Archive of Our Own ^beta

Millie Quinn deserved a great day

Well, that was really an extreme understatement- Millie Quinn deserved a great life, she deserved the entire universe handed to her on a silver platter, with other universes as trimmings

But Moxxie couldn't quite give her that

What he could give her was a great day at Loo Loo Land

Having a break from the chaos and monotony that was ordinary, every day life

Just the two of them

And Moxxie was going to give her that

Having already snuck out of bed and made breakfast- complete with freshly picked daisies- her favorite- as the centerpeice- Moxxie felt confident in one thing and one thing alone: This was going to be a great day

~+~

"Are you sure your employees aren't going to mind us tagging along?" Stolas asked with concern as he rounded the corner, giving a soft wistle and a goodbye to the canary across from him as he headed for the door

"Yeah, the M&Ms are cool like that, 'sides, I'm sure they've got their own shit planned, not like we have to spend all day up their asses," Blitz nodded, blowing a bubble in his chewing gum and pausing to glance over his shoulder as Stolas finally stepped out of the house, locking the door behind him

He had to admit- the theme park look was new and fucking adorable on him

He hadn't thought he'd ever see his partner in cargo shorts but there he was- the shorts, the Lilo & Stitch t-shirt that said "I didn't feel like being an adult today", and the baseball hat with his ponytail pulled through the back featuring a rainbow patterned bee that said "Bee proud" on it.... and....

...Was that a fanny pack?

It was all certainly a look

Blitz actually felt a little underdressed in just his denim shorts and Batwoman t-shirt....

"Well don't you look festive?" he couldn't help but comment, tilting his sunglasses down and grabbing the pack of gum he had in his pocket, offering a stick to Stolas

"I thought so~" Stolas beamed, delicately plucking a stick from the pack

"...Ya' know... don't take this the wrong way but..... how were you ever a super model....?"

Stolas huffed, rolling his eyes

"I keep telling you I wasn't, I was a runway model, you know super models actually are their own category right? It isn't just a nice compliment," he chuckled

Blitz, mid-bubble, slowly shook his head

"Actually, I was not fucking aware of that, but thank you for the information,"

Stolas giggled, taking Blitz's hand as his boyfreind started to lead him across the street to his truck, having insisted they take the.... less than expensive vehicle instead of Stolas's much nicer car due to the parkinglot "probably being filthy"

He wasn't sure what that really had to do with anything, but he wasn't going to argue over something so silly

"Also, to answer you question, I believe when you have a child it does something that skews your sensibilities... though in fairness, being a model had never really been something I wanted anyway, I've always loved fashion, but eccentric fashion, you know?"

Blitz paused, confusion clearly skittering across his face

"You didn't want to be a model?"

"Well.... it wasn't like I hated the idea at first, but it had never been my first choice, my mother wanted me to become some sort of fashion icon, taking my gayness and making it 'acceptable' I suppose, or maybe just trying to put me in a situation surrounded by pretty girls so I would 'turn straight', I'm not really sure.... anyway, if it hadn't been for Octavia, I would likely still be stuck in that career,"

Blitz... had so many questions

Why would Stolas just go along with a job he didn't want even into his thirties?

Had he even liked modeling?

What had happened with his mother? Come to think of it, he had never heard much about her outside of one or two breif mentions and that conversation a couple of weeks ago, was she even still alive?

He wanted to ask, but before he could even get a word out-

"Oooh, where're you guys goin'~?"

The only person who could catch Stolas's attention as quickly as Blitz was Angel, and the way Stolas's eyes sparkled whenever he was around was... sweet

Before becoming a couple, Blitz had spent nine months just being Stolas's neighbor, and the loneliness his boyfreind had suffered through had always been pretty obvious

What few people ever visited or spent time at the house were either clearly his ex's freinds, or clearly attempted playdates for Octavia, and he had a quiet, solitary life, one that Blitz had correctly assumed didn't seem to include any freinds, so it was nice to see him now having such a close freindship

Blitz....

Blitz also lacked that

He hadn't always, but it had been years since he had a real freind

Yeah, he was close with Moxxie and Millie, but they never really did things together or talked outside of work, he had wanted to change that ever since starting I.M.P. but his plans always fell through or he always chickened out of even trying at the last minute, too afraid of failure to even make an effort, he missed having freinds....

But he was just happy that Stolas had one now- possibly even his first one, if the implications of how lonely his childhood had been were to be taken at face value

"Blitzy is taking me to Loo Loo Land for the day! Doesn't that sound fun?" Stolas chirped back

Angel's expression practically glowed

"Loo Loo Land? That theme park that just opened up?"

Was Blitz the only person who hadn't heard of that place until being directly told about it...?

"Yes! The very one!"

"Oh that's fuckin' awesome! Ya' know, I ain't got a show for a couple o' days, and Al is just recordin' for his podcast, so he's pretty much free too, it... sure would be fun to tag along...."

Before Blitz could even attempt to say anything, Stolas had grabbed Angel's hands with excitement

"Yes! Come along! Oh it'll be so much fun!"

"Great!" Angel beamed, damn near jumping with excitement

"I'll go talk to Al~ I'm sure we'll be right behind you guys!!"

As Angel ran off, Blitz stared after him, wondering how he had gone from a nice day date with his boyfreind and hanging out with the closest thing he had to freinds to having their plans intruded upon by Angel- who, honestly, he didn't mind- and the creepy fuck he slept with- who Blitz absolutely did mind

....What the fuck had just happened?

~+~

"You need a break!"

Startling slightly, Charlie glanced down at her short companion, offering her a small smile

"Niffty, the day just started, I can't-"

"Not for a few minutes, for the day! You and Miss Vaggie have been working way too hard lately!! When's the last time you took a day off?"

Charlie frowned, her shoulders sagging a little

It... had been a pretty long time... she couldn't even remember their last day off, but...

"But the hotel has been so busy lately," she said softly

"Wich is good! The more guests we have, the better off for everyone, it's just... been busy..."

"Well you need to take a break once in a wile or you're going to burn out! Miss Vaggie already seems like she's hanging by a thread!"

Charlie had noticed that....

Vaggie had always had a short temper, but the last few days she seemed to lose her mind at the tiniest things...

"I guess you're right, Vaggie does need a break-"

"Oh no,"

Startling, Charlie spun around and smiled sweetly at her girlfreind

"Vaggie!! I was just-"

"Trying to get out of taking a day off from the sounds of it," Vaggie noted, head tilting to the side

"It's... not that..." Charlie said slowly

"Babe.... you've been working so hard, you really need to take a break before you get sick from exhaustion," Vaggie insisted gently

It wasn't just the hotel either- although that was the vast majority of it

Charlie, ever the Good Community Samaritan, was also trying- overly, in Vaggie's opinion- hard to make this Halloween festival thing in the neighborhood a success, and she had even taken on a couple of volunteer shifts at the local animal shelter, wich had lead to them fostering three kittens...

Vaggie didn't know how she was still standing

"I know, and I will! But just not today, I mean we've got those new employee interveiws to do- I mean, I do, you should DEFINITELY take the day-"

"Nope, it's both of us or neither of us," Vaggie insisted

Charlie pouted, her shoulders sagging as Niffty decided to get in on the conversation again

"Miss Charlie please! The hotel's not gonna fall apart without you for a day," she insisted

"I can handle the interveiws, I promise!"

"I'm sure you can Niffty, but I don't wanna leave you here to do that by yourself.... and the staff is already so thinned out..."

"Well.... you leave me no choice hun," Vaggie said with a sigh, her shoulders sagging

Charlie raised an eyebrow, not sure what to make of that statement, but she didn't have much time to think about it

She could feel a presence behind her, and when she turned around, she found herself craning her neck to stare up at a massively imposing figure, easily over six feet tall and muscular, chuckling darkly as he crossed his arms over his chest

"Well well well.... what do we have here?" he crooned, tilting his head to the side

"Is this troublemaker bothering you ladies?"

"Oh she really is Officer, she refuses to take a day off," Vaggie answered with a smirk

The figure behind her chuckled, bending down a little so he and Charlie were face to face

"Now if that's true, I'm gonna have to take you downtown, don't make me haul you off to the zoo Young Lady,"

Unable to stop herself, Charlie burst into laughter, a chain reaction of amusement quickly afflicting the small group one right after the other

"Uncle Ozzie, you're too much," she laughed

"Well I have to be! Lord above knows you're not gonna listen to reason!" he insisted, still laughing

"Now what do I need to do to convince you to take a break?"

Charlie sighed softly, rubbing her arm anxiously and glancing over her shoulder

"I don't need convincing, I just... don't think a break right now is really a good idea... I mean we have to do interveiws for some new employees-"

"I can do those!" Niffty insisted with a huff, crossing her arms over her chest

"W-Well... yes but-"

"We're not expecting any new check-ins today," Vaggie pointed out, raising an eyebrow

"I-I know but-"

"Ya' know, Fizzie and I are having our day off today," Ozzie pointed out, a hand resting on his hip as Fizz bounced over to them, slinging his arm around his boyfreind's waist and leaning against the desk with a grin

"C'mooooon Princess, play hookie with us!"

