Chapter 1: bow (the sinsmas-night)
Chapter Text
The sinsmas lights suited Stolas.
The glow of red and gold reflected so nicely on his dark feathers, even his two pair of red eyes seemed to shine much brighter in the midst of it all despite the obvious sadness still glimmering in them.
Blitzø had slowly become to realize there wasn’t much he could do to wipe that sadness away. Sure, he could cheer the bird up momentarily, he could be there for him and support him, catch as many rats and learn all the ways he could cook those nasty things, but.
But.
Blasting, slicing or cutting through the sorrow that practically radiated from the demon royalty would have been so much easier - why couldn’t that be the magic solution?
“Dad, your turn,” he heard his girl say. Loona sounded and looked pretty tipsy but the booze hadn’t softened all her sharp corners so the scoff in her tone was very much there. When Blitzø turned to look at her, sitting on the floor next to him, she seemed mildly disgusted while raising an eyebrow at him.
“Yeah, yeah, just gimme a second to think about my next move.”
Loona glanced at him, then took a look at Stolas sitting by the kitchen table. “Yeah, you should,” she said pointedly.
Oh hell.
“Hush, Looney-pooney, this is serious shit,” Blitzø said and avoided her piercing stare. He let himself get into the board-game for a while, making sure to buy the most expensive street in the Wrath Ring which got Moxxie to criticize him a lot for being reckless (that pussy wasn’t even playing).
Millie was chilling on the couch and watching the late-night sinsmas specials while everyone else was playing (or back-seating) on the floor of his living room except for Stolas who was sipping tea in the kitchen. Blitzø had tried to get him to play as well — mostly because he figured it would be nice for Stolas to do something else than let his bird-brain spiral in depression, and maybe just a little bit because Blitz wanted to see if he was a sore loser, a sore winner, or humble as shit like he was in everything else he did. But Blitzø wasn’t a complete idiot and understood Stolas needed some alone-time when the bird had shyly shaken his fluffy head as an answer.
It was a whole different thing to keep his eyes from following Stolas’ every move, though.
They played for another half an hour, Loona sending her jaded glances every time she caught him staring at Stolas but oh what-the-fuck-ever — he still won the game in the end.
“What was it that you said about me being a reckless idiot?” he asked Moxxie as he waved the pile of fake money in his hands.
“I stand corrected, sir, though I have to say, if you had that kind of business instincts in real life—”
Blitzø slapped the bills against his mouth. “Pzzt! Shut your trap, who cares, I’m a winner!”
“No-o’s banned from playing any more games with us,” that guy, Russ, said.
“You just can’t handle defeat, can you?” she asked. After chewing on multiple game pieces as a way to cope with her own loss, she was pretty calm now — his smart girl, he raised her well.
“I can handle defeat, but this was a fucking masacre!”
“Boo-hoo, you babies,” Blitzø said as he stood up and dropped the bills on the floor. “I wouldn’t wanna play games with you anyway, there’s like zero challenge.”
“Because we’re drunk and you’re not!” one of Loona’s girl friends pointed out.
It was technically true, Blitzø wasn’t a big drinker unless there was something simmering under his chest that he wanted to kill with alcohol. Earlier that night he had only had a glass of wine to celebrate sinsmas and that felt like enough.
“He’s worse when he’s drunk, don’t encourage him,” Loona muttered.
“Eeeexactly, you wouldn’t be able to handle my win-strike then, count yourself lucky you got to play against my sober-ass.”
With some sweet defeated groans, he let the kids continue their game-session and walked to where Stolas was sitting. Stolas had his back to him but immediately sensed Blitzø’s presence, given by the way he turned to look at him over his shoulder.
“You don’t go easy on them, do you?” Stolas asked with a wry smile.
“It builds up character.”
Stolas’ hum had an echo of a chuckle as he turned to stare back at his empty mug.
“You want another cup?”
“Yes, thank you…” Stolas was fidgeting with his fingers. “There should be enough in the kettle for you too, if you’d like.”
It was clearly an invitation to sit with him, right?
Blitzø would never admit how fast he took Stolas’ mug and grabbed another one for himself, because he definitely wasn’t afraid Stolas would take that offer back. No, that would be downright pathetic. As if he was a simp or something.
“Here ya go,” he announced as he placed the warm mug back in front of Stolas, earning a soft hum of as thanks.
He didn’t exactly know why he chose to drag the other chair from the opposite end of the table right next to Stolas — his body just chose to do it before his brain caught up. Of course, to him, it wasn’t that weird but if he had to explain himself to someone other than his own head, it was perfectly reasonable to move it so he could watch the sinsmas family shenanigans in his apartment better.
Thankfully Stolas didn’t seem to mind nor question their close proximity; instead he glanced over his shoulder again, this time to watch Millie and Moxxie cuddle on the couch. Blitzø saw a soft smile on his peak from the corner of his eye — and how a light chuckle followed as Stolas’ big eyes watched Loona fall on her side as she tried to mock-wrestle Russ. There were a million and another million things Blitzø wanted to say to him in that moment.
We don’t do words. We do sex.
The fucking irony.
Blitzø couldn’t help but chuckle too, more at himself than anything else.
Yeah, this was a good spot.
“Blitzø.”
All of his senses were tuned in on Stolas as he heard that soft tone, so familiar from the past yet so strange right now, thanks to the latest emotional turmoil Stolas had gone through.
“Yeah?”
“Your home is… very warm. I don’t believe I’ve ever felt anything as warm as this when surrounded by so many people.”
“Yeah?” Blitzø asked again and he only had half of mind to be embarrassed by how unsure his voice sounded.
Stolas nodded, without elaborating further.
It was the first time Stolas had commented on his home without various words of apology or gratitude. He wasn’t asking for forgiveness for being a burden or saying thank you in that guilty, tired tone. It seemed like for the first time he was simply… enjoying, to be there with Blitzø and his crazy family.
“Well,” Blitzø tried to cough off the emotional, heavy rock that was suddenly pressing on his lungs. “Wait a couple of hours until they’re all hammered and you’re gonna regret saying all that. “
“That sounds more interesting than daunting,” Stolas answered with another set of those giggles that he had blessed Blitzø with on the balcony. Even during their full moon-nights, Blitzø had rarely heard him laugh so freely, almost innocently like a kid. “Actually, I’m quite disappointed I can’t witness you winning that… mon… mo…
“My-motherfuckin’-net-oasis-poly.” It was lot better than the Mammonpoly.
“...That, without your ‘sober-ass’.”
Blitzø watched how Stolas used his long fingers to do air-quotes, and prayed to Satan this bird stopped being so adorable or he was going to have a hard time not jumping his bones. He didn’t of course, but couldn’t help the dirty grin as he looked at Stolas in the eyes.
“You think I was bluffing, bitch?”
Stolas tried to conceal the amused hoot for the sake of their banter and Blitzø was happy he managed to hide it so poorly. Stolas gathered himself quickly though. “I believe it when I see it,” he shrugged nonchalantly. “I have seen you drunk and you’re basically as immobile as an earth worm.”
Blitz was in the mood for theatrics so he gripped his chest with his claws and groaned. “Oof, that hurts, birdie. And I just made you tea.”
“You poured me some, I made it.”
Blitzø opened his mouth to say-
“And I paid for it this time as well,” Stolas declared, effectively shutting him up with the words and the sweetest smile that followed.
The warm tingles that spasmed all over Blitzø’s body unloaded as he laughed. His whole face felt warm and he didn’t even know why. This couldn’t be counted as flirting, they had said far filthier things to each other more times than he could count.
Stolas’ smile didn’t break as he took a sip from his tea. Blitzø was satisfied with watching him until his eyes took a look at the all too dark liquid in the pink pony-themed mug.
“Oh, shit! I forgot the milk. Sorry, Stols, I’ll-”
Those long fingers gently grasped the sleeve of his shirt when he moved to stand up. “It’s quite alright,” he said before seemingly concentrating ridiculously hard on the taste, with his brows furrowed and everything.
Fuckshitcutefuck.
Stolas smacked his peak for a good measure. “Actually, I didn’t even notice it. Perhaps…” he pondered for a second and let go of Blitzø’s sleeve slowly. “...you need to experience bit of bitterness from time to time so the sweet things feel like you’ve earned them.”
Blitzø thought about Stolas’ words. Honestly, he wasn’t sure about many things in his life, but one of the infinite facts he knew was that Stolas had experienced an unfair amount of bitterness already. He didn’t need to earn any sweetness, it should have been spoon-fed to someone as good as him from the moment he knew to ask for it.
Blitzø could have gotten over himself and say it like it was. But he did understand the point. He also could have done the sweet thing he wanted and grasp Stolas’ hand in his own.
Instead, he chose to stay on guard about their invisible new barriers because those weren’t his to break, that was Stolas’ call.
So he settled on poking the bird’s shin with his tail.
“Yeah, I guess so. Though, sometimes you can just take the sweetness, it’s not always about earning. You-” he tried to say the rest confidently despite how small he felt under the gaze of Stolas’ big red eyes. “-You kinda taught me that.”
Stolas seemed speechless. The red on his cheeks was highlighted as beautifully as the rest of his features by the sinsmas lights. Blitzø felt already hot under his shirt and it got worse when he felt Stolas press his leg against his own.
“I’m glad then,” he said softly. “Very glad.”
Millie seemed to be dozing off on Moxxie’s shoulder, and Loona had given up on the games with her friends, now content to take silly, tipsy selfies with them instead. That’s how the rest of the night went, as Stolas kept his leg against Blitzø’s and they sat there, chatting a bit, but mostly enjoying the warm and comfy atmosphere their home embodied.
And if they sometimes stared at each other instead, just because they could, it was no one else’s business but theirs.
After goodbyes to their guests and after carrying a passed-out Loona to bed, and retiring to their own makeshift ones, Blitzø could hear Stolas humming a soothing tone under his breath. He had never heard it before but it sounded really nice.
Chapter 2: stumble (daughters, part 1)
Summary:
Stolas is having a rough time but not as rough as Loona.
Notes:
This chapter did not go at all as I planned it but that's how it usually goes ngl. Thank you for reading my story, for kudos and comments, they mean a lot 💛
And ay you can find me on bluesky if you wanna @mangokills and also x-twitter @dimplelegacy
Chapter Text
Fog happened quite regularly in the world of humans. In Hell, not so much. On rare occasions when Stolas had witnessed that smoke-like phenomenon, he hated it every time. Was there any weather as diabolical as the one that covered the sky so comprehensively? Hell had no stars like his very own corner of the cosmos but the view of grey expanding above him still made him feel incredibly trapped.
