Chapter Text
If it weren’t for the fact he was driving (poorly), Blitz would have been transfixed looking at Stolas in his rearview mirror. Stolas looked so… different.
Blitz was used to seeing him stand tall and straight, ever poised and fucking smug.
Now though… it made Blitz feel sick.
He was going to fucking murder whoever was behind this, and if he started with a certain ex-wife, so be it.
There was a scream and he swerved the van, expertly, swinging it to a stop outside Moxxies and Millie’s place. They didn’t seem phased by having Stolas in the van, which was good.
Blitz tightened his grip on the steering wheel.
Tunes. Tunes would help.
He turned on the radio, winced when it blasted loud enough to deafen him, and turned it down, laughing awkwardly.
The laugh turned into a sigh and a frown as he drove them to the office.
He parked in their usual spot, their hard-earned spot, and slammed the van door shut behind him.
“Satan you can cut the fucking tension with a spoon.” He murmured to himself.
"Gee, I wonder why," Loona growled, not glancing up from her phone.
Shit.
Stolas didn't have a phone on him, did he? She remembered fishing one out of his romper pocket, but she hadn't plugged it in. Good . He didn't need to see all the shit all of Hell was posting today. But not Octavia. Her sinstagram was ominously quiet since everything went down.
Stolas followed them in the building, into the elevator, up the stairs, down the hall, into the office. One step after another after another after another. And when the door opened...
He straightened and raised his chin, all four eyes widening as he took in the carnage.
"What in blazes happened here?" he gasped.
"We weren't sure why we were being arrested, your highness," Moxxie explained with a weak smile. "So we were trying to cover our asses."
Stolas winced.
"I see. Um...perhaps I can be of use in cleaning up. But please don't call me that. I am no longer royalty."
Blitz ignored the comment about Stolas no longer being royalty, instead he surveyed the chaos, hands on his hips and tail swishing.
“My horse plates better be intact, they’re gonna come in big next year, you’ll see.” He said smugly, stepping further into the mess. He examined the eels first, making sure they were ok.
Moxxie grumbled about ‘ those stupid fucking horse plates ’, as he passed Blitz.
It wasn’t like there was too much to clean up.
They’d need a new computer, sure, Blitz didn’t think the axe through it was really fixable, and they may have shredded some important documents, but a bit of tape and they’d be patched right up.
Moxxie had the same idea as he emptied the shredder bin, already laying out strips on the floor so he could tape them together again.
“At least it wasn’t my fucking walls this time.” Blitz said with a sigh of relief. Anything outside the office he didn’t give two rats ass’ about. The building manager could front the cost for the giant hole in the hallway.
“Mills, we’re gonna need a new computer.” Blitz said, pushing the sparking remains of the other one onto the floor. “And a desk for Stolas, and a chair.”
“Um… Sir?”
“ What , Moxxie?”
“Um… well… we can get a new computer, or we can get a new desk and chair. We uh… we can’t do both.”
Blitz’ eye twitched, and he rubbed at his temples.
“Then I guess your office fantasy is coming true!” He snapped at Moxxie. “You can sit on Millie’s lap until we get our finances in order.” He pointed accusingly at Millie. “No fucking .”
Then he turned to Stolas. “You get Moxxies desk, whatever you fucking do, don’t touch the sticky patch under there. It is not chewing gum.”
Stolas had been in the process of sweeping up some of the dust and debris. He wasn't good at it. The servants around the palace could do the work three times as fast as he was pulling it off, but there was an undeniable satisfaction in seeing that he'd made a bit of a dent. It probably wasn't something he should take so much pride in, but he did. He could make a mess of everything, but he could also sweep the floor. That was good. That was something to focus on.
At the suggestion, Moxxie started to protest, then his yellow eyes darted to Stolas, then back to Blitz, his finger hovering in the air as he ground his teeth.
Ah.
Pity .
The little one didn't want to object and risk leaving Stolas even more out of place when his very presence among them was an imposition. If only he'd thought things through. If he hadn't been so impulsive, maybe he could have dreamed up a scenario that didn't leave them all shoved together like this.
But such was his life, now.
"Blitz, please ," he pushed. "I already feel dreadful for taking your bed. I'll not have his work station as well. Besides, I don't even know what work you expect me to do. Please let him keep it and I can..."
What could he do?
Stolas couldn't exactly run errands. Loathe as he was to admit it, in the short term he was probably even less safe out on the streets than he'd be in Charlie Morningstar's hotel. And he'd never been without his magic before. He doubted he'd be of any use in the field.
What was it he'd observed servants doing before they built up their skill sets?
"Perhaps I can shadow. Just...be around, do whatever odd task you need of me until you determine a skill set I can bring to your company."
Moxxie still looked distinctly uncomfortable at the prospect but Millie brightened. "Sure. C'mon, you can help me check the weapons. We messed up the whole system yesterday and I bet a few need oilin' and fixin' up."
She took his hand and...Stolas was startled by the skip in his heart. She didn't hesitate. She was treating him like he was already part of their team.
Like he belonged there.
Loona had provided him with clothing without being asked.
Blitz refused to allow him to stay in the apartment and...well, perhaps some of that was him not wanting Stolas to head to the hotel but he was also expecting him to work.
Maybe they were less motivated by pity than he'd assumed.
With a small smile, he followed, prepared for his first day of a real, mundane, non-celestial job.
“ Sir …”
“Moxxie I swear to Satan -“
“Don’t you think you’re doing… too much?”
Blitz stopped massaging his templates, turning a slow glare to Moxxie, who stammered, but persisted.
“I know he saved your life, which we are all thankful for. It’s just…” Moxxie was wincing now, and Blitz couldn’t tell if it was because he had his hand wrapped around Moxxies throat, or if it was the awkwardness of their morning.
Blitz let go, and Moxxie crumpled to the floor, wheezing. He gave Blitz a thumbs up. “You’re right sir, as always.” He rasped.
“Yeah, that’s fucking right .” Blitz retorted. “Loona, darling, be a dear and take Moxxie to get a new computer. We have a fuck tonne of client meetings to schedule, and not a lot of time.”
Loona rolled her eyes and dragged Moxxie behind her. And usually she didn't give a shit to make small talk but...
"I tried telling him the same thing this morning," she muttered.
Moxxie hesitated, glancing over his shoulder.
"Don't get me wrong. I feel bad for him, and I don't think it's bad that Blitz is trying to help, but the prince made his choice."
"He just goes overboard whenever he's feeling things. At least Stolas put his foot or...talon or whatever down about the desk." She finally pocketed her phone and rolled her eyes. "Buckle up, fatass. He's going to get a lot more insufferable about this."
If Blitz felt bad about what had happened to Stolas, he was basically going to be a hurricane. There was no point in trying to stop it. All they could do was weather it out.
Soon enough they'd have work and he'd wear himself out in the field and Stolas would just have to figure his shit out.