"It's not really hooky if it's your day off..." Charlie pointed out with a nervous smile

"Charls, c'mon, mi amor, if you don't take a break willingly, we're gonna have to force you to," Vaggie said, arms crossing over her chest

"And I know you don't want that," Ozzie added with a teasing grin

"It's setting a bad precedent for your patients not to let yourself have any self care~" Fizz added with a smirk

"We're going to that new place downtown, Loo Loo Land? You and Vags are welcome to come tag along~" Ozzie added with a smile

"That sounds like fun," Vaggie nodded, wrapping an arm around Charlie's waist and letting her head rest on her shoulder

"I'll win you a stuffed animal~" she sang in what she very much hoped was a convincing tone

Finally deciding that they weren't going to just let her live, Charlie gave a loud sigh, shoulders sagging, and gave in, unable to stop herself from smiling

Vaggie knew her too well- the stuffed animal comment was prompting a smile that she couldn't quite tamper down

"....Fiiiiiine, I guess I can't say no to that.... just let me get a couple of things in place for Niffty first ok?"

"Sure! We'll meet you two there, Fizz and I are getting breakfast anyway," Ozzie agreed, his hand immediately moving to rest on Fizzarolli's hip as the officer grinned his bright, metal-filled grin at the girls and gave a wave

"Don't take too long you two~"

"We won't," Charlie promised, waving back to them and sighing a little, disappointed with herself

She really shouldn't be taking time off.... but she had always been so horrible with telling people "no".... especially people she loved

And she loved Ozzie, really, he was basically like an uncle to her, despite only being in his mid-thirties- not that much older than she was- and she had already grown fond of Fizzarolli too, even though they hadn't spent much time together in the seven or eight months since he and Ozzie had been seeing eachother, he was fun and sweet and very easy to like

...And Vaggie

Well, need she say more there?

Vaggie had been her most constant support system for almost three years, she had helped Charlie start the hotel, she was everything to Charlie...

"You deserve a break babe," Vaggie noted softly, catching the blonde's attention once more and prompting a soft smile out of her

"Oh, I know," she shrugged, only somewhat lying as she leaned in and gave Vaggie a loving kiss

"Thanks for always reminding me of that,"

~+~

"OOoh look at this Mox! They've got a pettin' zoo!!"

"I thought you'd like that," Moxxie absolutely preened, smiling lovingly at his wife as he pulled into the parking spot

"They've got goats and llamas and pigs and little lambs.... I ain't been to a pettin' zoo since I was a tot!"

"I know,"

They weren't even technically at the park yet, but already Moxxie felt like an absolute genius of a husband

Clearly Millie was going to enjoy herself here

"Aw Mox, you're such a great guy," she fawned, leaning over and giving her husband a tight hug, effectively turning his face red

"I just want to make you happy," he promised, kissing Millie's cheek before turning the engine off

That seemed to be the only prompting Millie needed, throwing her seatbelt aside and nearly racing out of the car with excitement

Moxxie was a little slower, but he was trying to keep up with her

Yes, this was really going to be a great-

"Well hey there Mills! Mox! You two got here a little late, don't you live closer to this place than us?"

Wincing a little, Moxxie turned his attention to Blitz, who was just across from them, climbing out of his truck, with Stolas climbing out right after

"We had a relaxing breakfast," Moxxie explained, waving politely as Stolas came towards them, waving enthusiastically himself

"Oh that sounds nice, we should have done that Blitzy,"

"Eh, I wanted to get on the road early, but I'll buy ya' some funnel cakes or somethin'," Blitz promised instead, wrapping an arm around Stolas's waist

Stolas only nodded, seemingly about to say something else, before his attention was taken elsewhere, glancing over his shoulder at the sound of another car pulling up and smiling enthusiastically

"Angel!"

Blitz's face immediately dropped, letting go as Stolas rushed to greet his freind

"....Someone you know...?" Moxxie guessed slowly

"Yeah... our neighbor, Stolas's bestie," Blitz sighed, clearly put out as he watched Stolas and Angel strike up some giddy conversation, Alastor locking eyes with him and grinning that creepy ass grin of his, even giving a wave....

"...Well, don't you worry Sir, I'm sure you want to spend as much time with your freinds as possible so we'll be-"

"Oh no no no no no no no," Blitz said quickly, wrapping an arm around Moxxie's shoulders and squeezing

"Stolas and I are gonna be right beside you two all day, trust me, we're gonna get the opportunity to get to know you and Mills!"

Moxxie sighed heavily, shoulders sagging and head hanging

"Gee, that's.... wonderfull Sir....."

Distantly, he wondered what the chances were of an asteroid falling out of the sky and killing him before this disaster of a day could go any further...

~+~

"OOoooh Mox look at that THING! I don't know what it is but I want it!!!"

Moxxie's attention instantly turned to a game of balloon darts- or, apparently more importantly to Millie, the giant plush.... thing.... hanging at the top of the stall

It looked kind of a little bit like a big penguin but it was yellow and purple and kind of ugly looking...

But Millie liked it and that was all Moxxie cared about

"Oh, you like that thing?" he smiled, rubbing his hands together, a skip in his step as he started for the stall

"Yes!! I do! I really do!"

"Then I'll win it for you~" he declared proudly, watching with the rush of an Olympic gold medalist as Millie squealed and started jumping up and down

"Oh Blitzy LOOK! They have a little owl!" Stolas fawned right after, grinning from ear to ear

"Oh yeah? Well I'll win it for ya' if you want baby," Blitz purred, hands resting on Stolas's hips as the former model tugged him in closer, swaying and cupping his cheek

"Really? No one has ever won me a prize before..."

"Then like so many other things, I'll be glad to be your first~"

Moxxie struggled not to roll his eyes, just glad that the owl Stolas wanted was significantly smaller than the giant... thing... that had captured Millie's eye, there was no way Blitz could show him up then....

Clearing his throat, he slapped a five dollar bill on the counter and smiled at the attendant

"Three darts please,"

Wordlessly, the attendant placed three little plastic darts on the counter, watching boredly as Moxxie picked up the first, lined it up, tossed and-..... watched miserably as it bounced right off one of the balloons

"That's ok Sweetie! Ya've got two more!" Millie promised with enthusiasm

Moxxie only gave an anxious smile, cleared his throat and tried again.... only for the same thing to happen a second time

Without even waiting a second, he picked up the third dart, threw it as hard as he could, and watched as it pinned it's self...... to an empty spot on the bored between two balloons....

"Alright Mox, step aside, watch how it's done," Blitz grinned, pushing himself through as Moxxie grabbed his wallet, determined for another try

Blitz paid for his own set of darts, threw the first one, and instantly popped a balloon, a little green sticker appearing underneath it

"That's one," the attendant announced

Grinning, Blitz tossed another dart and connected with a second balloon

"Two," said the attendant

Blitz smiled at Stolas over his shoulder- who looked like he had just won the biggest prize of them all- and tossed his third dart

"And three! Small prize!" the attendant shouted, ringing a little bronze bell next to him

Grinning proudly, Blitz gestured to the little owl on the side of the stall, and as the attendant grabbed it-

"Oh hell no,"

Blitz immediately stiffened, glaring as he spun around to get a good look at none other than Fizzarolli, wrapped around Ozzie and glaring in annoyance

"Well well, if it isn't the goon squad," Blitz snipped, his nose wrinkling- an expression nearly mirrored by Fizzarolli

"Funny, coming from the fuckin' Dweeb Patrol," Fizz sneered back

"God help me why is this happening to me? What did I do to deserve this?" Moxxie mumbled under his breath, staring up at the sky in utter emotional exhaustion

"What are you chucklefucks doing here?" Blitz snarled, his arm looping around Stolas and yanking him closer, a quiet, involuntary squeak of surprise leaving the former model

"Taking a day off, I'd ask what you shitbags are doing here but I'm actually not surprised, I'd take it anywhere with 'loo loo' in the title would draw lunatics,"

"OOoookaaaay that's enough,"

To Blitz's utter surprise, the voice of reason came in the form of the little blonde hotel owner as Charlie gently pushed her way between the two of them, her girlfreind trailing right behind, looking like she was ready to murder the next person who spoke

"I'm feeling some tension here, but I don't think it's necessary, we're at a big park! We don't have to interact with eachother, or, you know... be in eachother's way...? We can always just avoid eachother if we need to, oooorr we can try to get over whatever negativity we're feeling and play nice!"

The looks exchanged between Blitz and Fizz made it pretty clear that second option wasn't really going to be an option, but neither of them really made any move to leave either

In the end, Blitz just cleared his throat, turning back towards the game and smirking as he took the little owl prize he had won and presented it to Stolas

"For you, baby,"

Stolas beamed, taking the owl and practically fawning over it

"Thank you Blitzy, I love it!"

"Is that really the best you can do?" Fizzarolli cackled, earning a sneer from Blitz as he sauntered up to the booth

"Hey Oz, you want a toy baby?"

"Oh you know I do," Ozzie beamed, hurrying after and wrapping an arm around Fizz's waist

"Ya' know, I've always loved dogs, think you can get me that cute dalmatian?" he suggested, pointing to a plush that was significantly bigger than the owl, but certainly not the biggest thing they had

It was definitely acheivable, but would still make something of a statement...

"You know that I can," Fizz cackled, not even paying attention to Moxxie- who had just failed once again to pop any balloons- and slapping a $5 on the counter, being offered three darts in return

Grinning from ear to ear, Fizz immediately tossed the first dart and popped a balloon, revealing a little yellow sticker

"Small prize!" the attendant shouted, wich immediately crawled under Blitz's skin

Smirking, Fizz tossed the next dart, revealing another yellow sticker

"Another small prize!"

