Archive of Our Own

Millie was lazily flipping through the newest addition of ‘Ax and Grind’. Her favorite close combat weapons magazine. Blitz was watching her as he leaned against the filing cabinet. He kept debating with himself on whether or not he should ask her a question. A question that was heavily weighing on his mind.

He realized if he was going to ask her, he would need to do so soon, because Moxxie and Stolas would be back from picking up lunch sooner rather than later. Loona could be back at any moment, especially since Blitz wasn’t entirely sure where she was.

He decided to gather up his courage and simply bite the bullet. “Hey, Millie?”

She didn’t look up from her magazine and instead only acknowledged hearing him with a simple “Yeah?”

Blitz cleared his throat, suddenly wishing he hadn’t said anything. This felt extremely awkward and uncomfortable. But he had already started. “Umm, do you and Moxxie…you know. Do the two of you….”

Millie looked up from the pages of her magazine that she honestly already knew by heart. “You OK, B? Somethin’ wrong?”

Blitz sighed heavily. “No. Nothing's wrong, I was simply wondering...” He couldn’t finish his thought before Loona came bursting into the office with her friends, startling him into silence.

“Man, we’re going to have such a great time.” She was saying. Her friends eagerly agreed. “Hey, Dad,” Blitz’s heart still melted every time she called him that. “Is it all right if I take off this weekend with my friends? We got a beach cabin down in Envy.”

Blitz was a bit stunned. Loona was asking for his permission to go away for the weekend. He remembered a time when she would have simply left a note on her door with no further explanation whatsoever. “Yeah, that’s fine. You should go and have fun with your friends.”

“Thanks, Dad. I have my cellphone, of course.” She dug around for something in the desk. “But I will also leave the number to the beach house as well.” She was jotting down the number as she continued. “ Just in case the reception is crap or something. We will leave right after work on Friday, and I will be home late Sunday.”

The tears were trying to escape, but he was holding them back valiantly. Not only had she called him Dad twice, in front of her friends, but she was also going to make sure he could contact her. Additionally, she informed him of the amount of time she would be gone. It was almost overwhelming how far they had come in their relationship. He gave her a thumbs up, knowing that if he tried to speak, the tears would no longer be held at bay.

Although the trial had been one of the hardest days he had lived through in recent years, it had brought them closer together, closer than they had ever been. Additionally, his relationship with his daughter was not the only one altered on that day.

He and Stolas had been in a weird place for a while. Blitz had thought their relationship? Situationship? Whatever you wanted to call it had ended. Then the trial happened. Blitz would be dead if not for Stolas. Knowing that their relationship, and Stolas’ actions, proved that it was a relationship that wasn’t over after all, filled his heart with joy.

This led to Stolas losing everything, including his beloved daughter. That was an unbearable pain, and Stolas needed time to heal. Trying to figure out how much he needed was the tricky part.

Stolas now faced a new kind of life. One he was thrust into with no preparation, no warning, nothing. Blitz would not abandon him. Never again. And Blitz would not force Stolas into anything he wasn’t ready for.

Blitz was hoping enough time had passed. He wanted all that romantic crap that Stolas had talked about at Verosika's stupid party. Blitz also wanted to be the one who held Stolas, danced with him, and made him laugh. Watching someone else do that had been torture. Stupid succubus.

Blitz couldn’t care less that Stolas no longer had money and power. All he cared about was making that bird happy and taking care of him any way he could.

Now, Stolas slept on his couch, worked at his office, and brightened every moment of his life. And their anniversary was coming up. He had to make it special.

Millie was kind enough to wait for Loona and her friends to leave again before speaking. “B. What is going on? You obviously have somethin’ on your mind.”

Blitz once again gathered his courage and this time decided to spit it out before losing his nerve again. “So next week marks the first time I slept with Stolas, our anniversary. I want to make it special, but how do I do that? I never had an anniversary before. I was just wondering what you and Moxxie do.”

Millie blinked. “You think that the first time you had sex is your anniversary date?” She was obviously considering saying more, but Blitz interrupted her.

“Listen, we did things differently. Most people went on dates and did stuff like that. We met on the full moon and had sex. That was our whole deal. Without that deal, we wouldn’t be here now.” He shrugged, “I think it is the perfect day to celebrate. It was the beginning of our relationship. Isn't that what an anniversary is? Celebrating getting together?”

Millie stared at him a moment longer before adding, “Yeah, I mean, technically.” She thought a moment before remembering a small detail Blitz had mentioned once a while back. “Wait a minute. Didn’t you say you crashed their anniversary party to steal the book the first time? Didn’t you guys hook up then?”

Blitz rolled his eyes in frustration. “Yeah, that was a year ago this Saturday.”

“Blitz!” Millie shouted. “You are going to celebrate the same day that he had his anniversary with Stella? Doesn’t that seem kind of … off to you?” She stared at him.

Blitz stared back. “Seems like the best reason to me. That coldhearted bitch tried ruining his life from day one. Now he will get to make new happy memories with me.” He folded his arms in front of his chest, daring her to find fault in his logic. He should have known better.

“So the two of you have spoken, and are in agreement that you are in a relationship now?” Her eyes narrowed, pinning him in place. Making him feel as if he was under a microscope. She obviously knew the answer already.

“Well, not exactly. But I mean, I think it is clear." Even he could hear the uncertainty in his voice. That settled it. He needed to make the anniversary the best one ever. He wanted Stolas to be a part of his life for the rest of his days. He would make sure there was no doubt just how much he cherished his owl.

“Can you just tell me what you and Moxxie do without the whole judgment thing, please?” He huffed at her.

“OK. We usually go out to a fancy dinner at Ozzie’s, he serenades me with a song, we go dancing, and then end the night making love to each other." Blitz had pulled out a notepad and started taking notes.

When he finished, he looked up. “Wait?” He thought for a moment. “Haven’t you guys only had one anniversary so far?”

Milly gave a one-shoulder shrug. “Well, yeah, but that was what we did. And we are making plans to do it again. It takes a long time to get a reservation at Ozzie’s, you know.”

Blitz thought back to the night of Millie and Moxxie’s anniversary. Slowly but surely, that was the night his relationship with Stolas started to fall apart. A do-over might not be a bad idea. But Ozzie’s didn’t seem like the best choice if he was being honest.

He knew he was going to need to give this some thought. And since Moxxie and Stolas had just returned with the lunch, he decided it would be best to table any discussion for another day. Luckily, Millie understood without having to actually be told not to say anything.

________________________________

The tension in the room felt thick. Stolas couldn’t really put his finger on it, but they had obviously interrupted an uncomfortable conversation between Millie and Blitz. He wondered what they had been discussing.

He would have loved to believe that Blitz would tell him later. Or possibly that Blitz was planning a romantic evening for him. However, that was not the kind of situation they were in.

He and Blitz were in this odd situation, where they lived together, they worked together, they did basically everything together… but they were not together. Not yet, anyway. Stolas wanted nothing more than for that to change. He wasn’t sure how to let Blitz know he was ready for a relationship. For that matter, he wasn’t sure if that was something Blitz even wanted.

He was now living with Blitz, which ironically had been something he had been dreaming about for months when they still had their arrangement. He wanted to spend every waking moment with that man and spend every sleeping one, cuddled up next to him in bed.

Never had his fantasies ever even come close to reality. Wasn’t that always the way, though? Reality was always messy and complicated. Never clean and simple.

One difference between fantasy and reality was the simple fact that there was no bed to share. He slept on a tiny couch, and that was starting to cause him aches in his neck and back. This was a new sensation for him as he couldn’t just magic them away. Blitz slept close by, but on a bean bag.

Stolas often wondered if he should invite Blitz to sleep with him on the couch, but here was the second big difference between fantasy and reality. They were not actually a couple. They had been living together for a few months now. However, it felt much more like a roommate situation.

Blitz never once made any indication that he wanted more from Stolas. He never made a move on him or flirted with him. The last thing he did that could be considered romantic in any way was dancing with him on Sinsmas. Which, to be fair, was the most romantic thing he had ever done, aside from saving his life.

Stolas replayed that moment in his head over and over, many times. He had been so devastated over the loss of his daughter that he was numb. He could feel everything in him shutting down. Blitz had been so sweet and gentle. Dancing with him while standing on the railing to make up the height difference had been the most charming thing. It was the only thing that made his heart feel like there was hope for it yet.

