Chapter Text
Thunder rattled the sliding glass door next to the sofa, startling Blitz awake. His back ached as he sat up and surveyed the dark room around him. He was alone on the sofa, and the tv had been shut off. The ice cream bowls had been cleared from the coffee table and someone had draped a blanket over him at some point.
It was the third night in their new house, and Loona had declared it was a perfect night for a scary movie. The imp hadn’t really felt up to it, but he was eager to make new, happy memories and Stolas had seemed agreeable to it. He’d had every intention of staying awake, but it was so warm snuggled up between two of his favorite people.
He stood and stretched before padding down the carpeted hallway to the bedroom he shared with the overgrown owl. Blitz paused outside the open door for a moment, just looking in. There were half-unpacked boxes and suitcases strewn across the floor and their new bed had been made up with non-matching linens. Stolas was passed out in a starfish position across the mattress, little hoots escaping his mouth with every breath.
The imp leaned against the doorframe, taking in the scene. The first few days had been harder than any of them imagined it would be. Moving was exciting, but it was also stressful and exhausting. There was no reason their one bedroom apartment should have been able to contain as much shit as it did. After it was all packed, they realized exactly how much other shit they’d still need. They bought a new bedframe and mattress off Mamazon, but most everything else came used off of Fatebook Marketplace. Stolas was thankful for everything they found, but it was easy to see that he was missing his things at the palace. Though the large, cold house had been incredibly formal, the owl’s bedroom had held the belongings most dear to him. Things he would never get back.
Another clap of thunder shook the house, but the owl slept on. It absolutely baffled Blitz how heavy of a sleeper Stolas was. Though, it was probably easy to sleep when you had a house full of staff and bodyguards to keep you safe, Blitz figured. He, on the other hand, was getting tired of the damn noise.
He yanked his shirt and jeans off as he crossed the room, tripping over a duffel bag in the process. The sound of his body hitting the floor and the following swear still weren’t enough to wake his bedmate.
Lucky bitch.
Blitz slid into bed next to the larger man and curled up on his side, scooching back until his spines met feathers. Despite being exhausted hours earlier, he was wide awake after his cat nap. He dimmed the light on his phone and began swiping through his apps. He paused on a video of Katie Killjoy standing in front of a map, pointing at what looked like a giant scribble. Another storm, great.
He raised the volume, just enough to hear without waking up the comatose avian spread out next to him.
“This ain’t our normal, folks.” Katie gestured wildly. “Look at this shit. This fucking storm is gonna cover multiple rings. Pride and Wrath! Mark my goddamn words. Two weeks from now, this baby’s gonna hit and half of hell is gonna be without power. The whole grid’s gonna go dark!”
Blitz rolled his eyes and turned the volume back down. He’d rather play his horse farming simulator than listen to any more doomsdaying. Blackouts were common for low class hellborns and sinners, so this was nothing new. The only new people that would even be affected by it would be…
He bolted upright and flung the blankets off, drawing a quiet groan from Stolas.
“Darling, I’m glad you came to bed but if you don’t stay still I’m going to send you back to the sofa.”
“Sorry, Stols.” He carefully tucked the covers back around his boyfriend and crawled up to kiss his cheek. “I’m gonna go grab a drink. I promise I’ll be quiet when I get back.”
The imp slid out of bed and sprinted across the room, shutting the door tight behind him. He crept into the kitchen and settled himself at one of the stools in front of the island.
The clock read 1:52am.
He tapped his claw against the screen, debating his next move. Before he could make a move, he heard footsteps coming down the hallway.
“Dad!” Loona hissed and crossed her arms. “Why are you being so fucking loud?”
“Okay.” He let his phone clatter to the countertop. “You’re both dramatic bitches. I’m operatin’ at normal levels!”
“Yeah, but it’s two in the fucking morning!” She rolled her eyes and climbed onto the stool next to him. “I’m up now, I guess. Wanna talk about it?”
“Nothin’ to really talk about, Looney Tooney.” He glanced over and gave her a bright smile. “Don’t worry about it.”
“Uh huh.” The hellhound gestured to his phone. “So, you weren’t sitting here about to do something all secretive and shit? Sure.” She sighed. “Stolas seems a little…down, right?”
Blitz blinked a few times. “Uh, yeah. I guess. I don’t know. He’s never gonna say it or anythin’ but I really think he misses his old shit.”
“Like at the castle? Yeah, probably. He didn’t get to take anything with him when he left. He’s had to start over completely and nothing we’ve got is anything like his old shit. Makes sense he’d feel weird about it. Too bad we can’t go get it for him.”
She stood and punched his shoulder lightly. “Going to bed. Night, Dad.”
His eyes positively shone as he scrambled to pick his phone back up. “Night, Loon.”
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BlitzBoss: (2:09am) U up
Moxxiferous Rex III: (2:18am) Millie’s craving tacos. Why are you up?
BlitzBoss: (2:19am) Cnt slep. Goin 4 a drive. B ther in 20
Moxxiferous Rex III: (2:23am)Sir? It’s two o’ clock in the morning. I’m not leaving my house and my pregnant wife to go on a joyride with you.
Moxxiferous Rex III: (2:32am) Sir, I’m serious. Please do not show up here.
Moxxiferous Rex III: (2:39am) Oh my God, shut up, Blitz! I’ll be out in a minute. Stop blowing your horn!
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Moxxie approached the beat up van idling at the curb outside of his house. He smacked the barrel of his pistol against the driver's side window, ready to put a bullet through the driver.
As the glass slid down, he began to whisper-yell. “Do you know how hard it is to placate a pregnant woman in the middle of the night? Especially one who is already angry about not having tacos?”
“Well, Moxx, I don’t know why you wouldn’t just give her your taco.” Blitz grinned out at him. “Give the crazy lady what she wants.”
“What are you talking about? I don’t have any…Oh shut up!” The smaller man flushed. “I have a penis, sir. Why the fuck are you at my house?”
“Get in.” The taller man said. “We have a job.”
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Moxxie tried asking questions. He practically begged for a single shred of information, in fact. But Blitz was tight lipped the entire drive. He bobbed his head to the music and steered the van down a series of alleys and backroads, taking them further out into the country.
“Is Loona okay? Stolas?” Moxxie prodded.
He was again ignored. As the roads changed, it became clear they weren’t headed toward Blitz’s new house. The houses got bigger, the yards more manicured. They were approaching Goetia territory.
“Blitz. Where are we going?”
“Don’t get your pretty little panties in a twist, Moxx. We’re not doin’ anythin’ bad.” The van slowed as they approached Stolas’s palace, but they didn’t stop in front of it. They circled the neighborhood a few times and finally stopped halfway down the block, in clear view of the house but not so close that the inhabitants could easily recognize his van.
Blitz’s eyes roamed the darkness, taking everything in.
“What are we doing here, sir?” Moxxie’s voice was gentle, pleading.
The mottled imp slouched in his seat and turned down the music. “You know how much Stolas has given up for me? He fuckin’ lost everythin’ to save my life, after everythin’ I put him through.”
“It wasn’t just you. I know you know that.”
He nodded. “Yeah, but think about it, Moxxie. He didn’t get to keep anythin’ from his old life. His clothes, books, plants, nothin’.”
“Right.” Moxxie said slowly.
“It’s not right. He’s way too good for what happened. That bitch and her brother are in there right now with his daughter. Livin’ his life. Via hasn’t spoken to him in weeks and he’s scared shitless somethin’ has happened. But he can’t get through to her and neither can Loona. ” He glared toward the house. “All I want is to help him. I want to find Via and convince her to come with us, that she doesn’t have to stay with Elsa and Queen Bitch anymore. And maybe she won’t come with me, but I gotta try. I want to get his meds and his books and everythin’ else that made him happy because he tries so hard to make everyone else happy these days and it’s actually killin’ me. He’s in this brand new house full of shit that Loona and I collected, and barely any of it’s his. It’s not fuckin’ right!”
“Blitz, you can’t just go in there guns blazing. They’ll kill you or throw you on Satan’s chopping block again. This isn’t a good plan.”
The taller man’s eyes narrowed as he turned to face his employee. “You’re right. I’m not just goin’ in there tonight guns blazin’. I got a plan. I need you to talk me out of it before I actually do it.”
There was an uncomfortably long silence, followed by an even more uncomfortably long sigh. Moxxie pulled out his phone and typed a series of words into Google. He looked up and pointed to the right. “There’s a twenty-four hour diner about six blocks that way. Drive.”
Blitz shifted the van into drive and pressed his foot against the gas. Two blocks passed before the other imp spoke again.
“You’re going to buy me coffee and pancakes and then you’re going to tell me exactly what this plan is.”
Chapter 2: Ain't No Rest For The Wicked
Summary:
Blitz and Moxxie feel the effects of their late night.
A new player enters the game.
Notes:
Hey ya'll! This one might be a slow beginning, but there will be plenty of juicy action in return for sticking it out!
(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)
Chapter Text
Blitz parked the van in the driveway, careful to leave it in the exact same spot it had been the night before. The lights were all still off and the house seemed still, thank Satan. The clock on the dash read 5:42am as he killed the ignition and pocketed the keys. The front door creaked as he slipped inside and he winced, pausing to listen for movement.
When none came, he stripped down to his boxers and crept toward the bedroom. He could hear the hooting snores floating down the hallway, filling him with a deep sense of relief. The imp crawled into bed carefully, burrowed into the blankets and was asleep within minutes.
That was, until the alarm on his bedside table began screaming eighteen minutes later.
“What the fuck?!” He roared into his pillow.
Stolas reached across the smaller man and tapped the snooze button. “You said we were back to work today, darling. It’s Monday. We can lay here for a little longer, if you wish.” The last few words were said with a yawn.
Blitz groaned and smushed his face against the soft feathers covering his boyfriend’s chest. “Yeah, well, that was a stupid fuckin’ thing I said. I wanna go back to sleep.”
The taller man stroked the imp’s back and trilled softly. “It was extraordinarily stupid, however, you booked clients for today so we’ve got to go.”
They lay in companionable silence until the alarm went off a few moments later, drawing a long string of expletives from Blitz.
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The ride to work had never felt so long. Not only were they living further from the office, but Blitz was so tired he could barely keep his eyes open. Stolas chatted animatedly about the day ahead, and Loona listened to her music so loudly he could clearly hear it even though she was wearing headphones. His head ached from getting so little sleep and he felt a little nauseous.
By the time he parked the van, he was ready to pull his own eyeballs out. When they entered the office, Millie was brewing a pot of coffee and Moxxie was sprawled out on the sofa with an arm covering his face. Stolas took over the caffeine preparations and Loona followed Millie into the armory. Blitz shoved Moxxie to the side and collapsed onto the seat next to him.
“Sir. Fuck you.” The freckled imp grumbled under his breath.
“I know, okay?” He pinched the bridge of his nose.
The owl found the pair curled up together fast asleep by the time the coffee was done.
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Every moment of the day felt like an eternity. Every hit took three times as long as it should have and every interaction sounded like nails on a chalkboard in his head. The lights were too bright and the sounds were too loud. It was like being hungover without having any fun the night before and it fucking sucked.
He was locked in his office with the lights off, pretending to finish paperwork when his phone buzzed.
Moxxiferous Rex III: (3:02pm) I found the number. (Attachment: 1 contact card)
BlitzBoss: (3:03pm) Thx. Ill txt him. Go home Mox
Moxxiferous Rex III: (3:06pm) Yes, sir.
Blitz drummed his fingers on the desk as he stared at the blank text field. He couldn’t decide exactly what to say. It’d been a long time and he wasn’t exactly sure where the recipient’s loyalties lay these days. If he said the wrong thing, the plan would be dead in the water before they even got to do anything fun.
He and Moxxie had spent hours at the diner the night before, working on the details.
_______________________________________________________________________________
Moxxie speared a bite of pancake and popped it into his mouth, chewing thoughtfully. “No offense, sir, but that isn’t going to work.”
“The fuck ya talkin’ about?” Blitz looked up from the ripped napkin he was drawing on. “It’s gonna be dark and rainy. The guards aren’t gonna want to go out in the rain. I’ll just sneak in through the garden. Nobody’s even payin’ attention to it anymore, probably.”
“But you don’t KNOW that, Blitz. We don’t know anything about the palace now. All we know is that Andrealphus and Stella are staying there.” He took another bite. “And that’s a problem. We need more information.”
“Yeah, well, it’s not like I made friends with the staff there. I came in once a month up the fuckin’ palace wall like a sexy ass lizard, fucked the damsel in the tower and fuckin’ left.”
The smaller man rolled his eyes. “You did that for years and never spoke to anyone? Really?”
“Spoke to? No. Yelled at? Traumatized? Flashed, accidentally? Yeah.” Blitz shrugged and slouched back in the booth, shifting his weight to avoid the spring that was threatening to break through the vinyl beneath him.
“Flashed?! What the—Nevermind. Do you think there’s anyone, anyone at all, on the traumatized staff that might still want to speak to you? Or maybe someone that would still be loyal?”
Blitz sighed and chewed his bottom lip. “I mean, there’s this one guy. He was around when Stolas and I were kids. He kinda helped raise him, I think. I never really asked but I got that vibe. He worked with Stols every single day, so you gotta think that maybe he’d have some kinda connection, right?”
Moxxie nodded. “You would think so. Do you have a way to contact him?”
“Nah, the only time he and I ever talked was when he caught me lookin’ for a midnight snack and a Hatorade. He got real mad but it was probably because I didn’t have pants on.”
“I’ll see if I can find contact information for him. Just send me all the information you have on him, please.” The other man glanced down at the napkin. “We can’t just go in blind. We have families to come back to.”
“Yeah, about that, Moxx… Why are you helpin’ me? Millie’s due soon, and you said yourself this is kinda a suicide mission. Why?”
Moxxie glanced back up, making stern eye contact. “Stolas is our family too, Blitz. We watched him lose everything, just to keep you alive. He kept our family together. And now, well, he’s part of the family too. If we can help him get Via safe and regain some of his sense of self, we need to do it.”
Blitz’s eyes shone as he reached for the bill.
___________________________________________________________________________________
After debating for an hour about what type, he decided to just call. He was better with words than typing. Besides, he was certain the man wouldn’t answer if he didn’t recognize the number and it would be much easier to leave a message.
“Yes?”
Blitz jumped at the sound of a man’s voice coming across the line. Fuck. “Uh, hey. Not sure if you remember me, but, uh, this is—”
“Mr. Buckzo.” The man said evenly.
“Yeah, right. Blitz.” He took a breath, trying to think of what to say. “So, what’s up?”
“I wouldn’t know, sir. You called me. May I help you?”
Shit. “Uh, yeah. Will you, uh, would you be…” He trailed off, waving his hand in front of him and trying desperately to conjure the right words.
“I will be taking a walk around the property this evening, Mr. Buckzo.” The voice took on a kinder tone. “Right around two in the morning. The cold air is good for my lungs, you see. Keeps me young. It would be a shame if I ran into someone else on my route. I might feel compelled to have a conversation with them, and that would certainly slow me down. Goodnight.”
The call ended and Blitz let the phone fall to the desk. He dropped his head to the cool wood and groaned.
Two in the morning? Seriously? Again?
He heard a quiet knock at the door and grunted, granting entry to whoever was waiting. Stolas strolled in and perched on the edge of the desk, running his fingertips over the imp’s aching head.
“Hello, Darling.” His voice was low, soothing. “Are you feeling alright?”
“I’m okay, Stols. Just got a headache. Didn’t sleep so good last night.” He leaned into the owl’s touch and gave him a weak smile.
“Yes, you seemed to be barely hanging on this morning. Well, we don’t have any hits left and I’m caught up on paperwork. Millie practically carried Moxxie out of here more than an hour ago. Shall we head home early?”
“Birdie.” He stood slowly. “That’s a great fuckin’ idea. Let’s go.”
_______________________________________________________________________________
Loona drove the trio home while Blitz stretched out across the backseat and worked on his phone. She and Stolas had finally found a band they had in common and were discussing their latest single. It sounded like the two of them were even planning to go to a concert together, which warmed his exhausted little heart.
He squinted at the bright screen as he typed out another message.
BlitzBoss: (4:12pm) Fncy pants wil talk. Wnts 2 met at 2 tonite
Moxxiferous Rex III: (4:16pm) I can’t. Sir, I’m exhausted. I can’t.
BlitzBoss: (4:18pm) Ill go alon if i ned 2
Moxxiferous Rex III: (4:24pm) No. What time?
BlitzBoss: (4:30pm) Thx Mox. 1:45
Moxxiferous Rex III: (4:31pm) Fuck you.
As they pulled into the driveway, another notification crossed his screen.
BattleBabe: (4:31pm) Am I asking too much of Moxxie? He’s so tired today and I think it’s cause I asked for tacos in the middle of the night.
BlitzBoss: (4:32pm) Nah Mils. Ur gud. Promis
BattleBabe: (4:34pm) Thanks Blitz
The van door slid open and Stolas reached inside, hoisting Blitz into his arms. The smaller man flailed and tried to escape, but the owl just wrapped his arms tighter as he carried him inside.
“Blitzy, stop it. You’re dead on your feet, my love.” Stolas gently dropped him onto the bed and took a step back. “Please, take a nap while Loona and I figure out something for dinner. It won’t be glamorous, but you won’t have to cook it. I’ll wake you when it’s ready.”
Blitz was asleep halfway through the final sentence.
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He felt Stolas’s slender fingers wrapping around his bicep a few hours later, jolting him from an impossibly deep sleep. “Dinner is ready. Do you feel up to joining us?”
The imp shoved himself into a sitting position and rubbed sleep from his eyes. “Hey, Stols.” He croaked. “Yeah, sorry ‘bout that. Didn’t mean to fall asleep.”
The bird snorted in a very undignified way. “Darling, I don’t think it was up to you. Your body chose to sleep. Are you feeling better?”
He smirked. “Yeah, I guess so. I’m not as tired and my head doesn’t feel like it’s gonna explode anymore so, hey.”
“Excellent!” Stolas patted his thigh gently. “Well, there’s dinner on the stove. Loona’s off to visit with some friends this evening, so it’s just us. However, there is a book I’m hoping to finish tonight. Would you mind terribly if I spent some time on the back porch and read?”
“Nah, Stols. That sounds great. Thanks for cookin’.” He climbed out of bed and pulled a pair of sweatpants and a t shirt out of one of the suitcases.
They discussed the new house while they ate. Blitz tried to keep the conversation light as he shoveled the neon yellow noodles into his mouth, but Stolas still seemed a little down.
“Can I ask you somethin’?” The imp asked, putting down his spoon.
Stolas nodded and took a small bite.
“If you could have, like, three things from your old house what would they be? Three things you would want to still have?”
He frowned and pushed his bowl toward the center of the table. “I try not to think about it, Blitz. It doesn’t do me any good.”
“Yeah, I know. And normally I’d say you’re right. But, just humor me. Three things.” He tapped his finger on the table three times.
“Fine. Three things. And then I’d like to get on with my evening.” He sighed. “I suppose—well, I’d like to have the painting of Via and I. The one that hung in the great hall? I’d love to have that somewhere here. It might be a little big but, it would bring me so much joy. It’s probably destroyed by now…”
Blitz rapped his knuckle on the table. “Stay with me, birdie. What else?”
Stolas glared at him for a moment before his gaze softened. “My Ariflori. Mirna.”
“The fuck’s an Ariflori?”
His eyes took on a dreamy haze. “You met her a few times. My lovely, darling carnivorous beauty.”
“Are you talkin’ about that giant, man eatin’ plant that tried to eat me the second time I came over?”
“The one and only, Blitzy. I miss her so very much.”
Blitz nodded. “What else?”
“Other than Via?” Stolas chuckled humorlessly. “I think I’d like just some of my old clothes back. Not even the more regal things. Just…things that fit me. I miss my robe and my stupid little slippers. I miss feeling comfortable.” He looked down at the simple white button down that almost fit him correctly. “Don’t get me wrong. I’m grateful that I have what I do—”
The imp waved his hand. “Don’t start that, Stols. I don’t think you’re ungrateful. Nothin’ wrong with you missin’ your old stuff.”
Stolas pushed himself up from the table and carried his bowl to the sink. “I’m going to go lose myself in the pages for a bit.” As he walked by Blitz, he reached down to gently squeeze his shoulder three times.
Blitz looked up at him and smiled. “Love you too, Feathers.”
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As soon as the bird left the room, Blitz shot off a new message to Moxxie.
BlitzBoss: (7:54pm) Pikchur of owlz. Big ass flowr. Cloths.
Moxxiferous Rex III: (7:56pm) DO NOT TEXT ME. I AM SLEEPING.
Moxxiferous Rex III: (8:04pm) Got it. Picture of owls, big ass flower, clothes. We’ll get them, Sir.
Notes:
Please let me know what you think! I again feel like I'm in uncharted waters with all of this dialogue, but it's gonna get real soon, ya'll. Thanks for reading!!
Chapter 3: Cynics Are Simply Thwarted Romantics
Summary:
Another late night run results in details about life at the palace.
A new alliance forms.
Notes:
Hello hello! I wrote this entire chapter in the space of a couple hours, truthfully a little manic, so please excuse any errors. Also, the name Pringles has been stuck in my head for the butler forever. I have no idea where it came from, but a google search leads me to others who share that idea. So, if I've accidentally used someone's original name for him I do apologize. This chapter also does include a brief synopsis of my previous work, the Prodigal Imp. However, if you're not interested in that, it's only a few paragraphs and easily skippable!
(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)
Chapter Text
Blitz puttered around the house, taking care of a few idle chores. He washed the dishes, transferred over a load of laundry and unpacked a few of the suitcases littering their floor. Stolas’s side of the closet hurt to look at. He and Loona had done their best to help the owl find things that fit him, but the honest truth was that there weren’t a lot of stores that catered to Goetia. At least, not in a price range they could afford. Blitz had saved up over a few paychecks to buy him a few pieces from the cheapest big bird shop he could find, but it did very little to fill up the space.
He glanced over at the battered alarm clock on the dresser. It was getting late. This would only work if Stolas was solidly asleep by the time he had to leave. Blitz headed down the hallway and walked out onto the screened-in porch. The owl was nestled into his favorite wicker peacock chair, little reading glasses perched on his beak and a glossy novel clutched in his hand.
Blitz slid onto Stolas’s lap, snuffling the man’s chest feathers through his shirt.
“Hello, Darling.” He murmured, eyes moving across the page. “I just want to read a little more. I’m almost done.”
The imp closed his eyes. “Read to me, then. I’m not movin’ til you’re ready to go to bed with me.”
Stolas cleared his throat and began to read. “I have lived my life with only the prayer that some sudden dawn you might glance in my direction. I have not known a moment in years when the sight of you did not send my heart careening against my ribcage. I have not known a night when your visage did not accompany me to sleep…”
His voice, sweet and gentle, wove its way around Blitz like a hug. He could sit here and listen to his pretty birdie read to him for hours. It was genuinely one of his favorite things. Back when they were just fuck buddies, on the nights he was too tired to drive home, Stolas would read to him from whatever smutty novel he had close by. He didn’t care too much for the lovey dovey bullshit, and it always seemed more complicated than it needed to be. But, he really did love being read to.
“Sounds like a simp.” Blitz grumbled.
“Oh, he most certainly is. He quite reminds me of you, in fact.” The owl smiled down at him before shifting uncomfortably and stretching his leg out in front of him.
The smaller man slid off of the owl’s lap and furrowed his brow. “Bad day?” He nodded toward the man’s knee.
“Unfortunately.” Stolas gave a weak smile. “It’s not so bad.” He marked his page in the book and set it down on the small table beside his chair.
“You didn’t read much tonight.”
“No.” His smile widened. “This book is fantastic. It needs to be savoured, not just devoured. I want to take my time with it. Only a few chapters a night.”
The imp rolled his eyes and extended his hand. “Come on, crazy bird. Let's go to bed.”
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Blitz set a vibrating alarm for 1am and shoved the phone under his pillow. It should be enough to wake him, but subtle enough that Stolas wouldn’t notice it. The bird clicked off the light and joined him in bed a few moments later, gathering the smaller man in his arms.
