A/N: Hey guys, I'm back.
Lots of different things happening to cause the delay, some good, some great, some bad, some worse. Suffice to say, here's that next chapter!
Sorry if it reads a little chaotic. I was trying to blend what felt like Helluva Boss while also adding my own thing to it. Without an Episode as a baseline, I tended to spend more time describing and explaining things than just letting them unfold in people's heads, so sorry if that's an issue ahead of time.
That being read, I welcome your Reviews. If you have criticisms, I welcome those too. Please keep them constructive. I want to grow as an author, and I can't do that if people aren't willing to critique, or only want to tear me down. I'm not here to please everybody, but I am here to learn. There is a method to my madness, even if I don't always fully understand it. 90% of what I write, I don't write baselessly. If there is something not canon or changed from canon, there is generally a reason. If something doesn't make sense, feel free to let me know (constructively), and as long as it doesn't creep into SPOILER! territory, I'll do my best to explain it.
WARNING: This is rated M for a reason. In keeping with the spirit of Helluva Boss, there will be copious amounts of Murder, Brutal Violence, Senseless Violence, Child Violence, Gender-Equal Violence, Accidental Violence, Robot Violence, Drugs, Hard Drugs, Soft Drugs, Prescription Drugs, All-Natural Drugs, "All Natural" Drugs, Alcohol, Blood, Gore, Visceral, Dissection, the occasional slow-crunch of Bones, and Cannibals contributing to said "slow-crunch", Physical Abuse, Mental Abuse, Emotional Abuse, Language, Offensive Language, non-Politically Correct Language, possibly butchered attempts at Foreign Language, Horny Demons, Hornier Humans, even Hornier Furries, and any number of things the average law-abiding citizen might consider "distasteful", but that I find hilarious because laughter is easier than being angry at people or the world all the time.
May also include some point-blank wholesomeness. No reason to warn about this, except that some of you might find it offensive because you have nothing good in your life, and therefore have to ruin everything good for everyone else. If you feel offended for me calling you out, then you know who you are.
This story is not for people who are easily offended, are offended on other people's behalf when said people really don't give a shit, squeamish around violence, think sex is naughty, or think jokes are like dicks and take them way too hard. You know the drill (haha! I just got that!)
If you don't like it, DON'T READ IT!
This is for Adults, or for any of you below the age of 18 who are so desensitized to this stuff because your parents never cared about your mental sanctity (Wow! Already getting in the spirit of things and insulting people! Noice!). All the same, Reader Discretion is Advised. (God I love this pre-story warning!)
But! Because this is my first "real" attempt at such mature content, don't expect me to dive head-first into 'X-rated' stuff. Or even dabble. No dabbling. That's not the vibe I got from Helluva Boss. That, and my mother would burn me at the stake if I did. Love you Mom!
*This copy and paste was brought to you from the super comfy bed of SteinMon1920518*
Review Responses:
- "Guest" 1: Easy there tiger.
- "Guest" 2: That's good to know.
- Axelmos2358: lol, that's good to know... I think?
- QuirkySavage: We'll see. And I appreciate it.
- DEMETER10: Eddie is the little punk of a kid from the Pilot episode. He was killed and came back as a Sinner Demon.
- Blyatman-1: Thanks. And I'm doing better, thanks for the well-wishes.
- ThousandSonSorcere: Not sure how to respond, but I'm glad you've enjoyed it so far.
- "Guest" 3: Updated!
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*End of Responses
Disclaimer: I don't own Helluva Boss, Hazbin Hotel, or any of its subsidiaries. Those rights belong exclusively to Vivziepop, and anyone else who had a hand in it's creation. I just get to enjoy it for all it's worth.
I would also like to point out that I don't own any other media or content that may be mentioned as further enrichment to the story.
I do however, own all Original Characters and Scenarios, so... MINE!
Without further ado. *Que the dimming of the lights*
Chapter 13: The Morning After
Loona had cleaned up as best as she could, though she had needed to put some pressure on her stomach to push out Snow's… yeah. It wasn't perfect, but it would do until she could clean up properly. There was nothing she could do about her bedhead and her fur was sticking out in multiple directions, considering her hair looked like a wild and puffed-up mess and she didn't have so much as a brush on-hand. She looked like she'd partied too hard last night.
'Note-to-self, set up an over-night bag.'
But unlike when she partied, DAMN was she glowin'. Practically shimmering. When she looked in the mirror, even she could see the sparkle in her eye, and if that shit wasn't weird, she didn't know what was.
Like he'd stated, Snow had left out some clothes for her to wear on his bed as she came out of the bathroom. Even as lithe as he was in his demon form, his clothes still fit fairly loose on her when she slipped them on. His scent clung to the fabric, eliciting an unconscious blush at how it lingered and encompassed her. Just breathing in his scent was causing her toes to curl and her lower stomach to prickle enticingly despite how sore she felt.
Clearing her throat and snort to clear her nose before she tried taking care of the issue on Snow's bed, she quickly followed the smells coming from what had been made into a kitchen, finding Snow humming over a portable grill as he cooked. The moment she'd walked in, the eye on his temple lulled in her direction.
That was something she was curious about. Did he divide his focus with five eyes? Or did he just naturally filter through all five eyes? And when he closed his odd three to look "normal", did that mess with his depth perception? Or was he just that used to it?
Huh. Biology.
"So?" she prompted, waiting until he turned around before nervously splaying her arms in demonstration. Just to show off a little, she gave a little twirl, putting a little more emphasis into how her hips rolled and in her tail trailing behind her. "How do I look?"
Considering she was in an olive-green t-shirt that almost hung off one of her shoulders, and a pair of his boxers, it wasn't much of a fashion statement. While he had left her a pair of sports shorts, she… could admit she wanted to see his reaction to seeing her in his underwear. She'd heard that was a thing, and had been just a little tempted to try it.
Still, she cringed. Trying to be cute wasn't her thing, and she wasn't sure if she was pulling it off.
The low rumble that flicked at her ears surprised her, all of Snow's eyes pulsing hypnotic blue as he drew his gaze up and down her body. Ravenously. Who gave a fuck whether the pulsing was magic, or the veins in his eyes; any hungrier, and she'd probably find out the further extents of his stamina. "You're lucky I have my hands full," he loosed gutturally.
"Or what?" she dared him, stepping towards him almost tauntingly. She yelped as she came into range as one of his tails shot out, curling around her waist and pulling her closer. Her breath caught when she realized Snow was right in front of her, giving her a half-lidded smile before kissing her on the nose with exaggerated care.
"Dunno. But that's the fun part," he tittered as he unbound her. He turned back the food briefly before giving her a side glance. "I think I like you in my clothes though. Minus… well… not minus… wanting to pin you to the wall."
Humming, she leaned into the makeshift counter, crossing her arms as she watched him. Part of her wanted to lean into him and soak him all up, and the other part… wasn't sure what to do. The fact she was feeling any indication to engage with him in a more… intimate… manner was just… she didn't know. Especially something as personal and bland as just leaning into him. Did that make her weird? They'd just had sex after all. She didn't want to act like those two love-drunk pushovers at work, but at the same time… what was she missing here?
"So, what'cha making?" she asked, trying to distract herself with something trivial. It smelled good enough, so it was easy to let it distract her.
"Simple omelet," he stated, drawing her eyes as he gently worked the spread in the pan. "Eggs, fluffy; bacon, crispy; bell peppers, crunchy; green onion, springy; tomato, sweet."
She blinked at his tone inflection. She looked back at his face, only for a noise to catch at the back of her throat as he kissed her again. Hard. The sharp inhale he took as he did so, arched through her back, almost devouring as her body pushed into his. Any harder, and her nipples would start being stimulated against his chest, and their tongues would be wrestling for dominance. She had to settle for grabbing his shirt with both hands, especially when every single one of her instincts told her to pull him closer by the back of his head, hop up, and lock her legs around his hips for… more.
As they pulled apart, she cleared her throat, running her hands through her hair as her face burned and prickled, taking deep breaths to cool down. He looked somewhat apologetic, a nervous tint permeating into his aura as he continued to work. However, it didn't stop him from humming.
