Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

Stolas has been thinking lately. A lot. Blitzø hasn’t been pulling away, not really, but ever since Ozzie’s, Stolas has realized just how much their statuses have been on his lover’s mind and just how much harder it makes things for them. Stolas genuinely believes things would be easier for the two if he weren’t a Goecia. Maybe Blitzø would actually like him, maybe Blitzø would learn to love him if Stolas were some other lower-class demon. If Stolas were an imp, like Blitzø, maybe Blitzø wouldn’t feel obligated to spend time with Stolas. 

Which brings the prince to where he is now: in his study, surrounded by notes and books and different herbs he’s found. It should be a simple transformation, but Stolas doesn’t trust himself to jump right into it. Not without proper planning and research, at least. This is a spell that hasn’t ever been done before, something Stolas himself has had to create. Nonstop working and readjustments have made Stolas feel out of sorts, but he refuses to give up. He’s taken his Grimoire from Blitzø at nights, telling the imp that there are some important events that he has to study, but he can’t see them during the day and can allow Blitzø to continue to use the book for his job. It’s not easy, lacking sleep, taking care of his daughter, and trying to figure out a new spell all at the same time, but somehow, he manages. 

The first time he tests it, Stolas makes sure Octavia is with her mother and Blitzø thinks he’s focused on his princely duties. He’s sent all the workers home--he doesn’t need them anyway-- and locks all the doors and windows to the palace. Balcony doors included. Just in case Blitzø does decide to stop by. 

Stolas looks, one more time, at the spell to create a human disguise then to a handwritten copy of said spell, scribbled over with different colored ink to make changes to it. He’s nervous, of course he is, but the worst that can happen is he deforms himself. And in the case of something like that happening, Stolas has a reversal potion on hand and ready. But that’s also in case he can’t reverse it back himself. It should be the same as turning from his human form back into his demon form, but this is all unfamiliar to him and he’d rather be over-prepared than under. 

A deep breath, a flash of light, much too much focus, and Stolas feels his body begin to shift. It’s more painful than he expected, considering his human form is just a slight tingle beneath his skin, but he pushes through. This is for his relationship, this is for himself. If he has to endure a little pain to get his happily ever after, he’ll deal with it. 

And so, when he grows shorter and his feathers shrink into his skin, a little laugh of relief bubbles from Stolas’ chest. Something has happened and that’s a start! 

Stolas runs to the mirror he brought into his study to look at himself. He hopes with everything he has in him that this all paid off, that his first real attempt to complete this spell was successful. But, when Stolas opens his eyes he sees a weird mish-mash of parts. An imp tail but with feathers on the spade of it, there are only two eyes but both are ruby-red and without pupils, instead of hair are unruly feathers, he has one clawed foot and one hoof, and he is missing horns on top of his head. The only part of him that is completely imp is Stolas’ torso. A spattering of a white scar is on Stolas’ red shoulder, from where Striker stabbed him, but otherwise, he’s completely red. A little dull and pale, but red nonetheless. 

Stolas cocks his head trying to get a good look at himself and his weird hybrid body. His tail is swishing back and forth without Stolas having to think about it, like it has a mind of its own. He wonders if all imp tails are like that. His vision isn’t as good, which is odd considering they still look like his own eyes, but he is lacking a pair. Overall, Stolas feels heavier, although that could be the lack of hollow bones, or at least a combination of different types of bones. And finally, Stolas allows his entire robe to fall. Nope, maybe not his entire torso is imp-like. He’s missing the genitals, the dick that his beloved has. Not that he minds that, or thinks Blitzø would mind it. Maybe it’s something to keep in mind on the next attempt, to try to keep his cloaca intact. But, also, if he keeps this transformation a secret, it may tip Blitzø off that he’s not just an imp. And while he doesn’t want to deceive his lover, Stolas also doesn’t want to tell him. At least not yet. Not until they have a good relationship. Because a good relationship, whether between Stolas as an imp and Blitzø or as Stolas as himself and Blitzø is all he wants. And yeah, maybe it’s selfish, but Stolas can’t help himself. He just wants to lower the walls and be on equal footing with Blitzø. 

A deep breath out, and Stolas releases the spell. He grows back to his normal height. The pain doesn’t linger, thank Satan, but now all his muscles are sore. It’s uncomfortable, but not unbearable. Easier to deal with than the pain he felt in his partial imp state. Maybe, if that persists, Stolas will have to concoct some sort of pain relief for himself. Just another thing to add to his list of things to do. But, on the bright side, getting back to his avian glory was simple and lacked any additional changes. 

***

Time passes. Stolas skipped out on the full moon deal the week prior in order to perfect his imp transformation, but he’s finally ready to meet Blitzø. But not as Stolas, Prince of the Ars Goetia, but instead as Elio, an imp new to Imp City. He has to be careful not to use his magic in his disguise and he’s still a little clumsy in the body, but Stolas doesn’t mind. It gives him character, some differences between Stolas and Elio.

Stolas doesn’t think he’s a bad-looking imp. He’s about half a foot taller than Blitzø and still stuck with his thin frame. He has fairly short horns, curving ever so slightly back with the whisps of his hair, but the horns aren't too thick. In between and around the horns is a fluffy mess of grey hair the same color as his feathers. Stolas’ eyes are almost a replica of Blitzø’s own. The eyes gave Stolas the most trouble. Eventually, he figured it was easier to bring to life something that Stolas had seen many times than trying to create something completely new. As with his original attempt, Stolas’ body is lacking scars other than the injuries on his leg and shoulder that came from Striker. He doesn't look, and doesn't need to, but he feels the extra weight in between his legs of his new genitals. A thin tail is waving behind Stolas excitedly, the tip a perfect spade shape. Finally, his legs have hocks, just as he does in his owl form, and are tipped off with perfect little hoofs. Stolas’ imp form looks dainty but not out of place. Perfect to seduce his Blitzy with. 

The clock is telling Stolas that Blitzø should be closing IMP in about thirty minutes. With the time in mind, Stolas opens a portal a good walk away from Blitzø’s workplace and begins to wander toward it. If he timed this right, which he’s positive he has, Stolas should ‘accidentally’ bump into Blitzø as he gets to his van. 

And thus Stolas, or he supposes he is Elios now, begins his walk. No heads turn, nobody moves out of their way for him to pass through, and there are only a few looks at his choice of clothing. He’s in a light blue sweater and fitted long black pants, nothing that should enamor others, but it could be their obvious luxury. He just hopes no one decides to jump him because they think he has money. Stolas, very deliberately, left his pockets empty and didn’t bring any bag with him. 

Some demons catcall him, something that hasn’t happened before, and Stolas doesn’t know whether to feel flattered or disgusted by the objectification. At least he knows he looks nice for his darling. 

And, right on time, the door to the building IMP resides in swings open and the crew walks through the parking lot to their van. 

Near enough to the van to be in arms reach of Blitzø, Stolas fakes tripping over his feet. He should crash right into Blitzø’s body and arms. Instead, he falls to the ground, scuffing up the skin on his palms slightly. A part of him is shocked, Blitzø has never let him fall before, but he also remembers that he isn’t Stolas right now. Blitzø doesn’t know who he is. Of course he wouldn’t go out of his way to catch a stranger. 

Stolas stands up, slightly shaky, and dusts himself off. He meets Blitzø’s eyes, who has a single eyebrow raised as if to ask, Wh at do you want?

Stolas quickly and awkwardly thrusts his hand out. “Hello, I’m Elios.” He does his best to change the tone of his voice, but he doesn't know how well he does. 

Silence surrounds them. Blitzø doesn’t move and doesn’t say anything, just looks with disinterest. At least he doesn't look suspicious. That means he hasn't caught on to Stolas' disguise yet.

“I am so sorry to have bumped into you. It was not my intention,” it was, “I’m just exploring the city. I’m new here, you see and--” he cuts himself off before he can continue to ramble or say something incriminating. 

Finally, Millie hip-bumps her boss out of the way and grasps hold of Stolas’ still-outstretched hand. “I’m Millie, this over here,” she lets go to gesture to Moxxie, “is my husband Moxxie, the cute hellhound is Loona, and this asshole,” she looks at Blitzø with a glare, “is Blitzø.”

“The ‘o’ is silent,” said imp mutters. 

Stolas almost grins at that. He knows. He’s gotten the spiel. Instead, he puts on a simple smile, something polite and unassuming. “I’m charmed to meet you all.”

“Sorry about Blitzø,” Moxxie jumps in. “He’s been a little pissed off lately. You’re not hurt, are you?”

“Ah, no, don’t worry about me,” Stolas shakes his head slightly. “May I ask why you are so upset, Blitzø?” he bites his tongue to stop from using a pet name. 

“No.”

“His boyfriend canceled on him last week,” Loona says, not looking up from her phone. 

“Not my fucking boyfriend.”

“Oh,” Stolas doesn’t know what to say to that. He didn’t even know Blitzø was seeing anyone, even if he didn’t consider them to be boyfriends yet. Maybe Stolas can steal Blitzø out from the other demon's feet without hurting either man. Or himself. 

“Yeah, I don’t need your pity, Bitch,” Blitzø seethes. 

“I,” his throat cracks. He clears it. “I should probably get going. It was nice to meet you all.” Stolas nods and turns to leave. 

“‘Course, sweetheart,” Millie responds, making Stolas pause in his escape. “Feel free to come by if you need a tour or some friends. Moxxie ‘n I would love to have you over and get to know you.” 

Moxxie nods his head, backing up his wife’s statement.

“Thank you, Millie,” Stolas dips his head once more. 

This interaction did not go how he planned it to. He was supposed to get Blitzø’s attention, charm him, and go out for a drink. Instead, he got invited by his employees to spend time with them. 

Still, not all is lost. If he is around Moxxie and Millie, Stolas is sure he’ll see Blitzø, too. He’ll just have to try a little harder and expect this plan to last a little longer, especially considering this new mystery beau in Blitzø's life.

Back at home, tucked into his room, and in his correct body, Stolas texts Blitzø for the first time since he told Blitzø he couldn’t make the full moon arrangement. 

Hope you’re doing well, Darling! I read about Dionaea muscipula today and I think you would enjoy some of the more outlandish stories about them. I’d love to recommend some books or movies if you’re interested. Have a good evening! <3

thx i ges.

With a sigh, Stolas puts his phone on its charger and lays on his bed, looking up. He lets his eyes go dry and blurry before he shuts them and finally allows himself an attempt at sleep.

Chapter Text

The tall fucker thinks he’s being slick. But showing up outside of IMP every day for the past week isn’t sly. It’s creepy as fuck . Moxxie and Millie don’t seem to think so. They welcome this… Elios into their house every damn time. And he accepts. Every. Damn. Time. Loona seems indifferent, not caring, but Blitzø also hears a slight rumble in her chest. He can’t tell if it’s an almost-growl or something more pleasant, but Blitzø likes to believe it to be the former of the two. At least that would mean he’s not alone in his suspicions. 

To make this week worse Stolas has barely texted Blitzø! Before he canceled their monthly plans, Stolas would text Blitzø a lengthy good morning and good evening and sometimes some things in between, but now… it’s empty, meaningless words. A simple, Have a good day and that’s it. For fucks sake, Blitzø has even started to answer to get Stolas’ attention back on him. 

It’s Friday, though, and from outside the window of his office, Blitzø can see the tall, perfectly dressed imp walk down the street. It’s almost like the smartass has timed it so he is near the building as Blitzø and his employees leave. It makes Blitzø even more uneasy. He wishes he could tell Stolas all this, but he doesn’t want to push his bird away even more than he already is. 

Honestly, Blitzø doesn’t know what he’s done wrong with Stolas. He hasn’t missed a single month other than the one where Stolas was in the hospital, and that’s an entire can of worms Blitzø refuses to even think about let alone open up about. Blitzø has patched things up since. Or, he thought he had. Until two weeks ago when Stolas canceled on him because he was ‘busy.’ And yeah, maybe Stolas had been using his fucking heavy book at night for his ‘princely duties’ but was he really that busy to cancel on Blitzø the one night that they have to themselves? 

Meanwhile, the fucker is almost to the office building, and Moxxie and Millie and Loona have all packed up and are ready to leave. 

“Com’n, B,” Millie shouts from the waiting room. “Me 'n Moxx are gonna have Elios over for dinner and don’t wanna be late meeting him by the van.”

That makes Blitzø snap his head around and stomp his way out of his office. “You invited that shitty ass imp to ride to your apartment in my van without my input ?” he glares at Millie. 

Meanwhile, Loona huffs out of her nose. Again, Blitzø doesn’t know if it’s an angry huff to back him up or a humorous one in reaction to his outrage. But she’s his daughter, so she better be backing him up. 

“We didn’t think you’d mind, Sir,” Moxxie says, twiddling his fingers together. “Millie and I have spent a decent amount of time around him this week and don’t think he’s any sort of threat.”

“That tall, regal imp?” Loona mumbles. “Yeah, trust me, he’s not a threat.” 

Blitzø feels like there’s some secret meaning behind her statements, but he can’t figure them out. “Looney, honey,” he says as sweetly as possible, “I don’t trust that bitch, shouldn’t you be supporting me on this?”

Loona rolls her eyes but stays silent. Blitzø will take it as a win. 

“Well we can’t go back on our promise now, B, can we?” Millie’s eyes are wide. She’s giving him the fucking puppy dog look and it gets on Blitzø’s nerves. “You can even come over for dinner, get to know him, and learn he’s a decent guy.”

Blitzø glares at her, knowing he’ll give in, but that doesn’t mean he’ll be happy about it. Millie takes her silent win and drags Moxxie with her to follow Blitzø out of their workplace. Loona takes the rear, nose still stuffed in her phone. 

As Blitzø has come to expect, Elios is just getting to the doors of the van as he and his crew enter the parking lot. It makes the spines on his back straighten up slightly in defense. He doesn’t like this guy and he’s gonna make it known .

“Ah, hello, Blitzø,” Elios smiles, looking slightly down to meet his eyes. “It’s nice to see you again.” He turns to Millie and Moxxie, who have wrapped their tails together and are holding each other all lovey-dovey. It makes a part of Blitzø sick to see, like he wants something like that. “Millie, Moxxie, thank you so much for the invite.” Finally, he looks to Loona. “And Loona, how have you been?”

In response, Loona looks up with a smirk, staring directly into Elios’ eyes. “Been good. Texting ‘Tavia recently, talking about how idiotic our fathers are,” is all she says. Blitzø nudges her in a warning. He doesn’t want this fucker to know that they know demon royalty. He doesn’t trust him in his van. Blitzø can't imagine trusting the idiot to know that Stolas and his daughter are in constant contact with them.

Elios’ eyes go wide, slightly panicked and he chokes on a half-laugh. “I’m so sorry you seem to be having issues with your fathers. Is this… ‘Tavia’ a good friend of yours?”

Loona raises an eyebrow, shrugs, and goes back to her phone, successfully cutting to the end of their conversation. 

Finally, Blitzø jumps in. “Get your scrawny ass in my van and don’t fucking touch anything,” he growls. 

Moxxie, Millie, and Loona all pile into the back, leaving the passenger seat for Elios. Blitzø gives an accusatory and betrayed glare at all three of them. He doesn’t know their goal, but he doesn’t like it. Elios looks a little lost, but finally stumbles his way to the passenger seat. While he’s walking around the van, Blitzø takes out his phone to check for any new messages from Stolas. Nothing. Maybe, this once, and just this once , Blitzø will text first. 

wats that ‘outlandish stories’ thigy u toked bout? 

Blitzø has to go up, scroll, copy and paste Stolas’ exact words and spellings. He wouldn’t normally do it, but he hopes maybe it’ll make Stolas laugh. Hopes the bird can imagine Blitzø saying his own text trying to imitate Stolas’ speaking patterns and accent. 

There’s no response. Blitzø deflates a little and opens the car door more aggressively than he should especially considering how beat up the vehicle is. He slams it just as hard making everyone inside jump. 

“Let’s get this stupid dinner over with,” he mumbles, more to himself than anyone, and pulls out of the parking lot too fast to be safe. Not that Blitzø’s driving could normally be considered safe, but it’s more reckless than usual. 

“Do you,” Elios begins to say, then pauses to grasp the handle above him, “always drive like this?”

Millie giggles. “Most of the time, yeah.”

“You tend to get used to it, although Blitzø is a little more reckless than usual today,” Moxxie adds. 

“I see,” Elios mutters. “So you founded IMP?” he turns to Blitzø as much as he can without letting go of the handle above him. 

“Yup.” 

“What made you interested in uhh,” Elios stumbles on his words slightly, “killing humans?”

“People don’t pay much to kill demons.”

“Hun,” Millie cuts in, a little edge to her voice. “Elios is trying to be nice and learn more about you. The least you could do is make it easy for ‘im.”

Blitzø wants to groan and smack his forehead against the wheel. Instead, he speeds up and cuts other cars off. 

“Always wanted to be my own boss. Found a way to get to Earth. Created this business. Nothing more to it than that, sorry.”

In the rearview mirror he can see Moxxie roll his eyes, but thank Satan, he stays silent. 

Elios makes an almost-hoot-like noise. Or at least that’s what Blitzø thinks it sounds like. Maybe it’s because he’s missing his dose of bird noises. And fuck why does he keep thinking about Stolas when it’s obvious Stolas is pulling away from him, ready to throw him away like everyone else in his life? The thing is, Blitzø can’t even blame the owl. Stolas could do so much better than him. Stolas deserves better than Blitzø. And yet, Blitzø can’t break it off himself. He knows Stolas wouldn’t take away his access to the living realm, he’s not worried about that. It’s the fact that Blitzø will lose Stolas . And, despite everything he tries to portray and believe, Blitzø doesn’t think he’ll handle losing Stolas all that well. 

In the background of his thoughts, Blitzø can hear Elios and Moxxie and Millie talking, but he doesn’t care. He wants to see Stolas. Tell him he’s sorry for whatever it is that he’s done. Beg Stolas to believe him when he says he can do better at whatever he’s fucking up. He grips the steering wheel tighter. He can feel himself shaking. He wants to check his phone, see if Stolas has texted him back yet. Call him just to hear his stupid little coo of Blitzy! But he can’t. Because he’s stuck driving and then eating with this obnoxiously tall twink of an imp that keeps glancing at Blitzø like he’s interesting and a puzzle to figure out. 

Finally, they make it to M&M’s apartment complex and Blitzø slams on the breaks just in time to stop him from rear-ending a parked car. When it’s safe for everyone to exit the vehicle, all of Blitzø’s employees do. Meanwhile, Elios stays. For some reason. Probably reorienting himself to stillness. It makes Blitzø want to punch him for not leaving as soon as everyone else did, though. 

“Get the fuck out. And know that I’m not driving you wherever ‘home’ is after this. Figure it out yourself.”

“Oh, yes, of course. I would never ask that of you,” Elios responds like a good fucking person. It only makes Blitzø hate him more, though. “I’ll simply call a cab afterward. Nothing to worry about. You have a daughter to get home after all this.”

Blitzø stops looking out the windshield to look at Elios. The perfect fucking imp is looking right back at him. “Who told you I have a daughter?” Blitzø growls, voice low and dangerous, sounding every bit like the assassin he is. 

“Oh,” he’s shocked, Blitzø can tell he is. “It probably came up in conversation with Moxxie and Millie. I didn’t realize it wasn’t something to mention, I assumed you would be quite proud and fond of Loona. She seems lovely, if not a little distant. But still lovely, don’t get me wrong.” 

“She’s the fucking light of my life but she’s also mine ,” Blitzø glares. “Of course I’m proud of her but that’s not something where your opinion should mean anything.” He’s seething at this point. He’s too… fucking perfect. And Blitzø hates it. Hates how, despite being fucking perfect, he just keeps being reminded of a stupid prince who’s probably preening his feathers or pruning his plants or off having fun with someone else who isn’t Blitzø and that thought is just a dagger to Blitzø’s already barely-there heart. 

“I’m sorry for making you so agitated,” Elios finally says after a bout of silence.

Blitzø doesn’t say anything, just huffs and jumps out of his van. He marches past the waiting backstabbers he has for employees and into the obnoxiously tall and overfilled building. Thank Satan he still has a key to M&M’s apartment and they have yet to change the locks. He doesn’t think he can wait through Moxxie fumbling with his keys while standing next to the tall imp. 