Blitz had hugged him after the dance. The voice inside his head yelled at him. ‘You do not deserve any kind of happiness after destroying your daughter’s.’ His whole being felt heavy, and he simply was not able to lift his arms to hug him back. He wanted to, but he just couldn’t.

Stolas thought of that as the point he lost any hope for a future with Blitz. Blitz was still very sweet and very caring, but he wasn’t physically affectionate anymore. He rarely touched Stolas. When he did, it was always as though he thought Stolas would break. Stolas often wondered if he had only hugged Blitz back, would they have been in a very different situation?

“Lunch is here,” Moxxie said. “I got all your favorites." Handing Millie a brown paper bag.

“Thank you, baby. You’re the best.” They hugged and kissed. Stolas envied how completely relaxed they were with each other. They were so affectionate with one another all the time.

“Here is your lunch, Blitz,” Stolas said, smiling, hoping to get one in return.

“Huh?” Blitz was focused on his notepad and only realized Stolas was handing him food when he glanced up for a moment. “Oh, grubs here. Yeah. Thanks.” He took the bag. “I need to make a phone call. I’ll be back.” With that, he disappeared into his office.

Stolas stared longingly after him a moment before he finally dragged himself to his own desk. He wished he could figure out a way to let Blitz know he wanted more from their relationship. Not that what they currently had could be called a relationship. He also wished he knew if Blitz wanted the same thing. Knowing one way or the other would be better than this great big abyss of uncertainty.

They had started as a business deal. A deal that went bad when Stolas couldn’t control his feelings and wound up falling hard for a man who didn’t actually care for him. Not in the same way, at least. His feelings nearly cost him his life, and in the end, wound up costing him the most important thing of all. He lost his daughter. He hoped that someday that fence could be mended, but she needed time. He understood that, but it still hurt.

He looked over to the couch and watched Moxxie and Millie feeding each other their lunch. He watched them for a while, imagining Blitz feeding him some vole, and him feeding Blitz cheese with hot sauce.

He imagined some of the hot sauce dripping from the cheese onto his finger. He pictured how he would start to pull his finger away to get a napkin. But Blitz would grab his wrist instead. He would bring Stolas’ finger up to his mouth and then suck the hot sauce off. The image made a small involuntary hoot escape him.

“You ok?” Millie asked, alerted by the sound.

Stolas cleared his throat. “Oh, I am fine. I just had a little tickle in my throat.” He coughed as if to prove his point.

_____________________________

Blitz was grumbling under his breath. He thought his days of spying on friends while they were on dates were over. But no one was really being any help.

Millie had only recounted what she and Moxxie had done that night at Ozzie’s. He had witnessed a lot of that firsthand and didn’t really need a recap. Not to mention, he was not sure returning to Ozzie’s was a good idea, and he was definitely not singing. He was decent enough, he thought, but Stolas’ voice was so amazing. He would be too self-conscious to pull it off.

Fizz had given him a surprisingly similar list. The issue that Blitz kept running into was the fact that the lists lacked details. He needed to do everything perfectly. He needed Stolas to have the absolute best time ever. This night had to be extra special. The kind one never forgot.

Since no one was giving any real details that were actually helpful, Blitz decided to do a bit of reconnaissance.

He had started with Fizz and Ozzie because Fizz had mentioned that he and Ozzie had plans for that night. Blitz made an excuse as to why he had to leave the office. “I have some important errands to run.” With that, he practically burst out of the door and took off.

That was how he came to be crouched outside on a rooftop across the street from Fizz and Ozzie's apartment. This was absolutely not ideal. He couldn’t hear what was being said. It couldn’t be helped, though, because apparently Ozzie had better security than Stolas used to have, as Blitz couldn’t get into the building from any angle.

He watched as Ozzie and Fizz got dressed. He went to pull out his notebook to write down, dress fancy, when he realized he had forgotten the dang thing. Oh well, he would have to remember it and add that notation later.

He watched as Ozzie helped Fizz put on his coat, and then he kissed him. Then they were heading down the elevator. Blitz rushed down as well. He hid in the bushes and watched Ozzy open the door for Fizz and then follow him into the limo.

Blitz was able to sneak into the trunk unnoticed. Apparently, the guards were not that great, after all. After a short drive, and when he was sure they had come to a complete stop, he cracked the trunk to be certain no one saw him. Once he could see the coast was clear, he slithered out and took in his surroundings.

He found himself in a parking lot of what appeared to be a comedy club. “What the fuck is this?” he mumbled to himself.

He got into the club with no problem; he only had to pay the cover charge. Then he snuck off to a dark corner to scan the crowd until he discovered Ozzie and Fizz not sitting too far away in a booth. As luck would have it, the booth behind them was empty, so Blitz snuck in unnoticed and strained to listen in on their conversation.

“Yeah, so I told him to mind his own business. I am not interested in dealing with Sinners. You know, there is very little stability in that.” Ozzie was saying.

“How so?” Fizz asked. Ozzie started explaining his reasoning. The thing that amazed Blitz was the fact that Fizz seemed genuinely interested in the answer.

What the hell kind of date was this? Why were they talking shop? Wasn’t this supposed to be a romantic date? Ozzie was explaining something about how an Overlord's position could change, and with the exorcist angels, things were up in the air. It was a bunch of crap Blitz didn’t care about. When the hell was Ozzie going to get to the romancing part?

The server came over and brought them their food. Ozzie commented on how he thought it was cute that Fizz could eat burgers at any given time of the day. “It is always Burger Time.” Fizz giggled. “Burger time, Burger time, Burger time.” He chanted, which made Ozzy laugh.

“You are such a crazy freak.”

“When we get back home, I will show you just how crazy a freak I am,” Fizz responded in a low, sultry voice.

“I am holding you to that.” Was Ozzie's lust-filled response.

Blitz spent another hour spying on them. It seemed like such a waste. They literally did nothing but talk about work, their day, and occasionally make comments about what they would do when they got home. So boring. Not very romantic at all.

In a frustrated huff, Blitz stormed out. He decided he wanted to see what Moxxie and Millie were doing. Maybe he would have more luck with them. He pulled out his phone to track their location. He spared a brief thought to how pissed Millie might be if she knew that Blitz had installed Death2520 on their phones without them knowing. Having also added them to his circle probably wouldn’t lessen her anger. But how else was he supposed to know where they were if he needed them?

As it turned out, they were at Satan’s Corral. Perfect. That meant they were on a date as well. This would be the perfect opportunity to get more tips.

The ambiance at the place was very much Wrath Ring. A lot of Cowboy stuff on the wall, twangy music playing, servers, and some guests, dressed in cowboy boots and hats. Not what Blitz would think of as romantic. But maybe he would have better luck spying on them than he did with Fizz and Ozzie.

A waitress came over and tried to put him at a table really far from Moxxie and Millie. That dumb bitch had no idea what he needed. Instead, he had her bring him to a table right by a big ass fern, that would perfectly hide him from view but also get him close enough he could hear their conversation.

“Can I get you started on anything?” Satan, this woman was going to irritate the shit out of him.

“Bring me a Bezzaljuice and some cheese sticks with hot sauce.” That should buy him some time. He directed his focus onto Moxxie and Millie again.

“I was thinking, we could probably look into buying our own place?” Moxxie was saying. What the heck did they need their own place for? Renting an apartment was a great choice for a young married couple. Why add the burden of a mortgage?

“Yeah, I have been thinking about that as well. Just a small place.” Millie paused. “A yard would be nice.” Millie then continued on with other things that would be great to have in a house of their own.

What in Satan’t asscrack was wrong with everyone today? Ozzie and Fizz discussing work. Moxxie and Millie discussing their living arrangement? How was this supposed to help him plan the perfect romantic evening with Stolas? He needed to sweep the owl off his feet. He needed to make the night perfect. Memorable. It needed to erase all of the previous anniversaries that Stolas had ever suffered through.

Blitz was getting frustrated. And if he was honest, he was getting a bit anxious as well. He was starting to worry he wasn’t going to be able to pull it off. Being romantic was most definitely not what he was known for. But romance stuff was something Stolas craved.

Blitz wasn’t an idiot. If the shows and books Stolas read were not a clear indication of what Stolas craved, the conversation at Verosika’s fucking party was. Stolas actually told Blitz he wanted romance. Blitz was going to give him romance. Even if it fucking killed him. Frustrated with how the whole evening was going, Blitz finished his cheese sticks, paid, and went home feeling miserable.

