Work Text:
I.
"Three! Two! One! Happy New Year!" Blitzø shouted as he turned away from the TV.
The conference room looked mostly like it always did, except for the handwritten banner—"HAPY NEW YUR!"—made of several stapled-together pieces of paper and the candles that Stolas had brought that one time scattered around the table, dripping wax fucking everywhere. Loona barely glanced up from her phone as she sat in her usual chair, while Millie and Moxxie were locked together in a passionate kiss. His body went tense as he caught sight of them, unable to stop the pang of yearning, but Blitzø's smile only slipped for a moment before he scowled at the couple whose canoodling had quickly escalated into a filthy make-out session.
"Hey! Don't make me break out the piss bottle again, Moxxie!" he threatened as Loona scooted her chair even farther away from the couple at the opposite end of the table, without breaking her gaze from her screen.
Millie pulled back slightly from Moxxie to look over at Blitzø with a pout that she fought to keep from turning into a smile. "Awww, c'mon Blitzø! It's just a New Year's tradition," she said as Moxxie stroked her hair, gazing at her with a dopey smile that made Blitzø's chest ache. "'Sides, you and his royal highness were just as bad the other week when—"
"No we weren't! We…" Blitzø trailed off as he thought back to that day—the extremely shitty drug trip that preyed on all his worst fears, Stolas putting his unholy powers on full display to protect him and his team, the night that followed in the prince's bedroom even though no full moon hung in the sky. He forcibly shook off his thoughts of the prince and glared at Millie. "Whatever, just keep that gross married couple shit at home, okay?" He sidled up to Loona and nudged her. "Loony and I don't need to see all that."
Loona scowled at him and elbowed Blitzø back, hard. "Keep me out of it, asshole."
Blitzø's expression glitched for a split second before he slapped the grin back on his face. "Anyways, what's next, huh? Let's turn this office party into a company sleepover! We can grab those stakeout sleeping bags in the storage closet."
Millie and Moxxie exchanged glances in that coupley way that annoyed Blitzø. "Actually, sir, we're just going to head home," Moxxie said cautiously. "We're still a bit worn out from spending the week in Wrath; we haven't even really unpacked yet."
"Well, all the more reason to stay here then! Just wait to deal with all that shit tomorrow," Blitzø insisted.
Millie stepped forward, her gaze soft and apologetic. "Maybe another time, B. Thanks for offerin', though! And putting all this on for us," she said with a smile as she gestured around the room at the pathetic decor and the half-eaten grocery store cake sitting in the middle of the conference table.
Blitzø let out an exasperated sigh. "Fine. Whatever. Just you and me then, Loona?"
Loona's head didn't move, but she glanced at him out of the corner of her eye. "Uhhh, I'd much rather sleep in my own bed, actually."
Blitzø frowned. "Yeah, of course. Makes sense, sweetie," he relented. He caught sight of Millie in his periphery staring at him with concern and straightened up as he cleared his throat, clapping his hands together. "But first, family photo! C'mon!"
Moxxie opened his big mouth, probably about to launch into his usual correction that they were employees, not family, but Millie nudged him and he closed it again without a sound. Blitzø chose to ignore that as he waved them closer and leaned over Loona's shoulder. She raised her hackles and he quickly took a small step away, holding his phone aloft in front of them as Millie and Moxxie came to stand on the other side of Loona's chair. "Say 'cheese and hot sauce'!"
He snapped the photo a little too early, right after Millie squealed "cheese n' hooooot sauce!" and Moxxie was still mumbling his way through the words. Loona was looking away, her gaze downcast and her lip curled, and there was definitely a bit of a blur to the edges when he zoomed in on it. But it was perfect anyway—Blitzø could already envision it hanging on his office wall.
Millie and Moxxie quickly made their goodbyes and headed out, leaving Blitzø and Loona alone in the conference room.
"So… can we go home now?" Loona asked as she scrolled on her phone.
Blitzø, who'd watched as M&M made their way through the door, pivoted on his heel to face her and immediately brought his hand to his mouth as he swallowed down bile. He eyed the drinks table, and realized simultaneously that there were two empty champagne bottles there, and that aside from Moxxie's singular glass he had been the only one drinking the champagne. The bubbles bothered Loona's nose and Millie hated to drink anything she couldn't throw back.
Loona raised her head as her nose twitched in the air. "Ugh. Please don't tell me you're going to throw up in the van."
