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Blitz clambered over the edge of Stolas' balcony with a sigh. It was the full moon, and yet there’d been radio silence from the owl all day. Not a single flirting text or call all day long. Which was…weird.
And oddly annoying, if he was being honest.
"Stolas?" Blitz called, pushing his way into the bedroom. "What, did you forget to charge your damn phone or something? Where the fuck are you?" He frowned and looked around.
"Stolas?" he called again, worry creeping into his tone now. This was definitely getting weird and Blitz didn't like it one bit, his tail swishing behind him as he took a few more steps into the room. It wasn't exactly like there was anywhere for Stolas to hide, though. Not being nine fucking feet tall.
Stolas couldn't breathe. Something was wrong. The room was wrong. It wasn't his! It— Where was he!? Why did everything feel wrong? His eyes flooded with tears as he burrowed into the thick blankets atop an unfamiliar bed. He hid there, sobbing until he heard a voice calling his name. Whoever it was sounded rough and impatient, and that frightened him even more. What if they were here to kidnap him? With a whimper, he began to tremble hard enough to make the blankets shake along with him.
Movement on the bed caught Blitz's eye. He looked over to find a lump under the blankets in almost the exact middle of the bed. He frowned and wandered closer, tilting his head. The lump was definitely too small to be Stolas.
"Hey, what the fu—?" Blitz yanked the blanket off, his words dying on his tongue. He knew that little, round owl. He'd met him before, a long, long time ago. Blinking in disbelief, he felt himself physically deflate.
"Stolas?" he asked again.
Stolas nearly fainted when the blanket was suddenly removed, leaving him cowering in the open. He blinked back tears, ready to scream for help, when the sound died in his throat. There was an imp staring at him with wide eyes. An imp that looked rather familiar. Like a relative of...
"Y-you look just like Blitzo!" he exclaimed, curiosity slowly taking the place of fear. "Are you his dad? I thought that he already left, though?" Perhaps his imp friend had decided to come back to play more, and now his father was looking for him.
Blitz blinked. What the fuck? He opened his mouth, but closed it again. He knew the answer. Magic. What else?
Sighing, he dragged one hand down his face. "What's the last thing you remember?" he asked. Stolas had pretty much already said it, but he wanted to be certain.
Stolas was ready and eager to answer obediently, but... When he tried to think about it, the answer didn't feel as simple. The last thing that he remembered should have been Blitzo leaving, and himself returning to his books before bed. So why did it feel like there was more? And not just a little more. A lot more. A sky full of stars and darkness that hid just beyond his reach. A round moon full of promises.
Frowning, Stolas shook his head and reminded himself that Blitzo's dad was waiting for him to reply. Best to go with the clearest memory.
"Blitzo left, and I started to get ready for bed," he finally answered, gazing at the imp with the hope that his answer was sufficient.
Blitz wanted to scream every time Tiny Stolas said his full name, but forced the feeling down. He was so small—Satan, how had he forgotten how small Stolas had once been?—and the last thing he wanted to do was scare him.
"Right, okay," he said at last, forcing his voice to be even. "Okay, so here's the deal." Blitz moved to sit on the edge of the bed, well away from Stolas. "Blitz...O went home. But he…he thought you might be lonely, so he asked me to come check on you. And good thing he did, too, huh?" He waited for Stolas to give him a careful nod before continuing.
"And I'm not his dad, okay?” he added, with a bit more force than was necessary because fuck being compared to Cash Buckzo in any way. “I’m more like…a big brother? Anyway, I'm…uh…you know what? Just call me Big Bro, okay, and I'm just gonna assume that…whatever this is will wear off by morning. But I'm not going to leave until it does, okay?" What was he going to do if it didn't wear off? Maybe Loona could find something in the book. Oh! The book!
"Ah, and I think this is yours, right?" Blitz asked, picking the book up from where he'd set it down beside him and holding it out to the little owl.
Stolas' eyes widened as he looked up at Blitzo's big brother with wonder. He looked so cool! He had to know all sorts of fun clown things! Did he know about Worm Horse? His excited thoughts screeched to a halt when he saw his Grimoire. His brow furrowed, and he looked up at Big Bro in confusion.
"Where did you get this?" he asked quietly. "I had it when... I was looking at it before bed..."
