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“I don't know what to say
But I'm going to want you till the stars evaporate
We're only here for just a moment in the light
One day it shines for us the next we're in the night
So say the word and I'll be running back to find you
A thousand armies won't stop me I'll break through
I'll soar the endless skies for only one sight
Of your starlight.”
- Starset
Starlight
Stolas had always loved space. Even floating through it on occasion. Though nothing could compare to just opening a portal and sitting watching the births and deaths of stars. New galaxies forming, igniting, then collapsing. Seeing comets soaring through the endless infinity. The colours, too, were beautiful. Space wasn't just an endless black void. It was blue, and green. Sometimes purple or red. It was a wonderful vast expanse, and he had eternity to explore and discover it. He even took his daughter into space with him, educating her about the universe. Stars and constellations, asteroids and planets. And moons. Though stars were their shared favourite. In fact, Stolas studied the stars so much he could draw a map of the night sky from memory alone. Charting the stars like the early explorers charted the seas. Though he supposed stars were their own kind of sea, really. He was just a cartographer of the stars. An astronomer.
Even Octavia's middle name had come from his love of the stars. Andromeda.
But there was one person in his life he had yet to share the stars with, and that was Blitzo. The imp did seem more interested in other, less intellectual things, and certainly not reading much at all. But he really wanted to share this with Blitz, this part of himself. The giant space nerd who got excited at the birth of a new star or galaxy. He wondered if Blitz would roll his eyes at that.
He sat on his balcony and gazed through a portal of his making into the vastness of the universe. Watching the death of another star, knowing somewhere else in the cosmos another would be born. He'd already named one after Octavia; he wondered if he should name one after Blitz.
Why not? He is my Starlight after all. As Octavia is my Starfire.
And there's stardust in him and in me. We're both born from the universe.
He thought about it for a few more moments. Why not? He thought, and dialled Blitz's number.
. . .
It didn't take very long for Blitz to arrive, scaling the wall of his bedroom balcony as always. He could really just come in through the front door. Everyone knew to expect him on a regular basis and most of the staff didn't care apart from Reginald. But no, Blitz insisted every time he came to scale the wall and drop onto his balcony. He sighed. Oh well, once an assassin always an assassin I suppose.
Blitz walked in as he always did, exuding confidence. “So whaddya wanna show me?” he asked. Straight down to business. But Stolas didn't want go show his hand straight away.
“Just a little something,” he said, smiling. “Come, Blitz, take my hand.”
Blitz looked up at him, pausing for a moment, and then took hold of his hand. Fingers curling around Stolas'. Holding tight.
Stolas' smile softened, his mind casting back to the time he'd shown Blitz the earthrise. He hoped this would get the same reaction of awe as he told Blitz to close his eyes and opened up the portal with his free hand.
Blitz looked at him, hesitating for just a moment, but he closed his eyes and Stolas led him through the portal. Stepping through into the farthest reaches of space. He hoped Blitz would like it just as much the second time, and he really wanted to share with Blitz his love of the stars. Perhaps the imp could help him map out a brand new constellation. He'd not fully explored this part of the universe yet, and Blitz's help would be greatly appreciated. Hell, Blitz could even pick out the star he wanted named after him. That would be wonderful.
Stolas could even show Blitz how he felt about him. How much he meant to him.
The feeling of weightlessness encompassed Stolas completely, but he still cast a spell to create an invisible floor beneath Blitz's feet. Somehow he knew it wouldn't be appreciated stepping out into nothing with no floor. Even if there was no gravity. So he made a floor for his partner to stand on.
“Okay, you can open your eyes now.”
Blitz did as he was told and slowly blinked his eyes open, and Stolas wished he could take a photograph of his face. An expression of awe and wonder, wide eyes and gaping mouth as he stared out into the vastness of space.
“Holy shit... this is space?”
Stolas smiled down at his Blitz as he stared out into the universe. The imp watching the comets fly and the stars burn. Stolas just watching Blitz.
“This is space.”
Stolas gestured to the infinite universe before them. “Behold, the wonders of the universe, my darling.”
“Actual space?”
“Actual space. A small corner of it, anyway.”
“Wow,” Blitz gasped softly. “It's beautiful.”
“Mm. I thought you'd like it.”
“What am I standing on? I thought there was no gravity in space?”
“A magical construct. I didn't want to shock you by having you step out into nothingness and zero gravity.”
“Fair. I probably wouldn't have taken that well.”
Blitz returned his gaze to the depths of space. It wasn't just a void of blackness with the sparkle of stars like he'd expected whenever he thought of space back on Earth or even in Hell. It was a multitude of colours. Blues and purples, greens and reds. Planets of every shape and size off in the distance.
And stars.
All around them, stars. Burning and shining bright in the darkness. Lighting up the empty space they'd stepped into.
Blitz wanted to float among them, see if he could touch them with his hands. Filled with the urge to trace their patterns and map them out. Perhaps he could find Stolas' face in them. Then when he looked at the night sky back on Earth, he could look up and remember this. Interstellar light years from him, though close in his heart. Burning together like supernova. Awaking in the light of all the stars aligned in his dreams.
