Everything was fine.
All Blitz had to do was believe it.
After the full moon, Blitz fell asleep on his couch, his body aching with every word that echoed inside his head.
His dreams were violent, and everywhere he looked, was Stolas with that haunting, tearful face. He'd always reach for him, a flimsy act of desperation. Then, Stolas would be gone, always just before Blitz could touch him.
The next day, he woke up, and he headed to work. He was fine. He still had that f*ckass rock, which meant business as per usual. Nothing changed, not really.
He and Loona arrived at the office after a quick coffee run for M&M. Millie took the coffee gracefully, as always. Moxxie saw right through Blitz, as always.
"Sir," he began, suspiciously eyeing the cup of his overly complicated Frappuccino in his class. "What did you do?"
Loona tried to hide her chuckle behind a loud gulp of coffee, but Blitz heard it anyway. He looked over her way, and she pulled out her phone, pretending to be interested in sinstagram.
"Mox," Millie elbowed her husband in warning.
"You don't usually get me coffee-" Moxxie began, ignoring Millie.
Blitz scoffed, "oh, can it Moxxie, I get you coffee all the time-"
"-that I like," Moxxie finished. "What are you trying to hide from us this time?"
Despite the playful smile he flashed Moxxie, there was a gnawing feeling scratching intensely inside his chest. "What? Do you really think so low of me that you believe I don't remember your basic bitch coffee order?"
The words sounded all too familiar as soon as they left his mouth.
I didn't realize you think so low of me.
Moxxie looked at Blitz, then to Loona, then back at Blitz, his eyes bright with concern. "Where's the book?"
sh*t.
Loona's eyes snapped towards Blitz. "Oh f*ck, he's right. Did we forget it?"
Something scaly crawled underneath Blitz's skin. He crossed his arms and gritted out, "we didn't forget it."
"Is it in the van?" she asked.
Blitz hesitated.
His silence was enough of an answer.
"You don't have it?!" Moxxie panicked. "Sir! I told you to be careful! Not to mess this up!"
Blitz's tail lashed defensively. "Hey! I didn't mess anything up-"
"What the f*ck did you do to piss him off?" Loona said with a smirk.
"I didn't do anything-"
Moxxie hissed at Loona, "glad you seem to be concerned that we are all now out of a job! We can't get to the mortal realm without that book!"
Loona's ears flattened back. "M-maybe I can remember the spell..."
"Okay, okay!" Blitz snapped. "Will you all just listen to me for one second?"
Why didn't anyone ever give him a chance to explain himself?
Stolas didn't.
"He ended the deal."
Moxxie winced. Millie and Loona looked at each other, but said nothing. Blitz took in a deep, shaky breath before continuing.
"So, no book. But that's fine-"
"Is it?" Moxxie piped up.
"Yes!" Blitz shot him a glare. He held out his arm, showing his employees his glove.
"Because, he gave me an asmodean crystal. So, would you all chill the f*ck out?"
"An asmodean crystal?" Millie tilted her head.
"What's that?" Moxxie asked.
"Why'd he give you that?" questioned Loona.
"It means we can go to the mortal realm without his fancy ass book. We're fine, the business is fine, everything. Is. Fine!" Blitz tried to calm the sudden rapid beating in his chest.
The silence was loud enough to make Blitz squirm. He hid his discomfort by busying himself by brushing off his coat. "Now, anything else you want to pester me about?"
He directed towards Moxxie, but it was Millie who spoke up. "Yes, thank you for the coffee, B."
The crystal worked great. That was the worst of it. It was easy to use, and as Stolas had told him, completely legal. He truly no longer needed Stolas. And that left an empty, gaping hole inside of his gut.
I.M.P's new client was a young woman who wanted revenge on her ex girlfriend for breaking her heart. A good, easy kill. A good, easy distraction. He and Millie went to earth, leaving Moxxie to handle the client's paperwork.
The client's ex girlfriend lived in a rich ass neighborhood in a rich ass house with her expensive ass pet birds. Blitz snuck up to the girl's bedroom window, and he and Millie watched.
She was on her phone, chatting with her friends, completely unbothered by her ex's death. She probably left her and didn't even care. That bitch. He scowled, the spines on his back lifting.
Millie looked over at him, "hey, boss?"
Blitz snapped out of whatever weird trance he was under. "Yes?"
"Are you..." Millie paused. "Are you feeling okay?"
Blitz bit his lip. "Never better."
"Are you sure? You look tense."
"I'm just ready to kill this rich ass skan*," he took his gun out from inside of his coat. "Bitch got what was coming to her."
"And you're not maybe taking all of this a little too personally?" Millie asked.
"What do you mean?"
Millie sighed, "never mind."
The whor* was killed. Their client got her revenge, and I.M.P got their payment. Then, the rest of the day was slow. Monday was never the day for murderous revenge. Still, the silence of Blitz's office was driving him mad.
He pulled out his phone. His heart sank in his chest when he didn't see any new notifications from Stolas.
It wasn't like he expected Stolas to text him. Nor did he want him to. Obviously. was just used to Stolas blowing up his phone while he was busy at work. It felt wrong, somehow, to not get a text from him.
Then, a dangerous thought flitted inside his head.
He could always text Stolas.
He flinched at the thought. What the f*ck was he supposed to say, that he was sorry?
He tried apologizing last night, but Stolas sent him away, dismissing his feelings, like he had done over and over.
Blitz thought about Stolas' tearful eyes, and wondered if Stolas would even forgive him if he did apologize.
It struck him sharp and deep, the thought of it. The thought of Stolas being unforgiving.
He shook his head, as if to physically shake the thoughts away. Without thought, he quickly typed out a quick text to Stolas. It read: im sorry
He sent it.
And he waited.
A minute or two passed without response. His tail lashed fiercely. Stolas always responded to his texts, almost immediately. He pondered on whether he should try calling or not, before someone knocked on the door.
He groaned, frustrated. "Yes?"
And in came Moxxie, telling Blitz about a new client, and there was his easy ticket to another distraction.
After finishing the second job, Blitz checked his phone. No new messages from Stolas.
It didn’t matter, because he didn’t care. Still, he sent Stolas another text that read: i hope you can forgive me. Then he turned off his phone, because it didn’t matter to him, he didn’t give a sh*t, he didn’t care– you get the idea.
The night of the full moon, Stolas drank a whole bottle of who-knows-what. The bottle wasn’t labeled, and the content inside wasn’t strong enough to satisfy the hurt in his heart, so he found another bottle of what he assumed was Stella’s old fancy wine, and he drank that too. Then another. Then a fourth. Stella left it, and it wasn’t like she’d be coming back to the palace any time soon to get it. So, he was just finally putting it to use, other than letting it go to waste.
After the fourth drink, he finally started to lose feeling in his chest. The voices whispering soft, woeful sounds in his head silenced, and time finally stopped moving all around him.
He walked alone through the palace. Every picture, every piece of decor, covered up for his own comfort. Deep red shone through the windows. Fierce and powerful and sparked with passion. A reminder of what Stolas had loved so dearly, and had lost so quickly.
“Blitz,” he said into the quiet of the palace. For no other reason than he felt like he should. The name was crawling up his throat, talons sharp and unforgiving. Then, his eyes blurred. From tears or from alcohol, he wasn’t sure.