Blitzø would rather be climbing up a steep wall with perfectly grown vines, as if they were crafted specifically to make Blitzø’s breaking-in easier, to meet with his stupid ass bird. But no, instead, he has to sit at a table and make small talk with an imp who has perfectly combed hair and stupidly long limbs and stupidly perfect posture.

Chapter Text

Stolas doesn’t understand. He thought this whole thing would make it easier to connect with Blitzø but things aren’t easy, they’re awkward. And this, right here, sitting across from Blitzø at Moxxie and Millie’s dining table while the couple cooks together and Loona is lounging on the couch, just proves just how wrong Stolas’ assumption was. He’s been trying, genuinely trying, to talk to Blitzø, but he’s so disinterested and withdrawn. 

Finally, after the continuous non-answers Blitzø is giving Stolas, he turns his attention to the hellhound on the couch. “Loona, do you like going to the living realm?”

She barely glances up from her phone. “Dude.” That’s it. Back to silence. Stolas wants to slam himself into the table. And then, “What do you do for work, Elios? ” she stresses. 

She knows something. Stolas knew as much when she mentioned texting Octavia, but now Stolas assumes she knows it all. He doesn’t know how, but she does. He can only hope she doesn’t spill it all to Blitzø. He wants Blitzø to like him, maybe learn to love him, regardless of their Full Moon Deal and their class differences.

“Oh, I’m a botanist!” It’s a lie, of course it is, but Stolas was prepared to use these continued half-lies. After all, he may not actually be a botanist, but in his free time, Stolas does enjoy studying plants. Saying he's an astrologist would be too on the head, so his interest in plants became Elios' job. He had to make a history for this new imp, otherwise he'd be found out as Stolas in an instant. 

Silence surrounds his answer. Blitzø is looking at him, actually looking at him for once. Stolas assumes it’s either out of interest or confusion. Either way, he’s finally getting somewhere and is ecstatic to see where it leads. “Botany is--” 

“--The study of plants, plant science, yeah yeah, whatever. No need to explain it,” Blitzø cuts Stolas off. 

He’s startled, his slowly sinking posture perfected quickly in surprise. “You know about botany?” he asks, happy to create a smooth conversation. Finally!

Blitzø lets out a sarcastic laugh. “Yeah, no. Not really. Got someone in my life who goes on ‘n on ‘bout that stuff. Picked up some phrases and info from it. Nothing too in-depth.” 

Simple, short, to-the-point answer. Stolas should have expected it. He wonders who this person is. Stolas can’t remember ever talking to Blitzø about his fascination with plants, not when he was awake anyway. Many times, after their passionate routine, Stolas would wait for Blitzø to fall asleep before talking to him about anything and everything. It was nice to pretend he was getting into bed with his lover, someone who actually cares for him and loves him, and telling him about his day. It was easier to swallow if Stolas could pretend that. And when he wakes up alone and to a cold bed? He pretends Blitzø has simply gone to work and will be back the next evening. And so, Stolas can’t help but ask, “Who do you know that’s a botanist? It’s not a common job.”

Blitzø straight-up groans at this question. “Just a fucking guy, okay?”

“It’s his boyfriend,” Millie calls out from the kitchen where she's obviously been eavesdropping.

“He’s not my boyfriend, Mills!” Blitzø snaps back in a huff and crosses his arms angrily. He wears a disgruntled glare and Stolas thinks he looks adorable, like a little toddler in how his stance is. He doesn't say anything, though. It's not something Elios can say, anyway.

It seems like a touchy subject, this man in Blitzø’s life. But Stolas is curious. He has to ask. He always has to ruin things. Especially when it comes to Blitzø. “Why do you not like to talk about this partner of yours? Is it new?”

Loona snorts from the couch and shakes her head in disbelief. Stolas doesn’t want to unpack her reaction. He has to be careful enough around her and doesn’t want to get on her bad side lest she say something about Elios actually being Stolas. 

“No. Been fucking him for a while. Almost a year. I guess.”

“I see. So, it’s a friends-with-benefits sort of situation?”

“No it’s,” Blitzø shakes his head. “It’s more than that. But it doesn’t fucking matter because he doesn’t know it’s more than that and it’s not you’re information to know.” And with that, Blitzø takes out his phone, pouring all his attention into it. He seems to be typing, then deleting, then typing, then deleting, before giving up and doing something else on it. He was probably trying to type out a text to his not-boyfriend. It makes Stolas shift, uncomfortable at the idea. 

This whole thing almost makes Stolas wish he had brought his own phone with him. But he thought it to be rude and didn’t want any distractions from his darling Blitzy. Still, he should apologize for bringing up an obviously sore topic. Again. Stolas just can’t help himself, apparently. “I’m sorry. I didn’t realize the topic of your partner was so touchy.”

“Yeah, whatever.” 

Water is running in the kitchen. The muffled voices and giggles of the married couple drift through the tense quiet between everyone else. 

“Elios, Hun,” Millie calls. Thank Satan, Stolas doesn’t know how much longer he can handle this. “Would you like to help us in here? Gather utensils and such, set the table?”

So, Stolas pushes his clumsy body out of the wooden chair and makes his way into the kitchen with more relief than he should have had. "Where are the dishes?" he asks as he enters, striding through with his long legs.

Moxxie just smiles. It’s something soft and knowing. He doesn't answer Stolas' question. “Don’t take anything Blitzø says too seriously. He’s super protective of himself and those he considers family, so, while his aggressiveness may come off as unnecessary to you, it’s a type of security blanket for Blitzø.” So this whole 'helping' thing was a ruse to talk to Stolas about Blitzø, then.

Stolas didn’t know of this protectiveness before. He’s assumed as much, but hearing the confirmation makes his heart thump wildly. Is this why Blitzø has yet to mention Stolas? Because he’s protective of him? Or is it because he genuinely doesn’t care? Maybe Stolas shouldn’t know the answer to that question. “Thank you for telling me,” he bows his head slightly. 

“We just don’t want you to be too put off by him. B is a good guy, but he has a tough exterior,” Millie adds. "It'll be hard to crack his shell, 'specially with recent issues he's goin' through."

Stolas shifts on his hoofs slightly, watching them move beneath him. They don’t feel like they belong to him, maybe because they don’t. “Do you,” Stolas pauses and allows himself to think this next question through. 

“You can ask anything, Sweetheart,” Millie assures while stirring something on the stove. It smells divine. “If we can’t answer, we’ll just tell you as much. Nothing against you of course.”

Stolas lets a smile grace his face. “Of course. I understand. I’m just wondering if maybe… Do you think Blitzø could ever learn to like me? Or, maybe move on from his partner to me, once we get closer?”

Moxxie looks like he wants to close the refrigerator he’s digging through on his head. Stolas doesn’t understand why until he answers. “No offense, Elios, but I don’t think you have a chance.”

Stolas tilts his head slightly. 

Despite Millie not seeing his silent question, she picks up from Moxxie’s response. “What Moxx is tryin’ to say is that, despite things being a little on the rocks for those two, we’re all rootin’ for them to work things out. The guy Blitzø is seeing is a good guy. A little incompetent socially, but we can all tell how much he cares for Blitzø. Blitzø just needs to figure out a way to show it back. And I think he’s working on it since the other guy is a tad distant right now.”

“Oh,” Stolas looks back down at his hoofs. “I see.”

“It’s nothing against you,” Stolas feels Moxxie’s hand on his shoulder, “it’s just that we all think S-- Ah, we think his current interest is good for him.”

Stolas blinks, trying to persuade the slight burning of his eyes to disappear. Somehow, he holds back his tears. “Of course, I understand.” He allows a comfortable silence to overcome the kitchen, only interrupted by the bubbling of whatever is in the pot and the wooden spoon gently hitting the sides of it as Millie stirs. “Do you think he’d allow me into his life as a friend, though?” Maybe that would have been a better question to start out with, don't jump into things too fast. But Stolas cares so much for Blitzø and he wants his feelings to be returned. It's starting to feel like a faraway reality at this point. Something Blitzø would call a 'rom-com' though there doesn't feel like much romance or comedy in Stolas' life right now. 

Moxxie raises an eyebrow. “And you’re sure you actually want to be friends with Blitzø? Before you really get to know him, he's selfish, arrogant, disrespectful, abrasive, impulsive--”

"Moxx, that's enough," Millie says with a soft tone, but something behind it makes Stolas a little uneasy. He knows Millie could easily kill any one of them, though she doesn't seem like she would. If Stolas were to threaten her, maybe, but he'd never. Millie is a part of Blitzø's family. Maybe one day she'll be a part of Stolas' as well.

Stolas knows full well how horrible Blitzø seems on the outside, but none of that has ever deterred him. Not when he was a child and Blitzø stole from him, not as an adult when he realized he was being used for his Grimoire, not even when Blitzø refused to visit him at the hospital. He knows the imp, he knows that somewhere deep down, he cares about Stolas. He just wishes that what Stolas is, what he was born and forced to be didn't dissuade Blitzø from pursuing something more. "I know how Blitzø seems," Stolas answers, "but I also can tell there is more underneath the surface than what he's showing me. I'd be honored to earn his trust and friendship."

He can’t be hurt by their honesty. Stolas wanted this, to be more in Blitzø’s life, to help him out, to see if Blitzø would finally accept him as an equal, even if he has to change forms for that to happen. And if all of this is to only end up with Blitzø as a friend, then Stolas will accept it. Maybe if Stolas is very lucky, he can keep Blitzø as his casual lover. A little piece of Blitzø in Stolas’ life may be enough for him.

Stolas' answer seems to have silenced the imp couple. Despite everything, they seem shocked. Has Blitzø really made that bad of an impression on almost everyone he meets that someone wanting to be his friend is shocking? Stolas saddens a bit. Of course Blitzø would keep distance from everyone. He has so much trauma, the majority of it Stolas doesn't even know. It's only fair that his defense mechanism is to push others away. It makes Stolas want to sit and stew in all the interactions between them, see when Blitzø started to pull away and what Stolas did to trigger it. That'll be a project for another time, though. For now, he has a table to set.

"If you would still like me to, I'd gladly set the table. Just point me in the direction of what you want set out." He says it all with a small smile. Something he hopes doesn't look as heavy as it feels.

***

Dinner wasn't all bad. Stolas would ask simple questions about the jobs IMP has recently taken on and Moxxie and Millie, sometimes Loona, would answer. Then, came Stolas' questions about previous jobs they've done. "What was the most chaotic moment you've all had while on the surface?" It seemed like a simple, fun question, but Blitzø's face darkened.

Meanwhile, Moxxie's eyes lit up. "One time, we all went to LA to search for-- Ouch, Sir!"

"As chaotic as that was, Elios doesn't need to hear about what we were searching for or why we were there. You weren't helpful in the search, anyway, so you can tell him your side of the story. Just nothing I told you." Despite the evasive answer from Blitzø, it makes Stolas flush. To a seemingly stranger, Blitzø is protecting Stolas, not allowing his name to even be uttered. "Besides, our time with those fucking DHORK agents was much more chaotic," a smirk covers his face before it's wiped off. "Another thing we will not be talking about."

"Oh," Moxxie mutters. "Of course."

"Anyway!" Millie picks it back up. She starts going on the story of what she and Moxxie got up to in LA while Blitzø and Stolas were at the TV studio. It was nice, hearing about the other part of the story Stolas was unaware of. He would giggle every once in a while. Blitzø would look at him with half-annoyed half-intrigued looks whenever they came out. Finally, about halfway through the story, Blitzø would start to throw out smarmy comments. It was cute, seeing him start to relax. Stolas couldn't keep his eyes off Blitzø, even when Moxxie and Millie started to sing the same duet that got them money in LA. His entire focus is on Blitzø. 

Stolas' tail begins to sway gently, contently, as opposed to the awkward curl it was in before. Stolas can tell it wants to wind around Blitzø's leg, it's creeping its way over there, but Stolas is quick to grab it with his hands. He's still not used to controlling it, he has to be more aware of it so it doesn't actually end up touching Blitzø, but for now, he's safe, just gently holding it in his hands. It still twitches, it still wants to reach out toward Blitzø, but Stolas doesn't let it. He can't let it. 

Finally, the story ends, and with it, everyone else seems to have finished their food. Stolas offers help with the cleanup, as any good house guest would do, but Millie immediately tells him no. Stolas is a guest, he shouldn't feel like he has to do anything. It gives Stolas a warm and fuzzy feeling. He's starting to enjoy the feeling. 

“Thank you two for inviting me. I had a wonderful time and dinner was spectacular. Maybe I can take you all out for drinks next time, instead?” he offers. It’s shaky, he wants Blitzø to accept. He wants to see Blitzø relaxed and not focused on Stolas’ pleasure. He wants to get to know the real man behind the sex-god act he puts on. He wants to keep seeing other sides of him. 

Moxxie and Millie both accept easily, but Stolas doesn’t care about their responses. He wants to know Blitzø’s. “Blitzø, you and Loona are invited as well.”

“If I go, it’s because of the drinks you’ll be paying for and to keep an eye on those two,” his eyes flick to the happy couple, his tail flicking toward them too. “I don’t like you and this stupid fucking ‘nice guy’ persona you’re putting on.” He huffs and looks away. 

“That’s as much of a ‘yes’ as you’re gonna get from him,” Millie’s Wrathian drawl has an amused hint in it. 

She gets a middle finger from Blitzø and a content smile from Stolas. Moxxie is too busy washing dishes and Loona is watching them all with the most bored look on her face. 

“It was nice getting to know you, Blitzø,” Stolas says as he stands up, getting ready to leave. “I do hope things work out between you and your friend-with-benefits. And Loona,” Stolas pauses, trying to think of some way to express his appreciation for not outing him, “thank you,” is what he finally settles on. 

“Yeah whatever,” Loona responds, but an amused smirk can be seen from behind her phone that she's taken out again. Stolas happily accepts and leaves the cozy apartment, filled with friends so close they consider each other family. 

Maybe next week, drinks with them will go better. 

Chapter Text

Stolas has barely responded to Blitzø lately. What the fuck is Blitzø doing wrong? He’s trying everything, he’s trying to do better, but no it’s all for nothing! Instead of attention from a beautiful bird, Blitzø is getting it from an obnoxious bitch of an imp who reminds him of said beautiful bird. And this asshole, Elios, is not giving up. No matter how much Blitzø pushes, Elios tries even harder. Nothing is working. And it’s pissing Blitzø off. And it’s making Blitzø even more suspicious. There’s something off about this fucker. And Blitzø doesn’t like it. 

He doesn’t like how tall he is, he doesn’t like that his hair is the same color as Stolas’ feathers, he doesn’t like his laugh and how, if Blitzø listens close enough, he swears he can hear little owl noises. He’s looking for pieces of Stolas in Elios because he, and you’ll never hear Blitzø say this out loud, but he misses Stolas. And Stolas is pulling away more and more. With nothing to say to Blitzø. Nothing that Blitzø is doing bad, nothing that he could be doing better. Nothing. 

The full moon is coming up and Blitzø has no idea what he’s going to do or how Stolas is going to react. Is Stolas going to end their deal? Continue what they’ve been doing, where Stolas portals into the office at night, takes the book, then returns it the next morning? With just a text telling Blitzø what he’s doing and when the stupid book has been delivered back? No real communication, no more seeing Stolas’ face, no more hearing his cute hooted snores, no more pretending to be asleep just so Blitzø can hear about constellations and moons and plants? No more Stolas? Blitzø doesn’t like the idea. Hates it even. Hates it more than he hates Elios. But he hates it only a little less than he hates Striker.

Striker. 

Blitzø slams his office door open. “Moxxie, Millie, meeting. Now.”  

Both look at each other, a little startled but used to Blitzø’s antics by now. Loona just twitches her ear but doesn’t say anything. Doesn’t move any further.

Blitzø stomps into the meeting room and sits at the head of the table, arms crossed and waiting for the other two to enter. 

“What do ya’ need, B?” Millie asks, shutting the door behind her. 

“Striker.”

“What about him, Sir?” Moxxie asks as he pulls a chair out for Millie to settle into. It’s disgustingly domestic and sweet. Blitzø wants that. 

“Was he working alone? Did someone hire him? Was he the kind of dude who’d get someone else to do spy work for him?”

“What’s all this about?” Millie asks with a small tilt of her head and her eyebrows furrowed in worry. 

“Just answer the questions.”

“Blitzø, we were a little too busy fighting to get these kinds of answers. But from everything we know about him, he doesn’t seem like the type to work with other people,” Moxxie says, leaning back in his chair. It makes an obnoxious squeak. 

“Yeah well he offered for me to join him in his fucked up scheme to kill royals, so he’s not against working with others,” Blitzø hisses out. His tail is whipping behind him, but he doesn’t know if it’s from anxiety, anger, or some other emotion Blitzø doesn’t have the willpower to figure out and name. 

“He seems a little too full of himself to work with someone else. Sorry, Sir, but I think that was just a way for him to get you on his side so he could continue his mission.”

Blitzø groans. “Well fuck you too, Moxx! What about working for someone? He mention anything about that?”

Millie has a hand on her forehead. “B, what is all this about? We already told you we weren’t interrogating him, we were just trying to make sure Stolas escaped. Striker didn’t talk about his plans, we know nothin’ about him besides that he wants to kill royals!”

Blitzø stands up and begins to pace. “So you’re saying there’s a chance that there’s someone else? That someone else could have hired Striker and that that someone else could have hired another… certain imp?” He looks up from his boots. 

M&M look at eachother and shrug. “What’s all this about?” Moxxie sounds done with this, he makes it sound like Blitzø is going insane and putting random theories out into the universe. 

“I don’t like Elios. I don’t trust him and I don’t like how he tends to focus on me when I’m around.”

The couple share another look, like they’re communicating in some gross disgusting couple-y way. “He just wants to get to know ya, Boss,” Millie says. It’s soft and pitying. 

Blitzø won’t give this up. “Elios has been stalking us! You ever notice how he arrives just in time to watch us walk out of the building? Or, again, the fact that he focuses on me, the one who has the most contact with a Goetia? Or how whenever one of you fuckers bring up my ‘boyfriend,’” he says with air-quotes, “which I hate by the way, and I shut you down, he deflates like he was finally gonna get some information on Stolas? Let’s face it, Striker is most likely to have a vendetta against me due to Stolas’ and I’s,” Blitzø pauses and thinks with his hands, “transactional fucking. It’s no wonder that this Elios guy is trying to get insight on me!”

“Honey,” Millie coos in a way one might to a baby. Blitzø would smack her if he didn’t know she’d chop his dick off in retaliation. And then he'd be useless to Stolas. Yeah, that wasn't ever going to happen.

“We think you’re being just a touch overdramatic,” Moxxie finishes.

“I don’t like that tall ass motherfucker,” Blitzø glares. “Something about him rubs me in all the wrong ways.”

“Maybe that’s just ‘cause he has eyes for ya and you have eyes for His Highness,” Millie smirks.

Blitzø slams his hands on the table. The whole thing shakes and wobbles under the force. Something about it eases Blitzø, at least he still has strength. “This isn’t about the things I do or do not feel for Stolas, this is the fact that there’s a fucking bitch who came out of nowhere and got you two attached to him far too easily for it to be normal. How many times has someone accepted help so easily from someone in Hell? This fucker is doing everything he can to get on all of our good sides and it doesn’t feel right!” Blitzø takes a breath. “I’ll go to his little drink invite, but just to prove to you both that he’s up to something suspicious!”

Moxxie puts his head in both his palms and shakes his head. He looks so over Blitzø and his antics, but Blitzø learned long ago to trust his instincts. Always. It’s how he’s survived so long, and so, he could care less what his employees think about all this. He’s getting his proof, in some way or another. 

But first, he wants to see Stolas. Now that he’s got it in his head, he has to make sure the lanky bird is okay. Even if he’s pulling away from Blitzø, it won’t stop Blitzø from caring about him. Unfortunately. 

“Meeting over. You two can enjoy your time with Elios, I’m going to check on Stolas.” And with that, Blitzø collapses back onto his chair and takes out his phone to text Stolas. He’s going to his palace, regardless of Stolas’ response or lack thereof, but he’s learned to at least warn the prince when he’s breaking in. He figures it's more polite than always scaring the shit out of Stolas.

im cumin 2 c u

I’m ecstatic, but right now?

ye

And that’s the end. No response from Stolas, no confirmation or denial. Blitzø doesn’t know if he’s even welcome. Yes, Stolas may have said he was ‘ecstatic’ but is he really? It’s always so hard to tell from texts. Plus, what if he’s being influenced by some outside force, like Elios to say that? Yeah, Blitzø is going to see his bird right now.

