Sitting on the stairs in the courtyard, Stolas sat unable to feel anything, a sort of quiet and sad repose as what he'd heard Blitzo say. "Don't act like what we have is anything but you wanting me to fuck you." He'd sat in stunned silence since then, maybe there was honesty even if no definite intent could be provided. Was it spiteful for it's own sake, or was it merely spiteful as an admission of guilt? The dusky skies of Hell were providing no answers, and niether were the shapes the owl was tracing in the pools of tears beside him.
By now everyone in his life was gone, they all had their reasons; solace is gained at the expense of others, intentionally or otherwise. What had once been a private dysfunction would soon become public scandal after the incident at Ozzie's. Stolas sat looking at the fountain wondering where it went wrong and if that even mattered anymore. Stella had left him out of rage, Octavia was likely taken aback by the whole situation. "But what did he think?" thought Stolas.
The wind had picked up a few notches and rain started to fall, Stolas wrapped himself in his cape and leaned back. "Could any two people make it together? World's apart or standing hand-in-hand?" he thought. Maybe he was the problem, maybe he wasn't cut out for either of his double lives, his status now largely only existed as a figurehead and he'd run out of feigned respect ages ago. As for Blitzo, there wasn't anything to cling to there. A loud clap of thunder failed to jolt Stolas from his own mind entirely, as he heard the rain coming down in sheets somewhere upwind he walked inside his manor and closed the door behind him. Fate had certainly done it's damnedest, as it invariably always did down here.

Blitzo gripped the steering wheel of the van angrily. "That fucking...", he muttered, driving away from the estate. The rain had started to come down, a rare sight in Hell, sins can't be washed away by brimstone sulfer.
Sitting in traffic, Blitzo was thinking of the implications of the events that had happened earlier although he found strangely that thinking of how this would affect I.M.P was only in the back of his mind. He knew what this relationship was, didn't he? A business transaction like any other? Determined not to let the bitterness fade from memory he wondered about how he would explain this to Loona, Moxxie and Millie. There wasn't a good reason for any of this, there never was.
Blitzo pulled off to a side road to avoid the bumper to bumper traffic. "It happened, it'll keep happening, it's an endless cycle till you run out of people to give half a crap about you...", he thought. As eternity passes on it's inevitable that every organized system will inevitably fail. A solemn note of sadness hit as he tried to think of people who seemed to every day prove him wrong. Moxxie and Millie sure seemed to on a regular basis.
Lost in thought, Blitzo didn't notice when the van had careened off a curve in the road, the brakes were already shot to Heaven on the van, the slickness of the pavement certainly didn't help. "You're always so full of excuses." he thought before nearly missing a large tree.
"Well, isn't that just fucking great?!" Blizo said as he got out to check the van. The front-left tire was completely gone. "Stupid rich assholes, stupid ex-girlfriends, stupid Moxxie and his stupid-stupid face!"
Fumbling for his phone in the rain, Blitzo dropped it in the mud by the side of the road. "Oh, that's just perfect!" he screamed, angrily kicking at the van as the rain beat down around him. Not knowing what to do he cursed the fates as he trudged back in the direction of Stolas' estate.

The manor was a mess, the state of upkeep obviously reflecting the now singular inhabitant. The servants had all left, doubtless not Stella's last act of revenge, but one that obviously sought to be be the most final. A half-finished bottle of wine sat by an endtable by a couch in the foyer. Stolas threw his cape over the arm of the couch and laid back, feeling exhausted.
Stolas turned his head to the door, reading out the words on the spines of the books across from him in an effort to maintain some kind of rekindled memory of the stories within as he felt himself drifting off slowly.
There was a knock at the door. Stolas nearly tripped over himself for the second time tonight, it was probably Andrealphus, he thought. Stolas defensively positioned himself in a corridor half to dust himself off and half in some hope that everyone would just go away.
"I know you're there, Stolas." It was Blitzo.
"I still wish I wasn't, I just need to..."
Stolas peeked out from the door and spoke unsteadily "What's going on, I thought you..."
"Well, I didn't think. I just need to use your phone, no talking." Blitzo replied.
Stolas looked at Blitzo, his boots were ruined by the mud and he'd obviously been splashed by cars driving by. He was shivering and was standing hunched over with his tail between his legs.
Instantly he threw open the door and ushered the imp inside with the grace usually reserved for high society. Stolas grabbed the cloak from the couch and wrapped Blitzo up tightly in it.
Blitzo was struggling to breathe as Stolas sat him down on the couch.
"Sorry for the state of things, I, uhh. Haven't had anyone over in weeks." Solas said standing at the foot of the couch. "But, ahem, I-, yes, let's get you that phone."
Stolas left for an adjoining room, Blitzo loosened the cloak a bit and sat looking around the room. It was ached of former grandeur, the floors were of white granite which in the current state of the clutter managed to feel all the more empty. The walls were adorned with rich art which would have made the environment warm if not for the thin film of dust and scant cobwebs.
The cloak was of a very slight fabric and Blitzo still shiverred. He looked at the bottle of wine on the nearby table and took a drink from the bottle whilst rubbing his hands together in an attempt to regain feeling.

