How was work, sweetie?"

Loona rolled her eyes.

"Can we cut out the bullshit," she replied, "You have something you want to tell me, so just spit it out."

Blitz chuckled nervously.

"Right, right, uh, you wanna have a seat or-"

Loona glared an annoyed growl at the back of her throat.

"Standings good," Blitz amended, "we can just stand right here."

Loona let out a sigh.

"I'm not going to bite your head off," She told him, making a point to relax her stance, "Just talk to me."

Blitz nodded.

"Okay, I'll get straight to the fucking point," he took a deep breath, "Stolas thinks, given all the bullshit that happened yesterday, that the two of us should move into the palace."

Blitz tensed, waiting for some big reaction, but Loona's expression barely changed except for the slight raising of her eyebrows and a flick of her tail.

"Huh, I guess that makes sense," she replied, unbothered.

Blitz blinked, arms falling limp at his sides.

"That's it?" he asked, feeling disappointed, "That's all you have to say?"

"What do you want me to say?" Loona asked, looking uncomfortable.

She folded her arms across her chest and looked off to the side, frowning.

"I mean, I know this place is a shithole," she shrugged, voice going a bit quieter, "but it's also the only home I've ever known."

Blitz felt his eyes fill with tears, his heart full and breaking simultaneously. 

"Oh, Looney!" he cried, covering the distance between them to wrap his arms around his daughter, "We don't have to leave! We can stay here forever if you-"

"Ugh, whoa-" she broke away from the embrace, shoving Blitz back, although not nearly as aggressive as usual. 

Since they'd learned that Blitz was pregnant, the imp had noticed that Loona was far less violent around him.

"I didn't say we should stay," Loona said.

Blitz frowned.

"But you said-"

"I said it's a shithole, and I wasn't lying," She replied. "I literally just saw someone get stabbed outside on the way in. This is no place to raise a kid."

"So...you're okay with living in the palace?" Blitz asked, to be sure.

Loona shrugged.

"As long as I have my room, I don't care."
Blitz smiled, still a little teary-eyed.

"Oh, Looney, that's so selfless of you."

"Yeah, I know."

Blitz chuckled at her response.

"So, should we start packing or what?" His daughter asked.

Blitz looked around the place briefly before smiling back at the hellhound.

"How's about one more night in this shithole?" 

He didn't miss how Loona's face softened at the suggestion, even as she shrugged and agreed, pretending she was too tired to start packing tonight anyway. Blitz smiled and texted Stolas, letting him know the plan; they were spending the night at the apartment but would be moving in tomorrow. The answering text he received was full of hearts and exclamation points, and Blitz smirked.

'He's such a dork.'

He then messaged Millie and Moxxie that they had the day off tomorrow since he and Loona would be busy moving into the palace. Millie responded by saying how happy and excited she was for him, and Moxxie, being more practical, volunteered to bring over some boxes for them to pack their stuff in.

--------------------------------------
It was the second time in a row Blitz was able to sleep through the night without having to get up and vomit, and he woke up feeling refreshed. He messaged Stolas good morning before taking his prenatal vitamins and iron supplements and then started on breakfast.

Loona woke up shortly after, lured into the living room by the smell of freshly cooked bacon and eggs, and the two enjoyed their last breakfast together in the apartment. Blitz tried not to let the thought of leaving the place behind get him down, remaining upbeat even when his appetite waned halfway through the meal.

They didn't waste much time afterward, grabbing some boxes Moxxie had dropped off yesterday and getting to work. Loona told him right away that she was only packing her stuff, and it was up to Blitz to decide what else got brought with them. 

He decided to leave what little food remained in the fridge and whatever dishes they owned, knowing Stolas's kitchen would be fully stocked, taking only his favorite mug along. He didn't need to pack up his cover and pillow since he would be sharing a bed with Stolas, but Blitz did grab the horse blanket off the back of the couch because it was his favorite. Next, he shoved all his other horse-themed things in the same box, which consisted of an array of horse figurines, a couple of plushies, and a few picture books. Blitz then got to work taking the photos and drawings off the walls before packing his clothes, a pair of slippers, his toothbrush, and a few odd weapons he'd kept around the apartment.

Soon, Blitz realized he really had nothing else to pack. 

His entire life had fit inside two medium-sized boxes. 

"You done?"

Blitz blinked out of his thoughtful gaze and looked up at Loona, who dropped her own two boxes next to his. He imagined they were primarily full of clothing and accessories, but she'd made a point to label them both 'Loona's shit.' 

"Uh, yeah," He said, "Guess it didn't take as long as I thought. You finished, too?"

"Yup," Loona answered, popping the 'p' as she shrugged, "Didn't see the point in taking much, figured a big fancy palace probably already has sheets and junk." 

With the packing out of the way, they loaded their boxes into the van and set off. Blitz has sent a quick text to Stolas, letting him know they'd be there shortly.

As they approached the palace, he heard Loona groan beside him.

"You've gotta be kidding me," She said.
Blitz looked away from the path and up, torn between wanting to laugh or groan with his daughter.

Stolas and Octavia were at the bottom of the stairs, holding up a large welcome banner. Stolas was waving excitedly with his free hand while Octavia practically hid behind the end of her side of the sign, clearly embarrassed.

"Be nice, Looney," Blitz instructed, chuckling some as he parked the van.

He got out of the vehicle and walked around to stand by Loona. Stolas dropped the banner and rushed forward to hug him, and Blitz awkwardly patted the owl's back, rolling his eyes.

He'd been away from the owl less than a day, and Stolas acted like they hadn't seen each other in weeks.

"I'm so glad you're here," The prince replied as he pulled back, smiling at Loona, "And you as well, Miss Loona."

He had bowed slightly at the waist to her, all proper and princely, and Loona looked uncomfortable.

"Uh yeah," She replied, "You can just call me Loona."

Octavia made her way forward, hand up in a small wave.

"Hey, Loona."

"Hey, V."

The young owl demon made a face as she gestured at the fallen banner.

"Sorry about that," She said, "It was my dad's idea."

"It's fine," Loona smiled slightly, "Trust me, I know how lame dads can be."

Blitz pouted slightly at that, but Octavia's answering giggle helped soften the blow.

 They were getting along. Loona was actually smiling. This was...good. 

He looked to Stolas, who must have shared his feelings on the matter because the bird was beaming, hands clasped together as if he were witnessing something extraordinary.

Blitz reached out to tug at his elbow.

"Come on, Birdbrain, let's get this show on the road," He made his way towards the back of the van with Stolas right behind him, "We got shit to unpack."

"I wish you'd have let me open up a portal for you," the owl commented, "I worried about you lifting all those heavy- oh!" he let out a surprised sound when Blitz opened the back of the van to reveal only four boxes.

"Is this...everything?" the owl asked, and Blitz felt his face heat up.

"I'm not some rich asshole who has a bunch of useless junk," Blitz replied, frowning, "This is everything I need."

Now it was Stolas's turn to blush.

"Of course, dear, I didn't mean, that is I-" he floundered before finishing, "It's perfectly acceptable."

Blitz rolled his eyes but was saved from responding as Octavia and Loona came around.

"I can show you to your room," Via told Loona, "Do you need me to carry one of your boxes?"

"Nah, I got this," Loona replied, stacking the two boxes on each other and quickly picking them up, "You just lead the way, princess."

"Ugh, don't call me that," the young owl complained, making a face.

Loona chuckled as they walked away.

Blitz found his moodiness disappear at the easy exchange between the two girls.

"They seem to be getting along quite well," Stolas commented.

"I'm just as surprised as you," Blitz replied, "My Looney is wonderful, but she's not exactly the social type."

"Octavia can be quite shy herself," The prince said.

There was a small silence between them before Stolas sighed.

"I'm sorry if I offended you, Darling," he replied, "I hope you'll allow me to carry these in for you."

Blitz thought about putting up a fight; he was more than capable of carrying the boxes himself, but damn it, if the owl didn't look so fucking eager to help.

 "Ugh, fine, but this isn't cause I can't do it myself," Blitz said.

Stolas smiled as he stacked the two boxes and picked them up.

"You sure your skinny bird arms can handle this?" Blitz asked, raising a skeptical eyebrow.

Stolas looked mildly offended by the question.

"Don't worry your pretty little head about my 'skinny' bird arms," he huffed, "I'm perfectly capable."

Blitz smirked, enjoying the owl's snippy response and allowing him to lead them both through the palace. 

On the way, Stolas asked if he'd taken his medicine, if he had eaten, and how he was feeling. Blitz was proud to report that he'd done everything he was supposed to and only felt slightly nauseous from the ride there.

When they reached the bedroom- their bedroom-Blitz opened the door, and Stolas carefully deposited the boxes on the floor.

"Shall I help you unpack?" The owl asked.

Blitz shrugged.

"Sure, knock yourself out," he replied, gesturing behind him to the open entryway that led to the bathroom, "I gotta take a piss anyway. Feel like this kid's sitting right on my bladder."

Stolas looked amused by that, telling the imp to take his time.

When Blitz returned, he found Stolas seated on the floor by one of the now open boxes, a few of his drawings placed about on the floor. Stolas was looking at a photo, brow furrowed, and mouth turned into a slight frown.

"What's wrong?" Blitz asked, startling the owl, who looked up at him with wide eyes.

"Blitz, I...I didn't hear you return," the owl looked uncomfortable.

"Yeah, sure," Blitz replied, gesturing to the photo in the owl's hands, "Whatcha looking at there?"

Stolas hesitated before turning the picture around.

It was a photo of Blitz with his arms around Moxxie and Millie. Millie was smiling. Moxxie looked annoyed. Blitz's face was obscured by thick black marks that looked like they had been hastily scribbled on.

Stolas looked concerned.

"Is there a reason you're marked out of all these photographs?" he gestured to more photos in the box.

Shit.

Blitz hadn't thought about those when he'd packed them up; he was used to seeing his face scribbled out, but of course, Stolas would notice....would be curious and worried.

