Even though the coin had now been flipped, the following days passed without anything special. Wednesday, Thursday and Friday were blown away, it was until Saturday that this unstable Dynamic Duo would see its next setback –because Octavia had to see Stella once again.
The morning was cold and invited anyone to lie in bed embraced by the warm blankets and the cosy heat generated within them during the night.
The soothing scent of dew on the garden outside the window slipped through the grills and subtly embraced your nose filling you with energy.
—MMMhhmmmmMMMhhmmm… —An annoyed moan could be heard from someone grumbling against her pillow—.
«Nock Nock»
—MMMhhmm… —She replied again—.
«Nock Nock»
—I'm awake! Octavia screamed at the top of her lungs without lifting her face from the pillow—.
—Come on Via, it's not long before Stella comes to pick you up. —Stolas was heard saying from the other side of the door—.
—I don't want to see mom.
—Neither do I. So, hurry it up.
Octavia finally raised her head with a face of disbelief that even she herself could not handle.
Like last week, and the week before that –and so on. Octavia saw her mother on the weekends.
While Stella saw it as a pleasure in life to annoy Stolas, Octavia was left in the middle to receive the insults and criticism from her mother in the incessant attempt to make her hate him as much as she did. Therefore, Octavia always tried to come up with an excuse that would let her save herself from going, and Stella always found a way to not let her get her way.
If you think you would have a good idea, she has tried the following:
—I can't mom, some friends and I are going to go to do the tour of Dante and Virgil.
Stella offered to accompany her or bring bodyguards.
—It will be another day; I'm going to watch the concert online with Loona at her house.
Stella was offended because she knew she was Blitz's adopted hellhound, she insulted him so loudly that Octavia preferred to just get into the car.
—I don't want to go.
Simple but direct, Stella just raised an eyebrow and motioned for the driver to open the back door.
And the list could go on, this was repeated every Saturday, so there are plenty of examples.
Finally, and after an hour or two, Octavia was ready and dressed. She put her things in a handbag and while the engine of her mother's car could be heard, she went down to the front door –where she waited for her mother to park –with her classic unfriendly look that swayed to the rhythm of the music that came out of her headphones.
—Octavia, good morning. Ready to go? —Said Stella—.
—No… —Octavia answered with no energy in her voice—.
—Well, if you're not going to come, say so at once. —Stella's voice was aggressive, as if she resented being there—.
Octavia surprised entered into an internal conflict that she was not expecting to have. Normally her mother pretended to be this nice and caring person and, as previously established, offered to spend time with her daughter in whatever she wanted, in an attempt to not give her the opportunity not to spend the weekend with her.
In a rare brief moment of uncertainty Octavia was ready to apologize and climb into the vehicle on her own but in the next instant she became aware of her mother's disgusting manipulations. –Losing the opportunity to get rid of the torture of spending two days with her mother was something she couldn't pass up. So, she took all the strength from her heart, and with a piercing gaze she saw her mother in her eyes.
—I will not go. —Octavia finally said—.
Stella simply gave a disgusted look and a mumbled groan, as she signalled the driver to return.
What Stella had done was simple, get her daughter used to always having to see her –this way she would end up accepting her «fate» and start seeing her for what one would think was her own account. In this way, when breaking the pattern, the victim would believe that something bad is happening and would do anything to not break the cycle. But Octavia, still being in a «honeymoon» state with the idea of her father loving her; that feeling was stronger than any manipulation.
Stolas was going through something similar, even though he still hadn't talked to his daughter about what he thought that day, every day since then he was getting more and more towards the idea of being with her. He began to truly believe that what he felt was in fact –love.
So, Octavia turned back to the mansion, closing the door with her own body leaning against it; and when it closed, her body continued to slide down as if it were slipping water. She ended up sitting on the floor and using the door as support.
—Via! Are you okay? —Stolas shouted, surprised at having heard the door a second time, he had headed for the exit. And now he saw his daughter on the floor—.
—I'm fine dad, better than ever. —answered Octavia with sighs of relief—.
—And your mother?
—I told her I didn't want to see her, and she left.
