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For Blitzø, the following week felt like a month. Every day he marked his calendar, counting down to the Saturday he would spend with Harper. He also made sure to remind Mox every chance he had that he had a date with Harper. Getting in good with such a powerful Overlord could only be good for business. Just think of all the money they were making now! Moxxie said something about their new bookkeepers having a bigger impact than dating Harper, and to please stop showing up just as he and Millie were getting ready for bed, but Blitzø tuned him out after the first sentence.

On Saturday morning, however, disaster struck. "Loonie!" he wailed as he stumbled half-dressed from his bedroom. The Hellhound looked up at Blitzø from her prone position on the couch with a raised eyebrow. "Something terrible's happened!" Blitzø continued, "I...I don't think I can go with Harper today. It feels like I'm coming down with something!"

He sprawled dramatically across the couch (and Loona's back) and buried his face in the crook of his arm. "I woke up feeling really fucking weird, and I'd never forgive myself if I gave whatever it is to Harper."

The Hellhound beneath him huffed irritably and put away her phone. "What's it feel like?" she asked, "and I'm only asking since I know you're gonna keep bitching about it until I do."

"It feels like there's a fat guy on my chest," said Blitzø, "and like there's a bunch of horny coked-up squirrels in my stomach. I haven't been able to sit still since I woke up. You think my skeleton's trying to escape? Is that even a thing??? Oh God what if it is?!"

Loona was silent for a moment, then got her phone back out. "Wow, okay. Sounds like it could be cancer. Yup, totally cancer. You should do drugs about it. Now get off me and put some fucking pants on."

Blitzø sat up and looked down at his adopted daughter. It sounded like she was joking again. She always told the funniest jokes (though he didn't get why nobody ever laughed at them). But he couldn't always tell. He slipped off Loona and began to pace, clad only in his boxer-briefs and frilly red dress shirt. "Whatever it is, I just want to make sure it's not contagious. Like I said, if Harper catches it I'll never be able to live with myself."

The canine on the couch sighed. "Pretty sure it isn't contagious, Blitzø," she mumbled.

"Oh thank tittyfucking Christ!" Blitzø exclaimed in relief, "Maybe I'll be able to go with him today after all. Then the money shall flow!"

Loona shot a glare Blitzø's way. "Okay, Blitzø. Real talk. Are you SURE that you're only dating Harper to grow the business?"

Blitzø scoffed. "Well yeah! The guy's loaded, and unlike a certain OTHER rich asshole, I actually like hanging out with him, and he keeps it in his pants for now."

"Mkay, because it really sounds like-" Loona paused and put her phone away again. This time, she sat up. "Okay, hold up, what was that last part?"

"He keeps it in his pants?" asked the imp.

"I got that, but you added something at the end."

"No I didn't."

Loona ran her hand down her face. "Fine, whatever. Just go have fun with Harper. You always do." Her expression softened. "And if you're not coming home tonight, can you at least text me?"

Blitzø bounded over and pulled the Hellhound into a tight hug. He could feel her tense in his arms, but she didn't try to stop him. "Aw Loonie, you're the best daughter an imp could ask for! I'll be sure to shoot you a text if I'm running late." He punctuated with a kiss on her cheek, which was rewarded with an annoyed growl.

By the time Harper's limo pulled up in front of Blitzø's apartment building, he had finished getting dressed. At that moment, he was glued to the window overlooking the street. His rump and tail swished back and forth in anticipation. As soon as he saw the long black vehicle, he bolted toward the door and jumped down the stairs a few at a time. Just as Harper emerged from his limo, Blitzø burst out the front exit and tumbled down the front steps to land in a heap on the sidewalk.

"Owwww," Blitzø groaned, his voice muffled by the concrete his face was planted in. At least the bruises now forming took his mind off the weird sensation that had been bugging him all morning.

The imp suddenly felt something wrap around his waist and haul him up to his feet. As he had done many months ago, Harper had used his tail to pick him up. Only instead of amusement, the dragon now looked at him with concern. "That was a rather nasty fall!" he said as he brushed Blitzø off with his hands.