So much for drinking away this sorrow, he thought begrudgingly before he found himself back in his bedroom. There, by the entrance to his balcony, was a giant sack. The one Blitz had bought. It almost felt like the world was mocking him.
He cooed sadly before dragging the sack into his closet and stuffing it inside, out of sight. Then he fell into bed, and he let himself cry.
He did f*ck it up, just like he thought he would.
Should he have been more clear? Maybe if he had, Blitz would have understood Stolas was being sincere. Did Blitz truly believe Stolas could never have feelings for him? Was it because of how he viewed him, or how he viewed himself?
I should have given him a minute. Just like he said.
It was the last thought he had before falling into a hollow sleep. His dreams were full of nothingness and darkness.
Stolas woke up late the next day, his head splitting with pain. He groaned and rolled onto his side, hugging onto his blanket. He must have drank a lot last night.
After he finally got out of bed, he poured himself some cereal. It was all too familiar, sadly watching romantic dramas on his couch, by himself and feeling so terribly alone. Only this time, Blitz didn’t interrupt him with a call.
Halfway during his show, there was an advertisem*nt for Verosika Mayday. A well-respected succubus popstar. Stolas hooted sadly. She was Blitz’s ex. Why must everything be a reminder?
Verosika was advertising her upcoming tour in the pride ring, and that did give Stolas an idea. He had been cooped up inside his palace for so long, maybe what he needed was a distraction from these… painful feelings he was forced to feel. He hadn’t been to a concert, in well, ever. The closest thing to a live show he had seen was the circus act he saw when he was a little nestling.
Verosika smiled seductively at the recording, “you do not want to miss the time of your life, don’t you?”
“I do not,” Stolas decided.
It was a perfect distraction.
Never mind Verosika was Blitz’s ex, never mind he only seemed interested in things somehow relating to Blitz, this was not about Blitz at all, of course! He would move on from this pain in his heart, if he just distracted himself long enough from it that he forgets what it ever felt like in the first place.
Blitz sends Stolas a couple more texts. It's pointless, and deep down he knew it, but he kept sending them anyway. What the f*ck was Stolas even doing? He had nothing else going on in his life. He was rich and bored. That’s the only reason he had f*cked with Blitz in the first place.
What was it he had said the other night?
Thank you, Blitz. For awakening me. For making me so happy.
Blitz scoffed at his phone. Stolas was bored, and Blitz was his entertainer, just like when they were kids. The rich f*ck always had way too much time for himself, and he always gave that time to Blitz. So where the f*ck was he now?
After work (and after a few more ignored text messages) Blitz takes Loona, Moxxie, and Millie to a nice restaurant. Loona and Moxxie are skeptical as always. Millie is appreciative, and says nothing besides her thanks.
“This place sure is nice,” Moxxie cleared his throat once they were seated at their table.
“Thank you,” Blitz said.
Moxxie raised a brow. “That was skepticism, sir.”
Blitz rolled his eyes, “yeah, I got that.”
Loona was on her phone, her tail lashing. “Would you two shut the f*ck up? I’m trying to talk to Tex.”
Moxxie ignored Loona. “It was a very eventful day today, wasn’t it?”
“It was!” Millie added. “Lots of people to kill today! I feel so refreshed, I needed a day like today. Um, right, Blitz?”
Blitz ignored the pang in his chest and looked over the menu. f*ck him, this place only selled gross pricey food that only meant to look appealing, not taste appealing. “Yeah, yeah, today was great.”
“It sure is good that you have that crystal,” Moxxie said. Blitz winced. “Because, if you didn’t, and you had only lost the book, I hardly think we’d be here right now, wouldn’t we, sir?”
Loona rolled her eyes, “get over yourself, Mox.”
“I am only speaking my mind!”
Blitz’s phone buzzed inside his pocket. His heart almost leaped out of his chest. He quickly pulled out his phone and opened his text notifications. It was just a scam number texting him to confirm a 666 dollar purchase at an electronics store. Disappointment stung bitterly.
Why won’t the feathered asshole text him back?
“Uh, are you okay?” Moxxie asked Blitz.
“I am wonderful!” Blitz snapped before standing up. “I need to use the bathroom. If the waiter shows up while I’m gone just order me a tea.”
“A tea,” Moxxie deadpanned.
“Maybe he’s going zen,” Loona said sarcastically.
Millie said, “are you sure you are feeling okay, Blitz?”
“Absolutely!” and then, he was gone, hurrying past tables of happy friends and sickeningly wholesome couples before he finally found the bathroom. He rushed inside and locked himself inside a stall. The bathroom reeked and the floor was grimy. He scrolled through all the text messages he had sent Stolas, and felt sick to his stomach.
He had sent so many, each more f*cking pathetic and desperate than the last. And each went, unread by Stolas. Because he didn’t care. Because he never wanted to see or speak to Blitz ever again. Because Blitz f*cked up everything, and lost the one person in his life that he loved more than-
The sound of a demon hurling in the stall beside him pulled him back into reality.
What. The absolute. f*ck.
The one person in his life he loved more than f*cking what? Where the f*ck had that come from? Love Stolas, please. He didn’t love Stolas. He loved Loona, his perfectly imperfect daughter. He loved Fizz, his rekindled childhood best friend. He loved Millie, and he kind-of-sort-of-sometimes-on-a-good-day loved Moxxie. A little bit.
Stolas? He never loved Stolas. Or cared about him.
He was just-
The demon beside Blitz retched again.
Blitz hissed, “christ, would you just go home already you sick f*ck?”
“Piss off!” the demon in the other stall growled.
Blitz couldn’t be here. Not in this gross ass bathroom. Not in this restaurant. Not with his friends waiting for him, worried about him. He hurried out the stall and back to his table.
“You smell like ass,” said Loona.
“I am not feeling well,” Blitz told the table. “I think I got sick, probably picked something up in the lust ring.”
“Like what? Herpes?” asked Loona.
Blitz ignored her. "Anyway, I need to get going. I’ll pay for a ride, so Loona you can take the van home. And, I’ll transfer you some money, Mox. Dinner is still on me tonight, even if I need to go home.”
Loona finally looked up from her phone. “The f*ck? Are you being serious? What’s going on?”
“NOTHING is going on!” Blitz growled loudly. A few tables around them looked over their way. Blitz cleared his throat, feeling a twinge of embarrassment tighten inside his gut. “I just need to go. Everything is going to be fine, I just need a little rest, I’ll be back good as new tomorrow for work–”
“But-” Loona began to protest.
“No need to worry! Remember Mox, I am transferring the money!”
He ran out of the restaurant like a coward before anyone could say anything else. He didn’t call for a ride. He walked back to his apartment. It was several miles away, and each step felt heavier and heavier. The exhaustion from the day was finally catching up to him. But, he kept walking. He told himself he deserved the burn in his legs.
Love.
Stolas loved Blitz.
That’s what he told him.
He had wanted Blitz to stay with him. He said he had feelings for him. That meant Stolas was telling Blitz he loved him, right?