Just like Octavia before, Stolas now had the same stunned face with wide eyes. It seemed that both of them couldn't believe it and in the case of Stolas; he even got an uneasy feeling that something was wrong. But he wasn't planning to see the gift horse's tooth.
—And what are you going to do today, Via?
—Can we go for a walk?
—Of course! I'll call Blitzy so we can–
—Just the two of us…Is that okay? —she interrupted Stolas—.
—S-Sure! Moreover, I know the perfect place. I'll go get ready.
Octavia was starting to feel like a dream, a date with her father was clearly a step in the right direction for her and she would use this opportunity to get closer in a more natural way. Meanwhile, Stolas was dressing up in a casual way that would fit in with his girl's attire. His heart was pounding with excitement at the thought of spending some quality time with his daughter after all they'd been through. He saw it as an opportunity to get closer to her and see if actually being with her in something more formal would be possible.
He would take her for a walk to the gluttony parks and from there to a restaurant to eat. They would go to the movies and end up in another restaurant having a candlelight dinner.
The rain of inspiration and ideas that came to his mind was so vast and infinite that joy; absent for so long, had returned to him at last. Smiling like a child in a candy store.
As Stolas returned to the exit to meet Octavia, she was back on her feet leaning against the wall listening to music through her headphones once again.
—R…ready? —Stolas wavered, he could be seen nervous, standing very straight and almost looking up as if he was trying to be even taller.
Stolas was wearing tight jeans similar to that of an 80's rocker, with broken parts for aesthetics and a chain on one side hanging from the pocket. A white promotional shirt for a Jimi Hendrix concert and on top of it a long black leather trench coat that reached to his tarsus.
—Pfffff…
—You do not like it? I can change.
—No, not at all, I love it. I didn't think I'd see my dad with a fashion sense at some point, that's all. —Octavia said as she let out a small laugh—. Besides, I think that getting pretty should be my thing. Don't you think?
—We'll change later for dinner. —Stolas presented his arm, offering his shoulder for her to hold on to—.
Octavia gave another laugh and stood next to him, removed her headphones and hugged his arm.
—Let's go.
Stolas opened the door and they both got out. He conjured a portal to gluttony and his strange date had begun.
Gluttony is a circle of hell that contains a mixture of the adjoining floors of Lust and Greed and mixes them with its own sin –since gluttony is not only characterized by humans who eat in abundance, because hunger exists in many other things, such as the hunger for power or the flesh of others.
This made Gluttony a floor characterized by beautiful places, and terrible demons. Among the demons is Ceberus, who is in charge of punishing the humans who inhabit this circle, and Zestial Morde, a spider-like demon with a Pimp-like hat that matches his dark clothing. Places here include Beezleheaven and the Fun-Fun Zone.
The influence of lust could be seen in the romantic style of the public areas and the influences of greed could be seen in the sophistication of the buildings and businesses, such as shops, restaurants, among others.
They both spent a few minutes walking through the streets of this place until; guided by Stolas, they arrived at Sicelides Park, a park named after one of the works of Virgil, who would guide Dante on his journey through hell before reaching heaven with his beloved. Since the poem is about a song with the muses of Sicily, the park had musical decorations everywhere. Plus, you could hear melodious singing as if someone was actually singing in the distance, but the sound was the same no matter where you were.
The Park was also delicately decorated with various plants of all kinds. Small and large bushes together with a bed of different flowers of all colours and incredibly tall and robust trees.
While Octavia found beauty in the music that ambiented her date with Stolas, he looked excited with the variety of flora that he found there, you could see how Octavia momentarily looked up to see her father and he pointed to each plant with his hand that passed and explained its name, its habitat, a thousand and one curious details about it and hundreds of other more facts about them. Octavia saw him and immersed in the moment she didn't even listen to him; she only saw his beak move incessantly while she thought about kissing them over and over again.
A few hours passed and they sat down on a nearby bench. They took each other's hands and caressed them with each other. Then Octavia took her chance and gave Stolas a kiss on the cheek so he would turn to look at her, and as he turned, he was greeted by another kiss from Octavia, this time on his beak.