Stolas was sitting on the couch. The only light was the one in the kitchen. When Blitz walked in, he could have sworn Stolas wiped tears from his face. “Everything alright?”

“Oh yes, absolutely perfect. You?” Stolas was trying too hard to be cheerful.

Blitz figured that Stolas had probably just watched one of his silly romance shows. Maybe a Hell-a-novella, and it had ended on a tragic note. He didn’t want to make Stolas feel embarrassed about it, so he just said. “Cool. I’m doin’ good too. Busy night though. I already ate, but what about you?”

Stolas, still forcing a smile, replied that he had also eaten and was actually feeling quite tired. Blitz nodded his head and admitted to feeling tired as well. “I just need to take a shower, and then I will probably hit the ol’ bean bag.”

When he came out of the bathroom, Stolas was already curled up on the couch. Blitz lowered himself as quietly as he could on the bean bag. He wanted to curl up with Stolas on the couch, but knew that Stolas wasn’t quite ready for that yet. Maybe, after the perfect romantic anniversary date, Stolas would allow Blitz to join him on the couch. Even if just to cuddle.

__________________________

Blitz had rushed out of the office so fast after declaring, "I have some important errands to run."

“What in the hell was that all about?” Moxxie asked, looking after Blitz through the open door. “That was extremely weird.”

Millie sighed and replied simply. “It’s Blitz being Blitz. But, I can guarantee you he ain't going to be back anytime too soon.” She smiled and then turned to face Moxxie. “Maybe we can get a head start on our plans for tonight?”

“Well, we do have reservations, so I am not sure…” he trailed off when he caught the meaning of her look. “Ooohhhh. Right. Yeah, we could definitely get a head start on that.” He looked at Stolas hopefully. “You don’t mind locking up, do you?”

Stolas smiled. “No, I don’t mind at all.” He had a pretty good idea what the head start implied, and he was happy for them. Moxxie and Millie were some of the only imps who were very nice to him. He realized part of it was due to the fact they worked at IMP. As such, they knew that what he had said in the trial was a complete lie.

But part of it was the plain and simple fact that they were nice. They treated him the way they treated anyone else. This might be nothing special to some, but it meant a lot to Stolas. In return, he was glad to help them out in whatever way he could.

When he first started at IMP, Loona, who was also nice in her own way, and Moxxie showed him the ropes of running IMP’s phones and doing the paperwork. There was a lot to learn in the beginning.

Moxxie had done a valiant effort in keeping up with paperwork, but since he was also going on the missions, the paperwork was hard for him to keep up with. Stolas loved paperwork and was very glad for the distraction. So before long, he expanded on what he had been taught and created a very efficient filing system. Moxxie seemed to approve.

Stolas was now doing much better with the phones and handling the clients. Though he did find most of the Sinners he dealt with to be extremely tedious at times. They all expected immediate results. Stolas had to keep explaining that part of their appeal was discretion. This meant that sometimes one had to wait for the target to be alone before being eliminated.

He did realize that this was not strictly speaking the truth. However, it was the answer that got Sinners off of his back the fastest. And then he had the ungrateful job of nagging the Sinners into making their payment on time. Apparently, many of the Sinners came to hire them without actually having the appropriate funds. These Sinners often wound up having to sell their souls to Overlords for a time being.

Occasionally, the Sinners would beg for extensions from IMP, but Stolas would explain that how they went about getting the funds was not really his problem. He needed to secure payment, or he would need to bring them before Satan. And since leaving the Pride Ring ended with Sinners being shredded into oblivion, he did not recommend that route. “It is rather unbeneficial to both our sides, I am afraid.” When he would make this statement, they usually found a way to make the payment.

Moxxie and Millie had left, and Loona was apparently not coming back to the office either. Stolas finished what little bit of paperwork he had to do and then checked his watch. The IMP office was scheduled to be open for another hour and 20 minutes. He thought about how best to spend his time.

He had his book, and he knew he would spend some time reading it, but he felt as if he should at least do a bit of work first. He realized the office hadn’t been cleaned in a while and decided that he should probably attend to it.

He had overheard Blitz one time telling Loona that it was all right that Stolas was a bit of a dirty bird. He didn’t mind. Blitz may not have minded, but ever since that day, Stolas did his best to keep as clean as he could. He imagined Blitz, who kept an extremely clean home, would really appreciate it if Stolas cleaned the office. Even if he only straightened it up a bit.

The breakroom seemed as good a place to start as any. Stolas opened the fridge and had to cover his nose. Something in the refrigerator had definitely gone bad. He examined every item and threw out anything that was more than a little moldy. Once the refrigerator was in good condition, he decided that he could probably straighten Blitzo’s desk up a bit.

Once in his office, Stolas stacked papers, glancing over them to see if there was paperwork he could go ahead and file. Then he took the notebook to place on top of the freshly created stack. The notebook was lying open in the middle of the desk.

Stolas had not meant to read it. He only glanced at it as he picked it up. However, the title had caught his eye. When he read it, he felt as though the bottom had dropped out from underneath him. On the top in Blitz’s distinct handwriting were the words 'ideas for dat night.' Next to that was Saturday's date.

Blitz was planning a date night? For just a split second, Stolas thought it was for him. But then he realized that was not very likely. He chided himself for making the same mistake over again. He couldn’t let his feelings be projected onto Blitz. That was how his heart got crushed before. He had assumed that since he had feelings for Blitz, Blitz had feelings for him. And obviously, that was not exactly the case. And here he was ready to make the same assumption again.

Blitz did care for him, in a way. He and Blitz were in a pretty good friendship/ roommate situation. However, that was not the same thing as being in a relationship. Though secretly, Stolas had always assumed that eventually they would get to that kind of situation. His heart broke realizing that he was most likely mistaken in that assumption.

He looked at the notes. The first thing on the list reaffirmed that it wasn’t about him. Dinner at Ozzie’s. There was no way that, after the way the last evening at Ozzie’s went that Blitz would ever consider taking him there again. The list continued with “Sing songs, dancing, make love.’ There were hearts around the words make love.

That stung the most for some reason. Whoever this person was, Blitz wanted to make love to them. Not just have sex. He and Blitz had only ever had sex. The most mind-blowingly best sex, mind you. There was definitely nothing to complain about in that department. However, he secretly longed for them to make love to one another. If Blitz was planning a romantic evening with someone else, then that meant it would never happen.

Stolas took a deep breath and tried to calm himself. It was fine that Blitz was moving on. Stolas had to accept it. And the truth was that even if he was not the one with whom Blitz was starting a relationship, Blitz deserved to be happy and find true love.

He took the notebook, closed it, and then placed it underneath the stack of papers. He did not want Blitz to know he had seen the list. After all, it almost felt like he was invading Blitz’s privacy. It may have been accidental, but it still seemed wrong.

Suddenly, Stolas felt very strongly that any phone calls that might come in that evening could just as easily go to the answering machine. They could be handled just as well in the morning. At that moment, he needed to get out of there. As if putting distance between himself and the notebook would somehow alleviate the pain he was feeling. Illogical as it might be, he needed to go.

He realized a bit late that with everyone gone, he had no ride home. This meant he wound up having to walk. Walking was fine as it was a nice evening out. For the most part, people were now a lot less likely to throw food and drinks at him. Instead, he usually wound up getting dirty looks thrown his way. Looks were easy enough to ignore and didn’t stain his clothes. The walk helped him to calm himself and clear his mind.

When he walked into the apartment, he realized he didn’t really know what to do with himself. He went into the kitchen, turned on the light, and rummaged through the refrigerator and cupboards. He decided he had no appetite. He sat on the couch and turned the television on for a moment before concluding that mindless entertainment was not right for him this evening either.

In the end, he wound up just sitting there as the night’s darkness started to crawl into the apartment. Held at bay only by the kitchen light he had turned on earlier… His mind was racing with all kinds of thoughts. What would he do if Blitz and this mystery person became really serious? It was one thing to be living with him and Loona. Living with Blitz and his romantic love interest, however? That was not something Stolas would be capable of handling. He doubted they would actually want him there either.

Oh Lords, he would have to learn how to do all the domestic things that Blitz did, like all the cooking, the cleaning, the bills. Not to mention finding a place to live. He felt panic creeping in before he reminded himself that the changes would be good for him. Even if Blitz had found the one, the one he would spend the rest of his days with, chances were good it would be a while before he had to move out. Nonetheless, it was probably a good idea to start slowly preparing himself for that day. That thought made a tear run down his cheek.

