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Blitzø parked his van under the porte-cochère of Harper's mansion. As usual, Drek was waiting for him at the door. He gave a brief nod of greeting, but did not smile. Blitzø was used to his resting bitch face by now. At least he wasn't trying to stab him anymore.

"I'm not gonna stick around long so don't park too far away," he informed the other imp as he tossed him the keys.

"As you wish," Drek murmured. Blitzø could tell that the valet didn't like him one bit, but that hardly mattered. Unlike some imps he knew, Drek knew how to mind his own goddamn business.

In less than a minute, Blitzø found his way up to Harper's office. No sooner had he opened the door, the dragon demon had risen from his seat and rounded his desk to greet the imp.

"Hey babe!" said Blitzø as he closed the distance and jumped with his arms outstretched. The Overlord knelt to catch him, and he threw his arms around those broad shoulders.

"Good evening Blitzø my sweet," purred Harper. The two men exchanged a quick peck on the lips before they parted. "I trust everyone is settled into the new building?"

Blitzø nodded as he followed Harper back to his desk. "They sure are! It's freaky how fast we were able to get so many new people up and running after moving buildings. Was a big-brain move on your part to get everyone else set up over there while we waited for the lease to run out on the old place."

Harper chuckled and tapped his forehead. "Being under the Hellfire Industries' umbrella offers its perks when it comes to expanding a new operation." The Overlord took a seat behind his desk as he spoke. Blitzø opted to hop up onto the desk proper so he could be close to eye level. His tail unconsciously curled around the dragon's forearm, which made the larger man chuckle and pat it affectionately. "Now then," he continued, "Let's take a look at those monthly reports."

Business was never going to be Blitzø's strong suit, and he knew this. Even so, Harper made him feel smart and in control whenever they discussed how I.M.P. was doing. The papers Blitzø showed the Overlord were all printed up by Moxxie, but Harper didn't seem to mind. The dragon only smiled and nodded as Blitzø animatedly recounted everything of note that had happened over the past 30 days.

"...and the little shit decided to cancel my peanut butter projector! Can you believe that?" exclaimed the imp. That elicited a chuckle from Harper. His deep, rumbling laughter was music to Blitzø's ears every time he heard it.

Setting aside the monthly reports, Harper scooped Blitzø off his desk and seated him in his lap. His large hands caressed up and down the imp's sides and chest, making him sigh in pleasure as he relaxed into the much larger man's touch.

"It sounds like I.M.P. is in excellent hands," purred Harper.

"Nghh, right now I'm in excellent hands," Blitzø murmured happily. He'd have loved nothing more in that moment to yank his pants down and get bent over Harper's desk. But that reminded him...

"Shit! I almost forgot," Blitzø said. He dug into his pocket to pull out the folded letter and hand it to Harper. "Birdbrain gave this to me a couple weeks ago, while we were moving to the new office. I finally got around to reading it today."

Harper regarded the offered paper and unfolded it. He set Blitzø back on the desk to read it. For a minute, he was silent. Then, a smile curled across his face and he let out a snort. "Looks like the jig is up," he said playfully as he handed the letter back to the imp.

"What jig?" Blitzø asked, tilting his head.

The Overlord pulled Blitzø back into his lap. The imp was quick to snuggle up against him. "It means that Stolas has finally figured out we're dating. I knew he suspected us, but now he knows. This letter is a direct reaction to how close we've gotten."

Blitzø scratched his head with one claw as he mulled this over. "Huh," he said, "so you're saying he does know, and this is him trying to win me back?"

"Exactly!" Harper said with a brief nod. His hands had found their way back around Blitzø and held him close. "Now that it's happened, it is time that we have a serious discussion about the road ahead."

Fuck. This was the part Blitzø had been dreading for a while now. "What about?" he cautiously asked.

Harper paused, then leaned back in his seat. The imp crawled up to rest on his chest and look questioningly up at him. "I want you to tell me, in full honesty, what your feelings are about Prince Stolas and the arrangement that you have with him. You have my word that I will not be upset, no matter what your answer is," he said.

