The Imp and The Queen, a helluva boss fanfic

Author's Note: Got inspired to make a contribution to this rare pair by a fic titled: "Song for Quiet Bird" written by SoulfulAzrael that I highly recommend checking out. The dude/dudette made great stuff!

Disclaimer: I don't own Helluva Boss nor am I a 100% expert on the show. So, I apologize if the characters act differently than their usual canon selves. I'm just interpreting with the general knowledge I have on the show.

Another Note: This will be a slight AU.

STOLAS'S MANSION-THE GREAT HALL

"Congratulations sir." Moxxie, clad in his best suit for formal occasions, smiled and offered a hand.

"Thanks Mox." Blitzo shook the hand with a bigger smile. The demon was also dressed in a special suit but with a few Goetia markings. "To be honest, a part of me still can't believe that this is happening."

The shorter imp chuckled. "Well, you better believe it sir." He formed a teasing grin. "It wouldn't be proper for you to doubt your marriage."

Yep, you read that right. The imp with the mouth got hitched, and into a well-known royal family no less!

Naturally, this caused an uproar amongst the other royals as well as a few lords of hell becoming curious of this development. Meanwhile, the average citizen who heard of this chalked it up as nonsense or just a stupid rumor caused by gossip from someone trying to besmirch some royal's reputation.

An Imp and a Royal Figure being married? It just wasn't possible! Especially since Imps were considered to be at the bottom of hell's hierarchy, just below your average sinners.

And as quickly as it happened, the disturbance ended the next day, leaving everyone to speculate as to how it happened. Those who tried to gain information for other royals or lords would disappear due to unknown circumstances, assassins would die before they got close to the betrothed, and curious sinners/imps would wisely mind their business out of fear.

Which also meant that the wedding had a small attendance. Consisting of mostly estate staff, trusted individuals, special guests, and of course, security. But regardless of this, the day was filled with joy and memories to be treasured.

"Heh, point taken." Blitzo chuckled before jokingly narrowing his eyes and poking the short imp's chest. "And I thought I told you to cut it out with that 'sir' shit." He reminded with no heat in his voice.

Moxxie took a step back with a chuckle and raised his hands. "Sorry, but I can't help it sir." The taller imp grumbled. "You're my bos-"

"Well knock it off then!" His boss groaned. "We've already known each other long enough for the formalities to stop." He tiredly pointed out.

The short imp was tempted to say it again for fun, but considering that it was an important day for his boss, he decided to let it go and nod his head. "Alright, Blitz." He raised an eyebrow. "Happy?"

"Very much so." The tall imp smirked before frowning a little. "But seriously Mox, you don't have to be so formal all the time. Especially around us." He placed a hand on his employee's shoulder. "Hell, even Loony is a little weirded out by it."

Moxxie felt guilty at that and sighed. "I'm sorry si-Blitz." He caught himself when the tall imp raised an eyebrow. "But it's the way my mother taught me to present myself." He admitted with a sad smile as he looked at his outfit. "It seems a bit much, but it's my way of honoring her memory." He tenderly touched his suit.

Blitzo's features softened. "I get it." He squeezed his shoulder a bit, making the short imp look up to him. "It isn't obvious, but I've kept a few lessons mom taught me when I was a kid." He said with a fond smile. "And they do come in handy now and then."

"Even more handy than your father's lessons?" Moxxie questioned with a knowing smirk.

Blitzo snorted. "Without a doubt." He shook his head. "That deadbeat had a few useful tips but other than that, he was worthless."

Moxxie blinked, having never heard of his boss talking about his father before. "Huh." He got a curious look from the tall imp. "I didn't think we'd have something in common."

"You just noticed?" Blitzo snarked before shrugging. "But then again, I didn't know much about your family for a while either." It was still shocking how a nice guy like Moxxie was related to a scumbag like that. "Glad he inherited more from his mother."

Moxxie nodded. "True. Thanks again for helping me with that." It wasn't every day he got a chance to break his 'father's' teeth.

Blitzo waved a hand. "It was the least I could do." An imp server got close and offered drinks, of which he got two. "You're the best employee I got, why wouldn't I stick my neck out for you?" He took a sip of his drink while offering the other one.

"I'm your only employee." The short imp calmly pointed out while taking the drink. "Loona's your daughter, she doesn't count as staff." He took a sip.

Blitzo felt a surge of fatherly pride from hearing that. "Damn right she is." They shared a laugh. "But I'm serious, we've been through a lot of shit together. It's only fair that I return the favor." He wrapped an arm around him. "We're a team after all." He formed a mischievous grin. "Besides, how else am I supposed to kick a mafia's ass and scare them shitless?" The only reason they weren't being attacked or hunted by assassins was because of his connection to the royal demon he was married to.

While feeling touched by the sentiment, Moxxie returned the grin. "True." He chuckled at the memory of Blitzo and Loona wrecking those crooks with their father-daughter combos while he engaged his father and Chaz, the latter making him groan. "Ugh, great." He got a curious look from Blitzo. "I just remembered Chaz."

The taller imp's expression also shifted to disgust. "Shit. I thought I forgot about him." He rolled his eyes. "If 'forgettable douche' was a person, it'd be him." Seriously, how did a powerful guy like Crimson allow a bum like Chaz to get close to him? Don't they do background checks over there?

While thinking along the same lines, Moxxie shook his head. "I honestly have no idea what my father saw in him." His expression darkened. "And the fact that he tried to pair me up with him didn't make things better." He grimaced from the memory and finished his drink.

"Probably thought he had money to share." Blitzo offered as the short imp gave his empty glass to a nearby server and took another drink. "Not that he had any to begin with." He can still vividly remember and smell the guy's trunk after he went snooping around. Not only did he have no money, but the powerful and swaggy appearance he was showing off was just to cover up his broke ass.

He even had to rent a suit to sell the bit.

After snorting at that last detail, Blitzo decided to lighten the mood. "The dude was poorly written garbage, but at least we don't have to deal with him anymore." He formed a toothy grin before taking a sip.

"True." Moxxie conceded with a sigh before staring at his drink with a frown. "But a part of me still thinks he got off easy." He grumbled and took a sip.

At that, the tall imp deadpanned at him. "Mox." He raised a finger. "You kicked, punched, stomped, and shot his nuts." Another finger. "Fucked up his teeth with your pistols while he screamed." Another. "Stabbed him multiple times on the chest." Another. "Called him garbage and other profanities that made me proud." Another. "And then you filled him with enough lead to fail every metal detector produced." He flatly finished before sipping his drink.

With each point being raised, Moxxie's complexion grew redder before his expression became sheepish. "Hehe, maybe I did go a little overboard." He quietly admitted while scratching his cheek a bit.

"You think?" Blitzo snarked, causing the shorter imp to redden further. "Even Loony was impressed, saying that you punching your old man was the cherry on top." He said with an impressed tone while guiding both of them to a nearby table to take a seat.

Moxxie chuckled and rubbed the back of his neck. "Wow, I didn't think I'd impress her." He took a seat next to his boss. "No offense, but she hasn't been exactly fond of me." He looked at his drink as he swirled it with a frown.

Blitzo placed a comforting hand on his shoulder. "I know she comes off as a hard-ass most of the time, but it isn't because she has anything against you." The short imp looked at him. "She never had a lot of people to socialize with growing up. And combine that with a tough childhood before being adopted by me, and you'll get a socially awkward teen who doesn't know how to lower her inner walls." He smiled encouragingly. "But trust me, she cares about you but-"

"She sucks at showing it." Moxxie finished as the tall imp nodded with an apologetic smile. "I can see that." He nodded and looked away with a smile. "Now that I think about it, she hasn't said anything mean to me in a while." He shook his head with a chuckle. "Not even an overused and unnecessary fat comment or anything physical." His smile widened a bit. "I'm glad it's just a misunderstanding."

Blitzo felt relieved and patted his friend's back. "Just be patient Mox, she'll come out of her shell eventually." He encouraged him before turning his gaze to the table where the subject of their conversation was happily chatting with her new sister-in-law.

"Trust me, I'm pretty patient." Moxxie nodded before following his gaze, his expression becoming warm. "But from the looks of things, I think she'll have a better chance sooner than we think."

Blitzo nodded, his smile faltering a bit. "Heh, yeah." He looked down at his drink in thought.

Moxxie noted the tone and glanced at him, his expression shifting to concern. "Penny for your thoughts?" He gently asked.

The tall imp looked uncertain before sighing. "I don't know I'm just…" He paused to find the right word. "Nervous I guess." He looked up at his daughter. "Don't get me wrong, I'm happy. The happiest I've ever been." He smiled warmly. "I'm over the fucking moon at the fact that a guy like me, who's screwed up many relationships just by being himself, was able to get hitched to someone who accepted..." He gestured to himself. "All of this." He finished his drink.

Moxxie said nothing and listened patiently as Blitzo slammed his empty mug with a sigh. "For a long time, I didn't think it was possible, but I found love, mutual love." He looked up to his husband who was conversing with a female Vulture Goetia family member who didn't have problems with the union. "And now, it feels like everything is so much bigger than me, like one wrong step and everything falls apart." He glanced at his daughter. "As much as I hate to say it, I'm scared Mox."

The short imp was taken aback by this. Blitzo, scared? That didn't seem possible, but then again, the imp next to him never showed this softer side of him until now.

A few more moments of silence passed until Moxxie spoke. "It's okay to be scared." The tall imp didn't look at him, but he knew he was listening. "It's a natural thing to feel this way with the unknown." He looked at his drink. "Even I had to face my fears at some point." The tall imp gave him a knowing glance but didn't interrupt.

The short imp looked like he was reliving a memory before sighing into reality. "I admit, you can be…eccentric at times." Blitzo flinched but didn't argue knowing he was right. "But regardless of this, I know you always have your daughter's well-being in mind."

At that, Blitzo gave him an unconvinced look, prompting him to continue. "Yes. You're loud, irresponsible, a bit creepy at times, vulgar, a degenerate, and-"

"I get it!" Blitzo cut in with an annoyed look. "Where are you going with this?"

Moxxie chuckled. "Sorry, got a bit carried away." The imp grumbled but allowed him to continue. "Point is, you have all these flaws, and yet, for as long as I've been part of I.M.P., not once had you taken it out on your daughter." The tall imp looked away as he considered this. "Stress, Bills, Competition, and the fact that we're demons of hell." He listed off. "You had every excuse to do something and yet, all you've done is care for her the best you could."