Blitz wrapped his arms and tail around himself as he walked. At the end of the day, that didn’t mean anything. If Stolas loved him so much, like he proclaimed, then why didn’t he text him back? Why didn’t he let Blitz explain himself? And why did he push Blitz away, when he was trying to apologize?
It didn’t mean Stolas loved every part of him. Just the good parts. If there were even any good parts left of him to love.
And it certainly didn’t mean Blitz loved Stolas back. He was just confused. The f*cking prick put all of that onto him in one single night, and then kicked him out like he was nothing, like he was just imp scum, leftovers, to be forgotten about in a week or two. Of course he was hurt and confused.
Because it was unfair.
Not because he cared about Stolas.
Or missed him, or longed to hear from him.
Or loved him.
Blitz’s throat tightened.
“f*ck,” he whispered into the cold night. “Who the f*ck am I trying to kid?”
He did care about Stolas. He did miss him, he did long for a response, he did–
He reached his apartment. Inside his apartment it was colder than the night. He checked his phone. He quickly transferred Moxxie the money. He immediately responded back with a thumbs-up emoji. No text from Millie or Loona. Or Stolas. He tossed his phone onto the coffee table and he fell onto his couch. He curled himself up into a ball and was helpless against the tears that spilled.
Stolas was unfamiliar with pop culture. Octavia loved listening to modern bands and songs and told him all about them, but he never remembered the names of all her favorite boy bands, or of her gothic emo bands. The first Verosika concert he attended, security didn’t even make him pay for his tickets. He insisted, but they refused to accept his money.
It hurt, knowing how the world viewed him. An authority higher than them. Helpless against him. The respect he was given felt forced, not earned, and all it did was make him feel sick to his stomach, knowing Blitz was right.
No one would ever think highly of him. Not in the way he wanted. Not in a way of mutual respect and kindness.
Verosika herself was full of energy. She sang so many songs about love and sex, and then, the mood of the concert shifted. Demons, imps and hellhounds alike, stopped cheering and screaming. Instead, they silenced, and listened to the last few songs Verosika sang. These songs did not have a catchy, modern beat. These songs were not filled with seductive lyrics, nor sung by a sultry voice. These songs were raw and broken, as Verosika sang about longing and heartbreak and hatred and shattered relationships.
Stolas felt frozen in place when Verosika looked his way. He had gotten to be in the front of the crowd, it was no wonder that Verosika saw him. She didn’t look surprised or scared by his presence. She continued to look at him as she sang about her broken heart. Stolas felt frozen in place. It almost felt as her lyrics and her sorrow was sung and shared with him, and him alone.
Then, her song ended, finished by a shaky gasp into the microphone, and the crowd around Stolas cheered and screamed their applause.
“Thank you for attending, my deviant slu*ts,” Verosika spoke to the crowd, who’s applause was only shouted louder by the sound of her voice. “If you want more of this, I am touring all month, baby!”
After the concert, Stolas went backstage to see Verosika.
Stolas didn’t like to think he necessarily enjoyed abusing his status to get what he wanted. He did want to pay for the concert after all, but they let him in, free of charge. They did the same at Ozzie’s, no reservation required. But that was more for Blitz than it was for himself. But he wanted to speak to Verosika. And he knew it would be easy to.
As expected, security let him backstage, no problem.
Verosika was chugging down a water bottle. When she saw Verosika, she tossed the empty bottle into a nearby trash can and she wiped her mouth. “Stolas of the Goetia family. What an honor. To what do I owe the pleasure?”
“Um–”
Verosika laughed. “I am just playing. I remember you. From Ozzie’s, right? The prince who’s sleeping with my dick for an ex.”
“Yes, well, um.” Stolas ran a talon through his ruffled up feathers. “Not anymore, you see. But yes, I was, at one point. It is a pleasure to meet you.”
“I know,” sighed Verosika. “I was surprised that a respected, yet rogue royal such as yourself came to one of my concerts. Thought you would have had more important things to do. But I saw you, the way you looked, at the end. You’re here because of Blitzo, right?”
“Well…”
Verosika smirked deviously. She stepped closer to Stolas. “Tell me everything.”
Blitz was angry when he realized he had feelings for Stolas. Because seriously, what kind of sick bullsh*t was that?
Feelings. For Stolas. Why the f*ck did he have feelings for Stolas? He was a loud, thirsty, selfish royal who liked to play with his feelings like all the other stupid royals in hell. He liked to annoy Blitz, push him to his last limit, he liked to save Blitz for the sake of playing hero, he liked to whine and whine and push Blitz away–
And there was something so twisted about it all. Because how cruel it was, that even with how awful Stolas had treated Blitz, and how awful he was to those around him, Blitz still found himself with feelings for the asshole anyway?
It wasn’t fair. How could a dickhe*d be so damn pretty?
Blitz’s anger didn’t melt away like he had hoped.
The next few days at work, no one approached him. They could see his fumes from miles away, and didn’t come anywhere close. Why would they? If they did, all Blitz would do was hurt them too, because that’s what he did to the people he loved. He got angry, and then he hurt them. He always hurt them.
Why did Blitz hurt people?
Why did Blitz hurt him?
He was a wrecking ball, made for only one purpose. To destroy.
A few days stretched into a few weeks. There was still a furious flame burning inside him. He was starting to think no amount of killing and no amount of iced coffee could put out the fire.
That was when Millie came into his office.
“Boss?”
“What is it, Mills?”
“Do you mind if I come in?”
“You’re already in,” he pointed out.
“Right.” She came to his desk. “I just thought–I just thought that you needed someone to talk to. So, here I am. Ready to talk.”
Blitz swallowed the sudden lump that formed inside his throat. “Why would you think I needed to talk to someone, Mills? I am fine. Everything is fine.”
Millie rolled her eyes. “So you keep saying. But we all notice, Blitz. How you come in here, angry, and you storm out, angry, and we all see that you are just so… we don’t want you to be like this, Blitz. We don’t like seeing you upset. And, it sort of gets in the way of work. You're being reckless and irrational, because your head is in the wrong place at the wrong time.”
“No it isn’t!”
Millie shook her head. “You are going to listen to someone else for once, Blitz!”
The raise in Millie’s voice stunned Blitz into silence.
“You’re upset. You can’t tell me you aren’t. Don’t try to tell me you aren’t. I see the way you look, when you look at your arm."
The crystal.
The spines on Blitz’s back raised.
“You said–you said that Stolas ended the deal. That instead of using his book, you now have that crystal. You said it was better. But you’re still upset, Blitz. Why?”
“It is better,” he said stiffly. “No consequences, and no chance for strings to be attached. Perfect solution. A win-win, in my book.”
Millie groaned in frustration. “But it isn’t! You aren’t happy about it, no matter how much you want to believe that you are! I don’t understand, why are you so upset about the crystal, Blitz?”
“Because–”
Blitz breath caught in his throat.
“Because, I–”
You no longer need my grimoire.
“It, I mean…”
You no longer have any obligation to see me, to touch me, to bed me–
Millie waited patiently, not demanding an answer. Not making any assumptions. She wasn’t trying to force anything out of Blitz. She was only concerned. It was his fault she was so worried. She had no right to care. But she did care, anyway.
You are free of me.