When he finally makes it to the van, he sees M&M waiting, Loona casually leaning against the van as well. No sign of Elios. Suspicious. The man has been consistent with his schedule of meeting up with Moxxie and Millie for over a week now, and suddenly he’s not? When Blitzø plans to go to the palace and see Stolas? Yes, something doesn’t add up here and Blitzø is going to do everything he can to protect the Goetia. 

“Where’s Fuckface?” 

“He said he was sorry and something came up. He ran away before either of us could reply,” Moxxie shrugs. He’s so casual about it. 

“Did you mention I was seeing Stols tonight?” Blitzø says accusatory.

Millie furrows her eyebrows and Loona full-on laughs. “No, we didn’t say anything. Why would we?”

Blitzø huffs and mumbles under his breath that there’s something wrong with the stupid imp, but unlocks the van and climbs in, ready to drop off his little family at their homes before seeing the prince. 

***

Loona is acting weird during the entire ride back to their apartment. She keeps smiling at her phone, a little mischievous face through it. It isn't a ‘cute-guy-I-want-to-hook-up-with’ smile, instead, it has a hint of evil in it. If Blitzø wasn’t so focused on himself and making sure to make sure Stolas is safe, he might have questioned Loona further than: “Who are you texting?”

“No one.”

“Okay.”

And then, the door slammed closed and Blitzø is left with the screaming chorus of one of Loona’s favorite bands. Before he can second guess himself for seeing Stolas even after the prince is continuously pushing him away, Blitzø races toward the palace. What could go wrong? As long as Blitzø is there to protect Stolas from the creepy tall imp he’s certain is working to get information on Stolas or Blitzø or trying to kill one or both of them, then that’s all that matters. Blitzø has to make sure Stolas is safe. It’s the only thing that goes through his head until he almost drives right into the gates surrounding the obnoxious building. He’s lucky that whoever is manning the gates opened them fast enough. Especially since Blitzø doesn’t have enough money to fix a broken, or even totaled, vehicle. 

Finally, Blitzø is jumping over the little fence of bushes and climbing up beautifully grown vines, being careful not to squish the half-grown blossoms as he goes. 

Stolas is waiting for him on the balcony, a little half-smile on his face. He looks guilty. Blitzø doesn’t like the look. It makes him think Stolas really will let Blitzø go. Makes him think Stolas will ‘free him from this deal’ or whatever the shit he may be thinking. 

It forces Blitzø to shift awkwardly on his feet and blurt something stupid out. “I’m horny and wanna get my dick wet. Ready to be fucked?”

Blitzø isn’t even aroused, or not yet. Seeing Stolas completely naked and vulnerable, being able to run his forked tongue over Stolas’ long legs, and seeing the powerful prince quiver in excitement and anticipation will always make Blitzø excited. 

It’s just that Blitzø doesn’t really want that, not right now. But what is he supposed to say? That he wants to make sure Stolas was safe? He wants to hold Stolas’ feathers and feel the warmth coming from his skin as a confirmation of the life within? He wants to protect Blitzø with his last dying breath? 

No, Blitzø can’t say any of that, because this thing to Stolas is just ‘favors for favors.’ It’s just Stolas getting the sexual intimacy he never got from Stella. It’s Stolas being able to relax and forget about all his responsibilities as he drops into subspace. He doesn’t feel anything for Blitzø. How can he? Blitzø is a lowly imp who started out their relationship by stealing from and lying to Stolas. Blitzø is nothing compared to the beautiful demon standing above him, with hunger in his eyes and excitement on his face. 

Blitzø will do what he has to in order to keep Stolas in his life. And if that’s lying and fucking the bird until they’re both too exhausted to do more than that? Well, Blitzø will have to find a way to deal with it.

Chapter Text

Stolas isn’t getting anywhere with Blitzø. Or, well, Elios isn’t. Meanwhile, Blitzø is more and more interested in being intimate with Stolas. It’s odd, he used to have to beg the imp for his attention, and now Blitzø is coming over randomly with almost a deranged look when he first clambers over. If Stolas wasn’t delusional about wanting Blitzø’s love, he might even believe that the look on his face is something akin to worry. But that wouldn’t make sense. Blitzø has nothing to be worried about. Deranged by lust is much easier to believe. 

Maybe Blitzø thinks Elios is out of his league and that’s why he’s more interested in Stolas. ‘Getting his dick wet’ using Stolas might seem easier to Blitzø than going after Elios. Especially since they already have their arrangement. It makes Stolas disheartened, makes him want to try even more with Blitzø as Elios. 

And this Friday, tomorrow, buying drinks for Blitzø and all his friends, seems like the perfect moment. Maybe Stolas can ask Blitzø out, or maybe Blitzø will finally get the determination to do it himself. It makes sense that Blitzø would be getting feelings for Elios and then push him away. That’s what Blitzø does. That’s why Stolas hasn’t stopped this endeavor. Not yet. He can’t. He feels so close to something. 

Stolas nuzzles his beak in between Blitzø’s horns, he’s holding his love against his chest and can hear a slight purr from the imp’s throat. If only he could go to sleep like this every night. “I have an outing to go to tomorrow,” Stolas whispers to Blitzø’s head like he does every night Blitzø is asleep in Stolas’ arms. “I hope it goes well. I have expectations and if things don’t go how I want them to, I’m not sure how I’ll continue.”

Blitzø’s purr quiets a little and his body shifts slightly, almost pushing himself closer to Stolas. Stolas wants to think it to be intentional, even if he knows it’s not. 

“I’ll be alright though. I always have to be, even when I’m not.” Stolas moves his beak like he’s going to preen Blitzø despite his lack of feathers. The maxilla hits one of Blitzø’s horns and it makes a light click. Stolas allows his secondary set of eyes to shut but keeps his primary open.

He can’t allow this moment to slip by. He savors every second he can with Blitzø. Even when Blitzø is asleep. “Christofern, I told you about him the other day, that he was wilting no matter what I tried. Remember?” 

Nothing but a little huff out of Blitzø’s nose and the quiet, consistent rumble in response. 

“Yeah, well, suddenly, he just perked up again! I don’t know what I did, but he’s colorful and blooming again, just like he was before. It can’t have been the sun, I didn’t move him at all, and I’ve been feeding him the same amount I have all week. Maybe he was just sick for a little bit,” Stolas thinks out loud. “It’s a little silly, but since this week I didn’t have Via to judge me, I’ve been singing Christofern lullabies. Do you think that could have helped? Music is known to help plants thrive, you know?”

Another huff and a long, drawn-out purr, almost in agreement. Stolas takes it as such. 

“Yes, you’re right, this is the millionth time I’ve told you that fact. It’s just so fascinating, don’t you think so?” Stolas says through a yawn. “Maybe it’s time for me to settle down and sleep, Darling. Thanks for listening.” He pecks one more kiss on Blitzø and snuggles himself deeper into his comforter, knowing, that despite how much he wants all this to be real, it’s not. Not yet at least. Tomorrow is an entirely new day and Stolas will be an entirely new demon. He just needs to make it to drinks with the IMP crew and everything will work out fine. Stolas can feel it; something is going to happen tomorrow. He’s excited. 

***

Right on time, Stolas, in his imp disguise, makes it to the building where IMP resides. He’s bouncing on his hoofs with excitement, ready to see Blitzø. It’s been wonderful spending time and getting to know Millie and Moxxie, but, really, he's just here for Blitzø. He hopes Loona hasn’t said anything. He also hopes Loona will join them for drinks. Maybe she’ll think it too lame and go off to do her own thing. Or, maybe she’ll stay for the entertainment of seeing Stolas try to not be… Stolas. Via has told him that Loona’s been texting her about all the antics Stolas has been getting up to. His daughter thinks it stupid and that he should just talk to Blitzø, but hasn’t otherwise expressed displeasure toward him, so Stolas will take it as a win. Just as he’s taking Loona’s lack of telling Blitzø about Elios being Stolas as a win. 

Here the hellhound comes, but she seems to be alone. She doesn’t have her phone in her hands and she’s looking directly at Stolas, almost glaring into Stolas’ soul. “Stolas,” she says curtly, sharply. “Don’t hurt my dad,” she growls. Every part of her is tense with the unsaid threat. 

“I never intended to, Loona. I’d rather have the universe collapse into itself than hurt Blitzø.”

Loona nods once and stuffs her nose in her phone. 

“I appreciate you not telling your father about this,” Stolas gestures to his body.

“Yeah, well it’s funny to see you two tripping over each other. You’re both idiots.”

Hoofsteps startle Stolas from looking at Loona with interest and confusion and he snaps his neck to see all three imps clopping their way toward the van. He smiles, genuine and full. “Hello!”

“Hi Elios!” Millie gives him a tight squeeze. That’s something fairly new: the casual touches and hugs he gets from Millie. It’s nice. Nothing he ever got from his upper-class ‘friends’, his family, or even Octavia anymore. He misses her hugs, the times when she’d sneak into his chambers in the middle of the night for snuggles, the sharing a blanket in the middle of a movie. He never realized how much he missed these casual touches until they started up again. But he understands that his Starfire is nearly grown, now. Stolas just misses when she was so carelessly affectionate with him. 

Moxxie gives a little wave. Blitzø just glares, unlocks his car, and gets in the driver's seat. “Loonie, you’re riding shotgun,” he calls out before he shuts the door. 

Loona shrugs, mumbles something Stolas can’t quite make out, and stumbles to the other side. Stolas doesn’t care. Sure, the back is slightly cramped with his longer legs, but it’s nothing compared to sitting in the van while in his avian form. He has to bend his neck and squeeze his legs against the disgusting floors and seats. Stolas may adore Blitzø, but the disaster that is his vehicle is something he’d rather not have to deal with. 

When everyone is inside and as safe as they can be with finicky seatbelts in an old, almost destroyed van, Blitzø starts it and asks, “Where are we going?”

This, Stolas isn’t quite prepared for. Drinks were his idea, but that’s as far as he’s ever gotten. He hasn’t done research for bars or clubs or even something more high-class around IMP. He doesn’t want to make Blitzø drive too far but Stolas has also only gone to the nicer, chandelier-and-fancy-dresses places. 

Stolas’ silence must be far too loud because Loona pipes up. “Just go wherever, Blitzø. Think Elios just wants to chill with us.”

Stolas gives a relieved smile, although he doesn’t think Loona can see it. “Wherever is your favorite. I’m not picky. Choose wherever, price doesn’t matter; drinks are on me tonight.”

“Elios,” Blitzø suddenly jumps into conversation as he pulls onto a fairly busy road, “I don’t think you’ve ever told me. Where are you from?” There’s something in his voice, something that makes a shiver run down Stolas’ spine, but he honestly can’t tell if it’s due to excitement or fear. The joys of his Blitzy, always playing the fear game during their times of fornication. It makes things hard for Stolas in situations like these. 

“I’ve traveled all over,” he’s quick to lie. “Just recently decided to settle down here.”

“Vague.”

“I suppose it was, I apologize.” And yet, Stolas refuses to go into more detail in case he says something that is easy to call out as a lie.  

Blitzø just huffs and aggressively turns the wheel. It would feel like an awkward silence if Stolas were not fearing for his life. He swears there are times that the van only has two of its wheels on the road. If it weren’t for his knowledge that nothing other than angelic weapons can harm him, Stolas would have surely started to cry and beg for his life. He’s sure Blitzø would laugh his head off if that were to have happened. Part of Stolas wants to hear his darling’s laugh. But, no, he has all night, all throughout drinking where Blitzø hopefully loosens up and relaxes.

And it looks like that might happen soon, seeing as Blitzø is pulling up to a dingy-looking building with some cheap neon lights flickering the bar's name. Or is it a club? Whatever. Stolas doesn’t care where they are, just that Blitzø is with them. 

“Alright,” Blitzø puts the van into park. He rubs his hands together. “Let’s get fucked up on a rich, shady ass bitch’s dime!” he exclaims. Stolas thinks he should be offended, but Blitzø is already seeming a little more relaxed. Through the rearview mirror, Stolas catches a look in Blitzø’s eyes. His eyes have some sort of determined spark in them. It’s odd, it’s focused. So unlike the Blitzø Stolas has seen before. Even in the bedroom, there’s always been some form of playfulness in Blitzø’s beautiful eyes. But here: nothing. It makes Stolas cock his head in interest, but doesn’t say anything. 

Stolas just slides the door open and steps out, allowing everyone else to follow with their responses of excitement. He doesn’t pay attention to them, though. They aren’t what Stolas is focused on for tonight. 

Blitzø enters the establishment first and Stolas is quick to follow. He can only assume everyone else piled in after them. 

Stolas takes a moment to take the atmosphere in. It’s run-down, but obviously well-loved. Strobe lights are going off and music is loud but not headache-inducing or yell-to-hear eardrum-bursting. It’s full, but not body-to-body squeeze-in, just a crowd of people drinking and dancing and communicating. It’s almost cozy despite its purpose. And every imp and hellhound in the club looks like they’re enjoying themselves. There is no one above them telling them what to do or how to act. It’s something Stolas has never seen before. Demons tend to get stiff and stuffy when he’s around, so seeing all of these demons, being one of them, it’s like watching a meteor shower on Earth in a field far away from any humans. It’s beautiful. And seeing Blitzø’s face, flashing in colors of different blaring lights, maybe that’s the most stunning thing about this place. 

Blitzø and his group, Stolas now a part of it, all wander up to the bar, but before anyone can order anything, Stolas whips out his card. “Let’s start a tab. For all of us,” he gestures to IMP and smiles. 

Blitzø’s eyes narrow but he doesn’t say anything to Stolas. Just allows the bartender to add Stolas’ card to a tab and then orders himself a rum and coke. Loona orders a mojito afterward. Moxxie orders both himself and Millie a tequila sunrise. Stolas is the only one left. He doesn’t know drinks. He’s been given absinthe, chugged it even, but other than high-class wines, Stolas is stuck. He looks to each of his friends, because that’s what they are now, and he sees all of them looking at him expectedly. “I’ll just have a vodka lemonade, please,” he finally states. 

The barkeep hums and goes about making all their orders. Stolas doesn’t know what to expect, but allows gentle conversation about a hit earlier in the day to wash over him. He doesn’t pay attention to it, instead, listens to the cadence of Blitzø’s voice and allows himself to sip on his newly arrived drink. 

***

Things have picked up; Moxxie and Millie are making out while on the dance floor. Blitzø says they’re dancing but to Stolas it looks like they’re having clothed sex. Loona has gone off to some corner somewhere, maybe flirting with someone else but unseen by their little table. It leaves Blitzø and Stolas alone. Stolas is getting a buzz, Blitzø keeps ordering him new drinks to try, but it doesn’t seem like Stolas is the only one tipsy. Blitzø is slurring his words and his eyelids are at half mast. He looks good and comfortable. Confident and relaxed. It makes Stolas’ heart throb. But with it, goes his bladder. 

“Satan, sorry, Blitzø, but I’d better run to the restroom quickly,” Stolas pauses and looks around trying to find it. 

Blitzø, upon seeing this, stands up from his chair, and gestures for Stolas to follow him. So, he does, not thinking anything of it. Especially since they made it to the bathroom. 

Once in there, though, the door is slammed closed and Blitzø locks it behind him. Stolas is surprised the bathroom even has a lock on the entrance considering it’s full of stalls. 

“Blitzø?” 

“You’re hot,” is all he responds with and saunters his way over to Stolas. 

“You’re drunk,” Stolas whispers, but doesn’t stop his lover. 

“Am I?” Blitzø’s eyes lower seductively and he pushes Stolas back into the wall. It feels like a full moon scene, where Blitzø is big and dominant and allowing Stolas to be taken over in the most satisfying way. 

“Seems like it to me,” Stolas giggles. It turns into a gasp, though, as Blitzø is finally in Stolas’ face and slams his arms above his head, against the wall, in a bruising grip. “You really want me?” Stolas allows himself to ask. 

“Of course,” Blitzø trails his tail up and down Stolas’ side, even allowing it to slip under his shirt. He moves his grasp on Stolas’ hands to one of his own and fiddles with the pocket of his jacket. 

Stolas doesn’t pay attention to that, though. He’s lost in the knowledge that his beloved wants him. Even without the book. Even without the class divide. Blitzø. Wants. Stolas. It’s an ecstasy a million orgasms couldn’t compete with. Stolas feels even more in love than ever before. 

“You just have to do one little,” Blitzø gives a peck on Stolas’ cheek, “little,” one on his jawbone, “thing,” a final lick and suck on his neck, “for me.” 

Stolas is gasping, arching into Blitzø’s touch, ready for more. Ready for everything. “Anything, please Blitzø, anything.”

And suddenly, the sharp edge of a knife is digging into Stolas, right where Blitzø had just sucked a hickey. “Tell me where the fuck you got Stolas’ credit card and where the fuck he is now!” Blitzø’s voice is low and dangerous. Scarily sober. 

Stolas doesn’t know how Blitzø isn’t fucked up, he could have sworn Blitzø was drinking as much as he was but, no, he can’t smell anything but sweet soda from the hot breath angrily fuming at Stolas. Through his own inebriated mind, the only thing Stolas can answer with is, “Oh… Shit.”

Chapter Text

“Oh… Shit,” the bastard imp who thought a team of assassins wouldn’t notice a Goecian’s card says. He doesn’t have fear in him, just a little bit of surprise, like he wasn’t expecting Blitzø to catch him in his deceit. 

“Yeah asshole, ‘oh shit’ is right,” Blitzø seethes out in response, digging his knife a little harder into the imp’s throat. “Now, you’re gonna give me the answers I want or I’ll make you wish you were dead. So, and this will be the last time I ask before I chop off one of your fingers, where is Stolas? ”

Elios, if that is his real name, nervously giggles, shifting the best he can with his hands trapped above him and a sharp weapon digging into his neck. “I’d assume he’s at his house.” A gulp, avoiding eye contact, the fidgeting; he’s lying. 

An almost maniacal smile appears on Blitzø’s face as he moves the knife up Elios’ face and arms, scratching him lightly, teasing him with the reality of what he’s about to do. Satan could come up to Blitzø and demand he stop and Blitzø wouldn’t. He needs to know where Stolas is, needs to make sure he’s alive and protected . Blitzø doesn’t know if he’ll be able to deal with another Striker situation. He only hopes he’s not too late. And at the very least, at least he'll actually be there for Stolas instead of wasting time at the doctor's office. Not that he considered giving Loona her Hellbies shot was a waste of time, but if he knew that his bird was in real danger and he could get really hurt, he would have made the visit much shorter. He's sure Loona would have given him less of a hard time, too, if she knew. But, that was the past. And this is now. And now, Blitzø has a bitch in front of him to threaten and torture and force to talk. 

Finally, Blitzø makes it to one of the bitch’s fingers and starts to dig in at the knuckle of one. “Okay, okay, wait, stop!” he finally yelps. Blitzø does, he pauses, allowing another moment for the imp to talk more. He’s tempted to cut off a finger anyway but doesn’t. This imp is obviously someone made to do covert work and Blitzø needs information not a pussy fainting and not giving him anything. He can't risk losing his one lead to finding Stolas. 

Blitzø keeps pressure on Elios’ digit but doesn’t dig in further, doesn’t start to saw through the skin, doesn't even move the dagger. He raises an eyebrow expectedly, waiting for information. 

“I’m not sure why you’re asking me all this, but I swear the prince isn’t in any harm, or he shouldn’t be at least.” There’s something in the tone of his voice, something Blitzø can’t process through his own anxiety. It’s almost a hint, but to what, Blitzø doesn’t know. 

“I’m asking you this because you’re a dumb fucker who thought he could use a prince’s card to pay for drinks and no one would bat an eye. But guess what? I noticed and I need to know everything now.”

“Everything?”

“ Everything. Why you’ve been stalking me and my friends, how you know about our connection to Stolas, what you did to him, where he is, what your goal in all this is, and who you’re working with. And I’m willing to do anything to get this information. So you better open that mouth and start talking.” Blitzø pushes the knife in and moves it just enough to see a few drops of thick black blood bubble to the surface. He’s satisfied by the look of shock and slight fear on Elios’ face. Some part of the imp is still too calm, though, as if he doesn't believe Blitzø would actually harm him. 