"Yes. You can be a bit much at times." He continued. "But there has never been a doubt in my mind that you only do it for your daughter's sake." Moxxie glanced at Loona. "And I believe she knows it too." He then glanced at the taller imp. "I mean, if you were doing such a bad job, why bother calling you 'Dad'?" He pointed out with a smile.

While feeling great warmth spread within him, Blitzo's vision grew misty. "You've got a point." He wiped a tear. "Wow, didn't think about it that way." He felt so much lighter now. "Damn, I should be honest with my feelings more often."

"That tends to happen when you overthink." Moxxie replied knowingly. "And if you still don't believe me. Consider the fact that you're worried about your daughter's future and how you'll affect it." He shrugged. "If that doesn't describe the qualities of a good father, I don't know what will." He smiled encouragingly. "And in time, I'm sure Octavia will be comfortable around you too."

Blitzo felt even more relieved from hearing his words. "You think so?" He received a nod. "Thanks Mox." He smiled.

"Anytime boss." Moxxie returned the smile and was about to take a sip when something caught his eye. "Hate to kill the mood, but I think someone needs you."

Following his gaze, he saw Stolas giving him a needy look, making him roll his eyes. "I swear, that man can't last 10 minutes without me." He said with fond exasperation as he stood. "Sorry to cut our chat short Mox, but you know how it is." He finished his drink and placed the empty mug on the table.

"Don't worry, I get it." Moxxie waved a hand. "Just remember, don't overthink and overdo. It takes more than one to make a marriage work, trust each other and you'll go far. Not just for your children, but the family in general." He advised in a sagely tone.

Blitzo took in his words and nodded. "I will Mox." He then gave him a curious look. "Mind if I pass along your words of wisdom?" He glanced at the avian lord who looked like an impatient child. "Cute."

The short imp shrugged. "Whatever makes the marriage genuine and happy, go for it." He raised his glass with a smile. "I wish you all the best."

"Thanks." The tall imp nodded with a smile before making his way to his husband who looked eager to be with him. The tall demon was about to say something until he was shocked when Blitzo grabbed his shirt and pulled him down to his height, the moment stunned everyone, it wasn't every day you see a lower-class demon manhandling a demon lord.

Stolas was about to ask what was wrong before his mind short-circuited when Blitzo pulled him in for a deep kiss. Eliciting cheers, whistles, and teasing remarks from the Goetia he was talking to. Much to the embarrassment of Octavia and Loona who kept their heads down and held their faces with groans, but were internally happy for them.

The imp then deepened the kiss, further melting the demon lord's mind before Blitzo pulled away with a smirk. Leaving the avian demon flushed, knees shaking, and out of breath.

And when Stolas's brain rebooted, Blitzo leaned in to whisper something that made the demon lord freeze and his blush increase.

When the imp leaned back, Stolas meekly nodded with the same flush while Blitzo gave him a quick kiss on the lips before apologizing to the other Goetia for interrupting. The latter waved off before engaging in a pleasant conversation with the imp while Stolas stood tall and tried to regain his composure while embarrassed.

Moxxie watched the scene fondly before staring at his drink with a sigh. "And now I'm alone." Don't get him wrong, he was elated for Blitzo and Loona. But it was times like this when he was reminded how alone he was.

Yes, he had the friendship of his boss and his daughter (sort of). But he knew he could never be as close as the two of them are. He was just an employee; he didn't have the same familial bond they had. Plain and simple.

Outside of work, he had no one, his father was just a scumbag who would gladly get him killed, given away, or used as a way to gain more power.

His loving mother, the only one to give a damn about him, died trying to give him a life that didn't involve gangsters and greed. And knowing his father, he wouldn't be surprised if he was the one that did it.

He didn't know any other family members either, but if he had to guess. His father's side are mostly crooks while his mother's must be the average imp. But since the latter never mentioned them, he guessed they weren't the kind of people he should be involved with.

The only one outside of work and family he was comfortable with was…

"Stop it." Moxxie shut his eyes and shook his head. "It's in the past." He stared at his drink somberly. "We called it off on peaceful terms, honor it." He let out a heavy sigh.

With his mood dampened, the imp sat there for a few moments before he decided to excuse himself in case he ruined the happy atmosphere. "This is a big day; I can't jeopardize it." He finished his drink and stood. "Now which way.…" He trailed off when he spotted Stolas's ex-wife, Stella, quietly leaving the area.

Now normally, he would wisely leave her be since he was very aware of her animosity towards imps. Stolas and Blitzo were never shy from the details of her hatred.

But curiously, she never showed anything toward the-

"Wait." A horrifying thought entered the imp's mind. "Is she planning something?" He quickly looked around for any shady individuals or something out of place. The invite list and security are pretty tight, but he needed to be sure.

When he found nothing, he relaxed a bit and moved his hands away from his hidden pistols. "Ok, so maybe she isn't trying anything." He then eyed the door she entered curiously. "But why leave?" From what he heard; she was more than cooperative for the marriage to happen. Although Stolas never said why and Blitzo was either just as lost or keeping it to himself.

He considered asking Octavia, but he didn't want to interrupt her bonding time with Loona. The latter looked the happiest he'd seen.

"It could be nothing, but…" His expression furrowed. "I need to be sure." And if he needed to fight for the family's happiness then so be it.

Even if it was against a powerful demon queen.

With that thought, Moxxie took a deep breath to compose himself before going with an air of resolve.

BALCONY

Turns out, it wasn't just a straight path to the balcony, he needed to make a few turns and hoped that he wasn't making the wrong move. "I swear, this place gets bigger the more I explore it." He grumbled before stopping when he noticed a particularly large door that was open. "I think that's it."

As quietly as he could he approached, his posture calm despite the potentially fatal position he was about to put himself in. His every instinct told him to leave and ask Stolas for help. But he was already here, he couldn't risk losing the chance.

Not when there could be a potential danger to this new family.

With that thought, Moxxie's resolve grew and expression hardened before he took a peek into the balcony.

And there she was, staring into the city in silence with her elbows on the railing. The only thing that could be heard was the occasional breeze or an explosion within the city, no doubt caused by a turf war or some shenanigans caused by the denizens of hell.

When the silence and stillness continued, Moxxie was starting to get a bit creeped out. "Well, it doesn't look like she's doing anything." He glanced at the hall behind him. "And there aren't any conspirators meeting her." He felt himself relax a bit. "Looks like I'm just being paranoid." He grimaced, feeling foolish, and turned around. "Better leave while-"

"Why are you here?"

In an instant, a chilling dread shot through him as several possible scenarios played through his mind. She could kill him with her magic, chase him, throw him off the balcony, capture him for torture or worse.

While keeping his composure, he looked back and saw her staring at him in annoyance, rather than the hostility that he imagined. Which somewhat put him at ease.

And seeing that there wasn't any way out, he steeled himself and straightened his posture. "Forgive me for the intrusion milady, I was just curious as to why you left the celebration." He decided to be partially honest but respectful to not trigger her wrath.

The avian demoness stared at him for a moment before looking back at the city. "I merely need a place to think." She paused while he eyed her curiously. "I'm not plotting anything."

While keeping his composure Moxxie replied. "Milady, I never said you did."

"And you didn't deny it." She coldly replied while he mentally chastised himself but didn't show any outward reaction. "If that is all you came here for, I suggest you leave me be." Again, she didn't sound upset, just annoyed.

A part of him wanted to comply, this could be his only free chance to leave unscathed. But there was something about her right now that overpowered his logic with his curiosity. She didn't threaten him like she did his boss in the past. No warnings or remarks that promised harm either.

And as he stared at her, he also noted how solemn she looked.

Moxxie took the time to consider what to do before mentally sighing. "I hope I don't regret this." He wordlessly approached the railing to look at the city while also keeping his distance from the royal demon.

Stella noticed and narrowed her eyes at him. "What are you doing? I told you to leave." There was a bit of an edge to her voice now, he needed to be careful.

He let out an awkward chuckle and rubbed the back of his head. "To be honest, I needed some air too." He shrugged with a tired smile. "I didn't want to ruin the atmosphere."

She stared at him again, no doubt searching for deceit, when she found none, she returned her gaze to the city. "Very well." There was a hint of understanding in her voice, but he wasn't brave enough to make it obvious that he noticed.

Nothing more was said after that, at first it got awkward real fast. But as more time passed, the imp grew used to her intimidating and cold presence. Neither side did anything and simply basked in the moment.

Eventually, though, it got boring.

"So quiet." Moxxie resisted the urge to yawn before subtly glancing at the tall demon. "She could pass for a statue." He mused while using the chance to get a better look at her.

Apart from being tall, it was easy for anyone to associate her with royalty. From the way she presented herself to her physical traits.

Feathers clear as snow that was highlighted by her royal attire. Even the little things highlighted her natural beauty, from eyelashes that would make most demon women envy her eyes that were dignified and intimidating.

And that's only her physical traits, while she's well known for her temper and ruthlessness in her punishments. Most don't see beyond that, that beyond the fury and power, there's calmness and wisdom. Stolas may not have shared details of how their former union came to be, but he was more than glad to share these qualities about her.

Regal, Fury, Wisdom, and Grace. All in one person, it's honestly impressive how she's able to maintain her appearance despite her feared reputation.

"If you wanted to stare, you should have brought a camera."

With a jolt, Moxxie snapped his gaze up and flushed when he saw her giving him a stern side-eye. "I-I apologize Milady!" He bowed his head a bit. "I did not mean to-!"

"To ogle me with a lecherous gaze?" Her quick remark caused him to look down with a grimace. "Not that I'm surprised, you imps can't seem to control yourselves." She added with a look of disdain.

At that, the short imp snapped at her, aghast. "That isn't true!" His response did little to convince her. "While I can't speak for everyone, not all imps are like that."

Her stance didn't falter. "Does that include your boss?" Her expression hardened, already knowing the answer. "The same imp that my ex-husband cheated with to get access to the human world?" Her tone grew angrier. "With my family's grimoire?"

Moxxie held back a wince. "In his defense, he wasn't thinking straight at the time." He ran a hand through his hair with a sigh. "And I don't know if it counts for something, but I didn't agree with what he did either." His tail lowered. "After he told me, I was torn between punching him or calling him crazy."

Stella's expression shifted into slight intrigue. "And what did you choose?"