Blitz seethed, Fizz snickered, and tossed the third dart

"Three small prizes! Would you like to collect three or combine them for a medium?"

"Whatever gets me the dalmatian," Fizz grinned back

Moxxie took in a deep breath, having already fished his wallet out, about to buy a third set of darts, but before he could do anything-

"Oh my god, look Al! They've got a big fuzzy spider!" Angel shouted, wrapping himself around Alastor like a boa constrictor

"Will ya' win it for me baby? Please please please?"

Alastor chuckled a little and gently pushed Angel away as he approached the stall, unsure if Angel was really so suddenly excited for the plush spider, or if he was just trying to help Blitz somehow by showing up the guy who had shown him up, but either way, Alastor was happy to assist

And knowing Angel, it could very well just be both

"Well, I am good with sharp objects," he noted with a chuckle, purchasing a set of darts

Unlike the two who preceeded him, Alastor actually took his time with the darts, lining up the first one carefully and instantly popping the balloon

"Medium prize!"

Glancing breifly over his shoulder, he instantly clocked the frowns of annoyance and disappointment on Fizz and Ozzie's faces, and that just drove him to keep going

Popping the next balloon, a similar orange sticker was revealed

"Medium prize!"

But Alastor wasn't going to be satisfied until he not only one-upped the competition, but really twisted the nife, so, measuring with as much care as possible, he tossed the last dart, and grinned with glee as not one, but two balloons popped, damn near overflowing with giddy pride as a third orange sticker, and now a red sticker, were revealed

"Three medium prizes and a large! Would you like to trade in the mediums for-"

"Please," Alastor crooned, gesturing Angel forward and wrapping his arm around his partner's waist

"The white spider please, and what else do you like darling?"

Angel's nose wrinkled a little as he peered at the prizes, but instantly jumped with excitement as his eyes landed on something in particular

"Oh! Bambi!!!!"

Sighing a bit, rolling his eyes, Alastor went along with it

"...And the deer please...."

There was a running joke about Alastor being Angel's deer, but that was another story for another time

And with tension starting to rise a little higher in the group- and Moxxie making another attempt to pay for a set of darts- Vaggie had, apparently, finally decided she'd had it

"Alright, I've had enough of this,"

Marching forward, she slapped the money down on the counter, smirking over her shoulder at Charlie

"What'cha think babe? Should I aim for the giant unicorn?"

Charlie, who had noticed that something was going on between the group but hadn't quite yet discerned the details, eagerly hurried to the counter, looked up, and beamed

"Ooooh!! Yes!! I love unicorns!!"

Behind her, Vaggie could faintly hear someone muttering a "Good luck" under their breath, and that.....

That fucking broke what little restraint she had been considering

In a single, fluid motion, she grabbed the darts, tossed all three, one right after the other, and popped three balloons all in a row, earning three large prizes, and the astonished, somewhat frightened looks on the faces of the men behind her

"We'll take the giant unicorn please," she smirked, her ego feeling stroked to the nines as Charlie giddily squealed and cheered behind her, a unicorn big enough that they had to hold it with two hands being presented to the girls

Vaggie instantly scooped it up, handing it to Charlie and kissing her cheek, before offering the boys an utterly sadistic grin

There was, however, one person left in this proverbial pissing contest

"Ya' know what sweetie? Why don't ya' let me try? Just for fun! Maybe I can atleast get a little of your money back on somethin',"

Moxxie, having given up on a third try due to the constant interruptions, just sighed quietly and nodded, handing the five dollar bill to Millie and watching sadly as she approached the counter and placed it gently on the wooden slat, smiling as she was presented with the three darts

But oh those darts....

They were quick to go to work

The first dart popped two balloons, offering her two large prizes

The second popped another two balloons, offering her a large prize and an extra large prize

But the third?

Oh the third....

The third managed to sail sideways through three balloons, winning another large, another extra large, and the coveted JUMBO- so coveted that they even rang a little bell to celebrate it

Millie, being Millie, giggled and bounced with excitement, either unaware or uncaring of the looks of utter shock and mild fear on the group behind her as she leaned across the counter

"I'd like that big jumbo THING up there please! And the giant teddy bear too!"

Turning to Moxxie, she pulled him close and leaned up to kiss his cheek

"You like the bear, right hun?"

"...Y-Yeah..." Moxxie squeaked back, face as red as the bowtie that decorated said bear, but not just with embarrassment- though there was plenty of that- also with just a little bit of pride

~+~

Unfortunately for pretty much everyone involved, this competitive spirit lasted all day

Charlie had been right ofcourse- they did have a huge park to explore, there was no reason to keep tailing eachother, but somehow or another- likely because Blitz and Fizz semi-wanted it that way- they just kept ending up together

"Oh fuck yeah, a shootin' game, this is my style!" Angel grinned, immediately running to the water gun game and taking a seat, peering over his shoulder at Alastor

"I'm winnin' you a prize baby!"

"I really don't need one of these cloyingly fragile stuffed toys dear, but if it boosts your ego, I'll be more than happy to accept,"

"Oh it'll boost my ego alright," Angel winked back, smiling proudly as Blitz took the seat next to him

"Not to disappoint ya' Angel, but I'm winning that big dolphin for Stolas,"

Angel laughed, resting his head on his hand as the other seats were promptly taken- by Moxxie, Fizz, and Vaggie in that order

"Not to disappoint you babycakes, but you've got no idea what I can do with a gun in my hands," he winked back

"Ooh... that's kinda hot," Blitz chuckled, quickly snarling at Fizz over his shoulder at the fake gagging sound he made

But there wasn't time to get into a tussle, the bell rang for the competition spots to close and the attendant, who couldn't possibly seem less invested in their feud, went over the rules of the game

"Everyone aim your water guns at the target, first one to get their sailor to the top wins a giant dolphin, everyone else who participates will get a small dolphin,"

"And nobody wants a small dolphin," Fizz noted with a grin, sticking his tongue out in Blitz's direction to show off the stud sitting neatly in the center of it

Blitz growled, flipping him off, before turning his focus back to the game

Everyone was quiet, tense, lying in wait.....

And then the bell rang and the water guns all turned on, the little plush turtles connected to the targets started to gradually travel further and further up the poles they were wrapped around as the targets were shot

The race was close, there was no denying that, it could have been anyone's game, but it seemed like Moxxie was in the lead with Angel and Blitz in equal pace right behind him

This was it... he could do it.... he could actually..-

"SHIT!"

Startled, Moxxie jolted, his watergun not only veering off target, but as if to add insult to injury, actually managing to shoot Blitz's target instead

"HA!" Blitz cheered with excitement as Moxxie turned around in search of whoever had shouted.... but he just couldn't tell who it had been, and by that point he was definitely out of the game, much to his extreme disappointment

"Oh fuck yeah baby give it to Daddy," Blitz growled with enthusiasm, his thumbs pressing down on the water gun so hard he thought they might break, but he didn't care, he was THIS CLOSE

Ofcourse... life could never be that that kind to Blitz, and Angel had started catching up, despite his lead, the blonde gritting his teeth, eyes narrowed as he pushed a little closer, his turtle starting to catch up... then surpassing just by a hair... and then....

"WINNER!"

"GODDAMMIT!" Blitz cursed, growling loudly as he fell back with annoyance, glaring as the attendant handed the giant dolphin to an all-too-pleased looking Angel

"Awww, sorry Blitzy, maybe you'll get the next one," Angel giggled

Blitz growled, nose wrinkling

But he had a good point- maybe Blitz would get the next one....

~+~

From there, the next hour was filled with a competitive gaming streak, one ridiculous carnival game taken far too seriously after another

Blitz won the biggest prize for the skee ball game, but only after Fizzarolli won the biggest prize at the baseball-milk-bottle game

Vaggie won at ring toss, and immediately after that, Alastor- to admittedly everyone's surprise but his own- was the only one who managed to hit the target hard enough to ring the bell at the top of the pole

Angel won the basketball game and Fizz won at wack-a-mole, Blitz managed to win the ping pong game and Vaggie was the only one who managed to win anything at the penny toss game

For anyone keeping score, this meant that Moxxie had managed to win exactly nothing all day

"Ooh a pumpkin carving competition! Look at that Mox!! I just KNOW you can win that!"

Moxxie, who had already pulled possibly the unluckiest "Lucky Duck" imaginable, glanced up at his wife, clearly disheartened by the day thus far

"...You... think so...?"

"O'course!! NOBODY carves a pumpkin like you baby!" Millie promised, moving a bit closer and cupping her husband's face

"These meatheads have strength and a little bit of luck, but anybody can have that, you've got somethin' much better- you are artistic and creative, not just anybody can say that ya' know,"

Finding himself smiling just a bit, Moxxie nodded and placed his hand over Millie's, taking a deep breath

"Yeah..... yeah ok, what's the prize?"

