Hey!

I'm used to hurt/comfort themes, but I had a hard time picking an idea for today. Of course, I had to go for one of the worsts!

Warnings: suicidal thoughts, depression, torture, threat of rape (briefly mentionned)

Prompts: hurt/comfort, chocolate/candy

I'm so sorry

So, that was how it would end.

Pity.

Stolas shouldn't be surprised, really. He barely made it out of his last encounter with Striker already, the call seconds away from being too late to save him, the imps equally just in time to prevent the hybrid to mutilate him.

Now, here he was, at the hands of some supremacist group that would probably fit the cowboy perfectly. If Striker had been hateful of bluebloods, then they were the next level.

It wasn't like it mattered much. He had been stupid, reckless, lost in thoughts outside his palace, still so lost in the pain of Blitz's rejection. He had listened to the "get out" advice everything was screaming at him, his books, the websites, even his own daughter, though at least she didn't say it yelling. Look where that got him, tied up, laying down in some warehouse, sore and hopeless after two full days of being tortured by low hellborns, imps and hellhounds alike, who thought he was the reason for all their misery, despite Stolas not having much say in how people lived. That wasn't his work nor role.

But that was the point? He did try to tell them as much, but like Striker, they didn't listen, didn't even let him finish. He wished he could just talk back, give himself that small comfort, but they quickly stripped him of that last liberty as they gagged him. The only… Good thing, kind of, was that they were using normal weapons on him, keeping the only blessed blade they had for when they felt he had endured enough, and it was time to kill him. Using his healing abilities against him to make him suffer endlessly, trying to reduce the time he spent unconscious as much as they could.

They wanted to make an example, they said. Little did they know no one would care. Not any Goetia at least. Except for Via.

Oh, how he was so sorry. He was failing his daughter, he knew that. She still needed him, even if she was slowly but surely becoming an adult. Sure, there was Stella, but it wasn't the same. Her mother didn't care for her as he did. He feared what she might ask of Octavia once he wasn't here to protect her from the expectations and responsabilities he tried so hard to keep away.

He should have done more, but the last weeks have been spent in sorrow. They say you can get back up after some time, after a heartbreak, but how long was it supposed to take, and how could he not give up hope when the more time passed, the more he sank in despair?

Actually, it was probably for the best. He was so tired of fighting, of trying. Everytime he tried to find his own happiness, it was at the expand of everyone around him, even the ones he loves. What an achievement, knowing how few people he loved! Via still thought he was the reason their family broke appart, even if she wasn't mad at him like before, and Blitz…

Well… He obviously never truly wanted this, but didn't have a choice, imprisoned in their deal like Stolas was by the weight of expectations that had always surrounded him. The imp had manifested it many times, but the owl had been too selfish to listen, preferring to live in lies and dreams.

What a shame.

Maybe it was his punishment before being finally freed of everything. He had fought for years for his daughter, but fighting for himself had only brought more pain and misery, despite finally getting Stella out of his house.

He was tired.

He was so fucking tired.

The faces around him were snickering, laughing, mocking, but always with that lingering hate. He knew he should feel the pain, too, but honestly, he was too used to it at his point. The emotional pain had always been here, deep down, sometimes resurfacing.

The physical pain was new, he had to admit. Not completely new, but before Striker, it had never been to that extend. Oh, well, it wasn't like it mattered much. They'd have their fun, their petty revenge, and then he'd join nothingness. He'd like to say his body would join his beloved plants and his mind the stars, but he, of all people, knew it didn't work like that.

Well, it could have been partly right, concerning his body. But this was a warehouse. There was no plants around, no soil, and he didn't dare think of what would become of his body after his death. Probably nothing good.

If anything, he was growing impatient that they'd finish this quickly. He had stopped reacting a while ago, not even the worst injury earned more than a whimper from him. They'd loose interest eventually. If it could just end quickly…

His phone rang.

Stolas blinked.

It wasn't the ringtone he expected. Via tried to text and call at some point, on his first day here, and when they had joked about bringing her in too, he had gone feral despite the restrains and wounds. Not enough to free himself, but enough to scare them. There was also one amongst them, a hellhound who hated Stolas as much as everyone else, but who had met his eyes and nodded in silent understanding.

