The Morning After [House Party cont]

[Hayden]

There was this tantalizing tease still between them and Hayden wondered if there would be another night like this. He'd have to make sure to get Seven's number before they parted ways. Even if it was just a booty call, Hayde didn't have a problem with that.

Nox was indeed cooking. Eggs, bacon, pancakes... Hayden hadn't had pancakes in a while, it was an American thing. Though Nox had made them once, but he didn't eat any. Seems like he didn't eat any this time either.

Nox made a quip about the girl and he looked like he wanted to punch him, but something stopped him. Maybe it was the rugrat he had strapped to his chest. He laughed. "Looks like you have a new growth."

Nox didn't serve them like he had when it had been just the two of us. Maybe that was reserved for lovers. Or maybe he was pissed. Hayden didn't care as long as he got to eat.

Nox introduced himself to Seven. "Nox. Seven. Seven. Nox." He said as he poured a cup of coffee and planted pancakes and eggs and bacon on to his plate. "I didn't know you two had met before." Hayden said as he sat down at the island, the kids who had been present all seemed to flee up stairs with empty hands. The only people remaining were the guy playing with a very broken prosthetic which made Hayden wonder what the fuck Nox had done last night that he now had a broken arm. And the young blond kid he'd walked in on the night before, who seemed to be eagerly sitting next to the other one. They both still worn silly name tags.

Nox called out. "Liam, make sure Sage eats."

The blonde looked up at Nox and frowned. "Who's.... Oh, yeah. Okay. I can do that." He got up and fixed a plate and then carried it back to the couch tapping Sage on the shoulder. Sage barely acknowledged it but he did pick up a pancake and started eating while he continued whatever work he was doing. Strange people surrounded Nox. Himself included.

[Seven]

The kitchen looked like something out of a holiday movie—warm light spilling across the countertops, the air thick with the scent of spices and roasted meat. Someone was bustling at the stove, cooking up a feast for a house full of guests.

As introductions were made, Seven hung back, staying close to Hayden out of polite respect for their host. He hadn’t expected to see him here.

Nox was different now, almost unrecognizable from the performer Seven remembered. The last time they’d crossed paths was at Kallisti, the club where Nox had mesmerized the crowd, summoning a wave of aurora lights that danced across the ceiling. Seven had watched, spellbound, caught in the strange, magnetic pull of Nox’s energy.

Before that, he’d seen the violent confrontation between Nox and Jay—a brutal fight that had left an impression on everyone who witnessed it. This morning, though, Nox wore a different aura entirely, the intense energy subdued into something calmer, but no less captivating.

“We have met before, briefly,” Seven said when they were finally introduced, nodding with a slight smile. “I’m still curious about how you created that blue flame hair. It was… unforgettable.”

He remembered that night well—the people, the music, the way everyone seemed to gravitate toward Nox. Seven had been busy mingling, drawn into one conversation after another, but he’d kept one eye on the performer, waiting for a chance to speak. Now the chance came.

[Nox]

Nox grinned as he pushed a plate in front of Seven. That was his name, a number now he remembered, wasn't sure how he forgot. Nox waved his hand. The power was tightly about him already as he was using the power to augment his missing hand. It was annoying not having two hands. Not that he needed it for most things. But missing the arm only made him miss Raffe more.

He wove the illusion quickly with the wave of the hand and the blue flaming hair came about. He then did it a second time, this time much slower and without any flourish as he applied the flaming hair to Hayden. "It's all magic." Nox would have flirted but obviously he'd spent the night with Hayden and it was already awkward enough. "Make yourself at home, Hayden already has." Nox went through the rest of the introduction. "The kid on the couch is Liam, he's not mine, he's a stay over like you, and a friend of my cousins. The slacker ignoring everything but the busted arm is Sage. You'll find him around a lot more now that he's met you." Sage raised his hand but didn't do anything more. "I hope you enjoyed the party I did not throw." Nox smirked.

[Sage]

A blonde boy sat eagerly next to him. He made sure he ate, he looked over his shoulder as he did nothing. What did he think he'd see? Until Sage saw the remnant of the tag on his shirt. Thyme. A hacker. A hacker who went by multiple names. He was a friend of Sterlings and one of Nox's latest strays -- as of this morning anyway.