Stolas closed his eyes and for the first time, without external influences; he opened his heart to this new chapter in his life –returning the kiss lovingly and gently. Again, with one hand they intertwined their fingers and with the other they hold each other's faces, sinking their hands into their feathers –enjoying the kiss as they had the first time. This time Octavia's newness collided with Stolas' experience who guided her in the kiss with calm and love. Somehow finally mutually formalizing their feelings for each other.
After the kiss they continued their way through the park until they both became hungry, so they went to have a small snack.
Despite what seemed like a high society place, there were also plenty of street food stalls, and hell being universal you could find food of all kinds. Ice cream, Pork rinds with pico de gallo, Hot Dogs, Hamburgers, Takoyaki, Bitterballen, Currywurst, Yakisoba, the variety was endless.
Curiously, near a hotdog stand there was a hellhound that Octavia managed to identify and she identified her too. So, both approached to greet each other.
—Loon! What do you do in gluttony? —Octavia asked excitedly—.
—Honestly, this is the only place where you can eat a good hotdog. —she continued—. Good afternoon, your highness.
—Oh, Looney please. —I think our families know each other well enough that you don't have to be so formal—.
—Good afternoon, Stolas, and what are you doing here?
Octavia hugged Stolas' arm once again, who, a little uncomfortable to tell the truth, thought of a plausible excuse.
—We came to eat something too; do you recommend a hotdog then?
Loona, who already knew Octavia's intentions; realized that this was a half-truth. And her attitude with him was more than clear evidence of this.
—They're good, but it's better if you choose something on your own. —Loona replied a little apathetically, her gaze never leaving Octavia—. It was nice to see you both; I guess. But I'm leaving now.
—Nice to see you Loony. —Stolas replied, then turned to Octavia—. Are you okay Via?
—Yes, everything's ok. —She hugged him tighter—. Let's see what to eat, I'm starving.
During their walk through the various food stalls, they both decided that they would eat something different, and if anything, they would share it with the other. Stolas bought takoyaki and Octavia Bitterballen.
The Takoyaki is a Japanese food made from wheat flour and octopus in the form of a ball. Popular for being very hot, it often happens that people burn their mouths wanting to eat them as soon as they are served. The Bitterballen is a kind of traditional snack from Dutch and Belgian cuisine made from minced beef, meat broth, flour and butter, all seasoned with parsley, salt and ground pepper. It is possible to find places where they also add curry powder or nutmeg to the recipe.
Once they bought their respective food, they returned to the park, took a seat on the nearest bench and dedicated themselves to eating.
—Hot! It burns! —Stolas began to shout as he used his hand as a fan—.
—You were warned. —Octavia laughed between words—.
—But it's so delicious! You have to try it.
Octavia tried her dish, which, unlike takoyaki, has a more vivid flavour due to the number of spices it contains.
—I think mine is better. —Octavia said with a cynical look as she wiggled like dancing in her seat, which is actually that she had choked and was trying to swallow her food—.
The time to exchange came and one fed the other.
—Open wide. —She orders her dad as she brings a ball of her bitterballen to his mouth—.
Stolas then opens it as wide as he can and she drops the ball into his mouth, which, supported by his hand, closes it to avoid spilling it out.
Upon trying it, Stolas' gaze is filled with happiness and joy –this is how he imagined a date from the beginning. He hadn't gotten to experience anything like it for many years, and doing it at last brought a beautiful, warm feeling to his chest. He couldn't help but make his feathers flutter with excitement. Octavia saw his reaction somewhat embarrassed, but she was happy to finally be connecting with her father without needing to use any outside help.
—Okay Via, your turn. —Stolas extended his takoyaki towards her—.
Like him, she opened her mouth wide to eat. Although she also reacted positively to the taste, it was clear that her body language was calmer. However, that didn't stop her from giving him the world's biggest smile in response.
They were both having a great time and neither of them wanted this day to come to an end.
Once they finished eating, Stolas took the lead, quickly getting up from his seat and offering his hand to Octavia, who somewhat surprised took it and got up anyway.