“I love this.” He said simply.
“Love what, feathers?”
“Everything.”
He could already hear the sleep creeping into the other man’s voice, so he didn’t push for details. Instead, he closed his eyes and took a few deep breaths.
The next thing he knew, the stupid alarm was buzzing under his head. He crept out of bed, staying as close to the floor as he could, and slunk out of the room.
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The van groaned as he mashed the gas pedal to the floor. He’d fallen asleep briefly in the driver's seat when he’d first gotten in, and it made him late. Moxxie was already standing on the curb when Blitz screeched to a halt in front of his building.
“If you’re gonna make me wake up in the middle of the night, the least you could do is be on time, Blitz.” The freckled imp complained as he climbed into the cab.
“Yeah, yeah, I got it.” He pulled away from the curb before the passenger door was even fully closed.
They drove toward the palace, parking halfway down the block just before 2am. Ten minutes came and went, then fifteen. 2:20am approached and Moxxie sighed loudly.
“Sir? Do you think, maybe—” He stopped as an elderly imp dressed in suit pants and a white button down hobbled into the light of a streetlamp.
The old man spotted the van and strolled over, obviously not in a hurry. He leaned against the door casually as Blitz rolled the window down. He got a little less nonchalant when the other man grabbed his shoulders and hauled him into the van through the window. He found himself spread across the lap of a smaller imp, who apologized and helped him into a sitting position.
“Mister Buckzo.” The butler said, straightening his shirt collar. “You could have simply asked and I’d have joined you in the vehicle.”
The driver shook his head as he pushed the gas. “You were takin’ too long, fancy pants. Need to get outta sight if we’re gonna talk.”
A sign for a 24 hour diner came into view a few blocks later and they pulled into a spot in the very empty parking lot. As the trio entered the building, a very bored waitress barely looked up from her phone as she told them to sit wherever the fuck they wanted. Moxxie led them to a table in the back corner and they settled in their seats.
The same waitress brought over a full pot of coffee and three stained mugs, dropping them on the table. “Ya want food or what?”
Blitz ordered a bloody mary, Moxxie asked for another stack of pancakes and the butler ordered nothing beyond the room temperature coffee.
Once their server had left the table, the three imps eyed each other warily. No one quite knew what to say.
Moxxie broke the ice. “Thank you for meeting with us. I know it’s very late.” He paused then. “I’m sorry, I’m not sure what to call you.”
The butler chuckled. “I’m fairly certain your companion doesn’t either. We never had the chance to exchange names. Pringles.”
The two imps shook hands.
“Your name is not fuckin’ Pringles.” Blitz howled. “Come on, guy.”
Pringles raised his eyebrow. “And your first name is?”
“Blitz.”
“Exactly. Now, I’m assuming you’ve asked me out to discuss more than our names. Isn’t that right?”
Blitz frowned. This dude made him a little bit nervous, but he couldn’t explain exactly why. “Yeah. Uh. Fuck—I don’t really know how to start this without puttin’ my fuckin’ foot in my mouth.”
“Ah, I see.” The other man folded his hands and laid them on the table. “Allow me to make this easy for you, then. King Paimon hired me thirty years ago to care for his young son. My alliances to that man ended long before he wrote his final check. Nothing you say to me will be repeated, unless you ask me to.”
“Shit. Well, that does kinda make it easy.”
Moxxie leaned forward in his seat and grabbed his mug of coffee. “That does help, Pringles. We just had a few questions about the palace and what’s going on inside.”
Blitz nodded, but before he could chime in, Pringles held up a hand.
“I am happy to assist, however I can. However, Mister Buckzo, I have a question for you first.” He locked his eyes on the man across from him, his gaze icy. “Is he alright? Is he safe?”
The mottled imp cocked his head. “Stolas? Yeah, he’s—he’s okay. Kinda. It’s complicated. He’s adjusting. We’re takin’ care of him.”
“Good.” He took a small sip of his drink. “We haven’t heard anything since the trial. We all gathered in the kitchen to watch it and…” He trailed off, thinking about his next words. “We knew it wasn’t true. Or, at least I didn’t.”
“No.” Blitz confirmed gently. “It wasn’t. He didn’t think about what he was doin’. He just did it.”
“Master Stolas often acts before he thinks.” The imp’s smile was kind, and his icy gaze melted. “I’ve often thought about reaching out, but I didn’t want anyone in the palace to find out and make things difficult for him.”
“Probably for the best. Anythin’ else you wanna know before I get to ask my shit?”
“Yes. Are you taking care of him, Mister Buckzo?”
“Listen, man.” Blitz held his hand up. “I’m gettin’ some real creepy ass vibes from this conversation. I don’t know what kinda weird little crush you have on him but I’m not enjoyin’ this. Also, stop callin’ me by my last name. It’s Blitz, alright?”
Pringles shook his head. “You misunderstand. I worked with Stolas every single day from the time he was very young. I watched him grow from a timid little puffball to the man who ruled over legions. I was forced to watch as he entered an arranged marriage with that vicious little brat. He became a father, and a very good one.”
“Oh.”
“Yes, I grew to care for him as if he were my own. He talked to me about you, you know. He was so utterly besotted with you, even back when he was small. Stolas came to me the day after that dreadful “still not divorced” party and told me you’d reconnected and I was thrilled. Then, I watched from the sidelines as the two of you used each other. It was awful to watch, Blitz.”
Blitz flushed and looked down at the table. “It’s not like that now, okay? It’s—it’s different.”
“Tell me how. Because while I am open to discussion, I refuse to offer you any help if you two are continuing down the toxic path you were creating.”
“It truly is different, Sir.” Moxxie interjected. “I’ve known Blitz for a really long time, and he’s grown a lot, too.”
His face flushed even more. “Thanks, Moxx.” He mumbled before taking a deep breath and jumping in. “I don’t know how much you do know, but I’m assumin’ you know about I.M.P because of the trial.” At the other man’s nod, he continued. “Right. So, after the trial Stols came to live with me and my daughter. He was crashin’ on my couch. Then he started comin’ to work with us and got on the payroll. After he stopped cryin’ every time one of us asked him a question, he got real good at customer service. Anyway, he helped fix a whole bunch of shit at the office and it’s been goin’ fuckin’ fantastic.”
He took another breath. This part was a little harder.
“Then, my dad’s circus basically went bankrupt. Except it wasn’t actually my dad’s because he put it in my name. So, we ended up goin’ out there to try and sell it all off. Long story short, shit got weird, my dad was an asshole and got involved in some shady ass shit. They ended up settin’ a fire to the circus tent on the last night there and people got hurt. My sister hurt Stolas. He’s mostly okay now, but he’s got some shit that’s gonna last the rest of his life. He lost a finger and got some damage to his leg. I got shot and some other stuff. Got smacked by a lion. Ya know, usual shit.”
He stopped when he noticed the butler’s mouth had fallen open in shock.
“Yeah, I know. It’s not good. But, the good part’s comin’. I ended up buyin’ a house. Like a real fuckin’ house with multiple bedrooms and a yard and junk. We moved in almost a week ago.”
“I’m sorry.” Pringles said. “In the less than a year that the prince has been gone he’s been banished, stripped of his powers, employed, de-fingered, damaged, lived at a circus and now has shacked up with you in some kind of domestic bliss?”
“Uh, yeah. Pretty much sums it up. Ow!” He winced as the butler’s mostly empty coffee cup made contact with his left horn. “Bitch!”
“I think I’m just about finished listening to your story. For the sake of my blood pressure, we should move on. What is it you would like to know?” The man asked as Moxxie giggled in the corner of the booth.
“What’s goin’ on in there, mainly. Like, who is livin’ there, what’s the vibe?” He rubbed his horn and glared.
“Well, I’m certain it won’t come as a surprise that Andrealphus and Stella have taken up residence in the palace. They torment my staff for entertainment and there’s not a damn thing I can do about it.”
“How do they torment them?” Moxxie asked, gently urging the man to continue.
“The usual smacks, kicks, things of the like. While it’s uncomfortable, most of us were used to that with Stella. But, when Andrealphus moved in, it almost became a game between the two of them. It wasn’t terribly long before they figured out that one of the prince’s plants was a meat eater.”
“They’re feedin’ the staff to that fuckin’ plant?” Blitz roared, slamming his fist down on the table.
“Not exactly. They’ll dangle an employee over the mouth and play a perverse form of chicken. If the employee gets within six inches of the teeth before they beg for their life, they get an extra five dollars on their tiny paycheck. There have been a few times the plant was able to stretch and get a bite out of an arm or leg.”
“That is beyond fucked up.” Moxxie gasped.
“What’s Via think of all this?”
Pringles shook his head. “She stubbornly refuses to take part in these games. In fact, she barely leaves her new bedroom these days. Spends most of her time behind her locked door. She and Stella got into a terrible screaming match a few weeks ago, but I was not privy to the contents of the discussion. I do know that young Via’s phone was destroyed in the scuffle and that Mistress Stella lost a patch of feathers over her eye.”
“Fuck yeah, Via!” Blitz unclenched his fist. “New bedroom, though? Where is she staying?”
“She has taken up residence in her father’s suite. She gave the staff strict orders to relocate anything her father owned or cherished to that room. I don’t know much of the relationship the two have now, but I know that she’s found comfort being surrounded by his things.”
____________________________________________________________________________________
After two more pots of coffee, the trio left the diner. Blitz dropped Pringles and Moxxie back at their respective homes and drove the rest of the way in silence.
Pringles had filled them in on the remaining staff and their current level of security. They’d definitely beefed it up since Stolas was in charge. They had a few groups posted along the gates, but most of it relied on a camera system. And camera systems ran on electricity, probably.
The way he saw it, they had exactly one chance to pull this shit off. One night where the power and defenses would be down.
He didn’t like what he’d learned about Via’s situation. Sure, she was an angsty teen so the idea of her sequestering herself in her bedroom wasn’t automatically cause for alarm. But, it sounded like things had gotten physical with her mother. Blitz was well aware of what the girl could do with her powers and she’d still opted to physically go after her mother. Whatever the start of the fight was, it had to be pretty fucking bad.
After parking the van and pocketing the keys, he snuck into the house again. The bloody mary he’d sucked down hours before had left him with a bad case of cotton mouth so he decided to make a quick detour to the kitchen for a glass of water before bed. Maybe some cheese. Tomato juice and booze on an empty stomach had left him sort of queasy.
He left the kitchen lights off and felt his way to the fridge. After rummaging around and coming up with a block of sharp cheddar and one of Stolas’s fancy IPAs, he turned to deposit them on the island.
Right in front of Loona.
“So.” She whispered and cocked an eyebrow lazily. “Wanna talk about why you’ve snuck outta the house two nights in a row, Dad?”
Notes:
Thanks for reading, ya'll! Please let me know what you thought and if you'd like more!!
Chapter 4: Form a Brute Squad then!
Summary:
Blitz is enjoying some new technology.
Loona is noticing.
Notes:
Sorry it's taken this long to update. I had ADHD paralysis and really couldn't decide which route to take with this chapter. Ya'll know I'm a fan of the slow burn, but that fire is building.
(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)
Chapter Text
He opened and closed his mouth a few times, trying to decide how he was going to play this. He didn’t know how much she knew and he didn’t want to give away anything. After an embarrassingly long silence, he opened his arms and whispered “Looney!”
She leaned away from the attempted hug. “You’re not scaring me off with a hug this time. What’s going on?”
His arms dropped and he began to unpeel the block of cheddar, deciding that if he was going to have to stay awake long enough for a conversation he wasn’t going to do it on an empty stomach.
“What do you think’s goin’ on?”
She sighed and crossed her arms. “You snuck outta here last night and didn’t come back for hours. Then you did it again tonight. I know that you smelled like vodka and funky tomatoes all day and I know that you were so tired you couldn’t do anything useful.” Loona took a deep breath. “But, I also know you’re not cheating on the formerly-rich asshole you shacked us up with, so… What’s up?”
He rounded the island and hopped up on the stool next to his daughter. “I’ve just been goin’ a little stir crazy. That’s all.”
“Stir crazy?” The hound turned to shoot him a dubious look.
“Yeah. Stir crazy.” He bit a chunk out of the block and spoke around it. “It’s a lot, Looney. New house, sleepin’ together every night. I’m used to us all bein’ on top of each other and now it just feels weird.”
Her gaze softened a little. “Weird, like wrong?”
“No!” He swallowed the bite. “Not wrong. Just different. I’m fuckin’ happy here with you guys and don’t ever fuckin’ think otherwise. I’m just takin’ some time to adjust is all.”
“Look, I’m not gonna rat you out or anything. But you need to be careful. Cause if I found out my boyfriend was sneaking out every night to do whatever the fuck while I was sleeping, I’d be pissed.” She stood and put a hand on his shoulder.
“Yeah, yeah. Thanks for the unwanted advice.” Blitz grumbled.
“Night.”
Her tail disappeared around the corner and he was alone with his snack and his thoughts. She was right, and he knew that. It hadn’t been smart to go two nights in a row and he was lucky he hadn’t been caught. He needed to space it out. No more leaving the house at night unless it was absolutely necessary. He had his shitty old laptop and his phone. He could set up some kind of mobile command center. Like he was a superhero or something!
He was deep in his daydream, decorating his horse-themed home office, when he stepped into the bedroom. He could see four crimson eyes blinking sleepily at him as he closed the door behind him.
“Blitz? Is everything okay?” The owl struggled to sit up. “I heard you talking to yourself in the hall. Why’d you get up?”
Oh fuck.
“Sorry, Stols.” He whispered. “Did I wake you up when I got out of bed?”
Stolas’s brow furrowed and he shook his head. “No, I didn’t even realize you’d gotten up. I’m sorry. Is something wrong?”
Thank Satan.
“Nah.” He shucked off his pajama pants and crawled into bed with his t-shirt and boxers. The imp settled against his partner’s chest and nuzzled the soft feathers he found there. “Just couldn’t sleep. I’m good now, though. We got like an hour before that alarm goes off. Let’s go back to fuckin’ sleep, pretty bird.”
__________________________________________________________________________
The alarm rang just as loudly as the day before, but Blitz didn’t feel quite as exhausted. He didn’t know if it was the adrenaline or excitement about the plan, but he felt almost energized. He kissed Stolas on the forehead and lept out of bed, high tailing it for the shower. The new house had a massive hot water tank and the shower pressure was downright orgasmic. If he’d known living in a house would be so much better than the apartment, he’d have gotten his act together much sooner.
Okay, that last part was probably a lie. But the shower really did feel amazing.
________________________________________________________________________________
Stolas paused outside the bathroom at the sound of something unexpected and entirely new. He stooped to press his ear against the door and grinned. The owl cracked the door and slipped inside without announcing himself. He knew it was a little rude, but he decided that he just had to investigate to make sure he was really hearing what he thought he was hearing.
His rough and tumble, Mr. Tough Guy boyfriend was singing in the shower.
Emotion, devotion, to causing a commotion. Creation, vacation, to—”
Blitz yelped as the shower curtain was yanked back, revealing a sudsy imp. One that was very glad he was already wet, because he genuinely could not tell if he’d just pissed himself out of fear.
“Christ, Stolas!” He huffed. “Give a guy some warning, would you?”
Stolas cocked his head. “I’m sorry. Were you singing La Vie Boheme in the shower, Blitzy?”
“Huh. Is that what it’s called? Weird.”
“Yes, darling. That’s what it’s called.” He gently put the shower curtain back in place and crossed the room to the sink. Halfway through washing his face feathers he called out “I didn’t think that was your type of music.”
“It’s not.” The shower cut off. “Fuckin’ Moxxie’s been playin’ that same song on repeat lately and I guess some of it got stuck in my head. Probably cause that part has a line about jackin’ it in it.” He stepped out of the tub and grabbed a still-kind-of fluffy towel from the bar beside it.
Stolas leaned against the vanity and watched the imp dry himself. “Yes, some of those songs are certainly ear worms. That’s part of what makes them so wonderful.”
______________________________________________________________________
The drive to work was not nearly as painful as the day before. He’d taken the long way to pick up Moxxie and Millie, as the latter was supposed to be working with their intern that day and he wanted everyone to get dinner that evening.
Work passed quickly, and they ended up at a small restaurant nearby with outdoor seating—perfect for Loona’s smoke breaks and their usual rowdy energy after a few drinks.
Halfway through their entrees, Blitz leaned back in his chair and took in the scene. Everyone was loose, happy. It was really lucky that all of his people got along so well. Truly like one big happy family. Back when he’d been dealing with his birth family stuff, he’d made the decision that he wanted to get the family together outside of work more often. Preferably without a gigantic crisis. He was kind of done with those.
Blitz wasn’t the kind of guy to linger on warm fuzzies, but he allowed himself a few minutes to just soak it all in.
Until that asshole loudmouth Moxxie interrupted him. “You okay, Blitz?” The man was staring at him across the table, head slightly tilted.
“Yeah, Moxx. I’m good. Just thinkin’.” He took another bite of his dinner and swallowed before tuning back in to the conversation happening around him.
“Yeah, news says it’s gonna be a big one!” Millie said excitedly. “I miss havin’ big storms. Used to be a ton of ‘em back on the farm when I was little. Livin’ here in the city makes it hard to see all the good shit.”
Stolas hummed in agreement. “The storm a few nights ago was absolutely beautiful out at our house. The back porch is the perfect place to sit, watch the lightning and listen to the rain.” He sighed happily. “We really are lucky that Blitz found us such a wonderful place.” The owl reached over and squeezed his boyfriend’s hand.
Blitz returned the squeeze and grinned. “Yeah, it’s been good to us so far.”
Then, inspiration coursed through him like a dam had burst.
“You know, Mills. That big ass storm ya’ll are talkin’ about happenin’ next week. Why don’t we have a big dinner at the house or somethin’? That way we can all watch it together.”
“Yes!” Stolas agreed quickly. “That would be wonderful! And we have the den downstairs. We have a daybed down there that’s almost comfortable! That way, you wouldn’t have to drive.”
Millie looked a little surprised at the offer, but a wide smile crossed her lips before Moxxie jumped in. “That would be nice, Stolas. I’m happy to help Blitz with dinner.”
“Loona, what do you think?” Blitz waved his hand in front of his daughter’s face, trying to grab her attention.
She didn’t look up from her phone but she did manage to flash a thumbs up in his general direction before hopping the railing to go grab a smoke.
“Perfect. It’s settled, then.” Stolas said, hooting softly in excitement.
Blitz and Moxxie headed up to the register to pay their bills, leaving Millie and Stolas behind at the table.
“Well, that worked out, didn’t it?” Moxxie murmured as the hostess swiped his card.
“Yep. Saw an opportunity and I ran with it.” Blitz opened his wallet and counted out some cash. “It’s not too far from what we planned, but damn, this is so much better.”
“So much better.”
______________________________________________________________________________
Later that evening, the residents of the new house retired to their back porch. Blitz and Stolas curled up on opposite ends of the wicker sofa and Loona flung herself into the owl’s peacock chair. The hound shoved her wireless earbuds in her ears and closed her eyes. Honestly, it was kind of nice. She could have gone anywhere to do it, but she’d chosen to stay close. The imp’s chest tightened when he thought about it.
Stolas stared at the two books sitting on the matching wicker coffee table in front of them before grabbing the one on the left, a battered favorite of his.
“Not gonna read the new one?” Blitz asked as he reached back to adjust the pillow behind him.
“No.” The bird stretched out and plopped his feet into the other man’s lap. “I told you. I’m only reading a few chapters each night, and it’s still early.”
“Okay, feathers. You do you.” He squeezed the other man’s ankle and picked up his phone. After a lot of research that morning, he’d decided they needed to be careful about how they spoke about their plans. If Stella and Andrealphus made a big enough fuss after the storm, Satan might be persuaded to put them back on the stand. They’d pull his phone records and be able to see exactly what they’d been planning. It was going to be a risk. That didn’t mean they had to make it easy for the big guy to do it.
________________________________________________________________________________
Helagram Group Name: Supr Sekret Task Forse
Owner: HorsGrl
Add Members:
-MadMox
-PringleCan
Change Member Nickname:
-MadMox changed to PegBoy
PegBoy joined by invite link
PegBoy: BLITZ WHY IS MY USERNAME CHANGED?
HorsGrl: U kno why
PegBoy: This isn’t funny. Change it back.
HorsGrl: I wud but i dont wnt 2
PringleCan joined by invite link
PringleCan: AM I DOING THIS RIGHT?
HorsGrl: y ru yeling?
PringleCan: I AM NOT YELLING
PegBoy: Sir, your caps lock is stuck. It makes it look like you’re yelling at us.
PringleCan: WELL, I DO NOT KNOW HOW TO TURN IT OFF
Change member nickname:
-PringleCan changed to OldMan
OldMan: THAT FEELS UNKIND
PegBoy: I apologize for that, Pringles. We decided to use this platform for all conversations related to planning and execution. We don’t want these details to be pulled for external use easily.
HorsGrl: Nerd
OldMan: THAT DOES MAKE SENSE. I AM HAPPY TO CONTRIBUTE WHERE I CAN.
PegBoy: As it stands, next Friday is the best day. The storm is only growing bigger with every report and Blitz had the idea to have a big dinner at our house so everyone is in the same place that night. Millie and I are planning to spend the night, so we’ll have no other plans.
OldMan: HOW ARE YOU PLANNING TO LEAVE WITHOUT ANYONE NOTICING?
HorsGrl: *voice message* Well, I’m thinkin’ hidin’ in plain sight is the way to go. We’ll have dinner and sit and watch the storm for a while with the family. Then, I’m gonna get a call from one of our biggest clients demandin’ a last minute job. We’ll leave Mills, Stolas and Looney at the house and go take care of it ourselves.
PegBoy: That also allows us an explanation if something happens and one of us gets hurt.
_______________________________________________________________________________
Blitz was so engrossed in his digital heckling that he didn’t see Loona take out one of her earbuds, her expression subtly shifting. He also didn’t see her shift slightly in her chair to see his face better. She watched as he grinned at the screen and turned it slightly so it wasn’t facing Stolas.
Well, that was fuckin’ suspicious.
She stood and made a show of stretching and yawning. “I’m gonna go to bed. Night, guys.” As she passed her dad, she glanced down at his phone and scowled.
Why the fuck was her monogamous, non-tech savvy father using Helagram?
After slamming her door and flopping down onto the bed, she pressed a few buttons on the screen and a video call began. A few moments later, the call was answered and the screen was filled with the image of a small, slightly cluttered kitchen.
“I’m comin’, hold on!” Millie’s voice came from off camera. There was a shuffling sound and a small machine with a thick, black velcro strap was deposited on the scarred table’s surface. The imp dropped into a chair and waved at the screen. “I can talk for a bit, long as you don’t mind me doin’ my nighttime routine while we do.”
Loona squinted at the screen. “What are you doing?”
Millie wound the velcro strap around her bicep and pressed a button on the machine before leaning back in her chair. “Doc says my blood pressure is higher than he wants. He’s got me checkin’ it every night just to keep track of it.”
“Shit, is everything okay?”
“Yeah, it’s okay. Tons of pregnant women end up with high blood pressure toward the end. Long as I keep a handle on it, it’ll be fine.” Millie grinned at the phone, but the smile didn’t quite reach her eyes.
The hellhound stared back for a few moments, eyes traveling across the imp’s face. She hadn’t shown much interest in the other woman’s pregnancy, choosing instead to act like nothing had changed. It’s not like she knew how she was supposed to react, anyway. But, as she watched Millie’s face ooze fake cheerfulness, she realized that maybe it wasn’t the right thing to do after all.
“I’m—sorry. That sounds scary.” She said simply.
Millie shrugged and looked over at the machine as it beeped. She yanked the cuff off and scribbled something down in a notebook. “What’d ya call for?”
Loona chewed her lower lip. “Have you noticed anything going on with Dad lately?”
“Blitz? No. Why?”
She took a deep breath. “I don’t know, but something seems off. He snuck out a couple times and now he’s glued to his phone. He’s using an app I didn’t even know he knew existed. It’s not much to go on, but my gut says it’s something.”
