Chapter Text
A sigh escaped Stolas’ beak when he jotted down more numbers on the papers he was looking over.
“How does Blitzø go through so much money in a short amount of time,” he asked himself as he pinched the bridge of his beak.
It had been a couple of months since he started working at IMP as a receptionist. He had gotten used to a routine of taking calls and accepting jobs but lately he found himself looking over the finances since Moxxie had another meltdown when Blitzø had to buy a new gun and bullets. Stolas could not blame him though; Millie was pregnant and Moxxie needed the money.
“Blitzø is so lucky that he’s cute,” Stolas grumbled.
As he looked at another document, a diamond shaped portal opened, and Stolas looked to see his beloved imp standing there with a big smile.
“Yeah! I’m back! Mission accomplished!” He said with a toothy grin. There was an explosion behind him, and it added to his arrogant and sexy glory.
Stolas chuckled but then he heard grumbles.
“Blitzø…” Octavia’s voice was heard, “we get that you wanted to make a grand entrance to impress daddy but…”
“Get the fuck off us!” Orion yelled.
Stolas looked down and saw his two children on the floor while Blitzø was standing on their backs.
“Oops!” The assassin said nonchalantly and stepped off, “Sorry kids!”
“You said that the last time!” Octavia yelled out after sitting up.
Orion fixed his hat and held up the head of a man he killed, “heads still intact.”
“He didn’t put up much of a fight,” Loona muttered after she walked through the portal, she was smart to step aside before her dad decided to jump through the portal to make a grand entrance, “That’s the boring kind of hit.”
Stolas took note of the red blood on the hellhounds muzzle and gave her a handkerchief.
“Welcome back everyone,” he said with a smile, he was now used to seeing blood and severed heads, “I’ll call the client and her know that the job was done.”
“Good!” Blitzø jumped on the desk to give the prince a kiss on the cheek (much to the annoyance of the three young assassins), "Lunch break everyone!"
Loona sighed and went to the couch to lay down, she already ate and wasn’t hungry right now. Octavia and Orion went to the breakroom to grab their lunch, leftover braised mice, a side salad and iced tea.
Stolas and Blitzø decided to have 'private meeting’ in the imp's office and put a do not disturb sign on the door. Loona made a disgusted noise and left to go to the breakroom to stay and warn the twins. While it was nice that her dad and Stolas were finally together, she was annoyed at how they went at it like teenagers.
Sure enough, Octavia and Orion made gagging sounds at the thought of their dads doing it in the main office.
“We’ll never get used to this,” Octavia mumbled, sitting down at the break room table and munching on her salad.
“They’re so gross,” Orion sighed in annoyance.
Loona took a sip of her soda, “You’d think we be used to it by now.”
The twins gagged, they will never get used to seeing their dads acting gross and sweet. They barely tolerated Moxxie and Millie and those two were on a small vacation to celebrate Millie’s pregnancy.
“Well we’re stuck here,” Loona muttered and pulled out her phone, “Did you hear about ‘F**k You, Dad!’?”
Octavia slumped in her seat which was her answer.
Orion crossed his arms.
“I can’t believe they are breaking up!” The oldest of the twins grumbled, “they were so good!”
“Why are they breaking up again?” the youngest asked.
Loona looked at her phone, “The singer had a falling out with the label company because they wanted her to do a duet with Verosika but she refused because of… personal issues.”
The twins groaned, what did that bitch do this time?
Loona looked at the article, “Oh I see. The singer didn’t want to stoop down to Verosika’s ‘obsessive and mediocre’ genre. The rest of the band wanted to do the duet, but the singer didn’t want to, so she left, and the band just fell apart.”
“Wow,” Octavia muttered, “that woman is destroying everything she touches.”
“I’m surprised she has the nerve to show her face after what happened at that party,” Orion huffed.
Loona snickered, recalling the Halloween party. Octavia and Orion accused everyone, including Verosika, of their obsession with Blitzø, leading Octavia to kill one for kissing Stolas. Loona couldn't understand why Stolas attended, but the aftermath was wild. Octavia destroyed the house, and Verosika's meltdown from it went viral, surpassing the video of the twins wrecking the DJ booth and Octavia killing the lust demon.