Stolas returned by the time Blitzo had managed to drink a third of the bottle.
"Oh, you're shiverring, there's a fireplace in the parlor if you want to call from there..." Stolas said, bowing his head down in a sad, caring way.
"You do you, just please don't make this more awkward than it has to be." Blitzo said with a meek note of defiance.
"Than it has to be? I don't remember knocking on your door at two in the morning." Stolas said, pulling his head up in offense.
"Maybe not that door." Blitzo replied sarcastically.
Stolas laughed gingerly.
"Sorry." Blitzo said. "It's just been a long and, well, long night... and I don't think..."
"Don't think so hard, I've not had guests in some time, even the unwelcome ones. If you wish to ignore me, it won't be any worse than I was before." Stolas said, turning his back and walking toward the parlor.

Blitzo picked up the phone reciever and struggled to dial Moxxie and Millie on the rotary dial, his frozen fingers still unresponsive.
Stolas had gotten the fire going and beckoned Blitzo over. "Please, sit." he said.
Blitzo curled up with the cloak by the fire and felt comfortable, he started to think about the situation he was in, it was doubtful Moxxie would even pick up the phone given the events of the evening. He sat staring into the fire, hunching over underneath the cloak.
"Does that feel any better?" Stolas replied sheepishly.
"Yeah... Thanks..." Blitzo looked up from his gaze.
Stolas reached for Blitzo's hand cautiously, "May I?" he said softly.
Blitzo silently reached for Stolas' outstretched hand and felt him slowly rub the base of his fingers in an effort to get the blood flowing. "That's nice." Blitzo said, slowly leaning towards Stolas as he regained feeling.
"As long as this is strictly platonic?" Blitzo said, leaning back into Stolas' arm and brushing against his feathery chest in a calculated move to not make eye contact. "And trust me, I'll know if it isn't!" he said in a tone of confused irritation.
Stolas blushed slightly, unbeknownst to Blitzo. "Very much so." he said.
Stolas was warm, Blitzo felt relaxed from the wine and leaned back undefensively.
"He won't pick up, will he?" Blitzo asked, staring up at Stolas. The drama of the first spoken innocent phrase punctuated by the continuing storm and thunder outside.
"I don't know, did you even think I'd answer the door?" Stolas said.
"Some part of me was hoping you wouldn't, It's been an awful night for the both of us. I don't blame you for anything." Blitzo said looking back towards the fire.
"I didn't know if I would either, could I really blame you?" Stolas said.
Blitzo took back his hand and held it close to the fire, taken aback that Stolas was forgiving him. "My other hand's still numb..." He said, testing the waters by turning over and leaning face to face on Stolas.
Blitzo turned his head to the side, laying his head down on Stolas' midsection, unsure what to do with his other hand as Stolas rubbed his fingers back to life.
Blitzo didn't feel the need to be angry at Stolas, he was more anxious about calling Moxxie. "Do you think he'll pick up? No, nevermind..." he said, balling up his forearms on Stolas' chest.
"Do you want something to drink?" Stolas said, unsure of what to say.
Blitzo got up, seeing the wet mark he'd left on Stolas' suit, giving him a look of apology as they both saw an imprint of him. Wrapping himself up in the cloak as he sat back down opposite Stolas.
"I can get you some clothes, there must have been something the servants left behind." Stolas said.

Stolas and Blitzo left together to look through the servant's quarters, the decoration of this wing of the house being considerably more spartan, if still beautiful and the ceilings were obviously designed for someone far shorter than Stolas. Blitzo laughed as Stolas nearly hit his head as they combed through the rooms. The staff had remained dedicated in their jobs to the end, leaving nothing out of place, given that their place was now far away from here.
Frustrated, Stolas walked to the laundry at the end of the hallway, there were many fanciful outfits laid and folded neatly, the staff having quit midway through their jobs.
Stolas rolled his eyes and puffed himself up, as he usually did whenever his impatience betrayed him. Stolas picked up a robe from the corner of the room, a deep purple silken number with black accents. "Is this to your fancy?" Stolas said, feigning a curtsy.
Blitzo looked at Stolas with his head cocked, the monogrammed robe obviously being several sizes too large.
"Good!" Stolas said, tearing off the sleeves and long flowing back with his hands.
S.G. the robe was inscribed, Blitzo noticed as Stolas went behind a dividing wall to give him privacy.
"Could you hand me something?" A voice beckoned to Blitzo as he tied the strap of fabric around his waist.
Blitzo handed Stolas a green bathrobe, somewhat expecting the owl to peek around to ask as a pretense.

Blitzo walked with Stolas back to the parlor, in his stupor from the current situation he held Stolas' hand the way back, his mind racing about nothing in particular. The rain had continued to grow in intensity, the storm following in close pursuit.
"Thanks..." Blitzo said, stopping and looking up at Stolas.
"Think nothing of it." Stolas said, quickly turning back to see Blitzo loosely crossing his arms.
Rejoining hands Stolas and Blitzo walked silently back to the parlor, similarly looking in slightly separate directions
"I can sit outside if you want me to." Stolas said as they walked throught the doorway.
"I just want to lay back for a bit..." Blitzo replied as he sat on the couch near the fireplace, turning his head to look away from Stolas.