Blitzø reached out to place his hand on the desk and lean on it heavily as he struggled not to hurl. "Umm…"
Loona's forehead crinkled—they both knew his penchant for car sickness when riding shotgun—and Blitzø quickly decided that he didn't want to ruin the rest of Loona's night.
"Actually, sweetie, I'm just gonna… sleep it off, here, for a bit. I- I'll get home in the morning."
Loona held his gaze for a second as she frowned, then looked away with a shrug. "All right. Whatever you want to do," she said.
He fished the van keys out of his pocket and tossed them her way before he plopped down in the one of the conference chairs. "Drive safe, Loony. Love you!" he said with as much cheer as he could muster.
She let out a huff as she bent down to pick the keys up off the floor, then hesitated for a brief moment before making her way to the exit.
"Drink some water," she said gruffly without even turning over her shoulder, and then she was gone. Blitzø heard the office door open and close a few seconds later, followed by the lock turning.
He looked around the darkened conference room, suddenly disquieted. Maybe he should have risked the car ride and just hung his head out the passenger window, because he'd forgotten until now why he always made a point of doing something on New Year's. Growing up, New Year's had been the biggest holiday at the circus, even more so than Sinsmas, because the first of January was the only day Cash would consistently let them have off. After their New Year's Eve show, they'd stay up all night feasting, playing games, and singing and dancing together to celebrate the start of the new year. So his first New Year's after the fire, when he'd been alone and barely surviving on the streets of Greed, had been incredibly rough, and for the first time in his life he'd dreaded thinking about the year ahead. Since then, he'd made sure to distract himself as the new year began, pointedly focusing on the past year for the holiday and avoiding thinking about what was coming up next.
Blitzø stood up shakily and, once he'd confirmed that his stomach had settled a bit, started slowly making his way around the room—stacking the used plastic cups, putting the lid on the cake even though it was definitely already stale, and taking down the DIY decorations. If he was going to be stuck on the reception area's couch for the night, alone, he was at least not going to leave himself with a mess to clean up in the morning.
—
"Oh, wait! Did we miss it?" Stolas blinked at the news broadcast they'd just channel surfed back to, showing a plaza full of cheering crowds as confetti littered the air.
Octavia frowned. "I guess so," she said with a shrug as she picked a couple pieces of popcorn from the bowl in her lap and popped them into her mouth.
Stolas's heart sank. He'd been so thrilled when his owlet had suggested that they stay up together, since Stella had left for a party at some duke's mansion and told him to stay home because he would just "bring down the mood and spend half the night annoying her anyways." But he couldn't even do right by his daughter, all because he'd gotten too wrapped up in the Hell-A-Novella reruns playing on one of the other networks.
"I'm so sorry, sweetie—" he started, trying and failing to keep the warble out of his voice.
She looked up at him, surprised. "Dad, relax. It's fine, it's really not a big deal." He continued to look at her uncertainly. "Really. This was nice," she insisted.
Stolas smiled hesitantly. "Well… I'm glad to hear that, Starfire." He brightened up as an idea struck him. "And, you know, we can still participate in another New Year tradition! Here," he said as he conjured a couple slips of paper and ink pens out of the air. "In the human world, some cultures write down their wishes for the new year and burn them. Then they mix the ashes into a glass of champagne and drink it!"
Octavia scrunched up her beak in distaste. "Ugh. How about we just burn them and not ingest the ashes in any way?"
He chuckled as he grabbed his slip of paper. "That's perfectly all right, sweetie." Stolas rolled the pen between his fingers and contemplated what he wanted for the upcoming year. The divorce, finally—but what if Octavia asked what his wish was? That also meant he certainly couldn't put down anything about Blitzø either, even though he desperately wished for the imp to ask him out on a proper date. He tapped his talon against the pen before delicately writing out his wish in a flowing script—something vague yet motivational.
To be the master of my own fate.
He looked up at Octavia, watching her fold her paper over. "Ready?" she asked.
Stolas beamed at her and nodded as he pinched his wish between his fingers. "Why don't you do the honors, Via?"
Octavia's eyes widened—she'd only just started learning fire magic. "Oh- okay." She lifted a finger and stared at it with fierce concentration until a small flame flicked at the end of her talon. She grinned with satisfaction as she looked up at him and reached her hand out. Stolas met her halfway, and they both watched as his paper started to darken and curl at the edges, smoke wisps coming off until it crumbled into fine ash in his palm. Octavia lit her own wish, staring in awe at the burning parchment.