Naturally, that was the moment Blitz returned home. Stolas wiped the tear away quickly and tried to act as if he was feeling very cheerful. Blitz stated he wasn’t hungry, and Stolas lied, claiming he had already eaten. He wouldn’t be able to eat, and there was no point in making Blitz worry. Instead, he said he was tired.

Blitz had gone to take a shower. Stolas used the time Blitz was in the bathroom to gather his thoughts. The fact that Blitz moving on was breaking his heart did not matter. What mattered was that Blitz found happiness. Stolas would do anything to make sure that happened. He made up his mind to help Blitz with the planning of the perfect date in any way he could.

He heard the water turn off, so he quickly laid down and covered himself up pretending to sleep. He might be willing to help Blitz in any way he could, but that didn’t mean it wasn’t painful, and he didn’t want Blitz seeing how much it hurt his heart.

________________________________________

The next morning, Blitz was making pancakes. He discovered Stolas really liked them when he made them with kale. However, they could be tricky, so he decided to practice some this morning, and the next day, for their anniversary, he would go all out. He would add syrup and whipped cream. Making them super special.

Stolas was starting to wake up. Blitz loved watching his boyfriend stretch in the morning. His feathers puffed out when he did it. It was adorable. And because Stolas’ feathers also fluffed out when aroused, it was sexy as well. Blitz tried not to think about that too much, though. A hard-on at breakfast was not what he was going for.

It had been such a horribly long time since they had been together like that. Blitz would wait for however long it would take Stolas to be ready. Truth be told, however, there were times when the waiting got to be a little hard. Sometimes he would need a bit of extra time in the shower, just to take the edge off. Stolas walking around with his feathers a mess and his shoulder bare because the t-shirt slipped was definitely something that could call for a longer shower. As he watched Stolas slowly make his way to the table, Blitz thought that he just might need one of those showers today.

Loona came bounding out of her room full of energy. This was a testament to how much she was looking forward to the trip her and her friends had planned. She was definitely not a morning person on the best of days. But then on days like this, where she had come in extremely late the night before, she would be especially grouchy. Her usual morning routine consisted of her dragging herself out of her room and growling at anyone and everyone she came across.

“I only have time for a quick breakfast. Russ will be here in about 10 minutes.” Her excitement brought a smile to Blitz’s face. He remembered a time when Loona didn’t get excited for anything. His little family was doing so well.

He plated pancakes for them both, handing them off as he finished. He quickly made his own plate before sitting down at the table and joining his two favorite people.

“Why did you make them like this? They’re green...” Loona complained, but since she was a bit too happy about her trip, she couldn’t quite manage to pull off being annoyed.

“These are healthier,” Blitz replied, then glanced at Stolas before looking back at Loona. “Stolas prefers them like this,” he decided to be honest.

Stolas, who had been staring at his plate, suddenly looked up with a startled expression on his face. Blitz loved the way it made his eyes round like saucers. “You make these… because I like them?” Stolas asked in disbelief.

Blitz couldn’t help the flush that ran across his face. He rubbed at the back of his neck. “Well, yeah, that. And... and as I said, they are healthy.” He wasn’t really sure how Stolas felt about Blitz being openly affectionate.

In the beginning, it hadn’t been an option. Their relationship was pretty much a secret. When their relationship was discovered, it blew up into a big, messy ordeal. They weren’t exactly being affectionate in private, let alone in public, after that. Now that everyone knew they were together, and they didn’t need to hide anymore, Stolas was unfortunately mourning the loss of his daughter. Being affectionate was not something Stolas had the strength for. So Blitz wasn’t going to push it.

As things stood, Blitz wasn’t sure if Stolas would appreciate him being openly affectionate. He also wasn’t sure if Stolas was comfortable with Blitz telling people that he did certain things, such as making kale pancakes, simply because Stolas liked them.

“They are a healthy choice.” Stolas agreed and stared back down at his plate. There was something off about Stolas this morning. Blitz couldn’t quite put his finger on it, but something was definitely off. He was about to ask if everything was alright when there was a knock at the door.

“Come in,” Loona shouted before taking a big bite of pancake to clear off her plate. She jumped up and headed to the kitchen with it.

Russ opened the door. “Good morning, Mr. No-O. Mr. Not-a-Prince.” He nodded at them respectively. “How are you guys today?” He was probably as excited about the trip as Loona was. It could be really difficult to tell with Russ sometimes. He was always in a bouncy, happy mood. The only possible difference was his tail, which seemed to be wagging a bit faster than usual.

“We’re doing pretty good,” Blitz said. “You guys are going to be safe on this trip, right? Traveling in packs. Using swimming buddies. Stuff like that?” Blitz was happy Loona was excited, but that didn’t mean he didn’t remember what it was like to be a reckless young adult. Loona was still his baby girl, and he worried.

“Daaad. For fucks sake, we aren’t babies,” Loona grumbled from the kitchen in frustrated embarrassment as she set her plate down in the sink a bit harder than was strictly necessary.

“He’s just worried, Loo, it’s all good,” Russ called to her. He faced Blitz and took on a serious tone. “I promise we are all going to be safe, and I will make sure Loona is extra safe. She is my best friend, and I will not let anything bad happen to her.” Russ smiled at Loona and gave her a gentle punch to the shoulder.

There was something about the last part Russ had said that rubbed Blitz the wrong way. It was too… protective? It somehow felt more than just friendship talking. Perhaps Blitz would have a talk with her when she got back. If Blitz was honest, Loona could do worse than Russ. In 10 years or so, when Loona started dating, Blitz might actually be alright with the two of them becoming a couple. But for now, they'd best remain just friends as she was obviously too young to be dating.

“Do you need me at the office today?” Loona asked, obviously trying to play it cool.

“Nah, you can go ahead and cut out today. Nothing big is going on.” Blitz said, giving her an affectionate smile. She was a good kid. She should go have as much fun with her friends as she could.

Russ made his way to Loona’s bedroom door and grabbed the suitcase sitting there while Loona went into her room and came back with a backpack slung over her shoulder. She came up to Stolas and gave him a one-armed hug. Blitz’s heart wanted to explode. She was accepting Stolas as part of their little family. She went over to Blitz and gave him a hug, allowing him to give her a kiss on top of her head. She then gave him a knowing smile. “You two have fun this weekend.” With that and a wave her and Russ headed out for their fun-filled beach weekend.

The apartment instantly felt very quiet. Blitz was still staring at the door when Stolas broke through the silence. “She will be OK, you know.” He looked at Blitz comfortingly.

Blitz turned his head slowly to look at Stolas. He was smiling so reassuringly at him. “Yeah, I know.” Stolas placed a gentle hand on Blitz’s shoulder as he made his way to the kitchen to place his plate in the sink.

Blitz wasn’t exactly sure when it had happened, but Stolas was definitely pulling his weight more around the apartment. He had even asked Blitz if he could teach him how to cook. Blitz imagined teaching Stolas how to cook.

He also imagined one day coming home to Stolas cooking a nice hot meal, wearing nothing but an apron. Blitz would come up behind him and… Shit– Blitz really needed to take a long, hot shower and try to take the edge off. His fantasies were getting a bit out of hand. He cleared the rest of the table before excusing himself to do just that.

____________________________

Stolas listened to the water running in the bathroom while he washed the dishes that had been stacked in the kitchen sink. Blitz was taking a rather long shower today. He did do that from time to time. It actually felt like he was doing that more and more lately. Stolas was struck with an epiphany. The reason for Blitz’s longer showers was so clear. He wanted to ensure he looked and smelled his best for his new love interest… How could Stolas have missed that?

Stolas felt like such an idiot. Why would he think that anything really would change between him and Blitz? Sure, Blitz let him live in his apartment. Blitz gave him a job when no one else would have. But none of these things meant anything more than Blitz had felt obligated in some way to make sure Stolas was taken care of. He swallowed the lump that had built up in his throat. He was a burden. He vowed to change that. He would start by making sure Blitz’s date went well tomorrow.

Later, as they sat in the van making their way to the office, Stolas said as nonchalantly as he could. “You should wear your long black jacket tomorrow. The one with the coat tails and white collar. It suits you really well. Especially when you pair it with your red turtleneck.” He didn’t want to make it obvious he knew about the date. So he hoped it came out as a simple observation.

Blitz gave him a sideways glance, trying to keep his eyes on the road at the same time. “Yeah? You think so?”