"Neither." His answer caused her to frown. "I called him an idiot but said that I'll stick by him." He shook his and looked to the city with a smirk. "He gave me a funny look after saying that, but I knew he appreciated it."

The avian demon looked at him like he had grown a second head. "Just like that?" Her expression became incredulous. "Even if he placed you all in grave danger, you remained by his side?" If she were in the same position as him, she would have left on the spot or at least tried to return the grimoire to avoid severe punishment.

"Yes, just like that." Moxxie nodded. "I was in a bad spot in my life before he took me in." He chortled. "It isn't a glamorous life mind you, but it's certainly better than stealing in the streets or becoming what I hated." He'd rather be killed by Satan himself than become scum like his father. "It may not sound possible, but imps are capable of loyalty, it's just that most people that they're loyal to do the opposite." He said in a factual tone that was layered with sadness.

It was common knowledge that imps were either killed daily or used by someone of higher power. But what most don't know or understand, are the circumstances that lead to that point.

Being on the lowest hierarchy meant that almost anyone would take advantage of that. So, knowing this, the common imp would usually be forced into choosing between three options.

Live for yourself and see where that would take you or serve a higher power that could give you food and shelter but would 100% use you how they see fit. Or become a feral demon that spreads misery and mischief, if you can't be happy, nobody can.

And the fact that imp parents have to teach their children this at an early age certainly didn't make things better.

Stella didn't comment, it would seem that even she knew of the struggles and prejudice the imps faced. She'd seen her fair share of nobles using imps as slaves or entertainment, if only to promise them means to survive.

They were often lying of course, but with nothing to lose, nowhere to go, and everything against them, how could they say no?

If they were lucky, the ones who kept their word would keep them around as servants or soldiers to add to their forces. Neither were safe positions, but it was better than nothing.

But if they were unfortunate enough to swear loyalty to individuals who broke their words. They'd be killed once their purpose was fulfilled or be subjected to torture via entertainment for nobles and high-ranking demons.

That last one made her scrunch her face a bit, with all that wealth and power at their disposal, you would think that they'd use it for more constructive purposes. But no, most nobles waste their positions on childish pursuits, depravity, or finding new ways to keep themselves entertained.

Said entertainment centered around the lower hierarchies of hell. Imps were chief among them and unfortunately, not even the children were spared from the cruelty. Yes, she had imp staff that did chores, maintenance, and driving. But even she would never resort to such barbarism, regardless of her current views on them.

Filleting, jumping into random portals that were conjured up to see what happens, removal of the eyes only to be forced to find them, slaughter disguised as sport, experimentation and the list goes on.

Having noted the shift in her expression, Moxxie continued. "There are good imps out there, as ridiculous as that sounds." He smiled a little at the fond memories of one imp girl who stood out more than the rest.

At that, Stella's expression became neutral again. "While I won't argue on the prejudice towards the imps. I still find your other claim hard to believe." Her eyes then narrowed. "Aside from my staff, I haven't met these so-called: 'good imps'."

"They're out there." Moxxie cut in with a factual tone before his expression turned serious. "And despite what my boss has done in the past, he's a good person." He then smiled knowingly. "He loves his daughter and those close to him." He shrugged. "He even cares for those he considers his friends."

The demon queen was about to rebuke that until she paused when an idea came to her. "You truly believe in him." He nodded. "And in what you claim." Another nod. "If that's the case then you wouldn't mind if I prove it."

"That doesn't sound good." Moxxie raised an eyebrow. "What do you mean by that milady?" Despite his calm appearance, his tone had a bit of wariness to it.

Stella wasn't bothered and continued. "I did not stutter." He pursed his lips a little, what is she planning? "To prove the validity of your claims, I will need to do a simple test." She aimed her right palm at him, the action making him tense. "One that will reveal the truth." Her eyes and palm began to glow a bit.

The imp became alarmed at this and took a step back with his hands close to his weapons. "W-What are you-?"

"Calm yourself." Her tone did little to help. "As I said, this is a simple test. If I wanted you dead, you would have been so the moment you spoke with me." She shifted her gaze to the glowing palm. "This is a spell that prevents those who are afflicted to lie." Her gaze returned to him; this time challenging. "But since you claim to speak the truth, I doubt you'll have reason to be nervous."

The imp was about to say how extreme she was being but considered her point. If she wanted him dead, it could have been earlier and the fact that she humored him with a conversation solidified her point.

After a bit of deliberation, Moxxie sighed and lowered his arms. "All right." He nodded. "It's not like I could stop you." He stopped himself from adding that last thought.

For a split second, Stella looked amused by his resignation before becoming stoic again. "Excellent." The glow of her eyes and palm grew. "Oh, and try not to lie. Going against the truth spell will be unpleasant." She casually warned before saying something in an unknown tongue and fired the spell at the imp.

"W-Wait wha-?" A red energy sphere entered Moxxie's chest before he could say more, pushing him back and sending an unknown sensation throughout his body. When it stopped, he touched his chest in shock and confusion. "What was that?"

Once the glow dispersed, the queen eyed him. "That would be the spell entering you." She simply said while he looked up at her. "How do you feel?"

The short imp was about to replay before he placed a hand on his head with a groan. "Like something is holding my brain." He grunted and placed another hand on his chest. "And shocking my chest." He steadied his breathing.

Stella hummed and nodded. "Excellent, the spell has a hold on you now." When he gave her an unsure look, she raised a hand. "Be at ease, I used a low-tier truth spell, more than enough for your body to handle."

That….was actually reassuring, despite how neutral she sounded. "Well….what do I do now?" He looked at his hands, not feeling any different now apart from the slight pressure in his head.

"Simple." Stella fully faced him, reminding him how much taller she was. "I ask you a question and then you answer." Her expression became serious. "But be warned, while it is a low-tier spell it could still do great harm if you go against it."

With a small gulp, Moxxie nodded with a nervous grin. "Noted." He then recomposed himself the best he could. "Ready when you are."

"Good." She nodded and rubbed her chin for a moment. "Let's start with the obvious." He nodded. "Why did you decide to follow me?"

The short imp tensed before he spoke. "At first, I thought it was because you were up to something." He was mortified and instinctively tried to cover his mouth but the pressure in his head prevented him from doing that. "But then….I noticed something about you." He grimaced. "How is this a low-tier spell!?"

While narrowing her eyes a bit at his suspicion, she grew intrigued at the last comment. "What did you notice?" As she recalled, she showed herself as normal. With an air of intimidation and dignity to cement that fact.

"It wasn't noticeable at first." Moxxie admitted while trying to relax himself to ease the pressure in his head. "But when I saw you on the balcony, you looked sad, lonely even." He internally cursed his bluntness and looked down, expecting a fiery rebuttal or a strike.

When nothing came, he looked up and was shocked to see Stella looking stunned by the revelation before becoming neutral again. "Explain." Her tone was a little tense.

The imp paused before speaking. "Usually you'd carry yourself with grace, calmness, and hidden fury if provoked." He gestured to her without meaning to. "Not to mention wisdom and an unattainable beauty." At that, he didn't regret saying, after all, unlike most of the denizens of hell. That's exactly how he saw her, granted it may seem obvious but it's the truth.

Stella was surprised by this. Nothing about her physical traits? Or any disgusting comments like she'd heard from other nobles trying to charm her to gain power? Not even Stolas praised her like this, the latter merely beautifying her physical traits through song or poetry.

"But." Moxxie continued, pulling her out of her thoughts. "When I saw you leaving and standing on the balcony, it was the opposite." The avian demon furrowed her brows a bit, what did that mean? "You were….colder." She was taken aback by that, causing the imp to gulp but was forced to continue. "Like you didn't have much life in you." He grew uncomfortable but knew this was true. "No regality or strength, just loneliness and sadness." And despite the situation, he looked up at her with a worried frown. "Nothing like the woman I've seen or heard about."

At that, Stella looked away with an unreadable expression, causing unease to spread within the imp as he knew what he was about to say. "Which is why, apart from making sure you weren't up to anything. I wanted to see if there was anything I could do to help." He held back a growl and hoped that this damn spell didn't just make him sound like a creep or worse, give her a reason to erase him.

There was a long silence after that, so quiet in fact that it was as if time stopped. The queen remained in place and kept her gaze on the city while Moxxie glanced at the exit, the spell having a hold on his words, but not his body if he fought hard enough.

He then tensed when he heard her let out a heavy sigh, causing him to look back at her and see that she was looking down with her eyes closed. "...I see." His heart hammered in his chest when he noted her tightening her grip on the railing.

Shit. This was it, wasn't it? A part of him knew he was going to die someday, but never had he thought that it would be in the hands of a powerful royal being. And the ex-wife of his boss's husband at that! Why did his empathy have to always get him in trouble!?

Oh, well. At least his mother would be proud of him for bravely trying. Heh, maybe Blitzo would give a resounding speech at his funeral about how badass he was to approach Stella despite knowing about her view on imps. Stolas offering his utmost respect while Loona would look sad for once and-

"I stand corrected."

After being jolted out of his resigned thoughts, Moxxie looked up and was shocked to see that she was still calm but frowning. "Huh?" He exclaimed in befuddlement.

"As strange as it sounds." Stella sighed again. "It seems that there are….decent imps out there." He tensed when her eyes glowed and raised a glowing hand again. "Like you." She waved her hand.

In an instant, Moxxie felt relief as the pressure in his head left, causing him to let out a satisfied sigh. "That's better." He rubbed his head and looked up at her. "Do you believe me now milady?"

She was silent for a moment as she leaned on the railing to look at the city in contemplation. "Not completely, a part of me is still skeptical." He looked down with a sigh. "But I will acknowledge that there are exemptions." She admitted with an unreadable tone.

Moxxie perked up at that. "Thank you, milady." He bowed before standing straight with a smile. "I promise, given the right chance, the good ones will make themselves known, regardless of how few they are." He then glanced at the city. "As for the rest, they just need time to understand and accept the fact that life doesn't have to stay like this for us. That there's more to our existence than slavery and senseless death." He said with optimism.

Stella huffed a little. "You sound just like the princess." She looked down with a frown. "Always seeing the best in people." She shook her head a bit before resting her palm on her cheek to stare at the city with a sigh.

The imp noted this and was about to say something when he noted that he was given another chance to leave. The spell was gone, he had proved her wrong and she wasn't up to anything. And from what he can see, she wasn't bitter about the marriage and was looking for revenge against his boss.