Millie tilted her head, surprised by the question

"I don't... actually know.... but does that really matter? I got that thing I wanted so I don't need any more stuffed animals or nothin', I'll be just as happy with a trophy or a blue ribbon or anything you win,"

Truthfully, she didn't even care if Moxxie won her anything at all, she just wanted her husband to be happy and have a good time at the park, but she knew that wasn't going to get her anywhere to say, Moxxie wasn't generally competitive, but the spirit of competition that had infiltrated their afternoon was infectious, and with his considerably bad luck all day, she knew the only way for him to feel any better was for him to win something, and the best way to convince him that he had won the best thing of them all and bested the others was if she changed the type of competition

Sure, those silly games were won by everyone else, but Moxxie won an actual creative contest and nobody else had, that was her line of thought, atleast, when she suggested it

"...Ok," he smiled wearily

"I'll enter then,"

Millie squealed with delight, giving Moxxie a tight hug of encouragement and sending him on to the sign up booth

The contest would be starting in just ten minutes or so, so it would be perfect timing wise too

"HA! Large prize! Beat that!"

Sighing quietly as she turned towards Blitz's shout of delight, she watched with a touch of annoyance as Alastor bent down to elegantly scoop a duck into his hand, turning it over and grinning from ear to ear

"Jumbo~"

"DAMMIT!"

She hadn't minded when Blitz suggested tagging along with his boyfreind, figuring they would have more or less kept eachother occupied and kept Blitz himself out of Moxxie's way- the two of them had an oddly competitive relationship that she would have preferred not to endure throughout her day off with her husband, and that may have been true if it had just been the four of them, but with the addition of the other six- especially Fizzarolli- things had started to spin out of control, and now she was looking for a way to ditch the rest of their unintended group so she and Moxxie could actually enjoy themselves...

"Oh look Blitzy! A pumpkin carving contest!"

Well shit...

Millie braced herself a little, but told herself that there was nothing to worry about, there was no way Blitz could win that thing, so that was one down, maybe she could convince the others not to enter as well...

"Gee, that... sounds fun, but I kinda suck at that..."

"But... I don't..." Stolas noted shyly, face slightly pink as he caught his boyfreind's attention

"I um... I've had a great time watching you win all of these prizes for me, really!! But... I think... I could win this one... and I'd like to try...?"

..Shit...

Millie couldn't exactly persuade Stolas not to enter, that would just be cruel, but that would be fine, what were the odds that he would win? Yes he was a costume designer but that didn't mean he had any skill with carving things, Moxxie on the other hand was practically a pro!

"Then you enter that contest baby, and kick the rest of those fuckers' asses," Blitz purred, pulling Stolas down into a kiss

"Oooh I think I wanna enter too Vaggie! Will you do it with me?"

"Eh... I'm not really the artist type babe..." Vaggie said with a slight shrug, rubbing the back of her neck- only for Charlie to stare at her with big, pleading, puppy dog eyes

"But..... I mean... sure, yes, sure, if you wanna enter, we'll enter,"

Charlie squealed with excitement, grabbing Vaggie's hand to drag her to the entry booth as Millie sighed, hoping that there would be no more-

"I'm gonna do it too,"

Really?

"Oh?" Fizz grinned, leaning onto the tips of his toes to put his hands on Ozzie's shoulders

"You got some talent you ain't told me about baby?"

"Oh I dunno.... I'm not too bad," Ozzie chuckled, taking Fizzarolli's hand and giving it a kiss, earning a chuckle of delight from his boyfreind

Well, ok, if Ozzie was just doing it for fun-

"Al!! You should TOTALLY fuckin' enter that thing! You'd win by a LANDSLIDE!"

Oh for Christ's sake!

"You want me to?" Alastor purred, his eyes taking on a mischievous gleam as Angel wrapped himself around his boyfreind, letting his head rest on Alastor's shoulders

"Uh-huh~ Nobody is better with a blade than you baby, show the rest of these fuckers how it's done,"

Millie took a deep breath and shook her head

No, it would be FINE, she had faith in her husband, Moxxie would DEFINITELY win, no matter who else entered

...She hoped....

~+~

"You really think I'm gonna win...?"

"I'm sure of it!"

Millie wasn't kidding, she was almost entirely certain that Moxxie had this pumpkin carving thing in the bag

His pumpkin was so adorably carved like a teddy bear face, there was no way anyone else could have won!

She had looked at the others, and wile some of them were good- Stolas had carved an honestly lovely imitation of the Jack and Sally duet from A Nightmare Before Christmas, for example, and Alastor's carving of some sort of creepy deer monster was.... disturbing...- most of them were incredibly lackluster

Moxxie would win for sure, she felt certain of it

And as the announcements began, she wrapped her hand around her husband's and gave it a little squeeze of encouragement, beaming with excitement

"In first place," the announcer began, letting the words linger over the stiff, still air to give a sense of anticipation

"Number seventeen- Stolas Prince,"

Millie's heart plummeted into her stomach, her shoulders sinking immediately, and she was afraid to look at Moxxie's face, afraid to see the crushing disappointment that was sure to be painted all over his expression

She couldn't even feel any happiness for Blitz's boyfreind as he squealed with excitement and covered Blitz in joyfull kisses

It was too painfull for her on Moxxie's behalf

"In second place," the announcer continued

"Number nineteen- Alastor Devil,"

Dammit

Breifly, Millie's brows raised as she watched Blitz seem to freeze solid and look nearly on the edge of a stroke

"It's pronounced De-ville darling, but thank you," Alastor chuckled

Usually, Millie would find that moment pretty amusing, but at the moment, all she could think of was Moxxie, and her desperate prayers that he would atleast win third...

"In third place,"

Millie felt her stomach churn as a cold sweat began to break out over her skin, her prayers becoming more desperate and anxious

"Number 15- Moxxie Quinn,"

Squealing with excitement, Millie immediately sprang forward and wrapped Moxxie in a tight, squishing hug

"You did it Mox!!! Look at you! Third place, oh my god, that's great!!!"

"It's.... third place...." Moxxie insisted with a slight wince, though he was atleast trying to look somewhat ok, Millie's excitement being equal parts concerning and infectious

"But third place is GREAT!"

"It's ok..."

Millie's shoulders sagged a little, especially watching one of the employees hand out the trophies

Stolas's was relatively large, Alastor's was pretty respectable, but Moxxie's was.... tiny...

Abruptly, her husband stood up, and Millie hurried to her feet as well, concern clearly splashed across her face

"Mox..? Hey... why don't we get somethin' to eat? I'm starvin' and we haven't had any overpriced carnival food yet! Let's get somethin' that'll make us regret it later,"

"Sure Millie," Moxxie smiled somberly, kissing Millie's forehead

"But I have to do something first, ok? I'll be back soon,"

Taken by surprise, she blinked, trying to keep up as Moxxie suddenly pulled away

"W-Wait a second! Mox let me-"

"I'll be right back,"

Before she could protest any further, he had disappeared into the crowd, leaving Millie with a sick feeling that quickly turned into raw frustration as she snapped her head towards the rest of the group

Charlie and Vaggie had mostly split from the boys to go do their own thing by now- a smart decision by all accounts- and the other six had started their damn dick measuring contest again

Now absolutely pissed, Millie took a deep breath and pushed her fluffy, bouncy curls out of her face, trying to keep her temper in check- something her mother had always admonished her about, some shit to do with not "falling into the Mad Black Woman stereotype in public Mildred" or whatever- and making her way towards the group, reaching out to grab Blitz by the shoulder and spin him around

"Oh hey Mills! Did ya' see that? Stolas won! MY BOYFREIND fucking WON, wile certain other people's boyfreinds didn't even place-"

"Can I talk to you in PRIVATE for a minute?"

Apparently taken aback by the seriousness of Millie's tone, Blitz blinked, giving a little nod of consent and letting her drag him away from the others

"Uh, sure, yeah, ok, is... something wrong...?"

"As a matter of fact, it is,"

With an astonishing amount of grace, she spun Blitz around and gently but forcefully pushed him to sit on the nearest bench, standing in front of him and crossing her arms over her chest

"Have you paid ANY attention to Moxxie all day?"

"Sure I have! He suggested the balloon game earlier,"

Millie took a deep breath, her nails digging into her arms, but she tried to maintain her composure, tried not to blow his head off...

"Yeaaaah... nooooo.... ya'll have been steppin' on top of my husband all fuckin' day, you AND your little freinds,-"

"Oh I really wouldn't call them freinds," Blitz interrupted

"Stolas, yes, maybe Angel, but-"

"I don't care about your social politics Blitz,"

That seemed to be enough to shut him up, his eyes wide and brows shot up towards his hairline

Millie was violent and bloodlusty in all the best ways for a bounty hunter, but she was also usually calm, even tempered, and polite, he couldn't remember her ever getting temperamental with him before

And Millie was counting on that as a means to take her seriously

"This trip was for Moxxie and me, you tagged along without even askin' and I thought, fine, who am I to say that 'cause we're goin' someplace, you can't too? I thought you and your boyfreind would keep eachother occupied for the most part and Mox and I could hang out with ya'll here and there, but this was never an us thing, it was a me an' Mox thing, and then all hell broke loose with the fuckin' peanut gallery, and I know ya' didn't invite them along, but CHRIIIIIIIIST... you have turned this trip into one big dick measurin' contest and it's drivin' us both NUTS! All Mox has wanted to do all day is impress me or win me somethin' and I... I don't care about some little stuffed animal or winnin' some contest, but he does, and every single chance ya' get, ya'll have stomped all over that- even with THIS!"

