Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

Stolas

I clenched my fists under the desk and opened my palms back up, flexing my fingers as the pain faded quickly. The abrasions don’t last, they aren’t supposed to, they aren’t mine. They’re still there, though, every time without fail. I don’t know what she’s doing, but, she sure gets hurt a lot. I can’t imagine she’s scraping her hands and knees up this much and not getting callouses. A Goetia with callouses; she has to be easy to find. Perhaps she is a rebel? She sneaks out during lessons to climb trees? Perhaps she is leaning a sort of textile craft I am unfamiliar with, which involves hurting one’s hands quite a lot while an amateur?

“Stolas.”

I snapped my hands down flat over my lap and looked up, fixing my posture and looking up at attention. My teacher was glaring down at me, a tense grip on the chalk, and I already knew I was frustrating him.

“Sorry, sir.”

“You can read, can’t you?” He twitched his hand out over the board and finished the word he was writing.

“Yessir.”

“And you’ve read the assigned work? While I was gone?”

“Yessir.”

“Let me see it.”

I pulled the book out and opened to the beginning of the reading, where I’d left the first of this last week’s notes I’d taken. “Here. I had another book, in my library, on this subject and I used it to get some more information, if that’s alright?”

He took my page of notes, on which I marked the title, author, and chapter where I’d drawn the additional information in my notes. “Why would you do that?”

I shrank back, not exactly surprised he disapproved of my actions but I had hoped that he might have been pleased with my initiative. “Because… I remember reading it last month. I thought… it might be helpful to have another perspective?”

He dropped my note page back on top of the open book and went back to the board. “Of course you did. This is ridiculous; why am I here? You’re teaching yourself everything your father is paying me to teach you and it is a complete waste of my time! I have three other students that need far more attention than you. I’m going to have a word with your father and reduce the frequency of our lessons again. I mean, really , what little child puts this much effort into reading and learning as you do?”

I do. I do it because what else am I to do? I have so many books; as many books as I please. Every time I run low, Father sends the butler to get me more. I love learning so many things in them, and, the stories keep me company since none of my older siblings care to return to visit and Father hates the socials so I rarely get to interact with other children. My books are reliable, they don’t laugh at me, and they have so much information in them.

“Later, though.” My teacher sighed and turned to lean against the board and cross his arms. “I want to hear that little report I asked you to put together on the subject. If you have to include information from an outside source, I want it to be an approved reading material. Submit outside titles to me before you use them next time.”

“Yessir.” I bowed my head and flipped through the pages to find the report. I was one page off, fretting over whether he would approve of the book I had in the library or not, though I couldn’t think of any reason he possibly couldn’t, when a searing pain shot through my ankle. I yelped and jerked downward to grab at it, even though the pain was fading rapidly.

It always does. Her injuries aren’t mine, after all, and they leave no lasting impression on my body. No one’s ever does.

“What is your problem?! Young Prince, will you please take this seriously?”

“I’m sorry.” I bowed my head, still clutching at my ankle. More serious injuries take longer to fade, so it wasn’t completely gone yet, but the phantom pains weren’t the only thing hurting me now. She’s hurt. She’s in pain, and, I don’t like that! I have no idea who she is, but, I couldn’t stand the idea of her hurting so badly like this! “It’s, my other half. She’s twisted her ankle or… or something.”

He scoffed, “Your other half is clearly very stupid, causing you this much distraction during class. Put it aside and move on.”

How could I possibly? My other half, the demon I am meant to love with all of my heart, somewhere out there is hurt and how could I possibly not care?

I found my report and gave it. Throughout the rest of our lesson, I felt twinges and pangs from her twisted ankle and felt like it must not be getting proper treatment. It couldn’t possibly! She needs to stay off from it, she needs to put it on ice, and it feels like she’s still walking around on it! Or worse!

He ended our lesson early, muttering and grumbling and gathering his materials to go speak with Father about how much of a waste these lessons apparently are. He’s already cut our time together down to once a week, and he gives me plenty of work to do between lessons, but I typically get it all done the first day after. Then, I typically end up reading more anyways, so, I suppose it doesn’t matter too much. I can keep myself busy.

Today, I don’t know who she is. I know she’s wonderful, and amazing, and she’s someone that will love me so so so much. I think, she’s going to be perfect and I am going to love her so so so much. Aside from that, I don’t know anything else about her.

That isn’t true. I know she hurts her hands and her knees a lot, but I don’t know why or how . Maybe she enjoys playing rough? Maybe she’s taken up a difficult and laborious hobby in her studies? Perhaps she is rebellious and enjoys sneaking out of her palace and… I’m not sure. I just have no idea who she is or what she’s doing.

Tomorrow I will.

Tomorrow is my birthday, and tomorrow Father will tell me who they’ve found. Tomorrow, I’ll learn who they’ve arranged for me to marry, and with as much evidence as to who she could be, as often as she hurts herself, they have to have found her. I know they don’t always find the right person, but, they have to. Right?

I can’t wait to not be alone any longer.

I flinched as she put too much pressure on her ankle again. It was a strange sense of psychosomatic injury, because stepping on my right ankle didn’t hurt at all, but occasionally without any of my own prompting, it did hurt. She’s walking somewhere also, now, though it didn’t last as long as it took for me to get to the library and find the section I wanted. I lined up our steps, so every time my right ankle hurt, it was at the same time I was stepping. We must have about the same length of legs, because the pace was very comfortable. It made me feel closer to her.

The section I was looking for was the medical section. I spent the rest of my evening learning about how to take care of different maladies and what sort of plants – particularly those I already have – that can be used for healing. Maybe, tomorrow, I can do something to make her ankle feel better?

Blitz

“You’ve got to be fucking kidding me.” He slammed the bottle down and glared over the table toward me. I flinched and slipped my plate up next to Momma’s, hiding on the other side of her so I could, hopefully, just focus on eating my dinner. “Are you still fucking limping? You’ve got a show later, Blitzo, get your shit together.”

Momma pat a hand over my head, giving Dad a tired look. “He’ll be alright, Cash. After dinner, he’s going to bed with an ice pack.”

“He doesn’t need an ice pack, and he’s got to finish his chores. No free-loading in my circus.”

“I’ll scoop the horse pins,” Fizz volunteered, shooting his arm into the sky and wagging his tail out behind him. “I’m not tired at all, and I want to get some more exercise in.” He then looked to Barbie and cleared his throat.

She looked up from the comic she was reading when he got impatient and elbowed her. She glanced toward me, rolled her eyes, then looked toward Dad. “Yeah, I’ll hang the laundry too. I guess. Whatever.”

“Lazy fucking kid,” Cash glared over at me, “pushing off your chores on your little friends.”

If Fizz twisted his ankle during practice, Dad would send him to bed with an ice pack immediately . He’d have dinner brought in to him, probably by me, and he’d probably even give him extra rations.

I thanked both of them after dinner. Barbie shoved her comic in my hands, “Put it away for me, alright? And you’ve got to hang the laundry when it’s my turn, when you’re better. Alright?”

“Of course.” I shoved her and she started to shove me back, but Fizz cleared his throat and glared at her.

“This is dumb.” She huffed and left toward the laundry lines. It’s her turn to wash, so, at least she doesn’t have to go anywhere to do the extra chores. “And don’t go snooping in my things again!”

I rolled my eyes and leaned in toward Fizz. “Thanks, I’m sorry you’ve got more work now.”

“No, seriously,” he put an arm around my shoulders and went with me back toward our tent, “I really do want to exercise more. I think it will help with practice, and you know how much the older clowns can lift, right?”

I sighed, not really feeling a whole lot better about making him take my chores. I really an a lazy kid. I can do it myself, it’s, like, barely twisted. “I’ll shovel for you, when it’s your turn. When I’m better.”

“You don’t have to.” He flicked me with his tail. “You trying to take my gains?” He was giggling and bumping into me gently, to avoid hurting my ankle more.

I laughed with him, “Maybe? I need to build my muscles more too, you know.” But I still feel like shit. I still feel like I don’t deserve him, or his help, or his laugh when he’s got more work because of me.

He let me go, once we were inside, and went toward his bed. “I’m just going to change before I go shovel, alright? I’ll bring you an ice pack before I go, I swear. And, stay here! Read Barbie’s comics or something. Cash isn’t going to let you skip out on tomorrow’s performance, so, don’t hurt yourself more.”

As he said that last sentence, I stepped on my ankle on purpose and watched him closely. He was looking for those ratty old overalls he wears when he shovels the horse pins, back to me, and didn’t react at all. Not that I’m surprised. Of course. It isn’t him. It isn’t him, and that’s fine. He has someone else. I won’t always get his attention like this because someday, he’s going to find someone better to take care of, to laugh with and play with, and that’s fine . But that just means I’m ruining someone else’s day, somewhere out there, fucking up their ankle when they don’t deserve it. Not that Fizz would if it were him, but… but if it were him, we’d be together forever. Dad would care more about my health.

I climbed into my bed, with Barbie’s comic and dug my notebook out from under my pillow to doodle on. I’ll try to stay in bed, but, I’ll have to get up at some point. I’ll try to stay here, I’ll stay here until Fizz brings me an ice pack. I’ll stay here until I’ve used it for a while. I don’t want to ruin the performance tomorrow. I don’t want to drag Fizz down, I want to do my best and prove I can be funny and make the audience laugh, and I don’t want to keep hurting my other half. I don’t know who they are, or where they are, but they don’t deserve being stuck with some stupid kid that keeps getting hurt during practice. They almost never get hurt, so I feel especially horrible about it. I never get injuries that aren’t mine. I know I’ve felt something occasionally , but it’s so not-often that I can’t even think of when the last time was .

I actually fell asleep on my notebook, crayon in my fist, bag of ice on my ankle, and didn’t wake up until morning. The bag was gone but the notebook was still there, wet in one spot from my drooling, someone gently shaking my shoulder.

I groaned and lifted my head, blinking the sleep from my eyes, to see Momma. She was crouched beside me, and behind her I saw Barbie getting dressed and Fizz sewing something on his bed, already dressed. I looked back to Momma as she pet a hand over my head.

“Did I oversleep again?”

Her smile got bigger and she kissed my forehead, where my circus tattoo was, before moving to sit on the edge of my bed. “It’s alright, sweetie. Let’s take a look at your ankle, alright? If it’s still bad, I’m pulling you out of the performance today.”

I can’t do that. I have to go. I moved to get out, and I still felt a pang of pain but it was less than yesterday and easy to hide. I didn’t even flinch. I grinned up at her, hoping I was hiding it well enough. “It’s done healing, I’ll be okay, Momma.”

She gave me a weary look, but, she believed me. “Alright, if you’re sure. But if you injure it again, I want you sitting out. Be careful with it, because I’m sure it isn’t completely healed. Come here, let me wrap it.” She pat the bed beside her.

I climbed up eagerly and put my foot up into her lap. I don’t want to miss the performance, I have to keep going. I have to keep doing my job, keep trying, and do better. I’ve been practicing my balloon animals, Fizz and I both have, for today’s performance and if I do well, Dad’s going to get off my case. I’ll make him happy. So I don’t want to miss the performance, but, I do love when Momma takes care of me.

She had brought the tape in with her and I forgot to feel guilty for the blissful two minutes it took for her to wrap my ankle securely but not too tightly. She rubbed it, on top, for a second to get my attention. By the time she was done and I was looking back up to her, Barbie was gone and Fizz was tying off whatever mend he was working on. It looked like he’d been fixing the tear in his shirt from practice two days ago, that I’d completely forgotten about.

“If it hurts, you’ll tell me. Right?”

“Of course, Momma,” I lied.

She sighed and pet a hand over my head again. “Good boy. Alright, get dressed, baby boy. Your dad’s in a good mood today; we’ve got a full house and that shipment of cotton candy finally showed up early this morning.”

Oh, great ! I hopped up and rushed to get my clothes, “Thank you! I’ll do my best, you’re going to love it! Fizz, you and I get the rope today, right?”

He was struggling to get his shirt over his stupid-big horns, “Yeah, we get the rope today. But I’m holding it; last time you did you dropped us both.”

“The crowd thought it was funny! And you did a stupid little roll anyways, I was the one eating dirt.”

“Don’t take too long, boys. Cash wants you three to take an hour of practice before breakfast. I’ll whip up something warm for you.”

I babied my ankle during morning practice. The instant we were out of our tent, it was obvious we were getting ready for a sold-out performance. Everyone was moving, more people were already in costumes than normal, and there was this general sense of excitement that doesn’t come with just any performance. It’s still going to be a few hours, but the stilts were out, I could hear *thunk* *thunk* coming from the range where the knife-throwers were set up, and there wasn’t a single empty corner of the circus campus.

And when practice was over, Barbie, Fizz, and I ran to the picnic tables to find Momma with a plate of pancakes .

Oh, yeah . Today is going to be great .

Chapter Text

Stolas

Mr. Butler lead me to the doors into the main hall, where Father’s throne sits and where he spends a lot of his time. I heard voices inside, mostly his, but not just his. He has company.

I bounced excitedly, hooting uncontrollably to get the energy out.

“Young Prince.” Mr. Butler stopped and looked down to me before opening the doors. “Calm yourself.”

I clenched my fists in front of me and shut my eyes tightly, taking a deep breath and forcing myself to calm down. Father doesn’t like it when I get too excited. It isn’t appropriate for someone of my status to act like this, so, I have to stop. I have to keep my hands at my side, I have to stand still, I have to make eye contact.

But I’m just so excited!

“Mr. Butler,” I opened my eyes and looked up to him for approval, that I had fixed myself.

“Very good, Young Prince.” He turned to open the door.

“Wait!” I reached forward, but stopped before grabbing his arm. He stopped and looked back to me with a warning look. I fixed myself again, folding my hands in front of me and dry swallowed to shove the nervousness down. “Wait, I mean, Mr. Butler, sir…”

“Out with it, Prince Stolas.”

“What’s it like?”

He looked surprised, turning to face me properly and give me his full attention. “What is what like? Be more clear.”

“Meeting them. It’s… is it really so magical? Is it… did yours live up to everything you dreamt of?”

He still looked confused, but he didn’t ask me to elaborate any more. He seemed to be thinking. I was about to shove my nerves down even more and actually say ‘it’, but then he seemed to realize what I was trying to say.

He turned away and reached to open the door. “I don’t know. Don’t get your hopes up, Young Prince. That isn’t the point of today.”

A horrible rotting feeling planted itself into my chest, and I couldn’t even put a name to it. I didn’t have time. The door was opening and I was getting my first look into the room. I was fixing my posture and holding myself still, and I was trying to sneak a look back to Mr. Butler – who didn’t go in with me – for fear that I’d hurt him somehow.

Not everyone finds them. Some demons who do find their other half don’t until very late into life. Some demons’ other half dies before they ever meet. I’ve never asked Mr. Butler about his before, I’ve never been brave enough, but, that sounds like he hasn’t found them. I hope it isn’t a sore subject for him; I don’t want to hurt him. I’ve asked Father before, when I was much younger and naive and I thought everyone married their other half and lived happily ever after, and I thought my mother had been his. He told me his had been the mother of my eldest sibling, only the eldest, and they are comfortably in a long-distance association.

That’s when I’d learned that not everyone’s other half is a romantic partner.

But mine is. She has to be. I want to love someone with all of my heart and I want to preen her and I want her to preen me and I want to laugh with her and play with her and be married and have children we raise together with love and I want a happily ever after. My other half has to be the most wonderful, loving, perfect romantic partner ever . She will be kind and patient and she won’t mind when I get excited and she’ll like my plants and she’ll have her own hobbies that I’ll love to learn about, and… and she’s got pigtails and a large round dress and an ugly scowl on her face.

I didn’t like her immediately. That rotten feeling in my chest began to fester, and… it’s fine.

I don’t have to love her immediately.

My other half is only someone I am capable of loving and trusting with all of my heart. It isn’t a magical social fix that automatically makes me love someone I don’t even know.

She stood at who I am guessing is her mother’s elbow, as her mother spoke with my father, but she was watching me walk up the runner with a glare.

She did not look very nice.

I tried not to tremble, looking up to Father rather than her.

“There you are, Stophen.” Father cut off whatever my other half’s mother was saying, making her look frustrated, but only for a moment. “You’re late. How is your birthday, thus far?”

I puffed my chest out and tried to shove that rot down. “Stolas, Father. It is Wonderful, thank you!”

“Yes, yes. Very good. Today, you are to inherit your duties and responsibilities.” He waved a hand to use his magic floating out a large, beautiful, exciting book. For a moment, I forgot about the girl standing there glaring at me, and I began bouncing excitedly. “Here is your grimoire. You are to study it closely, and when you are of age you will assume the responsibilities thereof. Do you understand?”

I took the book out of the air and clutched it to my chest. “Yes! Yes, thank you, Father! I will do my best!”

He made an annoyed face – because I was shouting again – and I tried to calm down again. He turned slightly and gestured back toward the little girl and her mother. “I’m sure you will, you weird little book-boy. Now, your marriage has been secured. It is also your duty to produce a precautionary heir, and you will do such with this… child.” He gave the girl a weary look, the same look he gives me sometimes. “S….Star?”

“Stella.” The mother crossed her arms and gave me a critical look. “Stella, step forward and greet your betrothed.”

They were still at the top of the stairs to Father’s throne and I immediately remembered her twisted ankle. I rushed forward, “Oh, can I help you?”

Stella glared at me and stomped her way down the stairs. “Why would I want your help?” She didn’t favor her right ankle, she came to the bottom of the stairs and glared into my face, and she…

“B- b- because…” I shrank back and looked between her horrible face and down toward her feet, to her ankles. She’s wearing short little heels, something that she couldn’t wear if she had just twisted her ankle yesterday.

“My eyes are up here. What are you doing? I have to marry you? You’re sniveling and ugly and weak. I don’t like you.”

Father and her mother laughed like what she said was silly and not horrible. I shrank back more, clutching the book tightly to my chest and that rotting feeling had broken something inside me and it was filling me entirely, rupturing outward under my bones, through my feathers, over my skin.

“Because… your ankle…”

“My ankle what? Euck, you better not be this timid and stupid when we get married because I do not want you making me look stupid for being beside me.” She turned on her heel and looked up to her mother. “Do we have to stay here? Can’t we go home?”

“No, Stella, dear. You and the ugly little owl must have a play date today. You’ll get to know each other.” Her mother glared down at me too.

She isn’t it.

She isn’t the one.

She isn’t my other half.

I felt my tears welling up.

“Fine.” Stella rounded on me, looked me up and down, “What do we have to do? I don’t want to read stupid books. Do you do anything other than read?”

I started crying. I knew I shouldn’t, but, I couldn’t stop. I couldn’t stop, I kept crying, and I wailed, and felt so stupid. I felt so disappointed. The rot was in my chest and my stomach and my limbs and my brain and I couldn’t stop.

“Ew.” Father scoffed slapping me upside the head. “Stop that noise. Little Princes don’t cry.”

“This is what you want my daughter to marry? She doesn’t deserve this.”

“He’s easy to handle, don’t worry. He’ll take his books and stay busy. Come now, Stolas, stop this. Uhg, well, how about I take you two to the circus? Would you like that? Will that shut you up?”

I tried to stop, I tried so hard, and I couldn’t, and that’s what our ‘play date’ became. We would go to a circus, and afterward, Stella would leave with her mother and I could hide in my room.

And I can cry without getting yelled at.

Blitz

Dad’s pissed. He was happy, earlier, and now he’s pissed. I hadn’t even bothered to avoid him during practice, but after breakfast, he was so angry that Barbie, Fizz and I started sneaking around to stay under the radar.

It was a filled out show. Now, eighteen tickets are voided in favor of three paying customers paying at only slightly higher than the standard price. It took a little spying to figure all this out, but, once we figured it out we snuck up to the top of the hill to safely talk about it. We’ve still got two hours before we’ve got to be down there.

“Why would he do that? It doesn’t make any sense.” Barbie wasn’t upset or angry about any of it, she was just fiddling with some clay. “Dad would never willingly lose out on money like this.”

“So it wasn’t his choice.” Fizz was doing stretches, the over-achiever. “Whoever these people are, they bullied him into it.”

“Oh, you think they’re high-profile? Hey, do you think this is going to be, like, someone we can impress?” Barbie looked up from her little project to grin between Fizz and me.

“Maybe it’s scouters?” Fizz suggested. “Maybe they’ll be so impressed with our performance, they’ll want to buy us off this place?”

“Dad would never let us go. And Blitzo and I wouldn’t leave Momma anyway. Right?” There was a moment of silence I barely noticed, then, something hit me in the back of the head where I’d been rubbing it. “Hey! Pride to Blitzo! You wouldn’t leave Momma, would you?”

“Huh? Oh, no.” I stopped touching the back of my head where it had felt like Dad had slapped me upside it even though he wasn’t around. “No, if it’s scouters they’re not here for us.”

“You good, Blitzo? Your ankle bothering you again?” Fizz – wonderful, amazing Fizz – turned my direction with a look of concern.

“No, I’m fine. I just, sorry. It doesn’t happen often, I just, I’m not used to it.” I rubbed the back of my head again.

They don’t get hurt often. They’ve got some cushy life, I guess, or they’re boring and they just don’t do much. But, apparently, they do have someone that hits them sometimes. Not often. Maybe, hopefully, not someone they see frequently. If they’ve got someone like Dad, well, I may have to hunt them down and steal them away to protect them.

Both of their eyes got real wide and they both gave me their full attention. “Wait, are you talking about your other half? Blitzo, did you feel them?”

“Yeah?” I dropped my hands down to my lap and avoided eye contact. “Someone hit them upside the head earlier. Like, uh, like how Dad does us sometimes.”

“I mean, they’re probably a kid like us. I bet they’re just as stupid as you are.” Barbie smirked at me.

I glared, “You don’t even know them! I bet they’re smart. I bet they’re smarter than you.”

She shrugged, “We may never know. You’re too much of a coward to go and find them.”

“Do you know who yours is?” I stuck my tongue out.

“No. But I don’t care right now. I’ll worry about that later. Once I’m older, and I can get the fuck out of this place, I’ll find her. And I’ll use her to get out, actually.” She started playing with her clay again. “What about you, Fizzy? Your other half get stabbed recently?”

Fizz rolled his eyes. “No. And they’re not getting stabbed, alright? If they were stabbed, it would hurt longer than, like, a minute.”

“Maybe it wouldn’t? I mean, when mine broke an arm, or something I guess I don’t know, I didn’t, like, actually break my arm. It only hurt when she fucked with it.”

“You keep saying ‘she’, how do you know? Did she have an accident with her ‘lady bits’ or something?” I teased, shoving my concern about a relatively small hit upside the head out of my mind.

“What the hell? No! Mind your own business, Blitzo, you jerk. I just know, alright? Boys are stupid, there’s no way my whole-other half is a stupid boy.”

“Boys aren’t stupid, boys are cool. Right Blitzo?” Fizz flicked his tail and shot a look over his shoulder toward me.

“Yeah, yeah. We’re not stupid.”

“Fine. Your other half can be a boy, but mine isn’t. And if they are now, they won’t be by the time we meet. She’s going to be way too cool for that.” Barbie pinched at the clay in her lap.

Dad was not fun to be around, when we went back to the Big Tent. We had to meet up with the other clowns, and even though everyone else was still in a pretty good mood, Dad’s bad mood from having to refund eighteen tickets had effected the other performers. So after he went out on stage to do his fancy ring-master bit, some of the older clowns snuck out around the corner from the prep area and started smoking.

Fizz and I snuck after them, because we could both smell the gossip.

“Did you see that?”

“Yeah. Can’t be a good sign. We fuck this up, Ring Master’s going to have a fit.”

“Goes well, it’s not like they’re going to tip or anything.”

“Pah, just, don’t embarrass yourself. Fucking hell, there’s got to be fancier circuses for these blue blood brats to crash.”

“You don’t know, the troupe made it into newspaper last month. Rates went up again, we’ve been selling out a lot more lately. We’re getting a reputation. Maybe these brats have good taste?”

“If they had good taste they wouldn’t be here.”

Fizz pulled me away, so they didn’t catch us and yell at us for spying on them. Then, in a hushed voice so we could still listen for when they needed us back in, “Blue bloods?”

“Yeah, obviously. Who else would get that many tickets voided? Just for three spots?” I wanted to go in to sneak a look. “But, they call us the ‘brats’. That means they’re kids. So some rich kids are here?”

“That sounds stupid, no rich kids would come here by themselves. Half our troupe have been in jail. My bet’s on two kids and a chaperon.” He pulled on my arm. “Maybe if they like it enough, they’ll come back and they’ll become patrons? Your dad would love getting a financial backer like that.”

“Yeah, we could get new costumes. But then we’d have a bunch of stupid dumb rules to start following. I don’t want to be a blue blood’s lap dog.” I wrinkled my nose and gagged.

He giggled, pulling on my arm again. “No one wants you as a lap dog. You’d be a stinky lap dog.”

I shoved him, “Yeah? And you’d be a prissy little quif on a little silk pillow getting special little treats.”

He shoved me back, laughing, “Shut up. Come on, Blitzo, we’re going to get famous and be the best imp clowns ever and we’ll be rich and we’ll have our own circus.”

“Can I be the ring master?” We’ve already talked about this, but I liked it.

“Yeah! You’ll be ring master, I’ll be the lead-clown, and we won’t underpay the acrobats.”

“And we’ll have horses with cool names and not stupid ones like the ones Dad picked out.”

“Hey!” One of the clowns we’d followed out here shouted as they flicked a cigarette to the dirt and lingering in the doorway back into the Big Tent. “Get your asses back in there, you’re not ruining this for the rest of us!”

Fizz stood up straight and grabbed my arm again to pull me inside. “We’re coming!”

We were still two acts out, but, Barbie was getting her shit together. She goes out just before us, and the rest of the clowns were putting back on their finishing touches and looking for their props.

The next act wrapped up. Barbie went out. She was doing amazing. Obviously. I wasn’t watching, I was juggling with Fizz as a warm-up, but she always does amazing. The crowd cheered.

Then it was our turn.

Chapter Text

Stolas

I banged my head down on the edge of my grimoire. I’d rather be home studying it, but, we’re here. Stella hasn’t stopped complaining about having to go to a ‘dirty, nasty plebian hovel’. She laughed at a few of the acts, but for the most part she was complaining constantly. Mr. Butler held Father’s mirror on my other side, and he seemed to be enjoying it more than either Stella or me. Father, not Mr. Butler. Mr. Butler didn’t seem to care either way.

We couldn’t go anywhere else. Father wanted to take us to the circus and this all-imp circus was the most convenient. It’s in Pride, it had good reviews, and Father seemed eager enough. He’s always been more amused by the lower-born species’ spaces than disgusted.

I want to go home. I want to go home. I want to go home . I just want to go cry over getting stuck with someone mean and cruel and… and… her . I don’t like Stella. She’s mean.

The ring master with the oversized horns announced the ‘Motherfucking clowns!’ and I groaned.

I just want to go home.

“I bet they aren’t even funny,” Stella huffed, crossing her arms.

I banged my head on the book again. Father can’t see me through the mirror like this and Mr. Butler was just giving me a disapproving look. Stella didn’t seem to care at all.

When I looked up, two clowns caught my attention. They weren’t on the ground doing silly little acts like the others, and they were smaller, so of course they stood out. One, the one with larger horns and a rounder face, held onto the rope and had a big, wide grin on his face. The other, with still relatively large horns but comparatively smaller and less curled with a longer face, held onto the first with their hands on each other’s forearms, and a matching wide grin. They swung straight past us, nearly over the audience, and I felt warm.

He’s cute.

Oh, what? What does that mean ? He’s an imp. He’s a clown. He’s… amusing? At least. Probably. He isn’t cute. That doesn’t make any sense!

They stopped swinging about the stage and landed, and a pain shot through my ankle as a quick and sudden reminder that my other had an injury. She hadn’t bothered it much today, so I’d nearly forgotten.

Something in the back of my mind felt weird. Like I should notice or remember something but I’m just not. While the cute one- while the one with the long face and the humble overalls with a patch on it started talking out to the audience, Stella groaned loudly.

“Not funny! I want to see it get hurt. Those gags are funny.”

“Shut up.” I glared at her, because I was missing what he was saying.

She rounded on me and abruptly that feeling of rot came back. “Don’t you dare talk to me like that, you stupid owl. I’ll tear your feathers out.”

“Children,” Mr. Butler reprimanded.

I shut up and ducked my head back down, evaluating the strange realization that that feeling of rot that had festered within me since the moment I realized Stella isn’t my other half had disappeared.

Why was it gone?

“And when we’re married, we won’t have stupid imp butlers that get to talk to anyone like that.” Stella backed off because Father was in the mirror.

I tried to tune her out and pay attention to the cute little clown that was struggling to blow up a balloon animal.

The audience was getting quiet and the cute little clown was starting to sweat. The audience wasn’t amused, Stella was laughing at his pain, and I felt bad for him.

He laughed nervously and started doing a silly little circus song as he kept trying to make the balloon animal work, to make it stop popping.

“Oh, this is just pathetic,” Father mused through the mirror.

I looked from Father to Stella, down to the cute little clown on the stage who just finished making a balloon horse that didn’t pop, but it didn’t have any legs. He looked very proud of himself.

“Well…” his expression shifted from embarrassed to excited, “it was a horse. It ate too much sugar and had to have its legs taken off. Now it’s a gross worm horse.”

I didn’t notice no one else was laughing until after I had been for a few seconds. He turned to look directly at me, a wide grin on his face, and pointed with his free hand.

“This guy knows what’s up!”

“Hey, everybody! Want to see a real horse?” The other little clown boy stepped forward and made a more accurate balloon horse much to the amusement of the rest of the audience.

Stella scoffed, “They both suck. Can’t we leave already? This is a horrible little circus and I need to clean the stink off my feathers. I don’t ever want to come back here.”

“It was a poor joke,” Father agreed unfairly.

“I thought it was funny,” I defended indignantly. “That can really happen, it’s called, laminitis.”

Stella glared at me, “You really found that stupid little imp’s joke funny? Oh, my future husband is a hopeless loser. That stupid little imp should be put to death for making me listen to something that bad.”

Other clowns were coming forward with their own acts, but I didn’t care as much. I was angry. I shoved the grimoire down in my lap and lifted my chin. “Well it’s a good thing you don’t get to decide! I thought he was very funny, and I think he’s a whole lot more interesting than you! That joke was much better than listening to you complain about everything and everyone constantly.”

She glared at me with fury, and I knew I’d made a mistake. I shouldn’t have insulted her. I shouldn’t have made her mad. She’s going to yell at me, Father’s going to reprimand me when I return home, and-

She attacked me. She lunged toward me, knocking me back into Mr. Butler, and pulled at my feathers, practically growling at me as she described how angry she really was.

Blitz

Fizz was tossing the pins to me wide and slow, so we could both sneak peeks into the audience where the scene was going down. Everyone was watching, obviously, but no one was going to step in. Any other demons yelling like that and interrupting the performance would have Dad kicking them out. Not Goetia, though. Goetia get to do whatever they want forever, and all we could do was try to continue on like normal like it wasn’t happening.

Whatever the fluffy one that laughed at my joke said made the spiky-looking one in a dress really mad and she attacked him. I yelped and dropped down to my knees in shock, getting hit right in the face with the pin Fizz had just tossed my way. I heard the other one fall on the ground, but he was busy grabbing at me and dragging me out of sight of the audience.

“Blitzo! Are you alright? What’s going on, what happened?” He was panicking.

It didn’t hurt that much, but, it didn’t make any sense. I shoved him off me and pulled the collar of my shirt down to look at my shoulder, “I don’t know. Look, what does it look like?”

I didn’t have to ask. We both could see it. My skin got a little darker over my shoulder, like the blood was pooling underneath and a couple tiny drops of blood pooled up on the surface.

“What…” He reached out like he was going to try and touch it. I flinched away, so he didn’t.

I wiped the blood off and it wasn’t replaced. I was already healing. It isn’t my injury. “What the hell? Did they get, like, attacked by a needle?” I rubbed my shoulder and took a breath, then the reality of dropping the pins and ruining what was left of our act hit me. After the utter wipe-out with the balloon horse, failing like that was going to make Dad so angry.

“Oh, no. Do you think if we get back out there real quick no one will notice?” I rushed back to the curtain to stick my head out and look.

The other clowns were headed this direction. Our performance is over. Over their heads, in the audience, I saw that imp that was with the two Goetia kids, the one holding a mirror, was standing between the two kids and it looked like they were leaving.

“What was that all about?” He asked, making me realize he’d looked back out with me. “We get some high-profile patrons and they start fighting in the audience? I thought they had to act fancy and stuff?”

“They’re just kids.” I pulled him out of the way of the rest of the clowns coming back. “They’re not fancy yet.”

He laughed and pulled me toward the back to just leave; skip out on the rest of the performance. “Obviously not, if that one liked your stupid horse joke.”

“It wasn’t stupid, it was funny and everyone else is wrong.” I took the lead and pulled him away from the Big Tent and back to ours. “Come on, let’s get out of here. I don’t care what’s going on with those birds, we’ve got better stuff to do.”

Fizz had saved both of our balloon animals and we played with those back in our tent while the rest of the acts finished up. He tried to ask about my shoulder, he tried to draw attention to what could possibly have happened to my Other Half, but I didn’t want to talk about it. Not with him. I wanted to wait until I was alone to focus on that. I don’t want to talk about it until I had some idea as to what was going on.

What would cause little pin-pricks of blood like that, so many of them, all at the same time? Did they get stabbed with… like… one of those horse brushes? The sharp ones for getting mud out of their coats?

I just made a mess on the ground and my balloon horse with ketchup when Dad came in.

My heart nearly jumped out of my chest and I wanted to run and hide. My tail flicked in around me, I shrank back, my ears were ringing. I messed up. I botched our landing, I failed to make a good balloon horse, my joke didn’t land with anyone except the fluffy little owl, and I dropped the juggling pins and had to get dragged out of there early. He’s going to be so mad.

“Good news.”

What?

“That stupid little Goetia kid that laughed at your joke is buying you. Yeah, his dad came by my tent to rent you out to be his little playmate, and you’re going to rob them blind.”

However much I relaxed from him not being angry at me disappeared. He wants me to steal from a Goetia? “But… what if I get caught?”

“What if you- just don’t get caught obviously. I’m loaning you out and you’re going to make us rich. That stupid little owl liked your joke enough, I guess, so you entertain the kid and toss some trinkets and gold or something out the window and I’ll grab it.”

I glanced to Fizz for help, but, the little golden boy wasn’t going to be able to say anything. Even if he did say something, Dad wouldn’t listen to him either. So I looked back up to Dad. “I don’t know, this is wrong. I don’t want to go play with someone and lie like that…”

“They’re blue bloods, it doesn’t count. Every one of them are rat bastards that look down on us. You see that display out there today? They don’t even give a fuck about not making a scene in the middle of the performance. Screaming and fighting and making a fucking fool of themselves, it was awful. But. You steal me enough shit to make up for those eighteen refunded tickets and some compensation for the scene they made out there, we can be a bit more forgiving. And if you throw in some extra shit, I might even overlook that shitty attempt at being funny you made today.”

Okay. So he isn’t going to ignore my screw-up out there. “I’m scared, what if I get caught?”

He made a sad face. “Aw, Blitzo, don’t you want to help your mother and me out?”

I immediately remembered the medical bill Momma had tried to hide from me, last time the doctor came in to see her. “Of course I want to help Momma.”

“Great.” Dad flipped again and gestured. “Come on, kid. We’ve got a cab to catch.”

“Wait,” I looked back to Fizz, “right now? It’s not, like, tomorrow?”

“Fuck no it isn’t tomorrow! We’re going over there right now and you’re going to nick as much of their pretensions bullshit as you can grab. Anything shiny. Got it?”

I bowed my head and followed him out of the tent.

Dad doesn’t pay for taxis usually. The bus is cheaper and if we have to go somewhere the bus doesn’t, we go to the closest stop and hike it the rest of the way. He didn’t want to be late today, apparently, because he shoved me in the back of a taxi, gave the address, and told the driver to fuck off when she asked for a tip. Then, when she sped off and before we walked up the path to where a big tall bird demon that looked like he could kill us both in an instant stood with that fluffy little owl at his heel, he told me the price just went up and now I’ve got to make sure I get enough to cover the taxi ride too.

Not like I’m keeping track anyway. I’m just going to grab as much as I can and hope it’s enough.

We came to a stop a few ‘respectful’ paces away from the tall bird and the fluffy one. Dad bowed and shoved me down to follow. “Thank you, Lord Paimon. Hey, weren’t there two of them?” Dad pointed to the owl boy and an empty space beside him.

Thank you for what? He just bought me, what the hell does Dad get out of any of this? I mean, aside from whatever I’m about to steal that ‘Lord Paimon’ doesn’t know about.

“The other one isn’t mine, I sent her home. This will be his second play date today.” Lord Paimon barely looked at us before leaning down toward the fluffy one and gesturing toward us. “Here is your new friend, my son.”

I looked back to the fluffy owl, whose eyes were wide and his mouth was hanging open slightly, he looked like a real dork. He’s got four eyes, actually, and his feathers looked really soft.

“Happy Birthday.” Lord Paimon stood upright again and looked very proud of himself.

The fluffy owl boy grinned very widely and lifted his fists in front of him, eyes wide again and staring at me excitedly, “A friend?!”

He sounds like he didn’t know his dad just bought me. He looks like he wasn’t expecting me to be here and he’d been confused before his dad had said that.

Now he’s staring wide-eyed and excited and shit at me, bouncing slightly, waiting. I scratched the back of my head and broke eye contact. “I guess? Hi… uh… I’m Blitzo.” Geeze, this kid doesn’t deserve to be used like this. I mean, if Dad just told me I had to come and play with the guy for a little while, I’d be… like… annoyed but it’d be fine. He’s still a kid, even if he’s a Goetia, so whatever. But I’m here to pretend to be his friend? So I can steal from him? I don’t like this. The poor guy’s going to be so upset when he realizes what I’ve done.

He stuck a foot forward and swept an arm in front of him as he bowed, smiling hugely and closing his eyes. “I’m Stolas! It’s nice to meet- ouch!”

His dad hit him upside the head when he stood upright, “Don’t bow to that one. He bows to us.”

I barely heard whatever his dad said, because the back of my head stung at exactly the same moment his dad hit him. It was a familiar sting. It felt the same as when Dad hits me, and it felt exactly the same as it had earlier when Dad had been nowhere near me. Exactly the same moment. It felt exactly what I would have expected for if it had actually happened to me.

I felt like my vision was filtering in through a tunnel. Whatever everyone around me was saying was completely lost to me. I just stood frozen, unable to move, staring without breathing at the little fluffy owl boy who was back to bouncing excitedly, fists in front of him shaking slightly, looking between his dad and as they spoke.

Earlier, when my shoulder had those sharp pains and the tiny dots of blood had drawn up to the surface in a weird way… it had been right after this owl boy and that other kid started fighting in the audience. It was such an unfamiliar pain, one I hadn’t understood, but, it could have been like feathers getting torn out. If I had feathers. If I had feathers on my shoulder, where the little owl boy whatever-his-name-is has feathers all ruffled up right now compared to the rest of him where his feathers are laying flat and smooth.

Dad shoved my back and I stumbled slightly. I broke out of my trance to look up at him in fear. “Wh- what?”

“You remember what we talked about on the way here?” He gave me a meaningful and suspicious look, then followed it up with a cover, “You’ve got to be on your best behavior.”

“R-” I glanced back to the owl boy, then back up to Dad, “Right. I remember. Right. Yeah…”

“Come on, Blitzo! I want to show you my room!” The owl boy waved to me, completely ignorant to everything and I felt so…

I don’t know what I felt.

I felt stupid, I guess. It was a coincidence. That would make no sense, there is no way I just felt his dad hit him. That’s stupid and…

“Alright.” I followed after the owl boy and I barely felt like I was touching the ground. I barely saw where I was going. All I could focus on was watching him bounce along ahead of me, looking back occasionally and cheering me on like it was hard to follow him.

He’s a Goetia. What a stupid thing for me to suddenly think about. What a stupid, stupid thing for me to freak out over. He’s a Goetia and I’m an imp. Of course I hadn’t felt his pain. It was just a really funny, really weird coincidence.

Chapter Text

Stolas

He hates it here. He hasn’t said that, but, he isn’t saying much of anything. He’d been a little awkward outside, but it doesn’t feel all that awkward now. He doesn’t like my books, he thinks my room is boring, and he hates being here. I liked him. I liked his joke about the horse, I liked his determination to keep trying even when he kept failing, and I liked how much fun he looked like he’d been having back at the circus. I like him, but, I hadn’t expected Father to arrange a play date like this. I’ve never had a friend here, in my room, and I’ve never had to entertain someone like this before.

I don’t want him to hate it here. I felt so foolish. I’m sure he’d much rather be back at his circus with his probably very many friends doing more fun things than this.

He finally stopped sitting with a grumpy look and threw himself back to lay down. “This is boring! Don’t you have any toys or games?”

I lowered the book in my hands and gave a sad hoot, somewhat involuntarily, and looked about my room. “Father doesn’t… like clutter. I keep my books cleaned up and I can have as many as I want. But I don’t have a whole lot of toys, and, I don’t have anyone to play games with usually.”

He rolled over to give me a skeptical look, “What about that other kid you were in the audience with? I bet you play games with her.”

That rot trickled back into my veins and I didn’t want it there. I was already feeling selfish and horrible for apparently making him be here, I do not want to think about Stella. I shrank in on myself and held onto the botany book a little tighter. “Today was my first day meeting her. We’re arranged to be married, when we’re older, and she isn’t very nice. She doesn’t like me very much.”

He froze. Again. He did that before, and then I’d worried that something bad had happened and I expected him to object and beg not to have to stay. He didn’t. He’d acted perfectly content to follow me inside and stay, even if he doesn’t seem to want to be here now.

This time, it ended with him sitting up and looking more relaxed. “Oh, you’re in an arranged marriage? You found your Other already?”

I looked away and tensed more, trying to hold it together in front of this virtual stranger that I desperately wanted to be friends with. “...No… No, that isn’t… that’s not how it works for us. Sometimes it is, if we can find them, but, not for me. Stella isn’t my Other. She’s… just the one Father has decided I must marry in order produce a precautionary heir. So, if I die, my duties do not return to Father.”

He tensed again and looked unhappy to be here again. “Oh.”

Why? What have I done wrong? Why would he be happier if Stella were my Other?

“Let’s play a different game.” He climbed up to his feet and looked determined.

A thrill went through me and I followed him to stand up. “What sort of game?”

“Treasure hunt.” He grinned and clenched his fist in front of him.

I began bouncing excitedly again, and he didn’t reprimand me the way Father and Mr. Butler do. “How do you play?”

“You gather up a bunch of shiny things,” He went toward my bookshelf and took down the geode that was within reach and turned back toward me, “and you chuck it out the window!”

“Oh.” I tried to understand the reasoning behind this, but, I couldn’t. It makes sense in association with the name of the game… I guess. Wouldn’t we put them into treasure chests actually? “Why would we do that?”

He looked frustrated and his smile slipped, then it was back. “Because… we’re pretending to be pirates, obviously? Pirates take shiny things and they throw them out the windows.”

“Now they didn’t?” I picked up one of my pirate books and tilted my head curiously. “Pirates didn’t have any windows.”

“It’s just a game, Birdie.”

A nickname! And it doesn’t sound insulting! Maybe he does want to be my friend? Like, really? “Oh! Of course, I love games! Show me how it’s done!”

He relaxed and his smile looked more natural. “Yeah, of course. Here, let me get…” He went to climb to reach another of my rock specimens. Then, he jumped back down and landed, bending his knees, and at the moment of impact a sharp pain shot through my right ankle, at the exact same time he grimaced.

The strangest thought crossed my mind.

He straightened back out and had that smile back on. The first one, which didn’t look like he really meant it. “You okay?”

“Y- yeah. Yes.” I looked away, but I had to look back again. I paid more attention. I looked down to his feet, and I saw one wrapped in medical tape, the sort used for twisted ankles. “Fine.” Could… that… no. No, that doesn’t make any sense…

“Are you sure?” His voice was nervous now.

I looked back to his face. He looked nervous. He dry swallowed. His tail was flicking downward behind him, both of the rocks in his hands. “I… think so?”

He’s an imp. He’s a clown, he works in a circus. He’s an imp . Can that even be possible? He’s… he’s a he . I’m meant to marry a girl, aren’t I? I’m meant to… Goetia marry for a reason. Father has arranged my marriage to Stella because we’re meant to have an egg together some day.

He’s a boy and he’s an imp, and I feel his pain. I’ve never even had a friend, and now? Now I’ve got a fiance and a play mate who may, apparently, be the most important person in my life. Someone I have the ability to trust entirely, and love, and…

“You… uh… you ready to play that… um…” Blitzo was acting nervous and unsure, in a way similar to how he had outside rather than how he’d been while performing or since we got in here. “You ready to play that… game?”

I want to know him better. I want to know why he acts so strangely, so differently, sometimes. I want to know if he likes to play ‘Treasure Hunt’ often. I want to know if he frequently hurts his hands and his knees. I bet he does. If he lives in a circus, and he practices swinging around and climbing and falling, he would scrape up his hands and his knees.

“Of course.” I rushed forward and pulled another crystal down from the other side of the bookshelves, this one a malachite. “Do you play this game in the circus?”

“Yeah, all the… all the time…” his expression fell and he looked sad. “I’m sorry, I can’t do this.” He fell to the ground, sitting, and put the crystals in his hands beside him carefully, before dropping his face into his hands. “I can’t do it.”

“Do… what? I’m sorry, you didn’t want to come here did you? I thought your joke was funny, and, you were amazing on stage, but Father shouldn’t have made you come here because of that… without asking or… I’m sorry you don’t want to be here.” I slipped down to sit on my knees nearby and tried to figure out some way I could possibly fix this. He’s upset and it’s my fault.

“My dad sent me here to steal your stuff.” He looked miserable about it that I didn’t believe for a second that he wanted anything to do with it. “But if I don’t, Dad’s going to be so mad. He wants me to get enough to pay for the tickets he had to refund, and the taxi ride here, and… and…”

I crossed my legs and watched him patiently. A lot of things were beginning to make sense, and, I think I could help him. “So only take some stuff.”

He lifted his face and stared at me with wide eyes. “I don’t want to steal your things.”

“It isn’t stealing if I’m giving them to you, right? Just take a few things; that should cover it just fine. Then you won’t get in trouble, and if I’m giving them to you, you aren’t stealing.”

He was crying. “Why would you do that?”

“Because I don’t want you to get in trouble. You can take those, by the way. If you take my things then Father won’t even notice and then I won’t get in trouble either.” I grinned at him. “I don’t know how much you need to make your father happy, so you’ll have to tell me how much is enough. I’ll get a few more things, and, I’ll find you a bag.”

Blitz

I wiped my eyes and watched him put a few more shiny things in that bag, and I didn’t have anything I could do about it. I wanted to tell him to stop. I wanted to tell him we should play a few other things instead, but I needed to take some stuff. And he doesn’t mind. It’s his idea. He’s helping me.

“How’s this?”

I accepted the bag cautiously and looked inside. Then I looked back to him.

“Is it enough?” He prompted again.

I felt my eyes get wet again. “Y- yes…”

“Good! You can take it with you when you leave; you don’t have to throw it out the window.”

“Stolas, you don’t have to do this. I don’t want to take your things, it isn’t fair.”

“I promise, I don’t mind! I really don’t want you to get in trouble, and this way, maybe we can stay friends?” He gave me such a hopeful look that only made me feel worse about all of it.

I pinched my shoulders and drew in on myself. I remembered earlier, when I’d felt a hit on the back of my head at the same time his dad hit him when he bowed to me. I remembered everything everyone’s ever told me about their Other Half, how their Other is always someone that they fit so perfectly with. Someone they can learn to trust so easy, someone they can like so easy, someone that they just get along with so perfectly… and he seems to genuinely care about my problem.

I suddenly felt even worse for not telling him what I thought. He’d flinched when I jumped down on my ankle earlier, and, I thought there was a chance he noticed too.

“Yeah.” I avoided his eyes. “We can stay friends. But not because you’re giving me things.”

“Then why? I’ve never had a real friend before, I don’t know how to keep one.”

He’s a Goetia. I’m an imp. When I tell him, he’s going to be so upset. I could just picture the scandal now; I’ve ruined his entire life.

“You just be yourself, Birdie. And if they don’t stick around, then they aren’t good friends anyways. You’re not supposed to change yourself or bribe them or anything like that.” I twisted my tail in my hands nervously, rethinking all of it.

It was a coincidence. He isn’t my Other Half. I should just leave. Even if he is, he’s in an arranged marriage with someone more his class. I’d just be selfish and stupid and an idiot for sticking around and ruining his life.

“Well, I don’t want you to leave. What… what do you want to play? What do you want to do? We can… still play ‘Treasure Hunt’ if you want.”

“I was only going to throw your stuff out the window to steal it, Stolas.”

“But we could still play without throwing it out the window. You know, pirates didn’t do that anyway. They put things in big wooden chests to keep safe in the hull of their ships, or burying them to avoid getting found with the things they stole. I’ve got this chest here that’s a little too big for just one person to carry, but, it we empty it out we could both carry it and put things in it to carry to the ‘beach’ to bury.” He was gesturing with his hands.

I had to wipe at my eyes again. “Where’s the beach?”

He was bouncing again, his hands wiggling in front of him, “Here! In my room!”

I laughed and climbed to my feet again. “Yeah, Birdie, that sounds like a lot of fun.”

We emptied out the chest, which was mostly toys. There were stars and stuffed animals and play instruments and all of the things looked brand new. He said these were his only toys and he had to keep them inside the chest normally, he would get in trouble for making such a mess. The toys were our first treasures, which we dumped out in the middle of the room. If he carried the handle on one side and I took the handle on the other side, it was easy for us to lift and tip, if I used my tail to keep the lid from falling while we did it.

It was a lot of fun. I got to see a lot of different rooms in his ‘palace’, and he told me what a bunch of the stuff we were taking were for. A lot of it was magical components for spells and rituals. Some things were family heirlooms, some things were just fancy things his dad liked. We had a lot of fun, running and joking and laughing and… and he was a lot of fun. I felt this heavy weight in my chest every time I saw him wiggling his hands and bouncing and rambling on about something he was excited about. He’s sweet and he doesn’t mind blood and gore when I pretended to fight off the navy that was trying to stop us from pillaging the towns people, and he made me feel like I was on top of the world.

He took me to a new room with lots of shelves full of shiny things and plants, and he got even more excited. He didn’t care about the shiny things I was filling our chest with, he was running up to one of the larger pots in the room and gesturing up to the leaves while he described what kind of plant it was. I stopped to watch him, smiling safely with his back to me, and I didn’t understand anything he was saying.

The door opened. “There you are. What the hell is the mess in your room? It’s time to put the imp outside-” That’s Lord Paimon.

I’d frozen the instant the door opened, arms full of shiny things and standing over the chest, fear striking through me at the angry look on his face when he’d cut himself off.

Stolas didn’t notice. He turned around, bouncing and still talking excitedly. Now to his dad instead of me. “I’m sorry, Father, I’ll clean up the m-”

“How dare you.” Lord Paimon ignored Stolas entirely to glare down at me. “I graciously open my home to you, I allow my son to play with you, and you rob us? You steal from us?”

I dropped the things in my arms and backed up. “N- no, sir…”

“He isn’t-”

“Oh, this just shows why imps are not to be trusted. This is ridiculous. I’ll have your head for this, you know. But I must set an example. Come, I’ll take you back to your ‘circus’ to show that ring leader of yours what happens when-”

This time he didn’t cut himself off. He’d come forward to grab at me, he grabbed my arm too tightly and twisted, pulling me away from the chest and toward the door. I was terrified, I wanted to escape, but I’m too small and weak. I’m used to getting grabbed like this and pulled around by someone bigger than me, and really angry, so I didn’t even flinch at the way he twisted my arm.

Stolas did though. He cried out and grabbed at his arm in the exact same spot his dad had grabbed me.

That’s why Lord Paimon stopped talking and pulling me towards the door.

He was staring at Stolas. Stolas looked terrified, ducking his head and forcibly keeping his arms at his sides, shrinking his shoulders down.

Lord Paimon gripped my arm tighter, his eyes narrowing as he glared down at Stolas. I yelped this time and Stolas barely flinched.

But he did flinch. Noticeably.

“No.” Lord Paimon let me go and rubbed his face with both hands. “No, not an imp.”

Stolas didn’t look surprised or confused. Had he already figured it out?

I wanted to crawl under something and hide. I kept still again.

“Father, he isn’t stealing anything. We’re playing a game.” Stolas didn’t look brave at all, in any way, but his voice sounded determined, at least. “It’s called ‘Treasure Hunt’, and we’re burying it in my room like pirates bury treasure in the sand. It’s just part of the game, I swear, he isn’t stealing anything!”

What would have happened if I had stolen all of this and dipped?

“Alright.” Lord Paimon took a deep breath and clasped his hands in front of him, raised still by his face. “Alright. Mine is a business partner. Yours can be a pet. Clean up this stupid little game, put everything away, and when you’re done, put on your traveling cloak.”

He left. He didn’t leave any room for argument or questions, he just left. The instant his footsteps disappeared, Stolas ran toward me and grabbed at my arm to shove my sleeve up, to look at where his dad had grabbed me. “Are you alright? I’m sorry, Father doesn’t usually-”

I jerked away from him. “I don’t want to be a pet.”

He stared at me, hands raised in front of him and shrinking back. “You’re not… you aren’t a pet. That’s not what’s happening.”

“Yes it is.” I clenched my fists at my side. “You’re a Goetia and I’m an imp. That’s the only way this could work. That’s what your dad is going to do, that’s what’s you’re going to do.”

His lower eyes began to squint and water up. “No! No, no, no , that isn’t it . That’s not it, Blitzo! Father… ignore Father, he doesn’t care. He’s never around anyway, he doesn’t get to choose! No, I-” his voice broke and he began crying, pulling his hands to his face.

I didn’t say anything. I had a hard time believing this could be anything other than I’m just destined to be his stupid little lap cat, but he really doesn’t look like that’s what he wants.

So I let him talk.

“I was so excited to meet you. I thought… I thought it was supposed to be Stella. I was so happy, and she was mean and rude and she hurt me and today was the worst birthday ever! Until we went to the circus and I met you. You’re wonderful and funny and I like you and I don’t want you to be mad at me please.”

I took a deep breath and I tried not to sound mad. I’m not mad anyways; I’m terrified. “You’re a Goetia.” I said it again like there was any chance he didn’t know. He wiped his eyes again and looked back to me. “I’m an imp. Your Other Half isn’t always a partner. It can be a pet.”

He kept crying. “I don’t want a pet! I want a friend!”

Yeah, well, I want a friend too. But even if this is how he feels now, there’s no way it’s going to stay that way forever. In twenty years, he’s going to be married to that mean girl and carrying me around in a purse. It’s going to happen so slowly he’s going to be okay with it no matter how much he cries about it now.

And because I’m his Other Half, I’m going to be okay with it too.

“Help me put these things away.” I avoided his eyes and picked the stuff I’d dropped back up.

He sniffed and wiped his eyes again. “Y- yeah. Yeah, okay.”

Chapter Text

Stolas

He didn’t smile as much, putting the things we’d taken away. He didn’t talk or laugh or joke as much as we cleaned up, as he had while we collected it all. I wanted to beg his forgiveness, to make a dozen promises I may not even remember in years to come and had no way of ensuring I never broke, I wanted to tell him that it’s alright if he never wanted to see me again.

I didn’t.

I just helped him put everything we’d taken during our game back away, building rot in my chest the longer he refused to look at me or crack a joke or even acknowledge the situation at hand.

He hates me. I want to keep him so, so desperately, but I cringe at even the thought. ‘Keep’. That’s what he’s afraid of. He doesn’t want me to ‘keep’ him. He doesn’t want me to ‘own’ him. And I don’t blame him! I don’t want that either. I don’t want my Other Half to be something I ‘own’. I want them to be someone I can love and trust and I want them to love and trust me. I want a friend. I want a romance like the ones in the books.

It took us way longer to put the things away than it had to take them. And when we were done, he stood awkwardly by the door as I fetched my traveling cloak from the wardrobe.

I worked on the clasp and shout him a nervous look. “You don’t believe me, do you?”

“It doesn’t matter.” He still avoided my gaze and kept his tail in around himself. “Let’s just go.”

I hesitated, because it doesn’t feel right. But he doesn’t want to talk about it.

I have to try. “It does matter.” I approached him and wished he’d look at me again. “Because Father’s the one that said it, and he’s going to say it again, and I really, really want you to know that he’s wrong. Father says a lot of things that are wrong. He gets my name wrong half the time, and I really don’t want you to think I agree with him. And if you want nothing to do with me, I’ll leave you alone.”

He opened the door back up and walked through still without looking at me. “I don’t want that either.”

I didn’t dare push the subject. I just spent our entire journey down to the main entrance turning those words over in my head. He doesn’t want me to leave him alone either. He doesn’t want to be a pet, he doesn’t want to not know me. He wants what I want, he just doesn’t believe me. I don’t know exactly what Father has planned now, but, I’ve got to prove it to him.

I can prove it to him.

Father was waiting for us and he looked annoyed. Not angry, at least.

“Finally. Come, the car is ready. If you’re going to keep it, you’ll have to train it well. I won’t have a dirty little creature such as this one running about destroying things.”

I looked over to Blitz for any indication on what he wanted me to say, but it didn’t help. His head is bowed, his shoulders pulled in, and he didn’t react to anything Father said. So I looked back up to Father. “What are you going to do, Father?”

“I’m going to barter a proper purchase for you. The price I paid before was only for a play date.” He opened the door to the car and gestured for the two of us to go in. “If I knew I was going to get you this birthday present, I wouldn’t have wasted the money on the other things.”

I didn’t get into the car. “What if I don’t want-” Blitzo grabbed my hand. I held on tightly and looked about to him in surprise. He was finally looking at me again, which made a thrill run under my feathers. He was frowning, he was shaking his head slightly.

“’What if’ what? Don’t mumble.”

“Never mind.” Why doesn’t he want me to say anything? He doesn’t want to be a pet, so why wouldn’t he want me to argue?

We went into the car and he didn’t let go of my hand. We took seats next to each other and he still didn’t. I held tightly back, feeling like I was the problem. I was the one holding on and not letting him go, but he didn’t try to let go even a little bit.

The car ride to the circus was in silence, and by the time we got there we still held each others’ hands. If Father noticed, he didn’t say anything.

“Alright, little imp, show me to the one I need to pay to purchase you.” Lord Paimon gestured.

It’s night. The circus was over and there were no other patrons still here. Blitzo squeezed my hand tightly, once, then pulled me forward.

We went around the large tent we’d gone into earlier, to watch the show, and toward a campus of smaller tents that were clearly not open for the general public. Here, there were a few people milling about. Performers out of costume, smoking, talking, walking around with things over their shoulders and in their hands and someone playing music in the distance, somewhere. It smelled badly here, like horses and dirt and sweat, and there were more than a few taped up holes in various tents.

Blitzo let go of my hand and rushed forward to one tent we were approaching. He stuck his head in, his tail flicking about behind him nervously. “Momma?”

Someone inside answered and I heard them coming toward the entrance.

“No, uh, actually…” He pulled back and looked toward me, then up to Father. He looked scared. He turned back just as another imp with long black hair came to the entrance of the tent.

“Oh.” She looked surprised. “I’m sorry,” she brushed her hands over the front of her dress, like patting off dirt, and took a step out and around Blitzo to look up to Father politely. “I hope he hasn’t given you any trouble.”

“Who are you? You are not the one that I spoke with earlier.” Father wasn’t upset, he was confused.

“Tilla, your highness,” she curtsied politely in a way Father loved, “I’m Blitzo’s mother.”

“Oh, good. How much will he cost? I’ll have the payment delivered tomorrow.”

She looked confused, then frustrated, then nothing. She hid it really well. “I take it the play date went well? I’m very glad to hear it, but, my son is not for sale, your highness. If you would like to schedule another one, I would love to discuss it.”

“No, no, you misunderstand.” Father waved a hand, “I would like to purchase the boy permanently. My son has become attached, you see, and I would like to keep the pair together.”

She looked to me now, and she was frowning. I wanted to object, to try and convince her this isn’t what I wanted. I don’t want his mother hating me, thinking I’d really want to do something like this. But Blitzo had stopped me from telling Father, and I could only continue to respect his wishes now, with Father still standing here listening. Anything I say to his mother I say to Father.

So I didn’t say anything.