Elios takes a deep breath in and shakes his head slightly, probably in an attempt to clear it from the haze of alcohol. “I don’t know the best way to explain this, Blitzø. Not without hurting you. We’ll laugh about this all in the future, I’m sure. But right now, I would appreciate it if you put down your weapon and leave me some room to breathe.”

“Fat chance, asshole. I’m not giving you an inch of wiggle room. You’re right where I want you: trapped with no way to contact anyone. M&M are focused on each other and won’t notice your missing presence and Loona is well aware of a signal if anything were to go wrong in this interaction. She can and will break through this door. So your best option, Elios, is to start. Fucking. Talking.”

Elios thumps his head against the wall and looks at the ceiling. He breathes out as if readying himself for something. Blitzø makes sure to tense his muscles in preparation for some sort of attack. “If we go to Stolas’ house, everything can be explained better.”

Blitzø rolls his eyes. “Yeah, so I can lead you right to Stolas, where he’s supposed to feel safest, right? You’re not very smart for someone trying to play a double agent.”

At his second denial of trying to get Blitzø off of him, a flash of red shines in Elios’ eyes before he quickly slams them closed. The taller imp takes more than a few deep breaths, slow and steady in comparison to Blitzø’s hot panting, filled with adrenaline and ready to fight. The red Blitzø saw, though, there was something uncanny about it. It wasn’t that Elios was so mad he was ‘seeing red,’ instead it seemed like his eyes transformed into deep red spheres. It's something uncanny, but it was also too short for Blitzø to think about. He puts it out of his head, he can't get distracted from this. 

“Why do you care about him?” It’s asked so quietly and so genuinely it almost startles Blitzø. 

“Stolas? He’s a good fuck, what else can I say?” Blitzø shrugs. It’s the lie he’s been telling for as long as these feelings have been going on. Because why should Blitzø admit that his heart thumps and he feels all warm inside when he’s around Stolas? How would anyone hear that and not laugh at Blitzø? How would Blitzø be able to get through the ridicule of falling for a Prince of Hell, someone who could never love a lowly imp like him? Besides, Stolas doesn't deserve all the shit Blitzø comes with. He can't force the worst parts of himself onto the avian, so Blitzø doesn't. Most of Blitzø is bad, Stolas doesn't need even more destruction. He doesn't need another Stella in his life. 

Elios raises an eyebrow, unbelieving of Blitzø's statement. “So was Verosika, I’m sure, but you don’t give a fuck about her.”

Blitzø chokes on his own saliva. This fucker knows about his past with Verosika? How much research has he done? How much does he know? “Stolas is a prince, he’s more important than a succubus,” is all he can respond with. However, he does squeeze Elios’ wrists, just a little more, a silent threat not to say something else, to ask another question.

“Maybe to Hell and our social system, but not to other imps. Not to the individuals the Goetias don’t give a shit about. So, again, why do you care?”

A glare. Hard and sharp. “ I’m supposed to be asking the questions, here, not you. And I think it’s time to get rid of one of these fuckers.” He digs the knife in more, pushing steady. 

And then, there’s a flash that blinds Blitzø for a moment. And some strong force of cold sweeps over Blitzø and pushes him back and away from Elios, forcing him to let go of his weapon and his captive. It's a cold he's felt before, something dark and comforting all at once. He doesn't understand it, doesn't understand where it's come from, or when he's felt it in his past. He’s on the floor, looking up at a slightly blurry form. It’s odd. Not an imp, not anything Blitzø has really seen before. Something that looks like it wants to be an imp but isn't. Something not quite right. It's a little horrifying. But then, a muttered curse, another flash, and it’s Elios, standing there panting ever so slightly. 

“This has been fun,” Elios bows his head as he quickly makes his way toward the door, “but I should really be going now. Goodbye.” And he’s gone. And Blitzø’s vision is still unclear and his body is tingly and numb and he’s not sure what he just saw or how Elios managed to knock Blitzø away, but he does know that he has to go see Stolas now. Make sure the prince is in his palace and hopefully not hurt too badly.

So, Blitzø stumbles to his feet, feeling like he chugged four barrels of Beezljuice despite having a singular rum and coke. And he finds Moxxie and Millie against a wall, making out but not even in a sexy, exhibitionist way, which is unfortunate. 

“I’m gonna check in on Stols. Wanna come with? For backup?” he asks. 

“Blitzø!” Moxxie is scandalized by the implication. Not that that’s what Blitzø was implying, but he supposes neither of them were really on the same page when it came to the whole Elios situation. 

“Whatever,” he doesn’t want to fight it. He’s on a time crunch. He needs to see Stolas before anything happens to him. “If I don’t contact you in twenty-four hours, there’s something wrong.”

Millie looks concerned and opens her mouth to say something, but Blitzø walks away to call Loona. He doesn’t want her following him. She’s his baby and this Elios man is powerful enough to knock Blitzø away without moving. He has someone magical on his side, for sure. Someone who isn't willing to get caught. Or is Elios the magic one? It doesn't matter, Blitzø's focus is on Stolas, not on the menacing stalker.

Loona finds Blitzø first, as he’s nearing the front door. “I saw Elios leave. Everything okay?” It’s genuine worry on her face and in her voice, like she's expecting Blitzø to be upset. 

“Yeah, don’t worry, Loonie,” Blitzø smiles a bit too wide, probably giving something away, not all that convincing. “I just need to deal with something. Are you, Moxxie, and Millie okay with getting home by yourselves or should I leave the keys with you and take a cab?”

Loona looks around quickly. “We’ll be fine.” Despite the sweaty bodies surrounding the two of them, it feels intimate. It feels like Loona needs to say something. She finally opens her mouth, “He really cares about you, you know?”

Blitzø knows she’s talking about Stolas. They don’t talk about Elios and she knows how much Blitzø despises the other imp. He just shrugs. He hopes so, but hoping in Hell only leads to wishing you’d never hoped to begin with. It’s why he doesn’t answer. It’s why he refuses to call what he feels for Stolas what it is. Because there’s hope in it. And Blitzø doesn’t like accepting defeat, even when it’s to hope. 

And with that, Blitzø walks too fast to his van and speeds to Stolas’ obnoxious palace. He has an imp to corner and a prince to save, after all. Even if all he gets in return is a good fuck, it’ll be worth it. If only for the knowledge that the one he feels feelings for is okay.

Chapter Text

As soon as Stolas leaves the bar, he’s teleporting home. He loses his disguise along the way, too frazzled to think about holding it while opening a portal. But it shouldn’t matter, especially since Blitzø is most definitely going to come searching for him. And try to protect Stolas. From himself. Oh, Satan, what did Stolas get himself into? 

He’s pacing in his room, all the garments he wore for drinks hidden under his bed, in nothing but his robe. It’s not even a sexy thing, he wears it for comfort. It’s light enough that it doesn’t mess with his feathers and newly preened body, when he does preen, of course, but it also has a little bit of weight that makes Stolas feel the perfect amount of cozy. 

Tonight, Stolas needs the little comfort of his well-worn robe. He almost got attacked by his loved one just because Blitzø thought that Stolas was in on some scheme to harm himself. He supposes it is all his fault, though. He should have started off smaller, not going every day to IMP. He should have paid less attention to Blitzø to build trust naturally. He shouldn’t have used his own fucking card with his own fucking name attached to it. He got too comfortable around the IMP employees. He didn’t think any of them would blink at Stolas picking up the bill. He didn’t think Blitzø would care enough to focus on the little detail of his name on the card. But he did. And there’s no taking it back, now. 

Stolas rubs one of his fingers over the already-healed scar from Blitzø’s knife. There’s only a slight bump where the scar tissue has built up, but it should be gone within the next hour. Blitzø was willing to kill and torture Stolas. Or, Elios, he supposes. He was willing to kill and torture Elios to protect Stolas. It gives Stolas a shiver of thrilling delight up his spine every time he thinks of it. 

A good fuck is what Blitzø said, but Stolas can tell it’s more than that to Blitzø. He wouldn’t protect Stolas from some unknown imp if all Stolas were was a good fuck . Blitzø would have replied to Stolas’ rebuttal had he believed that he was just a good fuck. There’s something more that Blitzø feels. Something he isn't willing to admit. At least to Elios. But that’s okay. Because maybe he’ll tell Stolas. Maybe Blitzø will see Stolas is safe, thank Satan and every other deadly sin, pull him into a dip, whisper that he loves Stolas, and give a loving, passionate kiss of relief. It’s what Stolas wants. He wants the cheesy romance and the proof of caring. But he also acknowledges that that’s not how Blitzø functions. Instead, Stolas is prepared for a flood of memes to be sent on his phone, little doodles finding themselves a home on Stolas’ bedside table, or a mug full of Stolas’ favorite tea from his favorite little shop. It’s little, but it has all the more meaning because it’s coming from a place of genuine love and caring.  Just like Stolas’ little whispers to Blitzø at night, after he’s asleep. Where he talks about all things stars and botany.

And holy shit Blitzø’s not-boyfriend talks on ‘n on ‘bout plants. What if Stolas is the not-boyfriend? What if Stolas was wrong? What if Blitzø wasn’t really sleeping? Oh Satan, what if he’s heard all of Stolas’ nerdy book rants and stupid kiddie stories about constellations? He’s probably made a fool out of himself. But… Blitzø hasn’t said anything. He has let Stolas continue with the idea that Blitzø is asleep. He hasn't wacked Stolas upon the beak and told him that his information is useless and stupid. He has encouraged Stolas with deep rumbling purrs and nudges against Stolas’ chest. A little squeeze of his tail around Stolas’ thigh. It’s all encouragement. It’s all proof of Blitzø’s care. It makes Stolas want to cry. Laugh with joy and dance down the street. He wants to call Stella and yell, tell her, Look! Someone can love me and doesn’t mind hearing about things you consider to be useless! I have true love for once in my life! H e knows better than that, knows better than to antagonize his ex. He still wants to, though. Wants to rub it in her face that all her insults were wrong and that someone does, indeed, love Stolas, despite everything. 

The realization feels earth-shattering, of course it does, but Stolas also has the issue of how he’s going to tell Blitzø that he is Elios. And explain his reasonings without the imp walking out on him. Or blowing up on him. Or changing the subject. Or cutting him out of his life completely. There’s so much that could go wrong with this upcoming conversation and Stolas needs to find a way to make it go right . 

His talons have found their way into the longer feathers on his head, brushing them away from his face constantly. He wants to pull them out, pluck himself bald out of anxiety and happiness and all the other confusing emotions he feels, but he knows he shouldn’t. It would only worry Blitzy more. And based on his reaction to Elios having Stolas’ card, he’s beyond worried. 

Stolas’ ears pick up the roar of an engine and the squealing of tires. Blitzø has arrived and Stolas hasn’t even decided what to say or how to say it. He’s still just pacing in his room, fiddling with his feathers and the scar on his finger. The trellis Stolas put up to help Blitzø climb shakes more than it usually does. Normally, Blitzø is silent, climbing in and surprising Stolas, but today, he sounds hectic and rushed. It makes Stolas feel guilty, knowing he put this fear into the one he loves. 

Still, he can’t get himself to move now. He’s stuck, feet glued to the floor and eyes locked onto the glass door leading to his balcony. Stolas is sure his own facial expression is one of anxiety, but he can’t smooth it out, he can’t put on his ‘Prince of Hell’ act. He always has a hard time doing so with Blitzø, but during a moment of heightened emotions? He has no hope of hiding anything. But still, what will he say?

Stolas sees Blitzø scramble over his railing and look into his room. His eyes are wide, more scared than Stolas has ever seen before. 

It breaks Stolas even more. He never meant for Blitzø to think he was some murderous demon stalker. He just wanted to get closer to Blitzø without either of them feeling the divide of money or others’ judgment. Stolas didn’t think this whole idea through, he knows that now, staring into the wide eyes of Blitzø. How would Stolas have ever explained to Blitzø that he is Elios if things did become serious between them while he was disguised? Would Stolas have always kept up the act of being an imp? What about when Blitzø would inevitably want to visit his house? And Loona! She’s known the entire time! She would have certainly told her father if things got too serious. Stolas feels like more and more of an idiot with each passing second. 

And now, Blitzø is aggressively jiggling one of the handles to his doors, banging on the glass with his other hand. He has Stolas’ attention, he knows that, but Stolas is sure he sees the terrified, wide-eyed emotions running over his face. So, Stolas flicks his wrist to unlock the door and turns around, unwilling to face Blitzø in an attempt to collect himself. 

Blitzø, on the other hand, scurries to Stolas, manhandles him so they’re facing each other, and allows his eyes to scan Stolas for any sign of injury. 

He seems to relax a little, seeing that Stolas is physically fine, but Blitzø still doesn’t let go from where his hands are harshly gripping onto Stolas’.

“Blitzy?” Stolas tries his best to sound confused. Normal. Happily surprised. He’s positive he’s failing, but Blitzø doesn’t seem to notice anything. He’s probably too focused on trying to find any sort of threat around Stolas. There isn’t any, but Blitzø doesn’t know that. Only Stolas does. Because Blitzø thinks there’s a creepy imp going after the prince. And it’s all Stolas’ fault. Stolas clears his throat awkwardly. “To what do I owe the honor of your visit?” his smile is forced. Fake. Stolas feels fake. 

“We need to go. You’re going to portal us to Lust and we’re going to spend some time with Fizz and his whatever-the-fuck they define themselves as,” Blitzø is talking fast, allowing some of his words to bleed together. “I texted Fizz on the way here and even though he hasn’t responded, he won’t turn us away. Trust me.” Blitzø’s voice is firm, unconditional. 

“Fizz? Fizzarolli? I wasn’t aware you two were on speaking terms again.”

Blitzø lets go of Stolas’ hands and starts rummaging through his closet, pulling out some of Stolas’ more comfortable clothes and shoving them in a tote bag, one that Octavia embroidered for him. 

“Yeah well, I wasn’t aware you knew about the past I have with him.”

“Oh, I’m not. Not really,” Stolas waves his hand in front of his face, as if brushing Blitzø’s statement away. “I just know that, for some reason, Fizzarolli held some animosity toward you.”

Blitzø hums distractedly as he shovels more clothes into the tote bag until it’s bursting. When he turns around and sees that Stolas has yet to move, he snaps his fingers. “Com’n, Bird Brain. Lust, now! ”

“Darling,” Stolas takes a deep breath in and shuffles his feet a little, trying to find a comfortable stance, something strong and unmovable. It doesn’t work, Stolas feels like a gust of wind will knock him over. “I know about him, it’s okay.”

“You just told me you didn’t know a ton about Fizz ‘n I. But that doesn’t matter Stolas, we need to get you to Lust where no one will know where you are, come on!”

“Blitzø stop.” 

“There’s someone coming after you, Stols. Open a fucking portal so he can’t follow you!”

“I know about Elios, Blitzø. Take a breath and relax!” Stolas finally raises his voice. Not into a yell, but enough for Blitzø to snap his head and actually meet one set of Stolas’ eyes. 

Blitzø’s eyes darken slightly, they narrow, and he stares unblinking at Stolas. “Where is he? I wanna take a hand off him for getting away.” He’s growling. He has a dangerous aura about him, but it doesn’t scare Stolas, not like earlier tonight. Because this time, Stolas knows he’s safe. Genuinely safe. Blitzø would never hurt Stolas. Not knowingly. 

“He’s… Ahh,” Stolas doesn’t know what to say, he doesn’t know how to explain this all to him. “He’s been dealt with. He won’t be around anymore. I’m sorry he disturbed you.” 

Blitzø tilts his head. “How did you know about him?” 

Stolas looks away, to his bed. It’s just another thing to look at. Something besides Blitzø as he explains this to him. “You’re not going to be happy when you hear this,” Stolas murmurs. 

“What, that you were in cahoots with the bastard to help kill you?” Blitzø snorts. 

Stolas gulps. “No, Blitzø.” He chokes, air stops coming. Stolas feels like he’s panicking, he wants to pace again, he wants to get Blitzø out of his room so he can take a moment to breathe. But he can’t. It’s too late. This stupid plan was doomed to fail and Stolas was too excited, too naive to see it. 

“He had your card, y’know? Is that how you knew? He snuck in and stole from you?”

Another swallow. Stolas’ saliva is thick. It tastes like bile and the remainance of alcohol Blitzø ordered him just an hour before. Has it really only been an hour since the bar? Since the confrontation and the knife at his throat? Stolas swallows again, he has to. He better not anxiously throw up right now. 

“I care about you, you know that, right?” Stolas thinks that’s a good start. “Maybe I care more than you realize or more than others think I should.”

Blitzø pushes air out through his lips, vibrating them together slightly. “Yeah, you wouldn’t give just anyone your fancy-ass book. I know you care.” He’s more relaxed now that he knows there’s no threat. “I don’t know why you’re telling me this though, we need to celebrate for getting rid of that disgusting freak! Maybe get freaky ourselves,” Blitzø smiles, a hint of lust beneath it. “And after, you can tell me all the gory details about how you caught him.”

Stolas shakes his head and looks back to Blitzø, staring above him, into his own wardrobe. “There’s nothing to tell.” The wind whistles into the room from the still-open doors. It rustles the canopy on Stolas’ bed creating a whisper of fabric brushing against itself. It’s soothed Stolas in the past, but it’s doing very little to calm him tonight. It’s just another reminder of how real this all is. How it can ruin everything he’s created with Blitzø. “You care for me too, right?” Stolas knows the answer, but he needs to ask. He needs to hear Blitzø say it. 

Blitzø tilts his head to the opposite side he previously leaned. “Yeah, ‘course I do. I just left my family at a bar to make sure you’re safe!”

Stolas wasn’t expecting such honesty. He was prepared for a toned-down version of the truth, not a statement full of fact. “And what if I did something that I didn’t think through?” Stolas asks. 

Blitzø shrugs. He doesn’t have context, not yet. “Don’t know. You haven't thought a lot of things through, don’t think it would change much.”

But he doesn’t know and it’s frustrating Stolas. Maybe he should just blurt out the truth. Get the reaction done and over with. And then he’ll suffer with the consequences sooner. But maybe, it wouldn’t be such a bad idea to have one more night. Just one more moment of peace. “You know what?” Stolas has decided. “You’re right. We should celebrate,” he nods once in determination. He lowers his voice to something he knows Blitzø recognizes. Something he knows makes Blitzø perk up in excitement. “I’m feeling a little squirmy though, you might need to bring out the ropes.”

A full grin bursts out onto Blitzø’s face. “Fuck yeah.” He steps close to Stolas and drags him down so they’re at a height they can easily kiss each other. “Let’s fucking celebrate,” his lover growls playfully. 

And Stolas tries to ignore the fact that it might be the last time he ever hears Blitzø sound like that. He tries to enjoy it all, even with the knowledge that he’s making the fallout worse.

Chapter Text

Blitzø doesn’t allow himself to get into that nice, relaxed, post-fucking state. It all felt weird on Stolas’ end. It was more emotional, less horny on the bird’s part. He was quick to cry, and while that’s not too abnormal, Stolas’ tears seemed more real this time around. Every time Blitzø tried to check in, Stolas would whimper out greens  that were genuine, so Blitzø didn’t stop. Besides, they were both feeling good. Or, Blitzø likes to think they were. Tonight wasn’t as hot and steamy as it could have been, but despite the ropes and flogger and Wartenberg pinwheel, there was a certain intimacy between the two that isn’t seen all that often during their fucks. Blitzø can’t complain about it, though. He needed the intimacy. He needed to be able to hear Stolas’ pants and whines and the little fluttering of his heart. After the scare with Elios, it’s just a relief that Stolas is safe. In Blitzø’s arms. 

They’re calming down now, with Blitzø forcing sips of water down Stolas’ throat and feeding him little stubs of chocolate. Blitzø may be emotionally constipated, but let it be heard that he does not skimp on the aftercare. He’s purring low. A soothing sensation. Something he's learned relaxes both him and Stolas. It doesn't help that, in moments like these, Blitzø can't exactly control it. He's too relaxed and happy. He's sure if he wants to, Blitzø would be able to force himself into quietness, but he never feels the need to. He's too comfortable around Stolas. Too trustful toward the prince. He knows he probably shouldn't be, but no one ever taught him how to resist temptation. Especially when it's toxic for him. 

