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“As it falls away
Into the great escape
Over walls and weights
This antigravity
Let it fly through the universe
Into the outer space
Over walls and weights
This antigravity taking over me.”
Antigravity
Blitz scaled the wall as was his usual habit and climbed up onto Stolas’ bedroom balcony. Heaving himself up and landing on his feet from months of practice. Of course he could go in through the front door, as he was expected every full moon and most of the staff knew him by name, but where was the fun in that? And old habits died very hard deaths. Once an assassin, always an assassin. So he tried for stealth whenever possible. Just to see if he still could.
He always did. And tonight was no exception.
His footfalls made no sound as he moved across to the ornate glass doors and he slipped soundlessly inside. Hoping to finally be able to catch Stolas unawares. So far it had only happened once in all the time they’d been together. He was hoping for another. But it seemed Stolas’ Blitzy senses were in full effect tonight.
“Blitzy?” he called, “is that you?”
Blitz groaned. No surprising Stolas this time. “Yeah, it’s me.”
It was strange to be coming here without the book in hand to hide behind, but it was part of their new agreement to just spend time with each other without the deal and see where things led. It was Blitz’s concession to giving them another shot. Which so far was actually working out really well. Much to his surprise. But then Blitz was always used to disappointments, so this was unusual for him.
I’m glad you're here, Blitz, because there's something I want to show you.”
Blitz rolled his eyes. “If it's your bird puss I aint interested. Well I am but we agreed no fuckin'.”
“Blitzy, must you be so crass?” Stolas sighed as Bliz lowered his pointing finger. “No, what I want to show you is something else. There's a spell I've been working on and I've finally managed to perfect it! I wanted to show you the results.”
“Oh, a magic show huh?” Blitz said, musing over this new development. “Well, you know I've always been one for magic shows and sleight of hand. What's this new spell o' yours actually do, anyway?”
Stolas chuckled softly. “Now, now Blitzy darling. If I just told you it wouldn't be a surprise now, would it?”
Blitz narrowed his eyes, even more curious now. “You know you're awful, right?”
Stolas just chuckled again. “Oh, I know, darling,” he smirked, and with a wave of his elegant hand summoned his grimoire and flicked it open to a page he'd marked. “Now, shall we?”
He offered a hand down to Blitz and his other glowed a blue and then a violet purple colour. Slowly opening a portal large enough for the both of them to step through. “Close your eyes, darling, I want this to be a surprise.”
Blitz sighed, always impatient when it came to surprises, but he did as he was told and closed his eyes.
“Okay, now just hold onto me and I'll lead you through. Consider it a little trust exercise.”
Blitz scowled. He'd never been very good at trust exercises. Not when he was the one doing the trust fall anyway. The only exception was Millie, when he's leapt over a brick wall and told her to grab his legs while he shot their target. But he was going to try for Stolas; the owl hadn't let him down before. Well, except for that one time, but hey everyone fucked up sometimes, right?
“Alright, lead the way, Birdbrain.”
He heard Stolas take a deep breath and sigh softly. “Okay, here we go,” and the both of them stepped through the portal to fuck knew where.
. . .
They stood on the other side, Blitz still with his eyes closed and Stolas still holding onto his hand. It was a little chilly here – wherever they were – and Blitz was waiting for Stolas to explain.
“Can I open my eyes now, Birdbrain?”
“You may,” Stolas said, and Blitz did so. Surprised to find himself standing in the middle of outer-fucking-space. His mouth fell open as he took in the sight. So many stars all around him. Planets in the distance slowly turning on their axis. The endless black all around them. Lit up by the suns of the many solar systems.
And far below him, the planet Earth. Majestic and breathtaking in all it's existence.
Blitz could only stare below at the scene, eyes wide and mouth hanging open like an idiot.
Fuck, it was amazing.
“Stolas, this... I... I don't have any words. It's beautiful.”
“I wanted to surprise you,” Stolas smiled down at him. “I wanted to show you this for a while, but... well, you know.”
“Yeah,” Blitz agreed, rubbing the back of his neck before looking back up at Stolas. “I know.”
“Would you like to explore the depths of outer space, Blitzy?”
“Oh fuck yeah!” he grinned. “Who wouldn't wanna fuck around in space?!”
Stolas laughed at that, the sound soft and gentle. “Very well, let's explore.”
Stolas looked down at their feet and the invisible floor they were standing on vanished, leaving them both floating in the middle of the great cosmos.
Blitz floated, still astounded at the antigravity of space. Only this morning he'd been in Hell, below the Earth, below concrete. The whole world shackled to his feet and the weight of responsibility on his shoulders. For his family and his business and every other care he had. But now all was falling away into the vast expanse of space. The great escape, as far away from one's worries as one could get.
