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Chapter Text

The hooting noise of his phone set an already on edge Blitz into something closer to an actual temper. They only had one exit to go before they got to the hospital, couldn't this bird puss ever have something resembling good timing?!  "Oh shit," he let himself grump before he tried to answer the phone with at least a fake of his usual familiar tone, "Stolas! It's, really not a good time buddy!"

Loona's pupils were blown wide, her nails dug into the front seat of the red upholstery. Moxxie and Mille were distinctly behind him, nets at the ready if she tried to jump out the window before this phase wore off.

"I'm sorry it's a bad time yet again Blitzy but um, I seem to have found myself in a bit of a sitch."

He expected Stolas to go off on a little ramble about how sitch was a funny word to use. Blitz pulled the phone slightly away from his ear, glancing briefly down as he tried to rev his engine louder so that the cars in front of him would move out of his way by the time he looked back up. It was one of the stupidest things to happen on the highway and of course did every time he somehow drove. Two cars going at different speeds that still kept him trapped!

Yet his phone kept his attention from honking just yet. There was a faint noise on the other end, one Blitz thought he could identify, but it was strange and not something he connected with the bird. "I'm tied on the back of a horse at the moment..."

"Pfft, lucky bitch!" Blitz huffed, finally connecting the sound of horse hooves, and even the occasional squeak from Stolas's birdie throat at each canter. The image was enough to get him hard on a normal day, oh but he'd love to have done this to Stolas himself if the fucking prince would ever deign him to leave that cage of a bedroom- but he had to focus. Loona had relaxed some, now crossing her arms and instead just looking dead ahead.

He could feel M&M's eyes on him, but only with the same level of concern as when he'd called them this morning about the mission. They were probably just worried he and Stolas were going to fuck over the phone or some nancy shit, the hypocrites.

"Um, well, no. Rather unlucky." Stolas's voice showed the first hint of annoyance, though he picked back up to his usual chatty manner. Maybe he didn't like horses. Blitz may have to up the torture porn to finally find something Stolas didn't like. "I seem to have been stolen by that little cowboy friend of yours."

That finally got Blitz's full surprise, the scene shifting in his head from porn to Stolas now playing up another game instead, that stupid bodyguard nonsense. "Oh, which one?" He asked with only mild interest as some old enemies from his circus days might have survived and popped into the Goetia house as entertainment.

"How many cowboys do you know?" Moxxie demanded. Blitz rolled his eyes and decided against answering, no need to get into it with Moxxie right now. Even he couldn't handle a four-way argument between this stupid traffic, Loona's dead-ahead stare not taking in a word, and whatever fantasy Stolas was indulging himself in today to cuss Moxxie out for not knowing his entire life backstory he'd never told him. "What does he look like your highness?" He even invited himself into the conversation, the bitch!

There was a moment of silence as Stolas seemed to consider this. "Hmm, sexy."

Blitz's hope went up that maybe there was a few things he could do with a hat and spurs next full moon before Moxxie cut in, again, "That's Striker sir!"

Yeah, Blitz believed that. He filed away for later Moxxie thought he was sexy too, he could have fun with that. He supposed he should have known he wouldn't have given up after the first try, but well, there had been a lot going on! And they hadn't really had any repeat evil dudes messing with their lives. An honest surprise considering how many assholes they'd sent to hell personally- right. Stolas was kind of kidnapped. Focus.

"Oh for fuck's sake, can't you just get away!? Aren't you powerful?" Blitz demanded in growing annoyance of his proverbial meal ticket, a sign for his exit coming up in three miles. He needed to get over if these fuckwads would ever get out of his way! Loona hadn't flinched during the entire conversation, her phone beside her not even considered. This was a bad day.

"I believe he has me bound with blessed rope, which limits my ability to free myself I'm afraid," bastard sounded so smug. Blitz would have shoved a mouse in his piehole if he had one on him in person. As if there were no other option to him in the world than to call up Blitz for this minor limitation. "So, I think you should come save me!" Maybe three mice. Blitz could almost hear the sound of whatever schlocky book title he was about to announce this reminded him of he could choke on through the fur.

"Uhhh," Blitz tried not to refuse outright even knowing he was going to as his eyes slid to his daughter. "Shit Stolas, I can't today all right? I'm, I'm sorry I'm literally on my way to take Loona in for her very important hellbies S-H-O-T." Her eyes somehow got bigger than they ever had before, now huddling up into herself against the door and looking at him like he was the needle about to stab her throat already. Blitz continued, unperturbed, mostly. "It takes years to book an appointment at this place, it took five for me to get this one, and she's been doing a lot of fieldwork, so, you know, she needs it." Stolas would get it. He'd call his royal guard or something and back down so he could have this time with his daughter. The guy was an ass for brains, but he had his own daughter too, he'd understand.

His response still sounded condescending, dismissive, and pompous. "Ooh haha, well I do agree, that is very important, but I-"

"Would you shut up already?! I can hear you by the way!" The new voice that intruded into the conversation set Blitz's teeth on edge. Usually he was the only one who bothered to tell Stolas to shut up. A light thwack, his mind offered up the image of this piece of shit actually hitting Stolas, before Striker's voice was now right in his ear and he realized the guy had just taken the phone. "Don't worry about your lanky birdie, he's in good hands."

The line went dead with an echo of that evil laugh. Blitz's heart skipped a beat in surprise.

He did his best not to mimic that freak and throw his own phone underneath his tires that were not going fast enough for his liking. "Dammit!" He lost the fight, feeling his hellphone crumble in his fist as he lost all sense playing nice today and slammed his car into its highest speed, bumper-carring his way through now and be damned if Belphegor himself popped up to say something about it.

"Sir!" Millie tried to phase into his temper. "Let me and Moxxie handle this one. We'll take Loona for the day!"

"No fucking way, she's my daughter!" He snapped on pure instinct. His Loony was not going into that hospital without him.

Millie gently touched his shoulder as a car appeared to be driving on the wrong side of the road zoomed past the windows. Or wait. Maybe he was. He didn't care right now as the exit was finally in view. "Blitz, please. We need Stolas on your good side, don't want him getting his panties in a twist you didn't come at his beck and call next full moon. We'll look after her like she was our very own puppy."

Blitz groaned, his foot never leaving the shaking floorboard. He'd promised himself he'd be there for every step of Loona's, he'd been waiting for this day for five fucking years! He'd taught her how to drive, how to shoot a gun, how to cook without burning down the kitchen, he should get his too! It was just like Stolas to think himself more important than everything!

But, well, Millie was fucking right. There might not be a leash on him, but he didn't want to test how tight he could pull before Stolas might make things difficult about that book. He swore to himself if this was all just some elaborate game the prince had cooked up for a fantasy power trip, he'd find out what blessed rope was and tie up his beak permanently.

"Okay, are you two sure you've got this alone?" He turned around to really glare into them how important this was, his horse charm swaying along with the blaring horns around him no distraction at all. He might have to buy an owl plushie and tie it on top of Kaboom- shit, focus.

"We can do it sir! Together, we are a lethal combo," Moxxie's voice piqued into way too much love as Millie smiled at him.

 "Uggh, fine," he groused, wishing he could stab every person he'd ever met right now for the annoyance that was his entire life. He softened his voice as the towering hospital came into view. "Loony, sweetie, you're going to spend the day with your Uncle Moxxie and Auntie Millie here. Won't that be fun?"

Her lips pulled back over her teeth, but there was still a possessed look in her eyes like all she could see were bars. He was the worst father. Stolas and Striker and someone unmentioned but deserving was going to pay for all this later. Probably Moxxie. "I love you," he promised and reminded every day as the car came to a screeching halt. "Now be good and I promise t-bone steaks for the rest of the week." His feathered highness could buy them for this bullshit. Or he’d sell off some of his horse figurines. He’d make it happen.

Moxxie slid open the van door and went around to open the door for Loona, while Mille waited as Blitz leaned out the window to whisper to her, "don't let them give you any bullshit in there Mills, and don't let Moxxie ruin my precious girl by trying to sing, and make sure she gets a treat as soon as the shot's done, and-"

"We've got this Blitz," she promised, reaching up on the tips of her hooves to squeeze his elbow hanging out and tapping his nails impatiently for the open road. "Go take care of his highn-ass, we got this pooch. Your hellhound might be a handful, but I've wrestled hell hogs in habanero without a scratch too. She's in good hands."

