"Yeah, I Mean. Why Not? I've Got The Crystal Now, And You--you've Been Kinda Stuck For A Long Time, Right?

"Yeah, I mean. Why not? I've got the crystal now, and you--you've been kinda stuck for a long time, right? And shit's been--I mean. Shitty. With Valentino. I thought it might be nice for you to just feel alive again. Feel the real sunlight. And remember that you're not just someone who died. You came from all of this, you know? This world, created for you people. That body was made for you. You're beautiful in Hell. You know that. I know you know it. And I guess, maybe to me, it's hard not to think that maybe some of your beauty comes because you, you have like...

"I don't know. I'm not good at this words shit. But you have some sliver of Earth still in you. Some of that magic that this place has. I remember that you thought the aquarium was boring, so I could be way off, here," he admitted, "but to me, Earth seems magical. I wasn't born here. I wasn't born to live. I was born to serve. That's what all of my people are for. It's why we exist. We don't get an afterlife. We don't get to gamble everything on the hope of Heaven, only to end up powerful in Hell.

"You came from this. And you're stronger than it seems like you realize sometimes. And you... I don't know. I don't know what I'm even saying." Blitz sighed, but smiled. He glanced down, checking that his board tether was still firmly in place around his ankle, then slipped off of his board and just sank below the surface for a few minutes, needing a minute, needing to try and--try and what? Calm the fuck down? Center his thoughts? He didn't know, he didn't do this shit, he didn't overthink like this, he didn't take dead souls out for walks, or whatever the fuck he thought he was doing here.

He looked down into the darkness, into the depths of the ocean. The morning sun wasn't high enough to illuminate it, and so below him was nothing but black, an endless abyss--and he could feel someone's eyes watching, sense a familiar presence in those depths. Just the barest hint of it, but there all the same.

Blitz didn't know whether that was a good thing or not.

He surfaced, climbed back onto his board, and nodded towards shore. "I'm gonna go walk around in the town. Or at least sit on the sand. You wanna come?" He had the absurd notion to offer to give Angel head once they were on the shore, to let Angel feel that kind of worship in his human body--but they weren't there yet, were they? Would that be weird to offer? Still, Blitz couldn't help but glance down at Angel's stunning body before quickly looking away. He didn't have red skin to hide his blushes now.

After clearing his throat, he laid on his board and started paddling for shore, falling into a natural rhythm, working with the waves.

"Maui." He's repeating, because it still feels like an absolute fever dream. And maybe it is. Maybe he's going to wake up in his room in theresort and this would all be made up. It would be an interesting dream, to say the least, but it wasn't like his brain hadn't come up with some other obscure thoughts before, especially after being dead as long as he has. And having Blitz be in the dream wouldn't be unusual either. Though if it was a dream, they'd definitely be making out.

Admittedly, he hadn't heard the imp's complete ramble about Pearl Harbor. Even if he had, he didn't know if he would entirely care, as bad as that sounded. Shit happened on Earth. People died. World War II was right before his death, and he had seen more than enough death at his own hands. His eyes only glanced towards the other at the mention of this working, how he hadn't known if it would. "...yeh' didn't know if this was gonna work. Have yeh'...have yeh' never done it before?"

His voice cracked a bit at that, a bit of concern in his eyes. What if it had killed them? For good? No, it hadn't. And he couldn't think like that. He was shaking his head loose, looking back over at the other, before his lips twitched into the smallest of smiles. "In shock? Otherwise, great. Peachy." He laughed, showing he was feeling more normal, though blue eyes were still looking at his hands. The slightly tanned skin, compared to the bright white fur he had been so used to for decades now.

"It's just....been awhile. Since ah've been...yeh' know." He gestured to his human form, though at least much like when he was Angel Dust, he wasn't embarassed that he was wearing pretty minimal clothing. He had been a spider longer than he had been a human, so it was all just readjusting, and he's pushing his curls behind his ears - oh thank fuck, he had ears again - blushing a bit and looking over at the other. "Yeh'....yeh' wanted t' do this....for....me?"

