Helluva Boss and all characters therein are owned by Vivienne Medrano and Spindlehorse.

-x-

Its "Meet the Fans" hour at Mammon's clown competition and one disgruntled fan has it out for Fizzerolli.

Blitzø stands between Fizz and the increasingly deranged fan. He remembers this asshole. It's not the first time he's messed with Fizzerolli and Blitzø regrets every time he didnt punch this fucker in the throat. He takes the opportunity to slam the butt of his rifle into the creep's face.

"You're not done with me Fizzerolli!" The greasy, green clad Imp warned before slinking away.

Blitzø turned to check on Fizz. "Ohhh, shit." Blitzø sighed. "That guy got to you didnt he. You know you dont have to..."

"I do Blitzø, I do." Fizz sounded so scared and defeated.

"Fucking hell Fizz this is stupid. That clown shit is not this important."

"This job IS! Without it Ill loose..."

"EVERYTHING!!" The crowd favorites, Glitz and Glam, the water demon twins, appeared taunting Fizz and creating more mental chaos. They disappeared just as fast leaving the echos of their laughter in Fizzerolli's mind.

"Seriously that guy is a fucking dick and he's using you for everything, cause your likable and he's a fucking trash fire." Blitzø was worried. This is what Osmodeus ment. Mammon was so abusive that Fizz was afraid to quit. What had Mammon threatened him with!?

"He's just trying to make me good enough." Fizz argued.

"Good enough for what?" asked Blitzø. "Dammit!" thought Blitzø." Why has he never thought he was good enough!"

The twins came on stage strong, seducing the audience like siren with their movements and melody. They taunted Fizz from the main stage, throwing vocal barbs and challenges from the lyrics of their song.

Fizz watched their modern, edgy performance and suddenly couldnt breathe. He broke into tears and ran.

"Fizz?!" Blitzo reached out to his friend but Fizzerolli was beyond his grasp. Fizz ran down the hall and into his dressing room.

"Shit!!" Blitzo pulled out his phone and followed.

"Osmodeus you need to get your rooster ass down to Fizz's dressing room. He's panicking and needs you. He is NOT ok.

"What happened?" Osmodeus asked.

"Plenty! This stalker Fizz has had since we were kids found him and got into his head. I couldn't outright kill the bastard because it would have made him spiral. He would never have been able to finish the show. I think Mammon threatened him with something right before the snatch sisters went on. He was on edge before they came out. Once they did, they immediately started fucking with him from the stage. They're good and he feels like he isn't. Whatever the root of this panic is, I know it includes you. If you care about him like he believes you do, you better get down here right the fuck NOW!

Osmodeus appeared out of thin air in front of Blitzø.

"Good!! Now, go help him!!"

"Blitzø, thank you. I made the right decision trusting you."

"No shit! I would die for that clown. NOW GET IN THERE!! Blitzo yelled in a whisper and pointed at the door.

Oz looked at Blitzø with a new understanding, then entered the room and closed the door.

"You shouldn't be here Osmodeus!"

Blitzo listened in

"You think you have to be this perfect model performer but thats because Mammon is always forcing that image onto you!"

Blitzo suddenly remembers the blessed rifle hidden at IMP and wonders if he could kill a sin.

"Everything I have is because of Mammon..."

Blitzo saw something from the corner of his eye.

"... I feel if I loose this, I loose you."

Blitzo feels like he's been slapped. He is suddenly teleported back to their teens and the feeling that if Fizz left the circus he would loose him. Forever.The letter he painstakingly written had said all that, but had encouraged Fizz to go and had asked if he could go with him. He had wanted Fizz to live his dream and he had wanted to support and protect him along that path.

He shook the tears off and refocused on the green creep on the edge of his vision. Blitzø was done. He would make sure this guy could never bother Fizzerolli again.

"...I'm barely worthy of working with a king of sin because THIS IS WHO I AM!" Fizz's voice cracks with emotional pain.

The jingling of bells clearly means Fizz has unmasked himself to Osmodeus. Blitzø realizes he's never seen Fizz's damaged horns. He's never seen him without his jester hat. Not since the fire. On all the televised events and interviews not once had he appeared without it.

"...Without all this, Im nothing!" Fizz was crying.

Blitzø clenches his teeth and growls. He sees the green creep slink down the canvas lined hallway, thinking Blitzø is unaware of his presence.

"Fizz, Mammon didnt do shit! You always were this. You'd be this no matter what! You are the most inspiring demon that I have ever known and meeting you was the best thing that ever happened to me!"

"Same, motherfucker" thought Blitzø.

Green creep was getting bolder the closer he got. Blitzø could see a glint of metal near his hand. Bitch had a knife.

"...I love you so much, Ozzie."

"And I love you too, Fizzerolli."

"Well, that nails it. I protect them both." Blitzø thinks. He gagues the distance between greenie and himself. If he moves toward him, bitch will run. If he lets him think he's going to have his revenge then he can get him from behind.

"This fucker deserves to be shot in the back." thought Blitzø.

Blitzø moves slowly away from the door, gun raised in pretense that he saw someone in the opposite direction of the green creep. He is very aware of the arrogant way the creep casually walks up to the door and lays a hand on the knob. Creeper takes a deep breath and throws open the door and waves his knife around.

"Youre gonna listen to me now BITCH!!

POW!!

The Imps head dissappears, and Fizz's dressing mirror splits revealing a lone bullet in the wall. The body falls and Blitzo stands, looking down the sight of his rifle. Fizz and Oz stare back.

Blitzø lowers his weapon.

"OH! So you two ARE an item!" He says, as if challenging them to deny it. "Well congratulations you fucking hypocrites. So are we done here?" Blitzø asks.

Fizz turns to Oz, the bells on his replaced hat jingling . Yea. Yea we're done. Im gonna say one last goodbye, then I quit."

Osmodeus kissed Fizz gently on his head. nodded his thanks to Blitzø and poofed from the room.

Fizzerolli approached Blitzø. He hugged his friend, rifle and all. "Thanks. I've missed you and your clarity. Sometimes I wish you could have walked this path with me. Im glad youre here now. You were there when I got the contract, and you're here now that im ending it. Beginning and end. Things are finally starting to feel alright again."

Blitzø stepped back to look Fizzerolli in the eye.

"Fizz, im proud of you. Always have been. Now get out there and give them the best fucking retirement performance of their lives! Ill be above you in the catwalks the whole time."