“Stolas doesn’t want me anymore,” Blitz said.
Millie’s eyes softened. “And what makes you think that, Blitz?”
“Because he gave me this, because he no longer wants the arrangement. Because he has–he has feelings for me. That’s it. That’s the big thing. The thing you all wanted to know.” He wiped away the tears that started blurring his vision. “That’s what he told me.”
“If Stolas has feelings for you, why do you think he no longer wants you?” Millie asked softly. “Did he tell you that?”
“No, but. But he’s a prince, Millie. And I’m just. You know. His feelings for me already ruined his life!” Once he started, he found that he couldn’t stop. Every ounce of hatred and anger boiled him alive, and now finally, it all over-spilled. “His marriage is ruined because of his feelings for me, his reputation is ruined because of his feelings for me, sh*t, even his relationship with his daughter is ruined because of me! I ruined his life, all because I decided to use his feelings against him to steal his stupid book.”
He waited for Millie to object, or to say anything, but she didn’t. She stood there and listened. And that was more than Blitz deserved.
“If I had just tried to get one of these stupid rocks in the first place, he would be happy right now. Happy with his family, the one that I ruined. Happy in his home, that I guess I ruined too. I mean, I saw what the place looked like, it’s a total disaster, Mills. Every picture, covered up. Stolas gave me this because he wants to move on from me. Because loving me is a burden I wouldn’t wish on anyone.”
Blitz looked down at his desk, shame eating him alive. “So, that’s that.”
Millie said, “I thought you didn’t like him, Blitz.”
“I…” he cleared his throat. “I might have liked him more than I let others know. More-more than I let myself know. But it hardly matters now. He’s disgusted by me. He must be.”
“Blitz. I don’t think Stolas gave you the crystal because he wanted to move on.”
Blitz’s gaze snapped up. “What do you mean?”
“I don’t know every detail, nor am I going to ask you to tell me. But did Stolas tell you he no longer wanted you?”
Blitz didn’t answer.
“Blitz, did he?”
He shook his head. “No. No he didn’t tell me that. But–”
Millie crossed her arms and cut him off. “But nothing, Blitz. He ended the arrangement, and then told you he had feelings for you. If he wanted to get rid of you, why would he tell you that? Wouldn’t he just cut the deal and give you that damn rock and leave it at that? Why would he give you a chance to reciprocate?”
A chance to reciprocate.
Jesus. That was what Stolas did. And Blitz did reciprocate. By mocking Stolas, by telling Stolas everything he wanted to hear. As a goddamn joke. He really was the f*cking worse.
“No, no, stop it,” Millie pointed at him. “I see the look on your face, B. Cut it out. This is not the time for self-loathing, okay.”
“I ruined everything.”
“Okay,” Millie nodded. “Maybe you did. I wouldn’t know, I wasn’t there. But you can’t tell me the prince is perfectly innocent in all of this. He upset you, didn’t he? Your feelings are just as valid as his, Blitz. Now!”
Millie clapped her hands together. “Stolas has feelings for you. You have feelings for Stolas. You are hurting. And so is he, I’m assuming. Then, talk to each other.”
Blitz’s tail lashed impatiently. “I tried, Mills!”
Millie blinked. “Er, you did?”
Blitz threw his hands in the air in exasperation. “Yeah! I tried to tell him I was sorry, and he kicked me out of his palace before I even had the chance! And I keep texting him and I keep apologizing, but he hasn’t even opened my messages. He is completely ignoring me! That f*ckass!”
Millie paused, thinking. “That is, well, to put it lightly, bullsh*t.”
“Thank you!”
“Have you tried going to see him in person?”
Blitz shuddered. He hadn’t thought about going back to the palace. He didn’t want to go back. He was scared. If he saw Stolas, and Stolas turned him away, then it would confirm his worst fear. That Stolas really did hate him now, and that his phone wasn’t just broken, or something.
“I guess not.”
“Do you want to?” Millie asked.
Blitz shook his head.
“And that’s fine! But soon, you have to, Blitz. If not for you, then for the rest of us. You are kind of being a downer.”
“Hey!”
Millie chuckled and shook her head. “Sorry, sorry, that was wrong of me to say. I am only teasing. But seriously, B. Promise me you will talk to him, will ya?”
Blitz grumbled under his breath, “I promise.”
Millie snickered. “What was that? Couldn’t quite hear ya, boss."
“I SAID I PROMISE!” Blitz shouted.
“Good!” Millie said, satisfied. “Now, I’ve kept you long enough. I am sure you are very busy. I’m about to go grab me and Mox something for lunch. Ya want anything?”
“A chicken salad sandwich,” Blitz said.
“Noted.”
Millie turned to leave.
“And, Mills?”
She looked over her shoulder. “Yes, Blitz?”
“Thank you.”
“I wasn’t that much help,” Millie said softly.
“You listened. That’s all I needed.”
Millie smiled warmly. “Of course, anytime, Blitz. You always have a Millie in your pocket, whenever you need her.” She paused. Then she added, “and if you actually have a Millie in your pocket, I do not want to know about it.”
Right before she could leave Blitz’s office, the door was kicked open. It was Loona barging in. “Blitz! I wanted you to know that I am hanging out with Tex and Bee tonight and I better get the day off tomorrow because the hangover is gonna be a bitch–”
She paused when she noticed the look on both Millie and Blitz’s faces.
She groaned and pinched the bridge of her snout. “Oh for f*cks sake. Never mind, I’ll tell you later. No way I am being involved in this pity party.”
After lunch, Millie came back into Blitz’s office.
Blitz was feeling a little better since their talk. Finally, someone listened to him. Finally gave him a chance to explain how he felt. It didn’t fill the hole in his chest, but it did soothe the pain, even if only a little bit.
“Yes, Mills?”
Millie had a wicked, scheming look on her face. “You know what you need to do, B?”
“What?”
“Win him back.”
Verosika had listened intently to Stolas’ story. He told her everything. About the arrangement (though he might have left out the part where he illegally let Blitz travel to the human realm whenever he pleased) about Ozzie’s, about his wife and Striker, and then about what happened a few nights ago. When he had finished, Verosika had said, “oh, that prick.”
“Maybe,” Stolas sighed. “But I still have feelings for him. I miss him.”
Verosika shook her head. “I have been there before.”
“How did you get over it?”
“Oh, get over Blitzo?” she laughed hysterically. “Easy. He sucks. There wasn’t much to get over in the first place.”
“Oh…” was that how Stolas felt?
He didn’t think Blitz sucked, did he?
He wasn’t sure.
The hurt and confused expression on Stolas’ face did not go unnoticed by Verosika. She put her hands on her hips and asked, “you want him back, don’t you?”
He nodded sadly. “I love him so much. And… and I think maybe he might feel the same. He wouldn’t have gotten so angry at me if he didn’t, don’t you think?”
Grasping at straws.
He wanted so badly for Blitz to feel the same. But Blitz hardly thought positively of him. He thought so low of him. He had made that clearer than day.
“He’s always been an angry asshole,” Verosika pointed out.
And maybe she was right.
But, even now, when Stolas thought of Blitz, he thought of the Blitz who loved his daughter. Who loved to make others laugh. Who was so protective of his friends and family, and cared so deeply for them, even if he cared so little for himself.