Stolas sat on a stool by the piano in the corner of the room, turning his head down to look at the keys.
Slowly Stolas felt the need to play, reaching out to play a piece from Tchaikovsky.
"That's, nice..." Blitzo said, curling up slightly, unsure what to feel.
"It's called At the Fireside." Stolas said with a slight glow. "It's from a 12 piece set where every month is..."
"Just, play..." Blitzo interrupted, his voice breaking slightly.
Stolas played through the song, looking back from time to time to see if Blitzo had made any other requests. Tearing up whenever he looked away from the piano.
Blitzo heard Stolas' forlornness, fighting back the urge to cry himself he waited for a break in the heartfelt albiet wordless confession.
"I don't know the next part, I'm sorry..." Stolas said looking down at the keys.
"Don't worry." Blitzo replied, joining Stolas on the stool. "Now, how does this work?"
Stolas giggled slightly as a sense of warmness filled him. He played out a simple song and said; "Just follow my lead.".
Blitzo attempted to play out a simple scale, looking back at Stolas to help with the keys via the slight arch in his expression.
"Let me help you." Stolas said, reaching over Blitzo's shoulders and placing his fingers over the imp's. Slowly they began to play, Blitzo quickly memorizing the expert dexterity from Stolas' guidance. Blitzo kicking his fingers up to indicate he was unneeded, Stolas gently started to loosen his overhang.
"You play so naturally..." Stolas said, now back to sitting upright.
"Well, you ain't that bad either..." Blitzo said, embracing Stolas in his arms.
Stolas was frozen in the moment, he knew his voice would be of no use but still he managed to mumble; "I, I-..." shaking slightly.
Stolas embraced Blitzo back, both of them now being in a standoff as to who would speak first.

"I don't know what it means, I just can't, I..." Blitzo said quivering in self-afflicted anguish. Burying himself deeper, leaning into Stolas. "No, it just means..." he added. "What do I deserve? Is this always how I'll feel?" he said quietly.
"Maybe, but you don't have to." Stolas said, embracing Blitzo back. "We're in the same boat..." Stolas said, narrowly eeking out "..dearest."
"Don't..." Blitzo said, retreating into Stolas' chest.
"I won't insist." Stolas said, following Blitzo's advances. "If you want to stay the night, there are plenty of rooms." He added.
"No, I want to stay here, just, here." Blitzo said as he bent Stolas back entirely.
"Are you sure? I have plenty of..." Stolas said, still afraid of the consequences of being too close in spite of his conflicted emotions.
"Yeah." Blitzo said, rubbing up the small of Stolas' back.
Stolas knew what Blitzo had meant and picked him up in his arms, "Is this... okay?" Stolas said in an adventurous way.
Blitzo gripped him close and nodded. Raking the Stolas' back he said; "Please, just that..."

Stolas and Blitzo laid back back in bed.
Stolas thought to himself silently if this meant anything. Tracing the lines of the artistry in the bedroom ceiling was old at this point, there was no idle time left in that. The intricate design of the ceiling had once been a canvas for imagination and infinite expanse. There was only some closing point to prove left. What that point could be though was completely unknown.
Blitzo laid tiredly over Stolas, feeling separated from himself in the moment.
Stolas sighed slowly, thinking he was alone he said; "I wish...".
"You wish what?" Blitzo replied sharply, brushing the backs of his fingers against Stolas' face.
"I-, oh..." Stolas said softly, hearing Blitzo titter.
"Maybe it's best to leave it well enough alone..." Stolas said, dropping his arms beside him.
Blitzo choked up slightly, feeling a sort of pale rage build up within him. "Really, you'd put me through this again?" He said, rising to meet Stolas' gaze. "You're always there, for me and I don't get why it's so, ugh..." Blitzo said, laying back down, an attempt at some sort of grand gesture going down in flames.
"Fuck it." Blitzo said, kissing Stolas on the neck and wrapping his arms diagonally around his fluffy chest. "I love you..." he said, the words striking Stolas like a bolt of lightning as he sat there dumbfounded.
"You having some kind of stroke, and what's that face you're pulling..." Blitzo said before being interrupted by Stolas gripping him tightly back; in spite of his litheness, Stolas was unusually strong. "My darling!" He screamed giddily.
Blitzo playfully struggled in Stolas' embrace as he continued his declaration of love, unable to hear most of it for the fluffy down on his chest. "Oh, sorry..." Stolas said as Blitzo rose back up panting from lack of breath, looking down as they both giggled together.
Blitzo laid back down on Stolas' chest and snuggled his head into Stolas' natural pillowy features. Gently he took his free hand and stroked Stolas' beak. "Just hush..." he said. Stolas turned his head down to watch Blito fall asleep, slowly drifting off to sleep as well.