Nowadays, the fog was in his mind. It dissipated fractionally day by day now that he was on pills again but something always happened that made the remaining hazy just a bit thicker. Most of the times it was because of his own thoughts or actions, sometimes the actions or words of strangers — the dirty glares and name-calling on the street or even at work were an every day reminder how foolish and blind he had been before, only because he had enough wealth and status to wrap himself inside the blanket of ignorance. Longing and regret made the fog thicker, guilt and shame made it insistent and lingering.
Fortunately, his medicine helped him to see the efforts and encouragement of others better. For the first time in his life, despite how grim everything seemed, he was surrounded by people who cared. Because of that, more often than not, he was starting to understand that only their opinion of him was what really mattered. Fuck everyone else as Blitzø many times eloquently put it.
If someone spit in his food at cafes, Blitzø’s mildest reaction was to spit in their face. When someone cursed at him on the streets, Loona growled at them until they shut up in terror. When he was experiencing bad, and extremely embarrassing, meltdowns at work because everything was just so much, Moxxie took care of the clients and paperwork for couple of hours without any complaints. Millie always complimented his work-attire, even when the clothes clearly weren’t the right size for him, and when she was on the duty to deliver them all their coffees, she always made sure to get Stolas’ order and name spelled right (which couldn’t have been easy given the disdain coffee shop employees had towards him). Now that he had his own phone, Vassago always gave him an update if he heard of Via or caught a glimpse of her during royal rendezvous; she had never wanted to go to those and Stolas’ heart broke when he imagined Stella undoubtedly forcing her to attend. More than once Vassago had described how Via told him she was going to burn the frilly dress she was wearing immediately when she got back home.
All that support, undeserved but still there, helped Stolas more than he could ever express in words. So, aside from constant thank yous, he tried to express his gratitude in the same small but significant ways his friends did to aid him. Despite how exhausted he was all the time, he did everything he could to keep Blitzø and Loona’s home clean. He wasn’t exactly an expert on that field but he wasn’t much of an expert of any nowadays, so keeping the apartment tidy and spotless was the easiest thing he could do. He often used Blitzø’s, reputedly older than most of his fangs, black-and-red-headband to keep feathers away from his face when he spent hours on this particular duty. He rarely had energy and time to preen himself properly and often the feathers on his head grew heavy and withered away at most inconvenient times so it was easier to use several borrowed accessories to keep them in place when he knew he had to focus — he often did get distracted by Blitzø’s stare, received most often when he wore the headband, but could Stolas really blame him for staring? He must have looked ridiculous wearing it. Of course, Blitzø did more than stare, he always offered to help with the cleaning and oftentimes Stolas accepted that help with a smile. But when he was feeling particularly guilty, like a burden to Blitzø, he dismissed those kind offers rather aggressively because he had to do something to repay him. Sometimes Blitzø looked at him with sad eyes and let him clean alone, sometimes his eyes were blazing and they were bickering like a married couple until both of them were too tired and frustrated to clean at all.
If someone were to ask Stolas which he preferred, he would have chosen the latter, despite the outcome — he knew angry-Blitzø like the back of his hand, sad-Blitzø made him feel helpless and even more guilty. On top of that, their bickering was nothing to the screaming he had beared with Stella in his actual marriage. Perhaps it was because Stolas was a masochist at heart or because he had endured so much worse with her, but he almost found those arguments with Blitzø fun; the kindling sexual tension he felt during those moments brought a whole different doze of energy because despite of the fog in his mind there was not much fog in his body when it came to certain urges. The affection and desire he felt towards Blitzø were all still there, different in some ways but stronger in other.
A sound inside the apartment cut Stolas away from his thoughts which was for the better because his relationship with Blitzø was one of the hazardous routes he desperately tried to prevent his mind from walking. He turned his head all the way around, his cigarette forgotten for the moment, to see Loona emerging from her room and taking quick strides to bathroom. It was a rare night when they were alone without Blitzø; Fizzarolli had invited him out for drinks and it had taken approximately an hour for Stolas to convince Blitzø to go without him. It had taken a lot of that needless but delicious banter (was he really that sexually frustrated that he was living on sexually charged arguments, even when the sexual tension only came from himself?) and then gentle coaxing until Blitzø reluctantly agreed since he hadn’t had a chance to really talk with his childhood friend after the trial. After some time Blitzø left, Loona had come home early from a party at her friend’s house and after late night snacks, she had locked herself in her room, claiming to be tired. It wasn’t unusual for her to want spend time alone in her room, but when Stolas had snuggled on the couch to watch re-runs of hella-novellas he heard soft snores from the other side of the door. The party must had indeed been tiring and he only hoped nothing unpleasant had happened.
Currently it was past midnight and the way Loona had hurried to bathroom worried Stolas. With his predatory hearing he carefully listened for more sounds and when he heard gagging echoing in the bathroom, he hastily threw away his cigarette and opened the balcony-door. He hurried to the bathroom door but his hand paused just when he was about to knock and ask if she was alright.
The gagging continued as he stood there.
He would have known what to do if it was Via but this was a different situation in many ways. Loona was a private person and despite how sweet she had been towards Stolas in her own prickly way, he wasn’t quite sure if he was the person she wanted to be there to comfort and dote on her. Maybe he was supposed to call Blitzø but he doubted Loona would like that either, especially if this was a sign of upcoming hangover. On the other hand, Stolas had spoken to her earlier that night and she clearly had not drank that much. Maybe she was sick and in that case Blitzø needed to know.
For a moment it was silent and then Stolas heard her throw up again. He clenched his fist and moved to the kitchen to pour a glass of water for her. It didn’t matter if his presence in this situation was welcomed or not, he needed to know what was wrong; he wasn’t her father but he was a father.
With class of water on his hand and a horse blanket resting on his arm, he tried to knock again but Loona’s heartbreaking faint whimper made him go for the handle of the door instead. To his surprise, the door was unlocked. He walked inside and saw Loona bent over the toilet, clutching the rim and shivering.
“Oh sweetheart,” he said softly, the petname slipping out almost automatically even though he knew Loona didn’t appreciate those of any kind. He moved closer to her, placed the glass on the sink and made sure to carefully listen to any faint protests as he knelt beside her on the floor. “I’m going to put this blanket over you, if that’s alright? Just nod or shake your head, okay?”
Loona didn’t look at him but after a few heartbeats, that Stolas could easily count because his own was thudding loud out of worry, she nodded.
He gently put the blanket on her shoulders and forced himself to not pet the fur on her head since he wasn’t sure if that level of comfort was allowed from him. Nothing but spit came out of her after that and he could see her arm shake as she reached to flush the toilet. Stolas made a sound and flushed it for her, then took her paw into his hand.
“I have some water for you, do you think you could drink a bit?”
Loona made a face, so similar to one of Via’s, but then nodded again. Stolas gave her the glass and she drank only to spit it out but then she took a real gulp and drank.
“There we go,” Stolas whispered and put the glass back. “How are you feeling?”
“Like a shit,” she answered with a raspy voice. Her eyes flickered to glance at him, then looked away. “I only had one drink, okay?”
“I know, don’t worry. Though that might mean you ate something spoiled or that you’re sick.”
“Hell-hounds don’t get sick and I only ate some crackers there and snacks here.”
“Then maybe you haven’t eaten enough today?”
“You think I can eat anything right now, old man?”
Stolas chuckled softly at that.
“What’s funny?” Loona glared at him but the desired effect was weakened by the way she was leaning against the toilet’s rim and blinking at him with glazed eyes.
“Nothing, forget it,” he said, still smiling. Loona’s habit of calling him ‘old man’ was more frequent than calling him by his actual name and somehow he had grown quite attached to it. “Do you want to go back to your room or use the couch? I remember I always liked to sleep on the palace’s sofa if I was sick, watching tv until I fell asleep.”
“You got sick?” The tips of Loona’s ears flickered upwards slightly, something she seemed to do unconsciously whenever she got curious about something.
“Rarely, when I was a child.”
“Like… bird-flu or something?”
“Actually yes.”
Her mouth twitched at that, like a beginning of smile. Then she softly groaned and Stolas saw her left paw clutch at her stomach.
“Does your stomach hurt, sweetheart?”
“I’m fine,” she gritted out and hearing her voice with more of her usual attitude in it almost made Stolas sigh in relief. “I can’t take the couch, you sleep in it.”
“I’m afraid this was going to be one of those restless nights right from the beginning so please, if you want to use it, it’s yours. And if you have any dvd you’d want to watch, I can put it on for you.”
“I don’t think I can sleep either so maybe…” she trailed off and turned quiet. Her face twisted like she was going to throw up again but after a short moment she straightened her back. “Lemme just wash my face first.”
“I’ll bring a bucket there as well.”
After Loona was done freshening up, Stolas hovered over her as she walked to the couch. Her steps were shaky and she looked so small but Stolas could only stay close and make sure to catch her if her legs betrayed her; when he had offered to carry her, she had given him a dirty look and threatened to bite his head off.
She made her way to the couch were Stolas had placed her pillow and blanket. If she didn’t like that he had waltzed in her room on his own to get them, she didn’t mention it out loud — she collapsed on the worn-out cushions without a word and when Stolas asked her what she wanted to watch, he only got a shrug as a reply. Despite that, Stolas had a suspicion she wouldn’t appreciate hella-novella reruns very much so he decided to put on one of Blitzø’s horse movies; not one of the more sexual ones but innocent and clearly meant for younger audience. Loona gave her a dry look but still settled more comfortably on the couch. She hadn’t asked for her phone which Stolas had seen in her night stand so he decided to let it be. It was quiet aside from the movie’s soundtrack and lines as he moved around the apartment, trying to provide everything essential Loona would need; he fetched the water glass from the bathroom and placed it on the table next to the headrest of the couch, left some medicine meant for stomach bugs there as well, then pulled the covers higher on Loona’s body when he saw shivers wrack her limbs once again. Loona stayed quiet during all of it but he heard her snort weakly when Stolas decided to move the bucket on the floor a few inches closer to the couch.
“I’m fine,” she muttered as Stolas put his talons on her forehead to check for fever. He wasn’t quite sure what hell-hounds’ usual body temperature was but she definitely felt unusually warm.
“I may not have lived with you for more than couple of months but even I can tell you’re certainly not ‘fine’. I couldn’t find the thermometer, do you possibly know where it is.?”
“If you didn’t find it where the meds are, I guess Blitz hasn’t bought a new one. He usually breaks them when he has a fever.”
“Breaks them?” Stolas blinked at her.
“Yeah, his fevers are bad.”
Oh lords. His poor Blitzø. Stolas wondered if he had ever suffered from those fevers during their unconventional contract. Did he ever have anyone else but Loona nurture him back to health? Had he ever considered at least telling Stolas he was sick when Stolas texted him how his day had went?