Octavia may be a royal by blood, but she was still a child. A teenager. She wasn't old enough to be brought into this madness yet. She could still be deemed as innocent, at least in the eyes of this particular demon. So he blocked her, and kept the phone, and growled and bared his teeth at anyone trying to change his mind and willing to take the daughter in to torment the dad even more.

He didn't give in, and Stolas respected him at least for that. He didn't care what happened to him, but he wouldn't allow anything to happen to his daughter. Not until he let out his last breath.

But that song ringing right now, it wasn't Octavia's. It couldn't. But it was still a tune Stolas recognized, and his eyes widened as he managed to listen to it clearly despite the cacophony around him.

"The hell?" The demon asked as he looked at Blitz's contact picture on the phone. "Is that an imp?!" He laughed.

"Oh, is this the one he used to fuck?" Another asked. "Come on, pick up, I'm sure he'd be thrilled to hear what we did to the one who coerced him!"

That made Stolas flinch, when everything else barely drew his attention now. Because that is exactly what he had feared at some point, and despite the imp's harsh reaction when he received the crystal, and their inability to talk things out, he still hoped that the imp hadn't felt that way during their deal. That he hadn't…

That he didn't do to Blitz what was done to him.

The hellhound picked up on speaker and held the phone for everyone to hear while the others fell silent, and immediately, Blitz's voice filled the room.

"What the fuck is that Stolas?! Ghosting your own daughter?! Do you have any idea how worried she is? You better tell me you didn't do it on purpose! Here I thought…"

"Wow, he's pissed!" Laughed some demon.

Blitz's rant stopped and silence fell before the imp's voice talked again, this time with a deadly serious edge.

"Who the fuck is that? Where's Stolas?"

"Hey now, no need to be so angry! Aren't you the imp he used to fuck?"

"That's none of your fucking business, and that's not your fucking phone! Now give it back to its owner, I have an owl to scowl!"

"Oh, but he can hear you right now, I think he's even listening very intently! But I'm afraid he can't answer." Snickered the demon holding the phone as he straddled Stolas to better look at his face.

"And why is that he can't talk? The fuck you're doing? This ain't funny, so you better cut the crap quickly, or…"

"Or what? Come on, don't be so tense! I'm sure I heard this Goetia used to fuck an imp because he was bored in his wedding, it had to be you! Aren't you happy to know he's getting his rightful payback for it?"

There was silence for a few more seconds as the hellhound grinned widely at Stolas, who was trying and failing at keeping a neutral expression.

"Payback? What kind of payback?" Blitz finally answered with a more calm tone.

Stolas' eyes widened again, and the demon only pressed hard on one of his injuries, as if to say "told you".

"You see, my friends and I don't like royals very much either. They all did pretty nasty stuff to us. I understand you'd want to defend them at first, because you hope it will get you somewhere better, but it doesn't work like this, you know? They use you like they please, and once they're done, or you're too damaged, they'll just throw you away. Doesn't that sound familiar?"

"… Yeah… It does…"

Stolas whimpered as he shook his head, but that only earned him a slap from the tail of a nearby imp to silence him.

"Well, wouldn't you like to join the fun then? We've been at it for a while already, but you can still get your own payback before we off him."

"Do you have what you need to kill him?"

"Yes, we have a blessed knife. We know well enough these fuckers can't be killed by normal weapons, don't worry!"

"Then I want to be the one to finish him off."

"Sure, of course! I'll text you the place, the prick doesn't even have a password on his phone! We'll keep him unharmed until then, so you can enjoy your time."

"Sweet of you. See you."

The call ended, and Stolas couldn't hide the horror on his face. Didn't even want to.

"What's with that face?" The hellhound on top of him snorted after he sent the text. "What, did you expect this imp to be grateful for what you did to him? Are you really this dumb, blind of what your kind do to lowborn like us? Just because you don't see the harm royals do to us doesn't mean it doesn't exist. If everything we did til now was nothing to you, maybe he'll make you understand."

Stolas' talons on his feet arched as he began to tremble, tears pooling in his low set of eyes.

"Trying to draw pity now?" Scoffed another one. "A bit late for that, don't you think?"

