Neutered Huh? No Balls Then?

Neutered huh? No balls then?

Blitz snorted and shook his head, taking a moment to sip and sip and sip on his straw. This stupid Strawberry Valentine drink was so good. Supposedly, supposedly it was some fancy new thing based on how Valentino and Angel Dust smelled together--which, weird, but whatever, this was Hell, people capitalized on everything--but it was the freshest thing he'd had in weeks. Blitz wasn't usually one for anything sweet, but this shit was addictive.

Once he'd had enough for now, he settled, eyes half-closed. "Oh, I got balls. Vasectomies don't remove all of that. Daddy's got plenty for you to play with--I just ain't gonna become a daddy. Again. So." More sipping on that stupid damn drink for a while, then he huffed and set it aside. Christ on a stick, he could act like an adult and not a sugar-addicted child, right? Maybe? Fuck.

"If you want to know more, go down the street to the corner store and get me an order of Fries Quatro Quesos Dos Fritos, stat. Whatever the fuck stat actually means, just--go, go. I ain't answering any more questions 'bout my gear til I have something to..." He side-eyed the smoothie again. Fuck, no. Nope. No more. "To eat."

But it was so good.

Happy as could be, Blitz went back to enjoying his smoothie.

❝ We should go on a date! Where would you like to go, Blitzy~? We can do anything your heart desires! ❞

"Wait, anything?" Blitz asked, immediately turning and looking up at Stolas, his attention completely shifting. He'd been waiting in line for Loona--literally for her, she had commandeered him and instructed him to hold a spot in line for some concert for her--and had somehow conned Stolas into joining him. Until now, Blitz had been enjoying commenting on the outfits of all the people around them, but now it was like the world fell away.

Immediately shifting gears, he took Stolas by both hands and tugged him close, leaning his whole body against Stolas's legs, his chin on his hip, looking up with (mischievous) adoration. "Big words, pretty-bird. You sure you want me to hold you to 'em? Cause I think..." Blitz shoved the top of his nose against Stolas's belly, huffed, then planted his chin right back on him, "that you and me should play laser-tag. Not against each other though. Team shit. You and me against the world? I bet we'd be amazing together."

for @keenie-bopper continued from here

Listening to her, it struck Blitz just how resilient this little cherub was. She was here, talking to him, had taken the time to be kind to him, to come and ask him something when she didn't need to. She had lost her home, been kicked out of fucking Heaven, and one could argue that he absolutely had some responsibility for that--yet here she was. Talking to him. Being polite. Being kind. The imp's expression softened, and his eyes took on a genuinely friendly light.

"Keenie, if you don't have anywhere to go for Helloween... You wanna come with me? I mean, definitely go tag along with your friends," he said, using her phrasing, "if that's what you wanna do. But if you end up wanting more, and the idea doesn't freak you out, come with me on the club crawl. It's--basically going to be a lot of filth, but nobody will touch you without permission. And if they try, I'll cut their fucking hands off. There'll be a lot of dancing though, plenty of music, weird mixed drinks, lots of costumes... proobably most of them pretty inappropriate," he admitted, picturing his own outfit. "But it's usually a blast and a half.

"And even if you don't want to come, hey. I appreciate that you came to ask about it. How um--how are you doing these days? You good? I should have... fuck, I should have checked in on you guys, ever. You have a place to stay, right? You're safe?"

"Anything. It's on my dime, not coming out of your pay, so order from someplace nice, get yourself a few courses." Vox held his phone out, then floated it over to Angel on a little spark of energy. "I'm going to step outside. Don't feel rushed. When you're done ordering, you can slide my phone under the door." Brushing his hands over himself, Vox smoothed his clothes a bit, then put on a smile--which quite literally made his screen brighten.

"And hey, if you'd ever like to join me, feel free. My suite is--no offense, but a nicer place to have dinner than this. I don't even have to be there, you're welcome to use the table, the kitchen. Eat off real plates rather than out of the delivery dishes. You're better than that." He put a hand on the doorknob, about to step out, but stopped himself and looked over his shoulder.

"You know, Angel, when you raise your chin and let your eyes blaze? I don't think there's a soul in Hell who looks more beautiful or defiant. Even if it feels like he's snuffing the light and life out of you, it's in there. Burning."

Vox stepped out and shut the door behind himself, then just waited outside, content to stand there until Angel gave him back his phone. The man had given him a lot to think about--specifically After Care. That wasn't something Vox understood. The reference felt important though, and so as he stood there, he began accessing the internet archives through his wifi, thoughts turned inward, learning...

It didn't take long before he learned too much. Frowning, he folded his arms and leaned against the wall, looking up vaguely at the ceiling.

He had a lot to learn, if he was going to be there for Angel. A lot. And ideas, ideas were brewing...

Angel listened intently to everything that Vox was saying, though he was still struggling to recognize if he believed it or not. Trust was something that had been completely destroyed by Valentino, and he was so terrified that he would fall for someone's lies all over again. Better to only be there for himself, to fight his own battles, to tackle his own demons. That's what prevented hurt.

But fuck, if Angel wasn't such a people person. It was why he had always been driven to the limelight in the first place. Why he had found his place as Hell's hottest celebrity. He liked the attention, the validation, the flattery. Val knew it, too. Val had used that so damn easily against him. Vox wasn't offering any of that, wasn't offering anything bad. Just some conversation, a place for Angel to be heard for once.

Though he had so many questions, he didn't know if he was prepared to ask them. Or if Vox would even give answers. But the thing that had pushed him to be able to trust Vox, even a little at this moment, was that admittance of jealousy. It took putting aside one's pride and ego to be able to say such a thing, and if there was something he did know about Vox, it was that the Overlord valued his pride and ego.