Blitz pulled his arm away and dragged it down his face while Moxxie gave up on offering his hand and just picked up Loona. Her tail was sticking straight up, but she still hadn't made a noise. He knew one whine of protest from her would have sent Blitz over the steering wheel and through the glass to be beside her, but she'd shut down. He could respect that.

One of these days he'd have to have that shout in Millie's face she needed that his daughter wasn't just a pet, but today was not that day. "Take care of my girl," he said between clenched teeth before tearing off. The sight of them dragging her tail first through the sliding doors was a massive punch in his heart. He trusted the M&M's, but a large part of him felt building resentment for Stolas for forcing him to participate like this, always what his royal majesty needed at the drop of that stupid hat... but Stolas had sounded like he might actually be in some real shit too. Couldn't have that.

It had surprised him, on the drive home from Millie's family as he thought about going after Striker, how tempting it had been. The guy had threatened a prince of Goetia, maybe if Blitz had cut off his head and showed it to Stolas as a treat he'd even get a reward, like a paycheck the size of his dick. He'd let the fantasy fade though because the only reason Stolas had been there was the stupid ceremony and his obligations or whatever to be around the lower class, Striker must have just seen an opportunity to thin out the blue bloods and Blitz almost couldn't blame him if he didn't need the fucker and his book.

But there had been that one moment. That hot little speech he'd given. The book could have vanished in the madness of the Prince's murder and Blitz might have gotten away with it for quite a while. He really didn't have to save Stolas. It had just been instinct.

What a delusional fuck he was. Thinking Stolas ever needed his protection from anything. Yeah, that one thing that could hurt him, now safely out of the way too. Stolas would probably just beg to choke on a rattlesnake and want to replay the whole day if Blitz had ever bothered to mention it.

...but then, why had Striker circled back for Stolas now? There was a missing link he'd have to investigate when this was sorted out. And they didn't really do investigations. Stolas would be fine. His feathered ass would probably be untied and lounging about eating grapes by the time Blitz arrived. Or maybe he'd fashion himself a gag out of this stupid rope and want his brains fucked out at the ready.

At least he had a place to start now. Knowing Striker's aesthetic, his money was to start looking in Wrath. Now he just had to worry about backtracking to the nearest elevator there- oh fuck everything in life! As far as the eye could see, cars were smashed and crumpled into each other with smoke climbing to the pink sky, with engines and flashing blue-red lights blaring up the other side of the highway in the distance. He’d have to drive right over them all in his van then.

***

"Christ on a stick, for all the days for him to get his stupid feathered ass kidnapped," Blitz snarled, again, in the sanctity of his car roaring down dusty roads and crushing every tumbleweed in sight. "I have waited five fucking years for this apointment!" He shouted again to no one, only his horse figurine smiling along to listen and he did not care as he vented. All he could think of was Loona, alone. He'd wanted to be better than his dad, who'd never even bothered to get him shots! He didn't even know that was a thing until the stupid adoption place had given him a list of ones she needed! "FUCK ME IN MY LITTLE RED HOLE!"

He took a turn so sharp Kaboom bopped him on the side of his head, right above his eye. He swatted her away and kept at his snarling until a gas station flew past, and then he slammed on the brakes and threw it into reverse. Yeah, dammit, he was almost on empty, and this day wasn't getting any better to allow him to ignore that.

A bunch of cowboys rode past on steel horses, one of them was even wearing Moxxie's stupid cowboy hat resting in the back. Bunch of queer idiots. Now if they were on real horses- he shook his head and went to the Vox-screen register out here that was probably glitchy as all of hell covered in dirt when he saw the wanted sign for Striker. Pssht, he could have done one better of this dickwad. In fact, he should do that, and frame it to use as his next target practice. He snatched it down, shoving half of it in his mouth to at least rip his head off now when he saw the miniature imps in some weird fetish attire for this place. Spitting the now soggy wad back into his hand, he stomped over and demanded, raining drops of spittle down on them, "hey, any of you fuckers seen this guy around?"

They started singing at once.

"No!" Blitz snapped. "None of that bullshit, I don't do the singing shit! This is not a musical! What do I look like, the Princess of Hell? Just answer the fucking question!"

One with the longest mustache straight down to his boots proudly pointed off. "Yeah, he lives out by the bad man lands, in the old train tunnel, near the salt mines shafts. Very outlaw aesthetic. You can't miss it."

Well at least Blitz didn't have to pretend to pay a bribe he wouldn't cough up or threaten them. "Thanks, for not being a dick," he huffed as he stomped back to the car and realized he hadn't even started up the gas. Fuck. All. Of. This.

***

He really wished he hadn't crushed his phone now. Or at least had grabbed the backup one in the office. The salt mine loomed into view with adrenaline and anticipation starting to overgrow his agitation and worry, but still, he wanted to call M&M to check on his girl.

Assuming Loona hadn't eaten them by now. And the doctor. And half the hospital.

It was probably fine, so long as she got her shot first.

Like the cosplayers had said, the place wasn't hard to pinpoint, but he still swore it took him the entirety of the day to not only reach the base, but find an entrance! After driving up half the mountain and never once spotting an opening, he decided screw it, and would just have to make his own. Striker, Stolas, and Moxxie all owed him a new van. Each. The crash through the rocks probably rattled loose a few of his teeth too, but he'd already used up his insurance coverage for the year to pay for Loona's shots. This was just a fucking great day in hell all around!

With the tires shedding beneath him as he rampaged down the side, the view below came into focus in red long before the details bled in.

The insanity of the cowboy thing even Blitz knew was overdone, and he toed the line with obsession and devotion on all things to do with horses. Striker kneeling on the ground, the hilt of a blade in his hand, check, found the fucker.

Stolas trussed up beneath him, his four eyes barely open...and there was something black leaking out of him in a puddle beneath those feathers-

CRASH

The van decided it was done as it came to the bottom while he'd been distracted and he slammed right through the front windshield, taking Kaboom with him and tangling her up in his horns. Oooooh, someone was going to pay for today!

His eyes easily locked on his current target as he shook glass out of his face without care.

"Blitz," the fucker had the audacity to drawl out his name in pleasure like he was happy to see him. He pulled the knife out as he stood up to greet him, even taking the cowboy hat off and giving him a mock bow.

Stolas moaned in pain as Striker made sure to kick him as his foot swung.

Blitz drew his gun and fired. The red tint to everything was making his eyes light up like torches he was sure. The black puddle of whatever was sticking to Striker’s boots trailed drizzles all across the cavern as he lept aside, not quite fast enough, the bullet had whizzed into his thigh as he made to pull his own gun, causing even more black ooze to spray down on Stolas. That's what it was. Stolas must have gotten in a hit on his captor.

"What, you're not happy to see me?" The hiss of air in Striker's voice was less smug now as he vanished into shadows. Blitz took the opportunity to begin moving closer to Stolas, knowing it was a trap, but that black puddle was slowly getting bigger. "I really didn't think you'd show you know, I made sure to snatch his blue-blood-ass when he was out of that house so you could pick up your priceless artifact Blitzy. I know how important that transaction was to you."

His voice echoed from everywhere and nowhere in the caves walls as Blitz made his slow but steady progress backwards until his shoes were kicking up the demon blood Striker had left behind...but it was far too much to have come from just one imp...and there had never been a visible wound on him when he entered-

Something shiny glimmered at his feet, whatever blessed rope was he’d assume. His eyes lost the battle, he had to look down and see what the fuck-

"Blitz," Stolas's faint red eyes were just slits, but that only made it all the easier to recognize the loving curl he put on his name with that tongue; and the blood, the demon blood, it was flowing like a river from a gaping wound in those gray feathers-

The shrill sound of a phone was all that saved his life.

Blitz ducked on pure instinct of the noise, only for the whoosh of something silver and red flying over his head right where his neck had been.

On all fours, tail lashing in fury, Striker either had a choice to answer the phone or duck as Blitz lunged for his throat, snarling.

He did the smart thing and ducked, or tried to, crashing Blitz's horns into his skull full force.