"Sorry," he muttered, a soft smile on his face threatening to crawl further across his face. "I swear, I'm not trying to scare you off with–"
"All the lovey-dovey shit?" she finished, cocking her head curiously. She eased up as he winced, still seamlessly working at breakfast. The thought of him being just as nervous as her was so hard to fathom, and yet it made her even more self-conscientious. "This is awkward for me. It's all new… and weird… I'll admit. But I don't… hate it."
"I'm… on cloud-nine," he admitted back, a little sag in his shoulders as though that were a bad thing. "And… I'm just trying to show you how… happy this… us, makes me." He shrugged, almost lost in his own thoughts. "I honestly never thought I'd have the opportunity to mate, much less find someone to… take that step with. It's kind of… surreal to me. I still feel like I'm dreaming.
"And if I'm honest, I don't want to wake up if I am."
She gave up on pretending she understood, and just leaned her head on his shoulder. It wasn't much, and it still seemed odd, but the gentle ease that whispered through his body when she did so made it worth the discomfort she felt. Even his mana echoed with this sense of… peace. "Just go easy on me, Cheesecake," she asked. "You're not the only one out of your depth here."
He winced again, but eased up as one of his tails replaced the hand holding the skillet still. His hand now free, he wrapped it around her shoulders, pulling her gently close. Much less insistent, and filled with reassurance. "Sorry," he murmured, kissing her forehead again, and it only served to pleasantly embarrass her more.
Fucked six ways north of Sunday, and it was him kissing her on the forehead that was doing her in.
Who'd have thought that Snow was such a touchy-feely guy? Loona hadn't. And despite the discomfort it brought her, she'd never have thought she was either. But there she was, indulging in something completely foreign to her. And enjoying it. Was it mated thing? Or was it something that the both of them had always craved, and now that the floodgates were open, it was all coming out all at once and attaching to the nearest mutual instigator?
She didn't want to come across as desperate, or clingy, and she was pretty sure Snow didn't want to either. Hell wasn't the kind of place you revealed a personal weakness like that; if only because you'd either get used up and spat out in record time, or be made to watch as all that made it good and pleasant and wonderful was forcefully twisted, corrupted, mutilated, perverted, and/or ripped away.
If it didn't amount to self-sabotage from themselves, or straight-up sabotage from other demons that wouldn't stand the thought of anyone else being genuinely happy, it was those thrice-damned exorcists every year.
She jumped when his hand dropped from her shoulder and popped her on the ass, resulting in a surprised and wide-eyed gape that had him stealing another kiss before she could properly react. Bastard.
"Why don't you grab a seat," he stated with a cheeky smirk, gesturing to his living room. "Food's almost ready."
"Mm, fine," she grumbled, before smirking back and returning the kiss. They'd been doing that a lot. With the kissing that is. She didn't hate it though; especially when his ears perked in surprise like that and he got that little stunned look on his face. And like clockwork, it faded into a content little grin and a similar little titter on his tongue.
Was it bad that she was starting to feel covetous of that look? Probably. But it was hers now, and she'd never known herself to be the possessive type.
It was only moments later he brought the food, and it was… the food was good. She supposed she shouldn't be surprised about that. Try as she might, she couldn't think of anything that Snow wasn't good at. Unfair? Yes. And this was just one more thing to add to it.
They sat crisscross on his couch, content in the weird, soft little atmosphere they had been creating the whole morning so far; only now their knees were gently touching. The meal was a little lighter than she was used to, but considering how… active… they were last night, it was probably for the best. Snow had even spiked her coffee with spiced rum. "For flavor" he said. She wasn't sure what blend of coffee he used, but the drink had a pleasant initial flavor, while giving it a just as pleasant alcoholic tingle as an after-taste.
If her… mate… was so good at cooking, she'd just have to take advantage of it. Hmm. Now, she was curious how he seared steak, smoked brisket, and fried chicken; hellhound tastes and such.
"Glad you like it," Snow teased, interjecting into her thoughts.
Upon snapping out of it, she realized that a trail of saliva was dribbling from the corners of her mouth. Instinctively, her tongue lapped the edges of her maw to clean it up, immediately setting her face to medium-heat as Snow chuckled at her, reassuring her with a gentle bump from his knee.
It led into a stream of quiet as they finished eating, reminding her again just how domestic it all felt at the moment. Their own little bubble that, sooner or later, was bound to pop.
Snow took her plate once she was finished, and she leaned against jamb to his kitchen, watching as he washed their utensils. And when that portion of domesticity became too candy-sweet for her to stomach, she just watched his tails weave and sway while he worked, the pattern as distracting as it was hypnotic.
With each silent and weighted moment though, she was left more and more with her thoughts. It didn't take long to break the sufficient silence. "So?"
Snow's tails stopped moving for a moment, his left-most eyes flicking to her. And… yep, still weird. It was too bad, but he had such pretty eyes though. "So?"
"So," she continued nervously. "How do you want to do this?"
He blinked blankly before swallowing thickly. "I… was thinking we'd let breakfast settle first."
She rolled her eyes at him, unable to keep the corner of her mouth from twitching. "Not sex, dufus. I mean, do we tell the others? Keep this private?"
His face contorted in thought, his hands continuing to move autonomously as they worked soap and sponge like a pro. It was several more seconds of silence, and it wasn't doing great things to her confidence.
"Weeell," he finally started slowly, "let's start small. How do you feel about telling Eddie?"
"Who's that?" she asked pointedly, earning an eyeroll in return.
"So, unbothered. What about Millie and Moxxie?"
"They'll probably be annoying about it," she stated, huffing as she crossed her arms and leaned further into the jamb. "The Old Lady'll probably want details. Fatty'll probably start squeaking, squealing, and sobbing all at once." She was already pinching her brow from the headache that would crop up from any of that.
"Assuming he doesn't start hyperventilating," Snow pointed out, his face tightening in worry before shaking his head. "I'll just bring a paper bag for him, just in case. And that just leaves…."
"Blitz," Loona finished, before letting out an exaggerated and huffy exhale, her eyes gradually widening with the action. It didn't help when her ears dropped defeatedly. "Yeah, we're fucked."
"You mean I'm… "fucked"?" Snow pointed out, hating how the word tasted on his mouth, but he didn't know of a more fitting expletive in a more fitting scenario. How he managed to keep a casual smirk on his face was beyond her. Still, he felt like he needed to put soap in his mouth.
Fortunately for him, Loona already had a plan. "We can disappear for a bit, until the heat dies down. I hear Hawaii is nice." She nibbled her lip nervously. "Hot, and sandy, and gritty, but… eh, nice."
"And it is near the end of the rainy season," he added in contemplation, one of his tails perching under his chin as though it was his hand. But he was only humoring her, and they both knew it. "Keeping in mind that we'd be fugitives from Hell, Blitz 'll be riled up into a vendetta, and I don't fancy our chances if it becomes an inter-Realm incident if-slash-when Stolas's Grimoire is reported missing-slash-stolen."
She pouted at him talking sense, thumping her head against the wall. "Well, when you put it like that."
His smile turned softer as he finished up the dishes, putting them aside and wiping his hands dry on a towel. Hanging it on one of his tails, and dexterously slid it onto the edge of the sink.
"So what's the real issue?" he asked, standing right in front of her. The fucker had a good head on her height-wise when in his demon form. And even worse, all she wanted to do was nuzzle into his chest and waste away. She was doing a bad job of holding herself back. "Because if anyone's in danger here, it's me."
So that's what she did, startling her… her mate… as she flopped her forehead onto his chest. She was quiet, and eventually he got over whatever gave him pause, as he began rubbing circles into her back. His chin rested on her head, and his tails creaked as they began to encircle the both of them.
"Hey," he whispered softly, her ear flicking in attentiveness. "The sooner we go upstairs and talk to them, the sooner we can put this all behind us."
"What if he's disappointed?" she asked weakly, sagging in admittance. "What if he regrets adopting me? What if… what if he stops caring?"
