Naruto was never great with clothes shopping.
When he cared to shop for himself, long, long ago, Naruto usually was thrifty. He didn't spend much, and he sought out his color. He knew what he liked and what looked good on him.
But... On occasion, he needed outfits for fancier outings such as meeting with officials...
And the few times he went on dates.
And his sense of style wasn't the best for those. It's why he had others help him in situations like these. However, the clothes Bee had picked out for him...
Naruto knew Bee was unaware of how close she hit close to home for him, but she hit home.
It was a simple enough outfit. A black uniform jacket that zipped over his ripped mesh shirt.
Said something about the worn look went well with him and made him desirable...
Something that made Naruto's fur stand on edge. That was the last thing he wanted! Why was everyone trying to set him up?
He was still... There was still...
Was there any hope to see her again? Hold her again? Embrace his daughter...
His son?
Still, despite her saying that, Bee picked out fresh orange pants that had not been worn ragged. He needed a suitable outfit for dates such as these.
Finally, there were the formal sandals slid over his pawed feet. Overall, this was an outfit that starkly resembled what he wore in his younger years.
"Naruto... what's wrong?" Bee expressed her concern.
"Hits a little too close, ya know? Used to wear something similar back home when I was younger." Naruto whispered, looking through the mirror at his image.
"Is that so?" Beelzebub recoiled, biting her lip before taking a calming breath. "You never talked about your fashion. Having known your style, I thought you were always emblazoned with orange clothing."
"Not too far from the truth. Tried something a little different so often." Naruto mused while nodding his head side to side. "Had a friend help pick it out for me specifically to impress my wife... Girlfriend at that particular time."
"Oh? And did it work?" Bee asked while curiously teasing.
"I dunno. Think she was happier that I didn't die from the ordeal that followed. Bastard nearly blew me up with my power." Naruto shrugged, recalling the memory.
Beelzebub's jaw slackened in a mixture of horror and awe. Hell shook when he released his power now. How catastrophic would it be for it to explode?
"I suppose that is fair," Bee shivered before shaking her head, her eyes gleaming intently. "So you never were told how handsome a look such as this looks on you? Such a shame that his look on you is absolutely delicious. I think this little hellhound will devour you whole."
"Thanks..." Naruto flushed and wearily shrank away from Bee's leer before scowling. "But that's not why I am doing this. I am not interested in Loona."
"Sure you aren't. Why else would you be taking quite the stunning lass to Ozzie's ?" Bee sarcastically retorted, rolling her eyes.
"To screw with Blitzo. Make 'em so paranoid he does something so spectacularly idiotic over the fear of his little girl growing up into a woman." Naruto sadistically smirked.
"... ... This is about the imp stealing away in your room and watching you sleep, isn't it?" Bee raised her brow after a moment's pause.
"Yes, yes, it is. I pay back my debts." Naruto simply replied, throwing her a knowing glare.
Beezlebub shivered. She knew what that look meant.
Hers was coming soon. That was a silent promise.
"Valid as that reason may be... What happened to just beating people senselessly to make them listen?" Bee questioned, putting that worry aside for now.
"Cause, somehow, someway, he'd get enjoyment out of that!" Naruto rolled his eyes before they gleamed menacingly. "At least this way, he'll learn a lesson while I sort out the mess that he has unintentionally ignited."
"Oh, that little imp has it... Mess?" Bee giggled before her brow furrowed, and then her features fell. "I shouldn't be surprised that you are aware."
"I would be an idiot if I weren't. The evidence has been staring me in the face since Luci purposefully sent me to work with I.M.P.," Naruto commented before his expression tightened. "Sometimes, I wonder just how he knows these things are going on, given his isolation..."
"But I'm involved with this now, and it's about time to remind everyone that Hell is not and never has been ruled by a single person."
[ X ]
"The fuck was that?" Blitzo shivered, a cold sensation shivered down his spine.
Blitzo lowered his incognito sunglasses, rolled down his window, and stuck his head out of the van. His stomach twisted into a knot as an unsettling presence washed over him.
His instincts screamed that someone was watching him. A stalker following him or was lying in wait... A sniper who had him in his scope...
Or could it be... Was this unsettling feeling a premonition of what was to come?
Blitzo grimaced before adamantly shaking his head and growling. Nothing would happen to his baby girl tonight! She would be safe and sound.
Whatever Fizz was planning would fail!
