#instalitz

[once-upon-a-stolas]

The beginning of August, 2020. Or, that time Blitzo broke his leg.

We begin with Blitzo...well, breaking his leg. Specifically, he breaks it riding a two-headed ride-on hellhorse built for children at the playground, something Loona rips into him for a little harsher than is probably warranted, but that's another discussion. This keeps him confined to the house, throws a damper on his birthday (sidenote: that's Blah Blah the clown, another Brandon Rogers creation, and Blitz is turning 32) and generally leaves him feeling pretty miserable.

Stolas signs his cast and expresses hopes that he'll feel better soon. It's at this point that Stolas shows up with a care package, returning the favor after Blitzo and co. did the same for him a month earlier. A commenter who was present in one of the art streams Blitzo held during this time points out that Stolas was present for this, and assured everyone that he was taking care of Blitz.

Blitzo's predictably surly about it all, but unlike in the series, he's actually shown to enjoy Stolas's presence -- they've been repeatedly shown just spending time together, and as I remind everyone in every post, the full moon book deal that will retcon the Instagrams hasn't come about yet. Because of this, we actually believe that Blitz isn't always sure how to respond to love and care, because this Stolas was so willing to give it.

(In another sweet little moment, Moxxie thanks Stolas for looking after Blitz and suggests he throw out the Furby Blitz found and brought home, and Stolas responds very casually, as anyone might respond to a friend. Instagram Stolas frequently showed interest in the other members of I.M.P., especially Moxxie, but in the series, he's extremely dismissive of them all.)

I know I just reblogged this, but I feel like it bears posting again in light of the most recent episode. It's really the point at the heart of this blog.

Love isn't about grand gestures; it's about being dependably good, dependently kind. It's about showing up every day and being there for someone, even when it's just the small things, and even when it would be easier not to.

Instagram Stolas did this, and he did it even when Blitz's life wasn't in danger. And because he felt safe around him, Instagram Blitzo did it back.

It really was as simple as that.

[chaifootsteps]

It’s very easy to have Stolas react to Blitz liking horses. He could have been like “Oh my Lucifer, that is the cutest thing ever I have to do something that involves this interest like suggest a horse movie” or something and that would have been nice.

God, I miss Instagram Stolas so much. He happily agreed to a no-sex movie night where they watched Spirit, sent Blitz a Spirit hoodie not long after, and you could just see Blitz starting to fall for him a little as he noted the hoodie smelled like Stolas.

Viv wanted so much to capture what those two had, but it's like she genuinely doesn't understand how a human being sincerely goes about caring for another human being.

[once-upon-a-stolas]

Remember the entry featuring Stolas and Stella's teatime when I mentioned that there would be at least one more like it? Well, that post is here, and it's a bit of a spooky one.

July 27th of 2020's post shows a family portrait of Stolas, Stella (then unnamed and drawn in a different style), and Octavia, all wearing polite, stiff smiles. Stolas and Stella are pointedly avoiding one another's hands.

What stands out about this one is the caption, written in the third person and wishing the audience a good day from "his Highness, Prince Stolas and his lovely family." It's very carefully curated and it obviously wasn't written by Stolas (and is much too calm to be written by Stella). Of all the Instagram/Voxtagram posts, on Stolas's account or otherwise, this is the only one to feature such a caption. In the comments, Moxxie tips Stolas off that Blitz is out getting coffee and free to meet, and Stolas thanks him, but says he has to remain where he is.

(Blitzo, seemingly unconcerned, simply comments "3 chimken," Stolas gently chides him for this, not wanting Octavia to be referred to in such a way but apparently not caring if Stella is. He points out that he never says such things about Loona, referring to her as Blitz's daughter, and this is not the first time Instagram Stolas has done this. It's a marked change from Series Stolas, who despite having two seasons under his belt, has showed no such interest in Loona.)

All of this implies that there was someone or something working to ensure that the royal family's good image remained intact, and that Stolas's open flaunting of his affair on social media jeopardized that. While in the series, we learn that Via was conceived "as a precautionary heir" and that Stolas could have divorced years ago, but remained in the marriage for his child's sake, that's not the case here. Here, something bigger than both Stella and Stolas needed them to play happy family.

However, the artist and writer behind Stolas's Instagram has long vanished, and this sinister presence is never brought up again.

[once-upon-a-stolas]

Long post tonight, but we can't talk about Pre-Murder Family Instagram Stolas without talking about his relationship with Valentino.

