Chapter Text
Octavia stood outside of the chipped door with peeling paint, the numbers 666 nailed crookedly to it. She glanced up and down the grungy hallway and, seeing no one, pulled out her phone and fired off a quick text.
Octavia: Hey. Would you mind opening your front door?
She waited a minute, and just as she was beginning to wonder if she should get over herself and just knock, taking a chance on who would be the first to see her, the door opened. Loona blinked blearily at Octavia, taking her in with sleepy disbelief, before a grin broke over her face. "Wow. You're actually here."
Octavia nodded, smiling back at her. "I really am."
Loona glanced quickly at the room behind her before silently slipping through the door, closing it softly behind her before she flung her arms around Octavia for a bone-crushing hug. Octavia chirped in surprise but smiled as she hugged Loona back, adding an extra squeeze before they let go.
"Everything okay?" Loona asked, slightly wary as she assessed Octavia. "How'd you even know where this place was, anyway?"
Octavia gave her a small smile. "I'm okay, but… well, there's a lot I have to catch you up on. But, um, I need to have another conversation first."
Loona's eyes widened, studying Octavia carefully as she bit her lip. "Are you sure you're ready for this?"
Octavia drew in a sharp breath. "No," she replied honestly. "But I'm doing it anyway."
Loona gave her one last look-over before nodding and turning to grab the doorknob. She glanced at Octavia over her shoulder with a soft smile as she reached her other hand out, and Octavia took it gratefully. Loona gave her hand a squeeze, then she opened the door and gently led Octavia inside.
There was so much to look at inside the apartment—dozens of pictures on the wall, a startling amount of horse paraphernalia, mismatched furniture. But Octavia let her gaze slide past all of it for now as she searched the room, landing on Blitz in the kitchen. He was washing pans and dishes, the running water sounding overly loud in the space, but he set down the soapy plate and towel in hand and came around the counter, wiping his hands on a long night shirt hanging off his shoulder that read Horse Girl. He smiled at her brightly, relief clear on his face.
"Hey, looks like you found the place all right, princess." He furrowed his brow in confusion as he glanced down at where Loona's hand still held Octavia's. "Wait, why- um- how did Loony know to let you in?"
Loona gaped at her dad before turning toward Octavia, then looking back at him. "Wait, did you do this? How—"
"Where's my dad?" Octavia interrupted, glancing apologetically at Loona before returning her gaze to Blitz.
"He's—" Blitz started to answer, but before he could a door opened inside the apartment, past the kitchen, and Octavia's dad stepped out, dressed in a billowy gray button down blouse under a black vest with matching trousers. He headed into the living room, oblivious as the three of them stared at him and Octavia's heart started to climb her throat.
"Blitz, do you think I should take an extra tote? I can stop by that charming little farmer's market on my way back, if there's anyth—" He turned toward the kitchen finally and immediately froze as his gaze landed on Octavia. They stared at each other, equally wide-eyed as Octavia's heart beat rapidly against her rib cage, before her dad brought a hand to his beak, covering it as he let out a wordless warble, his eyes watering.
"Octavia?" he asked her, cautiously, like he couldn't trust his own vision that she was really here, that this was really happening.
Octavia let go of Loona's hand as she took a small step forward, failing to keep her own beak from trembling. "D- dad," she said, her throat thickening.
Her dad's face crumpled with relief. "Via! Oh, my darling girl," he cried out as he took two rushed strides toward her, closing the gap between them. He dropped onto his knees, putting him at her eye-level as he reached out and wrapped his arms around her, patting her like he was still making sure she was real and not some hallucination.
Octavia returned the hug and held him as he heaved with sobs, tears streaking down her own face as she nestled into the crook of her dad's neck.
He pulled back as he put his hands on her shoulders, studying her face. "It's- you're really-" he stuttered before taking a breath as he squeezed her shoulders. "Starfire, I am so, so happy to see you. I've missed you so much," he said emphatically as more tears gathered in his eyes.