“Absolutely.” Stolas had always loved Blitz in that coat. It framed his form extremely well, highlighting his small waist and chiseled abs. He oozed confidence in that outfit. It was definitely a feast for the eyes.

Stolas was busy filing papers later in the day when Blitz came out to the reception area. “I was thinking of maybe cooking tomorrow night. But I don’t really know what.”

Blitz must have realized that Stolas knew about the date when he commented on the jacket. Blitz did not appear upset about this. In fact, he was seemingly looking for advice on the matter. Well, in that case, he could just really give suggestions and pointers, couldn’t he?

The sudden realization came to him that Blitz was going to have the date at the apartment. In his excitement, he must have forgotten that Stolas would be there. Stolas would have to make himself scarce. He could possibly ask Moxxie and Millie if he could stay with them. If that wouldn’t be possible, he remembered once hearing that the YDSA had inexpensive rooms. He surely had enough money to get a room for a night.

First things first, however. He needed to help Blitz plan the best date night ever without being too obvious. After all, Blitz probably wanted the evening's events to be mostly his ideas. Stolas would simply give him nudges throughout the day.

“Anything you cook will be delicious, I am sure.” Stolas wanted to say make grilled rat and make it for me. But he couldn’t do that, of course. He simply says. “Personally, I find your grilled rat divine.”

Blitz nodded and said, seemingly to himself. “I do grill a good rat.” Then went about his regular business.

Stolas couldn’t help but think about Blitz having a date come over. A date he wanted to cook for. More importantly, a date he wanted to make love to. Stolas had to suppress a shudder when he realized chances were good that Blitz and his mystery date were probably going to be making love on the couch. How was he ever going to sleep there again? That had to be a problem for another day. Sunday, if one wanted to be exact. Perhaps there was a way he could simply minimize the impact.

“I have always wondered what the couch would look like with blankets covering it. Very soft blankets.” The couch could be rough in spots where it had been worn bare. That would not enhance the romantic mood Blitz was surely going for. Blankets would make the experience much more pleasurable for them. And more importantly, blankets could easily be washed.

“Blankets,” Blitz murmured to himself as he disappeared into his office. Stolas wasn't sure if he really wanted Blitz to take any of his advice. He didn’t want to give up hope that he and Blitz had a chance. However, he knew he had to let that dream go.

In the afternoon, Blitz was listening to that ‘Mustang Dong’ song he enjoyed. Stolas wasn’t sure Blitz really knew any romantic songs. The list, however, clearly stated dancing. This was not good dancing music. “Blitz, I discovered this really nice playlist. It’s a bit different from what you normally listen to, but I would love to share it with you.”

Blitz seemed very open to the idea, so he shared a playlist with Blitz called “the most romantic songs in all the rings,” thinking about how he really only ever heard Blitz listening to heavy metal and some human pop music. There was one particular song about pink ponies at a club, or something like that Blitz was listening to a lot. Stolas didn’t mind that song at all, but it was not the best choice for setting the mood Blitz was aiming for.

At one point, he had worked into the conversation how little twinkly lights, along with some well-placed electrical candles, would give the apartment a nice soft glow. Blitz definitely seemed to take notes of everything Stolas said, even if he didn’t actually respond to it. Stolas thought he had helped Blitz quite a bit.

Now he needed to figure out how to ask Moxxie and Millie if he could spend time at their apartment the next day. That problem solved itself as Millie came up to him after the work day ended. “Hey, Stolas, Moxxie, and I were thinkin’, maybe you'd want to come hang out for a bit tomorrow. Yah know. Get to know each other better and all?”

That was fortuitous. Stolas naturally accepted the invite and was grateful when Millie stated that they would pick him up at one. The less time he would have to spend in the apartment tomorrow, the better.

_____________________________________

Blitz couldn’t believe his luck. Stolas had been in a very talkative mood the day before and was constantly sharing thoughts and ideas. Things that would make the date go so amazingly well.

Blitz had decided that going out was not the best option for them. Instead, he would cook the best dinner ever and decorate the place with all of the great ideas given to him by Stolas. Heck Stolas had even managed to share a super romantic playlist with him and inadvertently told him what to wear. This evening was going to be absolutely perfect.

He had already cleaned the apartment and had two rats defrosting in the refrigerator. Stolas was going to go over to Moxxie and Millie's, so he could set up. He had asked Millie if she would mind keeping Stolas occupied while he got ready. She still had her doubts about how good an idea this was. The woman lacked vision, but she still agreed to help out, however.

Blitz informed Stolas he needed to run to the store. Weirdly, a sad look crossed Stolas’ features. “Ummm… is there anything you need?” Blitz asked.

“No. There really isn’t.” He then excused himself and slipped into the bathroom to take a shower. Just before the water turned on, Blitz thought he had heard soft crying. Of course, that was just his imagination going wild. Everything was going really well. This was going to be the best anniversary ever.

Blitz had thought that surprising Stolas would be the most romantic way to start the evening. That was why Blitz pretended as if he didn’t know what special day it was. Stolas was not bringing it up either. Blitz was downright giddy with excitement.

He rushed to the store. He was checking all the faux fur blankets, looking for the softest ones he could find. He even found a blanket covered with soft down feathers. He had to get that. Even if Stolas would take forever to invite him onto the couch with him, this blanket could help Blitz pretend he was wrapped around his bird. The feathers weren't exactly right, but they were close. In total, he wound up getting three blankets. Two faux fur ones for the couch and one very special feather one, just for himself.

Just as he was about to head to the register, he noticed a black cape. The inside had stars and moons stitched inside it. It was naturally not anywhere near as amazing as Stolas’ original galaxy cape, but he doubted he would ever find one with an actual cosmos moving inside of it. But this was still really pretty. It was silky soft, and Blitz could imagine Stolas looking absolutely stunning in it. So he decided that it would make the perfect anniversary gift.

He headed to the next store to buy lights and candles. He really should stop buying candles. People kept asking him what the mood was when he bought them. “I don’t fucking know. Romantic anniversary, I guess.” This time, the sales clerk seemed to appreciate his answer more than the one in the lust ring who didn’t like the answer ‘horny’ as they were all horny according to that guy.

He then decided he needed to run to the store. He got a bottle of wine and some sticks of cheese. He should have something yummy too. It was both of their anniversary after all. He remembered that Stolas was out of popcorn, so Blitz got some of that as well.

He rushed home, but by the time he got there, Stolas was already gone. That was fine. He didn’t need to see him before the date. It would have been nice, though. He did text him. ‘Sory I mised u. C U 8er.”

He set off transforming the apartment, not sure how much time he had before Stolas would return.

________________________

Stolas was bored beyond tears. He knew that Moxxie and Millie were trying very hard to keep him entertained. Moxxie had pulled out the playbills of all the plays he had been to. Stolas had seen all of them in their original release on Sinway. But it was interesting to see how someone else felt about the performances. But after a while, the conversation stalled. There was only so much one could say about Sinway shows. Especially when most of the ones Moxxie had seen were actually off Sinway productions.

Millie had regaled him with stories about their missions and fights she and Blitz had gotten into. He never really understood their dynamic, but he knew that Millie was extremely important to Blitz.

No matter how much he tried to stay focused on the things Moxxie and Millie were talking about, his mind kept wandering to Blitz. He wondered if Millie knew about tonight's events.

“Do you mind if I ask you?” Stolas timidly inquired. “Do you know what Blitz has planned for this evening?”

Millie must have noticed something about his tone. “I do, yeah.” She put a hand on his shoulder. “If this is something that makes you uncomfortable, you really should speak with him.”

Stolas’ head jerked up. “Oh no, no, no,” he said, waving his hands defensively. “That will not be necessary, I assure you.”

Millie let out a small sigh. “You two really need to learn to talk to each other." She was about to say more when her phone gave a notification letting her know she had gotten a text.. She rolled her eyes after reading it. She then stretched her arms and yawned.

“Well, it’s getting kind of late. Probably time for us to take you home.”

Stolas felt the panic rise up inside of him. She didn’t actually expect him to go home, did she? Not where Blitz was entertaining someone else. “I don’t think that is a very good idea. Perhaps I could stay here? Or maybe you could take me to the YDSA?” he hoped he didn’t sound as pathetic and desperate as he felt.

“Runnin’ away never solved nothin’. You need to talk with him.” She said in a tone that was gentle but also indicated she was not going to change her mind.

“But does it have to be tonight?” Stolas nearly whined.