Loona did talk to Tex, Verosika’s bodyguard, that night to demand answers and said a few unpleasant things when she heard everything. Hence why she chose to distance herself from the hellhound for now. She appreciated the friendship/unrequited crush, but she did not want to associate with anyone who knew Verosika. She even stopped listening to her songs as a result and she loved listening to them.
“Well, she is a popular popstar, and any publicity is good publicity,” Loona muttered and ate her lunch, “Oh well, she’s history.”
“True,” the twins said at the same time, and they continued to eat.
Their lunch break ended when Loona got a text from Blitzø saying that he and Stolas were done with their ‘meeting’ (she gagged) and that he was ready to get back to business. The three assassins sighed and left the break room.
They rolled their eyes when they saw the disheveled clothes of their fathers and the embarrassed smile of Stolas who was scratching his cheek.
“Gross.”
“Really daddy?”
“You’re shameless Blitzø."
Blitzø happily ignored them and announced that they had two more jobs to do for the day.
X
In the cold stone room of Belial’s palace, a soft hum escaped the king's beak while he read the daily report Valac gave him.
“So... he’s doing well?” the white hawk asked from his throne.
Valac nodded with a smile, “He sure is, I don’t think I ever seen him this happy since he was a kid.”
“Huh...”
“I guess that’s what happens when you finally live the life you want,” Malphus added, “That Blitzø treats him well every time I see him.”
Belial rubbed his chin in thought and sighed softly. He then turned his head to look at the curtain that hid the portrait of Stolas as a chick. He should have taken it down already, but he couldn’t, he didn’t have the heart to do it.
“...I didn’t need you the past twenty-six years you were gone…. And I don’t need you now...!”
Those words echoed in Belial’s head again for who knows how many times since Stolas said that to him. How could he blame Stolas though? He always said that he would always be there for his little brother, and he left him all alone for twenty-six years. Belial accepted that Stolas hated him, but it still hurt. Belial had many regrets, and this was one of them. He stood by and did nothing while Stolas lived a life of misery and abuse.
Not being there for him would always be his biggest regret.
And now Stolas hated him which was his right.
With a sigh, the king stood up from his throne, not paying attention to the two presidents who were now talking about how Loona, Blitzø's daughter, had such a high level of magic despite her being a hellhound. They didn’t notice that their king had left his throne until they heard the great doors of the throne room being opened.
Valac turned to see Belial standing at the doorway, “Sir?”
“Where are you going?” Malphus asked in confusion, was he going to his chambers?
Belial stood there and took in a deep breath before letting out, “I’m going home.”
The cowboys looked at him in stunned surprise and then looked at each other in confusion.
For them, there was only one place where Belial called home.
The place he was born and lived in for the first twenty-five years of his life.
The place where for ten short years, he was happy.
“Sir you can’t be serious!”
“Stolas said he wants nothing to do with you!”
Belial ignored them and walked out of the cold throne room. He stayed away long enough and enough was enough.
He was going to confront Stolas one more time, clear up everything that happened between them and stay away for good if that was what his brother wanted.
Valac and Malphus ran after the unhinged king while trying to convince him that he was crazy for doing this.
But Belial’s mind was made up.
And no one was going to stop him.
X
“Hey dad, we should rent out that apartment,” Loona muttered while looking at her phone.
The day at IMP was over and now Blitzø was driving everyone home. Stolas was looking at his phone making the schedule for the month, texting Millie if she needed anything and sent screenshots of today’s finances to Moxxie to show that today’s payments were secure. Octavia and Orion were watching a video on their tablet without a care in the world.
“You think so Loonie?” Blitzø asked, "I can always give it to you.”
The woman shook her head, “Nah, I wanna stay with you guys.”
Blitzø looked at her with teary eyes, "Awww Loonie...!"
“Someone's gotta be there for Via and Rion when you and Stolas act all gross.”
The van almost hit an oncoming car.
“Blitzø!" Stolas hooted in fright, "Watch the road!"
“Relax babe!” Blitzø said nonchalantly, "I’ve done this before!”
“Still! Think of the children!”
The twins and Loona were unfazed by the near collision. They were still looking at their devices with tired expressions.