He shrugged, trying to act as if it was no big deal.

It wasn't.

"Got wasted one night," he replied, looking away, "Hardly remember doing it."

But he did remember. The angry, bitter feelings of self-hatred. The way he'd pressed the marker hard into the surface of every picture he could find until his face was no longer smiling mockingly back at him.

His stomach churned just thinking about it.

Stolas looked sad.

"I would have cleaned it up," Blitz continued, feeling a need to justify himself, "but it's a permanent marker, so..."

"Would you mind if I fixed it?" the owl asked, voice tentative.

Blitz blinked.

"You can do that?"

"My dear, there are a great many things I can do," Stolas replied, "This would hardly be a task at all."

Blitz snorted, "Humble, aren't we?"

The owl finally smiled some at the remark; one of his hands began to glow with magic, and he swiped it over the photograph. Blitz moved around beside him, watching as the black scribbles over his face vanished, leaving him smiling up from the picture once more.

"There," the owl said, sounding satisfied, "We can see your handsome face now."

Blitz took the photo from the owl, looking it over and feeling overwhelmed. 

"Thanks, Stolas," his voice was quiet and sincere.

"It's a lovely photograph," the owl commented back.

"Heh, yeah," Blitz chuckled, successfully fighting back the tears in his eyes.

He cleared his throat.

"Speaking of photos," the imp suddenly smiled, taking out his phone, "We should commemorate the occasion."

He held the device up at arm's length, throwing his free arm around Stolas and pulling the surprised owl close.

"Cheese!" he snapped the photo, laughing when the prince complained that he was not ready.

"Too bad, pretty bird; no do-overs."

Stolas huffed but curiously peeked over when Blitz turned the phone back towards himself.

"Can I at least see?" he asked, and the imp tilted the device into view.

Stolas looked startled in the picture, eyes wide and a faint blush across his cheeks, but Blitz's eyes were sparkling with mischief, his smile wide and genuine.

"See? It's not bad," the imp replied.

Stolas blinked.

"Could you...send it to me?" he asked, sounding hopeful.

Blitz scoffed.

"Don't you have like a dozen pictures of us on your phone already?"

"Yes, but," the owl paused, looking sad once more, "You look happy in this one."

Shit.

Blitz didn't know how to respond to that.

"Yeah, I, uh, I'll send it to you," he finally said, clearing his throat and focusing his attention on his phone.

Stolas's phone dinged a moment later when he received the picture, but he didn't look at it immediately, reaching over to touch the back of Blitz's hand to get his attention.

The imp looked over at him.

"Were you really so unhappy with me before?" Stolas asked, his voice somber.

Blitz sighed, scrubbing at his face with one hand.

"Ugh, it's not like that," he replied, locking eyes with the prince, "We weren't in a fucking relationship before, or at least that's what I kept telling myself. So whenever you did shit like that, it just...it pissed me off. It was confusing. I never knew what you wanted from me."

"I see," The owl replied, frowning, "I'm sorry I was-"

"Don't be," Blitz interrupted, "None of that bullshit matters now."

He reached over and gripped the owl's hand, fingers intertwining.

"I fucking like you, okay?" he was blushing and glaring simultaneously, "So don't go thinking I'm here against my will or some shit."

Stolas looked like he was tearing up.

"I don't want things to be like they were before. I-"

"They won't be," Blitz interrupted fiercely, "They aren't."

Fuck, where was all this coming from?

Stolas smiled shakily, bringing their combined hands to his face and kissing them.

Blitz snorted.

"You're such a dork."

Stolas beamed, feathers fluffing up, and Blitz chuckled.

"We'll take more pictures together from now on," The imp promised, "But first, let's get all this shit put away."

Stolas nodded as he released Blitz's hand, turning back to the box to fix every photo he could find. Blitz watched him from the corner of his eyes and smiled.

Chapter Text

Going through his things was decidedly more enjoyable than Blitz had anticipated. Stolas fawned over his drawings, leaving in an unexplained flurry of excitement only to return moments later with a stack of empty frames. 

"Art such as this must be properly displayed," he stated. 

The owl made similar comments over the photos, framing most of them to hang in the bedroom while leaving others to place out in the hall and on the fridge. 

When they made it to the horse figurines and plushies, Stolas was just as intrigued, asking Blitz about each one he came across. It wasn't often that someone was interested in Blitz's obsession with horses, but Stolas's reaction was genuine, and the imp was more than willing to talk, telling Stolas what each of their names was, as well as elaborate backstories he'd given them. The prince listened with rapt attention, clapping and praising Blitz for his creativity and imagination, causing the shorter demon to blush in embarrassment and pleasure.

Stolas cleared out space on his bookshelf for the small stack of horse-themed books Blitz had brought, and the two strategically placed the figurines and plushes in between various other books on the shelf. Stolas jokingly said that the horses made cute little guardians for the books, and Blitz's eyes lit up, enjoying the idea so much that he added guard duty to each horse's backstory. 

Putting away Blitz's clothes was another matter entirely. Stolas was still full of compliments as he went through the imps wardrobe, praising Blitz's fashion sense and commenting that he was looking forward to seeing Blitz in the more revealing outfits he owned. The problem was that Stolas's closet was huge, and the height difference between the two demons was blatantly clear when Blitz could not even reach the rack to hang his clothes. The imp blushed in embarrassment when Stolas produced a small step ladder to assist him, grumbling about "stupid tall Goetias" as he used it. The owl was both amused and apologetic, promising to alter the closet on Blitz's side to accommodate him within the next few days.

Unfortunately, he would still need assistance to use the bathroom sink, which Blitz discovered when trying to put away his toothbrush, but he assured his boyfriend that he didn't mind the minor inconvenience. 

Blitz placed the weapons he'd brought at the bottom of the closet in an empty shoe box next to his slippers, and all that remained now were the horse-themed blanket and Blitz's mug, which read "#1 Boss" on it. They brought the mug to the kitchen, sat it next to Stolas's cup that said 'I'm a Hoot,' and then went to the sitting room to drape the blanket over the couch. 

Blitz was feeling pleased with everything as they walked back into the hallway.

"Dad!"

They both stopped and turned at the sound of Octavia's voice, the young owl walking briskly down the hall towards them, with Loona following at a more leisurely pace.

Stolas's face lit up as he greeted her, asking if she'd helped Loona unpack already.

"Yeah, we got everything put up," Octavia answered, "And she took the room across from mine, too. Isn't that great?"

"That's wonderful, my owlet," Stolas beamed, looking over at Loona as she approached, "And how do you like your new room, Loona, dear?"

"It's fucking huge," The hellhound replied, causing the older owl to chuckle as her words reminded him of Blitz.

"I'm going to the mall to pick up a few things," Loona continued, nudging Octavia, who looked hopefully up at her dad.

"Is it okay if I go with her, Dad?" She asked, hands clasped in front of her chest, "Please?"

"Oh." Stolas looked caught off guard, "Well, it's just...I thought we could all have lunch together, is all."

"Da-ad," Octavia groaned, "We live together now; there'll be plenty of opportunities."

"She's got a point," Blitz said, shrugging innocently when Stolas sent him a disapproving look, "What? It's true. Let the girls go have some fun."

Octavia looked surprised by the support, and Blitz discreetly sent her a wink when Stolas looked away.

"I'm just not sure I'm comfortable with you going out alone," The prince replied, apologetic, "You know how dangerous that can be."

"But I won't be alone," The younger demon replied, "I'll have Loona with me."

The hellhound in question met Stolas's gaze head-on.

"No one's gonna mess with her while I'm around," she assured him.

Stolas still looked doubtful, so Blitz reached over and took his hand.

"Hey," he smiled when the owl looked at him, "It'll be fine. If anyone tries anything, my Loonie will rearrange their face. Won't you, sweetie?"

"They'll be lucky if that's all I do," Loona replied.

"That's my girl," Blitz beamed with pride.

Stolas looked back at his daughter, who was still giving him a pleading look, and he sighed.

"Very well," he relented, unable to keep the smile from his face when Octavia pumped her fist in the air with a victorious 'yes!'. 

"Thanks, Dad," the young demon quickly hugged her father before turning towards Loona, "Let's go."

"Are you sure you don't need anything?" Stolas asked before the pair of girls turned to leave.

"I've got my card, Dad," the young owl replied, sounding impatient.

"What about you, Loonie?" Blitz asked, "Do you need some cash?"

He was already reaching for the wallet tucked into the back of his jeans, knowing he didn't have much money but willing to give up every cent he had if it made Loona happy. 

"Don't be silly," Stolas waved a hand in his direction dismissively, "Octavia's card has more than enough money to cover any expenses."

Blitz frowned. Although the rational part of his mind reasoned that Stolas was being kind, Blitz still couldn't shake the feeling of inadequacy that washed over him.

"It's fine," Loona said, looking slightly uncomfortable, "I've got cash."

Octavia, bless her heart, just looked confused by the sudden tension in the room.

"I don't mind using my card," She said, "It's really no big deal."

And it wasn't a big deal, not for those with money to spare. But for people like Blitz and Loona, who had to live on a budget their whole lives, who splurged on occasion and always had consequences to face, and who worked hard for what little money they did have, it felt entirely different.

"If I go over, you can cover me," Loona replied to the young owl, who still looked confused but nodded in agreement.

Blitz was certain that Loona would make sure to stay within her limit.

The girls said their goodbyes and headed down the hall, leaving Blitz and Stolas alone.

The owl sent him a concerned look.

"Did I do something wrong?" he asked, genuinely oblivious.

Blitz sighed. 

"Look, don't worry about it," he replied, not quite looking at the prince, "Let's just-"

He'd been turning away at the time but was stopped by Stolas's hand on his shoulder. Blitz looked back into the owl's imploring gaze and released an exasperated huff.

"Look, we get that you're fucking rich, okay? You don't need to throw it in our faces."

Stolas's eyes widened as he withdrew his hand as if burned.

