Chapter 41

This is a fanfiction based on Helluva Boss, Hazbin Hotel, and the fanfiction Loona the Caretaker. All OC rights belong to their original creators and owners. The characters of Loona the Caretaker belong to MetalBrony823. Slade OC belongs to Blurey08. Zepar, Bael, Leo, and Francesco belong to Acker. Kyorichi, Fuko, Bloody Mary, and Kely OC belong to ninjashin11, and the characters of Helluva Boss and Hazbin Hotel belong to VivziePop. I own nothing. This is pure fanfiction, just for fun.

Friday had finally arrived. The big date for both Loona and Cody. They didn't want to admit it, but they were both nervous. Loona wore her shoulderless red pentagram dress with black gloves and leggings. Cody wore clothes similar to when he did the commercial. He was wearing navy blue cargo pants, black combat boots, a white collared shirt with the sleeves rolled up, a black and red vest with a red pentagram star on the back, his black leather gloves, and his black fedora hat with the skull.

"You sure that's what you want to wear on your first date?" Loona asked.

"Yeah, I figured a suit or a collared shirt with slates is too much. Plus, we're not going to a five-star restaurant or the opera theater. We're going to the arcade, then to Stylist Occults," Cody replied.

"Yeah, those places aren't fancy," Loona said and then straightened Cody's clothes in a motherly nature, "So, you're good? Got everything you need?"

Cody nodded, "Yeah. Got my cube, my phone, my wallet, and my gift to her. What about you? You good, too?"

"Got everything I need."

Loona put on a few puffs of perfume, and Cody put on a few puffs of cologne. They both inhaled and exhaled nervously.

"Man, why are we so anxious?" Cody asked.

"For you, it's because it's your first date with a girl, but you'll be fine. It's me that should be worried. It's complicated with me and Slade, and I just want us to be okay," Loona said.

"I think you'll do fine. I know you will."

Cody held Loona's hand and gave her a warm smile. Loona returned a smile just as warm as his as she squeezed his hand. They texted their dates that they were ready and waited for their reply. Thankfully, they answered nearly at the same time. Cody looked at Loona, and she nodded. Then, he concentrated and summoned two portals on the wall. One was just outside Kimberly's house, where she was waiting, and the other was outside of Slade's apartment, where he was also waiting.

Slade wore a black collared shirt with rolled sleeves and black dress pants. The shirt had a blue tribal wolf design on the left side. He looked handsome, and the shirt showed off his muscles. A stainless steel skeleton watch with a black leather band was on his wrist. Loona's eyes widened when she saw Slade.

Kimberly wore a purple gothic dress with a cute black ribbon around her neck, knee-high combat boots with white laces, and a cool punk rock jacket. The torso was black with punk symbols all over it, and the sleeves and collar were white with little metal spikes. Her white hair was tied in a high ponytail over her black hair like always. She looked amazing. Cody couldn't help but stare.

They both stepped through the portals. Cody and Kimberly were blushing while looking away in their shy disposition. This made Loona and Slade smile.

"You look beautiful, Kimberly," Cody spoke.

Kim said, "You're easy on the eyes yourself, hot stuff. Love the hat."

"Uh ha ha, thanks. I love the jacket."

"Speaking of beautiful, you look gorgeous, Loona," Slade said.

"Thanks, you're looking hot, too," Loona replied.

Cody then summoned two portals. One led to the arcade, where Cody and Kimberly were headed. The other led to the Glowing Skull Palace for Loona and Slade.

"You two have dinner reservations and a room. It's all paid for, so don't worry about the bill," Cody said.

"Thanks, Cody," Slade said.

"Yeah, thanks. You kids have fun, but be safe," Loona said.

"We will," Cody replied.

"I mean it. No funny business."

"That's no fun," Kimberly said.

Loona gave her a look.

"I'm kidding. We'll behave."

"You better. Remember, my nose can detect anything."

"Don't worry."

They went through their portals. As soon as they closed, Kimberly hugged Cody's arm.

"Now that we're alone, I can put my hands all over you," Kimberly said.

Cody blushed and gave a nervous chuckle. They walked over to the arcade, and thankfully, it wasn't too busy.

"So, uh, did you want to eat first or play games?" Cody asked.

"Let's eat first before all the booths are gone," Kimberly answered.

They grabbed a booth and ordered some food – burgers, and fries with soda. There was a small, awkward moment of silence between them before Kimberly broke the silence.

"So, I've been meaning to ask. How does it feel to be the most famous person in Hell? I mean, I bet you weren't expecting any of this years ago when you lived on the surface, right?" Kimberly asked.

Cody shook his head, "No, I wasn't. It's a strange feeling. I'm not sure I like all the attention. So many people know me. It feels like I'm exposed," Cody answered.

"Yeah, not a good feeling. Believe me, after being raised by a ninja, you get into the habit of staying invisible."