"Come on! Get your soft, feathery ass moving, Big Bird. You have time to sulk later..." Blitzo gnashed his teeth, nervously tapping his foot on the gas pedal as he looked at the mansion Stolas lived in.
Why was he even escorting him to Ozzie's? He could use his magic and...
"Here I am!" Stolas announced his presence, appearing in the passenger seat through slithering shadows.
"Mother fucker!" Blitzo jumped, slamming his head on the door as he pulled it back in, glaring at Stolas in the process. "Do you have to do that?"
"Someone is on edge about tonight." Stolas clicked his beak before a warm gaze radiating understanding followed. "I told you not to worry, darling. Your little girl's innocence is safe in my hands."
"I stake my life on it."
[ X ]
Going unnoticed today was a trial. So many eyes were on him. Expecting him to be in certain places with particular people.
But this was something he needed to do. Ever since he saw that book, he knew what was coming. And with the information he learned about Satan last night...
Naruto knew something was coming.
And if he was going to get any information, there was one person to go to.
"Oh, hun. It's been a while. What do I owe to the pleasure of such a delicacy as yourself to grace my shop?" A tall, slender demon with her hair styled in two massive white horns looked amused upon seeing Naruto's presence.
"Information on anything related to the Goetic Prince, Carmilla." Naruto stepped before the weapon's dealer, his gaze sharpened and his features neutral.
This was business.
"Information? Hun, you know I'm a weapons dealer, not an informant." Carmilla Carmine grinned, her eyes twinkling in amusement.
"Mah, cut the shit. You know as well as I do that information is the most deadly weapon there is." Naruto sharply retorted.
"Oh, you know me too well," Carmilla simply laughed before she sat forward and leaned against her desk. "I suppose, given who you are working with, I can't be surprised. It's in your best interest to keep an eye on our dear Prince. What I can tell you is there has been an uptick in those willing to purchase a few prized guns."
"Guns that, perhaps, could kill a Goetic Prince."
[ X ]
This was not how Loona felt his first date would have gone. She had longed for the day when she would be waiting on the curb. Her date would arrive and pick her up from the curb in a respectable but rugged car before being driven to some shady establishment...
To enjoy a nice, quaint dinner with a bit of small talk... All the while she stared into her date's eyes after taking in his rugged exterior...
Well, Naruto was rugged... Not as beefy or as massive as those other men in the magazines she scoured, but she could overlook that... He was built differently.
And still really hot...
...Sometimes literally...
How could a demon radiate such fiery heat that other demons felt the searing burn?!
Loona shook her head. He also shattered her other expectations. She hadn't been picked up in a car. Instead, Naruto rended reality asunder by tearing open a rift so they could walk straight to the front of Ozzie's.
Far more efficient, but the mystique of a car... She had so many fantasies of what could come after dinner! One where she was in the back van, on her hands and knees...
Loona's heart thumped in her chest as her thoughts left her almost as breathless as Ozzie's.
This place was immaculate!
The heart-shaped entrance. The colors and lights leading directly to the heart, reminding her of those weird rides humans went to in amusement parks on dates...
Loona flushed. This place was delicately crafted for a night of love and lust!
"What in the..." The bouncer at the entrance flinched, startled by their arrival, before composing himself.
Loona grimaced, her ears flattening. There was an annoyed grumbling commotion.
They had cut in front of a line...
If that wasn't embarrassing enough, the bouncer's gaze caused her discomfort. The way his eyes leered upon her figure...
She just wanted to snap and bite this guy's face off!
"Excuse me. Unless you have a reservation, I'm going to have to ask you..." The bouncer's gaze finally shifted from her and sneered toward Naruto.
But before he could finish his sentence, the door from behind him swung open and smacked him down a few steps.
"Welcome, Lord Death!" Fizzaroli announced his presence with a majestic bow and gesture inside. "You honor us with your presence! Come right this way!"
The grumbling from their arrival turned into silence. She could see the sweat dripping down the Sinner's neck as they passed by, cowering as Naruto threw him a shade glare.
Loona smugly grinned, satisfied. Wasn't as satisfying as taking care of him herself, but it oddly felt good to see him whimper. Almost more...
But as they were guided to their table, Loona's mood shifted to awe. She knew that this was the place to come for a date, but it still made her nervous! Every table was adorned with two heart-shaped chairs, and the color themes of pinks, lavenders, and prominent red spread throughout the room.
And they were front and center! A front row seat to the stage!
She felt as if her heart was about to leap out of her chest! This wasn't just a place to take someone for a date! This was a place to take someone to... To...