Snow winced at that, but stood firm. "Straight up? I think if that hasn't happened yet, then it's not gonna happen now," he answered. "I doubt you've always been a bundle of sunshine. You made some shit decisions, you paid the consequences, and Blitz still cares. I doubt he's going to change his mind now. You're his baby girl."
"Don't call me that," she snapped, before groaning, rubbing her head further into his chest. "I am kinda a bitch, aren't I?"
"As long as we're clear on that," he teased, earning him a gentle punch in the gut. "You ready to face the music? Ya might wanna put on some shorts though."
She stood up, letting out a sharp exhale. "Stay with me?"
"For as long as I can," he stated sweetly.
"Guh. Gross," she muttered. "Then what's the worst that can happen?"
He winced. She winced. They both winced again. "Yeah. Knew it as soon as I said it."
I.M.P. Office
Cli-click-cli-click-cli-click-cli-click-cli-click-cli-click-cli-click-cli-click.
Sooo… Loona wasn't disowned. And Snow wasn't stabbed, shot, bitten, disemboweled, or otherwise, discombobulated. There was a distinct lack of blood anywhere, sooo… that was good?
However, they were both sat in Blitz's office, surrounded by awkward silence, save for the sound of a pen continuously being clicked. Blitz sat in his chair, staring blankly through them, his eyes bloodshot pin-points as he continued to click at the pen in his hand. The floor was littered with emptied bottles, and the imp himself was currently sucking down three cigarettes simultaneously, much to Snow's chagrin.
More notable was Blitz's flintlock, laying just within arms reach of the imp. And Snow had seen him on the quickdraw before.
Cli-click-cli-click-cli-cli– Snap!
The pen finally broke, sending a spurt of black ink all over his hand and along a small pile of the fragmented utensils in front of him. As much as Snow wanted to make a comment about the ink not washing out, his face contorted in effort as he fought to stay quiet.
Without a single graspable thought behind his blank, vacant stare, Blitz abruptly dropped the now shattered utensil, smoothly opened the desk drawer, and seamlessly pulled out a new one. And they went right back to how things had been.
Cli-click-cli-click-cli-click….
Loona gave a tight, exasperated glance around the room, growing more and more irritated. And bored. Not the best combination for an "untrained" hellhound. A small part of her was tempted to just get up and rummage around for any remaining liquor. Another part wanted to slap the pen out of Blitz's hand. Another to bounce her knee up and down in restless fashion. A much larger part of her wanted to crawl into Snow's lap and get comfortable with him and a bowl of popcorn, and watch as Blitz chain-smoked into next week. Because fuck this shit!
Snow had reverted into his human form for a less… intimidating discussion. While he missed the comfort of his now destroyed trench coat, until he got a new one, it was just a t-shirt, jeans, and his steel-toed boots for now. Somehow, he was both much calmer, and more antsy than his counterpart; and the only thing that revealed it as such was a pair of twitching eyes. While he was happy to wait to discuss him and Loona… getting together, he'd prefer if they ripped it off like a band-aid, and not… whatever the Hell this was.
And he was two seconds away from forcing Blitz to swallow those cigarettes! His meticulously cleaned room was now starting to smell like cheap ass again!
Snuffing to clear out his nose, he turned to his… his mate, having to hold back a smile at that thought. "You want a cup of coffee." He ignored Blitz snapping his eyes to him for interrupting… whatever the Hell he was interrupting.
"Um… yeah, sure," Loona answered uneasily as he stood up. Though him reaching for her hand and giving it a gentle squeeze helped. At least until she realized that Blitz zeroed in on the action, still glowering silently, except for breaking another pen.
Unaffected, Snow stepped out for only a moment. And he couldn't get back soon enough. He did return rather quickly with two steaming mugs in-hand. He walked back over, passing Loona her own cup as he sat back down, admittedly a little closer than they had started. They could almost be knocking knees, and that was the minimum temptation Snow was considering at the moment.
Blitz continued to eye him, and Snow eyed him back, not hiding his annoyance as he loudly slurped at his coffee while the Blitz's cigarettes hissed as several rapid puffs drew upward. And once more the silence persisted in their stand-off.
"Um, sir," Moxxie inquired, peaking his head inside. "I know we're it's technically an off-day, but, we're getting calls for–"
Blitz snapped his finger up at the door, silently and intensely getting his point across without even looking at Mox.
"I'll have them call back then," the imp muttered, slipping back in without further interruption.
The silence might have kept going, but Loona was finally at her wits-end with the bullshit. "For fucks sake, Blitz!"
A snarl rippled off of Blitz's mouth as he slammed his hands on his desk with a BANG, disturbing the ash build-up from his smokes as they joined the ink on his desk. "What the FUCK am I supposed to say, Loony?!" he demanded, surprising them both. Blitz was… notably livid this time. "I spent part of my night worried sick! And another part concerned! And another part drinking myself into a coma! And now I'm about seventy-percent certain you two went and…!" His face contorted, a testament at just how much restraint he was holding.
With a sharp inhale, he sucked down another quarter-inch off all three cigarettes, his face turning a brighter red as he held his breath, before he sent a violent billow of blackened smoke skyward.
He inhale sharply again through his nose, this time more for a moment of tranquility. "Tell me right now that you two didn't… sleep together… and we can drop this right now," he stated, offering a very tempting out. It seemed Blitz wasn't as keen to point out anything crass in regards to his daughter. Small miracle, considering how he'd vividly describe the things he wanted to do to Millie and Moxxie. He actually had a list of those things written down and stashed in one of his office drawers somewhere.
Loona looked down, feeling chastised as she curled in on herself, while Snow held back from sighing. Instead, he looked over, offering his hand to his… mate. No matter how giddy it made him feel, he kept himself present in the seriousness this moment brought. She gently slid her hand into his, even if it was hesitant, their fingers entwining together.
Blitz watched, suddenly caught between a torrid of emotions that flashed across his face. Oh he was absolutely PISSED! And he was worried! And scared! And a part of him felt like a piece of shit, watching as his baby girl looked like that same small little hound he'd adopted, still half-afraid of what he was going to do and tensing up at every movement he made. And some teeny-weeny-tiny part of him was trying to manage a smile at how their hands had come together.
But it only served to come across as a grimace. Some part of him happy for his baby, and yet another jealous, bitter part of him rearing its familiar head. He literally had to snap down on his forked tongue like a turtle to prevent from saying something particularly ugly. Oh! Satan's washboard ABS had nothing on Blitz's self-restraint at the moment!
Snow finally did sigh, drawing his ire. "Blitz, it was my fault. If anyone is getting–"
"The fuck?!" Loona demanded, head shooting up. Her grip tightened on his hand. "Bull! Shit, dude! I was the one pinning you down!"
"I don't care who's fault it is!" Blitz interrupted before they could start taking turns shouldering the blame. Cute as it was, he wasn't interested. And it would probably escalate into territory that Blitz really didn't want to know about his baby girl. Snow? Yes. Loony? Absolutely NOT!
"Yeah," Snow answered candidly. "We slept together." No use finagling around it with his whole "making love" preference, even if that was the truth. Now wasn't the time to prod at his boss… or probably potentially ex-boss-turned… sorta-father-in-law? Who was fucking his sort-of-father.
Huh. The complicated shit got more complicated it would seem. Using the step-sibling approach didn't really cut how weird it was; even if now… he kinda wanted to try that "roleplay" thing he'd heard about.
'Right! Nope! Save the sex-thoughts for later!' he diverted begrudgingly.
Inhaling sharply through his nose, it was hard to tell if Blitz was being serious or comical; at least in that moment.
"Honestly, I was just–"
"Bep-bep-bep!" Blitz interrupted, pinching between his eyes. "I don't want to hear whatever shitty sob-story excuses you have for seducing my daughter!"
It grew silent again, which was more or less surprising. Snow expected Blitz to rage, spit, cuss. Maybe forbid him from seeing Loona again. What he didn't expect was for a pensive, almost contemplative look to etch rigidly into Blitz's face. Like the imp was being waterboarded with lemon concentrate.
Thinking he understood, he reached over, gently squeezing Loona's knee. "Hey Loona, ya think ya can give us a few minutes?" he asked.