“I mean there are some high-quality shit ones that can measure the kind of fevers he gets but they cost a lot and he’s such a cheap-ass so-” a cough cut off Loona’s rant and when her body shook as she tried to breathe normally again, this time Stolas couldn’t stifle his urge to pet the fur on her head.
“Shh, enough of that. I understand. Now you just rest and tell me if there’s anything else you need,” Stolas said gently as he stroked his talons behind her ears. He didn’t know if it was much of a comfort for her but she didn’t protest when he left his touch linger after her coughing finally stopped. As he listened to her hoarse breathing and looked at her pained face, he felt completely inept. Via only fell ill two times when she was an owling and even then he had his magic to help her; it didn’t heal her completely but with only couple of motions with Stolas’ hands she was able to breathe easier and fall asleep to reach recovery quicker. Now he could only do small things, those small things he had previously taken pride in like a fool, and watch as Loona’s body was battling against whatever virus it had caught.
He stood up after a few moments to get his phone but chirped in surprise when he felt Loona tug his tail feathers.
“Any chance you won’t tell Blitzø?” she asked with a small voice.
“I’m afraid there’s no chance, Loona,” he sympathetically smiled at her. “And I’m sure he’s coming home soon anyway so it wouldn’t make much difference if I didn’t tell him. Except he’d be quite cross with me for not informing him.”
Loona sighed heavily and let go of Stolas’ tail. She left her arm hanging and Stolas bent down to move it back under the covers.
“I don’t know what’s wrong,” she whispered. The small words almost sounded like a series of whimpers and it broke Stolas’ heart; in that moment he knew he for certain he would do anything to take care her. “I don’t get sick.”
“Just rest now, sweetheart. We’ll figure this out, I promise.”
He patted Loona’s head gently again before retreating to kitchen. He had left his phone on the table because he might have panicked and searched for ‘hell-hound diseases’ when Loona had still been in the bathroom. He briefly looked at the photo Blitzø had sent him some hours ago of Fizzarolli drinking two shots at the same time. He knew Blitz didn’t usually drink much, unless he had a particular reason to get very drunk so he hoped he hadn’t found one (for example Stolas taking advantage of his kindness was indeed a really good reason) tonight. They both needed him sober right now.
Hello, Blitzø. I’m so sorry to interrupt your night with Fizzarolli but this is about Loona. I believe she’s sick. She has thrown up couple of times and is very weak right now. She came home early from the party and I don’t believe she had drank enough for this to be a hangover.
Only after he sent the message, he realized he should have informed Blitzø he was taking care Loona, as well as he could at least. He didn’t want Blitzø to think messaging him was his way of asking him to come back home because Stolas himself couldn’t be bothered deal with his sick daughter.
Son, ramble your nonsense to the servants, I don’t have time to deal with you. Daddy doesn’t care if you wet the bed or not, or shat on it or not. Dear Satan, you make so many more ugly noises when you are ill.
Something awful was squeezing Stolas’ throat when the ghost of his father’s voice obtruded his mind.
“Stupid,” Stolas muttered under his breath and fumbled with his talons to send another message.
But before he could write another word, Blitzø answered.
Blitzø:
im omw
Stolas didn’t even have time to put down his phone before he heard the familiar sound of a portal opening. Despite the circumstances, Stolas smiled; Blitzø’s endless devotion and care towards Loona never failed to warm his heart.
“Looney? Baby, how are you feeling?” he heard Blitzø’s frantic voice before he saw the imp run to the couch, almost falling over because he crashed into the (thankfully) empty bucket. Stolas walked to the living room and watched as Blitzø touched Loona’s cheek. “What’s hurting?”
“Shut up,” Loona growled out. Her eyes were closed and despite her words, she seemed to lean into Blitzø’s hand a bit. “Your voice is like thousand times more loud than usual and doesn’t help at all. It’s just a stomach bug or something.”
“What? But that’s not normal, hell-hounds don’t get those. You had your hellbies-shot— relax, honey, no needles here, okay— so why the fuck are you sick?”
“Uh, if I may,” Stolas cleared his throat. Blitzø turned to look at him and his expression was so full of concern and panick it almost made Stolas tear up. “From what I’ve heard, hellbies-shot, just like any shot, is not 100% secure against diseases.”
“What?!” Then why the fuck did I pay for it, why the fuck did Loona have like zillion panic attacks that day, if it doesn’t work?” Blitzø’s tail which had been rigid earlier was now slashing around in anger.
“It does work, it provides plenty of protection but it cannot grant anyone absolute immunity.”
“Christ on a stick,” Blitzø groaned. He took couple of deep breaths, most likely to calm himself, though Stolas could hear him mutter words like ‘clinic’, ‘bombs’ and various swear words. Again, Stolas felt helpless; he wasn’t sure what he could do or say to comfort Blitzø, to reassure him that everything would be alright.
“If you two morons won’t stop speaking like I’m not here, I’m gonna go back to my room,” Loona muttered.
“Wha— no, you stay right here were I can see you all the time-”
“Absolutely not, you’re too weak to move anywhere and-”
“Then shut up and let me watch this stupid movie.”
Stolas and Blitzø looked at each other. Stolas glanced at Loona and then he nodded towards the kitchen, silently asking Blitzø to join him there. Blitzø seemed to agree because he leaned closer to Loona and gave her a kiss on her forehead.
“Sorry, Looney, we’ll try to keep quiet. Howl if there’s anything you need, okay?”
“Right now my howling might be more like one the shrieks that old man makes but sure, whatever.”
“There’s my badass girl,” Blitzø coo’ed and gave her another kiss. Clearly Loona only pretended to be disgusted; Stolas could see the weak wagging of her tail under the blanket.
Both of them sat down at the kitchen table and Blitzø insisted Stolas told him every detail of what had happened.
“I don’t know all the diseases hell-hounds could catch on Earth but fuck, this doesn’t look good,” Blitzø said under his breath as he leaned his chin against his claws, watching Loona all the time.
“I have to agree,” Stolas answered. He paused for a moment before adding: “I’m sorry I didn’t inform you about this immediately. I probably should have called too, rather than send a message.”
“It’s okay, it helps to know she wasn’t alone.” Blitzø’s gave him a soft look and he chuckled. “Now I’m actually glad you didn’t come with me, you stubborn bird. Did you have some kind of freakish instinct telling you something like this might happen?”
Stolas didn’t feel strong enough to admit that he had various reasons to refuse the invite to join Blitzø and Fizzarolli; he didn’t feel comfortable drinking in public places anymore, he couldn’t bear to see and hear strangers’ judge him tonight, and if he had to see the possible judgement on Fizzarolli’s face, because obviously it was his fault Blitzø had come so close to dying, he might get eternally lost in the fog.
But all of that, all those feelings, were his burden to carry, not Blitzø’s.
“Something like that, I suppose,” he tried his best to smile to cover up the lie.
Blitzø clearly knew there was something else there but thankfully let it be.
Loona fell asleep soon after and they chatted quietly about mundane things and Blitzø’s night with Fizzarolli. When it was close to early morning, Blitzø glanced at Loona’s room.
“You wanna go sleep in Loona’s bed? I’m pretty sure she’d be fine with it.”
“No, no, you do that.”
“C’mon I’ll sleep on the beanbag like always if I get tired which by the way is really fucking unlikely.”
Stolas knew what he meant. Exhaustion was clear on Blitzo’s face but his worry for Loona prevented him to give into it. Stolas imagined climbing into Loona’s bed, mostly likely to only toss and turn, while Blitz sat here alone and forced himself not to blink so he could watch his daughter’s every movement and every raspy breath.
When a thought crystalized inside his mind, he said it out loud without any over-analyzation.
“You need me here.”
Blitz’s eyes widened, the glow of red and amber suddenly so bright that it was hard for Stolas to breathe.
“So I’ll stay here,” he continued while trying to ignore the way his heart was trying to crawl through his chest. The glistening gleam in the corners of Blitzø’s eyes, didn’t calm it down at all.
“Um,” Blitzø tried to answer him, blinking before rubbing his eyes with the back of his hands. “Okay,” he said then with a quiet voice. “Thanks.”
They could have bickered about it but this time Stolas really preferred this soft and warm tactic.
He looked at Blitzø’s hand on the table between them, so close and like it was begging him to touch it. If he had been brave enough, he would have brought it to his lips, kissed the palm and every claw in a silent worship and appreciation, and maybe it could convey his everlasting desire to be there for Blitzø through everything. Obviously, he wasn’t that brave but he could perhaps be forward enough to reach out and hold that hand.
Then something dark reached his peak, a familiar and yet unpleasant smell. Familiar because Stolas was a demon after all, unpleasant because it was coming from Loona.
Smell of blood.
“Blitzø,” he whispered, terror squeezing his ribs.
Blitzø smelled it only a second later then scrambled to Loona, Stolas following him.
“Fuckfuckfuck… Looney? Looney?” he half-asked and half-yelled as the panic visibly surged through him. He stroked the fur on Loona’s face. Her eyes opened slowly and then she blinked sluggishly at him. “Tell me where it hurts, baby.”
“Dunno, it smells real bad in ‘ere. I don’t feel good, dad.”
Stolas took a deep breath and that only made him smell more blood. He stepped closer to the two of them and made up his mind as he saw how disorientated Loona looked.
“Blitzø, open the portal to nearest hospital.”
There was no trace of question or doubt in Blitzø’s face as he nodded at Stolas. He quickly kissed Loona’s nose. “You’re going to be okay, Looney. Don’t worry, dad will fix this.”
As Blitzø was waking up his crystal, Stolas picked Loona up and made sure the blanket was wrapped around her tight. Loona didn’t make any sound, only slumped against Stolas’ chest and that terrified him. The smell got even stronger, something foul mixed with the heavy odor of blood but Stolas had no time to try determine it. He saw a black stain on the couch and terror gripped his insides so strongly it was hard to breathe.
“Ready, c’mon,” Blitzø’s stern voice woke him from his shock and he walked to the open portal. From the corner of his eye he saw Blitzø grab both of their phones and his jacket.
Loona let out a whimper.
“Hang on, sweetheart, you’ll be okay,” he told her because no other outcome was acceptable.
Chapter 3: regain posture (locks)
Summary:
"Hospital slumber-party" as Blitzø would call it.
Notes:
Thiiiiiis one took a lot out of me. Forgive me for any mistakes, whether it's grammar or just clumsiness with dialogue and pacing. And I'm sorry it only takes place at the hospital, I know it's not the most riveting place for stuff to happen but it needed to happen still, and if I included more scenes outside of it, this chapter would have turned into a marathon-length monster.
And let me remind you, I'm not a doctor nor a vet, just a poser with google search and poor imagination (I do have cats tho who have been sick multiple times).