She bobbed her head. "I've missed you too," she croaked.
Her dad hooted softly as he drew her back in for another hug, less desperate but firm and warm.
"Are you all right? Has anything happened—are you safe—" he asked worriedly as he broke the hug to look her over more thoroughly.
"Yeah, dad, I'm okay. Nothing's happened. Well, I mean—actually, a lot's happened, but I'm fine, really," she reassured him.
A loud sniffle from behind Octavia made her turn, her dad's gaze following. Blitz had his hand held to his mouth, futilely trying to muffle his own crying as Loona reached out to pat his shoulder.
"Sorry, I- I'm fine. I'm just—" Blitz waved his hand vaguely, at a loss for words before bringing it back to cover his mouth.
Loona rolled her eyes affectionately as she wrapped her arm around Blitz's shoulders and shook him gently. "C'mon, dad. Let's let these two talk, all right?"
Blitz nodded. "Yuppers, can- can do," he hiccuped.
Octavia turned back to her dad, and he met her gaze nervously. "I- would- do you want to talk here, sweetie? Or—"
Octavia contemplated it for a second—she didn't particularly feel like going outside looking like she'd just cried her eyes out—before she remembered that it was very important today that her dad leave the apartment for a little bit. "No, let's- let's go somewhere else, actually?" she sniffed as she wiped at her cheeks. "Just- just give me a moment to—"
A box of tissues materialized in front of her, and she looked over to see Blitz holding them out insistently. She took a handful and started dabbing at her eyes as she felt Loona's hand on her shoulder, bracing her and gently rubbing soothing circles on her back. Octavia glanced at her dad as he took his own tissue and blew his nose loudly, sniffling as he balled it up.
"Ugh, I must look positively dreadful- I-" he started, cut off by Blitz reaching out to cup his cheek in his hand.
"Hey, pretty bird, you're okay," he said firmly but warmly as he locked eyes with Octavia's dad. The tension dropped from Stolas's shoulders as he gazed back at Blitz, and Blitz leaned in to give him a chaste kiss on the forehead as he massaged Stolas's cheek gently. Octavia stared, struck by the realization that she'd never seen her mother act anything like that with her dad. And watching the way the two of them gazed at each other so tenderly, so gratefully, Octavia could see that this was simply right in a way that it never had been with her mum.
Stolas noticed her stare and cleared his throat, blushing as he sheepishly covered Blitz's hand and gently removed it from his cheek. "Shall we go, Octavia? There's- there's a lovely little cafe near—"
"Yeah, so I've heard," she said, glancing at Blitz. Her dad startled, looking from her to Blitz in confusion, but Octavia grabbed his hand to help pull him onto his feet. "Where exactly is it?"
"Oh, um- not far, just three blocks to the left once you exit the building—"
"Got it." Octavia scrunched up her forehead briefly in concentration as she waved her hand, and a glimmering portal opened up in front of them. She glanced back at Blitz and Loona. "We'll be back later. Enjoy the free time while you can," she said with a meaningful look at Blitz, which he returned with a small smile. Octavia looked up at her dad, and then at the street corner visible through the portal as she tugged him through. She closed it before looking back at him to find him staring at her, like he still couldn't quite believe she was really there.
She cleared her throat awkwardly. "So, uh… the cafe?"
Her dad blinked at her, then looked away. "Right! Right. It's just over here." He pointed at an unassuming brick building with a sign reading The Fern, encircled with illustrations of fiddleheads. Octavia nodded and headed toward it, her dad falling into step alongside her at a little distance.
As soon as they walked in, she could see why her dad liked it so much, even if it did have the best tea. The entire interior was decorated like a mix between a warm home library and greenhouse, with old books and leafy plants everywhere. They quickly ordered and her dad guided her to a table in the corner, where one of the baristas promptly dropped off their steaming mugs of tea. Neither of them touched or even so much as looked at their cups though, instead sizing each other up warily, the silence feeling heavy and unbreakable between them.