It's a couple more minutes of getting Stolas to come back down to Hell from the floaty feelings of subspace. Blitzø is focused on petting Stolas, caressing his head and arms and legs. Anywhere to get him to come back to himself and his body. Stolas is always so relaxed, so easy to drop and it always makes Blitzø’s feelings stronger. Finally, Stolas blinks his eyes, the top set first, then the bottom set. He's still slightly out of sync but enough in himself to be aware. It's what Blitzø needs. 

“Hey Pretty Bird,” Blitzø coos with a nuzzle into Stolas’ neck. “Are you ready to get cleaned up in the bath?” 

Stolas blinks again and takes a while to process the question Blitzø asked. Finally, a little grin spreads over his face, lazy and fully relaxed. He nods and a cute little bird noise comes out of his beak. It makes Blitzø feel soft and he can't fight the rumble of a deeper and louder purr from coming out. 

“I'm gonna pick you up and bring you to the bathroom, ‘kay Stols?”

Another nod. Blitzø is quick to scoop him up in a bridal carry and walk him to the bathroom. It's a little awkward, only because of the height difference, but Stolas’ hollow bones make carrying him feel like nothing. While Stolas is in his arms, Blitzø can't help but bury his face back into the bird's neck and breathe in his aroma. Even after hours of intense sex, Stolas still smells like the sweet, fresh air of Earth. He smells like the green grass and pine trees of a forest. He smells like looking up at the billions of stars and galaxies that make up existence. He smells real and he smells like home. 

And all this should scare Blitzø, it should terrify him, but it doesn't. For some reason, it only makes him want to fight more for his bird. And he may push Stolas, that's what Blitzø does best, but he's also sure that the prince will reel Blitzø back in. Stolas is one of the people that knows Blitzø best. He'll know how to best keep Blitzø in his life. Blitzø will not make this another Verosika or Fizz. He won't allow himself to run away in fear. Won't cut Stolas out of his life just because of misunderstandings. Blitzø is willing to do anything he can to keep this. 

He's even ready to tell Stolas. Tell the demon that Blitzø wants something real, wants to go on cheesy dates and give that cuddling and movie thing a try. He wants to feel loved. He wants to know what all the hype is about. 

He’s loved before, or what Blitzø was naive enough to believe was love. Fizzarolli is the name that stands out the most when he thinks of romantic love. Stupid teenage antics. Messing around with the excuse of being there and easy because it wouldn’t ruin their friendship. They both swore they wouldn’t catch feelings but Blitzø was the one who broke that. He caught feelings, something he can no longer remember. He doesn’t know if what he felt for Fizz was actual love or if it was lust or fascination or platonic love or something else entirely. It was too long ago and there’s too much history between them to even try to distinguish what Blitzø was feeling before the Fire. Before everything in his life went to shit. Before Blitzø gave up on love and started pushing everyone in his life away. Or doing anything and everything Blitzø could to get them to push him away and leave. Because that’s what Blitzø thought he deserved after killing and hurting those who meant everything to him. Blitzø had thought the Universe wanted him alone. And he tried to hold onto that knowledge. 

But then Loona came into his life and she reminded him too much of himself. And he adopted her. Blitzø couldn’t let that girl go. Couldn’t let her hate herself as much as Blitzø hates him. And then Blitzø met Moxxie and learned how good he is with a gun and avoiding the law. And then Millie joined their little clan. And then Blitzø had the bright idea to steal from a Goetia to go to the living realm and kill off humans rather than Sinners, who just regenerate anyway, and Hellborns. And then Stolas came into Blitzø’s life. And he dug his claws into Blitzø’s previously barely beating heart. And now, Blitzø feels genuinely happy for the first time since the Fire. 

Somehow, Blitzø has gotten both himself and Stolas into the bath. It’s shallow for Stolas, but Blitzø understands that it makes Stolas feel better if he knows Blitzø can’t drown in the bath. Blitzø is still purring, but now his back is to Stolas’ chest and he lets the avian run his hands across Blitzø’s body. Stolas is tracing his scars. Blitzø doubts he knows where they came from, but Blitzø won’t bring that trauma up. That’s for a time when they’re both in a stable relationship. A real one. One that Blitzø hopes will come to fruition. 

Blitzø is comfortable. His ear is up against Stolas’ chest and his tail is loosely wrapped around one of Stolas’ legs. The bath is perfectly warmed and it isn’t bothering Blitzø’s skin like the water in his own apartment does. This entire moment is perfect. Gentle movement of water and soft feathers. Blitzø is glad he still has this. He’s glad that, even if he didn’t do anything to stop harm from coming to Stolas, nothing happened. 

“Stolas?” Blitzø finally breaks the comfortable silence. He wants to see if Stolas is fully aware. He wants to hear a fully aware Stolas tell Blitzø how he caught Elios, how he, hopefully, dismembered the asshole into something so unrecognizable that it’s just a blob of flesh and bones and blood.

Stolas hums back. Not a verbal response, but a stronger hum Blitzø has come to recognize as a fully conscious Stolas.

“How’d you catch him?” Blitzø whispers. 

The air is still and quiet and humid. The only sound between the two of them are the quiet sloshing of water and the steady breathing. Stolas is quiet, not responding. Blitzø would have thought him to be asleep if it weren’t for his heartbeat rapidly increasing. Hearing that makes Blitzø smile. Stolas is just as excited to talk about Elios’ downfall as Blitzø is to hear it. What else could his increased heart rate mean?

Stolas shifts under Blitzø, causing the imp to slide down fully onto his lap as he sits up in the tub. Blitzø doesn’t mind it though. This isn’t man-handling as much as it’s gravity taking control. Stolas has been doing better against picking Blitzø up and moving him without permission recently. Another moment to smile about. Maybe it’s not just Stolas that is changing Blitzø. Maybe Blitzø is also changing Stolas. 

“Blitzø,” Stolas says. He’s serious, his voice is more regal, and he reverts back to the absence of nicknames. He sounds distant, like he’s talking to fellow royalty, not someone who’s seen him completely nude and begging to come. 

Something twists in Blitzø’s gut. This isn’t very good. Is Stolas going to send Blitzø away now that he knows he can protect himself? Right when Blitzø has started to accept that his feelings for Stolas are real and deep? 

“I was Elios.”

And Blitzø turns around to look at Stolas and bursts out laughing. This is a good joke, a good way to get them both into their bodies for a real conversation. “No, I was Elios,” he replies in between gasps of breath. 

Stolas just blinks. All four of his eyes at once. His mouth is pressed into a thin, firm line, one too serious for this to all be a joke. And dread drops in Blitzø’s stomach. No. “No.” Blitzø stands up, fully. He’s eye-to-eye with Stolas. “ No .”

Stolas looks guilty. His eyes have finally stopped looking at Blitzø’s. He’s fiddling with his hands. But he doesn’t say anything. No explanation, no reasoning. Nothing. 

Blitzø doesn’t know how he feels. Everything burns. The water, despite having cooled down considerably since they first entered the bath, feels like it’s boiling Blitzø’s calves and feet. Sweat is running down his temples and his hands are shaking. Blitzø shakes his head in a failed attempt to clear it, to find some sort of response. But he feels taken advantage of. Conned. He wants to slap Stolas. He wants to run away and never return. Maybe the Universe is telling Blitzø he really is meant to be alone. Maybe Blitzø will listen to Her again. Loona is fully grown. Moxxie and Millie have a better handle on paperwork and organization in IMP than Blitzø ever has. Fizz, despite their reconciliation, is happy with Asmodeus. And Stolas… he just betrayed Blitzø. No one needs Blitzø in their lives. Not anymore.

“Fuck you,” Blitzø finally says. It’s too soft, too broken to be seen as angry. He’s sure Stolas can still find the undercurrent of betrayal in his tone, though. Blitzø leaves the bath. He slams the door to the bathroom behind him to slow the prince down, but Stolas doesn’t follow him. Blitzø can’t hear water moving with the bird’s body. It seems that Stolas has finally given up on Blitzø. And Blitzø can’t understand any of it. He can’t understand why. He gets dressed and leaves through the balcony. He’s numb. Nothing matters anymore. He wants to go home and drink himself to death. He wants to crash his van and claim it an accident. He wants Stolas to chase after him. 

Instead, Blitzø drives to Greed.

Chapter Text

It's been a while since Blitzø has been back here, but right now? He needs it. This place doesn't hold the happiest memories, probably holds the ones that are the most traumatic, but it also holds the memories of his Momma. The last words she said, kisses to the tips of his horns, hugs, cuddling into her arms, being comforted by gentle hands running down his spines and tail, the casseroles she always made because they were easy and quick and didn’t take too much talent in the kitchen, the little claps upon successes, gentle criticism when things went wrong, it’s all here. 

So are the memories of her skin melting off, her bones broken in the blast, her face unrecognizable, a shaky and barely moving hand pushing her choker into one of Blitzø’s own. Tears running down her face. A whisper of I love you choking on smoke but needing to be said.

It’s all Momma. It’s all her. She always had the best advice. Always knew what Blitzø needed no matter the situation. And Blitzø doesn’t think he’s wanted her back since he got turned away from Fizz’s hospital room and scrounged up all the money he could find to get Barbie in rehab even though she wanted nothing to do with Blitzø. 

Despite the circus, every part of it, going up in flames and ruining the grounds, no one has bothered to clean it up. Fifteen, almost sixteen years, and nothing has changed. Blitzø shouldn’t have expected much, it’s Greed, no one wants to do anything and the circus was on the decline anyway. Even with Fizz gaining Mammon’s attention near the end, people just came for the jester. Left for everything else. It wasn’t worth getting it rebuilt. Not with Fizzarolli out of commission. Something Blitzø caused. 

There are remains of tents, poles standing with scraps of fabric that once made up false buildings waving like flags. It’s sad. Desolate. Abandoned.

But it holds Blitzø’s Momma. And he walks right over to her and his father’s tent. Where she was during the blast. The place Blitzø abandoned Fizz for, even if it turned out for naught. Blitzø doesn’t regret running to find his Momma, he got to spend the few final seconds of her life with her. He got to hear that he was loved. One last time. Before everything went to shit. Before his family abandoned him, before he went to work at Loo Loo Land, before he met Verosika, before he remet Stolas, before he caught feelings, before he found out that the Universe is making Blitzø’s life as hard as She can in retaliation for all the harm he caused during the Fire. 

Blitzø kneels down on the fake grave he created for his Momma. It’s a mound of dirt with a heavy rock on top. Dried flowers, dead, grey, ready to turn to dust with just a poke, are scattered about from Blitzø’s previous visits. He even brought one for her today. He can’t ever come to see her without one. It’s an apology and proof of his never-ending love for her. He hopes that she knows he’s sorry. That he never meant for all this to happen. That he loves her. Even still. Even when the memories of her hands are no longer solid, but just wisps of ghost’s fingers and her voice is something unrecognizable. Blitzø may be forgetting parts of his Momma, but he’ll never forget the love he has for her or the love she gave him in return. 

He sticks the pale blue flower into the top of the dirt mound, in front of the rock. It’s a flower Blitzø stole from Stolas’ garden on his way out, something he doesn’t want to think about, but he has to bring his Momma one upon every visit. 

“Hey, Momma,” he whispers. He doesn’t know why he whispers. No one is ever here, no one ever knows Blitzø comes here, he could probably scream and no one would hear him, but he doesn’t want to disturb his Momma’s peace. She, at least, deserves that after the torturous moments of her death. “Sorry it took me a while to visit. A lot’s been going on, recently. I guess I should catch you up from where I left off, huh?” he asks the empty air.

There is no response, but Blitzø isn’t expecting one. He just closes his eyes and imagines that his Momma is sitting right in front of him, crossed legs, a gentle smile gracing her face, and a little nod, willing Blitzø to continue his life story. He doesn’t though. He sits in the quiet, allowing himself to see his Momma and focus on her. Even if she isn’t real.

He doesn’t know how long it is until he takes in a quick gasp and starts to talk. He’s here for a reason. “Right, so you know I’m fucking Stolas for his book to do IMP’s work on Earth. And things were going good. Really good, actually. But then, like a dumbass who fucks everything up, I started to get comfortable. I started feeling… safe and good and fluttery around him.”

More silence. A gust of wind moves Blitzø’s jacket to the left. He sits down, eyes still closed, legs crossed just like his imaginary Momma before him. He wants to collapse in her arms. He doesn’t. He can’t unless he wants a face full of dirt. He's had to learn that the hard way.

“And I was stupid enough to start to believe he was feeling the same things I feel for him. Momma, why am I so stupid, why did I have to believe he could care for me? I’m just a stupid imp. I ruin every life I touch.” Blitzø sniffs and wipes his nose. “Satan, I killed you. Maybe I deserve it all. But it still hurts.”

Something squeaks in the distance. With his eyes still closed, it’s easy for Blitzø to hear footsteps. He can hear the circus coming back to life. Well, no, but he can definitely hear footsteps. 

Blitzø sits up straight, one hand on the holster holding his gun, the other resting beside his hip to help him up upon attack. Slowly, Blitzø turns his head, eyes scanning for danger. Instead, he sees long metal limbs and a completely white, scarred face. A blink. A rub at his eyes, both to clear the tears and the hallucination of Fizzaroli in front of him but… No, Fizz is still here. Standing, towering over Blitzø. He has a smile on his face. It’s full of pity, but Blitzø can’t find it in himself to be mad at the blatant tenderness directed toward him. He just huffs and turns back to the amateur grave. He’s too exhausted to pretend right now. Besides, he can’t do that in front of his Momma. She always hated it when he was fake with her. Even if it wasn’t toward her. 

“Hey Tilla,” Fizz walks over and pats the rock with a hand. “Hi Blitzø,” he says as he settles next to Blitzø. He’s sitting with his legs crossed, just like Blitzø and his pretend Momma. 

Blitzø can’t say anything. This was supposed to be time between his Momma and him. He has nothing against Fizz, not anymore, but he really doesn’t want him here. And so, Blitzø looks away from his best friend and back to the rock. The flower somehow shifted and tilted. Probably from the wind. Blitzø wants to fix it but he’s glued to his spot. 

“Good to know you and Stolas are safe,” Fizz brings up conversationally. He’s trying to keep things light, Blitzø can tell. Too bad that is not a subject Blitzø doesn’t want to talk about. 

“Misunderstanding. Forgot to text you an update. Sorry.” Push away, they don’t need you, they’re faking, they’re all using you, you deserve to be alone. 

Fizzarolli hums. “He’s worried about you.”

“Cool.”

Another burst of wind, this time with the accompaniment of the bells on Fizz’s hat. A little jingle. Light. Airy. Playful. It reminds Blitzø of performing. His eyes start to feel hot again. Instead of crying, Blitzø swallows. “It’s my fault I believed things could work, Momma.” He can ignore Fizz. He needs to talk to his Momma right now. He needs to get everything to her before he can even think of figuring out what to say to Fizz or ask how he found Blitzø or why he even came after Blitzø. “Turns out I was nothing more than entertainment for him.” He rolls his eyes. 

He can feel Fizzarolli looking at him. Staring, probably. Watching him like he’s going to sprint away or self-destruct. Or maybe it’s just curiosity. Blitzø doesn’t care. He doesn’t want to figure it out, so he lets it happen.

Blitzø chokes on a laugh, self-deprecating and fake. “He turned himself into an imp. Followed me around, hounded me for information about myself, my relationship with him, manipulated my employees.” Blitzø pauses to think. Loona’s weird comments about Octavia whenever Elios was around. Her pretending to be scrolling on her phone when her attention was actually on their interactions. The comments to Elios. The comments about Elios. She knew. The entire time. And let Blitzø suffer in the aftermath. Blitzø lets out another huff of laughter and looks at the smoggy green sky above him. “I’m such an idiot.”

He breathes. He sits and he thinks. Maybe Loona thought Blitzø knew. Maybe she was allowing Stolas to come clean on his own. Maybe she was trying to protect Blitzø from the knowledge that he’s just a novelty. A way for Stolas to experience peasant life.

He leans his head back down to look at the still-tilted flower. “I thought his imp-self was trying to assassinate one of us. I was worried about him, Momma! I rushed to make sure he was okay and he… he let me. He didn’t tell me until after.” The tears are flowing now, but Blitzø doesn’t do anything about them. It would be useless anyway. “We were having such a good night. Or I was. It felt so much more… intimate. Real. I thought it was mutual. I thought he was feeling the same things. But… then he told me and,” a deep breath, “he let me go. He didn’t try to stop me. He didn’t try to explain. He just let me leave. And that hurt!” He hiccups. His breath is coming out in pants. The numbness has gone away. Instead, everything hurts. His legs are heavy and on fire. His arms are being pulled on by weights and have millions of needles poking into them. But his chest? It’s the worst pain Blitzø has ever felt. It’s worse than a bullet, worse than a dislocation, worse than a break. It’s throbbing but each throb is assisted with the stab of a knife dunked in poison. It’s never-ending. It’s painful. Blitzø wants it all to stop. 

Cold arms wrap around Blitzø, cocooning him more than one time around. Blitzø doesn’t turn toward Fizz, but allows himself to lean on him as he continues to sob. The noises are loud and ugly. Wails. Something he hasn’t done since Momma could still hold him on her lap and rock him gently. Singing to him to calm him down. He wishes this was over failing to create a balloon animal, but no. Instead, this is over betrayal. Being used. Abused. Stared at. Mocked. Manipulated. And the worst part is, Blitzø isn’t even that mad at Stolas. He knows he should be. He should be pissed. But he’s so focused on his own hurt and heartbreak that any thought of Stolas just makes that worse. Blitzø wishes he could transfer all this pain into anger but it won’t budge. 

Blitzø is thankful for the lack of noise on Fizz’s end. He doesn’t know if he can deal with it’ll be okay and maybe this was all just a big misunderstanding . Because he wants to believe those things. He wants to think that there is a reasonable explanation for this all. That Stolas does love him. Just like Blitzø loves Stolas. 

And another round of wails escapes Blitzø. He turns to Fizz, buries himself into the embrace. “ Fuck, Fizz ,” he whispers, “I fucking love him.” And it’s pathetic. That Blitzø can’t even pretend it’s all in the past tense. He can’t say, even through all of this, that the feelings are gone. Because they’re still there . “I still love him, even after all this,” he whimpers through his sobs. 

Fizz’s hands start to rub his back. Little circles. Not like his Momma, but still comforting. “I know,” Fizz says. He doesn’t say anything more. Just acceptance of Blitzø’s feelings. It doesn’t help Blitzø, but it doesn’t make him feel worse.

“I want the pain to go away.” Blitzø sniffs, trying to avoid getting snot on his friend. “It hurts . Physically.”

Fizzarolli sighs. “Yeah, it does.” He’s acting like he knows. And Blitzø doesn’t know how he would understand. Fizz, as far as Blitzø is aware, has been happy with Asmodeus and hasn’t had any other romantic interests in his life, someone who broke him as much as Stolas broke-- is still breaking-- Blitzø. 

“Does it ever stop?” He wants hope. He wants to know that he’ll be okay. That all this will become a distant memory. 

Fizz doesn’t answer right away. He tightens his hold for a moment, holds it for another, and slowly relaxes his arms back to the gentle grip they were in. “Not really. It gets better, but the pain is always there. Sometimes a distant memory. Other times, it feels like you’re right back here. To this moment. And it sucks.”

“I wish I could hate him.”

“I know.”

“I wish I never met him.”

“I know.”

“I wish I was smart enough to not catch feelings.” Blitzø brings one of his hands up and rubs at his eyes. “My love always destroys people. I guess it was about time it destroyed me, huh?” It’s a stupid attempt at a joke. Neither imp laughs. 

Fizz lets the failed joke soak into the air. Blitzø tilts his head from where it’s resting on Fizz’s shoulder to look at his Momma’s grave. The flower has toppled over completely. 

“Your love is like a fire, Blitzø,” Fizz says quietly. “It burns but it’s protective. It’s warm. It heats you up from the inside out. There may have been moments of destruction, but there are so many people it has pulled toward you.”

Blitzø rolls his eyes. Fizz has always been the sappy one. It helps, though. Hearing that, even if he is destructive, he hasn’t always been and he doesn't always have to be. But still, “Eventually, everyone leaves.”

“Sometimes they come back.”