"Come on, maybe he's finally feeling remorseful! That would be a good achievement before he's gone, right?"

They kept going, the weight on his chest disappearing as they settled further away to wait, but the owl wasn't listening.

It couldn't be… He couldn't have heard that right. Not only Blitz hated him - that much he had figured out from their last encounter - but he was willing to go as far as to kill him for what he had done? How blind had he been? Their arrangement lasted for a little more than a year…

Dear Lucifer, what had he done?

He was too empty to pick up the inconsistencies in Blitz's behavior, too empty to care that his torturers were discussing having fun with him in the way he had with Blitz, only holding back because they wondered if he would be sick enough to like it, and keeping their promise to wait for the red and white imp.

He was too tired. Too exhausted. In too much pain. He just wanted to apologize to Blitz again, and then wish for everything to end.

As he was drowning more and more in despair and sorrow, letting tears fall without a care in the world anymore, two shots rang in the warehouse.

Two of his attackers fell from their sitting point, dead. The few others jumped on their feet, panicked and screaming. Two other died before they could grab any weapon. The only one close enough to one made a dash for it, only to be slashed in half by a short imp wielding an axe.

Stolas knew that axe. Worse, he recognized that imp. Her name was…

"Millie, watch out!"

Another demon was trying to ambush her, but she was quick to turn on her feet to slice him too. A hellhound stood frozen in place, not understanding what was happening, and was shot in the head as Millie approached him.

"Mox, you're not fun! I had him!" She whined.

"Sorry honey, he was asking for it!" Another known voice answered, quickly approaching.

They were the couple who saved him from Striker. Hell, he never thanked them directly!

There was only one demon left, a tall imp who hide as soon as the first shot rang. He tried to run away, only to meet the jaw of an angry hellhound.

Blitz's daughter.

The whole IMP crew had showed up this time, gathered around the corpses to make sure they were all dead. But… Why? Was it to save his ass again? Or to avenge their boss personally? If so, where was he?

"Shit!"

That voice came from behind Stolas, and he turned to finally meet the man that haunted his nights since their last full moon, if he could call it that way. He still had his weapons out, probably surveying the room to make sure everything was clear, before he rushed to the prince's side, discarding his guns.

Stolas should probably be worried, but he couldn't bring himself to. Even if it was silly of him to think Blitz had done that to save him, he'd rather die with that picture in his mind, hold on the thin dream that, finally, for once, he came for him. Even though the imp was probably just pissed some random demons took revenge instead of him, and he probably wished nothing more than to finish the job. But Stolas would let him, for he didn't care anymore. He deserved it anyway.

"Fuck, Stolas, are you okay?!"

The demon kneeled beside him, and Stolas blinked. He must have heard that wrong. Hell, he wasn't even seeing right either, his vision still blurry with tears, because he could swear Blitz looked… Worried.

That couldn't be.

"Heck you're not even bound with blessed rope! What's with you? Were you really going to let these shit stains kill you?"

Blitz was busy cutting the rope binding him, probably not realizing he still had the gag on. Not that it was very visible, unlike the one they used… Have been using in their BDSM sessions. This was just a piece of cloth tied around his face.

"I don't think he let himself be taken by these douchebags. He wouldn't let Via down like that. Plus, this smells like some kind of drug, and there's a lot of these already used. It's probably something to block his powers", reasoned Loona as she showed a few empty syringes on a pile of boxes.

"Is… Is his highness okay?" Moxxie demanded hesitantly as he and his wife slowly approached.

"I don't fucking know! There's blood everywhere, but they used a regular knife. I guess most of these are healed by now, but…"

Blitz's look has been avoiding his face, but as he took in the cuts and bruises, his gaze finally landed on the cloth in the owl's beak.

"Ah, shit, sorry! I should have known, since they said you couldn't talk and all but were listening."

Finally, the blood and saliva soaked gag was removed, but Stolas was still at a loss of words.

He was so sure it was his end, that he was going to die. Yet here he was, still alive, with the man that rejected him so close, touching him, checking his injuries, not even looking angry with him at all. Wasn't he mad for what Stolas did to him? Didn't he want to kill him himself?

"Stolas? Come on, say something, you're creeping me out. Why are you looking at me like that? You…"

Suddenly, the assassin froze, realization slowly sinking in.