"Allow me, darling. The show is ready to start. I will catch your orders and wine very soon." Fizzarolli graciously escorted Loona and offered her a chair.
"Thank you," Loona nervously accepted and sat in the lavish chair, allowing Fizzarolli to stroll away gracefully.
Show? Loona had heard about the lascivious shows and performances at Ozzie's. How intense they could get...
"Lovely," Naruto joined Loona across the table, his face scrunched uncomfortably.
Somehow, seeing Naruto visibly showing his discomfort settled Loona. She softly smiled and let out a meek sigh, finally taking in how he dressed. "I wouldn't have expected you to look so good in black. You are always so..."
"Bright? Yeah, I get that a lot." Naruto let out a light laugh before shaking his head. "And I'm sorry I didn't compliment your dress earlier. I was taken aback and didn't know what to say... It's..."
"Risque, I know." Loona flushed, turning her head in embarrassment while hiding a proud smile. "I can't take credit for it. Lady Bee and Angel Dust deserve most of the credit."
"True as that is, you make it pop. Might have to bust some heads tonight to keep demons off of ya." Naruto grinned, a twinkle in his eye.
"Not without me, you're not." Loona grinned, matching his enthusiasm.
The two shared a short laugh together as Fizzarolli, in exaggerated, enthusiastic sways, danced to their table with a bottle of wine.
"Oh, darlings, the two of you are so adorable together. You're a perfect match! I can only imagine what the kids between you would look like!" Fizzarolli poured the wine into their glasses while laughing.
"THE HELL THEY WOULD!"
"Dad?!" The bright flush that had emblazoned on Loona's cheeks turned to raw fury as she growled and turned around, manically searching for her father.
And a few tables away, there he was... Sitting with his boyfriend.
But her eyes sharpened. It wasn't just her Dad who was here? Was that Charlie and her girlfriend?
And Queen Bee and her hunk of a boyfriend, Vortex?!
Why were they here? Were they following him? Did they have the same issue as her Dad?!
Loona snarled, ready to stalk toward all parties. Oh, she was gonna beat their ass...
"Oh, are they bothering you, darling? Allow me to deal with them, personally." Fizz consoled and stopped Loona's march.
"It is fine. They are not a bother." Naruto commented before shaking his head. "Besides, the last thing I would think you would want is to be blacklisted by the Prince, hm?"
"For how long..." Fizzarolli muttered under his breath before he shrank from Naruto's words and the following stare, making it clear he was heard. With a nod, he quickly brought out a notepad. "Of course. Should I start you with our appetizers, Lord Death?"
"Please." Naruto curtly responded.
However, as Fizz left, Loona settled back in her chair. There was a palpable tenseness left in his wake as Naruto's gaze followed the imp—an unsettling feeling knotted in her stomach.
What he said didn't feel right for Loona. She didn't know her Dad's boyfriend, but she didn't wish him any ill will... Besides helping him sneak in here to keep an eye on her!
That she would pay him back for herself!
"Dammit, what was that about?" Loona glowered, plopping back in her seat and turning her gaze toward Naruto.
"A storm that has begun to brew. One we're unfortunate to be caught and swept up into." Naruto exhaled.
"...This isn't a date, is it?" Loona frowned before her features faltered into a sullen expression.
"Oh, it still is. There is plenty to have fun with here... For example, screwing with your Dad." Naruto chirped, and his bright smile lifted Loona's dour mood, causing her tail to swish excitedly behind her.
And a malicious smile sprouted on her muzzle.
"I think I can get behind that. What's the plan?"
[ X ]
"Blitzy, please control yourself. I may hold sway, but if you cause a scene, I would be powerless to stop them from tossing you from this establishment." Stolas lamented his partner's loud voice, drawing attention to them.
Stolas sighed. He knew that wherever he went, attention was drawn to them. This was one of the few times he felt somewhat hidden, and it was due to Lord Death's appearance. He overshadowed a Goetic Prince out on a date, his presence masked one of the Seven Sins and the daughter of the Morningstar.
And that was perfect. It made it easier to keep eyes on Blitzy's little girl while drawing prying eyes away from him. He wasn't a fool...
He knew specific individuals were seeking to strip him of his position and powers. He simply didn't care if it meant...
If it meant he could be happy. Could be his true self, the self he hid away for so long. The one set free by his little, big dicked imp...
"Easy for you to say! Fizz is testing my patience!" Blitzo hissed, huffing as he sat back in his chair, trusting Stolas to watch over his daughter.