This isn't a negotiation. Those words got through, resonated. Blitz's eyes widened as he listened, finally really listened, and understood that Stolas didn't need to be protected right now. Right now, Stolas was doing the protecting. This man loved him. Words meant everything, but the actions? The fact that he realized how determined Stolas really was? That meant more.

"Yeah. Let's stop at my place when you're done here," he said, still a little mystified, before he snapped out of it and hurried to help Stolas pack.

-

Their brief time at Blitz's apartment felt strange, like something out of a dream. Knowing it might be the last time, knowing he might never see anything familiar ever again, that he might not see Loona again, that he might never smell the smells of his kitchen or curl up on his couch--

It was hard to say goodbye, so fucking hard, but there wasn't any time. Blitz left a note for his daughter--Loona was fully an adult, and rarely ever here anyway--explaining that he had to go, and with some information about how to pay the utility bills. He wanted to shower, but had to hope there would be an option to do that in... wherever they were going. He didn't know, and maybe it didn't matter, because he would be with Stolas.

The cold, sick feeling in Blitz's stomach never eased. He had killed someone when he didn't mean to. He didn't know how, didn't know why, didn't fucking remember. He loved killing--but not like this. Not like this.

Vepar's body, cold and lifeless, was so similar to Stolas's...

Don't think about it. Just pack.

Duffel stuffed full, the strap over his shoulder, he took one last look at his home--then stepped over to Stolas and nodded, holding out his hand.

Blitz couldn't say anything, couldn't speak at the moment, so he just hoped the truth showed in his eyes: I trust you. I'm with you. Thank you.

Somewhere along the way, the love confession had turned into a nightmare, surely he was dreaming and would wake soon? How could Stolas be given everything he had wanted to hear, only for it to be overshadowed by Blitz’s insistence that he, what? Turn Blitz in? That was beyond question. Morally, perhaps it was the correct option but he never claimed to moral, never claimed to be good.

Stolas had played by the book his entire life. He did as he was told, lived the life that was never his choice, he had given everything of himself to his station, to his father and he would no longer stand for it. He was allowed to be selfish for once, to take instead of give. Well, he wanted Blitz and he didn’t care how he got him, as long as he would stay and they could be happy. Truly happy. Happier than Stolas had ever been in his isolated life.

Running away together was romantic, it was thrilling. He didn’t care about the consequences. He was going to be selfish for once in his goddamn life, even if the imp said otherwise. He had finally found love, after 35 years of abuse and neglect, Heaven be damned if he would let that go.

“You don’t understand Blitz. This isn’t a negotiation. We are leaving together until this is sorted out. I am not losing you again. I am not going to be alone again. If you love me as you say you do, you will fight with me. You will fight for us. I am not losing the only man I have ever loved.” Will ever love.

“Now, do you need anything from home? We must be quick.” Stolas opened a pocket dimension and began to place things inside like toiletries and clothing. He was going to leave with Blitz whether the imp wanted him to or not.

Pssst, hey Blitz…

Go drink a Venti Traditional Misto with soy milk and two blonde shots, adffogato and Ristretto, along with three vanilla pumps at the very bottom. :)

Blitz nodded, listening to Moxxie talk about the drink, and continued sipping on his Sweet Valentine smoothie. Tail happily curled, eyes bright and cheerful, he had nothing to say. Sip, sip, sip.

Besides. If he said anything right now, he might have to remember the horrible trip from that entire affair, and that was more than Blitz wanted to. He still had nightmares about it sometimes, still woke up in a cold sweat.

Besides. What could be better than this smoothie? Although it was almost out, he realized, and looked down at his cup as if it had personally betrayed him, more than a little heartbroken.

Blitz couldn't help but look on with excitement when she indicated he could check out the basket. Eyes bright with excitement, he poked through, loving all of it. "You guys didn't have to do any of this, but thank you. It's fuckin' sweet as shit." Selecting one of the gourds, he hugged it to his chest with one hand, then bopped back over to the kitchen with her; hanging out with Millie was always a guarantee to send his spirits sky-high.