The phone was thrown free and neither followed its progress as it crashed into the enormous stone dick and fell into shattered pieces while Striker bounced back insultingly fast from the blow, drew his whip and began lassoing it about. Blitz tried to keep him off balance by shooting and dancing away from his feet being tied to firing another shot, the white blasts illuminating the place like fireworks had him frozen in place crouched in front of Stolas, the muzzle moved as fast as the rope he kept dodging only to dance back into place. It was a game he was bound to lose ground on.

So when the gun clicked empty, Blitz didn't hesitate to throw it and race after the golden path flipping in the air, pulling his knife out to cut the length of brown rope at every new thwack it gave the air. Little streamers of it whistled past his face like confetti. The gun flew to the left of Striker's face, and that silvery red knife still dripping in blood came up to meet Blitz's own.

Striker seemed out of witty comments as the two took a breath in each other's face, the hate radiating off still gave everything a red tint. His crazed eyes were narrowed though, in more than just hypocritical loathing. Maybe a tinge of fear as he kept pressing his weight in only for Blitz to match him in every shift. 

The prick hadn't pulled his backup knife out yet. Blitz had been expecting it, but not for his tail to lash it towards Stolas.

It shouldn't have mattered, it was the one being pressed against his own that made the steel shatter as he twisted his superior height into a thrust that sent Blitz flying, but it only happened because Blitz's weight was caught off watching the other projectile.

Landing right in his upper left eye.

The little moan of pain wouldn't have been audible to any bats lingering in here as Blitz snarled and turned back to gut this piece of shit with every weapon in hell...only to see he was gone. Split tail. Again.

Oh, he was going to regret leaving Blitz alive after this.

It could just be a trick, he could have just doubled back into the shadows for another attack, but Blitz felt the spines on his back relax on instinct to have his presence gone as he blurred back to Stolas with the faint tint of red still coloring everything, making the inky blood feel alien. "Stolas?" He whispered in confusion.

He ripped the knife out of his eye, expecting the bird brain to giggle and tell him where he'd like it stuck next. There was no black blood on the blade, though it started leaking out of his eye in smaller drops like a normal injury did to him...and the dark hole on his shoulder was starting to slow its ocean of painting the floor in a starry pattern with the white rocks around...but still the Prince did not awaken.

"Stolas?!"

***

The fuzzy red and white image made him smile. Everything hurt, he could feel down to his magical core that something had been terribly wrong, and one of his eyes would not come into focus, but he didn’t need all of them to make out the distinct shape of…a chair.

It was a hard plastic, red chair, the white splotches were the walls of a hospital.

His heart plummeted, and the memories rushed in as he looked wearily around. How had he come to be here…

The red, the blasting of guns, the van arriving…it couldn’t all have been a delusion of his mind if he were still alive…but if this was all Blitz would ever be in his life he tried to tell himself he could be happy with this. There to come to his rescue but nothing more…

His eyes landed on his phone. It took as much effort as his first practice spells had once drained him for days, but he summoned it to him to check if there were any messages. None. Not even Via. 

Oh his owlet, had her mother even told her what happened? He tried to swallow for the first time as his finger hovered over the button to call her, but his throat hurt terribly, his hand was shaking just from supporting the weight of his phone without magic. No, he would wait until he was a bit more rested, or perhaps not share this with her at all. No need to trouble her. He was fine. Really.

The sound of water flushing nearby made him startle so bad his magic sent a vase of flowers shattering into the wall, burgundy petals now floating about the room in a flurry. 

Blitz busted the bathroom door off its hinges, gun out as he looked into every corner of the room, before his eyes settled on him. “Oh, you’re awake,” he said all casual like. He even grinned as he stowed his gun away and came over to stand in the chair and peer down at him. “You’re guna cover that, right?” He asked, looking to the splinters and broken hinges and then back down at him.

“Blitz, you, you stayed?” He couldn’t help but gasp, his heart still trying to hammer out of his body, traitorous tears blurring at his eyes he tried to brush away because Satan that hurt as he felt his still swollen and healing one sting terribly.

“Er, yeah, sorry,” he said automatically, now glancing at the door and back down at him, then the window. “I would have left if anyone came, but uh, no one did, just staff and shit.”

The words made no sense to the bubbling happiness that made him hoot and coo up at him, wishing to pull Blitz down beside him and thank him every way he knew how-

Blitz’s eyes flickered away to the bag of medicine beside his head with a frown. “They must have you on the good stuff, but you’re clearly back in working order,” as his eyes followed the last petals settling on the ground. “Um, listen, I’m going after the fucker, so I’ll be gone awhile. Try not to get your ass kidnapped again while I put this to rest.”

Then he hopped down and went over to the window as if that was all that needed to be said.

“Blitz?” He whispered in a silent plea. He didn't want him to leave…but the last thing he clearly remembered was that Blitz had not been planning to come for him at all. That he had an appointment for his daughter.

His knight in shining armor had already opened the window, but hesitated with his hands on the sill. Not turning back, but cocking his head just enough to show he was listening. His tail was swishing in agitation on the floor, then going up to curl around his waist, before repeating the mantra. He was uncomfortable here. Stolas would not keep him then. “The next time Loona has need of her Hellbies shots, let me know, and I will see what I can do to make the wait, lesser on you two.”

Blitz cleared his throat hard, leaving Stolas to wonder and linger on that obsessively as he grunted, “thanks,” and slipped out the window.

***

The mighty prince had only been out a day and a half. Once the hospital had figured out how to get that rope off, his usual magical core had kicked itself into high gear healing himself. He’d only been attached to one thing to help keep his system up and refreshing nourishments or something. 

Silvery rope now kept Kaboom attached to his rearview mirror, the rest lingering in the back of his van and keeping his teeth on edge.

So Stolas’s strange reaction to his being there lingered in his mind as he stopped by the store and picked up Loona’s promised dinner, but he tried to shake it off as he made his way home.

M&M called him as he was coming up the stairs, promising they’d scoured every inch of that mine and had found no trace of Striker or that knife. Moxxie even offered to call some old contacts who might be willing to answer their phone out in Greed to get some feelers out and see where the fucker might be going into hiding in the seven rings of hell.

Blitz agreed he should without a single swear, innuendo, or insult, which is probably why Millie hung the phone up as soon as he did to get on that.

He fumbled his keys with one hand and the heavy sack of meat in the other with those stupid tears still in his mind. The inky black ones, and the normal ones. Satan what an over-emotional fucking bird. Why did he have to be so overt about everything?

Loona opened the door for him, her eyes still a little heavy with exhaustion from her ordeal, but a rare smile on her face as she took the steaks from him and even left the door open this time instead of slamming it in his face as usual as he followed her in, so he figured she’d forgiven him for his lapse. Considering he’d met them outside the hospital with Moxxie covered in drool and his clothes torn to shreds like he’d spent half the day in her mouth, she must have considered the events some minor victory. 

…while he’d still been dripping in inky black blood. They’d been just as stunned into silence as him. There had been so much…

But Moxxie had turned and started cleaning the van out without question as the hospital staff rushed about. Someone had snatched Stolas's phone out of Blitz's hand without a backwards glance as if he wasn't well aware he'd been dismissed the second his part was done being played. A t least the bed had been big enough to hide under in the inter-meaning time.

Whatever. Nothing new. He had a new mission to deal with. Alone. M&M could deal with the fucking clients for a few days.

He had someone to track down.

Chapter Text

The ride home had been awkward silence. The hotwired car had given out on them before they made it to the elevator, so they’d quietly hoofed it there. Blitz had offered his jacket as some form of disguise, the jester was in no mood for any of his fans to spot him in the waiting lobby.

Fizz had taken it in silence and draped the heavy leather over his…hat. Blitz had swallowed bile as he understood why it looked so strange now, it had no weight underneath.

Once in the Lust ring, Blitz had already been on his way to the nearest car to jack it before Fizz had snatched at the back of his shirt and just sighed he’d handle this. “You've done enough tonight Blitz.”

It was the first thing he’d said to him since they’d hugged, and it knocked the wind out of Blitz’s high for that feeling of home suddenly being snatched away. He’d done one thing right in the past fifteen years of his life, and it hardly made everything a’okay down here in hell. So he’d followed in silence as Fizz passed up several lavish establishments before finally coming to a nondescript warehouse. They weren’t that far into the city yet, but Blitz understood the sigil on the doors for what it was. 