Next chapter we switch back to our simp-imp's pov.Thank you for giving it a read! And just wanna let you know, if you ever wanna leave a comment but don't know what to say (that happens to me a lot), just "<3" always works as extra kudos ^^
I hang out at bluesky and x-twitter @mangokills and also x-twitter @dimplelegacy
Chapter Text
Another thing Stolas never had to think about when he was part of higher status was the dreadful system called medical care. All royals had their own doctor and health care team, despite how rarely they actually needed that kind of aid. The day Stolas had seen his own and gotten his prescription had ensured his position as the disgrace of Goetia.
He was overwhelmed and shaken by the amount of imps and various other creatures in the lobby of the hospital, many in casts, some almost doubled over by some unknown pain and groaning, others outright bleeding on the floor; only a handful were lying in hospital beds, others were occupying plastic chairs or sitting on the floor. He forced himself to look ahead and not think about it as Blitzø lead them to the reception area. Stolas could see the panic in the way he walked but there was also an underlying agitation in the way his tail swung from left to right, like was ready to fight something with everything he had. Stolas only understood why when they reached the desk of the receptionist.
“Hi, my daughter is bleeding and needs medical help right the fuck now,” Blitzø gritted through his teeth, urgent.
The receptionist slowly moved her eyes from Blitzø to Stolas and Loona, disinterest clear on her face which was a stark contrast to how much pain and suffering she was surrounded by. She didn’t look like an imp; the different scales on her face and arms weren’t like any kind Stolas had encountered before but, truth be told, he wasn’t very accustomed to breeds aside from royal demons, succubuses and imps.
“A hell-hound, huh?” he heard say, very slowly like she was intentionally drawing out the conversation. “Payment for the visit first, please.”
Blitzø slammed the bills on her desk without a word and it was… a lot of money. Just for stepping inside the hospital and talking to this unpleasant lady. She took the pills and Stolas counted the seconds and she made throughout work to count every last one; very, very slowly. Stolas dug his edge of his beak into the side of his mouth in irritation until he tasted blood. Loona was very quiet and limp in his arms and he feared something unsalvageable might happen if the lady didn’t hurry the fuck up.
“What part did you miss when I said my daughter is bleeding you sonnn—” Blitzø swallowed his growl and finished with: “—sonnet from a shitty musical.”
Stolas was quite shocked to see Blitzø hold back on his anger but it was a clear sign he had dealt with this kind of customer service before. Perhaps it was easier to try stay civil, especially for Loona. He would have given the lady a piece of his own mind if he wasn’t worried drawing attention to himself and his infamous ex-prince status; there was a high chance Loona would be denied of any kind of treatment after that.
The receptionist only dryly glanced at Blitzø and continued counting. After she finally was done, she printed a paper for Blitzø to fill out which he did in a matter of seconds. She read the paper through and pointed a finger to their right, saying: “Go wait there.”
“For fuck’s sake… I told you, she’s bleeding!” It seemed like Blitzø didn’t have any more patience and Stolas secretly appreciated that.
“So are many others here, you need to wait for you turn. You didn’t even say here where she’s bleeding, didn’t you consider putting a bandaid on her boo-boo?”
“I swear to Lucifer if don’t shut your upper vagina, I will stuff that stabler there.”
“We don’t know where exactly, we rushed straight here,” Stolas couldn’t help but add. “But there was a significant amount of blood on the couch where she was sleeping and I can smell blood on her still.”
He carefully moved his talons on Loona’s thighs, hushing an apology when she whimpered. He could feel wetness on the blanket and another wave of smell hit his beak.
“I believe the blood is coming somewhere from her thighs or lower stomach,” he said with a heavy swallow.
Please, please, please don’t let it be internal bleeding.
He glanced at Blitzø and had never seen his red face so pale.
“Maybe it’s her time of the month,” the receptionist muttered.
Blitzø didn’t have time to answer her before Stolas had taken two long strides so he was almost pressing his face against the glass between them and the receptionist. He had to bend down to do so but he was still looming over this despicable waste of space creature so good.
“She’s a fucking hell-hound!” he yelled at her and hoped his voice didn’t shake so much because of the amount of fear under the simmering anger. “They don’t have those, even someone as glueless as myself knows that so what is the excuse for your lack of knowledge and unprofessionalism? If you don’t direct us to a doctor, better yet several, I promise to you that I will personally make sure you have so many extra holes in your body that you will bleed more than once a month, you… you…”
He cut off his outburst as quickly as he had released it. Despite the cruel way they were treated, in reality his threats were nothing more than verbiage and a poor way to unload his frustration. He didn’t command any authority anymore, and even though he could still give this idiotic lady some beating with his talons, it wouldn’t exactly help their case, would it?
He held Loona tighter in his arms as if her sick body could give him an answer. He could feel upcoming tears sting both set of his eyes.
As his mind was spiraling, the receptionist narrowed her eyes as hazy recognition twinkled in her dull gaze. “Wait, aren’t you-”
“Look,” Blitzø gently pushed Stolas away from the desk, digging into his pocket for something. “We’re just couple of dads worried sick so cut him some slack, ‘kay? I can— where the fuck is it…”
Stolas tilted his head curiously at Blitzø until he let out a small “a-ha!” and slid the receptionist his credit card, which Stolas didn’t even know he owned.
“Take everything there is, I don’t care,” he said, staring the lady down. “Just get someone here to help us, now.”
She squinted at the card in her hands before tapping, most likely, its’ security code and information on her computer. Something in her bored gaze changed, a brief widening of eyes, before she glanced at them again. Her scaly fingers typed something once more before she fully turned back towards them.
“Just a couple of minutes and they will call your name from room 459. Use this ticket to teleport there,” she handed Blitzø a white, worn-out card and pointed at few feet behind them. Stolas turned his head 180 degrees and saw something that almost looked like a vending machine. “You will get your credit card back when your visit is over, Mr. Buckzo.”
“The fuck-ever,” Blitzø said to her and nodded at Stolas. “C’mon, loose canon.”
Stolas held off a mortifying squawk. He didn’t bother to look at the receptionist twice, shame rolling over him like a wave — he wasn’t embarrassed by his outburst per se, far from it, but he had realized too late how his incapability to withhold his anger might have only worsened their case and perhaps that was the reason Blitzø had to resort to using all his savings. His feelings in that moment were secondary, though. Loona was getting help.
Blitzø inserted the ticked into the vending machine looking device and next to it a portal was opened for them to step into, taking them to another clinical hallway with various doors. As they stood waiting in front of the door number 459, Stolas counted seconds. Blitzø used a chair to gain more height so he could easily reach up to stroke Loona’s cheeks with his claws, whispering sweet, comforting words to her. When Stolas got to second 90 in his head, Blitzø’s yellow-gleaming eyes glanced at him.
“Thanks for carrying her, by the way,” he said.
Stolas didn’t have an ounce of doubt of Blitzø’s strength, he had proven numerous times how he could lift Stolas even above his shoulders. He knew Blitzø could have carried Loona as well and for a moment he had been afraid he had overstepped.
“My body kind of just reacted,” Stolas whispered in answer, his tone apologetic.
“Good, got us here faster.”
The small smile Blitzø gave him was reassuring before he focused his attention on Loona again. Stolas looked at them and wondered how warm and cozy this moment would have been if it had happened on a normal night. They could have been watching a movie together on Blitzø’s couch, something even Loona preferred rather than going out or locking herself in her room. Maybe they would fall asleep, at least Blitzø had a habit of doing that during movie nights, comfortable and safe under a shared blanket. If he allowed himself to succumb to that dream completely, his Via would be there with them too.
More or less thirty seconds after that, the door opened and a monotone voice called them in. They hurried inside and a doctor with thick dark fur and long, white horns greeted them. Despite her other appearances, she had small wings and a tail, typical to many succubusses. Another hybrid, which seemed to apply to many of this hospital’s staff.
“Another hell-hound,” she sighed. Despite her words, she cast a sympathetic look at Loona. “Let me guess, she visits Earth regularly?”
“Um. Yeah, part of her job. Is… is that bad?” Blitzø asked, all of his prickly attitude towards the receptionist earlier gone now.
“Just seen a lot of those cases lately.” She stood up from her chair and offered her hand to Blitzø. “Doctor Rimly. Are you her family?”
“I’m her dad, Blitzø. He’s-” Blitzø glanced at Stolas, as if he had any answers to establish what they were. Blitzø frowned and looked away, then he had a determined look on his face like he had decided something. “We’re her dads, I mean. Me and Stols.”
Somehow it made all the difference to hear Blitzø say it like that, rather than in a middle of a frustrating conversation with the receptionist. Stolas was so speechless he couldn’t even say a word to Dr. Rimly. He looked down at the ill girl in his arms and Loona moved just a little, nuzzling her nose against his shoulder. He didn’t know if she was listening to them but he couldn’t help but feel like it was some sort of gesture of acceptance. He had to hold back the urge to squeeze her tighter because he was already holding her like his life depended on it.
Dr. Rimly only blinked at them slowly, unimpressed either because she could sense a lie there or it wasn’t that meaningful to her. “Alright well, she is an adult so I had to ask in case I need to kick you out.”
“Yeah, that’s not gonna happen, lady,” Blitzø had gotten some of his normal bite back.
“Given her state, it’s better you stay so you can answer some basic questions. Bird-dad, put her down there, would you?”
Stolas carefully placed her on the inspection table. It looked too cold and clinical for her to lay there, wrapped in the familiar horse blanket. Blitzø must have felt the same because he skittered right away to the end of the table where Loona’s head laid and started petting her fur.
When Dr. Rimly unwrapped the blanket, the unpleasant odor was so terrifyingly strong Stolas squeezed his eyes shut.
“Fuck,” he opened his eyes when he heard Blitzø’s frightened voice and forced himself to look.
Loona’s pyjama pants were black with blood. Stolas felt like sobbing but steeled himself when he saw Blitzø shake and breath rapidly in and out like he was on the verge of a panic attack. He walked to where Blitzø was and put his hand on his shoulder; a cold comfort but there wasn’t much else he could do.
They let the doctor inspect her and Stolas clung to Loona’s occasional whimpers despite how awful they sounded; sounds meant that she was alive and breathing, despite how much blood there was. Dr. Rimly called in a nurse to assist her and after couple of questions she deemed Blitzø and Stolas were only in the way for more thorough inspection. The state of shock Blitzø seemed to be in made it possible for Stolas to usher him out of the room with him without too much of a fight, assuring Blitzø and himself at the same time that the doctor would tell them the verdict as soon as she could.
