Just Why?

[Casey]

Casey sat down and let herself relax a bit. She hoped Nox didn’t mind her company. If he had anything to do, he was certainly free to leave or something. It was nice to just exist for a bit with someone else. No agenda - just talking about things.

Of course things got dark fast. These kids were probably traumatized quite a bit. It explained a lot about how Cadence saw them. Casey had her own issues, but nothing in either Candence’s or the kids’ levels of trauma. Seems like Nox himself had a pretty up and down life too. It was a reminder that things weren’t always what you saw on the surface.

”Sounds like you all have had pretty hard lives. I’m glad you’re all still here though. Don’t know the kids as well, but I met some of them yesterday. Can’t have been easy for them to be in that situation. Same for you. Probably still very hard. You ever want to vent, I can listen. Sure as hell can’t offer advice on any of that, but I’ll listen. Cadence will too.”

Casey looked at him. ”You know, she holds you in pretty high regards. Cadence that is. For what you’re doing for these kids. It’s not really public knowledge, but she has a very traumatic past too. Not like these kids. Hers is different, although you could probably say there was a monster involved. Just of the human variety. Also a victim of the failed American foster system. If you ever really talk to her - like a real discussion - you’ll probably catch on to it. Her social-emotional maturity is pretty low for someone her age - particularly in social skills. Shes getting better at that though.” she gave him a smile. “Just want to let you know you’ve been noticed - and noticed by someone who has experience with trauma and failed systems.”

[Nox]

Nox grinned. "I have an endless supply of unwilling listeners. I tend to talk ... a lot. So thanks for that. I can get advice from Hayden if I need it." He really needed to talk to him, fix whatever was going on, but there really wasn't anything to fix. He was pissed about things that didn't matter. Nox understood Hayden. And his reasons but that didn't make it feel any better, or make him feel any better about the rest of his choices.

Nox sighed and stood back up and shut down the equipment. "I'm not doing any of it for recognition. Even the project for the refugee's I've asked Ana and Emily to help out with. It's the right thing to do. And I think that there is now a group of Atharim who are going to exploit that philosophy. And I don't know if it's a good or bad thing, specially with me as the face of it all." He shook his head and got back on topic. "The kids are great, they are resilient and without the pressures of their former life are thriving as normal kids. Half of them even started going to a physical school so they could socialize -- all their own idea not mine."

"You hungry? I'm sure I can whip up something? I need to feed the hunger." He'd just eaten but inverting weaves took a lot of energy he needed a snack already.