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caspira-writes-fanfiction · 5 months

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Finding Family (Fizz's Found Family)-Chapter 8

Flying (pt. 2)

“You’ve never been to Gluttony before?” Asmodeus was sitting opposite Fizzarolli in the back of his blue limousine, smiling to himself about the way Fizzarolli was looking over each detail of his outfit for the evening as if he didn’t come up with half of the ideas himself. It was almost as if he didn’t believe he was wearing it. Fizzarolli seemed to be determined to catalog each hand sewn bead to memory. It made Asmodeus happy, he’d made the correct decision in ordering a second custom outfit for Fizzarolli. “Enjoying your sparkles?”

Ozzie’s foot nudging against his own was enough to rouse Fizzarolli from his trance. Winning Mammon’s contest a little over a week ago had changed more for him than he imagined it would. When Fizzarolli went to meet with Mammon the day after winning, he was greeted with five new costumes and a whole new set of Mammon branded props! When he returned to the penthouse after his workday that day, he was received with a sparkly invitation to one of Queen Bee-Lzebub’s parties. That’s where they were headed to now, that’s what this new outfit was for.

“There’s so many of them. More than the showgirls costumes used to have.”

Asmodeus chuckled. “It’s Gluttony, you’re supposed to be excessive.” Asmodeus was also dressed up for the occasion. His outfit was like nothing Fizzarolli had ever seen Lust wear before. He remained in his boots, halfway up his legs and drawing the eye even higher. He opted for shorts on the bottom, tight and made of leather, with a jeweled belt buckle in all of Ozzie’s colors. His blazer was also made of leather and underneath he wore a body chain that hung like the most intricate and commanding necklace down his whole chest. Fizzarolli knew the piece of jewelry also hooked around Ozzie’s shoulders under his arms and chained itself halfway down Ozzie’s back.

“This is a new outfit for you, too. I’ve never seen you dress like this in Lust.” It wasn’t a bad thing, though Fizzarolli found himself worrying about how much he was allowed to stare before it became weird. That’s part of the reason why he’d been studying the hand beaded corset (that also worked as a battery pack if he wanted it to) and teal silk shirt with balloon sleeves and intricate embroidered details. Even his pants and ruff had extra details sewn onto them. For the second time in the span of a fortnight Asmodeus had managed to create an outfit for Fizzarolli right out of his dreams.

“It’s Gluttony, you’re supposed to be excessive” Lust repeated. Fizzarolli blushed. He still wasn’t comfortable with excess, Asmodeus noted. He wasn’t so averse to it that he’d refused the outfit, though. He’d gotten quite excited when he saw Ozzie’s sketches. He’d made design tweaks to the outfit himself and he still seemed amazed when the outfit arrived at the penthouse yesterday. Asmodeus was happy he was amazed, though. He deserved to shine tonight, this party was for him after all.

“Before we get there, a few ground rules” Asmodeus continued.

Fizzarolli interrupted. “Oh, there’s rules tonight?”

“You’ve never been to Gluttony before. Do you want to walk into your party unprepared?” Fizzarolli stayed quiet. “You have nothing to worry about, first of all. Bee is going to love you.”

Asmodeus talked about Bee-Lzebub like they were close. Ozzie didn’t talk about his friends often.

“She throws a great party, she knows how to keep the energy high.” sort of like someone else I know, Ozzie thought. “But she talks before she thinks sometimes. Nothing she says is mean spirited. You’ll know if you’ve made her angry.” Asmodeus knew that Fizzarolli could take a punch. He could give one right back and play it off most of the time too. But this was Fizzarolli’s first time out in public with his new stretchy limbs, and his first big public appearance without Mammon attached to him since he won the pageant. He knew Fizzarolli was excited, but he was also worried that someone would say something that would get Fizz’s feelings hurt.

“Don’t piss off the Queen Bee, don’t take offense. Understood. Any other rules?”

“No Beezlejuice” Fizzarolli stuck his tongue out in a teasing pout. He already knew that, he was on too many medications, it wasn’t safe. “I already told her about that, though. She won’t push it on you.”

Fizzarolli wondered how many deadly Sins knew about his personal business. Mammon did, Belphegor did, Asmodeus did, and to some extent Bee’Lzebub now did as well. He was only three away from collecting them all. Pretty impressive for a scrappy little imp from the Greed Ring.

“Her food is good enough, I think I’ll be able to have a good time without the booze.” The two of them nodded. “This isn’t my party though.”

“You’re the excuse for her to throw one.” Asmodeus laughed to himself. “Well, she doesn’t really need an excuse to throw a party. But she saw your show, she was impressed. You’re the guest of honor.”

“Is that why you’re dressed so nicely?” Fizzarolli’s hand reached out and his finger curled around the smooth gold chain.

“Maybe I was jealous, maybe I wanted to sparkle tonight too!” Asmodeus liked the way he could make Fizzarolli blush almost as much as he liked the confidence that this past week has given Fizzarolli. Asmodeus also liked the way Fizzarolli’s knuckle danced across his nipple. That had to be intentional.

“Oh, you wanted to compete with this?” Fizzarolli’s hand slid back to his corset, which was a kaleidoscope of beadwork. Gold shimmered in flecks between magenta and aqua; violet, olive, fuscia, and cerulean collided in fireworks all along Fizzarolli’s body. Fuck glitter, he’d never been shinier.

Both of them had a laugh together before the car slowed to a halt. The guest of honor had arrived.

The skies were yellow like honey, and the honeycomb imagery didn’t fall short on Fizzarolli. He chuckled as he looked up at Queen Bee-Lzebub’s castle after stepping out of the limo.