She looked back and forth between them, either uneasy that her involvement was being removed, or worried that there was going to be bloodshed between her dad and… boyfriend? Mate? The confused questioning on her face prompted Snow to smile gently. "It's okay. There's just some stuff that's easier to talk about guy-to-guy. Better we hash it out now than let it explode a couple years down the road."
She nodded worriedly, slowly standing up as she looked between them. Before she turned to leave though, she bent down and pulled Snow into a smoldering kiss that was really pushing a PG-rating, and had they been alone, and their coupling less new, might have lead into a less tame exchange. Instead Snow was left speechless as she pulled away.
"Just… call me in when you two are done," she ordered nervously.
"Uh-huh," Snow replied with a slow nod. Blitz refrained from commenting, the corner of his eye tweaking like a junkie for their next fix, from what he'd just seen.
Giving them both reluctant looks, she quietly exited the office, leaving her sort-of-boyfriend with her sort-of-dad. Before the door closed, they both could hear Millie asking, "So! Spill the beans! I want details!"
"Millie!"
"Whuut?! Just look at 'er! She's practically glowing!"
"I'm not tellin' you two jack-shit!" Loona snapped back.
The moment the door clicked shut, Snow's eyes glowed, a soft glow emanating from him and encapsulating the walls of the room. "For privacy," he explained.
Humming thickly, Blitz reached into his desk and pulled up a fresh bottle of alcohol and a glass, already pouring an unhealthy portion.
"Are you sure this is a discussion that should involve alcohol?" Snow asked uneasily, looking at the empty bottles already on the ground.
Blitz pushed the glass over to him. "I'm already thoroughly blitzed, my liver's probably shot, I can't remember the last time my kidney's were actually functioning, and you need to catch up!" No room for arguments.
Sighing, he accepted the glass, smelling distinct notes of scotch as he swirled it a little before downing it. The bite at the back of his throat wasn't as comforting as he hoped, and this wasn't near enough to get him buzzed.
"So what now?" Blitz asked firmly, surprising Snow with the simplicity of the question. It was tame compared to how he'd imagined this going.
"I… don't–"
"You got your rocks off on my baby girl. I'm too late to prevent that, and I'm well aware that even if I told her no, Loony would probably just keep doing you anyway. She has a habit of doing the opposite of what I say," Blitz snarled, the words tasting as bitter as they sounded. He didn't hesitate to pour Snow another glass. "So I'm asking you what your plan is now? Assuming of course that you have one and this wasn't just a pump-and-dump kind of thing."
"I'm not going anywhere, Blitz," Snow stated, inserting as much resolution as he could, thumb brushing the rim of his glass. "I could tell you all the reasons why that is for me, but that won't matter to you. I slept with Loona. The only part I regret about doing so…." He noted the tension coiling through Blitz's body at that. "…is that we skipped a few steps. Did things out of order.
"We should have started with dating to make sure we were compatible long-term, let Hell test our conflict-resolution together, learned how to grow into better versions of ourselves together. Maybe then we would have slept together, once we knew we were willing to weather Hell for the long-haul."
'And pending a few more of my secrets coming loose,' he admitted reluctantly.
He sighed taking a stiff swallow of his drink before continuing. "Knowing my mom, she wouldn't have been happy any of this either. But… before all of that… I was preparing to leave after that shit-show on the beach, and Loona didn't want that. I still think I should leave, but… here we are. And here I am… for as long as she'll have me." Bitter and raw words he quickly drowned with another swallow of booze.
"Do you love her?" Blitz asked searchingly.
Snow paused in thought. Did he love her? He searched their interactions, trying to decipher where their shameless flirting had evolved into genuine affection. Where the gentler moments of him teaching her and hanging out with her had become something a little closer than simply co-workers. Then again, he'd gone and mated with her, so his bias was clear as day.
Could he trust her with even more of his secrets? Some of which were more volatile than what had already been accidently revealed. That he was a special, if accidental, cocktail of deadly proportions; regardless of his demonic species of origin. Gah! This mated thing was supposed to make things simpler, and it did; but it also made things feel much more complicated!
"I don't know," he admitted uneasily. "I like her. I like her a lot. I cherish her as my student, and as a friend. And I'm willing to gamble my faith and trust in her; and that's… a terrifying gamble. She has this… wonder about her, and she… she makes me want to be less afraid.
"She can be an absolute bitch sometimes," he continued without a trace of malice. If anything, it was wrought with a fond smile, "but she makes me… want to be someone she deserves; and that deserves her in-turn.
"I just wish I wasn't as uncertain as I am. I've never had to hope and pray I could trust someone before because–"
"Because you've never let anyone get that close before," Blitz answered for him, a small exchange of understanding passing between them.
Blitz observed him for a moment, Loona's own confession yesterday at the beach coming back to him. While he naturally felt a resolute and inherent abhorrence to his daughter having a… boyfriend?… it was dissolving bit by bit. He'd never not hate the idea of his baby-girl hooking up, no matter who it was; and he was more aware than even he would ever like when she'd done so in the past. But somehow, with Snow, it wasn't as pressing of a worry.
It could be because he'd been around the younger demon plenty; it could be that he had regular access to him via their jobs; it could even simply because Stolas had nothing but praise for Snow, though his was a loaded opinion. Whatever the case, Blitz was gradually seceding a hill he would have normally preferred to die on. "Good."
Snow cocked his head at the imp. Confused.
"Take it from someone who knows, White-Wash," Blitz stated in mythical bout of self-reflection. Two miracles in one day… huh. "You can ride whatever dragon flips your lid, kid, but highs inevitably come with lows. Hell, the lows can vaporize the highs in an instant. That's life. Hell, that's Hell.
"I've been down that road before Powder-Charge, and I can already tell ya, you have a more solid grasp of things than I ever did at your age. Just… promise me you're not gonna to hurt her?"
Snow slumped at that. "That would be a foolish promise to make, even if we weren't in Hell. I can't promise that she won't be hurt, either by me, or as a result of what I am, but… I can promise to do my best to resolve things between us."
"And if you two break-up?" Blitz prodded.
"As far as I'm concerned, breaking-up isn't even an option," Snow stated, completely serious, before shifting uneasily. "I'm not sure how she feels about that though. Like I said, we kinda rushed into this."
Blitz blew out a long exhale as he flopped his head back against his chair, his horns curving over the top. "I like you, Crack-Candy. I really do. But I still have half a mind to put enough bullets in you to send your body to the car-compactor."
"Fair," Snow admitted, though it wasn't exactly comforting to hear. "Is it 'cause I'm a Kitsune?"
"Kid, don't complicate matters with shit I don't understand!" Blitz ordered, forcing Snow to clop his mouth shut. "Is that shit really going to be an issue?"
"Think about being an imp that can stand toe-to-toe with an overlord or a Goetia in raw power," Snow offered, restating what he'd told Loona. It was a solid comparison. "Comes with a hefty bounty too."
"That… would piss some people off," Blitz admitted, only perking a little bit at the mention of money, his horns smacking into his chair as he took a swig directly from the bottle. "And Stolas?"
"Took me under his wing when I was as tall as you are," Snow stated, before nodding so-so. "Well… without the horns. Not a secret either of us is keen on sharing."
Blitz just snorted at the barb. "Just… take care of her. And for fucks sake! I don't want either of you acting like Mox and Mils! Not on the clock, or off the clock!"
"So no sex in the shower. Got it," Snow stated, only to get a baleful glare from his boss in return. "Right. Just go easy on her, Blitz. Please. She's scared, and she's not sure how you're gonna react."
"And she can't tell me that herself?" Blitz asked, genuinely confused by that, even as Snow stood up.
"You're probably the first glimpse of light she encountered down here," Snow stated, making Blitz swallow nervously. "And you're her dad. Of course she's nervous. Every kid wants their parents to be proud of them."
Blitz was left to think on that as Snow dropped whatever weird privacy magic-bullshit had been erected. As Snow opened the door, Loona's ears perked up from whatever ramblings the other imps were discussing together, immediately looking his direction from where she'd taken a seat. He gave her a small smile before gesturing her back in with a flick of his chin.