"Wait… Don't tell me you thought I was serious on the phone earlier? It was just so they'd tell me where you are and didn't susect a thing. Of course I wasn't being serious! I wouldn't kill Via's dad, especially not after she asked me to find you since you weren't answering your damned phone and had disappeared from the palace!"

"But…" Stolas started, and his voice was so weak and rough, from not drinking for two days and being used only to scream or whimper. It took him all his will to keep talking, raising his voice as much as he could, which wasn't much. "I've used you… You admitted…" He was cut off by a coughing fit and resumed before anyone could interrupt. "You said the same when I gave you the crystal. I thought… I… I'm so sorry…"

Tears were running down again, shivering starting anew, and Blitz looked crushed. But before he could find his words, Stolas turned to the imp couple, who was holding hands, watching them worriedly.

"I never really thanked you either… For saving me from Striker. I should have, if you had arrived only a few minutes later, I would have ended up blind."

Their eyes widened at the news, and Blitz's hand clenched into a fist. His eyes drifted off to Loona.

"Same goes for you, I never thanked you for your help for finding Via in the human world. I…" Another cough. "I am really grateful for that, and I'm so glad to see you two became friends afterwards…"

"Ok, that's enough", Blitz interrupted roughly, and Stolas shrank. "Stop speaking like someone on their deathbed, it's depressing. You… We… it's not like that, okay?! Yes, you messed up, but I messed up too. Heck, I…"

He suddenly stopped, aware of the three pair of eyes on him, and quickly composed himself.

"Anyway! We'll speak later. First, we need to get you back home. Don't worry, Via's still with her mother. You can call her once you're better, even tell her you blocked her by accident or something if you want, but first, you need to shower and get your wounds looked at. Unless you think you need to go to a hospital?"

"Home is perfect", Stolas assured him in a low voice.

"Great! Er… Anyone has water?"

Moxxie gave him a flask, and Blitz grumbled a thank as he opened it to bring it to Stolas' mouth. The owl didn't realize how thirsty he was until the first drop touched his throat. Then, he gulped the whole thing down in a few gulps in one go, panting slightly as Blitz gave it back to the white haired imp.

"Better?"

"Yes", answered Stolas, and his voice indeed sounded a bit less strained, a bit stronger and clearer.

"Good. Let's drive you back home. Want me to tell Via you're safe?"

"If you can do so without telling her what happened, then yes."

"Hey, save your words, your throat's not fine yet! I promise I won't tell her. Loonie, can you text her?"

"Sure!"

"Thanks sweetie. Anywhere I shouldn't touch?"

Stolas raised an eyebrow, and Blitz looked down the owl's battered body.

"Well, since I can't tell which wound is healed or not, better be safe. I doubt you can stand on your own, you still haven't moved an inch since I freed you."

He couldn't deny that.

"Do however you see fit, I'll be fine."

Blitz made a face, but still lifted him up carefully. Despite the pain everywhere, Stolas was too numb to really react to the added sensation on the wounds the assassin pressed. Reassured, the imp carried him to their van outside, that Millie drove next to the entrance.

For once, Blitz wasn't behind the wheel. Loona took on driving, the couple managing to fit on the passenger seat, so Stolas could lay on the rear banquette, his head on Blitz's lap. It didn't take long for the owl to nod off, fingers brushing his head feathers slowly.

When he woke up, he was alone in the rear seat, Blitz's horns visible from the driver seat. Everyone else was gone, probably at home.

Suddenly, the van came to a stop, and the imp got out to open the door next to Stolas' head.

"Hey, sorry I woke you up. We're home."

Like before, Stolas didn't have to move. He didn't even try to. Blitz lifted him again to bring him to his bedroom, trying not to jostle him.

Finally, they arrived in the bathroom. There, the imp stripped him, throwing the clothes directly in the thrash, only keeping what was in his pocket, also putting away the phone they retrieved from one of the corpses earlier, until he growled upon seeing all the blood on the prince's body.

"What happened exactly? How did you end up out there?" He asked, tail lashing as he was carefully laying Stolas in his tub, going to fetch everything he would need to scrub the blood off the owl's feathers.