“Queen Bee” he laughed, looking up at Asmodeus as he got out of the limo as well. “This is her hive.” Asmodeus chuckled and nodded.

“Are you ready?”

The Hive was huge. A towering atrium with hoops and….lava? No. Beezlejuice decorated the outer parameters of the room. The biggest disco ball Fizzarolli had ever seen towered over the center of the atrium, sending glittering flecks along the room as light hit off it. Large swaths of fabric swagged from the ball’s pole outwards to the upper balconies alternating blue and pink. It almost looked like a circus tent. Fizzarolli wondered if it looked like this all the time, or if this really was all for him. The lights went dark shortly after the two walked in. For a moment, Fizzarolli felt like a kid at the circus again. He felt the same excitement forming in his chest that he did the first night he saw a circus show.

“Awoo Awoo!” Atop the disco ball appeared a mane of golden plasmic light. It reminded Fizzarolli of the beautiful horses from his circus, but this was even better. It was lighter, and more colorful than horses were. It was golden, a deep honey with flashes of orange and cyan and watermelon swirling throughout. It was glorious. The lights raised and Fizzarolli could see the rest of Bee-Lzebub standing atop the globe.

“Kings, Queens, and Rotyal In-Between’s are we having a good time to-night?!” Fizzarolli heard the room howl and cheer in response. Fizzarolli decided to howl, it made Asmodeus chuckle. “Good, good. I am your host, the Queen Bee of Gluttony and I’m ready to get fucking wild!”

More cheering. The energy was electric. Fizzarolli was buzzing. He still couldn’t comprehend that he was here, that this was apparently for him.

“But first, I need all you freaky little bastards to give your warmest, loudest, freakiest welcome to our guests of honor. Coming all the way from the Lust Ring…..The King of Kink, The Lord of Lube, the Duke of Dicktown: Lust himself…...King Ozzie!” More cheering. A spotlight flashed onto the two of them. Fizzarolli howled again and clapped for Asmodeus. The two exchanged a glance.

“And our real king tonight…...the comeback kid from Greed. Hell’s favorite tie breaking champion, the King Clown himself...the one...the only…...Fiz-a-Rolli!” Bee was distinct with every syllable as she said Fizzarolli’s name. Confetti burst from everywhere and rained down on the crowd as Bee-Lzebub dove from her position above everyone else and into a hole nearly as narrow as her, into a golden vat of her bub.

She would do well in the circus, Fizzarolli thought.

Queen Bee appeared from another hole in the ground, the golden liquid following her and swirling around the room. Fizzarolli hadn’t even noticed the cheering, he’d been so mesmerized by Bee-Lzebub’s performance. The way that gold seemed to float in the air with her, swirl into a big cloud, and explode into….cotton candy?! Fizz was full belly laughing by the time the Queen had come to greet them.

“Ozzie! Baby!” Bee-Lzebub flew towards the Sin, stopping short to nuzzle Ram and Bull. She was buzzing, flying so that she hovered at Asmodeus’s eye level. “The energy is crazy good tonight. And fuck! What is this tasty little snack?” Bee flew up and around Ozzie, inspecting both him and the clown next to him from every angle.

It could have been inferred that Bee-Lzebub was referring to Fizzarolli as the snack, or the way Asmodeus’s ass fit in his pants. Maybe even the both of them were the treat she was referring to. It wasn’t, though. Bee could taste energy on people and she’d known Lust since the beginning of Hell. She knew what Lust tasted like happy, mad, sad, and everywhere in between. There was a hint of sweetness on him tonight that she hasn’t ever tasted on the Sin. It was faint enough that she knew not to make a fuss out of it, strong enough that she knew she’d made the right decision by naming Fizzarolli the king tonight.

“Bee, babe. You’ve outdone yourself again.”

Bee-Lzebub’s attention turned Fizzarolli a moment later, but not before Fizz had already extended a hand up to her height. She was still buzzing.

“Holy Shit!”

“Fizzarolli. Nice to make your acquaintance, your highness.” Fizzarolli retracted his arm as he extended his legs so that he was nearly eye level with both of the Sins. He stayed a few inches shorter out of respect.

“Holy Shit!” The Queen repeated. She took Fizz’s hand in two of hers and shook it vigorously. “You were not able to do that a week ago! What the fuck have you been up to?”

Fizzarolli and Asmodeus smiled at each other. “You like my dildo arms? They’re new.” Fizzarolli’s tongue stuck out of the side of his mouth.

Asmodeus tried to hold it in, but couldn’t contain his burst of laughter.

This moment was sweet, like honey. Bee-Lzebub smiled, she laughed too. “O-okay! You are a little freak. I like you.”

Fizzarolli didn’t like the word freak in any context, much let alone when applied to him but the burn of being called a freak was softened by being told he was liked. It didn’t feel hollow when she said it. The way she looked excited about his new telescopic abilities almost mirrored Fizz’s own feelings about them.

Bee-Lzebub, still holding Fizzarolli’s hand, pulled back and twirled him around. She howled once more. “King Jester is in the house!” A few more hounds near them howled, but not nearly as many from a moment ago. The party had started. “Come on, you twisty little thing. Let’s see what these dildo arms can do!”

Fizzarolli didn’t have much time to think about it. Queen Bee had his hand and she was flying up. The arms only extended so far. Fizzarolli did as was natural to do in this sort of situation. He took a deep breath and counted to three (quickly).

He crouched, he jumped.

Fizz was flying.