“You sleep in a warehouse?” Blitz asked suspiciously, though honestly the place was bigger and probably nicer than his digs, all things considered. If the jester was still Mammon’s bitch and had his hands all up in Ozzie’s business, he could probably have just bought any place they walked past.

“I can get home from here,” Fizz answered, oddly ephasive, but his smile was still warm as he didn’t immediately turn away. “I’ll make my way over to Ozzie’s from here easily though, keep an emergency, um, phone inside. It’s only fair to him, since my ransom was, you know, to him.”

“Right,” Blitz said, knowing full well the look on his face was the same one MnM’s so often had on his when he just so happened to pick the night of the full moon’s to visit Stolas. Just pure coincidence. 

They stood in awkward silence, but neither seemed willing to turn away. Fizz’s arm was still sparking though and dangling uselessly at his side, and his eyes were flickering longingly towards the glyph, and Blitz hadn’t seen Loona in almost a week and wanted to get home just as bad, so he finally let his asshole side come out and say, “guess, this is it?”

“Well, yeah,” but Fizz’s smile was still familiar where nothing else was about him. “But, you know, feel free to work on your shitty stalker behavior more, I guess. I give you permission. Here, I’ll even make it easy on you, got a pen?”

Neither of them had a pen. Fizz handed him back his coat with that lingering smile that Blitz had been afraid to dream of for so long. The mocking twister of it in all those stupid robots faces had probably been what lit the bulb of him becoming a murderer for hire in hindsight.

Blitz chuckled, and gave him one last hug. He didn’t even feel the need to ruin the moment this time as Fizzaraolli hugged him back as tight as his messed up arms would allow.

Blitz had just convinced himself the day's events were all a very vivid dream when Fizz had called him. Maybe the sin of Lust could conjure up telephone numbers. Or Fizz had used the phone book, or even saw his commercial. Blitz really wasn’t going to get his tail in a twist over it when he saw the area code and knew instinctively who it was.

He’d flopped off the couch and thrown his phone across the room, forced to scramble after it on all fours as his foot and tail stayed tangled up in his horse-blanket. Boxers half ridden down his ass, by the time he snatched his phone into his hand he was sure it was on its last ring and Fizz would think he was ignoring his call so he answered way to out of breath, “what?”

“Err, what?” Fizz’s deep, croaky voice was still strange to hear, but a welcome one every day of his life from now on, especially as he said, “if I was interrupting something, please don’t keep me on the line-”

“No, shut up, I’d bill you for that. What’s up Fizz?” He knew he still sounded to eager and over excited and just could not bring himself to care.

“Just, just wanted to give you a heads up.” He sounded just as nervous as Blitz felt, but he still got a little warm where he shouldn’t anymore at the idea of the last time he’d made Fizzerollie sound that nervous- “Ozzie just told me Stolas was here all day, asking for a crystal.” Yep, that got him back on the right track, as his mind hard shifted to confusion. “Oz would never have given it to him if it wasn’t above the belt, but, I don’t know what’s going on Blitz, just wanted to check on your dumbass I guess.”

“Oh shove it Fizz, and not in the fun way,” Blitz was smiling even as he tried to snap. “I thought I’d be coming home to my daughter but she’s at a party so I guess I could head over-”

“-your what?”

“Her name’s Loona! I adopted her- wait, crystal?”

It took a few more rounds of ‘wait, what’s’ to merge the two conversations back into one, but by then Loona actually had come home smiling and going into her room, Fizz had explained what an Asmodean Crystal was, and they were just laughing together about Fizz teaching Blitz some sign language and how it might have helped prevent the third time Blitz had landed himself in jail and met Moxxie.

“Ozzie fell asleep on me,” Fizz said out of the blue as Blitz tried to suppress a yawn. “It’s been a day.”

“Yeah,” Blitz smiled, he’d pulled his blanket around his shoulders long ago and had wandered back over to his bed-the-couch ages ago when his ass got numb. “We’re not done here though, just on pause. Thanks for the heads up about the crystal. I guess I’ll head over there tomorrow to see what the hell’s got his feathers in a twist. If he needs access to the book more, maybe he’ll want to up our transaction or some bullshit. I don’t need a stupid fucking emotional rock.”

“At least you’re not having a panic attack about him proposing to you with that thing,” Fizz chuckled.

“Fuck off on that kaiju-cock and goodnight,” Blitz smirked as he hung up.

***

Blitz felt unnecessarily nervous on his drive over to the palace. His van could probably take him there on autopilot by now this was such a familiar trip, but well, it was also the first time he’d been here since Ozzie’s. 

He’d tried to read those walls of text again this morning before he’d grabbed his keys, but the words had started swimming right off his phone this time, letters blurring together and moving around in a traitorous way that made his brain feel like a useless pile of mush. Only able to make out exactly the same keywords that he had last time, he still felt a little blind as he headed over.  

Stolas kept pussy footing around the idea that he wanted to talk though, so at least he had something to say this time. 

A part of him expected to see a security guard standing right where he usually hopped over the fence, but there was no hellhound with a gun at the ready for him, so he invited himself over as usual.

Blitz recognized her dulcet tones from the two times Stolas had blindly answered his phone in bed and her shrieks had made his dick shrivel in disgust. Stolas had hung up rather quickly, to fast for anything other than swears to make it through the call, and apologize and explain all at once it was usually only Via who called him and since it was the weekend it must be an emergency and he really should set ringtones- usually Blitz was to eager to entirely push off that conversation and threw his phone aside for him and continue the night's events.

Now, now he got to teeter in surprise upon the stones and see in full display the white swan’s shrieks that should have shattered the stained glass windows of the back garden. Stolas had his arms wrapped around himself, looking smaller than he should in his space where they’d spent several nights out here tending his plants. There was even a silver platter with cuts of meat set aside next to a book like he’d been interrupted doing just that. His red bathrobe was slipping off his shoulders, revealing white bandages-

Neither noticed as he lost his balance and fell into a plant that quickly snatched him into its mouth. It smelled sickly sweet in here and made his skin buzz unpleasantly, but he decided it was better than getting caught for now as he tried to listen into the not very muffled conversation.

“-why are you here- gloat?”

“Does your empty head hold a damned thing besides imp dick?! …tormenting you!...dare you ask Octavia to come visit you on MY WEEKEND!”

“They’re all your weekends! That was the arrangement while you…Andrealphus!”

Blitz should not get involved. He knew that not so deep down. She might not be an Ars Goetia, but she was a powerful demon, he was not so secretly fucking her husband, and she didn’t seem great with that. He might not get as much of a hard on if he saw her pure demon form coming at him. It was slightly possible she might not recognize him, the racist ass, if he didn’t whip his dick out, but he had a feeling he was still a little to memorable to really hope that would work.

On the other hand, it was getting painfully hot in here, and the plant was filling with a yellow liquid. The sweetness was starting to give him a pleasant high. His skin was actively sizzling.

Yeah, Stolas’s fucking plant was digesting him. He couldn’t just sit in here until the two had hashed this out.

Using the sharp point of his tail in between the- lips? Flower petals? Thing keeping him enclosed!- He began to pry, just needing a tiny slip to get the first claw in and then a whole hand and really putting his back into it. 

Satan blessed thing, because it had some serious strength to it. By the time he wrenched it open enough to get his head out along with his horns, he was panting and sweating and flat fell out with his coat on fire.

Quickly stamping it out, he realized he must have missed one hell of an exit. Stella was no longer in sight, and Stolas was in the grass, bleeding from his shoulder once again.

Red filled his vision, he was back at his side gun drawn on pure muscle memory as he looked all around the cave for Striker-

“Blitz?!” Stolas’s little squawk of surprise gave him a pause though, a breath as he looked down at him properly not covered in blessed rope, but didn’t stow his gun away as his tail swished in agitation and he looked around in confusion. Had Striker showed up and killed off the bitchy swan and was hiding in the bushes?

“What are you doing here? I, I didn’t realize you were back!”

His tone sounded strange to Blitz’s ears…embarrassed? He was trying to get ungainly to his feet and failing, long legs splaying and buckling just as fast sending him back to the grass. Blitz finally stowed away his gun, uneasily, but offered him both hands up in concern. “Mind telling me what the fuck?”