And there was that odd feeling of more, again. This was certainly the strangest birthday that he had ever had. Perhaps the strange feeling was part of his duty! Perhaps it had to do with finding prophecies. In that case, he should embrace it, as odd as it all felt.
Blitz smiled and tilted his head, going into full Parent Mode now. Tiny Stolas was actually pretty adorable. "I found it out on the balcony," he said quickly. It was true enough. "Hey, you feeling okay?" he asked, watching Stolas hug the book to him. "Just curious. Nothing hurts or anything?"
Stolas immediately shook his head. Nothing hurt, but... Should he tell Big Bro about the more? Maybe he would know about it. But how to begin explaining when he didn't even know what it was? He struggled for a moment, but when he glanced at Big Bro, he only saw patience and concern in his eyes.
"E-everything feels strange," he admitted. He looked around the room, trying to find an example. "Like... This room. It's not my room, but it still feels familiar. But I don't know why it feels familiar. But I feel like I should know why. It feels like... There's a lot of things hiding where I can't see them. Things like...like memories!"
Finally, he inched fully out of the blankets and sat in the middle of the bed, still clutching his Grimoire as if it was a beloved stuffed animal. Now that he thought about it, Big Bro had mentioned him getting "back to normal", and seemed rather concerned over him.
"D-did something happen to me?" he asked with a trace of fear. He inched closer to Big Bro, wanting comfort, but never knowing how to ask for it.
Blitz listened to Stolas' attempt to piece it all together. By the end, though, he just sounded like a scared little kid and that—that broke his heart. Without even thinking twice he reached out to wrap an arm around the little owl's shoulders, tucking him up against his side.
"Yeah, something definitely happened, but I'm sure it will all be better in the morning. And you know what? If it's not, then we'll figure something out, okay?" Stolas was sniffling now, obviously holding back tears.
"Hey, hey, I mean it. It'll be okay. You're not in trouble—not with me or anyone else, okay?" Stolas had always been an open book, but there was a stark difference between when he looked vulnerable as an adult and…like this. Blitz wanted to pull him into his lap, but hesitated, afraid it would be too much too soon. "In the meantime, let's just try not to think about it, alright? Any requests?" He asked, trying to brighten Stolas' mood somehow.
Stolas leaned against Big Bro's side, trying his very best not to think about it. He sniffled as he fidgeted, wondering what would make him feel better. Thoughts of something being wrong and of being upset and the day that he'd had swirled around in his head until a small piece of the tangled mess fell from his beak in one tiny, hushed whimper.
"I don't want to get married."
Whatever Blitz had expected, it hadn't been that! He choked on his own spit. "A-aren't you a little young to be getting married?" Stolas had explained that he and Stella had been arranged but…this young? That was just…gross. Stolas sniffed again and he tightened his hold on the little owl.
"What if I could promise you it won't always be such a bad thing?" he ventured at last.
Stolas leaned into Big Bro's hold, seeking out any comfort that he could get. He couldn't remember when he'd last been simply held while upset. It was nice. And Big Bro felt safe. Almost familiar, in a way, but that was likely from him being related to Blitzo.
"You can promise that?" he asked tentatively, blinking up at the taller imp. "How do you know?" There was no disbelief in his voice, only curiosity.
Blitz began to run his hand up and down the little owl's side while he decided how much he should reveal. "You're not the only one who can tell prophecies," he said at last, winking when Tiny Stolas' eyes grew wide—all four of them. "I'm not gonna lie and say it'll all be great. But no matter how hard it gets, you'll get one priceless treasure out of that marriage."
At the apparent age he was now, he couldn't expect Stolas to think Octavia worth the suffering of his bitch of a wife, but Blitz knew that Stolas in his grown-up state believed that, absolutely. He only hoped his "prophecy" sounded suitably cryptic.
Stolas sat up a little straighter, absolutely intrigued. "I've never heard of an imp who can tell prophecies!" he exclaimed. "I'm...still a little scared... But if you say that it will be alright, then...then I'll be brave!" He puffed up his chest feathers, trying his best to look courageous and determined. Then, another thought struck him, and he couldn't help but tug on Big Bro's arm in his excitement.
"Do you know other things, as well? Like... W-will I ever see Blitzo again? He was ever so much fun," he asked, his cheeks warming at the mention of his dear friend.
