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The first time was simple, something Blitzø didn’t even realize was a thing until he thought about it. He was standing at the sink brushing his teeth in Stolas’ bathroom when it hit him. He spat out the toothpaste, rinsed his mouth, and just stared at the toothbrush for a moment as he ran the bristles under the water. He could vaguely remember Stolas mentioning leaving a toothbrush for Blitzø in his bathroom months ago. Blitzø had just nodded and went to brush his teeth. He didn’t question it later when he stayed over and the toothbrush was still there each time.
He shook himself from those thoughts and returned the toothbrush to its proper place. Because his toothbrush had a proper place right next to Stolas’ toothbrush in Stolas’ bathroom. He didn’t know how it happened, but it came as quite a shock that he had been unknowingly slotted even a tiny bit into Stolas’ life.
The next time, Stolas was the one who brought it up. Blitzø was curled up against him, basking in the aftermath of sex, naked. Stolas ran a hand down Blitzø’s back before stopping right above his ass.
“Are you trying to cop a feel? Because I am so done tonight. You are not getting another round,” Blitzø yawned, burying his face into Stolas’ side and flicking his tail playfully at Stolas’ wandering hand in protest of any further action.
Stolas laughed. “No, no. I was just… taking note of your lack of attire.”
Blitzø lifted his head to look at Stolas and raised his eyebrows in disbelief. “Are you seriously complaining about me being naked?”
Stolas shook his head. “Not at all, I particularly like your current state of undress. However, I was just thinking…” he trailed off, voice uncertain. “You should bring a change of clothes you could leave here, for the times when you spend the night.”
Blitzø fought back a wince. He had been staying over more frequently than when they first started this arrangement. Call it a weakness, but it felt nice falling asleep tucked up against soft feathers while one of Stolas’ arms curled around him. Safe. He should stop now that he realized he was getting too close. But he was a sucker, and he liked to play with fire.
“Yeah, alright. I think I’ve got a shirt I can leave here.”
“Some shorts too.”
Blitzø snorted and laid his head back down. “Fine. Don’t act like you don’t love it when I’m walking around ass naked, though.”
Blitzø pretended he didn’t feel the small peck on the top of his head that came in response. Anything he could say at that moment would be too revealing.
Blitzø cursed as his lighter sparked but refused to light. “Shitty thing.” He muttered, tossing it aside and leaning back further into the pillows. He was about to take the cigarette out of his mouth when Stolas reached over and pressed a cool piece of metal into his hand. Looking down, Blitzø found himself holding a lighter. It had a weight to it, which was a good indicator of it being made of quality material, and there was a decorative eye emblazoned on the size. Blitzø flipped it open and spun the spark wheel, watching as the flame caught immediately. Lighting the cigarette, Blitzø took a deep drag and went to pass Stolas his lighter back.
Stolas took his hand and closed Blitzø’s fingers around the lighter. “It’s yours, Blitzy. I noticed your lighter was giving you some trouble a while ago and thought you might like a new one.”
Blitzø looked at the lighter, barely registering when Stolas plucked the cigarette from his fingers. “Yeah, I’ve been meaning to replace it. Uh… thanks?” He winced as it came out more of a question but Stolas didn’t seem to mind as he blew a smoke ring. Blitzø refused to be impressed by that.
“You’re welcome, darling. Now, I have a proposal for our next meeting.”
Blitzø flopped back onto the bed with a groan. He couldn’t believe Stolas was already thinking of next time when they just finished their last round not ten minutes ago. “And by proposal you mean you’ve already bought whatever you need and just need to run it by me now? Did I get that right?”
Stolas’ laugh was answer enough.
One full moon Stolas insisted he had something to show Blitzø before they got down to business. Stolas took Blitzø’s hand and guided him to a dresser nestled in the corner of his bedroom. Bending down, Stolas reached out and opened a drawer that was the perfect height for Blitzø. Blitzø peered inside, curious, and raised his eyebrows when all he saw was the T-shirt and shorts Stolas requested he bring over. The drawer was barren beside those two items.
“You’re showing me… my clothes?” Blitzø asked, unsure.
Stolas laughed in response, good-natured. “No, Blitzy. I’m showing you the drawer. I wanted you to have it, so you could store anything you want to have here. For when you stay the night.”
Blitzø felt his mouth go dry. A drawer. A drawer in Stolas’ bedroom. A drawer just for Blitzø to put whatever he wanted in because it was his. “That’s um,” he swallowed, trying to find the words. “Great. Awesome, really. Thanks.” He closed the drawer because he couldn’t look at it anymore without thinking about what it meant for Stolas to be giving him a drawer in his home.
His voice only sounded slightly panicky when he declared, “So, are we going to fuck or are we just going to stand here?”
The morning after one full moon, Stolas and Blitzø found themselves in the kitchen. Blitzø was sitting on the counter in the loose clothes he kept at the palace, watching as Stolas bustled around the place. Blitzø rubbed at his eyes. He wasn’t a morning person and he was in desperate need of caffeine.
“Got any coffee in this big ass kitchen of yours, Stolas?” Blitzø asked, peering at all the cabinets that lined the walls.
Stolas pointed at a random cabinet, not looking away from what he was doing. “Yes right over there. Bottom shelf.”
Blitzø hopped down and walked over to the cabinet Stolas pointed to. Blitzø opened the door and froze. Placed right on the bottom shelf was his favorite brand of coffee. It was the cheap kind, but Blitzø still loved it. The thing was, it was cheap, and it had no reason to be in the kitchen of royalty. There should be some fancy bags of coffee from the living world, not a tin of instant coffee that could be bought at any grocery store in hell. But there it was, and it being there could only mean one thing. Stolas got it for him specifically.
Numbly, he grabbed the coffee and moved to the microwave, making his drink on autopilot. After he made his cup, he joined Stolas at the table and poured himself a bowl of cereal. He stared blankly at his bowl, head empty as he ate. He didn’t taste his breakfast.
A hand landed on his arm, and Blitzø looked up into warm red eyes.
“Is something wrong, Blitzy?” Stolas asked, his voice laced with concern.
Blitzø looked down at the mug in his hand, filled with the cheap crappy coffee Blitzø always drank, that Stolas bought just for him. The thought of Stolas making space for Blitzø in his life, the owl doing things that made Blitzø feel like he belonged- it was terrifying. Stolas was carefully breaking through Blitzø’s defenses and intertwining their lives. From Stolas taking note of the type of coffee Blitzø drank and buying it for him to the fucking drawer he gave Blitzø that he had been filling with various things he needed when he stayed the night. And Blitzø had been staying over more often because it was so worth it waking up next to Stolas when the owl was still half asleep and so affectionate.
He was getting too close, allowing Stolas to pull him in.
And Blitzø was moving toward him, willingly.
“Nah, everything’s fine.”