"Oh dear, that wasn't- I didn't intend to-"

"Whoa, hey, I get it," Blitz intervened, realizing he'd been too harsh with his words, "You were just being nice or whatever."

"I overstepped," The owl stated forlornly.

Blitz offered a wane smile.

"Maybe."

"I owe you an apology then, and Loona one as well. It's just-" Stolas sighed, "What good is having money if you can't spend it on those you care about? Now that you and Loona live here, I want you to be comfortable and happy."

Blitz's heart warmed at the words, at how effortlessly he included Loona.

"I don't need money to be happy," Blitz found himself saying.

"Then what do you need?" Stolas asked, and there was something desperate in his voice now, "Whatever it is, if it's in my power to give you, I will."

Blitz knew at the moment that he meant it, truly meant it. He could ask for anything, and Stolas, his boyfriend, his prince, would move heaven and hell to make it a reality.

Had anyone ever cared so much about his happiness?

Heart suddenly pounding, Blitz tugged Stolas down by his hand, causing the prince to bend over with a surprised hoot, their faces now an inch apart.

"You. Me. Bedroom. Now."

A blush instantly blossomed on the owl's face.

"Are you certain you're-"

Blitz silenced the rest of his words with his lips, and Stolas's eyes fluttered closed as he leaned into the kiss.

Blitz released Stolas's hand and wrapped his arms around the prince's neck, pulling himself up enough to straddle the owl's slim waist.

Stolas pulled him close, supporting him with one hand underneath and the other on Blitz's back as he stood straight and hummed appreciatively into their continued kiss.

Blitz smirked as he pulled back, raising a suggestive eyebrow.

"Bedroom?"

Stolas visibly swallowed and nodded.

"Bedroom."

The next few moments were a blur of anticipation and pleasure as Stolas stumbled down the hall with Blitz clinging to him, nibbling along the owl's long neck as his hands tugged at the prince's clothes.

They tumbled along until Stolas nearly fell over, hand moving from Blitz's back to brace against the wall. Blitz leaned back into the surface and smirked at Stolas's startled and apologetic face.

"At this rate, we'll never make it there," Blitz joked, letting the owl know he was fine.

Stolas's expression softened, and a mischievous smile tugged at his beak. 

"Oh, I wouldn't say that," he whispered, the hand against the wall glowing with magic.

The surface behind Blitz gave way to an open portal, and with a strange sense of vertigo, they both fell, Blitz landing on his back on the soft sheets of their now shared bed.

Blitz blinked as everything righted itself, and he laughed as the portal above them closed, leaving Stolas pinning the imp down with a pleased smirk.

"Well, that's one way to do it," Blitz replied, tugging again at the owl's vest, "How's about you magic all these damn clothes off, too, hm?"

With a wave of his hand, Stolas giggled and did just that. 

Blitz's eyes lit up with surprise.

"You telling me you could have been doing that the entire time we've been having sex?" he asked.

"Perhaps," the owl admitted, smirking, "But I enjoy watching you undress, Blitzy."

Blitz smirked.

"Fucking horny owl," he muttered affectionately as he pulled Stolas down for another kiss.

Blitz's legs were still curled around the prince's waist, his tail looping around a plump thigh, and he moaned as Stolas boldly reached down between them to grip his aching cock.

"Oh Blitzy," Stolas already sounded breathless, "How I've missed this."

"All yours, pretty bird," Blitz replied, hips bucking as the owl began slowly pumping his hand up and down the imp's length. 

Something vulnerable appeared in the white pupils of Stolas's eyes.

"Are you? Truly?" he asked, never stopping his movements.

Blitz managed to pull the owl down into a searing kiss, one hand fisted into the feathers at the back of bird's head. 

Stolas moaned appreciatively at the rough treatment and was breathless when Blitz pulled back to look him in the eyes. 

"I'm yours, and you're mine," Blitz said, golden eyes glowing, "You got that?"

"Oh Blitzy, I-"

"Say you're mine."

Stolas nodded, quick and obedient.

"I'm yours," he panted, "Only yours."

As if to prove this, he guided the tip of Blitz's penis to his aching wet hole, and Blitz moaned as he slid carefully inside.

"All wet just for you," Stolas said, eyes burning with need as he began arching his back,  "No one else."

"Mmm, gonna make you cum so fucking hard," Blitz promised, enjoying the cry of ecstasy that escaped Stolas's beak when he thrust his hips forward, "Gonna fuck your fucking brains out, pretty bird."

"Oh, please do," The owl moaned, his pleasure growing when Blitz reached down with one hand to rub at his cloaca's sensitive bundle of nerves.

A string of senseless profanity tumbled from Stolas's beak as his body trembled with building pleasure. Above him, Blitz was panting, his cock throbbing with ecstasy that mounted with each thrust. 

"Mmm, fuck, gnn, I'm gonna-"

"*bleep* inside me, you *bleep*-"

They both cried out as their vision flashed white with pleasure.

Panting, Blitz pulled out and collapsed beside the owl, who immediately curled himself around his body, resting his fathered head on the imp's chest.

Blitz winced, suddenly self-conscious about the performance.

"Sorry, that was quicker than I would have liked," he admitted, "And I know we usually go for more adventurous encounters, so the missionary position was a little tame for-"

Stolas had reached up to cover his mouth with his hand, hooting a small laugh at the annoyed look the imp sent him before removing it.

"I assure you, darling, I quite enjoyed myself," He replied, head raised just enough to make eye contact, "I think we were both too pent up for our usual foreplay anyway."

"No kidding," Blitz scoffed, "You've been holding out on me."

"Not my intention," Stolas said, laying his head back on Blitz's chest with a content sigh, "I just wanted to make sure you were okay."

"I'm always okay," Blitz replied, one arm going around the owl's shoulders.

"And the baby?" Stolas asked, eyes closed and voice near a whisper.

Blitz reached down with his free hand to lay over the bulge on his stomach. He didn't feel nauseous or dizzy, so that had to be a good sign. 

"Yeah, the baby's-" His stomach fluttered suddenly, a strange sensation that caused Blitz to frown for a moment before his eyebrows raised as he felt the lump on his belly push against his touch, "Oh!"

Stolas's eyes popped open at his slight exclamation, and he lifted himself off Blitz, bracing himself on his elbow.

"What's wrong?"

Blitz knew his mouth was hanging open, and he must have looked shocked, but he couldn't seem to form any words.

Instead, he grabbed Stolas's free hand and placed it against his stomach, much to the owl's confusion.

"Blitz, what- oh!" 

Surprise flashed in both sets of eyes as he felt resistance against his touch.

"Is that...?" 

It was apparent that he was in awe of the development.

"Kid's getting feisty," Blitz replied with a smirk.

Stolas's eyes glistened, the white pupils appearing as he leaned down toward Blitz's belly.

"Hello, my little one," He cooed softly.

Blitz felt his heart warm again at the look on Stolas's face. 

"I can't wait to meet you," He continued quietly, "You are already loved so dearly."

Stolas glanced up at him, catching Blitz staring, and blushed self-consciously.

"Forgive me," he said, voice small and gaze averted, "You must think me silly, speaking to the baby as though they can hear me."

Blitz blinked.

"Who says they can't?" He asked,

Stolas winced, still not meeting Blitz's gaze.

"I used to speak to Octavia when she was an egg," he admitted as if ashamed, "Stella always said I was a fool for doing so."

Blitz frowned, something fierce and protective taking hold of him.

"Fuck her."

Stolas blinked up at him as if surprised, and Blitz glared back.

"Fuck her and whatever other bullshit she may have said," he continued, "You wanna talk to our kid? Go right ahead. It's not like I don't do it too, and besides, it's fucking cute as hell."

Stolas was still staring at him, all wide-eyed.

"You think it's cute?"

Blitz blushed but didn't back down.

"It's fucking adorable." 

Stolas smiled, eyes locked onto him even as he leaned down toward his stomach.

"I think your Daddy likes me," he whispered.

Blitz rolled his eyes but could not help the smile that came to his lips.

Chapter Text

They were at the hospital days before their actual appointment, all because Loona had blabbed to Stolas about his little mishap at work.

And it wasn't even that big of a deal.

So he'd overreacted toward a potential client, yelled, and chased the fucking bastard from his office.

So he'd gotten overheated and out of breath.

And maybe he'd gotten a little dizzy.

And yeah, he might have fallen over if not for Moxxie's quick reflexes.

The smaller Imp had helped him onto their couch to rest, firing off concerned questions that hurt Blitz's head.

And so what if Moxxie himself looked blurry and distorted, too?

Blitz remembers cursing.

He'd been doing everything he was supposed to.

He took his vitamins and ate all the meals Stolas had prepared for him that were high in Iron, no matter how gross.

So why the fuck was this happening?

The spell had subsided quickly enough, the world coming back into focus as Moxxie and Millie coaxed him to breathe and take small sips of water.

But despite his protests, his employees had decided to call it a day.

Loona and Blitz had returned to the palace early, Loona being the one to drive.

Stolas had been pleased but surprised to see them.

His heart-shaped face lit up as he jokingly asked how he'd gotten so lucky.

Then Loona replied bluntly, 'Yeah, he almost passed the fuck out at work.'

Blitz loved his daughter with all his heart, but he'd sent her a fierce glare that only earned him a shrug.

The Prince was suddenly alert, fusing over him and insisting on calling the doctor.

Since when did Stolas have the doctor's number?

He tried to downplay what had happened, telling Stolas he was fine.

"It was minor, babe. Really."

"You said you thought your heart would explode," Loona commented nonchalantly.

Stola's brow furrowed further in concern.

"And wasn't your eyesight all fucked up?" Loona went on.

"Loona!" Blitz protested, using her real name for a change.

She shrugged again.

"You're vision was impaired?" Stolas asked urgently, cupping the Imp's face and directing his gaze toward him.

He looked into Blitz's eyes as if he could spot the problem himself.