Blitz couldn't help a smile as Stolas visibly brightened. Then, of course, he had to go and use his full name again, but the question was laced with so much hope that all Blitz could do was chuckle.
"Some of us circus imps can tell fortunes," he confirmed with a nod. "And yes. You'll see him again. It might take a while, though, so just be patient." He still remembered how Stolas called him his "first friend" but it was different to hear it from the kid himself. Had Stolas really thought about him for 25 years?
Stolas nodded eagerly. "Yes! I can be very patient! Oh, I'm so glad! Your little brother is so cool! Did you know, he's going to own a business someday? It's going to be a circus business! I know that it sounds kind of silly, but he's very good at circus things!" By the time he was done, he was nearly out of breath. He took a moment to pause and calm down, lowering his voice a little as he went on.
"I'm so glad to have met him. You know, it was my birthday today. But I wasn't having fun... I was really upset. But your brother spent the day with me and made everything better!" He gazed up at Big Bro, suddenly feeling a touch shy. "Could you... Tell him that I said 'thank you'? For being my friend?"
Blitz listened to the excited rant with a mounting tightness in his chest. He remembered having fun with Stolas that night so long ago, despite what he'd truly been there to do. He'd never really considered just what an impression he'd truly left on the owl, though.
The idea that anyone—especially someone with as much status as Stolas—held fond memories of him was such an alien feeling. So much so that he had to clear his throat before he could force words through it. "Yeah, little guy, I'll tell him. He had a lot of fun with you too, you know," he added sincerely.
Stolas beamed, a tiny pleased trill bubbling in his throat. "Oh, I'm so glad! I've never had a friend to play with before, and at first, he was bored with all of my books. Then he told me about Treasure Hunt! Do you know of any other imp games?" he asked, eager to learn. He'd need to know for when Blitzo visited again. He'd be ready with all sorts of fun games to play.
Blitz winced at the mention of "Treasure Hunt." Stolas had never once held it against him, just like he'd never called Blitz out for the fact that they'd only hooked up that first time because Blitz had been caught red-handed trying to steal his spell book. Probably best to let sleeping hellhounds lie.
"You ever played Hide and Seek?" he wondered, both because it was the first thing that came to mind and because he felt reasonably sure a lonely kid like Stolas had never had a reason to play that game, nor anyone to play it with.
And maybe it also had a bit of added hilarity when he stopped to think about how impossible it was for Stolas to hide in his adult form, towering over everyone around him like he did.
Stolas shook his head, but his smile remained. "I've read about it, though! I tried once to get the palace staff to play with me, but none of them would. They were all too busy," he explained. "Can we play?" He began to bounce slightly in his excitement, hands clenched before him. He should have suggested Hide and Seek to Blitzo! Silly of him not to have thought of that one.
Blitz couldn't even hope to fight down his smile, shaking his head at the thought of only having read about Hide and Seek. "Since it's your first time, you get to hide first," he announced. "We should probably also stay on this floor or I'll never find you in this huge ass palace."
Besides, he wasn't sure where Stolas' daughter or wife were tonight and the last thing Blitz wanted was to run into either of them. "You ready?" he asked, leaning down to be on level with the little owl.
Stolas hopped off of the bed, already considering his hiding place options. This bedroom wasn't familiar, but if they were in the palace where he grew up, then he should know the rest of the rooms. If not, he was small enough to squeeze into any number of places.
"Close your eyes and start counting!" he cheered, nearly jogging in place.
Blitz snorted at how quickly Stolas took to the idea. "Okay, okay," he was quick to agree. Blitz closed his eyes and even slapped his hand over them to prove he wasn't peeking. "One...two...three..." He began to count loudly, listening to Stolas scamper away. For the first time he wondered if Stolas would remember this when...whatever the fuck he had done to himself wore off. To his surprise, he didn't hate the idea. Stolas deserved good childhood memories, even if this particular one didn't exactly come from his childhood, per say.
"Twenty! Ready or not, here I come!" Blitz shouted, nearly springboarding off the bed to go in search of a tiny, hiding owl.
Stolas scurried out of the bedroom and into a long hallway. A thick carpet ran the length of it, softening the sound of his footsteps. There wasn't too much to hide behind, and he couldn't quite get up the courage to open any of the doors lining the corridor. He couldn't remember exactly what was behind them, anyway. But he did know what was at the end of the hall. His favorite place.