“I would be more than happy to schedule another play date, but my son is not for sale.” She looked back up to Father.

Blitzo tugged on her dress. She bent to let him whisper something into her ear. I could guess what it is, because while he spoke her eyes got wide and she looked back to me quickly.

I folded my hands in front of me and bowed my head.

“I see.” She stood upright again. “That… doesn’t change things. I won’t sell my own son.”

Father was getting frustrated. “This is only a formality, you understand? My son must keep yours and I was trying to be polite. I can just take him.”

“I don’t to separate them either.” She now snuck to me a little smile. I heated up all over, and I wasn’t entirely sure why. “And as a parent yourself, surely you can understand that I am not willing to sell my Blitzo for any reason. I think we can work something else out. The boys can see each other. Blitzo can come over for more play dates and your son is more than welcome to come over here, but I will not be accepting any money to part with my boy.”

A hand slipped into mine. I held it tightly and looked to Blitzo again quickly. He was avoiding my eyes again.

Father groaned exaggeratedly. “Of course this must be difficult. If the two of them must be bonded, the little clown boy must learn. He will learn manners, he will learn how to take care of the household, and he will learn the expectations of existing within a Goetian palace. He will dress better, he will learn when to keep his mouth shut, and he will learn when to bow. He cannot do this here.”

“But this is his home.” His mother insisted, holding firm and not cowering in fear. “Teach him, but at the end of the day, return him here with his family. He has a duty here too, not only to your son.”

Father was less frustrated than I expected him to be at this point. “For now.” He looked down toward us. “I will be keeping him this week, so my butler can begin fixing the boy. After that, I will have him returned to you and we will attempt things your way. But if any obligations or distractions here cause undue duress to my son, they will be handled appropriately and the little clown boy will be relocated for convenience.”

“This week…” She looked nervous now.

“Is there a problem?”

“No, no. This will be alright, so long as he is returned safely. I’ll speak with my husband about all of this and we’ll take care of it. I would like to help him pack for this. Will you give us a few minutes to put his things together?”

“Yes, yes, of course. Find him something cleaner to wear.” He waved them off.

As Blitzo went to follow his mother away from the tent we’d come to, he didn’t let go of my hand. He pulled me with him. I hooted in startle and let him pull me along, looking back to Father in concern that he would be angry I might wander off with them.

He seemed completely unconcerned. “Do not take too long.”

We went to another tent. This one I got to see inside as Blitzo pulled me with him. There were three beds, none of them made, and debris all over the floor. Toys, notebooks, comic books, juggling pins, clothes… the tent was a mess and it was clearly meant to house children. It must be his.

“Are you two certain?” Tilla asked freely once we were all three inside. She was picking up a sack on the ground, in the corner, and collecting a shirt from the ground to put in it. “It seems so unlikely. Are you absolutely certain you two are Bonded?”

Blitzo let me go and helped her collect things for the bag. “Yeah, Momma. I felt it when his dad hit him, and he felt it when I jumped on my ankle.”

“And, how do you feel about it?” She held the bag out for him to put a notebook inside.

“It’s alright. He’s nice, and, kind of sweet.” Blitzo smiled my direction.

I relaxed, suddenly feeling more foolish standing where he had left me stalk-still than scared.

“And you? Are you comfortable with all of this?”

I couldn’t come up with an answer. I hadn’t expected that. Father hadn’t asked my opinion. Blitzo hadn’t either, actually. I wasn’t expecting to have a chance to really have an opinion, other than don’t make him uncomfortable don’t ruin this just be happy you have a chance of having one real friend.

“Uh…”

Blitzo stopped and looked my direction, eyes wide and tail hanging low.

“Yeah.” I wasn’t unsure or confused, I just wasn’t expecting the question. “I’m really happy. I like Blitzo a lot.”

He relaxed and went back to collecting his things.

Tilla gave me a warm smile. “Then I think you boys will be alright.”

Blitz

I clutched my bag on my lap silently and awkwardly the whole way back. Lord Paimon was talking about all the things I needed to fix about myself before he thought it was acceptable for me to be seen anywhere with his son. He still expected me to be an obedient little pet, but the panic on Stolas’s face was burned into my memory and I just couldn’t consider him letting that happen.

It will.

We’re going to start off as friends. He’s really fun, and I like his fluffy feathers, and he’s really smart and that’s really cool, but that’s only how it’s going to start. I’m going to like him. I’m going to like being around him so much I’m going to get complacent and mild and domesticated and one day I’m going to wake up and he’s going to be putting little bows on my horns and I’m not going to have anything of my own and I’m going to be completely reliant on him and I’m going to be okay with it.

But it’s fine. Because for now, we’re friends and that’s everything.

“And- euck! Sit up straight!”

I jolted and sat up straight, clutching my bag tighter.

“Very good.” He opened the door and held it out for both of us. “Stolas, do something with your new pet tonight. I’ll organize things tomorrow, don’t let me see it until it’s… less gross. Give it a room, I guess.” He waved us off.

He grabbed my hand this time and pulled me through the palace back toward his bedroom.

Once we were there, he let me go and started bouncing excitedly again. “Isn’t this wonderful ? You can stay, but you don’t have to. Your mother was so smart and good at talking, she convinced Father to let it go. The lessons will be boring, they’re always boring, but I bet you’ll do wonderful. And now you can show me more games! And I can show you more of my plants. And-”

“Calm down, Birdie.” I laughed, relaxing despite myself because he’s just so… sweet. And fluffy. “I’ll do my best, alright? But I’m sneaking out tomorrow just so you know. I need to talk with my sister and Fizz.”

He sounded sad, “That’s okay. I’ll cover for you. I’ll tell Father you’re studying or something, and he won’t care.”

I scoffed, putting my bag down to cross my arms. “You’re coming with me you dummy. I have to introduce my new Birdie to my friends, obviously.”

He stopped bouncing and his eyes got wide. “Your…”

“You’re my Birdie now, right? That’s how this works. If you say I’m not going to be a pet, then, you’re my Birdie. And I’m your imp. You’re going to teach me how to have manners and be polite and stuff so I don’t embarrass you, and I’m going to teach you how to sneak out and have fun. That’s the deal.”

He began bouncing again and his arms flared out toward me. Before I had a chance to decide if I was alright with it or not, he was hugging me and clinging and still bouncing. “Yes! Yes, yes, yes! I’m so excited! You are so, so, so, so much better than Stella, I am so happy you’re my Other Half and not her!”

I’m not sure I’d go as far as saying I’m happy it’s him not Fizz, but, it could be worse. “Alright, Birdie, get off me. It’s getting late and I don’t want to piss your dad off. He seems cool enough not to have me killed for the audacity of being bonded to you, but, I don’t want him to change his mind. What do I have to do tonight?”

“Tonight?” He let me go and took a step back. “Tonight… we can pick out a room for you. You aren’t staying forever, obviously, but you can keep it. It’ll be yours when you’re over and you can use it any time you want. There are plenty of guest rooms, and, there’s one that’s kind of close to my room if you want that one. Not that you have to! It isn’t the biggest. Actually, mine is the biggest bedroom in the palace, because it’s going to be mine someday. Father has a door that leads back to his palace that he uses, so he’s not even here at all most nights.”

I let him ramble on for a minute or so because the fact I’ll be here for a whole week was beginning to settle in with me. I’ll be here longer than a week. A lot longer. It’s not like he’d someday leave this place and come live with me at the circus. He said he’s going to inherit this place? Well, maybe someday I’ll live here. So from here on out, I finally have my own room. My own, personal bedroom that I get just to myself, no sharing. We always hiss and snap at each other in the tent, loudly wishing we had our own spaces, but, it’s just something you say.

“Blitzo? Would that be okay?”

“Huh?” I snapped out of my thoughts and looked to him, putting a grin back on.

“A bath. You don’t have to, but, I think Father would favor it. I can show you how to work the tub.”

“That’s… fine.” I’ve never used a real tub before. I brought extra clothes and stuff anyway, so, that’s fair.

“That’s not what’s wrong. What’s wrong?”

I felt an absolute sense of dread and humiliation at the thought of explaining to him that I have never, in my life, ever slept by myself. “Nothing. Show me the bathroom, Birdie.”

The tub is huge. I’d have to climb to get in it, then climb to get out. It looked hard to climb from the inside, especially, and it felt really, really unnecessary. I’d have to waste so much water filling it up high enough for me to take a bath. It’d be like a miniature swimming pool, and even though he insisted that’s fine and normal and how he does it, that there’s a stool there already, he also didn’t seem to have any problem with me washing up in the sink instead.

By the time I was done and I came out, I was warm and felt fantastic. The water here gets so hot, it’s amazing. The towels are so soft and clean and nice, and even though his soap wasn’t right, it was expensive and fancy enough it was fine until we get something better for me.

“All of the rooms have bathrooms attached,” he greeted me when I came out eagerly. He was wearing some kind of shiny, space-themed pajamas and was just as excited like he wasn’t tired at all.

I’m exhausted. From practice to the performance, to all of the weird stuff around this Birdie and his palace, I just wanted to curl up in Barbie’s bed with her and Fizz and go to sleep for three days.

“You ready to pick out a room?” He looped an arm around mine and clung to me without shyness.

I sighed and leaned in, a little comforted by the proximity. I miss Barbie and Fizz.

“What’s wrong? Something is still wrong, you can’t tell me there isn’t.” He loosened his arm around me.

“Are all the rooms so… big?” The whole palace is made for someone his dad’s side, including the bed.

“Yes? I’m supposed to grow quite a lot. I guess you won’t as much… but we can find a work-around.” He’s also talking about me staying here forever.

It’s now or never. I dry swallowed and tensed, avoiding eye contact. “It’s… fine. It’s only, the… the bed…”

“What’s wrong, Blitzo? You’re my friend, you aren’t just a guest or anything. Please tell me anything you want.”

I glanced toward him again, his eagerness to make me happy and comfortable, and I looked away again. “I’ve never slept alone before.”

“Oh.” He had a strange tone. “What… what do you mean?”

“I mean, you saw my tent. I share it with Barbie and Fizz. We still share the beds sometimes, but, uh, but I’ve never slept completely by myself before.”

He was quiet for a moment, then, “Do you want to share my bed?”

I felt cold and sweaty at the same time. My voice was somewhere far, far away. I nodded silently.

He grinned widely. “We can pick your room out tomorrow. Come on, you can sleep in my bed tonight. As long as you want.” He took my arm again and pulled me toward the lights to turn out, then toward the bed. “Wait! Do you need help getting up? Because of your ankle?”

I scoffed and pulled away so I could climb up the side of the bed on my own. “I’m fine. Come on, Birdie.”

He came up after me and climbed into the blankets. “If I snore, you can wake me up. And if I get in your space, you can shove me over.”

I slipped in beside him and snuggled into the most comfortable bed I’ve ever slept in. “I know I snore, so, you can push me out of the bed if I keep you up. I’ll go sleep on that couch instead.”

He was suddenly just beside me, his red glowing eyes lighting my face up. I leaned back and waited for some explanation.

“What?”

“I’ve never slept in the same room as someone before,” he whispered. “I’m a little excited.”

Seriously? Sleeping alone in a big bed like this in a big room like this all the time sounds awful. “Must be a Goetia thing. Imps are always sleeping in piles.”

He smiled and yawned. “I’m really glad I met you, Blitzo. I hope I’m a good Half for you.”

I rolled over onto my stomach and hugged the pillow, smiling back to him. “Same, Birdie.”

Chapter Text

Stolas

Mr. Butler came to wake me as he does most days. I woke the instant the door opened, but I couldn’t sit up. Blitzo was stretched out on top of me, horizontally, stomach-down and snoring softly.

Mr. Butler gave him a disapproving look. “Young Prince, if your father learns about this he will be cross.”

I tried to gently wake my new friend, my Other Half, Blitzo. I shook his shoulder carefully. “You won’t tell him, will you?”

“No.” Mr. Butler went to open the curtains. “But if you make a habit of this, there will be no going back. Imps are very attached creatures. Particularly our young.”

Blitzo is only groaning and throwing an arm out toward my face, to try and make me stop waking him, and then going still and silent again. I just sat up and rested my arms on his back. “Is that so bad? He’s mine, isn’t he? He can be attached to me.”

Mr. Butler gave me a weary look. “This is a very slippery slope, Young Prince.”

“Is that a bad thing?”

He refused to answer that question. Instead, he went to Blitzo’s bag and looked through it. I watched, wanting to protect his privacy but, do I have any right to ask for him more privacy than I get?

“I’ll expect him dressed and ready in thirty minutes. I will be taking him out to purchase some more appropriate clothes. After that, I will be scheduling etiquette lessons but they will not begin today. Today, I want you sharing rules and expectations with him. Lord Paimon will be expecting you both to be present for dinner. That will be his first test, I do not recommend trivializing it. Make sure he knows how to mind his manners.”

“I promise.” I stared down at Blitzo who was trying to bury his face in the blankets and grumbling something again. My eyes caught on his horns and I wondered if I was allowed to touch them. I wanted to know what they felt like.

Fingers twitched in my feathers. I hooted in shock and sat upright. “Oh!”

He giggled from my lap. “You’re fluffy.”

Mr. Butler frowned. “And you should keep your hands to yourselves, while Lord Paimon is around.” Then he left.

Blitzo rolled off me. “So basically, I’ve got to pretend to be a perfect little pet around your dad?”

“I’m sorry…” I was going to say that’s at least not right, but he flicked his tail out over the bed and grinned at me before I could.

“Don’t worry. I’ll keep you away from my dad too. He finds out I’m bonded to some rich kid, he’s going to want to take advantage of you.”

I relaxed and smiled back. “We’ll go back to your circus when you return from shopping with Mr. Butler, but we’ve got to be back before dinner.”

“That mean we can only stay, like, a few minutes?”

“Dinner is at the same time every day. We’ll see how long it takes to get there, then we’ll leave in enough time. But I don’t think you’ll be gone with Mr. Butler very long, so, we should have a few hours.”

I took him back down to the main entrance where Mr. Butler was waiting, and I wanted to go with them. I didn’t ask, though, because I knew Mr. Butler wanted to take Blitzo by himself. Just them, some interrogation I’m sure. He’ll have a serious talk with Blitzo about how to behave in the palace. I watched them leave, and then, I figured I’d just sit and wait for them to come back.

“Stolas.”

I nearly jumped out of my feathers, turning quickly and fixing my posture. “Yes Father?”

“Come with me.”

The rot touched the edges of my ribs. Blitzo made it go away, but, not completely. I am so happy to have him, but, I know Father is upset about him.

We went to his study to talk. I didn’t want to have this conversation. I didn’t want to be here. But I don’t want to be cowardly and not know what he wants to say. I want to keep Blitzo. I want to make him comfortable and happy and give him whatever he wants. I don’t want to hide from Father.

He went straight into it. “You may not tell anyone that your Other Half is an imp.”

“I understand.” I bowed my head.

“Including your little fiance. That wretched little girl cannot know.”

“Of course.” I cringe at the thought of Stella finding out about Blitzo.

He was quiet for a second, looking me over. Then, he sighed. “He must behave. He must learn to fit in to our world in order for you to keep him. This isn’t because I disapprove of your… fate.” He made a face and I noted he didn’t exactly say he approved either. “You’re bonded to an imp. There’s nothing you nor I can do about this. But you will not allow him to humiliate me or you about this. Keep it to yourself. If word gets out, we will never hear the end of it. If the rest of the Ars Goetia find out you are incomplete without an imp, I will be humiliated. You will be disgraced. He will be killed.”

“I’ll keep him to myself.” I agreed, still feeling a tingling under my feathers.

He nodded, then groaned and leaned forward on his desk to put his hands in his face. “We’re going to talk about this now, so you never have to bother me with it again. I don’t care. I don’t care what you do with the boy, so long as you fulfill your duties. Study the grimoire, play nice with that wretched little girl – you’re still marry her after all, you still have a duty to produce an heir – and you can do whatever you’d like with your new toy discretely.”

I nodded eagerly, not wanting to waste his goodwill or patience with follow up questions and objections; Blitzo is not a toy! “Yessir.”

“And if you make this my problem, then I will be forced to take a more strict opinion.”

“Yessir.”

He gave me a disgusted look. “He’ll be your bodyguard, then. Both as a story for prying ears, and to put him to use if he must be hanging around all the time.”

I was vibrating. Blitz will love that, I’m sure of it! “Yessir.”

“Good. Now, begone. I expect him well dressed and obedient come dinner.”

I rushed out and raced toward the library. He doesn’t care. He doesn’t care. I get to keep Blitzo, my Other Half, and it doesn’t even matter that he’s an imp!

I’d gone to the library for a few reasons. First, it is my favorite room. It is the natural location for me to flee to when I am in need of something familiar. Second, I wanted to find every book I had on imps. There weren’t very many, so, I’ll have Mr. Butler find me more.

I want to know everything.

Blitz

Mr. Butler bought me four fancy outfits, each of which cost more than the older clowns make in a month. He made me change into one of them before we left the shop, and while I was, he was talking on the phone with someone, it was something about ‘manners’ or something. Probably something I’m going to have to deal with at some point this week.

I just wanted to get back to the palace. I wanted to see Stolas again, my Birdie that I get to keep and already does a great job of making me feel whole, and I want to show him off to Barbie and Fizz. He says he doesn’t want a pet, but he wants me to ‘be attached’, he wants to call me ‘his’, well that means I get to pitch it back just as hard. This is a fluffy birdie that I get to tote around and show off and he isn’t allowed to sissy out and decide I’m annoying.

While we were out, he was warning me to behave. No running. Stand up straight. Inside voices. Sit up straight. No picking at my nails. Mind my tail. No talking out of turn. Greet every Goetia I meet with a bow, including Stolas, especially when we were in the public eye. There were a million rules to follow, and I couldn’t help but to feel like it’s all a little much. There’s no way I can remember all this; I’m going to mess up sometime and, apparently, Mr. Butler says I just need to return to my proper manners quickly. When in doubt, say nothing at all. If I’ve offended someone, best to stay quiet and be rude than make it worse. Even if I’m not a pet here, as the ‘Young Prince’ seems to insist upon, he is responsible for me. Everything I do, everything I say, is a reflection on him.

No pressure, right?

“The Young Prince is kind,” Mr. Butler said as he lead me from the car back to the front doors, “And Lord Paimon is patient. Goetia are unforgiving and ruthless, but you are fortunate that this household is easy. Lord Paimon does not care for socials typically and so I doubt you will have much pressure to perform in front of a wider audience. If you do slip up and return to your roots, in front of him, he will not smite you. He is… amused by the lower classes. He enjoys indulging in our cultures as a form of amusement. That is why he chose your circus to take the Young Prince to for his birthday. He will trivialize you, but you are safe as long you are not crass or malicious purposefully.”

“Great.” I sighed. “So he’ll be too busy underestimating me to worry about me corrupting ‘The Young Prince’.” I tried to sound fancy saying that.

“He won’t notice anything.” Mr. Butler agreed, but stopped before opening the door. He looked down to me seriously. “But you will be meeting his betrothed, Stella. She is violent and prejudice, and you must be careful around her. The Young Prince will need your support to deal with her. He is scared of her.”

I remembered how she’d attacked him in the circus. She must have pulled his feathers, for my shoulder to bleed like that. “I’ll take care of it.”

“You can’t do that.” He gave me a hard look. “You may comfort and support the Young Prince afterward, but should you put yourself between them you are putting yourself in danger. They are immortal, Blitzo. We are not.”

I can’t promise I won’t do something, but I can say I understand. I nodded. He seemed satisfied, and he let me back in.

Stolas rushed forward immediately, before the door was even shut. “Welcome back! Oh! Oh, it’s perfect, come on let’s go put them away!” He held me at arm’s length to see the new outfit I was wearing, before pulled me away from Mr. Butler.

It was so easy to sneak out. I wanted to climb down from the balcony, but he insisted he had no idea how to do that and talked me into trying to just walk out the back door. We were out and no one noticed. He was nervous to be traveling around without an attendant or his dad or whatever, but we didn’t have any problems. We found a bus to take us to the circus, and it was really just that easy.

We didn’t go toward the tents. That’s not where they are. It’s late enough in the day there’s no morning practice, and there are no performances. I’m not there, either, so of course they’re going to be on the hill.

“Barbie-Wire’s my sister. We’re twins, actually, but don’t worry I’m way cooler than her. You got the right one. She’s this nerd that loves comics and stuff, and she can be mean sometimes I promise it isn’t personal she just likes to roughhouse. Fizz – his name is actually Fizzarolli – is nicer, he’s off limits when Barb and I are fighting. He’s really, really good at being a clown he’s a lot funnier than me, better at doing tricks too.” I told him all about them on our way up the hill.

“I liked your performance, I thought you were a very good clown.”

I rolled my eyes, “You don’t count. You have to be weird to be my Other Half.”

In the corner of my eye, his feathers fluffed up and he made a real cute bird sound again. I like when he does that. He’s cute. He’s adorable, and I don’t have to worry about being weird about it because he’s mine. I’m allowed to call him mine, and my Birdie is adorable.

“Hey!” Barbie called out when we were in sight. “Blitzo! What the hell?!”

Fizz was tackling me, jerking my hand out of Stolas’s. We rolled down the hill a little bit and I was laughing, because he isn’t usually so aggressive. “Blitzo you idiot you left your mom said you’d be gone for a whole week, what are you doing here? What happened?”

“And who’s this?” Barbie, I saw over Fizz’s shoulder, pointed to Stolas. He stood there awkwardly.

I felt really protective very suddenly. I shoved Fizz off me, “That’s Stolas!” I slid up behind him and grabbed his shoulders from behind. He hooted in startle and turned his head around a weird amount to look at me, but I ignored him and grinned at the other two. “He’s with me. I’m staying with him this week, I’m going to be learning a bunch of cool stuff. Stolas, say hi.”

He turned his head back around normal and lifted a hand to wave nervously, “Hello.”

Fizz was back up, standing beside Barbie, and they were both looking him up and down. Then, “You’re that rich kid that took up eighteen seats and got into a fight during the performance yesterday.”

Stolas made an embarrassed bird sound – he’s got so many of those little bird noises – and ducked his head. “Y- yes? I’m sorry, I hadn’t really considered how we must have disrupted things…”

I moved to his side and dropped an arm around his shoulders, to lean on him. “Don’t apologize. I don’t know what that girl did but I bet she deserved it. I hope you got a couple good hits in.”

“I didn’t.” He relaxed a little under my arm. “Mr. Butler pulled her off from me after she pulled my feathers. I only provoked her.”

“Boo. Next time you need to get her back. What’d you do to make her so mad anyway?” I pulled him over to sit on the blanket. Barbie and Fizz followed, still watching him suspiciously.

“She hated it. She didn’t like the performance and she was complaining the whole time. She… uh… she insulted your joke and I told her to shut up.”

I coughed, pulling my arm back, face heating up. “You- uh, you got into a fight over me?”

He avoided my eyes. “Maybe?”

Barbie plopped down to cross her legs, scoffing. “So, what? You buy your way into a sold-out show and think the stupidest joke in the entire show was so funny it’s worth starting a fight over? Then you steal my brother because you liked his stupid joke that much?”

I got hot all over and leaned between them, “Uh? No? It wasn’t even his idea.”

“So…” Fizz looked between us nervously, “Then… why is he here? Why aren’t you here? I mean, why are you gone all week? And why did you bring him back?”

“I d-” Stolas started, still sounding nervous.

I cut him off, leaning into him and throwing an arm over his shoulders again, pulling him in, “Because he’s my Birdie now! I get to keep him, and if either of you two say shit I’m going to beat you up. Barbie, I told you mine would be so smart.”

They both stared in shock. I flicked my tail behind me anxiously, not letting Stolas go. He was frozen stiff under my arm, maybe even holding his breath, and I just refused to be the one to break the silence.

Then, Fizz blinked and relaxed. “Oh. So you’re Bonded.”

I relaxed my arm around Stolas and let him pull away if he wanted to. He didn’t want to, though. He stayed tucked under my arm.

“Yeah. The blood on my shoulder was from that mean girl pulling his feathers. Seriously, if she does something like that again I’m biting her.” I growled.

“Hey, chill.” Barbie leaned back on her palms. “You two just met. Are you sure it’s even supposed to be ‘like that’ for you two? I mean, that’s kind of… ridiculous. He’s a Goetia. You’re more likely going to be such a good little pet-”

“He isn’t a pet!” Stolas finally broke through his shyness and sat up, shouting. I took my arm back and watched him with a grin. “Blitzo is my friend! And I wont have anyone treating him like that!”

Fizz and Barbie started laughing. I felt myself heat up. “What? What’s so funny?”

“You two are cute together,” Barbie explained. “You’re hanging all over him and he obviously likes you. You two are perfect for each other.”

“I hope you like horses, your highness,” Fizz stuck his tongue out as he teased me, “Because when you two get married you’ll have a whole bunch of them.”

Chapter Text

Stolas

The week went by so fast, and the first night I slept alone in my room again, I was a little sad. I didn’t want him to go, but, I didn’t like the idea of making him stay either. He doesn’t want to stay. He has his own home, his own family, his own friends, and he’s got his own duties. I have my grimoire, he has his circus.

I’ll have more time to study the grimoire now, anyway.

The next day, the first day without him, I had another play date with Stella. This time, Father took me to her palace and I was meant to ‘get to know her better’ while he discussed lesson plans for our etiquette training.

I had such a wonderful time all week with Blitzo, Stella had felt like such a distant and horrible memory.

Now she is back to being a very real and very immediate threat. She stood there with her mother, like they’d been when I first saw her at our palace. Only this time, there was another kid standing beside her; a boy a bit older than both of us who was glaring at me far too venomously for someone I’ve never even met before.

Her mother greeted Father while I attempted to hide behind him from the glaring of Stella and who I assume is her brother.

“This is Andrealphus,” she gestured to the new boy, “and he’ll be playing with the two love birds. Go on, children, take the little owl boy to the garden while the adults talk.”

Garden? Oh, good. Even if they’ve already decided they hate me, I can at least enjoy the greenery. I wonder what sort of plants they have? I showed Blitzo our garden and he tried to pay attention but I know he got bored eventually. He liked my plants, but after a little while he made up a new game called ‘Hide and Seek’ that was really, really fun.

They didn’t walk slowly. They nearly ran through the halls like they were trying to lose me, but I stayed up well enough. Blitzo likes to run a lot, he got in trouble with Mr. butler a lot by running In the halls, so I got used to running a lot this last week.

“Wait,” I tried to catch up and attempt to apologize for what happened at the circus, so maybe we can have a better time this time. I don’t want to fight. I don’t want to hate each other. She doesn’t want to do this any more than me, and maybe we can at least be friends?

Andrealphus was the one to stop and glare down at me. “Wait what ? We don’t want you here. My sister does not want to talk to you.”

“I just wanted to say, I’m sorry.” I clasped my hands in front of me and bowed my head. “Our outing to the circus was… not fun. For either of us, and I’m sorry I was rude.”

Stella shoved her brother out of the way to point at me. “You should be sorry! And if you ever talk to me like that again I will ruin you. I will make you regret this engagement.”

I already do.

I nodded silently, and she seemed to accept that well enough. The rest of our way to the garden, they went a more normal pace. She didn’t say sorry for attacking me. I didn’t ask her to, to avoid incurring her wrath again.

The garden didn’t have any plants. It was a courtyard, enclosed within the palace, and it was filled entirely with snow and ice in elaborate sculptures and designs. Arches, a delicate forest of icy vines in intricate patterns, and what looked like a full play set made from ice.

I was very disappointed, but, I tried to hide it. “This is beautiful.”

“Of course it is.” Stella glared at me. “My brother is very good with his magics. And what magics have you got?”

Her brother did all this? “I… don’t have any yet. I’m still learning; I haven’t had my grimoire very long, after all.”

Andrealphus scoffed. “My sister deserves a powerful husband. You better study better.”

“I will,” I promised. “What do you… do out here?”

They looked to each other, then, turned their backs on me to go play on the play set.

They left me behind. They excluded me as thoroughly as they could, so eventually I gave up and found an icy bench to sit on in the frozen vines. The longer I looked, the more I thought they had, perhaps, once been real vines. This used to be an ordinary garden, I think. Andrealphus had killed all the plants in his practicing with his ice magics.

I miss Blitzo.

It’s cold here. I don’t like sitting on a bench coated in ice. I want to go home. I want to sneak out and visit the circus, but, I wonder if Blitzo would be upset to see me show up unannounced? He’s already stuck with me sometimes without his saying, even though this last week he hadn’t acted like ‘stuck’ was the right word, he probably wouldn’t want me to come and bother him in his own home. I wouldn’t even know how to leave here and get there. I wouldn’t want to make Father angry for disappearing; he’d only go to take Blitzo out of his circus so I didn’t have to go anywhere to see him, and I don’t want that.

Something cold hit the back of my head and burst into powder. I ducked and rubbed the back of my head, looking around to see where it had come from. Stella and Andrealphus stood there laughing. In Andrealphus’s hand is a snowball.

Do they… want to play?

I stood up. “That was a good throw.”

“Of course it was!” Stella crossed her arms and glared. “My brother has the best aim.”

I smiled and reached down to collect some of the loose snow on the ground. “This sounds like a fun game.” I bet Blitzo would love a snowball fight.

“It is.” Andrealphus smirked at me. “It’s called, who can get the most snow in your feathers.” He threw another snowball at me and hit me straight in my chest.

I laughed it off because it didn’t hurt at all. “Sorry, I haven’t played this one before.” I threw mine and tried to hit him. It fell to the ground halfway toward them.

They both laughed at me. “That was pathetic! You’re not only annoying, but you’re weak too.” Stella chirped out between her laughter.

Well that isn’t very nice, but, I need to prove to them I can be fun too. Blitzo thinks I’m fun, I just need to show them that. I was very upset when Stella and I first met. I’m sure I didn’t make the best first impression.

So with the bravery and enthusiasm I learned from Blitzo, I made another snow ball and threw it a little closer. “Why don’t you teach me-” I was cut off by Stella’s snowball hitting me in the leg. “Good shot!”

“Yeah, well, you’re an easy target.” She smirked. Andrealphus had another snowball already.

I ducked out of the way of that one, and at the same time grabbed at some more snow. I was laughing. We can play. We can play even though they don’t like me very much, and I can show them I’m not boring or annoying, I can be fun.

“Catch!” I threw my next one, aiming for Stella this time, and missing.

I hit Andrealphus instead. Right in the face.

I froze.

Andrealphus wiped his face off. “How. Dare.”

“You!” Stella lauched herself toward me.

My heart leapt out of my chest and I bolted. Oh, no. Oh, no, no, no. “I’m sorry! I’m sorry, I’m sorry, I’m s-” I slipped on ice and face-planted into the hard ground that was just a second ago covered in soft snow.

Stella landed on my back and was grabbing and pulling and hitting. I cowered away, trying to escape. “DON’T YOU DARE HURT MY BROTHER YOU STUPID STUPID OWL YOU DON’T GET TO HIT MY BROTHER’S FACE I’M GOING TO HURT YOU HURT YOU HURT YOU!!!”

I cried out and tried to shove her off. She’s torn out some of my feathers and she’s pounding her fists down on my back. “I’m sorry, I’m sorry, please stop?”

She was off my back very suddenly. I didn’t get up and try to escape again, I just covered my head and cowered away.

“I’m sorry.”

“Stolas.” Father sounds angry. “Get up, a prince does not cower like an imp. Get to your feet and dust yourself off, you’re making a fool out of yourself.”

I got up as quickly as I could, brushing the snow from my feathers, avoiding eye contact and trying not to cry.

Andrealphus and Stella stood together by their mother. Father stood between me and them, and he looked as angry as he sounded. At least, as best I could tell without lifting my eyes all the way up to his face.

“What is the meaning of this?”

“We were just playing a game,” Stella spat out. “Snowball fighting. That’s how you play. And Stow-lass hit Andrealphus in the face with his snowball. He started it!”

“Again?” Father glanced back down toward me. “We’ll talk about this later.”

“They’re just children playing,” their mother insisted. “It’s good to see them getting along so well, already. Andrealphus and Stella love snowball fights.”

“Hmm.” Father didn’t seem happy with that answer either, but he didn’t say anything else. He let it go. “Come, Stolas. It is time to return home. Next week, your play date will be at the palace, and you must try to refrain from instigating any more fighting.”

“Yes, Father.” I bowed my head and followed him out, trying my hardest not to look toward Stella or her horrible brother.

I was cold and wet and shivering and miserable on the ride home. Father spent the time reprimanding me, and I had nothing to say in my defense. This is the second time we’ve fought because of something I’ve done. I’m not behaving like a proper prince, I’m behaving like a spoiled and crass lesser demon.

“You’re behaving like an imp!”

I flinched and bowed my head further.

“It’s no wonder you require that little clown boy now, if this is what you are becoming. I will not allow you to degrade in such a way. You must reign that creature in and teach it some manners, rather than allowing yourself to lose decorum just because you are bonded to an imp. Do you understand? If you cannot fix this, I will have your little pet removed and put through boarding school until the two of you can behave.” He kept going, but, I tuned him out in favor of focusing on my discomfort and the horrible, horrible idea that he would do something so horrible.

I knew I would get in trouble if Blitzo makes a mistake, but I was okay with that. I would take responsibility for his actions, I don’t care, I just wanted to make sure he is safe. I hadn’t anticipated him getting in trouble for my actions.

I have to stop making Stella angry. I have to do better, for Blitzo.

Blitz

“But you just got back. You were there all week.” Barbie fell over on my back, making me stumble.

I shoved her off. “She attacked him again, I have to go.”

“Boo-”

“Stop.” I rounded on her and glared. “She hurt him again. A lot. She attacked him, and I have to go. I’ll come home tomorrow.”

“You’re staying the whole night?”

“What do you want to tell your dad?” Fizz asked, pulling Barbie away from me and looking less upset about this.

“I don’t care. Tell Momma first, she’ll figure something out. Tell her I’m sorry, but I have to go.”

I planned on running the whole way, but after a few blocks I realized the buses are running and they go everywhere, and they go faster than I run. So, I wasted the length of time it took to figure out which ones were going the correct direction, climbed on the back, and waited until we were as close as we were going to get. Then, I ran the rest of the way.

I was not invited and I did not want to knock on the door and beg Mr. Butler to let me in again. I didn’t want to waste the time, and I didn’t want to chance getting rejected. So, I went around until I found his big balcony and I climbed the side of the building.

It was easy.

The door into his room was unlocked. He doesn’t worry about people breaking in, I guess, so all I had to do was slip in.

He isn’t in his room. What am I supposed to do if he isn’t even in here? His books are all put away, none of them are out, so he isn’t in here reading. The door to the hallway’s shut, and he doesn’t usually leave it shut if he isn’t in here. He does keep it shut when he is, though, but where is he?

The bathroom door is closed too. I approached it as quietly as I could, pressing my ear to the door. Water sloshed inside.

I froze. I wanted to relax, but I couldn’t yet. He’s here, he’s safe, but he isn’t fine. He’s in there, and I haven’t seen him yet. I need to see him, I need to hug him, my Birdie was attacked again and even though I know he’s right in there, I’m not satisfied yet. So I froze, because I didn’t know if it would be better to wait out here or to go in. This is a bathroom, a full, real, bathroom with a door that closes properly, it can lock, and people who live in houses with bathrooms like this expect some level of privacy. I just don’t know exactly where the boundaries on that sort of thing are, and how him being my Other Half plays into it.

The door opened in front of me. I jumped, jerking back, staring down at what was normally a very fluffy ball of feathers. He made a really cute birdie sounds, and he looked really silly with wet feathers. He was wearing his silk space pajamas and held a towel in his hands. After a moment of just staring at each other, his lower set of eyes squinted and got really wet, he dropped the towel, and he fell forward and wrapped his arms around me to cling tightly. I felt the wet seep through my clothes pretty quickly, and he was sobbing.

I hugged him back and finally relaxed.

“Why are you here?” He asked after a minute or so, as he loosened his arms but didn’t let go.

I picked him up. “You know exactly why I’m here. What happened? Let me see it.”

He squirmed, “Let me down, Blitzy. I’ll show you. It isn’t bad, I promise.”

I let him down, and he pulled his shirt off, turning around and stretching his arms to point back to a spot where his feathers looked especially weird.

“Well?” He prompted.

I reached out to poke at it. “There’s a lot gone. Are they going to grow back?”

“Yeah, they’ll grow back.” He sighed, shrugging his shirt back on. “You didn’t have to come, Blitzo.”

“Yeah, yeah, I don’t care. Tell me what happened, Birdie, and don’t hold back.” I grabbed the towel off the ground and his arm and dragged him over to the bed.

He climbed up with me, taking the towel and dabbing at his feathers again. “You don’t want to hear me complaining.”

“That’s why I came here. I felt her attack you and I booked it here, Stols. She pulled your feathers, she hit you, that’s not okay! I’m sorry it took me so long, I ran part of the way and I snuck onto a bus the rest of it.” I felt antsy, I needed to do something, I couldn’t just sit here and stare at him even though he’s still all damp and fiddling with that towel in his lap. So, I reached out to pick at his feathers without really thinking.

He sat up straight and trilled (he taught me that word) real cute-like. I pulled my hands away.

“No,” he looked back to me briefly, then down at his lap. “It’s okay. Preening each other is something feathered Goetia do for each other, when they’re upset or bonding… Father did it for me when I was younger, before I could fix my own feathers.”

“Oh.” I didn’t touch them again quite yet, but, that was definitely something I was memorizing and never forgetting. “I don’t have feathers.”

He took a really, really big, deep breath, and sprawled out over my lap, forgetting the towel. He wrapped his arms around me and mumbled, “I know, I don’t know how to do for you then. I’m sorry.”

I picked at his feathers from this perspective and he relaxed, cooing and trilling almost like purring. “Imps are just really clingy. We sleep in piles and hang on each other a lot. That’s what I do with Fizz and Barbie and Momma, at least. And when we’re sick, or we had a really bad day, Momma makes herself real warm before she cuddles us.”

“Oh.” He sighed and hugged me tightly for a moment before relaxing again. I waited. I picked at his feathers, making them go the right directions, and he just laid there clinging to me for a minute. Then, “It was a snowball fight. But, I don’t think it was supposed to be. I thought, maybe if I could show them that I can be fun, I can play like I did with you, they would change their mind and stop being mean to me, because I was in a very poor mood the first time we met. But, when I threw one back, she attacked me again.”

I growled, wishing I could meet this stupid ‘Stella’ and attack her. “Who is ‘they’? I thought it was just that dumb girl.”

“We were at their home, and she has a brother. Andrealphus. He has ice magics and he’s older than we are. They’re very close, and she attacked me because I hit Andrealphus with the snowball. It was an accident, I did hit his face, so it was my fault. But I’m not very good at throwing! It was an accident!”

“That’s not your fault, and that’s a stupid thing to get angry about. If you’re having a snowball fight, you can’t throw a fit when you get hit back.” I pet my hand over the smooth feathers on the back of his head and he made a cute little noise. “You should have hit harder.”

“I can’t,” he mumbled into the bed. “I’m terrible at throwing, and I have to stop starting fights with her. You’re going to get in trouble because of me.”

Uh… “I wasn’t there? I didn’t do anything?”

“But Father thinks I’m forgetting my manners because of you. He says it’s your fault I’m behaving like this, and he wants to send you to a boarding school. Then you wouldn’t be with your family or with me, and I don’t want you to get in trouble because I keep making her mad.”

I felt cold. “Oh.” I dry swallowed and went back to picking at the damp feathers I hadn’t made smooth yet. “I thought… I’m going to try really hard to be nice and use my manners and stuff. I thought I just had to learn how to behave, so I didn’t get you in trouble.”

“We both have to be really, really careful.” He tightened his arms around me. “I don’t want to lose you.”

We’ve only known each other for a week, but he’s already really attached to me. He’s got no other friends, and the only other kids he interacts with his own age bully him. His dad’s not a whole lot better than mine, though, Lord Paimon is letting me stick around. Mr. Butler says Lord Paimon is easy to impress and doesn’t actually care a whole lot about what happens when he isn’t around, he just doesn’t want to have to deal with bad stuff. Dad controls every part of the circus and if he ever hears about people doing things when he isn’t around, that he doesn’t like, he’ll still fire them. He fired one of the acrobats a few months ago because she was drinking during a performance even though she didn’t miss any of her stunts and no one in the audience noticed.

“You won’t,” I assured him, because I’m really attached too. I love Barbie and Fizz, but this Birdie is mine. I get to keep him, I get to be as weird and stupid as I want and he finds me funny. He likes me even though I like pirates and blood and fighting and all of that. He’s going to like me, even when I mess up and say the wrong thing sometimes. He isn’t going to hate me just because…

“Are you staying the night? You shouldn’t, your friends miss you at the circus.” He sat up and avoided my eyes, picking at the towel again.

“I’m staying.” I crossed my legs and faced him fully. “I’ll go back in the morning, that’s what I told Fizz and Barbie. And- wait! Actually, do you have anything you have to do tomorrow? Or is your dad going to be busy again?”

“I… no? Not really? I have to study my grimoire, but…”

“Then bring it with you. I’m bringing you back with me again.”

He beamed at me. “I’d like that.”

Chapter Text

Stolas

We walked again. He said when he rushed over last night, he’d snuck onto a bus that made the journey much faster. I enjoy traveling with him; I don’t get to walk anywhere like this normally. But, if we do this as often as I’d like to, then perhaps we can invest in actually taking the bus. Or, if Mr. Butler and Father wouldn’t mind, taking the car.

He chatted my ear off the whole way. I didn’t want to talk about Stella and Andrealphus any longer, so he didn’t push it. He told me about all the shenanigans that had apparently taken place while he’d been gone.

“And Tequila twisted her ankle, so now we’re down a horse during that act. Barbie says she overheard Dad talking about getting another one – I hope he gives it a cooler name this time. He names all the horses after alcohol, and he doesn’t even have anything to do with them! Fizz and Barbie and me help clean their pins and practice areas and stuff, and the horse trainers do all the other stuff, and they clean too but there’s a lot of cleaning when it comes to horses you know, and Dad doesn’t even know which one’s which. He said it was Bourbon that twisted his ankle but when I went to go check it was actually Tequila.”

He really likes horses. He drew a lot of pictures of them when we were coloring during our week together. “Do you ride the horses?” He’s talked about them a lot, but, he’s never mentioned whether he does or does not.

“Uh… no. No, but, sometimes Poppy will take me for a ride. So, kind of? But I’m not allowed to go by myself, and it isn’t very often. Last time, it was my birthday.”

I wonder if Father would allow the two of us to go to a trail sometime? Or, perhaps, to take lessons together? I never cared, I never really thought about it before enough to care, but listening to him get excited about the horses makes me excited.

Also while he was gone, his Father got angry that he wasn’t around, but apparently no one has told him yet that we are Bonded. The story his mother had given was that when he’d dropped Blitzo off for our play date, it was supposed to be for the full week. They were apparently gas-lighting him into thinking he’d just been wrong about the terms of our play date. It sounded like a mean thing to do, but Blitzo assured me that the longer it takes for his father to learn we are Bonded, the better. His father was the one that had tried to get Blitzo to steal from us, after all, so I suppose I understand to an extent.

When we got to the circus, he told me to be quiet and we crept between the tents in a long and round-about way to avoid early risers noticing us.

“Should we have come even earlier?” I whispered. “If you didn’t want to be seen coming back?”

“No, most people are practicing in the Big Tent right now. They would have been out still.”

I suppose I hadn’t considered that; that there aren’t very many demons milling about because they were busy, not because they were still asleep. The day must start very early here.

He took me to the same tent he had when Father had first brought me here to speak with his mother. His tent. There were the three beds, and it was as equally empty of other kids as it had been that first time. I tried to figure out whose bed was whose. Blitzo’s must be that one, because when he and his mother had been packing, they gravitated around it. I think Blitzo had picked something up from off it then, actually. As for the other two… I had no idea which one was Barbie-Wire’s and which one was Fizzarolli’s. They were both about as messy as Blitzo’s is, and I don’t know enough about the two of them to figure it out like this.

He pulled me toward his bed and pushed me down to sit on it. It’s much smaller than mine; it’s very close to the ground and it’s the perfect size for a demon our size, rather than a demon my Father’s size, which is how big I’m probably going to be when I’m done growing. Goetia are typically much larger than imps, and when we are grown, he will probably still fit in this bed and I certainly wouldn’t.

“We’ll wait here for them to get done with practice. Then, we’ll go eat breakfast all together. We always come back here to change or put our stuff away, if we bring our own practice stuff. I mean, usually we just use the stuff from the store room, like the other clowns, but Fizz has his own special set of juggling pins he got for his birthday, because Dad says he’s got a lot of potential. And we keep our own balloon stash here so we don’t have to share with the other clowns.” He was cleaning up their tent, picking stuff off the ground and throwing them to the top of the other two beds. Occasionally, he picked something up and shoved it into a chest at the foot of his bed.

“I bet you’re very good with juggling too.” I crossed my legs and watched him eagerly.

“Uh… no. I mean, I practice a lot, and I’m better than Barbie because she’s on the high wire she doesn’t do clown stuff, but Dad usually puts me more on slap-stick stuff. I’m really good at messing up, and sometimes the audience finds that funny.”

I frowned, because that didn’t sound like what he wanted to do. “I want to see you juggle, Blitzo. I’m sure you’re amazing.”

He blushed, dropping a book of some kind onto one of the beds, and went to his chest. “Alright, but, these are just practice balls. Okay?” He took three little balls that fit in the palm of his hands out and went to stand in front of me. “Ready?”

I nodded eagerly, bouncing on his bed and making a strange squeaking sound with it.

He grinned and put his attention on his hands. He juggled, tossing the balls back and forth and doing a really good job of catching them. Oh, I bet Blitzo would be so good at a snowball fight!

“What are you talking about? You’re amazing!” I leaned forward.

But I’d distracted him and one of the balls landed on his head. He laughed and picked them all up, as he’d missed the rest of them after that. “Yeah, if I’m standing still! Fizz can do it while balancing on a ball, and he can toss them really high! And he can juggle in four different ways, but he does mess up sometimes when he’s practicing the other ways.” He climbed up to sit on the bed beside me. He held the balls out toward me. “Want to learn?”

I locked up, “N- no. No, it’s alright. I’m not very coordinated.”

“Pooh,” he held them out toward me more. “No one’s coordinated when they first start learning this stuff. Just try tossing and catching them.”

“I’m… I’m not sure…” I don’t want to make a fool of myself in front of him, he’s so wonderful, even if he thinks he isn’t.

“Here.” He dropped two of them and scooted away from me to the other side of the bed, crossed his legs and faced me, then held the third ball up like he was going to toss it. “Catch.”

I missed; it hit me in the chest and fell in my lap. I adjusted to face him better, excited again because I love his games. “Here.”

He caught it perfectly – of course – and tossed it back to me. It bounced off my hand. He giggled and retrieved it, because it landed closer to him, and tossed it to me again.

His laugh is contagious, I didn’t feel like a fool for doing poorly. He was having fun, so I was having fun. He wasn’t laughing at me, he just enjoyed playing games with me too and he liked it when I kept trying. Eventually, I was catching it just about every time, and he started throwing it faster or higher, and I never knew which he would do. He never missed.

There were more noises outside, but it built so slowly I hadn’t noticed until a couple of voices came so near I could hear them. They were familiar.

“-doing this all the time. Dad’s going to get mad.”

“Cash is going to figure it out eventually.”

“Yeah, and I’m not covering for him if he’s going to go running off like this all the time.”

“Wouldn’t you be worried if your Other Half were getting hurt?”

“Uh, she gets hurt all the time. She probably doesn’t work in a circus, but, she fights the same way I do with Blitzo and she has some job where she gets hurt sometimes. You don’t see me running around trying to protect her.”

“You don’t even know who it is. Besides, the Prince isn’t supposed to get hurt. He’s a prince.”

“Pooh.” Barbie-Wire came in first, using the same dismissive nonsense word Blitzo uses, “he’s just going to have to figure out how to stop getting… hurt… oh. Hey.” She stopped and waved awkwardly.

“What-” Fizzarolli pushed his way past her, because she’d stopped right in the doorway. “Oh. Hello, your highness.” He bowed slightly, in a way that was absolutely not proper enough for Father or Mr. Butler, but I didn’t care. I don’t want Blitzo bowing to me ever, I don’t need his friends doing it either. I don’t have to be a prince here, I can just be a kid.

“Hi.” I waved eagerly. “I’m sorry I took him away last night. I told him he didn’t have to come, after he got there, but… I guess that doesn’t really help.”

“Shut up,” Blitzo crawled over the bed to shove me playfully, not the way Stella does. “I’m allowed to take care of my Birdie, he’s mine. Okay? And he is going to stop getting into fights anyway, so stop freaking out about it.”

Fizzarolli and Barbie-Wire went toward two different beds – so that’s whose is whose – and relaxed from their awkward entrance. “Yeah, yeah, you and your pet bird. We get it. But I mean it, I’m not going to keep covering for you if you’re just going to run off like that all the time.” She pointed accusingly at him.

My feathers fluffed involuntarily at her words, and, they sounded playful. They sounded like a callback to something Blitzo is very sensitive about, but… in the opposite direction that made it more into a joke. I am so not used to being playful or social, I felt so strange about not catching on fast or being completely positive it was a joke like that, but, Blitzo sure didn’t seem bothered by the comment.

“He’s coming with us to breakfast today. I’ll take him home later, but today we’re hanging out here.” He settled sitting next to me to watch the other two.

Fizzarolli was only changing his shirt, and he didn’t appear to be shy at all. He did get it stuck on his horns for a moment, though. “You’re not going to get in trouble for coming out here by yourself, your highness?”

“I don’t think so.” I glanced nervously between him, Barbie-Wire, and Blitzo. “Father is busy today, and Mr. Butler will only assume I’m studying. I mean, I will study. I have to, I can’t waste the whole day. I have to learn it all as fast as I can, because there is a lot… and…” I’m rambling and they’re all staring at me.

I shrank back.

“You’re, like, the smartest demon I know.” Blitzo picked my grimoire up from where I’d put it on the bed, holding it out to me. “You’re going to learn this stuff in no time.”

“What is it?” Fizzarolli asked, coming closer now that he was wearing a cleaner shirt than what he’d apparently been practicing in.

“My grimoire,” I held it up to show him, about to explain what that meant because Blitzo hadn’t known what that meant to begin with either, and I have no reason to think his friends would know any better.

Blitzo interrupted, however. “It’s this cool magic book that has a lot of spells and rituals and stuff. Kind of like how we’re training to be real clowns, he’s training with this book to learn magic and stuff. There’s a bunch of pictures of space and stars and stuff inside, he’s going to go to space and read prophecies, kind of like what Momma does with her cards and stuff, only, with real magic.”

“Momma uses magic.” Barbie-Wire finally finished with whatever she was doing beside her bed, which wasn’t changing. She was still wearing the same clothes she’d worn in, but, she still somehow looked cleaned up after working hard. “Her cards are magic.”

“Are they really?” I lowered my book to my lap and watched her eagerly, glancing to Blitzo briefly when she didn’t immediately answer.

She did, just not immediately. She gave me a weird look, “Yeah. She got them from a shady shop in Envy a long time ago, and she uses them to help customers make decisions and plan for stuff.”

“That’s amazing.” I started bouncing again and Blitzo, from the corner of my eye, made that grin he does when I do something he likes. He likes my silly little habits that Father and Mr. Butler are always telling me to stop. “Can I see them?”

“Uh, you can ask her about them if you want.” Blitzo slid off the bed and grabbed my arm to take me with him, while I still held my grimoire. “She’ll be there at breakfast.”

“Yeah. And so will a bunch of other people.” Fizzarolli gave me a nervous look. “Aren’t you trying to keep him a secret?”

I deflated and looked to Blitzo nervously. “Should I… stay here?”

“No.” He looped his arm through mine. “I’ll just avoid questions and tell people to mind their own business. I want to eat breakfast with my Birdie.”

“Whatever. I’m starving, let’s just go already.” Barbie-Wire marched her way toward the tent opening first, after which Blitzo pulled me forward and Fizzarolli slipped out after us. “If you were here, you should have at least come to practice. It would have been easier to cover for you if you actually showed up.”

“We didn’t get here until halfway through,” Blitzo didn’t seem to feel bad at all for missing ‘practice’. “It takes so long to go between the palace and the circus without a car, alright? But I think I figured out a shortcut we’ll try out on the way back.”

Fizzarolli came up to walk on my other side, so the three of us were in a line with Barbie-Wire charging the way ahead of us. I looked over to Fizzarolli with a grin, and he smiled back. “I hope you can stay a while, your highness. I’d be a waste to come all this way just to leave so soon.”

Friends. I have friends. I’m making friends. Blitzo’s friends like me, and they can be my friends too.

Blitz

Momma was sitting with three bowls on the table in front of her, a book open to read while she waited for Fizz and Barbie to show up. I pulled Stolas right up to the table, on the side beside her. She was just looking up from her book when I let go of Stolas to throw myself at her, hugging tightly. “Good morning, Momma!”

She laughed and pulled an arm free to put around me. “Good morning, baby boy. I thought you were gone today.”

I let her go and stepped back to shove my arm through Stolas’s again, making him to stop hiding behind me. “I was gone last night. Stolas’s ‘financee’ hurt to him yesterday so I had to go take care of him.”

She turned on the bench to look from me to him with the same smile. “Fiance, dear. I’m sorry to hear that. Are you feeling better, your highness?”

No. No no no no, that’s weird. “I don’t…” Stolas started nervously, which told me he felt the same way.

“Just Stolas,” I insisted. Fizz and Barbie were sitting on the other side of the table, taking two of the bowls that Momma had gotten ready. “He’s fine, the feathers will grow back.”

“He can speak, can’t he?” Momma looked back to Stolas.

Yeah, but he’s shy.

“I didn’t know you two were going to be here, so I didn’t get you two any bowls. Here, sit down, I’ll get you two something to eat.”

I sat beside Momma’s spot and Stolas slipped in next to me. Barbie, around a mouthful of cereal, laughed at us. “You two are going to be like this all the time?”

“Like what?” I put my palms down on the table and leaned over it toward her, flicking my tail out behind me protectively. “What’s wrong with us?”

“Nothing.” She swung her spoon around in the air. “Just, you’re dragging him around like a doll.”

“He’s not-”

Stolas interrupted me, “I’m not used to being outside the palace.” I turned to watch him with a grin, trying to encourage him. “But I’d like to get used to it. Blitzo’s right, when he talks for me. He knows what I’m thinking.”

“You guys have known each other for a week.” Fizzarolli scoffed. “If you’re already this clingy, you two are going to be bad when we’re older.”

“If he knows what you’re thinking, then,” Barbie rounded on me. “What is he thinking right now?”

“He’s thinking…” I sat back down normal and rasped my fingers on the table. “He’s thinking you two are just jealous you have no idea who your Other Half is and it makes you look stupid.”

He started giggling next to me, some hooting slipping in with it. It was adorable.

Momma sat back down while he was still laughing, and she looked happy. She slid one of the new bowls in front of me and I scooted it down to Stolas, accepting the next one. “What’s so funny?”

Stolas locked up again, his beak clacking at how hard he shut it, and he looked down at the bowl.

I leaned to bump my shoulder into his. “Yeah, Stols, what’s so funny?”

He chirped nervously, then tried to do that thing where he sits up proper and keeps his arms still at his side to make his dad and Mr. Butler happy. He’s nervous because of Momma. He doesn’t have to be nervous about Momma, Momma’s a lot nicer than his dad and Mr. Butler.

“Just… it’s only…” Stolas tried to look up at her and kept looking back to me, “Blitzo was very close to guessing what I was thinking. I thought it was very funny.”

Momma laughed lightly. “Oh? Well what was it? I feel left out, you four having all the fun when I leave the table.”

“Blitzo said Stolas was thinking about how jealous we were just because they’re bonded so they’re being all stupid and clingy and stuff and that we’re stupid.” Barbie glared even though she was angry. “And apparently, he’s right.”

“No! No, that isn’t what I meant!” Stolas’s feathers fluffed up and he was getting flustered. He’s scared they’re going to hate him. “I was just thinking, just, I was wondering how different this is for everyone. My Father’s other half isn’t even his friend. They’re business partners, and, I know they like each other. They trust each other. But, I don’t think I’ve even met her.” And I’ve never even had a friend before, but it’s really easy to be friends with Blitzo. I wondered if it is that easy for everyone.”

“It isn’t.” Momma started on her cereal, which seemed to trigger Stolas to start on his. I was already a few spoonfuls in. “Your Other Half can be anything to you. A business partner, a platonic friend, a creative partner, a romantic partner. Some people click immediately, sometimes it takes a little time.”

She and dad are bonded, but they still argue sometimes. Sometimes, I don’t see how they could possibly be each other’s halves because Momma is so perfect and wonderful and nice and Dad is… Dad. But they are. He always knows when Momma’s having a bad day and she hurts more, and if Dad gets hurt during practice or something, like the time I accidentally hit him with the juggling pins, she comes to bring him something to fix it.

“Oh.” Stolas ducked his head and focused on eating.

“I know you two will take care of each other because you do already care so much. I’m very excited for you boys.”

I turned to grin at Stolas, who looked embarrassed again, and from the corner of my eye I saw Fizz and Barbie gagging at us.

I threw a piece of cereal from my bowl at them and they burst out laughing. I threw another one before I degraded into laughing with them. Beside me, Stolas started giggling too, but not as loud as earlier.

We went back up to the hill after breakfast to play some games. We taught Stolas three of them, he had a lot of fun, but I didn’t want to get either of us in trouble, so we couldn’t stay too long. I had to get him home.

I don’t care if they make fun of us, I like Stolas and I’m going to make him their friend too.

Chapter Text

Stolas

I followed Father back up the steps to our palace, a bounce in my step. It went well. It’s our third play date without an incident; no fights, no arguments, everything is going perfectly .

“What the fuck was that?”

Father didn’t agree.

I shrank back, going over everything, trying to figure out what went wrong. I did everything Stella wanted, I sucked up, and I played nice. She didn’t even yell at me this time!

“I’m… sorry, Father?”

“Not you. Fuck, compared to you that wretched little girl had the manners of… of an imp!” He opened the doors and stopped looking down.

I slipped in under his arm to see what he was looking at. Mr. Butler and Blitzo stood there, and Blitzo was wearing one of his palace outfits, standing upright, looking like he was putting all the manners training Mr. Butler and I have been giving him to good use. He bowed with Mr. Butler and it was so weird . Blitzo is supposed to be climbing on the bookshelves and clacking his teeth and messing around, not standing all proper and bowing and stuff.

Father pulled the door shut behind us. “I take it back. Worse than an imp. I’m going to have a word with her parents. Little imp boy, have you begun your training?”

Blitzo gave me a confused look, then looked back up to Father. “My… training?”

“Yes, your bodyguard training.” Judging from the confused look on Mr. Butler’s face too, Father hasn’t mentioned this to either of them yet. “Hmm, Butler, take care of that. I want the boy ready to work as soon as possible. If he can juggle, he can throw a punch. I’m going to the bar, do not bother me.”

Nobody moved until he was gone. Then, I rushed forward to grab Blitzo’s arm. “I didn’t know you were coming over!”

He let me pull on him, grinning, “What did your dad mean, ‘bodyguard training’? Stols, what is that supposed to mean?”

“I suppose it means,” Mr. Butler loomed over us and I let go quickly, “he intends for you to be acting as the young prince’s bodyguard. That will provide you a reason to be here, provided the two of you are meant to be kept secret. It makes some sense, provided your experience in the circus gives you some level of quick reflexes and muscle mass. I’ll schedule for you to take basic self defense classes before you get anywhere near a weapon. Take to these classes like you have etiquette and you will do fine, Blitzo. I’ll bring an afternoon snack up for the two of you soon enough.”

I slipped my hand back into Blitzo’s, a bit more calm than I had grabbed onto him earlier, and pulled him away. “Thank you, Mr. Butler.”

He waved to dismiss us, and I pulled Blitzo with me, and even though this isn’t the first time I’ve seen him since our week together by a long shot, it is the first time I’ve had permission to see him. Blitzo has snuck over and climbed up to my balcony, and twice he’s taken me back to the circus now. I haven’t seen him every day, he’s too busy for that, and I never know when I am going to see him, but, it is so exciting every time!

Once we were closed off in my room, he pulled away and started climbing my bookshelves immediately. “Mr. Butler says we’ve got to do dinner with your dad again today, so no going back to the circus this time. But he also said you don’t have anything tomorrow, so, you can come tonight, right?”