Blitz was so talented and passionate about everything he did. And he was so funny, and quick-witted. And every time Stolas saw him, he saw the sun. That’s what Blitz was to Stolas. A fiery, beautiful heat, that brightened everyone that was in view.
“Listen, Stolas, if you want Blitzo back, you have to show him just how much better you are without him,” Verosika said, pulling Stolas out of his thoughts.
“What do you mean?”
“You have to make him think you aren’t even thinking about him. Make him think you don’t care. He’ll come crawling back eventually, you just have to make him desperate enough.”
Stolas blinked. “Um. You think that is a good idea?"
“Of course I do! Make him think you hate him. I mean, that’s what I did,” Verosika stretched her arms out over her head, her hips swaying. “And look, now Blitzo is obsessed with me.”
Stolas frowned. “Is he?”
He hadn’t noticed.
“This is your first breakup, prince,” Verosika pointed out. “And you are in luck, because I am the queen of breakups. Now. Enough Blitzo. We’re going to go have some fun.” She grabbed his arm and pulled him from backstage. The room of the concert felt so empty, now that everyone but security and staff had left.
“Fun?”
“Yes, bitch! We’re going to get some shopping done.”
“Shopping?”
Stolas had only ever been shopping with Octavia. She really liked weird taxidermy, and loud band t-shirts. Nothing Stolas had ever been interested in himself, but he always went with Octavia, because she wanted to.
“Then we should get something to eat. Oh! We could get our nails done. I think you would look so good in pink. Pink really is your color.”
“Is it?”
“Pink is everyone’s cover,” Verosika said. “Now, come on. Let’s not give Blitzo another thought. Show him just how much fun you are having without him.”
“How will I be able to show him?” Stolas asked. He had completely forgotten his cellphone at home. It was probably already dead.
“You won’t show him,” Verosika smirked. “But I will.”
After Stolas’ first shopping spree with Verosika, Verosika wrote down her number on a receipt and gave it to Stolas. When he went home, he grabbed his phone, and he added her to her contacts. That’s when he saw he had twenty text notifications from Blitz. He felt too sick to open them, scared of what Blitz had to say, so he took a screenshot of the notifications and sent them to Verosika, who immediately told him not to reply.
Verosika: BITCH do not reply. Don’t even think about it. Don’t even open the messages. Don’t read them.
Stolas: Are you sure? I feel like I should. It would be wrong of me to ignore him.
Verosika: You want him back don’t you?
Stolas: Of course I do. More than I want anything. I miss him so much.
Verosika: G.R.O.S.S. But if that’s true then you have to take my advice. Trust me, I know what I am doing.
So, despite his guilt, he took Verosika’s advice and he didn’t open Blitz’s text messages. Oh, but how it ate him alive. Was Blitz lashing out again, each word full of cruelty, or was he maybe… maybe expressing different feelings other than anger?
He wanted so badly to read Blitz’s texts.
But he wanted Blitz more.
And Verosika said this was how he did it.
So, he didn’t.
For the next few weeks, Stolas had been hanging out with Verosika. She was certainly loud and petty, but she was really fun to hang out with. She took Stolas to several different malls and let him try on several different outfits. The clothes Verosika picked out for him to try on were different from his royal clothes he had tailored for him. Lots of the clothes he tried on were flashy and pink and only slightly more tight and uncomfortable than his royal suits and capes and coats.
Verosika took pictures of Stolas’ different outfits and she uploaded them to sinstagram. When they would eat at different local restaurants she would snap pics of them together and upload those as well. She then would take quick selfies and post those, telling Stolas, “we can’t have too many of you in them, then it will be obvious what we are doing.”
“It would be?”
“Yes,” Verosika said. “Trust me.”
She took pics of her and a few fans who asked for a selfie, and she would take pics of funny graffiti all throughout hell. She really liked to take pictures. And she really liked to include Stolas in her pictures.
“Does Blitz even follow you on sinstagram?” asked Stolas.
Verosika laughed, “of course not. He blocked me almost immediately after we broke up. And I blocked him.”
“Oh, then… then he won’t even see the pictures,” that made Stolas feel disappointed. Then he felt guilty for feeling that way. He shouldn’t want Blitz to see the pictures. He shouldn’t be taking Verosika’s advice to start with.
“He will. His hellhound follows me.”
“Loona? That’s his daughter.”
“Is she?” Verosika waved a hand dismissively. The two walked past a small clothing shop in the mall. There was a glittery purple jacket on display in the window. Verosika halted. “Oh, you are so trying that on!”
After a quick trip to the changing room, Verosika got a few more pics of Stolas in the jacket, telling him to turn around as she tried to get his good angle. Then, they were going through the mall again.
“Anyway, as I was saying. Blitzo is blocked, so he knows that I know he can’t see my photos. So when Loona finds them and shows him, he will think that we didn’t post them just to get at him, because why would we, if we knew he wouldn’t see them to start with?”
Stolas nodded as if that made sense. “Um, right. How many more photos should we get?”
“As many as we can. We really wanna sell it. And besides,” she elbowed Stolas sharply, who winced and rubbed at his arm. “You are a total hoot to be around, prince. I like hanging out with you almost as much as I like getting back at Blitzo.”
Stolas smiled, “I like hanging out with you too, miss Verosika.”
A short imp walked past them, then he gasped and turned around. “Prince Stolas?! Verosika Mayday?”
Stolas felt nervous. “Hi?”
Verosika flashed the imp boy her charming, seductive smile. “Do you want a pic with us?”
“Absolutely I do!”
Loona was mindfully scrolling sinstagram in bed, liking a few of Tex and Octavia’s pics, before she stumbled across one that made her spit out the soda she had been drinking. It was Verosika and Stolas. What the absolute f*ck?
She opened Verosika’s profile and scrolled through. She was shocked to find several posts including Stolas, it looked like they had been hanging out for weeks.
“Holy sh*t.”
She laughed.
“This is f*cking hilarious.”
She copied the link to one of the photos and DM’d Octavia, sending her the link.
Loona: GIRL do u know about this???
Octavia: what the hell
Loona: Verosika must be really bored if she’s hanging out with him
Octavia: LMAO
She briefly thought about sending Blitz the pictures, before quickly deciding against it. Blitz was already in the worst mood this week. No need to make it any worse by telling him both of his ex’s are hanging out and flaunting it all over social media.
She would wait a bit before there were a few more pictures before showing him. She knew the look on his face would be f*cking priceless.
Blitz couldn’t pretend he didn’t feel anxious.
Millie told him he should win Stolas back. And the idea sounded great, but he had no idea how to execute it properly. He asked Millie and Loona for suggestions during work while Moxxie was occupied in the bathroom.
“How the f*ck should I know?” Loona had said. “Just grow a pair and go. Easy.”
Millie said, “you could get him some flowers?”
“That’s too desperate, dude,” Loona cut in. “Don’t do it, no flowers.”
“Flowers aren’t desperate, they’re sweet!”
Blitz decided the girls were no hope. So, after stalling for a bit, he decided to just go to Stolas’ palace. What was the worst that could happen, besides what had happened between them already? It can’t get any worse than that, surely.