Blitzø bit his lip and looked away. How did he feel about Stolas? That was a good fucking question. "Well..." he hesitated, "It's complicated. On the one hand, he's the only reason I get to stay in business. He's an okay fuck too. On the other hand, good GOD he is clingy and entitled." The imp's voice picked up as he gained momentum. "It's not enough that he gets to use me as his fucktoy once a month, but he's gotta be fucking weird about it 24/7. I mean, maybe I could've put up with the porn selfies and the horny calls and texts if I wasn't constantly having to play hide and seek with his psycho bitch wife! You have any idea how fucking scary she is when she catches us? And he just has one of his fucking lackeys smuggle me out while she's kicking his ass."

He brandished the letter in his hands as long-repressed anger bubbled to the surface. "Now the asshole has the balls to write this, saying he actually has feelings for me and wants a fresh start? I mean, I know I'm not the brightest bulb on the Hanukkah Tree, but how big of a dumbass does he think I am?! If he loves me, why the fuck doesn't he get a goddamn divorce?"

Harper nodded quietly as Blitzø ranted and crumpled the letter up. "No, he had his chance at a boyfriend, and he fucking blew it with this maybe-maybe not bullshit. That ship has sailed," the imp concluded, "Only reason I don't ditch his ass for good is because I need that book. Fucking him once a month is just another business expense."

Blitzø felt Harper's fingers slip under his chin, and his head was guided to look up at the Overlord. Harper smiled down at him and stroked his cheek with one thumb. "You never were one to use honeyed words," he said, "That's one of many things I love about you."

The imp squeezed his eyes shut as a lump swelled in his throat. Goddammit Harper, you're gonna make me cry again. When Harper pulled him into a hug, he eagerly accepted it. He always felt better with the dragon's arms around him. "What should I do?" he asked, "I wanna tell him to shove it up his skinny ass, but I need that book."

The Overlord was quiet for a moment as he idly rubbed the imp's back in small circles. "I think you should grant him a date," he finally responded.

Blitzø shot up to look Harper in the eye, shocked and alarmed. "Why the fuck should I?" he asked with a generous dose of indignation.

Harper chuckled and gave the little imp a loving squeeze. "You said it yourself. His Highness controls access to your means of doing business. That needs to continue for the time being. But more than that, I've known Prince Stolas for many years now. I can read him just as well as any book in his library. This is an act of desperation on his part. Now that he knows his prized plaything has fallen for someone, he's realized what he stands to lose. From how you speak of him, it would seem this olive branch of sorts is too little, too late."

"No fucking shit, Sherlock," Blitzø groused.

Unfazed, Harper continued, "It is in our interest to keep Stolas friendly for as long as possible. Meet with him, and let him get to know you as a person and not a sex toy. Once you have done this, politely decline his overtures. If he respects you for who you are, he will accept your choice. If he is unable to keep his hands to himself on your outing with him, all the better. For he will have proven to you and himself that he does not deserve you. Regardless of the outcome, a few meetings with him will buy the time we need to prepare should things escalate."

Blitzø mulled the plan over, then stared down at the floor. "I dunno, Harps," he said, "Feels like we're playing with fire."

The imp was startled when Harper let out a loud bark of laughter. "Playing with fire? My dear, I have been one with the fires of Hell for some 120 years! I do not 'play' with fire; I dance with it." He reached out to gently cup Blitzø's cheek. "And you're the first demon to have this dance with me."

How could Blitzø not melt into the Overlord's magic touch? The imp sighed happily and leaned against Harper once more. It always felt like everything was going to be okay when he had Harper at his back. "Alright," he said, "I'll call Stolas as soon as I get home. Loonie's probably pissed at me for working late again."

"Of course," Harper replied. He planted a kiss on the imp's forehead and let him off his lap. "Let me know once everything is arranged. I recommend something simple. A meeting over tea, perhaps?"

"Yeah, sounds good. I know this good coffee place. I'll keep ya posted." Blitzø gave Harper one more quick smooch. His right leg popped up as their lips touched. Then, the imp turned and hurried down the stairs and out the front door.