Millie stood up, and with one hand on her hip, she used the other to point to the door. “Time to face the music. Now git.”

Feeling completely hopeless and very intimidated by a feisty little imp he was sure could break every bone in his body, without ever breaking a sweat herself, Stolas allowed himself to be taken home.

Maybe once there, he would be able to grab some toiletries and slink off. There was a YDSA just a few streets away from where they lived. He could walk that in less than 10 minutes.

_____________________________

Blitz looked at his phone. Millie had sent him a text. “Just dropped off the bird. He knows somethin’ up, and he is nervous. You might have to go get him.”

Why would Stolas be nervous? Well, it was the first anniversary they shared. And his anniversaries with Stella were probably all horrible. It was most likely some kind of trauma thing. That thought made Blitz a little anxious. For the first time, he had doubts about his anniversary plans.

For five minutes, Blitz paced back and forth in the apartment. When there still was no Stolas to be found, Blitz tried not to panic. He decided instead he would go and get him. He grabbed his keys and ripped open the door, thinking he would have to dash down the steps before Stolas ran. And nearly plowed into him.

Stolas stood in front of the apartment door. His arms crossed in front of his chest, his gaze aimed downward. “Stolas!” Blitz exclaimed in surprise.

Stolas’ head shot up, and he stared at Blitz in shock. It took him a moment before he was able to get out, “Blitz?” He took a few steps back before continuing. “I wasn’t expecting….I figured…maybe you….” Stolas huffed, obviously frustrated with himself.

Blitz watched him breathe in deeply and then say, in a much calmer tone. “I am sorry. I did not mean to interrupt your evening.”

Blitz gave him a confused look. Was Stolas trying to role-play? Blitz hoped not. It hadn’t gone well the last time. Granted, that was because he didn’t understand that Stolas was being serious. He definitely screwed the pooch on that one.

He took Stolas’ hand and gently pulled him into the apartment. “Get in here before neighbors start coming out to see what is going on.”

—---------------------------------------------
Stolas allowed himself to be led into the apartment. It was nearly unrecognizable. Blitz had taken each one of his suggestions to heart. There were twinkly lights strung across the whole ceiling. It almost felt like Blitz had tried to recreate the night sky. There were electrical candles on every available surface except the dinner table. In the center stood the only wick and flame candle as far as Stolas could tell. It was a scented one that smelled vaguely floral.

The couch had been covered in soft-looking blankets. The beanbag had also been covered with one. In the dim light, it was difficult to tell, but Stolas thought that one might be covered in feathers. This made Stolas wonder if Blitz’s date was avian?

Blitz was looking at Stolas expectantly. The realization came to Stolas that Blitz probably wanted feedback on his work. “Everything looks simply amazing. It took my breath away.”

“Yeah?” Blitz had the biggest grin on his face.

Stolas’ heart melted at that look. “Yes, absolutely."

______________________________

Stolas liked it. He said he did. And Blitz wasn’t a fool. He had seen Stolas’ face when he walked in. All four of his eyes had gone round and big. He truly liked it.

“You need to take a seat at the table,” Blitz said. He was still feeling so nervous. Why was he nervous? Maybe because he had never done any of these anniversary things before. Let alone a romantic night at home.

“Wait!” He exclaimed, stopping Stolas before the owl could take another step. Blitz ran to the coffee table and then came rushing back, holding a bundle of black material. With a flourish, he unfurled it and proudly showed it to Stolas. “Ta-da”.

He could see Stolas’ breath catch. He knew the owl would love this cape. “I know it isn’t as fancy as your other one, but I saw this.” He shrugged, “And thought you would like it.”

“Is this for me?” Stolas whispered as he reached out and gently caressed the soft material.

Blitz smiled as he climbed a step stool to drape it over Stolas’ shoulders. He would have to take Stolas out on the town one day so everyone could see how amazing he looked in it.

Every one of the options he had considered for that night: Going to Ozzie's, the comedy club, dancing, karaoke…all of it seemed wrong. Their first anniversary had to be celebrated in their home. That was what felt right for them.

Stolas stood in front of the mirror, admiring himself. Blitz was standing next to him, wearing the exact outfit Stolas had suggested. Blitz saw a blush cross Stolas’ cheeks. He wished he had a camera. They made a handsome couple.

“Your coat, sir?” Blitz said, taking a bow before taking the cloak back and hanging it on the coat rack. Stolas looked after it longingly. “Don’t worry birdy. You can put it on again after we eat if you really want to.” Blitz gave him a wink.

He pulled the chair out for Stolas. “Sir,” he said, doing his best imitation of Stolas’s former butler. The thought did cross his mind that it may have been a mistake to do that. Especially since Stolas seemed very confused.

Stolas finally sat down. He seemed to be contemplating something before he asked, “Should I pack an overnight bag, or something similar?”

Oh, shit, was Stolas wanting to go out after all? Fuck he thought for sure that Stolas would love to stay in.

“I was thinking of staying in?”

________________

Stolas was not sure what to make of that answer. Did that mean that he wanted Stolas to leave? He surely didn’t expect Stolas to stay when his date showed up, did he? He was trying to formulate a better question to help clarify the situation, but before he could say anything more, Blitz snapped his fingers and declared:

“Rats. I am going to get the rats,” and he darted off to the kitchen. Stolas was extremely confused. He stared in the direction Blitz had gone when he suddenly heard him yell, “Fuck,” in an angry hiss.

“Blitz, are you alright?” Stolas started to get up to see what had happened.

___________________

Fuck, this night was getting away from him. He needed to try to take control of the situation. He was trying to figure out how to do that when he reached into the oven. However, he forgot to put on the oven mitt and burned his hand. Not bad, but enough to yell.

Stolas had come in and was now trying to help. “Stolas, stop.” Blitz barked. Stolas froze, which instantly made Blitz feel bad for raising his voice. This night was supposed to be perfect, but instead it was turning out all wrong. He could feel his eyes watering. What the fuck kind of shit was that?

“Look, I planned this really nice evening.” He sighed. “It was supposed to be perfect, but it is falling apart,” he said, looking at Stolas. “Could you just let me serve you a nice dinner, maybe dance with me after?” He shrugged. “Maybe we could end the evening with a movie. I got you more popcorn.”

_________________

“You got me popcorn?” Stolas was stunned by this. Not because Blitz had purchased popcorn, but because Blitz had noticed he no longer had any and had gotten him more. Whoever this mystery date was, was an idiot. Because they had obviously not shown up. Blitz, so close to tears, was a testament to that.

Stolas may not have been the one Blitz had intended to spend the night with, but he was going to help Blitz salvage as much of the evening as he could.

“You want to serve dinner? Are you sure I can not help in some way?”

Blitz smiled at him. “I got this under control.”

“It does seem that way,” Stolas said, returning the smile. “I will go sit back down then.”

__________________________________________________

“Damn straight, I am in charge here,” Blitz mumbled, smiling to himself. Things had gone a little astray, but they were getting back on track now.

He brought out the kale salad, the sticks of cheese, and a small side of hot sauce for dipping. He had also prepared a bowl of potatoes with butter sauce. Lastly, he came out with the main course, grilled rat.

He hurried back into the kitchen to grab two long-stemmed glasses and the bottle of wine he had chilling in the fridge. He uncorked it before heading to the dining table. “Gotta have something nice to drink with our meal.” He started pouring the wine. He remembered Stolas once telling him that you were not supposed to fill the glass, so he only filled them a little more than half full.

Stolas took the glass from him, and when Blitz sat, he asked. “Should we toast to something?”

Blitz wanted to say, “Let us toast to each other." But he didn’t want to be too pushy. “How about we toast to many wonderful nights?”

__________

Stolas swallowed hard. “Too many wonderful nights,” he repeated, clinking his glass against Blitz’s. In his head, he added ‘Together’. And the thought that the only reason they were having this evening at all was that Blitz had gotten stood up, got pushed to the side. He was going to enjoy this evening. He was going to pretend and hope that the memory of this night would serve him well in the years to come.

What was the harm in living out a fantasy, really? As long as he didn’t let it go too far, and he remembered that Blitz wasn’t really his. It was completely harmless.

__________________

Blitz noticed that Stolas had started to visibly relax. That was good. He wanted this evening to be perfect. “How was your day today?” He asked.

Stolas looked up and shrugged. “Not too bad. Moxxie and Millie are very nice.” He then began to retell the events of his day. Both of them found humor in Moxxie bringing out the playbills to talk about. “The poor fellow couldn’t think of what else to talk to me about.”