Leaving him no reason to be here anymore.

But once again, he pushed the more logical voice in his head aside and focused on her. "Milady, I know I came off as intrusive and accusative." She didn't look at him, but he knew she was listening. "And I'm sorry for that, I just want to know what's bothering you." He gently admitted and stood tall. "But I also understand if you want me to leave, I wouldn't want to-"

He was cut off when Stella chortled a little and shook her head. "Most would have taken the chance to run away." She sighed before glancing at him. "But you're truly an exception." Her features softened a bit before she looked away again, not even her former husband would have been brave enough.

Moxxie didn't know what to say to that, he just stood there in silence before it was eventually broken by the queen after a bit of contemplation. "Very well." She nodded a little. "It's only fair after I forced the truth out of you." The imp could hardly believe that this was happening but didn't dare say anything that could destroy this chance.

There was silence again before she spoke. "I was raised to never show my emotions, to always display an image of regality." She sighed again, this time looking tired. "But if you were able to see through the facade today, it means that I'm reaching my limit." She rubbed her eyes; it would seem that proper sleep wasn't an option for her either.

With a surge of worry, he approached but made sure to maintain a respectable distance. "What happened?" He leaned against the railing's support.

Stella took a deep breath before sighing again. "Are you familiar with how my marriage with Stolas came to be?" He shook his head, causing her to hum. "He kept his word." She nodded. "He was always the more considerate of our union and apparently, his husband as well." She muttered the last part but with a tone of respect.

Moxxie blinked, she's the reason that Blitzo and Stolas didn't share details? But now that he thought about it, it made sense. Both marriages are personal affairs and would no doubt be used as ammunition by rival royals or lords.

"Since you don't know." Her words pulled him out of her thoughts. "Our marriage wasn't…." She paused to find the right word. "Consensual."

That threw the imp in a loop. "Why wouldn't it be…?" He trailed off as realization dawned on him. "Oh." She hummed in affirmation.

As far as he knew, arranged marriages weren't a new concept. Even the human world had its fair share, but most deemed it to be an out-of-date method and in poor taste. The same however could not be said for hell.

Marriages here usually have an ulterior motive, whether it be for power or to gain favor from a wealthy family. Rarely has it ever been for mutual love like his boss's, all the more reason to say how blessed they are.

"So why stay?" Moxxie blurted out before immediately regretting it. "I-I'm sorry that was-"

She raised her hand. "Calm yourself. It's only natural for you to raise questions, this kind of thing doesn't happen with imps after all." Her point put him at ease. "To be truthful, Stolas and I didn't want to be a part of it. But we both tried anyway to see if it would lead anywhere." She scoffed. "No thanks to the constant pressure from our families." She then wore a sad smile that hurt the imp. "He was sweet, but I wasn't blind, I knew he was attracted to men." She frowned again and looked down.

Moxxie had the urge to reach out to her but stopped himself, it wasn't his place to do that. "We tried calling it off privately with our families, but they wouldn't budge. Only our mothers listened, but the fathers had the final word. And with the majority of our families being more traditional, we had no choice." She spat with anger that made her eyes glow, causing the imp to take a step back in shock.

Noticing this, she reigned in her emotions. "We damned this tradition, but we went along with it to avoid the wrath of our families." She gripped the railing before relaxing. "There was a time when we thought we found a loophole in the arrangement. That we could simply live as friends rather than a couple." She then shook her head with a grimace. "How foolish we were, it was only a matter of time until our families caught on to what we were doing." Her grip on the railing tightened again. "And forced us to ensure that the marriage would remain."

Moxxie didn't like the implications and felt dread form within him. "What did they-?

*CRACK*

The imp jolted when the railing finally cracked from Stella's angered grip and took a step back again when her form began to glow. "By forcing us to raise an heir." She said coldly with restrained fury.

Moxxie froze upon hearing this and gaped at the woman. Before the horror of the revelation dawned on him and paled. "They…." He regained focus with outrage. "They can't do that! That's…!" He grit his teeth. "How could they do that to their family?!"

Seeing his anger from their situation, she steadied her breathing and power to calm the atmosphere somewhat. "Stolas and I vehemently refused to comply, but…." Her expression darkened. "Our families advised our fathers to use our mothers as leverage seeing how much closer we are to them."

"THAT'S BULLSHIT!" Moxxie's anger skyrocketed again while she looked surprised by his outburst. "No family should be built by force!" His hands clutched his hidden weapons. "If they weren't a bunch of royals I would…" He moved his hands away, clenching them, and debated on punching something before lowering them with a heated huff. "Damn them." He gripped his hands to stop their shaking.

"Agreed." She eventually said after recovering from her stupor and noting that the subject of family was sensitive for him. "It was a terrible day for both of us." She smiled a little. "But Stolas made an effort to make it a pleasant experience, despite the circumstances." The imp hummed, that sounded like something the demon lord would do.

Stella then sighed again, her hands lowering to her stomach. "When I was pregnant, I was full of dread and hatred." She gripped the fabric. "Neither of us wanted this, to have a child out of the narrow-minded views of old demons." Her grip tightened and her expression hardened. "I wanted to end the pregnancy to spite those responsible, but Stolas said not to. Saying that an innocent soul didn't have to suffer because of our situation." Moxxie grimaced, if she went through with it, Loona wouldn't have a sister and she'd probably be more closed off as a result.

"We argued for the majority of the pregnancy." He looked back up to see her smile and her grip slacken. "But I'm glad he was able to convince me, Octavia was the best thing that came out of the union." Never had the imp seen her fonder and content, a true sign to him that she'd never regret making her daughter. "She may be a little closer to Stolas, but I love her just the same." She lowered her hands with a sad sigh.

Noting this, Moxxie was quick to jump in. "I'm certain she loves you milady." She glanced at him, for once unsure. "Why else would she welcome you staying in the same home despite the separation?" He pointed out knowingly.

Truth be told, he didn't know many details, but all that Stolas was able to share was that apart from being civil. The divorce also gave Octavia the choice of who to live with. And to the surprise of both parties, she chose neither and said that she would rather live with both.

Naturally, this put the parents in a tough spot, and told her that such an arrangement wouldn't be possible. But she persisted and said that life wouldn't feel the same without them. Which left them no room to argue and decided to compromise, Stella was allowed to stay on the condition that one of the guest rooms be converted into her room.

An arrangement that the young Goetia was more than happy with.

Stella considered his point before nodding. "I suppose you're right." She chortled and smiled fondly. "She inherited her father's negotiation skills and my stubbornness. It was bound to fall into her favor." He chuckled in agreement; Loona did mention something similar. "Thank you, your words help." She smiled at him.

"Just stating the obvious milady." Moxxie shrugged and returned the smile. "We aren't exactly close, but I've heard her say that it sucked that you weren't given much time to be at home. But she knows you care about her." It may not have been worded like that, but the message was the same.

And it looked to be enough as the queen looked lighter. "I do." She looked down and held her bracelet with a smile before frowning again. "I suppose I'm just afraid of doing the opposite, as foreign as it is for me to say."

Her statement took him aback and at that moment, he couldn't help but compare her to how Blitzo looked a while ago. So, with a surge of bravery and determination, he hopped on the railing and showcased his excellent balance before approaching her.

This surprised her and eyed him curiously. "What are you-?"

"Does it frighten you?" Moxxie cut in and mentally apologized, thankfully she didn't seem annoyed, only stunned. "Fill you with uncertainty?" He stood close and kept his eyes on her.

After recovering from her stupor, Stella nodded and kept eye contact. "It does." For some reason, his gaze was comforting.

He returned the nod and smiled in understanding. "Then do it scared." His words confused her. "Doing something with a bit of fear is better than giving up altogether." He said knowingly. "Don't lose this, not only for yourself." He pointed to the bracelet. "But for your family as well."

Her gaze shifted to the bracelet and her expression turned serious before she looked at him with a nod. "I will." She smiled gratefully. "Thank you."

Moxxie returned the gesture with a grin before realizing how close he was. "S-Sorry Milady!" He took a step and turned around. "I'll just-"

"I took no offense." Her statement caused him to stop and glance at her in disbelief. "You're a guest, it's only right for you to be comfortable." She patted the railing. "I'm sure this spot is preferable to having to constantly look up to address me." She calmly pointed out with no hint of mocking.

Moxxie couldn't deny that and turned to face her. "Well…." He rubbed his neck, looking bashful. "It is easier on the neck." She giggled a little at the remark, the sound filling him with a feeling that he couldn't describe.

Feeling emboldened by this, he shrugged. "And since you insist." He sat on the railing, his legs dangling and facing the city. "I guess I could afford to be a little comfortable." He leaned back with a sigh.

She let out an amused huff at that. "Thank you for humoring me." He chortled while she smiled and leaned on the railing again to look at the city.

Unlike before, the silence was more comfortable. Compared to the earlier tension, this one was more peaceful. "Ironic." The avian demoness mused before glancing at Moxxie who was idly humming a tune to himself. "I had my reservations on imps and yet here I am. Enjoying the company of the very thing I was judging as a whole." She huffed, amused by the development.

This of course didn't go unnoticed by Moxxie who gave her a curious look. "Something wrong milady?"

Stella shook her head. "Nothing of the sort." When he continued staring, she calmly explained. "I just found it amusing how civil I've been with you despite my experiences and past views with imps."

While beaming at how she said 'past views', he chuckled realizing her point. "Well, life tends to find a way to make strange bedfellows." He grinned a little. "But to be blunt, I'm glad things turned out this way milady." He admitted without regret.

"Agreed." The queen giggled in agreement before sighing. "Our conversation has certainly shed some light and offered a new perspective on things." She then frowned at him. "It may not be much, but I'm truly sorry for what your people have to go through." She shook her head. "The punishments are meant for the sinners, not the ones who are born here by chance."

Moxxie waved a hand. "No need to apologize milady, compared to what others have done to us, being a part of your staff would be considered mercy." He said with a tone of sadness and understanding.

While glad he didn't consider being her staff a punishment, she was still saddened by the situation. "It's still a problem regardless."

"It is." He agreed and looked to the city, his tail lowering with his mood. "But unless the higher-ups do something about it." He gripped the railing. "The abuse and murder will continue." He pursed his lips.

Noticing the change in mood, Stella decided to redirect the topic but made a mental note of the situation for later. "While we're on the topic of higher ranks." He quickly caught on to what she was doing and was internally thankful. "There's something that confuses me."