But first, a quick rundown for anyone new to this blog, or to these characters...

None of the HH/HB Instagram accounts were run by Vivziepop herself.

Both the Instagram accounts and Blitzo's art streams were crossover events in which the Helluva and Hazbin characters would mingle freely, leading to dynamics such as this one.

It's been speculated that the Hazbin accounts were shut down for legal reasons. This is not true, or at least not the sole reason for it. There was friction between the players and Viv that we will not be going into here.

The Instagram Vees, like Instagram Stolas, were profoundly different characters from the ones who would eventually come to be canon. Instagram Valentino, in addition to abusing and raping Angel Dust, was an animal abuser who routinely used his lover, Vox, as a punching bag.

Instagram Stolas was generous, respectful, and incredibly mindful of Blitzo's consent. There was no full moon deal at this time; Stolas simply allowed Blitzo to use the grimoire at his leisure, his only caveat that Blitzo be responsible with it. When they spent time together, sexually or otherwise, it was purely because they both wanted to.

All of that being said? It should come as little surprise that Stolas despised Valentino. Loathed him, detested him, referred to him as a rat and never missed an opportunity to throw shade at him. The feeling was very mutual, and their interactions were so venomously entertaining that even Vox and Velvette were having a good time.

It can't be stressed enough that Instagram Stolas behaved this way with absolutely nobody else, not even Vox and Velvette, suggesting to both that they could do and deserved better. Instagram Stolas was slow to anger, quick to forgive, and full of good-natured affection for just about everyone he came into contact with, not just Blitzo. The only other time he ever came close to being this disgusted by someone was when a commenter suggested he take advantage of a drunk Blitzo. Here, Stolas pulls no punches, gets Valentino by the throat and throws him around, and he's very good at it. He's classy, sharp, witty, exposing Valentino for the stupid, crass bully he is. He's a prince, knows it, and carries himself like one.

A punk like Valentino who mistreated others, but especially the people he's sleeping with? That was something Stolas couldn't and wouldn't stand.

(There's a blink and you miss it moment where Valentino refers to Stolas as a lonely, thirsty old man, the only time Valentino appears to hit a nerve. One might easily brush this off as a random insult, but Stolas as a character Blitzo's age was actually a very last minute -- arguably too last minute -- plot development that came after Vivzie saw a piece of fanart of the two as children. Instagram Stolas, like canon Stolas at this point, was a lonely older man.)

The last exchange here was posted on October 31, 2020, the day that Murder Family aired. After that, Stolas's characterization on the Instagrams was retconned to align with the character seen in that episode...the one who had no qualms with taking advantage of Blitzo's life being in danger to coerce a sexual bargain out of him. Therefore, it could be said that that reply marked one of the last times this Stolas, the Stolas this blog is about, would appear before his permanent transformation into a character that's often compared to Valentino, and who Instagram Stolas would have undoubtedly loathed.

At a time when Stolas's most defining trait was his patience, his unfailingly warmth and kindness towards everyone around him, and his respectfulness toward his sexual partner, it speaks volumes to his character that Valentino was the only person in the world he truly hated.

[chaifootsteps]

tbh, blitz shouldn't be deserved to be called a tsundere all cus he give reasonable frustrations to stolas. I even go as far to say real anime tsundere characters got treated better by their loved interests than blitz with stolas. it's a bit sad.

It's a sad because Instagram Blitz was a pretty textbook example of a tsundere. Instagram Stolas was always being kind to him, inviting him places and getting him little things he liked, and Blitz would always get him something in return and be like "This is strictly business, don't read too much into it!" It was cute.

[chaifootsteps]

Plot twist: The Blitzo in Ghostfuckers is either a sanitized clone or is Blitz but being mind controlled into being Blitz’s supportive boyfriend that takes all his abuse.

The real Blitzo is probably caught and tied up in the same area where Instagram!Stolas is.

Despite being tied up and gagged with socks in their mouths, their eyes meet and it's like the fog moving on and the first glimmer of morning sunlight shining through it.

I remember you.

[chaifootsteps]

Just found out about Instagram stolas/stolitz and oh my god

This is so much better wtf, there was no deal, just Blitz being able to borrow the book as long as he brought it back whenever Stolas needed it and whenever they did have intercourse it was of boths free will. And stolas and stella were actually fine- there's a picture of him teaching Octavia how to use magic and family stuff between them, like her stealing his phone and stuff- why couldn't we get this stolas!?