Pausing, she gestured to the pumpkin carving contest, taking a shaky breath

"This was my suggestion so he could win somethin', but ya' overshadowed that too, and ya' couldn't even just divorce yourself from us for the day to go see who can piss the farthest, ya' have to follow us around, and make Mox feel like a damn fool every five seconds, couldn't ya' atleast pay some attention to him if you're gonna follow us everywhere, and let 'im win every once in a wile?"

Blitz was apparently starting to get it, his shoulders sinking as his expression faded from shock into somber understanding, and Millie- goddamn her ability to empathize- started to feel bad for bringing him down too

After a moment of hesitation, she stepped closer, moving to sit on the bench next to him

"I know ya' don't mean nothin' by it," she promised softly, reaching out to place her hand on Blitz's shoulder

"I know it ain't malicious, but... sweetie you have got to get out of your own bubble every now and then and put that smart lil' head of your's to use in a way that don't involve crushin' your enemies, as fun as that is, it can't be your entire social dynamic, ok?"

Blitz nodded a little, sighing and staring down at the ground

"I'm real happy that your boyfreind won that contest, I really am,"

That seemed to get his attention, causing him to finally look up at her

"And I get that you wanna impress him, 'specially after your last man was such a sack of fuckin' shit all the time.... but that's how Moxxie feels too, and honey, as a sidebar, you don't need to impress that boy, I have not seen any creature so utterly head over heels in love since my own fuckin' weddin', he ain't goin' nowhere, and those other dipshits? They can go to fuckin' hell, don't sit here and think I think you're the only one pullin' on this thread, if I knew them well enough to go woop their asses- or I thought for five seconds the police commissioner wouldn't woop mine, shoot, I'd've already wrung 'em out,"

"Oh don't be so unsure of yourself Mills, Ozzie may be three times your height, but I've seen you take down bigger,"

Millie laughed, wrapping her arm around Blitz's shoulder and giving him a hug

"Oh I'm sure I can kick his ass in a fight, I just..... got a few warrants from Savannah that uh... ain't quite up yet.... ya' know parkin' tickets an' all..."

"They were bar fights weren't they?" Blitz asked flatly

"Not all of 'em, I had to crack a knot on the head of this fuckwad who called my sister a slur once,"

"How many broken bones?"

"Just three,"

"Ah... you know you're one of my favorite people right? Even when you are kicking my ass?"

"And you're one of my favorite people too," Millie promised, cupping Blitz's face and giving it a playfull squish

"Even when your ass needs to be kicked,"

Blitz sighed, nodding a little and rubbing the back of his neck

"Soooo... how do I make it up to Moxxie....?"

"Well, for one thing, take this conversation to your fuckin' grave, if he EVER finds out we had this talk, I'll yank off your dick, feed it to a gator, and turn that gator into a four course meal, you hear me?"

"Yes Ma'am,"

"Good,"

The last thing she needed was for Moxxie to feel like he couldn't fight his own battles, or like Millie wouldn't let him

"After that.... just ease up, ok? You're more than welcome to stick around for the day, you and your boyfreind both, but let's let him choose some of the activities and try to be conscious of lettin' the poor thing breathe a little, ok? And for fuck's sake, no more games,"

"I can do that," Blitz promised, glancing around the park with a bit of uncertainty

"There uh... there's a petting zoo...?"

"You should suggest that when Mox gets back,"

Whenever that might be....

Blitz nodded, smiling awkwardly

"Sorry Mills, about... ya' know...."

"Don't mention it- seriously,"

Blitz nodded again and stood up, glancing around and wrinkling his nose

"Where is Moxxie anyway?"

"I dunno.... he ran off after the pumpkin carvin' and wouldn't tell me where..." Millie sighed

"...Well, Moxxie's smart, and way more fuckin' emotionally deft than literally anyone else here, so I'm sure it's nothing to be worried about, and if he doesn't show up again in like, half an hour, we'll go look for 'im,"

Millie nodded, smiling anxiously as she rose to her feet

"You're right... I really shouldn't worry so much but..."

"It's hard not to," Blitz sympathized

"I get it, I used to be the same way with my sister, you and Mox have a real special relationship but it makes you feel like the protector all the time, and it's hard for you to break out of that, I mean... Barbie's not autistic like Mox is but... well, circumstances... I always felt like that with her too, lead to some pretty big fuckin' fights between us to be honest but luckily for you, Mox is Sub Boy of the year and definitely likes the emotional pegging and the physical pegging,"

Millie groaned, shaking her head slowly

"I hate that you know that about us, I never should've told you..."

"Would it make you feel any better to know something nasty about me?" Blitz offered with complete sincerity

"'Cause I'm super fuckin' into-"

"Nope," Millie interrupted, walking back towards the group with Blitz right on her tail

"No thank you, nope, nuh-uh, happier not knowin' what goes on below your belt sugar, thanks but no thanks,"

Blitz only snickered, squeezing her shoulder affectionately as they caught back up to the rest of the boys

"Is everything alright?" Stolas asked with concern, head tilting

"Yeah, it's fine, just had to talk about some work stuff," Blitz shrugged, letting go of Millie and moving closer to wrap his arm around his boyfreind instead

"Well if you're done with that borin' shit, we're gettin' ready to go in the freak show house," Angel grinned, gesturing to a few yards away, where a- frankly- run down and cheap looking hut with a big banner announcing it as the House Of Oddities And Absurdities Freak Show

"....Well that seems offensive," Blitz noted blandly

"We're gonna go see two-headed snakes and shit, you wanna come?"

Blitz blinked, glancing back at Millie quickly- who gave him a shrug of approval

"I've gotta wait here for Moxxie anyway,"

Then he turned to Stolas, who looked considerably less indifferent

"It sounds..... unsettling.... can we ride the carousel instead?"

Blitz was quiet for a second, about to respond when Fizz jumped in

"No shame in sitting it out ofcourse, wouldn't be the first time you chickened out of something," he noted with a grin, leaning against Ozzie

Blitz gritted his teeth, glancing over his shoulder at the smug bastards, as well as Alastor- who looked amused and cocky as hell- and a mostly oblivious Angel, who was just busy checking something on his phone

Millie could see the decision being made, and exhaled, deciding- perhaps her better judgement- to help ease the situation as Blitz started digging his own proverbial grave

"....I wanna see the freaks," he smiled tensely, Stolas's expression turning into a frown rather quickly

"Hey Stolas, sweetie, I'll go on the carousel with ya',"

Perking, he turned to Millie with surprise, tilting his head

"You.... will....?"

"Sure!! I LOVE that thing! Used to go ALL the time with my family and I miss it, I gotta wait for Moxxie to get back from the bathroom or wherever he went anyway but it's so borin' goin' all on your own right? Let's go together! As freinds!"

"...Freinds?" Stolas smiled, glancing at Blitz

"I think I'll stay here with Millie, but you enjoy the um....... oddities,"

"Sure," Blitz nodded, exhaling with releif and giving Millie an appreciative glance

Millie just smiled back warmly, reaching out and grabbing Stolas by the hand

"C'mon, you come pick what animal ya' like best, I saw way more than just horses!"

"O-Ok, um, see you later Blitzy! We'll be at the carousel~"

"Sure, see ya' babes," Blitz waved back, taking a breath before forcing a smirk and turning back to the remaining group

"You freaks ready to get freaky?"

"Is that the first time you've used that line today?" Fizzarolli snorted, eyes rolling as he started sauntering off to the "freak show", Ozzie at his side and Angel and Alastor- the A&As, as Blitz was starting to call them in his head- trailed right behind them

"Yes, although it's not the first time I've used it this week," Blitz snorted back

Honestly, even he wasn't sure what that comment was supposed to accomplish though...

The "freak show" was beyond underwelming, amounting to little more than a tent full of weird taxidermy, though it atleast had the dignity to play creepy music as they entered

"Well this was a bust," Angel sighed, nose wrinkling as he stared at a six legged pig

...Yeah, he wasn't really thrilled....

"It's more sad than anything,"

"Honestly not sure what you were expecting," Blitz shrugged back, really not caring one way or another

He'd only come in here to prove a point, after all

"Hey Angel! They've got a conjoined spider over here!" Fizz called from a few feet away, seeming to catch the blonde's attention

"What? Really!?"

Alastor shook his head as his partner sprinted off, he didn't care about the so-called "oddities" either, they were rather lackluster compared to some of the other things he'd seen in his time, but Angel had seemed excited so....

"Hey,"

Glancing down at Blitz, he cocked his head, watching in surprise as the shorter man produced a slip of folded papper from his pocket and held it out to him

"I got tickets for that show you wanted to see,"

At first Alastor was a little perplexed, but he quickly understood the code once Blitz continued

"Las Vegas, next weekend, but you'd better hurry and book your hotel room, the show's only in town for two days,"

Grinning, Alastor pocketed the papper neatly

"Thank you, my dear freind, I appreciate it,"

"Yep, I'm sure ya' do," Blitz replied with a bit of discomfort, crossing his arms over his chest

"I'm glad to know that I have atleast one neighbor I can rely on," Alastor added, taking a step closer

"...What?"