"It was a little blurry," Blitz replied, pulling away from the worried hands, "I'm really fine now."

"I'm still calling the doctor," Stolas insisted.

And he did just that.

Fuck.

And the fucking doctor had asked them to come in right away as a precaution.

Double fuck.

Stolas had promptly hung up, took Blitz's hand, bid farewell to Loona, and portaled them directly into an examination room.

So here they were.

Blitz sighed and pulled himself up on the chair, folding his arms as he slumped back.

He looked up at Stolas and found the owl frowning down at him.

Blitz raised an eyebrow.

"What?" 

"Were you even going to tell me?" The Prince asked, voice tight.

Blitz sat a little straighter, eyes widening slightly at the accusation.

"What? Of course I-"

His words were interrupted as the doctor entered the room. The small Imp cleared his throat as though startled by their presence as he adjusted his glasses.

"Oh, you're here already," he smiled despite the apparent tension in the room, "How about we get started."

He asked how the Imp felt, and Blitz glanced at Stolas. The owl had a stern look about him, clearly expecting Blitz to say he was fine once again. But, instead, the Imp sighed, swallowing back a bit of his pride before replying.

"I've been better."

Stolas blinked in surprise.

Blitz then explained what had happened at work, listing all his symptoms openly as he looked down at his clenched hands. 

Stolas's face seemed to soften further at his honesty.

The doctor took his blood again and then left to run some tests, sending in a nervous little imp nurse who took his vitals before quickly exiting the room.

He and Stolas were alone again.

"I should have told you first thing," Blitz admitted, "Just didn't want you to freak out."

"I'm not freaking out," Stolas protested with a faint blush, "I'm allowed to be concerned for you and our child."

"And that's good. Really," Blitz replied, smiling, "It definitely keeps me on my toes."

The owl looked perplexed.

"You don't even have toes," he stated, which struck the Imp as funny.

He laughed.

Stolas's whole face softened at the sound, and he chuckled, too.

When the doctor returned, it was to a much lighter atmosphere.

"Well, the good news is your blood work returned, and your Iron levels are back to normal," he announced.

 Blitz blinked in surprise, having been certain the incident at work had been due to his Iron levels.

"The fuck," he mumbled before glaring, "What the fuck was that earlier, then?"

The doctor cleared his throat, looking a little worried now, which did nothing to stop Blitz's heartbeat from picking up speed.

"Well, that's the bad news," the doctor glanced nervously toward Stolas before determinedly staring back at Blitz, "According to the nurse, your blood pressure was quite high."

Blitz can only stare as the doctor goes on, stating the danger of preeclampsia, which he may very well have. Something that, if not treated properly, could lead to many unpleasant outcomes for himself and the baby, including premature birth or even death.

No, no, no. 

This couldn't be happening.

His baby didn't deserve this.

What the fuck had Blitz done wrong?

Because it had to be his fault.

Everything always was.

"Blitz? Blitz!"

Stolas was in front of him now, and he didn't realize he'd been tilting forward until he felt the owl's hands braced on his shoulders.

Blitz was taking in harsh, gasping breaths; his chest felt tight, and his heart was beating loud and fast.

Stolas was telling him to breathe, to calm down, but it only made him feel angry and panicked because he was fucking trying, damn it.

"I can't.....I can't."

Fuck, why couldn't he just pass the fuck out already? 

"I know a spell," Stolas said, his voice deliberately slow and calm, "I haven't needed to use it before, but it should have the same effect as a sedative without having any effect on the baby."

A spell? A fucking spell?

That was the best he could do?

But damn it, Blitz still couldn't breathe, and he was becoming increasingly lightheaded, and....and he fucking trusted Stolas.

He nodded his consent.

Stolas's hands moved from his shoulders to his face, glowing as he whispered a few strange words below his breath.

It suddenly felt like something warm entered Blitz's veins, his heart giving a hard throb as it pulsed through him, spreading throughout his body.

His lungs expanded, and the air flowed easily into his mouth.

His heart settled back into a steady, comforting rhythm.

His eyes slipped closed as he was flooded with feelings of peace.

"Blitz? Darling?"

He blinked his eyes open.

When had he closed them?

Stolas looked worried.

He had no idea why because Blitz himself felt fucking fine.

"Are you okay?" The owl asked.

What a silly question.

He responded by giving a thumbs-up and then giggling.

For some reason, it just seemed funny.

He'd almost think he was high, but he was definitely not.

Nope.

"Oh, dear," Stolas fretted, "Perhaps that spell was stronger than I anticipated."

Blitz stuck his tongue out in protest to the statement.

He was fine.

Everything was fine.

He can't remember why he'd been so worked up before.

"His pulse is steady," the doctor announced, his hand on the Imp's wrist.

Blitz hadn't even realized he was being touched.

And if he was being touched, it should be by Stolas.

He jerked the arm away in a clumsy fashion.

"No touchy!"

"Blitz, my dear, it's-"

"Nuh-uh," he said, "Only you can touch."

Solas was blushing now.

And fuck, he looked cute like that.

Blitz found himself smiling.

"Pretty Bird," He said, tapping the owl on the beak, "So pretty."

There was the sound of someone clearing their throats.

Oh yeah, the doctor.

What was he still doing here?

He spoke to Stolas, acting as if Blitz were invisible, telling the owl to take the imp home and get some rest.

He was also saying something about pills, but Blitz found it hard to follow.

Plus, he didn't do pills.

He was pregnant.

He wasn't even that high.

Stolas helped him down from his chair, and he swayed slightly as a portal opened up in the palace's dining room.

Fuck, those portals were pretty.

"Do you wish to go to the sitting room for a bit, or would you prefer the bedroom?" Stolas asked gently.

Blitz craned his neck up, blinking.

He felt really good.

"Are we gonna fuck?"

The question startled the owl.

"What? No, I...I don't think it's an appropriate time for that." 

Blitz frowned in confusion.

"What time is it?"

He honestly had no idea.

Stolas blinked at him and then chuckled nervously.

"Oh dear, you are really quite out of it, aren't you?"

Out of what?

When was Stolas going to start making sense again?

The Prince reached down to take his hand.

"Let's get you to bed, dear."

Blitz frowned as he was tugged gently toward the direction of their shared room, being led like a sleepy toddler down the hall. But, of course, he wasn't a child or even that high.

"I'm not that high," he declared, to which Stolas nodded in agreement before patting the back of his hand.

Blitz felt good. 

He wasn't high, though. 

Nope. 

He was just a little tired.

Yes, he found himself stumbling several times, but that wasn't because he was high. 

No. 

It was this fucking wobbly ass hallway. 

And the stupid fucking pictures that kept trying to slide off the walls.

And no, he didn't need to be carried because he was fucking fine.

"I'm not high," the words tumbled from his lips again as Blitz was lifted off the unsteady ground and into the Prince's arms.

Now, he's not sure why he'd protested being picked up in the first place.

This was nice.

Stolas was warm and soft, and his feathers tickled his nose as Blitz breathed into the owl's neck, making him giggle drunkenly. He raised one heavy hand and gently ran his fingers through the fluff on the bird's chest.

So fluffy.

Blitz felt more than heard as Stolas chuckled.

"Is that so?"

Is what so?

Had he said something?

Had Stolas's voice always sounded so deliciously sweet?

"Bet you taste like honey," Blitz mumbled, tilting his head to see the Prince better.

Stolas blushed even as he chuckled softly again.

Fuck. Blitz hadn't meant to say that out loud.

"Fuck, I didn't-" the words felt clumsy on his tongue, and his hand clenched anxiously, tail swishing in distress.

Stolas shushed him gently as he lowered him onto their bed, and -shit, when did they even enter the room? 

Was he skipping time or some shit?

No.

And he's not that fucking high anyway.

He blinked lazily as his jacket, gloves, and boots were removed, and the cover was pulled over him.

Hmm...this was nice.

Cozy.

Blitz flinched slightly when he felt the back of Stolas's hand stroke the side of his face but soon melted into the touch.

Fuck, that felt nice. 

It made him warm all over.

He blinked his eyes open.

When had he closed them?

Stolas smiled down at him, making him feel small and fragile.

He didn't know why, but it made him squirm.

"You're making me itchy," he complained.

"Oh," Stolas looked surprised and then smiled, half apologetic and half-amused, "I am very sorry, my dear. I did not mean to."

Of course, he didn't mean to.

Stolas wasn't like that.

And Blitz had already forgiven the owl anyway.

"S'okay, pretty birdy," Blitz tried to pat the owl's face, but his aim was a little off, and he smacked clumsily on the side of the Prince's neck.

Stolas captured the hand and kissed it gently.

That was nice, too.

He almost missed the moment his eyes slipped closed, but he could feel the soft kisses on his forehead and the back of each eyelid, and he was sure he was purring.

This was nice.

He wasn't even that high.

"Sleep well, My love."

Love?

The word pulled him back from the void he'd been drifting in.

He pried his eyes open halfway, purr fading as he peered up at Stolas.

"Love?" he asked, voice barely a whisper.

Stolas looked like a deer in headlights.

The owl visibly swallowed but nodded to confirm, his eyes wide and panicked.

Should Blitz be panicking?

He couldn't think of why, not when the Prince's words had nestled into his very soul, had made his heart skip a beat and his body warm and content.

Love.

He blinked, a lazy smile on his face.

"Love you too."

The words felt awkward as if his tongue was too big for his mouth.

Stolas was blushing now, eyes still wide, but shock had replaced the previous fear.

And fuck, he looked gorgeous.

Blitz blinked into the Prince's red orbs, the whites of his pupils looking like little hearts, and he felt like he was falling into them endlessly.

Another slow blink, and Blitz realized Stolas was speaking.

Or at least his mouth was moving.

Fuck, it looked like he was saying a lot.

Blitz's brow furrowed as he tried to will his brain to turn on his ears to no avail.

Instead, he reached forward and managed to cover the bird's beak.

That's better.