For now.
"I understand. It is quite difficult to... Let go." Stolas' features fell, and his heart clenched.
The image of Octavia lingered in his mind's eye.
"That's not what this is about! I trust Loony's judgement! It's everyone else whom I don't trust!" Blitzo snapped.
"Even Lord Death?" Stolas raised his brow.
"I..." Blitzo winced and hung his head. "That's a complicated answer. I trust him... It's just everything he brings with him, I struggle with."
"Then why did you let him into your business? For legitimacy? For the jobs and cash he brings in?" Stolas asked, surprised at the depth Blitzo was willing to speak.
That wasn't typically like him. Perhaps it was the atmosphere? The tension.
Whatever it was, Stolas didn't mind. He liked seeing this side of his little Blitzy.
"I guess? The money doesn't hurt either..." Blitzo lightly nodded his head before he distantly gazed off to the side. "I'll be honest... It wasn't any of those things. I did it for a favor."
Stolas raised a few centimeters in his chair. He knew Blitzo would have done it for the money and fame in a heartbeat. But for a favor? A favor from whom?
But before he could say anything, his gaze sharpened onto the couple. He couldn't help but grin. "Oh, how cute. They're holding hands and whispering to one another."
"You're mocking me..." Blitzo smoldered, but clearly nervous as he peeked around the chair.
"Oh, I couldn't help it," Stolas smirked, causing Blitzo to seethe and glare at him before glancing toward the two, focusing on Naruto in particular, before he glanced toward the stage as the lights began to dim and a bright lime green light lit the stage. "Oh, the show must be beginning..."
"Let us see what you have planned, Lord Death."
[ X ]
The lights dimmed before the stage was brilliantly lit. It was almost blinding as the music sensation, Verosika, walked onto the stage, stepping onto the microphone as symphonic music began to play.
"Ever since you went away,"
Loona paled as Verosika began to sing, but Naruto grinned, leaned over the table, and whispered into Loona's ear, lifting her hand and escorting her out of her chair. "It's showtime."
"I've been haunted, haunted."
Loona flushed as she followed Naruto's lead. She had never done this before...
The only kind of dancing she had ever done was far more... Subdued?
Did headbanging count as dancing?
But feeling his hand rest on her hip, she gazed up into Naruto's eyes. A sense of trust filled her, and she matched his movement. It was stiff and flat, and she struggled to match his free-flowing motions.
Loona was doing everything not to step on his feet!
"I always get whatever I want... And I wanted, I wanted you."
With every clumsy step, Loona could feel her blood burning in her face. Her ears lay flat on her head, hearing whispers from the other patrons.
Every whisper was about her. About who this Hellhound in the arms of the Embodiment of Death...
"Oh, darlings, allow us to show you how it's done!" Queen Bee's voice drowned out the whispers as she strutted before them with Vortex at her side.
And with a more risque clutch, the two began to swing into a more elegant dance.
"So now I'm drawin' circles in the sand, try'na under how you do the things you do,"
Loona glowered. The whispers she heard seemed to fade as she felt a boiling pit in her stomach.
Did they really tell her to step aside?
How dare they?!
Loona growled, beginning to sway her hips to the music. The stiffness she felt earlier melted away, and she began to match Naruto's steps. No longer was she carefully trying to avoid stepping on his paws, but she was able to stay in stride.
"Baby, I'm not over it, but I'm over you. I'm over you, you, you. Baby, I'm not over it, but I'm over you."
"My dear, Queen Bee? Do you think you can outshine me in my establishment? Step aside and allow me to show you all what lust is about!" Azmodeus stepped onto the floor, Fizzarolli standing at his side.
Only for the imp to be sensually pressed up against the Sin of Lust in a manner that caused Loona to blush furiously.
The way they were dancing almost looked as if they were... They were...
Was she expected to match that? That would be so...
That was supposed to happen after the date!
"Sometimes it still hurts a bit, sometimes I'm so full of shit, but this much is true. Baby, I'm not over it, but I'm over you!"
Loona shivered at the thought. Her gaze fell back into Naruto's. Could she even do such a thing? With her Dad present?!
She wanted to grind his gears, but that was a little too far. She shivered. Neither of them wanted to see the other bouncing on someone else's...
But the more she stared into Naruto's gaze, all her cares melted away. She felt a fire burning in her belly. His muzzle appeared so... Appetizing?
Was this desire?