Cocking his head, surprised by Blitz's confused expression, Alastor's smirk only grew

"Oh.... so you didn't know~? I've moved in with Angel, darling, you and I are going to be seeing so much more of eachother now,"

Blitz felt a wave of dread start to sink over him, freezing the blood in his veins as his heart started to beat faster

"...You're shittin' me,"

"Now why would I do that?" Alastor laughed, in that awfull, haughty laughter of his

"No no, I assure you, I'm being quite honest," he chuckled, head cocking, his grin spreading

"I've already been living with Angel for about two weeks now, you haven't noticed?"

He was starting to feel.... short of breath....

His palms were sweating and he just felt.... ill....

That weird energy of Alastor's... that dark, suffocating, smothering fucking energy.... it was just getting worse and worse....

"I think it'll be quite fun! You and I being neighbors I mean, it'll certainly be... helpfull.... to be so close by to someone who understands my needs for once, not that I often need help with my extra curricular activities, but every now and then, I might need some advice or assistance from a bounty hunter... not to mention a former cop..."

"How do you-?"

"Oh darling," Alastor chuckled, his eyes damn near shimmering in the low light

"Did you really think I would do business with you without knowing who you are? Who you were? I did a bit of research is all! You may be Angel's freind, after all, but we can never be too carefull, especially with Angel's former employer being so..... prevalent.... but I was quite satisfied with what I found! You needn't worry, I'll be delighted to work with you for the foreseeable future, Brandon,"

Blitz felt sick

He felt like he was going to throw up

He had already felt unsettled by Alastor's general presence, made only worse by the knowledge that he was suddenly no longer just some occasional force peppering Blitz's daily life, but was now going to be a constant in it, but....

But knowing that Alastor knew who he was now, that he had so easily found out who Blitz was, that he likely knew all the wrong secrets, and all the best ways to wrap his noose around Blitz's neck and turn it into a leash tight enough to hang him with, that he would have Blitz's loyalty bound to him like a pair of handcuffs, wrapped around their wrists....

How would he use that information?

How often would he call on Blitz's services?

What exactly did he know? How much of it would bury Blitz? What would Blitz have to do to ensure that the information didn't get out or spilled to the wrong person?

How likely was Alastor to threaten those around him? How far would his little guise of "Angel's freinds are my freinds" really hold strong? What would break him? What would make him snap? How long of a leash would he give Blitz before it tightened around his throat and choked him to death?

Blitz hadn't even realized he was starting to hyperventilate until his legs buckled, he wasn't registering the concerned look on Alastor's face or the voices of the others in the House Of Oddities, everything around him was spinning and he couldn't fucking BREATHE

"Christ Al, what the fuck!?"

"I don't know.... I... we were just talking..."

"Shit... hey Blitz, Blitz can ya' hear me buddy?"

"What's going on?"

"I think he's havin' a panic attack,"

"We should get him out of here-"

"Would water help?"

"You ain't dealt with panic attacks before, have ya' Commish?"

Someone- Alastor, he recognized- reached out and took his arm, but Blitz hurried to jerk out of the grasp, stumbling backwards and grabbing at his chest in desperation for more air, his free hand clutching at one of the rope dividers between "exhibitions", trying to gain his balance, but he couldn't.... he couldn't....

"Blitz, hey, can ya' look at me pal?"

Angel was touching him- so much more lightly and gently, but still... still...

Suddenly, there was a pair of arms wrapped tightly around him, a chest pressed against his own, and the grip....

Blitz recognized it...

His eyes fluttered shut, a wave of releif beginning to wash over him, slow and warm, like gentle ocean waves...

"There's a port on a western bay, and it serves a hundred ships a day, lonely sailors pass the time away, and talk about their homes..."

....

Oh

Oh, he recognized this

He knew this song by heart

He knew this strength by his soul

His body began to sink, his mind began to fizzle out into a comfortable radio static

"And there's a girl in this harbor town, and she works layin' wiskey down, they say 'Brandy, fetch another round', she serves them wiskey and wine,"

It feels like the pressure is being pulled out of him, like a thorn leaving the wound it had made, and everything is sinking, and everything is fine, and everything is familiar- for just that moment, for just that short moment.... everything is ok again....

"The sailors say 'Brandy, you're a fine girl, what a good wife you would be, yeah your eyes could steal a sailor from the sea',"

When had he begun breathing easily again?

When had things started to relax?

The tension had bled out of him like a poison, and the spinning in his mind had started to calm into a gentle stability....

The arms around him tightened a little, he could feel the stud in Fizz's cheek press against the side of his neck, the metal of his earrings brushing against his skin as his childhood freind let his head rest in the crook of Blitz's neck, his voice turning to a wisper

"Brandy wears a braided chain, made of the finest silver from the North Of Spain, a locket that bears the name of a man that Brandy loved,"

A man that Brandy loved....

His voice wasn't right, it wasn't the same, it wasn't the soft, smooth, deep voice that Blitz remembered from the last time he heard this song, it was rough and scratchy and sounded like someone was singing wile swallowing gravel but....

He didn't care

It was still Frankie

"He came on a summer's day, bringing gifts from far away, but he made it clear he couldn't stay, no harbor was his home," Blitz wispered, not even bothering to sing, just....

With great reluctance, he pulled away from Fizz's touch, wrapping his arms around himself tightly and taking a few steps towards the door

"Blitz, are you ok?" Angel asked quietly, taking a step closer

But that step was all it took before Blitz was quickly shaking his head, his emotions starting to overwelm him again as he suddenly broke into a run and hurried out the other end of the building, taking a few deep breaths to try to settle himself, eyes welling up with tears of stress and confusion as he heard another set of footsteps rushing out behind him

"Blitz!"

He tried to ignore Angel's call, hugging himself tighter and biting down hard on his lip to keep the tears at bay

Angel suddenly slowed, taking a few steps closer and wringing his hands

"...Blitz...? I'm gonna give you a hug, ok?" he offered gently, surprised when Blitz rapidly shook his head

"...No? You don't want a hug?"

He didn't wait for an answer before adding another option

"Or... do you just not want me to see ya' cryin'..?"

"I'm not crying!" Blitz snapped, voice breaking

"...Uh-huh, there it is," Angel noted with a gentle, sympathetic smile, moving closer and gently wrapping his arms around Blitz, rubbing his back soothingly as Blitz finally just.....

He couldn't hold on anymore

He let go, let himself break, sobbed into Angel's chest as the blonde held him, gently and loosely, so he could get away if he wanted to, but tightly enough that it was clear he was there for his freind

"Try thinkin' about it this way, I owe ya' this, ok?"

Blitz glanced up between chokes of wimpers, staring at Angel in confusion

"Don't ya' remember savin' me a few weeks ago? Or... shit, was it a month? Well, you were so fuckin' sweet to me back then, all gentle and soothin' and totally non-judgemental... it's about time I return the favor, don't ya' think?"

Blitz exhaled shakily, squeezing his eyes shut

No, he didn't think returning the favor was necessary, and he still didn't want to be this vulnerable in front of.... well, anyone... but he couldn't hold it in anymore, so he supposed if he had to... then Angel wasn't the worst choice out there...

"It's gonna be ok Blitz, I promise," he wispered, hugging Blitz a little tighter, rubbing his back soothingly

For a moment, just a tiny, breif moment, Blitz let himself believe that, he let himself feel ok- or atleast sort of ok....

Too bad that couldn't last

The sound of approaching footsteps had him tensing, and apparently, the same was happening to his-... well, he guessed he could call Angel a freind now....

"Al- scram," Angel bit out protectively

Interesting, Blitz couldn't remember ever hearing Angel be short with his boyfreind before, and it was kind of amusing to know that Blitz was the cause of it, satisfying in a way

But he couldn't really feel that satisfaction for more than a fraction of a second, his desperation to get rid of his vulnerability was the motivating factor now, as he started to push away from Angel and hurriedly wipe at his eyes

"I came to apologize," Alastor promised, holding his hands up in surrender

"Blitz, if I had known that my teasing would trigger you, I never-"

"Please," Blitz snorted, trying to bow up a little and look like he was alot less bothered than he was

"I wasn't triggered ok? Don't give yourself that much fucking power,"

If Alastor was surprised or confused by that statement, he didn't show it, his expression as calm and cool as usual, but there was just a slight hint of something else, something... somber? ...No, that wasn't quite it.... Blitz really couldn't tell for sure...

"...Right, in any case, it wasn't my intention to upset you this badly, I admit that I do get a bit of a thrill out of teasing people and making them a hair uncomfortable, it's so rare I actually get to do that with anyone but my prey and they never last long enough to really play with, but around most of society I keep up an air of politeness and charm, I don't particularly mind it, but it's just... nice... to let the more sadistic side out once in a wile with someone I can trust,"

"....You are one sick fuckin' puppy, do you know that?"

Alastor gave a laugh, his signature grin back in place, as though amused by the assessment

"Yes I do,"

Why was Blitz even surprised that that wasn't taken as the insult it was meant to be?

"In any case though, I should have considered that perhaps what I thought of as gentle teasing may have been taken as something more sinister, especially by someone who I- in fact- do not know very well, the only other people I've indulged in such an attitude with have been those such as Angel and my freind Rosie, who were far more accepting of my nature, I suppose that I mistakenly thought you would be too,"

"Yeah, you're right, you were fuckin' mistaken, I'm not 'accepting of your nature', you scare the piss outta me! I never know when you're gonna get a wild hair and decide you wanna spice up your menu and have Mexican for dinner!"