With suspiciously watery eyes, Stolas gently grabbed his wrist and planted tiny kisses on the whites of his palms. He could feel the Prince's other hand on his stomach under his shirt, resting there.

Blitz's eyes slipped closed as he began purring again.

Everything was fine.

The baby would be just fine.

And, of course, he loved Stolas.

How could he not? 

He wondered idly why it had taken him so long to say something that made him feel so good.

"Blitzy?"

He wanted to answer the sweet, soft voice, but whatever had previously switched off his ears had now paralyzed his tongue and glued shut his eyes.

Whatever his boyfriend had to say could wait until after he took a nap.

He was so very tired.

But definitely not high.

Chapter Text

Blitz stirred with a slight groan, blinking his tired eyes open.

He was in bed, although he couldn't recall having actually gone to sleep.

Strange.

He yawned, rubbing his eyes as he sat up and groaning when his stomach protested.

It had been less frequent the past couple of weeks since he'd moved into the palace, but there were still days when he woke up and immediately felt the urge to vomit. 

On those days, he couldn't even join Stolas and the girls for breakfast because the smell of cooked food would instantly have him gagging.

He glanced at Stolas's still sleeping form and smiled despite his upset stomach before looking at the clock on the nightstand.

6:22

It was too early for breakfast anyway, although it certainly didn't feel that early.

If anything, he felt as though he'd overslept.

Had he?

Blitz frowned as he tried to recall.

He'd returned from work early yesterday, that much he remembered, and they'd gone to the doctors and....oh. 

Shit.

Blitz placed his hand over his belly, remembering the doctor's words about his high blood pressure, that he and the baby were at risk. 

He closed his eyes as his stomach churned.

He'd panicked, Blitz, remembered now, and Stolas.....Stolas had performed some spell to calm him down, hadn't he?

Yes, that's right. 

They'd gone home, and the owl had carried him to bed and...

'Love you too.'

Blitz's eyes flew open as those words echoed in his head, his heart suddenly hammering in his chest.

Fuck.

Had he actually said that?

Had he actually meant it?

No, no, no.

How could he be so fucking stupid?

'Okay, Blitz, calm down,' he told himself, 'That spell fucked you up. You probably would have said that to anyone. Stolas can't possibly have taken you seriously.'

Except...the owl had said it too, hadn't he? In his own way?

'Sleep well, my love'

Blitz pushed down whatever feelings tried to surface at the memory.

It was a slip of the tongue. 

A meaningless term of endearment. 

A, A fucking mistake.

He was an unloveable asshole, and such sentiment should never be directed at him.

'Love you too.'

Stolas shifted in the bed, and Blitz flinched, head whipping over to look at the prince.

"Mmm...Blitzy," 

Two crimson eyes blinked open, becoming more alert when they spotted Blitz sitting in bed.

"Blitz?" The owl blinked and pushed himself to sit up, "Are you alright, my dear?"

Any other time, Blitz wouldn't have noticed the hesitation before Stolas said the word 'Dear,' but this time, it was more than apparent that the owl had almost said another word altogether.

'sleep well, My love.'

'My love'

"Blitz?"

The owl was frowning now; brows furrowed as he reached a hand out towards the Imp.

Blitz could only imagine how freaked out he must look.

'Love you too.'

"What-"

"I think I'm going to be sick," Blitz managed to say, though his lips felt strangely numb.

Stolas's eyes widened, and he twisted to look around the room, raising a glowing hand and levitating a waste basket onto the bed, wasting no time placing it in front of the Imp, who immediately gagged.

Blitz gripped the basket tightly, the acid taste of vomit at the back of his throat now spilling forth. He felt a different flutter in his belly as the infant inside him moved, and he shifted one hand to place on his stomach as he gagged again. 

He didn't seem to have much in him to expel, but he couldn't stop himself from heaving.

Stolas had shifted closer to him, hand rubbing gentle circles on his lower back.

'My love'

Blitz's eyes were watering once he had finished, and he was out of breath, feeling exhausted even though he had just woken up.

'Love you too.'

He squeezed his eyes shut as he swallowed, the bitter aftertaste of vomit still fresh on his tongue.

Blitz sniffled, finding his nose a little runny as well. 

"Blitz?"  

"I fucked up," the words were out of his mouth before he could stop them.

The hand that had been making soothing circles on his back stopped.

"Whatever do you mean?" Stolas asked, sounding genuinely confused.

"I just...I didn't..I-" he stumbled over his words, and damn it- was he really about to tell Stolas that he didn't love him?

Stolas's hands were suddenly on his face, directing his gaze to the prince, who looked deeply into his eyes.

"Surely you're not still under the spell's effects," He said almost to himself.

Blitz blinked and then frowned, shoving away the owl's hands.

"I'm not under your stupid fucking spell anymore," He griped.

Stolas barely batted an eye at his annoyed tone.

"Forgive me for thinking so, but you weren't making much sense," The owl replied.

"I just woke up and literally spilled my guts," Blitz gestured to the waste basket still balanced in his lap, "Just give me a moment, would ya."

"Of course, darling. Here, let me take that," He lifted a glowing hand and levitated the bin back to its original spot, "Is there anything I can do for you?"

Fuck, he was being nice.

Blitz winced.

"Look, I'm sorry," he apologized, not looking at the owl, "I just need a moment to get my head on straight."

Stolas hummed thoughtfully.

"I understand, my dear. You were quite addled after the spell yesterday," The owl said, "I wouldn't be surprised if you're having trouble remembering things."

And there it was: an out. And Stolas was hand delivering it to him. 

So, like the coward he was, Blitz took it.

"Uh, yeah," he replied, rubbing the back of his neck,  "Everything's pretty fuzzy."

He forced himself to look over and tried not to flinch at the small, sad-looking smile the prince sported.

"I thought as much," Stolas said, "You were..well..."

"Fucking high as a kite," Blitz finished.

"Quite," The owl looked amused now, "Although you repeatedly insisted otherwise."

"Yeah," Blitz laughed nervously, "You should probably just ignore all the crazy shit I said."

Was that laying it on too thick?

Stolas looked sad again, but it only lasted a moment before he masked it with a smirk.

"Oh, is that so?" he teased, "You don't think I taste like honey?"

The tension in Blitz's shoulders eased at the remark, and he laughed more freely.

"Is that what I said?"

"Yes, and you think I'm fluffy as well." the prince added, looking entirely too pleased with himself.

"Well, it's true," Blitz insisted, reaching over to ruffle the plumage on the bird's chest, "It's ridiculous how fluffy you are."

Stolas chuckled lightly as he playfully swatted the hand away, and Blitz grinned.

After a moment, though, Stolas's expression dampened, becoming clouded and troubled.

"Perhaps we should talk about what transpired yesterday."

Blitz froze, heart plummeting.

'Love you too.'

"W-what do you mean?" he chuckled nervously, "I just told you I don't remember-"

"Before the spell," Stolas clarified, "About what the doctor told us."

Oh.

Blitz's expression blanked, and Stolas reached over to lay his hand on his.

"Your blood pressure-"

"I remember," Blitz interrupted, voice flat, "You don't have to say it again. I...I know I fucked up, okay?"

Surprise flashed in Stolas's ruby eyes before sympathy took its place, and he shook his head.

"No, no, darling, it's not your fault-"

"Then who's fault is it?" Blitz snapped back, pulling his hand away to rub his face in frustration, "Damn it, Stolas, I've been doing everything I'm supposed to do. I take the damn pills and eat the disgusting ass food, and I haven't gone on any dangerous missions. Hell, I only drink coffee on cheat days! I just-" he pulled his legs up, resting his forehead on his knees as he squeezed his eyes shut.

 "I don't know what I could have done differently," he admitted quietly.

He could feel the shift in the bed as Stolas moved to wrap his arms around him.

"I will say it again; this is not your fault," he restated, "These things simply happen, my dear."

"They seem to happen to me a lot," Blitz quietly griped.

"And I am so sorry for that," Stolas said, "but we caught it early, and there are things we can do to manage it."

Blitz lifted his head as Stolas pulled back.

"Like what?"

Stolas smiled encouragingly.

"The doctor prescribed some pills-oh don't make that face- it's to help keep your blood pressure in check."

Blitz rolled his eyes with a groan.

"Fine."

"We also still have an appointment in a few days, and he wants you to stay on bedrest until then."

"More bedrest? Are you fucking kidding me?" Blitz complained, "I'm supposed to be running a company."

"Which is no doubt the cause of most of your stress," Stolas pointed out, "A few days away will do you good."

Blitz crossed his arms over his chest with a huff as he fell back onto the bed.

"Try to relax, my dear," The owl said, smiling fondly down at his disgruntled lover, "I'll go fetch you something light to eat. You missed dinner last night, so you must be hungry."

"I want yogurt," Blitz demanded like a moody child.

Stolas grinned before leaning over to kiss the Imp's cheek.

"Yogurt it is, then."

Blitz felt his mood soften as he mumbled a quiet thank you to the prince, who was already getting out of bed and slipping on his robe.

"I'll be right back, my dear." Stolas said, and there was another slight pause before the word 'dear.'

'My Love'

"Yeah, well, I'll be here," Blitz replied faintly.

The door shut softly behind the owl, and Blitz groaned into his hands.

He should be relaxing or calling Moxxie and Millie to let them know what was happening and that he wouldn't be at work for the next few days. Instead, his mind replayed the sad smile on Stolas's face from earlier, making him feel almost sick.

'Love you too.'

Forgetting would have been so much easier. 

Chapter Text

Bedrest was as dull and uneventful as he remembered. Stolas kept him company when he wasn't otherwise preoccupied with his duties, but Blitz was often alone with only his phone to entertain him. 

That was fine; it gave him more time to come to terms with the fact that he'd confessed his love to the prince only to lie and pretend it had never happened.

What nagged Blitz the most was how fucking normal the owl acted around him. He didn't have the excuse of a wayward spell to hide behind his words that night or feign amnesia about them later, yet the owl didn't even try to broach the topic. 