“Yeah, one out of dozens, maybe even hundreds. A great track record.” Blitzø pulls away. Fizz lets him go, but trails his mechanical hands down Blitzø’s arms to gently hold his hands. It’s nothing romantic, just the touch of another demon. It’s nice. 

“Maybe, but have you attempted to reconcile with anyone other than me?”

Blitzø stays silent. He hasn’t. He just assumed his absence was better for everyone. It seems that way based on what Blitzø has seen on social media. Satan, even Fizz’s life was phenomenal without Blitzø in it. There just happened to be a moment for the two of them to actually talk. He doesn’t say any of this, though. He’s done talking. He’s still hurting. He wants to be wrapped up in a blanket. To collapse onto a comfortable surface. To cry himself to sleep.

“Let’s get you home, hmm?” Fizz asks, like he knows what Blitzø needs.

But, Blitzø shakes his head. He doesn’t want to go home. He doesn’t want to see Loona if she’s in their apartment. 

“Oz and I still have a room set up and ready. How ‘bout we head there instead?”

Blitzø nods and moves Fizz’s hands from his. “I love you, Momma. Thanks for bringing Fizz here tonight,” he whispers and touches his forehead to the rock. 

At some point, probably soon, Blitzø will have to see Stolas again. He will have to explain this entire night to M&M and Loona. He’ll have to have a conversation with Loona and try to understand why she kept her knowledge a secret. And he’s dreading it all. Sometimes, he wishes he could collapse just like the flower on his Momma’s grave. It would make it all too easy. And Blitzø is no stranger to running away from his problems. But something about what Fizz said tonight, something about it that Blitzø can’t even remember, makes him stay. Makes him follow after Fizz and keep his gun tucked into his holster. Maybe if the conversations crash and burn, the gun will move. But Blitzø will let everything happen as it happens. At least, for now. 

Chapter Text

Stolas doesn’t know if he did the right thing by calling Asmodeus. It was after the bath water had grown cold and after all the tears had been shed and after all Stolas’ overthinking and reviewing everything he did wrong over the course of his scheme that he realized Blitzø had mentioned texting his friend, Fizzarolli, that they would be staying at Asmodeus’ palace to be safe. And it was with the realization that made Stolas assume Blitzø had never updated Fizzarolli that both he and Blitzø were safe. And then came the realization that Blitzø should not be alone and maybe Fizzarolli could help him. And that, while he shouldn't meddle in his life anymore, he'd rather have Blitzø hate him and be safe than the alternative.

“Birdy, this you? You okay?” Asmodeus asks, his voice is tight. “Your imp guy texted Fizzy a bit ago and now won’t respond. Said you were in danger and you needed someplace safe to go to?”

“Ahh yes, sorry for the misunderstanding, Asmodeus. I am fine. However, I did seem to have,” Stolas pauses, trying to find the best way to word this before he gives up. “I may have fucked up with Blitzø. Correction: I definitely did. However, I am worried for his well-being and don’t want him to be alone. Maybe you could send Fizzarolli to him? I know they seem to have rekindled their relationship?”

Asmodeus groans a little. He sounds tired and frustrated now that he knows everything is okay with Stolas. “We’re going to talk about what happened, you and me Birdie Babe, but I’ll see what I can do with my Fizzy going after your Blitzø.”

Stolas doesn’t say anything about it, but he thinks that Blitzø is not ‘his.’ Thinks that Blitzø had never been his. Spending time as an imp, while not all that horrendous considering most of his time was spent in Imp City, has opened Stolas’ eyes. Saying that Blitzø was ‘his’ makes Stolas shiver in disgust. It could be cute, if they were in a relationship, a real one like Asmodeus and Fizzarolli, but not right now. Not without Blitzø’s explicit permission. Stolas has fucked up enough, he doesn’t want to ruin things more. “Thank you,” is what Stolas says instead. He bows his head, although Asmodeus will not be able to see his sign of respect. 

The Sin of Lust responds, probably saying goodbye, but Stolas’ ears are ringing. He’s remembering sitting in the bath. The door slamming closed. Biting on his tongue to silence the sobs that want to escape him. Waiting for the crashing and screaming of Blitzø destructive anger. But there was none of that. Just silence. Shuffling from Blitzø gathering his clothes, the sloshes of the bath water, but nothing loud. Nothing fiery. Nothing like the Blitzø that Stolas has come to know. And he thinks that’s the part that scared him the most. That he broke Blitzø so much that he has turned him emotionless. It was that part that made Stolas let out loud, nasty sobs and hiccups unbecoming of a fully grown Prince of Hell as soon as he heard Blitzø close his balcony doors. And, eventually, it was that part that made Stolas call Asmodeus in a way to make sure Blitzø wasn’t going to be alone tonight. 

Stolas can only hope Fizzarolli can find Blitzø. He hopes the jester can be there in a way Stolas has never been able to. He hopes that Blitzø will be able to open up. For Satan’s sake, Stolas doesn’t even care if he gets bitched out and cussed and gossiped about. He just wants Blitzø back to normal. Or as normal as he can be after the betrayal Stolas pulled on him. 

What a mess Stolas has made of this all. He knows it would be easier to deal with if he had someone to pretend for. But Octavia is with her mother until Sunday, Stolas’ staff are always given weekends off, and of course, Blitzø left. For good reason. Stolas doesn’t feel the slightest bit of animosity toward the imp for his reaction. Either way, Stolas is alone. He hasn’t felt this lonely in a while. Not even at the hospital after Striker’s attempt on Stolas’ life. He thinks this time is different because it’s all his own fault. Stolas didn’t think his idea through. He didn’t think about the consequences. He was acting like… well, he was acting like a Goetia. And that realization disgusts Stolas. 

He doesn’t even have a good explanation for Blitzø, if he were to ever want one, not that Stolas is expecting to hear from him ever again. He’s hurt Blitzø in an unforgivable way. And Stolas wants to bash his head into the bathroom counter. It seems like, recently, the only thing Stolas is good at is hurting those around him. It’s not even a woe-is-me thought, it’s the truth. The undeniable, objective truth. Only facts. This isn’t a romance novel. Stolas doesn’t think there’s any coming back from this. But if Blitzø is willing, so is Stolas. Stolas is more than willing. But he knows he cannot berate Blitzø. It will have to be Blitzø’s wish. Stolas cannot and will not interfere with his life more than he already has.

Stolas is shivering but he doesn’t know if it’s from the water still dripping off his feathers or from the sharp, stabbing guild he’s feeling. He drops onto his bed, unpreened feathers and all. He doesn’t care about the puddle of water seeping into the blankets. He just lets himself feel all the bad things. He deserves it. He needs to know how this feels. He needs to learn from it. He’s not self-destructing like he’d assume he would do. He’s not thinking of things he could have done differently. He’s just letting the emotions soak into him. 

He almost wishes Blitzø blew up at Stolas. He almost wishes he could have seen the burn of anger in the assassin’s eyes. At least that way, Stolas would have known he’d get through this. As it is, Stolas has no idea what Blitzø is going to do. Where he went. If he’s contacted anyone. If Fizzarolli has found him. He doesn’t want to intrude on Blitzø’s life anymore, he doesn’t want to invade his privacy further, but he wants to know he’s safe. Not doing something stupid. Something that may not feel stupid in the moment. Something that may actually feel rational. Stolas is no stranger to those thoughts. And he hopes Blitzø isn’t having them, but he also doesn’t know all that Blitzø has been through. He doesn’t know if this was just one final push or if Blitzø is stronger than Stolas is. 

Well, actually, Stolas knows Blitzø is stronger than him. But that doesn’t matter now. Because something, even small, can feel like a ton of concrete crushing you. Stolas knows all too well. And he knows this isn’t something small.

Everything, everything, is running through Stolas’ head. 

My impish plaything.

You littler ones.

Constantly demeaning and belittling, not only Blitzø, but his family as well.

Stolas has fucked up a lot over this past year. And he might never be able to apologize to Blitzø. And he wouldn’t even be able to blame him. 

And even if Blitzø were willing to hear him out, what would Stolas even say? He doesn’t know how to explain his thought process. He doesn’t even know his own thought process. 

He’s a spoiled prince and wanted Blitzø no matter what? While not untrue, it sounds like he thinks he deserves Blitzø, like he’s some sort of prize that Stolas won. 

He wanted to get rid of the class difference between them so Blitzø could see that Stolas doesn’t care about it? Their lives and different upbringings do matter, to the both of them even if Stolas didn’t believe it at first.

He wanted to see how Blitzø acted when not around upper-class demons? It makes Blitzø seem like some kind of science experiment, like Stolas has been testing Blitzø the entire time. 

There’s no good explanation. They can always be taken the wrong way. But also, maybe, the way Stolas inadvertently meant. He shivers. Stolas has realized just how shit of a demon he’s been.

But, Stolas, for now, has to wait. Has to go on with his life. Because even though he hurt, possibly broke, one of the demons that mean the most to him, Stolas still has a life to live. A daughter to take care of. Stars to track. Duties to perform. 

Stolas allows himself to fall into a fitful sleep. Still wet. Still naked. Still over the blankets. Still sideways on the bed. And if he wakes up sore and feeling disgusting, well, Stolas knows he deserves it.

Chapter Text

Blitzø wakes up on a bed much nicer and much more comfortable than his shitty couch in his shitty apartment. He keeps his eyes closed and breathes in the scent around him, but it’s all wrong. It doesn’t smell like Stolas’ preening oil and fancy bath stuff, it smells… too clean. Too fresh. Too impersonal. 

Blitzø doesn’t want to think about all that happened last night, but looking up at the much too large ceiling, in the room that Blitzø isn’t familiar with, it’s hard to ignore the flood of memories and emotions crashing over him. And he hates it. But there’s nothing for him to do. Blitzø doesn’t mind staying here all day, in the huge, fluffy bed with equally as fluffy pillows, and blankets that could hide and smother him. He wouldn't mind staying here all day, staring at nothing until he could numb his emotions enough to pretend that nothing had happened. Nothing has harmed him. Blitzø will be fine. He’s had to deal with feelings like this before, maybe not so brutal, but he can get through it all, once more. He just has to process for a little, guzzle a gallon of the cheapest and strongest alcohol he can buy, and then he’s good to go. Push the memories away, push his emotions to the back. It’s not like any of it matters. 

Blitzø doesn’t even care about Stolas. Despite everything about the past, Blitzø has to believe that the prince means nothing to him. Because that’s the only way anything will get better. Blitzø has to continue to go to Stolas’ big-ass palace and fuck him until he’s satisfied once a month, if only so he can continue to keep his business alive. But, in order to do that, Blitzø has to convince himself that everything was a lie. Nothing between him and Stolas mattered. It was all a scheme for the bird. A way to learn more about his subjects. Feel better, get his kink more prominent by hanging around the very dirt he wants to dominate him. 

Blitzø is still staring at the ceiling, allowing his eyes to water and blur the lights above him. They aren’t turned on, but they’re still extravagant. Blitzø just wishes he were looking at a canopy instead. He wishes that nothing had happened last night. He wishes it could all go away. He wishes he had never met Stolas.

But he also wishes he had Stolas in his arms. Or himself in Stolas’. He wishes that Stolas were here to apologize and stroke Blitzø’s head and kiss his tears away like Blitzø knows he would do if Stolas cared at all. 

A knock on the door. Or, Blitzø supposes it should be doors. Because despite this being a guest room, Asmodeus had to go all out and add a double-door entrance. And beautiful art. And stupidly personalized-without-being-personalized knickknacks scattered throughout. Blitzø doesn’t understand it. But he’s also not a Deadly Sin. Or a Prince of Hell. And Blitzø hasn’t had any reason to go into any of Stolas’ guest rooms, so he doesn’t even know if this is normal or not. He thinks it is, though. These rich assholes have more money and connections than the entire species of imps would know what to do with. And instead of helping them, the dicks go and use their power to pretend to be one of them, to manipulate and learn more without the others' knowledge. 

Another knock. Blitzø mumbles something, he doesn't even know what he says or if it can be heard. The door opens anyway. Blitzø doesn’t know whether to be relieved or pissed off that the demon entered. He looks over, turning to his side so he’s in the fetal position facing the intruder. It’s Fizz. Could be worse. It could have been Asmodeus. Blitzø doesn’t know if he’d be able to see demon royalty without either sobbing or shooting them. Instead, Blitzø just has to give Fizz a smile. It’s barely there, obviously fake, but it’s all Blitzø can do right now. 

“Hey, Buddy,” Fizzarolli says, stepping into the room and giving a sheepish grin. He closes the doors behind him and bounds his way over to the luxury bed Blitzø is still curled in. It only takes him two steps. Blitzø doesn’t know if it’s because Fizz is used to having to take large steps to keep up with his fuck-thing or if it’s because he’s anxious to see how Blitzø is doing. 

Blitzø huffs air out of his nose, but sticks a hand toward his friend in a silent question. He wants some sort of contact, but a hug feels like too much. Fizz gets it. Being friends for years, despite their fallout, gives them some sort of silent communication skills. A metal hand is slotted into Blitzø’s flesh one. It’s warmer than Blitzø would have thought. Except for the firmness, he would think it was Fizz’s actual hand. But no, because Blitzø can physically see the metal and the connectors and everything fake that makes up Fizz. And if Blitzø weren’t so focused on his own misery, he is sure he would find a sliver of guilt in him. Instead, he just grips the hand. 

“You up for talking or do you want a distraction?” Fizz asks. It’s quiet. Not a whisper, but more like Blitzø is a feral animal ready to hiss and run off. It would make Blitzø bristle, his spikes stand on end and his tail lash, but he’s just so numb. Numb and sad. Can he be both? Well, he is. 

Blitzø shrugs but opens his mouth. “Coffee first?”

A smirk from his best friend. A knowing gleam in his eyes. This, Blitzø can handle. This is the Fizz he knows. An imp a little too knowledgeable, someone who takes a win when he can get it, and an empathetic bastard who cares too much and too deeply. Blitzø wonders what Fizz thinks of him. 

A hand, the one that Blitzø isn’t holding, extends and slithers out the door. When it returns, an iced coffee, more cream than coffee, is gripped between the fingers. Blitzø allows a real, genuine smile, however small it may be, to cross over his face when he sees it. “Assuming you haven’t changed your coffee order in the last fifteen years, I prepared for this stipend.” A wink goes along with the statement and Fizz’s smile grows when Blitzø sits up, lets go of his friend’s hand, and makes ‘grabby hands’ to the cup.

It’s quiet, now. Fizz allows Blitzø to sip his caffeine in peace. But it also makes Blitzø twitch. He wants to tell Fizz. Because he knows, whatever he confessed last night, is not nearly the whole story. And, despite things sometimes still being tense between the two imps, Blitzø has never once stopped thinking of Fizzarolli as his best friend and the demon who knows him best. 

And so, Blitzø starts to talk. He starts at the beginning. A strange imp, Elios, shows up at IMP. How Blitzø was immediately suspicious. How everything became worse when the stranger kept inputting himself into Moxxie and Millie’s lives. How Loona would make weird comments, something he now knows as little hints as to who Elios really is. How Blitzø agreed to get drinks with Elios to get him drunk and loose-lipped. To interrogate him, figure out what the weird imp wanted from Blitzø. And how, when Blitzø saw Elios with Stolas’ card, he freaked out and saw red. He got Elios drunk, as was the plan, and cornered him, threatened him, how there was a glimpse of magic, the weird escape Elios made, everything. And then, this Blitzø didn’t go into detail with, he doesn’t want Fizz to know just how soft he is for the owl, how Stolas let Blitzø take him to bed in celebration that Elios was gone. And how, during aftercare, Stolas told Blitzø that he was Elios. And now, Blitzø is actually… talking about his feelings. Which feels weird. But Fizzarolli always brought out the best in Blitzø. Sometimes, it’s good that things don’t change. 

“And Stolas didn’t stop me. He allowed me to grab my clothes and leave his palace and he didn’t say anything else. And, Fizz, I was just, no, I still am, feeling so betrayed and used. What information was Stolas trying to get from me that he couldn’t have asked? Why wouldn’t he tell me about this batshit insane fucking plan if it were to just try to fucking, I dunno, Aladdin this shit? I just feel so used. And I know this whole thing between us started as us both using each other for different things, but I thought it was different. I thought things were changing. I was staying the night more often. Allowing Stolas to drag me places. I went over to his on nights that weren’t the full moon. I don’t know how he got me to lower my walls, how he got me to care about him, but he did and all this feels like he did it just to… continue to have me as a plaything and nothing more.” Blitzø rolls his eyes and collapses back into a heap. He’s been sitting up talking for too long. His coffee is gone. Fizz hasn’t allowed his attention to waver. He just continued to sit with Blitzø, giving him little hums or nods or gasps when the story called for it. He would put a hand on Blitzø’s knee or elbow or hand in support. He just allowed everything to get out. Without any sort of response. And Blitzø needed that. He loves Moxxie and Millie and Loona, but they always have something to say to him. Fizz is full of endless support and it is exactly what Blitzø needs right now. 

Finally, after the silence sits for a little, Fizzarolli takes a breath and lets it out slowly. “This is a complicated situation, Blitzø,” is all he says at first. “And what Stolas did, regardless of his intentions, was not good in the slightest. However, I am curious as to what his reasons were. Because, to me and based on what Ozzie’s said ‘bout him, he’s not,” he pauses, as if rolling around different words in his head, “purposefully nefarious.”

Blitzø just huffs. He knows that, or he thought he did, but Stolas’ recent actions have shown Blitzø that he’s just like every other member of royalty. 

“I’m not saying you should talk to him, especially right now while you’re processing, but, if you do want to get closure, I would recommend it.”

Blitzø turns his head, looking up to Fizz. “How do you do it? Be in a relationship with a Sin?”

Fizz laughs. “It was hard at first, especially after, well, everything. It was hard to believe he actually liked me. Loved me, even. Sometimes it’s still a struggle. But Ozz knows that. He makes sure to tell me or show me how much I mean to him every day. And not in an insignificant way either. It’s not like, he’s buying me things I don’t care about. It’s things like giving me a leash for my quieves, because he knows I love them. It was him gifting me a disabled quieve because otherwise she would have been put down, and he believed in me when I was,” Fizz pauses and looks down at himself. He never finishes the sentence. “And I believed in her too, because of him. Ozzie may be the scary Sin of Lust on the outside, but when it’s just us, I can see it in his eyes that he cares. That he would do anything he could for me. And on the hard days, I remind myself of it. And he reminds me of it. And sometimes, I have to ask, but he’s always been supportive of me.”

Blitzø’s eyes are wide. He wasn’t expecting that. He’s a little in awe of how things work for them, but mostly, he’s confused. How is it possible? With Asmodeus having imps as slaves to work for him? Moving them like they’re objects and abusing them? How does it not bother Fizz? But Blitzø also doesn’t want to know. “Yeah, but Stolas doesn’t care for me like that,” Blitzø mumbles and looks back to the ceiling. It was a bad idea, to ask. Now he feels envious of everything Fizz has, despite everything he lost being all Blitzø’s fault. 

Fizz grabs onto Blitzø again. Both his prosthetics are wrapped around Blitzø’s singular hand. It makes Blitzø want to tear up, if only for having his friend back. “I wouldn’t be so sure about that.” Blitzø tilts his head in question, but he’s afraid to ask it. “I’m not telling you this as a way to convince you of anything, but Ozzie told me that Stolas came here asking for one of his crystals. For you.” 

Blitzø swallows down a lump in his throat. “He wanted to throw me away and couldn’t because you said no?”

Fizz looks frustrated now. Blitzø doesn’t know who it’s aimed at. Probably Blitzø. Blitzø makes most everyone frustrated with him. “No, because he found himself having genuine feelings for you. And it didn’t feel right to continue to use you. Or something like that. It’s a little fuzzy, Ozz was repairing my arm after the whole kidnapping thing, so I was a little in shock.” Fizzarolli lets out a little, anxious chuckle. It’s a sound Blitzø has heard a millions times before. “I thought about telling Ozz to let you have it, but I didn’t want to get my hopes up that we’d be okay. Plus, like I said: shock.”

Blitzø nods. He has a lot to think about. He wants to talk to Stolas, but not for a while. He wants to see if Stolas will reach out first. He wants to allow himself time to simmer and time to process. But he also wants an explanation. He wants to know if what Fizz said is true. 

“Thanks, Fizz,” Blitzø finally says. 