"And what would that be?" He looked at her with an eyebrow raised.

Her brows furrowed as she looked down in thought. "When our divorce was announced, there was an uproar in our families." She rubbed her chin. "The consequences should have been swift, but the only thing fast was them retracting any threats to begin with." She shook her head. "And even if they didn't come after me and Stolas, they would have at least gone after our daughter or Blitzo." It didn't make any sense, what changed? What made them suddenly give up on the marriage? Where did the threats go? How did-?

"Oops."

After going still for a moment, Stella slowly looked to Moxxie who was rubbing the back of his head with sheepish embarrassment. "I knew I forgot something." He chuckled as he flushed.

The queen blinked. "You?" She asked with doubt, surely he couldn't have done it. From what she deduced, he didn't look like the type to kill or threaten anybody brazenly. He's too civil and kind to do any of that sort of thing.

"Well…." He chuckled and gripped his hands. "Not me exactly." His tail moved a little nervously. "But my friend…." He then looked at her with a shy smile. "Princess Charlie."

"…"

Stella just stared, until the full weight of his words registered, causing her eyes to widen and her beak to drop a bit. "...what?" Had she heard wrong?

"It's kind of a funny story." Moxxie continued, unperturbed by her confusion. "Before I met my boss, I tried pursuing other careers with the talents I have." He looked down with a frown. "But competition was fierce and most denizens aren't interested in the stuff I made." He sighed with a shrug. "I managed to get a bit of money from performing in public areas, but it wasn't enough, and more than once I had to cancel performances due to…." He paused to find the right word. "Certain individuals not being a fan of my existence." He wore a wry grin at the memory, even a simple thing as music couldn't escape the scrutiny.

When she didn't reply, he continued. "With music as a profession out of the way, I needed to find an alternate way to get by." He looked embarrassed. "But at the time, music was my only skill so my choices were rather limited." He looked at the city with a frown. "Not that it mattered, just by me being an imp handicapped my search for jobs."

He sighed tiredly at the memories before perking up a bit. "But to my luck, I heard rumors of a place that needed extra staff." He ran a hand through his hair. "I'm aware that rumors like that would usually spell trouble in hell, but I needed the money and I had nowhere else to go." He shrugged. "But I'm no fool, if I noticed anything off, I would have left."

"I was admittedly shocked that it turned out to be a hotel." He then chuckled. "But that didn't compare to my surprise when I found out that the place was run by the daughter of Lucifer!" He laughed some more at the memory before sighing with a fond smile. "I've heard how weirdly kind she is despite being a royal hellborn, but that still didn't prepare me for her….warmth." His smile widened. "For the first time in a long time, someone treated me more than a low-class hellborn." He looked up with a content sigh as he remembered her welcoming attitude and acceptance of her girlfriend. "She didn't treat me like a subject either, just another person like her."

"True kindness, not words laced with honey that I've heard in the past." He reached into his pocket and took out his phone. "Her variety of friends were also charming." The memory of Angel Dust flirting with him flashed in his mind, making him sweatdrop. "Despite that one….colorful introduction." Another mental image, this time Nifty creepily giggling at him and Husker grumbling in his direction. "And scary ones." He muttered.

He then shifted with discomfort. "The Radio Demon: Alastor, was also there." His discomfort grew. "He greeted me, but his presence made me feel uneasy." He involuntarily shivered. "Apart from that smile, his reputation is well known throughout hell." How Charlie was able to convince him to work with her was beyond the imp. "Thankfully he appeared to be civil and….accepting of my existence." It was honestly hard to read that demon, but as long as he didn't actively try to kill him or anyone he cared about, it wasn't a problem.

Moxxie opened his phone and scrolled through a few things before smiling at a group photo they took together in front of the hotel. Him smiling in the middle with Charlie's hand on his shoulder while she had an arm around a content Vaggie. To his left was Husker reluctantly holding a chipper Nifty in a bridal carry. Behind them all was Angel Dust with his tongue out while using all his hands to give them all bunny ears. And of course, a bit to the far side of the group on Charlie's side, was Alastor smiling creepily at the camera in his best posture. The latter had used his magic to keep the camera steady for the picture.

"I wanted to stay, but I believed that my presence would only endanger the business and the princess's dream." His smile grew wistful. "She assured me that it wouldn't but I couldn't risk it." He sighed at the familiar guilt going through him. "It hurt seeing her sad like that, but she respected my wishes and said that her door will always be open." He smiled at that last part; she truly is an angel as ironic as it sounds.

As he pocketed his phone he spoke. "After saying our goodbyes and wishing her luck in her pursuit, I went back to searching for work until…." He shook his head with a fond chuckle. "I bumped into Blitzo and got arrested with him." He shook his head with a wry grin. "Don't ask, but after that, I was hired after he heard of my circumstances." He chuckled as he looked at her. "The rest is…" He trailed off when he saw her looking at him with a blank look. "Milady?" He grew concerned, had he said something wrong?

"..."

Just who exactly is this imp?

Stella felt like she was part of a joke that she wasn't aware of. Never in her years in hell had she heard of an imp acquaint themselves with powerful figures and live to tell the tale.

The Princess Charlie of hell and daughter of Lucifer, the powerful Alastor, Demon Lord Stolas, her heir Octavia and now herself.

How did an imp come in touch with so many prominent names?

Her eyes glowed a bit as she subtly used a perception spell on the imp, causing the latter to become alarmed. Only to relax when her eyes returned to normal after confirming that he was indeed an imp and not a deceptive demon in disguise.

Noticing his unease, she decided to speak. "I apologize, it's just that now I understand why the princess and her friends are here." It wasn't a complete lie; she did wonder why she was here with her group. "I assume Stolas provided the names of the royals who threatened us for the princess to handle?" It wasn't exactly a farfetched theory.

But to her surprise, he made a 'so-so' gesture. "Partially right." He chuckled. "After Stolas shared his concerns one night after I found him being stressed, I asked Charlie if there was something she could do to help." He rubbed his arm with a shy smile. "She said no, she was still too new to the royal position, but her father could."

At that, Stella's beak dropped. "WHAT!?" Her outburst startled Moxxie but thankfully he was able to catch himself before he fell, seeing that she regained her composure the best she could. "Lord Lucifer stopped the threats?" It sounded more absurd saying it out loud. What would the ruler of Pride have to gain from doing that?

"I don't blame you for reacting like that." The imp agreed as he repositioned himself. "Even I was extremely hesitant with getting her father involved. But she insisted that he's a good man underneath all that power and cruelty."

As expected, Stella didn't look convinced. "What did he want in return?" Was he trying to put more royal families under his thumb? Or did he want to assert the dominance of his rule?

"Nothing believe it or not." He chortled at the look she gave him. "Despite his fearsome reputation, when it comes to his family and those he considers friends, he'll do what he can." He smiled. "I've seen it too. And even though he's understandably skeptical of his daughter's quest to redeem sinners, he cares for her enough to put aside his doubt and support her." He paused for a moment. "It also helped that her mother, the queen, saw potential in Charlie's vision."

Stella didn't have a retort to that, she didn't need a truth spell to know that Moxxie meant what he said. "I suppose it makes sense now why the princess remains to be a sort of bright spot in hell." She mused. "Who knew the rulers of Pride were great parents?"

"Very true milady." He nodded in agreement. "I don't know what he did, but whatever it was, worked like a charm. Stolas mentioned that threats suddenly stopped with some even apologizing." He grinned, taking satisfaction at the fact. "Stolas refused them of course-"

"As did I." Stella cut in with an annoyed look. "My apologies, I just remembered the groveling some of those fools did at our doorstep one night." She hummed. "I was a little curious why they were injured, but I mostly didn't care and simply threw them out the gate with my powers." She huffed, half amused and in disbelief. "Now I know it must have been something Lord Lucifer did."

Moxxie snickered without shame at the mental imagery. "Sounds about right." He then hummed. "Now I understand why your mothers isn't here." She gave him a curious look. "I asked Stolas about it during the planning stage of the wedding, and he said that they needed to restore order in the family but didn't know what that meant."

At that, realization dawned on the queen. "No wonder she was amused." She could still remember the joy in her mother's voice when she said that she needed to settle some things in the family. "But that still doesn't explain why there are other Goetias here." Her mind drifted to the Vulture and a few other avian demons at the party.

"It's not a complicated thing milady." Moxxie's statement drew a curious look from her. "Just as there are some decent imps out there, not all your family members supported the abuse you two endured." She thought about his point, and upon reflection, she didn't remember those present in the party participating or voting in favor of forced marriage.

After more deliberation, she conceded with a sigh. "I suppose….you're right." She then looked intrigued. "But I am curious, did you meet Lord Lucifer and Queen Lilith?"

"Not her majesty, but I did meet Lord Lucifer." She wasn't even surprised anymore. "And to be truthful, I thought I was finished at first and it looked like the princess knew that too when she was about to vouch for me." He rubbed his arm with an unsure look. "He stopped her by raising a hand and continued to stare at me before appearing in front of me in a blink." He shivered while Stella looked a bit alarmed at the mental imagery. "I remember looking down and closing my eyes, wanting to lessen the fear and oncoming pain as much as possible."

Moxxie then let out a sigh. "But to my surprise, I felt a hand on my shoulder and a calm voice telling me to look up." His posture relaxed as he remembered that moment. "I did as the voice told and was shocked to see Lord Lucifer smiling down at me before saying that I was the first decent imp he's seen in a long time." She gaped, to be praised by one of the Deadly Sins is a very rare thing to happen. And for it to happen to an imp of all people shows great weight.

Seeing the look on her face, he chuckled. "My reaction exactly." She caught on to his amusement and fixed her expression, though it held a little embarrassment. "Of course, I tried to wave off his words, saying that I was a mere imp that simply supported his daughter's dream and shared her views in some aspects."

Before Stella could reprimand him for saying such things to a Deadly Sin, he spoke. "He was quick to rebuke, however, saying that I'm more than just a supporter. That I'm not the average imp and have integrity that's rarely seen in my kind." He shook his head with a sigh. "I wanted to say otherwise but…." He shrugged with a helpless smile. "I knew that would be pushing my luck at that point and I was outnumbered since Charlie voiced her agreement."

"You should be honored." Stella's remark took him aback. "Not everyone earns a Deadly Sin's respect." She smiled a little. "And mine as well."