—Well, the last time we saw a movie… certain… things happened, so I would like us to go to the cinema to see a movie in a more… conventional way. Don't you agree?
—Completely agree. —Octavia responded, embracing her father's hand once again, who was directing her towards the buildings that, as they approached, gave the image of being a shopping mall.
Outside this mall, signs were seen promoting different products from the stores that were there, in addition to huge themed promotionals of movies that were playing at the time. There were hundreds of hellish creatures entering and leaving this place, others posing and taking photos or other activities.
Entering the theatre and after buying copious amounts of popcorn and soda, they opted for a horror movie. They entered the cinema, sat next to each other and as a romantic scene of teenage romance, Stolas dropped his arm on Octavia's shoulder, hugging her.
After a few hours without much action and no scares, they left the theatre; again, hand in hand.
—Well, to end our evening I'd like to treat you to a dinner fit for a princess. But it is a priority that for this we change to something more formal. —Stolas spoke in a bureaucratic tone of voice as he opened a portal back home—.
—What an outrageous offer of you, to treat your daughter to a romantic candlelight dinner. I will have to dress in my best clothes if I am to impress my wooer. —Octavia answered, pretending to imitate his voice as she passed through the portal—.
Both then went directly to their rooms to change, after an hour they would meet again at the door. As if it were a wedding -the bride and groom would not see each other until the time of the marriage.
When the time came to see each other again, both were stunned by each other's beauty.
Stolas had accentuated his eyes with eyeliner, making them look even larger than they already were, his slicked-back feathers gave him a look of authority that could not be rivalled.
His clothes reminiscent of the rococo era accentuated his slim body with a black camisole and white buttons, the camisole; that was open from the chest, let out a white garland that elegantly amplified the strength of his chest, small garlands also came out of his sleeves and his pants of white silk that highlighted the shape of his legs. Around his neck was a high-collared cape that reached almost to the ground, black on the outside and inside it had a gradient from purple to red with white sparkles similar to the stars of a night.
His masculine but fragile figure. Still accompanied by that big smile that he had with him since the beginning of the date.
Octavia dressed up beautifully in her own way. Long eyelashes made her eyes shine with the force of a supernova, a golden choker matching two bracelets; one on each arm of hers –they seemed to shine as brightly as stars. Her dress, even being more conservative, highlighted her femininity with a soft black silk fabric on the outside and a violet periwinkle on the inside, from among the fabrics came a veil of the same violet that, with its transparent nature, passed through as a large cape that seemed never to end. A crossover neckline let feathers escape from her chest, on one side the shoulder pad continued the colour scheme while the other was replaced by the same gold that accentuated the entire outfit.
The hearts of both jumped with mutual emotion when they saw each other, being face to face they took each other's hands and their gazes were lost in the depth of each other's eyes. After giving each other a warm kiss, Stolas reopened the portal to gluttony.
On the other side of the portal was the Trattoria Trussardi restaurant, glass doors and large windows decorating the exterior in contrast to white and cinnamon brown stone block walls. The streetlights dimly illuminated the outskirts with a romantic air and as these refracted against their clothing, it made them glow. Inside the restaurant there were tables everywhere and a band played ambient music that wonderfully enlivened the atmosphere.
When they sat down inside the restaurant, the table had a large candle in the center, which, supported by the dim interior lighting, gave them a scene of mystery as they both stared at each other. Their hearts had finally abandoned their disbelief and they were thoroughly enjoying the moment.
They ordered an alfredo pasta and a red wine and the night went by magically. Neither of them could remember a time when they were happier.
The restaurant had a small area where you could dance, and when they finished their meal, they went to it. Beginning with a slow dance to the sound of the waltz and continuing with more romantic music that invited the dancers to join in one to the rhythm.
Finally, when the music and the night came to an end, it was time to go home one last time. Where after a good bath and without having to share words about it, for the first time, Stolas and Octavia would sleep together.
This time without passion, without sex, or desperate manipulations. In Stolas' room they both lay huddled together. Letting sleep take their bodies to well-deserved rest.