In the end, the wave of lucklessness that struck the mortal world came to an end after the Orderlies realized just how much luck was essential to keep the world working.

That doesn't change the fact that for a whole week, I had to live without the luck that has kept me afloat for years. Since my books didn't sell, I failed to pay rent that month. Since I was on thin ice with my landlord, I was kicked out onto the streets. I was able to sell enough of my furniture so that I could afford a super-cheap hotel room, but it left me with practically no material possessions. It turns out that my hotel room was haunted, and since I could see and hear ghosts more clearly than the typical person I was kept awake by the sounds of ghosts doing what most people do in cheap hotel rooms. It's exactly what you think.

One day, I heard a knock on the door.

Unwilling to leave my bed, I called out, "Who is it?"

Parsimony stuck his head through the door, as in actually phased his head through the actual door itself. "It's me."

"Come in!" I was glad to see him. It had been a week of no contact, I was worried something might have happened to him. That maybe the Superiors learned that he was stealing luck from mortals who probably deserved it more than I did.

"Is everything okay? Where have you been?" I asked.

He stood by the bed, took a deep breath and said rather matter-of-factly, "I got fired and then I spent a week in the Justicar's Court with them grilling me about what I've done."

The Justicar's Court is nothing less than life or death for an accused angel. It was essentially the Superiors' boogeyman. Any angel less than perfect would be discarded if it meant protecting the reputation of the angels. They alone had the means to truly kill an angel.

"But you're alive! I thought the Superiors would kill you... or banish you to Hell."

"Trust me, they tried. Fortuna looked after me. She vouched for me."

"Fortuna? Doesn't she know that you've been stealing luck?"

"Oh yeah, she figured it out alright. That's why I got fired. She just couldn't bring herself to see me get killed for what I've done. Now I'm just an unemployed, but thankfully alive angel."

"I'm glad you're okay... that we're okay," I planted a kiss on his cheek.

Flustered, he gave me a gentle push. "I'm okay, but you're living in a haunted hotel. I don't think that counts as okay."

"Well, you were right. My books didn't sell. Now I'm in a dirty hotel, awake at two in the morning listening to ghosts f-"

"FUCK YOU, MORTAL!" Parsimony and I were startled by the sudden noise as Fortuna filled the room with a burst of light, materializing at the foot of the bed. Her long arm extended towards me, pointing a thin finger adorned with golden rings. "Not only did you rob my best worker away from me and made him spill our secrets, I spent a week out of my already busy schedule covering up the largest scandal that our department has experienced in five-hundred years!"

"I-I didn't-"

"Oh but you did! None of this would have happened if you just let Percy go on his merry way without ever talking to him!"

"I'm sorry! Is it a sin to be a little curious?"

"It is, actually," both Parsimony and Fortuna said in unison.

"Oh."

Fortuna put her hands on her hips and sighed. "I say all of this. But I mainly want you and Percy to be happy. Don't get me wrong, I am upset. You've both violated some of the most vital angelic laws to ever be written. You've made a huge mess, and I've taken the time and effort to clean it up. You two better make it all worth it."

Parsimony and I silently nodded.

"Then it is settled. I give you both my blessing. It's not a whole eight portions of luck but it's enough for you both to get by. Percy, if I ever see you at the office, I'm going to kick your ass."

"Understood, ma'am."

"As for you, mortal, I have enough trouble without some random asshole leaking our secrets. Can you give me a break and get an actual job?"

"Is a demonologist an actual job?"

She winced. "Sure, I guess so... Heaven knows those demonology books fly off the shelves more than books about us. Anyway, goodbye."

With a snap of her fingers, she disappeared in a burst of light.