HELLUVA BOSS ONESHOTS

Advice

The morning in Hell had a strange, gray calm. Stolas was in his study, paging through a particularly thick tome, when he heard the faintest knock on his door.

"Dad?" came Octavia's hesitant voice.

Stolas immediately perked up, putting his book aside. "Octavia, my starling! Come in, come in!" He gestured for her to sit, noticing her furrowed brow and the way her feathers looked a bit more ruffled than usual. "What's troubling you?"

Octavia fidgeted with the hem of her sweater, avoiding his gaze. "It's... nothing, really," she mumbled, though her eyes darted to the floor, betraying her discomfort.

Stolas felt a pang in his chest. He had learned to recognize when something bothered her, even if she didn't always want to talk about it. He sat beside her, leaning in gently. "Octavia, you know you can tell me anything."

After a long pause, Octavia sighed. "Fine. It's just... school sucks. There's this group of girls—Hellhounds, actually—who keep messing with me. They follow me around, making stupid jokes and trying to scare me. I keep telling myself it's nothing, but it... it gets to me."

Stolas felt a mix of emotions swell up inside him. Anger that anyone would dare to make his daughter feel small, mixed with a deep sorrow that she'd been dealing with this on her own. "I'm so sorry, darling," he said, putting a comforting wing around her shoulders. "I know that must be difficult. Do you want me to... have a word with the principal?"

Octavia's eyes widened in alarm. "No, no! That would just make it worse. They'd know I told you, and then they'd never leave me alone."

Stolas gave a solemn nod, understanding the delicacy of the situation. "Alright, no school interference. But what if I taught you how to handle them yourself?"

She looked up at him, one eyebrow raised. "What do you mean?"

A mischievous glint sparked in Stolas's eye. "Well, we demons have our own ways of standing up for ourselves, especially to those who are being unkind. It's time you learned a few tricks."

Octavia's skepticism was evident, but after a moment's thought, she gave a small nod. "Fine. What do you have in mind?"

Later that day, they found themselves in the back courtyard of Stolas's estate. Stolas had changed out of his usual robes into something more casual, while Octavia watched him curiously.

"Now, these bullies of yours," Stolas began, pacing back and forth. "Are they the type to enjoy a big audience?"

Octavia snorted. "Are you kidding? They live for it. They wait until we're around other students to mess with me."

"Perfect." Stolas rubbed his hands together. "The first rule when dealing with an audience is to make them feel ridiculous in front of others. When they approach you, act as if they're not even worth your time. And if they keep pushing, you respond in a way that shows you're unbothered." He straightened up, his eyes narrowing as he demonstrated. "For instance, if they make some nasty comment, you could say something like, 'Oh, I didn't realize we were doing community service for wayward Hellhounds today.'"

Octavia stifled a giggle. "So, just... act like they're the joke?"

"Exactly! Bullies thrive on attention and reaction. Take that away, and they're left scrambling." He grinned. "If you're feeling brave, you could even throw in a little theatrical flair."

Octavia tilted her head. "Like...?"

Stolas's expression shifted, a glimmer of mischief dancing in his eyes. "Come at me with one of their insults. I'll show you."

Octavia thought for a moment, then smirked. "Alright. 'Hey, bird-brain! Did you get lost in the underworld on the way to your nest?'"

Stolas gasped in mock shock, clutching his chest dramatically. "Oh dear me, the Hellhounds have discovered my one true weakness—unoriginal insults! Whatever shall I do?" He fluttered his wings, giving a haughty sniff. "I'd be worried if it wasn't coming from creatures who roll in garbage."

Octavia couldn't help herself; she burst out laughing, covering her mouth with one wing. "That... that was actually pretty good."

Stolas winked. "It's all about confidence, my star. But that's just one approach. If they try to corner you or get physical, you need to know how to defend yourself, too."

Her laughter faded, replaced by a bit of anxiety. "Defend myself?"

"Nothing violent, I assure you," he said, his tone softening. "But sometimes, it helps to know how to stand your ground."

He went over a few basic stances and ways to stay balanced, showing her how to use her wings for stability. It wasn't about fighting, but about showing strength.

"Now, remember," he said, resting a hand on her shoulder, "you're already stronger than them. You're clever, thoughtful, and, most importantly, you're you. No one can take that away from you."

Octavia nodded slowly, processing his words. "Thanks, Dad."

Stolas beamed. "Anytime, my little star."

The next day, Octavia returned to school, the usual pit of dread in her stomach tempered by the memory of her father's encouragement. She spotted the Hellhound girls lounging against a locker, and like clockwork, they noticed her.

"Look who's here! What's wrong, bird-brain? Did daddy not tuck you in last night?" one of them sneered.

Octavia took a deep breath, recalling her dad's advice. She forced herself to roll her eyes and look at them with utter boredom. "Oh wow, look—Hell's finest comedians in action," she deadpanned. "You ladies ever get tired of being cliches?"

The Hellhounds exchanged surprised glances, clearly caught off guard.

One of them tried again. "You think you're so special, huh? Just 'cause your dad's a prince?"

Octavia shrugged. "At least I don't need to cling to others to feel important." She gave them a small smirk, adding, "It must be exhausting, following me around all the time."

The Hellhound girls muttered something under their breath, but they finally backed off, shooting her a glare before disappearing down the hall. As they walked away, Octavia felt a weight lift off her shoulders.

Later that evening, as she returned home, she went straight to her father's study. He looked up from his book, his eyes lighting up when he saw her.

"So?" he asked, a smile tugging at his beak. "How did it go?"

She grinned, giving him a small nod. "They left me alone, for once. Your advice worked."

Stolas's chest swelled with pride. He gently pulled her into a hug, wrapping his wings around her. "I'm so proud of you, my star."

Octavia allowed herself to sink into the embrace, finally feeling a sense of peace. She knew her dad was far from perfect, but in moments like these, she felt incredibly lucky to have him.