As they sat outside, Stolas grasped Blitzø’s limb hand and held on to it. Blitzø didn’t seem to have the energy to react to it nor speak but it didn’t matter. He knew his touches probably didn’t make much difference but it was at least a silent way for him to tell Blitzø that he was here for both of them. Several minutes passed before he felt Blitz squeeze his hand. He squeezed it in return, only for Blitzø to squeeze again. They continued it like a sad game to distract themselves from the anxiety and fear as they waited.
Even when the door opened once more and Dr. Rimly motioned them inside, Stolas didn’t let go. Blitzø didn’t try to rip his hand away either so his claws and Stolas’ talons stayed intertwined as they both stared at Loona, dressed in common hospital clothes, with her lower body from her hips to her shins bandaged. She seemed to breathe better, as if she was having a normal good-night’s sleep but there was still a twist of frown on her face and her fur was damp with sweat.
“Oh, Looney,” Blitzø gasped like was in pain. Only then he let go of Stolas’ hand to wrap his both around Loona’s own. He kissed her fingers and inhaled shakily.
“Is she going to be alright?” Stolas asked, his voice trembling.
“It’s good you got her here fast,” Dr. Rimly answered. “We need to run some more tests, but I’m quite sure it’s an Earth disease called parvovirus. In case it’s that, we’ll keep her here under observance, give her antibiotics and make sure she stays hydrated. Luckily—” she paused and took a look at the pack of papers on her desk. “Or unluckily in general sense, we’ve had a few of these cases lately so we know more about it now than say, two months ago. Earth diseases are tricky because they change, in there and in here. But with treatment and if her immune system is up to task to fight it, yes, she will be alright in time. But that’s all I can say right now.”
Stolas looked at Blitzø and Loona and clenched his trembling talons into a fist. It wasn’t the answer he was hoping for but it wasn’t the worst kind either.
Dr. Rimly must have seen his anguish because she added, “I’m sorry. We’ll do our best and the rest is up to your girl.”
She was very different from the precise doctors of Goetia’s royal circle but maybe that was the reason Stolas believed her words to be sincere. He nodded at her and murmured a quiet thank you.
Stolas heard Blitzø sniff softly before he stood up and looked at the doctor as well. Stolas’ heart broke at the stricken expression on his face.
“I need to know, doc, is there anything I coulda done to prevent this shit?”
Oh, Blitzø.
Dr. Rimly leaned on her chair and pursed her lips in thought. “Most likely no. She had her hellbies shot a while ago, didn’t she?”
Stolas wished he had seen any kind of reaction from Loona hearing someone mention that word, but she continued to lay on the table, unmoving. From the shift way Blitzø turned his head to glance at her as well, Stolas knew he was hoping the same. They both shared a brief, anxious look.
“Yeah,” Blitzø answered. “I thought that was supposed to protect her.”
“Hellbies shot doesn’t work as an immunity against all diseases on Earth. And as I said, this one is relatively new for hellhounds. Who knows, with enough funding and research, there might be a possibility to make a vaccine in the future but that doesn’t consider her. If she beats it, she should be immune to it for about three years. The older she gets, less likely she’s to catch it again, anyway.”
“Isn’t that fucking peachy,” Blitzø muttered under his breath. “Any other diseases I should be worried about while you’re at it, doc?”
“I suppose kennel cough.”
“Oh I know all about that,” Blitzø let out a humourless laugh. “Everyone who has a hellhound talks about that stuff and I’d sell my balls to get that instead of… this.” He glanced at Loona again, his gaze pained. “I mean it wouldn’t be nice but I’d rather hear her cough than watch her bleed out.”
“Was there any internal bleeding?” Stolas asked. “Is that part of the virus?”
“No, parvovirus’ most common symptoms are vomiting and blood diarrhea. Hence the bleeding you saw.”
Stolas now understood the underlying smell he had caught with Loona’s blood.
Loona. Oh, Loona, he thought and his legs felt like lead when he walked to table, then hesitantly stroked his talons over Loona’s furred arm. I should have paid more attention to your pain, I should have done something more to help.
“She now has some pain and anti-nausea medicine under her belt. Also a doze of slothclone to help her rest and sleep. Fortunately diarrhea and bleeding seem to have ceased for now.” Dr. Rimly stood up from her chair then and gave them another sympathetic look. “I can give you a few minutes with her before we need to take the remaining tests. Then we’ll move her to the ward and monitor her symptoms and condition for the time being.”
Stolas glanced at Blitzø, saw the clear tension in his body and the steadfast frown on his face.
“Okay. Okay,” Blitzø said, seemingly more to himself than to anyone else in the room. He turned to face the doctor properly then. “Fuck, okay. Which ward?”
“Whichever we have free but Mr. Buckzo, I do advice you to get home and rest for the night. Loona is stable for now—”
“Yeah for now, I’m not leaving her here alone,” Blitzø said, folding his arms against his chest. His tail wasn’t whipping frantically around like it always did when he was angry; instead it was straight and rigid which Stolas recognized as a sign of focus and resolution. “You said yourself this barf-whatever-virus is a sneaky bitch and affects everyone differently which to me just means you don’t know what the fuck to do with it expect give her meds. So she could go from stable to deathly-unstable anytime and I’d just be home snoring when that happens? Yeah, not a chance, doc.”
Stolas couldn’t really argue with that logic so he chose to stay silent. He knew he would have done the same if he was Blitzø. He too was already beside himself with worry so he couldn’t imagine how he’d act if it was Via on that table.
Dr. Rimly took a moment to answer, most likely weighing her options while faced with a fierce and protective imp — a father worried sick for his daughter.
Her shoulders slumped. “Technically I could get you kicked out, she is an adult after all. But I have a kid of my own and it’s been an exhausting week so… fine. I don’t feel like fighting with you. As long as you let us run the tests and do our work in peace.”
Blitzø scoffed.
“As if you could get me kicked-”
“Sounds fair, Dr. Rimly, deal,” Stolas intervened and offered his hand to her.
She glanced at Blitzø promptly, as if amused, then nodded at Stolas and shook his hand.
“I get it, really,” she said. “Kids can make us parents stupid when we’re worried. Some more than others.”
It seemed like a small taunt towards Blitzø which Stolas knew was unfair but he didn’t dare to cross her when it was up to her for them to stay beside Loona.
“Fuck you too,” he heard Blitzø mutter, indicating he had caught onto the taunt as well. At least he said it quietly.
“As promised, I’ll give you three some alone time before the tests. After that, wait in the hallway and I’ll let you know when we’re ready to take her to the ward. Also, don’t expect us to provide you with extra beds.”
“As long as you have one for Looney, I don’t care,” Blitzø said, now completely earnest, which made Dr. Rimly give him a brief smile.
“Of course,” she nodded at them before exiting.
Blitzø got closer to Loona again, his tail now swinging but the tempo of the swing was too disjointed to be the usual happy one; as if he was trying to seem positive even though she wasn’t awake to witness it. It made Stolas grimace with sorrow.
“Okay, Looney, me and Stolas are gonna leave you with these idiots for a bit,” Blitzø said and his claws were back to petting the fur on Loona’s face. He tried to smooth away the frown on her forehead and even though it stubbornly stayed, he didn’t stop his caress. “But I guess they’re doing what they can and they have meds for you here that help. I know it sucks, baby, but I’m right here, close by, okay? Then they’re gonna get you a nice bed and I’ll be there when you wake up.”
Loona made a sound in her sleep, not quite a whimper but it still made Blitzø look at her like she had stabbed him in his heart with it.
“Shit,” Blitzø whispered, squeezing his eyes shut. He pressed his face against Loona’s shoulder.
Stolas wanted to say something, anything, to him and to Loona but his words weren’t going to make this better. The more he looked at Loona’s bandaged body, the smaller she seemed, and it made him think of Via when she was just a small little owlette, afraid of the dark and crying.
When he looked at Blitzø, he saw himself, scared and heartbroken when Via turned her back to him, isolating herself from him and his love for the next hundred years. He remembered how Blitzø had been there for him, wrapping his coat around Stolas to shield him from the biting cold, and taking his talons into his own hands, blowing warm air into them once he had stopped sobbing.
Blitzø wasn’t crying now, despite his irregular breathing and hunched shoulders, and Stolas knew why, because he and Blitzø were very, painfully, similar deep inside; crying meant that everything was absolutely and so dreadfully fucked that there was nothing else to do but cry. To Blitzø succumbing to that could have meant he was giving up on Loona.
As Loona let out that small sound again, Stolas let himself move closer as well. He kneeled beside the table and did what he was too hesitant to do before; he took Loona’s hand and held it gently. He let the familiar rhyme fill his thoughts until it was calming down the storm inside his frayed mind and didn’t stifle it when it started to pour out of his beak in a hum. He felt Blitzø turn his head and look at him but he didn’t say anything so Stolas didn’t stop. He kept his tone low so he wouldn’t disturb Loona’s sleep, no matter how restless it seemed to be, and when he had hummed his way through the whole song, he whispered some of the words quietly in the end, to both Loona and Blitzø.
“You’ll be okay. Everything will be okay.”
As they waited, Blitzø kept himself busy. He wanted to let Millie and Moxxie know what had happened because they were Loona’s family as well. Also, as he had pointed out, he needed some things for a slumber party at hospital, and Loona’s phone too. As much as it surprised Stolas that Blitzø hadn’t even considered asking him to get those things, he was glad; he didn’t want to leave Blitzø alone, not even for a second. He had offered to call Millie and Moxxie but Blitzø wanted to do it himself. After that, Blitzø was glued to his phone, stating he needed to send some emails, but when he more than once showed Stolas ridiculous horse-memes, it was clear that he was desperately trying to occupy his time and thoughts with something else than the dreadful wait to hear something new about Loona.
Stolas dutifully chuckled at the memes and listened to him rant about how ‘un-fucking-believeable’ it was that the hospital didn’t have any canteen or at least a vending machine with instant coffee. While he was happy to help Blitzø, his own mind didn’t need such distractions. He had learned as a young owl how to handle waiting, no matter if he was waiting for something good or awful; it was sometimes terrifyingly easy to get lost inside his own head to avoid feeling restless and overwhelmed. But that method wasn’t useful now because despite his own worries and anxiety, he wanted to stay in present and be there for Blitzø. In the past few weeks he had learned that helping the ones he cared for was a much better way to push away the negative feelings he constantly had than slipping into the dark corners of his mind to escape.
An hour or so passed like that before Dr. Rimly informed them that the cause was indeed parvovirus. As she had established earlier, all they could do was monitor Loona and give her the needed medicine to help her immune system to battle against disease. They were directed through another portal to the hospital’s ward and Stolas offered to text Moxxie their current location, which Blitzø gladly accepted this time. He was nervous and clearly itching to run as nurse walked them to the room Loona was in but all energy seemed to leak out of him as they stepped inside and saw Loona curled up in a bed, awake.