Millie considered this. “Moxxie’s been actin’ weird, too.”
“Yeah?”
“Well, he’s been on his phone an awful lot too, on some app I don’t recognize. He says he’s in parentin’ support groups, and he might be. Plus, he was singin’ some stupid song durin’ dinner tonight under his breath. Nothin’ I’ve ever heard before. Not at all like his normal stuff.”
Loona cocked her head. “You remember any of it?”
“Uh, maybe. Hold on.” She closed her eyes and thought hard. “Somethin’ about a birthday party and a kid bein’ an asshole?”
“I don’t recognize it. Weird.”
Millie sighed. “It’s probably nothin’, right? A lot’s changin’ all around. Maybe the guys are havin’ mid-life crises?”
“Maybe.” Loona chewed on her bottom lip. “It’s probably nothing. Don’t worry. I’ll poke around, see what I can find out.”
“Alright. Hey, Loona? Thanks for callin’.”
She swallowed heavily. “Night, Millie.”
The call ended and she tossed her phone across the bed. It was probably nothing. The apps were unrelated. Moxxie sang weird shit all the time. It was like half of the things she bullied him for. As for Blitz, he was probably trying to find clients on Helagram. Or found some kind of weird horse fangirl group. Either way, her dad didn’t lie to her or Stolas anymore.
A few hours later, she left her bedroom to throw a load of laundry in the wash. The lights had been turned off, and the guys had disappeared into their bedroom. She didn’t hear any noise coming from it, thank Satan. She wasn’t in the mood to be traumatized right now. Her mood dissolved further after flipping on the laundry room light and seeing that there was already a pile of Blitz’s clothes in front of the washer, waiting to go in.
Muttering under her breath, she opened the lid and shoveled the dirty clothes into it, throwing in a few pieces of hers that needed to be washed immediately. As she slammed the lid shut, a tiny ball of paper at the top of his pile caught her eye. Loona grabbed it and smoothed it out, the print faded but still legible.
It was a receipt from some shitty diner out in Pride. She didn’t recognize the name or the location. He’d paid for a handful of Bloody Marys and a pancake platter. The cash out time was just before five in the morning, dated just a couple of days prior.
Notes:
I'd love to hear what ya'll are thinking. Comments fuel my creative soul and help get updates out faster!
Chapter 5: Inconceivable Strategy
Summary:
Loona confronts Blitz and Moxxie about their sneaky behavior.
Notes:
Hey guys! Warning in advance, this is a bit of a shorter chapter. Next chapter is gonna be a bear though, so hang in there!
(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)
Chapter Text
The fur on the back of Loona’s neck was raised all morning. She’d barely slept the night before, despite her best efforts. After tossing and turning for hours, she’d dragged herself out of bed and downed half a pot of coffee before the guys even turned their light on. That gave her another forty-five minutes to glare at their door before her dad opened it and padded down the hallway toward the kitchen.
He passed by her stool and bumped her leg with his hip affectionately. “Mornin’, Looney Tooney! Oh, is that coffee?”
Blitz reached for the pot, but Loona swiped it first. She made eye contact as she tilted the remaining contents into her mouth, scalding her tongue and throat in the process. “Nope.”
She hopped off the stool and headed to her bedroom to get ready for the day. “Morning, Stolas,” she murmured as she brushed past the bird in the doorway.
“Well,” Stolas said, “what in the world was that about?”
“Fuck if I know.” Blitz frowned. “She’s in a shitty mood, I guess. Been a while since she’s lashed out for no reason. I’ll try to talk to her later.” He set another pot on to brew. “You alright this mornin’, birdie?”
Stolas nodded and sat at the kitchen table, checking his phone. “Though, there is still nothing from Octavia. That is most concerning.”
“How long’s it been now?” the imp asked distractedly as he pulled a couple of mugs from the dishwasher.
“More than a week.”
“Yeah, that’s a long time for no contact for y’all now, isn’t it?” He set the mugs on the countertop and turned to glance at his boyfriend.
“Yes, it is. After our little brush with death a few months ago, we’ve talked almost every day.” Stolas bounced his knee under the table.
The coffeemaker gurgled loudly and ceased dripping. Blitz filled the mugs and claimed a seat alongside the owl. “It’s probably okay, but I get why you’re worried, Stols. I might have some contacts that can look into what’s happenin’ over there. Can you give me today to see what I can find out?”
Stolas’s eyes shone, and he cleared his throat. “Yes, Blitzy. Would you?”
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
It had been a chaotic morning at the office. They had three jobs crossed out by lunch, and the entire crew was exhausted. By 1 p.m., things had calmed down enough for everyone to pause for lunch. Millie had trapped Stolas at the reception desk to chat about their big family dinner. Loona was draped across the sofa in the lobby, scarfing down her food when she saw Blitz and Moxxie sneak into his office and shut the door.
Suddenly, the food didn’t taste so good anymore.
She crumpled up her bag and tossed it in the general direction of the trash can in the corner before standing and stretching. “Preggers and Bird Brain? Stay out here.”
Before either of them could respond, she’d crossed the room and let herself into her father’s office, slamming the door behind her. They heard the click of the lock and a few moments of silence before the yelling began.
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
The pair barely had time to register Loona’s sudden appearance at the desk before she seized each of them by a horn and yanked them off their chairs.
“Loona! What the fuck?!” Blitz yelped, swinging his legs as he tried to find something to stand on.
“You’re asking me what the fuck?” she snarled, eyes darting between the two men. “You two better start talking right the fuck now!”
“T-talking about what?” Moxxie shrieked, wriggling like a worm on a hook.
Their foreheads connected, knocking together like two bowling balls. “Try again, assholes. What the hell is going on with you two?”
“Ow! Nothing!”
Their heads smacked together harder the second time.
“Fuck, Looney! Okay! I’ll tell you what’s happening if you put me down!” Blitz pleaded, rubbing his left eye. Moxxie’s free horn had come dangerously close to piercing it.
They fell in a heap at her feet, and she crossed her arms. “How long has it been going on?”
Blitz stood, a wave of vertigo flooding his body as he clutched the edge of the desk. “Like a week. Not long.”
“Not long. We didn’t want anyone to know,” Moxxie echoed as he sat up and clutched his head.
“What? That you two are fucking? Yeah, I wish I didn’t know!” She gagged.
“Uh.” Her father scratched his head. “Okay, wait. What?”
“You two have been sneaking around for a week, both on your phones on that stupid Helagram app, acting all buddy-buddy. And last night I found a receipt for one of your secret dates!” She tossed the crumpled receipt at Moxxie. “Either you two are fucking or you’re planning to rob a bank or something!”
“Uh,” Blitz said again, looking down desperately at Moxxie. “I guess the second one is closer, maybe?”
She sat on the desk. “Yeah, okay. You’re robbing a bank.”
Moxxie stood slowly. “Not a bank, exactly. A palace.”
“I’m sorry, what?”
“Look, Loona. I’m sorry I didn’t tell you before, but we’re not telling anyone, okay?” Blitz began to pace in front of her. “It’s just… Via stopped answerin’ Stolas. And we’re unpackin’ this big-ass house and he doesn’t have anythin’ of his to put in it. He doesn’t have access to any of his life before the trial. It’s like it didn’t exist at all—and it’s not fair.” He took a deep breath, steadying himself before continuing. “Stupid bird deserves to feel like the house is his too.”
She glared at him. “Why the fuck wouldn’t you just tell me, asshole? I want to help!”
“Yes, but that’s exactly the problem,” Moxxie said, shaking his head. “We’re going to steal from the Goetia, Loona. This isn’t like stealing from the grocery store. If something goes wrong and you helped…” He trailed off.
“I get it. It’s a lot. But Stolas is—well, he’s Stolas. He’s annoying and cringey as fuck, and I didn’t love being stuck in a one-bedroom apartment with his stupid bird hormones for a year, but… he’s kind of like my weird-ass stepdad or something. And I care about Via too. I want to help. And you guys didn’t hide it enough, so now I am going to help. If you don’t let me, I’ll just go out there and tell him what you’re planning.” She took a step toward the door.
Blitz leapt forward and grabbed her wrist. “Your stepdad?”
Loona shook off her father’s grip. “I said or something. Anyway, Moxxie, I would’ve expected this kind of plan from Blitz, but why you?”
Moxxie raised his eyes to meet hers—something he rarely did. “The word ‘family’ didn’t mean much to me growing up. I met Millie, and suddenly that word meant everything. Stolas is part of my family.” He shrugged. “I want my child to be born into a happy, at least kind of functional family.”
She considered this and nodded slowly. “So, what can I do?”
“Stols says that Via hasn’t texted him in almost a week. Can you try and reach out? Look online? See what’s goin’ on?”
“Yeah. I can do that.” Loona pulled her phone from her back pocket. “You two owe me another lunch. Had to throw mine away so we could all chat.”
As she walked through the door, Moxxie called out behind her, “That wasn’t a chat! That was an assault!”
____________________________________________________________________________________
Just before closing, Loona knocked on Blitz’s office door. He and Moxxie were hunched over a cluttered desk, reviewing every floor plan of the palace they could find, red circles and frantic scribbles marking possible entry points and hiding spots.
She stepped inside slowly and held out her phone. Blitz looked up, saw the tightness in her jaw, the tension in her shoulders and that was all it took for the pit to form in his stomach.
He took the phone.
A tabloid article filled the screen, the trashy red headline practically screaming at him.
GOETIAN PRINCESS TO MARRY IN ONE WEEK
Shit. Shit, shit, shit, shit, fuckin’ shit. What the fuck?!
Notes:
Comments and kudos make me so happy! Seriously. Please let me know if you want more!
Chapter 6: Marriage: That Blessed Arrangement
Summary:
Octavia meets her future husband and finds strength in her father's shadow.
Chapter Text
Damn, were all birds this annoying?
The small flock of bluebirds outside Octavia’s window chirped away as the morning sun began to break through the clouds. A quick glance at the wind up clock on her bedside table told her it was barely past seven o’ clock, far too early to be awake. She’d been spending most of her time sleeping these days. It seemed to be the only way to escape her current reality.
Just as she was debating offing the birds for a few more hours of shut eye, there was a quiet knock at her door. She sat up and pulled on the ratty red robe she’d tossed on the bed the night before.
“Yeah?”
Their butler, Pringles, entered, carrying a small tray. He crossed the room and deposited it onto her nightstand, giving her a tense smile.
“They’re asking you to come down and speak to them, Miss Octavia.” Pringles looked down at his hands, wringing them slightly.
“Why? Seems like they said enough yesterday.” She reached for the steaming cup of coffee the butler had brought.
“I can’t say. I am only the messenger, I’m afraid. Best not to keep them waiting long.” He patted her knee kindly and started for the door. As he opened it, he glanced back at her, and for just a moment his smile became a little softer. “You look like him, you know? Wearing that silly robe.”
She played with the frayed cuff of the right sleeve idly as the door closed, buying herself a little time. Pringles was probably right, though. Uncle Andre didn’t like waiting.
She sank back into the pillows and closed her eyes, replaying the events of the night before.
__________________________________________________________________________________
It had been an uneventful evening in the palace until Andrealphus called her into his study. He and Stella lounged on overstuffed chaise lounges, each with a drink in their hand. Her mother’s face looked pinched, like she was tired from actually working hard at something. Andre looked proud, like he had just won a large battle.
They’d sat her down and explained that it was time for her to get married. A political marriage, of course, as all arranged Goetia marriages were. She was angry, but wasn’t particularly surprised that Stella and Andre had made this decision. She’d appease them for a little while, then find a way to wiggle herself out of it. Goetia engagements were huge, lengthy ordeals. The weddings took months of planning, to ensure every lavish detail was absolutely perfect.
She’d call her father as soon as she got back to her bedroom. Andre had confiscated her hell phone a while ago, but some of the staff seemed sympathetic to her. She was sure to find someone who would lend her theirs for a little while.
“So, who is the asshole?” Octavia asked, in as bored a fashion as she could muster.
An icy hand cracked across her cheek, knocking her to the cold stone floor.
“That’s no way to speak about your future husband.” Andre drawled, as he moved to stand over her. “I’m quite sure he wouldn’t like that.”
She pressed her palm against her cheek, desperately trying to stop the stinging pain spreading across it. “I’m quite sure I don’t care. It’s not like he can hear me.”
“Oh, my dear child.” The man reached down and yanked her to her feet roughly. “You can’t imagine just how wrong you are.”
Octavia glanced around the room, trying to find a hidden suitor, maybe crouched in some corner. There was no one in the room, not even a member of their staff. There was only her mother and…
The look of horror that spread across her face only seemed to make Andre’s vicious grin grow wider.
“Uncle, you can’t be serious!” She took a step back, wrenching her shoulders from his hands. “That’s fucking disgusting!”
He waved away her words, an annoyed frown replacing his smile. “Relax, Octavia. I have no intention of creating an heir with you. This is happening because someone trustworthy needs to run things, and Satan knows we can’t trust you to keep yourself away from the lower class scum.”
Her face flushed as he spoke, knowing full well he was talking about her father and his boyfriend. Stolas had given her the space she needed to heal and their relationship was improving.
She shook her head. “This isn’t right, and you know it.”
“Well, little girl, that isn’t really for you to decide.” He walked back over to his lounge and sat. “We’ll be married in a week’s time. While we’ve been having this little chat, I’ve had the staff sweep your room for every digital device. Your windows and balcony door have been welded shut. We have reassigned all of our staff, so you have an entirely new team attending to you.”
Stella clenched her fist around her drink and glared daggers at her daughter. “That’s right, Octavia. There will be none of your silly little tricks this time.”
“Doesn’t my father have to agree to this?” Via swiped at the tears running down her cheeks.
“No.” Andre sipped at his cocktail. “He’s been banished, remember?”
“He’s still my father!” She shrieked. “Give him a chance to weigh in, at least!”
Her mother and uncle looked at each other for a moment before Andre released a dramatic sigh. “Of course you’d want some drama, you little wretch. How about this? I’ll send him a letter with the details of our pending nuptials. If he receives the letter and reaches out to us before the day of the wedding, we will delay long enough to speak with him. If not, we will proceed. That is all I am willing to offer you.”
Octavia’s shoulders sagged with relief. “Thank you, Uncle.”
“You may go.” He turned back to Stella and cocked an eyebrow as Via fled the room.
Stella scowled. “You’re really going to give that imp fucker a chance to stop it?”
“Of course not, my dear sister. I have no intention of sending any letter. But, it certainly buys Octavia’s cooperation to say I will.”
Their giddy laughter followed Octavia into the hall as she raced toward her bedroom.
__________________________________________________________________________________
She slithered out of bed and dressed slowly before heading downstairs to the formal dining room where her mother was berating a member of the serving staff.
“You imbecile!” The peacock screeched, waving a piece of toast at the imp. “How difficult is it to make a simple breakfast?”
The server stammered an apology and tried to reach for the toast, to take it away.
“Do not touch me!” Stella’s hand reared back, ready to strike. The smaller woman scampered out of the room before she was able to swing.
Andre looked over at Octavia as Stella dropped her hand and took a large bite of the bread. “Octavia, thank you for joining us.”
“Not like I have a choice.” She grumbled.
He pretended not to hear her. “Now, we need to publish an announcement, which means we’ll need an engagement portrait. I have a photographer coming at 3pm today to take the photos. Unfortunately, we do not have the time necessary for a full painting, so a photograph will have to do.”
She traced a faint scratch in the table top, choosing to stay silent.
“We have another matter to discuss.” He cleared his throat, drawing her attention away from the indentation. “You are an adult now, Octavia. Or at least, legally you are. You’re a princess. It’s time you started presenting yourself as one. These baggy clothes, unkempt feathers, it’s not going to do. You have a closet full of fine clothes. Use them.”
She sighed. “I like how I look.”
“Well, that’s simply too bad. You can’t be presented to the public that way. They’ll think you’re trash, just like your father. I won’t be marrying trash.” He waved a hand, dismissing her once again.
Octavia stalked toward her bedroom, noting the new guards placed at each door. They were far too eager to open every door for her. Almost like they had been instructed not to let her touch them herself. Their eyes tracked her every move, making her realize the gravity of her situation. There would be no slipping out a window, no secret phone call.
Fuck.
____________________________________________________________________________
The princess clung to a silly horse plush she’d found in her father’s belongings. She was ninety percent sure that it’d been a gift from Blitz, but she didn’t care. It was silly, but it brought her comfort. The material was soft, without being fuzzy. The neck of the horse fit perfectly in her hands, allowing her to squeeze it repeatedly.
She was finding it a little hard to breathe. It just felt like she couldn’t get enough air in her lungs. She’d tried laying down and sitting, but both seemed to make it worse. Then she decided that there were too many windows in her bedroom and she needed somewhere dark, immediately.
Which is how she found herself curled up on the floor of the suite’s massive walk-in closet with the lights off. She brought the plush to her face and rubbed the soft fabric against her cheek. Little by little, the tension in her lungs eased and her breathing calmed.
Via pushed herself up against the wall into a sitting position. She felt something slippery behind her and reached up to pull it off the hanger. It slid gracefully onto her lap and she cracked the door to try and make out what she’d found.
It was a cape, one of her father’s. A stunning red and black velvet with thousands of sparkling stars on the inside lining. She’d never seen him wear it, but remembered when he’d received it from his tailor. He’d said he was saving it for a special occasion. She smiled at the memory and ran her talons gently over the stars.
She looked up at her own row of clothes, hanging on the opposite side of her father’s. Her uncle’s words echoed in her head.
They’ll think you’re trash, just like your father.
You have a closet full of fine clothes. Use them.
Hmm. She supposed she should take her future husband’s advice after all.
_______________________________________________________________________________
The large clock in the entry rang as 3pm arrived. Andrealphus fidgeted with his cloak, trying to make the fur collar lay just so. Stella sat in a small chair a few feet away, eagerly supervising the event. An incubus with a large camera chatted with a few members of the kitchen staff as they lay out a small spread.
Everything was in place. They were just missing the future bride. As Andre opened his mouth to yell for the princess, she stepped into the room.
No one made a sound.
In fact, it’s likely that no one even breathed.
Via’s long head feathers had been roughly chopped and slicked back neatly. Her makeup was professionally applied to her mother’s preferences, but she’d ringed her eyes with a dark eyeliner, making her pink eyes seem much brighter.
She hadn’t selected any of the dresses hanging on her side of the closet. Instead, she wore a pair of formal black trousers and black boots. A crushed velvet vest of deep red was wrapped around her chest and an intricate, star studded cape hung from her shoulders.
The owl strode confidently toward her future husband. “Don’t look so surprised. I simply followed your gracious advice.” As she grew closer, a proud grin filled her face. “Smile, Uncle.”
He didn’t smile. To anyone else, he didn’t react at all.
But, to Octavia, his reaction was everything. His jaw twitched and his eyes narrowed just slightly. She could see him contemplating his next move. Was it worth it to react in front of the photographer? To scream at her and risk that information being shared with the public?
She drank in his hesitation, stashed it away in the back of her mind like a trophy.
In the end, he extended his arm and led her to the palace steps.
They both smiled.
Notes:
This was SO much fun to write. Please let me know what ya'll think!!
Chapter 7: Who Said Anything About Love?
Summary:
Stella confirms the worst. Stolas is reminded of the reality and helplessness of his situation.
Notes:
I do want to make one thing clear before continuing. This is not going to be an incest story. At most, it is attempted non-physical incest.
Thank you all for reading!!
(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)
Chapter Text
The drive home was uncomfortably quiet. Stolas watched Blitz shift around in his seat the entire way, pretending to sing along to the radio without producing any actual sound. Loona held her phone limply in her hands without actually scrolling or typing on it. Something was obviously very wrong, but neither of them wanted to admit it.
They arrived home and went through the motions of making dinner and preparing lunches for the next day. Stolas couldn’t cook a whole lot yet, but he was getting good at making sandwiches. The three sat at the kitchen table, poking at their spaghetti in silence.
The owl sighed and pushed his bowl away, folding his hands gracefully on the table. “Darlings, you’re driving me crazy. Whatever it is that’s bothering you, wouldn’t it be best to just get it out in the open?”
Blitz and Loona exchanged a look and she slowly pulled her phone from her back pocket. After tapping at the screen a few times she started to hand it to him, but hesitated and gave her father a pleading look.
The imp rounded the table and climbed into Stolas’s lap. “Hey birdie? We’re gonna show you somethin’, but you have to promise not to freak out. We’re gonna find a way to fix this, I swear to you. Just remember to breathe, okay?”
Stolas looked down at the smaller man and scowled. “Blitz, you’re scaring me.”
Loona pushed the phone across the table. “What he said. Breathe.”
He picked up the phone and began to read.
GOETIA PRINCESS TO WED IN A WEEK
A spokesperson for the Goetia family has confirmed that Lady Octavia will marry her uncle, Marquis Andrealphus, next Saturday. The arrangement is backed by Goetic tradition and noble approval.
Sources say the match has been planned for several months. The wedding will be private and held at the family estate. Prince Stolas has not issued a statement.
Stolas stared at the screen long after he finished reading. Eventually, he placed it carefully on the table and slid it back to Loona.
“When did you two discover this?” He asked calmly.
“Right before we left work, Stols.” Blitz wrapped his arms around the owl and squeezed. “We just wanted to get you home and safe before we told you.”
“Right!” Loona agreed. “We weren’t trying to hide it or anything. We just thought you’d want privacy, or whatever.”
Stolas nodded and gently slid Blitz back onto his feet. “I appreciate your concern.” He stood and carried his still full plate to the kitchen, setting it down on the counter. “I think I’m going to step out for some air. I’ll be on the back porch.”
Once they heard the back door close, Blitz sat next to Loona and sighed deeply. “Okay, what the fuck was that?”
“Okay, right? Why isn’t he mad?”
“I think he’s mad. But this is a different kind of mad. I’ve seen this mad before. I don’t like it.”
Loona disappeared into her room, leaving Blitz to do the dishes. He grabbed an old headset out of a box of random wires and plugged it into his phone so he could call Moxxie without getting his phone wet.
“Hi, Blitz.” The smaller man answered. It sounded like he was chewing, and he could hear the faint sound of the tv in the background.
“Hey, Moxx.” He dunked his hands in the soapy water and began to scrub. “So, we showed Stolas the article.”
“Is he alright?”
Blitz let out an exasperated laugh. “No, he’s not. But, I don’t really know how to talk to him right now either.”
“Well, you could always ask him what kind of support he needs.”
He rolled his eyes. “No, the fuck I can’t.”
“Why not?” Moxxie took another bite, chewing into the phone.
“Because, that’s why!” Blitz huffed.
“Sir, I’m assuming you called me for advice. Why don’t you just tell me what’s going on so I can help. It’ll save us both time so I can get back to my dinner and you can go help him.”
He cut the water off and sat back down at the table. “Look, last time he was this mad at me it was right after our last full moon. Where I—” He trailed off.
“Oh, where the two of you got in that big fight and you bankrupted us over taxidermied owls and costumes?” Moxxie supplied cheerfully.
“Fuck you, but yes. That one. I went over there to try and talk to ‘em but he didn’t wanna talk to me. But he wasn’t yellin’ or anything. He just had these little shitty comments and stayed super calm. And we showed him that stupid article tonight and he didn’t freak out. He just thanked us and went outside. What if I say the wrong thing again, Moxx?” He wrung his hands as he spit out the last sentence.
“You’re probably gonna say the wrong thing, Blitz. It’s you.”
“Fuck you, again!” Blitz scowled.
“But.” Moxxie continued. “He loves you. You love him. You’ll do the right thing, even if you don’t say the right thing.”
“Yeah, alright.” He grumbled. “I’m gonna go talk to ‘em. Thanks.”
____________________________________________________________________________________
Stolas sat in his peacock chair, staring at his phone.
Call failed.
Call failed.
Call failed.
That was concerning. She hadn’t been answering before, but at least his calls had gone to her voicemail. He tried pulling up her Sinstagram, but it appeared he was blocked on that too.
He heard a quiet knock and looked over at the door. Blitz lifted a hand in greeting. “Hey, Stols. Can I sit?”
“It’s your house.” Stolas’s voice was soft, distracted.