He might think he was going to learn something, but he was sadly mistaken. Sage wasn't using his laptop for anything more than something to make it seem like he was doing something. It wasn't even on.

Sage was too busy setting up the house now that Nox was here for real. Sage poked at the food he'd been given, ate it without thinking. Mostly because it as made by Nox and he missed his food. The lights in the house flickered as the AI came online.

"Good Morning. My name is Sky. How can I help you today, Sage?" A speaker above the TV sounded.

"Sky, I'd like to introduce you to Nox." Sage used the contact lenses he wore to indicate Nox. "He's the one you'll be listening to from here on out, with me on the lines."

"Wonderful. It is a pleasure to meet you Nox. How can I help you today?"

Sage grinned at Nox as he stared at Sage. Sage didn't say anything as he took Nox's wallet and connected it to Sky's infrastructure and soon Sky was also on his wallet. "Not that I don't like answering your calls, but Sky can help you and all your house mates out."

Nox just nodded. "Uh, okay. Thanks Sky. I'm good right now, maybe you can play some music?" Sky immediately started playing the playlist Nox had on his earbuds and he grinned. "Okay. Showoff, that's good. Not too loud we aren't having a party."

"Not a problem. I have also insured all unauthorized persons have been established and they are all downstairs with you. Would you like me to call the police?"

Nox burst out laughing. "If they are already inside it's okay, only call the cops on those who are trying to break in. These guys are all friends."

"Affirmative."

"She always gonna be so formal?" Nox asked Sage.

"Sky will pick you up no problem. Just give her some time to learn. She's no skynet, she's not thinking for herself, but the algorithm does pick up nuanses and remembers them. I wouldn't put you in any danger, or myself."

Nox nodded and turned his attention back to his guests. The house was fun, and Nox would likely use it without thinking about it. But Sage was proud, and he enjoyed the fact that Nox just let it happen.

[Esper]

[[Continued from Pillow Talk]]

The door opened with a push, which Esper interpreted as an invitation to enter. Locked doors kept people out. Closed ones were only a suggestion. She glanced curiously over shoulder to Roza, the echoes of a smile on her lips.

[Seven]

Seven’s gaze flickered from face to face as introductions tumbled forth, each name a passing melody in the symphony of voices around him. He nodded warmly at every stranger, his golden smile unshaken, offering the kind of easy charm that made strangers feel like old friends. For Seven, a friend of a friend was a friend, too—a philosophy that had always served him well.

But it wasn’t the people that held his attention, not entirely. No, it was the illusion. It floated there, suspended like a dream plucked from the ether, its colors shifting and shimmering in a way that made it almost painful to look away. Seven leaned forward slightly, his sharp eyes narrowing as though trying to peel back the layers and reveal its secrets. A mechanism, surely, had to exist. But even as he studied it—its edges fluid, its form both tangible and impossible—he couldn’t find one.

The second demonstration provided even more detail: sharper edges, richer hues, a kind of impossible depth. Seven’s head tilted to one side, his expression softening into an awed grin. “Incredible,” he murmured, his humility free of pretense. “I don’t think I could ever dream of pulling that off.” The words might have been self-effacing, but his tone carried genuine admiration, and the golden warmth of his smile made them sincere.

The AI assistant—Sky, as Sage called it—was a revelation. Nox’s party had already been full of surprises, but this? Seven let out a low whistle as Sage explained the system. “You built this yourself?” he asked, eyebrows arching. “That’s… well, that’s seriously impressive.”

The hum of conversation shifted again, and Seven caught the tail end of a question aimed his way. He smiled, turning back to the group with ease. “The party? It was fantastic,” he said, his voice carrying just the right amount of lingering enthusiasm. Then, with a slight turn of his head, he shot Hayden a sly look, his eyes glinting with mischief. “Not sure what happened to my mask, though,” he added, the memory playing across his face like a secret he was willing to share with just a glance.

Before he could linger too long in the moment, two more women joined the group. Seven’s brows lifted, a flicker of surprise crossing his face. “More roommates?” he asked, half-joking but genuinely curious. The party-goers seemed to swell with new arrivals at every turn, and for a moment, he wondered just how far Nox’s orbit extended.