Stolas sighed, he had forgotten that they were all used to Blitzø's reckless personality. But then again, so was he.
“So what’s for dinner?” the imp asked when the palace was within sight.
The twins perked up, they were starving after killing all day.
“It depends on what Pringles has planned,” Stolas answered as he put his phone away, “He’s always been good at planning the meals.”
“He has,” Octavia muttered softly.
Orion was silent but even he knew that Pringles always a capable butler.
“Well, we’re home!” Blitzø announced with aa smile.
For an imp to call a palace of a Goetia home was unheard of but then again, Stolas was a rather unusual Goetia. He was a happily disgraced prince who was living a quiet life with his two children he fought so hard to keep with his lover and stepdaughter. Octavia and Orion were also happy to be seen as failures; they were living their lives the way they wanted. Strangely enough, the twins kept their popularity amongst the imps and hellhounds even after they pulled that stunt at Satan's trial where they insulted the imp population. But Millie did show that the mayor of her hometown was the loudest supporter of them which led to them and their dad getting support. And then there was the interview their dad did with that magazine where he came out as a gay man who was in love with an imp.
Blitzø parked the van at the front steps and jumped out while everyone crawled out, Stolas needed a little help since he was so tall, Octavia had to push him since she and her brother were still inside. It resulted in Stolas almost falling on his face when his daughter pushed a little too hard.
“Thank you darling,” he said as he got up from his not so graceful stumble while his two children jumped out.
“Welcome!” Octavia piped with a smile.
Orion chuckled, “You okay dad?”
Stolas fixed his fedora and made his way to the steps, “I am, I need a bath after today.”
Loona opened the door to see a nervous Pringles pacing the floor, “Um... You okay?”
The butler jumped, “O-Oh! Welcome home everyone!”
Stolas knew that something was amiss, and he took off his hat to give the butler, “What is going on Pringles?”
The shorter imp took the hat trembling, “W-Well, Lord Valac and Lord Malphus have returned.”
Blitzø cocked an eyebrow, so what? Those two presidents come and go all the time so why was the butler freaking out?
“Alright?” the prince was confused, “Is there a problem?”
Pringles gulped, “A-And... his majesty, king Belial, is here as well. He demands to speak with you your highness.”
Stolas froze when he heard his brother’s name. Belial is here? In his palace? He's here?
“I-I-I said that you did not wish to see him, but he was adamant, Lord Valac and Lord Malphus have tried to convince him to leave as well, but he would not listen,” the butler explained, “he’s in the drawing room.”
The prince gulped and looked at his children who were just as worried as he was. Why was the unhinged king here?
Blitzø and Loona were in fight mode now, sure that king saved them when that stupid peacock almost killed them, but Stolas made it clear that he never wanted to see him ever again. Loona was told about the prince’s history with Belial, and she was not happy to hear that. What was it about Stolas that made him a punching bag?!
Stolas was reeling with anger, but he sighed, his shoulders slacked, and he took back his fedora, “Very well, I’ll meet with him.”
Everyone looked at him in confusion, what was he thinking?!
“Babe, now's not the time to act like a prince,” Blitzø tried to reason, "you said you wanted nothing to do with that family anymore!"
“I know what I said, and I still do,” Stolas pulled out his phone and began searching for something, “But I need to settle this if it means he will leave us alone.”
The twins and Loona looked at each other, they were worried about what was going to happen.
Stolas showed Pringles his phone that showed a recipe, “Do you think you can make this?”
The butler looked at it with a raised eyebrow, “Are you certain you want this made your highness?”
The prince nodded, “Yes, I will let you know when you can bring it.”
With that, Stolas walked off to meet with the king.
Blitzø, Loona and the twins followed him, confused and trying to tell him that he didn’t have to talk to his estranged brother, but Stolas ignored them.
When your toxic family finally leaves you alone, you tend to look back on where everything went wrong. For Stolas, he began to think about what he saw on Sinsmas. Before Belial disappeared after being told that he was not needed, Stolas saw his face. He looked sad, heartbroken actually, and it confused Stolas. Belial told him that he hated him after admitting that he was glad he was the last brother to raise. He sounded genuine but his facial expression confused the prince.