Moxxie was at a loss for words, so he decided to accept the praise and allow the pleasant sensation to flow through him. "Thank you, milady." He bowed a little before looking away with a hum. "Where was I?" He snapped his fingers before looking back at her with a grin. "Oh yeah, after the praise, Lord Lucifer agreed to help, saying that it wouldn't take much to get those royals in line." Nobody had doubts about that. "Then he gave me the condition to be good to his daughter or else he'd have to destroy me." He casually added with a chuckle.

Stella raised an eyebrow at his demeanor. "You seem oddly calm for someone making a deal with the ruler of Pride."

"Don't get me wrong, I was terrified at the time." He chuckled at the memory of Lucifer beaming with approval when the imp fearfully accepted while Charlie watched on with mortified embarrassment. "But after having the time to calmly think about it, I quickly realized how simple his condition was." She gave him an intrigued look. "Do you honestly see me doing anything heinous to the princess or anyone for that matter?" Yes, he's taken lives, but only because it was necessary, part of the job, or in self-defense. Never had he resorted to torture, killing for no reason, and cruelty.

Stella understood what he was implying before finding equal amusement at the thought. "No, I don't. You seem like the type to use reasoning more than simple action."

"You honor me with your words milady." He bowed a bit with a laugh, while idly feeling a little giddy for some reason.

The avian demon waved her hand. "I believe we've passed the need for formalities." He snapped at her in shock. "Just as you do with Stolas, address me by my name." She was internally surprised by her words, wondering what prompted her to say such things.

And why she didn't seem to mind.

Moxxie blinked before recovering from his stupor. "Ok, as long as you call me Moxxie." He smiled while mentally berating himself for his brash request.

Thankfully she didn't seem to mind as she nodded in agreement. "Very well, Moxxie." He didn't know why, but her saying his name sent a pleasant sensation through him. "Hmmm, I confess that I never imagined myself having a pleasant conversation with an imp." She shook her head with a chuckle. "And yet here I am, doing just that."

The imp returned the amusement. "I can relate in a way." He gestured to himself. "I never saw myself meeting so many influential names and being alive long afterward." He then shrugged. "But I guess life had other plans for an ordinary imp like me."

Stella scoffed at the last remark. "You're anything but 'ordinary'." She sounded annoyed at the label and raised a hand before he could deny it. "Your moral views alone make you stand out from your peers." She then eyed him knowingly. "And based on what Stolas tells me, you're intelligent and a proficient fighter."

"Well…." Moxxie looked away with a bashful smile. "I mostly know about art-based things and weapons. As for the fighting part, well…." He patted his hidden weapons. "I do have some experience."

The avian demon hummed in approval. "Knowledge of art is often forgotten or put aside." She shook her head. "People often forget their value, the messages they carry, and what it took to make them." She looked up with a frown. "And from what I've heard, even most humans. Which is why individuals like you are vital, to preserve, create, and spread knowledge." She looked at him, her expression serious. "Including myself." Once again internally surprised herself with her sudden emotion. "What's going on with me?"

Meanwhile, Moxxie was stunned, feeling like a weight had been added to his shoulders. "I'll keep that in mind." She nodded in approval. "I never knew you were so passionate about art milady."

"Most don't." She pointed out. "Not that I blame, I rarely get to show my interests, unlike Stolas who's more open about his passion for Acting and Music." She glanced at him. "How about you? Is your family a lover of arts?" She had her doubts, but based on how the night was going maybe she'd be proven wrong.

But to her surprise, Moxxie suddenly looked uncomfortable and looked down. "My mother." He said in a soft and sad tone. "She and I used to make music together." He formed a wistful smile. "We'd sing for hours, sometimes filling our home with a beautiful melody."

"Where is she now?" Stella found herself asking but based on his demeanor she had a feeling she knew the answer.

The imp pursed his lips, his tail and posture sagging. "Dead." He gripped the railing. "Most don't know it happened." His expression darkened, taking her aback, not expecting such a face from him. "But I suspected my father had something to do with it, he always hated it when I and my mother bonded." He sniffed and turned his head so that she wouldn't see his eyes misting. "Not now, keep it together!"

Stella eyed him in sympathy, she may not have experienced the same thing but she understood what the loss of a loved one could do to a person. She hesitantly reached out before lowering her hand with a frown. She was never good with emotions; Stolas was usually the softer figure in the family.

And her royal duties didn't help either.

With that, Stella felt resolve as her next move became clear. "It seems…." She ignored the hurt when he wiped his eyes and glanced at her with sad eyes. "That there's a story to tell." She turned away and held out her right palm as it began to glow. "I'll fetch us refreshments."

"Y-You don't have to!" He exclaimed while trying to regain composure and mentally berated himself for causing her trouble. "You idiot! Now she has to make an effort to-"

"It's no trouble at all." Stella calmly cut in and used her free glowing hand to do circular motions above her palm, causing a portal to open. "You've heard of our family's grievances and assisted." She adjusted the portal so that it was facing her and reached in with both hands. "It's only fair that I do the same for you."

Moxxie wanted to insist that she didn't have to do this but knew he wouldn't have a choice based on how driven she was being. "..." He looked down before conceding with a sigh. "Most people are wrong about you." She glanced at him with a curious look while minding her task. "Despite your reputation, I can say with confidence that you have a good heart." He smiled at her.

Stella froze, stunned by his declaration as well as the surge of emotions that went with it. After a moment, she didn't trust her words and simply nodded before facing the portal to pull out two wine glasses in one hand while the other had a bottle of alcohol.

When he opened his mouth, she was quick to speak. "Not to worry, it's nothing strong." She then formed a small teasing smile. "No sense in speaking to the unintelligible." Again, she was internally surprised by her sudden playfulness. "What was that just now?" She made sure to mask her confusion while offering a glass.

Moxxie on the other hand wasn't thrown off by her remark and simply smiled while taking a glass. "Point taken." She found herself returning the smile before opening the bottle.

AFTER THE EXPLANATION

Stella knew being an imp was hard, she wasn't ignorant of them in the slightest. But to hear firsthand how that treatment could even extend to their kin was both surprising and unsurprising.

Thankfully their talk had served to help Moxxie regain his composure. As well as help turn his focus away from his grief.

"Your father is scum." Stella remarked with a frown before taking a sip. "And to think, a noble soul like Moxxie is related to that filth." And when she thought about it, it's impressive how true he remained despite the strife in his life.

Moxxie snorted at her blunt remark. "That would be an understatement." He swirled his glass with a sigh. "If he had his way, I wouldn't be around to have a pleasant conversation with you." He took a sip while cringing inside from his words. "What was that just now?" Was it the alcohol?

Luckily, she seemed amused by the statement. "That would have been unfortunate." She chortled a bit before frowning. "I'm sorry about your mother." She idly imagined the mother's life here, safe from the mafia and the cruelty before shaking her head. "No use in thinking about it now."

While thinking the same things, Moxxie smiled a little at her. "I appreciate the sentiment." He took a sip of his drink with a sigh. "And I'm sorry about breaking down earlier, even if it was a long time ago, it feels like it just happened." He sniffed. "She would have loved to meet you; you'd have so much to talk about." He could easily picture them talking about common interests and gossiping like close friends.

"I imagine that that would have been the case as well." Stella smiled at the image, finding it wholesome. "And you shouldn't be ashamed, loss can take its toll. No matter the circumstance, everyone knows about grief." He nodded at her words. "But enough about that." He gave her his attention. "Since you seem to know me well enough, tell me about yourself Moxxie." She hoped that the subject change could help with his sadness.

The imp caught on and smiled. "Well, as you already know. I like music and art in general. Which includes operas since they have both." He shrugged. "My hidden fascination for weapons only emerged after becoming an assassin."

Stella hummed. "You must have done countless missions." She ignored the pang of concern that went through her. "He's intelligent and experienced, no cause for alarm." She froze. "Why am I even worried?"

"Quite a few, yeah." Moxxie nodded before frowning. "Of course, there are some jobs we had to refuse. Like that one demon asking us to kill his ex-wife's baby." She was aghast. "We thought he had a good reason for it but no, he just didn't want his kid to become like the mother." He finished his drink. "Turns out, he was a heavy abuser and was found guilty before being sent to prison to be executed."

Stella huffed. "Understandable how he'd end up here." She refilled his glass. "Not that I care, but where is he now?" She hoped that he was dead or worse.

After thanking her, he smiled a little. "Dead, thanks to my boss." He chuckled at how pleased she looked. "None of us were a fan of the guy so after giving him the middle finger, Blitzo shot him." She snorted the imagery but respected the tall imp's decision. "Of course, there are the other jobs we've done but I don't want to bore you." He looked away. "She's royalty, she'd probably want to talk about more civil things and-"

"I wouldn't mind." Stella's words stunned him. "I've already reached my limit by hearing other royals bragging about their wealth and achievements for some time now." She scrunched her nose a bit. "And to be blunt, I'd rather hear about your adventures than the abuse of imps and lower demons." She scoffed. "Honestly, it's like they have nothing else to do than to brag and seduce for their gain."

While still surprised by her interest, he couldn't help but laugh a bit at her remark. "Sounds boring." She gave him a look that screamed understatement. He then hummed in thought before shrugging, seeing no harm in it. "Well, as long as you're interested, I guess I can tell a few tales." She looked more than intrigued.

From there, the avian demon would listen as the imp shared his experience in I.M.P. as well as the various characters he encountered during his travels and experiences in the human world. He'd only pause when she asked a few questions and shared her thoughts.

As this went on, Stella was enthralled. Most wouldn't believe the words of an imp but she knew him well enough to see that his words are true and no mere boast or fabrication.

An insane cannibal family, wealthy scientists, cherubs, a dorky secret agency, a competition against a succubus (she couldn't even wrap her head around that one) and the list goes on.

"And just when we thought we could catch a break." Moxxie continued telling another memorable experience. "The guy pulls out a ROCKET LAUNCHER from his trunk!" He groaned with exasperation.

Stella nearly spit out her drink. "A what!?" She gave him a look of disbelief. "Surely you jest!"

"I wish I was." He shivered. "I could still feel the rocket passing by my head." He rubbed his ear as he remembered the sound of it. "Thankfully it needed one shot before being reloaded, giving me the opening to shoot his head before he could load another one." She looked impressed by his quick thinking and marksmanship. "It's honestly scary how easily accessible these weapons are in America." She nodded in agreement. "Thankfully the grimoire allowed us to isolate the area so that no civilians could get hurt while also giving us a quick getaway before the authorities arrived."