I stopped, part of the way to my desk and looked up at him in surprise. “To… night? As in, overnight?”

He pulled my grimoire off the shelves where I kept it and held onto the shelf above it, looking down at me with a worried look, “Uh, yeah? I mean, I stay over here sometimes, you can stay in my tent once, can’t you?”

I suppose I shouldn’t call a double-standard, but, I’ve never slept anywhere other than my own bed. And I feel as if Mr. Butler and Father would be particularly angry if they found I was missing all night. “N- yes? I suppose I could. Why… um, why do you want me to stay in the circus with you overnight this time?”

Surrounded by strangers, a bed much smaller, sharing a room with two other demons I only kind of know…

“Because it’s movie night. We only get to watch movies like this once a month, and I want you to come. You’re going to sit with me and Barbie and Fizz and Momma, and by the time it’s done, it’ll be really late. You can stay for breakfast, maybe, or if you want we can come back here real early and have breakfast here. But we shouldn’t travel that late.” He was climbing back down and bringing my grimoire over, and now he stopped to hold it up to me as I sat at the desk. I took it so he could climb to sit on the corner of the desk. “Maybe after I become your bodyguard, then I can fight off the bad guys, but not yet.”

I opened it up to the page I was working on right now, “Oh, I see…” I looked the page over, but his tail was coming up to flick over it and distract me. I gave him a fake annoyed look, to try and hide my nervousness.

He was watching me. “You’re scared, aren’t you?”

I dropped my shoulders and nodded. “A little.”

“I’ll protect you. And you’ll just be with me and Fizz and Barbie, and no one’s going to bother you. Movie night is the best night. We’ve got this big projector, and we set it up on the side of the tent, and I don’t actually know who picks the movies out and sometimes they’re not really appropriate for kids, but that’s why it’s fun.”

“We can watch movies here.” I didn’t know he cared for them, though, that does make sense. He doesn’t like to read much.

He frowned. “Yeah, but, that isn’t the same. I want to show you movie night .”

“Alright.” I tried to relax. “I want to see your ‘movie night’.” How could I possibly say no to something that has him so excited? But, I couldn’t stand imagining what would happen to him if I were caught outside the palace overnight. I would get in trouble, of course, but he could be… I don’t know. It could be worse than if I were to continue provoking Stella.

“We’ll come back real early in the morning.” He promised, flicking his tail over the side of the desk and away from my grimoire. “And if Mr. Butler asks where we were, if he even notices, we’ll just tell him we were having a sleepover in your library. Or in that plant room. Or something.”

I did relax. “You’re so clever, Blitzo! Alright, I can’t wait! We’re going after dinner then?”

“Yeah. You’re going to bring that cloak of yours or whatever, because it gets cold during movie night sometimes. And, wear something comfy because you’re not going to have somewhere private to change into your soft pajamas.”

“Alright, alright.” I laughed at his enthusiasm. “We’ll get ready after dinner.”

This was the second time Blitzo has eaten dinner with us. I don’t always eat dinner with Father at all; it’s only when he has something important to talk with me about or, I think, if he’s just getting bored. Normally he takes his dinner in his study. The first time he’d invited Blitzo to dinner with us, Blitzo had disappointed him in manners and etiquette; he hadn’t known anything about different forks and he’d been a little messy with the soup. Father hadn’t been angry, of course, but he had made that disgusted face and threatened to put him onto the ground if he kept ‘slurping’ like that. Blitzo had been more careful after that.

This time, Blitzo showed off all of his manners and Father was almost impressed.

“Very good,” he even complimented at the end when Blitzo folded his hands in his lap and sat up straight after his food was gone. I eat so slowly, I was the only one with still food on my plate at this point. “Your improvement is timely and appropriate. I suppose it does make sense if you are bonded with my son, you are not the sort of imp incapable of accommodating this lifestyle.”

It was a test, and Blitzo passed. We didn’t celebrate until Father had gone and Mr. Butler was coming out to help both of us out of the chairs, since we both had to sit on boosters to reach the table.

“That was great!” I hopped down and started bouncing. “Blitzo! He was impressed!”

He laughed as I went to hug him the instant he was on the ground. “Get off , it’s not that big of a deal.”

“It is.” I grabbed his hand and kept bouncing. “Right, Mr. Butler? Right, Blitzo did amazing.”

“Blitzo is putting in quite a lot of effort for your sake, Young Prince.” Mr. Butler was taking down the boosters and putting them away. “He was very busy while you were gone today.”

Blitzo’s face was lighting up with a blush. “I- no! No, I wasn’t, it was, we practiced a little . It’s fine.”

He’s working hard. For me. Well of course the least I can do is return the favor and be brave for him. “Thank you, Mr. Butler! We’re going upstairs now, and we’re going to go to bed early. I’m exhausted.”

Mr. Butler gave me a weary look, and I realized I probably didn’t look exhausted. “If you’re certain?”

“He is.” Blitzo began to pull me out of the kitchen. “They didn’t fight, but, he did get hurt on his own. He’s also working really hard, to not fight with her anymore.”

He’s right. I am. He is lying about my getting hurt, though. That’s just to try and sell the lie that we were going to bed early.

“Will you need anything else the rest of the night, Young Prince?” Mr. Butler put away the second booster.

“No, thank you.” I looked back over my shoulder to him before he was out of sight. “Thank you!”

Blitz

We went to my tent first, to drop off his stuff. He’d packed a little bag that I’d carried for him (he’d said he could carry his own stuff but I insisted I’d carry it). He wouldn’t need the stuff, probably, but I didn’t tell him not to bring any of it. He can bring whatever he wants; it’s his first time staying over. Not his last, probably, but I won’t make him do this all the time. Not even every movie night; I just wanted to share this first one since we met with him.

Fizz was laying on his stomach, on his bed, swinging his legs in the air behind him and drawing something when we came in.

“Hey, Fizz. Aren’t you going to watch the movie?” I shoved Stolas toward my bed to put his stuff down and went up to see what Fizz was doing.

“Uh, I was thinking about skipping it this time.” He didn’t look up, and just kept doodling clown costumes. He’s better at drawing than I am, but, he draws boring stuff mostly. I draw horses and pirates and cool stuff. “I heard it’s a boring one, something romance comedy in Envy.”

“Come on, we can watch a boring movie.” I shoved his shoulder.

He scoffed and finally looked up at me. “I thought you weren’t even going to be h… here…” he looked past me to Stolas, who was standing awkwardly by my bed and watching us. “Oh, uh, hey. Your H… Stolas.”

Stolas smiled real big and waved. “Hello.”

Fizz sat up and look back to me, “You’re not going back in the middle of the night, are you?”

“No, he’s staying the night. We’ll go real early in the morning, it’s fine. Stols, get that blanket out so we can go.” I grabbed Fizz’s arm and pulled him out of the bed.

He laughed and struggled to get his legs under him so he didn’t fall over, “I’m coming, I’m coming! What’s the blanket for?” He gave a curious look over my shoulder again.

I let him go and went to take it from Stolas, holding it up to show. “This is Stolas’s garden blanket. We use it in the garden so we’re not eating right in the grass; it’s super comfy and he wanted to bring it to share.”

Fizz felt it and shrugged. “Beats just laying in the grass, I guess. You sure you want to share it with us?” He looked to Stolas and expected him to answer.

I looked to him too, eager and waiting for him to stop being shy. He’s cute when he’s shy, but, he wants to be friends with Fizz and Barbie too so he’s going to have to speak up more.

He swallowed, his throat bobbing, and nodded. “Yeah. If that’s alright.”

“Sure it is. Alright, let’s go find Barbie and your mom. The movie’s going to start pretty soon, so we better hurry.”

The blanket was plenty big enough to share between the five of us. Barbie immediately messed it up when Stolas and I put it out, and Momma made her straighten it back out. Momma laid out on her stomach in the edge and Barbie and I immediately climbed on top of her (gently, because she is sick) and Fizz leaned in on our side.

Stolas was giggling and sat politely off to the side.

The movie was just starting and Momma was rolling a little under us to look over at him. “It’s alright, Stolas, if you want to join.”

“It’s alright.” He insisted, politely, keeping his hands in his lap and watching Barbie and Fizz and me with a little smile.

I groaned and crawled over the blanket toward him, climbing on top of him the way I had Momma so he fell to lay down and was laughing harder, more genuine, and pretending like he was shoving me off. “Blitzo!”

I shoved him down (gently, because he doesn’t roughhouse), “You don’t spend movie night alone. Come on, get in here.” I tried to pull him over.

He got all nervous again, making those great little bird sounds. “I’m not, I don’t want to overstep…”

“You aren’t.” Fizz motioned. “We’re not using your blanket without you.”

Stolas relaxed and let me pull him closer to Momma. Fizz moved to Momma’s other side and leaned on her side while Barbie stretched out on top of her, on her back. I made Stolas sit on the other side from Fizz, where he was still sitting up and awkward, and I stretched out over his lap and into Momma’s side.

“If… I can move if…” Stolas began as everyone settled in.

“Shut up!” Someone – one of the knife-throwers – shouted from somewhere else in the audience.

Stolas flinched and shrank down, and I sat up real quick. “Hey! You shut up!”

Some other people started grumbling and glaring our direction, and Momma’s tail came around our direction to flick me. “Calm down, baby boy. Let’s just watch the movie, alright?”

I huffed and laid back down. “Yeah, okay. Relax, Stols. No one wants you to move.”

Fizz was right. The movie was a little boring. Just some story about dumb adults getting into stupid kind-of-funny scenes while trying to figure out who their Other Half was. After the first few scenes, Barbie rolled off Momma toward Fizz, rolled over him to stretch out more on her own. She still had her feet up on Momma, and when Fizz huffed and retaliated by rolling over to stretch over her back, they settled in for a little while longer like that. Momma wanted to adjust to lay at the back of the blanket, on her side (she has to adjust and move sometimes because she gets to hurting), I went back to lay with her. I settled in at her chest, and Stolas shifted closer, looking nervous. Momma pat the space in front of me, and Stolas slid in with me, the same way I had come to lay with Momma.

Stolas seemed to like the movie more than I did. He giggled a things I didn’t really care about, but, that made me like the movie more too.

We all moved a few more times, because Momma had to, but by the end of the movie she was back on her side using Barbie like a pillow, Stolas was on his stomach facing the screen with his weird legs bent up and his feet up on Momma, I was using him like a fluffy very comfy pillow, and Fizz was curled up around both of us.

The screen turned off, and everyone else was getting up before us. After a moment or so, Fizz yawned and stretched out, kicking me in doing so. I kicked him back without stretching. He wiggled around and tried to kick me again, this time on purpose, and accidentally got Stolas, who hooted in startle and tensed up.

“Sorry,” Fizz let it go and threw his arms up past his head, as he laid own on his back, head propped up from his horns.

“It’s alright.” Stolas cooed a little as he said it. He’s having a great time. “Blitzo, you have to get off me before I can get up.”

“Shh.” Momma hushed us gently, the first one to get up. I felt Stolas’s legs move behind me, and in front of me I saw his head turn around a weird amount again. I rolled over to look at Momma too, to see her rubbing a hand over Barbie’s back gently. “I’ll carry her to bed tonight. Come on, boys.”

I groaned, “Fine.” But only because I get to cuddle my birdie in bed in just a few minutes anyway.

Fizz and I helped fold up the blanket after Momma had Barbie picked up, and Fizz ran ahead of us to catch up to them. I held onto the blanket and refused to let Stolas carry it, but I did let him loop one of his arms into mine and lean into my side.

“I see what you mean, why movie night is special,” he cooed to me.

Even better now. “So you liked it?”

“Yes.” He tightened his grip on my arm. “Thank you for bringing me.”

“Yeah, yeah.” I blushed and had to look away, give some glares to anyone who decided to linger and watch us. “Glad you had fun.”

“We should still watch a m-”

“Who’s this?”

My blood ran cold.

Chapter Text

Stolas

“Who’s this?”

Blitzo froze immediately and pinched my arm between his and his side so tightly it startled me.

“Blitzo, you can’t be sneaking in new little friends like this. Not without introducing them.” Blitzo’s father came to a stop in between us and the direction we were headed, back to his tent.

I was nervous, but, not as nervous as I had been when I met his mother. He loves his mother, he respects his mother, and she is so nice! But he doesn’t like his dad. He’s a little scared of his dad, I think the same way I am a little scared of mine. Maybe not exactly the same, but, close enough that I’m not as nervous about meeting him as I was his mother.

His father stared down, directly at me, with a smile on his face I didn’t like very much. Blitzo was trying to hide me behind him now, puffing his chest out and lifting his shoulders, his tail flicking out behind him like he was trying to make himself bigger than he actually is. He’s angry, but, he’s more scared than angry.

“Just- just a friend.” Blitzo stood in front of me protectively. “It’s not a big deal.”

His father leaned around to stare down at me again, in a way I really didn’t like. “Not a big deal, huh? A very rich friend. A very rich and very young friend that could be in a lot of danger, so far away from home without any protection.”

Is that a threat? He tried to get Blitzo to steal from us, and, I already know he hurts Blitzo sometimes, but, he wouldn’t do something like that to me, would he? Father would be… very angry. Not with Blitzo, I think, especially since I don’t think Blitzo would just let it happen. “He doesn’t have no protection, I’m here!”

Blitzo’s father’s smile got bigger in a way I really didn’t like.

“Uh-huh. Some lot of protection you are, you’re a shitty clown, not a bodyguard.” Yet. “Didn’t think you were stupid enough to bring a rich little friend out here like this. What are you getting out of this? He pampering you like a little pet?” He laughed.

Heat flashed through me and I jerked forward before I could consider my speaking up wouldn’t help anything. “He isn’t a pet!”

His father’s expression sobered and he stared down at me without that smile now. “Isn’t he? Then, what exactly is he to you, Little Prince?”

Oh, that’s worse.

I shrank back behind Blitzo. “Nothing.”

“Nothing? Then, let me just have a word with my son.” He suddenly grabbed at Blitzo’s horn and jerked him away from me, giving both of us whiplash. Blitzo didn’t react any more than letting me go so I didn’t get pulled along with him, and flicking his tail out toward me quickly like he was trying to stop me from following him just in case I tried.

I couldn’t help but to gasp and hold at my neck, even though I immediately realized I should have pretended not to have felt it.

His father let him go.

He looked smug.

Nooooo.

“Well, isn’t that interesting.” He looked between us and I didn’t bother to refrain from rushing forward to hold onto Blitzo again, to comfort him because I knew he was freaking out right now. “Is that what that was all about? Is that why you didn’t steal from those rich idiots like I told you to?”

“Stolas, go back to the tent.” Blitzo tried to push me to the side.

“No.” I don’t remember the way perfectly, and I am not leaving him alone with his father. His father hurts him, he scares him, and I don’t care what’s said; I’m not leaving Blitzo alone right now!

“This is pretty good, actually. This can definitely work out in our favor. Does your rich daddy know you’re here? He must want to keep the two of you close, if you two are connected. If hurting Blitzo can hurt you, then, I bet your daddy has an investment in keeping Blitzo safe. I bet he’d pay some high-dollars to keep him locked up in your gilded cage, so you never get hurt.” He was leering down at us.

Blitzo put an arm up between us, “Leave him alone! He doesn’t want to buy me and you can’t extor-shone them.”

I leaned in to correct him, even though it maybe wasn’t the right time, “Extortion.”

He took a step closer to me.

“Not with that attitude. This is a long game, a whole lot better payoff than just a one-time heist-”

“Cash.” Blitzo’s mother appeared from seemingly out of nowhere, a hard look on her face that was unlike any I’ve seen there before. “Leave the boys alone.”

His father lightened up significantly and looked to her in surprise. “Tilla, there you are. How long have you known about this?” He touched her arm and gestured toward us.

She slipped between him and us, “Long enough. I want you to leave these two boys alone. Blitzo is already in a tough spot, he doesn’t need you putting any extra pressure on him. Run along, boys, I’ll have a talk with Cash.” She waved us on.

Mostly, while interacting with his mother, I have found her very kind-hearted and gentle. She is ill, Blitzo tells me, but she is still has so much patience and gives him and Barbie-Wire and Fizzarolli so much attention. I don’t really know what to do around her, or how to act, because he cares so much about her, he respects her so much, I feel like I need to be on my best behavior. But Blitzo isn’t. He acts silly and runs around and jumps at her freely. But she also isn’t anything like Father, or even Mr. Butler. She pays attention, she cares about my opinion, and she acts like a friend, rather than like an adult.

But right now she was acting like an adult, talking to Blitzo’s father.

“Now, hold on-” he started, trying to lean around her to get ahold of Blitzo by his horn again.

“Let them go.” She used a stern voice that I was glad wasn’t directed at me, that Blitzo didn’t seem to be afraid of at all.

“Tilla, this is such a golden opportunity…” Blitzo was pulling me away before I could hear any more of it, and I didn’t mind. I raced with him through the darkness of a night in Pride.

The other performers, who hadn’t seemed to care I was here at all, were all gone. There aren’t many lights to navigate by, but, I have very good night vision and didn’t worry over tripping over anything. He was confident as he ran too. He pulled me away at a quick pace, and I followed with no small amount of concern.

What is his father going to do? Will he do anything, if his mother is putting herself in the way? Does this mean his mother hadn’t known about the scam his father had been attempting to use him to do to begin with? On our first, initial playdate?

Once his tent was in sight, Blitzo slowed down and relaxed. “Don’t worry, I’m not going to do shit Dad wants. He wants me to steal from you guys again, I’ll just tell Mr. Butler; I bet he can scare Dad into giving it up. Or your dad. I bet your dad would be mad. But, maybe not your dad, because I don’t want him to kill my dad over it.”

I think Father wouldn’t let anything happen, and, I don’t think Father would fault Blitzo for it either. He seems to like Blitzo already, I think, and surely he could see that Blitzo does not want to betray us.

“He isn’t going to tell anyone, is he? I don’t want…” I don’t want him to get in trouble, or for Father to get upset about such rumors jeapordizing my arrangement with Stella.

“I don’t think so.” He avoided looking at me like he didn’t like what he was saying. “Don’t worry, we won’t embarrass you. If word got out, about the two of us, the circus would get the wrong kind of attention and Dad wouldn’t want that.”

He thinks we’re keeping secret because I’m embarrassed of him? “I’m not worried about people finding out you’re my other half, Blitzo. Not because I’d be embarrassed by you or anything. I’m only worried because, I don’t want to lose you. I don’t know what Father would do if rumors spread, or, if the truth spread. I don’t want him to take you away from the circus, or to separate us, or… or anything like that.”

The image of him turned to stone haunts me.

“He wouldn’t separate us.” He lowered his voice and held the curtain open for me. “Dad’s right, I can get you hurt, and even if your dad thinks I should be a pet we’re still bonded and I can still hurt you. Even if he sent me to some boarding school, like you said, it wouldn’t be forever.”

Inside, Barbie-Wire appears to be unconscious and snoring softly on her bed. A light came from Fizzarolli’s bed, where he laid on his stomach and appeared to be drawing like he had been earlier, at least, before we’d come on. Now, he was watching us.

I hesitated, struggling to make eye contact with my other half. “But he could kill you. That wouldn’t kill me. It would… it would hurt. But only for a little while.”

He didn’t answer immediately. Then, “Not over something like this.”

Perhaps not. Father does seem to like Blitzo, at least.

I trilled sadly, having nothing more to say on the subject, and let him go.

He held the blanket out toward me, “Here, put the blanket back away and get out anything you wanted to have out tonight. We’ve got to go to sleep, if we’re getting up real early.”

“We can always take a nap after we get back,” I know I’ll still be tired. I’m not a morning person, I will not want to wake up so early. Maybe it will be easier, since I’m sleeping in an unfamiliar bed, but probably not.

“What happened? Why weren’t you right behind us?” Fizzarolli sat up to talk with Blitzo while I put the blanket away and fished my favorite stuffed toy out. I’ll have Blitzo to cuddle up to, of course, but I wanted to bring this too. To maybe, hopefully, make the space a bit more familiar to me.

“Dad found us. He figured us out.” Blitzo fell over onto Fizzarolli’s bed as I set the bag down to the ground beside his bed and moved to sit on the edge of the bed and watch them (im)patiently. I don’t need to interrupt, I don’t need to ask Blitzo to come to bed already; this is his tent and this is his home. I am a guest here.

“Oh,” he touched Blitzo’s back and I felt both a little jealous and yet still happy. I like seeing Blitzo has such good, close friends that I don’t have. I have Stella and Andrealphus, who hate me and hurt me, but he has Fizzarolli and Barbie-Wire, who tease him but still love him. “I’m sorry. But, it’s not like he can do anything about it, right?”

“Probably not. Momma’s talking with him right now.”

Fizzarolli let Blitzo go and put his notebook away. “Good. Your mom’s the only one he listens to.”

Blitzo sighed exageratedly, “Yeah. I guess.”

“Go to bed, Blitzo.” He shoved at him, then pointed toward me. “Your birdie is tired.”

I hooted in startle, not expecting to be called out like that, but Fizzarolli still doesn’t seem to mind. He knows about us, he knows the class difference between us, and he doesn’t care. He says we’re ‘cute’ together, and he doesn’t treat me like a prince. He’s even started using my name.

“I’m tired too.” Blitzo sounded defensive as he said that, and as if to proove his point, he slid off his bed and zombie-walked back toward me.

He climbed up into the bed beside me, sliding right past me and down into the blankets, nose-first. His tail slid over my lap as he turned in a short circle under the blankets and collapsed down on the inside of the bed, on his stomach with just the bottom half of his face poking out from under them. His hand slipped out and pulled on my clothes as his eyes squinted open at me.

“Come on, Stols.” He pulled again.

The candle light behind me disappeared, so I had to slip in under the blankets and snuggle up into his side in the darkness. He dropped an arm around me and squeezed, to which I couldn’t help relaxing and giving a fond giggle over. He smiled and rolled his head my direction, tipping his shoulders and curling his tail up behind me so I felt it on my back.

“Good night, you two nerds,” I heard a whisper come from across the room.

“G’night, Fizzy,” Blitzo cooed from nearly on top of me.

I hesitated, because that sounded like an appropriate end to the evening and everyone was ready to sleep. Then, with some perhapse misplaced bravery from a little squeeze Biltzo gave me, I cood softly, “Goodnight.”

2. Blitz

Stolas is not an ‘early bird gets the worm’ kind of birdie. He’s more of a night owl; he didn’t get drowsy at all during the movie and he was dead to the world in the morning when I woke up. He was on top of me, hugging me, snuggling in real close, and he did not wake up even a little bit when I shoved my way out from under him. By the time I tumbled free, down onto the ground on top of that imp-bunny-stuffy thing he brought, that’s usually on his bed, Barbie was snickering.

I gave her a glare, “Shut up.”

“You two sleep well?” She didn’t whisper.

I rolled my eyes and tossed his toy up onto the bed and it bounced off him. He didn’t stir at all. “Great. Do you have any idea how comfy feathers are?”

“Uh, yeah? That’s why they make pillows out of them. Blitzo, how am I supposed to tease you when you aren’t even embarrassed? Have some humility.” She flipped the page on her comic book.

I shrugged, going to the tent flap to look at the sun. Right on the horizon; it’s the right time for practice if we had it today. Which we don’t. No one does practice after a movie night, except that time Dad got real pissed about some mess-up or something during a performance the day of a movie night and he made everyone get up bright and early right after. Everyone was really mad about it and I think the guy (one of the acrobats) that messed up got jumped over it.

“Where’s Fizz?”

“Practicing.”

I groaned and went back toward Stolas, “Seriously?”

“Yeah. Dad keeps treating him like he’s a prodigy, it’s getting to his head. He thinks he wants to spend all his time doing stunts and juggling and stuff. I’m exhausted just watching him.” She was also eating something out of a snack bag over there, and it crinkled when she reached her hand in.

I glanced to Stolas again, but, not even that obnoxious sound was waking him up. He just stretched out, on his stomach, drooling on my bed. I looked down to my shirt and realized he’d been drooling on that too. Oh well.

I shook his shoulder gently, at first, but that wasn’t going to work so I went a little rougher. “Stols, come on. We’ve got to go. We need to get back before your dad finds out you aren’t there. Come on , Birdie, wake up.” I shoved him even harder.

He woke with a jolt, all four eyes opening wide and a startled bird sound coming from him. I laughed and let him go, leaning into the side of the bed as he calmed down and his top two eyes nearly shut. He looked exhausted, slouching in on himself and rubbing one of his lower eyes while he yawned.

“Blitzo,” he whined, falling in to lean on my shoulder. “It’s too early.”

“No it isn’t, we’ve got to get up. You can go back to bed when we get to the palace. Let’s go.” I tried to shake him off.

He was snoring lightly again.

I groaned and shoved him over until he fell back on the bed. That woke him up a little again and he whined once more, trying to cover his face. I pulled him back up to a sit, grabbing his arms.

“You want to get in trouble?”

He yawned again and shook his head. “N~no. I’m ready. Let’s… let’s go.” He stumbled his way to his feet.

I glanced toward Barbie, rolled my eyes, and started picking at his feathers. “You’re not going anywhere looking like you flew through a fan, wait a second. If they did notice you were gone, and we get caught sneaking back in, we’ll be in less trouble if you at least look clean and safe.”

He trilled happily and held still while I fixed his feathers, closing his eyes while he stood. I only took a moment, shoving them down straight and fixing a few stray ones that were really out of place, before I grabbed his stuffed toy and shoved it into his bag, then slung it over my shoulder.

“Are you coming home tonight?” Barbie asked as I towed my half-asleep birdie toward the flap.

“Uh… I don’t know. Probably? We’ve got a show tomorrow, don’t we?”

“Not until later. Well, if you are coming back tonight, check in with Momma first. I think she’s getting really worried not knowing where you are ever.”

“I promise.” I shook Stolas slightly to make sure he wasn’t falling asleep on his feet, when we stopped in the doorway for a second.

Our tent is near the edge of the campus; not the edge facing the direction we needed to go to get to the palace, but an edge. That meant we could get out without passing too many people; not that there were a whole lot about right now. The morning after Movie Night, people tend to sleep in and take it easy. It might have been, like, three minutes faster if we’d gone straight through the center of the campus to make a straight line toward the main road, which we walked along for a while on our way to his place, but three minutes was not worth chancing running into Dad again.

Normally, we talk. He talks about his plants, I talk about the horses, or we talk about something completely different. He isn’t talkative when it isn’t me, I’ve found, but not always for the same reason. His dad doesn’t really do conversations, not with little kids at least. Mr. Butler doesn’t either; he’s mostly there to do the hands-on part of taking care of a kid while his dad walks around and makes decisions and judges everyone. Kind of like my dad, but, for the palace instead of the circus. But Mr. Butler doesn’t really do the same as Momma, so, Stolas just doesn’t have anyone at his place that actually takes care of him. No one to hug him and make him feel better when he gets hurt, no one that makes him feel better when he’s sick or sad. Except me, I guess, because I’m going to do all of that for him because he’s my birdie and my birdie gets the best.

He’s getting along with Barbie and Fizz, but he’s still too shy to really open up to them. He shuts down too quick when they talk over him, or when they don’t hear him, and he tries too hard to encourage them when we’re all hanging out. Around Momma, he locks up and gets real nervous.

I’m different. I’m his imp, I have to like him and care about all the nerdy stuff he says, so he isn’t shy about saying it. I don’t always follow, but, I really like the way he gets excited and that’s enough for me.

Normally.

But normally we aren’t walking along the streets of Pride before the sun’s even risen above the trees and buildings. So even though I would rather hear him blabbering on about stuff I barely understand, I understand why he’s trudging along beside me almost completely silently.

I pulled him to a stop quickly because he hadn’t noticed the crosswalk light was off, to avoid getting hit by some car that was driving way too fast. He gasped and woke up a little more, and he looked about us.

“Good morning, Birdie,” I smirked at him, recognizing this ‘wake up’ would be the one to stick a bit more.

He yawned. “’Morning, Blitzy.” Then, he seemed to recognize where we were and groaned. “We’ve only just started, haven’t we?”

I nodded, pulling him in by our looped arms so I could bump my shoulder into his. “I’ll get you home safe, I promise.”

He hooted softly, staring off in one direction.

I followed his attention to the bus stop, where some imp was standing, typing something on his phone and a hood pulled up over his horns.

“You want to take the bus this time?”

He frowned, “That isn’t an option, is it? I don’t get an allowance; Mr. Butler just buys everything we need.”

“Uh, I get an allowance.” I handed his bag off onto him. “It’s not, like, a lot, but Momma made Dad pay us if we’re working in the circus. We’re too young to have to get a paycheck, but, she said we couldn’t perform unless he gives us something. I’ve got enough for fare today. Just not everyday.”

He blinked and looked at me, looking even more awake now. “You don’t need to waste your allowance on bus fare! We can walk. I’ll just ask Mr. Butler to give me our fare so we don’t have to walk every time in the future.”

“He’s not even supposed to know you’re leaving the palace. You ask for that, he’s going to get suspicious. You may as well ask him to drive us every time, if you do that.” The crosswalk light turned on and neither of us moved. “Seriously, Stols, it’s alright. You can make it up for me by getting me some… uh…”

“I’ll get you some treats whether you do this or not.” He looked toward the crosswalk light, which was now starting a countdown. If we rush, we can still make it. “You don’t have to do that.”

“If you’ll get me treats anyway, then what do I need an allowance for?” I grinned and I pulled him back toward the bus stop. He let me this time. “Just don’t get me anything dad can take and hock off, alright?”

He giggled and clung to my arms. “I want you to add your favorite candies to the grocery list.”

We sat in the first row of seats, since most people who took the bus this early wanted to sit closer to the back. It would still take a little while to get there, especially since we weren’t going straight there, so we went through his bag to make sure everything was inside. His stuffed toy, the blanket, his grimoire, a change of clothes he hadn’t needed, and just a few small things I knew he wouldn’t need but it felt stupid to point out because there was space and I’d rather he felt comfortable with what he’d packed than nervous for feeling like he hadn’t packed enough.

We still had a little ways to walk before we got there, and even though he was a lot more awake by now, he was obviously still tired. So convincing him to try climbing up the side of the building and up to his balcony was out of the question. We just went up to the front doors and hoped for the best.

No one in the main entrance. No one on our way to the stairs. No one at all, until we were nearly back to his room and he was yawning heavily again, probably just excited to see his bed again. So, at the very last possible second, Mr. Butler came out of his room and shut the door behind him. We were halfway down the hall, and when he turned around to look our direction, we both froze solid.

He didn’t react abnormally. He just started walking out direction; not toward us but to walk past us. “Please refrain from taking the Young Prince from the palace until you are cleared to act as his bodyguard, Blitzo. If it happens again, I will have to inform Lord Paimon of your activities.”

“Yes sir, thank you sir.” I bowed quickly and in a cold sweat. He isn’t accusing us, he isn’t asking questions, he knows, and he isn’t making a big deal out of it. He isn’t even giving me a chance to deny or come up with excuses, so I didn’t.

“Are you going to go back to sleep with me?” Stolas asked once we were safely shut up in his room.

I didn’t feel tired, but, I knew I would be if I had a little pile of feathers on top of me again. “Yeah, sure.”

He hooted fondly and opened up his wardrobe, disappearing behind one of the doors. “You don’t have to.”

“Don’t worry about it.” I pulled the curtain on the door to his balcony, blocking the light and making it darker in the room. By now, the sun has risen and it’d be pretty hard to get a good morning-nap in that way. “Are you hungry? It looks like your butler left some breakfast in here.” I went up to the desk to put his bag there and saw the two little plates.

He hooted tiredly, “Not yet.”

Yeah, well, they’re packaged pastries so it’s not like they’ll go bad. So instead, I took his stuffed toy out and brought it back toward the bed. He was in his pajamas now – he’d changed just there at the wardrobe apparently – and was climbing the side of the bed now.

He was unconscious and drooling on my shirt again nearly before I had a chance to finish settling. I laughed softly, not wanting to wake him again, and pet a hand over his feathers. He is… sweet. And cute. And nice. And he really likes me he doesn’t pretend. He’s willing to sneak out and risk getting in trouble because I want him to, and he likes to play pirates and other ‘violent’ games with me no problem.

I like my birdie, and I am going to jump through whatever hoops his dad wants me to jump through in order to keep him.

Chapter Text

Stolas

I sat, bouncing in my seat as Blitzo stepped forward. Father sat beside me, bored, and he didn’t even bother to tell me to sit still.

“Present your weapons, Blitzo.” Mr. Butler directed, standing to the side of the room.

He took out that little sword of his and held it down and at his side, like he’s supposed to to look proper and stuff.

“At ease.”

Blitzo adjusted to stand more relaxed. He kept his face forward and flat. He looked determined. He looked like he thought he was going to do a good job. He is going to do a good job. He’s going to amazing , and he’s going to be my bodyguard now.

This is only the first step. He’s not allowed to go anywhere with me alone yet; we’re both too young and his training has still just begun, but he’s been working so hard! He’s learned the basics of using that sword of his, and he’s been practicing a lot with hand-to-hand, both formal and informal. He’s been practicing with his sister; they’ve always wrestled and fought while playing, but now they’re sparring with each other for real practice. He’s also been learning some more formal martial arts. I asked him before we came in, and he went out to the middle of the room and I came to sit next to Father, if he was nervous.

He told me, “No. I’m going to crush it, your dad’s going to love it.”

He did. I can’t say Father ‘loved it’, but he seemed pleased. Blitzo paraded around the room as Mr. Butler instructed, to show off his new skills, and Father even clapped at the end. This is only just the first milestone in Blitzo’s bodyguard training, but, he did great .

Mr. Butler moved to stand next to Blitzo, and they both faced us. Blitzo bowed respectfully, keeping his face straight, but I knew the grin that was going to be there the instant we were alone.

“My Lord,” Mr. Butler spoke up when Blitzo was standing upright again. “Blitzo will be moving on to his second phase of training, and he is fit to accompany the young prince to casual events.”

“Hmm,” Father looked unsure, “can the two of you pretend to not be stupid about each other that long?”

I sat still and folded my hands in my lap, shocked at the accusation. “Father?”

He rolled his wrist and waved his hand in the air, “I’m not looking for excuses, I’m looking for reassurance that if I allow the two of you to be seen together in public, you aren’t going to be chasing off after each other, or talking out of turn, or touching so much.”

I thought we’d done a good job of being normal around him.

“Yes sir.” Blitzo still had a straight face and had his chest puffed out, chin raised, tail still behind him and not curled around his ankles. He looked as determined as he had been doing steps and swinging that weapon around in slow motions.

“Hmm.” Father didn’t seem completely convinced, but he didn’t appear to be bothered either. “We’ll begin with your attending his etiquette lessons with that little girl. If you can behave then, you may follow him through the casual events.”

A thrill went through me, at the idea of sharing Blitzo with Stella and, perhaps, her brother. I did not like the idea, but I liked the idea of having him close when they were bullying me. But, is it a good idea? I mean, I feel like Blitzo would just get angry and attack her.

“Sir.” Blitzo surprised me by speaking up, still standing at attention and keeping his face straight and lifted appropriately. “If I may be his highness’s bodyguard, what am I allowed to do? Am I just a spectator,” I taught him that word and he looked so proud of himself for using it, “or am I allowed to protect him when she tries to hurt him?”

I looked up to Father in terror, because I was afraid he would be upset with Blitzo for questioning him. For implying I needed a bodyguard from my own fiance.

He still wasn’t bothered.

“You are not to draw your weapon on her, regardless of what sort of weapon you are working with. Not now, not when you are through with your training. They are to be wed, they must figure out how to get along on their own. But, if she does attack him again, you may separate them just as the butler has. Remove Stolas from the situation. That is all.”

But, then, wouldn’t Stella just attack him instead? And he can’t defend himself?

Blitzo bowed again. “Thank you sir.”

“Keep working. Behave. I have better things to do than watch this little pageant any longer.” Father stood and left without any further formalities.

Blitzo finally looked at me. I hooted excitedly and flew down from my chair toward him, hopping up onto him and holding on tightly, making him stumble. “ThatwasamazingyoudidsogoodBlitzo!”

He was laughing, “Hey, careful, I have a sword on me right now.”

I let him shove me off, bouncing and reaching out to poke at the hilt of the sword. “Like a real pirate!”

“Young Prince.” Mr. Butler hasn’t gone anywhere yet, and he was staring down at me with disapproval. “It is not a toy.”

I tried to be calmer. “I know. I’m sorry.”

“I’ve got to put it away now.” Blitzo reached out to take my hand. “Come with me to the armory?”

“Of course!” I let him pull me along, feeling rather light, like I could just float along.

We didn’t go back up to our room afterwards, we went out to the garden. He was telling me excitedly what Mr. Butler had in store for the next phase of his training. He hated the sword; he says its fun to use but it’s big and dumb to carry around all the time and any time he might have a chance to protect me, he isn’t going to use a sword. He gets to work with knives next, which he’s more excited about, and after that his training is going to have more emphasis on weaponless fighting. He doesn’t get to touch a gun until he’s older.

“I figured it would take longer,” I admitted, holding the outside door open for him. His tail flicked in discomfort at the bright light, since it’s a lot dimmer inside, but he didn’t otherwise react. “You’ve barely been training for a few months.”

“Three,” he provided and followed my lead now. The garden’s big enough, there are a few benches. I’m not taking care of any of the plants out here; they don’t really need a lot of attention. The ones inside need more, but, that’s not why we’re out here anyway. We’re out here because it’s the best place to play our games and he loves climbing around the biggest tree. That’s where we were going now; I climbed up onto the bench near the tree and he came over to lean in from behind me, his hands down on the bench and his big grin in my face. “You thought I couldn’t do it?”

“Three months isn’t very much time.” I crossed my legs.

“Yeah, well, I haven’t really done that much. I just know how to hold it, and I can throw a punch. Sword fighting is a lot more harder than just waving it around slow to show off like that.” He fell forward to lay across the bench on his stomach, feet and arms hanging down on either side.

“You’ve learned the discipline.” I pat a hand on his back and he hummed lightly, tail flicking around to my back. “That’s the most important part for your image, and that’s what Father cares about most. If you weren’t here, I wouldn’t have a different bodyguard, you know. He only gave you that job so people don’t get suspicious about you and me hanging out all the time.”

He groaned. “Yeah, but I want to fight .”

I giggled and scratched his back instead. “You’re going to be a great bodyguard.”

He had a performance at the same time as my next etiquette lesson with Stella. We were meant to be learning table manners, what different silverware are for and when it was appropriate to do different things, and Father was very disappointed that Blitzo was meant to be in a performance at the circus.

“He has a duty to you, now,” Father ranted, more upset by this than I expected. “What is more important? Some stupid, silly little circus performance, or attending to his Bonded?”

I was done with breakfast, but, he usually finishes first and it felt rude getting up first. “Pardon, but, Blitzo wanted to come. His father forbade it though.”

Not the words he’d used. What Blitzo had said, while face-down on my bed and whining, was, “Dad said if I don’t show up for work I don’t show up again.” Which isn’t right, because, that isn’t his job , that’s his home .

Father glared down at me, took another bite of his breakfast, and set his fork down. “Butler. Get the car ready.”

I wanted to go too, but, I didn’t want to make Father any more upset by overstepping myself. So, instead, I lingered as long as I could, hoping he would tell me to get my traveling cloak, or to go get in the car, or to at least hear what he was doing.

“Be ready for your lesson by the time I return,” Father demanded before leaving, and that was it.

Is he going to get Stella? Normally, her mother brings her. Why would he do that now? Especially when he hates going out into public?

I was ready already, so, the whole time he was gone I had nothing to do than fret and pace. Our lessons are only an hour long, sometimes two, but they are grueling and exhausting. I have to be so careful to avoid setting her off, but I am doing so well, we haven’t had any new fights in all this time.

When Mr. Butler opened the door again, nearly an hour later, Father walked in first. Behind him, Stella came in. Behind her, was Blitzo.

He held his chin high, posture straight, and he was picking up his feet. He looked, if I didn’t know any better, just as calm and put together as he had been when showing off his progress to father. I could tell, however, that he was already angry. He was glaring at Stella when no one was watching.

“Your teacher will be here shortly,” Father indicated toward me, and Blitzo came to stand two steps behind me like Mr. Butler taught him to. “Until then, I want you two to go to the dining room and wait. Mr. Butler will bring in the place mats.”

Two, but, he meant three. He meant Stella, me, and Blitzo. He just didn’t count Blitzo because with Stella here, Blitzo is just an imp. He isn’t to be counted.

I can’t look back at him. I can’t draw attention to him, I can’t ask him what Father did or said in order to get him here, and I can’t ask how mad his father is about it. I couldn’t bounce excitedly, and I can’t act any differently than normal.

Blitz

Stolas was trying really hard not to freak out that I was here. I could imagine all the questions he wanted to ask. “What did ‘Father’ do to get you here?”, “Was your ‘father’ very upset?”, “Was Stella rude on the way here?” He’s going to ask me all of them later, of course, but he’s trying really hard not to draw any attention to me.

But his feathers are all fluffy around his face and his neck, and his hands are twitching in front of his chest, and he keeps glancing my direction when no one was watching.

I stood by the wall as Mr. Butler indicated when we got to the dining room. They both went to take a seat at the dining table, Stolas stole one more glance my direction, then Mr. Butler leaned in to whisper something into his ear.

Then, Mr. Butler moved to join me by the wall. And they were both sitting quietly at the table.

For a second.

“Stop staring at me! Euck! Move over further.” Stella shoved Stolas and made their chairs slide slightly.

“Sorry.” Stolas bowed his head and pulled his place mat a little further from hers.

“Why did you have to bring your pet?” Stella turned in her chair to glare back at me.

I kept my gaze straight ahead, not giving her the benefit of riling me up like she had in the car over here. Normally, I can sit wherever I want to in the car, on the way over here. This time, when his dad told me to get in the car, I had to sit in the very back. Stella asked about me, his dad told her to ignore me, and when she threw a fit about having to share a car with a ‘little filthy imp’, he told her that I was Stolas’s new pet and she was not to bother with me.

Stolas is going to throw a fit when I tell him all about it later, but, I hope he’ll be more interested in what happened before we picked up Stella, so we don’t have to go over the whole ‘pet’ thing again.

I told him how scared I’d been to become a pet and ever since, he’s been more worked up about it than me. I mean, maybe because he’s so worried about it I’m not anymore.

I don’t think that’s where we’re headed.

I’m almost more afraid of the alternative, at this point.

Their teacher – another Goetia – came in and they had the most boring, dumb, boring lesson I’ve ever seen. This fork is for salads, it goes here. This spoon is for soup, it goes there. Don’t touch this one unless ice cream is served. Never start eating before the host. Blah-blah-blah, who cares? Every time their teacher wasn’t looking, Stella reached over to mess up Stolas’s place and he didn’t always get it fixed before their teacher looked again.

I wanted to use what I was learning in my lessons on her.

I didn’t.

They didn’t fight, and they didn’t argue loudly, and after their teacher left, Mr. Butler indicated for Stolas and Stella to get down and leave the room too. Stella shoved her way out first, sticking her tongue out at Stolas, but he didn’t try to stop her. He waited a second after she left, so he wasn’t right behind her, then he walked past me and shot me a grin.

I flicked him with my tail and he hooted softly in startle. Mr. Butler looked over his shoulder back at us, with a critical look, and Stolas locked up.

“What are you doing, you stupid owl?” Stella glared at him, not paying me any attention now.

“Nothing.”

“Don’t you lie to me, I’m-”

Mr. Butler cleared his throat and Stella turned to glare at him. “In my palace, I would never let an imp tell me what to do.” She glared back at Stolas again. “When we’re married, the staff will know their place.”

Mr. Butler didn’t appear intimidated at all, and, Stella let it go. Stolas just had to be there, politely, to see her off. Lord Paimon was there too, looking very bored, seeing Stella off to her mother.

The instant they were gone, Stolas rushed to my side. “You did amazing! I’m sorry you-”

“He did fine.” Mr. Butler interrupted, giving us both critical looks. “Now, Blitzo, it’s time to return you to the circus.”

“Wait.” Stolas stood upright and his eyes widened real wide. “But, he just got here! Can’t he stay?”

“No.” Lord Paimon was walking out of the room. “You can go with them, but the little clown boy may not stay the night.”

I grabbed his hand, to make sure he stayed by my side, because we had a lot to talk about in the car ride. I already knew we wouldn’t have a whole lot of time.

And I am not looking forward to when they left.

I sat beside Stolas, real close, in the backseat of the car as Mr. Butler took a seat behind the wheel.

“What happened? I thought you couldn’t come today?” Stolas pulled on my arm.

“Your dad showed up to get me, and he didn’t really let my dad say ‘no’. Dad’s going to be real mad when I get back, but, if he tries to kick me out your dad said he’d come back and make him regret it.”

From the front seat, Mr. Butler elaborated. “Lord Paimon has demanded Blitzo be made available when needed, and from here on out he will be communicating exclusively with your mother. She has requested a schedule ahead of time on the dates you will be required at the palace, for both your lessons and the young prince’s.”

Stolas was quiet for a moment, then, “You’re not going to get in trouble with your father because of me, are you?”

“No.” I gripped his arm tighter. “I’m not a very good clown anyway, Dad’s going to get over it. Don’t worry about it, Stols.”

“But you’ve got so much work, now.” He leaned into my side, resting his head on my shoulder. “You’ve got practice for the circus, performances, all your chores, and now you’ve got bodyguard lessons, and attending my lessons.”

I knew that. I figured it out immediately; I was just hoping he wouldn’t notice. “I can handle it.”

He hooted in a way that sounded unhappy. “You’d tell me if you need a break, at least, right? I’ll help you get out of bodyguard stuff, so you can take a break. I’ll hide you in my room so you can rest, if you need to rest.”

“I can handle it.” I said again, because I don’t want to talk about it. I can. I can be the best bodyguard ever, and I can make Momma proud and work hard with Fizz so I don’t drag him down.

Chapter Text

Stolas

She glared at me across the room. I tried to avoid eye contact as best I could, but, it’s hard when she wasn’t doing anything other than standing there glaring at me, and I didn’t have a safer place to direct my gaze, which would be Blitzo.

“Mr. Butler,” I caught his attention as he walked past, and I side stepped so he was between me and Stella. “How, um, how much longer…”

“Don’t stammer,” he reminded me, and I stopped to take a breath. Right. “What is it, Young Prince?”

“How much longer do we have to be here?”

“One more hour. You should be standing nearer to each other, now. The dance will begin shortly.” He didn’t linger any longer, on his way to take the trey he was carrying to Father, who stood in the corner of the room looking very bored talking with Stella’s mother.

I looked back toward Stella, and she still had her chin tilted down so she could glare venomously from under her brows like some sort of horror film.

Blitzo likes scary movies.

I looked away again, wishing he was here so we could sneak off and I could take a break from this . But he isn’t here. He’s got bodyguard practice right now, he isn’t even at the circus. He’s with his knife-fighting teacher, and he’s having a whole lot more fun than I am. He loves his bodyguard training. Father had wanted him here , but, his knife-fighting teacher demanded he attend today. His teacher is impatient and demanding, but there aren’t a lot of teachers Father approves of that’s willing to work with an imp.

Fine.

I went to stand nearer to Stella. She was nearly growling, she was so angry. She’s wearing a poofy, sparkly, pink dress and heels I know she isn’t very good at dancing in, and she looked like she was ready to claw my eyes out.

“What are you doing?”

I dry swallowed, shrinking back. “We’re meant to dance this time.” We’ve practiced plenty, and now, we’re meant to present as a couple. We’re old enough to start the public courtship, and neither of us could be any less excited for. This is our third social together, it’s a spring social, and Blitzo helped me pick out my outfit today. He also helped me fix my feathers this morning.

She looked disgusted. “Don’t make me look stupid.”

We weren’t the only younger birds here. That’s what it is, actually, a spring social primarily for teenage Goetia all as awkward and bothered to be here as anyone else was. We’re meant to be networking. We’re meant to be learning together, how these things go. We’re meant to be having ‘fun’, and I don’t know how much fun anyone else was having, but, neither Stella nor I were fulfilling that part. Her brother is here, somewhere, but he’s off somewhere doing more interesting things. He’ll be back later, surely, and I was grateful when he’d walked off, but I just wanted to leave already.

So when the music began and we all had to go out, we weren’t the only awkward, gangly, teenage birds taking hands and dancing badly.

We were the only ones that approached the event with fear and hatred, I think. The others were surely having a better time than the two of us. Some of them were, surely, Bonded.

She pushed me around as we danced, and I watched my feet as carefully as I could. Ballroom dancing has been the most difficult task to master, and I knew it wouldn’t go well. I put so much attention on not stepping on her feet that I’m sure we looked ridiculous.

“Stop jerking about,” she hissed at me.

I tried to move smoother. I remembered the steps, I remembered to hold my head high, I remembered our teacher reprimanding me to keep my eyes on hers, and I stared at her earrings.

My foot nearly tangled in her dress and she hissed wordlessly this time. I ducked my head, “Sorry.”

“Shut up.”

I spun her, she jerked at my wrist because she wouldn’t let go at the right time, and she nearly bumped into someone else. I tried to direct her more the way we had during practice.

“Don’t jerk me like that.” She glared.

“But you’re being sloppy.”

Shit. I shouldn’t have said that.

She slid back along, like she was supposed to at that part, and her knee jerked. Her heel slammed down into my foot, making me hoot in pain and shock, jerking away and letting her go. She was grabbing at me again, to finish the dance, them immediately jerked her hand back, screeching.

“You’re bleeding!”

The music stopped. I was clutching my hand, where it stung like a knife wound, and tried to hide it. My mind was racing, at the possibilities as to why I’d so suddenly gotten a knife wound immediately after she’d stomped on my foot, and trying to save face in the middle of a party I was making a scene at.

Mr. Butler was ushering me out and to the side, the music was starting again, and the others were dancing again.

I was shaking, clutching at my hand, but the wound had healed already and I hadn’t gotten a very good look at it. All I had was the blood left behind on my palm, staining my feathers.

“Stolas.”

I gasped and jerked my head up to look at Mr. Butler. He’d been trying to get my attention; he never uses my name. I stared, wide-eyed, terrified, not wanting to look around to see Father and how upset he must be right now. “I’m sorry. I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to-”

“Let me see it.”

We’re in the hall outside the ball room, the music and sound of chatter muffled. I wouldn’t be able to see Father even if I had looked around. I crouched and held my hand out to him, still shaking far more than I should be. “It’s gone.”

He somehow had something to clean my hand already, wiping off the blood. “What did it look like?”

“A knife wound.” I took a deep breath. “He’s, he’s practicing. He doesn’t get hurt often, usually, I think, I think I surprised him. I distracted him, and he’d been doing something dangerous in the moment. It’s my fault.”

“How did you distract him?” Mr. Butler was being careful, he was calm, and I was trying to breathe deeply, to fix this.

“Stella stepped on my foot.”

He let my hand go, then motioned for me to show my foot. “It’s fine, it’s my fault.”

“Stay out here. Lord Paimon will have already decided how to handle this, and I’ll return with his decision.”

“I’m sorry.”

But even if my hand’s healed already, his hasn’t. Blitzo’s hurt himself, he’s cut his hand open, and I wanted to leave here immediately to find him. If he’d just been here, this wouldn’t have happened.

He wasn’t gone long. When he returned, Father was leading the way, and he looked pissed.

“What was that?”

“I’m sorry, Father.” I clasped my hands in front of me and bowed my head. “I didn’t mean to, I was only surprised. Blitzo hurt himself while training, and, Stella saw the blood.”

“What a terrible idea. I said the little clown boy shouldn’t have been out during an important event like this. There will be no more dangerous training exercises from him while you are in public view. He should have been more careful, he has humiliated the both of us here today. We are leaving immediately, and you are going to write an apology to that wretched little girl and her family.”

“I’m sorry, Father. It wasn’t his fault.” I kept my head bowed, following him. “I startled him. I’m sure I broke his concentration.”

“How in the hell did you manage that?” He’s still ranting and raving, he’s angry, and I am so scared that Blitzo is going to be in quite a lot of trouble for this.

Trying to make myself much smaller than I am, “Stella stomped on my foot, and it hurt.”

Father stopped so abruptly, I nearly walked into him. There was a moment of silence before he took a deep breath and he turned to glare down at me.

“She was the one that caused the scene in there?”

I dry swallowed and struggled to maintain eye contact. I stared at his hat instead. “N- no?”

“Explain to me how it was not her fault? She stomped upon your foot and she was the one to scream. That is not proper behavior at a formal event.”

“I was the one that-”

“You were not the one that screamed!” He stopped again and raised a hand to pinch the ridge between his eyes. After a few deep breaths, he gestured to Mr. Butler, “Watch him. We’re still leaving, we will be picking the little clown boy up before we return to the palace. His lesson is over now too, if he’s been injured. I’ll return shortly.” And he went back into the ballroom.

I looked to Mr. Butler in confusion, “What is he doing?”

“I’m not sure. We’ll wait here for him.”

I looked back toward the open doorway, through which I could see some demons mingling casually, but none that I knew. I looked back to Mr. Butler, “Can’t we… at least watch?”

“Lord Paimon has asked us to stay here, here is we will stay. When we return to the palace, you will attend to Blitzo’s injury, and then you will wash the blood from your feathers. If he needs to wash off also, ensure that he does.”

I held my hand, the one Blitzo had injured, in my other hand and rubbed my thumb over the place the wound had been, but, I have no idea what Father could be doing in there. Is he apologizing on my behalf? Is he… is he arranging for more dancing lessons because of how horribly we had behaved in there?

When Father returned, he was only more angry, but he didn’t elaborate. He only lead us down the hall and back outside, and while we waited for Mr. Butler to bring the car back around, he only stood there fuming.

Blitz

I hit the bag as hard as I could, imagining it as that bitch’s face. It was her, obviously, and if I can’t be there to protect him, I’m going to make it up to him later. I have to. Somehow. I don’t know how I could possibly convince his dad to not schedule my training at the same time as Stolas’s time with her, but I can’t do this again.

“Blitzo.”

I froze. I clenched my fist around the bandage I was holding to cover the cut, tried to go back to the ‘proper little subordinate’, because I probably fucked up Stolas’s little party and he’s probably freaking out right now, and his dad is probably pissed.

I turned around to see Mr. Butler standing there at the door. He’s two hours early, for picking me up. I’m not allowed to use the knives anymore, right now, so I’m supposed to be focusing on hand-to-hand right now.

“Gather your things, it’s time to leave.”

My teacher took her face out of the magazine she was reading, “Excuse me. Our time is not up.”

“We have need of him now. Lord Paimon has places to be.” Mr. Butler gestured toward my bag over on the bench.

I rushed to get it, shoving all my things back inside it as quickly as I could. I know they left their ‘social’ early because of me. It’s my fault. I am not looking forward to hearing the scolding I’m about to get.

“I won’t be doing this any longer, if you’re just going to cut our time short like this. A comprehensive training requires time and dedication-”

“Then Lord Paimon will hire a new trainer. You do not want to keep him waiting.”

I rushed toward him, bag over my shoulder, and gave a polite bow to my trainer. “Thank you, for your time today.”

I got a scoff in response, and the magazine came back up.

We had ten seconds before we were outside and approaching the car again. I had ten seconds to try to get him to give me some kind of warning. “How badly did I screw up?”

“Watch your language today.” He didn’t look back to me. “Lord Paimon is upset. Keep your head down and do not make excuses.”

Oh, it’s bad.

I climbed into the car when Mr. Butler held the door for me, putting my bag down on the ground as I slid into my spot beside Stolas, who immediately tried to grab at my injured hand. I let him have it, buckling in one-handed with the other one.

Lord Paimon glowered down at us, but he didn’t say anything until we were on the road. He sighed and looked away, toward the window, “I expect you to be more careful in the future.”

“Yessir.” I kept my head down and flinched when Stolas picked the bandage off my hand. I’d wrapped it quickly, to stop the bleeding, and he’s going to be upset with how I’d taken care of it. But that’s fine, he’ll do a better job back at the palace.

“I cannot have my son bleeding in the middle of a social like that. As his bodyguard, you will be acting both to keep him safe, and also keep your bond secret. You will have a new trainer that will be emphasizing evasion and blocking, than offensive attack.”

“Yessir.” I will not miss my previous trainer. She hated me, and she spent more time working me to the bone than teaching me anything new. She cares more about appearances than skill, and so long as I looked right during progress trials, that’s all that mattered.

The rest of the drive was in a horrible, awkward silence. Mr. Butler was right; Lord Paimon did appear to be angry. But he wasn’t yelling at Stolas or me about anything, it almost felt like he wasn’t mad at us.

Stolas took me to the garden first, picked out some leaves from one of his bushes that’s from Sloth, then brought me back up to our room. The whole way, he made me tell him exactly how it happened and what I’d done to clean it up.

I’d been juggling the knives when I felt her stomp on his foot. It was an exercise I’d started, merging my experience at the circus with my wanting to improve my aim, and I’d caught one by the blade. I’d rinsed it, no soap, and kept the bandage wadded up in my fist – not even wrapping it around my hand properly – because I knew he’d want to take it off and take care of it better anyways.

“Are you mad?” I asked, as he made a poultice out of the leaves. He’s done it before, this isn’t the first time I’ve messed up during training. Normally, though, he isn’t busy trying to do his fancy blue-blood stuff.

“No?” He looked to me in startle. “I know you’re okay. I know you’d just tell me you are if I asked. But I’m still worried about you. Don’t you dare tell me not to.”

I relaxed and leaned over on the side of his desk. “I won’t. As long as you let me be mad at her.”

“Of course.” He put his attention back down to the poultice. “Here, give me your hand again.”

I obeyed, dropping the bandage on his desk and showing him my palm. He hesitated, then tilted my hand either direction, sighed, and pulled me away from the desk and toward the bathroom. I followed without resistance, struggling to look up at him. He’s taller than I am now, not by a lot yet, but, enough that he doesn’t have to have any kind of booster to reach the sink any more while I still had to climb to reach the water.

He didn’t make me climb. He let go of my hand just long enough to pick me up and make me sit on the side of the sink. I adjusted to put my hand into the water as he turned it on.

“So…” I watched him massage my hand with soap and rinse it under the water, dry swallowed, and tried again, “So how mad is your dad?”

“He’s really mad.” He let my hand go and turned the water off. “But I don’t know exactly… why. He was mad when I made a scene. He also seemed mad that Stella made a scene.”

“Good. Maybe she’ll be the one getting in trouble this time.” I glared and flicked the side of the sink with my tail.

He pet a hand over my head, between my horns, then took me down from the sink. “You know she won’t be.”

I sighed, heading back toward his desk without him. “I know.”

He’d grabbed a sticky bandage before joining me, and this time he put me up on the desk too. He sat in the chair, my feet hung down into his lap, and he had me hold the little bowl of poultice he’d made so he could dip his fingers in and put it over my injured palm.

A shiver swept through me when he did. I flinched, for lack of any other response I could come up with, that might be okay.

“Sorry,” he said softly and his fingers got more gentle.

“’S okay,” I muttered.

He isn’t mad, but, he isn’t very talkative right now. I expected him to be more talkative. I expected him to tell me exactly everything that happened at his stupid blue-blood party without me, and I expected him to be freaking out about my hand more.

“Why’d she stomp your foot?” I tried.

He was putting the sticky bandage on now. “We were dancing. She was doing a very bad job and kept trying to lead me, but she isn’t aware of her surroundings and she’s very bad at it.”

I laughed, tilting my hand more into his. “Yeah, she sucks at dancing.”

“I’m not very good either.” He sighed, holding my hand in both of his.

“Pfft, you’d do just fine if you had a better partner.” It’s not that hard, you just have to be literally anyone other than that awful girl.

“If only I had one of those.” He smirked at me, letting my hand go and reaching out to take me down from the desk. “You’re going to be careful with that, aren’t you? No trapeze until it’s healed better.”

I rolled my eyes, “Yeah, yeah, not like I get time on the trapeze anymore. Dad’s got me on the ball lately.”

“The… ball that you fall off?” He gave me a weary look.

“Yeah, because falling on your face is funny. Don’t worry about it, I’ve been juggling a lot, and that I’m great at.”

“Yes, today shows that.”

I pointed up at him accusingly, “Hey! This doesn’t count, alright? Normally when I’m juggling, I don’t expect to get stabbed in the foot, alright? Seriously, I’ve watched you two dance plenty, she’s not even trying anymore. She should be able to not be shit by now.”

“You think it’s easy?” He crossed his arms and raised his brows.

“Uh, yes? I’ve watched you two do it a dozen times. It’s harder to do the shit I do at the circus.”

He bent at the waist, just a little, to smirk down at me. “Prove it.”