When he reached the door to the drawing room, he heard the voices of Valac and Malphus.
“I’m telling you; you need to leave!”
“You really think Stolas is going to accept what you gotta say?!”
The way the presidents were acting only added to Stolas’ suspicions. They were scolding the king. No one in their right mind would even dare talk back to Belial from what Stolas heard.
“That’s enough,” he heard Belial’s cold voice muttered, “if Stolas wants me to leave then I will.”
“He did ya idiot!” Valac crowed.
Okay, that truly made Stolas suspicious.
With a deep breath, he opened the door to see the white hawk king sitting on the leather couch drinking a scotch on the rocks (that was from Stolas’ personal cabinet!) while Valac and Malphus were standing in front of him with annoyed looks on their faces.
“Hello Valac, Malphus,” the prince announced them first before he even acknowledged Belial, “Your majesty.”
Belial grunted in response and waved the presidents away. They moved to stand behind the couch with their arms behind their backs. Stolas moved to sit on the couch opposite the king. Blitzø and Loona sat on the right while Octavia and Orion sat on the left.
“So...” the prince had his hands folded on his lap, “Why are you here your majesty?”
Belial was silent, his black eyes and red pupils stared at Stolas intensely, it made him feel uncomfortable and he knew his family were feeling it as well.
“I must say,” Stolas muttered, “I did not expect you to barge into my palace after all this time. You could have sent word.”
The king huffed and crossed his arms, “Why should I send word? This used to be my palace.”
Stolas gave a narrow glare, “This was your palace, but it became mine when you left.”
It was now Belial’s turn to glare back. The silence between the brothers was felt by everyone in the room. Blitzø’s hand was inching towards his gun, Loona was ready to pounce if she had had to, but Octavia and Orion could see that something was up. They saw that both Valac and Malphus were glaring but at their dads or them.
They were glaring at Belial.
That was weird, why were they doing that? Weren't they supposed to work for him?
Stolas’ fingers tightened their grip on his lap before he relaxed. If his suspicions were correct, then he knew that everything would be resolved fast.
“Very well... brother,” Stolas bit out, “I had a lot to think about these past months and now that I know how you really feel about me, I feel it is important to let you know something. Something I have been wanting to tell you for years.”
Belial raised an eyebrow and Stolas leaned forward.
“Nickelback...”
Blitzø, Loona and the twins looked at him, the uneasy feeling they felt instantly turned into pure confusion. What the heck was he saying?
The feathers of Belial reacted, and his beak gave a snarl as he muttered ever so quietly, “Don’t you fucking do it...”
“That band fucking... sucks!” Stolas declared, slamming his hands on the small coffee table, “Their music is ear garbage and that singer, Chad Kroeger, right?” he tilted his head and nodded, “Oh yes, that’s his name, anyway, his voice is grating and his hair looked like uncooked noodles! And also-”
Before he could continue, two large hands grabbed him by his red sweater, and he was lifted from the couch. Blitzø and Loona were ready to attack, and the twins froze in fright when king Belial the unhinged king of the Goetia grabbed their dad.
Belial was seething in anger, “Take... it....” his deep voice that made everyone freeze at the trial months ago echoed in the room, “Back!” and then his voiced changed into a higher pitch, “Take it back! Take it back you little bastard before I rip your arms out and beat you to death with them!”
He said this while shaking Stolas who did nothing to defend himself, instead he gave an unamused look.
“I thought so,” he said.
Belial sputtered, his eyes were wide in realization, he dropped Stolas and plopped on the couch, “Damnit!”
Valac and Malphus let out annoyed sighs, they were so done with this boy!
Blitzø looked at Stolas who was dusting off his sweater, “the fuck was that Stolas?!”
“Daddy, what happened!?” Octavia demanded.
“Dad?” Orion asked in confusion.
Loona looked at the king, “Did he shrink?”
Stolas fixed his head and pointed at Belial, “Children, Blitzø, this is my brother Belial. The real Belial, an idiot who would rather watch anime and has unhealthy obsession with Nickelback and chimichangas!”
Belial sat there with his arms crossed and a pout was on his face, a far cry from the intimidating king the family grew to fear and hate.
“I’m not that bad...”