“Dad,” she said immediately when she saw them. Her voice cracked and she cringed, looking embarrassed.
Blitzø didn’t run and leap to hug her like Stolas knew he wanted to but instead slumped on the chair next to her bed and softly said, “Hey, Looney.” He took Loona’s hand and held it in his lap which made Loona smile, her usual protests towards physical affection absent.
“You look like shit,” Stolas heard her say as he took a seat as well, on the other side of her bed.
“It’s so nice to hear your voice,” Blitzø answered and there was no hint of sarcasm or humor..
Stolas smiled at their interaction before speaking to Loona, “How are you feeling, sweetheart?”
Loona’s head turned back and forth as she glanced at them both. Stolas noticed how her pupils were unusually large.
“Kinda loopy,” she said. “They told me I fucking shit my pants, please tell me they’re lying.”
“Sorry, honey,” Blitzø patted her hand sympathetically.
“Fuuuuuuck,” she swore and curled her body deeper under the blanket, though her hand still remained in Blitzø’s. “That’s so wild. And so embarrassing I might actually die from it if this virus-thing doesn’t kill me.”
Blitzø didn’t answer.
“Please, Loona,” Stolas said as he saw how much Loona’s words affected Blitzø. “Never say something like that. We were both so worried about you, especially Blitzø.”
“Yeah, would it help to know that I almost shit my pants when I saw how sick you were?”
Stolas could see that the grin on Blitzø’s face and the bravado in his voice were all fake. Loona’s head peeked from under the blanket and Stolas heard a muffled giggle, so unlike her usual laughs; something more innocent and child-like, most likely due to the drugs she was under.
“Ew, no,” she said. “I’ll deal with that when you’re old and senile, not a day sooner, ‘kay?”
Stolas thought it was a sweet thing for her to say but it clearly had a greater meaning to Blitzø, given the way his eyes shined and how he lifted Loona’s hand up to kiss it tenderly.
Loona let out an exaggerated groan at the gesture and pulled her hand away. “Lemme sleep, ‘m tired,” she mumbled.
“Sure, Looney, rest up. I’ll be here.”
Loona jostled on the bed and settled only after Blitzø stood up and wrapped the blanket around her like a comfortable tight cocoon. As Stolas made sure the IV tube was still properly attached to her arm, he caught Loona staring at him. He smiled warmly at her — she looked very adorable with her red eyes blinking at him, buried inside the blanket except for her head.
Then she looked down, frowning. “Sorry,” she whispered so quietly Stolas almost didn’t hear it.
His smile dropped. He reached out to brush few hairs away from her down-cast eyes.
“Whatever could you possibly be apologizing for?” he asked.
“Just sorry,” she repeated.
As if she had any reason to apologize to him. She had let him inside her home as much as Blitzø had. She even stood up for him when she had no obligation to, treated him like he wasn’t someone who hadn’t almost completely ruined Blitzø’s life and therefore hers as well. He was only a stranger who had had something with her dad and was now living with them like a hermit who occasionally did some decent paperwork at their company.
Why the hell was she apologizing to him?
As Stolas was helplessly trying to decide what to say, Loona closed her eyes and after only couple of seconds, she was asleep. Stolas’ exhaled shakily, shame and guilt suffocating him. He could feel Blitzø’s eyes on him but he was too afraid to look up and meet them.
Instead he glanced around the room and took in the other patients there. The room was spacious enough for three other beds, two of them occupied by other hellhounds and one by an imp. The tiny imp seemed to be an elderly one but Stolas couldn’t pinpoint the exact age of the hellhounds, possibly because he had only interacted properly with the one he was currently living with. It was, once again, very different from the manner Goetia family was treated when sick, and the sting of his past privilege didn’t help the inner turmoil he was experiencing ten-fold right now. One of the two hellhounds noticed his stare and gave him a glare.
“What’re you looking at, chicken?” he growled out, baring his fangs at him.
Before Stolas could stammer out an apology, he heard the chair move and then Blitzø walked to stand in front of him.
“Wow, first of all, can’t you tell birds apart, idiot?”
Stolas blinked at his back and despite their notable size difference, Blitzø seemed distractingly tall at that moment. Stolas felt his cheeks warm up at the thought and wanted to slap himself for being so easily… fine, swooned; swooned like he was every time when Blitzø stood up for him.
“Chickens are stupid and ugly so this one clearly ain’t a fucking chicken,” Blitzø said. The hellhound was growling at him now and Blitzø only snarled back before continuing. “He’s an owl because owls are cool and smart, definitely smarter than some bozo who broke their leg.” Blitzø pointed at the cast around the hellhound’s shin and the poor thing looked slightly embarrassed at that.
Stolas gripped Blitzø’s coat with his talon. “Blitzø, let it be. I doubt they’ll let us stay if we cause a scene.”
“I’m not causing a scene, this guy is!”
“I was staring and that was very rude of me,” Stolas firmly said and tried to turn Blitzø around so he could look at him. He had mastered quite an effective technique to calm Blitzø down, which Blitzø often called ‘puppy-owl-eyes’. While he couldn’t say for sure what that meant, he knew it worked at least half the time if needed.
“I haven’t even told him my second point,” Blitzø argued and stayed stubbornly in place.
Stolas sighed and stood up, then pushed Blitzø out of the way so he could pull the curtain around their space to give them some privacy. “Sorry,” he sheepishly said to the hellhound before closing it.
“Whatever dude,” Stolas heard him mutter.
Afraid Blitzø was going to say something more, given the rapid motion his tail was swinging around and hitting Stolas’ shin in the process, he dragged him back to the chair and sat him down.
“This is why you’re here,” Stolas pointed at Loona and tried to keep his voice firm despite the ever-present gentleness in his chest that was beating for Blitzø and his preposterous protective tendencies. “I understand you must feel agitated but you can’t start fights in a hospital.”
“I know, Stolas. Doesn’t mean I’ll just sit and listen to some pooch talk shit about you,” Blitzø grunted and then narrowed his eyes at Stolas. “Besides who’re you to lecture me, you didn’t exactly give any love of hell-neighbor to that bitch at the reception?”
“Please, don’t remind me,” Stolas said with a mix of whine and chirp. “I could have handled that much better and my attitude only made everything worse, I realize that now.”
“Huh?” Blitzø snorted at him. He lifted his hand then rubbed his eyelids and slumped properly on the chair. He looked very tired all of sudden and at least that meant he wouldn’t continue arguing with their hellhound-neighbor. “You and you bird-brain, I swear. If you thought even for a second she was going to let us in here if you just sweet-talked her ear off, you’re dead-wrong. Money is what counts, always. Hospitals are no exception.”
“Oh.”
“Yeah, oh-fuckity-oh.”
Blitzø had moved his claws from his eyelids to forehead, rubbing the dark insignia in slow circles. He kept his eyes closed even as he waved his hand at the other chair, asking —or ordering— Stolas to sit. Stolas did without a word, his heart heavy with hurt he felt when he saw the adrenaline crash hitting Blitzø. If it hadn’t felt dangerously too intimate, he would have offered to massage Blitzø’s shoulders which still looked painfully tense even though his body was sinking further and further into the chair every passing second.
“Don't worry about it,” he continued. “I always have something on the side, just in case. If Loona was awake, she'd say I'm full of shit ‘cause no one knows about it. I can burn company money yeah, especially the portion that goes to Moxxie's pay but this nest egg account is off-limits. Except now, obviously.”
It was only a small nugget of information about Blitzø and his life but Stolas took it in greedily.
“That's quite prudent of you. Of anybody, really,” Stolas hurried to add. He knew Blitzø wasn't always the most considerate when it came to money but it wasn't his place to point that out, outside of work at least. Actually… “Moxxie's pay?”
Blitzø really had no right to look as charming as he did as he flashed a slight grin at Stolas, looking both feral and soft in that hospital chair.
Stolas was working up the courage to offer that massage. Purely to give some comfort and relief to Blitzø, not because the urge to touch him was stronger than ever in weeks.
“I kinda had to learn it,” Blitzø surprisingly continued to speak. He was using that same tone he had when talking about his sister; compassionate yet slightly guarded. “My old man never thought far ahead with money and I tried so fucking hard to not be like him but when I started living on my own I realized some of his shitty ways had rubbed off on me anyway.”
“Parents can do that to you. I can relate,” Stolas told him. He glanced at Loona and pondered what kind of parents Blitzø had. Surely they had to have something good in them despite the flaws because Blitzø was such a good father himself, not to mention how brilliant he was in every other way as well.
Before he could say those thoughts out loud, Blitzø spoke up again, this time with a harsher tone: “What do you even mean? From what I remember, your dad was a scary, snooty rich asshole. You're nothing like that.”
Blitzø was both right and wrong. Stolas certainly didn't have the commanding authority his father possessed but it was never a quality he had wanted to inherit anyway; that facade of power made sure he was always cruel and conceited to everyone. Despite that, Stolas knew he could be just as selfish and ignorant as him. Perhaps Stolas’ efforts to try to learn to be better would some day redeem these flaws but currently it was a very lean comfort. It was so kind of Blitzø to comfort him but they both knew the truth.
You pompous rich asshole!
Stolas lowered his gaze to his hands and let the memory of Blitzø’s words burn a brand of shame into his heart. He could never forget fully but every time he relived it in his head, it stung a bit more than last time.
“Stols?” Blitzø sounded uncertain. “You can’t seriously think—”
The familiar song of Blitzø's ringtone started, making them both jump slightly in their seats.. Blitzø muttered a curse and clumsily dug it out of his pocket.
“Yeah?” he spoke into the phone. “Oh for fuck's sake… No, it's fine, Moxxie. I forgot. I'm coming.”
He pocketed his phone and sighed. “Can't believe they're ready to charge M&M for just dropping a few shitty things here. They're waiting outside, I'll-”
“No no,” Stolas interrupted when Blitzø was about to stand up. “I'll go. You should stay with Loona.”
Blitzø glanced at his daughter before answering, rather bashfully, “Thanks.”
“Of course.”
There was a blotch of dark red high on Blitzø’s cheeks, undoubtedly a blush, when Stolas stood up and smiled at him. He chose to not over-analyze it like he did with every other micro-expression he spotted on Blitzø, and bend down to swipe his talons carefully against Loona’s cheek.
“Sweet dreams, sweetheart,” he said to her then to Blitzø, “I’ll be right back.”
An absolutely disarming wobbly smile had found its way on Blitzø’s mouth. “Sure,” he replied before Stolas slipped out of the room.
He found out the portal-card they had received worked as a two-way ticket. He stepped inside the portal and was back at the hospital’s lobby. He walked to the entrance doors and through their windows, he saw two familiar imps, loitering outside with anxious looks on their faces. The doors opened automatically and when their eyes met, he was about to step outside and greet them but a strange, invisible force tugged on his right arm, compelling him to move backwards before he could.