"I don't remember much. It's not really important. They must have drugged me while I was walking in the streets, I did feel something prick at my leg, but I didn't think much of it. Then, they cornered me in an alley, and I couldn't use my powers to defend myself. You know the rest."

"Couldn't you call me for help?!"

"They wouldn't have let me. Given our last conversation, I don't think it'd have been wise anyway."

Blitz cast him an unreadable glance, before continuing.

"But why the heck were you taking the streets in the first place? Don't you portal everywhere? How…"

Blitz stopped, frowning as he, once again, took several seconds to take in Stolas' general state.

"For how long have they been torturing you?"

"Oh, two days, I think? I didn't really sleep much, but from the light, I'd say I spent two nights there."

Blitz's tail whipped the air again.

"Two fucking days?! No wonder you look so exhausted and began believing their bullshit! Anyone would loose their minds after that!"

They stayed silent for a while after that. Stolas' mind was blank again. He was starting to wrap up his mind around the idea that, maybe, Blitz truly wasn't that mad at him. But it was too much to process for now, so he was happy to just let things be for now, until the imp decided it was time to talk again.

He didn't. For the whole time they stayed in the bathroom, Blitz didn't add a single world, save for asking where was something, or check that he wasn't hurting him. It felt so good to be clean again, and the imp could finally set to work on patching the wounds that needed it. There were still a lot of them, and as he suspected, the owl had some broken bones too. He feared a lot of wounds hadn't been able to heal properly, given the conditions, but he still put at least ointment even on the smaller ones that were almost gone. Stolas deserved that at least.

Then, he suggested some loose clothes for him to wear, but the prince shook his head. So he ended up in bed, under the blanket, drinking another glass of water brought by the imp while said imp was gone looking for some food. He had tried to argue that he wasn't hungry, but the assassin wouldn't listen.

Taking advantage of being alone, Stolas created a small portal to take his Happy Pills and put the bottle back unnoticed. Not taking them for so long certainly hadn't helped his state of mind.

Questions were starting to come back, and Stolas didn't know what to do with these. Sure, Blitz wasn't mad, but… Why was he still here, doing all that? He could have just left him at his doorsteps, Stolas would still consider himself lucky his knight in shining armor came to rescue him, even if it was only for the sake of his daughter.

But here he was, taking care of him like… Like Stolas would have wished he had after Striker, while he was in the hospital. Just a visit, really, would have been wonderful. But he hadn't, leaving him on read, and now he was going to these lengths for him… Why?

The more time passed, the more he wanted to ask. Finally, Blitz was back from the kitchen with a tray of food he probably made himself. Stolas thought he wasn't hungry, but his stomach growled at the sight of the food, and it got worse when he started to smell it too. After what he went through, anything would seem delicious, really, but even if he hadn't been starving for days, what he imp cooked truly looked great.

"Thanks, darling", Stolas smiled, not realizing the slip.

"'s nothing. Come on, eat. You need it."

Stolas managed to eat on his own with his less damaged arm, but Blitz had noticed his predicament and helped whenever he could. The owl barely emptied half of what was on the plate, but the imp had predicted as much, since it was his first meal in days.

"It's fine, don't force yourself. You'll eat the rest later, or for breakfast. Would you like something to finish the meal? A dessert, maybe?"

The owl blinked, and answered: "Chocolate."

Blitz snickered.

"Okay, I know someone hungry for candy! Guess you need the sugar. Hold on, I'm sure I've seen some somewhere!"

Once again, the imp was gone. Stolas sank a bit more in the cushions, still feeling like this was a dream. But the pain in his body was very much proof it wasn't. Maybe he should have asked for painkillers, now that feelings were returning, and he started to feel more than just numbness and pain.

Before he could decide to create a small portal to take the pills himself, Blitz was back once again with a bag of candies and a mug.

"Sorry, I couldn't find chocolat, but I found these instead, and I made you a hot chocolate! I hope it's fine?"

Stolas smiled.

"It's perfect. Thank you."

Everything was put down on the tray still on the bed as the imp joined the prince's side. Carefully, Stolas lifted the mug, breathed a bit on top to make sure it wouldn't burn him, and tasted it carefully.

His eyes widened, and he slowly put it down to turn toward the imp, who was watching him worriedly.

