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Octavia wakes up, sitting up and stretching her back. Taking a moment to take in her surroundings, she sighs in relief at the silence. She’s still getting used to not waking up to the sound of her mother screaming bloody murder at her dad. Just two months after the divorce and living with her dad after he got full custody, she does not miss Stella at all. After all this time, she finally accepted that her mother didn’t actually care about her or this family at all. Now, she’s more than happy to be living with her father from now on.
After putting on her clothes, she walks down the hall, enters the kitchen, and happily says, “Morning, dad!”
Raising an eyebrow at the empty kitchen, and the lack of any smells that indicate cooking, Octavia turns on the coffee machine and walks out, heading for the green house. She opens the glass door, and yells, “Dad?”
Looking at the empty green house, now even more confused then ever, she walks out, down the hall, and to his bedroom. She softly knocks on the door, and says, “Dad? Are you alright?”
The young Goetia grasps the doorknob and slowly opens the door, tiptoeing inside. Her concern rises when she sees his bed perfectly made with no signs of disturbance. She knows he went out to a party last night and that he ended things with Blitz the night before, but knows nothing beyond that.
Suddenly, she catches a distant sound on the other side of the estate. She says, “Dad?”
As Octavia walks across the mansion, she starts to wonder what could have happened last night. A few minutes later, she enters a living room and notices a few things. The leftover magical essence that indicates a portal was opened here, the blanket laid haphazardly across the couch, and her father’s signature hat laying on the ground. She picks it up, and inspects it, picking up the smell of booze. She wonders, “Was he drinking last night?”
Her eyes widen as the sound of retching suddenly assaults her ears. She yells, “Dad!?”
She runs down the hallway, spotting an open door. She stops in front of it to see her father crouched in front of a toilet, puking his guts out. Octavia can do nothing but watch as he throws up for another solid minute, whereupon he turns around, sits on the floor and takes several deep breaths, his hand clutching the rim of the toilet.
Stolas looks up, seeing his daughter in the doorway. He puts up a dumb smile and groggily says, “Good morning, Via! How are you, sweetie?”
Immediately after, he passes out and Octavia rushes to his side. She pulls him up by the collar of his shirt, and sets him against the bathroom wall. She says, “Dad? Please tell me you were watching your liquor last night.”
After getting no response, she leaves the bathroom. A few minutes later, she returns with a glass of water, and some medicine to find him awake.
She asks, “Dad? Are you okay?”
Stolas looks up at her and says, “No. I’m not okay.”
Brow furrowing at her father’s depressed tone, Octavia asks, “Does this have something to do with you and Blitz?”
He says, “Yes. And the anti Blitzo party I attended last night.”
With an eyebrow raided, she utters, “Anti Blitzo party?”
Stolas says, “That’s right. I was given an honorary invite for being his freshest ex!”
Octavia asks, “Isn’t that a little petty?”
He remarks, “That’s what I thought too. Until I realized Verosika set up the party as a coping mechanism for all the hearts he’s broken. You’d have to be very bad at relationships if you have at least 60 exes.”
The girl sits down next to her father and says, “Dad? What happened the night before?”
Stolas says, “It was our monthly ritual. I arranged an Asmodean crystal so Blitz can continue his business without my grimoire. I got that crystal for him so he can continue to do what he loves. I told him I wanted things to get serious and he didn’t take the revelation well. Words were said, and I found out his true feelings on the matter. After that, we broke it off.”
Via looks at him and says, “You really cared about him, didn’t you?”
He lifts his head up and says, “Yes I did. I thought things could work out between us, but I was wrong.”
Stolas closes his eyes and says, “All those years of being married to that hag made me desperate, and I mistook lust for love. I didn’t realize how unhealthy our dynamic was until it was too late.”
He then says, “Honestly, I share some of the blame. I never caught on to how uncomfortable he always was around me, and I didn’t give him the time needed to process my offer.”
He then frowns and says, “But that doesn’t excuse what he’s done. Our first session together was done out of pity. The only reason he came to the mansion that day was to steal my grimoire.”
Stolas then stops, and says, “No, I shouldn’t trouble you with all this.”
Octavia holds his hand and says, “Dad, it’s okay. You can tell me. I’m here for you.”
He takes a deep breath and says, “He knew Striker was trying to assassinate me and he never told me.”
He then says, “You know when he invited me out to Ozzie’s? I was humiliated in front of the Sin of Lust! He said it was a date, but he was just using me to spy on his employees on their first anniversary!”
The girl’s eyes widen and she says, “He did what?”
Stolas says, “I was at arms length away from him, and he hardly even looked at me. He spent the whole time watching his companions, obsessing over their relationship when there was a potential one sitting right across the table from him!”
Tears start to grace his cheeks, he pulls his legs in, and he starts to sob. Octavia wraps her arms around him, pressing her head into his shoulder.
After a few minutes, he finally calms down. Octavia says, “I’m right here, Dad. Just keep talking.”
Stolas says, “He swung by yesterday morning. He tried to rekindle things, acted as if the words he said to me the night before was nothing but water under the bridge.”
His daughter says, “Okay. Maybe you should stop talking about Blitz. Tell me how the party went.”
He smiles and says, “It was awkward at first, but after a while, I ended up having a good time. The host was surprisingly enough, quite a friendly gal. From the rumors I heard circulating around, I was under the impression that Miss Mayday was a bitch. But she isn’t. Verosika’s actually a sweetheart.”
Octavia raises an eyebrow, and asks, “Wait. Did you say Verosika Mayday?”