I stopped and looked away, but when I looked back to him again, he was still smirking that stupid smirk that meant he thought I wouldn’t.

“Fine.”

He looked surprised. “Really?”

“Yeah, come ‘ere.” I reached out to grab at his hands. He let me have them, adjusting our grip to the way he holds Stella’s during their dancing lessons, and then met my eyes with a tilted expression. I cleared my throat, struggling to keep eye contact at this point, and put my attention down to our feet instead. “Easy.”

He tilted our hands by the wrist and pulled me around. It took me a moment to figure out how to get my feet to move fast enough, in the right directions I’ve seen them go so many times before, but, I was right. It is easy. He told me where to go with our hands, and I managed to slid and sway about with him without stepping on his feet or knock into him in the wrong ways. When I lifted my eyes from our feet up to his face, I was startled to see how he was staring down at me with an aggressively ecstatic expression. His pupils were popping out on his bright red eyes, and my stomach twisted violently.

I had to look back down, because I almost tripped.

He started giggling, “Well, you are much better at this than Stella.”

I scoffed, trying to sound as confident as I had earlier and look back up at him like I wasn’t being stupid. “Of course I am.”

He let go of one of my hands and twisted me out away from him. I nearly tripped over my own tail, he spun me so abruptly, but I stayed on my feet long enough to spin back in toward him and directly into him. He caught me, giggling, and I felt feathers on my forehead. I felt tingly all over, my stomach churning violently, and I felt the overwhelming need to do something physically about it. Throw a few punches felt right, but, also incredibly wrong.

Instead, I purred.

He giggled and let me go. “Thank you, Blitzy. You always make me feel better. I don’t know what I would do without you.”

I scoffed and shrank away, “You wouldn’t be bleeding in the middle of a party.”

“I’d also be quite a bit more lonely,” he cooed. “Are you going home tonight? Or can I talk you into reading with me?”

I don’t read. I can, but I’m not fast and I’m not great at it. He’s helped me get better, more than what Momma’s taught me, but that isn’t what he meant. He meant, he wanted to read another story to me. He loves reading, and sharing his books with me is one of his favorite things ever. It started with pirate adventures and mysteries that involved murder and blood and stuff. There are some older ones now, that still involve some of that stuff, but the one he’s reading to me right now is some dystopian book series with some silly romance sub-plot that he likes a lot.

“Yeah, that sounds fun.” I dry swallowed and trudged toward the bed. Laying down and relaxing sounds great after the partial-day of training I had today.

“I have to bathe, first.” He gestured toward the bathroom, then, “And so should you.”

“Yeah, yeah.” I sighed, stopping in my tracks because I shouldn’t go lay down all sweaty and with blood on my shirt. “Hurry up so I can go in. I just want to lay down.”

“Do you want to go first?” He turned away from the bathroom and gave me a curious look.

I did that stupid thing where I get stuck staring at him with the funny feeling in my stomach and my chest, I start thinking about how much I like him and how every stupid little sound he makes is so wonderful, and my chest starts hurting again because I know I don’t deserve any of it.

I know what I am.

I’m here to keep him happy and safe and strong enough to deal with his marriage with her, so he can do his job without wanting to kill himself. That’s what I am.

“Blitzo?”

I flinched and looked away. “No, it’s fine. You go. Just don’t take too long.”

He didn’t move for a long moment, before he sighed and started walking again. “Alright, if you’re sure.”

Yeah.

I’m sure.

Chapter Text

Stolas

He fell asleep halfway through the chapter, curled up in my lap and snoring softly. I decided not to read ahead and instead put the bookmark he’d made for me in the book and set it aside. I didn’t want to disturb him like this, not yet, so I stayed leaning into the back of the bed and rested my hands on him.

Imps sleep in piles a lot. Mostly when they like and trust the others they are sleeping with; Blitzo would never do such a thing with his father. He doesn’t do it with Fizzarolli and Barbie-Wire as often as he used to, but, when any of them have a rough day they still will. Perhaps not as often as they would, because I have him here with me most of the time these days, but I know that they still do when they need it.

I feel bad about taking him away from them as much as I do, but not enough to stop. And Blitzo isn’t going to stop either.

He rolled over in my lap, onto his back. His arms stretched up over his head as his back arched and his tail rolled over the bed off to my left. I hovered my hands above him while I waited for him to settle again, and when he did, he was sprawled out on his back with his head rolled my direction, one arm over his torso and the other stretched directly out from his shoulders and past my knee. I cooed fondly and reached down to cup his face, petting carefully to avoid waking him because he had seemed very tired. He usually is after training.

I love him so much.

His face rolled more into my hand and he began purring. My chest seized and I held my hand still, admiring the unconscious smile spreading on his face, until the purring slipped away because I wasn’t petting him any longer. Making little effort to avoid my own ‘dumb owl noises’ that he pretends like he doesn’t like as much as he does, I pet the side of his face, caressing, again. He started purring again, limbs twitching, tail curling in around me.

I love him so much.

There came a gentle knock on the door. I moved my hand down to put some pressure on his chest, hoping he didn’t wake as the door opened and Mr. Butler stepped into the doorway. He stirred, but, didn’t wake.

“Will the two of you be wanting dinner soon?”

“We’ll skip it,” I kept my voice soft, “if that’s alright?”

Mr. Butler’s eyes flickered down to my lap, and he frowned. But he didn’t make any comment on that. Instead, “It is inadvisable to skip such a major meal, young prince.”

But Blitzo is tired and he’ll sleep through the night like this. “I’m not hungry.”

He hesitated, because he isn’t supposed to question a Goetia’s decisions, but, he knows I don’t mind. He’s taken care of me- of us for so long, I’m not telling him to leave it alone. I’m asking him if it’s alright to skip tonight.

“I’ll bring you both something that can sit out.” He ultimately decided.

“Thank you.”

He shut the door softly, thankfully, so I could put my attention back down to the imp in my lap. I didn’t put my hand back down to his face, this time, and reached out to take the hand with the bandage. It was the one that was resting on his stomach, so I just had to lift it into mine and flip it over. There is a faint stain of red through the bandage, but it isn’t bad. It’s stopped bleeding most certainly, and it will heal well enough. Just a few days, I imagine, before he ignores it entirely. I don’t imagine it will scar, unless he ignores what I told him and he uses his hands too much during practice either for the circus or for his training.

His fingers twitched as I rubbed my thumb over his palm in little circles. I looked to his face quickly, to see his eyes relaxed and cracked.

He smiled. “Hey, Birdie.”

I hooted fondly in response, rather than with words, and I let his hand go.

“You tired?” He yawned and tucked his arm that had been stretched directly outward down around my knee, like he was holding onto a pillow.

“I am,” and that isn’t a lie. I’m just not as tired as him, and not in the same way.

He reached up toward me and I trilled fondly, leaning down toward him so he could put his fingers in the feathers at the side of my face. It gave me a funny feeling in my chest that came out as another fond trilling. He dropped his arm and started to move. “Then lay down, Birdie.”

He stopped using my leg as a pillow and was now reaching out for an actual pillow. I didn’t lay down with him yet, I just watched him get comfortable before, “Mr. Butler’s bringing dinner.”

“Hmm,” he closed his eyes. “I heard.”

“You don’t want to at least try to eat?”

“Hmmm.” He didn’t have any more of an answer than that, no matter how long I waited. Or, rather, after I waited a minute or so, his tail rolled over the bed toward me to slap into my legs.

I cooed and laid down with him, letting him pull me in to use him as a pillow this time.

Mr. Butler brought something in to put on the desk, then turned the lights down on his way out.

We were going to the circus in the morning. The dinner Mr. Butler had brought had been a couple of rolls and dried meats that don’t require refrigeration. We had them for breakfast, then he got my grimoire down from the shelf so I could practice my portals.

I mostly practice them between the carpet by the bookshelves in our room into his tent at the circus. I’m not going into the human world with them yet, not regularly. I have a few times, just to practice. Once to take a look at the stars, testing out how much more difficult it is to open a portal there than it is to another location in Pride and compare my notes with the real thing. Once because I wanted to take Blitzo to see some wild horses for his birthday a few months ago.

A portal to their tent is easy, and when it was open, a familiar voice came through. “Hey, there, Stolas!”

I stuck my head through while Blitzo put the grimoire in his bag, so we’d have it when it was time to return. “Hello, Fizzarolli. We aren’t too early, are we?”

“Nah,” he was on his bed, drawing into one of his notebooks. “How’d your party go?”

“It was shit.” Blitzo shoved me through the portal. “That bitch stomped his foot and I screwed up and cut myself.” He showed off his hand.

“Oh.” Fizzarolli sat upright and looked between us. “You didn’t, like… attack her or anything, did you?”

“No.” I closed the portal and moved to sit on Blitzo’s mostly-unused bed. “He didn’t have a chance to. Did your performance go well?”

“Yeah,” Fizzarolli went to put his notebook away. “Great. Blitzo, are you going to be here for Thursday’s?”

“Uh…” he slid up to sit with me, eyes squinting.

“Yes,” I answered for him, knowing his schedule perfectly well and more curious about the strange way his tail was flicking in irritation. “I’ll be there too.” I eyed Blitzo wearily, because his face was doing a good job of hiding that he was upset, and I couldn’t tell what was wrong.

“Oh, really? I mean, it’s not like we’re doing anything new, you know. Wouldn’t you rather be studying your book?” Fizzarolli didn’t notice anything was wrong.

“I like watching you perform. You’re very good, Fizzarolli.”

“Blitzo’s background clown stuff now, you know. You’re not going to see much on that part.”

I was about to point out that Barbie-Wire was getting a lot of spotlight lately, but Blitzo’s tail flicked in irritation again.

I narrowed my eyes suspiciously at him. “Is it your name?”

He locked up and straightened his back. “Wh- what? What are you talking about?”

“Your name. Every time one of us says it, you get upset.”

Fizzarolli started paying more attention. “Yeah, actually, you’re acting real suspicious. What’s going on?”

“It’s nothing-”

“Liar.” I pressed a finger into his forehead, directly into his circus tattoo. “Tell the truth.”

“I am,” he kept lying. He’s avoiding eye contact now and he was holding onto his tail like that would stop it from twitching in irritation.

I pulled his tail free – gently – and made him even more nervous. On purpose. And I leaned into his personal space, making him fluster even more. He has a harder time lying when I make him flustered.

“Ah-uhhh…” his face darkened and I let his tail go. “It’s… it’s nothi-”

“Blitzo.” I interrupted him, not backing off, and he locked up again. He dry swallowed. He tried to make eye contact. “What’s wrong?”

“It’s a clown’s name.” He buried his face in his hands. “And I’m a shit clown. It’s not a bodyguard’s name.”

“You’re not, like, just a bodyguard.” Fizzarolli crossed his arms and watched us with a curious expression. “You are still a clown.”

“…” Blitzo didn’t seem happy with that statement. “...Yeah…”

“But you don’t want to be.”

He didn’t answer directly, but his tail finally settled looped around my far side and around to my lap. The tip flicked a few times, but, he was settling down and holding onto me. “No.”

“You don’t?” Fizzarolli sounded disappointed. “But, that’s… our thing.”

“That’s your thing, Fizz,” he brought his legs up to cross. His knee poked into my lap now, and he didn’t adjust to give me any more space. Why would he? He’s my imp, my other half, my personal space is his personal space.

“I mean, it’s… it’s always been our thing. Right?”

“I’m barely a clown anymore. I keep missing practice, I can’t even have any major performances because Stolas needs me during performances half the time.”

“A quarter of the time, at most.” I nearly felt guilty over it, but the point here is Blitzo doesn’t like being a clown anymore, not that he wishes he had more time to be one.

“Whatever. I’m a bodyguard now. No respectable bodyguard has a clown’s name.”

“Alright,” Fizzarolli clearly was more unnerved by this declaration than he wanted to let on, but he’s going to be encouraging for his friend. “Then, what do you want? What do you want us to call you?”

“I don’t know.”

“You haven’t thought about it?” I find that hard to believe, but, it also doesn’t seem like this has really bothered him that long. I would have noticed earlier if it had.

“Why don’t you just drop the ‘o’?” Fizzarolli suggested. “You know, ‘Blitz’ could be a bodyguard’s name.”

My other half was quiet for a moment, as he considered this, then, “Blitz.”

“I like it.” I pinched at the triangle of his tail. He hummed and his tail twitched. “What do you think?”

“It’s alright.” He likes it. He’s just nervous about such a change. “I’ll try it out… for a bit.”

“Who do you want to tell? Your sister? Mr. Butler?”

“No one at the palace yet.” He leaned into my side. “Just here. Just tonight. For now.”

We spent some time in their tent before going up to the hill. Barbie-Wire came to join us eventually, bringing snacks, and we spent the rest of the morning playing Barbie-Wire’s favorite game, a sort of role-playing board game from Earth. She approved of Blitz’s name change and encouraged it mostly through smack-talk.

Blitz

“Again?” Barbie grinned as she collected the stupid little tokens. “We can try the new board out; maybe you’ll do better on that one.” She smirked at Fizz.

“Nooo.” I groaned and threw myself back dramatically into the grass. “I’m hungry. I don’t want to sit here doing nothing anymore.”

My birdie sat up suddenly. “You’re hungry?”

I rolled my head over to glare at him, “Yeah. Lunch is probably being served right now.”

“Yes. Probably.” He wasn’t thinking about joining us down at the mess tent. “You know where else there is lunch being served right now?”

“No. No I don’t.”

“Blitz! Shut up!” Barbie threw a plastic game piece at my face. “Let your boyfriend buy us lunch.”

I choked on my objection, sitting up again and unable to comprehend what I just stumbled into with that. My mind was filled with fog and my throat all swollen up.

“What do you think about pizza?” Stolas didn’t seem to have the same issue I had. “The shop just down the road?”

“Pizza! Pizza! Pizza!” Fizz started chanting, sticking his arms in the air with each call.

“Uh,” I realized I was the only one being stupid here. I got my shit together. She was teasing me, that’s all. Stolas knew that, that’s why he wasn’t bothered at all by it. He wasn’t embarrassed or objecting or correcting or anything like that. Because she was just teasing. “Yeah. Yeah, I want pepperoni.”

We wandered around some after lunch, just talking and hanging out. We had plenty of time to waste before movie night, so we just wasted the day walking the pizza off and taking turns ranting about stuff that didn’t matter.

Dad’s putting a lot on Fizz’s shoulders lately. Fizz is getting good, and he’s getting a bit of a fan club. Dad keeps trying to give him a bigger spotlight, and Fizz is loving it, but he’s a little worried he’s going to mess up with everyone’s attention on him and Dad’s going to get mad.

Barbie’s been getting in trouble a lot lately. She blames it on me, some, because Dad can’t be mad at me. I’m not around enough for him to be mad at me. When I am around, he can’t risk hurting Stolas, or pissing Lord Paimon off by holding me up at the circus. So, instead, he’s getting on her case about every little thing. She’s been sneaking out to hang out with a group of teens from across town, outside the circus, so it’s not like she isn’t doing nothing to deserve being in trouble, but, Dad’s really pissing her off about it.

Stolas told them about the party yesterday, and that lead into how bad their dancing lessons have been going. She stomped on his foot with her heels at the the party, but, she wasn’t exactly a lot better when they were just practicing.

“She really that bad, Blitz?” Fizz punched the crosswalk button and looked my way.

“Oh yeah. She keeps blaming Stols for everything, but it’s definitely her.”

“You’d say that even if he sucked at it,” Fizz scoffed and leaned back into the pole. “Your ‘birdie’ can do no wrong.”

Stolas hooted in amusement. My face heated up. “No! Shut up. My birdie can fuck up, he’s allowed to suck at stuff too.”

“Name one thing you think Stolas is bad at.” Barbie stepped closer to my birdie and gestured.

I looked up at him, then down to her to avoid his amused expression. “It doesn’t matter-”

“One thing. Can you come up with even one thing your precious birdie is cringe-fail at?”

“I’m not going to-”

“See? You can’t. In your eyes, the prince is perfect.” Fizz stuck his tongue out as he teased.

My face heated up more as Stolas began giggling. “That’s not true! Shut up! He- uh… he’s…”

They let me think this time. I dry swallowed, looking nervously between Fizz, my sister, and my birdie. They were all waiting with varying levels of amusement, like they were all completely confident that I am blinded completely with bias. But I’m not!

“He- uh…” I dry swallowed and squinted. Do not fuck this up, Blitzo. “He… he’s dog shit at fighting.”

Nobody looked impressed by my very successful declaration of something my birdie is not good at.

“What? See? He’s not perfect. Right?” I smirked in triumph.

“If Stolas could fight real well, he wouldn’t need a bodyguard. Needing you to protect him just makes him more perfect, don’t you think?” Barbie flicked her finger in my face before walking out onto the crosswalk because the light had changed.

I huffed and marched after them. “No! No, that’s not the point!”

Stolas, still giggling, claimed my hand that I was using to point accusingly at my sister. “It’s alright, Blitzy. I think you’re perfect too.”

My face heated up again and I held his hand back begrudgingly. “Whatever.”

They let it go. Fizz got distracted with some new shop in the old thrift store spot and dragged us all in. We ended up being almost late to movie night, but we didn’t have to search for a spot at least. Momma was there, off to the side with her lawn chair – she can’t lay out on the ground with us anymore – and a blanket stretched out to claim a place for the four of us.

“You’re getting so tall,” Momma greeted Stolas with a hug, getting up out of her chair, “I wasn’t sure you’d come tonight.”

He trilled happily, bowing his head to her, “I’m sorry for not making it last month, Ma’am.”

She sat back down in her chair before I slipped in for my hug.

“You don’t have to come. This isn’t any sort of obligation for anyone, but it is always nice to see you.” She kissed my cheek before letting me go. “Are you two boys getting into any trouble?”

“No, no trouble, everything’s fine.” I hid my hand and shoved Stolas toward the blanket. “Come on, the movie’s going to start any second.”

Momma made a suspicious hum behind me as I got Stolas to lay down. “Barbie?”

“He cut his hand open during his bodyguard training or whatever. Got in trouble with Stolas’s fiance or something.”

Momma sighed and I ducked my head, picking my spot out mostly on top of Stolas and pointedly avoiding looking back toward her. “You’re taking care of each other, I know you are, so I’m not worried.”

“Of course, Ma’am.” Stolas turned his head around in that creepy owl way he does. “I cleaned and wrapped it.”

Barbie came to stretch out beside Stolas similarly on her stomach, on the opposite side from where I was leaning. Fizz crawled down, sideways between both of them. His legs propped up on Stolas’s back and he used Barbie like a pillow.

The first scene of the movie had already started, and already, I could tell it’s going to be an adventure. Gun fights, car chases, and mind games.

Chapter Text

Stolas

I sat upright, startled out of my reverie when she sat next to me. I had to look down at her now, after my most recent growth spurt, but that didn’t make her feel any smaller to me. Even being physically larger than her, she feels still so much bigger.

“Are you alright, sweetie?”

I nodded, looking back out to the floor where the horse tamers were working. The audience was loving this part, and while I held an image of Blitz in my mind of his big eyes and wide grin watching them, I as just waiting for him to come out. “Yes, Ma’am.”

“You don’t look well, Stolas. You aren’t ill, are you?”

“No.” I felt my face heat up and I tried to shove my feathers down in embarrassment. “It’s… it’s nothing.”

She reached out to pat my arm, the way she used to pat my shoulder when it used to be a more comfortable height for her to reach. “If you’re sure. Did you want any cotton candy today?”

“I already had some.” I held up the empty cone to show her. “I thought you were busy? You’re only just sitting down?”

“I was at an appointment,” she explained and turned out to watch the horses. “Blitz wanted to go with me.”

Oh. Her illness. It’s been getting worse, slowly, as long as I’ve known her. “How did it go?”

“Well. Don’t worry about me, Sweetie. How has my baby boy been doing? He hasn’t been giving you trouble, has he?” She smiled up at me.

“Of course not. Blitz has been working very hard. Mr. Butler is going to sign of on his carrying a firearm soon, but, he doesn’t want to bring it with him back to the circus. We went to Greed, last week, alone, and he did a very good job body guarding me.”

She laughed airily, the way she does anymore. I remember a heartier laugh when I’d first met her, but, I haven’t heard it in a long while. “And how about Stella? Blitz was telling me she was giving you two trouble again.”

I sighed and relaxed my posture, because even though she is the one I want to give my best to, she’s the one who cares the least about my manners and posture. “He got into an argument with her. She was criticizing my singing, during our musical lessons, and he called out her piano work.”

She looked genuinely concerned, “And it didn’t get physical?”

“Not with Father in the room.” Father is the one giving our musical lessons, so, they go a bit easier than others do. Father doesn’t let Stella get away with as much as the tutors do. “He reprimanded Blitz, but he confirmed that her work needed attention and she kept glaring at him the rest of the lesson. I made sure she didn’t have a chance to do anything after the lesson.”

“I’ll talk with him about it too,” she sighed and rubbed her neck.

The horses left and Cash came back out. I hooted in irritation, a habit I forgot to suppress because Momma had just sat with me. I stopped quickly and glanced nervously to her.

“It’s alright.” She gave me a reassuring smile, then looked back out. “He hasn’t been giving Blitz much trouble lately. He’s beginning to accept Blitz is out of his control, these days.”

“I haven’t heard about any trouble from them in a while,” I admitted. I wanted to ask how she could stand him; Cash is horrible. He used to hurt Blitz, his patience is so short, he’s crude and selfish and loud- “Wait.” I looked back to her.

She gave me her full attention again, “What’s wrong, Sweetie?”

“Forgive me,” I bowed my head the way I’m not supposed to for imps, but so long as Father isn’t around I always do. So long as it’s an imp I know and respect, at least. I would never for Cash, and I wouldn’t bother with any I don’t know. I’ll give Momma the respect she absolutely deserves, regardless of my station, and I have done it playfully to Blitz, Fizzarolli, and Barbie-Wire plenty. “But, I have a… I realized that Cash isn’t… he’s not pleasant to be around, but, you two have been married for some time. At least as old as Blitz and his sister are old…”

She tilted her head curiously. “He isn’t always pleasant, you’re right, but no one is two-dimensional. Cash isn’t a perfect father, that certainly isn’t his strong suit. He probably could have lived his life just as well never having children. Barbie and Blitz both certainly aren’t better for having him as their father, but ‘father’ isn’t really his calling anyways. He is a better husband, he’s a good businessman, and he is very headstrong and brave. You know, imp-run businesses aren’t very common, but he’s managed to create an all-imp circus from the ground up and make it one of the most successful circus in Pride. Out of multiple rings, I think. It doesn’t excuse what he’s done to the kids, but, that isn’t all of him. Does that make sense?”

I deflated. “Yeah.”

We let it go long enough I thought that might be the end of the conversation. That isn’t what I wanted to hear, but, it makes sense. They are bonded, so, the Cash that she knows is going to be different than the Cash we know. The Cash I know is different than the Cash Blitz knows, who is different from the one Barbie and Fizz both, individually, know. He shouldn’t have been a father, but I’m glad he is because otherwise I wouldn’t have Blitz. He works all three kids to the bone, neglects Barbie, and puts way too much on Fizzarolli’s shoulders. He’s putting more and more work on Blitz, between a background juggling act with the clowns, cleaning the audience seating, the horse pins, and whatever else he can find for Blitz to do. I don’t know the Cash that Momma knows, and I don’t want to, but, they understand each other in a way every demon in hell deserves to be understood by at least one other demon.

Stella and I are not bonded; there is no saving grace.

The clowns came out and Fizzarolli took center stage.

“What exactly was your question, Stolas?”

I took a deep breath and wrapped my arms around myself. “Stella isn’t pleasant to be around either, and I wanted to know if you had any idea on what I should do. Any… encouraging words…”

She didn’t have an answer immediately, and I was too busy watching Fizzarolli to glance her direction. I did when she put a hand on my back, though.

She was watching me closely, with a sad look. “I’m not a Goetia, Stolas. I don’t have any advice that can help you.”

“I understand.” I exhaled and looked back out, as Fizzarolli succeeded in a very difficult trick he’s been practicing a lot lately.

“But I can suggest you take comfort with Blitz. He cares a lot about you, and, as long as you two have each other you will not be alone.”

I already knew that.

Blitz was only out for a minute or so, before he disappeared back into the back again. Anyone who wasn’t here specifically to see him probably hadn’t even noticed him. Once he was gone, the rest of the show would be empty. I knew it would be, because I come to see him perform every chance I have.

As the next act came out, I stood. “I’m going to get you some cotton candy.”

“You don’t have to-”

“Do you want the red one?”

She smiled up at me and folded her hands in her lap. “Thank you, Sweetie. The red one would be nice.”

The red one is hers and Blitz’s favorite. Fizzarolli and I both prefer the blue one, and Barbie thinks cotton candy is gross. I dropped my empty paper cone into a trash on my way up to the refreshments desk, picking up two others that someone had dropped onto the floor automatically, because I knew it would likely be Blitz having to clean them up later anyway, and I got into line, still distracted as I considered how my arrangement with Stella is to be even worse than a union between someone as wonderful as Momma and as horrid as Cash.

I took a short step forward when the line moved, and I became next in line. I didn’t start paying full attention to my surroundings until an unfamiliar voice exclaimed, “Why the fuck is there a Goetia here?!”

My surroundings got a little quieter. I lifted my gaze and looked around, a mild panic slipping through me. I felt like I blended in when I was younger, when I was shorter and I never put myself out where anyone would be paying attention to me. Now, I’ve been here so long and it’s never been a problem. I still never tell Father when I’m coming, I’m still not even sure if he even knows I come out here, but, I’ve somehow avoided rumors spreading about my being here all this time that I don’t even consider it being a problem anymore. So much so that I’ll just come out to stand in line, sticking out like a sore thumb, to get some cotton candy without even thinking.

“Um…” I looked nervously about, identifying easily who it was that had it but also seeing more than just she was staring at me. “I am…”

“Don’t worry about it.” The imp with the circus’s tattoo, standing behind the refreshments counter, took on an aggressive tone and glared at the patron that had spoken. “You got your pretzel, go back to your seat.”

“No one thinks that’s weird?” She isn’t even in line, she had food in one hand and was pointing directly at me. “How is no one talking about this? Some, emo Goetia, here? How is anyone okay with-”

“Shut the fuck up!” Someone threw a mostly-empty cardboard tray of nachos at her head, and she gasped in affront. The one that had thrown the tray wasn’t the only one glaring at her, rather than staring at me. “Mind your own fucking business and go back to your seat!”

She seemed to realize that the majority of the imps around us were glaring at her, rather than watching me or backing her up. “Oh, uh… this some kind of… under the table…”

“Go away!” “Shut the fuck up!” “Mind your own business!” Trash was thrown at her from all directions, and she gave up on being nosy, running away back out to the audience to watch the show. I looked around at the rest of the room, where mostly there were other confused patrons but there was a not insignificant amount of imps with the circus emblem glaring after her, and even a few of the patrons.

The imp in line ahead of me took two drinks and walked away. I stepped forward up to the counter, not entirely sure if I should just leave also. “I’m, I’m sorry. I just wanted a red cotton candy.”

The imp behind the counter, that had first spoken up in my defense, took one off the rack and held it out to me. “Not a blue one?”

I eat the blue ones. I hadn’t… really considered that I am here frequently enough, and am certainly identifiable enough to be remembered by anyone I don’t regularly speak with. I have been here for… just about a decade.

“It’s for Tilla,” I said, feeling weird mentioning her by her first name. That isn’t how Blitz talks about her, or Barbie, or Fizz, and it felt disrespectful. But it felt more weird calling her ‘Momma’ to a virtual stranger when she very much so is not my mother.

“Oh, well alright. You know how much it is; you may me our resident Goetia, but you’re still rich. No candy for free.”

I relaxed and paid for the cotton candy. “Thank you.”

He waved me off and I retreated back to sit beside Momma, handing her the cotton candy, and I had plenty to consider.

Perhaps, the reason I’ve never had trouble here isn’t a coincidence.

Blitz

I didn’t flinch, I put him through worse shit than this. I knew how to fix this, but I couldn’t. Not right now. The instant she’s gone, I’m dragging him upstairs to fix those feathers, and they’re going to stop poking at him in a million different ways that are annoying and, if I can feel them, are actually hurting him.

She pulled another one while the tutor wasn’t watching.

I glared, but, I kept my voice to myself. Her pulling a feather or two while no one was watching isn’t enough to step in. Every time I speak up and try to stop her, she just gets more angry. So whatever she’s doing to him has to be worse than getting screamed at for me to step in.

She pulled another one. I felt my tail hit the wall behind me, making me realize I wasn’t hiding my irritation as much as I should be. So I took a breath, and I stood as quiet and still as I was supposed to be.

“You look like a feather duster,” she accused when their tutor walked away to get more paint. “I cannot be seen in public with a feather duster husband. Fix it.”

“I’m trying.” He shrank away from her, but mostly he focused on his painting. He’s doing an awesome job of painting his garden back home from memory. She’s doing a shit job of painting some tea party with dumb girly-shit I couldn’t even tell what it is.

“Do you need help?” She was smirking. “You know, it is going to be my wifely duty. Do you think I should practice now?”

“No.” He didn’t shrink back, he turned to glare at her. “I can handle it.”

Actually, I can. But whatever.

“Oh, please. We’re supposed to be bonding. Come here.” She reached out toward him.

He hooted in frustration and stepped out of her reach. “We aren’t married yet. And that isn’t ever something we must share. I don’t want this any more than you do, we don’t have to have anything more to do with each other than we must. I can preen myself.”

She growled and stomped her foot. “And make me look like a fool? I have to marry your stupid, scrawny, feathery ass, you’re going to give me everything I want. I’m going to have parties, I’m going to have vacations, I’m going to have status and prestige, and everyone’s going to look at us and be jealous, and no one’s going to be laughing at us because you ruin everything!” She was advancing on him the whole time she was threatening.

He was backing up, his paintbrush gripped in his fist, and his dark eye shadow helped him look less afraid than he did before he started wearing it. “Stella, the tutor’s just in the other room.” He glanced toward me for a split second.

I knew my tail was flicking out behind me and I didn’t even care this time. I was ready to rush forward and step between them. This bitch better step back from my birdie.

“He probably thinks you look stupid too.” She reached out and grabbed at his feathers.

I felt a whole fistful came out, and I was flying forward, grabbing at he dress and yanking her back away from him. She shrieked and started grabbing toward me, and even though I was trying to get to him and avoid doing something that would make Mr. Butler or Lord Paimon angry.

So it wasn’t entirely my fault when I had to bite her to make her let go of my horn. I let go and grabbed Stolas, sweeping him straight up off the ground and running out of the room with him. She was screaming behind us, he was holding onto me, and it was awkward because he’s taller than I am, but he’s so light.

I nearly dropped him when I went around the corner and practically ran into Mr. Butler.

I put him down, keeping hold of his hand, and glared at Mr. Butler not because I was upset with him or I wanted to make him upset, but because I was defensive and ready to fight to defend my actions. “She was hurting him.”

Mr. Butler made to show taking a deep breath. I did so, and realized the screaming behind us had quieted down while Stella explained what happened to the tutor.

Instead of talking with me, Mr. Butler looked up to Stolas. “Can you finish your lesson?”

He squeezed my hand, then let it go and stood upright, proper. “I finished my painting.”

“Then we’ll leave. Correct yourselves and explain yourselves calmly. Take responsibility for your actions.” He turned and lead us away, back out to the living room space of Stella’s stupid palace.

Some of his lessons are here, some are at his palace, and occasionally we go to some other place. Stella’s brother used to always be here for lessons at their palace, up until a few months ago when he moved out to his own palace. Which was great, because he sucked.

Lord Paimon sat on the couch talking about something boring with Stella’s mom. She’s a bitch too. She has never once acknowledged me or Mr. Butler, and she always thinks everything Stella does to hurt Stolas is funny.

Lord Paimon stood when we came in. “Is the lesson done? Very good, I am ready to leave.”

He doesn’t like going out much.

“Where is Stella?” The mom asked, giving my birdie a critical look I didn’t like.

“Lord Paimon,” Mr. Butler bowed and I rushed to follow suit. “There was an incident in the gallery.”

“An… incident?”

Mr. Butler turned toward me. Shit. Alright. Time to take responsibility for my actions and own up to it. But I was just doing my fucking job!

I stepped forward and bowed my head. “I intervened in a confrontation between Prince Stolas and Stella.” She doesn’t even have a real title I have to use. Not yet. When they’re married she’ll be a princess and I am not going to call her that bullshit. Whatever. “She attempted to preen him non-consentually and he was in distress, so defended him and I removed him from the situation.”

Lord Paimon nodded once, shortly, and looked to Stolas. “Is this an accurate account?”

Stolas also had his head bowed. “Yes, Father. She was pulling my feathers.”

“What does it mean, ‘defended’?” Stella’s mother demanded, less calm than Lord Paimon.

“It means,” Stella and the tutor were coming stomping down the hall now, “it bit me! It bit me, I want it put down!”

Stella’s mother was immediately. “How dare an imp attack my daughter! Lord Paimon, I demand you take care of this-”

“This imp is my son’s bodyguard.” Lord Paimon shut her down immediately, because he’s got higher status and he’s the one that hired me to protect Stolas. He glared down at her, since he’s about two heads taller than her. “Would you care to explain what sort of reparations your daughter will serve for her slight upon my son?”

I was doing my job, and Lord Paimon seemed very quick to get defensive. I got the impression that this wasn’t the beginning of the argument. I think… I might be in the clear? I was doing my job, the one he gave me, and I deescalated as best I could.

There were some more fancy-people argument fighting that I only knew was the equivalent of ‘fuck you I’m two seconds from cutting your dick off’ because I’ve been around them for so long, but I didn’t care about it so much. I wanted to get Stolas out of here, that’s all I cared about. Fortunately, I got the signal from the change of tone from Lord Paimon and a glance from Mr. Butler. I moved into position, walking between Stolas and Stella, to make sure she couldn’t get another glare or comment or whatever in.

Lord Paimon was so mad, on our way out to the car and after we were inside, I started to wonder if I wasn’t going to get yelled at.

His head snapped around to glare down at us, his eyes narrowed in a terrifying way that made me want to hide behind Stolas, then, “Did this situation disrupt today’s lesson? Will it have to be rescheduled?”

Stolas’s hand was on my leg, squeezing slightly, and Lord Paimon didn’t say anything about it. “No, Father. I finished my painting.”

“Good.” He turned back around and pinched the ridge between his eyes. “That wretched little girl is really pissing me off. Little clown boy, did you really bite her?”

I dry swallowed, tensing, but I can’t lie. So, “Yes?”

He chuckled. “Good. Perhaps that will finally take care of that pesky girl and her… habits. How do you raise a child in this day and age, with such horrible manners? Such an ugly personality? You’ve got an imp better behaved than that horrible little girl. The little clown boy is better company, and she should be ashamed. Unfortunately, her mother doesn’t appear to have an ounce of humility so that likely isn’t going to happen. For fuck’s sake, I would rather have tea with the circus woman than that annoying fucking woman.”

Momma?

Is Lord Paimon saying he would rather be making small talk with Momma than Stella’s mom?

I met Stolas’s eyes. He squeezed my leg. My stomach flipped over nervously, and neither of us said anything.

Upstairs, finally safe and able to relax and talk freely, Stolas wailed and fell over onto the bed while I unpacked my weapons, putting them away back into the case they’re supposed to go in that’s currently on his desk. The case fits on his bookshelf, and that’s where I was going to put it away.

“You good?” I felt every horrible prick from his feathers when he’d gone down, so I already knew the answer to that. It made me want to pluck and I don’t even have feathers.

“No.”

“Yeah, well, I mean the feathers, Birdie. Not the Stella situation.”

He groaned loudly and rolled his face down into his bed. I rolled my eyes and went to put the case on the shelf beside his grimoire. “Take your shirt off so I can fix it.”

He groaned again, softer, and didn’t move until I was almost back over to the bed. Then, he inhaled abruptly, held it, and let it out slowly as he finally pushed himself to sit up. “Do I really look like a feather duster?”

“No, I just preened you this morning.” I climbed up next to him. “You look fine, you look like a teenage bird. Your dad hasn’t said shit about it, they aren’t even falling out throughout the day anymore, and if she touches your fucking feathers again I’m going to tear hers out. Do you remember how she looked last month? When she was molting? You’re a million times hotter.”

He had only just taken his shirt off, it was still in his hands, and he locked up and made a cute little bird sound. I felt his eyes on me. He didn’t give a follow up question, but I was fully aware I’d accidentally said that out loud.

Oh well.

Just keep swimming, as they say. I stood up behind him and started working, “We’re watching a movie tonight, yeah? That’s the deal. Stella pisses one of us off, we take a movie night.”

He relaxed under me, trilling fondly and putting his shirt aside. “Of course. But it’s my turn to pick.”

“Your turn to pick the movie,” I leaned over one of his shoulders and smirked at him, putting my face right next to his and sticking my tongue out teasingly, “I’ll get the snacks.”

His eyes widened and I thought for sure I was making him flustered again. Instead, he said, with little hesitation, “You’re just going to get a back of cheese and a bottle of hot sauce, aren’t you?”

I tried to fix it by leaning in a little more. “Yes. But I’ll get you something sweet.”

I think I saw his pupils, just a little, and I love playing this game and making them show up, making his feathers fluff and him trip over his words. My heart was beating quickly, it was exhilarating, it made me feel like I was on top of the world.

Because I could see his pupils just a little, they faded a bit more brightly, I saw them flicker down over my face. What can I say to make it worse-

He kissed me.

It was fast, he turned his head away and put his back to me again. “We can’t watch a movie until you fix my feathers, Blitzy. Unless you want to be as uncomfortable as I am.”

I dry swallowed and gripped his shoulders a little tighter. I took a deep breath. I put my mouth down on the feathers there while I gathered my strength, and then I let go. “Yeah. Yeah, alright. I won’t take long, Stols. I’ll, uh, I’ll take care of you.”

Chapter Text

Stolas

I picked out his favorite horse cartoon movie. I could have picked something more my speed out, but, I’m not sure what could be more ‘my speed’ than something that makes him happy. I don’t really have a favorite movie, exactly. I prefer books as my storytelling medium, but, there are still plenty of things that movies and television series can do that books cannot, so, they are still a valuable storytelling method.

My favorite thing that movies can do that books cannot is allow me the opportunity to curl up on the couch with my other half, him purring in my lap and attention so fully on the screen that I could scratch my fingers over his back and we could both pretend like we’ve talked about it when we absolutely have not.

If he didn’t want me doing it, he wouldn’t be crawling over to lay stomach-down over my lap after putting the bag of cheese away on the coffee table. And he wouldn’t start purring the instant I started.

And because I didn’t pick the movie because of my own interest in the plot, I was comfortable putting more of my attention on him . How it had felt kissing him, how he’d reacted (he’d been so flustered, it was adorable ), the way he’d attacked Stella to protect me, the way he’d carried me out of there. It was a very good thing that no one had demanded I say anything on the subject immediately, because, I had left my voice back in the gallery with that handful of my feathers the instant the ground had disappeared out from under me.

He’d swept me off my feet like my knight in shining armor. And my knight in shining armor has been working so hard to take care of me, to protect me, to make me comfortable, just so he can curl up in my lap and watch his favorite movie while I get the honor of touching him. All over his back. Scratching my fingers, tracing his spine, playing with the spikes between his shoulders, that had grown in just a few years ago… I love touching my little imp. My other half. Mine. I get to keep him.

Until Stella moves in.

I sighed and rested my hand open on the middle of his back and put my attention onto the movie.

Regardless of the fantasies playing out in my mind about Blitz, and the very attractive way he subtly fulfills them constantly , I am betrothed to Stella. The girl that’s just today pulled my feathers out. She’s the one I’m meant to share my bed with for the rest of my life, in just a few short years. And then? What is to become of my other half? The one I love with my whole heart? I refuse to let him go. I want him here , with me, in our home and in our bed, and I cannot allow Stella to hurt him.

But if they’re both here, in the palace, can I guarantee his safety? I’d know if she hurt him, immediately, but I couldn’t protect him. But, would I need to? He is doing so good in his bodyguard training, what are the chances she’d be able to even lay a hand on him?

The point’s moot. The most damage she can do is physically separating us, which she will do just on basis of being present. He can’t be in my arms, in our bed, if she’s there. And if we don’t want her to figure out that we are bonded, we have to be very careful about how we act around each other when she might walk in.

It isn’t fair.

His purring faded. I started scratching his back gently again, up and down his spine. He purred loudly, for a second, but it faded out again after the first breath. I leaned forward, over him, to get a look at his face even though I didn’t really need to. I already knew; he’s fallen asleep.

I smiled and leaned down to kiss the top of his head, and went back to petting my hand over his back through the rest of the movie. My knight in shining armor can take a nap, that’s alright.

It wasn’t until the movie was nearly over, only a few minutes later actually, before I realized he has never fallen asleep during this particular movie before. Is he getting bored of it? Has he a new favorite movie? No, he was too eager and happy when I had put it on, the issue is something else.

I watched the very end of the movie, putting Stella from my mind and rather considering what could be wrong with Blitz. I’m not… entirely ignorant of what it could be. He’s been working very, very hard, for quite a long time. I’ve tried to push him into taking breaks, into taking his bodyguard training easier, but he resists. He always does. He avoids the question, distracts me, and I don’t want to overstep any boundaries, so, I just watch him push himself too much until he asks for help.

The movie ended and I turned the television off. We had dinner earlier, just before coming in, so there was no reason we couldn’t just go to bed. So, I picked him up and carried him all the way up to our room without him stirring a little bit. At most, his tail came up to loop over my arm and he gave another few pulses of purring, but he did not wake.

On our way up, I remembered the way he carried me again, and I felt like I could just float up the stairs. He does so well protecting me. And taking care of me. And I love it when he calls me his birdie. And the way he purrs for me.

I put him down in the pillows and lingered, watching him for a second.

Fuck , do I love him.

Alright, I’ve got to calm down. He’s mine and I have every right to keep him, but I can’t keep him how I want to so long as I have to marry her .

So I changed into my pajamas and slipped into the bed with him. He rolled over and stuck his face into my feathers, on top of me, making me trill and coo at him, petting over his back again until I couldn’t take it any more and I wrapped him tightly in my arms, buried my face in his neck, and I tried to go to sleep.

Blitz

I fucked up.

I’ve got late practice, because I fucked up the performance. But in my defense, Stolas’s feathers are bothering him again and he was plucking over it.

It feels different from when she attacks him, because he doesn’t pull out random feathers. It hurts, but he’s jerking out feathers that are coming out anyway. It’s a dull sting, but still a sting, and he did it while I was juggling, and I fucked it up.

I should probably figure out how to not get distracted from unexpected pain.

But I also had to make sure I don’t get hurt when I’m fighting because I don’t want him to get hurt. I didn’t call him out for plucking, but I did try to make him feel better so he wouldn’t have to again.

But that’s not how I fucked up. I fucked up by overextending and when I started getting shaky and feeling weird, I shoved that shit down and kept going just a little more, instead of pulling the ‘lazy bastard’ card and sneaking a break from some evening practice. I fucked up by slipping on the rope and falling flat on my shoulder, busting it bad enough I couldn’t just get back up and pretend everything was alright.

I stayed on the ground long enough for a portal to open up nearby and the loudest most accusatory stare to come down on me from four glowy, stupid, pretty eyes.

“Shut up.”

“Blitz?” Someone called from the other side of the room, because I wasn’t the only one doing evening practice. “You good?”

Familiar hands picked me up off the ground and I was slung over a familiar shoulder. The same shoulder on him as the one I’d just busted. Just to add insult to injury. “No, does it look like I’m okay? I’m getting fucking kidnapped!”

The other guy was taking a swing from a water bottle, watching us and completely unimpressed. “Don’t worry, I won’t rat you out to Cash for skipping out early.”

“Nobody even cares.” I groaned and pretended to struggle. “Getting fucking kidnapped and nobody fucking cares.”

Stolas reached up to pinch my shoulder in exactly the right way to make it sting without doing any more damage. I mean, probably. He knows just about everything, he’d know how to do that and he’d also never actually hurt me. “Kidnapped would imply you were being taken against your will, and no one in this circus is going to believe that’s true.”

“It could be true.” I snaked my tail in around his waist. “I’m trying to do my job, Stols, you can’t just interrupt like that. Dad’ll be pissed.”

“I’m not afraid of your father.” He closed the portal behind us and carried me toward the bed. “I do have a question.” He leaned over it to drop me down on the pillows, still being a little less than gentle about it. I hissed and glared up at him, and he was rubbing his shoulder, but he didn’t look like he felt all that bad for me.

Which made me suspicious of his question. “What?”

“How do you get an injury like this while practicing things you’ve been doing since before I met you, when you complete your actual weapons and fighting training without so much as a bruise most of the time?”

I dry swallowed and looked away, making a show to get comfortable instead. “Just an accident. It happens, you know.”

“I do know.” He was sitting on the edge of the bed and was now leaning in toward me. “I also know you put more effort into taking care of me than anything else, you would never do something like this on purpose.”

“Not everything’s about you. You going to interrogate me all day or get me a pain pill?”

“I’m going to make you admit you’re overdoing it, actually. Hold out your hand.”

I narrowed my eyes at him, “I don’t… want to.”

He held his hand out expectantly, so I would give him mine. I glared at it, weighing my options. Best option is making him give up trying to take care of me like this, so I used my good arm to push myself up and tried to get past him so I could get my own damn pain pills.

He sighed and put a hand on my chest, shoving me back down in the pillows.

I, the dumbass, let out a stupid little gasp and gave up immediately, looking up at him, and felt a little silly over it.

“Lay down, Blitz. I’ll get you the pills.” He didn’t linger to notice how stupid I got about him pushing me around, and I was never more grateful. “You’re so dramatic, I’m not going to let you keep hurting yourself, you know. Pick what sort of book you want to hear now, because you aren’t leaving that bed until tomorrow.”

My eyes fell on his ass as he walked away and I had a few familiar thoughts. “You’re not going to make me stay in bed.”

“I’m going to make you stay in bed.” He disappeared into the bathroom.

I laid on my back and stared up at the ceiling, taking calm and deep breaths, speed-running a few familiar fantasies. The kiss, preening him, preening him but being weird about it, a different kind of kiss, those thighs… I mean, who the fuck is going to find me out and stop me in my own head? I can’t have him for real because he’s getting married, but, like, he’s supposed to be mine. He’s my other half. He’s my birdie. If I can’t take him out on a date and hold his hand and kiss his pretty face and… if I’ve got to be his stupid fucking bodyguard , then I get to at least imagine what it would be like to sit in his lap with my legs on either side of him, holding-

“Two of these should be fine. You don’t need poultice, and, I don’t think you even need it wrapped. It hurt, but, I think come tomorrow it’ll only be bruised.” He came to sit on the edge of the bed again and held his hand out toward me, fingers pinched and hanging down.

I sighed and sat up, reaching out to accept the pills. “Thanks.”

He didn’t drop them in my hand. Instead, he pulled his hand back. I followed just an inch or so before I realized what he was doing. My hand was shaking and he was watching it with a suspicious look.

I groaned and leaned closer to demand the pills. “Yeah, yeah, I’ll take it easy, alright?”

He gave them to me, then handed me a glass of that was already on the side table. It wasn’t mine; it’s tea. My glass of water, from last night, was empty. I didn’t hesitate to down the pills with his leftover tea, the whole time thinking with the shittiest internal giggling, indirect kiss .

Heh heh heh, indirect kiss.

He was already climbing up into the bed beside me, a book in his hand. “We’re going to finish the one about aliens, now.” He wasn’t asking.

“Uh, maybe I want a different story? Or, maybe I want to do something else?”

He settled in and opened his arms like he expected me to come over into his lap, which was being really presumptuous. “I don’t want to start a new book without finishing the first one, especially if I’m already reading three books.”

“Three?” I procrastinated. “Uh, the alien one with me, that dorky romance one you’ve been carrying around, and… the grimoire? Does that even count?”

“No.” He motioned now, since I was still not crawling forward into his lap. “It’s a history book for one of my lessons.”

Oh. Right. Their tutor assigned them to read about the history of Hell in this one specific book and it’s stuff Stolas already knows but he’s still reading the book to be thorough, and we both agreed that there’s no way Stella’s even attempting the assignment.

I like those lessons the best. The ones where they’re sitting in desks, not near each other, listening to their tutors lecture about stuff that imps don’t usually waste time learning. Why pay attention to history when you’ve got shit going on right now ? So it’s a little interesting, I guess.

“Are you going to pout all night?” he got tired of waiting for me to come closer.

“I’m not pouting, I just…” I decided that pretending like I didn’t understand what he was expecting was now more work than it was worth. I want him to stop paying attention to my mistakes and what I want and me, but he’s not going to do that. So it’ll just be easier if I cooperate and we move past this faster than keeping putting both of our attention on the issue by pretending (badly) that it isn’t there.

I’m tired.

I’m really tired.

I haven’t been sleeping well, I’ve got too much work, and I’m trying to do everything on my own. It’s not like I could possibly pretend like that’s not what’s happening to my other half; it’s easier to pretend for myself than it is for him.

But he isn’t going to make a big deal about it. He’s going to tease me a little bit while he takes care of me – I’m supposed to be taking care of him – and as long as I do what he wants, he’s not going to draw this out.

I curled up in his lap, confident enough I wasn’t going to last a full chapter, and gave into the mortifying ordeal of losing any sort of power in the situation. I’m supposed to be training right now. I don’t want anyone to think I’m weak or can’t handle it, but, that doesn’t matter. He wants me to rest and feel better, and he gets everything he wants. He gets everything he wants, and right now, what he wants, is me to be vulnerable and admit defeat.

So I guess I have to do that.

He rested his hands on my back, holding the book up, and started reading. It only lasted a page or so before he held the book with one hand and was petting the back of my head, neck, and shoulders slowly with the other one. He had me purring like he was an expert at it.

I don’t want to be a pet .

I knew that wasn’t going to mean shit from the beginning, because, what am I now? I’m a bodyguard. I’m sure as hell not a boyfriend, so, what am I? Does it matter? Do I care?

I tilted my face down, to hide it, because now I was thinking about kissing him again. I can’t do that. But I can make him flustered and that’s always fun.

I stuck my mouth into the feathers on his thigh, exposed because of the type of pajamas he was wearing now, and I blew a raspberry. He made that cute as shit flustered owl sound, embarrassed and absolutely perfect.

Once he calmed down, the book left my back and he shifted under me. I still had my face buried, so I didn’t know what he was doing before he was doing it. He kissed the back of my neck, cooing fondly, and I shivered, purring louder on accident.

That night was… strange. I fell asleep no problem, I never have trouble falling asleep in that bed. I do back at the circus now, as infrequently as I do these days, but never here. But normally I sleep through the night and I wake up real early. I’m an early riser, Stolas is a night owl, and he’s got time reading his books or watching some boring documentary or whatever at the end of the day while I snore in his lap and I’ve always got an hour or two to get a run or early morning training done while I let him sleep in.

That’s not what happened. When all was said and done, I felt like I’d woken up a dozen times for moments at a time, not even coming fully online. I remember starting to wake up a few times and feeling feathers, relaxing, and going back to sleep. I remember starting to wake up and not feeling feathers, and waking up a little more until the feathers appeared, then passing right back out. It felt like it was a really messed up sleep, as much as that happened. I feel like there were a few other things that happened. I might have been up long enough to eat something, but, I definitely wasn’t firing on all cylinders. I’m not even positive that wasn’t a dream. I felt hot. I felt cold. I was uncomfortable, I was comfortable.

And when I finally woke up, and I felt rested, and I knew I couldn’t even keep my eyes closed any longer, I was curled up on my side with my birdie on top of me. His chest, at least. He’s propped up on me like I was a pillow, the rest of him stretched out behind me and his grimoire open on the bed in front of me. His elbows were on the bed in front of me too, his head resting on the dip of my waist, and he appeared to be content just studying it like this. I was having trouble figuring out how he was awake this early.

I stretched out and yawned. He lifted his head to give me space, until I rolled over to face him and look up at his face. He looked bored, rather than tired or worried or anything. He was looking down to me, rather than the grimoire, now.

“Did you sleep well?”

I hummed in confirmation, flicking my tail around one of his arms. “Why ‘re you up?”

He tilted his head curiously, “What do you mean?”

Fuck, whatever, not the right question I guess. I guess it’s conceivable I slept in, like, really late. I was really tired. “What time is it?” I wiggled under him until I could sit up.

He had to roll to the side to free me, now laying on his side and propping his head on his palm. “Nearly noon.”

“Oh.” Yeah, that’s not, like horrible. I don’t usually sleep past eight, at the latest, but lunch time isn’t the craziest thing I’ve ever heard.

“Thursday.”

I froze, tried to figure out if he was joking or not, and laid back down. “Ha ha.”

“I’m serious. You slept all of yesterday. The whole day. Your mother called me to check in on you, and you had a low fever for part of the day, and I almost couldn’t wake you up to eat anything.”

I sobered and stared up at him, realizing that maybe, maybe, I had really fucked up. “Oh.”

He smiled and dropped his free hand down to cup my face, “You woke up any time I left you alone longer than a minute or so, and you freaked out if you woke up and I was gone. I had to stay with you all day.”

I groaned and covered my face. “I’m sorry, Stols, you could have just dumped me back at the circus. I could have been Fizz’s problem, or Momma’s…”

“You’re my problem,” he cooed and pet the side of my face in a way that felt really nice and made me want to purr. “I’m not giving you up.”

I shoved myself upward so fast neither he nor I could reconsider. I propped myself with one arm, which was still sore, and lifted the other ahead of me to grab the feathers on the back of his head, for leverage, when I mashed my mouth over his beak.

Chapter Text

Stolas

“Now for napkins,” the man droned on about the importance of scalloped or unscalloped napkins – something I could frankly not give two shits about – while Stella paid her full attention. She’s been more attentive for all of this wedding planning than any of our lessons, the last few years. Lessons are finished, classes completed, and for the next three and a half weeks, our time is dedicated almost exclusively toward preparation for the wedding.

I don’t care about napkins. I don’t care what sort of wines are served, or the color of the cake. The only decision in the wedding that I care about is out of my control, and to be perfectly honest, I don’t want anything to do with the rest of it.

“Prince Stolas?” The wedding planner turned to me expectantly. I know exactly what he’d said, I just don’t care.

“Sure.” I looked away, imagining a different wedding. A better one. One where I was excited, where I was picking out napkins and wines and other unimportant things with my other half. The most important person in my life, who right now has nothing to do with what is meant to be the most important day of my life.

“Euk,” Stella glared at me. “You’re going to sulk and ruin everything, aren’t you?”

I smiled and fixed my posture, “Of course not. I just want you to have everything you want. This is a very important day for you.”

She narrowed her eyes suspiciously at me, but she accepted the fluffing. “Yes. It is. We’ll take the scalloped ones.”

Now, onto the flower arrangements. They were set up in another room, at the end of the hall, specifically for our arrival. The colors and types of flowers had been selected long ago, so all of the arrangements looked the same.

I.

Don’t.

Care.

Fuck. I plucked on my arm, out of anxiety, and I knew he felt it immediately. He’s going to be upset. He doesn’t like it when I pluck in anxiety, but his alternative isn’t really an option right now. He’s at his circus right now because Father doesn’t want him involved in the wedding planning at all.

As the planner described the third of what will surely be dozens of nearly identical arrangements, my pocket vibrated. With little care toward being perceived as rude, I checked the message my Blitzy had just sent me, even though I knew what it must be already.

Blitzy💜: stop that

I tucked the screen up to my chest and took a deep breath. Then, once I felt calm enough, I replied.

Me: Sorry.

Blitzy💜: dont do it agin and ill git u a surpris

“Excuse me,” the planner cleared his throat to get my attention. I looked up to see they were both glaring at me. “Are we interrupting something?”

“No.” I put my phone away without replying and pretended, again, like I gave any more than negative fucks about any of this. “I’m sorry, it wasn’t an emergency.”

“You better not ruin this for me.” Stella approached me and poked a threatening finger into my chest. “If you do, if you make this anything less than the most perfect, fairy tale wedding that I am imagining, I will make sure you know your place by the end of our first night together as a married couple.”

I could barely feel bothered to be scared. Blitz cannot interfere, he cannot get rid of her, but if she does anything of the sort I will be unable to stop him from doing something. And if he does do something, well, I can’t at the moment feel particularly scared for him, because even if I don’t know how I’d protect him, I know I would.

I am not scared of Stella.

“It will be perfect. There are plenty of other arrangements still, but, the one in your hands would fit very nicely on the backs of the chairs.”

Stella glared at me and put the bouquet down in frustration, huffed, and stormed off to the next table.

After that, nearly an hour later, we had to go upstairs to a sounding room with a live band prepared and waiting for us. A succubus group that plays for formal events and have a very high reputation, one that Stella enjoys and specifically requested.

“Have the two of you discussed your plans for egg warming?” The planner asked in a lull in the conversation between him and Stella, after a particularly distressing discussion of scents. “Are you planning a smaller, more personal event with your closest friends, or a larger party? Because we can help you with more than just the wedding.”

“Something large,” Stella declared as if the subject had already been decided between us.

But this was something I cared a little more about. “Personal.”

She stopped in her tracks, at the top of the stairs, to glare at me as venomously as I’ve ever seen her glare, which, wasn’t particularly worse than any other time. She hates me, she thinks me the scum of the Ars Goetia, and she thinks I don’t deserve an opinion in anything.

But like hell will I flaunt my personal life in such away, particularly while I’m going to be busy figuring out how to balance my relationship with Blitz with my marriage to her, hiding our Bond, and processing the most certainly traumatizing process of creating the egg in question.

“Excuse me?” She fluffed her feathers to appear larger, balling her fists and leaning in to glare at me where I had very little space at the top of the landing. “If I must sacrifice my body to produce a stupid little heir for you, I deserve a proper celebration for being rid of it.”

“My heir,” I don’t care. I don’t care, I need to care. I feel such a huge wave of not caring that I had to fight for something I know I’m going to care quite a bit about later, when the time comes. I cannot allow her to steamroll my life, and despite the fact she will be the one laying the egg, it will be our egg. It will be my heir. It will be the entire reason for our union, the entire reason I am not allowed to wed Blitz instead, and I cannot allow her to control every decision surrounding this egg. “My heir will not be flaunted like a show pony.”

Her eyes lit up with a fiery anger that I might dare stand up to her. Because normally, I just let her do whatever she wants, so we do not get into any altercations, so Father has no reason to threaten to separate me from Blitz.

He can’t do that anymore. Soon enough, in three and a half weeks, he will have no power to make any such decisions over my life.

I lifted my chin and glared back down at her. “You can throw your stupid little parties, but leave my egg out of it.”

She looked more furious than I have ever seen her, actually. But I will not allow her to walk all over me. I will not allow her to run my life, or to control the life of my heir. I expected her to have some not-so-witty response that would lead to a proper argument that will frustrate her, and ruin the rest of our day, but I will not step down this time.

She pushed me. It was so quick, so sudden, I didn’t have a chance to find my balance. There was no space behind me.

So I fell.

Blitz

The pain wasn’t unfamiliar. I’ve hurt myself like this a while back, while practicing the trapeze.

But he doesn’t work or live in a circus. He’s out wedding planning with her, and the only explanation for why he would be in so much pain – bumped and bruised all over – is because she’s done something horrible to him.

I was feral. I had been with Fizz, and he was letting me complain about it all, everything, when it happened.

I wanted to storm off immediately.

He stopped me.

“You don’t know where they are, you can’t go beat her up, and he’s probably going to get real medical attention.”

I tried to bite him when he held me down. “Let me go, I’ve got to go beat that bitch into a pulp. Tear her stupid fucking feathers out and-”

“And you need to call him first. Text him. Figure out what he wants first. Stolas is in a real hot seat right now, and you know he’s going to want to see you, but he isn’t going to want to have to clean up you making a mess of everything right before his wedding.”

I thrashed a little more, but Fizz knows how to pin me until I was getting enough oxygen to my brain to calm the fuck down.

It took a few minutes this time. By then, the pain hadn’t completely gone away. I recognized easily, as Fizz let me sit up, that he’s walking on it. It isn’t broken, it’s definitely just sprained, but he’s walking on it so strongly, so quickly, the pain isn’t going down and he’s probably trying to avoid limping.

I text him.

He didn’t answer.

I text him again.

The pain began to fade enough that he was either sitting or standing still. He still didn’t answer.

I called him. He hung up on me.

I called again and it went straight to voicemail.

“Fizz.” I tried to breathe calmly.

“No.”

