Chapter Text
Stolas didn’t remember much of the trip from the kitchen to his personal chambers. After their talk that night, his thoughts had settled to calm ocean waves, tranquil and hushed. He could still feel the echo of turbulence, all those months of looming crests and abyssal troughs crashing on top of him all hours of the day, but that struggle to breathe, the one that had sometimes seemed endless, felt worlds away.
After all, how could he be upset when Blitzø was right beside him, reaching up high to hold his hand as Stolas led them through the twists and turns of his home? He gripped that hand tight.
Despite his previous bravado, Blitzø was only a gentleman as they entered the bathroom. He asked Stolas quietly for instructions: how hot did he want the water, what scents did he need, was there anything else he’d like? Stolas answered just as hushed, undressing timidly behind him as the imp puttered around. They’d done this whole ritual of getting a bath ready plenty of times before, but something was off.
Somehow, it felt different. Even though he’d probably spent more time naked around Blitzø than clothed, shyness was fizzling through him as he slipped off his robe. How surreal.
He was also having trouble thinking about anything else beyond their kiss in the kitchen. But at least that wasn’t something terribly unfamiliar. Blitzø was often the one on his mind.
It wasn’t long before Blitzø finished pouring in the last of his favorite bergamot and lemon bath oil into the steaming water, looking to Stolas expectantly as he moved away to dim the lights. He sunk into the bathwater, the salts and the oils working their literal magic, washing away the tension and the dirt of his heartache. He tilted his head against the lip of the tub, needing to keep Blitzø in his sights after their long time apart. Those glowing yellow eyes looked cautious as they moved through the room.
“Can I help?” Blitzø asked, watching Stolas sit up and begin to tug out loose feather shafts.
He sat up a little straighter, pleased and ever eager to be pampered. “Oh yes, please.”
Blitzø placed a stool alongside the tub, settling in close. After all the emotions of the evening, it looked like he was seeking out a familiar role. He never wanted to be a servant of any kind, of course, but Stolas could always tell he genuinely enjoyed taking good care of his partner.
It seemed they couldn’t completely shake their previous full moon routines. He had always been attentive and thorough and so, so gentle when Stolas needed it.
Blitzø used a small comb and a bottle of preening oil to meticulously work his way across the back feathers. Stolas tried to stay alert and attentive as he picked his own way through more easily accessible areas, but it was a struggle. The warm water, the relaxing scents, and Blitzø’s undivided attention all conspired to keep his eyelids heavy.
Eventually, Stolas caved to the pressure once Blitzø finished with his back, hands slipping out of his own feathers down to rest in his lap. His eyes fell shut. Lulled under the feeling of his lover taking care of him, he leaned back into the tub as Blitzø switched over to work on his front, combing through all the bits Stolas halfheartedly plucked at.
“Are you okay?” Blitzø whispered, fingers steady and sure.
Stolas could feel himself tear up a little.
“I’m just wonderful, darling,” he replied, opening his eyes to watch the imp focused on him. “It’s merely that this is usually a social activity, and I very much missed bonding with you over it.”
Blitzø didn’t reply, only dipped his head to press a kiss to Stolas’s headfeathers. He was clearly timid, perhaps even afraid his affections would be rebuffed. Stolas spared a murderous thought to whoever had callously rejected those earnest touches enough to make Blitzø tremble when he offered them.
The owl tucked his rage away for another night though, turning his head and finding Blitzø’s unsure mouth with his, kissing him softly in thanks.
Blitzø kept working well into the evening. Stolas was rather embarrassed to see how many broken feather shafts he’d pulled from his body. He knew he’d been neglecting his hygiene in the wake of his heartbreak, but never did he think he’d slip up so much. He eyed Blitzø nervously, but the imp appeared unfazed, even as the feather pile grew larger and more precarious.
Perhaps it’s because he’s not a bird, Stolas mused. So many feathers would surely make Octavia snort and call him mangy.
He resolved not to say a word about it, languidly complying as Blitzø tilted him this way and that for a better angle.
When Stolas finally felt clean, he grabbed one of Blitzø’s hands and pressed a grateful kiss to its back. He pulled the plug and stood up from the water with a mighty stretch. Blitzø was waiting just outside the tub with a warm towel and raised eyebrows.
“You looked like you needed that.”
“Oh sweetheart, you have no idea.” Stolas heaved a mighty sigh as he sat on Blitzø’s stool. Blitzø immediately began drying him off. He tried to quietly protest, but he ignored him.
“Shush. Just let me help.”
He threw a towel gently over Stolas’s head to rub the water out. The owl felt his face begin to blush. Hopefully, the worst of it was hidden.
Stolas felt like a different person after Blitzø was finished, clean and dry after a small spell to evaporate the last of the dampness lingering in his feathers. His robe was left untouched since it surely needed a wash as well. The two of them exited the bathroom without a word, returning to Stolas’s chambers and eying the large bed in loaded silence.
“Would you… like to stay the night?” Stolas asked tentatively. So much had already happened that evening. How much was too much?
Blitzø looked at him out of the corner of his eye. “Sure. Do you want me to?”
Stolas nodded vigorously, watching closely as the imp walked over to a side table. He emptied his pockets, taking off his gloves and skull choker. He hesitated at his shirt buttons, looking to Stolas for his reaction.
His gaze had been fixed on those lovely hands creeping closer to the buttons. He suddenly felt as nervous as he did earlier in the bathroom, like he’d never done something like this before in his life. He cautiously stepped closer, his own long delicate hands reaching up to unbutton him in silence, fingers unsteady. Blitzø reached up and gripped his wrists for support.