The royal prince took his hands without hesitation and finally managed some stability on his own, but seemed reluctant to release him as he hooted dismally while looking from the door and back to him. “I’m afraid you’ll have to be more specific my dear.”

Anger filled his hands jerking away, to gesture at this entire situation. “Where should I start!? Where’s all your fucking security you idiot, do you really get that turned on by your life being in danger?! What’s with the bandaid, someone playing doctor on you and I wasn’t invited? Who the fuck does that bitch think she is to talk to you like that,” his claw was jutting into his palm painfully as he stabbed to make his point, “I don’t care who you sleep with no one should talk to your ass like that, and don’t get me started on those plants-”

But he stopped cold as Stolas’s eyes filled slowly with tears. All four were fluttering like crazy to hide it, but he was back to wrapping his arms tight around himself, averting the white plumage of feathers. Blitz would have to jump as high as he could just to hope to see his face. “Perhaps you should go Blitz, if all you came to do was harass me on this particular night. I’m really in no mood.”

“S-sorry,” Blitz said in pure surprise. “I, um,” he was suddenly out of anything to say as he stood frozen in place, waiting for something, but even he wasn’t sure what.

Stolas cleared his throat and turned back, his face lifting into the barest trace of a smile, but one there all the same as his pupils faded away to the normal scarlet hue looking upon him. 

“So, was that why you came?” His eyes flickered to the deeply setting sun, though they both knew it was no full moon tonight.

“To yell at you? No, that just kind of happened,” Blitz rubbed awkwardly on the back of his neck.

“Ah, well then, perhaps you should start there. Would you, like to come in?” He relaxed some, began to gesture towards his home, but stopped with a wince.

Blitz all at once remembered what had fuelled his anger and saw the tiniest smidge of black on his shoulder. Reaching up, his claw undid the knot keeping the bathrobe loosely in place, and it fell wide open to reveal the edge of the white bandages on his shoulder still, the new blood threatening to weep out.

“Will you answer my questions if I’m not fucking yelling!” He tried and failed not to yell, more in confusion than outrage this time, but still a little of both.

Stolas just sighed and turned back to the house in silence.

Blitz followed in his wake, feeling awkward as hell as he placed himself on the side of the pool, just in case. Stolas was walking fine now, but slowly for him, his long confident strides in his home gone. It was a shuffle and a sturdy hand on the railing up the stairs that kept them moving, and Blitz opened the door for him just so he wouldn’t have to move any more than necessary. His hand had been hovering behind his back the entire time, though he didn’t dare touch him until invited, not with how odd Stolas was acting. This, was unnatural. Stolas had been fine in the hospital…who was this imposter bird?

Blitz anticipated where they were going and continued a step ahead up to the bedroom, but it was finally in the long hallways that he placed at least one thing that felt so off. The red air around them filtered through the heavy curtains put the usual portraits in shadows, except, some of them were flat missing. And the ones that weren’t, that usually depicted Stolas with Octavia, had nearly been drawn shut. Only one occupant lined the walls in each now.

Okay. So. Stolas was in a spiral of self-deprecating hatred. Been there done that. But as his head turned carefully along each one once spotting the pattern, his confusion only grew. What had changed from that perverted bird who lavished in his life to…this? Like looking in a twisted mirror, it made his skin crawl. Was this how Loona felt in her own home…Satan, maybe he should take those shitty things down in his house and doodle himself back into the picture at the very minimum…

They entered his room without their tongues attached, which was also strange, and Blitz looked carefully all around for, something, even he wasn’t sure anymore. An intruder? More signs of what could be off? Here was their normal though, and the bed was as mussed as it ever was like they’d just got done, the couch nor book shelf didn’t show a thing out of place. 

He replayed the walk through the mansion in his head as he followed Stolas slowly into the bathroom now. They’d been all over this place together, just relaxing in between orgasms to enjoy TV or eat or whatever they wanted. Stolas seemed determined to have his cloaca rammed in every corner of this mansion and Blitz had been enjoying the challenge.

Maybe he was the one who felt off, different. Reconnecting with Fizz had left him feeling nostalgic for times in his life that had been blown to pieces, leaving him to be scattered in the wind. Stolas was always all to happy to talk about himself, so it was probably just him that felt the change in the air for the first time at the blatant absence of Stolas’s life that was his wife and child fully missing from the cavernous halls. The furniture that remained was the same, it was just the absent pieces that stuck out. Like the king of Lust himself had congratulated, the bird had sold his life for his thrusts, guess now the consequences were just catching up to him. His wife probably wouldn’t want that bed that smelled of his imp ass.

Following him into the lustrous, tiled floor that probably cost more than his apartment with every step, Stolas was trying to gently shrug off the useless bathrobe and clucking as it seemed to be sticking to his feathers.

“Here, let me,” Blitz sighed, jumping up onto the toilet to be able to reach properly and using the very tips of his claws to try and peel them apart on the back of his shoulder.

Stolas relaxed in relief and leaned against the marble surface as highly polished as the mirror with a nod of thanks as Blitz tried his best to not just yank feathers out while doing this. With the kind of care he put into helping Loona brush out her fur, Stolas finally stood bare before him as it fell with a thump, leaving a sight behind to curl Blitz’s stomach.

The white bandages were tethered to his shoulder, messily knotted in places. Black ooze was leaking out freely now, sluggishly though, not the gaping wound it had once been, but enough of a reminder that Blitz stood before his failure with the kind of urge that made him want to jump into the green-flamed tent and not care if he came out.

“Quite unpleasant, I know,” Stolas sounded so cordial, bored even as he traced a few feathers around the area to smooth them back into place, but the digits never getting to close to the actual wound less they shake to give him away. He moved carefully to open a cabinet and pulled out some more bandages while bending his head and using the sharpest edge of his beak to snip away the old one in a routine sort of way.

“Let me,” Blitz said on impulse, jumping onto the counter and reaching for the carefully rolled up material before it could be depleted more. 

There was an insulting surprise to Stoals’s eyes that made Blitz continue the motion and snatch them away without further ado. What was with him, acting as if he’d never bandaged this guy up after some of their games went to far. He’d been there for the baretraps, every stab wound, every pulled muscle, and the entire bouts of dehydration this fuck-nugget had gone through, why was he acting like this was different?!

Abducting a washcloth with his tail from its gold loop on the wall, he kicked the faucet on and gently ran it through while undoing the end of the dressing with steady hands. “Relax, will yah? We get injured on the job all the time, I know what I’m doing! Granted, Moxxie’s the best at this, prissy shitbag he is always moaning on about Millie’s every cut, but I’ve had my fair share of dealing with new holes.”

“Yes, quite,” Stolas seemed to almost grin in pleasure as he sat on the toilet, straddling it, probably getting his bird puss all wet and bothered from memories too. Blitz didn’t have to lean out to far to have full access now. Stolas was finally starting to relax, his usual bubbly, talkative self beginning to make its familiar way to the surface, causing Blitz to relax as well as he began dabbing at the demon blood to mop up the worst of it with the cloth. “I meant no offense Blitz, I know you’re quite capable in everything you do, I’ve just been doing it on my own and I’m still a bit confused as to your presence here, it has me a tad, off. I’ve been, given the impression, you haven’t enjoyed your time here much-”

“The fuck gave you that idea?” He huffed in surprise, leaning over and licking the last bit of blood up curiously. Yeah, tasted fresh too, like the original wound had never sealed?

Stolas cleared his throat and didn’t answer. Blitz was still on the edge of annoyance as none of his questions seemed to be getting answered without prying those out too. “Fine, be a caddy bitch, but at least tell me what’s up with this,” he began gently but firmly winding the new bandage around, perhaps giving an unnecessary tug on the way around to emphasize his point.

“It was a blessed knife, Blitz,” Stolas sounded so tired, and looking right into his face as his hands continued without guide, Blitz saw how fucking exhausted he looked. “I’m afraid there’s nothing to do but wait for the wound to finally seal itself when it chooses to, perhaps when I’ve repented enough? I’ve been trying to look into it myself, but frankly I’m no more sure than your average aristocrat what the nature of these killable weapons are in regards to their deadly potency other than their very essence.”

“Big fancy talk for you to say you have no clue,” Blitz huffed as he snipped the end off cleanly with his own teeth and tucked the wrapping tightly.