“No, it’s ours.” Blitz flopped onto the sofa across from him. “Talk to me, feathers. What’s goin’ on in your head?”
“So much.” The owl’s eyes watered for a moment, but he blinked the tears away. “Nothing you can do to help me.”
“Maybe. But I can listen to you talk.”
Stolas glanced up. “Blitz, I tried to call her. I’m blocked. She didn’t even block me after I got banished. She didn’t answer my calls but she never blocked me. She said she kept the line open, in case she ever needed my help. Why would she block me now?”
“You don’t think she agreed to this, do you?” The imp asked.
“Of course not! She would never!” His voice shook. “She’s never wanted the life that was thrust onto me. She’s made that perfectly clear. And even if she did, she certainly wouldn’t want it with her uncle!” Stolas stood, pacing in front of the sofa and becoming more agitated with every step. “The nerve of that arrogant, disgusting little worm of a fucking bird! Why the fuck would he think it’s appropriate to do this?”
“I thought that was kinda common in rich bird circles?”
Stolas spun to face the other man. “That doesn’t make it right! Does it, Blitz? I can’t believe I’m even having to say this to you!”
Blitz threw his hands up in a defensive pose. “Whoa, whoa, birdie! I never said it was right. I just asked a question. Obviously it’s fucked up. We won’t let him touch her, okay?”
“Oh? And how do you propose we do that? I can’t even get through to her!” The owl’s eyes glowed and his feathers puffed.
“Easy, Stols. Just, easy. Give me a second to think. Do you think Stella would talk to you? Maybe she doesn’t want this to happen either.”
Stolas collapsed onto the sofa next to him. “Oh, I doubt she’s trying to stop it. She’s never cared much about what happens to her daughter. But, she probably wouldn’t want to miss an opportunity to parade her success around. She might speak to me after all. But I don’t have her contact information. I–I never bothered to learn her phone number. How silly of me.” His shoulders drooped.
Blitz chewed on his lower lip and fired off a message to his Helagram group, tilting the screen away from Stolas. Not that it really mattered. The bird was miles away.
____________________________________________________________________________
HorsGrl: Prings need Stelas #
OldMan: Why?
PegBoy: Yes, Blitz. Why? No good can come from either of you contacting the palace right now and you know it.
HorsGrl: Stols needs it. Via blokd him.
OldMan: Her Highness certainly did not block him. She hasn’t been in possession of her phone for some time now.
HorsGrl: Stellas # NOW
PegBoy: Be careful. Please. Stolas isn’t a member of the Goetia family anymore. He could be charged with meddling in regal affairs. That’s a big deal. Satan-court level big.
OldMan: He’s right, Mister Buckzo. Be careful.
HorsGirl: Now
OldMan: *contact card*
____________________________________________________________________________________
Blitz closed out of the Helagram app and added Stella’s number to his contacts. He held out his phone to Stolas, nudging the other man with his knee.
“Here, Stols. Her number’s on it. Under ‘Loud Bitch.’ Just—don’t lose your shit, okay?”
“Lose my shit? Why would I do that? It’s not like she’s decided to marry our daughter off to her own uncle or anything. Oh, right!” He tapped his chin with his finger. “That sounds like exactly the thing to freak out over!”
The imp nodded enthusiastically. “Yeah, you’re right. But, if you freak out too hard you’re gonna end up with criminal charges and that can’t happen, okay? You fuckin’ have to keep a cool head.”
Stolas grumbled but took a few deep breaths before pressing the call button, opting to leave it on speaker. His hand shook as he held the phone up so Blitz could hear. It rang three times before Stella’s shrill voice came over the line.
“What?” She barked into the phone.
“Stella.” Her ex-husband’s voice was calm and steady.
“Oh, what the fuck do you want?!”
“I’ll only take a moment of your time. I just want to confirm a bit of information I’ve just found on the front page of a tabloid. Is it true that your brother is trying to marry our daughter?”
She snorted. “Trying to? No, he’s not trying to. He’s going to. It’s all arranged. They’re getting married on Sunday.”
“Stella, you can’t let this happen!” He pleaded. “Think about Via’s wellbeing!”
“Her wellbeing? She’s going to be one of the most powerful people in hell. Her husband will help her rule over her legions and ensure that things are being run correctly. She’ll be filthy rich and never want for anything for the rest of her life.”
“But, she’ll never be happy! She’ll never love him. She’ll be as lonely as I was.”
Her chuckle felt like nails on a chalkboard. “Who said anything about love, you stupid man? This isn’t about love. She doesn’t have to love him.”
“You know how unhappy we were, Stella. Why would you want the same for her?” Stolas’s voice quivered.
“Oh, Stolas. It won’t be the same. I’m never going to let her end up like you. A banished piece of imp-sucking trash.” She spat.
Blitz had had enough. He grabbed the phone out of the owl’s hands. “Doesn’t look like it’s workin’ too well.” He pulled up the screenshot of the news article. “From the looks of that stupid fuckin’ picture, Via’s followin’ right in her daddy’s footsteps.”
“How dare you!” She screamed. “You don’t get to speak about my daughter! You’ve done enough!”
“Your daughter? The one wearin’ Stolas’s favorite cape in her engagement picture? She looks an awful lot like her father’s daughter to me.” He said, nonchalantly.
“Stolas.” Stella said, her voice dropping. “You will stay away from this palace. If you show your face around here, I’ll have you arrested. If you’re stupid enough to show up on Satan’s chopping block a second time, he’ll absolutely kill you. Stay out of this!”
The line went dead.
Blitz dropped it and immediately grabbed Stolas’s hands. “Hey, bird. It’s gonna be okay. It’s not gonna happen. We’re gonna find a way.”
Stolas stared at him. “How, Blitz?”
He squeezed the other man’s hands. “I don’t know. But we will.”
“She’s right, you know. If either of us try to go there, we’ll end up dead.”
The smaller man shook his head. “Well, we’re gonna try everythin’ else. We’re gonna call every sin we can get ahold of. You’re gonna try and track down that Velveeta asshole, or whatever the fuck his name is. We’re gonna figure it out, Stols.”
Stolas squeezed back. “You promise?”
“I promise.”
Notes:
Please let me know if ya'll want more!!
Chapter 8: Death Cannot Stop True Love
Summary:
With two days left, Blitz makes promises he’s desperate to keep, even as doubt creeps in and hope fades.
Notes:
(See the end of the chapter for notes.)
Chapter Text
The week flew by in a blur of meetings—every marriage lawyer, sin, and high-class hellborn they could find. They’d pleaded their case and Stolas had been forced to share the gory details of his marriage over and over again. Blitz had begged, offered stock in his company, anything he could think of.. But, at the end of each meeting, the facts never changed.
Stolas’s banishment meant he had no say. Goetia law protected marriages like this. It didn’t matter what any sin or pop star said. Their hands were tied. He was trying so hard not to lose hope, but his resolve was being slowly whittled away with every appointment.
The hardest blow came in the form of Ozzie and Fizz. Blitz and Stolas had saved their meeting for last, not wanting to involve them unless absolutely necessary.
The sin and the jester had welcomed them into their home with open arms. Fizz had insisted the four have a meal and catch up before they got down to business. They’d had burgers (of course) and Ozzie had regaled them with tales of a recent vibrator mishap in the warehouse. Something about the speeds being wrong and turning the users into those little chattering teeth toys, but Stolas had been so distracted he’d missed most of the story. At some point he’d heard everyone laugh, so he’d joined in, pretending he’d been listening the whole time.
Ozzie had noticed and gave him a sympathetic smile. “I get it, Birdie Babe. If we don’t start talking about the situation, you’re going to explode. Right?”
Stolas flushed and nodded. “Um, yes. I think I might. I apologize.”
The sin waved away his apology. “Don’t worry about it. What’s going on?”
Blitz jumped in, giving the couple the rundown of the week’s events. “So, yeah. We’ve gone to everyone. We wouldn’t ask you to get involved unless we absolutely had to.” He looked down at his hands. “And we have to.”
Fizz and Ozzie shared a series of looks, having a whole conversation without a single word. The smaller man turned to face the pair across from him. “We tried. As soon as we saw the article. Oz called Lucifer, or at least tried to.”
“And?” Stolas asked.
“He said the same thing everyone else did.” Ozzie’s shoulders sagged. “Well, that’s what the message he sent in response said. It said there’s no legal reason to step in. That he’d spoken to Stella and she agreed to it. And, well…” He gulped. “She is over eighteen. She doesn’t have to do it if she doesn’t want to.”
Stolas jumped to his feet and pointed his finger at the other man. “You know as well as I do that she would never agree to this! She’s being held against her will, Asmodeus! This is insanity!”
Ozzie only nodded, averting his eyes.
“We tried, your highness.” Fizz said. “I reached out to everyone I know looking for a loophole. Mammon’s got a ton of sleazy lawyers who make their whole career off of loopholes. But, no dice.”
Their voices seemed far away, muffled beneath the violent rush of his own heartbeat. He felt hot, like the temperature had suddenly risen twenty degrees. He was acutely aware of every single feather attached to his skin. The floor under his feet seemed to be waving up at him.
Was this really it? There was absolutely nothing that could be done?
He felt a pair of large, rough hands close around his.
“Fizz?” Blitz’s voice sounded like it was underwater. “Get him some water.”
The hands guided him backward and he flopped gracelessly back onto the chair he’d recently vacated.
“There ya go, Stols.” That distorted voice reassured him. “Put your head back, there ya go.” His head was gently pushed back until it was resting against the cushion. “Here, I’m gonna put a glass to your beak. Gonna need you to drink.”
He felt the smooth rim of the water glass bump against him and he allowed a small amount of water to slide over his tongue.
“Good.” He heard the sound of the cup being put down. “Can you look at me?”
Stolas’s eyes swung wildly around the room, trying to focus on Blitz. He couldn’t lock his gaze on the other man’s face, but he managed to fixate on the skull charm around his neck.
“Okay, good. That’s good, birdie. Listen, you’re kinda losin’ it right now and that’s okay. But, I don’t think we need to be here for it. I’m gonna open a portal. Can you walk?”
The owl tried to speak, but it felt like his tongue was about five times too big. He couldn’t make any words come out. With an immense amount of effort, he managed to shrug.
“Good enough for me. Fizz, Oz, thanks for tryin’. We’ll figure somethin’ out.”
________________________________________________________________________________
Stolas felt himself being scooped up and carried through a portal, then the familiar weight of their living room sofa beneath his feathers.
Blitz didn’t say anything. He didn’t try to talk, didn’t press more water into his hands, didn’t urge him to eat. He didn’t even rub those slow, soothing circles into Stolas’s back like he usually did. Instead, the imp sat down a few inches away. Not touching, just close enough that his scent drifted through the air, something steady for the owl to cling to. The sharp tang of gun oil, softened by the clean, forgettable scent of the white bar soap Blitz always used. The kind that came in giant supermarket packs and cost next to nothing.
She’s suffering because of me. If I had just stayed quiet and stayed in my lane none of this would have happened. If I hadn’t been so worried about my happiness, I could have protected hers. How could I have been so fucking stupid?
“I can hear you thinkin’ shit that isn’t true.” Came Blitz’s quiet voice.
Stolas didn’t have the energy to look up at the other man, but he was able to shake his head slightly. “I failed, Blitz. We failed.”
A small thump was audible as Blitz tossed his phone to the cushion next to him. “You sayin’ you’re givin’ up?”
“No.” Satan, his voice sounded so small.
“That’s what matters.” Blitz’s tone stayed even, steady. “She knows you’re not givin’ up. That you would never.”
His eyes stung as tears flooded them. “A fat lot of good her faith in me has done her. She’s being married off in two days, and I can’t do a fucking thing about it!”
The room began to feel small again, a little brown around the edges.
Blitz slid off the sofa and crouched between Stolas’s thighs, looking up at him. “Easy. Take a few breaths.”
Stolas forced himself to meet the other man’s gaze and take three shuddering breaths.
“Good.” Blitz gave him a wide smile. “Stolas? I know everythin’ is fallin’ apart. Okay? This fuckin’ sucks, and I can’t imagine how you must feel right now. I know if Loona was—nevermind.” He swallowed. “Listen, I’m going to promise you something right now, and I need you to understand that I mean it. I need you to really hear me.”
Stolas frowned and nodded.
“If we can’t get her out of there before the wedding day, you and I will go in there together. We’ll blow the fuckin’ place to pieces if it means gettin’ her safe.”
“Blitz, you can’t.” Stolas whimpered. “They’ll kill you.”
“Yeah, probably. But, there’s a chance we’ll get her out first.” The imp shrugged, a little too casually to be real.
“I can’t ask you to do that. To sacrifice your life. To risk taking you away from Loona.”
“Loona will be okay if something happens to me, Stols.” He averted his eyes for a moment, trying to find the confidence to say what he needed to next. “You know those feathered assholes won’t actually kill you, no matter what they say. Otherwise they’d have just killed you at the trial instead of banishin’ you. They still think you’re useful. She’s got Moxxie and Millie, and you. If we don’t get Via out, she won’t have anyone. She’ll be stuck.”
Stolas’s throat ached. He wanted to respond. He wanted to tell Blitz he was being crazy, that there had to be another way. That they’d figure something out. But, in his heart, he knew there wasn’t anything left to say. Eventually, he took another deep breath and nodded. “Okay.”
Blitz returned the nod solemnly. “Okay.” He stood, groaning as he stretched his muscles. “We’re not tellin’ anyone about this.”
“Why?” The owl asked, tilting his head slightly to the side.
“If this is what we’re gonna do, everyone else needs plausible deniability. In case it doesn’t go our way and everyone ends up in court, we need them in the dark.”
“Yes, that’s probably best. The last thing I want to do is hurt anyone more than we need to.” Stolas sighed.
“You need a break, big bird.” Blitz extended his hand to the other man, pulling him to his feet. “Don’t know if you remember, but we’ve got everyone comin’ to the house for dinner tomorrow.”
“Oh, Blitz. I’m not up to hosting.” He tried to protest, but the imp cut him off.
“Stolas. We deserve a normal night, okay? We’ve got exactly two nights before we, well, before shit goes tits up. We’re goin’ to spend that night with our family. We’re gonna eat dinner and watch a big ass storm. We’re gonna pretend that everythin’ is normal, just for one night. Give Loona and the M&Ms one last good memory, just in case.” He shot Stolas a pointed look. “Pretend for just one fuckin’ night that we’ve already won.”
The bird gave a tired smile. “What is Moxxie making for dinner tomorrow?”
_____________________________________________________________________________
Stolas retired to his chaise lounge on the back porch, hoping to lose himself in the pages. After getting comfortable, he fetched his new book from the table and cracked it open. A few chapters passed and he was as drawn in as he could have hoped. He’d agreed to try to enjoy the normality of things for the next two days, and he was determined to keep his promise.
Blitz joined him after about a half hour or so, curling up on the chair with his boyfriend. “New book time, huh?” He asked, craning his neck to get a glimpse of the cover. It looked a little like an oil painting, depicting a castle at the top of a very tall mountain. Clouds covered some of a tall tower at the side. It looked really plain and kind of boring.
Despite that, Blitz rested his head on Stolas’s chest. “Read to me.”
The other man chuckled quietly and scratched gently at the base of Blitz’s skull as he read aloud. “He was glazed with fatigue. He had been bitten, cut, gone without rest, had assaulted the Cliffs of Insanity, had saved and taken lives. He had risked his world, and now it was walking away from him, hand in hand with a ruffian prince.”
The imp barked a laugh. “Fuck, that’s bleak.”
“Hmm, quite.” Stolas marked his place and put the book back on the table. “But, I’m holding onto hope that this one has a happy ending.”
The two shared a smile as Stolas wrapped his arms around Blitz, pulling him close.
“I hope it does, too, Stols.”
They lay there contentedly for a while, idly chatting about their plans for the next evening. Moxxie had texted that he was planning to make some kind of complicated pasta, which also required him leaving work a little early. Blitz was ninety percent sure he was just using it as a way to get out of staying for his whole shift, but Stolas chose to give him the benefit of the doubt. The sky around them seemed darker than usual, holding the promise of a truly spectacular storm the next day.
After a bit, Blitz untangled himself and stood. “Hey, are you gonna be okay if Loona and I run out for a bit? She’s gonna be home any minute, and I was gonna see if she wanted to go grab a coffee or somethin’.”
“I’ll be fine, Blitzy.” He gestured to the door. “I think I’m going to go take a long bath. Maybe see if this book is waterproof.”
“I can promise you it isn’t.” Blitz laughed. “Thanks, babe. I’ll be gone for an hour, maybe two. Just gonna spend some time with my girl.” He winced after the words left his lips.
Stolas shooed him away. “I promise you I will be fine. Please, go spend some time with her. Bring me something back.” He gathered his book and started toward their bedroom.
“Stols?”
“Blitz, darling, if you do not leave I’m going to lock you out.” Stolas said, a hint of true mirth in his voice.
“I’m goin’, I’m goin’. I just…” He trailed off. Maybe it wasn’t right to keep this shit from him. “...wanted to say I love you, alright?” He scuffed his feet against the carpet as his face flushed. He hated this emotional bullshit, but thought it might be nice for the bird to hear tonight.
He didn’t have much time to feel embarrassed before he was scooped up in a tight hug. “I love you. Have a nice time. I’ll be here when you get back.” He let himself be held just a shred longer than he usually did, soaking in the comfort.
Blitz left with a grin and a wave, and Stolas smiled back like neither one of them was lying.
_________________________________________________________________________________
The diner was way too bright, the colors too bold. Their waitress jabbered on and on about the specials, trying to make a freezer burnt strip steak sound like filet mignon. Two long-dead earth queens sang from the jukebox about pressure.
The scene was entirely wrong for four demons coming together to almost surely plot their deaths.
They put in their orders, finally freeing them of their overly friendly waitress.
Loona pulled a battered laptop and tablet from her backpack, placing them on the table. “I guess I’ll start.” She said, powering up the devices. “I got this heat signature thing from some sinner in pride. She showed me how it works.” She tapped a few buttons and spun the laptop screen to show them. “She says that if I point the matching device toward the palace, I should be able to get a rough idea of where the people are.”
“That’s great, Looney.” Blitz took a sip of his shitty coffee. “I don’t want you comin’ inside. I want you outside in the van. You can keep watch on the outside and let us know what’s goin’ on inside, too.”
She nodded, ears twitching in aggravation. “Yeah, okay.”
“You can keep track of our coms, so we aren’t all yellin’ over each other on the same calls. Like our eye in the sky or somethin’.”
Pringles cut in. “This puts us in a better position than we’d hoped, Miss Loona. Your vigilance may very well save our lives tomorrow.”
She shot the butler the middle finger, but she seemed a little happier about her position now.
Their food arrived and most of the group just picked at theirs. Moxxie, on the other hand, inhaled the stack of pancakes he’d ordered. When he realized the rest of the table was watching him, he paused.
“What?” He asked. “I eat when I’m stressed, okay?”
“Eat your pancakes, Moxx.” Blitz nudged him as Pringles passed over a set of floor plans. “Okay, guys. Let’s go over the layout and the plan one more time.”
He outlined the areas they planned to hit in mustard, while outlining the areas to avoid in ketchup. “So, Moxx and I are gonna go in through the balcony of Stolas’s room. I’ve done it drunk, hurt, horny. I could do it in my sleep.” He pointed to the area on the map. “Pringles, can you cause some kind of distraction out front?”
The butler’s eyes gleamed. “Certainly. Are there any limitations on what I can do?”
Blitz snorted. “I’m not your mama. Do whatever your weird little heart desires. Just make it big and make it hard to stop.”
“Understood.”
He pointed to a row of rooms on the opposite side of the palace from their entry point. “Over here are Stella and Elsa’s rooms. We need to stay as far as fuck away as possible from these. We’re not tryin’ to get in any fights, so no lookin’ for trouble.”
“Dad, are we sure that they’re not gonna go somewhere else when the power drops?” Loona asked.
“We are.” Pringles confirmed. “There are too many last minute details to attend to for the wedding. They won’t risk leaving.”
Blitz nodded. “Plus, if they left, it’d give Via a chance to slip out unnoticed too.”
Moxxie swallowed his last bite. “I think it’s time we address the elephant in the room, Blitz.”
“Aww, Moxxie. Don’t call yourself that.” Loona cackled.
“Shut up.” He glared at her for a moment. “I think we need to take a least a moment to discuss what happens if things don’t go our way.”
For a beat, nobody responded. Everyone knew it was a possibility, but they’d been dancing around the subject.
“Millie’s due in less than a month.” He said quietly, looking directly at Blitz. “I have to get out. I’m going to get out. But, I can’t leave you behind either. Don’t be stupid and don’t get distracted. I don’t get out unless you get out.”
“Christ, Moxxie. No pressure, huh?” Blitz’s tone was light, joking, but he met the other man’s gaze.
“I mean it, Blitz.”
“I’m with you. In together, out together.” He stuck his hand out and Moxxie shook it.
Loona glanced over at Pringles. “You gonna be okay in there?”
“I’ll be fine.” He said, stacking their empty plates out of habit. “I’m not afraid of them. I’ve been around long enough they’ll be hesitant to hurt me.”
“So, I guess that’s it, then.” Blitz folded his hands on the table. “You all still sure this is what ya wanna do?”
Nods around the table.
“Tomorrow night then.”
_______________________________________________________________________________
After the bill was paid and everyone split to head home, Blitz and Loona ducked down the alley to portal home. He started to manipulate the crystal, but she put her hand over his, holding it still.
“Dad, hold on. Are you sure about this?” Her tail waved wildly behind her.
“No.” He answered honestly. “Fuck no. But, I’m doin’ it anyway.”
“Why?”
“You know why, Looney. It’s not just about him anymore. It’s about Via. He can’t protect her because he decided to protect me. She’s gonna end up just like he did, or worse. Probably worse.”
She grimaced. “Okay. If you’re not out by sun up, I’m coming in.”
“I’ll be out before then, sweetie. But if shit goes south, get yourself outta there. If something happens to us, Millie and Stolas are going to need you.”
“Dad!” Her voice sounded raw, exasperated. “I fuckin’ need you too, okay?”
He swallowed the lump that had somehow found it’s way to his throat. “I’ll make it out, Looney.”
“You better, dumbass.” She let his hand go and took a step back. “Let’s go. I wanna wash the diner smell outta my fur.”
She climbed through the portal first, leaving Blitz alone with the silence. He’d lied tonight. Lied to everyone who needed hope. Well, he supposed, that wasn’t entirely true. Because Octavia was getting out. Moxxie was getting home to his wife and baby. But him? He probably wasn’t coming back. He could feel it in his bones. The weight of all the lies was wearing him down. The burden of knowing he was the one who would be able to make the hard decisions that protected everyone he loved.
He’d made peace with that after the first diner meeting with Moxxie. He just hoped everyone else would be able to live with the truth he couldn’t share when the dust settled.
Notes:
Thanks for reading, guys. It's getting mighty bleak
Chapter Text
Octavia slammed her fist into her bedroom door repeatedly. “Hey, assholes! I need to see Andrealphus.” She added a kick for good measure, rattling the wood on its hinges.
The door cracked open just enough for one of her guards, a towering, gray hellhound, to peek in. “You don’t have any scheduled outings today, Princess.” The last word was said with a sneer, as it always was.
She was so used to the warmth of her previous caretakers. Sure, they were employees, but they’d never made her feel like a burden or that they disliked her. Now, they’d been replaced by people who obviously despised her. Then again, it’s not like her mother gave a shit anymore. This was her new normal.
“Yeah, well, the wedding is tomorrow and we have business to take care of.” She refused to stand down. “If you don’t believe me, ask him.”
The hound rolled his eyes and shut the door, but she could hear him speaking to someone outside. After a few moments, her door opened again. This time, Pringles stood at the threshold. He gave her a small, encouraging smile.
“Marquis Andrealphus has agreed to a brief conversation. I’ve been told to escort you.” His voice was slow, his words deliberate.
