Never Too Late

[Nox]

The wallet jabbed into his body at a corner when it landed. He grabbed it slowly and didn't bother doing more than turning it on. "Wicked you there?" Jensen had called him by his name but it was still in Nox's best interest to keep his hacker's true name from the hospital ears, especially if he decided that something needed to be done while he lay bedside. The Ascendancy and others didn't need to know who Sage Parker really was -- it was better they thought he was just a junkie Aiden Finnegan groupie.

Oriena snapped her name as a correction which put Nox on edge. She never corrected him, and that made him extremely wary. If he could have grasped the power inside he would have. But it slide from his fingers, whatever they'd given him still in his system. He could feel the power just waiting -- taunting him but he could not touch it. It was infuriating and the vibe in the room and the horde's lingering ire stoked them more. His body was awake now. The horde coursed through his body unbidden

Jensen's remind Nox, they had already met. A reminder of simpler times cooled his fury a bit. "I've called a lot of people Duckling in my time. Including Oriena, before I was truly aware her ire." Nox said her name slowly and carefully to inform her he understood. "My first attempt at flirting with a guy with intent." He said to Jensen and chuckled to himself. His awakening happening only a short time before -- he'd even kissed Sage that evening. A long time ago that could have been a thing, if it weren't for Aiden.

Her clasp on Jensen's arm made him get up. It wasn't sluggish or removed and he was tethered to the machines about him, but he stepped between Oriena and Jensen, his body between her and the healer. He stood tall but was far from imposing in his ragged state. His body hurt from the movement his legs were weak. Pain filled his eyes but he stared into Ori's glare for glare -- fueled souly by the reminder of their times together and the horde. "Don't hurt the healer before he does his job, please." His voice was as weak as he felt.

"I'm sorry for the friendly slip, I won't do it again. That was probably not a full truth. But not again in public. "Don't take his Texan politeness as injury or insult. I'd like to live."

Nox knew he looked like shit. Knew he owned her big time. If not for the assist with the inferno but with rescuing his body from whatever lie within. "You can take your ire out on me in kind later, for everything. I was ready to give you what you wanted earlier." He didn't have much choice, he was moving on instinct alone, but the power was raw and good and the revenge was sweet. The horde stirred inside. Without the power things could end poorly tonight, "The horde was free, ready to show you. Still is, but I can't..."

Sage's voice came over his wallet that lay on the bed next to him where he left it. "So Nox... Hate to interrupt your foreplay but uh, you need to lie the fuck back down before you make that rupture any worse than it already is. Docs say you are lucky you got there when you did much longer and things could have been far worse. Let Jensen heal you then you and Oriena can fuck or whatever it is the two of you do." He sounded angry about the arrangement. He probably was, he and Aiden had propositioned him once upon a time. It had been tempting. But Nox knew Sage was fully on board the Raffe train. Often interfering in their relationship for the betterment of it. Though it didn't always help.

"Jensen, you may not notice the difference, but Nox has been bitten by a monster, he cut off his arm in the attempt to keep it from consuming his body and making him one. He has a connection to the creatures. I believe from the things Nox tells me of his affliction that if you find the source of the connection that you will also find where the ability to channel begins in men. I don't know if you know what a human body feels like while you heal, but perhaps you can find the difference in his from others you've healed. I'd like to do some experiments with Nox at a later time and your ability if you'd assist. I will pay you for your time and the assistance."

Nox chuckled as his knees started to give way. He caught the side of the bed and moved to sit down. Someone might need to help lay him down, but for the moment he wasn't going to the floor. Sage said nothing about paying Nox, and he never asked Nox if he would participate. It was always assumed he'd say yes. What if once he said no? But then Sage would be able to say no when he made a simple request. That wasn't the nature of their friendship. He wasn't angry, but the horde prickled at the intrusion of his self worth and being.

"Wicked are the blood samples they took secure."

Sage chuckled. "I'm following the feeds in the labs and the paper trail as best I can. These won't disappear like the last ones."

"Thank you. And don't bother any more of my friends, especially Raffe with this. I think you pissed off Oriena enough for everyone."

"10/4. I'm here if you need me." And then there was silence.