Pushing open the heavy doors, he stepped into the library. It was how he remembered it, books lining the walls from floor to ceiling. Only there was a desk in the middle, overflowing with papers and piles of thick tomes. He paused, staring at the new addition. He walked around it, deeming it the perfect place to hide. He squeezed himself underneath and pulled the chair in as close as he could. Then he waited.
Despite his initial shout, Blitz kept quiet as he padded out of the bedroom. Most of the staff knew by now to keep well away from Stolas' room on full moon nights, and they'd never run into Stella or Octavia either, but he was still on guard. He soon realized he shouldn't have worried. The only door that had been disturbed was the one at the end of the hall, which had been left cracked open.
He smirked to himself, making a beeline for it and only shaking his head when he pushed on it to reveal the library—what else? "Hmmm, could he be in here?" Blitz asked out loud for dramatic effect, pushing the door open all the way. Most of the time he didn't mind the fact that he'd found Loona so late in both their lives, but every now and again he wondered what it would have been like, to play with her when she was younger and more open. More trusting.
"Now, if I was that small, where would I hide?" he mused out loud, going for the curtains first before beginning to peer around the free standing shelves. He ended up in the center of the room, turning around once before he noticed the desk. He fought down a grin and pretended he hadn't honed in on it yet. "That's weird. Where the fu—I mean, where did he go?"
Stolas went very still as he heard Big Bro enter the library. Very loudly. Such a silly imp, making so much noise! He looked everywhere but the desk, and Stolas was certain that he'd never be found. When it seemed as if Big Bro was going to leave without finding him, all the while standing right in front of the desk, Stolas could no longer help himself. The tiniest hoot of a giggle escaped him.
Despite everything, Blitz had never truly lost his sense of showmanship. You can take the imp out of the circus, but not the circus out of the imp. His tail stood straight and he whirled on his heel, blinking at the desk as if seeing for the first time.
"Oh? And just what do we have here?" he asked, finally yanking the chair out and reaching in to hoist up the owl who was now uncontrollably giggling. Tiny Stolas tried to squirm away, but he was laughing too hard to make any progress. "Gotcha!" Blitz crowed triumphantly, laughing along with the infectious giggles.
Stolas squirmed, trying to escape Big Bro's grasp, as if that would save him from being found. The library was filled with the sound of their laughter, and he felt warm and happy.
"You may have found me this time, but on my next turn, I'll be extra quiet!" he declared, lifting his chin with determination. As he did, he saw the row of portraits that hung on either side of the library doors. He smiled at them, remembering all of the days that he'd sat in here reading with the portraits of his ancestors watching over him.
Now, they could watch him play and laugh and have fun. His great-grandfather, his grandfather, his father, and... He frowned, squinting as he realized that there was an extra portrait. Leaving Big Bro's side, he went closer, head craned upwards. The owl in the extra portrait was frowning, staring ahead with... He couldn't quite describe what it was. Where there was pride and pomp in the other portraits, this one just felt...hollow.
"Who's that one?" he asked, pointing. "He looks kind of...re-resigned."
Blitz frowned as Stolas wandered away, only to freeze when he realized what had captured the little owl's attention. "Shit," he cursed under his breath. The worst part was, the kid wasn't wrong, either. He'd seen other paintings of Stolas in the palace. Sometimes he tried to look regal and sometimes—usually in the ones with Octavia—he looked genuinely happy. But most of the time, he looked empty, like in the portrait Tiny Stolas was looking at now.
"Sometimes us grown-ups have to do things because other people want us to, not because we want to," he said, coming up behind the little owl. "He's...someone you haven't met yet. But you will. Someday."
Stolas glanced at Big Bro, catching an oddly solemn look on the imp's face. "Like...getting married to someone you don't know..." he said quietly. He understood. He understood all too well. "Maybe someday we can play Hide and Seek with him, and he can laugh, too."
Blitz blinked a few times, refusing to acknowledge the pressure behind his eyes. "Yeah," he agreed, clearing his throat. "I'm sure we will." He bit back a sigh. Well that had turned into a fucking downer. "You wanna keep playing or you getting sleepy, there, kid?" he asked. "Like I said before, I'll stay with you. We can go back to your room if you're tired."
Stolas shook his head vigorously. Even if he was tired, he didn't want to waste this rare, fun opportunity.