But instead, Stolas wasn’t in his palace. He was in the back garden, in a new robe, reading a book. He looked peaceful, and relaxed.
It made Blitz’s heart pound in his chest, seeing him again.
Stolas noticed Blitz sneaking into his garden immediately. His bright red eyes widened with surprise. Then, they squinted. “Blitz. What are you doing here?”
“I came to see you!” said Blitz proudly. “What’cha reading?”
Stolas huffed before turning back to his book, using it to cover his face. Blitz’s heart dropped inside his stomach. So, Stolas was being petty. That was fine. He thought he would be. He could still win him back, if he played his cards right.
“Lovely weather we’re having,” said Blitz.
Stolas didn’t reply.
Blitz leaped into the lounge chair beside Stolas, crossing one leg over the other. “It’s been almost a month,” he said. “It’s almost the full moon again.”
“So?” Stolas said.
Blitz felt a spark of hope ignite inside his chest. So Stolas wasn’t actually ignoring him. He was always terrible at pretending. Silly, stupid, pretty bird. “I don’t know, it’s kind of a special date for us, isn’t it? Like an anniversary, of sorts.”
Stolas stood up from his chair, tossing his book aside. “Why are you here, Blitz?”
“Like I said, to see you.”
“I told you that you are no longer under any obligation to see me. That is what I said. Do you not remember? You have no reason to be here.”
Blitz was taken aback by the cold tone of Stolas’ voice. He felt his tail stiffen. Panic bubbled inside of his stomach, causing his gut to twist into knots. Was Stolas really that mad at him? Was he right all along? Was Stolas really trying to move on?
“I know.”
Stolas leaned down, close to where Blitz was sitting. His closeness nearly stole Blitz's breath away. He had missed Stolas more than he realized. Stolas asked him, “why do you care?”
Blitz sputtered, “what?”
It wasn't what he had expected Stolas to say.
Stolas stepped away and straightened his posture. There was an angry gleam in his eyes. Blitz leaped off the lounge chair and approached the prince, nerves itching underneath his tough skin.
“I came to see you because I wanted to.”
“You wanted to,” Stolas repeated, voice clipped.
“Yea!” Blitz nodded. “So, are we good now?”
Stolas bowed in his direction, a wild look on his face. “I am very pleased with your attitude towards this situation. Quite straightforward. One might say, dismissive.”
Dismissive?
“Um. Well. That's me, you know. Great attitude. So, we're good?”
“You shout at me,” the smile on Stolas’ face falls. “You want to fight with Me. You call me as many mean things as you wish. And then you come here, and expect my instant forgiveness?”
Blitz's tail lowered.
Stolas was still mad at him, then.
“Blitz. Do you feel any remorse for what you do?”
The words stun him. He doesn't know what to say. Stolas awaits for a reply he knows will never come.
Then, Blitz notices Stolas’ talons. They're coated with a shiny purple nail polish. Desperate to fill the silence, he points. “You um. You painted your nails.”
Stolas sighed. For a moment, he looked hurt. The look was then gone in the blink of an eye. “I didn't paint them.”
“Um. Octavia? She-she did a good job.”
Stolas held out his nails in front of him, showing them off. “Verosika did them, actually.”
The words felt like a punch in the gut.
“Wait-what?”
Stolas hummed, “Verosika.”
“You've been with that whor*?” Blitz snapped. “The f*ck, Stolas? Why?”
“I went to one of her concerts,” Stolas waved a hand in the air. “She's very talented, you know. And I've always loved music.”
“But-”
“Is there anything else you'd like to say to me, Blitz?” Stolas asked with a glare.
Blitz could have sworn he heard his own heart breaking. He couldn't believe Stolas would betray him like this.
“No.”
He turned to leave Stolas’ f*ckass garden. Verosika. Stolas was willingly hanging out with his ex. That's why he never read any of Blitz's texts. He totally forgot about him. Too busy partying with that whor* to pay Blitz any mind.
f*ck him. f*ck him, f*ck him, f*ck him.
He stopped. His face burned hot. “Stolas.” He didn't bother looking back to see if Stolas was even looking at him. “I wish-I wish I never met you.”
Then, he ran.
Blitz practically kicked down the door to I.M.P headquarters. Moxxie, Millie, and Loona were all sitting at the table, eating their lunch, when they jumped, startled by Blitz's arrival.
“WHY THE f*ck IS STOLAS f*ckING AROUND WITH VEROSIKA?!” he shouted.
“Verosika?” Moxxie asked. “Like, Mayday?”
“Yes!” hissed Blitz. “Who the f*ck else?!”
Millie winced. “The prince? And Verosika Mayday?”
Loona was idly scrolling through her phone and said, “oh, yeah. Verosika has been posting a ton of pics together for weeks now.”
“WHAT?!” Blitz demanded. “The f*ck do you mean, Loona?”
She looked up from her phone and shrugged. “Oh, yeah, sorry dude. ‘Guess I just forgot to tell you.”
“Can I see?”
Blitz, and M&M huddled around Loona as she pulled up Verosika’s sinstagram profile. She scrolled through Verosika’s posts. Each making Blitz more angry than the last. There were a few of her just f*cking around, posting photos of her coffee or selfies of her and fans, and then there were several different pictures of Stolas. Stolas trying on a bunch of outfits, Stolas and Verosika posing in front of a hilarious, lewd advertisem*nt, Stolas happily eating food.
Verosika painting Stolas’ nails a pretty purple.
“That absolute whor*!” Blitz cursed. “What the f*ck is she playing at?! Since when was she all buddy buddy’s with that feathery asshole?”
“Since her concert, it looks like,” said Loona. “The date with her first pictures with Stolas is the same date as one of her concerts.”
“What concerts?” scoffed Blitz.
“The tours she’s been advertising all over hell,” said Millie. “Her pride ring tour. I saw a couple of billboards whenever me and Sallie May were hanging out.”
“I see her a lot on TV,” Moxxie cut in.
Blitz rolled his eyes. “Okay, fine. So Verosika is actually doing something instead of sulking around all day. Whatever. Why the f*ck would Stolas go to one of her concerts?”
“Because she’s a talented, well respected artist?” suggested Moxxie. He blushed and quickly added, “to the youth. I of course do not indulge in such tasteless, classless music.”
“Because she’s famous,” Loona stated.
“Because she’s sexy,” Millie said, eyes dim.
“Millie!” whined Moxxie. “Again?”
Blitz crossed his arms. So the slu*t wanted to play games, did she? Well. Simple. He wasn’t going to play. If Stolas wanted to waste his time with her puss* wagon, he wasn’t going to stop him. And he wouldn’t give Verosika the satisfaction of giving a sh*t. Because he didn’t give a sh*t!
“Whatever,” Blitz shrugged. It felt as forced and awkward as it was. “I don’t actually care about what those bitches do.”
“You… don’t?” Moxxie didn’t sound convinced.
“Nope, I’m ready to go kill something, how about you, gang?”
Moxxie cringed. “Don’t ever call us that again, sir.”
As soon as Blitz stormed away, Stolas called Verosika. He told her everything that happened over the phone.
“He f*cking said what?!” Verosika demanded. “That prick!”