It was like the circus again. The swaths of fabric draped around the ceiling in alternating colors mirrored the tent of the Big Top. Fizzarolli was high in the sky and laughing his ass off. Bee-Lzebub had let go of her grip on him as he flew into the air, Fizzarolli did a flip. Bee caught him as he started falling and did that three more times before putting Fizz on her back and heading straight for a stack of hoops in the middle of the atrium. Both of their eyes narrowed. Bee was laser focused on making it through the middle hoop. Meanwhile, Fizzarolli was concentrating on his timing.

Three, two, one. The clown jumped and landed on top of the top hoop. He bent backwards, wrapped his tail around the hoop, turned himself into a ball, and fell back through the hoop. He managed enough force to swing back up and land on his feet, just barely. He held his arms out in victory but only for a moment before they were grabbed again and Fizz was being carried up to the ceiling. Bee’s top set of arms were holding Fizz’s, she was flying upside down as they ascended. It felt like the trapeze, when he was little. This could have been anyone from his circus family holding him right now. The two of them were laughing as they floated.

When they were high enough, Fizzarolli was being thrown again. This time his objective was clear, he was reaching the pole that the disco ball hung from. Fizz stretched his arms out but purposefully missed. His legs hooked around the pole instead and Fizz spun from the top, all the way down. Just before he reached the bottom, Fizzarolli’s hands caught the pole and Fizz flipped so that he was right side up. He ended up landing on his butt, straddling the pole on top of the disco ball. He couldn’t stop laughing. He hadn’t had this much fun in years.

“Everybody, your king for the night!” Bee’s voice was loud, but the cheering was louder. Fizzarolli felt the energy in the room, it was electric. Had he done that? He could get drunk off of this feeling alone, he was on top of the world right now. The spotlight shining on him lit him up like the mirror ball he was sitting atop of. If ever there was a time for Fizzarolli to shine, it was now.

Fizzarolli ended his performance by standing again, falling backwards, and doing a back flip. It had been a long time since he’d done one of those, but he was feeling confident. Besides, he trusted that his aerial partner wouldn’t let him fall. That would really hurt the energy of the night. Fizzarolli had guessed right. After a third flip mid air he landed on something soft. When he looked up, Bee was laughing at him, he was cradled in her arms. Fizzarolli laughed too and jumped down from a much safer height.

“Well shit, little man. You really do know how to put on a show. You are welcome here any time.”

Fizzarolli beamed with pride.

“Let me get you a drink” Bee-Lzebub was already ushering Fizzarolli over to a lounge area off of the atrium on the first floor.

“Oh, I can’t-” Fizzarolli was cut off by the Queen’s laugh.

“Yeah, I know. Oz already gave me the whole lecture. And hey, I respect it. So if you’re thirsty tonight come to me or Vortex, okay honey?”

Fizzarolli had no idea who Vortex was, but he wasn’t going to argue. His question was answered soon enough when he was walked over the bar where Asmodeus was chatting with a large gray and black hellhound.

“Tex!” Bee flew over to the hound and gave him a quick nuzzle before dropping behind the bar next to him. “You found Ozzie, good! Can we get a fruity little drink in the clown’s hand please?” Bee, a natural hostess turned to Asmodeus and gave him her full attention next. “Have we gotten you a fruity little drink yet?”

“Not yet, we were just-” A large hurricane glass appeared in Ozzie’s hand, orange and red with a little umbrella on top.

“Sex on the Beach, bitch!” She winked at Asmodeus.

Fizzarolli made his way to the bar with enough time to hear that. A moment later, Tex was handing him a drin. It looked pretty similar to Ozzie’s drink, but more his size. He started to question what it was but Bee-Lzebub interrupted him next.

“It’s your night to shine, baby. You need to sparkle inside and out!” The queen rubbed three of her fingers together over his drink and glitter rained down and into the glass. She waited for him to try it, and groaned when Fizz hesitated. “It’s safe, I promise. I just told you about the lecture Ozzie gave me.” Her tone lightened. “Go on. It’s just orange juice and grenadine.”

“And magical glitter” Fizzarolli replied. Bee laughed, it was light and carefree.

“Yeah”

Nobody did anything, so Fizz took a sip of his drink. It was sweet, and Bee was right. It did just taste like orange juice and cherry syrup, but it sparkled. He felt great! When he gave Bee-Lzebub the thumbs up, she took that as a sign to continue with the house tour.

“Sweets and eats are over here. Get your fill, enjoy enjoy. There are no rules here tonight. Oh!” She stopped and turned back to Fizz who was following in tow. “The brownies. They’re safe for you. Actually……..they might help with some of that pain Oz is always complaining about. Loosen you up a little, get elevated.”

Fizzarolli turned behind him when Bee’s attention flew over his head and she gave a pointed “What?!” Asmodeus was giving her a look. “It’s safe! I asked Bell last week. Don’t be lame, Asmodeus.” Bee snapped her fingers and grabbed a bottle of bub out of thin air.

“You’re trying to get me high” Fizzarolli asserted.

“Hey, that’s your choice. I’m simply giving you the option. Don’t say I didn’t warn ya” Bee-Lzebub took a drink. “Anyway, get your party on, baby. Have some treats, have some eats, get your dance on. You’re in good company tonight.” And just like that, Queen Bee-Lzebub was off flitting around the crowd checking in on everybody.

Asmodeus hadn’t been lying when he’d made the joke about Ozzie having Bee’s order over a year ago. The buffet table was organized appetizers and finger foods first, then the meaty stuff at the end. Desserts had their own spread farther down. Chips with at least 12 different types of dips lay on a large lazy susan. Next to it were fruits, mini weenies, shrimps and cocktail sauce, crackers and cheeses, sandwiches, dumplings, and walking tacos. There was also a taco bar, a mountain of chicken wings, pizza, gyros, and burgers. The dessert bar was just as crowded with options.