She didn’t respond, but her look was filled with enough rage to wipe the smile from the man’s face. He stepped forward and knelt, busying himself with cleaning a non-existent spot on the floor. “Miss Octavia. I can assure you that I believe you truly capable of walking down a hallway. But, I’ve been given orders and it will go a lot easier for both of us if you allow me to accompany you.”
She rolled her eyes and nodded. “Okay.”
The pair strolled down the hallway, taking their time. Via was happy to be out of her room for the first time in days, but the joy quickly turned to horror as she took in the changes that had been made to her beloved home. The warm hued walls had been repainted into icy shades of blue. The carpet had been replaced by a sterile, white tile. Even the smell was wrong. It used to smell of honey and lavender, and always like good things from the kitchen. Now it smelled like chemicals and fresh paint.
She knew that her mother had removed all of their family portraits, but she hadn’t entertained the idea that they’d be replaced with something else. Now, paintings of Andrealphus, Stella and her grandparents covered the walls.
Via paused at the end of the hallway, staring up at the largest of these paintings. It was surrounded by a large gold frame and was obviously newer than the others. It looked almost identical to their engagement photo, but not quite. Instead of the rebellious outfit she’d created, she was covered in a stark white ball gown. Her feather had been painted back in, long and perfectly manicured. It didn’t look like her. She looked older, more subdued. More…regal.
She looked like a queen.
The room began to spin and she fell to her knees. She coughed up bile as her stomach lurched, tears streaming down her face. The tile bit into her knees as she tried to breathe through the panic.
A handkerchief appeared in front of her bleary eyes. She blindly grabbed for it, pressing the soft cotton against her face. She felt Pringles lay a tentative hand on her shoulder.
“Octavia.” He said, barely louder than a whisper. “We will be back in your room very shortly. You need to gather yourself until then.”
She scoffed into the handkerchief. What a fucking awful thing to say to someone whose whole world was ending.
“I know. It sounds cruel.” He squeezed her shoulder tightly, but not unkindly. “I can’t imagine how awful this is. But, I do know one thing. That bastard does not deserve to see you like this. Gather yourself, stand tall. He tried to break you before and you showed him he couldn’t. Don’t let him think he can now.”
He took a step back and examined her face before taking the square of fabric back from her. “May I?”
When she didn’t answer, he began to gently swipe it across her face, drying her tears. “Stand up, Miss Octavia. Straighten your clothes, and let’s walk.”
She did as he instructed. She smoothed out the wrinkles in her gray leggings and flowy white shirt, yet another outfit crafted from her father’s clothes. After running her fingers through her short feathers and shoving them back, she took a deep, meditative breath.
“Thank you.” She whispered back.
“I wish I could do more.” He replied simply. “I’ve been here many years, and learned that silence is powerful. I am a loyal servant. I follow orders. But, not all of my orders come from the same place. Some orders come from a voice worth listening to.” He shot her another smile before his face returned to it’s neutral expression. “Come.” His voice was louder. “We need to not keep the Marquis waiting.”
Via knocked on Andre’s office door, surprised when he immediately granted her entry. She left Pringles in the hall and stepped into the room, closing the door behind her.
Andre was seated at a large mahogany desk, flipping through a pile of papers. A cell phone she recognized as her own sat on the desktop next to him. He held a pen in one hand and tapped it against his chin thoughtfully as he read through one of the documents. Once it became apparent he wasn’t going to address her first, she cleared her throat.
“Unc—Andrealphus. Has my father responded to you?”
He glanced up for a brief moment, as if noticing her presence for the first time. “Oh, Octavia. No, he hasn’t.”
“What do you mean, he hasn’t? My father would have answered you! Did you not send it?” She narrowed her eyes at him.
“Of course I did.” He answered in his usual bored tone. “See for yourself.” Andre picked up her cell phone and tapped at the screen before turning it to face her. It was a text thread with her father’s name at the top. There were no prior messages, but she’d wiped her phone before he’d taken it, so she supposed it made sense. It hurt her deeply to see that he hadn’t tried to send her any other messages during that time, though.
Octavia: Stolas, this is Andrealphus. Octavia and I are engaged. We will be married within the week. If you care to discuss this or stop the preparations entirely, you need to respond by Saturday.
That was the only message on the screen.
There was no response.
“Are you sure he got the message?” She cried, leaning in to examine the screen closely. At the very bottom of the message was the word she’d been so desperately hoping wouldn’t be there.
Read
Via closed her eyes, steadying herself before she spoke. “I don’t understand why he wouldn’t answer. He doesn’t want this for me.”
I don’t want this for me. How could he not respond? He saw it. He read it.
“Well.” The peacock set the phone down with a smug grin. “I would assume it’s because he has other priorities. If you’re here with me, you won’t get in the way of his new life.”
“I see.” She felt tears pricking at the back of her eyes but she kept her collected mask in place. “I guess there’s nothing left to talk about. Thank you.”
She turned and strolled toward the door, hesitating before opening it. “I suppose I’ll see you in the morning.”
“Yes, my bride. I suppose you will.”
___________________________________________________________________________
The comforting smell of garlic and butter wafted into the living room, accompanied by the sounds of sizzling meat and the clanking of pots and pans. Loona stuffed a pillow behind Millie’s back before settling onto the sofa next to her. The imp closed her eyes and let out a happy sigh as she sank back onto the lump of stuffing.
“Thanks, Loona. That’s perfect.”
“Yeah, no problem.” The hound glanced down at her phone, checking the time. “You doing okay?”
“Mostly.” Millie shifted into a more comfortable position. “My back has been killin’ me all day and my feet are swollen to like twice their size. But, I’m alright.”
“Well, it’s almost over, right?” She’d meant for her tone to be playful, but it ended up sounding hollow.
“Yeah, almost over. But, then I have to be somebody’s mom. What the hell am I supposed to do with that?”
Loona scoffed. “Millie, you’re already somebody’s mom. You take care of Blitz all the fucking time. A baby can’t actually be that different.”
The other woman cracked a smile. “I haven’t had to change Blitz’s diaper before.”
“Me either, but I did have to clean up a gallon of his puke after a Bee party once.” Loona cackled.
_______________________________________________________________________________
Blitz watched warily as a small ball of flame engulfed the skillet Moxxie was shimmying across the burner. He trusted Moxxie could cook, but any type of flame made him extra nervous these days. He watched as the other man tossed in a few spices and shook the pan again, making the flame flash even higher.
“What’s that?” He inquired, taking a step back from the stove.
“In this pan is shrimp, in a garlic and herb sauce.” Moxxie nodded at the pan in his hands. “Over there is a fresh pasta and in the oven is a loaf of garlic bread.”
“Goin’ to a lot of work tonight, Moxx. Don’t tire yourself out.”
“I’m too wired to even think about resting, Blitz. It’s better if I keep my hands busy.” He dipped a spoon in the skillet, dodging the fire, and tasted it. Satisfied, he cut the heat and smothered the flame with a lid. “You doing okay?”
“'Course I am.” Blitz opened a cabinet and grabbed a couple plates. “Tonight’s gonna be great. Havin’ everyone here and just enjoyin’ our time together. Thanks for cookin’.”
Moxxie gave a quiet nod and turned to drain the pasta. A ripple of laughter floated in from the other room, and for a moment, neither of them moved.
“Satan, that’s nice to hear.” He sighed.
Blitz leaned against the island and hummed in agreement. “Sure is. I’m gonna go and find Stolas. I don’t hear him in there. You don’t need me, right?”
“Sir, you’ve literally done nothing but hover and babysit me.”
“Yeah! Someone had to make sure you don’t burn down my brand new kitchen! Who the fuck cooks with fire like that?”
“Everyone cooks with fire, Blitz. It makes the heat required to cook.”
Blitz shot him the middle finger behind his back and wandered off to check the living room. No Stolas. He checked the screened in porch, still nothing. Finally, he found the bird sitting on their bed, phone in his hands. He knocked on the door jamb and motioned behind him.
“Hey, Stols. Why don’t you come out and join everyone?”
Stolas looked up at him, his face tight with worry. “Yes, darling. I plan to. I just wanted to—.” He trailed off, waving his phone in front of him.
“Yeah. Any luck?” Blitz crossed to the bed and climbed up beside his boyfriend.
The owl passed him the phone silently and he pulled up the message screen.
Stolas: Via, darling. Tell me what you need. I want to help.
(not delivered)
Stolas: You can’t possibly want this. Let me in. Talk to me.
(not delivered)
Stolas: I promise you, I am trying. You are not alone. I’m here.
(not delivered)
There were many more messages like that, but none were going through. There was also not a single response from the girl.
“Listen, Stols. She probably doesn’t have her phone right now.” Blitz said, recalling what Pringles had said the night before. “She knows you wouldn’t abandon her.”
“I hope so.”
He stood and motioned for Stolas to get up. “Come on. We promised each other we’d enjoy the night, even if it kills us. Right?”
“Right.”
Stolas stood and followed him out of the room. As they passed the living room, Blitz paused to take in the scene. Millie and Loona were draped across the sofa watching a highlight reel from last year’s pain games. It sounded like Millie was pointing out individual competitors and describing their family drama. Loona was absolutely eating it up.
His heart clenched, threatening to leap entirely out of his chest. Loona would have Millie, and Millie would have Loona. They’d be okay.
By the time they reached the kitchen, Moxxie was already plating the pasta. At his direction, Stolas knelt down to take the bread out of the oven and dumped it into a basket. They set the table and Blitz dug through a drawer to find a blue, unicorn shaped candle. He called the girls in as he struck a match.
Everyone took their seats and dug in. Blitz had to admit, even though Moxxie had threatened his house to do it, the food was incredible. Fresh pasta totally tasted better than the cheap ass store brand stuff he bought every week. Everyone else seemed to think so too, because the only sounds for the first ten minutes were the clinking of silverware on plates and the occasional moan of approval.
Then Moxxie bumped the table, spilling the bottle of wine, which ended up all over Blitz. The rest of the table teased him mercilessly, and from there conversation began to flow.
The group talked about the house and Stolas’s plans for the backyard. He intended on filling the entire space with as many plants as he could find. He even had a list of his favorites from back at the palace so Blitz could be on the lookout in the human world.
That list was currently shoved into Blitz’s pocket. He was going to send back as many as he could with Loona tonight.
The first boom of thunder took them all by surprise. Millie’s eyes gleamed as she whispered. “It’s starting.”
Blitz and Moxxie offered to clean up so the rest of the gang could head out to the back porch. Stolas and Millie took them up on it quickly, scampering outside. Loona stayed behind to dry the plates as her father washed them. Moxxie puttered around, putting leftovers into containers and scribbling instructions on their lids in permanent marker.
“It’s almost time.” Blitz said quietly. “You two ready?”
“Yeah.” Loona’s answer came quick.
“Yes.” Moxxie’s voice was strong, but a little hesitant.
“Dad, I’ve been thinking about it. Maybe we shouldn’t take the van. It’s loud and kinda noticeable. Wouldn’t it be better to portal?”
Blitz shook his head. “No. Not happening. You need a getaway car in case it all goes to shit. We need a big space to shove all of Stolas and Via’s shit. And my crystal is linked to Ozzie. If it does go to shit, I don’t want him to be able to say he knew what was goin’ on and didn’t stop it. We’re not changin’ the plan.” He handed a wet plate to Loona. “You heard from Pringles tonight?”
She nodded. “Yeah, he messaged an hour ago to confirm when we were getting there. Said the power’s been blinking like fucking crazy over there. We’ve got a little less than an hour.”
“Okay.” He turned off the water. “Let’s go watch some fuckin’ weather.”
_________________________________________________________________________________
The power lasted another twenty minutes before it went out completely. Without streetlights, the lightning seemed even more impressive. Blitz and Stolas were curled up on the chaise lounge, arms around each other. Blitz nuzzled into the taller man’s chest fluff and inhaled deeply, taking in the scent of lavender and dirt that seemed to follow him everywhere.
His phone buzzed in his pocket.
Showtime.
He pulled it out and made a show of checking the screen. “Shit, it’s Anya. I gotta take this.”
Stolas hummed in agreement and untangled himself from Blitz’s arms. Anya was a higher-level sinner on her way to overlordship, and she occasionally hired I.M.P. for petty revenge jobs. They were never difficult and she paid double what they charged, just because she could. They never turned down an Anya job.
Blitz walked back inside and answered the phone. “I.M.P.”
“The power is out, Mister Buckzo.” Pringles greeted him.
“And it has to be tonight?” He asked loudly.
“I’ll be ready in thirty minutes.”
“Sure, we can kill that asshole. But, it’s gonna be a rush charge.” He ended the call and shoved his phone back in his pocket. As he walked back outside, he lowered his shoulders and carefully fixed a frustrated look on his face.
“Hey guys. Anya needs a target dropped tonight.”
“Sir, that’s not a good idea.” Moxxie frowned. “There’s a massive storm. It’s not going to be safe.”
“Yeah, I know, asshole.” Blitz groaned. “But, honestly, I’m low on ammo. And Stols and I were going to hit up the range tomorrow. We could really use the money for it. Do you mind, Moxx? It’s just an Anya job. We’ll be done in a few hours.”
“I don’t like only two of us going. We need a spotter.” Moxxie stood and gave his wife a shrug.
“I’ll go.” Loona said. Thunder freaks me the fuck out. Maybe it won’t be storming on Earth.”
“Millie?” Moxxie asked. “Would you be okay here with Stolas for a couple of hours?”
“Uh, yeah. Sure, I guess.” She said, reaching behind her to rub at her back. “I don’t feel like goin’ anywhere anyway.”
Stolas frowned. “Blitz, tonight? Are you sure it’s necessary?”
Blitz nodded. “Yeah. We need some stuff for tomorrow, and this makes sure I can get it.” He tossed a wink at the bird.
The owl’s eyes widened in understanding. “Oh, I see. Please be careful, darling.” He leaned forward to press a kiss to the imp’s forehead, right over his circus mark. “I’ll see you soon.”
He swallowed around the lump in his throat. “Yeah, Stols. Soon. I love you.”
But Stolas’s attention had been drawn away by another flash of light and clap of thunder. Millie seemed distracted as Moxxie said goodbye as well. No one noticed Loona lingering by the door, eyes darting between the two weather-watchers.
“Well, let’s fuckin’ go.”
Notes:
Please let me know what ya'll thought!!
Chapter 10: Storming the Castle: Act 1
Summary:
Under cover of the storm, Blitz scales the tower wall a final time.
Notes:
This will be an act in three parts. Get ready for a long night.
(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)
Chapter Text
The I.M.P van pulled to a stop a few houses down from the palace, idling under the shadow of a tree. The storm raged, whipping leaves and debris against the metal sides. The windshield wipers scraped quietly across the glass, no match for the downpour. A flash of lightning cracked across the sky, illuminating the three grim faces inside.
In the backseat, Blitz reached into his pocket to stroke the long gray feather he’d stashed there. Some people had lucky rabbit’s feet, he had a piece of his boyfriend to keep him grounded. He’d found it on the floor of the kitchen moments before they’d left the house.
Moxxie was sorting through their gear, checking and double checking their ammunition. He loaded each weapon and inspected them for any flaws. He passed Blitz a blessed knife and tucked a dagger into his own boot. The man was fidgety, looking for any excuse to keep his hands busy.
Loona’s fists were clenched so tightly around the steering wheel that indentations from her fingers were sure to be left behind long after she let go. She cut the engine and scanned the darkness for their signal. A tall, female imp flashed a light once, twice from the palace gates. She turned to the men in the back and raised her eyebrows. “I saw the light.”
As Loona passed them both headsets, Blitz cleared his throat. “No turnin’ back now, huh?” He slipped the set on and listened to the quiet static coming from the earpiece.
“It would appear not, Mister Buckzo.” Pringles’s voice was slightly muffled, but still easily recognizable.
Moxxie nodded as he listened. Loona climbed into the backseat and settled herself in the bucket seat closest to the window. She’d spent the better part of the afternoon in the van setting up her equipment, so there wasn’t much to do beyond fiddling with it to get the best signal.
“You ready, Old Man?” Blitz asked.
“I’ve been waiting to do something like this for ages.” Despite the dire circumstances, Pringles’s voice was laced with mirth. “I’m ready.”
“Loona.” He turned to face his daughter. “You’re in control of the comms. If shit gets too chaotic, it’s up to you to reign us in. Keep us updated. Do what you can, sweetie. And if shit goes south…”
She grimaced. “I’ll put enough distance between me and the palace, but I’m not leaving you.” She scooted close enough to put her arm around him, a quick squeeze.
“Let’s go, Moxxie.” Blitz blinked away sudden tears.
The men climbed out of the van and shut the door softly.
“Pringles, we’re approaching the gate.” Moxxie said, shouldering a large backpack.
There was no response from the butler as they inched toward the rock wall. It wasn’t particularly high. Just enough to keep the palace’s events out of sight, but not so high as to keep people out. Common sense did that part. Not many people were stupid enough to try to break into a Goetian palace.
They walked the length of the wall, stopping at the base of Stolas’s bedroom tower. They’d barely had time to catch their breath when a thundering boom shook the ground under them. A plume of thick, blue smoke rose from inside the gates.
“What the hell was that?” Moxxie hissed. “Was that thunder?”
Two more booms echoed across the grounds, followed by twin pillars of thick, magical smoke. But even they were nothing compared to the voice that came next.
Deep, ancient and so loud it seemed to invade everything, making it hard to think about anything else.
“COME OUT, COME OUT, WHEREVER YOU ARE.” The voice resonated. “YOU WHO HAS THE AUDACITY TO BREAK THE LAWS OF HUMAN DECENCY. SHOW YOURSELVES, YOU BRAVE LITTLE BIRDS.” The voice gave way to a cackle, not impish, not demonic. Something worse. “COME OUT, COME OUT, BEFORE I DESTROY EVERYTHING AND EVERYONE INSIDE. YOU HAVE SIXTY SECONDS BEFORE WALLS START CRUMBLING.”
“Jesus Christ.” Blitz breathed. “Is that fuckin’ Pringles?”
“I don’t know and I don’t want to find out.” Moxxie replied. “We have exactly a minute of everyone’s attention being on whatever that thing is. We need to make it count.”
Blitz led Moxxie to the tower and pointed out handholds along the side. “It’s not an easy climb, but it’s one we can do. Follow me. We gotta go quick, cause we’ll be out in the open.”
They climbed as quickly as they could, pausing only for a moment when they were a few yards below the balcony.
“Oh, my Satan.” Moxxie whispered.
The entire courtyard was shrouded in smoke and fire. Guards ran from one set of flames to the other, trying to control them. Every time they extinguished one, another boom rang out, another flame popped up. No sign of Pringles or the source of the terrifying voice.
After heaving themselves over the railing, they huddled behind a large, potted plant. “We’re up, Loonie.”
A moment of silence before the hound’s voice came over the line. “There’s one person in the big room. Looks like two in the hall. Pretty much everyone is out in the yard.”
“Okay. Check on Pringles.” He turned down the volume on his comm so he wouldn’t be distracted by the conversation.
Moxxie checked the door. Welded shut, no surprise. “Sir, how thick are those windows?” He pointed to a set of stained glass just to the left of the door.
“Not too thick. I accidentally fucked Stolas through them once.” He shrugged.
Despite the urgency of their mission, Moxxie shot the other man an incredulous look. “How the fuck do you fuck someone through a window, Blitz?”
“Well, it starts as fuckin’ someone against a window, but you get a little excited and go a little too hard and then the window breaks and that someone falls out. Through a window.” Blitz explained easily as he examined the glass.
“Okay, that—.” Moxxie stopped himself. “Nevermind.” He adjusted his headset. “Pringles, I need one more big boom. As loud as you can possibly make it.”
Seconds later, a massive explosion shook the tower. From their spot on the balcony, they could see the iron gate collapse. Using the blast as a cover, Moxxie launched himself through the window. The sound of shattering glass was barely audible over the din of chaos below.
Blitz followed Moxxie through the new hole in the wall, scanning the room for signs of life. The space was dark and quiet, more quiet than he would have expected. Or, it was until a heavy object smacked into the base of his skull, throwing him to the floor.
Stars exploded behind his eyes as he fell to his knees.
“Octavia, wait!” He heard Moxxie hiss. “Stop. We’re not here to hurt you!”
He blinked against the screaming pain in his head and rose to his feet. As his vision cleared, he could see Via standing next to Moxxie, a heavy book gripped in her talons like a weapon. Her magenta eyes glowed viciously in the dark.
“Via. We don’t have a bunch of time.” He took a step toward the girl, who raised the book higher in defense. “So, I need you to tell me somethin’ right now, and it’s a simple yes or no. If it’s a yes, Moxxie and I will leave right now, okay?”
She didn’t move, eyes locked on his.
“I know I’m probably not who you wanna see right now, kid. I promise there’s a reason I’m here and he isn’t. That isn’t important right now. But this is. Do you want this?” He asked, enunciating each word carefully.
He watched as her eyes darted between the two men. The book fell to the floor with a quiet thud.
“No.” She whispered. “But…”
“Then that’s that.” He interrupted. “No buts. Plenty of time for those later. Via, we have to go now. Pringles is only gonna be able to keep that distraction goin’ so long.”
“Pringles?” She cocked her head. “Dad’s butler, Pringles?”
“Yeah.” Blitz checked his watch anxiously as Moxxie peeked his head out to make sure there was still a crowd in the courtyard. The trio could hear the ancient voice below taunting the palace’s inhabitants. “We needed a guy on the inside and he wanted to help.”
Via shook her head vehemently. “Andrealphus reached out to Dad. He didn’t answer. He had a chance to stop this and he didn’t!” Her voice rose a little at the end, panicked.
“Hate to burst your bubble, kiddo, but that ain’t true.” Blitz replied as he fished a headset out of his bag and tossed it to her. “I saw his phone myself. He’s been textin’ and callin’ for weeks but he’s blocked. Nothin’s goin’ through.”
“No.” She insisted. “He showed me my phone. He’d texted Dad off my phone, and Dad read the message.”
“Yeah, well, that psychopathic peacock’s been lying to you. I saw the message, Via. Stolas never got it. He never stopped trying. You really think he wouldn’t come for you if he knew what was happenin’?.” He glanced over at the door and spoke into his headset. “Looney, how many are at the door?”
He listened for a moment and nodded. “Okay, workin’ on a plan B.”
Moxxie reached for Via’s headset and helped her settle it over her ears. “Channel three.” He said. “Loona’s running this show.”
Blitz had checked out of the conversation and moved to the bedroom door, looking for ideas. His eyes eventually settled on a heavy, iron lantern high up on the wall.
“Hey Via?” He asked. “There a lot of these lantern thingies in the hallway?”
“Uh, yeah, I guess. Tons of em, but we don’t pay much attention to them since they’re too high up to really provide any light. The chandeliers do most of that. Why?”
“Okay, I have a really fuckin’ stupid plan.”
Notes:
Please let me know what ya'll thought. This is just the very beginning of a fantastically shitty night. I want to know if ya'll want more!
Chapter 11: When Death Is On The Line
Notes:
Heyyyyy guys.
Sorry, I know. It's been a minute since I've updated. You know how they talk about that Ao3 writer curse? Yeah, here we are. It's been a crappy month, but I'm here with an update. Next chapter will also have an exciting update. We have freaking cover art, ya'll! I'm so excited to share it with ya.
Anyway, I'm gonna shut up so ya'll can just read it.
(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)
Chapter Text
“This is actually really fucking dumb.” Via said as she hoisted Blitz onto her shoulder and moved toward the wall sconce. It was high enough on the wall that she could just barely graze it with her fingertips if she stood on her toes.
“Yeah? Come up with somethin’ better, kid.” He stretched up toward the lantern, snagging it with his claws. “It’s gonna be fine.” After getting his bearings, he perched on the metal like a deranged gargoyle, drawing a snicker from the bird.
From his position, he had a great view of the balcony, and beyond that, the moon. A full moon. He smiled softly, the irony not lost. How many times had he landed on that same concrete slab under the light of a full moon? Back then, it’d been about saving his own life. Creating a life for himself that kept him from shoving his own gun in his mouth. How fitting that he’d be climbing one last time to save someone else’s life.
“Yeah, can you run me through this one more time, Dad?” Loona said through the comm.