[Daiyu]

Mara stumbled into the kitchen, lured by scents of food she could not identify, but her stomach was determined to find.

She was wearing a plain tshirt and shorts, both white, as that was the underclothes she was wearing when Nox helped her escape the Guardian. She hadn’t expected to find a group of people, but the scene wasn’t entirely unfamiliar. Food hall was set up similarly in the institution. The notable exception was they were only allowed to eat with small spoons. Nobody could have a fork or knife, as that might lead to an instrument of violence.

She kind of just stood there, not sure what to do or where to go. So she slipped in, licking her lips and watching the adults, hoping one of them might leave some food on their plates so she could sample the mysterious foods.

[Nox]

The house was full. Holy fuck! He'd expected a few stragglers, but there were even people coming in from outside. They entered with a purpose and after Sage had pulled up the video feeds on the TV for him, "Let 'em up." He said to no one in particular, and before Sky even asked. Her voice clipped as soon as he started speaking. He heard the buzzer down the stairs and wondered who they were. They looked familiar but he saw a lot of people, specially working at Kallisti, could be from anywhere though.

Mara came down in nothing but white. They might need to go shopping. Nox wondered if the other former Blackthorns needed things. It would be a busy day. Mara just sorta stared at the food so Nox plated her food while he listened to Seven talking.

Sage answered his complement with a grin. "It's nothing really." And for Sage it was, he probably threw it together quickly and it was probably just a recycled algorithm he had lying around.

Liam laughed next to him. "Nothing. Yeah, do you know how long that would take me to write?"

Sage just shrugged.

Nox pushed the plate at Mara. "Don't be shy. It's your home too."

The girls downstairs were not roommates he shrugged. "No, don't think so. Not any of mine anyway. I thought I knew everyone's face." Nox frowned. "You heard from Jay at all since that night?" He didn't say more, it was a bad night. He hadn't spoken to him, hadn't even asked Sage for his number. The night went to hell and back and his life had only gotten more complicated.

The song changed on the play list from a techno pop song to a sweet ballet number and Nox felt the music flow through him. He swayed with Lily in his arm and she cooed softly with the motion. Apparently she liked to be swept off her feet. So Nox followed the music around the room while everyone else ate. He'd have to go find Oriena or at least make sure she had enough to eat. If she was even still around.

[Gideon]

It wasn’t the first time he woke up with a hazy recollection of where he was. Gideon blinked, yawned, and wandered through the party’s wreckage. Eyeing some of those who lingered, he was glad he’d kept it in his pants last night. Had lawsuit written all over it. A magnanimous grin finally recognised little Liam with some guy on the couch, and as he made a point of passing he ruffled his hand over his little cousin’s hair. “Ah, le petit étalon,” he laughed, brows raised, but he didn’t pause on his way over to the kitchen. With a grin he plucked a pancake from Hayden’s plate and balanced it between his teeth as he poured coffee. The side eye he gave his brother was amused and mischievous, since Hayden’s one-armed crush was present, but he wasn’t the one Hayden had clearly spent the night with. Oh such scandal. And why was there a baby?

Gideon twisted to lean against the counter, took a bite of the pancake, and then a sip of coffee, making a pleased sound for the sustenance. A girl was hovering, licking her lips like some feral stray cat slipped through an open window. She looked about twelve. Maybe it was some kind of half-way house? Liam definitely better make sure he didn’t let his father find out about this. With a curious expression, Gideon held out his pancake to the girl, wondering if she’d snatch it like an animal.

[Liam H]

Liam growled when Gideon ruffled his hair "Hey." Though he looked up at his cousin with a proud smile. He had a good night, and an even better morning. And if all went well even if it had to be a few white lies, his life would be better in the long run. What he wouldn't give to go to school on his own terms like Sterling. She seemed happy the few times he'd caught her after school with her friends.

Liam would brag a little to Gideon but it wasn't the time or place. Not that Gideon hadn't done this a thousand times, it wasn't a matter of I got some and you didn't it was just a "i got some". Which would amuse his cousin. He had stuck around so he hopefully had a good time.

Someone had mentioned masks and stuff and Liam pointed to a pile of discarded things. "Masks and random discarded clothes are over in that pile. The kids before were piling everything over there."