And even if we couldn't why not keep s1 stolas like I hate how s2 ruined these character, I'm sorry, I've ranted about this before just- so much potential wasted for the sake of drama and victimizing Stolas

They had their perfect love story right there! And it wasn't a straightforward, "boring" love story either; it was a story about two people in very different stages of their life, with very different levels of power and privilege, trying to navigate their situations and personal hangups because they both liked being around one another. Because they wanted to learn more about each other.

Viv tried to recreate that and failed miserably, but it was mature and kind and yes, incredibly sexy. It was beautiful.

[chaifootsteps]

my ranking on the ships is basically - Stolas/Blitzo can work if it's instalitz

but if it's murder family and season one/season two Stol1tz? then Blitzstrike all the way with a side of 'Stolas dies alone and unloved' for dessert

the only way show Stol1tz works is as an intentionally bad unsalvagaeable relationship. it functions excellently as that and fails as everything else

My thoughts exactly. Once Murder Family comes into play, there's no hope of it being Instalitz. It's just not their story anymore.

(Stolas dies alone, unloved, and in a ditch, and if Octavia has kids they never learn his name for the win.)

[chaifootsteps]

There are three possible things that could happen in Helluva Boss. What one would you choose?

Striker successfully shoots and kills Stolas with an angelic weapon.

Stella beats the shit out of Andre, gets a good backstory, and raises Octavia with Blitzo.

Helluva Boss is revealed to be a nightmare of Blitzo's, and he wakes up besides Instolas with a horse plushie in between them.

Ooh, tough decision. Gonna have to go with 3, then 1, then 2.

[chaifootsteps]

We could try taking a screenshot from the dance and editing stolas's eyes blue, if that helps

I love them, your honor. I miss them.

[chaifootsteps]

Favorite thing about Instalitz? How would you wrote their relationship?

Easily the tenderness, that slow element of building trust. There were so many times in the course of their relationship that Blitzo very tentatively placed some element of trust in Stolas, and unlike in the series, Stolas wouldn't give him reason to regret it, and Blitzo would respond to that. It was beautiful to see.

If they'd been allowed to continue and I were in charge of it, I probably would have kept Blitz's skittishness around commitment. Stolas would still have had the epiphany that as contented as their situationship might be (and even though the book deal was never a thing), he's still in a position of power over Blitz and Blitz needs to keep him happy in order to continue using the book. So he probably would have still sought out the crystal so that Blitz could access earth legally.

That probably would have been the catalyst for some kind of confession from Blitz's end.

[chaifootsteps]

hard question: if you had to pick which would you choose between Blitzstrike and Instalizt (insta!Stolas / Blitzo)?

Very, very tough question...as much as I love Blitzstrike and as dear as they are to me, I think I'd have to go with Instalitz. They're just so gentle and special, and they mean so much to me personally.

[chaifootsteps]

Started making an Instalitz playlist. It's a work in progress, but it's coming along.

[chaifootsteps]

I think I came up for a name for the ship for Insta!HB Stolas and Blitzo:

Instalitz.

.......

*shrug*

But yea, if I say I ship Stolas and Blitzo, I specifically am referring to their Instagram incarnations because fuck all that noise from the actual show. This is the Stolitz I like and want.

Ooh, I love that! Definitely what I'm gonna start tagging them as from now on, thanks!

[chaifootsteps]

https://www.tumblr.com/chaifootsteps/780408146699124736/adding-because-i-think-its-a-little-important-i?source=share

I think that's true, Blitz is not "oh I don't believe that someone can love me", it's more "oh fuck, I'm in love, I don't know what to do", I think that Blitz is not used to romantic feelings, in the series we were shown that he likes to fuck (except Stolas), Blitz is used to having superficial relationships, so it's not surprising that for an imp like him, romantic feelings are not used to, and he tries to avoid them, or in Verosik's case, sabotage relationships, all because he has no idea what to do with it, it was interesting to explore, but of course Viv is only interested in gay dramas, not anything that could develop her characters. Also because of this, it seems unnatural that Blitz after events of Mastermind, so in love with Stolas, for a character like him, it took a long time to start acting like that

It would help if Stolas gave Blitz even the slightest reason to fall in love with him. Instagram Stolas did, which was why it made sense when Blitz would reciprocate some of his displays of affection, but also randomly balk at the idea of things like declaring themselves in a relationship or admitting that their coffee date in which Stolas gave him a book on horses was a date.

[chaifootsteps]

Any Instalitz songs?

This one always makes me think of Instagram Stolas's gentleness and patience.