"I thought that I could stomp you out, like a fire, like a flame. It's done, but now I'm covered in ashes."
Butterflies fluttered in Loona's stomach. Her body moved autonomously as she leaned in closer. They're muzzles mere inches apart.
Was she ready to do something like this? With a coworker?
Loona grimaced internally. She always felt so hollow when she saw Moxxie and Millie together—an emptiness she didn't understand.
They always looked so happy, and that pissed her off! She took out all her frustration on Mox; however, the void inside only grew...
And for the first time, Loona didn't feel that void. Did that mean...
"Alright, break it up! You are not allowed to kiss on the first date!" Blitzo stepped between Naruto and Loona, separating them with a hefty shove.
An annoyed murmur amongst the patrons followed as the music cut unexpectedly, with Verosika glaring at Blitzo. "First, you ruin my life, and now you are interrupting my song? Typical!"
"Kiss my dick!" Blitzo retorted, heatedly glaring at Verosika, and was prepared to jump on stage.
"That's how most dates end here," Fizz smugly smirked and drew Blitzo's ire.
Only to be held back by Stolas' arrival.
"Blitzy, don't fall for it. It's just bait." Stolas stepped in between Blitzo and Fizzarolli, throwing a shaded look toward Fizz. "I understand you once were friends, but I would appreciate it if you would kindly stop teasing my date and escalating the situation."
Fizzarolli recoiled into Azmodeus. The cold stare from the Goetic Prince was more effective than his words.
That stare promised pain if he continued.
"I do apologize if my partner has irritated you, Prince. However..." Azmodeus stepped forward, and his gaze met Stolas'. "This is my establishment and a place of intense lust. Your date has been quite the nuisance for my patrons, causing a disturbance to their desires. I hate to request someone of your prestige to leave, but I must."
Stolas' eyes narrowed. It was clear he felt slighted. Loona didn't know what that meant, but somehow, given what she knew of her Dad's boyfriend, he wouldn't escalate the situation...
Wait... Why did it feel so cold all of a sudden?
Where was...
"Yeah, yeah. We should all get out of here before the situation here becomes... Deadly." Naruto had slipped away from her and stood beside Stolas.
The moment he did, Loona clasped her ears as a loud gunshot hushed the murmur growing from the unsettled patrons.
Stolas stumbled as Naruto's hand smoked and flickered gold. A bullet melted in his grasp as he stared coldly into the distance.
Her eyes sharpened, and instincts kicked in. Loona scanned the room, searching every nook and crevice of the premises, looking for the perpetrator, locking onto where Naruto gazed.
And her eyes locked onto the kitchen door in the back, slamming closed.
"Oh no, you fucking don't!" Blitzo gave frantic chase, gun drawn.
Loona snarled and followed. Her Dad needed backup. Someone who dared to try to assassinate a Goetic Prince? In one of the finest establishments throughout Hell?
As they busted through the kitchen, a hail of bullets rained upon their position. The assassin likely knew they couldn't escape. Trying to kill the Goetic Prince in front of two Sins and the Embodiment of Death was a suicide mission.
So they knew there was a high chance they would survive.
Little did they know, the people they were most worried about were the least of their worries.
Loona and Blitzo avoided the rapid-fire shots and used the kitchen counters as cover to move safely. Her Dad had even snatched a frying pan before tossing his pistol to her.
"Cover me!"
"Got it!" Loona jumped out from cover, taking a careful aim and shooting toward the suspect.
They managed to avoid being hit center mass, but she winged the Sinner's shoulder. And that was enough for her Dad to close the distance...
And mercilessly beat the Sinner in the head over and over again with the frying pan.
"Who the fuck do you think you are, huh?!" Blitzo raged, bashing the Sinner into the ground, turning his head into a pulp with each strike, blood splattering and coating the kitchen.
The Sinner could only wish he could die as Dad furiously beat him.
"Dad, that's enough!" Loona caught Blitzo's arm and kept him from continuing his pounding.
"The hell it is! He tried to..." Blitzo snarled, desperately wiggling and trying to beat the Sinner further.
"And now we can get information out of him when he recovers. I don't know about you, but I would like to find out who hired a hit on our dear Prince." Naruto stepped beside them, removing the weapon from Blitzo's grasp and easily peeling the pulp off the floor.
Blitzo snarled, wanting nothing more than to leave the Sinner a pile of goo, before snorting. "Fine... Let's take him back to headquarters."
"I'll pry that information out of him personally."