Alastor balked slightly at that comment, though Blitz wasn't quite sure why

"I wouldn't do that," Alastor insisted with a level of seriousness Blitz rarely saw on the other man's face

"I would never be stupid enough to kill someone I know well, for one thing, that's how you get caught,"

Well that fucking figured

"I also am very choosy about who I kill, I only go after a very specific sort of monster, Blitz, one that I'm very certain you are not, and most importantly.... you are Angel's freind, I would never do anything to bring him harm and harming one of his freinds would do that,"

"And if I suddenly am not his freind for some reason?"

"Then the first two reasons still apply," Alastor shrugged, but Blitz didn't seem at all comforted

Sighing, he took an admittedly cautious step forward, not wanting to startle the shorter man

"Blitz, I realize I've made a bad impression on you-"

"Ya' fuckin' think?!"

"But truly, I would never bring you harm, nor those around you, if that's what you're worried about,"

"How can I trust that?" Blitz huffed, the exhaustion from his panic attack really starting to settle in

"How can I believe a fucking word you say?"

"I suppose you can't, there's no way for me to offer you proof of something that hasn't happened yet,"

"But you can trust me," Angel interjected suddenly

"And I trust Al, so..?"

"No offense Angel, but I don't think you should trust him, so that argument is kinda null and void,"

Alastor looked a tad disappointed, but to his credit, the energy around him was no longer so stiflingly sadistic and cruel, it was more.... gentle.... somehow....

Blitz really didn't trust that

"I understand there's no way for me to prove my intentions to you," Alastor shrugged

"But I also know that you've given me- us- a very great gift that puts you in alot of personal danger, I don't think you would have done that if you really believed I was pure evil,"

"I did it for Angel-"

"If that were true you would have just taken care of it yourself and left me out of it wouldn't you? After all, you're capable of that, aren't you? Handling it yourself?"

Blitz tensed, but he didn't have to say anything- Angel was already on it

"Alastor,"

"Sorry, that was out of line," Alastor promised quickly, though it didn't ease Blitz at all, the bounty hunter glancing breifly around them to make sure no one else was listening in, before taking a few steps closer, his eyes narrowed and his voice low

"What makes you say something like that?"

"Circumstantial evidence pointing towards a reasonable conclusion compounded by my knowing you, you have that.... what do the kids call it these days? Vibe? You have that vibe about you dear, that the same instinct is lurking deep beneath your flesh that I have brimming against my fingertips, it's not a bad thing, darling, it's just nature, it's what keeps us alive,"

"No, not me, it keeps you alive-"

"You misunderstand," Alastor interrupted

"I haven't always acted upon this instinct because it thrills me, there was a time when I needed it to survive, as it was for you, I have no illusions in my mind that you take pleasure in harming anyone- I know that you don't, but survival.... it's a funny thing, isn't it? What and who we are, what and who we depend on, sometimes those things keep us alive just as much as food and water, sometimes to stay alive, you have to do things that will slowly kill you,"

Pausing, Alastor's expression turned sympathetic, something Blitz never expected to see

"I could help you, you know, learn how to live alongside what's killing you, until eventually, it isn't killing you anymore,"

"You want me to become a sociopath like you?" Blitz sneered

"No no dear," Alastor laughed

"I'm not a sociopath- sociopaths are impulsive and messy, they have no charm or cooth, you're thinking of a psychopath, common mistake, not to worry! But to be clear, I'm neither, I only fit two of the criteria necessary for Anti-Social Personality Disorder,"

"...Congrats?" Blitz cringed, not really sure how he was supposed to respond to that

"I'm not offering to make you into something you're not, but I can help you... overcome some pain, as I have with Angel,"

"He's right," Angel offered softly

"I know it sounds weird but Al is really great with.... that sorta shit, I used to be way more fucked up than I am now, but he taught me how to deal with some of the shit that's happened to me, I bet he could help you too, and it ain't about bein' violent or turnin' ya' into some killer or anything, it's just.... I don't know.... makin' peace with your demons?"

Blitz's jaw was tense, but he wasn't nearly as off-put as he had been earlier

....Still though...

"I'll pass, thanks,"

"That's fine," Alastor shrugged

"I'll keep the offer up if you ever change your mind, but regardless, accept it or don't, believe me or don't, I will not bring harm your way, you're important to Angel, and that makes you important to me, you've also done me a great favor, wich makes me... appreciative of you, you know I still owe you for that,"

"I know," Blitz grumbled back, though he wasn't so sure he'd ever cash in on that favor, what could someone like Alastor possibly give to Blitz anyway? A well seasoned steak?

"I do hope that sooner or later, you can learn to trust me, Blitz, and we could become.... freinds... ourselves,"

Blitz wanted to snap back something along the lines of "In your wet dreams maybe", but in a rare display of restraint, he resisted the urge, instead glancing away and sighing

"I guess we'll have to see about that,"

He still didn't trust Alastor, he certainly didn't like him, but that suffocating feeling he'd been getting since the jump was gone now, had Alastor done something intentionally to somehow change the very energy of his presence? Had Blitz just gotten used to it? Was he being genuine? Did it even fucking matter?

Blitz just didn't have the energy to be scared or upset anymore

"Fair enough," Alastor smiled, reaching out to wrap an arm around Angel and tug him close

"Do you need anything from us?"

"Definitely not," Blitz answered flatly

"Then in that case, we'll take our leave for now, give you a break,"

Blitz only hummed, not really responding as Angel glanced back at him

"You sure ya' don't want us to stay with ya' for a bit?"

"I'm sure," Blitz promised, giving something of a wave as Angel nodded and started to tug Alastor away, mumbling something under his breath about getting punished later

Blitz wasn't sure what exactly that would constitute for a man like Alastor, but he had the feeling it really wouldn't cause him any greif, especially if the short chortle of laughter that followed was any indication

For a moment, just a moment, he was alone, taking a deep breath and rubbing at his face to try to soothe away some of the ill feelings, he really didn't want anyone else to find out about this.... incident.... so he needed to go back to the others looking as ok as possible

Unfortunately, that just didn't seem likely to happen

Before he could get up, he was greeted by an all too familiar voice

"...You ok?"

Stiffening a bit, he glanced over his shoulder as Fizz awkwardly approached, rubbing the back of his neck nervously

"Why the fuck would you care?"

Fizzarolli wrinkled his nose, looking like he was about to say something sharp, but ultimately refraining, instead sighing and moving to sit down cautiously next to Blitz

"I'm.... sick of doing this, Brandy,"

Blitz slowly raised a brow, clearly not understanding

"I'm sick of this.... fucking..... shit between us, I miss my best freind,"

For a moment, Blitz was quiet, waiting for the other shoe to drop, before finally speaking

"....What... made you decide all that?"

"I don't know.... I just.... seeing you like that.... I don't know, ok? I just... I've missed you for a really long time, but... it's been so easy to be mad at you, with Barbie and Rossi being so fuckin' angry.... when I'm around them it's easy for me to remember how mad I am and how hurt I am but when I'm alone I just..... miss you.... and I'm still hurt, and fuckin' angry, but...."

"...But...?" Blitz ventured slowly, shifting a little towards him

"...But.... I'm also really fucking tired, I'm.... exhausted..... all the time... it's... it's harder now to... it just keeps getting harder to hate you, the longer... things go on? I uh... I went to this psychic a few days ago, some... freind of Ozzie's? She said that I can't be happy until I let go of what's dragging me down, I haven't told anybody that but I know.... that's what she meant,"

"...So.... are you uh.... offering to patch things up...?"

It seemed far too good to be true, but the walls Blitz always kept up had been smacked with a battering ram so hard and so many times in the past hour that he couldn't fight back against a prospect like that the way he usually would

Fizz took in a long, deep breath through his nose, then slowly let it out through his mouth

"I could... be persuaded.... but you... if you pull that running off shit ONE more FUCKING time Brandon, I am gonna SKIN you alive, and wear your flesh like a fucking poncho, ¿Nos entendemos, amigo?"

"S-Si.." Blitz exhaled in return

"Yeah, I... I got it, I promise, I'm not gonna.... I'm not going anywhere,"

"...Uh-huh, you've said that a couple times before,"

"I know, but... shit's different now,"

Fizz was quiet for a moment, his expression making it clear that he wanted to say something- to ask what was different and why, but... he ultimately didn't, instead just reaching out and giving Blitz a tight hug

For a moment, Blitz was frozen solid, as stiff as a board, unsure of what to do, before very slowly, he wrapped his arms around his freind in return and hugged back as tightly as he could

He wanted to cry

So much had changed, but Frankie still felt the same, smelled the same, he was the same, even if he looked pretty different now...

He wanted to cry, but he kept himself together, atleast for the time being

"We're gonna take it slow though ok? Just... I need to..."

Blitz nodded like a bobblehead as Fizz pulled away, reaching out to sweep a few strands of hair away from Blitz's face

"And uh.... we've gotta keep this quiet from the girls ok?"

"What, they gonna kick ya' outta the club if they find out you're forgiving me?"