“I suppose so,” Stolas said around a yawn he tried to turn into a sigh.

Blitz’s tail slashed the air behind him in frustration that he was practically having to pull words out of his usual chatty bird. He kept his hand on his shoulder and did not lean out of his face as he continued, “okay then, what about the guards? You got some fancy way to talk around that? Used to be I had to crawl around and hope not to get caught around here unless it was the one day you invited me!”

“Blitz I’m, I’m tired, and I haven’t prepared for- Stella is-” he stopped with a wobbling sigh that sounded closer to a sob this time and looked longingly towards his bed. He took a deep breath, and fixed his face into what Blitz now saw was a very forced smile. “You're still coming on the full moon, yes? With my book?”

“For you bitch? Sure, cumming all night,” he put a lacquer smile in place and felt a purr rumble up his chest it made Stolas blush as usual now, that stiff face melting away into one he now knew quite well of content warmth looking upon him.

For some reason that just put Stolas back on edge though?! Just as quickly, he leaned out of his face and averted his eyes away, arms coming back up to circle him as if suddenly embarrassed by his nakedness!? The motion dislodged Blitz's hands, dangling at his side now in silent shock. “Then, perhaps we should wait, I need to prepare, I’m awaiting a gift and-”

“Oh, wait, that’s why I came over!” Blitz popped the side of his head, sighing as he looked around the house but deciding to let it all go. Fine. If Stolas wanted to keep this a transactional fucking and not tell him a damned thing else, fine. That was their usual. Fine. Apparently all his flighty wants to ‘talk’ had just been to remind him to know his place. Fine. That was just, fine. “Fizz called, said you got a crystal from his boytoy? I came over here to see what you were planning you prick, if you need the book more and want this,” he needlessly gestured about, “to be a more common thing, all you had to do was say so! Not pay out your feathered ass for a rock I’ll have to jerk off to get it to work!”

“Fizz? Not, not Fizzarolli? How…” Stolas just sat there looking at him with those huge red eyes, apparently he wasn’t even going to answer this either.

“Long story,” Blitz sighed, running his hand down his face, unconsciously on his burned side.

“But, he was…no,” Stolas shot to his feet in a spur of energy that made Blitz wobble in surprise, only his tail doing a little recalculating kept him in place. Half his mind expected Stolas to snatch him into his arms and start necking with him to see the bird back in his usual spirit, but instead his hands were clasped tightly on Blitz’s shoulders, concern etching into his face as he pressed his beak close, “Fizzarolli was kidnapped Blitz, how could you have possibly been talking to him unless-”

“It’s called a hellphone numbnuts, stop changing the subject,” but Blitz knew he’d been caught out, didn’t bother to push him away.

“I chose not to stick around and assault the poor fellow how he’d escaped,” Stolas was clearly rambling to himself now though, “but I wondered, after that day at Loo Loo Land- and when I saw Striker on that video I was so worried that you had gotten involved, but you, you went against that Crimson fellow and Striker and Satan knows how many goons-”

“Yeah, and lived to tell the tale, why is this so insultingly surprising to you?” Blitz snapped, accidentally yelling again.

Stolas started sobbing then. Great, heaving emotion that wouldn't be contained wracked his body as he tried to blubber out an apology!

Blitz stood frozen in shock with no clue what to do as Stolas collapsed back on the toilet, “sorry,” kept coming out as shaky as his knees refusing to support anything as his fingers pressed tightly into his face, one digging a little to close to the once stabbed eye in a way that made Blitz reach out and snatch those talons away on instinct. Stolas took that as some kind of invitation to curl into him, his face right over Blitz’s heart as he just kept crying with no end in sight. Feeling so awkward he might have to move to another circle of hell when this was over, Blitz just put his arms around him and hummed, “okay, yeah, just uh, let it out,” while uncomfortably patting his back.

And let it out he did. His tail had wrapped tightly around Stolas’s chest at some point without his permission, just gathering him as close as he could and his gentle holding turning tighter with every shake of his wounded shoulder that made him splutter on the next sob. When he finally stopped, the quiet was the loudest noise either of them had ever made in this room, and that was saying a lot. Blitz was terrified to break that silence as he kept his face pressed into the soft feathers waiting for the next.

A soft, hooting snore. Blitz took an uneasy breath, no idea when he’d started holding it, but released it gently and did so again as he dared to pull back for the first time, his cheek instantly flushed from air rather than those warm feathers, and see all four eyes peacefully shut, the next soft little hooting snore uninterrupted. 

Falling asleep on the toilet. Pressed against a warmbody-fuck-buddy and the tissue to wipe your own ass for a pillow. Yeah, maybe Stolas was going through something Blitz might be a little too familiar with. 

The slight stench of alcohol, a usual underlier but for some reason lingering in the air the more Blitz nosed at the breath coming off of Stolas made him confident he could do this without making it worse.

Sure enough, as he gently lowered Stolas’s lanky body to the cool counter, he snored on. Blitz sighed and jumped down, then gathered him up in his arms and carried him to the bed. He was always disturbingly light, and tonight was no exception. Draping the ruby blankets over him gently, he asked mockingly into the silence, “Do you need to puke?”

He was met with another hooting snore. Shrugging and guessing the answer, he excused himself to the kitchen and came back with their usual popcorn bowl, placing it close to the side of his bed. The trip gave him another elusive piece to the puzzle. He hadn’t seen a single staff member. Maybe Stolas and his bitch of a wife fired them all and threw them out on the streets. 

Now came the tricky part though. What was Blitz supposed to do next?

The obvious answer was to go home, and sins did he want that. He wanted it more than anything right now. To be in his bed and hear Loona’s snarky voice and maybe work on one of those doodles always on the edge of his mind of what Sparklestorm got up to in her spare time. He’d come back on schedule to the stupid full moon rendezvous and act like nothing ever happened.

But…but those picture frames, this whole fucking palace that reeked of Blitz’s broken, empty home before he’d had Loona to fill it…that had been a dark time. He’d have done anything for a friend. He had done, quite literally, everything in hell for the fake semblance of one several times. Not every scar on his body was from that fire.

He'd always known that's all he was to Stolas, but Blitz had also given him every reason to kick him out if he grew bored with this arrangement. The theft had never been addressed. No matter what Blitz said or did, he was beckoned back for more ravishing. Stolas's kink seemed to have no end in sight, and Blitz finally began to understand he might be trying to make it his only part of life in hell like so many.

…but Stolas had once called them friends, that very first night. Blitz had toyed on and off with the word ever since of how this prince really meant that. If Stolas woke up, and told him to leave, then he would, no questions asked. At least he’d try to be more, where nobody in his life ever had.

Chapter Text

Stolas was used to waking up to the bed empty aside from himself save for one exceptional day. Stella had begun sleeping in her own long ago, when Octavia’s cries had finally ended with her waning youth and his wife had said to his face she couldn’t stand waking up to see him again. 

So it was with confusion, and possibly delirium that he indeed woke up alone, rolled over and threw up, but heard something under the splattering sounds of sick. A chuckle?

“Yeah, you did need to throw up, I knew it.”

His head snapped up fast, confident he was having a full blown episode of fantasizing Blitz on his couch, piles of paper around him as he concentrated on one of his drawings. His tongue was sticking out of the side of his mouth in concentration, his tail was sorting through colored pencils for him as his hand worked furiously. A side effect from running out of his medication?

It was not a full moon. He always had explicit memory of how close those were on the horizon, the only thing he had to look forward to as of late. It was dark though, the kind of deep black of night that meant it was soon to be morning again.

Slowly, like the congealed blood of those bandages, the memory began eeping through his brain…“B-Blitz? You stayed?!”

Blitz looked up with that frustrated, angry look burned into his eyes of every photo he had of them together. “Christ on a stick, have you said anything else to me lately?! Fucking yes, Stolas, I’m sorry! I’ll go-”

“No- wait!” The blankets had no wish to release him, he ended up sprawled out on the floor with a shocking blast of pain, feathers far to close to that bowl of vomit. He was bouncing back to his feet with a possible concussion and zero care as he grappled with his eyes to focus on the only important thing for where he’d vanished to-, yes! Blitz had hopped off the couch, but his eyes were just darting from the doors of the balcony to him and back with leery hostility. “I don’t want you to go,” he said, astounded, confused. “I, never want that!”