Octavia cleared her throat. "Dad, I—"
"Via, could I—" her dad said at the same time, and when Octavia fell silent he peered at her worriedly. It was so strange to see him with permanent pupils that matched hers, adding a sense of ordinariness to him even though he'd always felt larger than life to her. "Please, if… if you don't mind, could I start?"
She hesitated before giving a slight nod, mutely.
He nodded and swallowed as he held her gaze pleadingly. "First, I need you to know that I do love you, Via. I always have—you were never an obligation to me, because you brought me so much joy. The happiest day of my life was the day you were born, because I knew the moment I saw you that… that it would be the greatest joy of my life to cherish and protect you forever." He teared up slightly as dampness burned behind Octavia's own eyes. "No matter what I felt about everything else in my life, I loved you more than anything and never regretted being there for you."
She stare at him, wide-eyed, while he paused to take a slow, slightly shaking breath.
"And second, I am so, so sorry for- for leaving you." His face fell. "I never, ever wanted to, and it- it truly wasn't my choice. But… but I know that doesn't change how it felt for you." He dropped his gaze down to his hands as he wrung them on top of the table. "And- and I understand why you felt like I chose to leave you, or that I chose Blitz, because I interrupted the trial and took the blame for everything. But I—" He took a shaky breath. "—I need you to know that I would have absolutely done the same thing for you. I would do anything to save you or Blitz, heedless of the consequences, even if it meant… sacrificing myself, for your sakes."
He gauged her face for a reaction, but Octavia just stared back at him, waiting. His beak trembled slightly.
"And you- you don't have to forgive me for- for leaving you. But, I swear to you Via, that if you could give me the chance to be in your life again, I… I will do everything in my power to be there for you, in whatever way I'm able, for as long as I live."
Octavia absorbed her dad's words as she ran a fingertip along the rim of her tea cup, assessing him as he looked at her with love and worry, the latter growing exponentially as the seconds passed. She took a slow breath in. "Why didn't you tell me that you and mum were… were never in love?" she asked, trying to project maturity instead of sounding like the small child she felt like she was inside.
Her dad was caught off guard, blinking rapidly at her before he sighed. "It… wasn't something that was easy to explain, and it wasn't your burden to bear, Starfire," he said quietly. "Most of all, though, I- I just wanted you to have as happy of a childhood as you could, before you had to learn the truth."
Octavia's mouth twitched—not an unexpected answer, and she still didn't agree with it, but… she could understand a little. She drummed her fingers lightly on the table as she gathered the nerve to ask her next question, stating it as neutrally as possible. "Did mum ever… hurt you?"
A small, strangled noise left her dad's beak as he blanched. "That's not- we- we don't need to talk about that, sweetie."
Octavia set her jaw resolutely. "No, I- I need to know dad. I can't…" She huffed as she waved a hand emphatically. "You can't hide the truth from me, anymore, all right? I'm practically an adult and I promise I can handle it." She locked her gaze onto his. "Please don't lie to me," she pleaded softly, a slight crack in her voice.
Her dad searched her eyes for a long moment but she didn't back down, just looked back at him grimly and expectantly. He closed his eyes as he took a deep, shaky breath, and nodded once as his eyes fluttered back open. "Yes," he admitted quietly, unable to meet her gaze. "Sometimes." He looked back at her as concern flitted across his face. "Why… why do you ask? Did she- Octavia, did she do anything to you?"
Octavia shook her head. "She- she tried to. But, no."
Her dad inhaled sharply, his eyes flashing, and Octavia knew if he still had his powers his eldritch form would be flickering. He abruptly deflated, though, looking at her sadly. "Oh, Via," he said despondently as he reached for her hand on the table. She jolted slightly, surprised, and he snapped his hand back. Octavia wished he wouldn't have.