All of it was delicious. Fizzarolli did his best to sample as much as he could. There were dips with flavors he couldn’t even describe. He hadn’t been wrong when he’d assumed he would be more than happy with the food tonight.

The brownies were fucking delicious.

“They’re safe Ozzie. Belphegor said. You trust Belphegor. I hear you say it all the time.” It was a little over an hour later and Fizzarolli had just finished his second brownie. Bee was right about it loosening things up. He was fuzzy and excited and happily sitting in Asmodeus’s lap, starting in on his sixth chicken leg of the evening.

“Just because it’s not going to interact with your medications doesn’t mean you shouldn’t be supervised.” When Fizzarolli pouted, Asmodeus clarified. “You’re slippy.”

The laugh started deep in Fizzarolli’s chest and erupted in a croak. Asmodeus could only smile at the clown. He was glad Fizz was having a good time.

“I’m just saying, you don’t have to babysit me. You’re a guest of honor too. You should be enjoying yourself!”

Asmodeus chuckled. “Who says I’m not?”

The moment was interrupted by another booming voice approaching them. “Little Jester!” Fizzarolli was very confused, but when he turned to the large imp calling out to him, his eyes lit up. “Well, you’re not so little anymore, are you? You’re the clown now.”

“Buttons?” He hadn’t seen Buttons in years. He’d visited Fizzarolli while he was in the hospital recovering. Him and his brother, Patches, had made his first pair of horns. But things had gotten busy, he hadn’t even realized how much he’d missed the man until he was standing right in front of him. How did he even get here?

“You put on quite a show, kid. How does it feel to be living the dream?” Fizzarolli scrambled out of Lust’s lap and extended his leg closer to Buttons. He wrapped the man in a large hug, his arms wrapping twice around them.

“You’re here!”

Buttons laughed. “I’m here, kid. Yeah. Patches too, and Sloppy Joe. Few others.”

“How?” For a second time, the former clown laughed at Fizz’s responses.

“When the Queen comes to your shop and asks to invite as many circus people as possible for tonight, you listen.”

This had to be a dream. Or a drug. The brownies were making him hallucinate. Fizzarolli turned back to Asmodeus. “Is this real?” he mouthed. Fizz turned back to Buttons when the king confirmed that he was, in fact, real.

“Do you want to come back and see them? I know they’re all dying to see you.”

Fizzarolli’s head shook eagerly. He smiled and turned back to Ozzie. “Go have fun! I’m visiting family!”

There were only a handful of his circus family waiting for him on the other side of the atrium, near one of the bars. Most of them were much older than the average demographic here, but they were just as energetic when they heard Fizz jingling towards them. They whooped and hollered for him, a few pulling him into a hug while another blew an air horn for him.

Barb should be here.

Fizzarolli had largely been a child while in the family circus, only in his last handful of years did he get to participate in any of the adult gossip flitting between tents. But Fizzarolli was grown now, and the adults had all been drinking for a few hours already. Fizzarolli happily listened as he got caught up with everybody. Buttons and Patches lived in Gluttony now. They owned a tailoring business. They’d acted surprised when Fizzarolli hadn’t realized his corset was made by them, as if anybody else could be as whimsically opulent. Sloppy Joe, the old cook, also worked in Gluttony. He still cooked. One of the old horse performers, Wendy, moved to Wrath and works on a ranch. She gives horse riding lessons on the side. Ariel, one of the aerialists that worked with Barb was in Pride now. She’d always thought sinners were interesting.

Everyone was interested in Fizz's noodle limbs. Everyone was interested in learning about Fizzarolli being cozied up in Lust’s lap.

Another hour and a half later, everyone was interested in learning how Fizzarolli managed to get Asmodeus out onto the dance floor with him.

The attention and support from his family had given Fizzarolli one hell of a confidence boost.

Many many snacks, sparkly drinks, and dances later everyone’s eyes were on Fizzarolli once more. How he’d managed to convince Bee-Lzebub he didn’t know, but he was warm and tingly and so fucking excited. He’d liked when the eyes were on him, he was feeling good, he wanted a challenge.

“Alright, Jingles. On your signal.”

Fizzarolli nodded at Queen Bee. The lights dimmed again. Bee took Fizz’s hands and for the second time tonight they were flying. They started much like the last time, with Bee throwing Fizz into the air, letting him flip, then catching him. Then, when Fizzarolli was firmly planted atop the mirror ball, Bee clapped and two long silks dropped from the ceiling for him.

Fizzarolli was no aerialist by training, but this past year had made him delusional enough to try. After Asmodeus had managed to convince him to try and work towards acrobatics, Fizzarolli managed to convince Mammon to put silks in the Little Top so he could practice after hours. Or well, so Barb could practice. Fizz had only done this once, but he’d watched Barbie do it a million times. He was stronger now with these new limbs, and he had a metric fuck ton more confidence. Bee promised she wouldn’t let him fall.

The room went quiet and the music changed. Fizzarolli grabbed the silks and like he knew how to do, he worked one around his foot, shimmied up, and began to climb. He wasn’t the most graceful at it, or the most consistent. Barb would probably be laughing at him, but he managed to climb to top of the silks. His tongue stuck out with determination as he remembered how Barb wrapped one silk around his leg, an extra catch for when he fell. He’d confirmed the sequence just minutes ago with Ariel.

One deep breath.

The music swelled, Fizzarolli let go of his grip on the silks, the audience gasped, and Fizzarolli fell. His body stopped, dangling upside down and hanging on by his knees at the height of the disco ball. The crowd erupted with cheering. Fizzarolli was dizzy, but giddy. He looked down below him and saw Asmodeus looking up at him.