"You're welcome." Stella lightly remarked, causing him to chuckle. "I must say, your life certainly isn't boring." In a way, she was kind of envious of that. All that freedom and comradery were a stark contrast to her life of royal duties and narrow traditions with very few trustworthy people.

But she wouldn't trade it for anything if it meant being with her loved ones.

Moxxie huffed. "Not in the slightest." He shook his head with fond exasperation. "It's like we can't go one day without our office getting wrecked."

She giggled a little at that. "I can imagine your life outside of work is just as exciting." She mused aloud, already imagining him dealing with the daily chaos in hell.

"Not really." His remark caused her to look at him in surprise. "Outside of work, my life's pretty dull." He took a sip of his drink. "And lonely." He did his best not to show his sadness at the reminder.

"Really?" He nodded. "Aside from music in your spare time, surely there's something else that you do." When he shook her head, her brows furrowed. "I understand keeping distance from your mafia family as well as your team since they have their family lives to focus on. But what about you?" Her frown deepened when he shook his head again. "What about the princess and her group?"

He paused before shrugging. "Sometimes I go see them, but I mostly leave them be so that Charlie can focus on her dream." He sighed. "Why did the conversation suddenly focus on me?" Can't they talk about something else less personal?

"A significant other then?" Stella was about to take a sip before pausing when he tensed. "Oh dear." She grimaced as guilt shot through her; she hadn't intended to bring up bad memories. "I apologize, that was too-"

Moxxie shook his head. "It's fine, I know you meant well." He looked away and rubbed his arm. "I just prefer not talking about it." He muttered but she heard him well enough.

She was more than willing to comply until something stopped her. This imp, who she barely knew, helped her and her family in ways that could never be truly repaid. If it weren't for him intervening, her family would have remained trapped and her daughter would also be forced to endure the same thing down the line.

At that last thought, her face hardened. "I can't leave him like this." Resolve surged through her. "Not after all that he's done and endured." She stared at his tense form before speaking. "My daughter." He glanced at her. "Said the same thing to me a long time ago." His expression shifted to confusion, why was she bringing this up?

Seeing this she continued. "Naturally Stolas and I prodded, asking if we had anything to do with it." She chortled a little. "But being my daughter, she inherited my stubbornness and refused to elaborate." She stared at her drink. "Stolas looked ready to leave her be, but I wasn't and told her something my mother said once."

"And what's that?" Moxxie found himself asking.

To this Stella gave him a serious look. "Hiding within yourself might spare you pain. But you'll also prevent yourself from experiencing true happiness." He suddenly couldn't meet her gaze. "We may not be close associates, but I know what happens when you bottle up your emotions." She sighed and shook her head. "You can wear a mask for as long as you like, but eventually, it'll slip off and everything will be revealed." She spoke in a knowing tone.

Moxxie knew that she was referring to herself and that she was right. One way or another, the topic will come up again whether he liked it or not. So, with a sigh, he nodded. "Her name's Millie." Just saying her name sent a wave of sadness through him, but he bore with it. "As you know, after running away from home and before meeting my boss, I searched for possible work." He held his hands. "What I didn't tell you, was that I also searched on a farm." She nodded, knowing full well of the number of farms owned by imps in the Wrath Ring.

"All the others already had their spots filled, leaving her family to be my last option." She nodded. "I was already disheartened and frustrated from the rejections but all that was swept aside when…." He trailed off before smiling. "I met her." He chuckled. "She was at the entrance, fixing a sign."

Seeing his expression, Stella couldn't help but smile a bit. "She was a sight to behold." He sighed dreamily, to the internal amusement of the avian demon. "She greeted me without a second thought and didn't even point out how scrawny I was at the time." He set his glass aside. "Her soul was just as bright as Charlie's and has countless qualities that made her beautiful." He closed his eyes with a content look as he visualized that day.

"Strong, brave, kind, and graceful." His smile widened. "She was the total package, it's no wonder why I fell for her." He opened his eyes and chuckled while shaking his head. "Her reciprocating those feelings is still a mystery to me to this day."

At the look of intrigue from Stella, he continued. "She introduced me to her parents who were…." He pursed his lips. "To put it lightly, not impressed by my appearance but accepted the extra help nonetheless." He rubbed his arm. "It was hard work, but Millie being there made it worth it." She was touched by his love and smiled in approval before frowning when he became crestfallen. "Until…." He opened his mouth to say more before closing it with a grimace. "Her parents found out about our relationship." He said in a low voice.

As realization dawned on her, he continued. "I don't know how they did it, but they were quick to demand that we end it." He looked down. "We refused, Millie more so, but her parents were just as stubborn as she was."

"Why didn't they accept it?" Stella cut in, looking indignant. "Surely they've seen how happy she is with you."

Moxxie let out a bitter chuckle at that, the sound wrong to her ears. "I said the same thing but it fell on deaf ears." His expression turned frustrated. "They threatened to take action if we didn't comply and said that Millie would be disowned." He huffed, trying to calm his emotions. "I wanted to lash out at them for breaking her heart at that moment but taking her away from the pain was the priority." He looked at his hands in sadness. "She didn't even resist leaving them." He whispered in sorrow remembering how empty she looked in contrast to her more lively self.

Stella's expression shifted to sympathy, having experienced the same hopelessness when she was forced to marry. "What happened next?" She gently prodded.

He took a deep breath before tiredly sighing. "After comforting her, we lived in relative peace for a while. I was able to find work in a shooting range while she found work as a mechanic." He pursed his lips. "But I knew she wasn't truly happy, every once in a while, I'd catch her crying or having a nightmare about her family. And having longing looks when she saw something farm-related." He then scowled. "Not that it mattered."

"What do you mean?" Stella didn't like where this conversation was going.

Moxxie held back a growl. "Just when I offered to see her parents again and have a more civil conversation with them. We got attacked." She was taken aback by this. "And she was so happy too." He muttered in anger. "Wasn't it enough to disown her? You had to go and attack her too!? You could have just settled it with me instead of-"

A gentle hand on his shoulder stopped him. "Calm yourself." He glanced at her with a look that didn't affect her. "Emotions are good, but never let them consume you. Always leave a part of you that's aware." She repeated her mother's words to her during her youth. "I understand, but please, don't lose yourself over it." She gently squeezed his shoulder. "It would be a shame to lose a friend who's done so much for my family and me."

Moxxie stared at her for a moment before letting out a deep sigh and nodded. "Right, I'm sorry." He unconsciously touched her hand and patted it. "Thank you." He sent her an appreciative smile that she returned before removing her hand, not noticing the warmth left from the contact. "As I was saying, we were attacked." His expression hardened. "By someone her parents sent."

"Fools." Stella grumbled with a shake of her head. "In doing so they placed their daughter in danger." She then looked at him in concern. "Were both of you injured?"

To her internal relief, he shook his head. "Thankfully no, but we were still dazed from the explosion." He sighed. "As it turned out, the attacker was a well-known bounty hunter named Striker." When he noticed her confusion, he chuckled knowingly. "He isn't the type to spread his name, preferring rumors and whispers of his deeds." His expression darkened again. "Which makes his appearance to a target, all the more frightening."

"After shaking off our shock, he introduced himself and said that he was only here for the girl. And that if she came quietly, he'd spare me." He scoffed. "We weren't fooled for a second, we knew of his reputation of sparing the target if the client said so." He growled. "And knowing her parents, her father especially, I doubt I'd be given that mercy."

He then reigned in his emotions. "Millie and I stared at each other for a moment." He smiled at the memory despite the circumstances. "No words were needed; we had a plan." She leaned forward with intrigue. "She agreed to Striker's terms and made her way to him without resistance while I begged her not to." He smirked while the avian demon smiled knowingly.

"Striker was understandably surprised and looked at her with suspicion. Not that I blamed him." Moxxie shrugged, still smiling. "But when Millie stood next to him and showed that she was unarmed, he directed his focus on me and aimed his rifle." He rolled his eyes. "Unsurprisingly, he revealed that Millie's father had no intention of letting me go free."

Stella scoffed at the obvious double cross. "As expected." She then raised an eyebrow at him. "I imagine Millie wasn't keen on letting that happen."

"Not one bit." He chuckled. "For all his experience and reputation, Striker forgot the most basic thing about imps." She watched as his tail moved and pointed at his horns. "We're never truly unarmed." He said with a smug grin.

As realization dawned on her, his grin grew. "With rage, Millie snuck behind Striker and wrapped her tail around his neck and pulled him close for her to ram her horns in his back and through his chest."

"But as expected, he wasn't done, he wouldn't be an imp otherwise." He said knowingly. "When he tried to maneuver his gun to hit her, I jumped in and pulled the weapon to me with my tail before aiming." He looked up to the sky, his expression neutral. "I didn't even give him the chance to speak before shooting his head." He sighed. "His life was over the moment he put Millie in harm's way."

Stella nodded in agreement, not even put off by his cold tone knowing that she would have done the same thing. "Understandable." She approved before becoming concerned when he looked down with a frown. "But I sense the issue wasn't solved."

"Far from it." He sighed again, his expression remaining neutral. "I thought it was over too and even told her that we should move before they found out Striker failed." He held and gripped his hands. "But she didn't want to follow." He said evenly.

Before Stella could express her disagreement, he raised a hand. "I understand the frustration, but please, hear her out." She wanted to say something but his almost pleading tone made her reluctantly comply. "She said that as much as she didn't want to say it, our relationship needed to end." He closed his eyes to the familiar sting in his soul but refused to lose composure.

After letting out a sigh he continued. "Naturally I begged for her reason." He sighed. "I asked if I had done anything wrong at some point." He let out an empty chuckle. "But no, she said it was her."

Stella said nothing, but her expression said that she wanted an explanation. "It takes more than one to view a relationship." He looked at the city with a frown. "As it turned out, she had noticed how our relationship was going." He took a breath. "How tense and awkward it was most of the time. Me doing my best to constantly lift her spirits despite not succeeding as much." He looked down with a frown. "How it felt like that I was the only one making an effort to make sure the relationship worked." He fought a grimace from the sting of those words.

"I didn't deny any of it, not when she was right. But it still hurt." He added. "She praised me afterward, saying that any lady would be lucky to have me." He shook his head. "But all those compliments felt hollow, knowing where the conversation was going."