Stolas replies, “The music star? Yes. Apparently, she and Blitz had a thing with each other, but like us, it didn’t work out.”
The girl just sits there, not knowing how to respond. What would you say if you found out your dad met one of your favorite artists? After a while, she says, “So, what did you do while you were there?”
He says, “I sung in front of everyone as the guest of honor, I had a little too much to drink, and I met this incubus by the name of Kevin. We danced, made out with each other, had some fun in the bed-“
She says, “Okay! Okay! Don’t need to know that! New topic!”
Stolas frowns and says, “Sorry, sweetie. I’m still under a lot of turmoil. I can’t help but keep thinking of Blitz. Despite everything that’s happened between us, I still want him. But every time I see him, I just feel awful! I feel like an idiot for falling for him! I don’t know what to think anymore!”
He starts crying again, and Octavia hugs him as he lets out his pain. She says, “Just get it all out, dad.”
A few minutes later, he calms down and says, “I’m such a fucking mess.”
His daughter says, “Dad, you’re a great guy. You’re selfless, you put up with Stella’s bullshit for my sake, you treat the staff with respect, and you go out of your way to make others like me happy. That’s why you got him that Asmodean crystal. If Blitz can’t see any of that, then he’s a fucking idiot.”
She then asks, “This guy you’re seeing, is he decent?”
He averts his eyes and says, “I’ve only known him a single night, so I think so?”
Octavia smiles and says, “Dad, I think the problem with Blitz is he was a taker. What you need is a giver, and if Kevin is more open to giving back, then I say stick with him. Maybe going out with him is exactly what you need to get over Blitz. Just get to know him a little better before the sex.”
Stolas smiles and says, “Thank you, Via.”
He pulls his daughter in for a hug, smiling brightly when she wraps her arms around him. A minute later, she pulls away after taking a whiff and says, “Dad, take a shower. You smell like sadness, sex and booze.”
Stolas lifts his arm and sniffs, immediately recoiling from the scent. Octavia drops an antacid tablet into the glass of water, listening to the fizz of bubbles. She says, “Freshen up, and drink that when you have the chance. I’ll be in the kitchen.”
With that, Octavia kisses his cheek and leaves the bathroom. Stolas tilts his head against the wall, closing his eyes and taking a deep breath. After a few minutes, he stands up, closes the door, and takes his clothes off.
As he starts the shower, and waits for the warm water to run, he downs the glass of water Octavia left.
10 MINUTES LATER
Stolas takes a deep breath as he step outs of the bathroom with his bathrobe on. The antacid he took finally kicked in, and the effects of the hangover are starting to fade.
Suddenly, he hears a ding in his pocket. Looking down, he pulls out his phone, noticing a text message from an unknown number.
?: Stolas! How are you doing, baby? It’s Verosika! Just checking in to see how you’re doing after last night! I noticed you had quite a couple drinks last night, and you hooked up with that incubus, Kevin! Good catch! So listen, I noticed Blitz sulking around at the party last night, and I have a feeling you did too, and I thought with you being his freshest ex, I should see how you’re doing. If you ever need someone to talk to, or a shoulder to cry on, feel free to call me! Exes need to stick together!
Stolas smiles a bit, unlocks his phone, and types out a message.
Hello, Verosika! As of the moment, I’m a little hungover, but recovering. No need to cry on your shoulder, my daughter just provided me one. Maybe we could get in touch in a few days. As of today, I’ll probably have an answer within the hour.
Putting his phone away, he walks down the hallway, and enters the kitchen, seeing his daughter sitting down at the table, with a plate of toast, and a coffee mug in her hand. On his side of the table, he sees his own plate of toast, and a cup of tea. As he sits down, Octavia says, “I made your favorite tea for you. I also thought you should have something other then cereal.”
Stolas takes a sip, sighs, and says, “Thank you, Octavia.”
The girl looks up and asks, “So, are you feeling any better?”
He says, “I honestly don’t know.”
As he eats, he receives another text which he reads.
?: Hey Stolas! It’s Kevin! Seeing how you’re doing after the fun we had last night! If you wanna hang out at some point, give me a call! It doesn’t just have to be sex!
Stolas smiles at the text. Octavia notices his expression, smiles and says, “I take it that was Kevin?”
He looks up and nods. She then says, “Well, since you’re seeing someone new, I think it’s a good time to say I made a new friend too.”
Eyes widening, he asks, “Oh really? Who are they?”
Octavia says, “His name is Danny. He’s a hellhound I met at Stylish Occult. He works as a bodyguard at Queen Bee’s estate. We met each other a week ago.”
Stolas smirks and says, “Are you hoping this will develop into something more?”
The girl blushes and says, “Maybe.”
The Goetia chuckles and says, “Well, it would be hypocritical of me to say you can’t have a love life.”
Via looks back at him with a smile on her face, and says, “Thanks, dad. Hey, after breakfast, do you need any help with the greenhouse?”
Stolas thinks for a moment and says, “Well, if you’re offering, I don’t see why not.”
He pulls out his phone, looking at the texts from Verosika and Kevin, and starts to smile. He looks at his daughter and says, “Via?”
The girl looks up from her phone as he says, “I’m not better, but I have a feeling I will be.”
Octavia smiles, reaches across the table to hold his hand, and says, “Good to hear that. You deserve to be better, daddy.”
Stolas smiles back at her, pulls her to his side of the table, and into a hug. His smile brightens when she reciprocates his affection. A few minutes, they pull apart to finish breakfast, with Stolas looking forward to spending the day with his little girl.