Verosika was plagued by bad dreams until Blitzo called her three days later. For some reason he didn't want to tell it over the phone. Once she was on the location and they were alone in the room, Blitz told her he was getting out of hospital tomorrow.
"You did a good job, Sika Chicka. Loona liked the present and the boon is fulfilled." He said.
"I am glad." Verosika said, feeling the relief spread like mulled wine all through her body. She didn't even notice how tense she was until he said those words. He looked at her oddly. Verosika could see him being torn about something, mulling it over in his head…
"Come closer." Blitz said. Doubtful and slightly fearful, she obeyed. He gave her a hug all of a sudden. It was gentle and strong, like she remembered them, yet Verosika's shoulders and wings tensed like cords, expecting a trap. Or maybe this was just another hallucination?!
"I am sorry for not telling you sooner. I could have sent you a message on the phone or some shit. I apologize." Blitz said.
"It's alright. You forgot. No big deal." Verosika said nonchalantly. Yet he wasn't letting her go…
"Si, you haven't slept well for days. Because of me. I'm sorry. Let me apologize, you silly succubus." He said.
Verosika sighed.
"You know me too well, imp…" she said, closing her eyes. Verosika lowered her head on his neck and tried to breathe and just let go. It wasn't until Blitz started to purr and very gently pet her back that she finally relaxed and even then it took a long time. It's a cruel world… It's been a long while since she let herself be vulnerable in front of somebody. Mostly because it always ended in pain, both with Blitz and the others, every time she tried. In pain and spite and torn heart… and alcohol… so much alcohol…
The moment lasted a long time and once Blitz felt she was alright and had her fill, he let go. Imps were like cats that way. By and large, they were aloof, cruel, crude for their own amusement when they wanted to be, selfish, deeply individualistic and self-sufficient, yet could be compassionate, kind and extremely attuned to the feelings of people they cared about. Now the moment was over and all that was left was awkwardness.
"Apology accepted." Verosika said quietly, her voice hoarse and slightly choked.
"Right." Blitz said, fidgeting slightly. "I'll have another thing to ask of you." He added awkwardly.
"Whatever." Verosika said, trying to sound aloof but they both knew it was an act.
"Family dinner in a fancy restaurant. Do this one thing and your life debt is paid. A dinner for me, Loona, Moxxie and Millie. You can join too, if you want."
Verosika laughed in disbelief and shattered tension.
"Red, you do realize you can ask for millions from me? A good chunk of my fortune? All legal and according to the rules?" she said.
"Psssssh. Yeah, right." Blitzo said. "It's your money. You earned it yourself, without me. It wouldn't be right. Besides, you are already paying the hospital bills, Si. "
"Are you sure? You could buy a lot of horses with that money." Verosika said.
"Tempting, but no. It didn't end well the last time I tried to buy a horse with your money."
"That's true. I could forgive you that debt too." Verosika said, without thinking and regretted it immediately.
"Didn't even cross my mind." Blitzo said, suddenly looking thoughtful.
"Consider it a freebie." Verosika said. Blitz looked relieved and joyous now.
"Fancy place but with big portions. You know, ribs and steaks." He added.
"Yeah, I know what you like. Your taste in food hasn't changed, right?"
"Right. So, tomorrow evening?"
"Yeah. I know the place, I'll send you the address. Dress fancy. Do you want Stolas invited too? He has been visiting you in the hospital and you two ARE in a relationship after all." Verosika said.
"What? No, we are not. It is just a business transaction. I let him fuck me for access to the book and the living world. Nothing more." Blitz sounded extremely flustered.
"Who are you kidding, Blitz? That noble loves you. He loves you to bits." Verosika said. And so do I, still, after so many years. She thought.
"He just wants my body. He feels only lust for me. He only wants me for sex, nothing more. You don't know how it is."
"You can be really blind and dumb self-centred asshole sometimes, Blitz."
"Who are you calling dumb, bitch?"