They discarded the shirt somewhere on the floor. Neither cared to check as the electric moment expanded through the whole room, holding them both suspended on a precipice. Stolas decided to simply let his instincts guide him, carefully touching Blitzø’s newly bared skin. It was somehow even warmer than he remembered it.
As soon as his fingers brushed across that chest though, Blitzø was slowly pushing the owl backward until he plopped down to sit on the bed. Their eyes were suddenly level, feeling their breath tickle each other’s face. Blitzø was watching him somberly. Stolas was immediately reminded of the very beginning of their full moon agreement, the imp firmly sitting him down and demanding they negotiate their rules in the bedroom before he’d go any further.
A spike of heat had gone through Stolas on that night as Blitzø took command, just as it did again right then.
“Tell me now. Do you wanna just go to sleep, or do you wanna… sleep with me?”
“I- um,” he mumbled, unsure what the correct answer was.
Blitzø chuckled. “I’ll go first again, huh? Well, I wanna fuck you.” Stolas fought down a shiver. “Because I’ve fucking missed you the last couple months. However.” The heat in Blitzø’s face dimmed, the sincerity shining through. “We’ve both been through an emotional wringer tonight. So, if you’re not feeling it, I’ll be just as happy taking a nice, long, not-sexy nap with you. The most innocent of virgin nuns would approve, scout’s honor.”
He smiled encouragingly at Stolas. Faced with such an open, caring expression, he was taken by a need to kiss that wonderful imp. He yanked him forward, trapping him close between his long legs and melting into Blitzø’s sudden enthusiastic grip. Stolas’s hands pulled him further forward, tilting his head and slotting their mouths together as easily as breathing. Blitzø’s forked tongue teasingly brushed against his beak, a needy whimper sneaking out of Stolas’s throat.
Blitzø broke the kiss with a laugh. “So you agree, then?”
“Yes, yes, Blitzy,” he whispered harshly. “Now do shut up and come here.”
But even though Stolas pulled them together again urgently, mouths easily finding each other, their contact stayed rather soft and sweet. Their hands didn’t have the usual desperate rush, the scorching need to grasp one another harshly and yank and pull to make every finite second count.
No, instead their grip stayed gentle, holding their partner close and stroking slowly, fingers sliding across feathers or around the spines at the back of the imp’s head.
Blitzø’s tongue asked hesitantly for permission, and Stolas granted it, the forked end licking softly into his mouth. He’d missed this feeling more than words could say. The kiss grew deeper and deeper, breath warm and panting as their lips entwined in a long-belated greeting.
Blitzø flicked his tongue up to brush teasingly against a familiar spot in Stolas’s mouth, one that always made him shiver. The owl’s grip tightened further, one finger circling around the base of Blitzø’s horns in retaliation. The imp gasped quietly. They had always been gloriously sensitive.
Everything was still wonderfully slow and heartfelt, an expression of the care they’d always felt and were finally able to show. There was a low, rolling heat in Stolas’s stomach as they simply kissed, not scorching but still undeniable in its insistence that he stayed right where he was, wrapped head to toe around Blitzø.
Speaking of his partner, he was pulling back again, Stolas whining low at having empty space between them. Blitzø placed a finger across his beak.
“I’m gonna fuck you,” he said matter of fact, Stolas squirming against the edge of the bed. “But I’m also gonna be honest again. After all that emotional junk in the kitchen, I’m not up to anything as hot and heavy as our usual tonight. Would you mind if we took it easy? Finally try some of that vanilla missionary shit?” He winked, smiling sharp and mischievous. “Promise I’ll make it worth your while.”
Stolas shuddered and nodded, biting that finger gently. Despite always having a lovely time with Blitzø on nights like these, he couldn’t help but agree that perhaps their typical activities would be a bit too much on his tender and fragile heart. Better to let it heal a bit before they start playing as hard as before.
Blitzø leaned forward and pushed him down on the mattress, quickly climbing on top and mounting him before resuming their kiss. The strokes of his tongue were so soft and sweet and slow that Stolas practically melted into the bed covers.
There’s a new tenderness to Blitzy tonight, Stolas registered through his haze. Those hands were far gentler than he could ever recall, one slipping teasingly up his thigh while the other buried itself deep in the feathers at the back of his head, petting them soft and deliberate.
Blitzø never moved far away as they writhed where they fell on the mattress. Those strong arms, the broad shoulders, and those sinful legs mounting Stolas’s slender hips were completely surrounding him. On all sides, all he could see and feel was Blitzø.
Stolas welcomed it with open arms, touch starved as he was and pushing back into every point of contact like he couldn’t get close enough. He wanted to sink into Blitzø’s warmth, into the comfort and care that was suddenly pouring out of the imp, like a tidal wave held back far too long.
Blitzø coaxed Stolas upward, scooting them both further onto the bed and towards the pillows. It was a bit of a struggle considering neither was willing to let go of the other, but Stolas easily decided he couldn’t be bothered with how they looked. So what if he was a bit ungraceful, scrambling backwards in his eagerness? Blitzø was right there with him, clamoring on top and straining to keep their lips connected all the while.
As Stolas dropped into the silken softness of his pillows, he sighed into Blitzø’s mouth, legs falling open without a thought and cradling the imp between them. Blitzø’s lips left when they couldn’t reach his mouth anymore, but before Stolas could say a word of complaint, they’d attached themselves to his neck, sucking softly on the spots where his feathers were naturally thin. Stolas quietly moaned as he licked and bit gently, building up the sensitivity until every motion sent sparks down the owl’s spine.