Had Stolas also not meant what he said?

Was the owl relieved that Blitz had forgotten?

Had it really been a meaningless term of endearment?

And why the fuck did that bother Blitz so much?

He decided his best course of action was to follow suit, pretend things were perfectly normal, and fuck...maybe they really would be again.

-----------------------------------------------

Blitz had been taking deep, calming breaths all morning leading up to his appointment, determined that doing so would guarantee him a regular blood pressure reading. 

Stolas had tried to soothe his apparent nervousness with meaningless words of comfort and reassurance, but Blitz was anxious and tight-lipped as the quiet, nervous little imp nurse from before placed the cuff securely over his arm.

'Fuck. Just fucking relax already,' Blitz inwardly berated himself as the cuff squeezed his arm uncomfortably tight before finally releasing.

He opened his mouth to ask the results, trying to gauge the little imp's reaction, but the flighty nurse was up and out the door before he could utter a word, leaving him all the more annoyed.

"Well, that was a bit abrupt," Stolas commented.

Blitz groaned.

"They're fucking scared of you, birdbrain."

The owl looked shocked.

"Me? Whatever for?"

Blitz gave him a disbelieving stare.

"Are you trying to be cute, or do you honestly forget you're a powerful Goetian prince?"

"Well...I'd like to think I don't have to try to be cute," the prince quipped back.

Before Blitz could respond, the door to their room was opening again, and in stepped their regular doctor.

"Finally," he replied, acting like he'd been waiting longer than just a few minutes, "What's the verdict, Doc?"

"Well," The doctor hesitated, "Although your blood pressure has improved since your last visit, it's still within a higher range than we would like."

Blitz frowned.

"Meaning?"

"Meaning it is something that we'll have to monitor closely," The doctor replied.

Blitz groaned.

"Do I still have to stay on house arrest?"

"Excuse me?"

"He means bedrest," Stolas elaborated, shooting his boyfriend a chastising glance.

"Well, no, but I recommend you take it easy. Don't overexert yourself; you could be prone to dizziness and headaches."

"Right, right, got it," Blitz said, still very anxious,  "And the baby?"

"As long as you're doing what we ask and taking the medicine we gave you, and as long as we continue to monitor you closely, I think the baby will be fine."

Stolas and Blitz exchanged relieved looks.

"In fact," The doctor smiled, " How about we take another look at the kid today?"

-------------------------------------------

Blitz had been told they'd done an ultrasound before, but he was unaware of it, so this was a new experience.

The doctor had discreetly ushered them into another smaller room and asked Blitz to lay himself on the table they had next to a monitor. 

Stolas sat primly on the stool beside the bed, and the doctor introduced another nurse who would complete the examination.

This nurse, a sinner whose name Blitz didn't bother to remember and who had vaguely catlike features, sent Stolas a wary glance but was otherwise far more at ease than the previous nurse. She gave a tight-lipped smile and asked Blitz to lift his shirt and expose his belly.

Blitz frowned but obeyed, noticing how much larger his belly had gotten in just the last few weeks alone, no longer a slight bulge and now an outright baby bump.

Stolas cooed over the display as he did every night before bed, and Blitz fought off an embarrassed blush as the nurse produced a tube of gel. 

He couldn't help commenting as she squirted a glob onto his belly that it looked very much like lube, and Stolas called out his name as if scandalized. 

"What? it fucking does!" Blitz defended.

The nurse stifled a laugh as she explained the tool she was using, a wand, that she began rubbing against his lube-covered stomach. She motioned to the monitor beside the bed with her free hand, her gaze on the screen as she moved the wand slowly over his belly, applying gentle pressure.

"Now let's see if we can't find our little...oh! there we are!" She announced, stopping the wand's movements.

Blitz looked at the fuzzy monitor and blinked at the tiny image he saw.

"Oh Blitzy, how exciting!" came Stolas's hushed voice beside him. "Arent they just the cutest thing?!"

Blitz blinked.

"What the fuck am I looking at?" He asked dumbly, "Looks like a fucking alien rat or some shit."

Stolas scoffed as if personally insulted by the description, and the nurse barely suppressed a snort before pointing at the screen.

"This is the head here, and judging from the side position, they may have a beak, see there?"

Blitz's mouth dropped in awe as the shape finally started making more sense to him.

"This here is the spine, no quills that I can see, and here's the tail curling around just there."

"What's that faint, blurry stuff outside the body," Blitz asked, pointing.

"Well, normally I'd say hair, but given that it's all over aside from the tail, I'm going to say it's feathers." the nurse speculated, "Or at least the beginning of feathers."

A beak, feathers, and a tail. An imp tail, from the looks of it.

"A nice strong heartbeat, too," The nurse pointed out, "Still too early to tell if she'll have horns, but she's very healthy from what I can see."

Blitz felt himself relax at the news.

Good, she was healthy, that was all that...wait...

"She?" Stolas asked, voice tentative.

Blitz's eyes widened as he looked at the nurse.

"It's a girl?"

The nurse blushed, her catlike ears turning down.

"OH, I'm so sorry. Did you want that to be a surprise?" She asked, looking between the two.

Blitz looked over, catching the tears budding in all four of the owl's eyes, the way he clutched his hands together as he stared at the screen.

"Oh, Blitzy.." he beamed as he looked into the imp's eyes, "What a wonder she is."

He couldn't help but agree.

----------------------------------------------------------

They got at least a dozen pictures printed off from the ultrasound.

Blitz found himself in good spirits despite the news of his blood pressure still being high.

He was over the moon.

A girl! 

Blitz insisted that Stolas teleport them between Octavia's and Loona's rooms so they could immediately deliver the news.

He was excited as they came through the portal, tail wagging behind him and the pictures clutched in his hands.

"Girls! Get your butts out here now!"

Octavia's door burst open a moment later, the owl demon looking startled and worried.

"What's wrong? Did something happen?" She asked as she stepped quickly out of the room, "Dad? Is the baby okay?"

"Everything is fine, my owlet," Stolas soothed, "we are both simply excited to share some news with you girls."

Loona's door came open next, the hellhound looking like she'd just gotten out of bed.

"This better be good," She said, clearly annoyed, "This is supposed to be my day off."

"You bet your fury tail it's good," Blitz exclaimed, holding up the pictures, "Check it out!"

Loona snatched one of the pictures from Blitz with a huff, and Octavia came over to stand beside her to get a look. 

"What the fuck is this?" Loona asked, baffled.

"Looks kinda like a tiny alien bird rat?" Octavia added, equally as confused.

"That's what I said!" Blitz exclaimed, beaming.

"Oh, don't be ridiculous, all of you," Stolas chided, "These are pictures of your little sister, of course."

"Sister?!" Both girls shouted.

"Yes, I knew it!" Octavia cheered, giving Loona, who was grimacing, a smug look, "Looks like someone owes me twenty bucks."

"Ugh, you don't even need the money," Loona complained.

"Not the point," Octavia said, grinning, "I was right, and you were wrong."

"Are you telling me you girls were betting on this?" Stolas asked, looking scandalized.

Blitz laughed.

-------------------------------------------

Blitz had considered texting Moxxie and Millie the news, but he was a sucker for the theatrics, and seeing their reaction in person was too tempting, so the next day he was back at work, he called a meeting.

"Now clearly there's a lot of important business matters we need to discuss," he noticed Moxxie's serious head nod and grinned, "But fuck that shit cause I got baby pictures to share!"

Millie immediately stood up from her seat as Blitz tossed the photos out on the table.

"Yee-haw!" she grabbed the closest photo and cooed, "Oh, ain't they just the cutest little thing!"

"Sir, while this is all very nice, don't you think we should discuss-"

"Look, honey!" Millie held the photo before her husband's face, "They gotta little imp tail just like Blitz and a tiny bird's beak too!"

Apparently, Millie didn't need any help deciphering the picture.

Moxxie blinked and slowly took the photo in his hand, something like awe on his face.

"You're right...wow..."

Blitz just stood there. Tall and proud.

"Yup, that's my little girl, alright."

"A girl!" Millie squealed, "Oh B, I'm so excited for ya!"

Blitz winced when he received a hard kick from inside his belly, rubbing a hand over his stomach as if to soothe the little girl.

"You aren't the only one excited," Blitz said, "This kid's a kicker."

Millia gasped.

"She's a movin' right now?" She asked, coming closer to Blitz, "Would it be rude of me to ask if I can ..." She held her hand out towards his belly but looked at Blitz for permission.

Blitz didn't hesitate to take Millie's hand and place it on his belly, his heart warming at how her eyes lit up as the baby inside him wiggled and kicked some more.

He noticed Moxxie's curious look and motioned for him to come closer.

"Get in here, Mox,"

Moxxie approached him but seemed hesitant.

"I don't know, sir, it's a bit personal to-"

He grabbed the smaller imp's hand and placed it next to his wife just as the baby kicked again.

Moxxie's eyes widened.

"She's really in there," he stated quietly.

"Of course, she's in there, you idiot," Blitz reprimanded, "Did you think I was faking this shit?"

Moxxie sputtered, removing his hand, "No, sir, it's just...I just-"

"It's different feelin' them kickin' and stuff, ain't it, sweetie?" Millie saved him.

"Yeah, and the pictures too," Moxxie pointed out, "Really makes it feel real."

"What about you, Loony?" Blitz called, "Wanna feel your little sister kick the shit out of me."

"Uh no," the hellhound replied from behind a magazine, "You already got me to feel of it yesterday, and I told you that shit's freaky."

"Well, I think it's just swell," Millie replied, moving her hand away, "I'm so happy for you and the prince."

"Me too," Moxxie smiled, "Congratulations, Sir."

-----------------------------------------------

Blitz had put several ultrasound photos on the fridge, tucked one into his wallet, and laid the rest on the nightstand by the bed. 

He couldn't stop looking at them.

His little girl.