"Some scorpion-pepper chicken? I tried to go light on the heat though, or... light-er? I know you like it hot, but if you wanna be able to kiss Moxxie when you get home," he teased, not meaning any harm by it at all, just happy and cheerful and loving. "There's some salad in the fridge, too. I stole a buncha that really crunchy shit, the 'Iceberg Lettuce?' Humans apparently hate it, but it's," he clicked his teeth together, sure she would understand immediately what he meant. It was good to bite, and there were few things more intrinsically satisfying to imps than a good crunching sensation.

Using his claws, he turned a few pieces of chicken over in the pan, making sure they crisped evenly, then looked back at her. "How have you been, though? Been a while since just the two of us hung out. You an' Moxxie doing good these days?"

It was always a bit of a struggle, trying to tamp down his effusive excitement whenever he got to hang out with one of them. Blitz cherished them both so damn deeply, but while he was at least a little bit romantically attracted to Moxxie? Millie was his bro, like sunlight to a human. She showed up and Blitz was just instantly happy. The two of them could talk about anything, it seemed, sharing a similar rough-and-tumble approach to life, and he appreciated her so damn deeply--buuuuut was always a little afraid of scaring her off. Or, well, scaring both of them off. Blitz loved them, really fucking loved them, and all he wanted was for them to at least like him in return. He chose to believe they did, though; considering what a menace he was to their lives, the fact that they were still around had to say something.

@doublejango ( continued )

Millie had stepped into Blitzo's apartment, greeted by the smell of something spicy and plenty of cooking oil. It reminded her of home on the ranch. It just needed some herbs and more seasoning. She set the basket she and Moxxie had put together on the dining table, fluffing up the bow once before she felt Blitz's hands lift her in the air. Immediately she adapted to the lift and giggled, spreading her arms and kicking her hooves.

"Heeey there, Big B! No way we'd party without ya. Especially with you stuck in the sinner world. It's all good. Just been worried about ya. Mox told me about the goat rescue. I'm sure little Billy is tellin' his friends about you too." She set a hand on her hip and sniffed the air. "What's cookin'? We bought you some spooky season desserts."

There were some pumpkin spice coffee packs included in the basket as well as other festive fun stuff. Millie packed a few colorful gourds too that she figured Blitzo and Loona might be able to use to decorate their apartment.

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 fucking what now, Blitz wondered? Whatever a Lie Brary was, he was pretty sure he didn't want any part of that. Some kind of weird fuckin' kink. Shit, he didn't even know this woman--although he did have a vague memory of drunkenly scrawling on her wall, he admitted to himself, so he should probably make up for that... Yeah. Shit. Yeah. Time to go to the Library. Or Lie Brary. Whatever. Fuck.

It was a few days before Blitz actually got his shit together. Sore from a job gone south, he was feeling too off his game to work--which made for a perfect excuse to go look for some stranger he had apparently harassed. Dressed casually, in black slacks and a comfortable black t-shirt, he had a backpack over one shoulder, a splint on his left arm, and bandages wrapped around his head. Still, despite not feeling or looking like himself, Blitz was in good spirits as he tromped on down to--

Oh.

Oh.

Yeah. This was a book building.

The shit in his backpack--it sure as shit wasn't for this.

He walked in, eyes slowly widening, and looked around with--doubt. A lot of doubt. Whoever this woman was that he had bothered, she was probably educated, which meant she would use words he would never understand and the second she saw him try to spell anything significant--yeah. Yeah. Nope. Time to go.

Blitz turned to hurry out--and almost knocked someone over when he did.

"Shit, fuck. I'm sorry! You good? I'm sorry."

“…thank you??? I mean that genuinely, I’m very flattered, I’m just also confused. Lil’ forward of ya to add X’s and O’s to a letta first thing, but I can’ pretend it’s not a fun lil’ surprise. Sure, uh…Blitzø, is it? Come by the library sometime, and I’m sure we could set somethin’ up.”