"I still want to play!" he stated, taking Big Bro's hand and tugging him back to the bedroom, which he now thought of as the Hide and Seek start point. "Besides, you didn’t get a turn to hide. It's only fair. And I'm having so much fun!" He looked up at Big Bro with wide puppy eyes, not even aware that he was doing it.
Blitz let himself be led back to the bedroom, a bemused smile on his face. "Okay, okay. Just promise no peeking with that extra set of peepers," he teased.
When Tiny Stolas obediently closed both sets of eyes Blitz grinned and hurried to the door. He kept his footsteps purposefully loud. A few steps out, though, he crept back into the room silently, slipping right past the counting owl and through the cracked bathroom door to lay himself down in the bottom of the empty tub. He'd give himself away before Stolas could get frustrated, but that didn't mean he couldn't get one over on the kid in the meantime.
Stolas finished counting, having taken care not to go too quickly despite his eagerness. Both sets of eyes popped open, and with an excited hoot, he raced out of the room. Big Bro was smart, but he probably didn't know Stolas' secret weapon. Taking soft steps down the hall, he cocked his head this way and that, utterly focused. He was an owl, after all. And owls had very keen hearing. If he was close to Big Bro, he should be able to hear him breathing, or any sounds if the imp fidgeted too much.
He went all the way down the hall, through the library and back out. He went down a smaller corridor connected to the main hall, and found himself in a cozy den. But there was no trace of Big Bro.
"Circus imps are good at hiding," he muttered to himself, pacing back down the main hall. Just to be certain, he even looked up at the high ceiling, but to no avail. With a thoughtful hum, he went back into the bedroom. No one had said that this area was off limits for hiding.
Standing in the quiet room, he listened intently. And there it was. Like a whisper of a breeze, easy to miss if he wasn't looking for it. It came from a room linked to the bedroom. He crept in quietly, zeroing in on a large tub set in the center of the room, surrounded by velvety curtains. He had to stifle a giggle, because it was so ridiculous, hiding in a tub! He couldn't quite reach the edge, so he knocked on the side.
"Found you!" he announced, feathers fluffed with pride.
Blitz had been just about to kick his boot against the tub and give the kid a hint when a quiet giggle made him jump. Then Stolas knocked on the tub himself and Blitz couldn't help but grin, sitting up and draping himself over the edge. "Not half bad, kid," he praised. "I'm officially impressed." His grin widened to see Stolas' feathers puff up again in pride.
"Alright. You can hide one more time and them we gotta fucking sleep okay?" he said, too busy yawning to remember to check his language.
Stolas' eyes widened at the curse, and he gave a nervous giggle. Not that there was anyone around to scold them. "Yes! Just one more turn, and then I'll sleep. I promise!" He was too short to help Big Bro out of the tub, but that didn't stop him from trying.
When they were back in the bedroom once more, he waited for the imp to start counting. Big Bro's little trick during his turn had been clever, and two could play at that game. He ran out of the room, then doubled back. With the quietest of steps, he snuck right up to the bed, his little heart racing. This was the ultimate hiding spot, and only an owl could be quiet enough to pull it off. Lowering himself to the ground, he slipped under the bed, his feathers muffling any sounds.
Big Bro finished counting and left the room, and Stolas had to press a hand against his mouth to keep from giggling with glee. A minute or two passed. Then, as he was hiding under the bed, the spell upon Stolas finally broke. What had been a spacious hiding place for a young owlet was now a cramped space for an adult. With the sudden change in size, he smacked his head on the bottom of the bed frame with a hissed swear. Of all of the times for this to happen! How utterly embarrassing and inconvenient! He tried to wriggle out, but with his arms pinned beneath him and his legs sticking out the side, he was well and truly stuck.
Blitz had finished counting and leapt off the bed. He’d been sure Stolas wouldn't go to the library again. When he’d turned the other way, he’d noticed the door to the den was open. He was halfway there when he heard a bang from the bedroom and a muffled curse in a deeper voice.
"Stolas?" Blitz called, spinning on his heel. He stopped in the doorway, watching Stolas' long legs kick from where they were sticking out from under the bed, and promptly doubled over in helpless laughter.
Stolas froze at the sound of laughter. "Blitz!?" He was disoriented, but... Yes, he'd been playing Hide and Seek with him... Oh…oh but this was humiliating.