"What did you wish for, my owlet?" Stolas asked lightly, his curiosity getting the better of him.
Octavia scoffed. "Dad! I'm not going to tell you. Then it wouldn't come true."
"Oh! Right." Stolas bobbed his head quickly. "Well… d- do you want to watch a movie? Or play a board game?"
She paused, considering. "When's mum coming home?"
His smile faltered slightly. "Oh, I don't know, sweetie. Probably not for a long while yet."
Octavia stretched as she stood up from the couch. "Okay. Then I'm just going to go to bed."
Stolas strove not to let any disappointment show on his face. "Oh, of course! Whatever you'd like, Via."
She glanced at him and paused for a second before stepping toward him for a brief hug. "Good night, dad."
He returned the embrace, giving her an extra squeeze before drawing back to look at her fondly. "Good night, Via." She started toward the door, and he hesitated a moment before calling out after her. "Let's do this again for the Lunar New Year, shall we?"
Octavia smirked affectionately as she glanced back at him. "Sure. Whatever."
She disappeared around the doorframe, and Stolas's gentle smile lasted a little while longer before his usual frown settled back into place. He glanced at the TV, the scenes of the New Year's celebration still playing on the broadcast, before turning it off with a light wave of his hand. He wrapped his robe tighter, hugging himself as he stood up and headed out the door as well. Not to go to his bed chamber, though; instead, he turned down the hallways until he reached his library, the doors quietly swinging open and then shut behind him. With a snap of his fingers, the dark room was quickly illuminated by candlelight, glinting off of the gold accents and the brightly colored tomes on the shelves.
With a weary sigh, he plopped himself down into his desk chair as he gestured toward the bottom desk drawer. It opened with a little rattle as the dozen or so mostly empty bottles clattered against each other, but he easily levitated a half full one into his hand and uncorked it, taking a quick swig.
What would this year hold for him? The outlook wasn't particularly rosy now as he mulled it over alone, in deafening silence. The divorce proceedings were stagnant because he lacked the strength to push against Stella's bullying, Octavia was getting ever more distant and he couldn't figure out how to remedy it, and though he couldn't help wanting more than just dazzling moonlit nights with Blitzø, it was nearly impossible to read the depth of the charming assassin's feelings towards him. His wish taunted him like a cruel joke—he was lost, adrift, powerless as his fate was determined by the whims of those around him.
He took another long pull off the bottle before setting it down on the desktop, propping his elbows upon it to drop his head into his hands as he groaned quietly to himself.
—
Blitzø sighed as he plopped down on the shitty reception couch that somehow was worse than his usual bed—the cushions too limp, a musty odor wafting off them. He had cleared up everything from the party with one enormous trash bag, stashed the unused booze in his desk for another time, and scrubbed the carpet where he had vomited halfway through the cleaning process. His head was still somewhere between a pleasant buzz and an unsettling drone. He groaned as he pulled the throw pillow toward him and settled it against the armrest, laying his head on top of it as he stared blankly at the wall opposite him in the darkness of the office.
His mind drifted back over the evening—specifically, Millie and Moxxie. He scowled, knowing he shouldn't be bothered by their rejection of continuing the New Year's celebration, but it still stung a bit. And he really hated when they did couple-y shit in the office; they'd always remained undeterred even by his lewd comments or phone recordings, and on nights like this one it really reiterated to him how alone he was.
Although…
"You and his royal highness were just as bad the other week…"
His tail coiled and snapped against the back of the couch, stomach swooping as bits of that day replayed in his mind. Crawling toward his vision of Stolas even before the cuffs and chains had pulled him in, his subconscious telling him what he knew but couldn't admit to himself because it was fucking terrifying. Stolas holding Blitzø's face reverently between his hands as he called Blitzø "darling." The prince leaning toward him, seeking a kiss so earnestly and sweetly as he carried Blitzø over the portal's threshold, that set off alarm bells in Blitzø's head until he took control and reset the mood to what they knew and were comfortable with. The "thank you" sex feeling more tender and affectionate no matter how hard Blitzø tried to project his dom persona. Deciding to stay even after Stolas had already passed out sometime after midnight, even taking a moment to—
Blitzø fumbled for his phone in his pocket and pulled it out. He unlocked it and, squinting against the screen's bright light, navigated to his photos and scrolling through until he found it—an overhead shot of a sleeping Stolas curled around Blitz's side, his head resting against Blitzø's horns while his arm draped across Blitzø's chest. The soft, dopey smile on his own face was embarrassing, but he ignored that so that he could continue to stare at the image of the prince.