“Uh, huh.” Blitz did not sound convinced, but he relaxed and came over, unwrapping the blankets from him. “You hungry then? I was about to get up and make me something.”

“Erm, yes, I suppose,” Stolas flat lied. His stomach was an empty-knotted mess he had no wish to tempt. What he’d really like was a good stone to help ease the gurgling pain, but he knew deep down he was even lying to himself. That would only help the bones pass, not the alcohol he currently did not wish to indulge in with Blitz here…wanting to stay?! So he would stomach whatever his little heart desired to find in that kitchen!

Blitz went off, and Stolas followed him in hopeful, confused silence, his mind racing to try and put together a speech in his head. Blitz knew about the crystal, and oh yes he still owed him a more proper apology than his blubbering arse could string together for getting him into the situation of being in danger down in Greed!

He had sheaves of parchment in his study, dumpsters full outback of half-written, properly worded explanations for what he wanted to tell Blitz during the next full moon. Now here he was, walking along in front of him as if this were one of their special nights, and it had him thrown off so terribly bad he hadn’t even realized he hadn’t bothered to put anything on until they made it to the stairs.

Oh well, nothing for it now. He’d rather face Striker, bound and alone again, than ever make Blitz feel he should leave. 

Blitz was opening and shutting cupboards in quick succession after Stolas had only made it two feet behind him, and he watched with a deep sense of love for the comfort that came with the action. Blitz made his way easily to the fridge in the circular room and finally seemed to find something to his liking, piling half the contents into a neat stack before slamming it shut with his tail, and then continuing his perusal about the place until he found the spice cupboard. Stolas made his way comfortably to the table and sat down to watch as Blitz dragged a chair about without concern for the loud scrapes everywhere he needed access to, and then procured a knife from his belt and began cutting, not even creating a mess as cubes of meat and cheese were seasoned and soon cooking away. The smell wasn’t even revolting in the slightest.

Stolas gently took the heaping plate away and had it set neatly on the table by the time Blitz was dragging his chair over with his tail to join him. With one swift hop, he had to stand in his seat slash step up to be able to eat, but didn’t seem bothered by it as he stretched before digging into the kebabs. He’d taken the mice, steaks, and frogs in the fridge and stuck a cube of different cheese between each and drizzled the lot in a scrumptious hot sauce he must have added a dash of something special too. It was the most delicious thing Stolas had ever eaten, and he found himself stacking the sticks and throating them after only one hesitant bite, only withholding himself from taking the rest until he was sure Blitz was done eating first.

“I didn’t know you knew how to cook,” Stolas managed around stuffed cheeks, lost in wonder if there was anything Blitz couldn’t do.

“Yeah, well,” he wiped at his mouth with his coat sleeve and began licking the plate with a content purr, “just something I picked up when I adopted Loona.”

“Oh?” Stolas said in admiration as he crossed his legs under the table and leaned forward with interest. “I’ve only ever managed to pour a bowl of cereal for Via, but I suppose I should learn how to make her favorite dishes. If you’d be amiable to teaching me, of course.”

“Sure,” Blitz shrugged, looking at him in surprise. He hesitated, then asked point blank, “your staff all flee with your ex?”

Stolas flinched and looked away, Stella was the last soul he wanted on his mind. He heard Blitz cuss under his breath and felt the woosh of air as he snatched his dish away and jumped away from the table as if about to excuse himself.

Stolas couldn't help a wobbling, choked up sigh. He didn’t understand why Blitz was in such a talkative mood tonight, but dammit all this almost felt like the universe giving him a reset! This might be as close to their first date as he’d ever get if he didn’t offer up something about himself! 

“I, erm, that is to say, Stella has been accosting them to her new abode whenever she comes over, I’ve only the one man left who’s been with my family for quite some time and I give him weekends off.”

“You don’t have to tell me,” Blitz promised as he jumped to put the plates in the sink. They both ignored the shattering sounds of at least one breaking upon impact. “Whatever, it’s your business.”

Stolas frowned as he watched Blitz though, the spines on his back raised, the way his tail kept slashing through the air. Oh yes, he was very upset. He should get ahead of that anger before more shouting followed. “I’d like to speak of something else more important at any rate, I owe you such an apology Blitz. You were only in Greed after that vile Striker for my sake, I can’t believe you were in such danger like that-”

“Oh would you can it already!” Blitz was yelling now right on time, glaring up at him with anger. “ Murder professional, remember that Stolas! I’m not going up to earth to pet fucking puppies all day!”

“Yes, I know,” Stolas bit back his own anger, “I’m only trying to say that you needn’t have attended to Striker on my behalf. I would have told you as much if you’d bothered to stick around, Stella’s quite ruthless-”

“Well I’m glad I did!” Blitz snapped, taking a step towards him in such a way that Stolas shrunk in his seat. “Otherwise I wouldn't have been there when Fizz got snatched up so- wait, Stella what?”

Stolas covered his face and groaned softly. He was already tired again, felt a headache returning, very much wished for a bottle of absinthe. Time with Blitz usually alleviated all of this great pressure that suffocated the air around him. Perhaps the full moon was a magic unto itself, his company only peaceful that night.

“Stolas?” Blitz was beside him, touching his hip gently. Stolas startled and squealed in surprise he hadn’t heard even the softest sound of his boots approaching on the floor. He gazed down at Blitz fighting off the ache of everything, and wanted nothing more than to fling himself back into Blitz’s arms and be held again, even as his voice was still on the edge of violence like that. “Stella’s ruthless about what Stolas?”

He didn’t have to answer. He could see Blitz putting the pieces together, and knew he’d hit the winning blessed weapon when his hand itched for his gun.

“I asked Octavia to come over today, I just wanted to see her,” Stolas didn’t dare reach out to Blitz when his hand still rested on his thigh. No sexual tension, he wasn’t leading those claws anywhere. Just present. It was all Stolas had wanted today. “I knew I shouldn’t, Stella’s been having a cow about needing to spend more time with her before her royal debut on her next birthday to get her ready, but I just, I ran out of, well it doesn't matter. Stella came by to remind me that if I kept making things difficult for her she’d send that awful assassin back whenever she damn well pleased, I’m still only temporarily useful alive-” he stopped with a pained squawk as Blitz’s hand formed into a fist, scraping his feathers the wrong direction as he jerked his hands away and beginning to stalk off.

“Blitz!” He stumbled to his feet and darted after him.

“I’ll be back, just going to kill her real quick.”

He said it far to casually, but a very large part of Stolas found himself getting turned on and debating as he followed if he should bother to stop Blitz before asking politely, “have you a blessed weapon?”

“Mox is hanging onto that gun from the first time-”

“The first time?” Stolas asked in surprise.

Blitz at least hesitated, looking over his shoulder, tail tucking between his legs, confident strides slowing, but not stopping. “Yeah, the, shit. Just, wait here-”

“I will do no such thing,” Stolas finally strode around to be in front of him. Blitz easily could have just walked under his legs and ignored him, but he stopped, scowled up at him, hand still on his gun as if tempted to shoot him with a regular bullet just for funsies at annoying him right now. “You listen to me Blitz, that is Octavia’s mother, and you will not murder that woman, I won’t do that to my daughter. I will not partake in joining that heartless monster taking a parent away from our girl.”

“I, but she-” Blitz waved to the door with frustration, but with both hands, so that was a good sign.

“It’s not complicated,” Stolas said flatly. “I care deeply for you Blitz, but I do not wish for you to get involved in my family affairs as of now.”

Blitz took a deep breath, but then nodded. His tone was still razor sharp. “That bitch has sure done a number on you.” His eyes were on his clean bandage. It finally made his abrasive mood this morning all come neatly together.

Stolas moved to cover it and looked away. Blitz had apparently put quite a few puzzle pieces together of the day's events. “How much of that did you see, yesterday?”

“Not much. You need to feed Oswald by the way.” His answer sounded cordial.

Stolas gasped in surprise and took off, realizing he had in fact neglected to finish feeding his precious darlings after her arrival and now their entire schedule would be out of whack! He was up the stairs and back in his room, sorting through pants before he froze and realized what he’d done in his haste, but a glance over his shoulder showed Blitz still here. What a phenomenally strange day this was!