“I don’t get what’s so hard to understand.” Blitz huffed. “I’m gonna circus my way through the fuckin’ lights and chandeliers and shit. These stupid ceilings are so high that it’s too dark to see anythin’ up there tonight. If I’m real quiet, I should be able to get around without anyone knowin’ I’m there.”
“Sir, that’s a big risk. Please just come with Octavia and I.” Moxxie pleaded from the balcony doors. He carried a large pack full of Stolas’s clothes, chosen for their usefulness rather than fashion. He did, however, see a piece of the bird’s favorite cape sticking out of the zipper.
Via crossed the room to the smaller man and shouldered another pack. Hers contained a handful of the prince’s favorite books, a few vials of his preferred preening oil, some photographs, a small stock pile of Happy Pill bottles and a few other miscellaneous things she thought he’d want.
There was no sign of his plants or that painting he’d mentioned.
“I can’t.” He sighed. “We don’t have everythin’ yet. I gotta find that big ass paintin’.”
He adjusted his headset and spoke into the mic. “Hey, Prings. I know you’ve been puttin’ in the work, but we need one big last distraction. Got anythin’ in the chamber?”
“I thought you might.” The butler’s voice was quiet, ragged. “I saved the best for last, Mister Buckzo. Do you have her? Is she safe?”
Via smiled faintly at the question, her expression devoid of her usual snark.
“We have her, sir.” Moxxie answered. “We just need to get her down.”
Pringles’s sigh of relief tugged at Blitz’s heart, threatening to tear it open completely. “Give me thirty seconds. You’ll know when to go.”
“Hey, you let off that final boom and get yourself somewhere safe.” Blitz instructed. “Don’t fuckin’ hang around here. Don’t get yourself hurt.”
“Good luck.” Came the simple reply.
Exactly thirty seconds later, the booming, eldritch voice was back.
“I WARNED YOU.” It shrieked. “I DON’T SEE ANY GOETIA IN THE COURTYARD. POOR LITTLE BIRDS MUST WANT TO PLAY A GAME AFTER ALL. I TOLD YOUUUUUU.” The last word dissolved into a piercing cackle that sent shivers down Blitz’s spine.
BOOM.
The ground under them shook as a portion of the palace opposite them crumbled to the ground. Blitz had studied the floor plan enough to know that it was the wing that held Stella’s bedroom and the guest suites.
He heard the thundering of heavy feet leaving Via’s door. Apparently, their hell hounds were only loyal to a point. Start bringing the house down and they were comfortable leaving their posts.
Such a shame. Good help is hard to find.
___________________________________________________________________________________
Millie stretched out across the chaise lounge and sighed contentedly as Stolas passed her a heating pad. “Thanks, Stolas. Not sure what it is, but I can’t get my back to quiet down tonight.”
“It’s not a problem. I’m happy to help.” He settled onto the sofa next to the chaise and propped his feet up on the small coffee table in front of him.
She looked up as a bolt of white lightning ripped through the sky. Rain thundered down around them, filling the warm air with a dampness that felt familiar and cozy.
“You said you had storms like this growing up?” Stolas asked.
“Mmhmm. Don’t see storms like this much out here. When I was a kid, we had a tin roof and when it rained like this it’d be so loud you couldn’t hear each other talk.”
“Oh, would you like me to stop? So you can hear the rain better?”
She gave him a funny look. “Don’t worry so much, big bird. I’m havin’ a nice time. Keep distractin’ me.” Millie shifted the heating pad to a new spot on her lower back.
“I can do that.” He nodded. “Growing up in the palace, I never really got to experience storms like this. Sure, I could see when it was raining and things like that. But, the walls were so thick we could never really hear them. It’s nice, actually. I never thought I’d end up in the country.” He chuckled. “Funny how things end up.”
“I don’t know if I’d call it the country, but it’s definitely a lot further out than your fancy pants mansion, that’s for sure.”
A clap of thunder rattled the door of the porch, causing Stolas to jump a little in his seat. “You didn’t get scared of all the noises?”
“Maybe some, when I was real little. Storms don’t get to me much. I remember this one time, though. Worst storm I ever saw. It wasn’t just thunder and lightnin’ though. You ever seen a tornado?”
“No.” He shook his head. “I’ve read about them, but I’ve never seen one. They sound downright terrifying.”
“They are!” Her eyes widened and she sat up a little taller. “Back when I was about four or five, we had one cut through the farm. We had a root cellar and Mama and Daddy always said if the weather got real bad we’d just go hide it in til it blew over. Anyway, my Uncle Jonny called and said he was gonna drive over cause the wind was kickin’ up and he was gonna hide out with us. Mama and Daddy herded us kids into the cellar but we left it open so we could wait for him. Except it got real bad and we could see it comin’ toward us so we had to shut it up before we got there.”
“Oh no.” Stolas murmured.
“So the damn thing runs right over us. Sounds like a big train is speedin’ down a track into the cellar. But, eventually it clears. We open the doors and go out lookin’ for Uncle Jonny and we do find him eventually, sittin’ in his truck. Only, it’s not in the driveway like it should be. It’s on it’s side halfway down the yard. But ole Uncle Jonny’s still clingin’ to the steerin’ wheel like he’s still drivin’.” She smirked. “Pissed his damn pants too. So, Daddy gets him inside and gets a half bottle of whiskey in him before he finally starts talkin’. Says the damn tornado picked him up and drug him across the yard.”
Stolas’s eyes darted between her and the sky. “Wait, that can actually happen?”
Millie laughed and shook her head. “Not usually. Never saw it happen again. Plus, you got some mountains around here. It’ll keep the tornadoes away.” She flinched and leaned forward. “Shit, this little fucker’s really bein’ mean tonight.”
The owl frowned and cocked his head. “Is the baby moving? Kicking?”
“No, actually.” She muttered. “It hasn’t kicked much today. Been sittin’ real low on my bladder, though. And I’ve felt kinda sick all day, but not nauseous. Just, generally gross.”
“Can I get you anything? Some water or maybe a snack?”
“Um, yeah. Maybe some water. Thanks.” She took a few deep breaths, steadying herself as Stolas fetched her some ice water. She accepted the glass and took a sip.
“Mildred, dear. I’m not trying to overstep, and I know that you can take care of yourself. However, I’ve noticed that you haven’t stopped fidgeting since you got here. You’ve spent this entire pregnancy telling all of us that you feel great and to not worry about you. But now, you’ve admitted that you’re not feeling well and it’s an abnormal feeling.”
“Your point?” She asked distractedly, standing and rubbing her temples. “Great, now I’ve got a fuckin’ headache too.”
“I’m simply saying that maybe something is, well, not wrong. But, something is abnormal. Maybe we should try giving your doctor a call?”
“Why? Every time I call him with somethin’, he just tells me to go get checked out at the damn hospital. I don’t want to go to the damn hospital.”
“Is that common in imp pregnancies?” He asked.
“What? No. But, he’s been bitchin’ about my blood pressure since I started seein’ him. Apparently it’s high.” She winced. “I don’t know. Talkin’ isn’t helpin’ my head.”
“Of course.” He stood and extended a hand to her. “Come on. Let’s go inside, where it won’t be quite so loud. We’ll set you up on the sofa, dim the lights and get your feet up.”
She grumbled but allowed him to lead her inside. Once she was settled into the overstuffed cushions of the couch, he excused himself to the bathroom. After shutting the door, he dialed Moxxie’s number and sat on the lid of the toilet.
It rang a few times before Moxxie’s upbeat greeting came across the line, encouraging him to leave a message.
“Hello.” He began, in a hushed voice. “I’m sorry to bother you while you’re on a mission. But, Millie isn’t feeling well. I’m sure it’s nothing, but I do want you to hurry back as safely as you can.”
He ended the call and fired off a text to Blitz.
Stolas: Blitz, darling, please hurry back. I don’t want to raise any alarm bells, but Mildred isn’t acting like herself.
After no answer came from either of the men, he huffed and sent a message to Loona with the same information. You could always count that girl to be on her phone, even in the middle of a gunfight.
Still no answer.
He pocketed his phone and made his way back into the living room. Millie was digging through her overnight bag, muttering to herself. She pulled a pair of pajama shorts and a little black bag from the bottom of the duffel and stalked off toward the bathroom, shutting the door behind her.
She was unusually grouchy tonight, but that made sense if she felt poorly. It was strange, though. Like it had come on all of a sudden. He wondered if she was worried about something, and if the stress was causing her sudden change in demeanor.
Stolas heard a low whirring coming from the bathroom but chose to ignore it, to give Millie her privacy. He checked his phone again, but still no messages. He tried calling both Blitz and Loona but ended up with their voicemails.
Okay. He said to himself. Quit panicking. She’s just not feeling well. It’s still too early for this to be anything meaningful. Just go get your book and let her rest quietly.
So, he did just that. By the time she emerged from the bathroom, he’d wrapped himself in Blitz’s horse blanket and curled up on the opposite end of the sofa with his new book.
He glanced up at her as she came in. “I added a few extra pillows to your nest.”
“Thanks, big bird. But, we might not need ‘em after all.”
Notes:
Me again.
So, in the next week I'll be moving and starting college as a 33 year old mom of three. While I work a full time job. I'm really going to try to get these updates out as often as I can because I'll actually have internet again! But, seriously, your comments and kudos really do inspire me to update faster! There will be about five more chapters in this story.
But good news, there's going to be a third book in this series! I've got everything mapped out. It's gonna be bumpy, ya'll! Tell me what you think and if you want more!
Chapter 12: Storming the Castle: Act 2
Summary:
An act in three parts.
Three perspectives.
One ending.
Notes:
Slight TW for: emetophobia, mentions of labor complications, mentions of domestic abuse
Enjoy, ya'll.
(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)
Chapter Text
“Go!” Blitz hissed, gesturing to the balcony. “They’re not gonna be distracted for long.”
Moxxie nodded and led Via over to the balcony. As he leaned over to check their path, Via turned to give Blitz a final look.
“Um. Thanks, you know, again.” She fidgeted, dropping the angry teen act for just a moment. “Just—make sure you make it to the garden, okay?”
“Aww, don’t start worryin’ about me now, kid. I’d have to go back to your dad and tell him we’re friends now.” He grinned with all his teeth.
She snorted. “Hardly, asshole.”
“Go!”
As he watched Moxxie and Via disappear over the railing, he took a final, steadying breath. “Looney, they’re on the way down. Get as close as you can. Make sure the old man gets his ass outta here. I’m leavin’ the room.”
“Got it.” The hound’s voice was steady, determined.
“Also, can you do Daddy a favor?”
“Only if you promise not to phrase it like that ever again.” He could hear the revving of the engine in the background.
“I need music over the comm. Somethin’ with a steady beat, so I can time my jumps. It helps.” He pushed on the bedroom door, cracking it just enough to peek out. The hallway was dark and deserted.
“Okay, circus freak.” The line crackled with static for a moment before the opening notes of a song flooded through.
(Better on Drugs, Jim Bryson)
He bobbed his head, catching the rhythm and bracing himself for the first jump. Blitz exhaled and threw his weight forward, flying toward a sconce just outside of the bedroom. The hallway remained dark, unguarded. So far so good. He tried moving to the next lantern, but his boot slipped at the last moment, forcing his knee forward into the iron. A jolt of pain surged up his leg, drawing a whispered curse from the imp. He gripped the metal, waiting for the feeling to fade. Focus, bitch. Can’t make mistakes like that.
He hurtled down the corridor as the song swelled, not stopping to take a breath until he was at the entrance of the foyer. A few house staff were gathered in the large room, whispering amongst themselves. Pringles stood in the middle of the group, leaning against a young woman for support. His face was covered in black soot and the ends of his horns looked singed.
The butler glanced up at the ceiling just as Blitz passed overhead and gave a friendly wink. Blitz found it hard not to smirk back at him.
Pringles raised his voice so that Blitz could just barely make out the words he was saying. “Janine, do you suppose that any of Stella’s belongings were damaged?”
“After that maniac blew her room to bits?” The female imp cackled. “I hope so!”
“Well, maybe her walkway didn’t receive any damage.” He said pensively. “I know she had a lot of items still there.”
She gave him a strange look. “Not really? It was mostly the banished bird’s shit. Stuff she was just waiting to burn.”
Blitz’s eyes widened in understanding. He nodded down at Pringles before throwing himself over to the next fixture. It wasn’t a small distance from the foyer to Stella’s wing. The house itself was huge, and Stella preferred her privacy. He returned his attention to the music in his ears, timing his swings and leaps to the beat.
As he traipsed through the shadows of the palace, each maneuver became easier than the last. He might not be doing trapeze on the daily anymore, but his muscles hadn’t forgotten. It was kind of like riding a bike. Only this time, if he fell off he’d end up with more than skinned knees and a bruised ego.
Why the fuck was Stella hanging onto that painting? It’s not like gave a shit about her ex-husband or Via. Maybe she knew Stolas would have eventually tried to get it back?
He came to a halt as he reached Stella’s wing. One end of the hallway had collapsed into a pile of rubble, but most of the corridor was still passable. Just as Janine and Pringles had discussed, the floor was littered with random pieces of junk. A few suitcases, a few pieces of art and tons of books. At the very end of the walkway, just inches from the destruction, sat a large painting covered with a black sheet.
That had to be it.
After determining the area was still deserted, Blitz dropped to the ground, wincing at the new shockwave of pain coming from his leg. He approached the painting and yanked off the material, tossing it to the side. The painting was surrounded by an ornate, but lightweight frame. He lifted it off the ground, testing the size against his own body. It would be difficult, but he was certain he could strap it to his back.
As he set it back down to grab the rope he’d wrapped around his leg in the van, he took a good look at the image. It looked pretty normal, just a family portrait of the three of them. Via looked to be around fourteen or so and was standing between her parents. Stolas was smiling, but Blitz could tell it wasn’t a genuine one. When the bird was really happy, he smiled with an open beak. This one looked pained and a little sad.
Why the fuck would he want this thing?
Blitz shook his head. No time to ponder the reasoning behind it. He grabbed the frame and flipped it, so the painting was on the outside. He didn’t want to risk scratching it with his clothes or guns. As he did so, he noticed a small, handwritten inscription. It was hard to read in the dark, but as he held it closer to his face, he could just barely make it out.
To my disappointment of a husband,
Beauty breaks easiest when it wants to be loved.
-S
Blitz dropped the painting, horror coursing through his body. Stolas had mentioned over the course of their time together that his marriage with Stella had been volatile. He’d been terrified by the idea of Via being left alone with the woman. But he’d never said what kind of volatile.
He’d never gone outright and said she hurt him.
She hurt him?
He gazed down at the canvas, eyes fixed on Stolas’s face, thinking back to their full moon nights. Blitz had purposely not paid deep attention to anything, not wanting to develop feelings. Suddenly, the memories came flooding back.
The nights Stolas flinched away from Blitz’s quick movements.
The nights he’d shied away from certain body parts being touched.
The nights he’d been quiet, withdrawn. Almost unhappy.
The night Blitz had landed on the balcony only to be turned away by Stolas’s voice through a locked door.
There’d always been excuses, and Blitz was quick to accept them. Too quick.
A wave of nausea crashed over the imp. He’d been so determined to not pay attention that he’d missed something so glaringly obvious. What the fuck was wrong with him?
Bile crept to the top of his throat and he dropped to his knees, emptying the contents of his stomach onto the cold marble floor. After a few moments, he swiped the back of his hand across his mouth and rose unsteadily to his feet.
He gazed at the painting a few feet away, chewing on his lower lip. He didn’t even want to touch the fucking thing, much less strap it to his body. Blitz approached it and crouched, bringing his face level with Stolas’s image. Tenderly, he ran a claw over it, pausing to study the other man’s face.
I can’t leave you alone, can I?
Blitz stood and made quick work of strapping the portrait to his back, securing it tightly. He gripped the intercom and hissed into it. “Looney, location?” He winced at how raw the vomiting had made his voice.
“Waiting by the garden gate.” She turned down the music, leaving an open line once more.
“I’m comin’. We’re gettin’ that ugly ass plant and gettin’ the fuck outta dodge.”
____________________________________________________________________________________
Stolas snapped the book closed. “What does that mean?”
She rolled her eyes and took a step toward the sofa, bringing her face into the light of the battery-powered lantern sitting on the coffee table. Her normally deep red skin looked closer to pink and she was covered with a thin film of sweat. “It means we might not need those pillows. We might be needin’ to get outta here.”
He dashed from the couch to Millie’s side in an instant, wrapping an arm around her waist. “Here. Why don’t you sit down and tell me what’s going on, my dear?”
Millie settled back against the cushions and closed her eyes. “Well.” She started, a small tremor in her voice. “Okay, so my back’s been hurtin’ today. Which isn’t anythin’ all that new. Little bastard’s been snugglin’ with my spine the entire time. But, usually I can get it to ease up some. Today it hasn’t.” The imp cleared her throat as the tremor became more pronounced. “Then…” She trailed off and gave Stolas a look. “I think maybe my water broke when we were outside. I noticed I was all wet when we stood up.”
He nodded, trying desperately to keep his expression flat.
“Right. So, I think we need to call the boys and Loona and get ‘em back here so Moxxie can get me on to the hospital.” She grabbed her cell phone out of her bag.
“Excellent idea. I’ll try Blitz while you try Moxxie.” He retrieved his phone and tapped on Blitz’s contact.
No answer from Moxxie.
No answer from Blitz.
Millie tried a dozen times, before throwing her phone down on the cushion next to her. “Shit!”
Stolas tucked his phone back in his pocket and scooted closer to her. “It’s okay, Millie. We’re going to do this the normal way. I’m going to call an ambulance and they can meet us there, okay?”
She nodded and he patted her knee before walking into the kitchen to make the call. Fifteen minutes later, he’d had no success. He’d spoken to a harsh and frustrating woman who explained that ambulances were not available for something as minor as a woman in labor. Didn’t he know that Hell’s elite were without power and having to fend for themselves? He’d tried to argue with her, even tried to plead, but she’d ended the call abruptly. He tried twice more, only to be told the same thing, in various colorful ways.
He went to the fridge and poured himself a glass of ice water. As he downed it, he willed himself to stay calm. Millie would be fine. Labor took awhile, he assured himself. It was very likely that Blitz would be back with the van before long and she’d be able to deliver safely in the hospital.
She was young and healthy. There was nothing to worry about.
Stolas placed his glass in the sink and headed back into the living room. Another boom of thunder rattled the sliding glass door. Millie gave him a hopeful look before hissing in pain and leaning forward.
“Motherfucker!”
“Hello to you too.” He said quietly before joining her on the sofa. “Mildred, I need to tell you something. But, before I do, I need you to understand that everything is going to be okay.”
Her wide, panicked eyes met his. “What?”
“There are no ambulances running right now.” His voice was so quiet she had to strain to hear him. “No one is available to come.”
She laughed, sure she’d heard him wrong. “What?”
“I tried to convince the operator that someone had to come, but I was unsuccessful. We are on our own, I’m afraid. But!” He chirped. “I’m sure we won’t be for long. Anya jobs are never drawn out. I’m certain that Blitz, Moxxie and Loona will be back any moment now. As soon as they are, we’ll get you to a hospital immediately. Until then, I am at your command. However I can help you, I will.”
He hoped he sounded convincing. All he could hear was the silence coming from his cell phone.
Her eyes welled with tears and her hands balled into fists. “Oh, what the fuck!” She wailed. “This is pretty fuckin’ bad, birdie!”
“I know it seems bleak now, my dear. But, these things take time. From what I’ve read, anyway.” He tried to comfort her, but she pushed him away.
“This is more than bleak, Stolas!”
“I know, I know.” He put his hands up in surrender. “But, unfortunately, this is the situation we’re in. And the only way out is through.”
She nodded slowly. “We can do this. Right?”
“You can do this, Mildred. Of course you can. I’m here with you. I’m not going anywhere.”
“There’s a blood pressure cuff in the bathroom.” She panted, letting her head fall back to rest on the cushions behind her. “Need you to take mine every half hour or so. Doc was sayin’ mine’s high, so I checked it in the bathroom. It’s creepin’ up. We’re alright right now, though.”
He gathered the cuff and monitor from the bathroom and placed them on the table next to her. “Is there anything we can do to make you more comfortable?”
She shook her head. “Not right now. Can you talk to me? Distract me?”
“Of course. What would you like me to talk about?”
“Blitz told me once that durin’ aftercare you’d talk to him about the stars and shit. He said it was a good way to relax, listenin’ to you yammer on about it. Try that.”
He paused, startled. Blitz had actually paid attention? He had a tendency to chatter nervously after they were done with their intimate activities. Sex was easy. He’d known exactly what he was supposed to do during that. After, though, not so much. The after had always felt more intimate with the sex and the silence was just something he’d struggled to navigate. So he talked. “That I can do.” He assured her with a grin.
He spoke for almost an hour, pulling the best stories from his memories. He was deep into the tale of Ursa Major when he decided to wrap the cuff around her arm and check on her vitals. “So anyway, Zeus thought it best to place her in the sky, where she would be safe.” He frowned at the display.
“Is it bad?” Her eyes were closed and she sounded a little dazed.
“Bad? No, my dear. It’s just a tad bit higher than before, but not bad.” He patted her knee again before depositing the equipment back onto the table. “If you’ll excuse me, I’m just going to dash to the bathroom. I’ll be back soon.”
He ambled down the hallway toward the bathroom, careful not to rush. He closed the door behind him, flipped the switch to turn on the fan and opened the tap on the sink. Once he was surrounded by all available white noise, he scrambled to fish his phone out of his pocket.
No missed calls, no text.
“Fuck, fuck, fuck, fuck.” He whispered, dialing Blitz’s number. When there was no answer, he tried Moxxie and Loona. Still no answer.
His second call to Blitz went unanswered as well. This time, he waited until voicemail picked up. “Blitz, I don’t know what’s going on but I need you to call me immediately. I need you to get back here immediately. Millie’s in labor. Well, scratch that, I suppose…”
Stolas sighed. “We’re not just dealing with labor anymore. We’re barreling straight into a medical crisis.”
____________________________________________________________________________________
Loona fidgeted in her seat, eyes fixed on her heat sensor monitor. So far, nothing had entered the garden. Why was Blitz taking so long?
In the backseat, Via and Moxxie made quiet small talk like they weren’t pulling off a fucking royal escape.
Finally, she saw a lone figure enter the garden through the palace doors. She backed the van up to a large crack in the fence and shut off the engine. “Come on.”
Moxxie and Via followed close behind as she slipped through the weak spot in the perimeter. Through the thick smoke that filled the courtyard, Blitz could just barely be seen making his way to them. A large painting was slung over his back, making him look like a mottled, hairless flying squirrel.
Loona sprinted toward him, helping him unload the portrait. “You okay?”
He threw his arms around her, squeezing her tightly. “Never better, Sweetie.”
Moxxie squeezed Blitz’s shoulder in greeting. “Which one of these plants are we taking?” He glanced around. “I suppose we’re not lucky enough for it to be a small one?”
“If I know Dad.” Via interjected. “It’s going to be that one right there.” She pointed at a large venus fly trap only a few meters from the van. “That’s his favorite.”
“Yeah, that’s her, alright.”
Loona, Moxxie and Via wrestled the plant into the back of the van as Blitz sat on a concrete bench in the middle of the garden, catching his breath. Loona watched as he stretched out one of his legs and noticed that the knee of his pants was coated in dried blood. He winced and gazed, almost lovingly, at the space around him.
She didn’t know everything that’d happened between him and the owl, but judging by the look on his face, it had to have been at least partially good.
Blitz tilted his head to the side and frowned. “Loona.” He called out to her. “Get everyone in the van. Right now.”
She looked around, trying to see what he was hearing. “Dad, I—”
“Now, Looney!” He stood and turned away from her.
She nodded at Moxxie and Via, who’d just managed to close the doors around the feisty meat eating plant. “Get in.”
As they scrambled into the cab of the van, Loona paused before following. She squinted into the smoke, watching as another figure approached her father. As the figure neared, she made out a white dress and long, white feathers.