Fizz smiles in return. “Want a burger?”

At least Blitzø knows, until he inevitably ruins this, too, he’ll have Fizzarolli in his corner.

Chapter Text

Stolas hasn’t gotten much confirmation that Blitzø is alright. Just a simple text from Ozzie.

We’ve got him

That’s all it says. And Stolas has been staring at his phone for hours now. He’s letting time pass him like it doesn’t matter anymore. But it does. Because in just a few hours, Octavia will arrive and Stolas won’t be alone with his stupid brain. 

He deserves all of it though, what his brain is telling him. He’s selfish and certainly has some classism and even racism to work through. He needs to be better. A better demon, a better father, and, maybe one day, a better lover. To whoever will allow it. Because this thing with Blitzø, the thing they used to have, it wasn’t right. It was both of them using each other. It was coercion. It was Blitzø taking advantage of Stolas’ lack of social and sexual interactions and Stolas taking use of the fact that Blitzø needed his book to do his job. To survive. To help his daughter survive. It was more than just Blitzø; he was doing this for his little group, whom he considers family. Stolas, on the other hand, he was doing it for himself. It was purely selfish on his end. It still is.

It makes Stolas feel sick, thinking about all this. His stomach is churning and he can feel the burn of bile climbing up his throat. It’s a shame that, instead of eating or leaving the bed, Stolas has just been sleeping and staring at Asmodeus’ text message. It’s always worse to dry heave than to expel insides. 

But, Stolas holds himself back. He flops, belly up, on the bed, his phone still in his hand. He checks the time. Just a couple more hours until he sees the light of his life. The thing that has made everything worth it. His marriage may have been loveless and abusive and horrendous and arranged, but Octavia is something Stolas can never regret. Even the sex with Stella, not that it was much of anything, was worth it. Just because he got his Starfire out of it. He’d go through it all over again if it meant getting Octavia. 

She might be one of the only reasons Stolas feels his body move. It’s almost like he’s not the one in control. He’d be more weirded out, but he feels similarly in his Eldritch form. So, he allows himself to move, to take a shower, to preen himself, and to put on clothes. For Octavia. It’s not a lot, it’s not making her her favorite muffins or getting her a new hat, but he will always be here for his daughter. Depression be damned, his broken relationship with Blitzø be damned, right now, Octavia needs to be at the center of Stolas’ attention.

And yes, maybe he is avoiding thinking about everything. But Octavia really is Stolas’ top priority. She always has been. Even in his more… distracted moments, he always comes back to her. It’s the only reason he stayed with Stella as long as he had. He could handle the slaps and abusive words, he wouldn’t be a Prince of Hell if he couldn’t, but he also wouldn’t put himself in the situation forced on him if he had a choice. 

Thank Satan the divorce has finally started to become more in-reach than Stolas has ever thought. Maybe it’s not exactly exciting for Octavia, but Stolas is relieved he no longer has to deal with his ex-wife. 

After all Stolas’ basic self-care tasks are completed, he sits on his couch. Facing a TV. Its screen is black and he sees himself in the reflection. All four of his eyes are drooped, looking exhausted. His feathers have lost some of their shine and fluffiness, he’s thinned them out a considerable amount with the stress he’s put on himself these past two days. Not even two days. Friday night, Saturday, and, a quick check at the time, ten hours of Sunday. 

Octavia should be home at any moment. Stolas needs to find energy from somewhere to be as normal as possible for his daughter. And he will. He just needs to take a few deep breaths. Close his eyes. Bury his phone beneath the pile of blankets that have somehow found their way onto his couch. And he’s ready. He’s ready to pretend. 

Stolas read somewhere, one time, long ago, that if you pretend you’re happy, your brain will convince you you are. If you smile for long enough, even fake, it will begin to feel real. And so, Stolas does. He watches himself through the black TV screen as he puts on a smile. His beak curves upward, too far at first, then down to something more reasonable. Less crazed. The Stolas in the reflection still looks tired but he looks less obviously depressed than before. 

He doesn’t feel any better. Not that it matters. He knows he deserves all the bad feelings for what he’s done. Right now, though, he cannot focus on that. He cannot lose the concentration he put together for this perfect-looking smile. 

He has to focus on Octavia. This smile is for her. 

And right on time too, he hears the door to his palace slam open. Certainly not his daughter, but he knows Octavia is probably right behind the aggressive entrance. A deep breath. Stolas watches his talons move to the entryway. He watches as his arms move in opposition to his feet. And finally, she is in view. She’s listening to music, but only one earbud is in. She’s attentive, watching for when Stolas will arrive. It makes the smile on Stolas’ face feel less forced. 

Before either can say anything though, Stella gets in Stolas’ face. He hides a shudder as her breath fans into his face. It doesn’t smell bad, just like freshly brewed jasmine tea, but it brings back bad memories. And thus, Stolas doesn’t hear a word she screeches at him. Instead, Stolas nods and dismisses her with, “If you have something important to say about the divorce, have your lawyer contact mine.” It’s a sentence that flows out with relative ease nowadays. Something that used to make Stolas feel giddy. Now, he’s just tired. He wants her gone. He wants his time to be spent on the youngest Goetia. And so, he leans to catch Octavia’s eye and holds out an arm as a way to ask for a hug. 

If she accepts, it’s a 50/50 chance, it’ll be the first bout of contact he’s had with anything alive since Blitzø left him. And now, Blitzø is in Stolas’ head again. He wishes the imp wasn’t. Just for a moment. Just to let him enjoy getting to see his daughter again after a week of dull texts. Just-- arms are wrapped around Stolas’ torso and his own automatically and on instinct return the embrace.

“Hey, Dad,” Octavia mutters into him. It’s nice to feel the vibrations of her voice and the smoothness of her feathers. 

“Hello, Darling,” Stolas replies. He’s relieved. His voice is betraying him. He knows Octavia will notice but maybe she won’t say anything. “How was your week? Did your mother take you to do anything fun?” he asks. He knows the answer is no. Stolas knows that Stell probably ignored the poor girl, let her lock herself in her room and avoid all social interactions. Sometimes, Via is too similar to Stolas. 

Octavia doesn’t answer verbally, most likely due to her mother lingering with a glare in her eyes and a sneer on her face, but she does shrug and mumble something even Stolas’ keen ears cannot catch. Finally, she pulls away from the hug and glances at Stella. She’s slightly uncomfortable and stiff in her movements. 

“If that is all, Stella, you may leave,” Stolas finally addresses her. He wants to grab Via’s arm, turn around, and drag her with him away from his ex. But, Stella is still Octavia’s mother. She still deserves a hug goodbye or some other form of farewell. 

Octavia raises an arm in a lazy wave. She’s not fully into it. Stolas can’t tell if it’s because she doesn’t want to say goodbye or if she’s not happy about having to act civil with her. It shouldn’t matter to Stolas, but it still bothers him. He shouldn’t have forced this two-household, constant traveling mess on his owlet. And yet, he has. 

As the door slams shut behind Stella, Octavia looks back to her father. Directly into his eyes. There’s a hidden emotion behind those eyes. Contempt? Disappointment? Stolas can’t tell. He just knows it’s not positive. 

“Loona texted me.”

Stolas tilts his head in confusion. He knows they’ve been texting. Currently about Stolas’ fucked up way to get to know Blitzø. But she doesn’t look at Stolas with pity, which makes him think she doesn’t know how things ended on Friday. When it’s obvious Octavia won’t continue, Stolas finally prompts her verbally, “And?”

“She told me he hasn’t come home.”

Stolas hears the implication. She thinks Blitzø is here, hiding, ready for another round or something. No wonder why she is not ecstatic upon bringing this up. “I believe he is in Lust with Fizzarolli,” Stolas says, turning around and walking to the kitchen. It’s probably time for them both to eat something. Stolas is sure he has something in the fridge or freezer he can easily microwave. 

“He’s not here?” Octavia is following after her father, keeping up with his long strides and faster-than-normal pace. 

Stolas swallows. His saliva is thick, uncomfortable. He doesn’t want to talk about this with Octavia, but he supposes he should, especially considering she’s the one bringing it up. She’s bringing up Blitzø without a hint of hatred toward the imp. And Stolas sees that as progress. Even if it might not matter after everything that happened. “He left late Friday night. I made sure to have Asmodeus, well, Fizzarolli really, check in on him considering he wasn’t in the best headspace. I assume Blitzø is still with his friend.” Stolas says all this with his head in the freezer. He’s not looking at anything, not moving any frozen food around. He’s just hiding from his own daughter’s reaction. Waiting to have to explain it all to her. 

“He found out, didn’t he?” is all Octavia asks. 

“I told him.”

It’s not silent. Stolas’ head is so deep in the freezer that he can hear the buzzing noise of the electricity. But neither Goetia says anything more. And finally, Stolas spots something that he can easily warm up. He pulls out the meal and places it on the counter without removing his head. Finally, a deep breath, and he takes himself a couple of paces away from the appliance. The door swings closed without Stolas having to touch it again. 

“We could watch Hella-Novella together?” Octavia finally breaks their heavy silence. 

Stolas knows she’s trying to make him feel better. It makes him feel guilty. That’s not what a daughter is meant to be doing. It should be the other way around. And yet, he cannot say no. Instead, “What about one of those shows you enjoy? Wasn’t there a movie you wanted to watch and haven’t gotten around to yet?”

A hint of a smile on Octavia’s beak. Good, Stolas is doing something right. At least he’s not dooming this relationship. The last good thing he has. 

“That sounds good, Dad.”

It might not be perfect, it might not be the reconciliation with Blitzø that Stolas wants, but today, this week, he has his Starfire. He has his daughter. And, really, that should be more than enough for Stolas to feel better. Not good, but better. 

At least until she leaves him to go with her mother again. 

But that’s not now. Now is sitting on the couch, blanket draped over him and his daughter with her head resting on Stolas’ shoulder. And it’s nice. It’s not the romantic love Stolas craves, but it’s the familial love he treasures. 

Chapter Text

After Blitzø’s long weekend with Fizzarolli, he really doesn’t want to go back home. He and Fizz talked, of course, about everything. From Blitzø’s feelings toward Stolas, how he feels now, about his and Fizz’s past, about how he feels betrayed by his own daughter, but also to more lighthearted things like memories of the two friends sneaking out in the middle of the night to go to a bar or about how much or little their ice cream tastes have changed. 

Blitzø wishes he could continue to live in that little bubble with just Fizzarolli and, on occasion, Asmodeus, but he has a job to get to-- an entire company to run. And, despite his hurt toward Loona, he also has a daughter to take care of.

Blitzø has gotten texts from almost everyone he has a positive connection with in his life. But not Stolas. Not the one person he wants to hear anything from. He wouldn’t care if it’s a you’re being overdramatic or an I’m sorry or anything in between. Blitzø just wants to hear something from the prince. And instead, it’s silence. Blitzø doesn’t know what this means for him. What it means for Stolas. What it means for them both. 

Blitzø’s employees have each sent some sort of congratulations. Maybe thinking he went home with “Elios” or went to Stolas' and spent the entire weekend with whoever it was he went home with. But, while they weren’t technically wrong, Blitzø stayed the weekend in Lust. Third-wheeling Fizz and his giant ass boyfriend. Which really meant avoiding the two of them when they were together and spending every other second around Fizz. 

Moxxie sent a little Use protection , Blitzø

Millie with Proud of you for lettin loose

And Loona was the worst. She sent multiple texts.

Good for him for coming clean

Don’t go too crazy

Seems like you’re having a fun time. When will you be home?

They kept going. Every time Loona sees that Blitzø read her texts, she sends another. Which is why Blitzø stopped opening her texts. Stopped reading them from the little notification pop-ups too. And now, he’s standing in front of his own apartment, dreading going inside. 

He loves Loona, and he isn't angry with her, just disappointed. He always heard his Momma say it and it hurt to hear. But now that he’s on the opposite side of it, he realizes just how much worse it is. Being a parent and feeling disappointment in someone he loves and cares for with everything in his body, it’s hard. He feels guilty, too. For feeling this way toward Loona. But he can’t control it. He’s finally feeling something . Something other than numbness. So, he may be feeling guilty and disappointed, but he’s also relieved that he’s past the numbness. At least for now. At least while he’s in front of the door to his apartment. 

And so, he opens the door. The key gets stuck in the lock, as it always does. Blitzø wiggles it, less aggressively than he would normally-- he’s still not feeling like himself-- and opens the door. He knows Loona will be inside considering the van is parked in the shitty parking lot the complex owns but he doesn’t know if she’ll be awake yet. It’s a Monday, but Loona is always rough getting up in the mornings. Especially after a weekend. It’s why he’s slightly shocked when he opens the door to see Loona cooking. Eggs are popping on the stovetop and Blitzø immediately knows the burner is on too high. Still, he doesn’t say anything. He just closes the door gently behind him and watches his daughter. She looks so relaxed, carefree. Is this what she’s like every time Blitzø is away? Has Blitzø really been making her life that much worse? 

Blitzø shakes his head, trying to remove the thoughts. 

“Loona,” Blitzø greets. He’s nervous. His voice shakes. 

Loona’s head turns and she greets him with an uncharacteristic smile. “Blitzø, welcome back. Want some eggs?” She looks so happy. And Blitzø has no idea why. He’s inferred by now Octavia would have updated her, assuming that’s why the two have been communicating so often. But maybe not. 

“Loona, sweetheart, we should probably talk.”

“You and Princey are together, right? For real now. Congratulations,” she grins big. All teeth. All real. It makes Blitzø feel even more guilty. 

“No.” It’s straight and to the point. And Blitzø can’t help but to put a hint of a growl in it. “We aren’t. I don’t know where we stand right now, but that’s not what I want to talk to you about.” Blitzø has never felt more like a dad. He’s never really… done this entire ‘dad’ thing before. 

Loona’s face falls. Her ears turn backward, almost against her head. Her tail stops wagging. It falls and presses against one of her legs. She moves the pan of still-popping eggs off the burner and turns fully around to face Blitzø. “Okay,” she sounds hesitant. “What’s up?” Loona crosses her arms and leans back against the counter. Blitzø can see how her claws dig slightly into her arms. Not enough to leave marks or even to hurt, but enough to keep her grounded. 

Blitzø would know; he does the same thing. He wonders if he influenced her in doing that. But, he pushes that out of his mind. His tail is curling and releasing, constantly, in guilt. “You knew the entire time,” is what he ends up saying. 

Loona swallows. Blitzø can tell she knows what he’s talking about. “I did. Thought it was harmless, though.” A disinterested shrug accompanies the statement. 

Blitzø shifts his weight. Again and again and again. Until, finally, he figures out the right words to say. “Stolas was lying to me for weeks. Was lying to everyone I care about for weeks , Loona. And for what?” Blitzø is starting to feel the pressing weight of disappointment. “Why was he doing this? To go behind my back? Get information out of me I wouldn’t tell him? Try to find something to use me and fucking manipulate me with? Why would you let him do this without telling me, Loona?”

Loona looks away. Thinks. Her claws dig a little deeper. But not enough to cause damage. Blitzø keeps a close eye on her. “I-” a pause, “-didn’t think about it like that, Blitzø. It was just a fun thing to keep me entertained. Another way for Stolas to get to know you. I didn’t think it was a big deal,” she rolls her eyes and turns back around to the stove. Then, with a grumble that Blitzø is meant to hear but supposed to think he wasn’t, “It’s still not a big fucking deal.” 

Loona takes the eggs and plates them on one plate. Then, with a glare digging into Blitzø’s possibly-there soul, she scarfs it all down. 

Blitzø takes the sass easily. She’ll get over it eventually. Blitzø knows it. “If you’re done, let’s get to work. I still have to tell M&M that things aren’t all horses and dildos between Stolas and me.”

Loona scoffs and grabs a pair of earbuds before she trudges toward the door. Blitzø follows her and locks the apartment. It’s an awkwardly silent ride, even when Moxxie and Millie join. 

Finally, as they pull into IMP’s certified parking space, Blitzø speaks up. “Whatever you thought happened between Stolas and I or… Elios, it didn’t.” And that’s the end of it. 

Blitzø thinks it’s his tone that makes no one say anything. No one asks questions or talks to Blitzø about any men or women or fuckbuddies. It’s purely work-focused. It’s nice, oddly. Blitzø thinks this is a much more productive day than usual. But it could be the constant numb-to-guilt-to-disappointment floaty feeling he’s been in. 

And then, when it’s 30 minutes until they shut down, Loona knocks on Blitzø’s cracked open door. She doesn’t wait for Blitzø to say anything, she enters, shuts the door, and talks. “You were right, Dad. What Stolas did was shitty and I’ve been thinking about it all day and I’m sorry I didn’t tell you. It was just fucking fun to enjoy all the idiocy between the two of you.” And then, she leaves. 

She doesn’t allow Blitzø to say anything else. But he doesn’t have to. He knew Loona was going to come around. And she did. Faster than Blitzø would have expected. 

A genuine grin forms over Blitzø’s face. He knows he can always count on Loona. Even if he’s a shitty father. 

And then, Blitzø’s phone dings and he’s too distracted to check who it is that messaged him. He looks at his phone without a second thought.

Feel the need to ignore this, however, if you are up to it, I would love an opportunity to explain and express my remorse for any hardships I may have caused you over the past few weeks. As previously stated, you are more than welcome to ignore me until you see fit. And if that is never, I understand. 

And Blitzø’s mood crashes back to the beginning.

Chapter Text

Stolas is freaked out. He still hasn’t fully told Octavia what happened, just how much he messed things up with Blitzø, but she doesn’t stray from hanging around him. He’s ashamed to admit just how much her company has helped him, though. He feels guilty about feeling so upset when he’s around his daughter. His endless happiness is meant to come from her, isn’t it? And yet, while she helps, Stolas doesn’t feel truly happy. 

There are moments where things feel normal and natural and good. Where Stolas and Octavia are replanting plants into larger pots or giggling at plot points in movies and shows with obvious holes or stupid roundabouts to make the story longer and more convoluted or when the duo are just messing around with magic, letting Via get more comfortable with using it. 

But there are also moments, seemingly random, when things aren’t right. Where the plants snap just a little too hard against Stolas’ fingers and remind him of Blitzø’s sharp teeth or when a horse or similar animal shows up on a show that makes Stolas think just how much he wants to take a photo and text it to the imp in a way to show he’s thinking about the demon or when Via pulls up a view of the solar system Earth resides in and Stolas cannot take his eyes of Earth’s moon he’s always thought connected to Blitzø. 

It’s a mess. And Via hasn't even been home for an entire two days. Stolas isn’t supposed to be the one being consoled. He’s not the one who should be accepting soup from his daughter. It should be the opposite. His Starfire should be the one bundled up in a blanket with watery eyes. But no, it’s Stolas. He has a lot to be guilty about in recent days. Stolas can’t decide which thing he feels most guilty for. 

Either way, reaching out to Blitzø may have just been another mistake. Another thing to feel guilty about. Blitzø may need more time. But at least Stolas was smart enough not to go to Blitzø directly and corner him. At least with a text, Blitzø can ignore Stolas if he so desires. And that’s what Stolas is expecting: for Blitzø to ignore him until he can no longer do so. Which is why it’s such a surprise when Stolas’ phone dings in Blitzø’s special ringtone. Just a couple minutes after Stolas sent the dreaded text, too.

2maro

That’s it. That’s all it says. And Stolas has no idea what it could mean. Tomorrow must mean after IMP is closed for the day. But that doesn’t give Stolas specifics. Not when or where to meet. Not if Blitzø is mad at him. Nothing. Although Stolas can very easily guess that the imp is furious. Still, Stolas doesn’t text back. He’ll wait an hour or two, despite wanting to respond with a myriad of questions right away. If Blitzø doesn’t give more details by the time his and Via’s movie is over, then Stolas will have to get over himself and ask. It’s not going to be the hardest thing, Satan, sending that first text was terrifying. Stolas was ready for the text to not be sent through, for him to be blocked on Blitzø’s phone. And yet… he got a response. Faster than normal. That has to be a good thing, right? Or it could be a bad thing. Stolas can never tell with Blitzø. Especially not anymore, not when everything is a tangled mess. 