Blitzø must have somehow been able to read his thoughts, or perhaps was just that good at reading his body. Whatever the reason, as his mouth worked away, his fingers gently traced the path of those sparks down Stolas’s front, carding through his thicker chest feathers before trailing down his stomach and then lower still.
One long finger stroked gently through feathers soaked with the bird’s excitement. Stolas cried out wordlessly, needing them to touch further in, where he really needed it. Blitzø clearly wanted to take his time, teasing slowly along the outside and spreading around the slick that had managed to escape.
Stolas could feel Blitzø breathing heavily against his neck. He placed both hands behind those large horns and pulled his head up to kiss him again. His tongue slipped into Blitzø’s mouth, swirling lightly in an old trick he’d learned from the imp himself. Clearly, it was effective as ever, those teasing fingers stuttering and then leaving from between Stolas’s legs to clutch desperately at his hip.
An amused ripple of laughter left Stolas’s throat, only to cut off with a choke as Blitzø grinded his clothed hips down, that hard bulge rubbing perfectly at just the right angle. Stolas could’ve sworn he saw stars as they held each other close and moved together like that beneath the moonlight.
Their nights together had always been magical, with Blitzø wringing out every last drop of pleasure from Stolas’s body until he was left boneless and ravaged, sprawled across the sheets. The energy between them that night was just as wonderful as those previous ones, but something felt vastly different.
Stolas couldn’t quite put his finger on what it was, mind hazy with arousal, but it was almost like a different flavor of intimacy was dancing through his body, one they were only just discovering.
Moaning softly, Stolas gave into the urge to press Blitzø’s mouth tighter to his, feeling nearly overwhelmed and rolling his hips up to meet him. It was like all the broken pieces of his heart were suddenly clicking back together. He wasn’t disillusioned; there would be plenty of bumps in the road, but at least now he felt like he was on the right path.
Blitzø must’ve unbuttoned his pants while Stolas was lost to his emotions, finally pulling back a bit to slide them and his underwear off his legs. He flung them off to meet the same fate as his shirt. Stolas saw his newly bared cock and clawed at his hips, greedy for more contact, but Blitzø stubbornly kept it away, ever in control and always teasing.
He was obviously trying to get him riled up. It was definitely working. He’d promised Stolas some satisfying vanilla sex, and it looked like he was determined to deliver. His hand softly ghosted its way back down between the owl’s legs.
He worked him gently, playing every string of Stolas’s body he’d learned so well from their nights together. Those clever fingers rubbed gentle circles around the outside of his cloaca, lingering there for so long without going further.
Stolas normally would have wanted to scream, begging and pleading for Blitzø to just get on with it, but the urgency was nowhere near so intense this time. The need certainly was, though. Instead, he stayed in the moment, the low simmer in his core steadily growing brighter like a masterfully coaxed campfire. He basked in the attention Blitzø was giving him, finally slipping a finger inside and stroking against Stolas’s walls, groaning into the owl’s neck as Stolas cried out sharply.
Another finger joined the first, and then another, all three rubbing against his sensitive inner ridges. Pleasure sparked through him, rapidly building into a mighty blaze as the imp repeated the motions over and over, adding ever so subtle variations with each pass. Stolas could only lie there and grip those broad shoulders tight, squirming and straining as those dexterous fingers played him like a well loved instrument.
When Blitzø finally pressed his hand inside as far as it could go, those fingers stroked gently against his most sensitive spot, dragging against it for only a few seconds before Stolas was falling apart. His mouth opened in a silent cry, his cloaca spasming and leaking slick as Blitzø took the edge off. He brought the owl to a gentle climax, whispering sweet things in his ear all the while.
“You’re doing so good, pretty bird. How beautiful you are. You’ve got no idea how much I’ve missed you.”
Stolas could only shake his head against the pillows, trying to catch his breath. He had a pretty good idea. He probably knew the feeling better than Blitzø did.
He watched Blitzø lick off his fingers, the need flaring bright as if he hadn’t just finished the first round a minute before. The imp angled his hips to press his neglected dick against Stolas’s entrance, teasing the head along the outside and smearing the owl’s wetness. His hand traveled down, sliding through the mess Stolas had made and spreading it along his own dick. He pressed just the tip inside, watching Stolas through half lidded eyes all the while, biting his lip.
“Please, please, I need you, right now!" Stolas couldn't take it anymore. "Don’t make me wait any longer, please!”
“I’m here,” Blitzø whispered, expression awed and slightly teary. He leaned down, kissing him again as he moved his hand aside. His dick slipped in easily, Stolas already well stretched and soaked.
All those months ago, Stolas had an awakening the first time Blitzø entered his body, discovering hidden sexual needs he’d been neglecting all his long life. It released a side of him he didn’t know he had, one that chased after Blitzø with a dogged determination to get him back into his bed and keep him there as long as he was allowed.
This, the feeling of Blitzø entering him again, riding on the pain-pleasure edge of all the emotions he felt that evening, felt like another kind of awakening. If he thought he needed Blitzø before, it paled in comparison to how he felt then, like it would actually kill him if they had to separate now.
They both let out broken cries as he bottomed out, hips flush and hands gripping tight, looking at each other in amazement. Never before had it felt like this.
Blitzø slowly drew away and pressed back inside, both of them shivering with unabashed pleasure every inch. It was delicious friction the whole way, a wet and easy slide. But it was also the comfort of coming together while knowing their partner wanted them most, out of all the other creatures in Hell.
Blitzø’s hand moved up to stroke Stolas’s delicate faceplate feathers, looking at the white pupils staring into his own. He pressed a shaky kiss to Stolas’s mouth, both of them breathing harshly.