That conversation led to Millie and the stories she had regaled him with. And before either of them knew what had really happened, they were suddenly talking about work. They spent a good deal of dinner talking and laughing.

Blitz had never meant to talk about work, but the conversation was nice. As the meal came to an end, the conversation wound down. Blitz started to clear the plates. “You simply must allow me to help with that,” Stolas said.

Blitz wanted to protest. Stolas, however, raised his hand to silence Blitz before he even got started. “You cooked this delicious meal and shared it with me. The least I can do is help with the dishes.”

Blitz conceded, and the two went to the kitchen to do the dishes together. Blitz was washing them as Stolas was drying them. Just as Stolas rehung the towel, Blitz got a mischievous grin. He wet his hands and shook them out on Stolas, causing droplets to spray all over him.

“Well now.” Stolas yelped and, quick as a flash, stuck his hands in the sink. “Oh, no, you don't," Blitz called and took off towards the dining room. He jumped on the table just as Stolas returned the favor and sprayed Blitz with water droplets.

Blitz smiled as he had a thought. Since he was already on the coffee table, he was the perfect height to gently grab one of Stolas’ hands and pull him closer. “I believe you owe me a dance now.”

_________________________

Stolas’s heart started pounding. Blitz had pulled him close and posed them to dance. Much like he had on Sinsmas. “Hang on,” Blitz mumbled as he pulled out his phone. He hit a few buttons, and the sound of the playlist Stolas had sent him started to fill the room.

Stolas almost could not hear it over the pounding of his heart. He had not been this close or felt Blitz’s touch like this since their last dance. He knew this was not real, but he was starting to struggle with that. He could feel himself melting.

They danced together for several songs. Gazing into each other's eyes. Blitz’s eyes could be hard and cold. But they could also be soft and warm, like heated honey. Those were the eyes that Stolas was looking into. The eyes he could so easily get lost in. He should probably stop this before it goes too far. And then it almost did. The song had ended, and Blitz took both of Stolas’s hands, looked him in the eyes, and said, “I am grateful to have you in my life.”

“I am grateful for you as well.” Between Blitz holding his hands and looking at him with his soft, warm gaze, Stolas nearly forgot. He nearly forgot that he was simply a substitution, filling in for the mystery date that never showed up. He forgot so completely that he found himself slowly leaning in. He realized what was happening and pulled back abruptly, clearing his throat.

“What should we do next?” he asked desperately to change the subject. “Watch a movie, perhaps? I picked up a human movie about little animated ponies.” He gently pulled his hands free and made his way to the couch.

___________________________

Blitz was so sure Stolas was going to kiss him. The moment was perfect. It felt right. As if it was going to happen. Stolas had even started to lean in for the kiss. Then very abruptly, he pulled away. Breaking the spell of the moment.

Blitz tried not to be disappointed. He had promised himself he would not ever push Stolas. He would allow his precious owl to decide the pace. So disappointment was pushed aside, and instead, Blitz hopped off the table and made a beeline for the kitchen. “I’ll make the popcorn," he said.

He grabbed the big bowl out from under the counter as the popcorn popped in the microwave. The bowl had been in his possession for years. He didn’t even remember how it got to be there. It was just one of those dishes that he had always had. However, recently, he realized that he no longer thought of it as his bowl. This was Stolas’ bowl now. This was the bowl that Stolas poured his popcorn into when he settled in to watch a movie or one of his Hell-a-novellas. When he saw this bowl, he thought of Stolas.

It is funny how something as simple as a bowl can clarify things. Stolas was a part of Blitz’s life, and Blitz wouldn’t want it any other way. He needed to express this to Stolas. He needed to be absolutely sure Stolas understood this.

“The film is ready,” Stolas called from the living room.

“Popcorns about done. I’ll be right there.” As on cue, the microwave dinged, and Blitz carefully removed the steaming bag. He dumped the contents into the bowl and made his way to the couch.

“I am not sure what the film is about, but I figured you would enjoy a film about ponies,” Stolas said while fiddling with the remote and staring at the screen.

Blitz smiled to himself. Stolas’ face glowed from the soft light cast by the television. And for some reason, that vision made Blitz's heart melt. He loved this owl so much. If someone had told him a year ago that his heart would belong to the tall, thirsty owl, he would have told them they were crazy. Now here he was celebrating the day they came back into each other's lives. The day they started to become them.

This night obviously meant something to Stolas as well. He got him a gift after all. A freaking human movie. Glancing at the movie cover, he saw it looked like a cute little cartoon with brightly colored ponies that had unique branding marks on their hindquarters. Stolas cared enough to go and purchase a movie that was technically considered contraband. All because he knew that Blitz would like it. This was a good sign. A really good sign.

—-------------------------------

Stolas hit the play button as soon as Blitz sat down. He went to place the remote on the table when he noticed a bowl of hearts. “Blitz, what are these?”

“Mmhh?” Blitz looked down at the bowl before replying. “Apparently, the humans are celebrating some kind of St. Val of love or some crap like that. They have heart stuff everywhere. These are some kind of candy hearts that have special messages on them.” He shrugged. Did Stolas see a slight blush on his face? Surely not, it must just be the television's glow reflecting off his skin. “I thought they were kind of cool, so I nabbed them from the last job.”

Stolas picked it up and looked at it. “BFF”. Interesting. He popped it into his mouth. “Well, I am guessing the humans are more focused on the message than the taste.” He noticed Blitz's deflated look. “They taste nice, but the sayings are probably more important.” Blitz brightened at that.

Why Stolas cared so much about keeping Blitz happy was a mystery. Who was Stolas kidding? It wasn’t a mystery at all. He loved this man sitting on the couch next to him. Loved him enough that he would die for him a hundred times over. He even loved him enough to let him go.

He quickly looked back at the screen as the movie had already started. Brightly colored ponies living in a brightly colored world were dancing across the television. Blitz had placed the popcorn bowl between them. “I am still surprised you bought popcorn. I had not mentioned being out.” Stolas felt truly stunned by this kind gesture. He was not used to others considering his needs or wants. Having someone just know what he needed made his heart swell.

“Yeah. I noticed you were out, so I got you some more.” Blitz responded, never taking his eyes off of the screen.

Stolas reached for a handful and glanced at Blitz. Blitz was sitting mesmerized by what was happening on the screen. His eyes wide in wonder, a gentle smile on his face. Stolas noted how relaxed Blitz looked at that moment. This was how Stolas wanted to always think of Blitz. Completely content sitting next to him.

When the movie ended, Blitz stretched his whole body. Stolas tried not to stare. He always loved the way Blitz's whole body would quiver when he stretched. Right down to his tail. The tail that Stolas knew from past experience was extremely dexterous. He needed to stop these inappropriate thoughts. Blitz had moved on. He needed to accept it and try to do the same.

____________________

Blitz grabbed the bowl and brought it back to the kitchen, washing his hands quickly before remembering that he had more sticks of cheese and hot sauce left. He wasn’t ready for this evening to end, so on a whim, he brought them out to the living room.

“Hope you don’t mind, I was thinking we could eat a couple of these before we call it a night.”

Stolas looked at the food and blushed. Why was the bird blushing? Weird reaction to cheese and hot sauce. Stolas looked away before replying. “Of course. I do not mind at all.”

Blitz sat down, dunked his cheese stick in the hot sauce, and took a bite. It was so freaking good. “You know?” He said around a mouthful of food. “It’s been a good night.”

Stolas looked at him. Blitz couldn’t help but notice there was sadness in his eyes. That wasn’t alright. What had Blitz done to fuck up? “You okay?” He asked, worried about what he had done wrong.

“Oh, yes. I am absolutely alright.” Blitz was not buying it. “I just know that tonight wasn’t exactly what you had been hoping for.” Stolas continued. “I am sorry for that.”

Blitz was confused. Why was Stolas sorry? He thought the evening was going pretty well. A few minor hick-ups, but really nothing bad. It took a moment for Blitz to realize that Stolas had whispered something.

“What?” Blitz said, directing his attention to his beautiful bird once again. He would figure out where he blundered later. Right now, he was going to stay focused on Stolas.

“I said if you wanted to call your date, or something like that, I could leave the room.” Stolas sighed deeply. “I do hope it was not because of me that they canceled on you.”