“Fizz, I’m going. I’m not sure I’m coming back. If you see me getting executed on-”

“Blitz, no! Just wait until he calls you back, alright? He’s probably busy trying to fix stuff. You don’t know what happened. Just wait.”

He’s right. I trust Fizz, he’s smart and he’s not having a panic attack right now. “Fine.”

That text message wasn’t much longer. He told me they were in the car, and he couldn’t talk yet.

Right.

Lord Paimon’s going to be right there. He went with them, he told me on the way there, to discuss the details of the wedding while Stolas and that bitch picked out decorations. His dad’s going to be right there next to him in the car, it is not going to be a safe place to rant to me about what happened. More than likely, whatever happened, his dad’s blaming him for – which is complete bullshit – and he is not going to be allowed to express sadness or fear or frustration or anger until it’s just us.

I expected to get a call when he was alone, or a text when his dad wasn’t paying attention, but my next sign was when Mr. Butler appeared in the entrance to our tent.

I stumbled to my feet as quickly as I could, favoring my right ankle even though it isn’t actually my ankle that’s gotten sprained. I bowed my head to him respectfully, trying not to rush him and make him upset. “Is he okay?”

“Blitz.” He greeted, stepping into our tent as easily as he would our- as easy as he would Stolas’s bedroom. Because it’s a tent and it didn’t qualify with the same level of privacy real rooms would? Because this is just some lowly circus, he didn’t think it qualified for asking entrance? Because it’s my tent and he’s taken care of me as much as he has Stolas since we were little, even if not as long as he’s taken care of Stolas, and he doesn’t expect to need permission to enter my space? “The Young Prince will be just fine. His ankle has been wrapped and he’s got an ice pack on it now. It should take no more than a week to heal fully.”

I took my first relief. I let out a breath. “Good.”

“Where is your mother, currently?”

I froze.

Oh, no.

No, I’ve done something horrible. Lord Paimon is very upset about all this. Stella’s done something to make Stolas try to fight her- did she insult me? Stolas takes everything she throws at him, did she threaten me or something? What did she do that made Stolas fight like an imp, which made Lord Paimon so mad at me that he wants to talk to Momma?

“Sh-” my voice broke and I fought the urge to lie and say she wasn’t here. “Am I in trouble?”

“No.” He doesn’t sound like I’m not in trouble, though. He sounds like something’s happened, and, generally speaking, that usually means I’m in trouble. I can’t remember breaking anything in the palace recently, though. “I want you to go and fetch her; Lord Paimon would like to speak with her in person.”

Fizz handed my bag over to me, the one I’d packed to practically live out of while I was back in the circus for the next month or so. While they’re getting ready for the wedding, Lord Paimon wanted me to stay away. I don’t know if he wanted me to get ready for not being able to hang on his son all the time, he thought I’d get in the way during wedding prep, or he was worried Stolas and I would get found out with all the different people hanging around the palace more frequently. Any way you put it, tonight, I’m staying in the palace.

“I don’t know why you don’t just move in,” Fizz gave me a weary look.

I locked up and avoided his eyes. “Shut up.” He knows why, and I did not want to rehash that conversation in front of Mr. Butler.

Mr. Butler’s face had a weird expression on it when I looked back to him. He schooled it real fast, though, and gestured for me to leave the tent ahead of him. “I’ll wait for the two of you at the car. Do be quick.”

“Yessir.” I ducked my head and rushed away, because it was already too late to be embarrassed about talking like that to anyone in front of Fizz. But to be fair, there wasn’t a damn imp here in the circus that deserved to be called ‘sir’ here, unless you were trying to butter them up to get something out of them. And if you ever catch me calling Cash ‘sir’, it’s a hard and fast ‘fuck you’ when he wins an argument and wants to rub it in my face. Usually followed by a fantasy about me using my cool-as-fuck bodyguard skills on his ass.

Speaking of Cash, Momma was in their tent with him. He was at his desk, probably taking care of money stuff for the circus, I don’t know. He had paperwork and a stack of envelopes, and a sack of cash. Momma was cleaning up empty bottles that he’d left around the tent, listening to him bitch and moan about stupid shit. Something about skimping the horse tamers out of part of their paycheck due to performance issues or something. Which is bullshit. He’s such a shitty boss.

I cleared my throat, hoping to only get Momma’s attention. Of course I didn’t. Cash looked up with a glare, “What the fuck do you want? I’m busy.”

“Cash.” Momma gave him a tired look, and he didn’t apologize or lighten up. He harrumphed, waved a hand, and went back to work. She then looked back toward me, “What do you need, Sweetie?”

“Stolas’s dad wants to talk to you.” I ignored Cash as best I could.

“Oh.” She smiled and set two bottles on the desk beside the paperwork and wiped her hands on her skirt as she came toward me. “Are they in the meeting space again?”

Cash knocked the bottles off the desk. Momma ignored it entirely, putting a hand on my shoulder as she came out of the tent. I waited until we were out of seeing and hearing range from that asshole before I said, softly to make sure he couldn’t hear, “He wants you to come to the palace this time. Is that alright?”

Her steps faltered and she looked nervous, but only a moment. She picked her smile back up and pet a hand over top my head reassuringly. “That’s alright. But I feel like I’m a little under dressed.”

“You’re fine, he won’t mind. He, uh, he only cares if I’m wearing nice clothes when Stolas and I go out into public.” I picked at my nails nervously, all of the things I’ve done wrong circling my head like a bunch of fucking vultures around a carcass. It could have nothing to do with his ankle, it could have everything to do with his ankle. What have I done that could have caused that? Or, did Stella figure out that Stolas and I are Bonded? She hasn’t in all these years, even seeing us right beside each other, why would she now? Is it… does it have anything to do with… My stomach flipped over, but, it’s just Momma here right now. “Stolas got hurt this time and now Lord Paimon wants both of us to go over… You don’t think I’m in so much trouble he’s going to be mad at you too, right?”

“I don’t think so, Sweetie. Lord Paimon was very happy with you the last time we’d talked. Have you done anything since then that he would be this upset over?”

Despite my attempts to avoid thinking about that when was trying to figure out what I’d done wrong, I had a sudden and very intense flashback to feathers on my face and my tongue in a mouth that isn’t mine.

“N- no?” My voice sounded stupid even to me.

She raised an eyebrow, “Blitz?”

My face flushed even hotter, so I hid it by looking away in the most guilty way possible. “It’s nothing.”

“If it isn’t nothing, do you want me to find out from him or you?” Her voice is calm and firm, and I knew she’s right. If somehow he has found out, I don’t want her to find out from him.

I shook the memory of Stolas’s touch on my horn and the back of my head, to pull me closer, away. “I- I mean, there’s no way- it’s… uh… I don’t think he’s found out… um, unless…” Unless Stolas accidentally said something. Unless he accidentally said something to Stella, and that’s what’s happened. She’s the one that’s hurt him, but, our Bond isn’t news to Lord Paimon. That wouldn’t make him this angry. Finding out I’m not going to be Stolas’s pet is what would make him upset. Especially after all this time and goodwill he’s given me.

“Blitz.” Her voice was just as calm and firm. “It’s alright. If I’m taken by surprise if he does bring up whatever ornery things you and the prince have gotten into, it will be more difficult for me to minimize the damage for you. I’m only looking out for you.”

I trust Momma. She won’t be mad.

“I kissed him.”

“Oh.” I couldn’t make out her tone, and I didn’t dare look up. I felt my shoulders tensing in anticipation, at the reminder that doing something like that is a stupid idea and I could get killed over it.

“Actually,” I rushed, when she didn’t say anything else, “he kissed me. But, I mean, I kissed him back. And… then… we did it again? Uh… but, there’s no way his dad’s found out! I swear!” I hope!

She pulled me into a side hug while we walked, the car just coming into view. “Do you love him, Blitz?”

I nodded silently.

“Then everything will be alright. Relax.”

I took a deep breath and I relaxed. She’s right. Even on the ridiculous off chance that his dad has found out about it, and he’s about to chew Momma out over it, it’ll pass. Lord Paimon wouldn’t hurt Momma, he likes her. He likes her better than Cash. If he wanted to take his anger at me out on one of my parents, I don’t think he’d hesitate to blame Cash and turn him into stone, probably. But why would he even do that, when I’m right here to take full responsibility for sabotaging Stolas’s arranged marriage? And for ‘sullying’ him with the ‘lower class’?

Besides, Mr. Butler said I wasn’t in trouble. He’d sounded like whatever this is will be important, and he doesn’t lie to me.

Everything is going to be okay, and I’m going to kiss him again once we’re in his room. Or the sun room. The sun room should be safe too.

I didn’t have to wait that long to see him, but, when I rushed into the car toward him, I did not have a chance to kiss his pretty face.

Not with Lord Paimon sitting there, in his seat nearer to the door, fuming.

Chapter Text

Stolas

Blitz slid on his knees toward me, or rather, toward my foot. He completely ignored Father, inspecting my ankle with no small amount of worry.

“What happened, Stols? Who wrapped this for you? I’m going to bend it to see what hurts, alright?”

I didn’t let him get too far, pulling him up into the seat beside me and muttering, “Blitz, stop. I’m fine.”

“You aren’t-!”

Father cleared his throat. Blitz stopped abruptly and sat at attention, head snapping around to face Father, his tail hooking down and around my injured leg.

“Take a seat.”

Father sounds no less pissed now that Blitz and his Momma are here. Blitz is terrified, but he’s gesturing for his Momma to come and sit on his other side.

She stayed impressively calm and patient, coming to sit beside Blitz after giving father a polite bow. “Lord Paimon, I hope my boy hasn’t been giving you any troubles.”

“Hmm,” was all he said, which, was terrifying.

I found Blitz’s hand and squeezed it, wishing we could talk. I had so much I wanted to tell him, but, that’s going to have to wait. Now wasn’t the time to talk at all. The atmosphere was so stuffed thick with Father’s rage that it was palpable. I could just about taste it, and, it was a vile taste that made me want to fidget and move and escape. If it weren’t for Blitz’s tail around my leg and his hand in mine, I wouldn’t have been able to sit still the entire rest of the way back to the palace. I know so, because, on the way I had made Father angry my bouncing my leg and wiggling my hands.

At the palace, Mr. Butler opened the door for us all to leave, and Father went out first. He did not linger or wait, he went directly to the front doors and stormed inside. Blitz rushed to help his Momma out of the car first, then rushed back to help me so I didn’t have to walk on my ankle.

All the way to the car, after one of their staff had wrapped my ankle and Stella’s mother had forced her brother to make me an ice pack, I had tried my best to minimize my ankle. Now, when I tried to do that, Blitz shouldered into my side with the injured ankle aggressively, making me stumble and limp to catch myself. I hooted in startle and looked down to him, but he was glaring at me.

“Lean on me if you need to, you’re going to make it worse,” he said softly, pausing at the bottom of the stairs with me.

“I can handle it-”

“You are not going to feed me my own words. Either lean on me or I’m picking you up.”

I want him to pick me up. I want him to carry me again, like he had that one time. I want him to manhandle me-

I have to be as normal as possible under Father’s scrutiny, I do not want to give him anything to get more angry over.

So I grabbed hold of one of his horns and put a little of my weight on it on my way up the stairs. He had a hand raised on my hip, to keep steady, and we went at a careful pace together, his Momma staying behind us without complaining at our slow pace the entire way up. At the top, Mr. Butler held the door for us, and Father was nowhere to be seen.

“The palace is very lovely,” Momma complimented, looking around and clearly nervous. “But… why am I here now?”

Mr. Butler gestured one direction that gave me a very good idea of where they were going to go. “Lord Paimon would like to talk with you privately in the study. Right this way.”

I held Blitz’s horn tightly and watched them leave. My stomach twisted uncomfortably. Father would not hurt Blitz’s Momma, she is too kind and nice and polite and Father likes her.

Then we were alone. “What happened?”

I didn’t look away from the door they had disappeared through. The study. The study is by the library, though their doors aren’t close. They share a back wall, in one part, and that’s on purpose.

“I fell.”

He jerked away from me and took a step away to glare up at me, “You fell? Are you serious?”

My stomach flipped at the angry and protective look on his face. I could see it in his eyes, on his face, he is staring at me and he is mad on my behalf. He is imagining methods of hurting Stella, and he is calling me his.

“She pushed me down the stairs.”

He lifted his chin and his expression slipped some from his anger at her to his worry over me, which I enjoyed even more. “That b-”

“We don’t have time for this, Blitzy.” I stooped to seize both of his hands, demanding his attention, because it belongs to me. I get his attention. I get his thoughts, his worry, his love, and his attention. “Father was angry. He was livid. He sent me to wait in the car, and he had a discussion with her parents. I don’t know what he said, I couldn’t sneak out of the car to eavesdrop; Mr. Butler was standing guard outside the door to her palace. When Father came back out to the car, he wouldn’t tell me anything. He was angry, and he told Mr. Butler to go get your mother – not you – and he said ‘the little clown boy isn’t the only funny one here’.”

He was having trouble processing all of that, but we don’t have time. I let one of his hands go and pried him free of the place he had planted himself before me, toward the library.

He resisted. “Hey, wait, hold on. What are you doing, where are we going? Your room’s the other direction, and I’ve still got a million questions.”

“Those are going to have to wait.” I tried to pull him again, and this time he let me. “We’re going to eavesdrop. I know the perfect way do to it, if they’re in his office.”

I let myself limp as we rushed through the halls, hand-in-hand this time. The limping did alleviate the pressure on it and he didn’t object, so, I must have been favoring it well enough. Then again, when he is trying to wrap his mind around new information, he typically is a bit slower. I took him through to the library, up a narrow flight of stairs to the supply closet that held the dumb-waiter to Father’s office. It’s meant to carry books and supplies for easy transport between the two rooms, considering the overlap between ‘office’ and ‘library’, but, Father rarely uses it. And when he isn’t using it, it rests at the bottom of the short chute, and would act as the perfect little eavesdropping station.

The supplies dumb-waiter is of a rather large size. It’s meant to carry large amounts of books, and potentially even a full lectern. That isn’t to say it was spacious for us to occupy; it would actually be rather cramped so long as it was empty. Fortunately, it was empty. Blitz let me pick him up and lower him inside, and he scooted to the very edge when I lowered myself inside as quietly as I could. The instant I had opened the hatch, we could hear their voices but not their words. Their words weren’t clear until I was sitting cross legged and no longer moving, and Blitz had settled into my lap, his back against my chest. I settled my arms loosely around him, and we listened with our breath held.

Blitz

“That’s typically how it’s done, though I cringe at the idea. No offense.” That’s Lord Paimon’s voice. They’ve already been talking the few minutes it had taken us to get in here, and, whatever they’d discussed had apparently been very quick to the point. Obviously, we had already missed something important. Lord Paimon sounds less angry than he had been in the car, and, that was a huge relief.

I hadn’t wanted to let Momma go and be alone in a room with him like that. I trust Lord Paimon, but, he is still… him. He doesn’t mind my hanging around all the time, he’s honestly not around a whole lot except when Stolas had lessons and stuff, and he’s never doubted my bodyguard abilities to protect his son. Which means he believes in me more than Cash ever did, so to be perfectly honest I’ve always liked the guy more than I liked my own dad, even if he does still call me Stolas’s ‘pet imp’. I think he forgets my name sometimes, because he usually just calls me ‘the little clown boy’.

“I understand,” Momma replied, and she didn’t sound insulted. She sounded startled. What did he say, before? Why couldn’t we get in here just a little bit earlier? “To be perfectly honest, I think something like that is a little unnecessary. I understand your goals here, your highness, and I don’t think giving Cash anything out of this deal is going to help.”

What? Why would Lord Paimon give that bastard anything?

“Then we are on the same page. You agree. We can discuss the details. I will not be breaking my silence with that man, he will not be invited. Clearly. Blitz was originally intended to be the security, but now I suppose I’ll have to find some level of replacement.”

Stolas’s hands, which had fallen comfortably onto my legs, tightened. I tilted my head to look up at him in confusion, because those words seemed to mean something more to him than they did to me. One of the only two sources of light in here - a crack of light coming in from some slit that faced into Lord Paimon’s office – fit perfectly across his face, giving me a decent view of his strange expression. He was looking down at me, directing the other light source (his eyes) onto my face. He looked as confused as I felt, so, perhaps he hadn’t understood something I didn’t there?

I mouthed to him, What is he talking about?

Stolas only shook his head slightly and looked back toward the cracks in the wall. Momma was talking again.

“I’m sorry, your highness, but can I ask some elaboration on that part?”

“I thought you understood. I believe I made myself perfectly clear; you’ve already agreed to give me the boy.”

This time it was my turn to tighten my grip on Stolas. Give him the boy? Me? She was angry at Cash for selling me, to begin with, all those years ago. She wouldn’t turn around and do the same thing! I could believe Lord Paimon trying to buy me again easily, and at this point I know that if they did make a deal like that, I’d be perfectly fine. I’d be a present for Stolas, or some shit, and Stolas would go behind his father’s back to break whatever legal bind they’ve got on me, and then we’d just get to hang out more.

But there’s no fucking way Momma would sell me like that.

Stolas’s beak touched the top of my head lightly. I relaxed slightly.

“I know.” Momma’s voice was nervous. I felt protective. I wanted to step in, but, I couldn’t. So I just held onto Stolas tighter. “But, I suppose, I can’t help being a bit protective of my boy. You understand, because, you wouldn’t be doing something like this if you didn’t care about yours. This is not only opening you up for… social alienation for allowing something like this, but the prince too. This is something he will have to deal with far more than you will, and you’d only do this if you cared so much for him. You want what’s best for him, even if it’s going to be difficult, because you knew he would have been miserable with that girl.”

Stolas was holding his breath. His grip on my legs were getting tighter. If it kept going, I was going to have to intervene, but for now, he seems like he needs it. He’s getting more out of whatever Momma was saying than I am, because, I’m still not understanding. What are they talking about? Has Stolas figured it out? What does she mean ‘would have been’?

“Hmm.” Lord Paimon didn’t sound angry to be talked to like that by a ‘lowly imp’. He sounded thoughtful. “I can certainly understand how Blitz has come to be so… tolerable. What do you require elaboration on?”

“This isn’t a game, is it?” They were both quiet for a moment, and either his dad didn’t understand what she was saying or… I don’t know. She went on either at some nonverbal prompting from him, or on her own. “You’ve revoked the arrangement with that girl, you won’t do it again, will you? It would break his heart, and I want to protect that.”

Lord Paimon exhaled so deeply it was clearly audible, despite the muffled way we heard everything through this probably-a-cabinet door. “What’s done is done. That girl and her family have hurt Stolas for the last time. This new arrangement will serve to not only humiliate their name, but ensure Stolas is happy. The social devastation he and I will face by holding a union with an imp is only second to their social suicide in fumbling the arrangement between Stolas and Stella, which had been secured for over a decade.” That was about the time Stolas’s grip on my legs got so tight I had to pry his fingers off. He adapted to wrapping his arms around me again, this time careful of his strength to avoid suffocating me, but still plenty strong enough to pull me flush against his chest and stomach. Lord Paimon was still talking. “In this new arrangement, not only do I fulfill my purpose of humiliating them, but there isn’t really any point in organizing a new arrangement. Simply calling the wedding off would come halfway to serving my purposes, plenty enough to punish them for what they have allowed to become of my son, but ensuring he is still married off quickly while she us suddenly without future is going to be a very satisfying blow.”

“So you aren’t going to change your mind? And you aren’t going to stage it, and separate the two boys once the situation blows over?”

“No.” He sounded tired, now. “No, I plan to be gone by then and I couldn’t care less what they do with their lives. Blitz has learned the palace well. His manners are more than adequate – far superior to what that wretched girl’s had ever been – and he… isn’t annoying to have around. I have no doubt he will avoid humiliating me or my son.”

Stolas shifted, not letting me go, in a way that made me think he was about to leave.

“Wait.” I whispered as lowly as I could, touching his arm.

“We have to leave.” He denied, adjusting again as if he were about to send me up ahead of him, just like he had sent me in ahead of him too.

“If I didn’t know better, I’d think you liked Blitz.” Momma sounded like she was teasing.

Stolas hesitated when my tail tucked in around his arm.

Lord Paimon groaned. “No more than I like my own. He’s just been… here. For too long. Occasionally I’ve forgotten he doesn’t live here and I am insulted that dinner would be served without all the places set.”

I gripped onto Stolas tighter and he lifted me out of the weird little cabinet space. I was marching back into the library before he had the hatch shut (gently, quietly). He rushed to catch up to me, and I didn’t dare look up at his face.

“Blitz?”

I ignored him, barely even able to recognize he’d said anything over the whirling of thoughts in my head right now.

“Blitzy, tell me what you’re thinking.”

That was all some contrived plot. Momma and Lord Paimon have become unlikely theater friends and are meeting in secret to practice the most dramatic and unlikely plot lines they can come up with, so they don’t get their weird acting practice mixed up with reality.

“Blitz!” Stolas grabbed my shoulder.

We were in the middle of the library.

I looked up at him.

He almost looked afraid.

“What?” I tried to make myself look relaxed, because I had no idea what I looked like before. He didn’t relax.

“You heard what I did, didn’t you? My marriage to Stella has been canceled. Father was so angry with Stella, over what happened, he called it off.” He only looked more nervous, and his grip on my shoulder softened. “And… to snub them further, Father has arranged my marriage to you.”

Getting broken up with for an imp does sound humiliating for a ritzy Goetia family.

I dry swallowed.

“That’s impossible.”

“Blitz, you heard them as well as I did! That’s what’s happening. The idea that Father would ever allow us to have any sort of relationship is laughable, but, arranging something like this as a power move, to ruin the image of someone that’s incurred his wrath, he would do that. Blitzy, I get to marry you instead; who cares the reason!”

I pulled away from him. “It isn’t funny.” I was shaking. “That’s impossible. You can’t, you can’t joke about something like that.”

He looked hurt. “You don’t want to marry me?”

He also started to look a little blurry, for some reason. “Of course I do.” My voice cracked. “But that isn’t what’s happening. Your dad would never do something like that. You’re marrying Stella, you always have been, I don’t get to keep you. That’s how it’s always been! Stolas, it doesn’t- it isn’t-” my voice broke this time.

He crouched down in front of me and reached out carefully, not touching me yet, and I had no hope of making out whatever expression was on his face. “That’s how it’s always been,” he agreed, “but not any more. You heard him. He likes you. He trusts you not to embarrass me or him. That’s huge for him, Blitzy. He wants me to marry you.”

Still can’t believe it, but if we’re playing this game, “Because he wants to hurt Stella.”

“He could find other ways to hurt her and her family. Simply calling off the wedding, so close to time, after so long of a courtship, would be a smudge on their social tapestry. They’d be ridiculed by that alone. Granted, Father is still using you for your social station, but he could have arranged a new marriage for me with… with someone else. With nearly anyone else. What I am poised to inherit and with his status, it wouldn’t be difficult to find a replacement. He picked you because he knows I care for you. He knows you care for me. He, he’s going to let us be together because he supports us.”

I covered my face. “It doesn’t make any sense.”

“If anything,” he rubbed his hands along my arms, toward my elbows to hold them gently, “this feels like he’s finding an excuse to allow it, rather than using it as an excuse to hurt them.”

He doesn’t know what he’s talking about.

I leaned in toward him and he wrapped me up in his arms. I need some fucking time to process this, and now that his hand is rubbing over my back and his beak is poking at my neck, I felt like I could calm down.

Someone cleared their throat. We jerked away from each other in an instant, instinctively, because getting caught being affectionate would be very bad for both of us.

It’s Mr. Butler.

He didn’t look upset.

“Lord Paimon and Tilla would like to have a word with the two of you.”

Chapter Text

Stolas

Blitz was hardly breathing the entire way. He was falling on a strange mix of the best of his manners and a shaky, shallow attempt at behaving like a real person. He was stuck in his own head, and taking him to my Father felt like the worst of ideas right now. Father has always made Blitzy nervous, and now, he needed to be alone. I needed to get him alone in our room and calm him down from a panic attack.

He marched forward at my side anyway, hand held tightly in mine, trying to breathe normally. He just got worse at it the closer we got to the study doors. I heard him dry swallow. He began hyperventilating, and suddenly it was more difficult to pull him along. When I looked down at him, I realized there was no dodging this panic attack. He is not going to be able to shove this aside long enough to play it cool for his Momma and my Father.

Mr. Butler was at the door, ready to open it, but he didn’t. He was watching Blitz, then glanced up to me with a frown. “I’ll give you a moment.” He turned his back to us and gave us the best sort of privacy we were going to get at the moment.

I moved to crouch in front of Blitz, pulling him around to face me so I blocked Mr. Butler from his view, to perhaps give us an illusion of a little more privacy than we actually had. I reached out to hold his face with both of my hands, both grounding him and making him look at me.

“Breathe for me, Blitzy.”

He immediately sucked in a deeper breath, held it a second, and let it go. Good boy.

“If you can hold this off just a few minutes, I suppose it will make it more believable we’re hearing it for the first time.” I spoke in a low, calm voice and I drew my face a little closer to his, to decrease the size of his world a little more. “Can you do that?”

He took another deep, proper breath for me. “Maybe?”

“You were upset about my ankle already, so, you don’t have to pretend to be perfectly calm. You’ve already got something to be worked up over, you won’t be suspicious. It’s alright.” I know he’s worried about giving us away, in addition to the implications of everything we’d just heard. He doesn’t need to fret over all these different things, he can handle this.

He can marry me.

We’re going to be perfect.

He was taking more deep, calm breaths. He’s calming down, and my words made him upset again rather than panicking. A flicker of a glare crossed his face, “Right. That bitch.”

I laughed airily, loosening my grip on his face now that he seemed to be calming down.

His hands were already on my wrists, and before I could let him go, his grip tightened and he pushed forward to kiss me again. I melted immediately, holding him more securely again and mind filling entirely with joy and fondness and mine mine mine.

We’ve been doing this a lot, as of late. Stolen moments pretty much any time my affections for him boil over and we are alone, frequently when I catch him staring at me with his pupils dilated to more than twice their normal size, his tail wagging happily behind him. We haven’t exactly talked about it, not extensively, but I feel so confident in his affections for me that if nothing were to change and I were to remain engaged to Stella, I would have found some way to keep him instead. All of the dread surrounding my marriage had faded into determination not to lose Blitz, to find some way to make him happy and take care of him and keep kissing him.

He didn’t hold onto me very long. The look on his face when he let go was determined and, as best I could describe it, the look he used to get before a performance. I just gave him courage. I just gave him the strength he needed to pretend in the way we needed to pretend now, to avoid anyone being suspicious that we may have already heard something.

“I’m ready.”

I held my fingertips to my beak and stood upright, looking to Mr. Butler as he knocked, not turning to look at us at all.

Father didn’t hesitate, and he didn’t sound suspicious, “Come in.”

We were a full step in before I realized we were both still clutching desperately at each other’s hands. That isn’t entirely new, but, we have had the decency to be modest around Father, who has up until quite literally this morning, refereed to Blitz as my ‘pet’. He refers to Blitz more frequently as ‘that little clown boy’, but when it came to our relation, Father has been quite stubborn on that front.

And right now, we should have no reason to believe we are safe to be any more open about our affections yet.

Father sat in his seat, on the other side of his desk. The office itself is fairly packed, as he plans to vacate it as he officially hands to me my duties. My training is done, and once I am married off, I will assume the full responsibilities that I was born to assume.

Momma is sitting in the padded chair that’s usually on this side of the desk, off to the side on his side of the desk. It’s far too large for her, of course, but the reason for her placement was immediately obvious. She is too sickly to sit comfortably on the desk as Blitz is about to, and she sits too low in the chair to comfortably converse with Father over the desk. What’s more, we’re about to have a conversation that is an ‘us’ and ‘them’ conversation, and in the most bizarre set of circumstances, Father and Blitz’s Momma are about to talk to us together, on the same side.

Just as I had assumed, Blitz climbed the desk to stand at attention, as he might have during displays of his bodyguard training progress. He did not stand in the center, but rather off to the side nearest Momma. I stood at attention beside him, directly across from Father, just as I have been taught to.

I bowed at the waist as Blitz gave his respectful bow, because that’s normal. Father always expects our manners. “Father, you summoned us?” I stood upright again and tried not to look nervous.

“I did.” Father had a tone of his anger earlier back despite how calm he had been while we were eavesdropping. Had he found out we were eavesdropping? Have we ruined everything by being nosy and impatient? “How is your ankle, Stolas?”

I blinked in surprise. He doesn’t… usually care. Not enough to follow up, at least. “Fine, Father. The ice melted.” I suspect it had melted faster than it should have due to the fact Andrealphus had been the one to create it, but, I don’t really know enough about his abilities to say that is possible.

Blitz’s tail flicked in anger in the corner of my eye, but he didn’t otherwise assert his opinion.

“You should still have the ice on it,” Momma interjected, getting a glance – only a glance! – from Father. “And stay off from it the rest of the night, after this.”

Her concern made my chest warm, and I lifted my chin a bit more. “I will, Ma’am.”

I have never been around both Blitz’s Momma and Father at the same time. I have never given her any less than the respect she deserves, but, I have never dared show an imp such respect in front of him. The juxtaposition is disorienting, and, the instant I had said it I flinched, expecting a reprimand from Father for using such honorifics with an imp.

Father didn’t seem to care at all. “But later. I want to see you fully recovered in time for the wedding, next month. Not only do I want those inconsiderate, spoiled birds to feel the sting of trifling with my family, but I don’t want them to have any satisfaction in seeing you limping at the ceremony.”

I acted confused, because anything else would be suspicious. “What do you mean, Father?”

“I mean, you won’t be marrying that wretched girl any longer. They’ve tried my patience for too long, and her parents not taking responsibility for her actions today was the final straw. You were engaged to have an egg, and if that is any indication as to how you will be treated for the duration of your marriage, it will not be taking place.”

Momma was looking to Blitz now, and I snuck an excited glance to him too. He was watching her nervously. I glanced back to her, to see she was now giving me that same, reassuring smile.

It made me feel even warmer.

But he’s only said my wedding to Stella’s been called off. I’m not supposed to have enough context for what he just said to make sense. “I’m… sorry? Thank you, Father, for not making me marry her. I am very grateful.” I rushed to bow, to make sure he wasn’t insulted by my phrasing or anything. This has to go perfectly. I can’t chance making Father reconsider this. “Only, if I am not being forced to marry her any longer, then there should not be a wedding for me to avoid limping at?”

“I’ve negotiated a new union for you.” Father gestured toward Momma. “You will be marrying the imp boy. The wretched girl and her family will be shamed indefinitely, for ruining such a high-profile engagement and losing it to an imp. And, this way, I can be assured you will be taken care of when I am gone, so you can carry out your duties and I never have to see that wretched book again.”

I felt like I was going to implode. There it is. I get everything I’ve ever wanted, Father is just giving it to me, and more than that, he’s complimenting Blitz! He’s saying Blitz deserves this and he will take good care of me! Of course he will!

I had to grab hold of Blitz’s arm in order to anchor myself to the real world around me. I knew Father would disapprove, but, I think he would disapprove of what my hands would be doing right now if I didn’t have Blitzy to hold onto. It was all I could do to keep my tone even and not annoyingly excited. “Father, is this true? You aren’t… this isn’t an act? Just to put on a show, for Stella and her family?”

It can’t be. It couldn’t possibly be, but, it needs to be asked. It must be, for Blitz’s mental health and mine.

Father eyed where I was holding onto Blitz with disgust. “No, unfortunately. This is simply the easiest way I could think of to ensure you are married off before I leave, and I won’t have to worry about you getting murdered and the book falling back onto me. I still expect an egg produced, but I have arranged with her parents for alternative, ‘artificial’ means that will not require the two of you to even be in the same room. As per our arrangements, they have agreed so long as you take full custody of the egg and do not tarnish the girl’s reputation with it, and she is to receive a small portion of her promised dower, to settle her into a spinster’s life. I suppose with how thoroughly we will be ruining her reputation, and how late it is to find a new marriage candidate, it is a small price to pay, in ensuring you still receive a precautionary heir.”

Oh.

Oh .

I hadn’t quite considered that. The entire point of our union was going to be in order to produce a precautionary heir. In the magical scenario we are now in where I don’t have to ever have to be in the same room as her if I don’t want, and I marry Blitz instead, I have no heir.

But this could work.

But this means I will still have an egg.

I’m going to be a father.

Blitz is going to be a father.

We’re going to raise a chick together.

I think I blacked out for a moment there, overwhelmed at the idea, I missed whatever wise-crack Blitz made that didn’t make Father angry. Rather, Father made a skeptical face and said, “I can’t imagine you aren’t fully aware that ours is a culture of arranged marriages by now. There are few of age that are still unmarried, or divorced, or widowed, and with the reputation she will receive after the two of you have wed, she will have a difficult time finding a candidate.”

She is going to be humiliated.

I have to verify before my fantasies get too wild. “Father, we’re keeping the wedding date? And, you’re allowing me to marry Blitz ? Permanently? He will inherit the palace with me when you leave? And, he’ll-”

How could I possibly draw attention to the fact Father is giving Blitz permission to help me raise a chick?!

I didn’t realize how tight my grip on his arm was until he pried it off, claiming my hand with his instead. As he did, Father rolled his eyes and said, sounding annoyed rather than angry, “ Yes , Stolas. For fuck’s sake, I’m not ‘letting’ you do anything. I’ve made the arrangements with his mother, she will not be receiving the same payment Stella’s parents were to have for you, but we’ve agreed on a more reasonable price that will be untouchable by that wretched business man. Euck, I hate dealing with imps, it gets so messy.”

Blitz bowed far deeper than necessary, and from the hang of his tail and the tone in his voice, he was finally accepting reality. He was beginning to get excited. “Thank you, your highness. You won’t regret this. I promise to take care of him, and I won’t draw too much attention to us, to embarrass you. Or him. Or his chick. And-”

Father cut him off with another disgusted look while Momma laughed a laugh that almost sounded more like her old one. The heartier one.

I beamed over at her, feeling particularly proud again.

“I know already,” Father went on. “That’s why I chose you. Unfortunately, I believe you are up to the task. Just don’t be annoying about it.”

“I promise.” Blitz stood upright and snapped his jaw shut, but it was so obvious to me he had something he as burning to say. I squeezed his hand in encouragement, and without looking to me, he tried. “What, um, I mean,”

“What? Out with it.” Father hates stammering.

“What is… going to happen with the wedding?”

That isn’t what he means to ask. “What’s going to change, he means. What do we need to prepare for?”

Father had no trouble answering, “Not a much . I’m not changing the guest list, aside from your mother has requested three imp-sized seats offered. They’ll be at the front, obviously. Stella and her family are still invited, I want them to feel as terribly as possible about the entire situation. I anticipate the ceremony going much quicker, and fewer guests arriving now, so you can anticipate a quiet evening.”

A quiet evening. With my husband.

My other half.

My Blitzy .

Blitz

Fuck. Fuck, fuck, fuck, this is insane , why is his dad being so calm about this?

Stolas got us out of there, excusing us, finishing that conversation in a way I never would have been able to. I blinked, and it was done. He was picking me up off the desk and putting me down on the ground, and he was offering a hand to help Momma down to.

She accepted it, telling him something about getting new ice for his ankle.

I rushed forward to loop an arm through hers, feeling my eyes getting stupid-wet. “I’ll walk you back out to the car.”

“I’ll join y-” Stolas began, and it was terrible timing for him because he’d just put his full weight on his bad ankle again and I felt it.

“No!” I rounded on him, and we weren’t even out of the study yet. “The fuck you are! You’re getting a bag of ice and going back to bed. Go read a book or something, Feathers. I’ll come up as soon as Momma’s gone.”

Stolas glanced nervously toward his dad, reminding me that even though I have permission to marry Stolas, which means I have permission to be physically and emotionally close with him because it’s absolutely unreasonable to engage us and not expect us to, you know, act like we’re engaged, doesn’t mean I’ve got permission to openly back-talk him and tell him what to do like this.

Lord Paimon still gave us that look of disgust, but waved us off without getting angry. “Get out of here already. I have things to do.”

I started walking again, helping Momma out of the room. Stolas went ahead of us to get the door, and there waited Mr. Butler.

“Are you still staying the night, Blitz?” Mr. Butler asked, looking to how I held Momma’s arm.

She answered for me, “Yes. He’s just walking me out.”

“Very good. I expect the conversation went well?” He walked ahead of us, not looking back.

“It went very well, thank you.” Momma answered for us. “The boys will be alright, I think.”

“I know they will.” Mr. Butler assured her.

“Thank you for helping to keep my boy out of trouble, here.” Momma went on, squeezing my arm. “I know you’ve done quite a bit to help him. And, I know he’ll do everything he can to make us all proud.”

Mr. Butler glanced back at us, and up above our heads, and sighed, facing forward again. “I’m more concerned about the Young Prince. He has always been more… reckless about their relationship. He thinks himself immune because of his status.”

I couldn’t stop in my tracks because I was walking with Momma, but I could throw a glare over my shoulder, up at my birdie. “Stolas! Get out of here! Go to bed!”

He trilled and ducked his head, “I wanted to see her off too. A little more walking isn’t going to make that much of a difference.”

Momma was laughing as I practically walked sideways. “Stolas.”

“You’ll have all night to take care of him.” Momma pat my arm. “And tomorrow. I don’t expect to see you at the circus at least until the day after; I’ll clear it with your father. That limp will go away in three days at most. I’ve seen it plenty of times with you kids. Bed rest, ice, and plenty of love. He’ll be fine.”

I flicked my tail back toward him. “Yeah, okay.” I still didn’t like seeing him limping like that.

Mr. Butler took Momma home. We stayed at the front door until the car pulled away, after which I turned and buried my face in his stomach, which was all I could reach without giving any further warning or putting any more effort into it. He hugged me loosely, giving me a moment, before letting me go. “To the kitchen?”

“Yeah.” I sighed, feeling a lot of things that I was going to need a lot of time sorting out. “To the kitchen.”

I carried the ice for him. I did what Momma would always do for Barbie, Fizz, and me when we messed something up during practice real bad. I put the ice in a bag, added a bit of water to spread it out, and wrapped the whole thing in a clean dish cloth plenty big enough to muffle the chill enough to avoid it getting too cold. And when we got back to the room, I made him lay down on the bed (he reclined and fixed the pillows to get comfortable instead) and I fixed the bag over his swelling ankle securely.

Then, I sat back on my heels beside his feet, staring down at the ice pack.

“Blitz?” His voice is soft and unsure. “Are you… alright? You’ve taken all of this so… rough.”

I groaned and crawled up the bed to lay over his lap. “It’s just really hard to adapt to. I mean, you were right. That’s… this is happening for real.”

He pet my back. “It is. Isn’t it exciting?”

I hummed without answering directly.

His hand hesitated. “You aren’t… upset, are you? That your mother would participate in such an arrangement without consulting you first?”

I hummed again in exactly the same way. “She kind of did, actually. We… sort of… talked about it? On the way here?”

His hand stopped entirely. “What are you talking about?”

I flinched and turned my face down to hide in his thigh. “I was terrified your dad was pissed off because he found out I’ve been making out with you, and I told Momma that we’ve been kissing and that I love you so much, and she knew how I felt. She wouldn’t have agreed to this if she didn’t know I would be alright with it. She knew I’d love this, because she knows I love you.”

He pet my back again. “I love you too, Blitz. I just want you to be excited the way I am.”

“I will be.” I curled up more, over his lap, shifting to show off more of my back to him. “I promise. Once it feels real, and not like a dream.”

“I can be patient, I suppose.” His hand disappeared from my back entirely, and I whined. I fucking whined because I’m whipped, and I crave his touch, and I was really enjoying it after the roller coaster of emotions I was on today.

Chapter Text

Stolas

He whined when I lifted my hand from his back. He whined and it wrecked me. It sent a cold shock under my feathers, like electricity in my fingers and in my stomach, made my muscles freeze, and drew some unnecessary attention to… a place he sometimes unknowingly draws my attention to.

I dry swallowed and took a deep breath to calm myself as I normally would.

But do I have to anymore?

We’ve been making out. We’re getting married now. Stella’s done, I don’t even have to dread the conception of the egg now. I was quite literally about to pull his shirt up over his back so I could touch it directly; that’s why I’d lifted my hand.

I took too long.

He’s sitting up. “I’m going to make you a bath. I’ll be right back.”

I lost my opportunity. Damn it . He’s already getting out of my lap and out of the bed, and I didn’t have the courage to open my mouth and say anything. Not even a ‘thank you’ or a ‘you don’t have to do that’.

So when he disappeared into the bathroom and I heard the bathwater running, I dropped my face down into my hands, “ Idiot .”

Am I nervous about pushing his boundaries? Am I nervous about pushing mine? I just want to touch him, that’s all , and it’s normally so easy! And I know he’s as interested in that as I am.

Perhaps it’s just… too early? Too soon after everything ( everything ) has changed, we are still only friends?

Friends don’t make out with friends.

While I took a bath, he sat at the desk, just around the corner, with the door wide open, and we talked.

We talked about the wedding planning, and how much of it was Stella’s preferences. We talked about changing all of it. We talked about whether or not Father would want to reduce the grandiose of the wedding and do something simpler. We talked about how we were going to announce it all to Fizzarolli and Barbie-Wire. We talked about how many people would actually show up now that it would be two grooms on the alter (highly uncommon among Goetia, where marriages are arranged for furthering bloodlines), and one was an imp. Would they come to see the spectacle? Would they shun the invitations entirely? Would they be able to behave with a couple of imps in the audience now too?

He’s moving in now, though. Officially. He spends so much of his time here already that it felt redundant, but, it gave me butterflies at the thought. The bed in his tent back at the circus would still be his, probably, because Fizzarolli and Barbie-Wire would never let Cash put someone else in it. Unless they too the bed out entirely, of course, but even then he’d always be welcome back to share with one of his friends. I get to cuddle him because he’s mine; he’s my other half and he completes me just by being around. They get to cuddle him too because they’re his friends.

They’re my friends too, but I don’t think either of them would be interested in letting both of us share even if there was space. Imps tend to be very touchy-feely, but unless the circumstances are inherently more intimate, that does not extend very far outside their species.

He’s moving in now .

We’ll go to get his things in those few days, once my ankle is better healed and things have settled some.

There was a knock on the door while I was draining the water and drying my feathers. Blitz was the one to answer it.

“Oh, hey Mr. Butt.”

I could practically hear Mr. Butler’s eye-roll. “Dinner will be ready in ten minutes. Lord Paimon will not be joining you two today.”

What a relief. Even with Father’s blessing, I’m not sure I could handle living under his scrutiny any more tonight.

“Thanks. Guess I’ll clean up later.” He walked past the very-wide-open bathroom door toward Mr. Butler, and I clutched the towel to my chest and watched him with wide eyes.

That cold tingle swept over me again and I’m not sure if I’m relieved or disappointed he hadn’t glanced my direction.

Idiot. Stop getting so flustered over your fiance .

But Blitz has always been able to make me so flustered. Now he’s just doing it without even trying.

They spoke briefly about the events that had just transpired, a few more changes to the wedding I couldn’t paid any attention to because I was distracted imagining a scenario where Blitz had looked my direction. And swept me off my feet. And kissed me again. And…

The door shut. I hooted in startle, jumping and clutching the wadded up towel in my arms a little tighter.

He stopped in front of the bathroom door and gave me a smirk, eyes flitting up and down me. “You better finish up so we can go down for dinner on time.” Then he continued on toward the sink.

I trilled in frustration and embarrassment, shoving my face down into the towel and imagining his stupid little face because I knew he could hear me.

So I finished drying and made minimal attempt to get my feathers to lay flat. There isn’t much time right now, and, as comfortable as I am taking care of my own feathers – I’m not a nestling – that’s his job. He’s going to preen me later, and if I do too much now he’s just going to pout about it.

I was dressed and damp still when I left the bathroom, to see what he was doing. He was doodling horse pictures on a blank page in one of my garden notebooks, rather than one of his. One of the horses had a tall neck and was wearing a dress and veil. The other one had a bowtie.

I leaned over his back, selfishly, and said softly right beside his ear, “I’m not wearing a wedding dress.”

He shivered and dropped the pen. His tail hit me in the legs. I heard him dry swallow. Then, “Why not?” He turned to smirk up at me.

I stood upright and pulled his chair out. “Because I’ve already got the tuxedo. You don’t have something yet, though. Do you want to wear a white dress?”

He hopped down and grabbed at my hand to hold it, towing me toward the door. “Nah, I’ve got plenty of fancy clothes. I’ve even got a suit, you know, the one I’ve got for following you to those really fancy socials?”

“You’re not wearing your ‘body guarding’ suit to marry me. I’m sure Mr. Butler will take you out to pick something new out. I’m sure he wouldn’t mind taking Barbie-Wire and Fizzarolli and Momma all out with you too, to help you pick something out, and get something new for them too.”

“I’m sure Fizz is going to love that.”

Dinner was just us, and I felt almost stupid for getting worked up and excited over anything changing. It’s us. It’s him. It’s so easy to be with him, nothing has to change just because I am now a free bird and we have permission to be together openly.

I suggested a movie afterwards, because even though we were both tired, the sun was only just setting and it was a bit early to go to bed.

To bed.

And cuddle.

My fiance .

~ My Blitzy~

He wanted to go to bed and finish the last chapter of the book neither of us actually knew if we’d ever be able to finish. It’s been three days since he’d been allowed in the palace, and Father hadn’t wanted him around at all until after the wedding. And after the wedding, I didn’t know how much time we’d have to just hang out and read.

So I reclined on the bed again, ankle propped up with my Blitzy fretting at my ankle again before coming back up to curl up in my lap, stomach-down, and I started getting butterflies and electricity again.

And I remembered my fumble earlier in the evening.

Blitz

He wasn’t reading. The book is closed on the bed beside us. He’s petting my back again instead.

I don’t mind. I just wanted to be touching him, and, now we’ve got all the time in the world to finish the book. I rolled my face down to kiss his thigh, because I love making him flustered and making his feathers puff up and making him hoot all cute-like.

He didn’t do all that.

My shirt moved. He was pulling it up, to expose my back to the open air. He shoved it up, gently, until it caught on the spikes on my spine, and then he began petting over the unrestricted, exposed space. His hand on my bare back felt amazing.

“I can just take it off,” I mumbled into his leg.

“Hm?” He acted like he didn’t catch what I’d said, which, might actually not be an act. I hadn’t said it very loud.

Instead of reiterating better, I sat up and took my shirt off. He hooted in delight, and when I laid back over his lap again, he didn’t hesitate to pet his hand over my back as widely as he had when my shirt was all the way down. He drew his fingers up and down my spine, tracing little shapes, weaving his fingers between the spikes on my spine, and touching every inch of my exposed skin gently and lovingly.

Needless to say, I was purring seconds into it.

“Blitzy?” His voice cut through my purring, so I quieted and lifted my head to look up at him. He had his other hand resting on the book, now, but not in a way that he was trying to pick it up. “This… isn’t platonic any more.”

That wasn’t a question. I don’t think this has been platonic for a while, actually. At the very latest, since he first stuck his tongue in my mouth. We just never talked about it, neither of us thought we’d ever get a chance to embrace anything other than ‘platonic’. We both thought this would be restricted to stolen moments when no one was looking, and coming up soon, there would be someone looking a whole lot more often.

I flicked my tail over his legs. “No?” It was more of a question than an answer, because I didn’t know exactly where he was going with this.

“So where do our boundaries sit now?”

I laid my head back down, but still tilted so I could look up at him. I stayed as relaxed as I could be, in the lap of the demon I loved and trusted most. “Where do you want our boundaries to be?”

“I like to touch you.” He scratched his fingers lightly over my back again, this time sliding his hand down to my waist and settling in there, sending some icy-cold electricity through me. “And I like it when you touch me.”

I flicked my tail again. “I like that too.”

“But… how much?”

“Enough.” I rolled my head over to a more comfortable angle, pressing my lips to his pants to kiss his thigh again. He trilled happily over it this time. “I don’t know where our boundaries are when we get to set them ourselves. We can figure it out. You just, do whatever you want and I’ll do whatever I want, until one of us draws a line.” I wonder if he has any fucking idea how much more I value his need for direct communication over my own nerves and awkward instinct to shut up and move on.

“I trust you too.” He slid his hand up from my waist to just under my arm, then back down. “What… do you want now? Do you want me to read?”

I rolled over in his lap, just a bit, to face him. At this new angle, my knees tucked up toward his hip and I could easily wrap myself around him if I wanted to. “I want to make out again, and preen you.” I was more honest this time, because I’m getting plenty of ‘we’re on the same page’ signals here.

“That’s so much work, though. You look exhausted.” He slid his fingers back to my spine and lifted them until he reached my spikes again. Then, he pinched at the bottom one, playing with it a little, making me arch my back. “You don’t have to do that.”

“You didn’t ask what I had to do. You asked what I wanted to do. I want to make you make those cute sounds again, and I want to make you feel good. I love fixing your feathers. And touching you. And that involves a lot of both of those.”

He trilled excitedly and slid his hand back down to my waist. He’s sure liking my waist right now, for some reason. “Can we start on that first part, then?”

I took a deep breath, because I was about to let go of the comfiest spot in all of the palace. Then, I pushed myself up to a sit, “Lose the shirt,” I gestured toward his chest lazily.

He did so eagerly, and before he had a chance to reach for me afterward, I was already climbing him to get a good angle.

I ended up back in his lap. This time, I faced him, straddling him, pressing our chests together as I snaked my arms around his neck and initiated our most shameless display of affection yet. Every other time before had some level of fear of getting caught involved. Now, even if someone were to walk in on us, they wouldn’t be able to say shit. Who the fuck is going to say I can’t kiss my fiance?

He got handsy this time. It was hesitant, at first. He held me with both hands on my exposed waist, and he slid his palms up my sides a little bit. He moaned into my mouth and pulled me closer, from there. I was practically on my knees, over him as he leaned back into the pillows, before his hands got any more adventurous. He played with my tail. One hand went back to rest on my waist, of course, and the other slipped around to what I thought at first was a grab at my ass. I wasn’t exactly objecting, but I was surprised when he pinched the base of my tail, lightly, and slid his hand back to slide the whole length of my tail between three of his fingers.

I moaned into him and my knees buckled, putting more of my weight onto him. My legs, on either side of him, tightened.

Then I had to pull away to breathe.

“Are you still alright?” He asked, not panting the way I was, because he had big-ass lungs. He can hold his breath, normally, about twice as long as I can.

“Fine.” I slid my hands up, against the grain with his feathers. He shivered under me and tried to kiss me again. I could only last a few more seconds before I had to go back to recovering oxygen. “Give me a second.”

He hummed, giving up on my mouth by putting his beak into my neck and kissing me there. I made a very undignified sound and dropped the last little bit down to my knees, planted firmly behind his lap, which served a few purposes. One, I had to do less to support myself. Two, he had to either stop kissing my neck or follow me down (he followed me down). Three, it was slightly less embarrassing and on-purpose-escalating than the urge to tip my hips inward toward him was while still relieving a little bit of that pressure.

He didn’t seem to have the same reservations. In an almost immediate response to most of my weight suddenly falling down into contact where the space between my legs met the space between his hips (which were where my thighs were now propped up), his hips bucked and his hands (once again both back on my waist) pulled me further down.

He tensed. His beak slipped a little out of my neck. “Too much?”

“Not yet.” I didn’t say it with an even tone. “Relax.”

He trusted my answer and pressed his mouth back into my neck again, opening it and… well… not quite biting it but sort of pinching at my neck like he was considering it. Not that that was my biggest concern at the moment, when his hips were squirming and shifting under me and his grip on my waist got very secure.

I arched my back and tried to give both of us a better angle, and while it did something for me, he barely seemed affected. The way I was sitting on him mostly meant my crotch was pressed into his lower stomach, and his had mostly air to contend with.

So I leaned back from him. He made a disappointed little bird sound that nearly had me leaning back in at the same position and begging forgiveness. Instead, I pressed a hand to his chest, to stop him from following me up, and I fixed our positions. I laid down on top of him, tangling our legs together so I could wedge a knee up between his legs while at the same time straddling one of his.

His pupils were popping out when I caught proper sight of his face, seconds before his hands were on my face, pulling me back in to stick his tongue practically down my throat. His legs clamped down around mine, the one between my legs lifting at the knee so he could press firmly into my dick, and he started the gyrations all over again.

It was easy. It was comfortable. It was so hard to even consider being shy. It was hard to remember we were supposed to be looking for boundaries, so, when all was said and done for the evening, after he’d fallen asleep, I remembered our little talk about ‘boundaries’ and ultimately decided that we’d have to explore a whole lot deeper to find anything like that.

But at this point, I didn’t even know the meaning of the word. I was just focused on a sensation I had not expected to be so much more intense than masturbation, despite the fact I was dry humping his fucking leg.

Dry until my leg felt wet. He was loud, moaning, grasping at me, making a lot of owl noises I really liked, and just before my leg got wet, he full-body tensed under me and buried his face back into my neck. I was so distracted and… well, fascinated, my own climax faded away and I had to lift my head to watch him.

He almost looked ashamed. “Sorry. I think I’ve soiled your pants.”

Well, my chest wasn’t going to swell any more than it already was. I feel like I’ve done jack shit to earn it, but, I was rather proud. “Who needs them?”

His face lit up and he loosened his legs from around me. “I don’t… think…”

“We don’t need to try anything like that tonight.” I cut him off, feeling the budding edge of what might be considered a ‘boundary’ here. I’m not sure for him or for me, and I’m not sure how solid of a boundary it might be. He’s flustered as fuck, and I was thinking about how easily he could fuck up his ankle again if we get too excited. “But I’d be alright going commando tonight. Unless you want to ruin any more pants?”

His face, still bright with blush, did not show any distress over the idea. “Are you still going to preen me?”

“Yeah. I still want to fix those feathers. I like making you feel good with it. And you look like shit, after getting pushed down the stairs and made out with.”

His feathers fluffed more and his legs tightened a little more, again. This just drew more attention to the wet spot between us, which was starting to lose its warmth.

“Are you sure you’re comfortable with all of this?” He asked, loosening his legs again after we both had that brief reminder.

I slipped off from him, and fully down off the bed. “Yeah. I’m sure. Be careful with your ankle, Stols. I’m supposed to be making you feel better, not worse.” I stripped my pants as shamelessly as I could. This is, maybe not miles above, but still a lot higher up on the intimacy levels than anything we’ve let ourselves do before. Just a minute ago, on the bed, felt like a pretty clear indicator that we’re on the same page. Before that, when we both welcomed this new ‘arranged’ marriage thing with open arms was also a really good clue. So even though, before today, we’ve at most gotten a little handsy and made out a few times, obviously that wasn’t because either of us wanted to stop at that.

So when I felt his eyes on me, but saw him looking away shyly when I looked back up at him, I was only fond. He put his attention onto his pants, very explicitly avoiding looking down at me right now.

I leaned on the side of the bed. “Give them here, I’ll put them both in the laundry.”

“You don’t have to-” he began, nervous.

“And leave them on the floor? Why? Let you get up and take care of it yourself? No fucking way, you’re supposed to be resting.” I was a bit more shameless in looking him over, because it’s us and he’s my birdie, and I’m his imp, and what the fuck is the point in being shy now? I wanted to see him. I think he’s hot. I don’t want to be embarrassed about that.

He looked back over to me as he held his pants out, his face lit up, and he looked away quickly again.

I wadded our pants up together and leaned over them toward him. “We’re not platonic anymore, Stols.” He tensed and made a cute, nervous sound as he looked back down to me, eyes very obviously glued to my face because his pupils were out again. “You’re allowed to have lewd thoughts.”

“I’m not-” he stopped short, about to lie and try to deescalate things before he seemed to realize how stupid that was. His eyes flickered over me, then glued back to my face as his face darkened. “Are you going to preen more of me this time?”

“Wherever you’ve got feathers.” I leaned off the bed and rushed off toward the bathroom to toss our clothes away, stopping only a second to collect our shirts off the ground too. “Unless you tell me not to.”

He didn’t answer until I was on my way back. “If I… don’t, would you? Would you preen all of me? How far would you be comfortable with me, tonight?”

“Anything I’m going to say going to effect your boundaries?” I crawled up onto the bed, perched on the edge to leave him space to turn over, because I always start on his back, but waiting a minute before indicating for him to do so. “Because I don’t want you pushing yourself or closing yourself off just for my sake.”

“I promise. I won’t.”

Chapter Text

Stolas

I was meant to have another meeting with Stella today. For the first time since I was too ill to attend etiquette lessons with her when I was sixteen, I didn’t see her when I was meant to.

Instead, I woke up in our bed, stretched out and blissful, and I felt my feathers moving. I heard purring. I was giggling before I opened my eyes, drawing my hands up on either side of him.

He swatted my hands out of the way and kept going, playing with my feathers, massaging them in a way that was actually sort of ticklish, and purring rhythmically. I squinted my main eyes open, just a bit, while my secondary eyes stayed stuck closed with early morning crust.

It was a delightful sight, seeing my other on top of me, tongue sticking out from between his teeth, attention focused intently on the larger feathers of my chest. “Good morning, Blitzy~”

“It’s past noon.”

Alright. My eyes stayed clsoed with early afternoon crust. I didn’t let him swat my hands away this time, when I lifted them to pull him down on me, pushing his face into those feathers he liked so much. “Why did you let me sleep in so late?”

He didn’t really struggle, he accepted his fate rather easily, pressing down into me and nuzzling his face to a comfortable position. “Tried to wake you earlier. Mr. Butler came by to ask if we were coming out for breakfast and I could have thought you died.” His arms slid up under my shoulders from below and his hands held onto the top of my shoulders from behind.

I cooed and embraced him tighter. I love his weight on top of me. “Am I in trouble, then?”

“Nah.” He took a deep breath and I felt it in my feathers. “But, next time you want to wake me up to make out, I’m going to have to say no, if you sleep in this late afterward.”

I whined at the threat and tried to bury my head between his horns. “Not fair .”

“Yes fair.” He gripped my shoulders tighter, pulling his arms in embrace, then relaxed again. “Momma said we should take a few days, we’re supposed to go back to the circus today.”

“Oh!” I sat up quickly, holding onto him too tight to let him fall. He shoved his way into a sit-up in my lap, his tail looping loosely around my waist, and he stared up at me with those dilated pupils and raised eyebrows, that look that is so adorable.

“What?” He prompted when I didn’t elaborate on my sudden thought, because I got distracted.

I shook my head and rubbed my face, wiping the crust from my eyes and smoothing out my face feathers that I suspected he had fucked up at some point before I’d woken. “The circus. I’m sorry, we had intended to be there before lunch.”

He leaned toward me about an inch. “It’s alright. You were tired. Let’s just get dressed and go, Stols, we’re not in a hurry.”

“We aren’t? I’m sure Fizzarolli and Barbie have things to do today; they can’t wait around for us all day.”

“The things they’re doing today is hanging out with us. I talked with Barbie on the phone earlier, they’re not upset or anything. We’re going to bring lunch with us, alright?”

I nodded, yawning, and pushed him off me gently. “Well, then, we should get going.”

He didn’t. He crawled to the edge of the bed to watch me, completely shamelessly, in a way I absolutely did not mind but also wouldn’t have had the guts to do myself. We’ve started sleeping together with… less clothes. The last few nights, since we’ve become engaged, at least. Mostly on my part. We haven’t gotten… too intimate… exactly. We haven’t gotten any less certainly, but, he likes my feathers and he likes to make me flustered, and he keeps pushing into my personal space and touching me in ways that make me very flustered. Typically, I would take my clothes for the day into the bathroom and switch them out for my pajamas. Yesterday morning and this morning, however, I’ve opened the wardrobe and gotten dressed right there . It felt particularly foolish to hide in the bathroom when there were no pajamas to exchange them for.

He loves my feathers. He loves me, he loves my singing, he loves a lot of things about me. But he loves my feathers. He always has. And because of our ‘leveling up’ in our relationship, and his comfort in expressing his enthusiasm in the shifts in our relationship, and in my feathers, we’ve agreed that I just wouldn’t wear pajamas the last two nights. In exchange, of course, he’s gone shirtless. And pants-less, actually. He wore underwear last night, but there has been quite a lot of skin-to-feather contact in our bed lately.

So, yes. He laid on his stomach, head propped up on his palms, tail wagging slowly and happily behind him as he watched me get dressed without showing any level of shame or embarrassment.

I hip-bumped the wardrobe closed and turned back toward him, working on the buttons of my shirt. “You aren’t going back to the circus looking like that.”

He squinted his eyes and bit his tongue out at me again, “You telling me how to dress now?”