“Return the card if you’re going to exit, mister!” he heard that nasal, bored voice yell at him. He glanced over his shoulder at the reception space and scoffed offendedly.
“I’m only going to take the essential belongings my friends bought.”
The receptionist merely blinked her eyes at him as an answer.
Stolas scoffed once more, louder this time and positively livid with the lady again. He turned to look at Moxxie and Millie, and beckoned them to come closer.
“I’m sorry,” he said once they were within earshot.
Millie waved her hand at him. “Don’t sweat it, hun. Standard hospital nonsense.”
“We’re used to it, your high- Stolas,” Moxxie assured, trying to keep his face neutral when he accidentally blurted out Stolas’ past title again. Stolas didn’t mind it anymore though, the slip-ups were quite rare these days.
What he did mind was the fact that everyone seemed to be so accustomed to such rudeness and immoral ways to pluck money from sick people and their families. He wondered, if he had known about it before, could he have done something as a royal?
“Still, it’s quite ridiculous,” he could only say.
“Big hospitals pull that shit all the time,” Millie insisted with a comforting tone. “Too many hell-borns got in and ran out without payin’ in the past.”
Moxxie handed over a bag which Stolas recognized as one of Blitzø’s. “Everything Blitzø listed should be there. But I couldn’t find the crackers Loona likes, tell her I’m sorry,” Moxxie looked almost teary-eyed as he said it. “Tell her… tell her I can go buy her those tomorrow, first thing in the morning.”
“It’s alright, I don’t think Loona can eat anything solid right now anyway.”
“How is she? And B?” Millie asked softly, worried..
“She’s resting now. We just have to wait and hope she recovers quick and easy.” Stolas paused before adding, “Blitzø… he’s exhausted. But staying strong and optimistic, for her.”
Both Millie and Moxxie smiled woefully at that.
“I apologize we had to bother you this time at night. If I still had my powers I could have easily teleported to get these myself but…”
“We’re happy to help, really!” Moxxie told him and he sounded so sincere Stolas didn’t need to convince himself to believe him.
“Besides, if you got out and came back in, even through portal, they’d force you to pay the fee ‘gain. And Blitzø needs you there.” Millie’s smile was much more peppy now and she was looking at Stolas straight in the eyes. “That idiot’s tryin’ to look like he can handle anything but Loona means everything to him so just do what you always do — keep all four eyes eyes on him and stay beside him, ‘kay?”
Her earnest words shocked him, even though Blitzø’s bravado during crises wasn’t anything new to him. But her faith in Stolas was prominently touching.
“There’s no place I’d rather be,” he told her, meaning it with all his heart.
Millie nodded and flashed him a grin with all teeth. “When Loona wakes up, tell her we’re gonna give her hell for catching an Earth disease.”
“I don’t think that’s going to encourage her much, Millie…”
“Moxxie, don’t you know her at all? She’ll be so annoyed her immune system destroys that Parvo-thing in a blink!”
Moxxie looked thoughtful. “Oh hey, you could be right. Brilliant strategy, sweetie! Okay, Stolas, tell her I’m going to come visit and make her watch all my favorite musicals.”
“Better! Tell her we’ll come visit when she’s passed out and shave her bald!”
“And tell her I’m not fat!”
Millie sighed heavily and shook her head at her husband. “Moxxie, this isn’t about you.”
“But I’m not,” Moxxie used one of his various whining tones. “Maybe at least heavily-medicated Loona will believe it.”
“Oh, Satan.”
Moxxie leaned just a bit closer to Stolas and whispered, “Tell me if she believed it.”
Stolas chuckled at their antics, a practised response to their banter since he could never really follow it quickly enough to join; he felt like it was only meant for them anyway, one of the nuances of their peculiar but still sweet love language.
“Now that she has her phone, you can also call her and tell her all of that yourself,” he suggested.
“Well, she always hangs up but we will definitely try,” Moxxie said with a smile. “Tell Blitzø we said hi and let us know if you need anything else.”
“We’ll keep the company up and killin’ till you both come back.” Millie patted her husband on the head which made Moxxie smile grow.
Stolas paused, wondering how much he should say. “Are you sure?”
The married couple shared puzzled looks.
Moxxie shrugged. “We basically did that when Blitzø was sulking for a month.”
“I— well…” Stolas stammered, unsure how to continue. He glanced at them both and grew frustrated when he came to the painful conclusion that Moxxie still hadn’t gotten the news; the white-haired imp had no poker face so his purely confused expression couldn’t be a facade to make sure Stolas wouldn’t worry about I.M.P. He wasn’t exactly sure if Blitzø knew either, which most likely meant he’d have to be the one to confront Millie.
He could feel a headache coming just from thinking about it.
“I’m just worried you’ll overwork yourselves,” he settled on saying, while he stared at Millie.
There was a brief frown, a momental flash of concern, on her face, before it was gone and she said with vigor, “Thanks for the worry, Stolas, but me and Moxxie don’t even know what that word means!”
She slapped the spade of her tail against Moxxie’s back (or most likely his rear, Stolas couldn’t see clearly enough and thank the stars for that), making her husband blush.
“Ha! Yeah! I don’t mind giving extra elbow grease as long as it’s with my Millie!”
Moxxie sounded convincing but Stolas could remember one lunch-break a few weeks ago when he had practically cried into his coffee for not having enough hours in a day to write on his musical-reviews blog.
Stolas swallowed a sigh and decided to worry about Millie’s hidden pregnancy later. He needed to be there for Blitzø now, Millie had said so herself.
“Wait,” he said right when he thought about Blitzø. “What did you mean when you said Blitzø was sulking? Did something happen?”
Stolas knew he shouldn’t be so keen on snooping about Blitzø’s past but hearing he had been so depressed that he couldn’t work was alarming.
Stolas’ question made them pause, then two identically annoyed faces were looking at him like they were asking if he was serious.
“Ya know,” Millie answered. “When you two broke up your ‘not a relationship’-thing.”
“Oh,” Stolas could only say. Was I supposed to guess that somehow?
“Maybe we should give Blitzø some mercy, Millie,” Moxxie said, his voice radiating sarcasm, as he wrapped his arm around her shoulder. “Blitz is clearly only 99% simp, telling Stolas about his mental breakdown would have proved him to be a big fat 169% simp.”
“Nice play with numbers there, baby,” Millie giggled.
“I try my best.”
They were both looking at Stolas like they were in on a joke he had been left out of but they could let him in if he asked nicely.
Menaces. All of them.
“Well! Thank you again, I’ve kept you away from your goodnight’s rest far too long,” he chose to say and evade.
“No problem, hun,” Millie replied smoothly. “Talk to B ‘bout these things, will ya?”
“Now is definitely not the time for that.”
The wide smile on Moxxie’s face softened slightly at his words. “No but maybe soon. Excuse me for saying this but I know you’re at crossroads right now. You can’t find the right path if you don’t speak up, right?”
“I suppose,” Stolas said after a beat.
“Communication is the key!” preciously innocent Moxxie said as they waved their goodbyes. Before Stolas turned around, he caught how troubled Millie seemed when her husband said it.
I think some locks cannot be opened with something as simple as a key.
“How can you even suggest that?”
“You’re basically dead on your feet, Stols. I can fit those stupid chairs fine but you, with your highway-long legs? I’m not blind.”
It had been a long night and even longer next morning. Loona had slept until the daylight had broken through the window glass but it didn’t take more than an hour for her condition to turn worse once more. She had vomited the little bites of hospital food she had had for breakfast and it didn’t stop even when she had nothing but bile to spit out. Her temperature had gotten alarmingly high and due to her fever and mix of medicines, she was groggy and disoriented for a time that felt like an eternity; not the kind of Loona who had laughed and called herself ‘loopy’, but a pain-stricken, confused and scared hellhound with fangs. It had taken both Stolas and Blitzø to hold her down on the bed when she decided she had to leave, and after her confusion had turned into anger mixed with primal fear, she had bitten Blitzø on the arm and refused to let go no matter how much Stolas begged her to calm down. Her jaw had turned slack only when nurses came and sedated her. Blitzø’s arm had been bandaged and yet he had paid it no mind; his eyes never left Loona and it was an uphill battle to make him eat something. Seeing Loona in so much pain had been beyond awful to Stolas but how it had affected Blitzø was even worse; when Loona had bitten him Blitzø hadn’t even reacted, there had only been eerie calmness on his face as if he believed he deserved to hurt just as much as his daughter, or more.
Even now when they were arguing Blitzø seemed so withered like a breeze could make him crumble and he’d gladly accept it. There was no fire in his voice, only quiet dullness which in itself was like a scream without a voice, telling Stolas how hurt and tired he was.
They were currently in a new private room Loona had been transferred to after her episode because the hospital staff had claimed Loona to be too unstable to be close to other patients. Whether that was true or not, thanks to their privacy they had no need to step outside to argue when Blitzø had practically ordered Stolas to return back to the apartment.
“You should go home to sleep,” he had said but the way he hadn’t even looked at Stolas when he said it, without any emotion, sounded too much like, “Go away.”
“I don’t care,” Stolas replied, bypassing Blitzø’s logic about their current sleeping conditions. “If you think even for a second I’m leaving, just like that, I’d advice you to at least drink a glass of water because clearly dehydration is making you speak nonsense.”
“Stols, I mean it,” Stolas could finally catch a speck of ire in his voice. “I can’t take care of you both at the same time. I just fucking can’t, okay?”
Stolas tried not to take it to heart. He wasn’t that insecure, naive prince he had once been all those months ago, letting every bite of Blitzø’s words slice through him. He knew Blitzø better now — when he was hurt, he lashed out.
“Blitzø,” he whispered and left his seat on the opposite side of Loona’s bed. He paid it no mind that Blitzø didn’t look at him even when he stepped closer and then bent down so he could take a hold of Blitzø’s hand, the one attached to the bandaged arm. That touch finally made Blitzø’s head turn and their eyes locked. Stolas could have cried at how broken Blitzø seemed, even amidst the clear surprise at how Stolas’ had taken his hand.
“What if something like this happens again?” Stolas asked and emphasized his meaning by carefully shaking Blitzø’s hand. “Who’s going to be here for her? Who’s going to be here for you?”