A drunk impulse crossed his mind and he quickly went into his messages, finding Stolas's contact. Before he could let himself think about it at all, he typed out a short message—
hpy new yrs Stols
—and hit send right as his brain caught up with his fingers. He groaned and hurriedly threw his phone down onto the floor as he buried his face into the pillow. His phone pinged, and he turned his face enough to open one eye to glance at the phone apprehensively but it had landed facedown so it offered no information. He grunted as he let his head roll back down into the pillow, shifting himself onto his side and turning away from the rest of the office and, by extension, his phone.
It probably wasn't even Stolas. It could easily be some dumb app notification or a text from someone else entirely. That's probably what it was, honestly, he insisted to himself as his eyelids started to droop, his body relaxing as it sank heavily into the shitty couch cushions.
But if it was a message from Stolas… it'd probably be something nice, because Stolas was always too nice to Blitzø. He usually couldn't stand the fake ass attitude, but—he thought sleepily as he drifted off—at least it'd be something to wake up to that could let him imagine, even for a brief moment, that it actually meant something real.
—
Stolas nearly dropped his absinthe as the special ringtone he'd assigned to Blitzø broke the silence of the library. He quickly set the bottle down and reached for his phone, but in his eagerness he misjudged the distance and bumped the device off the desktop, sending it clattering onto the floor below. With a disgruntled harrumph, Stolas held his palm out and the phone meekly floated into his grasp. He tapped on the notification banner and his heart began racing as he read Blitzø's text. Stolas quickly wrote out a reply message—
Happy New Year, Blitzy! I hope it's a good one for you
—and sent it, holding his breath as he waited for Blitzø to respond. He stared at his phone, his gaze drifting up to the contact photo he'd set for his lover. He'd taken the screenshot from Blitzø's Sinstagram of the imp wearing the horse hoodie Stolas had gotten for him since it looked so similar to the character from Blitzø's favorite movie. Stolas's heart squeezed with affection as he looked at the image, especially the way Blitzø's hand shyly covering his face couldn't hide the edges of his soft smile.
He checked his text thread with Blitzø again—there still no reply—and he struggled to quell the anxiety curdling in his stomach. The fact that Blitzø had texted him first, thought of him on New Year's Day, must be a sure sign that he did actually like Stolas and that their relationship was more than just a thrilling tryst. Even if the text was rather bare, and the hints of affection that Stolas had been able to spot in Blitzø's guarded, rough demeanor were few and far between.
Stolas turned in his chair to look up the staircase behind him, where he'd stand to create the celestial portal while he searched for prophecies contained within the cosmos. His talons twitched; while the dangers of seeking one's own future in the stars were well known, there was nothing stopping him from reading them to find Blitzø's destiny, including his romantic future that just might include Stolas.
He stood from his desk and strode up the stairs, casting the portal that opened directly to the dark Earth skies, but he hesitated as he stared into the starry expanse. It may not be risky, per say, to search for Blitzø's fate in the same way it would be to seek out his own, but it would still be wrong to do so without his darling's permission. Besides, as all prophets and fortunetellers knew, foresight was often a curse—it was usually wiser to resist reading the last page, figuratively speaking. Prophecies were meant to guide action and divine truth, not to set outcomes in stone.
No, he wouldn't cross that boundary and make that mistake. Instead, he tilted his head up to gaze across the cosmos as he hugged himself and, for the second time that night, made a wish, a secret held between him and the stars. He squeezed himself tightly before releasing with a long sigh, turning his back to the skies and returning to Hell, where he'd have to wait to find out whether his wishes would come true.
II.
Blitzø's eyelids fluttered open—it was a while still until dawn, judging by the darkness of the apartment—before he abruptly snapped awake, bolting upright with his heart pounding in his chest as he stared at the empty couch across the living room. He leapt to his feet, gaze darting around the small apartment, before he caught sight of the balcony door left slightly open and his shoulders sagged in relief. After a brief stretch and yawn, he padded over to the doorway and quietly slid the glass panel open further, turning his head as he stepped over the threshold to spot Stolas leaning against the balcony railing, looking down as a thin plume of smoke rose from his cigarette. It gave Blitzø a flash of déjà vu, and he felt a twinge of guilt as he recalled Sinsmas Eve that he did his best to shake off before continuing toward the ex-prince.