Never before had it seemed so real, so tangible. 

Even now, sitting up in bed, he was looking at one of the photos.

"She's going to be perfect," Stolas said from his spot beside him, admiring the photo in the imps hand as well.

"She already is," Blitz found himself saying back, gazing at the photo with nothing but love in his heart for this being- this little girl- who wasn't even here yet.

He felt Stolas kiss his cheek and looked at the owl's tender gaze.

"You're going to be wonderful with her," The prince said.

Blitz fought back the tears those words threatened to provoke and offered a shaky smile.

"You think so?"

Stolas smiled, eyes crinkling.

"I know so."

And damn if he didn't sound so fucking sure of himself.

It nearly overwhelmed Blitz.

'Love you too.'

He didn't know why those words suddenly crept into his thoughts again, but rather than panic, Blitz closed the distance between them to kiss the owl's beak.

Chapter Text

  Blitz startled slightly when Stolas entered the bedroom; the owl swooping inside, dressed in full regal attire, and pacing the length of the bed where Blitz was currently resting after a long day at work.                        

"Oooh, someone's got their fancy clothes on," He sang, quirking an eyebrow, "What's the occasion?"

Stolas stopped his movements to shoot Blitz a halfhearted glare.

"I told you this morning that I was attending a...party," The owl reminded him, a look of disdain on his face as he said the last word, "I have less than an hour before I am expected to be there."

Stolas sighed, sitting down at the end of the bed. He dropped his head into his hands and groaned.

"Whoa, you're seriously stressed about this, aren't you?" Blitz realized, tossing the phone he'd been scrolling through aside and crawling to sit next to his boyfriend.

"It's a fucking party," He reminded the owl, "You're supposed to have fun at those things."

Stolas scoffed softly as he lifted his head from his hands to look at him.

"I assure you there is nothing fun about these events," He said, "A room full of rich, influential demons that care only for money, power, and politics. I doubt I'll make it through the evening without at least a few drinks."

"Well shit," Blitz replied, thinking a moment before asking, "You want me to come with you?"

The owl looked startled at the question and then abruptly stood up. 

"I appreciate the offer, but... It's been a long day. You should be resting."

Blitz frowned at the words and how Stolas suddenly refused to look at him. He tried not to jump to conclusions or let the knot of insecurity in his chest grow, giving the owl the benefit of the doubt.

"Afraid I'll party too hard? Show you too good a time?" he tried to joke.

The prince didn't respond or look his way, and Blitz felt like he was back at Ozzie's, Stolas hiding behind his menu as he realized...

"You don't want me there."

Stolas finally looked up at that, his eyes troubled and apologetic.

"Blitz-" He started and did not know how to finish.

His refusal to deny Blitz's words had the imp frowning.

"Forget I asked," He responded without feeling, and Stolas's eyes widened at the sudden coldness in his voice.

"You don't understand," The owl said, stepping back towards him, "I can't risk-"

"Can't risk us being seen together?" Blitz finished, voice suddenly heated, "No, I get it. I do. I-" he laughed, but there was no humor in it, "I'm the idiot for thinking we were finally on even footing here."

"My dear.."

"No, really, it makes sense," Blitz went on, smiling sharply to hide the pain in his chest, "It's fucking fine as long as we're locked away here in the palace, but satan forbid you actually be seen with me in public."

Stolas looked panicked.

"That's not true," he denied, reaching out to the imp.

Blitz hopped off the bed, tail swishing in an agitated fashion behind him as he headed toward the door. 

Fuck Stolas and his stupid party.

"It isn't safe!" Stolas called frantically behind him.

Blitz froze with his hand on the door handle, looking over his shoulder at the owl.

"What the fuck does that mean?"

Stolas sighed as he approached him, looking resigned.

"Would you come with me to my study?" he asked instead of answering, "There's something I must show you."

A part of Blitz really wanted to tell the prince to go fuck himself, but he took a breath in instead, fighting against the headache that was beginning to form as he agreed.

He followed silently behind Stolas, arms crossed and tail still twitching in agitation, glaring at the back of the owl's feet as they walked.

When they entered the study, Stolas didn't bother shutting the door behind them, walking straight towards his desk. Blitz stopped before it as the owl opened a drawer and pulled out a small stack of opened envelopes.

Stolas sighed and tossed them on the desk before Blitz, gesturing at them.

Blitz quirked an eyebrow.

"You want me to read your fucking mail?"

"Not really," The owl admitted, "But I think you should."

Blitz rolled his eyes and snatched up one of the envelopes, opening up the letter to reveal delicate cursive writing. His eyes skimmed over it, and his mood faltered.

"What...what the fuck is this?" he asked, looking up at the prince, who appeared resigned and didn't know what to say.

Blitz grabbed for another envelope and began frantically reading another letter, then another, and another.

"What the actual fuck!" he cursed, glaring at the words before looking back up again, "These are fucking death threats, Stolas!"

The owl nodded.

"Some are, yes," he agreed, "Others are simply hate mail."

Blitz glared at how unconcerned the owl seemed.

"Who the fuck are these people?" he demanded, headache now pounding, "I'll fucking kill them myself!"

That earned him a small smile from the prince.

"That won't be necessary, my dear."

"Won't be... are you fucking serious?!" His vision blurred slightly, and he cursed, "Fuck, I gotta...I need to.."

Stolas's eyes widened as he walked around the desk and eased Blitz into a chair.

"Breathe, Darling, " he instructed kindly.

Blitz rubbed at his eyes with a groan but took a deep breath before waving a dismissive hand toward Stolas.

"I'm fine," he declared, vision clearing after a few moments.

"This is precisely why I didn't wish to tell you," Stolas said, hovering over the imp nervously, "I didn't want to cause you any undue stress. Especially with your blood pressure."

"Undue..? Are you fucking serious right now?" Blitz asked, glaring up at the owl, "People are sending you death threats, and you're worried about me?"

"I'm always worried about you, my dear," Stolas replied, "As for the threats, they are no more than empty hate-filled words from those who did not take kindly to my divorce. Naturally, no one would dare act on any of these threats towards me."

"I read the fucking letters, Stolas," Blitz answered, brow furrowed and head still aching, "This isn't just about the divorce. It's about you fucking an Imp."

Reluctantly, Stolas nodded.

"Yes, an imp; that's all they refer to you as," he pointed out, "They do not know who you are yet, and I would like to keep it that way. While I am not overly concerned that they will act against me, I could not ensure they are not petty and vindicative enough to go after you. Especially if they learn you are pregnant with our child."

Blitz gritted his teeth, tail twitching.

Stolas sighed.

"Is it really so terrible that I wish to keep you and our little girl safe?" he asked.

Blitz looked off to the side.

"I can take care of myself," He replied, throwing another disdainful look at the letters on the desk, "And I don't appreciate you keeping shit like this a secret."

"I'm sorry," the owl said softly, "I should have told you sooner."

Blitz hadn't expected the quick apology, and some of his anger left him.

"Just...don't do it again."

Stolas nodded, and Blitz sighed, rubbing the side of his head and trying to calm his racing heart.

"So what now?" he asked, feeling a little nauseous. "Am I just some dirty little secret you have to hide forever?"

Stolas stepped closer and grabbed one of Blitz's hands.

"Once the baby is born, I will be able to ensure better protection for both of you, but..."

"Yeah, I get it," Blitz pulled his hand away, "It's all hush hush until then."

Stolas cupped the imp's face, making Blitz look him in the eyes.

"I am not ashamed of you," He said slowly and deliberately.

Blitz winced, trying to look away, but Stolas was not having it.

"No, look at me," the owl demanded softly, "I mean it, Blitz."

The imp felt the burn of tears in his eyes but reluctantly met the prince's intense gaze.

"I could never be ashamed of you," he said, voice softening, "You mean more to me than you could ever know, and I am so proud to be yours."

Blitz felt his face scrunch up, and a few tears escaped his eyes and ran down his cheeks, only to be brushed gently away by Stolas's hands.

"Oh, Blitz," The owl sighed, leaning down so their foreheads touched, "When this is over, all of hell will know that we are together; I will shout it from the rooftops, I swear it."

Blitz let out a shaky laugh at the confession, eyes slipping closed as Stolas planted a kiss against the mark on his forehead and pulled back, hands still cupping the imp's face.

"Are you alright, my dear?"

Blitz sniffled before nodding.

"Yeah, I'm good," he said, opening his eyes, "Got a bit of a headache, but-"

Before he could finish, Stolas was moving his hands up to his temples, magic at his fingertips, and Blitz sighed at the sensation, shoulders and eyes drooping.

"Let's get you back to bed before I leave," the owl said.

Blitz's eyes opened further, and he frowned.

"You're still going to the party?" he asked, "With a room full of people who probably want you dead?"

Stolas smiled slightly as he pulled back his hands.

"It will hardly be different from any other party I've attended," He admitted as though amused, "I've never been well-liked among high society."

"That's cause they suck, and you're awesome," Blitz declared, much to the prince's delight.

"If you say so, Sweetheart."

Blitz stood up, pleased when he found that he wasn't dizzy.

"Wait a sec," he looked up at the owl, frowning, "If this is supposed to be secret, aren't you worried about those doctors and nurses blabbing to someone? They know who the fuck we both are."

Stolas smiled.

"I've already spoken to the staff regarding discretion," he replied, "I have no doubts they will adhere to my strict warnings against speaking to anyone over the matter."

"Ha! I knew they were fucking scared of you!" 

Stolas chuckled even as a faint blush dusted his cheeks.

"Still wish you weren't going to this fucking party, though," Blitz admitted.

"And you are so cute when you're worried," Stolas cooed, playfully pinching Blitz's cheek.

Blitz blushed but shoved the owl's hand away.

"Shut the fuck up," he griped jokingly back, "And I think you mean I'm fucking sexy, not cute."

Stolas chuckled.

"Of course," he agreed, "Very sexy indeed."

Blitz smirked suggestively.