I moved closer, feeling all stupid-bubbly inside and excited just to be near him, to be allowed to be exactly as fond and clingy as I feel now. “If you’re going to be my husband,” I loved how saying that word always made his face get a little melty, “you’ve got to let me be a little jealous.”

His face was darker, he was avoiding my eyes, and he was not sitting up yet. “What- uh- what do you want to bring for lunch?”

I crouched in front of the bed and kissed him. He moaned and finally pushed himself up more, but his hands were propping him up and not available to keep me there, so I was able to escape. “We’ll get something quick on our way in. I’ll call the diner to place an order while you get dressed.” I pointed toward his wardrobe.

His wardrobe. The one we moved his clothes into, the one we’re going to fill out with his things from the circus, the one he gets to keep because this is now officially, really his room too. His things are already everywhere, spread all around. His toothbrush in the bathroom, his little fancy-knife case on the bookshelf, his drawing books on a completely different shelf, his silly and worn red horse stuffed animal on the chaise, his ashtray on the balcony… there is evidence of him everywhere , and now I get to share everything I’ve always wanted to share with him.

He got dressed quicker than I did, and as I perched on the edge of the bed to avoid wrinkling my shirt, I watched him too. But only because he had first, and because I get to. He’s mine now. He’s always been mine, but, now I get to do with him what I want. I get to think of him how I want. There is nothing I want of him that he does not also want, so I get to watch him the way he watches me.

I didn’t make our order until he was done, and because we needed to give them time, we went down to the kitchen to have a drink first. He started my kettle, I got my tea leaves and his coffee out, he climbed up onto my back to hang on like a backpack while the water boiled, and we waited. I already know everyone’s orders, so, I hadn’t bothered to ask Fizzarolli or Barbie before placing them. Fizzarolli enjoys the cinnamon rolls and cheese burgers most, Barbie liked the cheese-less burgers and a milkshake. Blitz isn’t very picky, he’s changed his order up, but this time I got him a basket of chicken strips. By the time we finished our mugs, it should all be ready, and I planned on taking us there to pick it up with a portal, and we’d walk the rest of the way to the circus.

Mr. Butler came into the room just as we were finishing. I had Blitz sitting on the counter, he had his legs were on either side of me as I stood facing him, and we’d just been discussing inviting Fizzarolli and Barbie-Wire over to the palace once it was all ours, in just three weeks.

Three weeks .

We both locked up when Mr. Butler came in. We had permission to be together, we had no reason to sneak about now, but, it felt so wrong hanging all over each other in front of him. Mr. Butler’s always known of our closeness, our friendship, and our Bond, but ever since we started making out and getting closer, we both been jumpy and terrified of doing anything that would get back to Father, and ruin everything.

Mr. Butler didn’t stare or hesitate. He was going to the fridge, to put together a drink for Father, more than likely. Yes. He’s making a coffee with quite a lot of creamer.

“Hey, uh, Mr. Butt.” Blitz was leaning around me to greet him politely.

Mr. Butler stopped sighed exaggeratedly, and then kept going. “Might I suggest getting yours off the counter. It isn’t sanitary.”

I doubled over laughing, unable to contain myself. Blitz grumbled and complained at first, but, he couldn’t admit it wasn’t funny. It is so rare to hear Mr. Butler’s humor, and he was unsurprisingly gone by the time Blitz shoved me back far enough he could jump down, and I could breathe well enough to stand up straight again.

“He killed you.” I was still giggling, reaching out toward him.

He, grumbling again, waving me off. “Yeah, yeah. We can kiss in public now but Satan-forbid anyone sits on something not a chair.” He isn’t upset, he’s just embarrassed.

I tried again, claiming the hand he was waving in the air at me to brush me off. “Are you ready? The food should be prepared, and I imagine the other two are tired of waiting to eat. Really, you could have woken me earlier. I know you know how to get me up.”

“Yeah, sure. You deserve to sleep in sometimes, Stols. We’ve got all day.”

Blitz

They took it well. They screamed, they called us liars, and they teased both of us over it once we managed to convince them that we were actually, for real, getting hitched. But I’d call all of that ‘taking it well’, because it all happened while we were eating and they were grilling us on ceremony details by the time Stolas – the slowest eater here – finally put his trash back in the bag and leaned back on the blanket with me. I leaned into him, he put an arm behind me, and Barbie made a dumb gagging sound.

I flipped her off. Fizz and Stolas both laughed, Barbie and I joined after a second.

“Wait, let me see the ring.” Fizz cut off the laughter, sitting upright from where he’d been leaning into the tree.

I looked to Stolas instinctively, and his eyes were all as wide as mine felt. I glanced back to Fizz and laughed nervously, “I, uh, we don’t… have any?”

“I have the one I was supposed to be wearing for Stella, during our formal engagement years, but, I will not be wearing that any longer.” Stolas hooted thoughtfully. “We… should get rings.”

“Who the fuck gets engaged without a proposal? You don’t even have rings yet, and you’re already planning everything else?” Fizz gave us both critical looks. “You sure you know what you’re doing?”

“Hey, it’s not like we were the ones that did it. Goetia don’t have long winding romances that lead up to a romantic surprise proposal, alright? They get arranged marriages that they know about their whole lives.” I looped my tail protectively around him. “His dad decided to break it off and talked to Momma really fast. We’ll get rings, okay?”

“Alright, whatever.” Fizz gave me an eye roll. “But you’ve got to promise to show me first, alright? Best man’s supposed to see the ring before the fiance anyways.” He grinned up at Stolas to see his reaction.

“I don’t m-”

“Excuse the fuck out of you,” Barbie cut Stolas off, glaring at Fizz. “Why do you get to be ‘best man’? I’m his sister, you dingus. I get to be best man.”

“That’s stupid, you two hate each other. Blitz deserves to have a best man that’s not going to beat him up during the ceremony. You’re going to go to give him the ring, before they say their vows, and you’re going to throw it at him or something. Hit him in the face. Make him look stupid in front of everybody.” Fizz kept going as he kept thinking of new descriptions of the scenario in his head.

“Uh? No? I’ll beat him up afterward, obviously. You’d probably drop it.”

“Would not!”

“Would too.” She threw a wadded up burger wrapper at him.

He caught it and tossed it toward the bag the rest of us had put our trash in and stuck his tongue out at him. “Fine. Then I’m going to be Stolas’s best man, and I’m going to do better than you. You’re going to make Blitz look like an idiot, I’m going to make Stolas look like a prince charming.”

Stolas was bouncing beside me, holding his breath, and wiggling his arms like a little kid. He did that when he got excited when he was younger, but, I guess he still does it now sometimes too. Usually, it stops at just the bouncing.

“I’m pretty sure we get to pick our best men.” I bumped my shoulder into my birdie’s arm, making him hoot in startle, as just a little release of the excitement he was doing a bad job of containing already.

They both rounded on us, or, mostly on me. I was the one that talked. “Bullshit, you’re not going to ask anyone else.” “What, you want us to switch?” They had matching ‘done with this shit’ expressions, apparently over their dumb little argument and working together to gang up on me.

“No.” Stolas’s voice was a forced calm and a pitch higher than normal. “No, it’s perfect, this is perfect, will you really be my best man?”

Fizz looked back up to Stolas and dropped the kind-of-a-glare he’d had for me. “Uh, yeah? Unless you got some Goetia buddy you’d rather have. I mean, I get it if you do, but, you’ve never exactly mentioned one before.”

There are a few Goetia he is on pleasant terms with, that he talks with at the socials when Stella isn’t bullying and isolating him, but, he isn’t friends with any of them. Definitely not enough to even introduce me to them by name. Any time anyone’s asked about me, and why I follow him around, he tells them, “Just my bodyguard, don’t concern yourself”.

“I would love it if you are my best man,” Stolas trilled excitedly. “Then, you should help me pick out Blitzy’s ring!”

Fizz’s eyes lit up and he looked back to me. “Hah! I get to see your ring before you do!”

“Yeah, well, that means I’m helping him pick out Stolas’s ring.” Barbie leaned back on her hands and flicked her tail behind her, looking up to Stolas with a grin. “You want something gawdy or discrete?”

“I know what he wants, I don’t need your help.” I leaned into him protectively.

“I trust your judgment.” Stolas looked between Barbie and I, and he looked like he was having the best day of his life. Oh, yeah. Everything is falling together perfectly.

Chapter Text

Stolas

Blitz and I met with Fizzarolli and Barbie-Wire at the circus, the day after Movie Night. This ensured there were no performances or practices, so the three of them were all well rested and had plenty of time for the day’s activities. Then, I used a portal to take us to Greed, and we parted ways.

I have so very rarely been alone with Fizzarolli. It’s not for lack of enjoying his company, but, for the fact that Fizzarolli only has free time when Blitz also has free time, and he would be very disappointed upon missing quality time with his childhood best friend for no reason. Fizzarolli has even less free time than Blitz, actually, due to his status as ‘top clown’ and the amount of work he is putting into it. Blitz doesn’t overwork himself anymore; he still acts in the circus and bodyguards me whenever I ‘need’ it, but he no longer has training. He finished training before I did. He is very skilled with a wide variety of weapons, and while he is still not exactly an expert , he insists, his abilities are very impressive.

And he is very sexy when he is practicing.

Fizzarolli cleared his throat.

I fixed my posture and lifted my chin, “Sorry. What was that?”

He was smirking up at me, walking slower than Blitz does and having to catch up every so often. “I didn’t say anything.”

“Oh.” I smoothed my feathers down, feeling particularly foolish even though Fizzarolli is a friend.

“Where you thinking about Blitz just now?”

I felt my face heat up and I wanted to deny it automatically, as an instinct of keeping him private and safe. But this is Fizzarolli, not Stella or Andrealphus or any other given Goetia at a social who is calling me out for my strange behavior.

So, I admitted, “Yes.”

He caught up again. I slowed my gait. “You two are so stupid-cute together. I mean, I know you’re bonded and all, but it’s obnoxiously obvious how made-for-each-other you are. You have no idea how annoying Blitz was about you when he still lived at the circus. When he was too small for his horns, he spent hours talking about you. Oh, my birdie is so smart! He’s got such a pretty singing voice! He reads so many books, I bet he knows everything! Him moving out to live with you was the best for everyone .” He was laughing and his body language showed that nothing he said was bothering him at all.

I relaxed. “I’m sorry, I’m sure that was very annoying to listen to.” Blitzy is so cute.

He crossed his arms under his horns and shrugged, “Meh. I mean, it’s sickening, but, it’s nice you two found each other real young. Could you imagine if you two didn’t hook up until later? Like, after you married that bitch?”

I cringed, “No. No, I couldn’t imagine it. I’m far too happy with what has happened. Here.” I gestured across the street to a jewelry store that appeared nice enough.

Fizzarolli hesitated, glancing up to me. “Uh, yeah. Yeah, you could probably afford that, I guess. No problem.”

“No problem.” I repeated and picked up my pace again, more than excited to get in and look at the rings.

He rushed to catch up, “Damn, you’ve got long legs.”

“Oh, sorry.” I slowed again. “I’m used to walking with Blitz. He… walks fast I suppose.”

“Yeah he does. Didn’t realize that’s your fault. Makes sense.”

I nodded, and for the length of time it took for us to cross the street, we fell into another awkward silence. I don’t know what to talk about. I don’t want to monopolize the conversation by fawning over my Blitzy; Fizzarolli would be so irritated by the time we are done here. He knows Blitz almost as well as I do. He’s known him longer. He’s apparently already had to listen to Blitz fawn over me for years, he doesn’t want the reverse all day.

But he also doesn’t want me asking about his career. I know it’s important to him, I know he enjoys it quite a bit, but I already know what’s going on there. It hasn’t really changed a whole lot since the last time we made small talk while Blitz got into a fight with his sister and tumbled down the hill away. Cash is overworking him, he’s started giving out signatures to his little fan club that’s begun developing, and Blitz has to bodyguard him every other week when some weirdo harasses him.

“So,” Fizzarolli went to open the door for me, and I only didn’t tell him he didn’t need to do that because he was in the middle of saying something, “you’re changing pretty much everything about the ceremony, right? I bet that bitch was going to make it girly and sparkly and shit. What’re you going to do now?”

I thanked him shortly going in, and took a second to decide this was a genuine question that he wanted to hear the answer to, not just a polite inquiry. And, it’s an open enough question to invite further conversation, and avoid the awkward quiet.

I told him while we looked. We’ve canceled everything we could, exchanged what we couldn’t, and added a few extra things. Stella hates my plants, but Blitz loves them. Or, rather, he loves that I love them, so he insisted on incorporating them more. No more tedious bouquets of dead flowers, he wanted me to pick out whatever plants excited me the most and were appropriate for something like this. So, no carnivorous plants from Gluttony, and no aphrodisiacs from Lust.

Blitz’s favorite cake flavor is spice, and though it certainly isn’t a traditional wedding cake flavor, it’s his favorite and I wanted to do that.

We looked at the rings for some time, pointing out some particularly silly ideas that we both knew Blitz would hate , and a few that he would certainly like. Ultimately, I fell in love with a sturdy looking band with simple leaf shoulders and a round, purple gem. It the exact color match for my magic, and, I particularly liked the idea of marking him as mine in such a way.

I showed it to Fizzarolli, and he agreed. I paid for it, had it properly sized, and slipped the box into my pocket.

“That was… fast.” Fizzarolli skipped out the door as I held it for him. “I can’t imagine the other two are done yet. You want to just hang out at the meeting spot until they are? It might be a while.”

“We aren’t done yet.” I looked both ways and tried to remember which direction Mr. Butler had taken us the last time he’d taken Blitz out to get new formal clothes. It was a while ago, when he’d outgrown the previous set.

“Uh… what else are we doing?”

“Getting you a proper outfit for the wedding. I don’t mean to assume you don’t already have something formal enough for such a party, but, you are my best man now, aren’t you?”

He nearly tripped, despite being the most well coordinated out of the four of us. I paused, even though I was already walking slower for him, and hooted in alarm.

“Are you alright?”

“Fine.” He straightened his shirt and judging from how his tail hung downward and he was twitching about, he was uncomfortable with what I’d said. “Fine, I’m fine. It’s just, you don’t, I don’t have enough saved up for the kind of outfits sold at places as high end as that jewelry store. And you are not going to buy it for me-”

“I am going to buy it for you. It’s my wedding, I’m not going to make you use up any of your savings. This is going to be Goetian dress code, you shouldn’t have to spend any of your money accommodating that. Consider it a wedding gift.”

“Wedding gifts are for guests to give to the ones getting married. I’m supposed to give you one.” He’s fidgeting and nervous.

I hooted curiously, “I suppose? But it is also customary for the bride and groom, to gift presents to the bridal party.”

“That is not an imp thing, you’re going to have to make sure Blitz knows about it so Barbie gets something too.”

“Blitz will be taking Barbie-Wire to pick out an outfit also. Oh, here it is!” I found the right store and gestured.

Fizzarolli gave the building a weary look, but, he relaxed his shoulders and nodded. “Yeah, alright. This is fine. Thanks, Stolas.”

“Of course. Come on, I already have an idea for the perfect sort of suit for you.” I know what sort of street clothes he enjoys wearing, and I wanted to find him a pair of wide-leg pants and suspenders.

“Are there any other Goetia wedding traditions you two are doing? I mean, I didn’t really think of a ‘proposal’ as an imp thing, but, I guess it is?” He was browsing the racks while I searched with a purpose.

I trilled excitedly and pulled away from the rack I was currently looking through. “Actually, yes . Sort of. It’s something I’ll be doing, but, I don’t expect Blitz to reciprocate. I imagine it would be very difficult for him to do so, actually, considering he has no feathers.”

“What do you mean? This isn’t some weird sex thing, is it?” He gave me a critical look.

My face heated up dramatically and I lost my voice for a moment, “N- ah, no… No, it isn’t…”

He laughed easily and went back to looking again. “Well what is it? If you want to, I guess, you don’t have to tell me.”

“No, it’s alright.” I shoved his quip down and tried to move on. “It is traditional to have something made from your feathers for your betrothed. I’ve collected my down feathers for a pillow, for Blitz.”

“Awww,” he cooed and bat his eyelashes up at me. “That’s adorable.”

“Proposals aren’t only an ‘imp thing’, though.” I know plenty about imp wedding traditions; I’ve fantasized about marrying him for well over a decade. “It’s the standard for any culture that doesn’t standardize arranged marriages.”

“Yeah, but, I don’t think those other ones do it quite like we do. I mean, rings are really common, but, usually it’s an exchange of pretty much anything shiny.” He took a shirt off the rack by the hanger and held it up, made a face, and put it back.

“I know.” I grinned to myself.

We did do that. Not rings, obviously, but other things. He gave me a pair of earrings and I gave him an amulet engraved with my sigil.

Two hours later, we were approaching our meet-up location chatting about the clown pageant that he wants to some day compete in. We’d passed an advertising poster for it on our way out of the coffee shop, where I picked us both up some iced lattes. He and Blitz had gone, as a sort of ‘boys trip’ to one of Mammon’s performances where he’d initially announced this pageant. I think Fizzarolli would do really well, to be honest. He’s concerned Cash would interfere.

“DON’T TOUCH THAT!”

“DON’T TELL ME WHAT TO DO.”

“FUCK YOU BAR- AHH!”

I flinched at the sensation of a phantom bite on the outside edge of my hand. It was a familiar phantom-bite, and completely predictably, it was followed up with the sound of flesh hitting flesh aggressively.

Fizzarolli hadn’t stopped walking when I had. He’d stopped at the corner, so he could look around it. He took a calm sip from his drink and looked back to me with an unimpressed expression. “Stolas. Come get your man, he’s making an idiot of himself.”

I sighed and strolled forward to catch up, to figure out what exactly was happening.

Blitz

We split up from Fizz and Stols, headed the opposite direction from them. There are plenty of jewelry stores all over, we could find one that’s nowhere near them.

“Do you know where you’re going?” Barbie followed after me, sounding irritated already.

“Uh… yeah.”

“The fuck you do. You’re going to get us mugged. Wandering around and reading every street sign is how you get mugged, dumbass.”

“We’re not going to get mugged. I’ve been through here before, and, even if someone did try something, I’ve got us covered.” I pulled my jacket to the side to show her my gun.

She groaned, rolling her head back. “Have you even used that on someone before? I don’t want to get shot in the leg because you think you know what you’re doing.”

“My aim is great, and yes. Yes I have shot someone before.” I turned to squint across the street, to see if there were any non-shady jewelry stores that direction.

“Someone alive. Not someone made out of cardboard.”

“Yes.” I stopped and backtracked to peer down a side street, at a ‘T’ intersection to where we stood right now. The side road itself looked shady as fuck, but, it looked like a bougie stores on the street this side road is connecting this one to. “I shot this asshole that creeping on Stols last time we were in Greed.”

“Oh, shit, really? Blitz, why didn’t you tell me? That’s really cool.”

I grabbed her arm and pulled her toward that other road, flipping off the motorcycle that was had to stop and honked at us. “It’s not a big deal, that’s why. Whatever. Are you actually going to help me or are you going to bitch the whole time we’re out?”

“I’m going to stop you from killing yourself, first.” She shoved me toward the sidewalk, because where we’d crossed the road to get to the side street, we’d reached it in the middle of the poorly-maintained pavement rather than the sidewalk. “Use a fucking crosswalk.”

“There was nobody there. That asshole was parked when we started.”

She rolled her eyes, “Right. Second, I don’t really know why you wanted my help with this. I mean, I know the guy, but not as well as you do. You want my opinion, well you should get something with plants on it. Because he likes plants, right? Does that help?”

“Do rings have plants on them?” I pictured a ring made out of really tiny vines and tried to figure out how something like that would last.

“Not actual plants. Like, an engraving of vines or leaves or something. They make rings like that.”

“Oh.” I shook my head and rushed forward. “Yeah, that sounds cool.”

“Holy shit, Blitz, slow down? You walk like you’re on fire. Satan’s taint, we’ve got time. Relax!”

I slowed down for her and flicked my tail anxiously. “Sorry, Barb, I’m just excited. You know? I feel like this is going to take forever. I’ve never really paid attention to jewelry stuff before, and if I pick something shitty out that he hates, he’s not going to tell me that. He’s going to pretend to like it, he’s going to wear it anyways, and he’s not going to trust me to pick out anything else like that.”

“He’s not going to pretend to like it,” she assured me, “he’s actually going to like it. You could pick out the ugliest fucking ring in the store and he’s going to cry and hug you and you’re going to make out with him and it’s going to be disgusting.”

I was too busy imaging the scenario she described to get upset. “Y eah …”

“Ug!” She shoved my shoulder. “Stop fantasizing about making out with your boyfriend.”

Alright, well, this is perfect . Fancy-clothing store right next to a high-end jeweler. “I’ll give you ten minutes of no-fantacizing-about-making-out-with-my-boyfriend time.” I compromised. “You want to help me pick the ring out first or get our clothes first?”

“Uh… our?”

“Yeah. Our. Full-offence, you’re not looking like a hooker at my wedding. You want a dress or a suit?”

“I was just going to borrow something from Mom; she’s got a couple really nice outfits.” She eyed the clothing store wearily.

“...no…” I squinted at her. “Momma’s getting a new outfit too. Come on, I’ve got to get a suit anyways, just pick something out and we’ll be done with it.”

“Fine, then we do that last. I don’t want to carry a fancy outfit or whatever around the jewelry store. Just don’t take five hours, alright?”

The store we went into doesn’t get a lot of imps, obviously. We were being watched the moment we stepped in. I could practically hear the security cameras following us around, and every time I looked up from a display case, one of the employees was right there. I mean, I don’t care that much, but, it was getting kind of annoying. We had to watch what we were saying, since we were trying to keep the wedding on the down-low. It’s not like we can keep it completely secret, but, we’re trying to be a little subtle. If the news outlets find out about a wedding between a Goetia and an imp, we’re not going to have a lot of peace. Afterwards, there’s no way we’re going to be able to keep this hidden, so, we’re already kind of planning on becoming reclusive shut-ins for a while until the news moves on. The goal is to be so boring that they give up on trying to make our marriage a big deal.

Not that there was a whole lot to talk about. I got attached to the second ring I looked at. Barbie made me keep looking so I wasn’t rushing anything, but I didn’t like any of them as much as I liked the that second ring. I could picture it on his hand, I could picture him crying over it, I could imagine how it would feel on my face when he- no. I told Barbie I’d stay focused for at least ten minutes.

I just skipped the last display of rings, after looking over four others, and found someone to get the pretty red one out. The gem on it is red, and the band is all swirly and stuff. It looked delicate and refined, like him, and red’s my favorite color. His is purple, but, this ring isn’t about him. He wants a pretty purple ring because he likes purple, he can have some random other ring. This one is to prove he’s mine , and so I’m going to put my favorite color on him.

The shark that took it out of the display case carried it up to the front desk; he was not going to let me touch it until I paid.

Whatever.

“Would you like me to size it for the lady?” He gestured to Barbie, who was looking at something on her phone and following a step behind me.

“Ew. No. That’s my sister. I know his size, though.” I ignored Barbie’s gagging sounds and gave him the right number.

The guy – his name tag says ‘Eugene’ – didn’t move to do whatever he’s supposed to do to resize rings. He stared down at me with a look of ‘you can’t be serious’. “If you want it resized, you’ll have to pay upfront.”

Alright, well, eat this shit you motherfucker. I held up my brand new, shiny card with my name on it. “Done. I want the ring, I want it resized, and I want those earrings too.” I pointed to a pretty feather-shaped set on a display tree on the counter, just because I didn’t like this asshole and I wanted to make a point.

Barbie was watching closely, phone still raised but not saying anything.

Eugene didn’t directly call me out and accuse me of being a liar, but he clearly didn’t believe I had enough money for either item, let alone both. “Very well.” He took the earrings down and put them into a box about as fancy as the one the ring’s in, and set it down outside my reach too. Then, he gave me a disgusted look and gestured to take the card.

I handed it over with a smirk.

It cleared.

I wasn’t nervous, I was excited to see the look on his face. He stopped looking like he’d just eaten a lemon and gave me a surprised look. “I see, then, I’ll take care of that resizing immediately.”

Once he was gone, Barbie leaned in and muttered, “You making him buy his own ring?”

I scoffed, “Yes? He may be my other half, but he’s the rich one. We’re getting married, he got me my own bank card.”

“Oh, so you’re a ‘sugar baby’. Got it.”

I froze and took too long to bitch back at her, or shove her, or anything. By the time I realized I reacted stupid to that, it would have been more stupid to give such a delayed reaction.

So instead, I flicked my tail in irritation, to make sure she knew how I felt about that accusation, and I just waited for the damn ring.

I’m still working. I’m not leaving the circus. Stolas isn’t marrying his cute little pet, he’s marrying a failed circus clown, but a circus clown regardless. He’s marrying a pretty damn good bodyguard… his pretty damn good bodyguard.

Which was kind of a farce anyway. Maybe not to begin with, but now, he doesn’t really need one. He can turn people to stone for trying to hurt him, or me, so bullets and knives are kind of pointless. The whole bodyguard thing started off as an excuse for me to be around him in public all the time, without making people suspicious.

But I am a bodyguard. I like it. I like fighting, I have some great training, and I’ve got all the tools. I’m not a great clown, obviously, but I’m not leaving the circus entirely. I’m not leaving Momma and Fizz and Barbie. And even though I won’t need to get a paycheck from Cash anymore, I’m not giving up my clowning spot either.

I’m not a ‘sugar baby’.

That’s stupid.

If anything, this is just going to make it easier for me to move onto bigger and better things. I’m not sure about my own circus anymore, but, I’m going to work for myself and I’m not going to have to answer to Cash forever. I’m marrying Stolas because I love him, not because he’s rich.

My ten minutes of no thinking about my birdie was up while the guy was resizing the ring, so I was perfectly free to spend a lot of time picturing it on his hand on our way out of the store.

“Those earrings for him too?” She bumped her shoulder into mine.

I closed the ring box quickly and shoved it into my pocket with the earrings. “Yeah? Obviously?”

“Simp.”

“Shut up, Barbie. You’re going to find your other half and you’re going to be just as annoying as I am. You know it.”

She shrugged and held the door into the clothing store open for me. “I am not. When I find my other half, she’s not going to be some sissy like yours is. She’s tough, she has a labor job of some kind, I know she’s tough. And she knows how to fight.”

“I don’t see how that means you’re not going to be a simp too.”

“Whatever. You’ll see. I mean, we can both agree, Fizz is going to be as bad as you, right?”

Fizz.

Barbie’s other half does get hurt all the time. She gets into fights, she works with her hands a lot, and she’s definitely going to be some tough chick. Barb likes her already, and that’s all we know about the lady.

Fizz, however, is a different story. His other half almost never gets hurt, and when they do, it’s… strange. Fizz doesn’t always want to talk about, he gets embarrassed, but you always know when Fizz is feeling his other half get hurt. He’s always caught off guard, and he always makes these weird little *gasps*, and he gets all embarrassed.

Best I can say is, his other half seems to do it on purpose. It’s too infrequent, too isolated, and there’s never any side-injuries as evidence of a fight. A bite mark shows up, but there’s no bruising or broken fingers or anything.

“Yeah. Fizz is going to be all over his other half.” I agreed, remembering the old days when I’d wished I had been bonded to Fizz. I wonder if he used to wish he was bonded to me too?

We were looking for our suits at the same time. I settled on mine before she was satisfied with one, and the whole experience was pretty much the same as when we were looking at the rings. Every step, every aisle we went down, there was an employee watching us closely. I was tempted to try and steal something just out of spite, but, we really are here for honest business and we really do need to get these suits.

Between ring shopping and getting our clothes, it really didn’t take as long as I was expecting. But, probably, Stolas and Fizz were almost definitely done before us, so we decided to high-tail it to the meeting spot. With the ring safely in my pocket and my suit safely inside one of those fancy hanger-bags and over my shoulder, I was ready to see Stolas again.

I hope he and Fizz had a good time together. They’re both kind of awkward, but, they are friends. They get along great, they have for years now, I’ve just never left either of them alone this long before. Especially not alone in public. Especially not alone in public in Greed. I’m both of their bodyguard, and yet I’m here with Barbie because I can’t go shopping for my fiance’s ring with my fiance. Everyone vetoed that idea when I suggested it.

They’re fine. If anyone is stupid enough to harass either of them, or both, they can handle themselves. Stolas doesn’t actually need me to be his bodyguard; he can handle himself. He’s got magics. And Fizz may have a lot of fans in Pride, but he’s a nobody here in Greed, so he doesn’t have any reason to be stalked or anything.

They weren’t there.

The meeting place is an open seating area were we could sit and loiter until we were ready to head home. There were a few teenage sharks drinking milkshakes at one table, a pair of succubi sharing a pizza and giggling to each other at a different table, and that was it. The seating seemed to be primarily for this restaurant, but the restaurant’s business wasn’t exactly booming right now, so, we shouldn’t get harassed for taking up space at a table with a weird stain on it, nearest to the corner of the building. They’d probably be coming from that direction, so, it felt like the right spot. We put our hanger-bags on the table and she sat up on top of the table beside them with her feet in the bench. I sat on the bench and pulled my phone out, wondering if I should call him to check and make sure they’re alright.

“They’re fine.”

“You don’t know that; they could have been kidnapped.” I know they’re fine.

Barbie rolled her eyes and crossed one leg over the other, leaning back on her palms. “And if they are kidnapped, what are you going to do? Go save your ‘prince charming’? Go be a cute little ‘knight in shining armor’?”

I rolled my eyes back, “Shut up, Barb.”

She smirked, “That should be the theme of your wedding. ‘Fairy tale’. Is there going to be a horse? Are you two going to ride away on horseback at the end?”

“I don’t know. Maybe?” I stuck my tongue out at her.

“You’re so childish.”

“You’re childish.”

She leaned forward, putting her elbows in her lap and smirking at me. “You’re getting married, Blitz . You’ve got to grow up so you can be a good little house-husband. Stolas needs someone mature and sophisticated .”

I kicked at her with minimal effort. “Stolas needs someone sexy and funny. And he’s got it.”

“Wrong on both accounts. I can’t wait to see the two of you dorks live happily ever after.”

I eyed her suspiciously, but, she didn’t appear to have any ulterior motives here. “…Thanks?”

“I just want to know,” her genuine smile turned into a shitty grin again and she leaned toward me, “What’d you get each other when you got engaged?”

“Nothing. Mind your own business.”

“You wouldn’t have forgotten rings like this if you didn’t get each other something already,” her eyes flickered down to my neck and back to my face quickly, and I tensed, “and I did notice you’ve been wearing a new necklace chain this last week.”

“It’s nothing.” I did not want to share that right now, there is a reason I keep it tucked under my shirt all the time.

Her eyes narrowed and her smirk got worse.

“No…”

She lunged at me to try and grab ahold of it, to pull it out of my shirt. “Let me see it!”

“DON’T TOUCH THAT!” I shoved at her face, trying to push her off me.

“DON’T TELL ME WHAT TO DO.” She knocked me down from the bench and we hit the ground, and she was still trying to grab at the chain around my neck.

“FUCK YOU BAR- AHH!” She fucking bit me, and in response, I grabbed back at her and rolled us over to get the upper hand.

Our fight didn’t last very long, before a familiar fist grabbed hold of the back of my shirt and I was hoisted up into the air to hang before a very unimpressed birdie, who in his other hand held a lidded cup with a straw.

My fight instincts left me in an instant and I reached out, “Stolas!”

Chapter Text

Stolas

I was pacing the room quickly, fretting at my feathers, trying very hard not to pluck.

“Young Prince,” Mr. Butler tried again to make me stop. He had last time he was in the room too, but, until this is over I don’t think I can.

“Give me some good news, please.” I turned at the end of the room again, and this direction I could see him in the doorway. I stopped very suddenly snapping my arms down at my side and lifting my chin. “Momma.”

Blitz’s Momma (my soon to be mother-in-law!) stood beside Mr. Butler. She had the dress she’d gotten for today on already, the stylists had already finished her hair, and she looked like she was completely prepared. She, like she usually is, was smiling at me with her hands folded in front of her.

Mr. Butler turned to leave. She took a step forward and opened her arms up, “You look nervous.”

I rushed forward to hug her. “I am .”

She pat my back, “Blitz is too. I just left him, he’s chewed through one of your curtains. I’m sorry.”

I don’t care. “Is he alright? Is he…” I let her go and stood upright again, straightening my clothes because I can’t be wrinkled when I go out there. “Is…” I was losing my train of thought, now imagining the scene I was about to see. In just a few minutes. Blitz, dressed in a fancy little suit, adorable , sexy, his tail probably going crazy because he’s as nervous as I am.

“Blitz will be alright. Barbie’s talking with him right now and Fizz snuck out to check on the audience.”

The audience.

I groaned and paced back toward the window, pulling the drawn curtains back just far enough to get a peek out there. We’re on the bottom floor right now, both of us, so we are in perfect position to go out when it’s time. His room is on the opposite side of the building, he’ll be going out first so he’ll be there for me to watch when I walk up. It had felt perfect , to emphasize that he gets to marry me. That I get to marry him. That this is our union, species be damned.

We’d anticipated it being more… amusing. Something satisfying, something sweet, because we’d anticipated only a few people appearing in the audience and thus the decision not causing a scene of any kind.

So many people showed up we had to find more chairs. They did. I wanted to help, to keep myself busy, but I was told that both Blitz and I had to stay inside, separately, until the ceremony.

While he wouldn’t be able to see the audience from his room, I had a perfect view. Every seat is filled. Every Goetia that had RSVP’d for Stella’s and my wedding had decided to still come anyways, despite the fact we’d warned them that plans had changed. No one responded, they just… showed up. Like nothing had changed. Actually, I might even say more Goetia showed up than had initially RSVP’d, even.

“Come away from the window,” Momma called me.

I let the curtain fall and I turned away from it, taking a deep breath, trying to calm myself.

“Everything will be fine. Blitz will be safe, your big day will go so smoothly, everyone is going to behave themselves.”

“They’re here for a show.” I took another deep breath.

“And you’re going to give them the sweetest, most loving wedding they can’t ruin.” She took a few more steps in and gestured up toward me. I crouched down so she could reach me, letting her reach up to my face and tilt my head down. She kissed the top of my head, I didn’t bother to suppress my startled hoot, and she let me go. “You’re going to do amazing, Sweetie.”

I took another deep breath.

“How much time?”

“Twenty more minutes. You’ve just got to wait twenty more minutes. Can you do that?”

Another deep breath. “Yes. Thank you.”

“Good. I’m going to check on Blitz one more time before we go down to line up.”

She left.

I took another breath.

I started pacing again.

She and Father and Fizzarolli and Barbie will all go down before us. With this many Goetia, I am so scared about what they are going to do when Momma (first imp to appear) shows up.

Everything will be fine.

Father will also be there, and no one is going to make a scene with him here. He is too powerful, his social standing is far too high. No, everyone is only going to gossip and criticize us quietly, to themselves, during the ceremony.

The door burst open and Fizzarolli appeared there, leg lifted after kicking it in, elbows up on either side of him the way Blitz does sometimes, when he’s being macho and brave and putting on a show.

“Stop plucking!”

I jerked my hands back down to my side and ducked my head. “Sorry.”

“Don’t tell me sorry! Blitz is the one you just gave a fucking heart attack to. I just got the curtains out of his mouth and him breathing normal. Barbie had to tackle him to stop him from fighting his way in here.” He stormed up to stand before me, stopping me from pacing again. “Why are you freaking out? Stop freaking out. You’re both idiots, all this dumb party is going to do is stir gossip and shit. You’re basically already married.”

“That’s what I’m worried about.” I started pacing around him. “The gossip! Why are there so many guests? This was supposed to be smaller. They shouldn’t want to be here. It was meant to be Father, you, Barbie, Momma, Mr. Butler, and… and a few other Goetia. A few, those that don’t hate me. We’d originally invited this many because of her. Because Stella just loves the limelight.”

“Alright, well, stop that now.” He tried to stop me from pacing again. “You’re not here for them, so who cares? You’re here for that idiot in the other room that loves you so much he’ll do your weird Goetia wedding shit. Calm down, alright? Barbie and I got a bet, see, and you can’t make me lose it. She says Blitz is going to hold it together better than you, and I called bullshit because he’s a little crybaby and you’ve performed in front of a bunch of people like this before. He’s going to get sweaty and nervous and he’s going to want to juggle something, but you? You’ve had all this fancy-people training enough, you’ll be fine.”

I couldn’t help but to laugh, shaken out of my panic at the mental image. “He isn’t going to do that.”

“No, but he’s going to want to. He hasn’t been front-and-center during a show in years. Cash keeps shoving him to the back, but you? You can handle it. Don’t make me lose this bet, Feathers.”

I took a deep breath.

“Alright. For you, Fizzarolli. I’ll keep it together so you can beat Barbie.”

He flashed me a wide grin and struck a pose, “There it is! Alright, you need to fix anything before we go out there? We’ve got to go line up pretty soon. That butler of yours is running around like a madman and he threatened my life if I didn’t have my shit together when it’s time.”

“He didn’t do that.”

“He didn’t. But he wanted to.”

I nodded, “I, I’m going to the bathroom. I’m going to check my makeup.

I stood in front of the mirror, fixing my feathers, for an hour. I blinked, and I was behind the garden doors. I started hyperventilating.

“Stolas.” Mr. Butler cut through the noise.

He never uses my name.

I took a deep breath.

“I’m alright.”

“I know you are. Head up, back straight, pace your steps.” He put a hand on the door.

Father was gone. Momma was gone. Fizzarolli was gone. Barbie had been with Blitz, and, they’re supposed to be out there already. Through the door, I heard the music shift.

I nodded.

He pushed the door open, and I paced my steps.

I kept my head up and my back straight.

Blitz’s eyes were dilated, his tail was flicking about, low behind him. He looked amazing.

At some point, I must have gotten to the end, because the next thing I knew I was no longer walking. I was staring down at my other half, who hadn’t taken his eyes off me, and I was vaguely aware that there were other people here.

The officiate was talking, and, I could barely hear her.

Everything was quiet. Blitz is moving. He looked frustrated. I blinked, glanced around, and realized we were already at the end.

I stooped down to kiss him.

Blitz

I didn’t pay shit attention to anyone else until after his tongue went in my mouth. By that point, I guess, we’d been kissing longer than we’re ‘supposed’ to or whatever, and there was a mixture of disgusted and excited noises. They were subtle enough that I could ignore them just a little while longer, as I slipped my arms around his neck and enjoyed the taste of my husband.

That’s when the clapping started. I immediately knew it was Fizz, and just after, probably Barbie joined in, and it spread. It wasn’t overly enthusiastic, but, it was a very blatant “ Stop making out in front of everyone! ”

So I let him go.

He didn’t let me go. He grabbed my hand before straightening up and glancing out toward the audience. I couldn’t. I could only look up at him.

My husband.

Mine.

Then he looked afraid.

I looked out to the audience very quickly to figure out what he’d seen.

Front and center, I saw our family. His dad – my father-in-law? Would I get turned to stone immediately for saying something like that? – and Momma, Barbie and Fizz. Behind them were the rest of the Goetia that for some fucking reason decided to crash the wedding. I mean, technically they were invited. Technically, all Lord Paimon did was replace Stella with me and kept everything else. I mean, other than letting us redecorate and change the menu around and shit.

They looked mostly disgusted. A few looked bored. Even less seemed curious. Three looked furious.

Stella. Andrealphus. Their mom, whatever-her-name-is, I never learned it. I don’t care.

Why. The. Fuck are they here?

Stolas squeezed my hand, pulling slightly, and we were pushed toward the next phase. Getting hitched isn’t all of it, there was also the reception .

We walked the length of the garden together, at the pace we practiced to go at, and the music got louder behind us. I kept my eyes straight ahead, not back toward the angry seething cucklefucks that were absolutely not invited.

The instant we were in the clear, and it got a lot louder back around in the garden, I pulled on his arm, pulling him aside, and muttered, “What the fuck ?”

“Not the first thing I wanted my husband to say to me.” He tilted to look down at me.

“Alright. Ignore that. I love you so much and now I get to keep you and there’s not a damn thing anyone can do about it. Now, what the fuck?”

“Father invited them.” He took my other hand. “He wanted them to experience the full humiliation. They will… behave?”

“No they won’t. I’ve got my gun on me, I will-”

“You wore your gun to our wedding?” He stood more upright, making me lift my arms up to be level with my head.

I held on a little tighter, nervous; I meant to keep that a secret. It was just a precaution. “...Yes?”

He sighed, and his tail fluffed out behind him. I could feel a little gust of air from all those long feathers. “I hate how sexy that is.”

Someone cleared their throat. I looked up and around us, stepping closer to him, only to find a succubus in a suit, with a camera around her neck, sticking her head around the corner.

Shit. Right. The pictures. We’re supposed to be doing pictures while everyone else was going inside for the reception. “Come on, Stols. Let’s get through with this.”

The pictures felt like they took forever. We had to do all kinds of poses and silly things, and I wanted it over . I wanted to kiss him again. I wanted to pull him into a closet to hide with me. I wanted it all over so I could climb him like a ladder. But the pictures being over wouldn’t mean I could do that yet; we’ve got so much to still get through.

Dancing. Dinner. Presents. There were still things we had to do.

Fizz and Barbie were brought out to join us eventually. We got more silly pictures, until Stolas went to take one with his dad and Momma came to take one with me. She got one with both of us, but, no matter how much Lord Paimon didn’t hate us and wanted to do things this way, he suddenly had things to do before the photographer could get him with both Stolas and me.

Then, we were free to join the rest of the reception. First, would be the dancing. We were meant to open that up. That’s how it is for Goetian wedding parties, I guess. At imp weddings, the music turns on and whoever wants to shake their ass jumps up. Now, because of our height differences, we couldn’t do the ‘first dance’ together without looking really stupid, without a little creativity.

It was Barbie’s idea, actually. Stolas and I have danced together plenty by now, but it got harder the taller he got, and now when we’re fucking around and being cute, I’m standing up on the bed or the couch or something, stepping between it and the coffee table or… or whatever. Barbie suggested a circle table be set up in the middle, at the right height, so it wouldn’t be too in the way for everyone else and Stolas could walk around it while we danced.

And everyone watched.

I don’t think anyone went home already, like I was kind of hoping they would.

It was nerve wracking, until I dipped Stolas and he stared up at me with his pupils all glowy and shit and I had to kiss him again because he was just so stupid-pretty.

There was murmuring, a generally disappointed and vaguely positive response to our dancing at our own wedding.

I heard the whispering. I knew what they were all saying.

They were looking for drama. They wanted something juicy. They wanted to know what horrible leverage the ‘nasty imps’ were holding over Lord Paimon and his son. They wanted a real show, and, we weren’t giving them that yet. We’ve barely done anything, and it seemed like the general impression we were making on the rest of Goetian society was, “That weird little prince is making goo-goo eyes at an imp because he’s ‘strange’ and ‘lowbrow’.” They wanted me to make a fool of myself, to embarrass Stolas and Lord Paimon, but I was doing everything right.

Of course I was. I know how to act around stuck-up blue-bloods like this.

“Are you serious?!”

The room went quiet and I lifted my face off from my husband’s. I glared across the room at the bitch that was interrupting.

Her mom looked embarrassed and was trying to distract her. Stella wasn’t phased. She held her head high and was so mad her face was darkening.

“You’re all alright with this?! You’re just going to let this happen?”

“Stella, sit down.” Her mom tried to pull her down.

She shook her mom off and took a few steps our direction. Stolas stood up and put himself between us, but, there was still quite a lot of distance between us. The other Goetia looked more interested, watching her.

“No! I can’t believe you’re all just alright with letting this happen! He’s marrying an imp! There has got to be a law against this. This is humiliating! This is- this is-” she couldn’t seem to find her words.

“This is nothing to do with you any longer,” Stolas stayed calm. “If you cannot behave, I’ll have to ask you to leave. This is a celebration, not a court room.”

“I came here because I wanted to see this entire event torn apart.” She glared, pointing an accusatory finger at us. Then, she turned and spread her arms to shout into the crowd of Goetia that had come because, apparently, invitations to a Goetia-imp wedding was more entertaining than sitting at home with sticks up their asses. “This is a blight upon our society! You should be angry! You should be quartering the stupid little imp for daring to blemish our perfect community!”

“Stella.” Even her stupid icy brother was glaring at her. “Stand down.”

“No!” She stormed closer again, and I wished the security here weren’t a bunch of fucking weenies. If I were running security right now, I’d have her ass kicked out by now. But I’m not, because I just got married, and I am trying to enjoy the reception! “I want justice! I want recompants! I want…” she stopped right in front of Stolas, glaring into her face as he glared abck at her, and she lifted her chin, “I want what I am owed.”

Behind her, I saw the crowd of excited blue-bloods, who were finally getting the drama they wanted. I looked up to Stolas, whose back is still to me, in concern. I touched his back.

He sucked in a breath and answered, “I don’t owe you anything.”

She slapped him. Hard . But he didn’t flinch and neither did I. I did , however, take that as permission to use my bodyguard training to wrench her out of his personal space bubble and put her into a lock immediately. It was easy, it was so easy, despite her screaming and struggling, that it wasn’t even as satisfying as I was hoping. Oh, I could easily wreck her shit. She’s easier to pin down than Stolas, and Stolas loves getting pinned down.

That’s when the applause, more genuine than at the end of the ceremony, began.

I looked up, as the laughter filled the space between the clapping.

Andy was rushing forward, looking furious, but he was coming for her not me. I let her go, staying between Stolas and her as her stupid icy brother dragged her away, toward the door rather than the seats they’d all been at before. “You stupid girl, you’ve made yourself look more of an idiot than the imp .” He was dragging her away.

I saw Momma and Fizz and Barbie off to the side, and they all looked like they weren’t upset with how I handled it. Lord Paimon was standing relatively nearby, watching the unwanted family of three leave with an angry expression, and Mr. Butler was at his heel watching us. He nodded once, when I caught his eye, so, I guess I had handled that correctly.

But it was the group of judgmental, nosy blue-bloods that were the most excited.

“Finally, some kind of drama.”

“It’s almost worth going to this boring wedding to see that. That was hilarious.”

“I was beginning to suspect this ridiculous wedding is because that prince is actually bonded to an imp, but, he didn’t react to the slap at all.”

“Maybe. Either way, who cares? The guy’s a weirdo anyways.”

The music started again.

Stolas tugged me back toward the table.

Chapter Text

Stolas

“I don’t want to.” He climbed up around my shoulders and held on tightly. “This place is…”

“Not what we thought.” I agreed, lifting a hand to cup his face. I tilted my head into his, and looked the very… sterile… cabin over. It isn’t a cabin. It’s nearly a full mansion, within spitting distance within other nearly-full-mansions. We’d thought of everything, changing what had been a dreaded union with Stella to a wonderful marriage to my other half.

This is the place Stella picked out for our ‘honeymoon’. It is tradition, there are plenty of overpriced businesses organized for pompous, unnecessarily large, Goetian vacation spots.

“I mean…” his tail curled in around my waist and I tightened my grip on the bag in my fist. “It is only a week. Less than a week. This is only a few days out of what will be the rest of our lives. We have forever together, Stols. A few days at some… uh… second giant house is…”

“We could find somewhere else.” I know he doesn’t want to have our honeymoon here. He want something smaller. He said we didn’t even really need one; we’ll have the whole palace just to ourselves now that Father is moving out. Honeymoons aren’t imp tradition because most imps can’t afford something like that.

“It’s alright. You probably spent a whole lot on renting this place for the week.” He tilted his head and got a different look. “Just because we don’t need that much space doesn’t mean it’s in the way.”

He’s right. It isn’t… horrible. I hadn’t even seen the place. Stella took care of everything , when it came to the honeymoon. The point of the honeymoon is to produce an egg. Hopefully. That’s the idea, at least, because that’s why arranged marriages are arranged. Every time the honeymoon was mentioned, before, I’d done everything in my power to avoid it. I didn’t want to talk about it, I didn’t want to think about it. When I was forced to think about it or talk about it, I wanted to puke. I wanted to pluck. I wanted to run away to the circus and hide in Blitzy’s bed.

Stella’s gone, but this is still the place she picked out for the worst week of my entire life.

Or what would have been. If I were spending it with her and not Blitzy. My Blitzy. My other half.

“Uh…” Blitz drew my attention out of the flashbacks to the horrible things I had been convinced would be happening right now up until just a few weeks ago. I blinked and looked the direction he was looking, to see a pair of imps in uniforms, carrying crates of groceries into the pink and marble vacation home Stella had thought was perfect.

“No.” I turned away. “They can keep the money for the reservation. We’ll find somewhere else.”

“Where? I mean, you can throw your title and some money around if you want, but…”

“But it would take some time to find the right place.” I agreed. “And you don’t want to waste our day.”

“Do you?” He practically purred into my ear. I lost my entire train of thought, feathers fluffing in an embarrassing way, and I considered trying to take another kiss. “St~ols.”

“Hmm?” I paid attention again.

“You don’t want to waste our day looking for the perfect place either, do you?”

Of course not. I opened a portal and took us through, abandoning the vacation house and taking us straight out of hell. He didn’t object at all, but he did hum in confusion. “What are you doing?”

“My job is to observe the Earth skies. I travel throughout the mortal world to read prophecies found in the stars.”

“Uh, yeah? I know? I’ve been with you.” He tilted his mouth into the side of my face for not quite a kiss but just to hold his face there.

I nearly lost my train of thought again.

“Well,” I dry swallowed, “I, um, I’ve developed a few… favorite spots. In space and… and here on Earth.”

“Mm-hmm.”

“And I know of this very cute cabin that is rarely inhabited.” I gestured toward it, because that’s where I took us. “What do you think?”

“You want to break into a human place to get nasty with me?” His tone is teasing. One of his hands slipping under the neckline of my shirt to stick his fingers between my feathers under my shirt.

I lost my train of thought again, “I… um…” I tried to kiss him.

He only let it last a second, just a peck, before he slid his cheek along mine to say, in a low voice, “Because that’s hot as fuck. But, the lights are on.”

I lifted my head and looked toward the cabin at the edge of the woods. Behind us, there were fields and hills, and the only sign of life out here was… the lights on in the cabin and the car parked by the dirt road that connected this cabin to some road so far off it couldn’t be heard.

“Oh, dear.” I loosened my arms around him.

“We can find another cabin somewhere. I bet there are plenty.” He gripped my feathers slightly, which normally would have reinforced the brain fog and mental images of the way he blushes and reacts when I touch him.

But now I want that , not real estate business.

I put him down.

He whined, “Aw, I didn’t mean it. We can-”

“We can have this one. Wait right here, I’ll be right back. Oh, and if you watch out that direction, you might find why I like this location so well.” I pointed him toward the fields, where I knew there to be a stable collection of roaming horse herds.

“What are you going to do?” He only glanced that direction, then back to me.

“I’m going to get rid of our interlopers here.” I grinned down to him, and after he appeared to back down and let me take care of the situation. Then, I took my more intimidating form and flew toward the cabin to interfere with their power and make the walls bleed. It was a couple of humans who very well could have been here for the same reason we were. But I don’t really care; I wanted them gone and I wanted my husband in that bed right now.

I reverted to my normal form as they ran screaming from the cabin, into their car and speeding away. Blitz slunk up to me from the shadows and immediately stuck his fingers back into my feathers and tugging me down toward him. “That was hot, babe. Good job, I think you deserve some attention first.”

Blitz

Monday

I shoved him down on the bed, purring enthusiastically, on my hands and knees over him, grinning down. He made the cutest little hoot in startle when he hit the bed, his eyes all widening, his pupils flashing brightly. His hands, which had been lifted by his shoulders, came in around my face and he held it gently. As gently as he ever has.

“What do y-” he began, and I really meant to wait for him to finish his pointless sentence, but I got excited. I shoved my tongue into his mouth.

His hands around my face tightened and I moaned, tilting my head as I came down lower on him. I supported my weight with my forearm so I could grab hold of those feathers.

But then I had to breathe, and I had to pull away. His hands loosened again and he was trilling fondly. “What do you want?” He tried again for some reason.

“I want to kiss my husband.” I shimmied over him and rolled my tail over his legs behind me. His knees pulled up behind me, quickly, and he was cooing immediately when I said it. “What do you want?”

“I want to make you cum.”

I pinched my lips together and tried not to laugh. His eyes tilted into crescent shapes and he giggled. I stopped trying to keep a straight face and I laughed with him. I dropped my head down to his shoulder and I felt his hands on my back.

“Stols…”

“Forget the dirty talk,” he began to sober. “I’m sorry, that was unnecessary.”

I shoved my tail under his leg and coiled it around. “It’s fine. I like it. Do it again.” I sat up again and lifted up onto my knees, slipping my hands down from his shoulders, down his chest, down to his waist.

He trilled again, his feathers fluffing up, leaning down to kiss me, making my lose track of my hands for a second. It didn’t last as long, he pulled away, keeping his face close to mine, and, in a low voice, “I want to wrap my hand around your sexy little cock.”

I tried not to laugh, “Little?”

His eyes widened slightly, because hadn’t meant any insult. Everything about me is ‘little’ to him, and that wasn’t even teasing . What I was doing? I was teasing. “Relax.” I purred up to him and finally settled my hands at the top of his pants. “And you’re going to have to wait your turn.” I tipped my fingers down and slipped my hand into-

Tuesday

-into his bird puss. He squeaked and twitched away. Not on purpose. I took my finger out and sat up, looking up to him.

“Want me to stop?” I rested my hand on his inner thigh instead, even though I already knew the answer.

He whined, spreading his knees a bit more. “ No .”

I slipped my fingers back in and he moaned, legs twitching in around me.

He likes it when I do this – “Ah!” – and when I do this – “Ahha!” – and usually this is a really safe way to get him to fall off.

“Blitzy~! Ah!”

I kept going. The first time we did this, we were really awkward and we had the worst back-and-forth between my not wanting to make him uncomfortable and his not wanting to be annoying. By the third time, I found this goes a lot easier if I just push him down and rock his world. He loves it, and wherever his boundaries are, they’re nowhere around here.

“Oh fuck.” He was struggling to calm down with my still stroking his insides. “Bl~itz~ eh~”

I was pulled away from his bird puss abruptly by a strong grip on my horn. Instead of objecting, I adjusted to crawl up toward his face, so I could let him stick his mouth onto my-

Wednesday

-my dick. I moaned and tried to hold still, but it was hard. He wasn’t moving, he had stopped to look up at me, lifting his head, starting to let go. I was scared he was going to let go, and I can’t really say what my plan was if he did.

Doesn’t matter.

I’ve tortured him enough the last two days, the last however long we’ve been on this couch with the forgotten movie still running, he’s not going to be too shy now. He came back down and trilled that stupid little, cute as fuck, trill around me , and it was…

Fuck.

I can’t fucking think.

“Stols,” I grunted, and I flicked my tail up over his back, around him.

He held my hips still and did this oh this funny thing with his tongue .

I put my hands in his feathers, just for something to hold onto. He trilled again, and I felt like I was supposed to last longer, but I wasn’t. I’m not going to. My voice wasn’t working anymore, obviously, but I didn’t want to ruin our first time doing this , so I gripped the feathers on the back of his head and pulled slightly. Not enough to take any out, but to suggest he let go.

He went all the way down and held on, trilling again. It had to be on purpose.

He swallowed very drop of it, staring up at me, and it was something else .

“Stols,” I tried to pull him up again, back toward me. He let me go, sliding up toward me rather than crawling. “Fuck, Stols, give me some warning?”

He hooted in that horny way is a new way I’ve really started to figure out. He’s… he’s hornier than I’d expected coming into this. I’ve really figured it out through, and it’s so much fun trying to tire him out. He ran his beak up my neck, making me shiver, until his mouth was beside my ear, he pulled away slightly, and, “Do you have any idea how much I love you-”

Thursday

“-YOU BLITZY!” He gasped, thighs slamming down on either side of my head. Now, even if I wanted to pull away that was going to be hard. I wrapped my arms up and around them, to stay stable, and I ate out his cloaca.

He is so much fun to make write and squirm and the noises he makes are my favorite . I don’t think he lasted as long as he had yesterday, before my face got sticky. His legs loosened, he laid almost limp before me, and I still gripped his thighs, staring up to get a gauge on how he was doing. I let him rest a second, but I’m not done yet.

He’s breathing heavily, and now his legs are drawing in around me. “Do you want to-”

I dove back in.

He gasped and winced away, letting out a musical note. I put my tongue back in my mouth and lifted my chin enough to look back up at him. “Good?”

He moaned and tilted his hips toward me. “ Green .”

I dove back in, again . He wiggled aggressively, and I was even having having some trouble getting what I wanted to done. To be fair, I’m trying to overwhelm him now. I’m trying to overstimulate him, he really likes getting pushed around, and I am never going to get tired of the way he begs for more.

I don’t know where the urge came from, but it was right there . His thigh, it kept shoving into the side of my head, and I wasn’t doing a whole lot of thinking at all. I already had my mouth open, I only had to tilt my head and chomp down. He screamed, but instead of jerking his leg away from me, his legs slammed together around my head again and his voice echoed with the kind of aroused pleasure it does when he comes, but he wasn’t quite there yet. I felt the bite on my own thigh, near the very top, and new ideas were forming in my mind.

I sat up without letting him release again. He whined and wrapped his legs around me, not very tightly, and he rolled over slightly to look down toward me. “Blitzy? Am I putting too much work on you?”

“No. Lay down, Pillow Princess.” I sat up more over him and looked around the cabin. “I want to try something.”

“What sort of something?” He propped himself up on his elbows. “If you’re getting bored of this…”

“We can stop. Yeah, yeah, I know. You want to lay back and let me get you off, I’ll take care of you. But you need to keep your fucking arms out of the way, so, I want to try something.” I smirked up at him, smacking him with my tail.

His pupils appeared, “O h . Oh?”

“Give me a second, I’ll find something.” I crawled to the edge of the bed, but didn’t get out before his magic appeared around the curtains. I stopped to watch, and, he got really detailed with it, making the curtains fall open and the tasseled ropes that held them back floated our way.

“Will this work?” He asked, dropping his hand as I snatched the ropes out of the air.

“Perfect. Green?” I rounded on him, holding one up between us.

He offered up his wrists, his pupils so bright . “Green.”

I’ve learned a lot of strong knots, working in the circus, and I’m not entirely sure which would be the most relevant to use here. But, I do know that while I was pulling one of his wrists above his head, tying it up, his other came up behind me to touch my-

Friday

-my spatula. “Lay off!” I jerked my hand away.

He laughed, sliding his arms around me from behind instead, leaning his face into the side of mine. “I only want to help, Love.”

I tilted my head to kiss the side of his face. “Thank you, I appreciate it, but go sit down . I get to pamper you in bed, I get to pamper you with breakfast.”

“You aren’t going to make a habit of this, are you?” He obeyed and sat at the little dining room table that’s definitely too small for him but not so obnoxiously small that it was a problem. The table isn’t that far away, so he could prop his chin up on his fists and watch me without hanging all over me. We won’t be eating at the table, though, we’re going to eat outside again and watch the horses. “Cooking all the time? I want a husband, not a cook.”

I flipped the pancake and pat it with the bottom of the spatula, sneaking a proud look over my shoulder to him. “You fuck your cook?”

His eyes widened slightly, just for a moment, and his grin widened. “I don’t want to start . Which is why I don’t want you cooking for me all the time.”

“I’m going to cook for you.” I passed his objections off. “I’m going to cook you some pancakes, pasta, and some great chicken wings. That’s all I’ve got. I’ll learn a few more things, just for you.”

“You don’t need to do that,” he objected, playfully complaining. “I want you eating more than just cereal.”

“I eat more than cereal.” He objected, lifting his head.

I flipped the pancake out of the pan and grabbed the syrup bottle, bringing it over to set up in front of him. “Like what? Pizza?”

He grabbed one of my horns and tilted my head toward him, holding it close, as he leaned in. “Like your-

Saturday

“-your cock is~ uh~”

“Is what?” I held tighter, holding still, smirking up at him.

His hips wiggled and his hands groped over my back. “~is~ uh!” I cut him of by moving again.

Last day, gotta make it count. I didn’t get the ropes out, I didn’t put his face in the pillow, I wanted to feel his hands and watch his face.

I wanted to kiss him.

He’s so fucking tall.

We’ve done it on the couch, in the kitchen, in the bathtub, and so many times in the bed . We weren’t going to be so all over each other, we were anticipating getting a little horny, but holy shit .

I came before he did this time, and to give that dick he was so excited about a little break, I worked his last one out of him with my tongue and hands instead. He’d wrapped his legs around my neck again, resting them on my shoulders rather than covering my ears like he had before. I was a little confused, at first, until his knee jerked, his leg slipped under my horn, and my face was suddenly buried directly into his cloaca just before he came.