“And you said you’d never do aerials” Ozzie chuckled. Fizz’s grin grew three sizes. His arms outstretched down towards the other.

“Catch me!” He called, letting go of the hold on his legs and plummeting down straight into Lust’s arms.

“Are you having fun tonight?” Oz asked once Fizzarolli had opened his eyes again. Fizzarolli didn’t need to respond for Asmodeus to know the answer. That look of wonder had been on Fizz’s face all night and Asmodeus just couldn’t look away.

Fizzarolli thought the plush fabric of the seats in Asmodeus’s car were soft and nice to lay on. He said goodbye to the skies yellow as honey, as sweet as Queen Bee. He liked Bee-Lzebub. She knew how to throw a party, that was the best time he’d had in a long time. Maybe ever. And how she managed to find his circus family? People he’d long since thought had forgot about him…..it was so sweet he could cry. Fizzarolli’s leg extended across the car and hooked around Asmodeus’s. He then retracted his leg, pulling himself right into the Sin’s lap.

He wouldn’t be so bold sober. While they’d definitely grown closer in the ten or so days since winning Mammon’s competition, but they were far away from having anything close to a label. Fizzarolli had spent more than one night in Asmodeus’s bed since then, but not every single night. Tonight though, he was hoping he would get to.

“Hello” Asmodeus looked down at Fizz with amusement.

“Hi.” Fizzarolli looped his hand up and around Asmodeus’s shoulder, catching his other hand and pulling himself into the other’s side but only for a moment. The beautiful and intricate not-a-necklace was keeping Fizz from being able to properly cuddle into the other’s side. His hands started trying to work at one of the clasps he knew was in the back.

“Can we take this off please? It’s beautiful to look at, not comfortable to settle next to.” Fizzarolli’s whole body relaxed just a bit more as he felt a hum reverberate through Ozzie’s chest.

“Oh, I see. You need a cuddle.”

Asmodeus obliged when Fizzarolli nodded, finding himself oddly comfortable with the way Fizzarolli curled up against him and settled against his chest. When Fizz let out a content sigh, Asmodeus felt pride.

“I had a really good night, Oz.” Asmodeus placed his hand against Fizzarolli’s back, to keep him close and safe. Fizzarolli’s hand rested against Ozzie’s chest in agreement.

“I’m glad. I had a feeling you and Bee would get along.”

“She’s soooooooo nice and her food was so good. Fuck, Oz. I could cry. It was beautiful. There was so much to choose from.” Asmodeus rubbed Fizzarolli’s back and let the jingly little demon in his lap ramble on. “And she found Buttons! And Patches! Did you know they made this?” Fizzarolli pulled away from Ozzie’s chest to run his hand down the corset.

Asmodeus chuckled. Fuck, he was cute. “I did know.”

Fizzarolli continued. “They live in Gluttony now, they run a shop. Ozzie I have to go there someday, I bet it’s magnificent. Their tents were always filled with the most glittery things. They were so good at mending. They made me my horns! My very first horns. I still have them, but they’re old. Made out of scraps! And-and Wendy. She has a ranch! Out in Wrath! She saw one of my tour shows, I didn’t even know!” Asmodeus continued to rub Fizz’s back. He was adorable. “And Ariel helped me with the silks.”

“Amazing performance, by the way. You never told me you knew how to do that.”

“I didn’t.” Asmodeus’s expression turned to confusion. “When you convinced me to try the acrobatics, I convinced Mammon to put silks in the little top. After hours, Barbie would practice, she’d show me.”

“But tonight was your first time actually doing it?” Lust was amazed.

Fizzarolli shook his head. “Did it once before….hmpf.” Fizz pouted. “I did it once.” He waited for Asmodeus to say something, but he didn’t. Fizz felt compelled to fill the silence. “I know that’s probably pretty reckless, but Bee promised me she wouldn’t let me fall. But I didn’t need her promise, I didn’t fall.”

“It was a very compelling show.” Asmodeus agreed. It had been more than that. He couldn’t have taken his eyes off of Fizzarolli in that moment if he had wanted to.

“Oh you liked my performance, did you?”

Asmodeus smiled. “I did. Very much so.”

“Do you think the silks draped over your bed would hold me? I could try again tonight” Fizzarolli was now sitting more upright than he had been before. One of his hands was wandering up Asmodeus’s chest, Asmodeus stopped the other one before it could reach past his belt buckle.

“I don’t think the bed is rigged for trapezing. Not tonight.” Though Ozzie would make a note to look into that for the future.

Fizzarolli pouted. “We can still have some fun tonight though, right?” Fizz’s hand brushed against Asmodeus’s cheek. His other hand tried once again to get below the Sin’s belt. The sin smiled down at him and shook his head. He placed his hand over Fizz’s gently.

“Not tonight, Fizzy.”

Fizz’s pout was larger than ever. “But why not?”

“How many brownies did you have tonight?” Fizzarolli’s laugh should have been answer enough.

“Fuck if I know.”

“Exactly.” The silence rang loud and Fizz had to accept it. He sighed and curled back up against Asmodeus.

“Can I still stay in your bed?”

How could Asmodeus say no to a face that cute? He was more than happy to keep Fizzarolli close for the night. “Of course.”

The two of them stay seated in comfortable silence for the remainder of their ride. Oz had assumed that Fizzarolli had fallen asleep by the time they’d arrive back at the palace, he happily carried him. Fizzarolli liked the feeling of being carried.

“Hey Oz?” Fizzarolli asked as they reached the elevator. The Sin blinked in surprise and looked down at the other.