She pressed herself against the back of the van and watched as her father stood tall and squared his shoulders. Her sensitive ears picked up a snippet of their conversation.
“I knew you were behind this, you stupid little shit.” The swan shrieked.
“Guess I’m not too subtle, am I?”
“I told you what would happen if you came here, Imp.” She took a step toward Blitz.
He glanced down and Loona could see him shake a piece of his clothing at her. “I’m still alive, ain’t I?”
Before he could say much else, Stella rushed toward him, sinking her sharp claws into his shoulders. She threw him to the ground, his horns bouncing off the concrete bench he’d occupied only moments later.
“He’s still getting you to do his dirty work.” She tutted. “Fucking pathetic.”
He opened his mouth to respond, but noticed a few more shadows approaching through the haze. Instead, he turned to look back at Loona as Stella rushed him again. “Remember your fuckin’ promise, Looney!” He screamed back at her. “You—” His plea was cut short by the heel of the swan’s shoe pressing into his windpipe.
The last thing Loona saw before diving into the driver’s seat of the van was her father dashing between the swan’s legs, trying to free himself.
“Wait, Loona, where’s Blitz?” Moxxie asked as she mashed down the gas pedal.
“He told me to go. I—I had to go.” She choked out. “We’re not going far. Just enough to keep them from finding Via.”
The owl had her beak pressed to the window, watching the palace walls disappear behind them.
Once they’d parked, no one was able to speak. They all watched the windows, just waiting for Blitz to come limping through the fog.
Twenty minutes passed with no such emergence.
Then thirty.
Loona powered on her cell phone, followed by Blitz’s. They’d barely had time to light up before they both began ringing and pinging. Missed call after missed call, text after text.
She checked her father’s phone first, listening to the most recent voicemail from Stolas.
The phone fell from her hand and she clutched the steering wheel. She scanned the darkness, looking for any sign of life. A shadow, a glimpse of black and white horns, anything.
Nothing.
Please don’t make me do this. She pleaded with the universe. I can’t just leave him behind.
“Moxxie?” She heard Via ask. “Moxxie, what’s wrong?”
She started the van and shifted it into drive.
I’m sorry, Dad.
Notes:
Yeah, so, a little heavy. Might have traumatized myself a little writing this, but hey, writing fics is cheaper than therapy.
Please let me know what ya'll thought. Your comments help keep me going.
Chapter 13: This is Octavia, of the Ars Goetia
Summary:
Tensions rise as the team deals with the aftermath of the infiltration.
Notes:
Hey ya'll! Sorry for the late update. School is killing me and also I went on my first vacation in over a year and managed to get sick during it. I don't understand social stuff so much, so being with a huge group of people and having to navigate social expectations while also not being able to breathe was just a LOT.
But anyway, here's the next chapter!
(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)
Chapter Text
“Loona!” Via screeched. “Loona, you can’t leave him.” She clambered into the front seat, yanking at the hellhound’s arm.
Loona gripped the steering wheel, her claws digging into the worn leather. She narrowed her eyes at the road in front of her, pressing down the gas pedal as far as it would go.
Moxxie put his phone on speaker, frantically googling and cooing across the line to his wife. “It’s okay, Mills. We’ll be there soon, okay?”
Loona quickly grew tired of Via’s desperate pleading and shoved her back into her seat. “Via! Shut the fuck up! Right now! Don’t you think I want to go back for him?” She ran her claws down her cheek in exasperation. “He’s my fucking Dad!”
“Exactly, so—”
“Shut. The. Fuck. Up.” Loona hissed. “Moxxie, put it on mute.” She glanced at the imp in her rearview mirror, daring him to cross her.
He pressed a button on his screen and met her glare. “What?”
“Do not tell her where we’ve been. We need to get our story straight.”
Moxxie frowned. “Okay. It’s pretty obvious where we’ve been.”
She rolled her eyes. “No shit, fatty. But, they’re gonna want to know where Blitz is. I don’t want to upset them until we know Millie’s safe, okay? She’s already freaking out.”
He nodded. “Stall. Got it.”
Via’s eyes darted between Loona and Moxxie. “So, what, we’re just not going to tell them?”
“Not immediately.” Loona’s tone was harsh, biting.
_______________________________________________________________________________
Gravel crunched loudly under the tires as the van flew up the driveway. The house was quiet and dark, with no signs of life from the inside. Moxxie scrambled out of the van and dashed inside the house, Loona right behind him.
Via hesitated at the front door, not really sure what to do. She’d heard that her dad and Blitz had officially moved in together in some new, big ass house, but she’d only seen the pictures he texted her before Andre had taken her phone. She stared at the doorknob, trying to will herself to turn it. Via took a deep breath and let herself into the house.
The hallway was dark, but she could hear voices coming from a few rooms over. She felt down the corridor, walking toward the sound. As she reached the living room, she was struck by the severity of the scene.
Millie lay on the sofa, tilted onto her left side. She was eerily quiet as Stolas dabbed a cloth to her forehead with one hand. His other was wrapped around her limp wrist as he wordlessly counted to himself.
Moxxie emerged from another room, frantically chattering away on his phone.
“We’ll be there in twenty minutes. She’s just over eight months. Her blood pressure has been steadily rising for hours and she’s been in and out of consciousness.” He listened intently for a moment. “Yes, she’s been under the care of a doula since nobody could be bothered to come pick her the fuck up!”
Stolas blanched at the word “doula,” but continued his care. He gently placed Millie’s arm back on the sofa and helped to shift her into a sitting position. “Mildred.” He said gently. “It’s time to get ready to go.”
She grumbled and looked up at him. “Why? We’re almoss there, birdie.” Her words slurred slightly.
“Ah, you’re so right, my dear.” He smiled down at her with such warmth that Via’s eyes stung with fresh tears. “But, I’m not a doctor. Let’s get you to someone who can get you over that finish line, hmm?”
“Head hurts.” She whined. “Worse now.”
“Precisely.” Stolas gathered her in his arms and stood. “I promised I’d be here, and I’m going to be.” He turned to leave the room, coming face to face with his daughter.
“Via?”
She took a step into the room, letting the dim lantern light cross her face. “Hi, Dad.”
“Via?” He asked again. Millie moaned in his arms, drawing his attention back down.
Loona rushed into the room, jangling the keys. “Come on, assholes. Let’s go!” She shot a look at the two owls. “Stolas, I promise you we will explain everything as soon as we have Millie in a hospital room with a doctor at her vagina, okay? We don’t have time for this shit.”
Stolas’s eyes raised back to Via, his brows knit with concern. “You’re right, Loona dear, of course. Via, we’ll talk there.”
___________________________________________________________________________________
The ride to the hospital was a blur. Stolas held Millie the entire way, not wanting to let her go for even a moment. He intended to keep his promise. He wasn’t going to let anything happen to her. When the van screeched to a halt in front of the emergency room doors, a team of nurses were waiting with a stretcher. Stolas gently laid her down and whispered his promise to her again. He squeezed Moxxie’s hand and watched as they disappeared into the hospital.
Loona went to park the van, leaving Via and Stolas to find their way to the maternity waiting room. Stolas sank into a chair and rested his head in his hands, staying silent. Via stood awkwardly in front of him, shifting her weight from foot to foot.
“Is she going to be okay?” She asked quietly.
He looked up, looking more tired than she’d ever seen him. “Oh, Via. I don’t…” He stared at her, eyes widening. “Via! You’re here!” He lunged to his feet, sweeping her into a tight hug.
“It’s me.” She clutched at his shirt, giving in to the embrace.
“But, darling, how? However did you escape?” He pulled back, looking around. “And where is Blitz? Loona said he was right behind us.”
“I….” She was interrupted by the door next to them slamming open. A tall incubus in white scrubs hurried toward them.
“Looking for Stolas?” He barked, eyes darting between the two.
Stolas straightened. “That would be me.”
“Come on. Knolastname is asking for you. Said she won’t push without you there.” The incubus started back toward the door.
“Oh, um.” He gave Via an apologetic look. “We’ll talk soon?”
She waved him away. “Go on.” After he disappeared down the hallway, she collapsed into the nearest chair.
What the fuck was even happening?
____________________________________________________________________________________
Loona joined shortly after, but there wasn’t much conversation between the two girls. The hound spent her time obsessively checking her phone and her father’s, desperate for any kind of news.
Hours passed with no developments. Via began pacing, going on snack and coffee runs, multiple trips to the bathroom. Anything to avoid sitting next to Blitz’s daughter. The guilt was eating her alive. How the fuck was she supposed to sit there like it wasn’t entirely her fault that he wasn’t there.
“Via, you gotta sit still. You’re driving me crazy.” Loona sighed, putting down her cell for the first time in over an hour. A live news stream played silently on the screen. Katie Killjoy sat in front of a photo of a run down motel, mouth moving a mile a minute.
“I can’t.” She looked down, picking at her cuticles. “Dad’s gonna come back and find out that I’m the reason his stupid boyfriend isn’t here.”
The fur on Loona’s back rose. “Pick better words, Via.”
Something in Via broke, then. Something dark and ugly. “Fuck you.” She hissed. “Do you even know what I’ve been through the last few weeks? You should be happy I even give a shit that he’s not here!”
Loona growled quietly, rising to her full height. Her red eyes darkened and her lips pulled back, showing all of her teeth. “Excuse me? I should be happy that you give a shit that the man who risked his fucking life to save you isn’t here?” She laughed humorlessly. “You need to back the fuck down right now.”
“No!” Via’s hands balled into fists. “I’m obviously sorry that he didn’t make it out. That’s not what I wanted to happen. But, my dad should have been the one to come. Not yours!”
The hound advanced on the owl. “It doesn’t fucking matter, Via!”
“It does! I didn’t ask your dad to fucking bleed out in Dad’s shitty garden for me!”
“In my shitty garden?” Stolas asked from behind her. “What are you talking about?”
She spun to face her father. “Dad! I, uh, it’s not…”
Loona stepped forward, reaching out to place a hand on Stolas’s arm. “Stolas? How’s Millie?”
He shook her off. “It’s a girl, healthy. Where is Blitz, Loona? The truth, please.” His voice was quiet, deadly.
She sighed. “Okay. The truth. We went to the palace tonight. Blitz, Moxxie and I. We went to get Via, so you wouldn’t have to.” Loona paused. “Blitz, he…He knew that if you went you might not make it out. So, he’s been planning for weeks. He swore us all to secrecy. He wanted you to be able to be guilt-free if it went tits up, which I guess it did.”
“Loona, dear. Where is Blitz?” His narrowed, crimson eyes were fixed on hers.
She flinched. “Um, so we got Via. Blitz went through the house and found that painting you talked about. He brought it out to the garden and when we were loading up the van, Stella caught him. No, she didn’t catch him. She attacked him. Stolas, before we went in, he made me promise to get Via out if something happened. You have to understand, I didn’t want to leave him!” She pleaded. “He made me promise him!”
Stolas was silent for a long while. His eyes never left Loona. “You left him?”
Via moved to Loona’s side. “Dad, he told her to do it.”
“As if that matters.” He whispered. “You all made this decision without me. For me. And Via! How dare you speak about his sacrifice like it was nothing! I heard what you said. That it should have been me. Well, little girl, I agree with you. But, it wasn’t. Instead, he walked straight into the lion’s den to save you from the same unhappy life I lived for thirty years!” He jabbed a finger in her direction. “You’ve spent so much time hating Blitz for a decision that I made. I’ve been patient, Via. I’ve been understanding. But he’s out there right now with your mother because he sees you as his family! You see him as this awful monster, and he just sees you as one of his own! I’m sorry, but you need to grow up!”
She hung her head. “You’re right, I…”
“I don’t want to fucking hear it!” He kicked the chair immediately to his left. “Loona, you’re going to sit down and explain exactly what happened tonight. Starting with how in the hell you even managed to make it into the palace.”
They sat and Loona launched into the tale. As she spouted the rapid fire details, Stolas listened intently. He asked questions, but in a way that felt almost clinical. Like he was a researcher collecting data.
Via sat a few seats away, tears streaming down her face. Her father was right. Blitz had laid down his life for hers, and who knows where he was now. Was he still alive, or had her mother killed him on the spot? She knew that Stella hated him, but she was slow and methodical when she wanted to make a point. Via was certain that Stella would want to make a point.
Her mind was racing. She couldn’t undo what had been done, but maybe she could stop what was surely about to happen. Her eyes roamed the room, looking for inspiration. Eventually, they landed on the two cell phones at Loona’s side.
Fucking lightbulb.
The owl scrambled over to Loona and grabbed the phones. After yelling at the hound to unlock them, she pulled up Sinstagram on each. Combined, the father and daughter had over half a million followers. It wasn’t a lot, but it might be enough.
“Loona. Dad. I need both of you to turn on live and film me. Don’t stop until I say so.” She ran her fingers through her feathers, ruffling them. “Go.”
Stolas and Loona pointed their phones at her, wearing matching confused looks.
“I am Octavia, of the Ars Goetia. You’ve seen my name and photo in the news lately. Scandal has followed my family for a long time. About a year ago, my father Prince Stolas, was banished and publicly stripped of his powers. I’m here to shed some light on what’s really been going on behind the scenes.” She took a deep breath. “Prince Stolas and Stella were an arranged marriage. No shocker there, I’m sure. They were married for many years. Too many years. It was miserable, and my father took a lot of abuse just to keep our family together.”
Out of the corner of her eye, she could see Stolas look down, his cheeks flaming.
“Our family secrets have been shielded by our royal status for far too long. My mother is a manipulative, vicious abuser. She tried to have my father killed multiple times, just for trying to find some happiness. When that didn’t work, she and her brother play Satan and his court like a fiddle so my uncle could have his status instead. Then, they held me captive in the palace for weeks. They told me I was to marry him and that I had no choice. I never wanted that. I begged for it not to happen.” She paused then, looking down at her ragged cuticles. “But then, someone got me out.”
She looked back up at the camera, determined. “I want to be very clear. Blitz Buckzo did not interfere with royal duties. In fact, he was following them. I asked for help and he followed orders. He infiltrated the palace and got me out safely. Unfortunately, he was not so lucky. Four hours ago, I last saw him in the palace gardens being attacked by my mother. I am demanding the immediate, safe return of Blitz Buckzo. I ask everyone to share this video everywhere you can. I can demand all I want, but unless the public is aware, Stella will not bend.”
Via nodded and Stolas and Loona cut the streams. Within seconds, both phones began to chirp with notifications. Stolas’s face was pinched, withdrawn.
“Dad?” She said, crossing the room to him. “I’m sorry.”
He simply wrapped an arm around her shoulders. “Thank you for doing that, Via. But, you realize you’ve just put a substantial target on your back, don’t you?”
She shrugged. “Yeah, but at least it’s not on him.”
____________________________________________________________________________________
“...Stella will not bend.”
Octavia’s voice echoed off the polished wooden walls and stone floor. Stella turned off the screen and sat her phone down on the large table in front of her. She picked up her teacup and took a sip, letting the soothing tea and sharp whiskey spread over her tongue.
“Well, well.” She mused. “The little brat has found her voice, hasn’t she?” She returned the cup to its saucer. “It looks like our time together is limited. I suppose that means we’ll need to make the most of it. You know…” Stella stood and crossed the table, kneeling beside the man seated across from her. “He was so much fun to break. I wonder how much fun you’ll be.”
Notes:
Okay ya'll. I know that Stolas was harsh. But, we need to remember that he's just a guy. He's not perfect and he's not always going to be in total control of his emotions. He's grieving, he's hurting. We can just hope that he's able to find some peace in the next few chapters. Please let me know what you all thought! I'm finding it hard to prioritize writing with everything going on, and comments help refocus me!
Chapter 14: The Pit of Despair
Summary:
Blitz's situation takes a turn for the worse.
Stolas begins to grieve.
Notes:
Okay ya'll. Some heavy trigger warnings for this one: physical and psychological torture.
(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)
Chapter Text
He sat on the cold marble floor, bouncing his horns off the wall repeatedly. There were no windows in this creepy little enclave the bitch had trapped him in, so there was no real way of knowing exactly how long he’d been there, but he estimated at least twenty four hours. The room had been stripped of all furniture and decor, leaving behind white floors and white walls. Nothing to entertain his extraordinarily loud brain. So, he sat there quietly, counting horn bounces. Sometime around the three hundred and twelfth bounce, he heard the sharp sound of stilettos clacking toward his room. He sat up, straightened his clothes and squared his shoulders. The door swung open and Stella strolled in, followed by a waif of a female imp. The imp deposited a single bottle of water and a few pieces of fruit beside him, not meeting his eye as she scurried back outside. The swan crossed the room to stand in front of him, her beak pursed in disgust. “You.” She said, slowly. He cocked an eyebrow. “Me.” “You make entirely too much noise. You’re in a house full of people who want to kill you! Surely even a stupid imp like you would try to avoid drawing attention to yourself.” Blitz rolled his eyes. “Whatever, lady. Can we get on with whatever bullshit it is you have planned for me? It’s fuckin’ boring in here.” “Aww.” She cooed. “I’m sorry that your captivity isn’t entertaining enough for you. It would have been much more entertaining to have your silly little bird here with you, wouldn’t it?” “Ha! Like Stolas would come anywhere near here.” “Too scared? Sounds just like him. He always liked to cower away from confrontation.” She glanced down at her nails, bored. “No.” He spat, angrily. “First off, fuck you. You hurt him, he didn’t cower away. Second, bitch, he didn’t know I was comin’. Told me not to, actually.” Her eyes flashed, taking on an unnatural gleam of mischief. “Oh, you absolute fucking idiot.” Stella’s expression changed, dropping the disgusted sneer for a sinister smile. “You should have listened to your little boyfriend.” He sat with that statement for a moment, grinning up at her. “Well, I’m not a great listener, so…” “Apparently.” She drawled. “He lost his daughter because of you. Now, he’s got his daughter back, and you’re nowhere to be found. Imagine…The two of them will spend all their time repairing that little bond they have, without you. It might make them wonder if they even want you back at all. You know that little brat doesn’t like you.” The swan knelt, tapping him on the forehead. “Maybe Stolas will see that you’re not worth the trouble.” Blitz turned his head, not willing to let her see him falter. “I will say, though, it was impressive for a couple of imps and a hell hound.” Stella said conversationally, sounding almost friendly. “Speaking of hell hounds…That was your daughter, right? I recognized her from the trial. We almost didn’t realize she’d been a part of this whole thing, but she ran a stoplight at the end of the street. Do you know what happens when you run a stoplight in the good part of town?” She reached into her pocket and pulled out a grainy photograph, flashing it at him. “The little camera there takes a picture.” She straightened back up, tossing the photo to the ground next to him. “Naturally, I didn’t know that. I have drivers that deal with that kind of bullshit for me. But, it’s an interesting piece of trivia, isn’t it?” He felt her tracking his movements as his head turned slowly, eyes locking on the image. Loona looked frantic, clutching the steering wheel. Octavia sat in the passenger seat, mouth open like she was yelling. The image wasn’t very clear, but he could make out a shadow in the backseat that he prayed was Moxxie. “What have you done to them?” He asked, voice raw with emotion. She scoffed. “Nothing yet. I assume they’re all cozied up in that dilapidated little shack you spent all your money on. Really? You thought that would be enough to make them happy?” Stella flung her hand out, gesturing to their surroundings. “Stolas and Octavia lived in utter luxury their entire lives. You think a little doublewide in the boonies was enough?” Her cackle cut straight through him. Blitz tensed then, looking beyond her at the open door at the entrance of the room. “Don’t bother. I’ve got four hounds waiting to tear your scrawny ass apart if you take even a step.” He met her eyes. “You don’t need to do anything to them. I’m the one that cooked this whole thing up.” “Oh, and lose out on the opportunity to see your dog in a muzzle and chains again?” She threw her head back, shrieking with glee. “You don’t get to tell me what to do. I’m in control here.” Stella turned to head to the door, pausing for a moment before leaving the room. “You’re going to die here, while everyone builds a happier life without you.” She threw over her shoulder. As she left the room, Andre entered. A male imp followed with a chair, placing it in front of Blitz before leaving. Andre sat gracefully, fussing with his cape prissily before folding his hands across his lap. “Well, I suppose it’s my turn.” ____________________________________________________________________________________ Stolas played with the van keys idly, not even really feeling them in his hands. Loona and Via slept on a bench to his right, leaning on each other for support. “Stolas?” Stolas glanced up, noticing for the first time that Moxxie had entered the room. “Moxxie. Hello.” He said quietly, not wanting to disturb the girls. “How is Mildred?” “She’s okay now.” Moxxie smiled weakly. “Thanks for everything, Stolas. For taking care of her when I wasn’t there. And, I guess, even when I was there.” He glanced down at his shoes. “Moxxie.” Stolas leaned forward and put a hand on the other man’s shoulder. “She only wanted me there because she was all loopy from those medications. She just wanted me there because I’d been with her in the beginning.” “Maybe.” He sighed. “Either way, thank you.” “I owe you my gratitude as well.” The owl said, looking over at Via. “You helped Octavia get out of that situation, and for that, I will be forever thankful.” Moxxie waited for a moment before speaking. “But you’re angry.” It wasn’t a question. “Angry doesn’t begin to cover it.” Stolas stood. “I’m happy Mildred is doing well, and your little one. I would be happy to speak with her when she feels up to it. I’m going to get the girls home.” “Be safe, Stolas.” Moxxie said. “I’d like to talk too, when you’re ready.” “We will.” He nodded and moved toward the girls, murmuring quietly and waking them. _________________________________________________________________________________ Stolas drove them home silently. Via tried once or twice to start a conversation, but both he and Loona were deep in their thoughts and didn’t respond. When they arrived, he unlocked the door but hesitated before going in. Loona did too. Via looked between them, trying to figure out what was happening. She tracked her father’s gaze and her heart dropped. Right across from the front door was a large collage of photographs. There was a group shot of Blitz, Moxxie and Millie in what she knew to be the I.M.P office. A selfie of Stolas and Blitz at a desk. Loona and Blitz in front of a pound, with Blitz holding up a battered adoption certificate. A small polaroid of Blitz and a female imp that looked suspiciously like him. And so, so many more. She swallowed hard against the sudden lump in her throat and entered the house, taking a closer look at the collage. She knew exactly what she was looking at. A timeline of the life the man had led, and the people who were in it. Her father was right. He wasn’t some big, scary enemy trying to take her father from her. He was just Blitz. She ran her fingers over one photo in particular. It was of Blitz and Stolas, in front of this house. Blitz had swooped up Stolas in his arms, cradling him like they were newlyweds. Stolas’s eyes were shiny and Blitz had a bigger smile than seemed physically possible on his face. “That was the day we moved in, a few weeks ago.” She heard her father say behind her as he shut the door. “You look happy.” She murmured. Loona brushed past her, disappearing down the hall into what Via assumed was her bedroom. “I was. I am.” He said, sighing. “Come on. I’ll show you where your bedroom is.” “My bedroom?” Via frowned. “Yes.” Stolas shoved his hands in his pockets and slumped his shoulders, appearing much older than his thirty some years. “Blitz surprised us with this house. Worked extra to be able to put out a down payment without asking for anything from Loona or myself. When he finally told me what he’d done, he specified that he bought something with three bedrooms. One for us, one for Loona and one for you.” She followed him, speechless. When he pushed open the last door at the end of the hallway, her eyes prickled with tears yet again. It was a large room with a queen sized bed and a black chest and dresser set. There was a dark wooden desk in the corner. The bed was made up with a deep purple quilt, patterned with stars. “I’m sorry, we don’t have many clothes for you yet.” He said, crossing to the small closet. “But Blitz asked Loona to pick out a few basics for you so you’d have things here should you ever need them.” “Oh. Um. It’s okay. I actually have…” She trailed off, eyes widening. “Dad, sit down.” She pointed at the bed. “I’ll be right back.” Via returned a few moments later with both packs and the painting. She ditched the painting by the door and joined her father, who was perched on the side of her bed. “Here.” She sat the bags next to him. “When he snuck in, he told Moxxie and I to pack stuff you’d want. He told me that you deserved to feel like this house was yours too.” Stolas blinked rapidly for a moment, then took a deep breath and began to unload the bags. He pulled out his favorite cape, the one he’d worn on their disastrous date at Ozzie’s. He clutched the fabric, watching the way the colors shifted in the light. And then the dam burst. He buried his face in the fabric as the sobs wracked his body. He gasped for air, his keening dampened by the cloth. Via quietly moved the packs from the bed and slid closer, wrapping an arm around her father’s shoulders. “I’m sorry for yelling at you, my owlette. For being so cruel.” He wept. “No, Dad. I’m sorry. You were right. I wasn’t being fair.” She whispered. “He saved me.” They sat together until his sobs faded, leaving them surrounded by a heavy silence. Eventually, he sat up and wiped his face before chuckling. “Well, that might have been an overdue burst of emotion.” “Yeah.” She smiled at him. “It’s been a lot.” ___________________________________________________________________________________ Blitz had spent so much of his life avoiding fire. It was becoming apparent to him that fire wasn’t the only thing that could burn him. The pain blooming across his back and legs sure as shit felt like fire. He tried to sit up, to shift which parts of his skin were flush with the ice, but for whatever reason his body wouldn’t follow directions. “Is that all you can take for the day?” He jumped at the sound of the peacock’s voice, groaning as the pain intensified with unintentional movement. “Enough, enough.” He panted. “Hmm. Disappointing.” Blitz heard a swishing sound before the ice around him disappeared, leaving him to lie on the cool marble floor once again. Andre came into view above him, looking down with displeasure. “Well, you only lasted a few hours. No stamina at all.” He tsked. The imp curled into himself, internally pleading for the sensations to fade. “Not yet, you disgusting little creature. I want to see what new marks we’ve added to your fucked up skin.” Blitz heard Andre flipping to a new page in the little notebook he’d carried in with him the first time he’d entered the room. The peacock had used his magic to create restraints and had some of the butler imps strip him completely. He’d then marked down every single mark and scar on the man’s body in great detail. The process had felt completely clinical, but it still left him feeling vulnerable and exposed. They’d given him his undershirt and boxers back, but they’d done very little to shield him from the cold. He felt Andre tap a particularly painful spot and he flinched away from the touch. “Interesting. Badly damaged but the nerves are still there. I never get to examine the effects of my magic up close. This is most illuminating. It’s such a shame, though, that you managed to ruin yourself so thoroughly before we had a chance to.” “Pl–please. Why are you doing this?” Blitz’s teeth chattered as he forced out the question. “I’m certain you already know the answer to that.” The man patted the top of Blitz’s head as if he were a small child. “Because we can.”