She approached. Slowly. Gingerly. Ears raised in alert for any disgruntled sounds or indications of displeasure. She ducked under Snow's arm as she reentered the office, somewhat relieved that Blitz didn't appear to be on the warpath, but uneasy since she'd built up that expectation in her mind, and now no longer knew what to expect.
So, she tried to break the ice. "Sooo, what's–"
"Here's what's gonna happen now, Loony," Blitz interrupted firmly, though not unkindly. "I won't stick my hand in whatever business you two have going together, but I have some ground rules."
"Since when did you have rules?" Loona asked, both relieved and somewhat surprised at the same time.
"Since my daughter decided she was going to start dating one of my employees," Blitz lipped back. "First off, you're still under my roof, so, if you are going out somewhere, send me a text. If you're staying out late, send me a text. If you're spending the night, send. Me. A text! Minimum!"
"Or what?" Loona asked, partially out of curiosity, and mostly because of her natural rebellious resistance.
"Sweetie, as much as it pains me, I will ground you," Blitz retorted seriously, not a shred of said "pain" in his tone. "I also pay your phone bill. The phone company will charge out the ass if I cancel the plan, but that's a sacrifice I'm willing to make!"
"With our paychecks," Snow muttered.
"And don't think I won't hesitate to bench you on assignments. Take that however you want to, so don't push it."
It might have just been shock at Blitz actually acting like a parent, or it might have been the severity of said punishments, but Loona's mouth opened and closed, trying to formulate a response while she processed. Fortunately, she didn't seem eager to argue, lest she test whatever newfound parental savvy Blitz had suddenly shat out.
Barring further interruption, he continued. "Secondly, keep whatever you two do outside the office, outside the office."
Snow let out an unconscious tsk, while Loona couldn't help releasing a sighed, "Man." Newly alloyed together as mates and lovers, and yet, for a brief moment, they were on the same wavelength.
The desktops, the conference room table, some of the chairs, the couch, the fishtank, and the entirety of the bathroom. Blitz's desk if they were feeling something extra. So much space and area surface to dominate and be dominated on; so many little kinks and enticing scenarios to be played and acted out in toe-curling fashion. So many spices to cook with, all now rendered taboo.
Fuck.
And Blitz could see it clear as day in the disappointment on their faces. He snorted. "This is my place, on my dime! As much as I hate it, you two are gonna do whatever the fuck you want when I'm not there to babysit! So my places are off limits! And all of that goes DOUBLE for Loona trying to sneak you into my apartment!"
Thank Sitri that he was incapable of imagining his baby in any scenario like… THAT. Small mercies. Though, maybe he shouldn't invoke that particular Goetia if Snow had torn into the House's Heir. Shit. Double-shit! Shit Biscuits!
"Aw. So I don't get to see what your bedroom looks like?" Snow half-smirked, half-pouted.
"I wouldn't have invited you anyway. Blitz or no Blitz," Loona retorted.
"What?! Why? Got something embarrassing you don't want me to see?" He nestled up next to her. "Is your favorite color pink? Got a boy-band crush postered on your wall you don't want me to find out about? Oh! Do you write in a diary you don't want me to read?"
Groaning in disgust, she shoved him lightly. He retaliated by poking her in the side, and she tried elbowing him, only to miss as he slid away with a cheeky grin.
"Any other rules?" Snow asked, sparing Blitz a short glance, just in case Loona got a little… competitive.
Blitz looked between, another flurry of emotions whipping across his face before it was reigned back in again. "Just… take care of her," Blitz asked, before throwing out, "And for Asmodeus's sake, use protection!"
Snow exclaimed so hard through his nose, a trail of snot shot out, prompting a short coughing fit as he covered his face, searching for something to wipe his face with.
"So does that mean you're gonna stop molesting Snow with your eyes?" Loona asked, shifting her balance between each leg to release some of the anxious energy that was beginning to jitter through her. It helped though when she could just roll her eyes at her mate. Because she didn't want to think about… those little things that came up with not using protection.
"Sweetie, your boy-toy is still a fine piece of tail," Blitz stated seriously. "While it gargles balls I won't be getting a handful of that ass, I can still look all I want!" He crossed his arms and nodded sharply with a satisfied 'hmph!'.
"Right here folks. Right here," Snow commented, blowing and wiping his nose on a napkin he'd scrounged up; one that was fortunately clear of… whatever Blitz did in the privacy of his office.
"Now, are we clear?" Blitz asked, looking between the two of them.
"Crystal," Loona responded, half-expecting something more to pop up.
"Good! Now! I'm sure everyone has errands to run, so we're taking the day off! I don't wanna hear any bitching if you don't get it done today!" Blitz informed them, effectively ending the discussion. "And you two! Behave!"
"Well if that's all…," Snow commented.
Loona yelped as he lifted her over his shoulder, his hand holding her firmly by the ass to steady her balance. "Wha-? SNOW!" Her struggling turned to blushing, arousal, and mortification as he squeezed steadily and firmly.
"…We'll get off your shoe," he finished with a grin. He suddenly let out a grunt of his own as Loona reached down and returned the favor, made easier to reach in his human form.
"NOT IN THE OFFICE!" Blitz yelled. Not two seconds and they were already grabbing at each other's asses. He was practically seething.
"No worries, we're not gonna do anything here," Snow winced, rubbing his butt. Loona had squeezed all claw and no pad, which hurt. The little shit. "I got stuff I need to do anyway."
Loona pouted, propping her head on her fist with a bored moan. "You're no fun."
"Work before play, Bright Eyes," Snow commented back, giving her a reassuring pat on the bum. "Work before play. I gotta go talk to Stolas and hope there's not a lot of damage control needed." He winced worriedly. "I didn't even think to check my phone."
"Fine," she muttered, gently sliding off his shoulder in front of him. "I need to clean up anyway. See you soon?"
"Either later today, or tomorrow," he promised. He kissed her on the head before parting quietly. Loona was soon to follow.
Blitz waited for his door to click shut before sighing dejectedly, flopping back into his chair. Almost instinctively, he began pulling open his desk drawer, glancing down at the multiple sets of pristinely maintained horse figurines. He managed a small, fleeting smile for a moment, before he sighed again, gently closing it back up without indulging in his favorite pastime.
Things were changing. Maybe they had always been changing; but Snow's presence seemed to either make it happen faster, or made those changes more pronounced. There was no denying that now. If his baby was growing up, then it was only a matter of time before M'n'M decided to settle down. He'd heard them discussing boring shit like houses and schools. Plus the mascot would be going to school soon enough too. Even Hooves was making the most of her afterlife, shitty though it was. Eventually, everyone would move on.
And Blitz would still be there, doing what he did best.
A part of him was tempted to open the door and yell at Moxxie. Maybe give Millie an order or two. But he had already given them the day off. Another part of him eyed his phone, tempted, if only to call… who? Who would he call? Stolas, maybe? Who else would listen to him bitch without hanging up the phone?
Even if he could hear his employees voices on the other side of his door, for some reason, Blitz felt that much more alone.
And it fucking sucked.
Still, even if they were taking the day off, he still had some shit to do. Even if he'd rather never have to deal with it. Rest could come later.
"Fuck. When did I get responsible?" he bitched. Pretty soon, he'd be properly paying his emplo– "Fat chance of that!"
Manse of House Stolas
"A pleasure to see you again, sir," the old imp greeted him at the front door the moment he knocked.
"Good to see you too, Wilfred," Snow smiled back, stepping into the reception hall with a small snivel. It was far too gaudy; befitting a Goetia, but not really fitting to Stolas or Octavia. So much space wasted on extravagance and paintings and pointless frivolity. It was as cold and fake as the manse itself felt most of the time, despite the bright chandelier light. The place had permeated with the feeling, and it made Snow's human skin crawl.
"Is Prince Stolas in?" he asked, keeping it respectful for the butler. Once across the threshold, a certain level of propriety was recommended, even for personal matters and in private company.
