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She pushes an old shirt to the side and softly hoots in surprise at what she has found.
An old film camera.
Via blinks in astonishment and carefully lifts it out of the box. The heavy weight is expected but it still manages to surprise her somehow. This is a really old model, vintage even! Via has never seen one like this in person, only ever in magazines or in old movies.
For a moment her heart drops because at a closer glance the camera looks broken. It's dirty and banged up and there are some weird markings all over the body. In some places the plastic looks almost like it has… melted?
She turns it in her hands and runs a finger over the lid of the film compartment. What looked like ordinary scratches are actually letters, deliberately carved into the surface, faded and barely legible.
T. B.
***********
Via finds an old film camera in Blitzø’s closet. While she takes pictures of her new family and tries to come to terms with her new normal, the camera holds secrets none of them could have ever imagined.
Blitzø and Stolas have finally started a real relationship. Both agreed to take things slow, but when Loona leaves for the night, they just can't help themselves. Suddenly they're faced with an entirely new problem as Stolas' lack of magic results in him becoming gravid.
Stolas is horrified when he suddenly lays an egg. It's been a month since he and Blitzø last spoke, and things at home are still rocky at best.
So, he makes the decision to hide it. From Everyone.
The stars have never aligned for him though, and inevitably, it all goes wrong.
All he can do is hope things work themselves out.
Fizzarolli gave it more than a day. After all, with the amount of stuff Blitzø had left with, Fizz knew that he and Stolas would need a healthy sleeping in the next morning. Still, Fizz was too curious about how the night went to leave it too long. Blitzø had seemed oddly stressed for a man that was about to go have crazy kinky sex all night.
Of course, he hadn’t told Fizz anything about why. He didn’t take it personally. Blitzø had always been like that, even when he had been Blitzo, the young clown who Fizz had known all his life. He had never liked to talk about what was bothering him. Like it made something too real if he spoke it aloud. Of course, back when they were kids, Fizz always knew what it was Blitzø wasn’t talking about, because they were usually attached at the hip. Now though, Fizz could only guess.
Blitzø and Stolas accidentally both have the same therapist. The therapist (unethically) decides to help them work through their issues so they can get together.
‘Seriously, they oughta call it “Obviously, This Dude’s Life Fucking Sucks!” because who’re they kidding?!’
Blitzø chuckled at the memory of Loona’s first vocalized opinion on the movie that he’d so fondly shared with his mother. They had made fun of it, too, when he’d been just a little Impling, so it had been nothing short of a balm on Blitzø when Loona inadvertently revived the tradition with him.
But that wasn’t gonna get him anywhere with Octavia. And after getting some ideas from Stolas, Blitzø had gleefully gone and done… this…
Stolas doesn’t have time to scream for Blitz to get away; doesn’t even have time to ask Blitz why he’s here, or how he knew Stolas needed help, because Andrealphus laughs maniacally.
“You think you’re a match for me, imp?” he says with disdain, with boredom.
Before either of them can react, there’s a blinding flash of light—a scream—a splatter of black as Blitz flies back with the force of the attack and collapses against Stolas’ chest.
Stolas and Blitz haven't seen each other since Verosika’s party. But, when a desperate Via calls Blitz for help, he rushes to the palace to save Stolas’ life. Will it cost Blitz his own?
“Fine,” Blitzø sighs, dumping the rest of his cereal into the sink. “Since you really wanna do chores, let’s do this thing.” He treats Stolas to a smile, all assurance and warmth, to coax the same onto the owl's features. He feels a little dizzy looking at him. “‘Cuz, y’know, it’ll take some weight off my shoulders.”
“Oh, Blitz! Really?” Stolas trills a gleeful owlish chirp, his white pupils morphing into star shapes. “This is going to be so much fun, my darling! How do we begin? What labor do we perform first?”
(or blitzø and stolas, now living together as a couple, decide to spend the day doing everyday chores together. written for the Helluva Bang 2024.)
The Immediate Matchmaking Professionals are here to help you with all your matchmaking needs!
Blitzø is the boss of a matchmaking business that guarantees a love match for any demon who's willing to pay for it. Will he be able to find a match for Stolas of the Ars Goetia? Only time will tell.
While out on a date with Stolas, a chance encounter leaves Blitz reeling with unpleasant memories of that one night of Verosika's party. But at least they can finally have a little heart-to-heart about it.