Stolas didn't look up as Blitzø came up beside him, but wordlessly held out his cigarette. Blitzø grasped it delicately between his fingers and took a silent drag before passing it back to Stolas, crossing his arms as he leaned over the balcony. They quietly watched the demons milling around the streets below for a bit—Sinners slicing open bottles of champagne with sabers and spraying them at each other, hell-born in scanty, glittering outfits carrying their heels as they stumbled and giggled, holding onto each other.
"It's New Year's," Stolas said dully, startling Blitzø as he snapped his head up to look at the owl who was still gazing blankly at the scene playing out underneath them.
"I know," Blitzø replied with a frown, uncertain of what to make of the comment. They'd had their New Year's Eve celebration just a few hours ago inside their apartment—a small gathering, just Fizz, Moxxie, Millie, and Millie's sister visiting from Wrath. They'd all left shortly after midnight, and Loona had gone out to a club with plans to crash at a friend's for the night before coming home sometime later today. Stolas had been dissociating less as he'd gotten back on his meds over the past week, but maybe he was having a relapse.
Stolas eased off his elbows to place his hands on the railing instead, talons gripping tightly around the metal. "I spent last New Year's with Octavia. I… I wish I'd known that it'd be the last one."
Blitzø's brow furrowed. "Hey, you can't know that. She could come around still, remember?"
Stolas's shoulders sagged. "I- I really don't want to think about the future right now, honestly. It feels rather… rather bleak."
Blitzø looked down. "Yeah. I get that," he said as he thought back on the many years that he'd dreaded what the new year would bring—had done all he could to not think about it.
Stolas took another puff of his cigarette and chuckled drily. "Do you know what I wished for last New Year's?" Blitzø shook his head mutely. "I wished to control my own destiny, and- and for you and I to stay in each other's lives. To never become strangers." He paused, his voice shaking as he continued. "I thought my life was bad last year. And even though I got what I wished for—" he looked over at Blitzø, eyebrows knitting together— "it feels… worse, somehow."
Blitzø struggled to meet Stolas's eyes. "Yeah. I- I'm sorry about that," he said miserably.
Stolas sighed. "It's not your fault, Blitzø. I just… I just wish that I hadn't lost her to get what I wanted." His voice thickened as tears glinted at the corners of his eyes. "I never wanted to leave Octavia. Never. I wouldn't have ever chosen that, if… if the circumstances had been anything else. I… I don't regret the choice I made, but if I had known I'd lose her because of it, I… I don't know."
Blitzø swallowed as he reached out to lay his hand over Stolas's. "We're going to do everything we can to get her back, Stols. I promise," he said as he squeezed Stolas's hand comfortingly.
Stolas turned to look at Blitzø, eyes still watery, and Blitzø couldn't tear his gaze away. The moonlight lighting up the edges of Stolas's feathers gave him an ethereal glow that stopped Blitzø's breath in his chest. Stolas had always been beautiful, and Blitzø had always enjoyed sex with him, but now, Blitzø didn't try to stifle the absolute yearning that ached for more than just nighttime trysts, that wanted all of Stolas. The good and the bad, the grand romantic gestures and the soft domestic moments, every day—and most importantly, with both of their daughters. He couldn't shake that vision he'd had on Sinsmas of their family; he just knew in his gut that one day, it would become real, and for the first time in many, many New Year's, Blitzø was actually hopeful for the future.
He smiled softly at Stolas, and Stolas returned it even as he let out a shaky breath. "You okay to come back inside?" Blitzø asked gently.
Stolas took a long inhale, eyes fluttering closed briefly before he gave a tiny nod, quickly stubbing out the cigarette on the railing before letting it drop to the street below. Blitzø carefully took Stolas's hand in his as he pulled it away from the railing, looking up at Stolas as he gave the owl an encouraging smile and squeezed his hand gently as he led him back inside.
—
Stolas couldn't ignore the thrumming of his heart as Blitzø guided him ever so tenderly along the balcony and through the doorway. As his eyes readjusted to the dimness of the apartment, he couldn't help but notice the mess leftover from the party: bottles and cans strewn about the counter, spent sparklers and bits of food on the ground, decorations knocked about.
Blitzø glanced around, clearly coming to the same realization as he chuckled. "Wow, we really made a lot of mess for a pretty laid back party, huh?" He stooped down and grabbed something off the floor—a couple of Polaroid shots taken with Moxxie's camera that he'd brought along. "How the hell did these end up on the floor, anyway?"