“What do I do?” Stolas sniffed. “I took your advice, I was ‘passive aggressive’ as you said I should be, but he still ran off! He wouldn’t tell me why he was here! I’m starting to think he doesn’t have feelings for me at all.”
“Of course he does, the prick never tells anyone how he feels,” Stolas could practically hear Verosika’s eye roll over the phone. “He f*cking sucks, but he’ll tell you how he feels, and you’ll get what you want, as long as you take my advice, prince. I have an idea.”
“What’s that?”
Verosika asked, “how much do you like to sing, birdie?”
A few days later, while Loona was doom scrolling social media while at work, another one of Verosika’s posts popped up on Loona’s feed. It was an advertisem*nt for the “f*ck BLITZO, BLITZO SUCKS” tour. She laughed when she read the title, then almost choked on her laughter when she read the caption.
“GUEST STARRING PRINCE STOLAS OF THE ARS GOETIA!”
“Holy f*cking sh*t!”
She looked around the lobby to make sure Blitz was still in his office. He was nowhere to be seen. She went to the kitchen, where M&M were drinking coffee and cuddling at the table. f*cking gross. She ran towards the table and then slammed her paws against it, startling both Millie and Moxxie away from each other and causing their coffees to spill.
“The f*ck?” complained Moxxie.
“You guys!” Loona growled. “Verosika is doing a new tour.”
“Good for her?” Moxxie said, visibly confused.
“It’s called the ‘f*ck Blitzo, Blitzo sucks’ tour’.”
Moxxie chuckled at that.
“And it’s featuring Stolas,” Loona whisper-yelled.
Moxxie’s laughter turned into a coughing fit. Millie’s eyes stretched wide with shock. “Are-are you sure?” she asked Loona.
“Pretty damn sure, since she posted about it, tagged him, and mentioned him guest starring in the caption.”
“sh*t!” Moxxie shook his head. “Does Blitz know?”
“Do you think we should tell him?” asked Loona. “He seemed pretty upset they were even hanging out. He’ll blow a blood vessel or something if we tell him.”
“He has a right to know,” Millie pointed out. “And besides, I have a feeling Verosika wants him to be there. I mean, why else would she name the tour after him?”
“She really is obsessed,” Moxxie sighed. “Poor thing.”
“Okay, okay,” Loona’s tail flicked nervously. “I’ll tell him. But I just know he isn’t going to like it.”
“Like it or not, he needs to know,” Millie said.
“You’re right. f*ck me”
Loona then went to Blitz’s office. She rarely went into her (adoptive!) dad’s office, because she didn’t like to bother him. Or be around him when he was angry. Which, nowadays, seemed to be most of the time. She would rather stay on her phone during the slower parts of the work day. And now that she no longer needed to keep the grimoire, her workload was starting to be less and less. No complaints from her.
But as much as she didn’t like to bother Blitz, this was serious. So, she got over herself, and she stepped inside his office.
“Loona?” Blitz seemed surprised to see her. “What’s the matter, sweetie? Why are you here?”
“I have something to show you,” Loona groaned. “And I am seriously going to need you to get your sh*t together after this. I needed you to get your sh*t together, like, yesterday.”
WELCOME TO THE f*ck BLITZO, BLITZO SUCKS TOUR!
Stolas couldn’t lie to himself any longer. He was starting to feel guilty.
He was in a small, changing room, staring at himself in the mirror. He was wearing a new outfit. One of his royal outfits that Verosika had picked out for him. She said it set the sad mood. He mindlessly agreed with her. As he had been doing for weeks now.
Was Verosika right?
Was this truly the way to get Blitz back?
He hadn’t read any of Blitz’s texts. He was dismissive of Blitz feelings during the full moon, and he was dismissive of Blitz when he visited him a few days ago. Verosika told him it was for the best, that he would get better results if he played the long game, but he felt so lonely and miserable.
All he wanted to do was hold Blitz tight in his arms and whisper sweet, lovely things to the imp until he forgot what it felt like to hate himself. He never wanted Blitz to feel even an ounce of hate for himself ever again. He wanted Blitz to see himself how he saw Blitz. He wanted Blitz to joke and laugh and be happy.
He wanted Blitz to be his.
Stolas was doing all of this in hopes that Blitz would be his by the end of it, but was that really what was going to happen? Or was he just f*cking everything up again?
He already f*cked things up enough.
Verosika barged into Stolas’ changing room. She had a wide grin on her face. “Stolas, Stolas! He’s here!”
“He’s here?” Stolas squawked. His heart began racing in his chest, and suddenly he felt woozy with nerves. “What do you mean he’s here?”
“He showed up! He’s checking out the stage right now. I am about to go talk to him.”
“Verosika–”
He wanted to say, ‘maybe we should reconsider this whole thing, actually,’ he wanted to plead, ‘just let me talk to him, let me explain everything to him, and then maybe it will be okay’, he wanted to ask, ‘can’t we just let him explain?’
But not a sound came out. The words got stuck inside Stolas’ throat.
Verosika crossed her arms and popped out her hip. “We’re so close, Stolas, don’t you see?"
He sighed and nodded. “Yes… yes, I suppose you are right.”
Verosika smiled warmly. “Don’t worry, birdy, you’ll get your prick of a man. It’s only a matter of time. Soon, you’ll have him eating out the palm of your hand. It just takes patience! Okay? Trust me, I know what I am doing.”
Stolas nodded, and yet, he felt so wrong.
He didn’t want Blitz eating out the palm of his hand. He just wanted Blitz. He wanted to be on equal footing with the imp. And now he feared he would never be.
This was a mistake, he thought.
A mistake he couldn’t take back now, not when he was already in too deep. He caused this mess, and now he had to fix it. And, he knew just how.
Blitz took a look around the place. There was hardly anyone here. There was a stage, and the words BLITZO SUCKS spray painted in an ugly, vibrant green. There were a few pumpkin decorations laying around. But for the most part, the place was empty.
He knew he was at the right address. This was the address Verosika put in her post. So where the f*ck was she? And where the f*ck was Stolas?
Suddenly, the succubus leaped out from behind the stage, a microphone in hand. “My, my, is it Blitzo I see before me?”
His tail stiffened defensively. She was here. “What the f*ck are you playing at, slu*t?” he shouted at the stage. “What the f*ck even is all of this bullsh*t? And why isn’t anyone here?”
“Because, no one cared to show up to a concert dedicated to a total nobody such as yourself!” Verosika flipped her hair. “Well, besides our guest of honor.”
Blitz’s heart panged. He played it off with a laugh. “Ha! You seemed to be forgetting something, f*cko.”
“Oh yeah?” Verosika cooed into her microphone. “And what’s that?”
“Stolas isn’t here. He wouldn’t be. Stolas is in love with me. He told me himself.”
Verosika laughed, long and loud. “Oh, Blitzo. Give him time.”
The words were cold and brutal. They lingered in the air, thick and heavy, until Blitz felt he was drowning in them. She was right. Of course she was right. Stolas’ feelings for him would pass with time. He always knew that to be the truth. He was stupid to let Millie talk him out of feeling that way.
To Blitz’s horror, Stolas stepped out on stage.
He looked beautiful. Blitz always thought Stolas looked beautiful.