Cody looked up, "Speaking of ninjas, how did your dad, Fuko, adopt you? That Overlord we killed together, he killed your parents. So, how did Fuko come into your life?"

Kimberly's smile was gone, and Cody regretted asking.

"I'm sorry," Cody said.

"No, it's okay. After my parents were killed, I ran away. I was on my own for a while. Pickpocketing, stealing food, running from the law, getting into fights, sleeping wherever I could. You know, usual street stuff," Kimberly explained.

"That's horrible."

Kimberly shrugged, "That's life. Anyway, one day, I stole the wrong wallet. I was cornered, and I thought for sure I was going to die, but then I was saved . . . by Fuko. He was amazing. I never saw such strength and skill. It was . . . inspiring."

Cody could see it in her eyes and on her face. What happened that day changed her life. He grew a smile. Kimberly told her story of how Fuko took her, adopted her, and trained her himself with his ninja skills. It was pretty cool.

Their food finally arrived, and they dug in. Kimberly listened to Cody's story of how Loona saved him from the fire and adopted him and their adventures. The food was delicious, and the air was filled with excellent rock music.

Meanwhile

Loona and Slade were enjoying a nice dinner as well. However, what separated them from Cody and Kimberly's date was the place was quieter and less crowded. Slade had medium rare steak, and Loona had grilled salmon.

"I can't believe Cody arranged all this," Slade said before taking a bite.

"He knows that I'm not into fancy stuff, but he wanted us to have a nice date," Loona replied after taking a sip of wine.

"He's a good kid," Slade paused before speaking again, "I know I'm not exactly father material, but I'll do my best to be a good example."

"It ain't rocket science. Yeah, it's not easy, but raising a kid isn't impossible. I mean, I wasn't exactly the ideal mother for Cody when I took him under my wind, and I did okay."

They ate in silence for a while before speaking again.

"You know, I really missed you, Loona," Slade said.

Loona looked up at him.

Slade continued, "I thought about you a lot . . . while I lived on the surface, but I was—"

Slade looked away to fight back his tears. Loona's eyes slightly widened, seeing his vulnerability.

Slade spoke in a broken voice, "I was so ashamed of myself that I couldn't bear to bring myself to see you. I know you said I shouldn't blame myself for what happened . . . but it's so hard to—"

Loona reached over and held his hand. He looked up at her with hopeful eyes. Loona was fighting tears as well.

"I never blamed you. So, you need to forgive yourself. I'm here, Slade. I'm here. I survived, and so did you. What happened in the past is done. I know you're never going to leave me . . . because I'm never leaving you. Ever," Loona stated.

Slade closed his eyes as their hands clasped. After dinner, they went upstairs to their room.

Meanwhile

After Cody and Kimberly's dinner, they went to play arcade games. They started with racing games like Fast & Furious.

"I got you now!" Cody hollered.

Cody hit the nitro to accelerate his car to catch up with Kimberly.

"Oh no, you don't!" Kimberly mocked.

They raced through the streets, zig-zagging past oncoming cars and making tight turns. Kimberly was in the lead, with Cody following close behind. The finish line was coming up, and it was close, but Kimberly won by one and a half seconds.

"Yes! Ha!" Kimberly cheered.

"Dang it," Cody groaned.

Her console printed more tickets than his. They played Mario Kart, and Cody was able to get the upper hand and win. He cheered in victory. Then they played the basketball Super-Shot, and Kimberly was a lot better at it than Cody as she beat him by eight points. After that, they played air hockey, and Cody beat her by five points. They were having fun, saving the best for last – Dance Dance Revolution. Cody could handle himself toe-to-toe. Kimberly was putting on some sweet moves, and she won.

They used their tickets to buy each other prizes. Cody got Kimberly a pair of Beats earbuds and a stuffed animal that looked like the thing that Millie got from Loo Loo Land. Kimberly got Cody a cheeseburger backpack and a classic Gameboy Advance. At least, it looked like it, but it had hundreds of games installed inside it. Both were very grateful for their new gifts. Cody opened a portal back home, and they walked through the park close to his neighborhood while holding hands.

"Do you know what you want to be when you grow up?" Cody asked.

"I don't really know. Like my dad, I thought of being a ninja, but he only taught me those skills to defend myself. So, he won't let me be that," Kimberly answered.

"Oh, I see," Cody said.

"I'm still exploring. What about you?"

"Whatever it is I want to be, it has to be something music-related. Loona won't let me be in a band forever. So, I think either I'll own a music studio or work for one."

Kimberly smiled at that, "Although, being knighted and all that money from killing Overlords, I bet you don't have to worry about money ever again."

Cody shrugged, "Well . . . that's assuming that this war doesn't kill me."

Kimberly's smile disappeared as she turned to Cody, and they stopped walking.

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to kill the good vibes," Cody said.

"No, it's okay. Cody, you can talk to me. Tell me how you feel," Kimberly said.