"Eh, I've had worse," said the imp. He took a moment to stretch a kink out of his back, then walked past Harper toward the limo. "So whatcha got planned for us today?"

The Overlord stood and regarded Blitzø with an odd expression for a moment, then shook his head. "It's a surprise, my good man," he said as he followed the imp into the back seat.

"Awesome, I love surprises!" Blitzø exclaimed. But then his expression soured. "Only if the surprise is something really cool, though."

Harper chuckled and pulled the door closed. His driver pulled away from the curb almost immediately. "I know for a fact that you will love this surprise!"

Blitzø's smile returned and he bounced in his seat. "Alright then!" he chirped. It didn't take him long for him to scoot closer to Harper. The dragon's tail brushed against his, and they were soon tangled together. A weight fell over Blitzø's shoulders, and it took him a moment to realize that Harper had put his arm around him. He'd almost forgotten how warm and solid the Overlord was. It was enveloping, soothing even.

The imp relaxed and let himself lean into Harper. As nice as this was, the silence was getting awkward. Shit, small talk wasn't Blitzø's favorite thing. But what to talk about? Oh, he knew! "My Loonie told another one of her funny jokes to me this morning," he said, "I told her I had this really weird feeling in my chest and I was scared I was coming down with something, and she said it was probably cancer and I should do drugs about it." He laughed heartily.

Harper, however, did not laugh. He looked down at Blitzø, whose own laughter quickly tapered off. Come to think of it, her remark wasn't all that funny. Before Blitzø could apologize for making things awkward, Harper spoke. "I've heard a lot about your daughter. Whenever we get together you make sure to tell me about something she did that day. You must think highly of her."

Joy and pride swelled within Blitzø, and his eyes lit up. "You bet your sweet ass I think highly of her!" he declared, "I even told her this morning she's the best daughter an imp could ask for." That got a smile out of Harper, which made Blitzø feel all warm and tingly. Fuck, that better not be a fever. Maybe he'd have to see a doctor if this kept up.

Blitzø felt the powerful muscles in Harper's arm contract around him in as he squeezed him. "That was very sweet of you," said Harper, "and I have no doubts that you meant every word." The dragon leaned back and let himself sink into the plush car seat. Blitzø leaned harder into him in response. "One thing that I am curious about is how you came to adopt a Hellhound," Harper said after a brief silence. "Surely she is not yours by birth. How did she come into your life?"

The imp's face lit up once more. He loved telling this story, even if nobody would listen. Now that he thought about it, this was the first time somebody actually asked him. "Well, it is kind of a long story..." he playfully warned.

Harper nodded. "I would expect nothing less," he said, "We have an hour's drive ahead of us. Tell me everything."

Blitzø was all too happy to oblige. With the energy and the passion of a professional storyteller, the imp regaled Harper with all the details of his life that led to him meeting, and eventually adopting, his darling Loonie. Blitzø's style was meandering, and he frequently got lost on tangents. While there were lots of happy moments, there were plenty of sad and intense moments too. Through it all, Harper listened attentively. Occasionally he would cut in to ask a question or make a remark. The Overlord was particularly surprised that Loona had almost been an adult at the time Blitzø adopted her. "From the way you talk about her, I would have thought that you had raised her from a pup," he said.

After the better part of an hour, Blitzø wrapped up his story. "Soooo that's how I ended up with the bestest daughter in all of the Seven Circles," he concluded, "Any questions?"

"Just one," said Harper, "You mentioned that you were a circus performer before becoming an assassin. I remember the posters you have hanging in your office. The Amazing Imp Twins, yes? You were so bright and happy when you talked about your career working with your sister. What changed?"

Fuck. He was afraid Harper would ask this question. Blitzø fell silent and turned away from the dragon. From the way Harper shifted in his seat, he likely realized he'd hit a nerve. "My apologies," said the dragon, "If this is a sensitive topic, you do not need to answer."

Blitzø looked back at Harper and swallowed the lump threatening to form in his throat. "It stopped being fun," he said, "Maybe someday I'll tell you that story. Just not right now."