"You sure I can't persuade you to stay?" he asked, lifting an eyebrow.

"I'm afraid my attendance is mandatory," The owl replied.

Blitz started to pout but was taken off guard when Stolas leaned down to kiss him. He let out a surprised sound, which allowed the owl to enter his mouth, deepening the kiss. Blitz hummed appreciatively as their tongues intertwined, eyes slipping closed as a heat stirred in his belly.

Stolas pulled back just slightly.

"Perhaps we should continue this in the bedroom," he said breathlessly.

Blitz blinked.

"I thought you said-"

"My attendance is mandatory," the owl repeated before smirking, "But I am allowed to be fashionably late."

Blitz smirked back.

"Oh fuck yeah."

Chapter Text

Being pregnant had really fucked with Blitz's sex life. In the beginning, he had been either too nauseous or too tired even to care, but once the worst of that had passed, Blitz found himself horny more often than not.

The problem was that Stolas seemed to think Blitz would fucking break if he was anything less than gentle in his efforts, and the more Blitz's belly grew, the more hesitant the owl seemed to get. 

When they'd discovered Blitz's high blood pressure, the imp had worried that his boyfriend would take sex off the table entirely. So Blitz was relieved to find out, with the help of Google, that sex could lower one's blood pressure. Blitz had felt more than a little vindicated when he'd held up his phone for Stolas to see, displaying a list of health benefits associated with sex. He then boldly stated that, given this information, it would be irresponsible not to have rough and wild sex in every available room of that fucking big ass palace.

Stolas had started to question the credibility of the site, but Blitz's words finally caught up with him, and he blushed, looking more than a little interested as he asked quietly, "Every available room?". Blitz remembers smiling suggestively as his tail wound around the bird's slim waist and tugged him forward. Stolas hooted and then giggled, leaning down to kiss him, and Blitz knew he'd won.

Stolas's kisses were delightfully possessive, eager, and wanting as they stumbled into the first empty room. Clothes were quickly discarded, and Blitz wasted no time pushing Stolas down onto the nearest piece of furniture.

That's when the problems began. 

Stolas's kisses became more gentle, his hands hesitant; he would check with Blitz multiple times and even once suggested they wrap a pillow around Blitz's belly to avoid bumping it. Seriously??

It wasn't like having a big belly didn't already complicate things, either. Blitz prided himself on his endurance and flexibility, but being pregnant made almost any task exhausting, sex especially. Despite this and the ache in his back, Blitz found himself wanting to please Stolas more than ever. He knew he was still shit at showing affection; even talking about his feelings made him feel raw and exposed sometimes, but sex he could do. Blitz had to silence the traitorous part of his mind that whispered sex was all he was good for anyway.

They made sure both girls were out of the palace before they started making their rounds. Stolas was fucking adorable, giggling and whispering like they were teenagers who might get caught at any moment. Blitz grinned as he pulled the owl along, eager to claim another room as their own. 

That's when he felt Stolas jerk to a halt, almost pulling his hand away from the imp.

Blitz came to a stop within the open doorway of the next room, turning to ask what the holdup was. He froze as he saw the look on the taller demon's face.

Gone were the giggles and smiles from before. Stolas looked terrified, staring into the room as if it could somehow do him harm. Blitz followed his haunted gaze but couldn't understand the problem. The room was posh and, in his opinion, ugly, filled with flashy, expensive-looking items and a fancy white couch, but nothing special. 

Blitz had looked back at Stolas, squeezing his hand and softly saying the bird's name. 
Stolas blinked, still looking wary as he met Blitz's gaze, tentatively suggesting they skip this room.

When Blitz asked why, Stolas opened and closed his mouth before looking away, pulling his hand from Blitz's grip so he could wring both hands in front of him anxiously. 

He looked ashamed, and Blitz felt dread creep into his heart. His voice became deadly calm as he asked Stolas what had happened in this room. 

Those beautiful crimson eyes had gone wide, head whipping back around to look at the imp. He quickly tried to put Blitz's fears to rest, promising nothing bad had occurred in the room and that he was just being stupid.

Stupid?!

"You're not stupid," Blitz snapped, and fuck, he hadn't meant for it to come out so harsh, but he hated hearing Stolas call himself that.

And now they were both standing naked outside the room, Blitz's boner long gone.

"It's Stella's," Stolas finally reluctantly admits.

"Stella's?" Blitz's voice was thick with confusion, "What does that frigid bitch have to do with anything?"

"She doesn't like the room to be tampered with," Stolas explains.

"Doesn't like-" Blitz starts, stunned, before throwing his arms up in exasperation, "She doesn't fucking live here anymore!"

Stolas winced, looking off to the side as his cheeks flushed an embarrassing shade of red. 

Blitz looked back into the room. Stella's room. The divorce had still not been finalized due to Stella's outrageous demands for compensation, but she had at least moved her ass out of the palace even before Blitz had found out he was pregnant. Despite her long absence, the room was devoid of dust.

Which means Stolas had been instructing his staff to keep the room clean.

A room he looked too frightened to enter even now.

Fuck.

That was...fuck. 

Stolas seemed to recognize at least how messed up that was as he held his face in his hands and groaned.

"I know, I know how stu- silly it is, but I just-" 

Blitz didn't wait for Stolas to finish, covering the short distance between them to wrap his arms around the owl. He was significantly shorter than the Goetia and couldn't help but wonder if he looked like a child with his arms around Stolas's long legs and his forehead resting on the owl's hip. 

"Blitz?"

Stolas sounded so fucking lost, and it was doing weird shit to Blitz's emotions. He tightened his hold, belly pressing against Stolas's legs and words failing him as usual.

Stolas sighed, one hand delicately touching the back of Blitz's head.

"I'm sorry."

Blitz tensed.

"Don't," the word tore itself from the imp's throat, once again far harsher than he would have liked.

"I've upset you," Stolas stated sadly.

"I'm not upset."

Blitz winced at how unconvincing he sounded, sighing as he pulled away and stepped back to look at the prince.

"I'm not upset with you," he clarified, and Stolas's eyes widened, mystified. 

"Oh."

Blitz had to look away, unable to take how fucking grateful the owl appeared; as if Blitz being upset on his behalf was more than he ever expected. 

It made Blitz feel cold all over, and he'd shivered, blinking when, a second later, he found himself fully clothed again. 

His head swiveled towards Stolas, who was now wearing his signature robe.

Magic was fucking awesome. 

Stolas, however, looked defeated.

"I know it isn't....healthy," he admitted, looking off to the side, "I know I should have the room redecorated or destroyed or sealed away instead of just... avoiding it."

He looked so painfully ashamed of himself.

"Hey," Blitz's voice came out soft then; he took a small step towards Stolas and slipped one of his hands into the owls, "It's okay."

Stolas didn't respond to the touch, his eyes impossibly sad as he looked down at the imp. 

"It's not," he stated, dejected. 

Blitz sighed.

"Okay, so it's kinda fucked up," he admitted, blunt as usual.

Stolas winced, and Blitz squeezed his hand to reassure him. 

"But so what," he continued, "if this-" he gestured back at the room with his free hand, "-is too much for you to deal with right now, then don't worry about it." 

Stolas looked into the room with trepidation.

"I'm not gonna pressure you to do anything," Blitz assured, "but when you're ready, I can help if you-"

He didn't have time to finish the thought. Stolas had practically fallen to his knees in front of him, releasing the imp's hand to pull Blitz against his chest, his talons clutching desperately at the back of Blitz's hoodie as he hugged him tight.

He buried his face into the imp's shoulder and sobbed. 

"Thank you, thank you," Stolas gasped, and Blitz finally unfroze, bringing his arms around the distraught demon. 

"Hey, hey, I got you," he tried to soothe, rubbing the owls back in what he hoped was a comforting motion, hating the way Stolas was trembling. 

"It's okay, pretty bird," he said softly, "I ...I have rooms I can't go in either."

He wondered momentarily if Stolas would understand what he meant by that, but then the owl tilted his head up, ruby eyes shining.

Of course, Stolas fucking understood.

He always did.

Sniffling, the owl slowly released his grip on Blitz's hoodie and slumped back, still kneeling in front of Imp as he wiped the last of the moisture from his eyes. 

"To be honest, this room is kind of a fucking eyesore," Blitz said, "probably would have thrown up on the upholstery."

This prompted a startled laugh from the owl, who wholeheartedly agreed. 

"Let's watch a movie." Blitz declared because avoiding heavy shit was his specialty. 

Stolas looked grateful for the suggestion, the lingering tension in the air receding as he picked himself off the floor, brushing off imaginary dust and smoothing out the wrinkles on his clothes. 

And yeah, sex was off the table, but Blitz realized he didn't actually mind. 

Chapter Text

HI!

.......

*clears throat*

First off, I have NOT given up on this story.

However, since it was initially posted right after 'The Circus' aired (If memory serves), I didn't have the same understanding of the characters I do now, and it's made me reflect on some of my choices. Also, I've grown a lot as a writer (still improving but better, lol), and I can, and want to, do better.

So an updated version of this will be posted, titled "More Than I Was Expecting' (yeah, I know, BIG difference lol)

I'll use this version as an outline—each chapter will be improved and added to, so hopefully, you'll like it as much, if not more.

I actually updated chapter 1 on this version before deciding to do this separately, so there's not anything to compare since I lost the original chapter and had to leave the newer one up (I still made some minor changes before posting the new story)

After I finished working on the rewrite of Chapter 2, I got worried that I would unintentionally change this story too much the farther I went, and I didn't want to invalidate the comments and kudos I had already received. That's why I'm posting separately instead of just going back and updating each individual chapter (Sorry, I changed the original chapter 1 a little already).

Also, the feedback will be helpful as I post on the new story and keep me motivated.

Copy and paste Link for the new version: https://archiveofourown.info/works/57508540/chapters/146316106

Or you can go to my page.

I hope this hasn't upset people, and regardless, I am so grateful to you all!