Archive of Our Own ^beta

Stolas giggled to himself as he tore open the little cardboard box while sitting on the sofa. Which, of course, quickly summoned Blitz in from the next room. 

“Whatcha giggling about, Birdbrain?” he asked, curiosity piqued. Stolas grinned at him. His imp was so curious sometimes, it was adorable. 

“I got you a new toy I thought I’d try out,” the owl answered with a cheeky smirk. 

Blitz rolled his eyes and groaned. “Ugh, Stolas sometimes I swear you have a one track mind. Look, I’m tired today, alright, and if ya think I’m gonna try out whatever new toy ya got me, you’ve got another thing comi-”

By that time, Stolas had already got the box open, and was already pulling out the small device. He clicked it on, and a single beam of red light shot out from it, making a red dot appear on the wall behind Blitz. The imp stopped suddenly at the sound, on high alert just in case it was another assassin about to make an attempt on Stolas’ life. But when he caught sight of the small red dot on the wall, he was transfixed. Especially since the way it moved definitely had something to do with the way the bird behind him was laughing and hooting. Thoroughly enjoying playing with his new laser pointer. Bought specifically to entertain Blitz. He’d been reading up a little more on the behaviours of imps in his Leitner book, specifically hunting and stalking behaviours. And he’d been researching ways he could elicit such behaviours from Blitz. 

You know, for purely scientific reasons. 

The fact that Blitz was absolutely adorable while hunting little prey animals was neither here nor there. 

Stolas wiggled the laser pointer, moving the little red dot around on the floor and instantly Blitz stood with his hackles raised and very, very still. Then, without warning, he leapt on the dot, hands and claws out to try and catch it. But the little dot was elusive, and Blitz snarled a little as it got away. The imp scrambled after it like a giant cat, hissing as he chased his tiny red prey, running in circles after it, wagging his tail and zooming around the living room. Jumping on the high furniture and weaving through chair legs. 

Stolas had never laughed so much. And so he thought, hey, why not lead Blitzy on a merry little chase around the palace? So he got up and ran the red dot out of the living room and down the hallway. Blitz scampering after it. Teasing Blitz with a moment of red dot stillness and moving it again just after he pounced on it with a triumphant cry of, “Aha!” and then a growl of “Shit,” when he lifted his hands and the red dot wasn’t under them.

Giggling to himself, Stolas led Blitz even further into the house. With Blitz clambering up the fancy curtains after the dot, nearly toppling the large fridge over (though Stolas had to step in before the guy got crushed to death), and even scaling the library bookshelves. 

It was all so much fun, and a definite treat to see Blitz having some safer fun. He was just watching Blitz zoom around in a figure 8 after the dot when he caught sight of one of Stella’s old antique vases. Yet to be moved over to her new residence. The proverbial lightbulb went off, and he smirked. He knew just what to do. 

“Oh, Blitzy!”  he called to his partner, “It’s over here!”

“Where?!”

“There,” Stolas pointed, the little red dot sitting right in the center of the priceless vase. 

"Aha!" Blit cried as he pounced, landing directly on target and sending the large vase toppling off its plinth and crashing to the floor where it shattered into pieces. But the little imp was undeterred by the wreckage he'd caused. Scrabbling through all of the broken shards in search of his red dot prey. 

"Alright where is it? Where is it?" He growled as he searched, throwing the larger shards of the vase away. Stolas just chuckled and hooted at the scene, wishing he'd had the forethought to record this. Oh well. Maybe next time.

"Oh, Blitzy, look!" He called out to his partner, pointing excitedly at the dot he'd 'found'. "It's here! Get it, quick!" 

Blitz turned, tail thrashing through the air, as he ran and pounced. Landing with his hands on top of the dot. "Aha! Gotcha!" He crowed, hunched over his now 'dead' prey and wagged his tail from side to side in triumph. "Told ya I was a good hunter, Stols!" 

Stolas simply chuckled to himself as he clicked the laser pointer off, its job done for the moment. "Of course, darling," he beamed down at his lover. "I never doubted you for a second." 

Blitz grinned, pleased with his victory. Noticing the broken shards all around him. "Oh, erm… sorry 'bout the vase though."

"Oh, that old thing?" Stolas said dismissively, "Don't worry about that. That was one of Stella's."

"Ahh, petty destruction, eh? I knew I liked you," Blitz smirked approvingly at his mate. "Say, is there any other things your bitch of an ex-wife left behind we can wreck?" 

Stolas snickered and grinned wickedly. “Why, of course, darling,” he crooned., “A whole wing full, in fact. Let me take you there and you can destroy to your heart’s content.”

“Ah, fuck yeah!” Blit cheered, “Lead the way, Birdbrain, let’s go wreck some shit!”

Stolas smiled and chuckled lightly, leading Blitz by the hand to Stella’s old wing of the palace.