He slowed his harassed movements, picking out his favorite green overalls that fell to be shorts and mauve button-up, managing to get himself dressed with everything going in the right hole, and even offered him a smile as he gestured to the rising sun. “Would you like to join me?”

“Sure,” Blitz grinned.

The feeding, weeding, and watering was done in companionable silence. Stolas very much wanted to offer to draw them a bath when done, but he was terrified to make any gesture, or even to touch him lest he somehow break this spell. They sat themselves out on the patio furniture with ice-cold drinks and sipping them with neither seeming to know what to do next, but neither still breaking away.

A whoop of dog barks came from Blitz’s pocket, and he pulled it out with a smile and obviously answered some text from his daughter. Then he looked back up at him and Stolas braced himself for the departure. A part of him was grateful for it, he needed to get his mental affairs in order-

“Loona sent a text to Octavia, they’re going to hang out today at some rage room?”

“Oh,” Stolas said, before a smile burst out of him. “That sounds, quite fun. Yes, I’ll text them that it sounds, very fun.”

Blitz nodded and went back to tapping on his phone for a moment before putting it back on the table, face down. He clapped his hands together softly, awkwardly for a moment, before saying, “okay, about this crystal?”

Stolas felt his throat go dry. He had a wild moment of considering jumping in the pool and pulling Blitz with him rather than letting this go on, he wasn’t prepared!

“Look, if you needed the book more and want some extra fuck-o’clock, all you had to do was say so. There, I said it without yelling. Hope you kept the receipt for that kinky rock.” He even seemed rather proud of himself for it, that smug grin flashing about that seemed rather fake after seeing his gentle smiles all morning.

“I, no Blitz I wanted,” his mind froze, and decided fuck it. Life never gave a damn what he wanted, even his constructed plans. Blitz was here! On an average hellday, just talking! It was all he’d ever want from the rest of his life if he could just make him understand that! “I acquired the crystal to give you back your, your liberty to leave.” He met his eyes, never looking away as the pupils studied him as if he were speaking the strangest of languages, only following through tone alone. “I was going to give you an equal trade, your own access to the mortal realm with, no strings attached. I just, want you to stay because you want to Blitz. I care, so deeply for you, your company, the way you make me laugh. I, I would like it if every day of my life was spent, as this morning has been.” Puking and tears aside, the arguing surely came with the territory, no romance novel was without its climactic misunderstanding; but he had a feeling that came with the territory of ever sharing a bed with him too, given Stella’s current state of how she viewed him. He’d just cling to Blitz as long as he’d want to stay.

He watched in the painful silence as Blitz’s cheeks slowly colored red, eyes widening, but nothing more. Only the wind whistling over the water and through the grass disturbed them. “Blitz?” He asked cautiously, reaching for his hand with a gentle caress his only final intention.

Blitz didn’t jerk his hand back, but his strangled voice stopped him cold anyways. “Give- give me a second?!” He almost yelled that too, he looked very much like Stolas had attempted to paralyze him.

“All right,” he promised, and so he sat.

The entirety of hell could have collapsed and he would not have moved. Time had no meaning, it only continued working again when Blitz shook his head out of some daze, his hand doing an odd motion to his strange white birthmark and away before he waved his hands pointedly at him, “you,” then back at himself, “you want,” and back again, on repeat, in a few more bouts of silence.

“Very much so,” Stolas smiled in soft content to have finally said it out loud. Those pictures in his phone were burned away to be replaced with the glow of awe on his Blitzy’s face at this revelation.

It was all soured as he began waving his hands about in clear distress, “that, is a terrible fucking idea!”

“What?” Stolas squawked, jerking his hands around himself, encircling himself on pure instinct of those harsh words.

“Do you have any idea, I mean the last time I,” and he ran his hand down his face again, the white side, though the red tint of his skin was slowly growing to resemble curdled milk. His tail was wrapping itself through the chair’s back, as if lodging himself in place though. It was all very confusing. Stolas had always wondered if they were just strange birthmarks on Blitz, but the way his nails dug in so tight under his eye like that…

“I’ve never wanted anyone else Blitz,” Stolas whispered, rejection already stinging deep in his chest as he stood slowly. “If, if you don’t feel the same, then I shall see to it the Asmodean Crystal is still delivered. It was meant as a token-”

“Fuck you!” Blitz spluttered it like that was an answer to, any of this. He was just sitting there still with a look of horror on his face as if Stolas had just declared he’d send an assassin on his family next.

Stolas sighed and began walking away, his heart breaking into pieces with every step. 

“Hey, don’t walk away from me! We are not, I am-”

Blitz had jumped from his seat, was walking behind him, but Stolas didn’t dare turn around. He didn’t understand why Blitz felt the need to just follow and shout at him, but his hand trembled with the urge to plunge this house into silence evermore before- Blitz took it. His fingers slid gently between his, the slightest tug of pressure. Stolas froze and turned about only his face to him in shock. 

 “I’ve nothing else to say to you Blitz,” Stolas croaked, his body refusing to follow his neck as some hesitant need to cling to departing, he could feel the tears splashing free and couldn’t stop them, couldn’t even return the feeling of his hand being clasped or he might break apart at the seams. “Please, if you don’t feel the same, please stop pretending with this farce,” he tried to pull his hand away.

“Well I’m not through!” Blitz’s tone was just a shade off from yelling. He released his hand, but sidled to be directly in front of him now, so that his head still followed like a spotlight. “Spring this feelings bullshit on me,” he took a deep breath, but crossed his arms. “What do you want from me Stolas, spell it out in fucking short sentences!”

Apparently he hadn’t made himself plain enough. He leaned down so that he could caress gently the mark on Blitz’s forehead, and then cupped his face with both hands. Blitz watched him with that same terror in his eyes, never pushing him away. “I want you, to want me.” He said with all the deep affection he’d stored away all his life into this one, simple idea. “I want you to feel the same passion, the same love I feel just seeing you in a room. I want our love to be that of gravity, always pulling us towards each other when we’re apart. I want you to come over when your job is done and just teach me how to cook and tend the garden and discuss how we are trying our best as fathers with hardly a clue what we’re doing.”

Blitz’s mouth was slowly falling open, tears pooling in his eyes. 

“I want you to want that too Blitz,” he whispered, a plea. He’d been so sure once that’s what had been happening, those full moon nights that kept getting longer and stretching into full moon weekends, no matter what day of the week they fell on. Blitz had been spending time here, long after their sexual needs were met, perhaps an hour longer every time until it was a call from his companions to remind him to head back off to work often a day or so later.

He hadn’t been a complete delusional fuck, it couldn’t all have been a lie!

Blitz’s hands snatched out and yanked his beak that last inch closer. The kiss was deep, and desperate. Stolas’s knees shook and he found himself kneeling, soft grass slowly swallowing him as he pulled Blitz closer, one hand coming up to cup his horn and tilt him just so as Blitz’s hand tightened in the feathers along the back of his head, the other coming up to gently caress his cheek. Blitz’s tail was snaking up to curl frantically around his waist and then hook there like a belt. The world fell away, nothing mattered except the hot breath that tasted of him, the feel of his tongue, the soft moan Blitz swallowed and then gave back. He always wondered, worried lately if Blitz even liked kissing him, the sharp curve of his mouth, the heavy feeling of his beak pressed against such a tender area, but the way Blitz kept drawing him closer and trying to envelop him more threw that out the fucking window and finally let something rest at peace.

Something of this kiss felt different too, there was no taste of lust to it, just pure bliss as their tongues caressed…

The shove away felt as if someone had reached into his soul and was trying to rip him free. His fingers slipped off his horns, his shoulder, burning down to the bone in protest. He felt that tail release him like a kick to the heart, a rip no blessed weapon could do to him as it fell away. He gasped and fell onto his tail feathers painfully, eyes startling open to see Blitz gasping, clutching his head and shaking. “No, no, not again,” he stumbled back, he was covering one of his eyes, the side of his face that was white…

“Blitz?” His voice broke with concern, he looked all around as if expecting some kind of threat that would dare put that kind of fear into his brave one’s voice.

“I, I need some air,” Blitz gasped, and then he was just, running. Stolas watched his heart be taken away with him as Blitz made it to the great barrier that had so long kept him locked away from the outside world and did so again as he sat there in shock without following.