Stolas snorted. "Well, the apartment was hardly clean to begin with. Also, don't forget that Millie and Sallie Mae started wrestling and you couldn't help joining in."
Blitzø shrugged. "Eh, it was all in the name of some good fun at least, so… worth it." He glanced at the photos in his hand and grinned before holding them out toward Stolas. Stolas took the prints and gazed at the frame of him and Blitzø side by side on the couch together, leaning against one another and simply basking in their shared comfort. He smiled as he handed it back to Blitzø, watching as the imp instantly headed toward his gallery wall along the entryway to look for an empty clip to hold the photo.
Stolas dropped his gaze to see more photos on the floor. He squatted down to pick them up, shuffling through them as he sat back on his talons. There were shots of Fizz juggling while Blitzø tried to snatch the balls away from him; Moxxie desperately holding Millie back as she got a little too intense about their board game; and Sallie Mae holding both Millie and Blitzø in a headlock. Stolas chuckled as he flipped through that one, then grew still as he took in the next photo.
It was of him, his face softly lit up in the glow of a sparkler that reflected in his eyes and illuminated his small yet genuine smile. The next print was a candid of him as well, and while Stolas usually considered himself rather drab for an avian Goetia, his breath caught in his chest as he took in the view. The camera was positioned behind him, zoomed in to where his head turned over his shoulder, a delicate backlight shadowing his soft if sad expression as it glinted off the outline of his feathers. Both photos made him look gorgeous, captivating, and were clearly taken with a watchful, adoring eye.
He looked up as Blitzø padded back over to him. "Did Moxxie take these?" he asked curiously as he held both Polaroids of himself out to the imp.
Blitzø glanced at the photos and blushed, cheeks darkening as he cleared his throat. "Nope, those were… I took those. When we were passing the camera around, y'know."
Stolas smiled coyly. "Well. They're rather… flattering. You have a good eye."
Blitzø chuckled as he awkwardly rubbed the back of his neck. "Well, it's easy when you have a great subject," he said, flashing a flirtatious grin at Stolas that had him blushing in return before the imp turned toward the kitchen.
Stolas looked down at the stack of photos in his hand and cycled through to a shot that he himself had taken of Blitzø and his family—Loona, Millie, Moxxie, and Fizz—staring at it wistfully. He knew he'd made many, many mistakes with Blitzø, but Stolas was determined that, no matter how long and hard the road was, he'd stay at Blitzø's side and do all he could to truly earn his place in the assassin's life. Even if Blitzø had already forgiven him, and treated him with such great care that it maybe even teetered into love. Stolas hoped it was love.
He heard the clinking of glass and looked up as Blitzø gathered bottles off the counter top and dropped them into a paper bag. Stolas quickly pocketed the the photos and headed toward the kitchen, snagging a couple of bottles off the floor on his way.
Blitzø looked up in surprise as Stolas approached. "Stolas, you don't have to do that. I've got this," he protested as he reached out, laying his hand over Stolas's to stop him from placing his bottles in the recycling bag.
"I want to, Blitzø. Let me help you," Stolas insisted as he looked into Blitzø's eyes. "Please."
Blitzø hesitated before giving him a soft, appreciative smile, squeezing his hand. "Okay. Only if you want to."
Stolas gazed at him affectionately as he flipped his palm up so that he could hold Blitzø's hand, returning the squeeze before letting go. They fell into a quiet rhythm, the apartment gradually becoming at least as clean as it was before the party if not cleaner. Blitzø broke the silence after some minutes had passed, catching Stolas's eye as he wiped down the counter.
"It's not always going to be this hard, you know." Stolas paused his cleaning to look back at Blitzø as the imp continued. "This year will be better. Because… because we're going to be there for each other, right? No matter how hard it gets, or how many fucking shitty mistakes we make. We're going to figure shit out, and get your daughter back, and…" Blitzø swallowed. "I just want you to be happy."
Stolas struggled not to cry again as he was overwhelmed by the love he had for Blitzø. He cleared his throat as he smiled fondly. "Yes, darling. I'll be here for you too. No matter what."
III.
Soft feathers tickled Blitzø's cheek and arms as he began to wake, and he hummed happily as he breathed in Stolas's scent. He blearily opened his eyes, blinking the sleep away as he savored the way the morning light peeking through the blinds fell across Stolas’s body, beautifully illuminating the lines and curves of him. Blitzø reached his hand up to gently card his claws through the owl's chest feathers, and he smiled gently as Stolas moaned and started to stir. Talons lazily began trailing up and down his back, launching his purr that only made Stolas nestle more firmly against him.