“Yeah, Fizz?”

“Why does everyone think I should wear glitter around you?”

Lust was confused. “Who thinks that?”

“Fucking everybody.” Fizzarolli leaned back in Ozzie’s arms so far that Oz was afraid he’d fall. The sin had to reposition the lanky noodle of a clown in his care.

“Specifically around me?” Fizz nodded. Ozzie paused and thought about it. “I thought you wore glitter because you liked it. You like to jingle, you like to shine.”

Fizzarolli giggled. Fuck, that’s cute.

“Do you like to wear glitter, Fizzarolli?”

Fizzarolli had never really thought about it, he had never really considered the choice. He’d had a fair amount of say with his outfits in the circus, but he’d never been completely in control. He’d never worn much of it either, outside of experimenting with some of the other performers on off days.

“I guess I just want to know if it’s me that gives off glittery energy, or if you’re like, known to have a kink for it and I’m just unaware? It’s just….it’s come up multiple times. And then there was the magic glitter tonight and….am I supposed to be in glitter? Do you like me in glitter?”

Fizzarolli loved to hear Asmodeus’s deep laugh with his ear pressed to his chest. Asmodeus took a moment to think.

“I think you shine with or without glitter.” It was faint, but Asmodeus could feel the way Fizz’s energy shifted. He was blushing, wasn’t he? “But-” Ozzie’s hand traced a line along the boning of Fizz’s corset. “It is a nice touch.”

A shiver ran down Fizzarolli’s spine as Asmodeus ran a finger down his torso. He’d never given much thought to his opinion on glitter before. Maybe it would be a topic he would have to revisit. He definitely liked this corset, and he really liked the attention Ozzie was giving him while he was in it.

“Don’t do that when you won’t sleep with me tonight.” Fizz’s hand is in Asmodeus’s face. The Sin chuckled.

“I literally will be! You asked to sleep in my bed tonight.” Asmodeus’s took Fizz’s hand in his own.

Fizzarolli’s tongue is long, and it stuck out halfway to the Sin’s face. “Don’t get literal with me, Duke of Dicktown.”

Ozzie’s expression remained light, his tone always edging on a laugh with Fizzarolli keeping him in good spirits. “Well, I could still help you out of these clothes…..if you’d be so agreeable?”

Fizzarolli’s laughter was the only real answer they needed.

For a second time this week, Fizzarolli had flown higher than he’d ever dreamed possible.

#fizzarolli #fizzmodeus #fizzarozzie #asmodeus #ao3 fanfic #found family fizziverse #ao3 link in title #helluva boss fanfiction #asmodeus x fizzarolli #beelzebub #bee-lzebub #helluva boss #found family ocs

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luxaofhesperides · 10 months

Note

For the ghostlights drabbles: “Say my name” with a favor being called in?

Duke had saved Phantom years ago, back when he was just out of high school and working to take down a branch of the government that was kidnapping and experimenting on people, targeting magic users and metas. Phantom had been working on his own to take them down, and they met in the middle, trashing a lab and freeing as many people as they could.

They had managed to shoot his back, knocking him down and making him bleed a glowing green. Phantom couldn’t move, protecting two kids with his body, and Duke couldn’t reach them in time before they were taken away by another swarm of agents.

He was able to go after them in time, free Phantom and the kids, and evacuated the victims before Phantom rained hell down on the facility.

At the end, standing in the background as they watched paramedics treat the victims and take them towards the nearest hospitals, Phantom had turned towards him and thanked him.

Or rather, he thanked the Signal and offered him a bracelet with a rounded orb of ice, glowing faintly in the dark. If you ever need me, he had said, Hold this, and call me name.

Phantom vanished once the last of the victims were transported to a safer location, and Duke hadn’t seen him since.

He’s kept up with news about Phantom as best he can, but from what he could tell, Phantom is based primarily in Amity Park, Illinois, and the town is fiercely protective of their hero. News rarely leaks out of there, and with them running on their own servers and independent internet, it was nearly impossible to get in from the outside.

Phantom remained a curious and distant figure in Duke’s life. He holds onto the bracelet still, guarding it carefully and sometimes running his fingers over the ice that never melts.

But he doesn’t call in that favor. He’s never to.

At least, not until now.

Sucking in a breath, Duke prepares himself and holds the orb of ice in the palm of his hand. He’s in civies, unable to hide his identity for this, and closes his eyes. “Phantom,” he says.

For a moment, nothing happens. Duke blinks his eyes open and frowns, mind already forming new plans to contact Phantom. Then the ice goes bitingly cold, almost painful, and the temperature in the room drops dramatically. The ice lifts up from his hand, floating in the air, then cracks open.

White-blue light spills out of it, growing brighter as it seems to swallow up the room entirely. Duke hurries to back up, an arm thrown up to protect his eyes. His breath mists out before him and he shivers as the sound of ice cracking fills the room.

And then, just as suddenly as it started, the light disappears and the cold fades away like a bad dream.

Slowly, Duke lowers his arm and looks up at Phantom, floating in the middle of his living room with a crown made of ice, engulfed in blue fire, hovers above his head. He looks older, more regal, holding his head high.

He regards Duke carefully for a minute, then tilts his head and says, “Signal?”

“Yeah, it’s me. Man, I’m so glad you came.”

“You… need help with something? You’re calling in your favor now, right?”

Duke nods. He understands Phantom’s confusion; being in the hero business means that favors like these tend to be used only during the most hopeless of times, when the world is close to ending, when the chances of getting out of a situation alive is close to impossible. It’s exactly the kind of thing Duke was expecting to call Phantom in for.