Notes:
Well, that was mighty bleak. Can't wait to write more. Let me know what ya'll thought!!!
Chapter 15: It Can Only Delay It For A While
Summary:
Loona reaches her breaking point and Via finds her hidden talent.
Notes:
Well, my darlings. The next chapter will be our last.
But, it's not all bad news. This is a trilogy.
(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)
Chapter Text
“Hey, you two. Wake the fuck up. We need to talk.”
Stolas groaned, cracking an eye and glowering at Loona, who was pacing on the carpet in front of him. He sat up and stretched, looking over at the other end of the sofa where Via was curled up under a fleece throw.
“What?” He asked, rubbing his eyes. “What time is it?”
Loona rolled her eyes. “I don’t know. Sometime in the afternoon. It doesn’t matter!” She shook her head impatiently. “We need to talk about Via’s video.”
“Are people watching it?” Via asked, eagerly. Her feathers were ruffled from sleep, making her look much younger than her eighteen years.
“Watching it?” The hound grinned. “Fucking understatement, dude. The video’s being shared everywhere. All over the socials. Fuck, even the actual news is talking about him.” She ran to her room and came back with a battered laptop, which she sat on the coffee table. “Look!”
The screen showed a news livestream, featuring Katie Killjoy.
“Still no word from the Goetia family.” Killjoy shrieked toward the cameras. “But it won’t stay that way for long. Everyone in Hell is watching. After their little public almost-execution last year, Blitz Buckzo’s popularity has only grown. They’ve got two choices here.” She took a sip out of a mug on her desk. “One, they can release him and everything goes on like normal. Orrrr, they can kill him and risk a full scale riot. Either way, they need to make a move and fast.”
A list of hashtags scrolled across the bottom of the screen.
#FreeBlitz
#HellsSweetheart
#GoetiaKidnapping
Stolas leaned forward in his seat, eyes positively glowing. “Oh Lucifer, if there’s one thing the Goetia family hates, it’s bad publicity.”
“Yep.” Via giggled. “You should have seen Uncle’s face when I showed up for our engagement portrait wearing Dad’s clothes. He knew it would look bad.”
He looked over at her and sighed. “That was dangerous, darling.”
She shrugged. “What else was I gonna do? I needed to send a message and it obviously got to the right place.”
“It did.” Loona looked up from Killjoy’s stream. “Plus, your hair looks cool like that.”
Stolas looked between the two girls, wringing his hands in his lap. For just a moment, it all felt normal. It was infuriating. Blitz was in Stella and Andre’s clutches, and the girls were talking about Via’s hair.
What the fuck?
He pushed himself up from the sofa and excused himself to the bathroom, closing the door behind him before either of them could respond. As he leaned against the cold wood, he glanced at himself in the mirror for the first time in almost a day.
His feathers were dull and out of place, his eyes puffy and rimmed with red.
“We’re here laughing and watching the news.” He whispered. “While Blitz is there with her.”
_________________________________________________________________________________
Stolas emerged half an hour later, with a plan to gently remind the girls that they needed a plan. When he reached the living room, that plan went entirely out the window.
Via was chattering away on a hellphone. It took him a few moments to recognize the case as Blitz’s. The sight of one of his favorite objects being used by someone other than him made Stolas’s stomach hurt. Loona was listening intently, fingers flying across the keyboard of her laptop.
“Okay, Uncle Ozzie.” Via said, using a voice Stolas had never heard. She sounded polished and professional. A glimpse of the adult she was becoming. “He’s posting now? Great. Thank you!” She ended the call and scrolled through the contacts. “Who next?”
“I’ve got Bee’s number. Can you try her next?” Loona rattled off a number from memory, tossing the phone back.
“On it.” Via noticed her father and nodded at him before stepping into the kitchen to take the call in private.
“Loona?” He asked, cautiously.
She hummed in acknowledgement but said nothing. He stepped forward, looking over her shoulder. The computer screen showed a spreadsheet.
“What’s going on?” Stolas asked.
Loona groaned. “We’re calling everyone even remotely famous and making sure they’re speaking out. Via had to get kinda shitty with Oz, but eventually he gave the phone to Fizz, who promised that they’d both give Katie Killjoy interviews.”
“I’m sorry, Via got shitty?” His head cocked, suddenly very interested in the conversation going on in the kitchen.
Her voice drifted in from the next room. “Bee. Can I call you Bee? Listen, I know that going to bat for him again isn;t the most attractive option. But I can promise you that if you do this for me, I’ll personally be in attendance at the next three of your parties. Come on. Imagine the energy!”
There was a pause.
“Fine, five. Or I’ll just put up a post about how I prefer beer to whatever it is that you sell these days.”
Another pause.
“I’m so glad to hear you’ll be streaming. Within the hour, right? Great. Send Loona the details. I’ll be there. Thanks!”
Via re-entered the room, positively glowing. “Well, cross Bee off the list.”
“Girl.” Loona’s jaw dropped. “Did you just blackmail a literal sin?”
The owl shrugged, tapping away at Blitz’s screen. “Something like that, I guess. I don’t really know. I talked, she listened. After she finished yelling anyway.”
The hound’s phone buzzed and she picked it up. She froze, staring at the screen. Stolas noticed the difference quickly and knelt beside her. “Loona, dear? What is it?” He looked over her shoulder and felt a wave of nausea cross him.
It was a message from an unknown number. A photo. It was of a red and white tail, against a white background. There was nothing out of the ordinary. No blood, no gore. But the message was clear.
He’s here with us. Not with you.
Loona dialed the number, glancing back at Stolas with wide eyes full of worry. It rang three times before it was answered. There was the sound of heavy breathing and the echo of footsteps.
“Pl—please.” Blitz’s voice came over the line. “Why are you doing this?”
Then the line went dead.
Loona’s anguished screams filled the room, drawing Stolas from his own agony. He wrapped his arms around her, tucking her into his chest as he’d done so many times when Via was small. She sobbed into his shirt, cracking in a way he’d never seen before. He murmured quiet reassurances, promised things he knew he shouldn’t promise.
They’d find a way to get him back. He’d be safe.
He’d only met Via a few years ago, when she was already grown. She was fiercely independent and often made it clear that she didn’t need a father figure pestering her. Lately, she’d been thawing toward Blitz on that front. He’d been very careful to not overstep and to respect her boundaries. Still, he’d been living with them for more than a year now. She’d been there every step of the way as he adjusted to his new life. She’d shared her clothes with him that first night, made space for him in their already too-small apartment without a second thought.
In that moment, as he watched her fall to pieces, he knew then that she was as much his family as Blitz was. And he was going to fight for his family. Tooth and fucking nail.
____________________________________________________________________________________
He didn't have time to react to the door opening before the stinging pain of the needle exploded in his neck. As he tried to sit up, to look around, the ache in his knee stopped him.
Fuck. He’d forgotten all about that.
His eyes darted around the room, but his head wouldn’t follow suit. That was weird. He tried again to push through the pain and drag himself into a sitting position, but his body wasn’t following orders. He threw his weight to the side, managing to tilt a few degrees to the left.
And fuck if that wasn’t a mistake. An incredible wave of vertigo washed over him, leaving him breathless. The edges of his vision began to brown as he heard Andre’s voice float toward him.
“Enjoy your nap, you disgusting little creature.”
Blitz’s body went limp and his eyes began to close, but strangely enough, he stayed alert. He could hear the sound of heavy boots and Andre’s insufferable prancing steps alongside them.
“Yes, this is it.”
He felt the sharp toe of Andre’s loafer connect with his side.
“Alright. You got that diagram for me?” The accent was thick, but nothing he recognized.
There was a shuffling of paper.
Then there was darkness, quiet and nothing else.
Followed by a mechanical whir and the sound of metal on metal.
Eventually, he succumbed to the darkness and its pain-free embrace.
___________________________________________________________________________________
He woke with a start, hissing at the burning sensation behind his eyes.
“Finally.”
Blitz peered out from mostly-closed lids. Stella was perched in a chair nearby, sipping at her tea without a care in the world.
“What?” He croaked. “I didn’t come off the drugs quick enough for you?”
“No.” She frowned and sat her cup back on its saucer. “It’s been rather boring, watching you sleep while the rest of us worked.”
“So sorry about that, Princess.” He winced and rubbed his head as he shoved himself into a sitting position. “This druggin’ shit gonna become a regular thing? Cause if so, I got a few requests.”
Stella rolled her eyes. “You’re not in a position to make requests.”
“Maybe not.” He sighed. “But, if you wanna keep me alive long enough to torture me some more, you probably get my leg checked out. It’s gettin’ infected, I think.” He glanced down at his knee and blanched.
The cut was jagged, about four inches long, stretched across his kneecap. The edges were crusted in old, black blood. The skin around it was puckered, angry. He closed his eyes and tried his best to run a self-diagnostic. He felt flushed, which made sense. Infections equaled fever.
When he opened his eyes again, she was staring at him curiously.
“What makes you think we want to keep you around, even for that?”
“Don’t know. Call it a hunch, lady.” He gently stretched the leg out, hissing at the tugging sensation the swollen skin produced.
“Well, I actually came to give you some good news.” Stella brushed at her skirt, chasing away an imaginary crumb.
“Oh yeah? You and your brother finally decide to just give in and play doctor on each other instead?”
Her eyes narrowed slightly, but she ignored the comment. “You might be interested to know that all of Hell seems invested in your release. Octavia, the fucking brat, posted a video late last night pleading for you. Now, you’ve even got sins on the news, demanding that we give you back.” She crossed her arms over her chest and glared down at him. “So, we’ve got to do something to get them off our asses.”
“Awww.” He drawled. “Well, I guess it’s nice to know someone gives a shit.”
“Something like that.” She gave the man a gentle smile. One that didn’t quite reach her eyes. “We’ll be sure to give the people what they so desperately want.”
___________________________________________________________________________________
Stolas stood in the kitchen, drying his hands on a dishtowel. He stared disdainfully at the pile of dishes in the sink. It had felt like such a good idea to make dinner, to make some part of this all feel normal. But now, in the aftermath, he felt much more like going to the sofa and napping instead.
He shot a glance down the hallway toward their bedroom but made no move to head that way. He hadn’t stepped foot inside since they’d gotten home and truly didn’t think he could bring himself to do it. Their bedroom without Blitz just felt wrong.
A rough knock at the door brought him out of his thoughts. Loona popped her head around the corner, gun drawn.
“Someone tell you they were coming?” She asked, as she cocked the firearm. He could see from across the room that the fur on the back of her neck was raised.
“No.” He shook his head. “Take Via back to her bedroom and stay there, please.” He extended his hand, taking the gun from her.
She growled quietly, but did as he asked. Once he heard the bedroom door shut, he advanced on the front door.
Through the small stained glass window at the top, he could just barely make out what looked like a set of hellhound ears. He pressed his ear up against it, listening intently. But, there was no noise.
After taking a deep breath, he wrenched the door open.
A pair of hellhounds stood on the front porch, looking like they’d rather be anywhere else. “Uh, Stolas Goetia?”
“Yes?” His finger tensed on the trigger.
“We’re ‘sposed to drop something off here. Wanted to make sure we got the right house.” The hound on the right said, reaching up to scratch the back of his neck. Neither of the men seemed to want to make eye contact with him.
“Yes, well, it’s the right house.” Stolas snapped, impatiently. “What is it?”
“We’ll go get it.” The other man grumbled. “Just stay here.”
Stolas’s eyes rolled as they shuffled down the driveway toward their black SUV. They went around the far side, leaving the owl’s view for a few moments. Then, one of them returned to the drivers side and climbed in. The van screeched forward, leaving a lone figure in the dust behind it. For a moment, the air was so thick he couldn’t make out who it was. He took a step forward, gun drawn and pointed straight at the unknown visitor.
“Gonna shoot me, birdie?”
Notes:
Please let me know what you thought! I have something truly delicious planned and I can't wait to share it with ya'll.
Chapter 16: You Mock My Pain
Summary:
Something isn't right.
Notes:
Well, I think the stupid Ao3 writer's curse has hit me like a mack truck. Sometimes life just punches you in the dick. I'm angry at the world right now, but hey, at least I finally managed to update!
Thanks for waiting, ya'll.
(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)
Chapter Text
The gun slipped out of Stolas’s hand as the air left his lungs. He squinted through the dust, trying to convince himself it was real.
“Blitz?” He whispered.
The imp cocked an eyebrow and grinned. “You expecting someone else?”
Stolas was down the driveway in a flash and scooped Blitz up into his arms. He smothered the other man’s face with kisses, babbling questions and telling him how incredibly stupid he was.
“Easy, bird. Got a couple broken ribs or somethin’.” Blitz cackled, struggling to get himself back on the ground.
Stolas complied, but not without a large amount of grumbling. Once Blitz was on his own two feet, he took a step back and looked up at Stolas.
“I’m okay, Stolas.” He said. “I told you I’d come back.”
The owl swatted his arm. “You most certainly did not! You didn’t tell me you were going at all, you fucking idiot!”
Blitz grimaced. “Yeah, I guess you’re right. I didn’t say that. Sorry.”
Before Stolas could respond, the door was flung open, revealing Loona and Octavia. In a flash of gray and white fur, Loona launched herself at her father. The impact threw him to the ground, leaving him in the prime position for her to punch him in the shoulder repeatedly.
“You asshole!” Punch. “How dare you fucking tell me to leave you!” Punch. Punch. “That wasn’t fucking okay!” Punch.
He reached out to grab her wrists, earning himself a warning growl. “Easy, Loona! Let me get all healed up first. Then you can beat the shit outta me, okay?”
She climbed off, brushing the grass and gravel from her clothes. “I’m getting tired of these near-death experiences, Dad.”
“Me too.” He chuckled.
Stolas glanced up at the house to see Via hesitating in the doorway again. He beckoned, inviting her to join the reunion. She took a few steps, but didn’t leave the porch.
Blitz rolled his eyes and marched up the driveway, stopping at the bottom of the steps with his hands on his hips. For a few moments, no one said anything. The imp and the owl stared each other down, tension rolling off of them in waves.
And then Via crossed her arms and raised an eyebrow. “You break out?”
“No. I seduced your mother and slipped out while she was too tired to stop me.”
She snorted. “Fucking disgusting.” A pause. “You okay?”
“Of course I am.” He shrugged. “Happy to be home.”
Stolas led the group inside, double checking the locks as he closed the door. Loona and Via took off for the hound’s bedroom, leaving the two men alone in the living room. Blitz threw himself onto the sofa and groaned.
“This is nice.” He said, voice muffled by the cushion.
The owl settled into the spot next to him and reached out to lay a hand on the smaller man’s back. He felt his strong muscles, the ridges of his spines. But, even face down in the pillow, Blitz’s body felt incredibly tense. Like he wasn’t relaxing, even though he was home and safe, at least for the moment.
“Darling?” Stolas murmured. “Are you really alright?”
Blitz grunted. “I’m fine. Banged up and sore as fuck, but I’m fine. I just want to move on, okay, Stolas?” He shoved himself up from the cushions and headed down the hall. “I’m gonna go shower.”
After the master bathroom door closed, Stolas sighed and leaned back against the cushions, choosing to fiddle with his phone for a bit before getting up. As he scrolled through Sinstagram, he heard a creak across the room.
Loona was leaning against the door frame, studying him intently. When he met her gaze, she frowned. “Dad doesn’t smell right.”
“He doesn’t smell right?” Stolas cocked his head.
She shook her head. “Off. I don’t know, I can’t explain it.”
“Well.” He paused, thinking. “I can’t imagine what they did to him. It must just be some residual smell of magic, something like that. He’s in the shower right now. I’m sure he’ll be back to his old self soon.” He stood. “What do you two want for dinner?”
Loona snorted. “You’re cooking again?”
Stolas waved her away and moved into the kitchen, yanking open the refrigerator door. Loona was being paranoid. He was sure of it. Blitz had told him many times that his magic had a smell. Said he could always tell when Stolas was planning something special on a full moon because he could smell traces of the magic as soon as he hit the balcony. If his magic had a smell, he was sure Andre’s did too.
As he stared inside at the empty shelves, he grumbled to himself. Grocery shopping had been the farthest thing from his mind the past few weeks, and they were running dangerously low on everything. He rummaged through the cabinets and found a few boxes of Blitz’s comfort food. Pasta with a neon orange sauce that was just a step below radioactive.
Stolas hated it, but he’d caught on to Blitz’s fascination about a month after he’d moved in. Now, whenever Blitz had a hard day or was just caught up in his thoughts, Stolas made dinner. And nine times out of ten, that dinner was that freaky pasta. Those fluorescent little noodles had become a symbol of understanding and care between the two of them.
By the time Blitz wandered in, post shower, Stolas was ladling dinner into bowls. He called out for the girls and leaned down to press a kiss to the imp’s cheek. He inhaled deeply, taking in the scent of Blitz’s cologne.
That was normal.
Loona was crazy.
The only thing missing was the smell of gunsmoke, which made sense because he probably hadn’t had to shoot anyone since he got out of the shower five minutes ago.
The group ate slowly, trying to exchange small talk but dance around the elephant in the room. Eventually, Blitz dropped his fork and groaned.
“Guys. Stop looking at me like I’m going to break. I’m alright.”
Stolas nodded and reached over to squeeze Blitz’s shoulder. “You’re right, darling. I’m sorry.”
____________________________________________________________________________________
After dinner was finished and the dishes were done, everyone retired to their bedrooms. Stolas took longer in the bathroom than he normally did, going through his nighttime rituals with extra care. He ran through his feathers with his best preening oil and studied his face in the mirror. It looked like he’d aged at least five years over the last few days. There were bags under his eyes and his plumage looked dull and lifeless, even after the attention he’d given the area.
He sighed and shoved his toiletries back into the drawer before heading back into his bedroom. Blitz was sitting in the bed, leaning back against the headboard. Stolas could feel the other man’s eyes tracking his movements as he pulled a pair of shorts from the dresser and put them on. He wasn’t unfamiliar with Blitz watching him like this, but usually there was an unspoken heat behind the look. But, when he glanced up to meet the other man’s eyes, it looked more like curiosity.
“I know I’m supposed to stop asking this, darling.” Stolas said as he crawled under the covers. “But are you sure you’re…”
“Stolas. Shut the fuck up.” The imp slid down onto the mattress and stacked his pillows behind him.
The tone was light, joking, but it felt like a slap to the owl all the same.
“I’m sorry. I’m just worried about you.” Sharp tears pricked at his eyes and he turned onto his side, facing away.
“I know, I’m sorry.” Blitz murmured. “But, I’m here now, okay? It’s just us.” He snuggled closer, spooning the taller man. His tail wound itself around Stolas’s leg, the spade resting lightly on his thigh.
“For now. You can be sure the house will be packed tomorrow.” Stolas yawned. “You had a lot of people worried about you. They’ll all want to see for themselves that you’re okay.”
He felt Blitz nod against his back and mumble something unintelligible. As he lay quietly in the dark, he listened to the other man’s breathing grow slow and steady.
Stolas tried to sleep, really he did.
He tried to ignore that something felt wrong. He tried to convince himself that his nerves were just shot from the constant adrenaline over the past few days.
But he’d been sleeping alongside Blitz for over a year now. Blitz was a loud, borderline violent sleeper. He twitched as he dreamt, sometimes throwing a kick or a punch into the air for good measure. He spoke in his dreams, too. Usually having some imaginary argument with an unknown assailant or practicing cool catchphrases for future kills. Stolas had taken to spooning the smaller man most nights because it felt like the safer option. One thing he could count on in that position with the heavy thrumming of Blitz’s heart against Stolas’s own.
As he lay there in their bed, being spooned peacefully by his sleeping boyfriend, he realized exactly what was missing.
He couldn’t feel Blitz’s heart beating.
Stolas’s eyes widened in the dark, his own heart racing. He didn’t know what was happening, but he knew without a doubt that he had to get out of that bed.
He gently unwound Blitz’s arm and tail from his body and slipped out from under the covers. He silently crept across the room and through the door, leaving sleeping Blitz behind. His hands shook as he put a kettle of water on the stove.
Stolas took his mug of steaming tea to the kitchen table and sat, head swimming.
What the fuck was going on?
____________________________________________________________________________________
A few hours later, Stolas was jolted from his thoughts by Blitz rapping his knuckles on the table next to him.
“Hell to Birdie. Are you there?”
“Oh, Bli—Blitz.” Stolas blinked for the first time in what felt like an hour. “Yes, sorry. I couldn’t sleep.”
“Want to go outside?” Blitz pointed to the window. The sun was just beginning to rise, painting the kitchen with sleepy pink and yellow tones.
“Sure. That sounds nice.” As Stolas rose, Blitz gave him a warm smile. His breath caught, eyes widening.
Maybe he’d been wrong. Maybe his own heartbeat had just drowned out the sound of Blitz’s. It was certainly possible.
The pair made their way to the screened in porch and Blitz slid the door shut behind them. Stolas settled onto the chaise lounge and Blitz sat at the foot of it, looking up at the sky.
“Pretty.” He commented idly.
Stolas hummed in agreement and reached for his new book. “Come lay with me.”
The imp obliged, settling against the owl’s chest.
“I’ve almost finished the book.” Stolas opened it, searching for his page. “The man in black was moving very slowly now along the top of the wall. By himself. Fezzik and Inigo followed him through the darkness in the direction of the wheelbarrow. There was no denying the fact that there was a certain excitement in the air…”
Blitz shifted uncomfortably. “I’m sure it’s a good book and all, but…I don’t know. I’ve never really liked being read to.”
Notes:
This will be a trilogy. If ya'll want the final book, let me know! Your comments always make my day, and I hope you all want to see more!!
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