Hand clenching more at his robe, Angel let out a small laugh. Dry, not full of the normal vigor and energy that was completely Angel Dust, but still there. "Can't be part a' th' Vees if mah' name ain't start wit' V. Ah' ain't Vangel Dust." He teased, eyes flickering towards the other. He knew what Vox meant. He had lived in the tower so long, up until Charlie had given him that saving grace of an outlet. He'd been there almost as long as Val had been, honestly. The first star of the pimp's new studio.

He's staring for another few moments, deciding to sigh and move over to the plush couch in the middle of the room, flopping onto it as if even standing took energy at this point. "Ah' ain't neva' had after care from anyone. Don't really expect it, yeh' know?" He's rubbing at his wrists now, not even acknowledging that he's doing it, noting where the bondage ropes from earlier were just a little too tight.

"Don't think ah' wanna talk about it." He's shrugging, bringing his knees up to his chest, arms curling around them as his chin rested atop them, glancing to the television demon. "But ah' ain't ate all night." And if Vox knew, Valentino had worked him an almost 24 hour shift at that point, as punishment for Charlie showing up. "So ah'd be a fuckin' idiot t' say no tah' some free food." A soft smile. "...can ah' order anythin' ah' want? Stromboli is sort of a...comfort food. Or pasta fagioli."

The shadows drop off a gift for Blitz. What looks to be a pristine western revolver, as if it were ripped straight from the old west.

Blitz's eyes widened. He had frozen at first, unsure whether or not he was about to have to fight a shadow--which, how the fuck did one even do that?--but when the gift appeared, he blinked and raised his hands to take it.

"What is... why is... is this from Eclipse?" he asked, hands closing around the weapon. It felt sturdy, heavy, and it looked like it might somehow have come from Earth, at least ten years ago... So how did someone get their hands on it now? Immediately loving it, the imp closed his claws around the weapon and hugged it to his chest.

"Tell him thank you. Please. I don't know what--I haven't done anything to deserve it? But--thank you."

The Goetia's eyes were black, rich and deep and dark enough that all light seemed to flow into them, as if it was made only to be lost into those dangerous depths. All the same, when he smiled it seemed sincere enough. He looked Angel up and down, made a soft little clicking sound--one Angel would doubtless recognize as an assessment followed by disappointment and judgement--before he looked to the imp with him.

"I recognize you, Blitz. I've seen you quite often, at Lacerate. It's an honor to see you here as well. If you would ever enjoy a private tour? Find me at either of my offices; it will be my pleasure to show you around." Before the imp could answer, the tall, shimmering Goetia laid a hand on his shoulder, leaned down, and whispered something to him--

And Blitz's expression went entirely blank. For a moment there, he might have been a doll, he was so inanimate. Tears came to his eyes--and he snapped out of it. Blitz shook himself, pulled free of Vepar, and looked up at him with a furious, heartbroken, desperate sort of defiance. For a moment, he looked like he was going to snap at him, to say something really, really fucking stupid--but he couldn't do it. Instead, he hesitated--

And nodded.

"Thanks," he said quietly, frowning. "For--all of it. Thanks."

Vepar touched a hand to his chest. "My pleasure. It is always a joy to see one within whom wonder and joy remain. Have a wonderful visit, Blitz." He bowed his head ever so slightly to the imp, then glided off, moving smoothly as he disappeared into the crowd.

Blitz fought the urge to watch him go, struggling to come back to himself. Finally, after shaking himself again, he looked back up at Angel. "Uh... fuck. Where were we? What uh--you wanna go, say fuck this place? What do you like to do?"

Other kid? There was another kid!? Angel knew he shouldn't be panicked - this was a fucking first date, it wasn't like they were exchanging vows. But there would always be the thought that kids would be brought into his life - even if the kids were older. And Angel wasn't exactly the best role model, was he? Things that he was aimlessly thinking about, as the imp ran from tank to tank.

Angel wasn't all that amused, if only because these were naturally things he had seen before plenty of times. Some of them were pretty, though he found it amusing that a Hell-quarium would have the most boring of fish. His eyes did light up a bit seeing things like florescent jellyfish or angelfish - fish they didn't have in the Hudson. Though the enthusiasm certainly didn't match that of Blitz. If anything, his own joy came from simply watching how excited the other got.

At the other's comment, Angel was opening his mouth to speak, until he heard the other voice interrupting. His eyebrow raised, spinning to look at the bird-like male, upper set of arms crossed over his chest. Unlike Blitz, he didn't have any real interactions with the Ars Goetia, and hardly gave a fuck that they were royalty. "...do yeh' just happen t' always be hidin' in th' shadows waitin' f' people t' mention yeh'?" It had seemed awfully odd that the man would suddenly appear, as if being summoned.

Wait, could Ars Goetia be summoned? Fuck if he knew.

Blitz seemed way more tense than he did for reasons that Angel didn't fully understand, one of his lower hands grabbing at the imps, feeling how warm he was. He couldn't help but to snort in amusement at Blitz' absolutely crass commentary, squeezing his hand to silently tell him to behave, before Angel shrugged. "That's what we were doin', before yeh' showed up." He hummed, though he waved his one free hand.

"Though gotta say, they ain't much of sights if yeh' tryin' t' appeal t' sinners, too. Trout and salmon are things yeh' see more on th' dinner table than in an exhibit." He was being a bit sassy, but. "Now if yeh'll excuse us, we were kind of in th' middle a' somethin'."