Not the kid sleeping on his couch.

“You’re a ghost, yeah?”

Phantom blinks at him. “Ghost king, now. Why?”

“Well…” Duke rubs the back of his neck, nervously. “I didn’t really know who else to call, and I can’t do this on my own since I’m not a ghost. But this kid got attached to me and won’t leave, so now I’m taking care of her and I have no idea what I’m doing.”

“I don’t know why you think I have any experience with kids but—”

“She’s a ghost.”

Phantom stops short. “Ah. I see.” He floats down until his feet touch the floor, and then he’s standing like any other person. “Where…?”

Duke looks past Phantom’s shoulder, and Phantom turns to follow his gaze. Chelsea, the ghost girl, looks to be around nine years old and is fast asleep on the couch, curled up under Duke’s softest blanket.

“Signal,” Phantom says quietly, “What, exactly, is the favor you need from me?”

“You can say no,” Duke starts. “I get that this is a lot. But I need help raising her. And since you’re a ghost, I figured you could help me learn about the ghostly side of things. You don’t have to raise her with me or anything! Just… I would appreciate any help you’re willing to give me.”

Phantom doesn’t say no. He doesn’t say anything. He just stares down at Chelsea, an unreadable expression on his face.

On the couch. Chelsea shifts in her sleep, brows furrowing as she makes a choked noise in the back of her throat.

Moving on autopilot after so many nights of this routine, Duke kneels next to the couch, fishing one of her hands from beneath the blanket. He gives it a few reassuring squeezes, keeping it a slow rhythm to pull her gently from her nightmare. She settles down in just a minute, brow smoothing out as she continues to sleep.

The silence grows and Duke is all too aware that his heart is the only one beating.

He doesn’t hear Phantom move. Doesn’t realize he’s right next to him until he sees Phantom’s hand reach out towards Chelsea. When Duke looks, Phantom is sitting on the floor next to Duke, looking at Chelsea with something soft and devastated in his eyes. His hand hovers about her head for a long moment, then slowly lowers to rest on her head.

The touch looks gently, barely putting any pressure on her head, but it’s enough to make Chelsea’s eyes snap open, suddenly wide awake. She stares at Phantom with wide eyes, then sits up and looks between him and Duke.

“Who are you?” she asks in a small voice that makes Duke want to stand against the world to keep her safe.

Phantom smiles. It’s casual and charming and makes him look like anyone else, as if he’s not a powerful king from a realm unreachable to humans. “Hi there,” he says, “I’m Danny. I’m a ghost like you. Signal called me and asked me to meet you.”

The Ghost King is good with kids. Who would have thought?

Chelsea looks at him for confirmation and only relaxes when he nods. “I’m Chelsea. What do you mean ghost? I’m not dead.”

Both he and Phantom tense, carefully keeping their expressions neutral. She hasn’t told him much at all, just that her parents were gone and forgot her and she got hurt, so she wanted to stay with ‘Mr. Signal’ because he’s a hero and heroes keep people safe and he was the only one who was Black like her. Duke hadn’t had the heart to say no, and began searching for her family, only to find that her parents had fled the state, and likely the country, after killing their only child through neglect and a dangerous environment.

It was then that he realized that her powers were not because she was a meta, but because she was ghost.

It still hurts to realize how young she is, how much of her life had been stolen from her in an instant. Duke hadn’t been brave enough to broach the topic with her, instead choosing to let her grow comfortable in his presence, get them both settled into a routine now that he was her primary guardian.

“I know it sounds scary,” Phantom says, “And you may not want to believe me, but it’s true. I’m sorry that you died so young, but that just means you get to hang out with me and other ghosts from now on!”

Chelsea crosses her arms over her chest and glares at him. “I am not dead,” she says.

“Cici, I’m sorry to say this, but you are,” Duke cuts in. “That’s why I called… Danny. You have new powers as a ghost, and he can help you get used to them.”

“I’m not dead!” she says again.

“Kid,” Phantom begins, but Chelsea shakes her head hard and hops off the couch.

“I’m not lying! Watch, I’ll prove it to you!” She closes her eyes and scrunches up her nose, concentrating. Her hands curl into tight fists by her sides, and the glow around her grows dim. Two faint, stuttering rings of light appear around her waist. They flicker and wobble in the air, as if weak and uncertain of their own existence, then split apart, one moving up towards her head while the other falls to her feet.

Beside him, Phantom sucks in a sharp breath, but Duke can’t turn to see what’s wrong when he’s trying to take in the sight of Chelsea suddenly full of vibrant color, looking more solid that he’s ever seen her, very much alive.

“See?” she says proudly, lifting her arms and doing a spin to show off her right she was. “I told you I’m not dead!”

“No, you’re not,” Phantom agrees, sounding shell-shocked. When Duke is finally able to look away from Chelsea to check on him, he looks awed. There’s the smallest smile on his face, just the slightest upturn of his lips, but it makes him look softer.

Duke turns his attention back to Chelsea before he can be caught staring. “Cici, can you come here for a second?”

She goes before he’s finished speaking, crossing the space between them in a single jump, then grins up at him. Her hair is a bit of a mess, the two buns he managed to get her hair into falling askew. He makes a note to visit the old aunties in the Narrows later to ask them to teach him how to do hair. For now, he holds out a hand and Chelsea drops an arm into it.

It seems to good to be true, having her be alive, but her pulse is steady and strong when he presses his thumb against the inside of her wrist.

“Well,” he says, leaning back and letting go of her arm. “You certainly proved us wrong.”

Chelsea doesn’t have much time to look smug before PHantom quietly says, “You’re like me.”

“What?”