"Maybe," Fizz shrugged back, rubbing his neck again

"I just don't wanna cause any more upset... Barbie's just starting to do better and Verosika is in talks about doing a tour this winter, she'll know soon if it's gonna happen or not, I just... I don't wanna cause any added stress for them, ya' know? Maybe.... maybe if things are still cool after Rossi gets back we can talk to them then,"

"Yeah... yeah that's cool, I've always wanted to try the secret relationship angle," Blitz winked playfully, earning an eyeroll from Fizz

"Don't make me take off my leg and smack you with it,"

Blitz gave a laugh, though it was hollow and humorless, biting down lightly on his lip

He kind of wanted to ask how Fizz's leg was doing but... he was also kind of afraid to

"..Are... you happy?" Fizz asked suddenly, earning a surprised look from his freind

"...Uh.... you mean like... in general...?"

"In general... in... your relationship, all that shit,"

Blitz thought for a moment, wringing his hands, before starting to nod

He was happier than he'd been in a long fucking time

....House Of Oddities incident not withstanding

"Yeah.... I think so.... I... think I'm pretty happy..... are you?"

"Yeah, I think I am too," Fizz nodded in agreement, earning a slight smile from Blitz

"Believe it or not, I'm glad to hear that, are um... are you-?"

"Blitz!!!"

Jolting his head up, Blitz stared in surprise at Stolas, who was running towards him as if he were trying to outrun a wolf or a lion or... some other fast wild predator

"Blitz! Are you alright?!"

"Y-Yeah... I'm fine... why-?"

"Angel said you had a panic attack, I just-"

Pausing, seeming to finally take in Fizzarolli's presence, Stolas frowned, his expression immediately tensing and turning from one of concern to one of irritation

"..Uh, it's fine, he's fine," Blitz said quickly, putting an arm around Fizzarolli's shoulders- wich, at once, seemed both incredibly familiar... and incredibly foreign and strange

If Fizz was bothered by it, he made no move to indicate that

"We kissed and made up- so to speak," he promised

Stolas wrinkled his nose, seemingly unconvinced, but also seeming not to want to take the time to dissect the situation at that precise moment

"...Right.... are you ok though?" Stolas prodded again, gently, as he nelt on the ground in front of Blitz, reaching out to cup his face

"I'm fine, really, it was just... just a panic attack, it's not a big deal, I'm over it now," Blitz insisted with a sigh, carefully setting his hand against his boyfreind's

Stolas still seemed rather unsure though

"If... you say so.. what on earth brought that on though?"

"Oh uh... just... ya' know.... the freak show? It was kinda... more disturbing than I thought it'd be,"

That seemed to be a convincing enough lie, a moderate look of releif flittering over Stolas's expression

"Oh... yes, well, I worried that may be the case... those things are never pleasant,"

"What can I say? I lost the dick measuring contest," Blitz shrugged back awkwardly, earning a slight roll of Stolas's eyes

"You? Never," he promised, leaning up to press a chaste kiss against Blitz's forehead, displaying a softness Blitz still had yet to get used to

"Gee, happy to please," Blitz smirked back, relieved that Stolas wasn't pushing the issue as the former model rose to his feet and brushed himself off

"Well... I'm just glad you're alright," he added softly

"Millie has gotten a text from her husband, he's on his way back so we're about to get some food, is that ok with you? I don't know if you feel ill or-"

"Like I said, I'm fine," Blitz insisted, letting go of Fizz and rising to his feet, albeit slightly unsteadily

"I'm right behind you,"

Stolas seemed hesitant to leave without having Blitz directly by his side, but after a short moment of pause, only nodded and forced an anxious smile

"Right, let's go find the others then?"

Blitz nodded, taking a step after Stolas, only for Fizz to reach out and catch his arm, keeping him held back as Stolas dissappeared around the corner

"So what was it really?"

Glancing over his shoulder at the other man, Blitz only raised a brow in confusion

"What-?"

"C'mon, we both know that freakshow excuse is bullshit, what really set you off like that? You usually have a pretty fuckin' high trauma threshold so..."

"I just got stressed out ok? The last couple of weeks have been rough, I don't know... I saw something that triggered me,"

"But you don't remember what?" Fizz asked skeptickally as Blitz pulled away, shrugging

"Yep, no, don't remember, I guess I just spiraled,"

Fizz frowned as he stood up, arms crossing over his chest

"C'mon, you can tell that shit to your boyfreind, but to me? I know you from the womb Brandy, I know you down to your marrow, way the fuck better than you've ever known yourself, so if a monster crawled out of your closet, and made you react like that? It must've been one massive fucking monster,"

He was right, for whatever that was worth

Fizz had always known him better than anyone, even better than Barbie, especially as they got older

He had always been like the other half of Blitz's soul, as lame as that sounded, he was like the keeper of all the darker, nastier emotions that Blitz used to try so hard to keep away from the surface, ofcourse after holding onto him like that for so long, a few years at odds wouldn't be enough to change things between them

He'd never been able to keep secrets from Fizz- out of the twenty-seven years they'd known eachother, he had only ever been able to keep one

But that didn't mean he was going to be ready to relinquish that secret quite so easily

".....You have to earn it," he finally said, shrugging a little, eyes pinned to the ground

"Shit's not just gonna rubber-band back to how it was because we decided to give things another try, and... almost six years... it's alot, so.... ya' gotta earn that shit,"

Fizz was quiet for a moment, before nodding in acceptance and taking a step closer

"Fair enough, just... if you're not gonna talk to me, or your boyfreind, talk to fuckin' somebody, you don't do well with bottlin' shit up Brandy, never have, everytime you do it.... you just keep pouring gasoline on that fire until you explode, I don't wanna see you do that again,"

"...Yeah," Blitz nodded, starting to head after Stolas

"I'll handle it, don't worry,"

But who could he talk to?

Who could he talk to who wouldn't immediately turn against him and ruin his life and the lives of everyone around him?

~+~

"Moxxie! There you are!!"

Relieved, Millie got up from the picnic table she'd been sitting at, rushing forward and wrapping Moxxie in a tight, squeezing hug

"Ack... g-good to see you too sweetie..."

"Where have you been!?" Millie finally exhaled, pulling back, only to notice that Moxxie had an arm behind his back, immediately catching her attention

"....What're you-"

"I um... I was getting... these for you..."

Tilting her head, Millie watched in confusion as Moxxie shifted, presenting her with a gorgeous bouquet of glass roses

"...Oh Mox...." she breathed, utterly stunned

She reached forward, but withdrew quickly, a bit scared to touch them

They didn't look too fragile, but she wasn't sure...

They were just so pretty, the petals deep, ruby red, and the stems a rich, inky black that made them totally unique from any others she'd ever seen

Ofcourse, only Moxxie would do something like this

"Did... did you make these babe..?"

"I-I mean uh... I just... I just helped but the glass spinn-mmph!"

Yeah, Moxxie was lucky he'd gotten that much said before Millie was smothering him with kisses, hugging the life out of him and beaming with more joy than she could put into words

"Where did you even FIND somethin' like this!?"

"O-Oh uh... I noticed it near the entrance, there's a glass-blowing station, you can design things yourself and actually help make the products, it's really cool, and um... I thought maybe you'd like them..."

Millie couldn't say she'd been paying enough attention to notice anything like that, but that was Moxxie for you, always picking up on the most subtle lovely things...

It was one of the things she loved most about him

"Oh Mox..." she sighed softly, cupping Moxxie's face gently

"I love them,"

Moxxie smiled a warm, genuine smile for the first time since they started their afternoon, and to Millie, that was even more beautifull than the roses

"Want me to take those to the car for you? I wouldn't want them to get hurt out here," he offered a moment later

"Oh I'll do it sweetie, after I show 'em to everybody we ever met!"

Before Moxxie could say a word, his wife spun around, grinning wickedly as she started back towards the others

"Hey ya'll!!!! Take a look at these!!!! Ya'll may've gotten some toys, but my husband got me ROSES!"

Well well, maybe Moxxie wasn't the only one with a bit of a competitve streak after all...

~+~

"You're really forgiving him?"

Fizz glanced away from the window he had been peering out of, eyebrow raising thinnly at Ozzie

"I... didn't say that... I'm just... I'm tired of having all this annimosity between us Oz, ok? I want things to get better, I miss him, I just... want to give him one more chance..."

"The last time you gave him another chance, he just hurt you worse," Ozzie pointed out, his hands curled tightly around the steering weel

"I know... this would be the last one, seriously, if he fucks up this one, I'm done with trying,"

"...Mm-hm..." Ozzie hummed, entirely unbelieving

"Oh c'mon, you can't judge me for wanting him back in my life, you don't fucking understand... Blitz is a peice of me, losing him has been worse than losing my damn leg, I've known him since before I can remember, and being without him all this time- hating him all this time- it's like a fucking cancer that's been growing on me and it's gonna kill me if I don't give it one last try, don't you have anybody like that? That you've known for so long... loved so much... without them you just... you'd be willing to try again and again because not doing that is just so much worse?"

Ozzie was quiet for a moment, before finally sighing and letting his shoulders fall, glancing breifly away

"I... guess if it was one of my sisters... I'd have a hard time letting go too, but I just... I just don't want you to get hurt again, especially after last time..."

"I know," Fizz said softly, reaching out to curl his hand around Ozzie's wrist

In all honesty, that fear of getting hurt for a third time with Blitz had been why he had been so hesitant to let himself try to make up with Blitz over the past few years in the first place, but...

He wanted to give it one more try

Just one more try

Even if it did end as badly as the last...