Blitzø finally started moving his hips with a new sense of purpose, building the both of them up to that highest peak. He took his time, never slamming inside but thrusting carefully, like he was trying to hit all of Stolas’s most sensitive areas with each stroke. It felt like the owl’s ecstasy was the only thing important to him in that moment, pulling moans and whimpers from Stolas like music as Blitzø panted heavily above.
Stolas’s legs wrapped around his back, pulling him deeper. The claws on one of his long delicate hands sunk harshly into the bed, the sound of sheets ripping absently registered through the blood rushing in his head. Blitzø gathered up that hand and the other, pinning them loosely above his head one-handed. Stolas could feel himself clenching tighter and tighter, every slide of Blitzø’s perfect cock pushing him higher, tensing his muscles for the oncoming fall. A low groan tumbled out of his throat.
Blitzø craned his head to lightly bite down on that neck, right over where he could feel the vibrations of Stolas’s voice. He suddenly changed his angle, deliberately hitting that sweet spot deep inside, over and over. It was enough for the owl to finally crest over the edge, coming heavily on that glorious dick and seeing stars. His body was stiff as a board, moving jerkily to meet Blitzø’s thrusts as he rode out the end of his orgasm.
He was babbling helplessly, feeling pure love rush through his chest and unable to keep entirely quiet. “Blitzy, Blitzy, I’m yours, all yours. I always was.”
Blitzø inhaled, pausing for only a moment and freeing Stolas’s hands before moving his hips again. He whispered softly, stunned, “You are mine. I’m not dreaming this time. You’re really mine.” His eyes, glowing bright with emotion, met Stolas’s gaze again. “And I’m yours.”
Stolas couldn’t hold back a happy cry, wrapping his arms around Blitzø’s shoulders and holding him close. Tears leaked out onto the imp’s skin, a smile tugging his mouth so high it ached.
Blitzø was still moving shallowly within him, dragging out Stolas’s pleasure still and keeping him on the edge.
“Do you think you have one more in you, babe?”
Stolas nodded unsteadily, wordless and wonderstruck and so very happy. He clutched Blitzø’s back tightly as he started thrusting in earnest again. That clever pointed imp tail sneaked between them, rubbing against the outside of his cloaca. It didn’t take long to bring Stolas over the edge again, coming hard with a choked cry, all sensitive and raw, vision going white.
Blitzø followed right after with a long groan, pulled along, willing and eager, as Stolas convulsed tightly around him, milking everything he could. Those large red hands reached up to hold Stolas’s face, kissing him sweetly as he rocked his hips and drew out the last echoes of both their orgasms.
Stolas's mind wasn't exactly firing on all cylinders by this point, but he knew in his heart something had changed irrevocably between them in that moment. For the first time in their many nights together, their lovemaking felt honest, a live wire connection of emotion and understanding humming between them, remaining even as they came down from their high.
Blitzø’s arms and legs eventually gave out, collapsing to the bed beside Stolas, both of their minds full of static as the aftershocks trembled through them. Stolas could feel his cloaca still pulsing and sighed, blissful and sated.
He glanced over to see Blitzø staring at him in awe. The imp looked baffled, like he couldn’t believe he ever experienced something like what they just went through together. Oddly hesitant, Blitzø reached up to touch Stolas’s cheek.
“I never thought it could be like that,” he whispered.
Stolas smiled back, completely smitten, and pulled him close, ignoring the mess growing tacky between them. “Never could I have dreamt of something as lovely as that. Or as lovely as you.” He paused, running a hand down one of the imp’s horns. “Don’t ever leave me, Blitz. Please. I wouldn’t be able to…”
Blitzø moved his head to meet his gaze, smiling tiredly. “You already promised back in the kitchen you’re not leaving me. So it’s only fair you get one too.” He placed a warm hand over the owl’s heart. “I won’t leave you, Stolas. For as long as you want me.”
Stolas started tearing up again, his smile wide and wobbly. “Forever, then…”
Even after their whole night together, Blitzø still looked shaken by Stolas’s certainty. The idea that someone could want him so much was clearly a very new one. Blitzø broke their gaze by pulling him into another quick kiss and then tucking Stolas’s head beneath his chin. He started stroking his feathers, an action that clearly brought him comfort. He exhaled shakily.
“I want you to know,” he began, “I’m still scared shitless. My instincts are telling me to protect myself, but… I dunno. I feel like, even if shit hits the fan at some point, that this is… worth it. You’re worth the risk. I just- I really hope I don’t fuck this up.”
Stolas gripped him tighter. “You won’t. I’m sure we’ll both make mistakes, but you said it yourself earlier. Everyone does.” He lifted his head slightly to look up at Blitzø. “You’re not the only one frightened out of your mind, you know? The only thing I haven’t messed up in my life is my daughter. I don’t exactly have a good track record myself.”
Blitzø blinked at him and then smiled, suddenly bright and joyful. “Then, we’ll just have to wing it, huh? I’m good at that!”
“My fate is in your hands then, darling,” Stolas chuckled.
Blitzø held him tight again, Stolas tucked back into that warm neck. Both of them felt sleep finally start to creep up. Stolas had already slipped into a light doze by the time Blitzø moved to get up, gently untangling his limbs from Stolas’s koala grip. He returned not a minute later with a damp cloth, wiping away the mixture of slick and cum drying in Stolas’s feathers.
Ever the attentive lover, Stolas thought dreamily, his fingers reaching forward to skate across Blitzø’s arm in thanks.