Stolas sighs and sets his phone on the coffee table before pulling his daughter closer to him. Octavia goes willingly and rests her head against Stolas’ chest. It’s nice. Almost nice enough to distract Stolas from the time ticking by and the lack of noise coming from his phone. It’s almost enough, but not quite. And that’s how Stolas starts to unconsciously preen Via. Just the top of her head for now. She’s lacking a hat, as she and Stolas had unanimously decided on a movie and pajama day. It’s only been two days of lazing around with his daughter, so Stolas can’t feel too much like a shitty father. At least, not now. Maybe a slacker, for putting off his Goetia duties on a Monday, but he isn’t really needed. Not right now, anyway. The Stars hadn’t given any indication of something large and important coming to Hell anytime soon. Hell can certainly survive without a few simple, measly prophecies from Stolas for now. 

At least until he gets a final, real answer from Blitzø as to where they stand. When tomorrow comes. And then, he’ll go back to his work. And teaching Via all about it as well. Because she’s his heir. In case anything were to happen to Stolas. And based on the multiple assassination attempts on Stolas, it seems Stolas needs to prepare his daughter faster than expected. Especially without Blitzø at his beck and call. Not that Stolas can’t protect himself, but if anyone has any sort of angelic tool, Stolas is, for lack of a better word, fucked. Another Striker situation and Via would be fatherless. And while Stolas doesn’t want that, of course he doesn’t. He’s simply starting to realize just how little control he has over things in his life. He expected after Stella, he’d be free, have more control and make more decisions in his life, but it doesn’t feel anything has changed. He had Blitzø, he decided to pursue him, but that’s about the only substantial thing Stolas thinks he’s done since his freedom from Stella. He hasn’t stood up to his father, he hasn’t asked Blitzø for anything more than their blessed arrangement, he hasn’t gone out just to go out. All Stolas has done with his newfound independence is… impersonate an imp. And then invade his lover’s privacy. Get to know pieces of information that Blitzø would not have shared otherwise. Not that he shared much with Stolas, but seeing him outside of the palace, outside of his “duties” was an experience Stolas never would have otherwise encountered. 

Before he realizes it, Stolas has preened Octavia to sleep, just like he used to when she was just an owlet. The movie is still playing, Stolas would guess they’re about two-thirds of the way complete with it, but he also hasn’t been paying attention. He’s been so focused on himself and his inner thoughts that everything around him has faded. Until now. Now, he can feel the full weight of his daughter on him and hear her deep breathing. It’s nice to see that someone in their family can get a good sleep. That someone trusts Stolas enough to be vulnerable with. Even if it is someone of blood. 

Stolas sighs, he can’t take it anymore. He floats his phone over to him and unlocks it. It’s still on the text message thread between him and Blitzø. Of course it is, Stolas doesn’t use his phone for much. Something Octavia says is an ‘old-man’ thing. Blitzø agreed with her when Stolas told him of Octavia’s playful mock. 

When and where shall we meet? Or would a phone call be more comfortable with you?

Stolas wants all of this to be as easy and painless for Blitzø as possible. 

urs

And that’s all. A quick response. Almost as if Blitzø were waiting for Stolas to ask. Or like he realized his mistake of not adding details and had the message waiting until Stolas replied. It doesn’t matter either way. Stolas will be prepared all day. He’ll also have to let Octavia know. He doesn’t know what he’ll say to her. Maybe he can convince her to ask Loona to take her to Stylish Occult. That’ll be a conversation once his Starfire wakes up, though. He won’t disturb her rest just because he may be making an even bigger mess out of things with his… fuckbuddy? Lover? Something more? Something less? Stolas doesn’t think he’ll ever be able to find a word for their relationship. At least how it is currently, with the arrangement they made. 

But, for now, Stolas is warm and he has his daughter curled up half next to him, half on top of him. And he can feel his eyes grow heavy from the lack of decent sleep. And the next thing he knows, he’s dreaming about a beautiful reunion with Blitzø. 

***

Stolas has been pacing ever since 5 o’clock hit-- the time IMP gets released from work. Octavia is sitting on the couch on her phone, sometimes looking up, but mostly texting someone. Stolas thinks it’s Loona. She told Stolas that Loona would be dropping Blitzø off and she and the Hellhound were going out to leave the two men to talk. The father and daughter duo should be arriving soon and with every passing moment, Stolas feels his heart move an inch up his throat. Or, at least that’s what he thinks the growing ball of anxiety is. It feels too physical to be all in his head. 

He must have mumbled this out loud because Octavia giggles. “You’re fine, Dad.” It’s so small of a comfort, but it allows Stolas to take his first deep breath in a while. 

And then, a knock on the door and Stolas feels like all the oxygen has been vacuumed from his lungs. It feels like he will never be able to breathe again. But somehow, he does. And he walks to the entry toom. And he opens the door. And he lets Blitzø in as Octavia rushes out to meet Loona by the van. 

Stolas is about to greet Blitzø, tell him to sit down and make himself at home. Maybe ask if he wants a glass of water or a cup of tea. But Blitzø beats him to taking the first words. “Let’s get this over with, quick. I’m only here because Fizz thinks it’ll be good for me to know and get closure or some shit.”

Stolas swallows. “Yes, of course. Would you like to sit down in the living room? I can get you water or tea…?” he trails off. 

Blitzø huffs and walks through the entry room like he owns the place. He finds the living room with ease, something that shocks Stolas. Still, Blitzø sits down, so he thinks that it might be a win. At least for Blitzø actually hearing him out instead of it turning into one big argument. Stolas sits on the opposite end of the couch than Blitzø does, wanting to give the imp ample space. 

“Is there anywhere you would like to start?” Stoles asks. 

“You texted. You told me you wanted to explain, so explain.” Blitzø rolls his eyes and gestures with a quick flick of his wrist. He looks so detached. So uninterested. Stolas doesn’t even see a hint of anger in his expression. And maybe that’s what makes Stolas’ nervousness spike even more. 

Stolas shifts, looking directly at Blitzø. He can do this. It’s just sharing all his emotions with an emotionally distant demon. It’s not all that difficult, right? “You see,” he begins, “at first, I wanted to close the class gap between the two of us. I wanted to get to know you when you weren’t worried about acting the supposed ‘proper’ way around someone of royal roots,” Stolas makes sure to use air quotes. He shifts slightly, moving a leg underneath him, and then back out to rest on the floor. He can’t get comfortable. “And, at some point, I thought maybe it would be easier to,” Stolas rolls different words around in his head. None of them fit quite right, but he doesn’t want to use the word that is meant to fill the gap, he doesn’t want to scare Blitzø off even more. “I thought it would be easier for you to connect to me as a demon of your own class. I just kept thinking, ‘If I were an imp, all this would be so much easier. Blitzø wouldn’t feel so obligated to be around me, to say yes to me, he wouldn’t feel the need to hide parts of himself from me,’ and that’s kind of what sealed my, admittedly, nefarious plan.”

The two sit in silence for a while. Blitzø slides both his hands over his face, pulling down on the skin. “The whole idea was a huge invasion of my privacy Stolas,” Blitzø doesn’t sound mad with his statement. He just sounds tired. Done. He sounds like he’s given up. 

And that scares Stolas more than it should, which is maybe why the next words come out of his mouth so easily. “Like you’ve never invaded the privacy of others,” he scoffs. And then, Stolas feels his eyes grow wide. He did not mean to say that, he doesn’t even know where that came from. 

Blitzø, though, finally has a simmer of anger in his eyes. Not nearly what Stolas is expecting, but it’s familiar. It, oddly enough, puts the Goetia more at peace than he’s felt in a while. “And what the fuck do you mean by that?”

Stolas tilts his head ever so slightly in thought. He’s thinking about the best way to play this. He wants to keep some sort of emotion in Blitzø. Even if it’s anger. But he doesn’t want to push Blitzø away, in case there is any way to save this relationship. So, Stolas keeps his tone light when he says, “You invited me to Ozzie's so you could stalk Moxxie and Millie on their anniversary. You weren’t very subtle about it.” And yeah, maybe some snark comes out with that final comment, but Stolas is still hurt over that disaster of a night. 

Blitzø groans and leans his head back against the couch. Stolas has to stop himself from cringing, knowing that the imp’s horns are most likely going to tear the furniture. But, he can’t be too upset about it. Having had to maneuver with horns when he was Elios, Stolas understands how easy they are to get caught on things. So, he stays quiet about the possible destruction of his couch. “That was one night!” Blitzø finally growls out. 

Stolas can’t stop a little smirk from forming. “Yes, that may be one example, but, and unless both were lying to me for ages, there are many other instances to count. Including you watching them sleep, sneaking into their apartment for so-called family dinners when they were meant to be date nights, filming the couple during intimate moments. For Satan’s sake, in Ozzie’s, you claimed to have watched, and I quote you here, ‘those two pork many times’. I wouldn’t hesitate to call you a hypocrite for being this pissed about an invasion of privacy when you have made the same infraction, dare I say, worse, multiple times without thought for the other party involved.” And yeah, Stolas thinks he may have gone too far, but he couldn’t stop himself. 

Blitzø lifts his head quickly. All the way back to a neutral position, Stolas can hear the couch tear. “That was a low blow, Stolas. And, might I remind you, that Mox and Mills only told you those stories when you were an imp! You probably wouldn’t have known any of that shit had you been yourself!” Blitzø stands up and throws his hands in the air. “Not only did you invade my privacy, my life outside of you , but you also went into my co-workers’ lives too! Do you know how fucking manipulative that is, Stolas? Pretending to be someone else to get information about me you otherwise wouldn’t know? Isn’t that, I dunno, fucking identity fraud or some shit.”

“I wouldn’t have known any of that because you hide yourself and you pull away from anyone who gets too close to you, Blitzø! It’s frustrating, no, infuriating! ” Stolas screams. He can feel his beak as it grinds against itself. 

“‘Cause I fucking ruin everyone I touch!” Blitzø screams back. “Haven’t you figured that out by now?” he’s staring directly at Stolas now, towering over the avian, if only in emotions. “I’m an asshole for a reason and that’s because it’s been proven that everyone’s lives are better without me!” his voice doesn’t lower, it doesn’t crack. It’s determined. It sounds as if Blitzø is telling just the truth. As if it’s a simple fact. Like he’s arguing with a flat-earther who just won’t listen.

Stolas blinks. He lets silence settle over the two of them. And then, softly, he says, “Without you, I would be in an abusive and loveless marriage. Even if you were just using me, it was the start to me being able to actually live my life rather than simply experience it. Without you, who knows where Loona would have ended up? And Moxxie and Millie! You introduced the two! You, undoubtedly, changed all our lives for the better. And yet, you think so lowly of yourself, for what?” he genuinely asks. 

Blitzø lets out a sarcastic laugh. “That’s an argument for another time.” He crosses his arms and plops himself back on the couch. He’s closer to Stolas than before. “Fine, so I’m a hypocrite, I stalk my coworkers, great, but I’m still hurt by what you did.” Blitzø is looking at Stolas using his peripherals. 

Stolas nods. He lowers his voice and makes it soft and sincere, “I understand that. I am incredibly sorry for hurting you-- for causing any discomfort toward your family as well. I will try my best to not do so again, however, I can guarantee I will continue to make mistakes. This experience has made me realize just how below-average I am when it comes to social situations, and I will undoubtedly make assumptions or act in ways that will once more hurt you. Blitzø, I promise you that I will learn from my mistakes and be a better demon. I would love to continue to be a part of your life, if you’ll allow it.”

Blitzø’s body collapses sideways so his hoofs are curled just slightly out of touch from Stolas’ thighs. “I don’t wanna lose you,” is what he mumbles, voice heavy with exhaustion. 

At that, Stolas cannot help himself from beaming. He’s filled to the brim with hope, but still tries to keep his excitement and joy in check. “I don’t want to lose you, either, Blitzy. I will do my best to earn your trust and do whatever you need to show how serious I am about this.” 

Blitzø lets out another huff, but Stolas swears he can see a slight smile tugging at his lips, even if he is curled up so only part of his face can be seen. “Yeah yeah, whatever Pretty Bird. You’re forgiven or whatever. Just… Don’t fuck this up again.”

Stolas nods. “Like I said, I will make mistakes, but not this one. Never again. I promise.”

Blitzø shifts, moving to rest on his back, moving up so his head can rest on one of Stolas’ decorative pillows and his horns can dangle over the armrest. He looks more relaxed and more like the Blitzø that Stolas knows. There’s still some tension in him, a guarded look in his eyes, but it gives Stolas more relief than even the previous anger did. “We’ll see how things go.” 

“We shall,” Stolas agrees. 

Blitzø hums and reaches for the remote. He turns on the television and makes himself comfortable on Stolas’ couch. Stolas’ heart throbs happily. In a tentative hope.

Chapter Text

With their mutual lack of communication, Blitzø is surprised that it’s come to this. 

***

Octavia was a little hard to get along with at first. She accepted Blitzø as a part of her father's life, but she never really liked him. She, at the beginning, saw him as a form of entertainment. A little demeaning, but Blitzø also realizes that he’s the one who broke her family apart. It was already broken to begin with, but Stolas, apparently, did a good job of hiding how fucked up it was. Octavia would constantly glare at Blitzø and mumble things that he didn't hear but swore were curses toward him. As things progressed, when things started to become more real and Blitzø was ready to bolt, Octavia finally came around. Or, somewhat did. She cornered him while he was in a panicked ‘this is all going to crash and burn because I ruin everything I touch’ state, ready to pack all his things and run, and sternly told Blitzø the facts. That Stolas loves him. That, despite how idiotic the pair is, they both care for each other a disgusting amount. When Blitzø was finally calm enough to admit that he was, in fact, being stupid, Octavia agreed and told him that he better not overthink like that again because both men make each other better. And she liked how happy her father was with Blitzø. And that was the start of Octavia growing to be accepting of Blitzø in her father's, and therefore, her own, life. 

Things between them are still sometimes tense. Blitzø’s straight-to-the-point, no-bullshit parenting style doesn’t do as well with Octavia as it does with Loona. That, and they can’t scream at each other until they both forget what they were fighting about. That’s how Blitzø went about raising Loona, so it’s a work in progress with Octavia. Also, the fact that she doesn’t want a stepfather doesn't help their relationship. Which Blitzø understands. He tries not to put himself in the parenting box too often with his partner’s daughter, but there are times when Stolas is out and Octavia does something stupid or dangerous or a mix of the two and Blitzø needs to put a stop to it as soon as possible. She's a good kid, anyone raised by Stolas would be, but she's still a teenager and doesn't think before she acts.

Blitzø and Octavia are cordial to each other, but no matter how much they try to bond, there is always the heaviness that comes from awkwardness and mutual discomfort. Blitzø thinks that they'll fix that with time. After all, things are already much better than they used to be. 

Loona was more accepting of the relationship. She told Blitzø that there wasn’t any way she would be moving into the palace and she’d keep the apartment, promising to pay for it on her own. It scared Blitzø at first, thinking that she was pulling away and he wouldn’t see her outside of work, but she visits the palace often. At least once a week for family dinners. She told Blitzø that she was happy for him but that just because he’s in a relationship doesn’t mean he can stop trying to change. He can’t stop progressing just because he got what he wanted. Blitzø agreed with Loona’s statement and told her that her lack of bullshit is exactly what he needed, especially during moments when trying to be a better demon seemed to be a waste of time. Loona with Stolas, in the beginning, were just awkward. It made Blitzø wish he was more discreet when talking about all the situations he and Stolas got up to during full moons-- when that deal was still in place. He couldn’t imagine being in Loona’s position; seeing the man who got railed by her father in disgusting detail, rather than the cheesy and romantic love they actually showed off around their daughters. Eventually, though, Loona started to relax around Stolas. Enough for her tail to wag at his laughter or when she snorts in amusment when he says something stupid. It’s not so different from how she acts around Blitzø.

While Stolas and Loona may never have the connection of being broken and lonely in the same ways Blitzø and Loona are, it hasn’t stopped them from having a pretty good relationship. 

Fizz, being the best pseudo-brother ever, gave Stolas a shovel talk when Blitzø confessed to their official relationship. Blitzø wasn’t there for it, Stolas has apparently been sworn to secrecy about it, and Fizz just smiles with an evil glint in his eyes whenever Blitzø tries to ask about what was said. What Blitzø does know, though, is that while Fizzarolli and Ozzie were over for a little movie night, Stolas stood and offered to get them all snacks. Fizz jumped up and offered to help him, and that was that. It didn’t click in Blitzø's brain as anything other than his friend helping his partner, but when Asmodeus looked at Blitzø with a conspiratorial smile, Blitzø knew it was more than that. And, when Stolas came back, wide-eyed and on slightly shaky legs, Blitzø finally understood what had happened. Plus, the hard pat on Blitzø's shoulder and the wink Fizz sent his way didn’t stop Blitzø’s assumptions. 

Finally, after some time, Stolas stopped shooting Blitzø’s best friend terrified looks and the two started to become companions. Around the same time, Blitzø started to become comfortable around Ozzie-- strange how the timelines match up. Stolas and Fizz are comfortable enough to be in the same room together and Blitzø no longer has to fear Stolas passing out or throwing up due to anxiety. Blitzø is glad he has a friend like Fizzarolli, but he also thinks that whatever was said during the shovel talk may have been a little too much, especially for Stolas. The poor, socially awkward bird. 

It wasn’t too long after the whole Elios instance that Blitzø got the courage to talk to Stolas about his feelings. He got a lot of push toward telling Stolas about his (and he hates to call it this) crush from Fizz, actually. Despite the whole invasion of privacy thing, Blitzø’s feelings for Stolas only grew. And after constant nights of lamenting to Fizz on the phone, he snapped and started pushing Blitzø to talk to Stolas about all this. Loona was, also, getting tired of hearing Blitzø’s lonesome and pining monologues if her yelled agreement through her door told Blitzø anything. So, surprisingly, it was Blitzø who confessed to Stolas. It was a full moon, back to their routine, where Blitzø climbed over Stolas’ balcony like everything was normal. And, instead of jumping into bed and devouring the nude prince in front of him, he shifted his body and confessed to liking Stolas. Romantically. And wanting to try something. Really try something. And to not run like he’s run from every other relationship in his life. And when Stolas started to tear up, Blitzø thought he was done for-- he’d never use the Book again and he’d never be able to do his job again and he’d never see Stolas again, but, instead of a gentle rejection (because Stolas wouldn’t let Blitzø down with harsh words meant to hurt; that’s Blitzø’s way of breaking things off), Blitzø got swept up into feathery arms and a downpour of kisses falling wherever Stolas could reach. And then, they fucked. Because of course they did. Neither demon knew how to show their feelings through anything other than sex.

But ultimately, they both learned how to show their feelings in healthier ways too. 

Don't misunderstand, though, Blitzø and Stolas still have a wonderfully healthy, kinky, and downright filthy sex life. It's just that that's no longer the only way they can communicate their love toward each other.

***

Which leads them to here, right now. An entire year of being official. With fights and tears and moments of the silent treatment all in between the cuddles and kisses and bringing morning tea in bed to a cranky owl and patching up Blitzø's wounds after particularly brutal runs to Earth. It isn't the perfect relationship, but Blitzø and Stolas both knew going into this that it wouldn’t be.

But waking up to see Stolas in the kitchen humming to himself while flipping pancakes, Blitzø might just be able to believe that somehow he made his way up to Heaven. Blitzø wasn’t expecting the bed next to him to be lacking a fluffy bird, but it was. And Stolas wasn’t in the bathroom or anywhere else in their shared room. So, Blitzø moved to check everywhere else. Only to be caught in awe at the sight of his stunning boyfriend wiggling his hips to a tune only he can hear and pouring batter into molds shaped like horses. Because of course he bought pancake molds. For Blitzø. It only makes Blitzø feel lighter, feel happier.

Things won’t be perfect, but Blitzø isn’t going for perfection. He just wants things to be good. He wants to be able to continue to feel happy without the guilt that used to come along with it. He wants to continue to be able to hold Stolas and fix his feathers with his claws without feeling like the prince deserves better. Without second-guessing every moment when he’s left alone. 

Based on how these past 365 days have gone, Blitzø can’t help but continue to feel hopeful for the future. And happy for the present. Where he can wrap his arms around his bird's legs and bury his face into Stolas’ feathers on his lower back. Neither of them planned anything special to celebrate today, but they know they won’t waste it. They’re just going to enjoy the moments, enjoy being in each others’ presence, and enjoy seeing and making the other happy. 

What more could one want in a relationship? Because Blitzø can’t think of wanting anything more than this.