Drek was waiting for Blitzø by his van. The valet wordlessly tossed his keys to him and walked past him back into the house. Dude REALLY needs to get laid, Blitzø thought to himself as he got in and started the van.

Once he was parked by the road outside his apartment, Blitzø took his phone out and began to dial. "I better not regret this, Harps," he muttered.

---

Two weeks.

Two weeks ago Blitzø had texted Stolas promising he would read the letter. Since then, nothing further had been heard from the imp. Stolas checked his phone yet again and sighed. What was taking him so long?

The owl demon paced in his study once more. He wanted nothing more than to send his usual barrages of calls and texts, but Octavia had firmly advised him against it. "You don't want to frighten him off, if you haven't already," she'd said.

She was right. If this had any chance of working, Stolas needed to be patient. Blitzø had been in the middle of moving the company. He tensed at the thought. To one of Harper's buildings, he reminded himself. Surely he was simply busy. That's what Blitzø always said whenever he tried to call in the past.

Again, Stolas checked his phone. Anxiety was threatening to consume him. He had to know if Blitzø had read the letter! The wait was becoming agonizing. Would his Blitzy say yes? No? Would he say anything at all?

Suddenly, the Prince of Hell's phone sprang to life. The ringtone almost made the owl molt half his feathers on the spot. He almost dropped the phone in his frantic attempt to answer it, and ended up juggling it briefly between both hands before he was able to get ahold of it. The display indicated the call was from Blitzø. Finally!

After taking a moment to regain his composure, Stolas answered. "Prince Stolas speaking," he cooed. Probably too seductive, but it was force of habit at this point.

"Hey Stolas!" said Blitzø on the other end, "Sorry I didn't get back to you sooner. I didn't forget, things are just really crazy right now. Y'know, the move and all."

"Not to worry, Blitzø! I completely understand," Stolas replied, perhaps a little too quickly. "You've read the letter, have you not?"

"I did," Blitzø replied.

Stolas's heart jumped into his throat in anticipation. "And what do you think? Would you like to give it a try?"

The line was silent for a moment. Had he come on too strong? Finally, Blitzø replied. "I just want to make a couple things clear, okay?"

"Name your terms," said Stolas.

"Aight," said the imp, "First of all, I want to make sure you're absolutely serious about starting over fresh. This is just a friendly get together, no weird sex stuff, right?"

"That's right!" Stolas said. He nodded emphatically, only later remembering Blitzø couldn't see him.

"Okay then. There's a coffee place down the street from me I go to all the time. We'll grab some lattes and see how things go from there."

Stolas's chest felt tight, and his heart filled with childlike glee. "Oh Blitzø, I'm so excited! Of course I'll-"

"Ah bap bap bap bap! I'm not done," Blitzø cut in, "I wanna make it clear this is not a date, and I'm not gonna cater to any of your horny bird needs. That means no flirting, no touching, no sex talk. Save that shit for the full moon, got it?"

Stolas took a deep breath. This imp should count himself lucky he can get away with talking like that to a member of the Ars Goetia. "I shall be on my best behavior. You have my word," he said.

"Alrighty. Meet me at the Hellbucks on Avarice Avenue this Saturday at noon. Text me if you need directions." With that, Blitzø hung up.

No sooner had Stolas pocketed the phone than he sprawled back on his desk, hugging himself and squealing in delight. This was his chance! He was going to win his Blitzy back, and away from that conniving usurper Harper. But wait! He had to make preparations. Everything had to be absolutely perfect!

Stolas ungracefully rolled off his desk and grabbed a sheet of paper. It always helped to make a list of things he would need. It was especially helpful to write down things he and Blitzø could talk about.

He worked long into the night. By the time the owl prince had finished drawing up his plans, the infernal sun was peeking over Hell's eastern horizon. Stolas reviewed his notes one more time, then wearily got up to start his day. Operating on one hour of sleep wouldn't be that big of a deal, would it?

He found out when he opened the door to his study, then collapsed flat on his face in the hallway. Alright, he thought, I should probably see about getting some coffee...or perhaps some cocaine.