"Indeed. I'll lead you to him," Wilfred replied smoothly. As they walked, Snow could pick up the faint traces of where pots and ceramics were missing from their perches. Even if the servants cleaned, Snow could still smell the scent of spilled soil. "I trust you've been doing well, Master Snow?"
"To be determined," he answered, giving the butler a small smile. "A lot of bad, but a lot of good in there too."
"Mmm. I assume the bad is why your pendant is currently absent?" Wilfred stated, getting straight to the crux of the issue.
"Unintentional, but ultimately necessary. There would have been a bigger scandal had we not," Snow stated as they traced a path he recognized. "What did the lady of the house break this time?"
"Some were the Astrelias, the Governor's Moss, the Green Pulp fungal stalks, the Honey Holes, and many others I'm afraid," the imp answered honestly. "Truth be told, I believe the only reason she didn't destroy more is because some of them are quite rare, and would get her into a spot of trouble if she pushed too hard. Their Majesties have always been quite fond of the Astrelias."
Snow sniveled at the Honey Holes. He didn't blame Stella for that one, even if it felt like swallowing rusty nails for him to agree with anything past her general demeanor as a raging bitch. Evidently, the mushroom was named by some horny wanker who thought he could stick his dick in anything. Oh, the discoverer had been in absolute bliss; until he developed an STD, incurable by even Hell's standards. Served him right.
Suffice to say, Snow hated them too.
But the Lilium astrelius were beautiful flowers. Considering Stolas bred them personally himself; Goetia of green thumbs as he was. That Stella saw fit to destroy something so personal of his was reason enough (among the long list of other reasons) to impale her on a pike under the tail feathers and out her otherwise yappy beak.
But he couldn't very well punish the pike, now could he? Plus, there was this vague – if dismal – hope she'd at least be a good mother to Octavia, considering she'd long since been an abysmal wife. God knows that was the only reason Stolas kept things kosher.
"Sorry to hear that. The cleanup must suck," Snow offered genuinely. He would have offered more, but they arrived at their destination rather quickly. A set of large double doors greeted them.
"Take care, sir," Wilfred stated, before turning on his hooves and returning back to his duties.
Snow inhaled… and exhaled, pulling open the doors, revealing the lowly lit domicile of Stolas's Observatory. It was deceptively massive on the inside, the edges of the room lined with ever organizing books in their shelves. Overhead, was a dome of enchanted glass that twisted with the many constellations and galaxies, despite it still being light outside the house itself; with the central space taken up by a telescope that Snow had no doubt, dwarfed all others in Hell, staring out into the vast expanse.
It was like stepping onto a space-walk platform from science-fiction movies, surrounded by the ever-expanding void of the Universe. So big, so vast… and so empty.
"And so you've come."
And there was Stolas, sitting at a large and ornate desk in a very high-back chair, talons clasped in front of him with a firmness Snow rarely elicited from him. Were he in his natural form, his ears would have wilted; he never intended to make Stolas upset.
"Yeah. Sorry I didn't come over yesterday. I got a little… side-tracked."
Stolas let out a heavy sigh, gently rubbing the base of his beak in exasperation as he stood up. "I felt your Vitas and Mana burst as the first Seal broke. And then you send me this?" The Goetia gestured absently to the writhing mass of ever-changing shapes sitting patiently on his desk. "While I'm proud to see that you could create Solomon's Tesseract, the level of power needed would still send shockwaves into the Aether. I'm almost surprised the Pillars haven't convened to discuss that it was utilized at all; never mind the absolute chaos that'd crop up in Heaven, knowing that one of their most precious spells was unleashed on Earth without clearance."
"And not the fact that so much energy spiked?" Snow sassed. "Or was the spell used the only worry?"
"That part was implied," Stolas stated sternly.
"And you got a little side-tracked?" He quirked a pair of eyes as he frowned at Snow.
Snow pulled his pendant out of his pocket, holding it out. "Might be a long shot, but any chance you can set this back up again?"
Stolas just shook his head, having already observed the new and expanded pathways of coursing energy circulating through him. "I suppose it was just a matter of time. But trying to dam up what has been released would only cause more trouble; assuming of course, if doing so wouldn't kill you. Your body is already adjusting. I wouldn't be surprised if you grew your fourth tail by the end of it. There are not any alternatives I know of, but if you have a solution, I'd be happy to hear it."
Snow looked up at the ceiling, allowing himself to get lost once more in the void. "No. No alternatives. Any chance I can pass as a Hellborn Overlord?"
"Unlikely," Stolas sighed regretfully. "Your natural form would eventually come to light, and there'd be no hiding at that point. It's all just a matter of time."
"Fuck," Snow responded.
"Indeed," Stolas agreed, tapping his finger thoughtfully on the desk, gently brushing a finger along the tesseract. "What happened, Snow?"
It wasn't a particularly riveting recounting. Snow just told the facts, from the beginning of the bet yesterday to that morning. Granted, regenerating from such massively taxing injuries as getting buried under concrete and whiplashed across a solid body of water, it just… wasn't as daunting afterwards as it had been during the event. Or maybe he was just netting positive after last night and that morning.
Or maybe he was repressing the worst of it? But everyone did that.
"I suppose… congratulations are in order," Stolas admitted, warring between genuine happiness and all-encompassing worry for his adopted son. Still, he tried to remain as logical as possible. "I believe Asmodeus will keep the Succubae in line. While he may not be an overt ally, stirring up trouble isn't his forte. As for the nature of the bet in question… … … it would appear Blitzy and I need to have a… rather firm conversation."
"You? Firm conversation?" Snow asked pointedly. "Should I expect my boss to disappear for a couple days for a more… "private"… affair?"
"None of that sass from you, young man," Stolas ordered with a 'hmph' before returning to the matter at hand. "Our biggest worry is if anyone else felt your power asserting; from either Heaven or Hell. Normally I'd suggest you lay low for a while. Retreat and regroup. But as a newly mated Kitsune, I think the odds of that happening are rather dismal now."
"Yeah… wasn't the plan but not much I can do now," Snow admitted with a 'oh well' smile and helpless shrug. He lifted up his arm, breathing as his red markings bled to the surface of his human skin. "Don't suppose you know how to remove these? You know? To try and get as big and bad as possible? If hiding isn't an option, then becoming more powerful might be the only option left."
"Even if I could, it would be a bad idea," Stolas stated understandingly. "Breaking another Seal so soon after the first, without proper adjustment… well, frankly, you'd explode from the overflow. And unlike the first, those Seals are tied to your blood and soul. Not to mention more intricate than anything a mere Goetia should mess with." He sighed as he flopped back down in his seat, roughly smooshing his tail feathers. "It's beyond my skill. And even if one of the 72 Pillars were amicable, I doubt any of them would have the skill or power to safely remove it even in the best of circumstances."
Snow sighed as he let them fade again, nodding in understanding. He knew it already, but it sucked hearing it out loud. Especially from someone of Stolas's dedication and caliber. Some curses just weren't meant to be broken. "It was just an idea anyway."
Stolas shook his head softly. "Even if you gained all the strength necessary to cow a Sin, it wouldn't stop them from going after those close to you. My House hardly counts as backing when up against the other Pillars, and unless you can either get someone else powerful, or ally with a number of smaller ones, there won't be much you can do about that. Especially with Mammon and his ilk as primary opponents; not to mention House Sitri.
"Unfortunately, this is a very delicate balance to strike between what we should hide, and what we should reveal. And unfortunately, we are not the only ones who stand to lose."
All five of Snow's eyes flashed violently as his claws stuck into his clenched palm. "And they should know that wars of attrition are bad for business."
"Peace," Stolas ordered in an uncommon chilling tone. "Need I remind you that Blitzy and his employees are under my peerage as is? I am merely urging precaution. Especially since you intend to stick around. Power means very little if it is not tempered with humility and preparation."
Snow cocked a brow at the Goetia. "You sure you're a demon?" Not the first time he'd asked that question either.
"Hmm," Stolas smiled, his feathers crawling with creeping black as his four eyes flashed red. Before he was suddenly normal Stolas again, "Quite sure." He clapped his talons together. "Now! As for growing stronger, it seems you need to start your training again. From the bottom."