"Do you think… did mum ever care about me? Even if it wasn't as much as- as much as you did?" she asked, voice wavering a little as tears built up at the corners of her eyes.
He gazed at her, giving her a small, sad smile. "Oh, Via, I… I can't answer that for you." Octavia felt a flash of frustration that must have shown on her face, because he anxiously rushed on, "Not because I want to lie to you. But… only your mother can know what she truly feels for you. And it's not for me to… speculate, possibly at the expense of your relationship with her."
Octavia scoffed. "Don't worry, she managed to do that herself without you saying anything at all."
Her dad's eyebrows furrowed as he reached out across the table once more, laying his hand on her arm and giving a supportive squeeze.
She offered him a half smile, before dropping her gaze down to her cooling tea cup. "I- I'm sorry too, dad. For cutting you out of my life the… the way I did."
All four of her dad's eyes widened, and he tightened his grip on her arm involuntarily. "Oh, Via, you don't have to—"
"I do, dad." She took a deep breath. "I- I always knew that you cared for me, loved me, in a way that… that no one else did." Her beak quirked into a frown as she continued. "I think that's why I was always so… so terrified that you'd leave, because I knew I would be alone without you. And when… when I thought I saw you about to die on TV, and then you never came home after, I just felt like… like I did really lose you. I felt completely abandoned because Mum and Uncle Andy didn't care what I was going through—they just talked shit about you and kept me from answering your calls. So I had no one. And even though you were alive, you weren't there, and I thought it was… I thought it was just because of him. Blitz."
Her dad grimaced with shame. "Oh, Octavia, I—"
She held her hand up, calmly, and he stopped and took a deep breath. He sighed it out before nodding for her to continue. Octavia paused, considering carefully what exactly she wanted to say next.
"I- I was hurt because I thought you'd just left me for a fling, for some dickhead who didn't even really like you. And I thought that must mean you didn't really love me if that's all it took for you to give up everything for him." Her dad shrank in on himself dolefully, but she put her hand on top of his where it still rested on her arm, giving him a comforting squeeze. "But, uh, weirdly enough, it was… it was actually Blitz who convinced me that wasn't true."
Her dad's head snapped up, eyebrows raising. "What? Blitz- he—"
Octavia quirked a smile. "Yeah, he… he started leaving me voice memos, not that long after Sinsmas. Like, every few days or so, he'd tell me how you were doing, and encourage me to reach out to you, and… I really didn't want to believe it for a long time, but listening to his messages somehow convinced me that you… you both really care for each other. And that he hadn't wanted ever wanted to steal you from me."
A watery smile broke across her dad's face. "He… he never told me."
"I know." Octavia smirked lightly before growing serious again. "And I think I- for a long time, I was just so overwhelmed by everything I felt about the situation, and instead of dealing with it I just… avoided it. Avoided you. I even tried to tell myself it was better for you to not have me around to tie you to a life you hated." She grimaced at herself. "But that was… that was wrong of me. And I'm so sorry for- for never reaching out, or responding, and for hurting you." A single tear finally broke free, rolling away down her cheek as she struggled not to avoid her dad's tender gaze.
"Oh, Via. You don't have to be sorry—"
"Well, I am. I'm sorry, dad. Truly." Her beak wobbled. "Can- can you forgive me?" she asked, a small warble in her voice as she tried to hold in the rest of her tears.
"Of course! Of course I forgive you, Starfire. I- I understand why you did it, and… thank you, for apologizing. I know it's not easy and I… I love you so, so much."
She sniffled as she wiped at the drying tear on her cheek. "I love you too, dad. And I- I think forgive you, too."
He shook his head. "You don't have to forgive me if you're not ready, sweetie. Really." He smiled at her sadly.
"I- I think I am. I dunno. It's… it's been really hard, but I- I think I worked through it. Loona helped a lot with that, honestly.
Her dad's beak gaped open a little bit. "Loona?"
Octavia grinned. "Oh, yeah. She and I started talking and hanging out and now she's… she's my best friend."