"Happy New Year's, Stols," he murmured, his voice still gravelly with sleep and muffled against his boyfriend's torso.
Stolas hummed. "Did the girls—"
"Yeah, heard them come in right 'round 4am," Blitzø swiftly reassured him. It had been a bit nerve-wracking for both of them to have Octavia, who'd only been living with them for a couple months and only just turned eighteen, go out for the craziest night of the year. But Loona had promised that she would look after her newly-designated sister and make sure they got home safely before dawn, appeasing the worried fathers. It sounded like they'd both had a lot of fun based on how they'd loudly stumbled in through the front door, shushing each other and giggling as they had made their way into their shared bedroom.
Stolas opened just one of his lower eyes to glance at Blitzø as he smiled. "So they're probably not going to be up until noon."
"Pro'lly not." Blitzø tucked his head against Stolas's chest, listening to the steady thump of his heartbeat mixing with the vibrations of his own purr. Combined with the warmth of the comforter and the soft firmness of their mattress, he was lulled back into a light doze, vaguely aware of the delicate rub of Stolas's talons and the brightening light filtering into the room. They lay there for a long while, basking in the comfort of each other's arms in their half-conscious state, until Stolas's stomach grumbled loudly.
"Alright, birdy," Blitzø said as he started to pull back, only to be gripped tighter.
"It's fine," Stolas protested, a slight whine permeating his groggy voice.
"Nuh-uh. You've got to eat, Stols."
"I'm not even hungry," Stolas insisted, his stomach immediately growling as soon as he'd finished his sentence.
Blitzø chuckled as he looked up at his boyfriend and stretched to kiss the pout off his beak. "C'mon. It's going to be a lazy day anyways." He squeezed Stolas before releasing the bird so he could sit up, groaning as an assortment of bones and joints popped and cracked. Stolas pushed himself upright on the bed, all four eyes blinking hazily. Blitzø rolled off the opposite side of the mattress and heard Stolas's feet hitting the ground behind him as he opened the bedroom door.
Stolas came to stand beside him as they stared at the mess leftover from the night before—candle wax pooled on the tables, glitter and dried champagne on the floor, and—
"Ugh. Moxxie's damn Polaroids," Blitzø said as he reached down to grab one off the edge of the living room rug. "How the fuck do they always end up everywhere?" The tail end of his bitching turned soft, though, as he gazed at the photo of Octavia and Loona before they'd headed out for their own partying, Blitzø and Stolas fussing over them like parents getting their teenagers ready for their first prom much to the girls' chagrin.
Stolas picked up a couple photos on a nearby table and nudged Blitzø as he fanned them out in his hands. A blurry shot of the two of them, taken when Blitzø snatched the camera away from Moxxie and quickly turned to kiss Stolas as he snapped the shutter. Another of Fizz, Blitzø and Barbie, her expression a little uncertain, though she had let Blitzø wrap his arm around her for the picture and even given a small smile to the camera.
"I believe Sallie Mae took this one," Stolas commented as he waved the photo of the trio slightly. "She and Barbie were rather preoccupied with each other throughout the party, don't you think?"
Blitzø shrugged. "I dunno. Guess we'll have to see how they go," he said as he moved through the room, gathering more photos as he went. He made it to the kitchen and, walking up to the fridge, picked out the Polaroid of everyone at the party: them and their daughters, Barbie, Millie, Moxxie, Sallie Mae, Fizz, Ozzie, Vassago. Blitzø positioned it right next to their family Sinsmas card as he pinned it with a spare magnet before taking a step back to stare at both photos together as his throat thickened with emotion. This year, the old urge to scratch himself out of view was completely gone; from now on, he was determined to hold on to every memory he could.
—
Stolas found another Polaroid of their family—him, Blitzø, Loona and Octavia posed together after each father had sufficiently fussed over both daughters—and ignored his grumbling stomach for a little while longer to walk over to their photo wall. He tucked the photo inside the frame of Moxxie and Millie's Sinsmas gift shared with them just last week, holding a print of a sneaky snapshot Moxxie had taken last Sinsmas of Stolas and Blitzø dancing on the balcony. Stolas stared affectionately at it—Blitzø had let Stolas spin away while still holding his hand, and from the photo's angle you could clearly see the love and care in Blitzø's expression as he looked at Stolas.