"You, loverboy. Hello! Who do you think you are talking with? I'm a succubus, bitch! Others looking at us as sex desire fulfilment and not as people with our own interests and dreams is our whole shtick and the cause of our anxiety and so many of our mental issues. Do you really think somebody would call the hospital every day to ask about your health if it was only a sex thing?! And he wasn't the only one calling either."
"Of course. I am his boy toy and he is worried that his toy might get broken before he gets tired of it. Like so many others got tired of the novelty that is me. To take me as a short fling then betray me like you and everybody else did and throw me away like one used and broken sex toy."
Verosika let out a deep sigh.
"You were the one who ran away, Blitz. I waited for you to return so we can make up like before, yet you never did. So I just stopped waiting and went on with my life."
"And what was there to return to? You told me that my dreams do not matter, Verosika! That they are small and insignificant and useless! Can you even realize the depth of your betrayal? To you, from the start, I was just a little sex toy with small insignificant dreams which do not matter!"
"I told you that you are not dreaming high enough, true. I was wrong. I… I'm sorry, ok? I shouldn't have said that."
"Fine. Not like it matters now." Blitzo said, dismissing her, but Verosika could see that he was still fuming inside.
"You… You hard-headed jackass! Why do you have to be so difficult?" she shouted at him.
"Oh, I am the one being difficult?! Really?" Blitzo said.
"Yes. You never dared to ask me what I saw in you. Or why I felt what I felt for you." Verosika said quietly.
"Never asked 'cause I didn't have to ask. You already told me, remember? During the fight before the last one. I was just a sad washed out clown you took pity at once to you."
"I already apologized for that, Blitz. I told you I said that only to hurt you. And you did call me useless bag of holes you used to waste time with. But that doesn't make it true."
"Well, what is truth then? What did oh-so-great star Verosika ever see in a lowly imp like Blitzo, the washed out clown?"
"A friend, the best friend I could have. A support, a pillar I could always lean on, a guy I can count on. A complex person who could always push my buttons and make me laugh. The fact that you could push my… physical pleasure buttons too… Well, that was just gravy. It was never the main thing."
"You are lying. Why should I trust you?"
"Because… It's the truth. I love… erm used to love you. You didn't care about the money, the pheromones, the succubus magic songs or fame. You cared about me. About who I was, the real me. Right?" Verosika said. She felt like an icy spike went through her heart all of a sudden. One thought rampaged through her head. What if he says 'No, I never cared about you.', what then? Where does that leave us?!
"Oh." Blitzo said. "Oh shit."
"I never wiped the tattoo, haven't I? You know I have the money for it. Yet I just crossed it over. To remember."
"You are right. I've done fucked up. I've fucked up a lot." Blitz said.
"Answer the fucking question! This one is important!" Verosika shouted.
"I did care about you. That's why it hurt so much. I felt so betrayed, Si." He added, his hands moving erratically, nervously. It was like he didn't know what to do with them. So she caught the right hand and put his palm on her cheek, feeling the soft scales of it.
"No, Blitz. We fucked up." She said, deflated, moving her head closer until their foreheads touched. It was imp custom to do Eskimo kisses. Succubae were much fonder of French kissing as a show of intimacy.
"Will you forgive me?" He said, looking her deeply in the eyes.
"I already did, silly. But I'll say it again. I do. I do forgive you. Can you forgive me?" Verosika said.
"I can. And I do." Blitz said. Verosika gave him an Eskimo kiss. He gave it back but then separated from her, to look at her from further away.
"I guess that means I am in a relationship with Stolas. That means we can't be together again." Blitzo said.
"This is Hell and I'm a succubus, Red. I am willing to share you if that Ars Goetian blue-blood is. And you agree to be shared, of course."
"You are right, I have never thought about that. We should ask him." Blitz said.
"So, one more for dinner tomorrow?"
"Yeah." Blitz said, then gave her a real kiss, long and passionate. Verosika kissed him back.