With Verosika, and her bodyguard hellhound, at his side, Stolas lifted a microphone up to his beak, and then, he started to sing.
At first, Stolas sang the words Verosika had suggested. He sang of heartbreak, similar to the song Verosika sang at the beginning of the concert that started this all. He sang of longing, how he longed for Blitz, and how he felt Blitz would never reciprocate his yearning. He sang of sadness, of loneliness, of anger, and pettiness, and that small part of him that enjoyed this little game of revenge, because it was an outlet.
He looked towards Verosika, who was swaying her hips along to the sound of Stolas’ song. She had a pleased, satisfied look on her face. He knew her plan was to continue the game, to keep f*cking with Blitz, even after this concert. But he couldn’t. He had found a friend in Verosika, even if the intentions were a little misguided. And he hoped, as his friend, she would understand the choice he was about to make.
Verosika had been wronged by Blitz, because of what he had taken from her. She liked him, she was attracted to him, but she was never once in love. At least, that was what she had told Stolas. She was hurt because of how Blitz used her and stole from her. It took Stolas all this time to realize his hurt was different from Verosika’s.
Because his hurt came from a place of love. Not from hatred.
And he knew he could never fix the soured relationship between Blitz and Verosika. He could never make Blitz apologize to her, nor could he make Verosika forgive him even if he did. But he hoped one day, Verosika would heal from how Blitz had hurt her, and he hoped that she could finally find peace in herself and move on.
But as much as Stolas respected Verosika, he could not go through with this.
He let the tone of his voice change, from somber to soft. Verosika immediately noticed the change, and looked his way.
Stolas saw Blitz in front of the stage, and saw his eyes widen.
Oh, please, Blitz. Please hear me when I sing to you.
He sang his love for Blitz, let his feelings infect every word. He sang how he loved Blitz’s passion, his protectiveness, his devotion and his wit. He sang his love for Blitz as loud as his fragile, broken voice would let him. He sang of how he could never feel for another the way he feels for Blitz, and he hoped that Blitz believed him.
“My special demon,” he lowered his voice, the song stopping abruptly. “How I love you.”
Verosika leaned closer to Stolas and whispered, “what the f*ck was that!?”
Tex, Verosika’s hellhound, said nothing.
Blitz began to cry.
Stolas’ heart shattered. “Blitz!” he gasped and leaped off the stage. He ignored Verosika shouting for him. He quickly grabbed Blitz and pulled him into a tight embrace before stumbling and falling onto the ground, pushing Blitz below him.
“Oh, Blitz,” he cried. “I am so sorry for everything I have done to you. I never read your texts. I thought-oh, I was so foolish, I thought that I needed to win you back and I-”
“Stolas,” Blitz coughed. “One second, please, could you get off me?”
“Oh!” Stolas cawed, quickly pushing himself off Blitz. He sat on the ground. “I am sorry.”
“I know,” Blitz wiped away the tears from his eyes.
Stolas looked back at the stage behind him. At Verosika, and at Tex. Verosika said nothing. She looked conflicted, but nodded at Stolas. She gestured for Tex to follow her, and then the two left, leaving Stolas and Blitz alone.
“No offense, but what the f*ck was that about?”
Stolas hung his head low in shame. “I was in such a terrible mindset, I took Verosika’s advice. I ignored you, I agreed to do all of this, because I thought… I thought it would make you want me. I’m sorry, it was wrong of me. I am so sorry I hurt you.”
“Quit saying sorry,” Blitz whispered softly. “You don’t have anything to be sorry for.”
“That is not true!” Stolas protested. “You were right, Blitz. I did dismiss you. I didn’t give you any time to process, I didn’t give you any time to explain yourself. I was wrong. And I-I hope you can forgive me.”
Blitz leaped up and hugged him. Stolas melted into the imp’s embrace. “Of course I forgive you, dumbass,” Blitz said.
“I do not deserve it,” Stolas breathed out.
“That’s kinda my decision, is it not?” teased Blitz. He pulled away from Stolas and asked, “but, do you forgive me?”
“Oh, oh of course I do, Blitz,” Stolas wept.
“Um, cool,” Blitz coughed, clearly embarrassed. “And, uh, all that stuff you sung about, did you, uh, did you mean all of that?”
“I-I did feel hurt, yes,” Stolas confessed. “I did feel alone, but just because I felt that way, doesn’t mean I think you were wrong for the way you acted, Blitz, and it doesn’t mean I don’t forgive you for it.”
Blitz shook his head, “I meant um. I mean, cool. But I meant all of the… nice stuff you sung about. Did you mean that?”
Stolas blushed. “I did. I mean, I do. Every word, Blitz. I love you.”
Blitz’s tail wagged, “you do?”
Stolas nodded his confirmation.
“You’re not disgusted by me? I mean… I mean, I ruined your life Stolas. I ruined your family, your marriage, your reputation. I ruined everything.”
Stolas shook his head, desperate for Blitz to understand. “No, darling.” (The way Blitz’s eyes lit up when Stolas called him that did not go unnoticed.) “You did not ruin my marriage, it was ruined from the start. You made me realize who I truly am. You made me realize I could have the love and the passion I longed for and was missing in my life. And as far as my reputation or status goes, I couldn’t give a sh*t, to be honest.”
Blitz laughed at that, “you do not mean that.”
“I do,” confessed Stolas. “Blitz, even if all of hell turns on me, I do not care, it will be worth it, just so I can say that I am yours.”
He paused, letting his words sink in, before he continued. “Only if you want me to be yours.”
Blitz rolled his eyes, “of course I do, dumbass.”
Stolas’ heart soared and his face flushed a bright, fiery red. Blitz noticed and his own face flushed. “Oh, don’t look at me like that. Listen. Okay. I am not good at this kind of thing, Stolas. You know that. But I want to try. Do you think we can do that? Do you think that we can try?”
Stolas grabbed Blitz’s hands and held them dearly. “Of course, I would love to try, Blitz.”
“Good. That’s, uh, good.”
Then, Blitz leaned forward, and he kissed him. It was quick and sweet, and Stolas’ heart skipped several beats. When Blitz pulled back, he was a blushing mess. “I hope that made my feelings clear.”
“Very clear, darling,” Stolas assured him.
“That’s, well, I am glad to hear it. Now, do you maybe want to get something to eat?”
Stolas swooned, “I’d love that, darling!”
Stolas stood up and he held out his hand. Blitz rolled his eyes and took it, letting Stolas pull him up to his feet. They walked out of the f*ck Blitzo Tour hand in hand and made their way down the street. “How much are you going to keep calling me that, by the way?”
“As much as it makes you blush, my darling,” teased Stolas.
“It does not, f*cking prick.” Blitz grumbled under his breath.
“Keep telling yourself that.”
That night in bed, when Loona opened up sinstagram, the first post she saw was from Blitz. It was a picture of him with the prince at a cheap restaurant. The caption read: f*ck IT, @ VEROSIKA_MAYDAY
Loona rolled her eyes. “She can’t see posts you tagged her in when she’s blocked, dumbass.”
But, whether Blitz knew that or not, Loona still felt happy for them. The idiots finally worked it out. Good for them.