He left again, likely to toss the washcloth into the laundry chute. When he returned, Blitzø quickly curled around him, pulling up the bedcovers to create a warm cocoon and his tail wrapping tight around Stolas’s. The owl let out a quiet, happy coo, relieved to be held without having to beg for it anymore. He sunk into that lovely imp, feeling wanted for the first time in his life and so safe and content. Blitzø nuzzled happily into his headfeathers.
Stolas used the last of his strength to lift his head and kiss Blitzø goodnight. After that, it was only the soothing oblivion of sleep, his heart finally at peace for the first time he could remember.
Stolas roused gently the next morning, the soft dawn sun shining across the bed and into his sleepy eyes. Its warmth had long since soaked into the covers, leaving him toasty and relaxed. There was a familiar ache in his hips, a bone deep satisfaction that he knew went hand-in-hand with being intimate.
After a brief second of worry that last night had been a dream, his languid body put his paranoid mind to rest. He registered Blitzø’s arms resting loosely around his waist as he spooned the owl from behind, breath tickling gently at the back of his neck.
After so long, he was waking up in Blitzø’s arms again. It felt like coming home.
Overwhelming gratitude washed through Stolas, shaking the sleep from his system. He had thought this simple feeling was lost to him before last night. To have Blitzø back was…
He didn’t want to disturb the sleeping imp, but he needed to see him with his own eyes, to chase the last stubborn remnants of doubt from his mind that their evening together was all in his imagination. Turning his head all the way around and keeping the rest of his body stock still, his eyes finally fell on his lover. Or at least, what he could see of him from where he was buried in Stolas’s feathers, snoring softly.
He chose me, Stolas remembered, twisting his body a little further and reaching a hand up to hold the side of Blitzø’s face, thumb stroking along his cheekbone. Just the idea that Blitzø had picked him, had chosen to stay by his side, was enough to make him tremble a little. He’d surely be weak in the knees if he was standing upright.
Blitzø was always a light sleeper, though, eyes cracking open with a quiet curse about “that fucking sun again” and a tired groan. Stolas laughed a little. Blitzø’s gaze quickly found him, expression full of doubt and wonder once his mind woke up a little and remembered.
Clearly Stolas wasn’t the only one worrying it was all a dream.
“Hey,” Blitzø croaked.
“Hello, my darling,” he answered, thumb still stroking back and forth on that precious face.
“What time is it?” Blitzø’s hand groped blindly for his phone, finally catching sight of it on the other side of the room with the rest of his things and scowling.
“Mm, half six, I’d imagine.”
One of Blitzø’s eyebrows climbed higher. “Is that a fucking guess?”
Stolas shrugged. “A reasonably good one, if I do say so myself. If we’re extrapolating from the angle of the sunshine and its height in the sky-”
“Oh, fuck off,” Blitzø mumbled. “You know I’m only gonna understand like every other word of that shit.”
Stolas’s beak opened to tease him a bit, but Blitzø must have seen the mischief in his eyes, leaning forward before he could say a word to kiss him, warm and full of leisure. Both of them revelled in the simple action, still surprised they were now welcome to act on those urges.
They pulled apart slowly, equally delighted. Blitzø trailed a finger beneath Stolas’s chin, guiding him up for one more quick peck.
“Morning, handsome.”
Stolas blushed. “Good morning, Blitzy.”
The two gradually pulled themselves out of bed, unwilling to leave their warm nest but knowing they had to get on with the day, regardless. Blitzø tugged on only his pants as Stolas found another old robe lying around, green with a leopard print on the edges. He saw Blitzø eying him distastefully across the room but saying nothing, only grabbing Stolas’s hand and tugging him down for another quick kiss.
“Want me to stay for breakfast?” he asked.
It shouldn’t have made him so happy, not after their long night together, but Stolas couldn’t fight an ecstatic grin, bouncing happily on his taloned feet. For as long as their full moon arrangement had been around, Stolas had tried his damnedest to get Blitzø to stay as long as possible in the morning, tempting him with additional rounds in bed or a homemade breakfast or even just an iced coffee. Nothing had ever shaken Blitzø though, always quick to pick up his clothes and scramble down the side of the mansion like the devil himself was on his tail.
How quickly things could change within a day, Blitzø actually volunteering to stick around with a hopeful expression after a long night of tender lovemaking. It made Stolas’s head spin in the most wonderful of ways.
They crept down to the kitchen together, Blitzø looking carefully around corners. Stolas knew he was eternally uncomfortable being waited on by his own kind, always going out of his way to avoid the servants when he could. Still, Blitzø must have been in a good mood that morning, taking his usual discomfort and turning it into a game.
About halfway to the kitchen, Blitzø looked up at him, grinning wickedly. “Think we can make it without being seen?”
They made it into a small competition, darting from corner to corner and ducking behind curtains when a servant wandered by, snickering together. During a particularly close call, Stolas used his magic to camouflage himself, leaving Blitzø standing alone and cursing that he was a filthy cheat in the middle of the hallway. He made a mad scramble for the top of a cabinet full of valuable chinaware, just dodging the maid as she rounded a corner. Stolas wondered if Blitzø had some sort of magic himself; despite his haste, his climb had been so smooth that not a single piece of china rattled. Stolas was duly impressed. With how much those ancient ceramic pieces were worth, Stella surely would have fainted if she was around to see.
At one point as they got closer to the kitchen, Stolas heard his head butler asking around for him, something he couldn’t in good conscience avoid.
“Throw me up,” Blitzø hissed, gaze fixed on the chandelier dangling above.