Cody sighed and explained, "If I'm being honest, I'm worried. I'm worried for everyone I care about. This war is intense . . . and there's the I.S.N.A. They're dangerous. They attacked my brother, and now they have my best friend. So, I'm not fully sure if my dreams of working for a music studio will actually happen."

Kimberly held Cody's face, "Cody, you're a lot stronger and more powerful than you think. You'll survive. The VVV, the I.S.N.A., and whoever else are going down. And we'll save Melman. Don't worry."

Cody gently held her hand that was on his cheek.

"It's hard not to," Cody said.

Kimberly pulled him in for a kiss. Cody, at first, was surprised by this, but then he slowly closed his eyes and kissed her back. They separated to look at each other.

"You have friends, Cody. You're not alone. We're here. I'm here . . . and I'm not going anywhere," Kimberly stated clearly.

Cody held her hands and brought them to his lips to kiss them. He gave a gentle smile, and she returned the same as their foreheads gently touched.

Then, their heads separated to look at each other.

"Does this mean we're girlfriend and boyfriend?" Cody asked.

"That's a bit of a rhetorical question, don't you think?" Kimberly replied.

Cody shifted his eyes sheepishly before whispering, "Does that mean I can kiss you again?"

Kimberly smiled and looked at him with half-closed eyes and raised eyebrows.

"You wanna kiss your girlfriend?" Kimberly cooed.

"Yes, please," Cody answered.

Kimberly chuckled, wrapped her arms around his neck, and pulled him for a kiss. Cody wrapped his arms around her and kissed her back. The kissing turned into a make-out. Cody felt happy and excited that this was happening. He had a girlfriend now, and she was eating him. After a while, they ceased kissing and hugged each other in a tight embrace.

"I'm really happy right now," Cody said as he caressed Kimberly's hair.

"Oh good, because so am I," Kimberly replied.

"I really like you, Kimberly."

"Me too. I really like you, too."

"But at the same time, I'm also scared that something bad will happen to you and your dad, Fuko. Is that normal?"

"Totally, and you're fighting in a war. So, how do you think I feel?"

That's right. Cody was a knight. A soldier fighting the VVV Legion in a full-scale war and the last major battle was a close one. It's bad enough that he's fighting with his mother, but it must be heartbreakingly stressful for all their friends and family. Not knowing whether or not they'll be okay was the worst feeling.

"We're winning for the most part. I'll do my best to keep it that way. So, we're good, right?" Cody asked.

"Yeah, we're gonna be okay," Kimberly said.

"We're gonna be okay?"

"We're gonna be okay, babe."

"Okay."

Kimberly rubbed Cody's back and glided her fingers through his hair. Cody relished the sensation and the feeling of holding her close. He enjoyed the smell of her hair and perfume.

Meanwhile

Loona and Slade lay naked in bed next to each other, with the bed sheets covering their lower halves and staring up at the ceiling. They panted to slow down their heart rate while covered in sweat.

"Wow, that was . . . wow," Loona panted.

"I know, right?" Slade breathed.

Loona rolled over and kissed Slade passionately. Then, after a while, she got up, put on a bathrobe, and went out to the balcony to smoke. Slade put on his boxer shorts and joined her to smoke as well as they gazed out into Nightmare City's skyline.

"You really did miss me," Loona said with a chuckle.

Slade laughed, "Shut the fuck up."

"What? I'm just saying. That was some intense lovemaking. I can barely stand up straight from you plowing into me," Loona teased.

"Oh, it was intense, alright. You were riding me like no tomorrow. I'm still sore."

They laughed and made one joke after another. Finally, they chilled together while smoking.

"I wonder how Cody's date with Kimberly is doing?" Loona asked.

"I'm sure he's doing fine as long as he's being himself," Slade replied.

"Yeah. If he's being his usual likable self, then he's got nothing to worry about. Is it weird that I'm worrying anyway?"

"That's your motherly instincts. Perfectly normal."

There was another long moment of silence as they stared out into the city.

Slade reached over and held Loona's hand. She turned and looked at him.

"You're right," Slade said.

"About what?" Loona asked.

"About everything. I do need to forgive myself and see the good in me like you do. Life feeling shitty about yourself isn't living . . . and I'm tired of feeling shitty."

Loona squeezed his hand, "That's exactly what I've been trying to tell you. We're allowed to be happy, Slade. I want that. I want us to be happy, and we can be."

Slade turned to her, "I love you, Loona. I'm not perfect, but I love you."

Loona's eyes sparkled at that, and she sent her lips to his, giving him a passionate kiss.

"I love you, Slade. I don't know what will happen in the future, but I know one thing," Loona said as she held his face, "I'm not letting you go. Never. I'll fucking marry you if I have to."

Slade closed his eyes and held Loona's hand that held his face.

"I'm not going anywhere . . . not again. If you tell me to stay, I'll stay," Slade said.

"Stay. Stay with me," Loona said firmly.

Slade nodded, "Then stay, I shall."