He let me go, breathing heavily, but my breath was back enough I could laugh as I crawled back up him.

“St~olas~” I sang as I crawled over him slowly. He moaned and brought his hands up my thighs, over my back, and by the time I was almost where I wanted to be, he pulled me in. I struggled to pull myself up a little further, to get to that pretty birdie face, but he had other plans.

He turned over, pinning me under him, and moved me to where he wanted me so his pretty birdie face into my neck. “No more . I can’t handle it.”

Oh. He thought I was going to overstimulate him again. He’s saying that, but he isn’t using that safe word we made on Thursday and he isn’t giving any colors. So, if I started pushing him around again, it’d probably work.

I wrapped my arms around his head and lifted my legs to hug on either side of his torso rather than wrapping them around him. My tail I tightened around his waist as he slid his arms under my back and he hugged me back tightly. We were wrapped around each other so thoroughly we might have shared a silhouette.

“No more.” I kissed his feathers. “Good honeymoon?”

He trilled fondly, happily, nodding into my neck. “The best . Blitzy, this isn’t… we aren’t…”

I tensed and shoved his face up so I could look at it. “What’s wrong?”

His face is dark and embarrassed, “When tomorrow we return to the palace, everything comes back. My responsibilities, yours…”

“And I’m still going to make you feel like a princess whenever you want.” I stuck my tongue out between my teeth.

His eyes flickered down to it, then back to mine. “I love you.”

I slid my fingers into the feathers on the back of his head, “I love you too, Birdie,” and I pulled him back down so I could finally have that kiss I wanted.

Chapter Text

Stolas

The palace is so… quiet.

Empty.

Paintings that have been on the walls since before I was born were gone. The staff has been cut in half, and the instincts that Mr. Butler would be there, around any corner, only emphasized how empty the place is knowing he won’t be.

He’s gone.

So is Father.

His office is my office. His books are gone from the library, decorations that I hadn’t even realized were his and not just… scenery in the backdrop of my life, left harrowing empty spaces where there have never been empty spaces.

I will hire more staff, to replace those Father had taken with him. I don’t know how many we really need though, with it only being us, and we’ll figure that out together. For now, it’s only him, me, and whoever remains that comes in occasionally for the laundry and to dust.

The cook was with Father, I suppose. We could find a new one, but…

“Pancakes?” I sat down at the table and crossed my legs, watching my husband cook.

He looked over his shoulder to me, “Yeah! It’s breakfast. You want something else for breakfast?”

“We could just have cereal.” I leaned my head down onto my palm and watched him fondly. “We had breakfast for dinner last night.”

“Yeah, but that was biscuits and gravy.” He went back to work. “I’m going to be the best fucking cook.”

He could take lessons, if he wants. He knows that. That isn’t what he wants. “You’re going to be a delightful cook. But you aren’t my personal chef . I don’t want you waiting on me hand and foot, Blitzy.”

“Everyone should learn how to cook,” he denied. “I’m going to learn how to cook, then I’m going to make you learn how to cook, and then-”

The doorbell rang.

He lowered his spatula and looked that direction, and based off the way his tail froze in the air behind him, he was juggling the self-imposed responsibility to pamper me with breakfast with the self-imposed responsibility to never let me lift a finger for any reason at all, such as getting the door for me.

I rolled my eyes and stood, detouring shortly toward him to kiss him on top of his head. “I’ll be right back. Don’t burn the sausage this time.” I smacked his ass and left the room.

I don’t know who it could be. Most anyone I could assume it to be, who might drop by unannounced, would call first. They’d text. We’ve been married a month now, alone in the palace for most of that time, and every time someone has come by, we’ve expected them. Fizzarolli and Barbie-Wire had come by the day after we’d returned from our honeymoon, and soon after that, Mr. Butler had stopped by to hand over everything he’d kept for managing the household in a final sort of meeting. It was the sort of meeting he says was meant to be with whoever I’d hire to replace him, but, instead he had it with Blitz and I. Mostly Blitz. Blitz does not work here, but, as my husband it was still a series of responsibilities he was fully capable of assuming.

He already knows every inch of the palace. Now, he’s familiar with the finances and managements. The staff contracts, the maintenance needs, and all the paperwork I never knew existed. Blitz kept up as best he could, and, everything he’ll forget I’ll remember, because we’re taking care of the palace together .

The door was a demon from Sloth with a pair of hell hounds for security. In her hands was a large bundle.

“Prince Stolas?”

I nodded, “Yes, that’s me? What’s this?”

“This,” she held the bundle out toward me, “Is your egg. As per the contract you signed, this sustains the completion of your deal. The finances have been transferred, and the mother has been scrubbed from it’s legal lineage. You have full custody.”

I took the bundle gently, too startled by the suddenness of this to feel truly like I was holding what I am told I am holding. “Th- thank you.”

She seemed unimpressed. “That means you may not contact the mother for help, assistance, childcare, advice, child support, or otherwise indicate to third parties the mother’s involvement. Hereinafter, ‘the mother’ will only be a legal term used to refer to the biologic origin of the egg, not of family relation or responsibility. Spreading rumors about ‘the mother’ will entitle her to legal compensation comparable to any social defamation. If this egg leads to any loss of opportunity for ‘the mother’, you have agreed to assuming financial responsibility.”

“Yes, yes.” I remember the long and ridiculous contract Stella had made me sign. She hadn’t been there, of course, but her diction had been so plain. It is an egg. It will be a chick, a living child! I can have all the opinions I want about how horrible she is and how she’s speaking about ‘the egg’, but, it’s over. She’ll have nothing to do with it, and thus, my child will not be exposed to that poor treatment. “Is there anything else?”

“The egg was lain two days ago and we completed preliminary health examinations before delivering it. I’ve already scheduled you another check-up in a month. Here’s the appointment.” She held a card out toward me.

I took it, cradling the living egg in my arms with a twinge in my chest as my body caught up with my mind.

An egg.

My egg.

“Thank you.” I bowed my head politely. “We’ll be there.”

I practically floated back into the kitchen, inspecting the ‘package’. It’s in a sort of swaddle, secured to the wrappings around it to protect from getting jostled. As it is, I can’t even see the egg.

“Oh, great. Breakfast is all ready. I didn’t ask which syrup you want this time, I just got out the plain one, I hope that’s al- what you got there?” He’s just putting two glasses of orange juice up onto the table where we usually sit. The plates are already down; pancakes, sausage, and a little bit of fruit.

I held the bundle securely and lifted my chin proudly. He met my eyes, before I spoke, and his eyes widened and his jaw dropped slightly. I’m certain my pupils are visible, with the excitement filling my veins. “Do you remember, just a week or so after we returned from our honeymoon, the appointment I had in Sloth?”

His eyes flicked down to my arms and back to my face. His tail swayed behind him in one large movement, then halfway back the direction it had been.

“You mean, that’s, uh…” he lowered his arms and took half a step back, “an egg?”

I crouched to settle the egg in my lap, pulling off the out covering, for travel, to reveal the swaddle around the egg itself. Dense, warm, also meant for travel. “Our egg, Blitzy.”

“Ou-” he cut himself off, and when I looked back up to him, he was another step away. His tail was curled around him, he looked afraid.

My chest twinged and I held my hands around the egg securely, straightening my back and putting my full attention onto him. “You knew this was coming. This was the entire reason I was meant to be wed to Stella. This is, this was the condition upon which Father allowed the cancellation of out wedding. I must have an heir.”

“Yeah, but,” he looked away, toward the breakfast table, dry swallowed, and looked back to me, “but I guess, I just, I didn’t…”

“You went with me to the appointment.” I reached out toward him, holding one hand out as I balanced the egg in my lap with the other. “Come here, Blitzy.”

He hesitated, looking down at the egg in my lap, then back up to me. “You’re a dad.”

I didn’t move. I was having some trouble wrapping my mind around that sentiment too, and very suddenly, I think I understood his feelings. But only for a moment. I could understand why he was afraid, but, it felt too… distant. “So are you.”

His eyes widened a bit more and his tail curled more in around him. “I’m a clown.”

“And my husband. Come here.” I gestured with my hand again, refusing to withdraw it.

He visibly swallowed again, and, crept forward. He took my hand. I pulled him closer with it, until I could twist his hand around and lay it flat over the egg.

His shoulders relaxed and his tail uncoiled a little. “It’s warm.”

“It needs to stay warm.” I’ve done some research into what would be needed to care for an egg. I’d hyper-focused on the subject to avoid considering the earlier parts of the process of producing an heir. “We’ve already got a few things, you know.”

“Yeah.” He stared down at the egg under his hand without blinking, his pupils dilating again, and his tail uncoiling even more. “Warm… uh… right. How warm is too warm?” He looked up to me.

“What do you mean?”

“I can keep it warm.” He slid his hand a little, toward the side rather than the top. “The, uh, the way Momma does sometimes.”

I knew exactly what he meant. I drew my free hand up to his face and pulled him in to kiss. “That will be perfectly safe. Now, I am hungry. Let’s not waste the breakfast you made.”

Blitz

I hissed, glaring up at him, flattening my horns over my back and curling my tail around myself.

He was mostly unimpressed. “Blitz. It must be washed regularly. I’ve already filled the sink, just let me-”

I hissed harder and snapped at him for daring to reach too close.

He sighed and pinched the ridge between his eyes. “ Blitz .”

“You take this egg out of my lap I’m going to chew on the curtains again.”

He tried to stifle a giggle, but failed. Instead, he let it go for a second, took a deep breath, crossed his arms, and stared down at me without glaring or looking frustrated at all. “Why don’t you bring it to the sink? And I’ll show you how to do it?”

I stopped hissing and considered the olive branch. On one hand, I’d still have to let go of the egg. On the other hand, not by much.

He’s already crouching in front of me, as I sat on the couch wrapped around our egg, so he just had to hold his hands out in gesture, to show he wanted to pick me up with the egg. “Blitzy, it’s getting late. We need to get into the habit of washing it regularly, and, you know it’s got to go into the incubator at night. It isn’t safe to sleep with it in the bed with us.”

I let him pick me up. “But, it’s… but…” I slid my hands over the bare shell and looked down at it now, imagining to totally ridiculous scenario where I was able to let it go all night. “But I want to keep it.” I looked up to him.

His feathers fluffed and his pupils were visible, just a moment before his face disappeared into my neck. “Of course we’re keeping it, Blitzy! It isn’t going anywhere. Everywhere we go, it comes with us. We’ll be taking turns warming it- don’t you hiss at me again it is my egg too! We’ll take turns, and by the time it hatches, it will be filled with so much love from both of us.”

I leaned into him, adding him to the circle of my tail, and purred. He trilled that one he only does for me back, I felt a kiss on my jaw, and he lifted his head again.

The sink he’d prepped is the one in our bathroom. It’s not just water; he explained he had a solution that would be good for bathing the hatchling too, so it wouldn’t go to waste. The eggshell is permeable (stuff can go through it), so even though ‘theoretically’ plain water should be perfectly safe, it’s good practice to do a half-and-half mixture of water and the solution anyways, just in case there’s something in the water.

The incubator’s this prissy design, like a really tall, elevated baby bed that’s perfectly circular, glass, and the cushion inside has a divot in the center to keep the egg upright in one spot. He had it set up in the corner of the room, and when I finished drying the shell off with the obscenely small, plush cloth he handed me, he convinced me to let the egg go so he could put it inside.

Then, he turned the lights out and went to bed.

A minute or so passed with my nose pressed up to the glass, purring obnoxiously, watching the soft light from the heating mechanism. Fuck, only rich-people get fancy egg-cubators like this.

“Blitz.” His voice was quiet across the room.

I ignored him.

“Blitz, come to bed.”

I flicked my tail, because he’s probably watching, and just kept watching.

I heard a sigh. Then, “ Blitzy , it’ll be there in the morning. You need some rest; you have a performance tomorrow. ”

I jerked my head away form the glass and stopped purring. “Shit, the circus. I can’t bring it to the circus.”

“Why not?” I saw him propped up on his elbows in the darkness, just an outline.

“Uh… that’s a terrible idea? Bring a Goetia egg to a crummy imp circus?” I didn’t let go of the incubator yet. “What would I do with it while I’m performing? Or just during practice? It’s got to stay here, in the palace. We’ll just, uh, we’ll just make sure you’re not doing anything while I’m gone, that you can’t sit with it.”

“We’ve already got a sling.” I heard him pat the bed. “You can leave both of us here, of course, but, we can take it to the circus. The palace is not our only home, Blitzy. I don’t want to lose the circus because of this.”

Oh. Fuck . He’s hot.

I kissed the glass of the incubator before rushing back toward the bed to my husband’s arms.

Heh heh heh, husband .

“So you’re coming tomorrow?” I burrowed my way under the blankets and into his personal space. He accepted me quickly, pulling me down on top of him.

“Of course. I do have to show off my husband and our egg, don’t I?”

I began purring again, feeling up his feathers until he was squirming and lifted my face to kiss.

We got up bright and early, the way I need to in order to get to the circus on time for pre-show warm-ups. They wouldn’t be anything new, nothing too stressful, especially with the shit-roles Cash keeps putting me in. Fizz and I used to go out together, when we were little. Now, he puts Fizz center-stage and keeps juggling me through background acts and crowd-interactions. Then, if anyone’s under the weather or something, he shoves me into the acrobatics to pick up the slack.

Today, I came strutting in like I was on top of the world. I had Stolas in tow, our egg in the sling, and I was ready to shove whatever bozo stood in our way out of it.

“Blitz!” That’s Barbie’s voice. Stols stopped and looked that direction, where I couldn’t see past a cluster of fucking, I don’t know. Knife throwers? Yeah, I think that’s who they are.

“The fuck out of our way.” I shoved past them, dragging Stolas with me. “Barb! Hey, Barbie, I hope it’s cool I brought Stolas today.”

“Uh? I don’t care?” She was grabbing at my arm and not lingering. “Momma wanted to see you when you got here. You better keep it short, because Cash is complaining that you keep missing practices again. He’s threatening to take you out-”

“Shut the fuck up I don’t care!” I pulled her arm back. “Look what my birdie made!” I gestured back up toward him.

Stolas made that embarrassed little hoot he does and his face darkened. “Blitz, it’s not-”

I reached up with grabby hands toward the sling, which was just within reach on his torso. “What do you think?”

Barbie didn’t have anything to say for a moment. When I looked back at her, she looked confused. Then, surprised.

“Oh.” She glanced around, then back up toward Stolas, “Oh. Oh, shit, right, you, uh… I guess… that’s why you were getting married.”

“Can we talk about this somewhere a bit more private?” Stolas held his hands around the sling, one over where mine was, and was obviously nervous.

“Yeah, let’s go find Momma.”

Momma was inside, drinking her tea, the kind she does with her medicine. “There you are, Blitz. Good morning, Stolas. Come sit down, boys.”

“What’s wrong?” I rushed to her side.

She sighed and reached out to me so she could kiss my cheek. “Nothing. I haven’t seen my baby boy in a few weeks, I wanted to chat a little. I was hoping you’d come with him today.” She gestured up to Stolas, then stopped and her eyes went wide. “Oh.”

Stolas came closer and kissed her cheek. “I’m sorry, I should have brought him by sooner.”

She recovered from the shock and put on a wide smile. “It’s alright. You took the time off for a reason. Oh , come here, Stolas, let me see.”

We sat on either side of her. Barbie slipped in on the other side, leaning in with a whole lot of interest as we explained the whole thing. The artificial way they’d done the egg, how Stella’s not supposed to be involved at all, and every other, little thing the two of them could come up with. Near the beginning, Stolas took the egg out of the sling and let me hold onto it, and after he described the normal incubation period for Goetian eggs, Barbie leaned over the table and gestured.

“Hold it up, I want to see it.”

I did, carefully, protectively.

“It’s so… small.” She tilted her head curiously.

“Well, Stolas was much smaller when he first showed up,” Momma pointed out. “I suppose you wouldn’t remember the way I do. You were just a baby too.”

Stolas hooted nervously, “I wasn’t… that small. It was my birthday, the same birthday I first received my grimoire.”

Momma laughed, “But you were still a baby. I can’t imagine how little and fluffy you were as a hatchling.”

“Oh, he was ugly.” I laid my cheek on top of the egg. “Absolute dog-shit. He looked like a tumor.”

“Blitz!” Stolas’s face got dark.

I laughed and rubbed my hands over the eggshell. “My little ugly birdie. I was a way cuter baby. He’s got this big picture of him as an ugly little nestling on the wall on the way to the greenhouse. Oh, shit, does that mean this chick is going to be ugly too?” I lifted my head and pulled my arms in around the egg.

Stolas glared at me half-assed, that way that means he isn’t actually upset, because he knows I’m right. “ No . Our chick will be adorable, and perfect, and…” he met my eyes over Momma’s head and sighed, dropping his shoulders down in defeat. “They’ll only be ugly for the first month or so.”

Barbie laughed her ass off, “You have got to share these baby p-”

“Where the fuck is that rotten little good for nothing son of mine?” Cash barged in. “He is scheduled to be in practice right now. Fizzarolli is working his ass off, and,” the fucking idiot didn’t even realize we were all in here until now.

“Dear,” Momma used a calm and pointed tone, “Prince Stolas came along today. Isn’t that nice?”

Cash glared at Stolas – he hates Stolas – and pretended like he had his shit together. “Oh, yeah, great. Look, Blitzo, you better get your ass out there and get your practice in. I swear to fucking Satan’s sweaty ass-crack, you keep up this shit and you’re fired.” He was marching up to the table and pointing at me threateningly.

I’m a bodyguard. I’m married to a fucking prince . I’m not afraid of Cash, but, he does activate a part of my brain I don’t like activated. I clutched at the egg protectively and my hiss was caught somewhere in my throat. “You haven’t changed my act in over a year, I don’t think I’m missing anything.”

That pissed Cash off. Barbie ducked her head and dipped out from the tent. Cash lifted his chin and came up to stand in what would have been her personal space, if she hadn’t have left. “You selfish, ungrateful, little-”

Stolas cleared his throat. Cash’s eyes narrowed and he slowly turned to look at my husband. Stolas’s eyes were narrow and he was sitting upright, chin raised. “I’d appreciate you not talking to him like that.”

Cash took a deep breath, seething, but he didn’t dare say shit to Stolas. Stolas may be that ‘feathery little brat’ that used to hang around the circus following me around, and I bet Cash has a hard time seeing Stolas as a prince, but he is . And if there is one thing that Cash will listen to, it’s a lot of money. And Stolas makes regular donations to the circus. They’re conditional, to be sent to specific areas, but they’re donations nonetheless.

“Of course.” Cash still glared openly. “I wouldn’t want to insult your pampered little pet.”

I started to hiss, but stopped short when Stolas stood up abruptly. “After all this time you really­ -”

“Cash.” Momma had an icy tone, making Stolas stop quickly and stand down. He didn’t sit down, but he did take a step back, away from the table, behind Momma. “Can I have a word with you when I finish my tea?”

Cash’s face had an expression only Momma can put there; regret. I’m sure he didn’t regret the comment, but, he regretted something here. “I’ve got to check on the performers who actually give a shit about their job anyway. Maybe when you’re done playing with that fucking ball, you’ll get your ass out there and juggle some pins instead.” And he left.

“I’m going to kill him.”

“You’re not going to kill your father.” Momma sighed, resting her forehead in her hand. “He’s just… he’s stressed. Regional rankings are going around and the acrobats are on strike.”

Hah. He fucking deserves that. “So I’m on acrobatics today?”

Stolas came up behind me, seething, “You shouldn’t. You should keep him in the hot seat.”

“You know what you’re doing, Blitz.” Momma finished her tea and adjusted to get up. “Why don’t the two of you take a little extra time to calm down. Missing some of practice shouldn’t hurt your performance. You’re very talented, you deserve a bigger spotlight than what you’re getting, but that’s something you can negotiate later. Thank you, for introducing me to your egg, boys. I look forward to sitting with you during the show. Now, if you’ll excuse me.”

“Sorry.” I turned quickly toward her. “For, uh, making him mad. I should have shut up.”

“You’re alright, baby boy.” She touched my cheek and I relaxed. She looked up to Stolas and gave him the same smile. “Cash doesn’t mean it, you know.”

Stolas and I met eyes, and we both understood Momma was lying now.

Cash means every word of it.

I wonder how long we can convince him the egg is a ‘ball’?

Chapter Text

Stolas

I’m suspicious.

I don’t know for sure he’s there, because he’s become very stealthy, but I am suspicious.

I pretended not to be, however, by lifting the book and adjusting the egg in my lap. I even pulled my my robe back over my shoulder, from where it had fallen, made a show to flip the page, and settled back in.

Then, I was sure.

He is very sneaky these days, but, he’s not going to go all-out in his honestly very impressive stealth skills here, with me. He’s been almost perfectly silent, and yet, I did catch sight of his tail over the edge of the bed.

So when he came up over the edge to ‘attack’ me, I made a show that I wasn’t surprised at all. He grabbed hold of my thighs, sticking his tongue out impishly , leering over our egg into my personal space. “What’re you reading?”

I didn’t look up from the lines on the page. “A dashing romance between a pirate captain and an indentured deck hand.”

“You reading smut to our egg?”

“I’m not reading anything to our egg. It isn’t developed enough to hear us.” I pretended like I was still reading. “This is for personal enjoyment.”

“Hmm.” He flicked his tail in that way he does when he wants to draw my attention. I saw it from my peripheral, but ignored it too. “Care to share with the class, then?” He squeezed, tipping his fingertips into my feathers.

It was definitely a turn on, and he very well knew it, but I was playing a game and I wasn’t giving it up yet. “You’d find this chapter very boring. It’s interpersonal drama following the discovery of two unexpected characters having sex in the captain’s cabins.”

“So, not the captain and the deck hand?”

“No.”

“Hmm.” This time, he sounded disappointed and loosened his grip on my legs. His tail flicked again. “Something wrong?”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about. I’m just reading.” I suppressed my smirk.

“Stols,” he groaned, falling over into my lap, around our egg carefully. “You’re acting like I forgot your birthday or something. Birthday’s in three weeks, our anniversary is still months away, what’d I do?”

“You haven’t done anything.” I pet a hand over his back passively, lightly, without enough commitment to satisfy him.

His tail flicked again. This time, more in the way that showed he was thinking. “That’s the problem, then? What was I supposed to do? What’d I forget? We went to the egg appointment today, we didn’t have anything else planned, right? Was I supposed to… uh… water the flowers?”

“No.” I twitched my fingers on his back because I couldn’t possibly be too indifferent. I can only suppress so much.

He half screamed and shoved my book over, pages-down. “You’re driving me crazy! Talk to me, Birdie!”

I stared down at him with as flat of a face as I could muster, which, judging from his narrowing eyes, wasn’t as flat as I was hoping.

“You bitch, what are you thinking? You’re doing this on purpose, aren’t you?”

I gave up on keeping the flat face a bit more and watched him with amusement. “I have no idea what you’re talking about.”

He groaned and grabbed at my thigh again. This time, he shoved his face down into it and bit.

I gasped and jumped a little, but the egg didn’t roll because his tail had come up and wrapped around it. “ Blitz .”

He lifted his face up to give me an innocent look. “You wanted me to do something , right?”

I set the book aside. “I suppose I did.”

He pushed himself up, straightening his elbows, and looked like he was going to kiss me. I prepared, stooping down further, only to stop when he stuck his tongue out between his teeth again and he tilted his chin downward slightly. “You’re not even going to ask where I went?”

We had the appointment in Sloth earlier, and afterward, he stayed out to do a few errands. He must have gotten back recently, I imagine, and I figured he’d only been restocking on his ‘tools of the trade’, considering he’d paraded about as my bodyguard during our trip to Sloth and during our date night to Lust earlier in the week. We may not be hiding anything anymore, but, we’ve also agreed to be subtle. There was no real benefit, we could think of at least, of advertising our relationship to all of hell. I’d honestly anticipated pictures of our wedding all over the newspapers the following morning, or, at least by time we’d returned home from our honeymoon, but, there was near nothing. The wedding had been a relatively private affair, but, we’d anticipated some of the Goetia that had attended to gossip loudly.

As it turns out, apparently we were enough of a blemish on their community that they shunned us, but we weren’t quite embarrassing enough to oust entirely. Blitz is too well behaved and I am too boring, so instead, we are more or less treated as the unfortunate cousin at a family reunion. I’d even received a polite and obligatory invitation to a very important birthday ball that I have zero intention of attending.

The point being, when we are in public, he still puts on a half-assed act of being my bodyguard. Half-assed because he still takes the position seriously enough to bring his weapons for anyone who considers threatening my life (mostly desperate and stupid assassins who perhaps don’t realize their rusty old daggers couldn’t effect me anyways). The tabloids still talk, there are still pictures of us, but, the idea that a Goetia could be bonded with an imp is still preposterous enough that our situation is still considered relatively boring to many of them, since that was an apparent impossibility. Especially with so many other things they could be focusing on.

“You went shopping,” I accused him “and you bought another horse plushie.”

He’s bought fourteen for the hatchling already, and it isn’t even hatched yet.

“No.” He stopped, then, “Maybe. Not the point. I got a different kind of toy, actually.” His grin is spreading and he’s showing off some teeth now.

I sat up a bit more, smiling back at his enthusiasm. “What sort of toy?”

He took the egg from my lap. “Not the kind of toy she needs to see. Let me put her to bed and I’ll get it.”

I moved the book onto the bedside table and sat up proper to watch him. “Why are you so confident it’s a ‘her’? It’s still too early to tell that.”

“I don’t know, I just do.” He climbed the short steps we kept next to the incubator permanently so he could set the egg inside without reaching.

“Hmm,” I trilled inquisitively to prompt either an elaboration on that (he usually calls the egg a ‘her’ lately, perhaps it is only wishful thinking?) or elaboration on what kind of ‘toy’ he’s gotten.

I was rewarded with an answer as he snatched the bag from the hall, where he had to have left it in order to sneak through the room as silently as he had when he’d first come in. “Well, you see , when we went to Lust earlier, I did notice you eyeballing this thing. I know when you’re curious.” He climbed back up onto the bed and produced a small electronic contraption.

Which was also a turn on. “Do you even know how to work something like that?”

“Yeah, I played with it on the way home a little bit. Here,” he tossed it toward me to inspect and started stripping. “Let’s see if it fits, Birdie.”

It fit.

Holy fuck , it fit.

I was sprawled out over the bed, feeling like I’d just gotten hit with a train in the sexiest way possible, my purring other half ruining what was left of the preening he’d done for me this morning, learning exactly how the little electronic device felt when it held still as I distantly acknowledged that one of us should probably take it out, just half an hour later.

“By the way,” he didn’t exactly stop purring while he spoke, and I only realized my arm had lifted belatedly, when it fell limply over his back, “Fizz and Barbie are coming over tomorrow.”

I sucked in a breath, which made my stomach move quickly enough that I felt a subtle shift with the muscles around the ‘little electronic device’, making it a little harder to pay attention. “Wh- and… okay.”

He rolled slightly, on top of me, and stretched his limbs out. Then, he shifted to get comfortable again, shoving one of his legs between mine and lifting his knee up between my legs to jostle the device again.

I moaned.

“Yeah,” he acted like he hadn’t done anything, “just to hang out for a bit. That cool?”

“Mmm.” I accidentally let a few hoots slip in with my attempt at humming in affirmative.

“What was that?” He lifted his knee again, almost completely independent from lifting his head to look up at me and pretend like he hadn’t understood my answer, and that he was being completely innocent right now.

“Yes,” I grit out. “They are always invited over.” I said it with more frustration than he or they deserved, but, it isn’t about the phony distraction he’s trying to give me right now. “But…”

“Hmm?” He sat up slightly, grinding his knee a little more firmly against my cloaca.

I let out a note of ecstasy and ground back down into his leg. “ Blitz .”

“What? What’s wrong?”

“Either take it out or-” I was cut off abruptly when he turned it back on.

Unfortunately, I did not remember that Barbie-Wire and Fizzarolli were coming over when ‘tomorrow’ rolled around. I was in the greenhouse taking trimmings when Blitz called me.

“Hey, Stols, they brought lunch. Why don’t you come up and eat with us?”

I had to pull the phone away from my face and think for a second to figure out what he was talking about. Then, as the memory returned to me, I tried to shove the sound of vibrations out of my memory too. “Of course. Yes, I’ll be right in.”

Blitz has the egg already, so I had it a bit easier to rush through clean up and meet them in the sitting room I knew they’d be in. I’ll return later, to finish with the soil-checks, so I didn’t bother to put the apron into the hamper.

There came paper rustling sounds and laughter as I approached the correct room. “How long did it take him to notice?”

“A week.” That’s Barbie-Wire’s voice. “Took the bastard a week to realize we drained his tequila.”

Blitzy was laughing enthusiastically. I lingered in the doorway to watch him, fondly, adoring the look on his face when he was around Barbie and Fizz.

Fizzarolli noticed me first. “Hey! Get in here, we brought tacos.”

I walked in, past the chair Barbie-Wire was sitting in to settle on the end of the couch he and Blitz shared. “Thank you,” I accepted one of the wrapped fast-food tacos they had brought. I was quick to notice, immediately, that our egg was not in my Blitzy’s lap and was instead in Barbie-Wire’s lap.

“You good?” Blitz’s tail appeared around me, the pointed end tapping in my lap. He was watching me with wide eyes. “She’ll be careful.”

“I know,” I gave a smile to Barbie, who was being very careful. “I’m going to be nervous regardless.”

“It’s smaller than I expected.” Fizzarolli went on, holding his half-eaten taco in his lap and looking to Barbie too. “I mean, I remember you used to be smaller than Blitz, and, I guess it makes sense you started off real small.”

“It isn’t that small.” I don’t really understand why the imps are all so shocked by the size. The egg is roughly the size of my head, after all.

“It’s small.” Barbie-Wire insisted. “No way would an imp baby fit inside of something like this. I mean, unless you dislocated its… arms?”

“Well it isn’t a baby yet.” Blitz picked up, because he’s done plenty of his own research. He doesn’t usually, but, he’s taken to preparing for this chick the way he took to his manners lessons and bodyguard training. “She will be, in, like, a few months. Besides, she won’t have horns.”

“She?” Fizz chomped down on the rest of his taco.

I paused in my eating and leaned over Blitz, “He’s convinced it’ll be a girl.”

“Uh-huh.” They both gave him a skeptical look. “So, have you picked out any names yet?”

“Kinda?” Blitz tilted his head and looked up to me.

“We haven’t settled on one if it’s a boy, but if it is a girl, Octavia,” I provided, because he had a few extra things to say on the subject. He’s got more conversation to give, if it’s a boy.

“You just want it to be a girl because you’ve already got a name.” Barbie moved to pick the egg up.

I was about to lean across the sitting space to take it, but Blitz rushed forward instead. “That’s stupid, I don’t want it to be a girl. I don’t care what it is. I just know it’s going to be a girl.”

“Mm-hm.” She eyed her brother skeptically. “You just want to play dress-up and tea-parties with a girl, don’t you?”

I giggled, resting a hand into Blitz’s lap, over the egg, as he settled back in beside me. “I think Blitzy will do wonderfully , regardless of how the chick wants to play.”

Blitz

It started moving two months ago. Stolas says the chick inside could hear us even earlier, so he’s been reading kids books to the egg. And I’ve been talking to her, about the world she’s going to hatch into. I apologized for bringing her into such a weird and unnatural situation; between her father and I. We’re happy. We’re content. Fizz and Barbie and Momma don’t have any problem with me being married to a Goetia, and Mr. Butler and Lord Paimon don’t mind that he’s married to an imp, but it’s still weird .

I told her about the circus. I tell her about how great Fizz is doing, and about the stuff Barbie’s getting up to. I tell her about the palace, and the greenhouse, and I tell her about her Grandma who is so, so, so excited to meet her.

But just two months ago, it’s started moving.

I freaked out the first time it happened, I was convinced it was hatching. I woke Stolas up – I’d woken up in the middle of the night and went to stare into the incubator again – and he assured me that was a normal phase of Goetian egg development, and that it would still be a few months before it’s supposed to hatch.

So when it started tilting on its own, on the plush circular blanket I had it set up on while I ate hot chips and watched my horse shows, because Stolas is busy with prophecy stuff, I didn’t really pay any extra attention.

Then I heard it.

I tried to turn the television off and instead sent it to the home screen. Who fucking cares? I grabbed my phone as I slid down onto the ground, blindly tapping to call Stolas back.

He didn’t answer immediately. The egg was still making noises, and it wasn’t getting any quieter.

“Stolas, you piece of shit, answer.” I hung up and called him again.

He answered this time, “Blitzy, I’m sorry, I was in the Pleid-”

“Get your ass back in here it’s hatching.”

There was a few second pause, before, “Are you sure ?”

“Yes!” It’s cracking. “Get here now.”

I hung up when the portal opened. There was a backdrop of stars, a bright blue glow behind him, and then when the portal shut it was a lot darker.

“Oh, shit,” he gasped, and then it was brighter in the room. I glanced upward, to see he had opened another portal to the same place he just was. Probably. I don’t know a whole lot about space; it was still a bright blue glow, only now, it was hanging below the ceiling like a window into a place that really looked like it shouldn’t be real to me. It was beautiful.

Everything he’s shown me about space is beautiful, though.

“Blitzy,” he grabbed my arm and I saw his pupils appearing in his eyes. “We need a towel.”

I looked back to the egg, still cracking, and back to him. I didn’t want to leave the room.

“Can it wait?”

He nodded, pulling me in closer. “But not too long. She’ll be cold.”

She broke the shell. She didn’t break all the way through, but enough for the shell to begin to fall apart and movement to be seen inside. It was wet, and fleshy, and…

She’s chirping. Lightly. Almost faintly. Like a bird because her and her stupid wonderful father are birds, and it was so fucking cute holy shit .

Stolas was already hovering. Now, he was helping to free her from the egg shells. I watched frozen with wonder, because I wasn’t going to interfere with this shit if you paid me my weight in gold, until he brought the chick up and out of the eggshells.

She fit in his hands. She was wet and wrinkly and had three feathers on top of her head – darker than his – and big puffy eyes that were swollen shut and a stupid little beak and she was so fucking ugly.

“Blitzy.” Stolas is crying. I think. I mean, he looked kind of blurry to me. “Blitzy.”

I was hovering too, obviously, and I wasn’t even sure I wanted to grab onto him because he’s holding her so carefully. “Uh, yeah?”

“You were right.” He curled his back and his face hung low, toward me, until I put my forehead to his.

“About what?” Don’t say she’s ugly, don’t say she’s ugly, don’t say she’s ugly. She’s adorable and she’s an infant, she’s supposed to be ugly. Don’t say it though!

“She’s Octavia.”

Well.

We didn’t get shit done until I got him to stop crying. He was completely fucking useless on that front, and the only way I convinced him to get off his ass and do something was by getting to agree that if he got his shit together I would too. So he bundled her together in my horse shoe print throw blanket, that was on the couch, and made me get up and dry my eyes enough to walk out of the room ahead of him.

Her room was already put together. We had months to prep, and even though we didn’t want to decorate too much until she could pick out her own things (and until we knew she would be a she), we might have splurged a little bit. He picked out a space mobile to hang above the crib, I picked out a horse plushie that’s not allowed to be in the crib while she’s sleeping until she can sit up on her own. He picked out some star-pattern curtains to cover the windows, I picked out a horse plushie that isn’t allowed to be in the crib yet. He got a fancy-ass saddlebag-themed diaper bag and Momma helped to make sure it was properly stocked, and I got a horse plushie that’s not- you know what? We made a pile of them around the room and they all live on the ground as a herd, and she can play with them all she wants to when she starts crawling around.

After he gave her a soft little sponge bath, he picked up the little purple blanket that was prepped on the edge of the crib and I stuck my chin over the edge of the changing table to watch. I didn’t go any further than his elbow, until he handed me the little purple towel he’d dried her with, so I could put it aside with the throw blanket we’d borrowed. And when I did, I rushed back over to watch him swaddle the chick.

His chick.

He’s a dad. A ‘father’, as he says.

My chick?

I had nothing to do with this little birdie existing, but, she’s Stolas’s heir and his daughter and he’s my husband, he’s my birdie, so therefore, so is she. She’s my little birdie too. My daughter?

That doesn’t sound right, but, it is.

“Can you get one of the pins?” He asked me softly, breaking me out of my staring contest with the little ugly chick that couldn’t stare back.

I jerked back and opened one of the drawers on the changing table, picking out the yellow star one that matched the yellow star pillow I picked out for her, that was currently sitting in the crib, but would not be allowed in there while she’s sleeping until she can sit up on her own.

He put the pin on the keep the blanket wrapped, then carefully picked up the chirping little baby up and turned back toward me. He didn’t go anywhere, he just sank down to his knees and leaned in toward me. “Take her, Blitzy.”

I balked. “She looks really delicate.”

“She is.” He lifted his eyes, his pupils still shining so brightly. “And you can be careful. You’ve already held her.”

I have. She’s not any more delicate than she was as an egg. I started to reach out, stopped, and pulled back again. “A- are you sure? Because, like, I’m sure you want to hold her longer.”

“Blitz.” He lifted his hands more. “You’re not going to hurt her. I trust you.”

I took a deep breath, and reached out to take our chick. I took her exactly how Momma had taught me, when I’d had my third freak-out session over the prospect of becoming a dad. She’s… a really familiar weight. She was kind of blurry though, which is a weird thing for a birdie to be.

“What do you think, Blitzy?” Stolas’s hand was on the side of my face, his thumb wiping over one of my eyes. I closed it, and when I opened it, Octavia wasn’t quite so blurry.

“I think,” don’t say it, don’t say it, don’t say it, “she’s really fucking ugly.”

He giggled and I felt his forehead on mine again.

Chapter Text

Stolas

I dangled the bulbous and too-large-to-swallow star toy before her clumsy and uncoordinated hands, adjusting the phone to hold between my shoulder and ear on the other side. “He can’t seriously expect you there.”

My wonderful and loving and sexy husband whined like a toddler on the other side, “But he does . Stols, you know there’s no way we’re doing it there, right?”

“I know.” I smiled down to our daughter and slipped a finger into her fat little fist, which distracted her from the toy and she reached to hold onto my whole hand. “What does Momma say?”

There was a beat of silence and I had to sigh, gently holding onto her hand back and bouncing it in the air a little. “Blitz. You have spoken with her, and with the other two, haven’t you? I told you to talk with them about it months ago.” She hooted in indignation and jerked her hand away, slapping at mine before reaching for the toy again.

“I know.” He groaned again, and I wondered if Octavia will take this same tone with him when she shirks a chore he’s told her to do a dozen times. I am not parenting a nestling and my husband at the same time, but, stepping around him and talking to the circus side of this family for him felt like doing exactly that. He can handle these sort of conversations; he isn’t a child. “It’s just, it’s fine. Never mind. I’ll do it today, before I come home.”

“No, no. Blitz, ‘it’s just’ what? You aren’t lazy, what is stopping you?”

“You know exactly why I’m having trouble doing it.” His voice lowered and in my mind, I imagined either Fizzarolli, Barbie-Wire, Momma, or (hopefully not) Cash has come to stand nearby. “I’ll talk to them, alright? I’ll ask. They’re going to say ‘yes’. Everything’s going to be amazing.”

I do know why he’s struggling. Sinsmas is a major holiday for the majority of Hell and there are traditions within each community that run very, very deeply. I’d never even heard of it prior to meeting Blitz, but after all these years it is as important to me as it is to all of them . I have celebrated almost every year at the circus with them, and while it had been strange and awkward, and some members of the circus that otherwise ignored my presence had expressed disapproval of allowing me into their celebrations at the beginning, it’s just an expectation now. It’s the one day a year I spend the evening with the imps of the circus and help to decorate, un-decorate, and partake in a few games.

Few.

It is an imp circus and imps are, traditionally, from Wrath. Created by Satan, and all, it is their tradition to wrestle and fight and bite and throw each other into dangerously pre-prepared pits of snakes and whatever else they’ve chosen for the year. Sometimes the violence is the game, sometimes the violence is the punishment for losing. I got used to their ways of celebrating a long time ago, and they got used to my presence without participation around the same time. Their way of celebrating Sinsmas is the only way I know, after all.

But I do not want our nearly-a-year-old daughter exposed to that side of imp culture quite yet. Last year, when she’d still been in the egg, she had stayed safely tucked to my chest in the sling. It wouldn’t be quite so simple this time around. He isn’t insulted; he agrees. There are very few children in the circus; the three of them were a unique situation due to their father being the ringleader. There was a precedent for children to be in the circus (a live-in commune of underpaid and overworked imps) during Sinsmas, and she may certainly go and watch and participate in the less-violent aspects of the holiday when she is older, but for now, Blitz and I wanted to have a smaller celebration at the palace.

With Fizzarolli, Barbie-Wire, and Momma.

But he hasn’t asked them yet.

Because Sinsmas is a very traditional holiday that has always been spent surrounded by friends and participating in their team-building obstacle courses and bonding exercises… such as wrestling, knife-throwing, and a particularly concerning game simply called ‘stick’.

And he’s scared to ruin all of it by asking them to come to the palace.

“I love you, Blitz,” I reminded him. “Remember, if they don’t agree-”

“It’s fine,” he cut me off. “I know. They’ll… visit the next day. Or something. We can wait to do presents until the next day with Via.”

I smiled down at her, relinquishing the oversized toy to her, causing her to hoot in triumph and shake it before her to make it light up and sparkle. “And if you want to be at the circus, you can. For a little while. I’ll still expect you home so we can celebrate Sinsmas together, but I don’t want you ostracized from your own traditions.”

I heard wordless grumbling on the other side, then, “’M not leaving you and Via alone.”

I rolled my eyes. “We can handle your not being around for a few hours.”

“The fuck do you mean ‘my own traditions’? Goetia don’t celebrate Sinsmas. If it’s just us, all we’re going to have are cookies, presents, and some corny movie probably.” He isn’t whining anymore, and he isn’t angry either. I’ve calmed him down.

Unfortunately, we may be in Pride, but Pride is not the Sin of Origin for either imps or Goetia, so the pride I just now wasn’t particularly festive. It was just normal pride. “I think we can extrapolate some new methods of celebration.” I didn’t want to talk about it now, over the phone, when I can’t even see him and can, instead, see our nearly-not-an-infant daughter. “And we’ll have to build some new traditions anyways, for Via.”

“Right, yeah. Of course. I’m not-” he was cut off and I felt a sharp – but non-lingering – pain on the back of my head, at the same time as a low and stifled growl over the phone.

I glared. “Get back to work, Blitz. We’ll finish this conversation later.” I can hear his voice, muffled and distanced.

“Love you too, Stols.” He hung up.

I sighed and set my phone aside, leaning back against the sofa while the soft voices of a group of magical horses played in the background and Octavia paid them no mind. Instead, she was putting a corner of the star into her mouth to bite on it.

I watched her for a moment, before reaching out to gently smooth down the messy feathers at the top of her head. “Your other father is very stubborn, just so you know.”

She pulled the corner of the star from her mouth and blinked up at me, trilling clumsily and communicating in the only way she does.

“Your daddy,” I cooed, simplifying my words and ducking my face down closer to hers. She watched me but made no attempt at copying me. “Can you say that, Starfire? Daddy?”

She opened her mouth, but only hooted still, now reaching out to grab hold of the feathers on my face.

I didn’t really expect much different, to be perfectly honest. She hasn’t taken to a verbal language yet, but she does have an affinity to grabbing things. She particularly likes Blitz’s, and the other imps’, horns, but my feathers will do any day. I straightened up, picking her up off from the ground and perching her on the edge of the couch, keeping my hands on either side of her to keep her steady. “He won’t be home for another two hours, now. How about you and I take care of the garden before he returns? Hmm? Come on, Via, darling. I’ll give you the spray bottle again.”

She isn’t quite walking yet, but she can stand on her own and she’s skipped crawling altogether. She’ll sit down and scoot with her legs, pulling herself in the directions she wants to go, which has lead us to adopt overalls for the majority of her day-to-day outfits. Because she has such an affinity for grabbing and squeezing, her favorite toys tend to be the uniquely textured and soft ones, and the spray bottle. It’s a smaller one, that doesn’t require much grip strength, but she still typically has to use two hands to use it. It’s filled only with water, and left on the ‘mist’ setting, she’ll spray the plants with water to ‘help’ me. It doesn’t add much, but, she isn’t very old and it entertains her, so I insist she knows that it is quite a large help.

She was five minutes into spraying a single plant, absolutely soaking a single oversized leaf, when Blitz texted me a single ‘thumbs up’ emoji, which… wasn’t a very clear sentiment.

Me: Can you elaborate?

Blitzy: their coming

Me: Wonderful! I’ll put the grocery order in.

I was halfway through typing out a follow-up, questioning if he thought I should get the order of cookies or ingredients for us to make them, when a tiny torrent of water struck me in the side of the face. I lifted my head quickly and looked over to the little ball of feathers sitting, giggling, on the ground beside a plant that looked like it had just survived a rain storm despite the general dry-ness of its neighbors.

I laughed with her and grinned, putting my phone away (we’ll have time to discuss the cookies when he comes home later), and crouched down. “What do you think you’re doing, young lady?”

She started giggling harder and hefted the bottle back my direction, the nozzle suspiciously looser than it had been when I’d handed it to her. She missed this time.

I hooted in false-disapproval, exaggeratedly, and crawled toward her slowly. “You’re supposed to be spraying the leaves, not my feathers. I’m not a plant.”

She was laughing so hard that every other exhale was a forceful and enthusiastic *hoot*; it’s Blitzy’s favorite of her laughs and it sounds so messy. She tried to spray at me again, and I leaned one direction just so she could land it. I feigned shock, and her laughter began rolling all over again.

I reached forward to snatch her up off the ground. “You wound me.” I tickled my fingers into her feathers and dipped my face down to nuzzle and preen at the feathers at the side of her head. She dropped the bottle – it landed nearly on my foot – and grabbed at my feathers again.

And this time she made a sound that wasn’t a bird one, but wasn’t quite a word either. It was like an open-mouth hum, until she closed her mouth, sort of a, “uhhmmm”, slipping in between her giggling.

I pulled away to watch her excitedly, but, that’s all it appeared to be.

“It’s alright, Via,” I cooed, fixing her to my hip and bending down to retrieve the spray bottle. “Why don’t we move along? We’ll sit by the flower beds now, how’s that?” They’re her favorite, and so long as there are plenty blooming, I’ll be able to turn a blind eye to her pulling a few out, to make a little bouquet for the table tonight.

I set her down in the flower bed, not to concerned about what damages she might do being as it is so easy to replant these particular flowers, and I took a seat on the bench nearby to watch her. “I think you’ll like Sinsmas, Starfire. Your Auntie Barbie and Uncle Fizz are going to be coming over. And your Grandmother. They’re going to come celebrate with us.”

She hooted in excitement, hearing the familiar names, and started to look around.

I laughed and leaned my chin down onto my fist. “No, no. They aren’t here yet. Next week, Love. They’ll come to see you next week.”

She hooted again, and I’m not sure she understood what I meant, but she seemed to understand they weren’t actively here now. She turned away again and proceeded to tear a tulip out of the ground, roots and all. Of course, because, she loves playing with the roots.

Blitz

“Fuck, fuck, fuck, f- omph!” I shoved the oversized hand out of my face and glared up at my husband, who was glaring down at me. “Hey. Let a guy freak out in peace, alright?”

Stolas gestured over to Via, who was chewing on the bottom of her dress and watching me pace through the room. “Watch your language in front of Octavia. I do not want her first words to be a curse.”

“Right.” Oops. “Sorry.” Instead, I started pacing wordlessly.

Stolas watched me, the same as Via, for a minute longer. Both of their stupid big bird-eyes, back and forth as I paced in front of the fire place. Then, because the silence was getting too much with them just watching me, I tried a different way of filling the silence. “We should have just done this tomorrow.”

“Tomorrow is Via’s birthday.” He leaned back on the couch and put an arm over the back. “We’re doing that at the circus.”

“Then how come you said we could do it tomorrow?” I flicked my tail anxiously, as I turned to walk back the direction I’d just come from. “We could have done both celebrations together. Instead of taking up their time twice.”

“Our daughter will not be sharing her special day with a holiday. We’ll keep them separate. If ever we cannot celebrate Sinsmas on Sinsmas, we’ll plan for the day ahead. I suggested it because it is an option if we couldn’t do Sinsmas today, we’d just exchange Sinsmas gifts at her birthday, since we’ll already be seeing them then.”

Sure. Okay.

“Will you please just sit down?” He sighed, patting the couch beside him, the opposite of whatever I am right now.

I paused, looking between him and the little stuffed horse Via was playing with right now, since she’d apparently grown bored of sitting and staring at me around the time we started talking again. “What time is it?”

“Time to calm down.” He didn’t even try to answer. Fuck, why don’t we have a clock in this room? “Come sit-”

Oh, right. I’ve got a phone. “Hold on.”

Three-twenty-one. They are so late . But, there’s a message from Barbie, and it says they’re going to be late. She sent it twenty-two minutes ago. “Oh.”

He trilled in questioning, that way he does that’s functionally just a ‘huh?’ Octavia copied him a few times, and was paying attention to him and I again.

“Barbie told me they were running late.” I showed him from across the room, because I didn’t want to risk him dragging me down to the couch, and because I knew he has great eyesight. “No problem.”

“And you haven’t checked your phone in all this time?” He gave me a skeptical look.

I shoved my phone back in my pocket. I vaguely remembered it going off earlier, but, I was too anxious and immediately forgot. “Get off my d-”

“Blitz!”

I flinched and took a deep breath.

Right.

Not around Via.

I let out my breath, because I forgot that part to begin with, and tried to calm down. I picked her up and gave her a little hug. She adapted easily and immediately tried to climb up and grab at my horns. “Sorry, Chicken Nugget. You like the decorations? Well, you’re going to love the next part. Oh, you’re going to love presents, and you’re going to think today and tomorrow are some kind of crazy… uh… you’re going to have plenty of new stuff.” I was picking at her feathers, trying to straighten them out. She cooed and her feathers fluffed up more while I did that, so I didn’t put a lot of effort into it.

“Are you really nervous, Blitz?” Stolas asked from the couch a moment later, as I used our kid to calm down. “They’ve been over before.”

“Not like this.” I avoided looking at him. “We’ve never hosted a holiday, or a party, or, whatever.”

“We’re not ‘hosting a party’,” he argued, “we’re celebrating Sinsmas with our family. Calm down.”

Right.

Calm down.

The doorbell rang.

I ran out of the room. “Blitz!”

I jerked the front door open, faster than any of the staff that’s usually here. He didn’t rehire nearly as much as he’d lost, when Lord Paimon left, but some of the staff had stayed and he had hired a few new. On one hand, it’s kind of weird to me , to have imps going around taking care of the place I, an imp, lives. On the other hand, the place is huge and Stolas pays well, so who cares? He sent them all home for Sinsmas, so they aren’t here right now anyway. They only work weekdays, mostly early shifts, and they get plenty of PTO. I haven’t rejected any of the requests, because, it’s not like there’s any time-sensitive work to do here.

Momma, Fizz, and Barbie all stood on the doorstep, and none of them looked nervous. They looked excited. Momma was the one that rang the bell, obviously, because Barbie had hold of Fizz’s horns and was shoving his face into the railing.

“Happy Sinsmas, baby boy.” Momma immediately reached forward to hug me, kissing my cheek. “Happy Sinsmas, baby girl.” Her voice softened and she leaned down to kiss Via on the cheek too.

She cooed and leaned out of my arms toward Momma. I handed her over and held the door open, “Thanks, Momma. We’re set up in the sitting room. Come on.”

Barbie let go of Fizz and launched herself at me, pinning me to the ground on the inside of the door and smashing my face down into the tile the way she had been shoving Fizz’s into the railing. “Hah! Unprepared, fucking nerd .”

“Watch your language in front of my kid.” I twisted her wrist and got the upper hand easily, pinning her to the ground and forcibly bending her elbow so I could smack her in the face with her own hand. “Stop hitting yourself, stop hitting yourself.”

I was thrown off her by Fizz, who launched at me from the side and was immediately chewing on one of my horns.

I kicked at him loosely, because Barbie was also coming right back at us. The three of us wrestled for a moment, and, it really was a moment, before I heard a frantic hooting.

I shoved them all off me and looked for Octavia. Her eyes were wide, she was frowning, and she was holding onto her Grandma’s arm tightly.

Shit.

I kicked Barbie off me fully and rushed over toward her, “It’s alright, Via, calm down. Daddy’s alright. It’s okay, see here?”

“Mm.” Fizz came up behind me, leaning on my shoulder, “You off limits this year?”

“No.” My stomach twisted and I gave my little birdie a smile. “She’ll figure it out. She’s a kid, she’ll understand. Kids like to play fight. Sometimes, she hits me with this little toy sword.”

“Maybe take it easy while we’re here.” Momma suggested. “Fizz, Barbie, did you get the presents?”

“Oh, they’re still outside.” Barbie smacked the back of my head and went back toward the door. “Come help me, your highness.”

I followed her out. “Don’t call me that. I don’t have a title just because I’m married to a prince. And don’t call him that, he-”

“He’s family, yeah, whatever. What about her? I’m not allowed to call my niece a little princess?”

I grinned stupidly, “Yeah. She is.”

Barbie rolled her eyes and shoved a bag in my hands, a similar one in hers. “Got it. My brother the dumbass and his husband the bird, and their special little princess .”

“Damn straight.”

“Language!” She barked back at me, because we were back inside and I had just given her shit about it a second ago.

I shoved her shoulder. She shoved back harder.

“Careful, one of those in there is delicate.” Momma took a step closer. “Where is this sitting room?”

I shoved Barbie one more time, then lifted my chin and walked like I was trying to break the expectations of a bunch of stuck-up Goetia looking for a rude and ill-tempered imp scandal. I could practically hear the eye-rolls behind me, over the content trilling of my daughter who was probably playing with Momma’s necklace right now.

The door into the sitting room was already open, and Stolas wasn’t where I’d left him. He was sitting on the ground now, beside the tree and in front of the constellation-themed blanket that was out on the ground for Via to play on. Her singular toy that we’d brought in, to keep her entertained until present time, when she is 100% definitely going to get a bunch of new ones.

Fizz and Barbie took the couch, leaving the chair for Momma, after she’d come over to kiss Stolas on the cheek too. “Merry Sinsmas, Stolas.”

“Thank you, Merry Sinsmas.” Stolas was glowing under her attention the way he always does. “Was the trip here alright?”

“Of course.” She moved to sit in the arm chair, setting Via up in her lap. “Before I have the twins start passing presents out, I wanted to ask about this little girl. Is she sleeping better?”

Last time we’d all gotten together, Stolas was tired and stressed over Via’s messed up sleep schedule. Usually she sleeps really well, but, for a while there she wouldn’t sleep through the night and kept getting grouchy through the day because of it.

“Yes, I found the culprit.” He adjusted to lean his lap my direction when I sat down next to him, putting one of his hands into my lap. “It was her nightlight. It was a wall-plug in like a flashlight, shaped like a full moon. We’ve put a star projector in now instead; it’s softer and more spread out through the room.”

“I’m glad to hear it.” Momma stooped down to play with Via for a moment, before gesturing to Barbie and me. “Why don’t you pass the packages out now?”

Barbie and I emptied the bags out while Stolas emptied the space under the tree, until everyone in the room had three presents, except Via who had six. Stolas and I both a brown-wrapped package labeled from Fizz, a purple-wrapped package from Barbie, and a red-wrapped package from Momma. Momma had one from Fizz, one from Barbie, and a collective one from Stolas and I. Fizz and Barbie both had one from each other, from Momma, and a collective one from Stolas and me. Via had one from everyone, two from Momma and two from Stolas and me.

All of Fizz’s presents were matching scarves. Barbie and I bullied him into getting a hobby outside of clowning and acrobatics and practice, so he took up crocheting ‘like an old lady’. Apparently, he’s been working his ass off to make five custom-length scarves with the same stupid little clown face on the end, poorly stitched on. Stolas’s was the longest, Via’s was the shortest, and she can’t wear something like that yet. She had fun swinging it around, though.

All of Barbie’s presents were drinks. She got Fizz, Stolas, and I small bottles of our favorite liquors. She got Momma the kind of tea she likes, and she got Via some obscenely sweet juice drink she is only allowed to keep because it’s a present and a special occasion. She will be bouncing off the walls the rest of the night, though.

Momma got everyone something more unique. She gave Fizz a new, hand-made jester hat, Barbie a set of horn-charms that looked like purple and black braided wires, Stolas a desk-size glass pot for a plant that she’d somehow gotten Via to decorate at some point apparently, and me a new tie with feathers on it. I immediately put it on with the scarf so my neck and shoulders looked especially stupid, but my chest was so warm .

We got Fizz tickets to the clown pageant next year; three of them so he could choose who he wanted to bring with him, it didn’t have to be either of us. We were kind of hoping he’d say something about having friends outside the circus and the palace, but, just like we thought, he seems too busy working all the time to have any of those. Barbie has friends on the outside. We got her tickets to a concert, and she immediately named the two friends she was bringing, sticking her tongue out at us as she insisted it wouldn’t be us. Again, neither of us gave a shit. As for Momma, we got her a year’s subscription to Stolas’s favorite tea brand. That’s what we got her last year too, and, she loves it. She and him talk about the flavor of the month sometime, it’s really boring and I usually check out to play with Via when they do.

Via got the mini scarf from Fizz – which she can’t wear yet – the drink from Barbie – which Stolas put in her spill-proof cup so she can drink it and get it out of her system before bedtime – and a big soft blanket with both horses and stars on it from Momma. Her second present from Momma a really cute little purple dress, all sparkly and poofy and shit. It was kind of like a tutu dress, but longer and with age-appropriate shorts to put on over her diaper that matched. Stolas and I got her just a bunch of presents. Toys, decorations for her room, little treats, but most of it is for tomorrow. Tonight, we both gave her one present to tear open excitedly. From Stolas, Via was excited to find a puzzle, immediately dumping the pieces out on the ground and grabbing at them. Via loves puzzles. I had to work to get her attention away from it long enough to get her to open mine, which is a cute-as-shit little board book about some constellation myth I vaguely remember Stolas telling me once while I was too busy watching him to pay attention to the stars he was pointing out.

Something about a princess and a monster, I think. I don’t know. She loved it, she loves story time before bed, and that’s all that matters. But she went right back to the puzzle real fast, dropping the book to the side where Stolas picked it up to look through curiously while Fizz described how the stupid clown faces on the scarves were supposed to look different but he ‘forked’ it up and decided to roll with it. Barbie said they kind of looked like demons from Envy, which was not the intention.

It was great.

I don’t know why I was so worried about it.

After chatting for a while by the fireplace, we packed up and moved to the kitchen, for cookie decorating. Stolas and I had spent the morning making the cookies, and I only ate three of them before Stolas kicked me out of the kitchen to let them cool.

It wasn’t a Sinsmas I’m used to, but, it was a great one anyway. Momma really liked decorating with the little icing thingies we got, Stolas sat with Via and helped her make one, while Barbie, Fizz, and I fucked around trying to make the best one while sabotaging each others’. That eventually degraded into just some roughhousing, which lead pretty quick to some Sinsmas-standard levels of fighting on the kitchen floor.

Barbie was biting my tail and I had her by the horns, while Fizz had one foot shoved into my armpit and the other knee sticking into Barbie’s back so he had his hands free to pull on the scarf around my neck. I was craning my head to snap at his arm, when Octavia started freaking out again. She was crying, hooting rapidly and reaching out toward us.

“Shit.” I shoved Barbie off me and kicked at Fizz, both of whom had stopped at the same time I did so were relatively easy to get off me. “Oh, it’s alright, Via. Come on, Chicken Nugget, we’re just playing. See?” I rushed toward her.

She was leaning out of Stolas’s arms and out toward me, “Dah!”

I hadn’t picked her up yet, I just had my hands wrapped under her arms, so she was still sitting on the edge of the table in Stolas’s loose arms when I froze. I snapped my eyes over to him. His were all very wide already, but he’d already been looking at me and was now snapping his face down to look at Via. “Octavia, sweetie, what did you just say?”

She didn’t say it again. She was still crying and hooting and leaning out toward me.

I tucked her up into my arms and held her close, giving Stolas a grin over her back. “You heard that, right? That was definitely a word. She called me first.”

He rolled his eyes, but was obviously ecstatic, “That was barely a word. It was a sound. It was a babble.”