He raised an eyebrow, but he tossed him up all the same with one arm before he answered his butler’s calls. Stolas did his best to keep a straight face as the imp servant spoke to him, nodding along at all the right points. It was a challenge, though. Blitzø dangled above from the chandelier like it was a trapeze, meeting Stolas’s gaze from over the butler’s head. That brazen imp blew kisses, trying to crack Stolas’s expression, while somehow swinging on the chandelier without a single crystal making a sound.
It was a close call, but the butler finished and moved on unawares. Blitzø dropped lightly into his open arms. Stolas scolded him teasingly about falling and breaking his neck as he carried the imp to the kitchen, happiness bubbling up in his chest.
This was the sort of easy going relationship he’d wanted for as long as he could remember.
They chatted idly as the owl walked along, innocent little questions that Stolas hoped he’d never take for granted. Busy day today? Fuck yeah, I’ve got clients up to my eyeballs these days. Where’s your kid? Oh, Octavia is out on a trip for her school, studying flora and fauna in the Greed Ring. It’s all terribly fascinating…
They were simple topics, but Stolas cherished them all the same.
Blitzø volunteered to make breakfast, scrambling eggs and frying french toast on the stove from a stepstool. Stolas made him some iced coffee before draping himself over the imp’s back, content to watch him work and unwilling to move further away than he had to. They ate quickly and returned to the bedroom, Blitzø needing to be at work within the hour and Stolas having a full itinerary of activities awaiting him.
He watched dreamily as Blitzø dressed fully for the day, lounging on the edge of the bed with Blitzø’s coat resting on his shoulders like a cape. When the coat was all that was left, they watched each other carefully, trying to mask the amusement in their eyes.
Blitzø made a grabbing motion. “Give it.”
Stolas shook his head. “Payment first, I should think.”
He groaned, but it was without heat. One long kiss later, Stolas was squirming with joy and Blitzø was shrugging on his coat with a poorly hidden blush.
“When can I see you again?” Stolas asked, anticipation in every line of his body.
“I dunno. Tonight maybe?” he mumbled. “I’ll have to see how work goes. If I’m dead on my fucking feet, we can always meet tomorrow night. Tomorrow’s Friday, right?”
“Yes, Blitzy, it is. Tomorrow sounds good.” He leaned closer, pulling the imp against him and running a teasing finger in circles on his shirt. “Though tonight would be even better, if you’re up for it?”
Blitzø groaned. “I’ll try, alright? We’ve got like three different targets to track down today.”
“Well, don’t push yourself, darling,” Stolas hummed, pulling back. “You’re worth waiting for.”
The imp blushed again, growing quiet and watching Stolas closely.
“Speaking of you and me,” he began, voice hesitant. “What… exactly are we now?”
Stolas’s heart stuttered. “What do you mean?”
“Like, are you my boyfriend?” Blitzø asked quickly. “Or are we being more casual this early? I’ve never dated a prince before, obviously.” His face grew tight with horror. “Wait, would we even date at all? Or would it be - what do you fancy fucks call it? Courting?”
The owl’s face felt warm, his mind bursting with nervous excitement.
“I would like to date you… If you’re amenable, that is?”
Blitzø blinked at him. “What’s that mean? Are you asking if I agree? I mean, fuck yeah, I do. What kind of idiot do you take me for?” He was starting to blush. “I’d love to date you. Who wouldn’t?”
Stolas looked down at his feet, fingers twiddling and nerves giddy like a teenager mooning over his first crush.
“Then I suppose that would make us boyfriends, then.”
Blitzø exhaled heavily. “Huh. Well, I can work with that. All that fancy courting garbage gives me hives.” He winked at Stolas, heat flashing in his crooked grin. “You’re definitely the most gorgeous boyfriend I’ve ever had.”
Stolas’s feathers fluffed up, his white face surely flaming red. “You’re the first boyfriend I’ve ever had.”
“And with any luck, your only.”
Nothing in the universe could have prevented Stolas from kissing Blitzø in that moment, holding him softly and kissing even softer. It felt like Blitzø had reached deep inside him, touched his heart that had been so sore and lonely all those long years and reassured the fragile thing that he’s here now, that he’s here to stay.
If they were cosmic forces, then there had been a true supernova within Stolas the night before, and Blitzø was the catalyst. He’d forced Stolas to finally be honest, collapsing his loneliness and his insecurities in on themselves until they exploded into vibrant dust. Now his mind was awash in hypnotic purples and blues, scorching reds and golds. A galactic masterpiece, a glittering rainbow of color where there was once an empty void.
How could he not have fallen for him?
As they kissed, Stolas felt that old affection bubbling up in his chest, rising to his mouth, and, unlike last night, he didn’t want to stop it. He needed to tell that wonderful imp how he felt, needed to tell him-
“I love you,” Blitzø said quietly.
Stolas gasped, his eyes flying open. Blitzø was wide eyed, like he was afraid of how Stolas would react. The owl wanted to say something, needed to, but he couldn’t think of a single word, not even his own name.
Did he just say…?
Blitzø’s alarm was apparent, immediately trying to backpedal. “Oh shit, I’m sorry. It’s too soon, right? Fuck, I’ve just- I’ve known for months, and I was really feeling it just now. It felt like a good time to tell you, but you’re right, it’s too much, fuck. I’m sorry-”
Stolas kissed him, his beak soft like it was brushing a flower petal. What he was feeling in that instant was so delicate and all consuming, but at least he’d found the words in the middle of Blitzø’s meltdown. He pulled back from that lovely mouth, but only just a bit.
“I love you, as well,” he whispered against Blitzø’s lips.
It took a while for the words to penetrate through Blitzø’s anxious brain, but Stolas held his face close until they did. He couldn’t help but be humbled in the face of the overwhelming relief and adoration and sheer love in Blitzø’s growing smile.