Her dad sputtered. "Well, I- I never would have guessed. I… I knew she was going out with friends, but…" He chuckled drily. "Her and her father have certainly been keeping some secrets from me."
She smirked briefly, though it slipped from her face as she peered closely at her dad. "Are… are you happy, with Blitz?"
He stared back at her, surprised and a little anxious. "Well, I mean… I wouldn't say I've been happy, exactly, because I- I missed you and felt like I'd failed you, and—"
Octavia snorted. "Yeah, I get it, dad. But seriously. Does he make you happy?"
Her dad eyed her warily but, after she met his gaze calmly, with open curiosity, he relaxed and a small smile lifted the edges of his beak. "He… he does. Almost as much as you do." His smile slipped a bit. "I- I know this is all a lot, and you don't have to make a decision right away. But- but Blitz and I have been talking and… I want you in my life, Octavia, even if I'm no longer a Goetia. And Blitz, and—well, certainly Loona, I suppose—want you, and me, to be with them as, well, a- a family." His brow furrowed. "I know that doesn't replace what- what you've lost, but—"
"I know, dad." She gave him a small, reassuring smile before she crinkled her brow. "I- I don't want you to expect things to work out immediately, okay? It… may take me some more time to get totally comfortable with all of this and- and move past what happened." She swallowed. "But… but I'm going to try my best to… to get on board with that."
Her dad beamed at her through the tears in his eyes. "Thank you, Via." He suddenly stood and came around the table to hug her fiercely. "I love you so, so much sweetie," he whispered.
She hugged him back even though the angle was awkward, a fresh wetness misting her eyes. "Love you too, dad."
He patted her back a couple times before he pulled away and, sniffling, settled back into his seat, grabbing his now tepid cup of tea and taking a sip. Octavia took advantage of the moment to surreptitiously pull out her phone and, after glancing at the time, fired off a quick text to Loona before taking her own tea in her hands. She had just finished draining her cup when her phone dinged, drawing her gaze and bringing a smile to her face as she read Loona's reply.
She tucked her phone away and caught her dad's gaze. "Do you mind if we walk back, dad?"
He grinned at her serenely. "Of course, Via." He stood up and, after waiting for her to rise as well, stepped forward and turned to wrap his arm around her shoulder, guiding her toward the exit and onto the sidewalk.
The walk back to the apartment wasn't very long—it just barely gave Octavia time to give a very brief summary to answer her dad's question about whether her mum and uncle were expecting her back at the palace. Before she knew it, they were outside the apartment, and her dad was fumbling with his keys to unlock the door. She found herself tingling with nervous energy as he opened the door and glanced back to smile and wave her through. She flashed a quick grin, hoping to disguise her anxiety, and followed him inside.
"Blitz, Loona, we're home!" Stolas called out only to stop, confused as he looked around the empty apartment. "Darling? Are you here?"
Octavia stepped up to take her dad's hand, and he startled as he looked down at her. She opened her mouth soundlessly, words failing to come to her mind, before she closed her beak and shook her head with a small smile. "Come on, dad," she said gently as she tugged him forward, towards the balcony door. He followed her silently, confusion clear on his face, as she slid the door open and led him through, but as soon as they turned to look past the doorway they both stopped in awestruck surprise.
Her dad's plants practically enclosed the balcony—they hung from the ceiling overhead, draped over the railing, sat in pots on the floor. All of them were strewn with fairy lights, and paper hearts with doodles on them were scattered all around as well as dangling from strings attached to hanging planters. Octavia focused in on one of the hearts and saw what looked suspiciously like her dad and Blitz as horses, kissing. Star confetti formed a path along the floor, weaving through the planters.
Her dad wandered forward, dazed as he slowly took everything in with overwhelmed delight. Octavia followed right behind him. They turned the corner and saw Blitz standing in a clean, black suit that actually looked quite good on him. Loona sat on the fire escape stairs, phone held out in front of her as she filmed the rest of them with a grin on her face.