Stolas startled slightly as something was shoved into his hand, and he looked down to see Blitzø handing off a lemon poppy seed muffin. "Here, eat this," his boyfriend said as he patted Stolas's hand before pivoting away to gather some of the plastic plates and cups scattered about into a trash bag. Stolas took a bite out of his muffin as he followed, gently collecting a couple of stray champagne bottles in his free hand so that they wouldn't clink together and make too much noise that might wake the girls.
Once Stolas had properly finished his muffin, it took him and Blitzø only a few more minutes to clean up from the party. Stolas took the opportunity when Blitzø stepped out to drop the trash bag down the garbage chute to pour the grounds into the filter of the coffee pot, pressing the start button just as his boyfriend slipped back inside. Blitzø smiled gratefully as he walked into the kitchen, his tail tapping Stolas's ass gently as he stepped up beside Stolas to grab the electric kettle and carry it over to the sink. After he'd turned on the refilled kettle, Blitzø hopped up onto the counter and reached out to grab Stolas and tug him forward, spreading his knees apart to nestle Stolas between them. Stolas bent down to meet him in a long, deep kiss, holding it even as he scooped Blitzø up to bring him up to his eye level. Blitzø didn't bat an eye as he was raised in the air, merely wrapping his legs around Stolas's chest to keep them close as he brought his hands up to cup Stolas's cheeks. It'd become a habit of theirs to indulge in their passion for each other as they got ready for the day, before their daughters were up and about to groan about how gross they were being.
By the time the coffee had finished brewing and the kettle clicked off, they'd been simply holding each other as they rested their foreheads together for nearly a full minute. Blitzø gave Stolas one last quick kiss before scrambling down and grabbing their mugs from the cabinet and setting them on the counter. Once they'd poured their respective beverages, they padded together over to the breakfast nook that was surrounded by Stolas's new plant collection, giving the space almost a jungle-like feel as the sunlight peaked through the broad leaves arching overhead. Stolas settled down into his seat and stretched his arm out across the table, Blitzø's hand quickly finding his as their fingers intertwined and they took their first sips of their drinks. Their satisfied sighs echoed each other perfectly.
"I think our New Year's Eve party was pretty fucking great," Blitzø commented as Stolas took another sip of his tea.
"Hmm, it truly was, darling," Stolas readily agreed, squeezing Blitzø's hand as he did so. He couldn't believe this was only his second New Year's with Blitzø, and how drastically his life had changed again in just the span of a year, though infinitely for the better this time around. It was hard to imagine that there could be more than this to aspire to next year. "Are you making any New Year's resolutions, Blitzy?" he asked, musing.
Blitzø snorted. "I don't really do that shit," he answered, before his eyebrows knit together thoughtfully. "Though I guess… I mean, I can think of some things."
"Like?"
"Like… none of those dumb ones like 'I'm going to cut out coffee' or 'go to the gym regularly.' But more like… making more memories." He glanced up at Stolas. "Being a good dad and stepdad. And boyfriend."
Stolas hummed, smiling. "Those sound excellent. Can I make the same ones?"
Blitzø chuckled. "Yeah, of course, big bird," he said softly as he squeezed Stolas's hand.
Stolas beamed at him before turning his head to look out the window. "What do you think this year holds for us?" he asked, mostly with curiosity though a tinge of worry colored his thoughts.
Blitzø tilted his head as he considered the question. "I mean… I don't know. We can't know for sure, right?" He straightened his gaze to look into Stolas's eyes determinedly. "But, even though we've had shit luck before, we've seen a lot of good too. And now that we have our whole family here, together, I feel like we're strong enough to handle whatever comes our way, y'know?"
Stolas smiled gently as he squeezed Blitzø's hand again. "I agree, darling. No matter what happens, we're going to hold onto each other. Together," he affirmed.
"Yep. You and me against the world, huh?"
"Mm-hmm. You and me, forevermore."
Blitzø snorted. "Okay, birdbrain. You and your fuckin' fancy talk."
Stolas laughed. "And you love me for it." He bent forward as he raised their joined hands, brushing a kiss across Blitzø's knuckles. "Let's at least agree to be here with each other for next New Year's, hmm?"
"Yep. You and me, cleaning up bottles on New Year's Day," Blitzø teased as he set down his mug, using his newly freed hand to lean forward and grab a fistful of Stolas's nightshirt, pulling him down to meet his lips in a sweet, loving kiss.