"From the bottom?" Snow whined, his face scrunching up in a full-faced wince.
"Now, now. None of that," Stolas chirped. "The best way to stabilize your Vitas and Mana is through exercising both. And it just so happens…."
'Ain't that a load of bullshit,' Snow grumbled to himself.
"…that I have something prepared for this," Stolas offered.
"And how long have you "happened" to have this training prepared?" Snow questioned skeptically.
"Why, my dear boy, I've had this prepared exactly seventeen days after I found out you held the near boundless potential of a Kitsune," Stolas responded in a far too happy tone. "And as much as I'm sure you'd rather spend the coming weeks at home and explore the wonders of relational boundaries with your mate, there will be plenty of time for such things later."
"Yeeeah… we're gonna need to alter whatever schedule you set up," Snow snarked back. "Relational boundaries aside, I do have bills to pay and a dismal-income basement to maintain."
"Oh, very well," Stolas admitted reluctantly as he closed the drawer he'd been opening. He could pull up his schedule planner another time. Pity; and he'd worked so hard on it too. "And… I assume you want me to have this thing fitted?"
He reluctantly lifted the Tesseract from the desk, holding it like it was a rare display piece. Considering Soloman's Tesseract was specifically meant to trap even Goetia-level demons (and thus, technically illegal in Hell; but since when did aristocracy obey laws?), it pretty much was. The fact that Snow himself could cast such a spell was already an accomplishment; particularly since very, very few on their side of the Realms were biologically capable of such a feat.
"Yes please," Snow nodded, a frown etching onto his face at the change in topic. "My coat was destroyed fighting that demonic beast, so it's only fitting the old bastard uses it to make the next one."
Stolas sighed dejectedly at Snow's immediate change in tone. But he hadn't expected much different. He hadn't expected anything less than resentment. "If that's what you want," he hummed dejectedly.
Snow's eyes pinched closed as he took a deep breath, having to absently put out a blue flame that had flickered to life on his arm. "Sorry Stolas. I'm not trying to be a dick but he–"
"I understand," the Goetia stated with a reassuring smile, striding over, and cupping Snow's head with a gentle talon. "Believe me my boy, I understand very well. Ask yourself though, can you set aside your pride and bitterness for a little more power?"
Gathering himself again, Snow nodded, giving back a weak smile. "If I'm gonna be sticking around, I'm gonna have to," he stated, painfully resolving himself. "I have a family to keep safe now too. And if I have to deal with him to do it, then I can… I can swallow my pride. For a little bit anyway."
Stolas smiled reassuringly. "Feels different now, doesn't it?"
Snow didn't smile back. "I don't know how you deal with it. I haven't had to deal with anything personally, and I already want to rip someone's head off."
"I don't know how I deal with it sometimes, either," Stolas admitted, pulling Snow in close. "Just remember, you're not alone in this."
"Yeah," Snow admitted, gently relaxing his hold on his powers, easing into his demon form as he hugged Stolas back, restraining himself from holding on too tightly. He wasn't a kit anymore. "You too. My offer still stands."
"And you know I'm not gonna let you kill my daughter's mother," Stolas hummed in humor. Though there was a bit of... temptation in there.
"Just a thought," Snow hummed back.
"Take care. Both you and Blitzy's daughter. Cherish the good, weather the bad, and remember that nothing is more precious, or more limited, than your time together," Stolas offered. "With all that is happening and has happened, we don't know what tomorrow will bring. Powers, Principalities, and Heavenly Hosts. So enjoy it while you can."
"I'll try."
Snow's dad hummed, gently racking his talons between his ears affectionately. "That's all anyone can ask."
Outside I.M.P. Offices
Knock-knock-knock.
Vortex's ears perked, wincing as the sounds of his boss screaming and throwing shit continued. His fur looked like a mess, and while it was hard to see on most hellhounds, he had bags under his eyes. He'd rather be at his apartment, snuggling up next to his girlfriend as she slept off her hangover from last night's banger. Instead, he was clocking over-time on this shit; even if he had sent her a sweet text.
Granted, it had been chaos since yesterday. While Vortex wasn't exactly sure of the particulars outside of what his own instincts could inform him on, and he sure as Hell wasn't paid enough to care about anything else, it was still… much.
If Verosika had been pissed when they returned from Earth, it had blown out of proportions once she'd called the Big Boss. Whatever had been exchanged had set her off, and now, there wasn't a moment of peace in the office as she continued to bitch, moan, and rage.
All over some guy they had just met. Granted, Vortex wasn't the sharpest 'hound, but he had developed a good read on most demons. Snow was good peeps, even if he smelled like dinner and raging vengeful indigestion; after all, he'd warned them of the police showing up with enough advance for them to skedaddle, even as they were operating as rivals and foes.
Respect man.
He didn't understand the whole "hellfox"-slash-"Kitsune" thing, save where his own instincts were concerned, which made it "need-to-know" as far as his job was concerned. And he clearly didn't need to know if no one had bothered to update him. No sense making enemies with someone who wasn't going out of his way to be a problem.
That, and he seemed pretty chill around Loona; and if they were cool, Vortex saw no reason to worry. Like he'd told her, he wasn't paid enough to care. Despite his calm and cool attitude though, Vortex couldn't get the scent out of his mind; like something was categorically enticing him to go hunting and warning him against such foolishness at the same time.
For a trained hellhound, it was like a constant itch in the center of his brain that needed to be scratched, which made him wonder how much restraint Loona had when they were in proximity to each other all day long. 'Hounds were trained to "fetch" and "sic 'em" after all.
'Probably 'cause she's totally crushin' on 'im,' he hummed to himself.
CRASH!
He groaned with a wince as something else was thrown into a wall, followed by more illegible screaming. He pitied the demon that would be hired for the cleanup.
Thank his girl that the crew wasn't there. After Verosika had started losing her cool on the furniture, Coco had started trembling, and Apple had asked quickly taken her girlfriend back to their hotel room located a few blocks away. While he didn't understand what was going through Coco's head, he understood well enough that she was gonna need a little bit. Josh and Ace had taken off together, while Kat had gone and done his own thing; Kiki had followed suit and… if he was honest, Vortex didn't even want to know what Milkie was up to.
That left him… and Verosika. And V had been taking her frustrations out on everything she could lift, and even some of the things she couldn't lift.
KNOCK-KNOCK-KNOCK-… … …-knock.
Vortex's ears flicked again as he let out a tired groan, standing up from his seat with a slap to his pants before walking over to the door. He'd barely turned the handle before the door slammed open out of his hand, letting in a familiar imp.
"Hey buddy," his boss's ex greeted dispassionately, shoving past him. "Need to talk to that crotch-rot of a whore you call a boss."
"Hey man. Not cool," Vortex huffed out, wiping his eyes tiredly. "Look, can we schedule this some other time? Now's not exactly–"
RRRAAAAH!
CRASH!
Both imp and 'hound blinked in the direction of the sound at the other end of the studio.
"Yeah, yeah. Nothing I haven't seen before," Blitz dismissed with a wave, already walking towards the room V had set up as her office. Before Vortex could stop him, he was already kicking down the door. "Hiya Bitch! Guess who's here?!"
Verosika had gone through a dim-down. Her make up was smeared, her hair matted and messy, her eyes heavy with bags, and her skin a lighter paler of the hot pink it normally was. Her dress was actively protesting the cruel punishment of holding her breasts in place for more than necessary, much less riding up too high on her thighs. Her eyes were wide and pupils pinpointed, and her teeth gnashed ferally.
It didn't look like she'd changed at all since yesterday, which was easy to distinguish, since Succubae somehow came across as smelling more enticing when they were a sweaty, stewing mess.
As if to counteract this fact, Blitz face scrunched up as though he was about to sneeze before forcefully cleared his nose… all over the upholstery. 'Not today Satan,' as one of their long-expired targets had once said.
The room itself was trashed, with everything torn, upheaved, and otherwise broken from whatever tantrum she'd decided was appropriate.
"Blitzo," Verosika snarled, looking caught between attacking him and hearing him out. "What do you fucking want?"