And it was all thanks to Stolas, who'd done this just for him.
He floated there, just in complete awe of the prince. His prince. For all he called him Birdbrain, Stolas really was his Prince Charming. Fairytale conventions be damned.
He watched Stolas floating before him, still looking at him like he was the best thing since sliced-fucking-bread. Blitz didn't know what the hell he'd done to deserve someone so good in his life, but he was done questioning it now. Especially when all his issues seemed to insignificant when pit against the infinity of space. The blankness dissolving into blues and purples as some interstellar clouds drifted by. Only able to watch as Stolas was backlit by the wondrous clouds, and the Earth's moon.
“Isn't it beautiful, Blitz?” Stolas asked him, though Blitz was too lost in the scene to pay too much attention to anything but Stolas.
“Yeah, you're really pretty.”
Stolas smiled and turned around to face the vastness of the known universe. “So, where shall we go? We can just drift for a while, or we can go and see some dying stars.”
Blitz was still very mesmerised by the whole thing, and a little overwhelmed if he were honest. Space was just so big, and he was very small. It was a lot to get his head around.
But he looked down at the Earth below him, pondering the world and his place in it. Up here, he wasn't Blitzo the imp with a tragic past. Up here, he was Blitz. He was his own imp. Master of his own destiny. He wasn't just going through the motions of existing. Here he was alive.
And far below, the carnivores are looking up to where I soar.
Above the clouds, above the storm.
Above the earth I am transformed.
The energy has set me free and pulled me through the galaxy.
I've risen up beyond the sky. I am awake, I am alive.
“Dying stars sounds good.” Blitz answered. “Do they explode?”
Stolas nodded, the smile not leaving his face. “Oh yes, they explode,” he said. “It's known as a supernova, the death of a star after it's final life stage as a white dwarf. It's very fascinating to watch.”
“Aww yeah, gonna watch stars blow up!” Blitz smirked, feeling happier than he had in fuck knew how long. “Lead the way, Birdbrain. You know more about this space shit than I do.”
“Of course. Follow me, darling.”
. . .
He followed Stolas to where there was a star at the very end of its lifecycle. A white dwarf, just as the owl had said. And all they had to do was wait for the explosion – the supernova – from a safe distance. As they drifted together, Blitz felt the last of his cares float away as well. Falling away info this great escape. Letting them fly through the universe into the depths of space. His walls and weights falling down as he drifted through the vastness infinity of the universe with Stolas. Letting the antigravity take over.
He waited with Stolas, putting an arm around the bird's waist because he could. And so he didn't go drifting off into space himself. Leannig against his Prince because he could and here in space nobody was her to judge. Stolas returned the embrace and they waited for the star to end.
They seemed to have timed it just right, for in just a few minutes, it blew up. Hitting them with the full force of a dying star. Blitz could only gape at it. His favourite thing, explosions, coupled with Stolas' favourite thing, space. It seemed almost poetic, f blitz cared about poetry. But Stolas probably didn't miss the symbolism or the poetry of the moment. Or of being able to share it with him. He didn't have to either, which made it all the more special.
He glanced over when he was sure the explosion – the supernova, he reminded himself, because Stolas had said - and glanced at the bird by his side. So, so glad the owl had decided to give hm a second chance.
I won't come down from here, he told himself. I'll spend ll the time I can with him up here, away from the world and our cares and just enjoy his company. Like I should've done all those months before this.
"Wow,” he finally said, once his voice had returned again, and his feelings had ebbed back into the background again. “That was amazing. Thanks a lot for... well, all of this. It means a lot.”
Stolas smiled tenderly at him, and Blitz thought he could easily get used to that smile. Thankfully he had all the time in the world. Or more accurately, all the time in the universe.
“You're most welcome, my Blitz,” Stolas replied, and blitz felt his heart practically melt in his chest at the words, because it was Stolas. “I love you so much, and wanted to do something just for you. So I could show you that.”
Blitz swallowed the lump in his throat that had formed when he wasn't looking, and looked back to Stolas. Who was still smiling very tenderly at him, like he loved him more than anything in the universe. Who was unphased y the death of the star, and only looking at him.
“I love you too, Stolas.” Was all he could manage. The rest of what he wanted to say to express himself caught in his throat. But it was enough. So when he leant up to kiss Stolas, it was welcomed, soft, and gentle.
Stolas smiled warmly when he pulled away, still gazing at him like he was the best thing since sliced-fucking-bread. Blitz found he could get used to that look.
“You know Blitz,” he said gently. “If you ever want to break free from the world below us, you know where to find me.”
Blitz smiled back at him, and now it was Stolas' turn to be gazed at lovingly like he was the best thing since sliced-fucking-bread. “Yeah,” he said, “I do.”
And he leaned close to kiss Stolas again.