Her dad brought a hand to his beak to stifle a sob even as he smiled through the tears glinting in his eyes. "Oh, Blitzy—"
"Stolas," Blitz cut in as he took a step forward, flicking his gaze over to Octavia for a split second before refocusing on her dad. "I- I need to- you-" He groaned. "Fuck, I forgot everything I planned to say—"
"Blitz, darling, it's okay. Just breathe," Octavia's dad said gently as he leaned down to brush his hand against Blitz's cheek.
Blitz inhaled sharply before letting out a loud, long exhale. "Okay, yeah. Right." He refocused on her dad's face, searching his gaze for a moment before his expression relaxed and he smiled as he took another step forward. "Stols, you… I don't know what I did to deserve you. You're smart, you refuse to take my shit and can dish it right back at me, you have legs for days and and the most perfect twink bod—"
"Dad!" Loona interrupted sharply.
Blitz chuckled nervously. "Right, sorry. And… no one in Hell would have thought that a prince and an imp would fall in love. But somehow, you… you saw me, saw through me, and you… you decided to love me."
"Oh, darling." Her dad's eyes watered, and Octavia was surprised to find herself sniffing back a tear. "There was no choice involved. I—"
"Babe, I love you, but this- let me finish my thing, okay?"
Her dad chuckled wetly. "Of course. Sorry, please do go on, Blitzy."
Blitz rolled his eyes affectionately. "Okay. So, I- I want to do my best to make you happy, every day. I want to care for our daughters together. I want to be by your side until my dying breath, because forever wouldn't be long enough with you."
A sob bubbled out of Occtavia's dad as he nodded enthusiastically. Blitz drew a small box out of his pocket as he reached out to hold Stolas's hand with his other arm. As he sank down onto one knee, Blitz held the box out towards her dad as it snapped open, revealing a beautiful sapphire ring wrought with silver stars and moons.
"Stolas. Will you—"
"Wait! Wait," her dad cut in abruptly, and as Blitz snapped his mouth shut her dad turned back to face Octavia. "Via, I- I apologize, I know we just talked about this, but—"
"Dad, it's okay." He seemed unconvinced and she stepped forward, holding his gaze. "Really. I… after our talk and, honestly, after all of the proof I have of how much your boyfriend loves you and wants us all to be a family, I… I'd be more than happy for you to marry him."
Her dad's eyes were overwhelmed with tears as he hurriedly hugged her. "Thank you, Via."
She nodded as she rubbed his back before releasing him, glancing behind him at Blitz who was visibly struggling to hold back his tears. "Take it away, Dickhead."
Blitz nodded resolutely and, as her dad turned back toward him, he swished his tail as he picked up where he left off. "Stolas. Will you marry—"
"Yes! Yes, darling. With all my heart."
Blitz smiled as his tail waved happily. "You didn't even let me finish! What if I was going to say something stupid, like—"
Her dad bent down and shut him up with a kiss, reaching one hand out to gently hold the back of Blitz's head as the other cupped his face. Blitz returned the kiss eagerly, and Octavia glanced at Loona who, even as she held up her phone to keep recording, shook her head at Octavia as she rolled her eyes affectionately. Octavia smiled back at her before turning back to their dads, who had separated enough for Blitz to slide the ring onto her dad's finger.
Her dad looked back at her and Loona. "Oh, come here, the both of you," he said happily through misty eyes, and as soon as Loona got off the stairs he leaned forward to wrap an arm around each of them, bringing them in for a firm embrace. Blitz joined the hug as well, purring as he embraced the three of them. Octavia closed her eyes to focus on the sensation of it—Loona at her side with an arm around her to hold Octavia close, her dad's soft chest feathers against her face, Blitz's tail wrapping loosely around their legs—and as she felt something mend and settle into place inside her, she sighed blissfully.
We will be okay.