After all those centuries of feeling so alone he could cry, of hoping and wishing and dreaming of love, Stolas felt like he was suddenly found. A thousand years of being adrift in that void, but he’d finally met someone who made him feel complete.
Blitzø was his own personal constellation, creating meaning amidst the scattered stars of Stolas’s long life.
“I love you,” Blitzø repeated, pushing him down onto the bed and crawling up after him. He planted countless kisses onto Stolas’s face, whispering his love again and again between each one, like he was shocked he was allowed to say it. Tears started falling, but neither could tell whose was whose. Stolas’s hushed voice soon joined in, rapturous and eternally devoted.
They were far from heaven, but somehow they found it all the same.
Blitzø was very, very late to work that morning. So late he honestly should’ve fired himself.
But in his own defense, he couldn’t have seen any of it coming. When he went over to the Goetia mansion last night, he’d hardly thought that, by the following morning, he’d be professing his love, his new boyfriend confessing his in return, and the two of them then tumbling into bed for another round of teary missionary feelings sex.
He didn’t want to cut any of it short for something as silly as work. Sue him.
Amazingly, nobody seemed to mind too much. When he bursted through the front door of the office with a dazzling smile and a drink carrier filled with apology coffee, none of them even blinked.
Moxxie accepted his cup with a quiet thanks and a smile, then just left to get ready for their mission. The day finally came when that dickhead didn’t nag him for being unprofessional? Where he didn’t get his ass ripped apart for coming in three hours late, with nothing but coffee and a shit eating grin?
Must’ve been something in the water. Would explain the surreal trip of last night and that morning too.
If he wasn’t so damned happy right then, he might’ve been embarrassed that he spent the last twelve hours making goo goo eyes and kissy faces at Stolas. He wasn’t, though. It felt too right. And it felt way too good to finally get his feelings off his chest.
Not to mention, Stolas felt the same fucking way. God could kiss his ass; that was the miracle of the century right there.
Millie must’ve guessed what happened, had probably even clued Moxxie in on it too. Those big eyes of hers were actually sparkling with tears as she accepted her own cup, practically vibrating with excitement. Fuck, if she started crying, he’d definitely end up joining in, reputation be damned.
“So?” she hummed, holding her drink close to her face to hide her smile. “How’d it go?”
He normally would have brushed her eagerness off, but he couldn’t, not that morning. Not when she’d been such a big help. Who knows what would’ve happened if she didn’t step in and set him straight? He’d probably still be sobbing into a carton of chocolate therapy ice cream, his body wedged into the small space under his desk.
“It was…” He couldn’t find the words, but the lovestruck look he could feel on his face probably told her everything she needed to know. “Perfect.”
She squealed happily, dropping her coffee on the floor in her joy and jumping onto him for a full body hug. His face felt tomato red, but he couldn’t hold back his own laughter, spinning around with her and feeling like a new man. He let go and she quickly started babbling. He’d have to spill all the details, maybe they could head to that bar again later in the week, she needed to know everything, was it just like a fairytale, B?
Moxxie’s voice was calling out from the other room, nonchalant. “You guys coming? Just sayin’, we’ve got a lot of targets today.”
Millie quickly left Blitzø behind to join Moxxie, a literal skip in her step. Blitzø noticed Loona watching him quietly from the reception desk. He picked up the drink carrier with one coffee left in it and walked over without a word. He held the cup towards her, and she accepted, both watching the other closely.
“You okay now?” she asked quietly, ignoring the drink in her hands. A jolt of love ran through him. She’d been through so much recently, juggling concern for her poor depressed dad and uncertainty about what to do. Neither of them were particularly good at things like feelings.
“Yeah, I am,” he whispered, reaching out to hug her close. Normally he’d tug her resisting body into his side, overeager to show affection. This time, though, she fell into it willingly, body stiff and unsure but clearly wanting to be close. “Thanks, sweetie.”
She patted his back. “Don’t mention it. Just promise you won’t be such a sad sack anytime soon.”
He pulled away to smile up at her. “If you finally let me braid your hair and have a sleepover with me, I’ll be happy all year, I swear.”
“Fuck off.” She shoved him away, but he could see she was more relieved than annoyed. “Go do your damn job. After being such a clingy shit this last month, you’re gonna need the money to buy me a fuckton of new clothes.”
“I’m sorry, can’t hear you,” he called back, heading towards the other room where Moxxie and Millie were. “I think I’m going through a tunnel!”
“Asshole,” he heard her mumble behind him, but he could also hear the smile in her voice.
The first two targets were a breeze, practically falling onto their knives, but the third was being a right proper bitch.
They just couldn’t seem to catch the man alone. He was out and about all day with some woman who looked bored out of her mind, texting the entire time on her phone. The guy didn’t seem too bothered about that though, happily just dragging her around on his arm from place to place as they went on a date or some shit.
The trio of imps had to watch from the cover of a window planter as he wined and dined her in a fancy candlelit restaurant. Whatever they ordered looked fucking rank, Moxxie having to move to a different window planter when he saw it and turned sickly green, putting all their clothes in danger. It was a close call, but he somehow kept his food down. The target’s date didn’t touch her own meal, only reaching for more wine and staring off into the middle distance as the guy rambled on and on.
Next, it was a theater, the imps sneaking inside to watch the movie from the shadows and to wait for an opportunity of some kind, like a trip to the bathroom the guy never ended up taking. Their target must’ve had a bladder of steel, since Blitzø had to make three separate trips to piss during the movie. Though that might’ve been because of the supersized soda he swiped from the concession stand as they snuck in through a ceiling window in the lobby.