Blitzø seemed to at least weight his words for a moment or two before he broke their shared stare, looking away. When Stolas sensed he was going to pull his hand away as well, he quickly added, “I can’t believe I have to say this to you of all people but I’m an adult as well. A father as well. You don’t need to take care of me, I can do that and more myself. And…” he hesitated. “I-I can do more for you and Loona, just tell me how to help. And I promise not to cause anymore trouble, certainly not the kind I did when we arrived. I can call Moxxie and Millie and ask them to bring something for you. Or do something else, be more useful. I promise I will help you in any way I—”
Blitzø’s assassination skills seemed to not be only useful for murder but for shutting up rambling demons. Before Stolas could even realize his movements, he had turned around fully to face Stolas and reached out his hand to press his beak closed, so fast Stolas almost bit his tongue. He blinked rapidly, staring at Blitzø.
“I don’t want to hear that,” despite the harsh and deep tone, there was something tender and vulnerable in those yellow eyes. “If you’re only gonna speak shit then you might as well shut up and let me do the talking. I feel like an open wire right now so fine, let’s fucking share experiences about this whole satan-awful situation. Are you listening?”
Blitzø was still holding his beak closed and Stolas let him know how irritated he was about that by adding a glare to the nod he gave.
“There’s nothing ‘more’ you could have done and no more ‘help’ you could’ve offered, got that? I know you can take care of yourself, oh don’t I know it. I want you to go home and sleep because all this time you’ve been fucking fantastic, Stols. You’ve been here during all this, for me and for Loona. You stood up for her when we came, let it rip to that bitch at the reception which was the fucking sweetest thing you’ve ever done and also crazy hot. You spoke with that doctor when I could only sit and get stuck in my own head because I was so scared. Even before I knew something was wrong, you took care of her and it was because of your quick thinking that we got here when we did and not a second later. You calmed me down when I needed it and you, ugh, supported me or whatever, mentally, when I needed that. You carried my girl here with your hollow, bird-arms.”
At some point during Blitzø’s monologue, Stolas’ talons had moved to grip his wrist, not to pull away his hand from his peak but because he felt like he needed to hold on to something.
“That’s why you’ll go home,” Blitzø continued.
‘Home.’
“Because I want you to get sleep and eat proper food, not the trash they offer here. ‘Cause I can’t worry about you exhausting yourself, you’re kinda too important and amazing, and you’ve done so much already. I’m gonna take my hand away now and if you even once say some degrading bullshit about yourself again, I’ll kick your feathered ass so hard you’ll learn to fly. Got it, birdie?”
The faint tenderness in Blitzø’s face before was now blooming into a sweet smile that made Stolas’ knees grow weak so it was a small relief that he was already kneeling. He nodded.
When Blitzø released his hold, Stolas almost missed it. The secure way his hand had been on Stolas and the both calming and thrilling effect his words had evoked. It brought up old memories but what was new was the meaning of those words; there was so much gratitude and appreciation thrown at him so suddenly that it was almost unbearable to listen. Those words and the sincerity so clear in Blitzø’s voice were like a pair of open arms that Stolas desperately wanted to run into but he couldn’t really, could he?
He was elated Blitzø had seen his clumsy efforts to help as something precious and supportive, not only for himself but for Loona too. But the warmth he felt now, still seemed undeserved because it wasn’t really as Blitzø saw it. Stolas had only been doing whatever any decent person would and still it was only the bare minimum.
He figured it was a can of worms he shouldn’t open right now when he, despite Blitzø’s sweetness, still had an argument to win.
“I— thank you, but still, you don’t need to-”
“Bzzzt, padlock,” Blitzø said and snapped his claws.
“...Pardon?”
“I’m putting a padlock on this stupid conversation, it’s done, over, boom-bye-biatch.”
Stolas blinked at him several times, processing. “What does that even mean?”
“Did my awesome logic fry your bird-brain?” the grin Blitzø gave him was surprisingly energetic, also an unfortunate contrast to his dark eye-bags. “It means what I said. You can continue this topic on your own if you wanna but I’m not hearing it no more.”
“I just think I shouldn’t abandon you in times like this just because-”
Blitzø interrupted him by closing his eyes and leaning further into the uncomfortable chair, folding his arms behind his neck. “Wow, I dunno what that distant screeching is but it sure sounds like stupid fucking nonsense,” he said loudly and yawned for good measure, which might have very well been a real one given the circumstances.
Stolas, annoyed, croaked under his breath. He stood up, folded his arms across his chest and glared at Blitzø. “Enlighten me then, when does the ‘padlock’ open?”
“It doesn’t, I tossed the key out the window.”
Amusement crept sneakily into the annoyance Stolas was trying to cling onto.
“Oh the same thing pirates do?”
For a moment he irrationally feared Blitzø wouldn’t remember. As if Stolas could hold him accountable for forgetting a silly little game they played as children. A strange emotion did cross Blitzø’s face, one Stolas couldn’t really interpret but then the smirk was back.
“Exactly like pirates do. You get it, so honor the pirate code.”
Snort escaped through Stolas’ beak and he couldn’t even scold himself about it. It was hard to not get caught up in Blitzø’s strange antics. Blitzø held out his hand and Stolas tilted his head in confusion.
“Give me the card and go home, Stols,” Blitzø said, smiling now instead of smirking. The corners of Stolas’ mind were echoing the word ‘home’ again like greedy sinners. “I’ll call you later and let you know how Looney is doing.”
Blitzø’s smile was disarming and Stolas hesitantly dug out the card he had kept on him this entire time since Blitzø never willingly left Loona’s side. He played with it before Blitzø snatched it from his hand.
It didn’t feel right.
Blitzø, glueless to Stolas’ inner struggle, only made it worse by taking Stolas’ fingers and squeezing them with his own hand. He then, quickly, like an after-thought, pulled them to his mouth and kissed them. Stolas stifled a gasp and then it was over, his hand was free and hanging down beside his body. Blitzø had that blush on his face again but he wasn’t avoiding Stolas’ stare this time.
Stolas, as if in a dream, slowly walked to Loona. He stroked her cheek, something that had turned into a habit every time he left the room and after that he exited without another word.
As soon as his mind stopped screaming him inappropriate notifications about how Blitzø’s mouth had just been on his skin for the first time in Satan knows how long, his head cleared and he felt a wave of irritation wash over. The mere thought of returning back to the apartment, home as Blitzø had said, was absurd and dreadful. He wouldn’t have been able to sit still nor do anything useful there in this state of mind, let alone sleep. Deep down Stolas did appreciate Blitzø’s concern for him and even respected the plausible possibility that he just wanted to be alone with his daughter for a moment but to send Stolas completely away in this dire situation?
Stubborn idiot, he thought but he couldn’t deny the tinge of affection even when he was trying to be upset with Blitzø. Fine then.
He walked around the hallway and when he found a free chair, he dragged it nearby Loona’s room. He wasn’t close enough to hear anything from inside but he didn’t wish to eavesdrop anyway.
Being at least somewhat physically close to Blitzø and Loona must have lulled him into a false sense of security because he realized he had dozen off only when he heard a gruff voice say, “What the fuck?”
Stolas snapped awake in the uncomfortable chair and saw Blitzø staring at him with an almost appalled look on his face. Stolas couldn’t breathe as their eyes locked. Blitzø’s own eyes were slightly red as if he had been crying.
“Loona? Is she alright?”
“The same,” Blitzø answered curtly and Stolas sighed deeply in relief.
He looked at Blitzø’s eyes again. The shed tears must have fallen because of anxiety and worry, then. Stolas wondered how long he had been asleep.
“What time is it?” he asked as he rubbed his sore neck.
“I don’t fucking know, who cares!” Blitzø raised his voice but it sounded so shaky that Stolas couldn’t bring himself to feel any kind of irritation from being yelled at. “Stolas!” Blitzø said his name again, then pointed his hands towards the chair and back at Stolas, as if he didn’t have any more words left.
The question was obvious, “Why are you still here?”
Idiot, Stolas thought again and smiled.
“I’m simply protesting in silence. Your “padlock” method might have prevented me from presenting a counterargument in words but I can still bring forth my opinion through actions.”
Blitzø had gone quiet and was staring at Stolas in a strange way.
“And as you might have noticed, I was sleeping!” Stolas pointed out. “Wasn’t that what you wanted?”
Stolas knew it was shot in the dark to try and make Blitzø laugh in this situation but when Blitzø’s mouth started wobbling, and his shoulders shook violently, he was sure he had misstepped horribly. Blitzø rubbed his face with his palm and Stolas stood up from the chair.
“Blitz—” Dearest. Please don’t cry.
He didn’t have time to say more because Blitzø let out a short, hollow chuckle. It was muffled by his own hand but Stolas still heard it. Soon he was looking at Stolas again, fresh, fat tears in his eyes.
“Fuck,” he exhaled. “You stupid bird.”
I am. I am.
Blitzø was only a few feet away from him, even less than that when Stolas was already meeting him halfway but he still managed to take a few running steps towards Stolas before they had their arms around each other, hugging tightly. Stolas didn’t care that his knees smarted from the cold and hard floor as he knelt there and he cared even less how Blitzø’s tail was squeezing him so tightly around his waist that it was hard to breathe. He embraced it all just like he embraced Blitzø with talons around his shoulders and left horn.
He was furious with himself for thinking even for a second of leaving Blitzø alone as the imp’s body shook in his arms. Stolas could only hope he wasn’t crying anymore because he didn’t know how long he could hold in his own tears.
“I’m not leaving,” he whispered gently. “She’s going to be alright and we’ll both be here when she wakes up.”
Blitzø didn’t answer verbally. As his claws carded through Stolas’ sweater and the feathers on his neck, he nodded once, then again, almost frantic in his movements. Then he squeezed Stolas against himself more tightly, as if trying to mold their bodies into one. Stolas wouldn’t have minded that one bit.
yakichou on Chapter 1 Wed 24 Sep 2025 07:47PM UTC
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mangokills on Chapter 1 Wed 24 Sep 2025 07:53PM UTC
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LavenderLewis on Chapter 1 Wed 15 Oct 2025 09:25PM UTC
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mangokills on Chapter 1 Tue 21 Oct 2025 01:06PM UTC
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R3ddien on Chapter 1 Thu 13 Nov 2025 01:26AM UTC
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mangokills on Chapter 1 Thu 13 Nov 2025 09:55AM UTC
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olicityfangirl24 on Chapter 2 Fri 31 Oct 2025 01:07PM UTC
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megamegaturtle on Chapter 3 Thu 20 Nov 2025 03:27PM UTC
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megamegaturtle on Chapter 3 Sat 29 Nov 2025 05:10AM UTC
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olicityfangirl24 on Chapter 3 Thu 20 Nov 2025 04:06PM UTC
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Purple_Wisteria on Chapter 3 Fri 21 Nov 2025 10:03PM UTC
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WeWalkADifferentPath on Chapter 3 Sun 21 Dec 2025 03:39AM UTC
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mangokills on Chapter 3 Sun 21 Dec 2025 12:36PM UTC
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