“You’re like me,” he tells Chelsea. “A halfa.”

She tilts her head to one side. “What’s that?”

“Someone who is half human and half ghost. Both dead and alive.”

Duke blinks, taking in the words, then turns to face Phantom so quickly he’s worried he might give himself whiplash. Halfa, he said. Like me, he said.

And sure enough, two rings of light, bright and strong, appear around Phantom’s waist before splitting in half, moving over his entire body.

Gone is the Ghost King, all powerful and adorned in dark clothing with a crown of ice above his head. In his place is a guy who looks to be Duke’s age, eyes a deep blue and his black hair messy, feet set solidly on the floor. He looks completely normal, completely human, and no longer an impossibility.

“You still up for learning how to use all your new powers?” Phantom asks.

Chelsea grins. “Yeah!” And then, with a quick flick of her eyes going from Phantom to Duke that he almost misses, very innocently asks, “Are you going to stay with us then?”

“I… don’t know?” Phantom looks to Duke for an answer.

Already, Duke can see this going two ways. The correct way forward, the normal one, has Phantom popping in every so often, taking Chelsea out for a few hours to work on training her and her powers. It’s easy and routine and they can keep their boundaries uncrossed and be professional.

The other path is what Duke wants most that he shouldn’t impose onto the literal Ghost King. He could have Phantom living with them while he’s on Earth and out of Amity Park, having a place at the table, a section in the closet for his own clothes, a quietly domestic night together while Chelsea sleeps where they can get to know each other more, get to know each other outside of news reports and texts on a screen.

“You can stay with us if you want,” Duke offers, casually, “It might keep my apartment safe from her powers acting up on their own again.”

“Are you sure? I could always just fly in on the weekends or something.”

“I’d appreciate having you around. So you can help Cici.”

“If you don’t mind,” Phantom says, looking away. Like this, fully alive with a beating heart, it’s easy to see the blush steal away across his cheeks.

“I don’t.”

“I don’t either!” Chelsea pops in, looking far too gleeful by their awkward conversation.

Duke can’t help but laugh, feeling lighter than he had in ages. The relief of knowing that Chelsea is alive, for the most part at least, eases the guilt of thinking he had been too late to save her, that there was no chance she could have made it out and had a future, makes him feel weak. All the exhaustion of the past few weeks hits him all at once and he wants nothing more than to collapse in bed and sleep for twelve hours.

“Alright, squirt,” he says, reaching out to pat her head. “It’s late. We can talk more in the morning, so go to bed. In your actual bed this time, not on the couch.”

Chelsea stands up taller, ready to argue, but Duke gives her a Look™ and she quickly shuts her mouth, nods, and drags her feet back to her room (the former guestroom he can never give any of the other Waynes ever again, once they find out about her).

Sighing, Duke collapses onto the couch once he hears the door shut behind her. Phantom joins him after a few seconds, sitting tentatively on the edge of the couch. The cushion moves beneath his weight, another reminder of how solid and alive he is right not.

Duke wants to touch him, to reach out and feel for himself his pulse, the warmth of his body, his chest lifting with each breath.

He doesn’t move. He stays where he is, hands carefully still, and tries to think past the dizzying thoughts of she’s still alive, I’m not too late, he’s still here, he’s alive.

“Rough week?” Phantom asks, voice purposefully light.

“Something like that.”

“You should get some sleep too.”

“I don’t think I can. Not after everything. My mind’s too loud right now.”

Phantom shifts closer to him, hesitant in a way that Duke has never seen before in him, and asks, “Want me to stay with you until you mind quiets down some?”

“Yeah. I’d like that. Thanks, Phantom.”

“You know, if I’m going to be around so often as Chelsea’s halfa mentor, then you might as well call me Danny.”

Truth be told, Duke didn’t think that was his real name. He’s glad to know it’s not.

“Then call me Duke.”

“...Are you sure? You could still hide your identity from me.”

“Nah, I trust you. A name for a name, yeah?”

Danny smiles. “Duke,” he says, testing out the name, and it’s never sounded better than when it falls from Danny’s mouth.

“Danny,” Duke returns. He belatedly realizes that they’ve leaned towards each other, drawn together like gravity, stuck in each other’s orbit. It feels natural. It feels like this is where they’re meant to be.

Maybe he should be more cautious. They’ve only meant once before, after all. But he’s read all he could on Phantom and has seen how Amity Park loves him. He’s stressed and exhausted and trying to figure out how to look after a half-ghost child that’s already been dealt a bad hand in life. He should be keeping Phantom at a distance, watching over him carefully to ensure he isn’t a threat to Chelsea.

But Duke saw how he acted with Chelsea, so gentle and understanding and kind. That’s all he needed to see.

He may not know much about Danny, but he knows this: he is trustworthy.

Enough to entrust his identity to him.

Enough to entrust Chelsea to him.

It’s more than a favor; it’s a promise to walk this road together.

There’s no one he’d rather do this with.

“Thanks,” he says again, “For all of this. I know it’s a lot.”

Danny shrugs. “I don’t mind. Really. It’s nice to know there’s another halfa out there, no matter how she came to be one. Makes things feel less lonely.”

“Will you tell me more about halfas?”

“Later. Once you get some proper rest. We’ve got time, haven’t we?”

“We do,” Duke agrees, affection settling warm in his chest. “We’ve got plenty of time.”

Learning how to control her new powers won’t be easy for Chelsea. Learning how to take care of her won’t be easy. Learning how to do things together, as Duke and Danny rather than the Signal and Phantom, won’t be easy. But Duke knows with a certainty he feels in his bones that they’re going to be fine.

So long as they’ve got each other, they’ll be fine.