“Chicken Nuggets don’t babble,” I argued, doing as careful a triumphant dance as I could without jostling her too much. “Chicken Nuggets listen, and they talk when they know what they want to say.”

“Hey, uh, that definitely wasn’t a word, right?” Fizz was standing up again, icing smeared across his face that hadn’t been there when I last got a good look at it, before we hit the ground.

I glared at him, “That was definitely a word! You’re just jealous it wasn’t ‘uncle’.”

“We’re not jealous.” Barbie kicked at Fizz again. “We’re not delusional either, that was not a word.”

“It’s the same first word as yours.” Momma was leaning into the table and watching us with a big smile. She wasn’t looking at me, she was looking at Barbie. “That’s usually the first way a baby says ‘dad’. You were such a daddy’s girl when you were little.”

I could immediately tell how uncomfortable Barbie was hearing that. It wasn’t news, but, it wasn’t something that mattered anymore. She was a ‘daddy’s girl’ when she was a toddler, before Fizz showed up at the circus and got all of his attention. I mean, Cash never liked me much. Barbie was walking and climbing and getting into trouble a lot faster than I was, so she was the ‘prodigy’ before we were old enough to be in acts. I was just annoying.

Momma sighed and her smile got sadder. “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to ruin the mood. Do you know what Blitz’s first word was?”

Everyone perked up. Fizz and Barbie gave me evil smirks and Stolas started waving his hands in front of his chest. “Oh! Of course!”

“It was ‘no’.” Fizz and Barbie immediately started cracking up and I felt my face heat up. Of course. “Followed closely by ‘Momma’.” She gave me a wink.

I turned my face down to check on Via, who was calming down and holding on tightly to me. “Yeah, well, I’m just cool like that. Fizz, you know yours?”

“No.”

Okay, well, we’re not lingering on that. I try not to ask about the ‘before’, with Fizz. Haven’t almost since the day he showed up. Back then, it made him upset. Now, I doubt he even actually remembers much of it. I rubbed Via’s back and looked to Stolas, because I don’t want things to go back to me. “What about you, Birdie?”

“Not a clue.” He looked down at the cookie in front of him and started icing again. “I never thought to ask about it.”

Well damn.

Why do my two favorite boys have to be so fucking sad?

“Hey, Blitz, can you stop hogging the kid?” Barbie came up beside me. “I want to get a picture of her in this dress. It’s way better than those overalls you two always have her in.”

I handed Chicken Nugget over, since she’s apparently calmed down now. “Sent it to me, yeah?”

She shrugged and jingled the charms on her horns in Via’s face while she took her phone out. I saw a star shape on one and a crescent moon on the other, the same color of metal as the bangles and very subtle.

It reminded me of the sun pattern on one of Fizz’s hats.

I didn’t say anything, but, I grinned and watched her. Both of the ‘hers’ there. Via loves her aunt Barbie and uncle Fizz, and they love her too. There is no way this is appropriate from Stolas’s side. There is no way a Goetia kid is supposed to be fawned over by a bunch of imps like this, but, there’s also no way an imp is supposed to be married to a Goetia.

But I am. And half of Octavia’s family are imps. And she doesn’t know any better; all she knows is sometimes there are tall demons that look like her and sometimes there are small demons that look like one of her dads.

Chapter Text

Stolas

I shut the book quietly reaching out to set it on the bedside table. She snored softly on my chest, finally asleep, and I am exhausted . So I moved her down to the bed as carefully as I could, without waking her, and turned on her stars. Then, as softly and quietly as I could, left the room, and I crept down the hall into ours.

Blitz playing ring-toss with a dildo and ball gag. He sat up quickly and missed horribly, hitting the headboard instead. “Hah! Stolas, that was faster than I expected.”

I fell forward, face-down on the bed beside him. “You’re on comforting duty tonight.”

“Uh…” he laid over my back and immediately enveloped me in his arms, sticking his face into my neck. “Yeah? Hey, you too tired to get nasty tonight?”

I hummed, not quite an answer. He was at the circus today, he’s been working with the horses lately and taking on bigger roles in the circus, but, only because one of the horse tamers died . Cash only reluctantly allowed Blitz to step up and help out, and he has been working him so hard over it. Blitz aught to be tired. On the days he goes to the circus, I typically take care of Octavia, but I had other duties today also and I had to take her with me.

His job is far more tiring than mine, but, I am the one barely able to move.

“Or,” Blitz started wiggling over me and sat up, pressing his hands firmly into my back, “do you want me to do all the work? To wring you out like a sponge? Work those muscles out? Make you cum so much you pass out? Sleep all night?”

I closed my eyes under his massaging hands. “Hmm, that sounds nice.”

He pressed and kneaded for a moment longer, before he adjusted to start working my shirt up. “Sit up for me, Birdie.”

I moaned and didn’t move.

He pulled me up by the back of my shirt, only a little roughly. “I need to take this off, come on. Sit up for me pretty bird.”

I took a long, deep breath, and did as he said, taking my own shirt off because I don’t give a shit about being sensual , right now. I just wanted to be naked and manhandled already.

I laid back down on the bed, still face-down, and dropped my shirt over the side of the bed. “Do you want me to-”

“No.” He cut me off before I could come up with something I might have the energy for. “I want you to lay down and relax, pretty bird. I’ll take care of you.” He was pulling my pants down now too.

I moaned and lifted my hips to make it easier on him, because unlike with the shirt it would be faster and easier for him to take care of it. And once I heard the pants hit the floor, I felt him settle over my head. Not on top of me, but just so my crown was cradled by the crotch of his underwear and one of his thighs appeared just before my face. The other I knew to be behind my head, with both of his knees touching my shoulders. From here, he leaned over my head and began pressing his hands firmly into my back together, smoothing down my feathers, sliding along the grain, twitching the heels of his hands into my under-worked muscles.

I’m exhausted, but I haven’t done much of anything to be exhausted.

I didn’t have the courage to speak up until he’d been at it a few minutes, lifting up onto his knees to go lower down my back without sitting on my head. “I’m sorry, Blitzy. I don’t know why I’m so tired.”

He scoffed, pressing his body-weight into his hands and sliding down my spine, before walking his hands back up to my shoulders. “Maybe because you haven’t slept through the night in three days?”

I blinked to alertness, “Haven’t I?”

“No. I put Via to bed almost every day last week, which meant you were the one getting up when she had a nightmare. And she’s been having a lot of nightmares lately. And, you decided you had to start getting up early in the morning to see me off when I go to the circus. For some fucking reason.” He slid down my back again, this time spreading his hands apart and gripping my sides, working his fingers between my feathers there not in a ‘tickling’ kind of way, but in a ‘he wants to feel my skin’ kind of way.

I exhaled deeply. “Oh.”

“I’m turning your alarm off for the morning so you can sleep in.”

“You don’t have to do that.” The guilt built up even more. “And you don’t have to do this. We can just go to sleep.”

He scoffed again, sliding his knees around my shoulders and adjusting to sit on my upper back to have better leverage to work with my lower back. “After the dirty shit you were saying in the other room? Look, Stols, I’m not above masturbating next to my husband, but I’m pretty sure you’re the one that needs to get off most here.”

Yes, well, I had more energy before I laid down with our toddler until she fell asleep. It took most of an hour, she kept asking for more stories, and I had to read the child-friendly version of the story about Andromeda three times before she fell asleep. Then, that’s not even considering the effect of having a sleeping child on you; it lulls you into a sort of tiredness that’s very difficult to leave. Especially if you’ve, apparently, not had a proper night’s sleep for most of a week.

But he’s still done as much work as I have, more, and I shouldn’t be adding to his load. “I can-” I tried to move, to reach him, but he flicked the back of my head with his tail and leaned over to slam my arm back down into the bed.

Which was a turn on.

“Like hell you can. You want me to do this or not? Want me to skip the massage and just eat you out so you can go to sleep? Want me to back off and let you go to sleep without getting off? Talk to me, Birdie.”

His face appeared in my line of sight, as he contorted. Still on my upper back, fingers back in my feathers, giving me the weight I needed right now, but demanding my attention as he paused and waited for an answer.

I studied his face, because he really doesn’t seem reluctant. He really doesn’t appear to be too worn to have sex tonight, even if he does have to do all of the work. “Aren’t you tired too, Blitzy?”

He contorted more, having to take one of his hands out of my feathers, in order to kiss me. It was a deep kiss, but it was also brief. “ Oh yeah. And I want to take it out on you. Get it? This is stress relief for both of us.”

Of course it is.

He loves torturing me.

I relaxed and closed my eyes. “If you’re sure.”

He kissed me again, a little longer, and didn’t give me any more of a verbal answer than the moan I drank up greedily, as it was fed to me.

Then, he went back to the massage.

No toys, no extra prep, and he wasn’t particularly rough tonight. He was, and I don’t use the word lightly when describing our sex life, downright gentle . What’s more, was, he’s right. Even with the unusually gentle way he handled me, he knows my buttons far too well to make it last any longer than he wanted it to last. He wasn’t drawing it out, he wasn’t edging me, he gave me exactly what I needed, and despite the softer way he pressed those buttons tonight, the results were still intense enough that I did pass out.

And I slept all through the night.

I slept through what would have been the alarm, if Blitz hadn’t have turned it off for me. What woke me was, what I found was an hour and a half after the alarm is set for, the twittering calls of my daughter.

I checked my phone to see what time it was, rolled over in the bed to stretch my muscles, and felt the disappointment of waking to an empty bed.

Because he’s been working with the horses, he’s been going in for practice more frequently. No shows today, but, he has so much to prove to Cash that he is pushing himself so hard. I want him to pursue whatever goals he holds dear, of course, but I miss him.

My back hurt with a blunt force. Blitz fell off the horse again.

Right.

Maybe that’s one of the reasons I have been so tired too? The more he practices, the more he gets hurt. He knows what he’s doing, he’s very talented, but this isn’t the sort of thing he’s ever been allowed to do during performances before, so it still takes some time to get it right.

“Daddy!”

I sat up and tried to rub the sleep from my face.

Alright.

Let’s begin.

I threw my robe on and tied the sash on my way out into the hall. Octavia’s room is down the hall and around the corner from ours, but, it’s still in the same wing. She isn’t far; she’s near enough we can always hear her if she needs something. It was imperative when she was younger, and she still isn’t old enough I’d feel comfortable giving her a full-sized room quite yet. The one she’s in now is temporary; it’s smaller and carefully curated to be safe at a developmentally appropriate level. What will be her permanent room is in its own wing, with a few others and a sitting room we never use. It’ll be hers, and she’ll be allowed to do with it what she pleases. Currently, it is her play room. We’ll move her up into that room when she is four or five.

“Daddy!” She cried again, just as I came to the doorway.

Her little legs aren’t very quick, but, they carried her toward me as her little hands reached up toward me.

“Good morning, my little Starfire.” I yawned and nuzzled my beak into her cheek.

She was hugging about my neck, giggling. She isn’t upset or scared. She just wanted our day to begin. “A book?”

I lowered her in my arms to a more sustainable level. “No, Love, not right now. We need breakfast. Now, what do you want to wear today?” I carried her to the chest of drawers in the corner.

“Daddy.”

I gave her a curious look, “Do you want me to pick it out?”

She shook her head and leaned outward, briefly, swinging her arms out and down, “ Daddy .”

I analyzed her few clues for a moment, narrowing my eyes and comparing her body language to any other time I’ve seen her behave in such a way. She… isn’t talking about me? “Did he come to see you before he left this morning? He give you a kiss goodbye?”

She looked up at me and nodded, eyes wide. “Where’s Daddy?”

I went to set her down, crouching to open one of the drawers and look for the right outfit for her, today. “He went to the circus. Remember? He’s playing with the horsies now.”

“Ann Barbie.” Octavia is getting far more verbose with each passing week, but she has been quite adamant about names. She is just completely uninterested in any other words to give context. But, I suppose, typically she can get what she want through names and gestures. And when she doesn’t, adding an appropriate level of frustrated hooting typically gets the rest sorted out.

I yawned again. “Do you want to go to the circus today? Sweetie, they don’t have a show today. It’s only practice.”

She stomped her foot and crossed her arms, which I’m sure will be far less adorable and nonthreatening when she’s a teenager. But for now, it was like getting threatened by a cotton ball. “Ann Barbie!”

I chuckled and took out a pair of little purple overalls. “Alright, we’ll pay them a visit. Does this look alright for the day, Starfire?”

She ignored my offering and threw herself over toward the drawer I had open. I let her tear apart the carefully folded garments until she found what she was looking for; a pair of sparkly black tights that she usually wears with dresses.

“Alright.” I folded the overalls and set them back inside, putting a few more things she’d taken out away just the same. “Let’s pick out a dress, then. Come along.”

Blitz

I was sweaty and tired and I hadn’t gotten a break all morning, so it’s really not my fault they scared the shit out of me. Here I am, riding the horse standing up and trying to figure it out enough to do some cool shit without falling on my ass, and I get a glimpse of them from the corner of my eye just as Tequila gets up to full speed again.

Then I hear my little girl’s voice screeching in excitement, and I fall flat on my face, listening to the heavy horse steps peter out halfway down the fence.

Great. Perfect for a clown act.

I heard Cash screaming something insulting from the opposite side of the field, but, that’s the opposite side. The side I don’t care about. So, completely ignoring him, I pick myself up, dust my pants off, and walk the direction I did care about.

Stolas stoops down, over the fence, to give me a fat smooth in greeting, “What are you doing here, Birdie?” I looked from him toward Octavia, who was in the kind of sparkly dress that isn’t really meant for wandering around the circus. Usually we try to put her in pants when she comes here, which means she dressed herself today.

“Octavia wanted to come and see you,” Stolas lied, like a liar.

I called him out on it with a silent look. “Uh-huh.”

Via didn’t even care that I was at the fence now. She was holding onto Barbie’s horns, sitting on her shoulders, and making a series of excited bird sounds that are so unique to her and yet remind me of her dad so much .

Barbie was giving me a vicious look. “Don’t be jealous, Blitz. Sometimes, Auntie is just better.”

I rolled my eyes. “Yeah, well, you can have her.”

“Stop giving my baby away.” Stolas flicked a piece of dried dirt off my shirt. “And stop falling off the horse. I know your balance is better than that.”

“Blitzo!”

We both flinched, then turned to glare at Cash as he came marching up.

“What the fuck are you doing? Get your ass back out there and keep working! I don’t pay you to sit and talk to your boyfriend all day, and this isn’t a fucking daycare. You better convince me not to just take the horse out of the line up.”

I took a deep breath, to stay calm, and tried to figure out which part of that I wanted to address. I only get to pick one, because the next thing out of his mouth is going to laser-focus on that one thing and I better be prepared to brush his bullshit off. Not Octavia, obviously, so nothing about the ‘daycare’ jab or his language around her. He’s not going to take the horse out of the line up; it’s more lucrative to send me out with her and call it a ‘crossover clown act’ than having a horse here taking up space and resources without working for it.

So do I remind him Stolas is my husband , or do I remind him I don’t give a fuck about him paying me?

“You don’t pay me enough to get my ass beat by the ground for four hours straight without a break, either. I think I’ve earned my twenty minutes.” Yeah, not going to give him the chance to get free labor out of me. I’m not going anywhere, not when half my family is still here and I unfortunately still give a shit about what I do here. You know how easy it would be to turn myself into a sugar baby? Stolas and I are madly in love, we have shared funds even though it’s all his inheritance and it has nothing to do with me, and I’m genuinely comfortable with that. Stolas pays the bills, Stolas buys the groceries; it’s Stolas’s money we’re 100% living off from. Fuck, I still get a paycheck from Cash because he has to pay me, and, again, I’m not going to give him free labor, but it goes straight into our shared funds like a grain of sand into a whole-ass mountain.

I do this because I want to, not because I have to. He knows it, he has to know that, and he still tries to take advantage of me constantly.

“You’ll earn your twenty minutes after five hours. Get back to work.” Cash glared pointing out toward Tequila.

Stolas was ready to tear him apart. I didn’t have to look to know that; Stolas is always ready to tear Cash apart.

“You guys seen Fizz yet?” I asked, still glaring at Cash, and only after did I turn to look at Barbie, then Stolas.

“No. I’m on my break, I met them when they came in.” Barbie was giving Cash a pissed-off look too.

“You should do that.” I looked back to Cash. “Momma’s doing some real readings today, but you can probably see her when she doesn’t have any customers.”

Stolas pet a hand between my horns. “Of course. We’ll come back this direction after we visit them.”

I turned and tilted my face upward, expectantly, and was rewarded with a perfect parting kiss. Then, while they went to walk away, I made eye contact with Cash again just to make sure he understood they were on my side, they were listening to me, and everything happening is because I choose to do it. Not because he has any real control here. “You know, she doesn’t even know who you are.”

Cash looked completely bored and disinterested now that they were gone and I was about to fold and head back to the horse. “The fuck do I care if a prissy blue-blood kid likes me?”

He’d fire me if he could. I’m a grown adult (barely), and I don’t even live here anymore. None of the reasons he used to have about keeping me around, giving me a spot in the circus and paying me, etc. stand up any more. But, if he fires me, he loses a major benefactor. Stolas would stop donating the instant Cash kicked me to the curb.

Does that make me feel like Stolas is buying this job for me? A little bit, but only for as long as it takes for me to remember that I’m fucking good at this, everyone here wants me here except Cash, and also that Cash is a big whiny baby who would drive this circus into the ground just to be spiteful, if it didn’t mean losing some cash .

So I got back on the horse, and Cash went back to his side of the fence.

Chapter Text

Stolas

I pulled at the red skirt, feeling as if maybe I should have gotten a larger size.

A fist banged on the bathroom door, “Stols! Come on out, I know you’re done!”

Instead of doing what he said, I positioned myself in front of the mirror and twisted about, getting as good of a look at myself as I could. It isn’t obscenely short, I suppose. As short as my romper is, and, that should be fine. I pulled the hood up and trilled in pleasure at the sight.

“Stols?”

“Coming.” I smiled at the mental image of his expected reaction. He’s going to blush, his mouth is going to pop open a little bit, and his eyes are going to dilate. That’s what he does when he likes what I’m wearing. When he thinks I’m pretty.

That is exactly the reaction I got from him when I left the bathroom. I forgot to imagine his tail swaying lowly behind him, however.

I also forgot to account for the fact he is also wearing a costume today. Of the three of us, his costume is the least involved. It is mostly normal clothes someone might wear; not him, but, someone. He’s got a flannel shirt on, unbuttoned sexily, his sleeves rolled up sexily. He’s wearing a knitted hat atop his head, covering the smaller spikes but with holes large enough to stretch around his horns. In one hand, hanging limply at his side, is an ax. A fake, blunt, plastic ax that was sloppily painted red on the hacking edge to indicate blood.

“Where is Octavia?” I asked, tearing my eyes off him before I could evolve my mental image of him into unbuttoning his shirt a little more. Possibly all the way and tying the bottom corners together…

Focus.

Octavia.

“She’s, uh… well take a wild guess.” He glanced over his shoulder to the bed.

I then noticed the suspicious lump near the pillows.

Blitz gave me an excited grin and gestured. I nodded, picking up my basket accessory from the desk. “My,” I took a slow step closer to the bed, “Grandma, what big ears you have.”

Between the hooting giggles came a, “Better to hear you with,” in the garbled and slurred way a nearly-two year old would say.

I took another slow step closer, already halfway. “My, Grandma, what bit eyes you have.”

“Better to see you with.” She tried to emulate a husky, gravely voice this time, but her vocal cords are too young and high. And, of course, she was giddy and laughing still.

“My, Grandma,” I stepped right up to the edge of the bed and stared down at her with a wide grin, my hood still pulled up high to make sure she knew I was in costume, “what big teeth you have.”

“Better to eat you with!” She lurched out from the blankets and jumped at me, startling me because she actually bit me.

“Ow, Via, you can’t bite people like that.” I tried to be stern and maintain composure as I lectured a toddler in a wolf costume.

“But I’m the wolf.” She blinked up at me.

“Y-”

“Oh no!” Blitz ignored my attempts and jumped in, “Grandma, I’ll save you!” He (carefully) dropped her back down on the bed and (gently) tapped her in the stomach with the terrible fake ax. He got her where he knew she was ticklish, throwing her into a fit of giggles and hooting.

I tried not to laugh. “Blitz, please don’t disembowel our daughter.”

“You going to ruin our fun like that, Stols?” He paused and looked up to me with that big grin of his. “Or you just jealous, you want to attack the wolf?”

“Hmm,” I appraised her, still giggling and clutching at her stomach. “I think my role in this story, at this point, is to express my thanks to the hansom woodcutter that rescued me.”

Blitz sat upright and looked up to me eagerly. “Hansom?”

I leaned down to kiss him briefly. “Very hansom. Now, is granny wolf ready to go trick-or-treating?”

Via leapt to her feet again, sinking into the bed slightly, and threw her arms upward, “Yea! Candy! Candy!”

Blitz picked her up and put her on his shoulders, “Candy! Candy!” He chanted with her, not even bothering to hold onto her as he pumped his fists in the air, the terrible ax still clutched in one of them.

I turned the light out as I followed them out of the room. It has been somewhat of a struggle to teach her proper manners in Goetian society with how enthusiastic she is to play like an imp. I can’t say I’m not a hypocrite myself, considering the effect Blitz had on me when we were young, but, I at least already had the basics down before he taught me how to have fun. I do not regret seeing the joy in her face as she plays ‘pirates’ and the likes. I would much rather know that she is happy and let the other Goetia perceive her as ‘ill mannered’ the few occasions they see her than let her look anything like how I had at her age; sad and alone.

We took her into the living world for trick-or-treating. Many demons travel to the human world tonight for a variety of reasons, and we are simply taking advantage of it all to find the best locations to walk the streets and ask for candy. Human costumes are so creative , we never stick out. We did this last year, and dressed Octavia up as a pumpkin. Tonight’s photos are going into the photo books right next to last year’s.

Octavia was running through the street with so much energy, enthusiastic and excited, for three roads before she began to slow down. I picked her up for the fifth, and after the sixth we convinced her to call it a night.

She was asleep in my arms by the time we got to the circus. Momma was waiting up for us, she was easy to find at the picnic tables.

“Aw,” Momma cooed, offering to take her. “Did she have fun?”

I handed her over carefully and Blitz put the candy bag onto the table to rifle through. “Yeah, she had a ball. You got the pictures, right?”

She nodded, “Yes, you three are quite a set. I’m excited to see what you’ll pick out for next year.”

“Here.” Blitz put a small handful of candy out of the bag and put it down on the table. “She can have that if she wakes up. Don’t worry, she’ll run around for, like, twenty minutes and then crash again.”

“Of course. You boys have fun, alright? I’ll wait up for you, just, text me before you leave so I can get her ready.”

“Thank you, Momma.” Blitz hugged her past Octavia. I stooped to down to embrace all of them together, before letting them go and pulling Blitz away with me. “Right, we’ve got to run. Fizz is probably pissed at us for taking so long.”

“He left about an hour ago. Fizz is patient, he’ll understand.”

“We won’t stay out too late.” I assured her and gestured to open a portal. “Call if you have any problems. She was excited to see you, so when she wakes I expect she’ll be in a good mood. She has been running a lot lately, and she’s surprisingly fast-”

Blitz shoved me toward the portal, “Not her first time babysitting, Babe. She could handle twins, she can handle one little Birdie.”

I pet a hand between his horns, going along toward the portal but otherwise ignoring him. “And please don’t let her bite.”

Momma laughed, adjusting her hold on the sleeping toddler, “I’ve got her. You boys have fun.”

Blitz

The place was loud . Busy. A whole lot bigger than last year, and considering we planned on actually drinking this year, it felt like a sign. He was still clearly nervous, because he’s so used to fancy-ass Goetia socials someone’s playing piano in the corner and everyone’s got sticks up their asses. I mean, he’s been to Movie Night, all of our birthday parties at the circus, and I guess our wedding reception counts, but, Halloween is different. Halloween is some house in the human world with multicolor lights, a stereo blasting from somewhere so loud you can’t talk to anyone without screaming if you’re on that side of the house, and a dozen different types of demons dancing, getting drunk, and playing party games.

I snatched a couple of shots off some table, not really caring if they belonged to someone or not, and handed one up to him. “First thing on the checklist.”

He gave an apologetic wave to whoever was flipping me off that we were walking away from, but accepted the shot. “Do you know what this is?” He sniffed it.

I shrugged, “Dark? Liquor. Definitely liquor.” I downed mine and tossed the shot glass toward a different table that was now closer. The flared top made it roll in a little circle and come to a stop against someone’s arm. Stolas downed his and set it down nicer, with his long-ass arms he could reach without stepping away. “Let’s get you a few more of those while we look for Fizz and Barbie.”

He giggled and tilted my head playfully, pulling on one of my horns with a single finger. “One will be fine for now, Blitzy. Let me take a look around.”

Because he’s taller than everyone else here, he just had to stand upright and look around. That’s usually how we find people in crowds, at least. But, usually, the crowd is the circus and those are all imps. Here, there are other types of demons too, who are all taller than imps also, and so he had a bit of trouble finding two imps amongst them.

“Well?” I reached up to tug on his arm, two seconds from climbing him to get us even more height.

“Hmm,” he looked down to me, “let’s move toward the bar. I think they might be there.”

Hand-in-hand, I towed him that direction. Sure enough, we could plainly see Fizz sitting in a bar stool, back to the bar and thus to us since we got there at the far side, sipping a drink and talking to Barbie. Barb was wearing a ‘staff’ shirt, an open bottle of bourbon in one hand, strangled at the neck, while she and Fizz talked. How loud it is in here, we couldn’t hear what they were saying, but, Barbie had a straight face.

“Sweet, let’s get this party started.” I tapped the bar to get the bartender’s attention. This place is smaller than the palace, but whoever owns it is some rich fuck anyway, because only rich fucks have bars in their homes. “Get us three shots, alright? Something strong.”

“What are you doing?” Stolas looked down to me in confusion and gestured to the other side of the bar. “We can order a round for everyone.”

“Barb’s working and Fizz already has some fruity drink; we need to catch up.” I pounded the bar while the annoyed bartender poured all the shots, then slid two his direction and immediately downed mine. “Woo! Damn, Stols, let’s get fucked up, alright? I’m going to take you out on that dance floor, and-”

He tapped down his third glass and grabbed my face, cutting me off, to shove his tongue in my mouth. My blood was pumping, pushing the liquor around fast enough that I was already starting to feel a little woozy. Woozy enough I didn’t immediately realize I was running out of breath and when he pulled away, I fell forward slightly and gasped for breath.

I felt his beak on top of my head, “Let’s ‘get fucked up’.” He mocked my tone, then pulled me out of the stool and around the crowd toward the other side. There’d been a big group of succubi between us and the other two, so we had to meander through the crowd of the party for a moment before turning back in toward the other side of the bar.

I caught my breath about the time Barbie and Fizz came into view. I grinned like an idiot and grabbed at him, “Sorry, I think I blacked out, what did you say?”

He, instead of coming back down to ‘say it’ again or pushing me off for later, he pulled me in close and just kept heading in toward our friends.

I growled and shoved in closer again, knocking him off course. He giggled again and let me pull him down to make out a little bit more. I think his back knocked into one of the succubi we’d been passing, he tried to pull away to apologize, I growled again and pulled him back in.

“-bring your clothes so you don’t have to deal with Cash-”

I tore my face off from Stolas’s. He trilled in disappointment, and from the corner of my eye I saw all four of his trained on my face. “What’s wrong, L-”

I slapped a hand down over his beak and stared in the direction we were headed.

“-next week.” Barbie’s talking now. The words I heard before had been in Fizz’s voice. She shook her head and turned her face the opposite direction from where Stolas and I stood, then, “He’s not going to let me come back, so if I’m getting out I have to make sure it sticks. I can’t come back.”

It felt like there was ice in my veins.

“If this falls through, you know the Blitz and Stolas will help you out.”

“I don’t want their help. I want to do this on my own.” She looked back toward Fizz again, a more determined look on her face. “I can get out too.”

I let go of the feathers. Two sets of eyes are on me. Fizz looked surprised, Barbie looked… I don’t know. “You’re leaving?!”

Barbie looked to Fizz quickly, then back to me. “Uh… yeah. Yeah, I’ve got enough saved up. The job I’ve got now is paying well enough.”

My stomach churned. I looked to Fizz quickly, “You knew already?”

“Yeah, Blitz.” He gave me a pitying look. “That was always the plan, wasn’t it? Us all getting out of there? You were always going to move into the palace, even before you two were going to get married.”

“No freaking out.” Barbie pointed a finger in my face, making me look back to her. “You hear me? I wasn’t going to say anything until I unpacked.”

I swallowed my own heart and grounded myself with the familiar hand touching my back. Right. “You… already moved out?”

Everyone was staring at me and I felt like I was going to throw up.

“Yeah.”

The hand on my back rubbed slightly. “Congratulations! When do we get to see your new place?”

Barbie relaxed and looked past me to Stolas, “Well, I’ve got two roommates. Some coworkers. After I finish unpacking, I was going to bribe them into giving me the place one night to invite you all over. It’s a lot smaller than the palace, so no judging. Not everyone’s getting out by marrying into money.”

I took a deep breath, but it was hard.

“Of course. We are very excited for you.” Stolas rubbed my back again.

Barbie relaxed more and held up the bottle in her hand. “Sweet. Well, I’ve left them waiting on refills long enough, now. See you around, guys.” She waved off to Stolas, me, and Fizz, then walked away into the crowd.

I dry swallowed and took another deep breath.

Fizz whistled and was looking Stolas up and down when I figured out how to turn around. “Nice dress, Stolas. What are you?”

I grabbed him around the waist and shoved on a smirk, “He makes a hot ‘Little Red Riding Hood’, huh? That makes me the woodsman.” I held up my shitty plastic ax to show off, from where it had been in my belt.

Stolas hooted fondly and pet a hand on top of my head. “Via was the wolf. Would you like to see a picture?”

“Hell yeah. You should have cracked the pictures out before Barbie left. Let me see.” He slid off the stool and brought his half-drunk fruity drink closer to look at Stolas’s phone as he quickly brought up a picture from earlier in the night.

I stood frozen while they talked for a second, before going to take Fizz’s spot at the bar to order three more shots. I took two of them this time and handed one off to my husband.

It’s fine.

It was always going to go off this way. I left. She’s leaving. But Fizz loves being a clown and he’s going to stay a long time.

I was drunk off my ass and dancing with my best friend and my other half, shoving all the stupid, hypocritical thoughts about my sister leaving our childhood home down and away. She came to hang out with us a few other times, one of the times I hadn’t even noticed until she was leaving, but she’s busy.

She’s working.

She’s working hard.

The last time she came over, when Stolas and I were planning on leaving pretty soon, Fizz was on a table juggling random shit people tossed to him. Cups, half-full liquor bottles, someone’s bra (which he quickly tossed out once he realized it was there), and a burrito.

I cheered, “That’s my best friend!”

Fizz grinned my direction, which made him miss when someone threw a water bottle at him. Instead of missing and dropping everything in a big blunder, he rolled with it and lost it all in a way that looked like it was all on purpose and had everyone laughing.

He laughed with us, hopping down from the table to give up the act. Someone, a hellhound, pushed their way into his space with a big-ass grin, “You’re good, guy. You should enter that clown pageant, my guy.”

Fizz’s expression slipped and he glanced my direction. It was so fast, so brief, if I wasn’t already watching him I would have missed it. But I didn’t, because I was watching him.

“Y- yeah. Yeah, I was thinking about it.”

My stomach churned and I walked away to find the nearest unfinished drink.

The next thing I knew, I was folded over Stolas’s arm, the room was spinning, and I heard Barbie’s voice. “He’s out, yeah?”

I was shaken slightly, and in response I was too busy holding the bile in to pay attention to why I was shaken. “I believe so, yes.”

“I know you’ll take care of him. Fizz has been working real hard. I know he’s going to freak out about it, like he did about me leaving, but, you need to go. You two need to get tickets, Fizz is already on the lineup and he’s been working on his routine.”

“I’ll get our tickets.” That’s my sexy husband’s voice again, and I rolled my head over to look up at him. “And he’ll be as excited for Fizzarolli as he is for you. It just takes him some time to adapt to change.”

“Yeah, took him forever to ‘adapt’ to getting married and having a kid.”

“It has. But after he’s had some time, he’ll be alright. Enjoy the rest of your night, Barbie.”

Chapter Text

Stolas

I watched with concern as my husband growled under his breath, glaring at Cash, who was walking away all smug-like. Blitz’s tail is flicking in irritation, hitting me in the leg and not apparently noticing, and I tried to think of what to do. It’ll pass, but, I’d like him to enjoy the party rather than fester on something that isn’t going to change. Cash isn’t going to change, and he only came over here to bitch at us – bitch at them , he so rarely acknowledges I’m here – because he wanted to ruin things for Blitz and Barbie.

I wiggled my fingers in our daughter’s feathers, to draw her attention, then held her out in a way she was familiar with. She knew what the plan was, and she followed through magnificently. She reached out to hold onto his horns before I had her settled onto his shoulders, and the effect was immediate. She loves riding our shoulders, so she was chirping and trilling excitedly now, and he is so vulnerable to those noises. He lifted his hands to hold onto her knees and when he tilted his head back, to look at her, his expression was calmer.

“Hey there, Chicken Nugget. You wanna take a walk around the tent?”

“Where Gramma?” She leaned forward and hugged onto his head.

“Grandma’s resting right now.” I pet a hand over her down-soft baby feathers. “She’ll be back later.”

Momma is having a bad flareup day, and while she was here when we first got here, no one argued that she needed some rest.

Octavia whined anyway, because she doesn’t understand things like ‘illness’ and ‘chronic pain’.

“Tell you what, kiddo,” Barbie put on the same sort of brave face Blitz uses, despite how clearly frustrated she is, “you can help me go get her when we head outside for fireworks, yeah?”

Octavia’s eyes grew as wide as saucers and she began bouncing on Blitz’s shoulders, “Fireworks?”

“Yeah.” Barbie winked, “But don’t tell Uncle Fizz, alright? He doesn’t know we got them yet.”

Via did the little ‘locking it’ hand gesture she does with her Auntie Barbie, when they’re being ‘secret agents’ or simply planning some surprise or prank. She loves her Auntie Barbie.

“Do you want to go see the birthday boy?” Blitz tilted his head again to look back at her.

“Happy birthday!”

“Not yet, he’s on the other side of the room.” I laughed and pointed over toward where Fizzarolli was opening a present gifted to him by a couple of acrobats. From here, I could tell it was some expensive chalk, the sort he’ll go through quickly with as much as he’s practicing. “Do you want to bring the presents?”

“Just Via’s.” Blitz held a hand out toward me.

I took it out from the portal I stored our things in and handed it over. “Do you want me to come with you?”

Blitz glanced to Barbie very, very fleetingly, then back to me. “Nah. I’m just going to take her on a pony ride around the tent, we’ll be back in a minute.”

I stooped down to kiss the top of Via’s head, then the top of his. “Have fun.”

Once they were gone, Blitz ‘galloping’ and making silly horse noises and Via giggling excitedly, Barbie dropped her false grin. She groaned and covered her face with her hands, rubbing with what looked like a lot of pressure. “ Fuck him.”

“I do. Frequently.”

She glared up at me. “First, ew. I don’t want to hear about my brother like that. Second, I meant Cash .”

I smirked down at her. “I know. Don’t let him ruin the party for you, he has no right to determine who Fizzarolli can and cannot invite to his own birthday party. Whether you still work her or not.”

“I know. I don’t need a lecture, smarty-pants. I need to beat the shit out of him. Fuck, I skipped out on a gig for this. I could be making connections, making money, rather than listening to that ass-hat bitch about losing a high-wire act.” She dropped her hands entirely and turned to glare at Cash across the tent.

I knew this too. I was the one to convince her to come this time. From my perspective, this might be the last get-together we all have in the circus. Blitz doesn’t live here anymore, but he insists he doesn’t want to stop working here even though he hates it and every time he comes back he both has to deal with his father and the harrowing absence of his sister. He’s happy for her, for pursuing her own goals, but he’s struggling with the change. I suspect he’s also realized that Fizzarolli has such a good chance of winning the clown pageant next month, and that when he does, he will also be leaving the circus to work for Mammon. But no one’s brought that up with him, not directly, yet.

I hope he quits working here once Fizzarolli also leaves.

“If it isn’t too late, you can still leave and go to your job.” I feel bad. I wanted her here for this, for Fizz, for Blitz, but she’s been on edge since she got here.

“It’s fine.” She sighed and dropped her shoulders, looking away from Cash. “But the next one of these is at your place. I don’t want to come back here.”

Just as I expect.

Very suddenly, Blitz was back. He came to an abrupt stop and leaned backward, making Octavia hold onto his horns tightly to avoid falling off, and loudly gave a, “NEIIIIIGH!”

She, giggling, kicked her feet. “Stop it, Daddy!”

He was clearly in much higher spirits already, standing upright and grinning up at me. “He liked it.”

“Of course he did. His favorite niece made it.” I turned my attention back to where I’d last seen Fizzarolli, only to see he’d moved to the gift table, where there were a few unopened packages and far more opened ones. There, he set the messily decorated t-shirt Via had lovingly crafted (she’d decorated it to look how she thought a clown’s shirt should look, with a handful of hand prints of various colors added in) next to the chalk I’d seen him accept a minute ago.

“What’d you get him?” Blitz looked to his sister, still grinning from his high of playing with our daughter.

Said daughter was reaching back up toward me, so I extracted her from his shoulders and horns carefully, to settle back on my hip while Barbie answered, “Nothing. Yet. I’ll take him out for dinner tomorrow. There’s this great place in Lust.”

“Ooh.” Blitz smirked at her. “I thought you only liked chicks.”

“Shut the fuck up, it’s not a date. Dumbass.” Barbie was glaring at him, but not the same as she’d glared at Cash. “It’s got great burgers. I’ll take you two there sometime too, but not tomorrow. Tomorrow is for Fizz.”

“That sounds lovely. What is the name of this ‘burger joint’?” I tilted my head curiously, because I wondered if I’ve already heard of it. Blitz and I go to Lust for ‘date nights’ frequently.

“Uh-uh. No, you’re not taking your stupid little husband there before me. I found it, I get to take you two.” Barbie pointed a finger up at me, glaring.

“I only wondered…” Blitz’s tail hit me in the leg again. I lost my train of thought and looked down to him, only to see his glare and under-the-breath growling had returned. Which means… yeah. Cash is talking with Fizzarolli now. He’s giving him a card of some kind and they’re both smiling. Fizz laughed at something Cash said.

Cash hates Blitz, but he typically acts civil due to my donations to the circus. I make them because of Blitz, because of Fizzarolli and Momma, up until a couple of months ago because of Barbie, and because of every other circus worker here that has been kind to me and my other half. I do not make them because of Cash, and he certainly knows that, but he can be civil for some money.

Cash hates Barbie because she left. He had no idea what she was doing or planning until it was too late, and he has taken all of his anger at both of the twins leaving out on primarily just her, because he doesn’t want to chance losing my patronage. She doesn’t deserve it, as much harassment as she’s gotten from him, but she is very independent. She doesn’t want my help, threatening to reduce the donations if he cannot be civil with her also. She doesn’t want Blitz’s help, stepping in between them when Cash corners her to say very mean things. She wants to handle it all on her own, and we’re respecting that.

Cash does not hate Fizzarolli. He loves Fizz. Fizz is so very talented, Cash will go out of his way to bond with and make Fizz happy. He’ll give Fizzarolli as much practice time as he wants. He’ll take him out to eat. He’ll get him presents, shower him with praise. Fizzarolli is fully aware of how horribly Cash treats his own children and he supports both Barbie and Blitz, but because Fizz does not receive any of the maliciousness they do, it is difficult for him to fully empathize. Because of Barbie’s willfully independent nature and Blitz’s tendency to martyr himself, neither of them hold it against him.

I took our gift for Fizzarolli out from the same small portal I had kept Via’s gift in and held it out toward Blitz. “Here.”

He took it without really looking. “Thanks.”

“You should go to him.” Cash is walking away now. Today is supposed to be celebrating Fizzarolli’s birthday, but it’s also about reaffirming the bond between the three of them, and how even though everything is changing, they’ll still have each other. Barbie is busy a lot, but she’ll still prioritize her boys. Fizzarolli has a lot of ambitions, but he still needs the twins. Blitz is married with a child, but he still spends a not-insignificant portion of his time returning to his childhood home that he hates because he cares so much for his friends.

He hesitated. “Isn’t there supposed to be a cake?”

“Yeah,” Barbie had been watching too, and now she was glaring also. “Someone’s bringing it, I think.”

“Hmm,” his tail flicked again, and I pushed him toward Fizz lightly.

“Go. Take your time, Barbie and I will keep Via entertained.”

He still hesitated, “He’s busy. He’s got more friends than us, you know. We can give it to him together, later…”

“Blitz, get your ass over there and give him the stupid fucking present! For fuck’s sake,” Barbie snapped at him. “You see that bullshit? Cash gave him a card. There could be a bonus in it, but we both know there isn’t. Go give him something nice to open, and tell him we’re only staying here another twenty minutes before we kidnap him out of here and hit the streets until firework time.”

I didn’t want to do that, but, so long as we come back, I suppose I am willing to discuss the idea. “ Go , Blitz.”

“Fine, fine. I’m going.” He grumbled and walked away. We both watched him approach Fizzarolli, and while we couldn’t hear from here, he was clearly nervous to take up his time. But, he relaxed and the expression on Fizz’s face was more naturally happy than it had been with Cash. They were laughing, and Fizz hasn’t even opened the package yet.

“Daddy,” Via demanded my attention, “I’m hungry.”

“There’s cake coming soon, Starfire. We’ll have dinner after.”

“Here it is now.” Barbie gave her an honest smile, despite her sour mood at the moment.

Sure enough, the curtain was moving and I saw the flickering of candles through it. I turned to call out toward Fizz and Blitz, over my shoulder, but my words were caught in my throat.

Cash is back.

“I only got so much cake,” he took a sip from the can in his hand, “that thing isn’t eating it all.”

He’s only walking past, giving us a shitty comment, nodding toward me and the perfect little girl in my arms, and he was already walking away.

I saw a look come over Barbie’s face that I recognized in Blitz’s.

One he hasn’t had in a while.

One he had when we were younger, and Stella was hurting me, and he lost himself to rage so thoroughly he forgot all of the manners Mr. Butler had drilled into him.

“Oh fuck off.” She shoved him.

Into the imp that was carrying the cake, who had just been walking carefully around us toward the main part of the party.

The cake fell.

The tent is meant to be made from a flame-retardant material, but it caught flame so quickly I had no time to consider why it might not be.

“Barbie.” I put Octavia into her arms and shoved them both through a portal, turning away before I was even sure they would stay inside, because the flames were spreading fast. People were running. People were screaming. I pushed someone else – I didn’t pay attention to who – toward the portal as I tried to get through them toward my husband and our friend. “Go through the portal, go! Get away from the table! Everyo-”

I had eye contact with Blitz, who was no longer next to Fizz. Fizz was putting the present we’d gotten for him on the table. Blitz was on his way back toward us.

The fireworks went off and the screaming got louder. I shoved my way toward Blitz as some of them shot off in different directions. I could feel my skin burning where I hadn’t touched any fire, I could see him shaking, I could hear him screaming. My eye hurt. I pulled him into myself and smothered where I could feel the fire eating at him.

“Blitz,” I tried to pull him toward the portal.

He resisted, trying to pull away, but I wouldn’t let him go.

“Blitz, let’s go.”

People are screaming in pain, Fizz is screaming in pain. Blitz’s eyes are wild, he’s hyperventilating, I can’t move him easily like this. I have to get Fizz. I can’t see him, but, he was right next to the table .

I pulled Blitz’s face into my hands, I held it gently, careful of the fresh burns, and forced his eyes into mine.

Blitz

“-breathe for me. We have to get out of here. I need you to walk, I have a portal open.”

I took another breath.

“Stolas,” I cried, shoving him off me. “Stolas, Fizz…”

“I know. I’ll get him. I need you to get through the p-” he very suddenly froze and all four eyes went wide. His head lifted, he looked over my head, and dread filled my chest. I could barely feel the raw burns.

“Stolas? We have to get Fizz.”

“I’ll get Fizzarolli.” He let me go and stood up, “You have to get Momma.”

I bolted.

The fire’s spread to other tents. The horses are running, people are running everywhere, but I couldn’t pay attention. I coughed at the smoke, I shoved past some people who called me an idiot, and I went to Momma’s tent.

She’s on the bed unconscious. She’s breathing. The tent’s filled with smoke, the back wall is starting to catch fire. She was already taking a nap in here, and her lungs can’t handle this !

I barely had her out of the bed before Cash appeared. “What the fuck are you doing, you little shit? Give her to me-”

“I got here first! I got here first, I’m helping her!”

“That’s my wife!” He tried to grab at her, to take her out of my arms.

I hissed, “Shut the fuck up and help me get her out of here!”

Somehow, it worked. Somehow, he got his head out of his ass long enough to put Momma’s other arm around her shoulders and pulled me along, because he just has to be in charge, to get us out of here.

He started to pull us the opposite direction we’d both come from, which was away from the biggest part of the fire. We had a few rows before we got out of the campus, but he was trying to take us out toward the street.

But Stolas is the other direction. “Wait, Stolas has a portal-”

“I am not taking my wife toward the fires!”

“Can you just shut the fuck up for once in your life? I know you hate me, you hate him, but Stolas is the only way we’re getting her to the hospital in time!” She’s not waking up. She’s limp, she’s not moving, and she’s breathing weakly. She has to be okay. She has to live, she has to be okay.

“Your bullshit doesn’t matter right now, I am not going toward the fire you stupid fucking blue-blood fucker!”

I heard a loud hooting call. I snapped my head around to see a new portal, and without regard for Cash’s opinion, I towed him and Momma toward the portal.

I let them go once we were through, collapsing to my knees and coughing.

We’re somewhere bright and crowded and clean and air conditioned. There were hands on my face, a familiar cooing, and I shoved my way forward into the feathers I needed .

He held me.

“I’m sorry-”

“Not your fault. It’s alright. Calm down. Breathe for me, Blitzy, it’s going to be alright. Someone’s already taken Fizzarolli back, Cash is getting Momma some attention, everything is going to be alright. Barbie has Octavia. It’s alright.”

“Via.” I’m shaking. I can’t breathe. “Is she-”

“She and your sister are fine, I got them out before the fire got to them.”

I wanted to scream, but now that I was coming back into my body, I realized where we are. We’re in Sloth, in an emergency waiting room. I hear people talking, I hear people arguing. I hear Cash arguing.

Stolas did too. He let me go to turn and watch the same time I did.

“I don’t think you understand. You need to take her right the fuck now-”

“Sir,” the nurse he was arguing with sounded tired and spoke slowly, “that sort of language is not going to make this go any faster. We don’t have any open rooms right now, and there are thirteen other demons in line ahead of her.” She gestured past him toward the rest of the room.

I looked to the rest of the room.

Most of the demons here are imps with various levels of burns. There were two, acrobats, who were leaving even though their clothing had still smoking holes in them and they obviously have major burns. There were a few others that had injuries both visible and assumed. A pair of hell hounds, one had a hand wrapped in something white that was stained red, sat in chairs against the wall. There’s an incubus standing by the wall watching us with no obvious injuries, but he must have something. There’s a demon type I didn’t recognize in the corner, in a pinstripe suit and big fuck-off feathers in their hat, watching us with weird green eyes, and in a chair near them is some old guy from Envy that looked pissed off about something.

“Oh, hell no.” Stolas stood up and walked away from me, catching up to Cash, Momma, and the bitchy nurse in two steps. “Take her back and treat her now. I know you have the resources. I want her treated, I want the imp I brought in on high priority, and I want him taken care of,” Stolas gestured to me and I realized I had floated their direction.

“No.” I grabbed his hand and pulled a little. “No, I’m fine. Please, just take care of Momma and Fizz.”

Stolas, without looking down at me, squeezed my hand back. “Take care of them now . You don’t want to know the consequences.”

He doesn’t act like a privileged blue blood fuck around the circus often, but this is different. And it worked. Nobody cares about imps; it takes years for us to make appointments, but people like him get seen the instant they walk through the doors. I’ve seen it with him, with getting Via appointments, he’s always the one to schedule mine, and now, he’s using it to get Momma taken care of.

They took her back through those doors, and Cash finally let her go. He began pacing the room, and I resolved to steer clear. I hate him, he hates me, but we both care about her. We both care about Fizz-

I grabbed Stolas again. “Fizz. Where- is he alright? Stolas, is Fizz okay?”

The look he gave me was a bad answer.

My eyes watered and I clutched at him tighter. “ Stolas .”

He drew me to the side of the room, where there was the most space. There was that grumpy guy nearby, but he didn’t appear to be eavesdropping, and the other demon must have just been watching the front desk, not us. Stolas crouched in front of me and held my hands between us.

“I need you to stay calm.”

I’m not. I’m already not. How could I possibly be calm right now?

“Stolas, just tell me.”

“He didn’t look good.” I dry swallowed and tried not to jerk my hands out of his. “He was… severely injured. From the fireworks, from the burns. I don’t… I don’t want to give you a poor mental image, but, he’s in surgery already. All I know of medicine is what I’ve read in my books, and, he may live. No vital parts were… broken. But…”

I really, really, really don’t like the words he’s using right now. “But?”

“But I don’t think he’ll be going to the pageant this year.”

I let out a breath, and I didn’t know if it was relief or just because I needed to breathe. “This year.”

“Or… any other year.” I froze again, forgetting how to breathe. “Breathe for me, Blitzy.”

I need to get out of here. I need to find Fizz. I need to rewind and I need to wake up. “Stolas, tell me he’s going to be okay…”

He pulled me in to hug, lowering his voice again. “He’s getting the best attention. They’re going to take care of him. Momma is going to be taken care of. I need you to breathe, and I need you to let me take care of you. I can take care of your burns at the palace, or let someone take a look at you. We’ll stay long enough to get some news, or we’ll have Barbie-”

“Barbie.” I wailed and tightened my arms around him. “Please tell me she’s okay. Where’s Via?”

He wrenched me off him, my back was to his chest, and he was showing me both of them. They sat at the back of the room, Barbie had a harrowing look on her face, she was shaking, and in her lap was Octavia playing with some sort of toy she’d probably gotten from the basket in the corner of the waiting room.

“They’re alright.” His voice is soft in my ear. “I got them out before the fireworks went off. I need you to breathe, Blitzy, because we need to make sure Octavia knows her daddies are alright too.”

I took a deep breath. I closed my eyes and I took another deep breath. I tried not to remember Momma, unconscious and unresponsive. I tried not to remember the sound of Fizz’s screaming.

My ears are echoing and I felt exhausted. I felt like I was never going to sleep again. I heard the buzzing of the stupid hospital lights overhead, and I head Stolas’s breathing. I paced my inhaling and exhaling to match his.

“Oh, dear.”

My eyes snapped open to see what he saw.

Cash.

Again.

It’s always.

Fucking.

Cash.

He’s standing over Barbie, fists balled at his sides, and she isn’t looking up at him. Octavia is. She’s holding onto Barbie’s arm, shrinking away from him and whatever he’s saying.

Stolas stood up.

Cash raised his voice. “You stupid whore! You did that on purpose, you’re going to pay for burning my circus down! You’re going to pay for burning my circus down, for nearly killing my wife-”

I shoved him away from my sister. “Shut the fuck up.” I growled at him, back to Barbie and my daughter. “Leave her alone, she didn’t do that.”

He looked ready to physically attack me or her or both. “You don’t know, you idiot. You don’t care. You get to sit by as that ritzy-ass blue blood’s pet, you won’t leave because this is all just a fucking game to you! Well you’re gone now! And so is she! I’m going to sue you-” he’s trying to shove past me to get in Barbie’s face, and she’s doubled over clutching onto Via like a lifeline, “I’m going to put you in the fucking ground-”

I shoved him off again. “ Leave her alone .”

Barbie shoved out of the chair and left. He tried to swipe at her as she went past, but I shoved him back again. “Don’t let her get away, you idiot ! She did this! She put everyone here! She burned my circus down, she put my wife and my star performer in the fucking hospital! She’s ruined everything!”

“I don’t care!” I bared my teeth and growled. Instincts of all my bodyguard training and the adrenaline of everything priming me to physically attack this asshole. “I don’t care what you think! You leave her alone!”

He tried to swing on me, and before I could dodge and deck his ass, someone else caught his arm.

The entire waiting room was watching us. It wasn’t even Stolas that stopped him. It was one of the knife-throwers, who looked like he had some nasty burns all over her arms, up to her shoulders. She looked angry, and, I think Cash realized that even though we had the entire waiting room’s attention, no one seemed to be on his side.

“This doesn’t concern you.” Cash glared at her.

She let his arm go, tossing it away. “Leave the kid alone.”

“Stay out of it. I can discipline my children how I see fit. And if you don’t like that, I can-”

“Fire us?” She crossed her arms.

“From what circus?” Another, one of the horse tamers, backed us up.

Cash is fuming.

Stolas is beside me. “You may want to take a step back, Cash. I understand you’re hurting, but how you handle yourself now determines the rest of your future. If you harass Blitz or Barbie, I will ensure you never run your own business again. If you hurt either of them…” He didn’t finish the thought.

Cash is vibrating with anger.

But even he had no way to fight a direct threat from a demon so much higher on the pecking order.

“I want you to stay away from them.” Stolas finalized. “And I want you to stay away from Fizzarolli, until he has agreed to see you. I’ll inform the hospital staff. Do I make myself clear?”

Cash whipped his tail out behind him. “I remember when you were pint-sized, you don’t scare me.”

“Do I make myself clear?”

“Crystal.”

“Leave.”

Cash flipped Stolas off and hunkered down into a waiting chair right here, at the back of the room. “I have every right to wait here for news as the rest of you.”

Stolas tipped my head around, away, by a finger on my horn. “Let’s go find Barbie and Octavia, then.”

I let him direct me away, until we got to a door we were apparently allowed to go through. He must have seen her go this direction, then. But, I had to stop him.

I love my husband.

I’m going to cry into his arms later.

But I wanted to find Barbie on my own.

He understood.

I found her in a bathroom. I heard Via’s little nervous hoots from inside, Barbie talking softly to her, and I picked the lock to get inside.

“Bathroom’s fucking occup-”

I grabbed her and crushed her into me.

She exhaled deeply and relaxed in my arms. She tried to shove me off weakly. “I was just taking the kid to the bathroom… relax.”

Bullshit. “Via, sweetie, can you close the door again?” I looked down to her over Barbie’s shoulder.

“Yes, Daddy.” She disappeared behind me.

Barbie tried to shove me off again, “Oh, look at you. You’re all… you’re all burned up…”

“I’m fine.” I refused to let her go.

She finally wrapped her arms around me and her legs gave out. “I’m sorry .”

I held her tighter, taking us both down to the ground. “It isn’t your fault.”

Chapter Text

Stolas

I slipped my phone back into my pocket, heart heavy and fingers itching to hold onto Blitz. But he isn’t here right now. He’s at the palace. He’s organizing things there, and he really shouldn’t be doing so much on his own, but he’s doing it anyway. He doesn’t want help, no more than I’m already doing. He wants the distraction. He wants to push forward. So, he is there, and I am here.

“Welcome back, your highness.” It’s the receptionist that’s been here nearly every time I’ve checked in.

“How is he doing today?”

“Last I heard, he was awake.” She checked something that I couldn’t see, “And he got another dose of pain meds half an hour ago, so he should be alright for a while now.”

“Thank you.” I signed off. “I’ll be holding an open portal for some time, today.”

“That isn’t really…” she cut herself off at my look and appeared flustered. “It is against hospital policy for portals to be directly in patient rooms.”

“Then if I’m found out, I’ll make sure to tell the authorities I did not tell anyone so you have plausible deniability. But I will not be closing it until the services are over.”

She wasn’t going to argue with me. That is why I am here and Blitz is at the palace, organizing the rest of it.

I left the check in desk without any more comment, pulling at and straightening my black cravat and patting some nonexistent dust off my cloak. His room is private. Isolated. He will be here some time, and until we can bring him home, we ensured he would be kept somewhere nice. Somewhere with a fair sized television, where he can receive a variety of guests without drawing a lot of attention. Unfortunately, I can’t go anywhere without drawing attention, but in such an out-of-the-way room, I can come to see him without spreading any new rumors. My reputation among the Goetia is already wrecked, and so my being seen visiting an imp in the hospital hasn’t thus drawn any more attention from them than my visiting the circus as frequently as I had did already.

I knocked before going in, but I didn’t wait for a response. It’s unlikely he would have heard anyway.

Sure enough, he is awake. Awake being, of course, only comparative. Comparative to when he is asleep, he is awake. Comparative to before , however, he was only half-conscious.

I set the new picture frame on the table beside his bed and tilted it toward him, before taking a seat in the uncomfortable chair to the side. “Good morning, Fizz.”

His eyes slid my direction, then forward again. They are wet, so, he knows what day it is already.

“Blitz will be trading me places after the ceremony.” I crossed my legs and leaned into one side. “And don’t argue about it; he needs you right now as much as you need him.”

His eyes slid back toward me, and under his bandages, he whimpered.

“You do,” I insisted, because I know him well enough. “She raised you as much as she had me. She wasn’t your mother either, but you were her child too.”

His tail, the least bandaged part of him, flicked in the most clear communication he is capable of at the moment. He is frustrated. He deserves to be frustrated; he’s gotten the worst end of it all. He can be as frustrated as he wants to be.

“We’re only trading places until I’ve seen the guests out.” I checked the time now, because it’s hard to keep my eyes on him. “Then I’ll be returning.”

He finally turned his head to look at the picture I’d brought. His voice is damaged, but he was able to make it clear enough how he thought about seeing it. I let him express his distress over it for a moment, before I reached forward to turn it away. “Do you want me to put it down?”

He shook his head and rolled it upward again to stare at the ceiling.

So, instead, I put it closer to the edge of the table and more facing him, so he could see it easier when he chose to look again. It’s the same picture I’ve had blown up and hung in the hall. It’s a family photograph, of Blitz, Barbie, Fizzarolli, and Tilla. I am not in it, and I don’t need to be in it. I have others, I am in others. This is the one Blitz and I picked out for the three of them today. We hung ours last night when it came in, I’ve just brought Fizz’s to him, and we’ll give Barbie hers when she shows up.

If she shows up.

When.

She hasn’t responded to anyone’s messages, and she wasn’t at her apartment any of the times Blitz had trudged across the city to find her, but she’ll be there today. She wouldn’t possibly miss Momma’s services.

Fizzarolli hasn’t moved or suggested he wanted to say anything in a few minutes, but he is still awake. The bandages cover him nearly entirely, restricting whatever movement he is capable of. The surgeries aren’t all over, but so long as the amputations take, the major ones should be over. They’re up to both of his shoulders, and, how he had looked when I brought him in, I’m not surprised. I hate seeing him like this, but, the memory of how he’d looked in the fire is so much worse. His legs had been taken further up than I expected, the left halfway up his thigh and the right down to his knee. I’ve researched the healing journey of his sort of injuries every free moment I’ve had this week, but, with all of them compounded, I just don’t know.

Imps heal from burns quickly. Blitz’s are clean and doing very well, and despite the fact his are much less extensive than Fizzarolli’s, they are likely to heal at a similar rate. I’ve still got his eye covered, and I make him keep his hands wrapped when he’s doing things, but otherwise we’ve begun leaving then uncovered for much of the time. The blistering’s gone, and based on how I’ve questioned his doctors and nurses, Fizzarolli’s blistering’s nearly gone too. Imps heal from burns quickly, and considering the worst of it’s been amputated, he should be able to lose the bandages some time next week.

“It isn’t quite time yet,” I started softly, failing to draw his attention. I swallowed and sat up, and this movement had him looking my direction. I raised my voice and tried again, “We’ve still got about fifteen minutes before the services start, but would it be alright if I opened the portal early?”

He nodded, looking down to avoid my eyes now.

I did. I opened the portal on the other side of the bed from where I sat, angled in a way he’d easily be able to look through and be seen. The exact location of the portal we determined yesterday, when we’d taken care of the bulk of the organizing.

Two days. Three days ago, the hospital called us in the middle of the night to tell us that Momma couldn’t recover from the complications with her illness the smoke inhalation gave her, and after that it took us two days to get here. The first day, we organized. It was easy to organize; we have the funds, we had easy access to everyone who would want to attend the services, and now today everything is set up.

Eight days since the fire. Six days since Fizzarolli has been lucid. Three days since we got that call.

It’s all happened so fast.