"Stop laughing and help me!" he squawked, kicking with increased desperation.
Blitz snorted as he pushed himself away from the door frame. "Fine, just hold still for a fucking second!" he ordered. Stolas huffed but obediently went still. Blitz grabbed his ankles and tugged, dragging the lanky owl out from beneath his own bed.
"Does this mean you're back to normal now?" he wondered, watching Stolas carefully climb to his feet. "What the fuck did you do, anyway?"
Stolas smoothed his ruffled head feathers and tried his best to scrape together his remaining dignity. "As normal as I can be," he said drily. "I was testing a time regression spell for one of my elderly plants. Unfortunately, it backfired. You saw the results," he explained.
Blitz huffed. "Figures it was for a fucking plant," he muttered.
Stolas looked off to the side, unable to meet Blitz's eyes. Big Bro. Complicated feelings churned within him. Embarrassment, frustration...and...overwhelming fondness. He put a hand to his brow and sighed.
"I'm sorry for dragging you into my mess. It certainly wasn't how I'd intended to spend the evening with you. But also..." He stole a quick glance at Blitz, his cheeks blushing ever so lightly. "Thank you. For watching over me. You were a good big brother."
Blitz’s eyes widened. "Y-yeah?" he asked, flushing himself. "Yeah, I mean, I wasn't gonna just leave you alone like that." He scratched the back of his neck. "Besides...it kinda made me feel like I got a do-over, ya know? Instead of...fucking tricking you." He winced again at the memory of how happy Stolas' younger version had been when he mentioned playing "Treasure Hunt."
Stolas gave a gentle smile. "It was fun, getting to play with you." With a few slow steps, he brought himself closer to Blitz. Bending down, he cupped Blitz's cheek and pressed a soft, sweet kiss to his brow.
"I'm glad that I got to see you again, even if it took a while, as you said. Thank you for setting my young heart at ease." He pulled away, towering above Blitz once more. What his darling imp had said and done for him may not have changed the past, but these soft, kind memories would stay with him. To be cherished.
Blitz flushed and glanced away. What the fuck was he supposed to say to that, anyway? "You're...welcome," he said at last, daring to glance up at Stolas. "Just, no more fucking with time or whatever, okay? Ya kinda scared the crap out of me at first there." He huffed a sigh. "I wasn't sure what I was even gonna do if it didn't wear off."
Stolas nodded at Blitz's demand. "I think I may shelve that spell until I understand it better," he assured.
Blitz glanced around the room, suddenly indecisive. He didn't really want to leave, something primal and protective demanding he stay close even though Stolas seemed fine now. But having just spent all evening with a child version of him...yeah, no, regular full moon activities were definitely a hard pass.
"Would it be okay if I crashed out here tonight? I'm just...pretty beat after all that, you know? You can say no," added hastily.
Stolas had been certain that Blitz would leave now that he was back to his proper age, but the imp surprised him. It was a test of restraint to not pounce immediately upon the request to stay.
"Ah, did I wear you out?" he teased. "Of course you can stay. I'm actually very happy to have you. After all of this, well... I... You see— I-I don't want to be by myself." The last part came out quietly as he fidgeted with his hands. He felt so warm and happy and safe with Blitz here, and he wanted to hold onto that.
Blitz felt his shoulders relax at the admission that Stolas didn't want to be alone. "Octavia's off with your soon-to-be-ex, huh?" It wasn't really a question. They would have attracted more attention with their game if anyone had really been around.
"Sure. I mean, gotta make sure you don't suddenly get amnesia or turn into a grandpa or some shit," he couldn't help but tease, grinning up at Stolas. "I...probably wouldn't want to be alone either after something like that," he admitted, shuddering at the thought of suddenly losing 25 years worth of memories.
"You're sweet, Blitz," Stolas murmured sincerely, taking the imp by the hand and guiding him to the bed. Not to do anything rowdy or sexy. Just to sit. "So you shall watch over me, tonight? You didn't get enough of it earlier?" Even as he lightly teased, he knew that Blitz's presence was like a soothing balm right now. Something about revisiting his childhood self had roused feelings of loneliness in him. He'd spent so much time alone.
Blitz looked down at their hands, Stolas holding his hand in both of his own. "I never really explained what happened that night, huh?" he said quietly. Stolas' room, especially his bed, was safe.