Harper slowly nodded, then leaned over to envelope Blitzø in a firm hug. The imp couldn't help melting into the embrace. They'd hugged a couple of times now (friendly hugs, of course!) and it always made Blitzø feel so safe and secure. This time, Blitzø nuzzled into the dragon's chest for good measure. Satan knew he needed it.

When Harper finally released him, Blitzø plopped back into his seat and let out a deep breath. "Hoo boy. Anyways, I don't think I ever asked you if you had any kids."

The Overlord reclined in his seat once more and shook his head. "Unfortunately no. I was blessed with an amazing wife. One that was perfect in almost every way. Her one and only flaw was that she was barren. It did not matter to me though, for we had each other. The descendants in the Living World maintaining the remnants of my business empire are nephews, nieces, cousins removed. They are family all the same."

Blitzø got progressively tenser as Harper talked about his wife. There he goes again about wife! If this turns into another fucking affair, I am going to shit.

"Wait wait wait wait, timeout," he said aloud, pressing the claws of one hand into the palm of the other, "I just wanna clarify right here and now: Is Mrs. Harper down here with you? Does she know that we're on a date right now? Because all the rich people I've known so far are fucking freaks when it comes to cheating on each other, and it's getting old playing hide and sneak with a jealous wife."

Harper put his hands up. "Goodness, no! There is nothing illicit going on." His arm returned around Blitzø's shoulder, but the imp looked on warily.

"When Mrs. Harper passed away, she was allowed into Heaven," Harper continued. "Unfortunately, I came to Hell instead." The dragon then took both of Blitzø's hands in his own. A tingle raced up and down the imp's spine at the sight and sensation of his own hands completely disappearing in the Overlord's much larger pair. Their eyes locked.

"Our wedding vows were clear. Only at death would we part. Death came for us, and we parted. Our vows were fulfilled, and I've made peace with her absence from my afterlife. I cherish the time we spent together, but I am no longer a married man," Harper concluded.

Before Blitzø could respond, the limo swerved and began to slow. They had long since left Imp City's limits, and had now turned onto a dirt path. The rolling orange grass of Hell's rapidly dwindling plains stretched out as far as the eye could see. The odd, craggy tree rose from the grass like twisted wooden tombstones. As the car parked in front of a long, rustic building, Blitzø could catch a hazy glimpse of the towering skyscrapers of downtown Pentagram City far in the distance. Granted, they were mostly hidden by the city's smog, but he could just make them out.

"Here we are!" exclaimed Harper. The imp was still quietly reveling in the fact that this wasn't just another affair, and was caught off-guard when the Overlord grabbed him by the wrist and dragged him out into the afternoon sun. He squinted and raised an arm up to block out the oppressive molten ball of fire that Hell called a star.

As his eyes adjusted to the sudden change in lighting, Blitzø took stock of where they were. This looked to be a farm building of some kind. Wait, there was a wooden fence around a wide open field. This looked like a ranch. The building was fairly long, like a stable. A stable. Could it be?

Blitzø rushed down the length of fence and peered through the slats. He was just tall enough to see into the paddock. Large shapes moved about, but were obscured by the tall grass, which he was just tall enough to see over.

He heard Harper walk up behind him. "Can you see them?" he asked with a chuckle.

"I can see something but all this fucking grass is making it real hard toooooaaaAAAAAHH!" Blitzø yelped as he suddenly felt a pair of large hands grip him by the hips, and saw Harper's head slip between his legs from behind. Up he went, and just like that he was perched on Harper's shoulders and able to see the whole field.

For once in his life, Blitzø was speechless. He gripped onto Harper's horns like a pair of handlebars as he watched a small herd of horses graze on Hell's grass. While there were several Hellhorses present, what the imp was most taken by was the sight of regular horses, just like the ones in the Living World. Occasionally he'd get a glimpse of Earth horses whenever a job took him out to the boonies, but he'd never had time to see one up close.

Speaking of which, a couple found their way over to the fence. One Hellhorse and one Earth horse each nickered a greeting to the two demons. Harper took hold of Blitzø's ankles and stooped so the imp could get at eye level.