He glanced at his empty glass and resisted the urge to drown in alcohol. "As much as I resisted, saying that we could run far away and change our names, I knew there wasn't a chance to change her mind." He shrugged with a helpless smile. "Once she has her mind set on something, it's hard to change her course."

Moxxie sniffed. "She said that even if we went through with it, consequences be damned, we'll be found again. And seeing me struggle to make things work and getting hurt in the process was too much for her." He smiled sadly at the memory. "She loved me too much to see me hurt."

"But what about her parents?" Stella gently cut in. "How can she be so sure that they'll call off the attacks?"

"Because aside from protecting me, Millie wanted to give them a piece of her mind." He smirked a little. "And knowing that she's a woman of her word, she did that and more. There weren't any more attempts at my life after that point but…." He frowned again. "It still hurt to say goodbye to her."

Stella could hardly believe her ears. "Just like that?" She gave him an incredulous look. "After all the struggles and love shared, the relationship ended?" She was understandably frustrated by this. "That isn't fair to either of you."

"I know it isn't." He nodded. "But I wasn't going to force her to stay." He closed his eyes and took a breath to suppress the pain. "It felt like the longest goodbye for us, but we quickly went our separate ways afterward in case someone else was sent after us." Against his will, tears began building up. "It was loneliness and pain after that." He mentally berated himself for losing composure. "I quit my job too since I had a feeling they knew where I worked and kept going as far as I could."

He let out a shaky sigh. "All I did was move, searching for a place to stay and a way to earn. As well as ways to f-forget about…." His lips wobbled before he covered his face with his hands. "I-I'm sorry, i-it s-still hurts to-"

A gentle hand was placed on his shoulder. "I understand." Her voice was incredibly soft. "There's no shame in showing grief, take your time." She patted his shoulder before giving him a bit of space to let out his emotions.

Nothing more was said after that, only the occasional sniffle would break the gloomy silence but even that did little to ease the range of emotions within the avian demon. "Why am I so bothered about this?" It was a tragic tale for sure and while she does feel sadness for the imp, that didn't explain why it felt….personal to her.

She then eyed imp, enduring the stab of pain from seeing how saddened he was before asking something that she hoped wouldn't make things worse. "Do you still feel the same about her?" She did her best to ask in the gentlest way possible to avoid offense or angering her companion.

Thankfully he didn't seem to mind as he merely wiped his tears and nodded a little. "A part of me always will." He steadied his breathing. "But at the same time, it was something we both agreed on." He sniffed before giving her the best smile he could manage. "The best thing I can do is move on and honor her wishes."

While feeling her respect for him grow, Stella gave him a look of approval. "Well said." She then refilled his glass. "And I agree with her, any woman would be lucky to have you." She reassured him and offered the drink to him. "Your maturity, skills, knowledge, and kind nature validate this."

"I don't know about that." He remarked while graciously taking the glass. "I can be pretty immature, petty, and out of the loop sometimes." He pointed out before taking a sip. "And my skills aren't the best eithe-"

Stella huffed. "You don't give yourself enough credit." He glanced at her. "Everyone has their faults, not a single individual is born perfect, myself included." She shook her head. "Even beings of higher power have their imperfections." She then smiled kindly at him. "Don't belittle yourself, you're much more than what you believe you are."

While taken aback by her kind words and the warmth that came with it, Moxxie did his best to regain enough composure to nod. "Well, I…." He cleared his throat and smiled. "Thank you." She returned the expression with a nod.

A commotion was heard in the courtyard, drawing their attention. They watched as all the guests made their way out of the building with the newlyweds leading. "What's going on?" Moxxie wondered aloud while eyeing the crowd.

Stella observed the scene before remembering the schedule. "Ah, it appears to be midnight now." He gave her a curious look before checking his watch to confirm the time. "The wedding plan involved a fireworks show after the celebration."

After remembering the planning as well, Moxxie looked sheepish. "Oh yeah, Stolas mentioned that." He chuckled before grimacing a bit when he glanced at the crowd. "But truth be told, I'm feeling a little drained to socialize with a crowd." Now that he noticed, his body had been telling him to rest since 11 p.m.

"Likewise." Stella nodded with a sigh, evidently noticing her fatigue as well. "But I suppose I could spare a few more moments of my time to enjoy the show." She mumbled and leaned against the railing with her palm on her cheek. Despite having seen countless fireworks shows from royal gatherings, she was a little curious as to what Stolas had composed for the show. "Hopefully this'll be interesting." She mumbled while idly noting that her top staff members William, George, and Sophie were manning the fireworks launcher.

At that, Moxxie glanced at her in thought. He could go home now, tell her to enjoy the rest of the evening and she'd most likely be fine with it knowing how drained he was.

There wouldn't be any danger in doing so either, after tonight, he can confidently say that they had grown to be friends. Even if she hadn't vocalized it, her actions had already solidified this fact.

He could leave her in peace with no strings attached.

But….

Despite his body's protest, a part of him didn't want to. Apart from enjoying the time spent (tears aside), there was just something about her that made him want to stay. Like an invisible force urging him to get close to her.

While making a mental note to investigate the feeling later (he had an inkling of what it could be, but he'd rather not jump to conclusions), Moxxie hummed. "You know…." He looked at the large home. "This place is quite vast." She gave him an odd look as he hopped down and admired the entrance to the balcony. "It may not seem like much to most royals, but for a simple imp like me, it's like a maze." She glanced at the entrance and then back to him, where was he going with this? "With that said." He turned to her with a friendly smile and a hand. "Would you honor this imp with a tour?" He flushed a little as he said this.

At the same time, the fireworks started.

But neither acknowledged it, the imp patiently waited for a response while Stella just stared at him with a look of surprise.

After taking a moment to school her features, she assessed him as well as the time spent with him. No one had ever helped their family the way he had. And no one, not even Stolas, had her open up and express herself in ways she thought would be impossible for her. Someone bound by duty and the responsibilities of her position.

To think, an imp, a species that she had shallow views of. Was able to tear her walls and show her a new perspective on things. And most importantly, allow her to be herself for once.

While thinking about these things, she took note of his features. Eyes that held compassion, experience, and a hidden layer of determination. And despite his height, she knew of his strength and skill.

As for character, she did not doubt that the imp that stood before was one of the kindest, humblest, and noblest souls in hell. One that can be trusted without question.

While concluding this, Stella formed a soft smile. "My my, you've become quite brave." She raised an amused eyebrow. "What happened to the cautious and humble imp I met earlier?" She questioned in amusement.

"In my defense, I did have a few drinks." Moxxie joked with a chuckle. "So, I might as well make use of my sudden confidence before I sober up." She covered her mouth and giggled. "Beautiful laugh." He flushed a little at the thought but remained composed.

After recomposing herself. "I suppose…." She glanced back and smiled a little when she saw the newlyweds happily watching the show. "I've seen enough." She held back a giggle when she spotted William stopping Sophie from touching a set of special fireworks while George merely focused on his task. "And as far as I can recall." She returned her gaze to Moxxie and approached with a kind smile. "It has been some time since I did a tour of our home." She offered a hand.

"You honor me, milady." Moxxie returned the smile and held her hand, thankfully he was tall enough to meet her reach without the need to adjust her posture. "After you." He bowed and gestured to the entrance.

While amused by the gesture, Stella tightened her grip a bit on his hand. "It would be my pleasure." She answered before the two entered the building with content smiles.

Neither were sure what this meant for the future, after all, who could be certain of what was to come? But both were certain that it opened a path to a life of happiness.

A life that both would seek together.

MEANWHILE-IN THE COURTYARD

Unbeknownst to the duo, Stolas had been discreetly watching them leave with a smile on his face. "Oh my, this is certainly interesting." He hummed as his gaze shifted to the show. "Regardless of the outcome, I'm glad they're both moving on." Just like Stella, he knew that Moxxie had a hidden layer of sadness but couldn't approach it due to his husband's reassurance. Saying that he needed to deal with it on his own and forcing the subject out would only do more harm.

He was skeptical but was glad to be proven wrong based on how happy they looked. He may not know what was said between the two, but whatever it was, was enough to tear down their walls and trust one another.

Stolas inwardly chuckled. "And to think, an imp had managed to succeed where I had failed." Irony is a funny thing, more so if it is poetic in a way.

Noticing his amusement, Blitzo gave him an odd look. "What's that look for?"

Stolas only shook his head and leaned against him. "Just an interesting development, nothing to be concerned of." His husband still looked curious but trusted him to let it go for now. "Although…." The imp was surprised when he leaned close to his ears. "I'm admittedly excited for our honeymoon night~." He emphasized his point with a lick to his ears while idly glad that he was able to book a private place for them tonight to allow Moxxie and Stella to bond in the mansion.

While feeling a surge of arousal go through him, Blitzo remained stoned-faced. "Down boy." He yanked the demon's face to look at him, making the avian squirm from the stare. "If you keep being a minx in public, I'll leave you hanging tonight and horny for a week." He narrowed his eyes, showing how serious he was.

Stolas gasped in horror, he couldn't last a day, never mind a week! "I-I'll be good!" He stammered while looking pale. The sight looked quite comical but to him, it was a matter of life or death.

Blitzo stared into his eyes, searching for deceit, when he found none, he released his husband's face and patted his cheek. "Good boy." He smiled and patted the cheek of the avian who beamed from the praise.

Meanwhile, not too far from them, Loona rolled her eyes with a grimace. "Can't they keep it in their pants for more than 5 seconds?" She muttered tiredly.

Next to her, Octavia looked at what she was referring to before sighing. "Based on what I've seen, I doubt it." The hellhound made a face at that. "Want to repress the mental images with games in my room later…." She paused, mentally hoping she wasn't rushing things. "Sister?" She asked while looking nervous and hopeful.

Loona snapped at her in surprise before wearing a small smile upon registering her words. "You didn't have to ask sis." She wrapped an arm around her, oblivious to her tail wagging happily while Octavia beamed.

No more words were needed as both newlyweds and new siblings watched the show, all thinking of the bright future to come as a family.

Author's Notes:

1. And there we have it! This admittedly took a while to make due to work life, writer's block, and all the other obstacles of life.

2. As I mentioned in the first note, I apologize if the characters acting differently from how they normally act in canon bother any of you. It's just how I interpret the show's world with the general knowledge I have while adding a few things to it.

3. Feel free to give your honest reviews and if errors are spotted, I'll be sure to fix them.

Thank you for reading!