Ge stepped off the little platform Stolas had created for him, and immediately felt the weightlessness. Body unfettered by the constraints of the world, he floated free. Letting go of Stolas' hand, he drifted slowly, still awed by the beauty of the universe, known and unknown, all around him. His tail instinctively wrapping itself around Stolas's, just in case he drifted too far away. It wouldn't be the first time. Just the first in zero gravity.
“Can you show me the stars over there?” Blitz asked him, hopeful. Stolas loved the stars and anything to do with them. That much he'd paid attention to. Hell, there was an awful lot he'd paid attention to when it came to Stolas. Though he shouldn't have been surprised by that.
“Of course,” Stolas smiled sweetly at him. Like he was the best thing that'd ever happened to him. Blitz wasn't so sure about that, but he wasn't about to question it. Life was shitty enough without throwing dirt on the few good things in his life. Especially after what happened just a few months ago at Ozzie's, when their star nearly burned out. “It's why I brought you here, after all.”
Blitz smiled softly, warmth rushing through his chest at Stolas' smile. God he could get used to seeing that smile. Hopefully this time he'd have a chance to. A real chance.
Stolas floated out into the cosmos alongside Blitz and turned so he was facing his lover. “I haven't fully explored this part of the universe yet,” he admitted. “But I thought we could do that together. And perhaps you could pick out a star you liked so I could name it after you.”
Blitz blinked in surprise at him, and pink coloured Stolas cheeks as the admission. Blitz just grinned. “Aw fuck yeah, I'm gonna have my own star!”
“You approve?” Stolas asked, somewhat shyly. In his world, naming a star after someone in his life was a huge gesture of affection.
“I do,” Blitz smiled, his grin morphing into something soft and tender. “I think it's really sweet. I mean... no-one's ever done anything like that for me. Thankyou.”
Stolas smiled lovingly at him. His Blitz. His Starlight. His North star, guiding him home. Burning bright in the dark night sky.
“You're very welcome, Blitz.”
Blitz smiled back at him, and all the words Stolas wanted to say jammed up in his throat and got stuck in his head.
I don't know what to say. But I'm going to want you till the stars evaporate. But we're only here for just a moment in the light, so we need to make the most of that moment before we're in the night again.
“Now, shall we go look at the stars?”
“Let's.”
. . .
They floated through the infinity of space, Stolas pointing out all the different stars in their varying lifestages. Tracing new constellations along with Blitz, while the imp decided which star he wanted named for him. It had to be the best one, Blitz had said. It had to be perfect. The best and brightest.
Stolas laughed and said something about Blitz himself being the brightest star in the sky, but added that he'd wait until the imp had picked out which one he wanted.
Honestly, it was just nice to see his darling Blitzy so happy.
Blitz was busy examining a small star, one that fit easily into the palm of his hand, thinking of naming it after Loonie when Stolas called his name and beckoned him over to a bright star.
“What about this one?”
Blitz turned to look and his mouth fell open. Stolas was pointing to a bright blue supergiant. “That's very you.”
Blitz just shook his head. “Nah, that one's yours,” he said dismissively as he returned to searching. “That's too pretty to be me.”
“Aww, Blitzy...”
“Now this!” Blitz exclaimed. Gesturing to a smaller, redder star. “Now this, is me.”
Stolas giggled as Blitz proudly floated there with his hands on his hips.
“A red dwarf,” he nodded. “A very nice choice. Very well, Blitzy, that's your star.”
“Hey, it's small and red, just like me,”
“And fiery.”
“And fiery.” Blitz added proudly. He then turned back to Stolas again. “Hey Stols, thanks again. For... well, everything really. I didn't...” he took a deep breath and blew it out to compose himself. “I didn't think you wanted me. Not after what happened.”
Stolas blinked once and turned to Blitz, hands gently turning his floating body around to face him and carefully reaching out to touch his face.
“Blitz,” he smiled, the warmth of it reaching his eyes, all four of them. “I've always wanted you. And I'm going to want you til the stars evaporate.”
Blitz widened his eyes in shock and surprise, like this was all news to him though it really shouldn't be at this point. But Stolas supposed the imp still had some demons to tackle.
“You're my starlight, Blitz. You light my way home. And nothing is ever going to change that.”
Blitzo sniffed, his voice catching and his throat closing around a sob. Tears in his eyes. “Stols...”
The imp reached out for him, tail still entwined around his own, and Stolas gently pressed their foreheads together. Hoping to transmit his thoughts and feelings through Blitz's too-thick skull.
Tell me, Blitz. Just tell me to stay. I'll turn, I won't look away.
I'll stay here. I'll never go...
And you'll be okay, for as long as you're with me. I won't let you drift away again.
And if you do, just say the word and I'll be running back to find you
A thousand armies won't stop me. I'll break through.
I'll soar the endless skies for only one sight of your starlight.
Blitz let the tears fall, and Stolas brushed them away, and Blitz smiled through the tears. His hands also finding Stolas' face. Tail coiling tighter around Stolas tail feathers.
“I wish I had somethin' poetic to say back,” he half laughed. “Love you, Stols.”
Stolas smiled, tears forming in the corners of his eyes now, too. “And I you, Blitzy. And I you.”
And I'll love you until the stars go down, and the last galaxies ignite.