"Hi there," Blitzø cooed in a soft voice. The Earth horse peeked over the fence, and the imp reached out to stroke her muzzle. "Hello sweetheart." He was jolted when Harper's shoulders started shaking. "Don't laugh at me!" he indignantly demanded.

"Forgive me," Harper said as he regained his composure, "It is not you I am laughing at. I'm just so happy you're enjoying the surprise. You are also quite adorable when you talk to horses."

Blitzø huffed, but knew he couldn't stay mad. The two horses each nickered again, and both he and Harper took their time patting their snouts. Eventually, Harper turned away and headed for the front of the main building, imp still on his shoulders.

A well built incubus waited for them at the front door. "Mr. Harper!" he greeted and offered his hand.

Harper accepted the outstretched hand for a firm shake. "Good afternoon, Gareth. It's been some time, hasn't it?"

"For sure, for sure!" Gareth agreed, "I already have your usual mount ready to go. Does your plus one have a preference?"

Harper glanced up at Blitzø. "I think an Earth horse would suit him fine," he said, "Though I don't know how experienced a rider he is."

That shook Blitzø out of his ecstatic daze. "I'll have you know that I have weeks of horse riding lessons under my belt," he crowed.

"On a real horse or on a machine?" asked the incubus.

The imp deflated almost immediately. "A machine," he admitted. If he weren't with Harper, he'd probably try to lie his way into getting on the coolest horse at the place. But Harper would know he was bullshitting. The Overlord was good at sniffing it out.

Gareth smiled as Harper put Blitzø down. "No worries! We'll get you set up with Daisy. She's pretty easy-going, good for beginners."

As they walked out to the stables, Blitzø learned that Gareth utilized his ability to access the Living World to import Earth horses for breeding in Hell. They were rare and expensive, and only available for riding by Hell's elite. Thanks to Harper, Blitzø was about to experience something few other Hellborn ever would. In that moment, the imp felt like Millie at Loo Loo Land.

In just fifteen minutes, Gareth had Blitzø saddled up on an older Appaloosa mare. Harper had shed his overcoat to reveal the elegant Equestrian waistcoat, breeches, and boots he had donned for the occasion. The Overlord's horse was a much larger stallion of Hellish origin. That made sense, given how much bigger and heavier the dragon was.

Blitzø shifted in his saddle. "This shit's safe, right?" he asked.

Harper laughed, then nodded. "Gareth here is an expert. Follow his instructions, and you will do just fine."

The next several hours were arguably some of the best of Blitzø's life. Although they did not go very fast, and Gareth kept a hand on the reins, Blitzø finally had a living, breathing horse beneath him. He was up high, felt the wind in his horns. It was all too perfect.

Harper, having years of riding experience, was able to urge his horse into a gallop around the spacious field. They hadn't set up for anything fancy today, but both demons were content just to do laps.

"Once you got more practice in, there's a lot more to do here," Gareth explained as Harper lapped him and Blitzø yet again, "We got hurdles, we got polo if that's your thing, lots of other sports. We do trail riding too. Oh, and archery too!" It was a lot for the imp to wrap his head around. Were there enough days in his life for him to learn all of that? He wanted to try!

As evening fell over Hell's plains, it was time to call it a day. Gareth saw to the horses while Harper led Blitzø out to the limo. "I trust you enjoyed yourself?" he asked.

Immediately, Blitzø took a running jump and clung to Harper's chest in as tight a hug as he could. "Thank you! Thank you so much, Harper!" he said into the dragon's ribs.

Grinning like a fool, Harper propped Blitzø up with his arms and carried him the rest of the way to the car. Once they were settled inside and on their way back to Imp City, Blitzø once again nestled into the dragon's side.

"That was fucking amazing," he murmured, "Never thought I'd actually get to ride a real horse."

The Overlord purred soft and low. The sound never failed to make Blitzø melt (figuratively speaking). "It was my pleasure, Blitzø. We simply must do something like this again. I would love for you to practice more. Gareth's ranch was a blessing for me, and now I have someone I can ride with."