"Oh, you know," Blitz stated nonchalantly, as though a feral Succubus wasn't right there in front of him, "thought I'd stop by, have a chat, get rid of this." He lifted up his hand to show her the still-active pentagram sigil on his hand; the same one that adorned hers. "I'm sure you hate being connected to me as much as I hate being connected to you."
"Is that all?" she bit back.
"Nope," he smirked, walking around like he owned the place, kicking some loose debris out of the way. "So how 'bout it whore? We rule the terms null and void based on outside interference that whole shit-show stirred up. We go back to our respective businesses, and we continue to tell each other to fuck off. Plain and simple."
She smirked wildly. "What? Afraid you lost?"
He snorted. "Bitch, not a chance. But seeing as you no longer want my employee being your sex-toy and your having to lay low for a while, and I honestly don't fucking care about the jingles, we both walk away with minimal losses."
If possible, the smile on her face grew even more wicked, and body positioning itself in the most alluring way that it could. "Oh? On the contrary, I still want your little prize demon."
Even Vortex was confused by that, but judging by the look on her face, it wasn't all sex and pleasure.
"Say what?" Blitz inquired, cocking his head in confusion.
"I just have… other… uses for him," she purred, her tongue licking at her lips with all the subtlety of a serpent. "After all, foxes are good for many, many things."
Vortex didn't know what she was talking about, but whatever it was, he knew it wasn't good. And while Blitz didn't appear to understand either, he knew it wasn't for a romp or seven in bed. And that was her "getting railed by five demons at once out of pure spite" look.
He'd fucking know.
"Not that it's any of my business," he stated, appearing unbothered, "what'd your big boss happen to say about that." He gently buffed his claws against his jacket. "Can't imagine anything great."
She sniveled in disgust. "Just because I can't outright reveal your pet's existence to the rest of Hell, doesn't mean I'll take it lying down."
"Which is all your good for," Blitz commented not-so-under his breath.
"After all," she chirped in a far too giggly tone as she stepped towards him, "anything can happen. So I'll still be taking that win. I'm sure there would be plenty of other interested parties."
It was silent for a moment as Blitz seemed to mull that over. Vortex was just holding his breath and hoping this didn't escalate.
Finally, Blitz spoke up. "Well, considering we're still within the terms of the bet, and the bet was the whole of Spring Break, you haven't won squat," he stated. "But I'm pretty sure I win by default if you're dead!"
In the next instant, a flintlock pistol was aimed directly between her eyes. His quick-draw wasn't the only thing to stun the remaining demons. Blitz's face had gone from amicable to cold in an instant. Despite being born and raised a Greed demon, his face was all Wrath. Neither her, nor Vortex had been able to sense the change, much less follow his movements. And neither dared try intervening.
"Now, here's what's gonna happen," he ordered pointedly. As in, the spines of his back and the horns on his head became more pronounced with his eyes glowing fiercely. But clearly that was an illusion of some sort, or something; since imps didn't have demon forms.
"You're gonna agree to a mutual termination of our bet," he bit out coldly. "We're gonna go our separate ways. You leave me and my company alone, and in a week or two, we can pretend we never fucking met again."
"Or what?" Verosika bit out with some hint of rebellion.
"Well, my pistol is smoothbore," Blitz commented easily. "I'm not sure if it'll stray, but on the off chance the shot does … well, I can't imagine your popularity going anywhere with an eyepatch except as a surprise fuck-hole.
"And while I don't have any proof, a demon beast was let loose at one of your concerts, and us wittle imps only travel with our weapons, and thereby lack the means to cause that shitshow. We're just… sooo low on the hierarchy afterall," he pointed out with a feral grin, the tip of his flintlock slipping firmly between her cleavage. Just a little flick, and she'd be tits to the wind. While a tempting thought, she didn't do anything for him – not anymore – even when she was shivering in fear. And he… he wasn't as angry anymore. Served her right for threatening his employee, but at the moment, he just felt pathetic. "At the very least, your travel arrangements to the Living World get revoked, but I'd hate to see the worst-case."
His grin faded with a tight grimace as he raised the gun back to her face. "If you even think about coming after me, or any of my employees, I will fill you and your groupies so full of holes, you'll only sound you'll be able to sing out is groan out of your gizzard, and the only adult videos you'll be able to star in will have a 'gang bang' tag.
"I'll take you on all you like, but you leave my company alone, you leave my employees alone, and Snow is off fucking limits! I may have been a shit bodyguard and boyfriend you walking jizz-slab, but I have made a very lucrative business as an assassin, and am very good at killing people, and have employees that are beyond exceptional at it as well. And yours is a contract I would gladly do for free under the right circumstances.
"Do I make myself clear?" he growled out.
Verosika's eyes slipped to her guard dog, who was hackles raised, and ready to pounce the moment she was in the clear. But this was twice – twice now mind you – that he'd been caught lacking. And both times by Blitzo's little pet, and Blitzo himself.
"I'm not hearing anything. What's the matter? Bitch got your tongue?" he demanded.
Verosika's face contorted in something that blended and ebbed between fear, disgust, sour, pain, and distress. As if her very being was revolting against her as her mouth opened slowly. "Fine," she finally whispered, holding out her deal-marked hand. "Deal."
Blitz didn't hesitate to join their hands together, both imp and succubus watching as the terms of their duel were cancelled before their eyes. Blitz quickly pushed her hand away as he moved his pistol at ease, gently clicking the hammer back to unprimed rest.
To her surprise, Blitzo didn't take that moment to rub it in her face. Instead he turned on his heels and was already walking away, tail twirling behind him as he left. Vortex quickly darted around him the moment there was space to get between the imp and his boss in case Snow's boss decided to point guns again.
But Verosika's pride hurt, she couldn't help but open her mouth. "If you had been that aggressive when we were together, you might have been worth a damn."
Blitz paused at the door, wobbling a little as he came to a standstill. Brows furrowed thoughtfully, he slowly turned back just enough to catch a glimpse of her. "You fucked with my employees, and threatened the guy that makes my daughter happy."
"You don't have a daughter!" Verosika snapped back, while Vortex's eyes widened as he put two and two together.
Blitz dutifully ignored her. "I don't get what the fuck the big deal is with foxes, or any shit like that, but keep yours, and your posse's botox-filled, species-profiling asses away from employees." His glare turned dark and violent. "And if you fucks try loopholing your way into hurting any of them….
"You're not the only ones who can go and bitch to higher powers," he finished with pin-pointed pupils, leaving that hanging as he turned and left the room. Followed momentarily by the front door opening and closing as he left their office altogether.
Vortex's ears flicked as he listened for any more surprises, huffing out a sigh of relief before moving over to his boss.
"You al–"
SMACK!
He wasn't even fazed by the blow, but still blinked in surprise from it. "–right?"
"Some help you were!" Verosika bit out, groaning in disgust as walked past him, kicking something over with another CRASH!
'I really don't get paid enough for this.' Only cure now was a beer, a medium-rare steak, and a consecutive twelve hours sleep while big-spooning his girlfriend. Because the last two days were already getting to him.
Author's Note: Don't forget to READ and REVIEW! ^^
Sooo... the day after "Spring Broken". Like I mentioned before, this chapter was harder to write since it didn't really have an Episode to base it around, so it might be a little more wordy than it usually is. So sorry 'bout that.
Some early morning wholesomeness between Loona and Snow. They're both so out of their depth and trying to figure out how intimate it's okay to be, it's almost bitter-sweet.
Conversation with the parents of course. Blitz is struggling, and Stolas' concerns are valid.
And Snow is trying to get bigger and badder as opposed to running and hiding. But some of those Seals aren't gonna be a cake-walk.
And, of course, Blitz making enemies. And poor-poor Vortex.
I honestly don't feel the need to explain a lot here, but it was a long time in coming, and it took a long time to get out.
Heads-up: So next chapter should be more along the line of 'Original Content' since I'm assuming there's a bit of a time gap between the Episodes. However, fair warning, "C.H.E.R.U.B." will probably be the shortest Episode cover out of all of them.