Their chance finally came at the next stop: a trip to the bar. The target and his date were clearly looking forward to this part the most, getting shitfaced so fast even Blitzø was grudgingly impressed. When the guy was so drunk he started flirting with another woman right in front of her, his date finally staggered off to another side of the bar and immediately began chatting up a roaming pack of college aged meatheads. Neither seemed too upset about it all.
It was almost too easy at that point, the three of them sneaking through the vents as the target eventually wandered towards the restrooms. Millie was the one to do the dirty deed that time, darting out of the vent cover like a fucking snake, covering the man’s mouth with one hand and stabbing him through the chest with the other.
They dragged the body back outside through the vents, careful not to leave a trail of blood behind. Not the easiest feat to pull a fully grown man through that narrow space, but oh well, you work with what you have. After tossing him in a dumpster a few streets down, the return portal was opened, and they popped back to the office.
With three successful contracts down, everybody was eager to head home, but Blitzø’s head was stuck on something, like cheap gum clinging to a shoe. He couldn’t shake the image of the candlelit dinner from his mind. Their target might’ve been a piece of shit, but he had some good ideas in the end.
Deciding not to think about it too much, Blitzø approached Moxxie and Millie before they could escape back home.
“Hey, guys,” he began, eyes wide and hopeful. “You think you could do me a favor?”
Moxx was immediately suspicious, but Millie only beamed at him. “What’s up, sir?”
“Well… Theoretically, if I wanted to maybe go on a dinner date tonight at the last minute, some place really nice… do you guys know anybody who could make that happen?”
Millie appeared to be at a loss, but Moxxie was quick to chime in, “Yeah, actually. I’ve got a theater friend who’s friends with a friend of a guy who manages a restaurant in the Gluttony Ring. I sometimes help him by making weapon props for their shows.” Moxxie shrugged. “He’s always saying he could pull some strings if Millie and I wanna eat there sometime.”
Blitzø tried his best to look sweet and innocent, puppy dog eyes so heavy he was afraid he’d pull a muscle. “Could you lend me a hand, Moxx?”
“I dunno, sir,” Moxxie drawled, a hint of amusement in his eyes and clearly playing hard to get. “It’s almost dinnertime already. That’s pretty last minute.”
The combined force of Blitzø and Millie looking at him so sadly was enough to make him cave in record time. “But I suppose I could do it. Just this once.” He suddenly smirked at Blitzø. “But in return, I’ve gotta be there when you tell Millie all about what happened last night.”
“Moxx isn’t gonna blackmail you or anythin’,'' Millie was quick to add. “He’s just a romantic, is all.”
Blitzø laughed loudly, drowning out Moxxie’s protests. “Nah, it’s fine even if he wants blackmail. You guys are doing me a big favor.” They watched him with wide eyes. “What? I’m in too good a mood to let shitty threats like that get me down.”
Moxxie made the appropriate calls to his theater friend, and within the hour, Blitzø had a reservation to a fancy ass restaurant he could just barely afford. Hopefully his date would be able to foot his own half of the bill. Blitzø was a gentleman and all, but his paycheck could only stretch so far.
Plus, he apparently owed Loona a new wardrobe. And Stylish Occult wasn’t fucking cheap.
He couldn’t shake his giddy smile as he pulled out his phone and called his new boyfriend.
“Hey, Stolas. I know it’s last minute, but you up for dinner in Gluttony tonight?”
Blitzø parked the I.M.P. van in front of the Goetia mansion at dusk, dressed in one of his nicer suits and fighting back a smile.
He had a moment of deja vu as he saw the elaborate fountain on his left and the staircase leading to the front door on his right. With any luck, this night would end miles better than their last try at Ozzie’s club two months ago. Hopefully with him coming inside tonight for that offer of wine and movies and cuddles.
Fingers crossed, he thought excitedly, hopping out of the driver’s seat and circling to the passenger side, opening the door in preparation for his partner. He had a beautiful purple and blue bouquet in hand, delicately arranged with belladonna flowers, hemlock, dark violet roses, and sweet pea blossoms.
If they were gonna try again, he was determined to do it right this time.
He caught sight of Stolas, standing stock still at the top of the stairs, and grinned charmingly, bowing slightly and holding out the flowers.
Stolas walked slowly down the steps of the mansion, dressed to the nines again with a brillant cape trailing behind. His huge red eyes were transfixed on Blitzø, face flushed pink and mouth beaming.
Feeling’s mutual, babe, Blitzø thought, his heart full to bursting.
When the prince stepped off the front stoop and stopped in front of him, he handed over the bouquet. The owl’s hands shook slightly as he accepted the offering, clutching them tight to his chest with a quiet hoot and tears in the corner of his eyes.
Before he could say a word of thanks, though, Blitzø quickly stepped forward, firmly nudging the back of Stolas’s knee with his boot and sweeping him off his feet into a dip. He tilted his head down, kissing him senseless. Even though he’d already seen him that day, he missed that beautiful owl with every bone in his body.
Blitzø slowly separated from the kiss, gathering Stolas up bridal style in his arms as he straightened to his full height. He didn’t try to fight his smile, surely looking like a smitten fool as he gazed at his boyfriend cradled in his arms.
Stolas was no better though, clutching his flowers close and looking completely spellbound, like he couldn’t believe his luck and was finally getting something he always wanted. Blitzø felt pure, undiluted love rush through his body. He never thought he’d find someone who could look at him like that, like he was one of the centers of their universe.
“Ready for a proper first date, pretty bird?”
Stolas laughed softly, breathless and reverent.
“Always, my love.”