"What? Did I screw it?"

"No no, it's… Perfect. You know how I like to make my chocolate?"

"Well, yeah! We spent a few morning here together after all!"

"But I don't drink chocolate very often. You… You noticed? You remember?"

To his surprise, the imp blushed.

"Yeah, well… I… Listen Stolas, I'm so sorry, okay? For… Everything. For being so blind, for not listening to you when you gave me the crystal, for… Everything I said back then. You didn't deserve that. Well… Not all of that anyway. I was just being an asshole, because that's all I'm used to, and because I… I…"

He shook his head and looked Stolas straight in the eyes.

"I'm not mad at you for the deal. I could have called it off if I really didn't like it, I had other ways. But, I… I started to like you, more than I should. And I was scared, because everytime I like someone, I… I mess up. I hurt them. So I prefer to leave first, so it hurts less. You're a fucking Prince, I hoped I wouldn't be able to hurt you. What we had was transactional anyway, even if I wanted something else, that's what Ozzie's showed me. Then… Striker happened, and I couldn't even be sure I wouldn't be able to hurt you. After that, you gave me the crystal, and I understood it all wrong again, and I… I fled. It took me time, and the help of a friend, to realize maybe I was wrong. Then Octavia called, saying you were gone, and I understood how much I missed you, and it didn't matter if you like me or not, I couldn't let you down. But then, she said how depressed you were since I left, and… Hell, I couldn't let you like that. I needed to apologize!"

Finally, Blitz adverted his eyes, looking shameful.

"I'm sorry for pretending I wanted you dead on the phone. I… I never thought you'd be so down you'd believe it. I just wanted to make sure they wouldn't kill you before I could make it here with the others. They had something that could truly hurt you, I couldn't take the chance."

Slowly, the imp's glance drifted on the many bandages, and he sighed.

"But I guess they didn't need a blessed weapon for that? Heck, I didn't either, and I still hurt you. I…"

He stopped when he felt a hand cup his cheek to turn his face toward the owl's, slowly, gently. There, he met tear filled eyes that would have constricted his heart if not for the soft, sweet smile underneath.

"It's okay Blitzy. I undestand. I… You… We both messed up. I shouldn't have done things the way I did, it's no wonder you misundestood my intentions. But I still love you, and, if you love me back, then… Maybe we can give ourselves another chance?"

Blitz blinked, like if he couldn't believe his eyes and ears, and he nodded eagerly.

"Yes. Fuck yes! We'll… We'll talk this out, okay? I promise I won't run away, I'll always make sure I understand things right! I just… I don't want to see you like this, ever again."

"Me neither", Stolas answered, thinking of the imp's anger and sadness when he received the crystal. "We'll do better together, okay? All I need is the knowledge that you return my feelings."

Blitz wiped out a tear on the owl's cheek, ignoring his own as he smiled up at him.

"You bet I do!"

He approached again for the slowest, softest of kiss, until a ringtone from the bathroom separated them.

"Oh, that's a text from Via! Please, can you…"

"I'll be right back!" Blitz yelled as he jumped from the bed, almost spilling the owl's chocolate.

Stolas took the opportunity to drink a bit more, setting the mug on the table next to the bed and taking a candy from the bag before Blitz returned with the phone.

"Here! I hope Loona found a good enough excuse to explain why you didn't call Via back right away."

"I hope so", Stolas grimaced as he opened his phone.

He blinked before the message, and turned the screen to Blitz.

"She… Just told her we had a much needed talk?" He asked.

"Well, she's not wrong now, is she?" Stolas smiled as he texted his daughter back, apologizing for "blocking her on accident" and promising to call back later.

"True. Now! I know I said I'd talk more and all, and we'll do that later because we have a lot to discuss, but I think we had enough for today, and you're still hurt and need emotional rest too! Why don't we watch Spirit again?"

"That's a great idea, my love."

Blitz blushed, and stuck out his tongue.

"Hey, I can call you sweet names too, be careful!" He teased as he leaned on the owl's side, avoiding his injuries.

"Oh, but I dare you!"

15/04/2024

Hey, at least there's a happy ending! I could have kept going for a while, but it's still supposed to be a One Shot after all.

See you tomorrow maybe!