And someone you can ride, Blitzø idly thought, Wait, what? Fuck I didn't say that out loud did I? Okay he didn't react, so I don't think I did. Still, the fuck? He was feeling all hot and giddy inside. It was driving him nuts how weird he'd felt all day, and it only got worse while he was up against Harper.

"You did a lotta riding up in the Living World, huh?" said the imp.

The dragon grunted. "That I did. The motorcar had only just been invented near the end of my life, and every man of means got around by horse. I learned to ride on horseback from an early age. There really was something magical about exploring the American frontier on a good horse. I was delighted to learn I would not need to give it up in death."

"Mmhmm," Blitzø said sleepily. After a quick text to Loona letting her know he was on his way home, he settled in for the long drive back to his apartment. He was worn out after such a long day, and they'd only had a light dinner during a break in the session. So he wasn't really up for conversation. But that was okay. Just being up against Harper was enough for him. Given the way the big guy was purring, it sounded like it was enough for Harper too.

It was dark by the time the limo pulled up to the curb in front of Blitzø's building. Harper scooped the imp out of the seat and got him up on his feet. The two demons stopped at the front steps.

"Thank you for a very pleasant day out," Harper said, "I look forward to when we can do this again."

"Yeah, me too!" said Blitzø, "I guess I should probably head up to bed, huh?"

Neither man made a move to part, just yet, however. They just couldn't stop staring at each other. Blitzø would have felt awkward, but that tightness in his chest was overwhelming. Beads of sweat trickled down his forehead, and he pit his lip.

Harper stooped down, bringing his face closer. Though his scales were crimson, Blitzø noticed that his lips were almost pitch black. Rather full too, now that he got a closer look.

Hold on, was he? He was going for a kiss! Blitzø knew he'd want to push away. He had a strict rule with Stolas about no kissing. It was one of the few things he would not let that creepy-mouthed beyotch do to him.

And yet, this wasn't Stolas. This was Harper. To Blitzø's amazement, he found himself moving in closer. His breath hitched, and his heart was pounding. He got goosebumps all over his body as their lips touched in a brief, chaste kiss. It felt like an eternity for the imp, and when it ended, he was unsteady on his feet. He was glad he'd decided to button up his long coat before getting out of the car. It was hiding his raging boner quite effectively.

Harper smiled beatifically down at Blitzø. His hands caressed the imp's forearms before releasing them. "Have a good night, my dear," the Overlord purred. He then stepped back and turned to get back into his limo.

As the Overlord walked away, Blitzø came to a sudden realization. He was forgetting something important. Something absolutely, positively world-shattering, and he needed to stop Harper right fucking now before it was too late!

"Wait!" Blitzø cried out as he jumped off the front steps and ran to Harper. The dragon looked over his shoulder, then turned to face the imp.

In a combination of relief and elation, Blitzø dug into his coat pocket and pulled out a tiny equine figurine. "You'll give Q-Tip a kiss goodnight too, right?" he asked with big puppydog eyes.

The Overlord chuckled softly. "Of course! How could I have forgotten." With a smile, he knelt down and lowered his head to plant a kiss on the plastic toy's head. "Goodnight Q-Tip," he whispered as he stood to leave once more, "and goodnight Blitzø."

It took all of Blitzø's will power to not dance in place as he put his pony back in his pocket and watched the car pull away and disappear down the dark street. Once Harper's limo was out of sight, Blitzø wasted no time getting inside before somebody tried to mug him. Once he was safe in his shitty apartment, he began to think more about that funny feeling he'd been having all day. Was it sickness, or was it something else? Maybe M&M could help. He'd ask them on Monday.

In the meantime, he began to wonder if maybe there was more to his interest in Harper than making money after all. Sure, he acknowledged he did have a bit of a crush on the Overlord, and there was no walking that back. Still, it occurred to Blitzø while he was straddling the toilet with his pants around his ankles and furiously stroking his length to memories of Harper's arms, warmth, and scent that maybe - just maybe - it was more than a little crush.