Pretend we're in the blanket fort.
"All you really need to know is my dad was a bastard and if it had been up to me I wouldn't have cut and run like I did. I had fun back then...and I had fun tonight, too." He swallowed, not daring to meet Stolas' gaze.
Stolas cocked his head, listening. "You don't need to explain anything about that day that you don't want to," he murmured, smoothing a thumb over Blitz's knuckles. "Whatever else happened, I was simply happy to have made a friend." He let out a quiet chuckle. "And now I have bonus memories to enjoy. That was quite crafty of you, sneaking back in to hide in the tub."
Blitz opened his mouth to argue, only to be completely derailed by the comment about his hiding spot. Anyone else wouldn't have missed the opportunity to remind him of what an asshole he was. But, yet again, Stolas refused to follow that example. It was...confusing, truth be told, but Blitz wasn't about to argue.
"I almost got you there," he agreed instead, unable to keep a grin from blossoming on his face. "Truth be told, I was gonna make a noise and give you a hint right when you figured it out." He shrugged when Stolas looked affronted at that, of all things. "If you're playing with a kid, it's no fun if they don't win," he said simply. "Even I know that."
Stolas gave a begrudging nod. He couldn't say that he'd never done the same when he'd played games with Via as a child.
"I can only wonder how long it would have taken you to find me in my very daring hiding spot," he mused, smiling with open pride. It had been a brilliant idea, if only it hadn't been ruined by the spell breaking. As relieved as he was to be back to normal, he wouldn't have minded being able to play just a little longer.
Blitz snorted and glanced down at the very bed they were sitting on. "Honesty? Probably longer than I'd like to admit," he said. "I would have found you eventually!" he added quickly. "It's sorta my fucking job, you know?"
He thought again of how their game hadn't attracted a soul and suddenly wondered what might have happened if tonight hadn't been a full moon. Would anyone have found Stolas? Would he have simply been left all alone?
"Hey...uh...do me a favor, would ya? Next time you're doing some weird new spell shit...just text me first, okay? That way, if I don't hear from you in, like, an hour I know to come looking for the body." He tried to keep his tone light but the joke fell flat even to his ears. Blitz found himself once again unable to lift his gaze from their joined hands, trying desperately not to imagine worst case scenarios.
Stolas' eyes widened ever so slightly, and he glanced at Blitz. "You...were worried?" he murmured, more to himself than anything. "Well, that's a perfectly reasonable request, considering what happened. For the sake of safety, I shall always let you know." Blitz still wasn't looking at him, but he understood. Today had been a lot for both of them. Still, he couldn't help but try to set Blitz at ease. "I'm a lot more durable than you seem to think," he stated lightly.
Blitz rolled his eyes. "I know that. But...just...yeah. Thanks," Blitz muttered at last. Before Stolas could make fun of him he leaned into the owl, wrapping his arms around a thin waist and burying his face in the tuft of exposed chest feathers. "Small you was cute and all, but I missed this," he sighed, too exhausted by the night's unexpected turn to realize he may have revealed more than he intended with that statement.
Stolas chuckled, running a hand down Blitz's back as the imp faceplanted his chest feathers. "This version does have its advantages," he replied. "Like this." Falling onto his back, he pulled Blitz along with him, letting him rest on top. Blitz was the perfect size for it, and a wonderfully comfortable weight. Very much like laying under a weighted blanket.
Blitz sighed as he was pulled to lay atop the owl, moving without any fuss. It was always oddly comfortable to curl up atop Stolas. Usually it was because he's collapsed onto Stolas in a post-coital heap, but this was just as satisfying, truth be told.
He felt...wanted. Whether or not anything more ever came (or could ever come) of their arrangement, it was just nice to know he was wanted. It was enough. He'd make it be enough.
"Always so fucking soft," he murmured, happily rubbing his cheek over downy feathers, all four limbs encircling Stolas while his tail wrapped around the owl's thigh.
Stolas sighed in utter bliss as Blitz wrapped his limbs around him. He returned the embrace, thoroughly entangling them. "And you are always so warm," he murmured, nuzzling against Blitz's head.
His first friend. His dearest friend. Then, and now.
"Goodnight, Blitzy," he said softly, knowing that the imp was already close to nodding off. With a glow of magic, he pulled a blanket up over them both and closed his eyes. Safe and warm.