Okay, Blitz was definitely missing something here. “What the hell are you talking about?” He was so confused. He saw the tears well up in Stolas’ eyes. Oh no, whatever he did, he fucked up really bad this time. Stolas was not supposed to be sad. “Stolas, please talk to me,” Blitz whispered softly, taking Stolas’ hands into his.

Stolas looked away, staring intently at the candy hearts on the table. “I know you had this wonderful evening planned for your date. I tried to stay out of your way, and I would have absolutely stayed somewhere else if you needed me to. If it is because of me that they canceled, I am really sorry.”

Slow frog blinks were all Blitz could manage while he tried to process what Stolas had just said to him. Finally, he found his words. “Wait a minute. You think I did this for some random date?”

Stolas looked at him. “I never said random, I simply..” Blitz held up a hand to stop him.

“This was an anniversary date,” Blitz said, starting to feel upset and not really sure why.

“Anniversary? I did not know you had been with someone for a year.” Suddenly, a look of horror crept across Stolas’ face. Blitz’s stomach churned at the sight. “I coerced you into my bed on your anniversary?” Stolas said, completely mortified.

Blitz was hit with the sudden realization that Stolas didn’t understand who this evening was for. “Stolas, baby, tonight is our anniversary.”

________________________

Stolas was feeling dizzy. He was on a rollercoaster ride of emotions. First, he felt sad for ruining Blitz’s evening, which was overcome by feelings of self-loathing and disgust when he thought that he had forced or tricked Blitz into sleeping with him on his anniversary. He did think it odd that they both had anniversaries on the same day. He would love to do some research to see if there was some kind of significance to this particular date.

What an odd thought to be having at such a critical moment. Then Blitz completely pulled out the proverbial rug from underneath Stolas when he said, “Stolas, baby, tonight is our anniversary.”

“Our? Anniversary?” Stolas was stunned. “You consider today to be our anniversary?”

“Look, I know it isn’t traditional or anything. I am not that stupid. But anniversaries are there to celebrate the beginning of relationships, right? And one year ago tonight, we started ours.”

Stolas was not really sure how to process the information. “An anniversary also indicates a relationship.” Stolas found himself saying. “Is that what we…I mean… is this… are we in a relationship?”

_______________________________

Fuck this was not going well at all. “I thought we were.” He gazed at Stolas before adding, “I am guessing you didn’t think that.’

Stolas looked so confused. “I thought you made it very clear that what we had before was simply transactional. It didn’t mean anything to you. Then, after I saved you, I figured you felt as if you owed me. I assumed you were being kind to me out of pity or some misguided sense of guilt.”

Blitz stared at him. “You think I do what I do for you out of guilt or pity?”

Stolas only nodded. He needed the truth to come out. Deciding to put caution to the wind, he decided to be honest. “Blitz, I care for you so much. You were the light that led my way to love. You showed me what it felt like to feel romantic love. Even if you did not reciprocate it. You showed me it was possible. And I fell hard. I want nothing more than to be with you. But only if you want to be with me. I could not handle thinking you were with me out of any kind of sense of obligation.”

__________________

Blitz was feeling a barrage of emotions. This whole time, Stolas thought that Blitz didn’t care for him? That he was simply some kind of obligation? “Stolas, I need you to understand something. My heart was cold and hard. I took very good care to make sure no one got close to me. Not like that anyway. If someone seemed to get close, I bailed faster than you can blink. Then you came along. And I don’t know when it happened, but I started wanting to be with you. I started looking forward to the full moon because it meant a night with you. Hell, I even stopped sleeping with others.”

Briefly, Chaz jumped to mind. A memory he wished he could erase, as it was a horrible time. It was a night, however, that had started to help Blitz realize how much he had been missing Stolas. All he could think about that night was how much better Stolas was. How much he missed the feel of his feathers, of his legs wrapped around him. How much he missed him. How desperately he wanted to have another night with him. And another and another.

“I am not sure how or why, but you found your way into this cold, hard heart.” He had to look away.

“I wanted the ground to swallow me whole that night at Veosika’s party.” He took a steadying breath before he continued. “You singing that song, I understand that you thought I didn’t care before. I had tried not to allow myself to care. I tried burying those feelings deep down inside of me. But I cared. I cared so much I slashed that fucking succubus’s tires.” Blitz growled.

“Excuse me?” Stolas asked, seeming extremely confused about what Blitz was referencing.

“That fucking dickwad that took you away to dance that night. I was ok with him dancing with you. You needed to have a good time. But then..” Blitz let out a low, menacing growl. “He kissed you. I wanted to fucking kill him. How dare he kiss my bird?” He looked at Stolas with sadness in his eyes. “I try really hard not to think about what happened that night. Especially after I left. But when I saw him getting out of his car a few weeks ago, I slashed his tires.”

“You think that…oh darling, no.” Stolas gently stroked Blitz’s cheek. “I kissed him, yes. I kissed him a lot, actually.” Blitz tried to look away, but Stolas wouldn’t let him. “But that was all that happened. He offered to take me home. I knew what that offer meant, and I couldn’t bring myself to do it.” Now it was Stolas’ turn to look away. “The idea of someone besides you in my bed was…revolting.”

Blitz’s tail started whipping around in excitement. “You didn’t have a thing with him?” Stolas simply shook his head in response.

Blitz pulled away just to take in all of Stolas. He wanted an honest answer to this next question: “Has there been anyone else after me?” He was dreading the answer.

“No. Of course not.”

“Do you want there to be someone else? “

“No. I truly do not. But that shouldn’t mean you feel obligated to … take care of me, or feel pity for me.”

Blitz stared at him, realisation finally starting to truly seep in. “You think I am doing all of this, you living here, working for me, tonight… out of some sort of sense of obligation?

Stolas nodded, unable to form words. Blitz released Stolas’ hands and leaned over to the bowl of candy hearts. He dug around a moment before plucking one out and returning to his position.

“Stolas, there is one reason and one reason only that I am doing what I am doing. I need you to be safe. I need you to be taken care of. I need you to …. Hell, Stolas, I simply need you.” He sighed. “I suck at emotional stuff, I know. But I thought you understood. I think of you as … Well, I guess I think of you as my boyfriend. I know that right now you are dealing with a lot, and I don’t want to push. That is why I don’t flirt too much, why I have been keeping my hands to myself, sleeping on the bean bag. Satan knows all I want to do is flirt with you all day long, cover you in kisses, crawl onto that couch with you and snuggle…and more.” He winked.

“It never occurred to me you didn’t know how I felt. One year ago today, I crashed an anniversary party. Fuck, that bitch had taken so many of your years. I came there just to steal the book. But then you wanted me so bad. I am not going to lie to you, I figured it would be the quickest way to get what I wanted.” He smiled softly at Stolas.

“I wasn’t expecting you to be so insatiable. A hot ass bird who was absolutely dynamite in bed. Fuck, how was it that you couldn’t get enough of me? Then you showed up at my office. Like, come on, that was hot. Then you came up with this favors-for-favors deal, and I got to sleep with you every full moon.” Blitz shrugged, “Sure, it isn’t a traditional way of starting a relationship, but well… we aren’t exactly traditional, are we?”

Stolas was holding back tears. He simply shook his head.

“I want this to be our special day from now on. This is the day we celebrate coming together. In our own weird way, this was the day we started to become an us. It took us a really long time, sure. But we got there eventually, right? That is what an anniversary is all about, isn’t it?”

Stolas let out a wet laugh and nodded.

“I don’t want there to be any confusion. I want you to know what exactly I want from this.” He handed Stolas a candy heart.

Tenderly Stolas plucked it out of Blitz's open palm and held it up so he could read the words. ‘BE MINE’.

________________________________

The tears couldn't be held back anymore. Blitz wanted him. Had had wanted him for apparently quite a while. This was not guilt or pity; it was want and desire.

Stolas leaned over and started to dig around in the candy bowl before finding what he was looking for.

“I will agree to this,” he said, holding up the heart before whipping at his face with his free hand, “if you agree to this.” He handed Blitz a candy heart that also said ‘BE MINE’ on it.

Blitz chuckled before replying. “Oh, you silly bird. I have been yours. For a very long time, in fact. And I would not change that for anything.”

With that, the two closed the gap between them and kissed eagerly.

Stolas pulled away just for a moment before he said. “You know Loona is out of town till tomorrow evening. Would you want to share the couch with me?” He winked.

Blitz started purring before he responded in a very sultry voice. “More than anything.” And he made sure his desire was known by going in for more passionate kisses.