Home Sweet Home

[Nox]

After leaving Chesterfields Nox was still itching to do something. He looked at his wallet, Aria hadn't texted him back so it wasn't immediately pressing they talk, or she'd have already sent him a message. Bas hadn't answered either. Prick!

He still didn't know much about Moscow, but where one city thrived, so did another and Nox knew how to find what he was looking for in any city, and he was pretty sure he could find a good time even across the ocean.

Nox headed towards the Red Light District, he wasn't looking for illicit activity per se, but what he was looking for was more likely to be found in unsavory parts of Moscow. But he wasn't going to venture to the underground to hunt for a good time, at least not the kind he was looking for anyway.

Nox found a pair of girls, couldn't be more than a year younger than him, but they dressed like they were ready to hit some old goth flavored club. He followed the darkly clad girls at a safe distance. They were too engrossed in one another's company to even notice he followed them. Their wallets were out like it was air to breathe. They giggled and commented and he didn't pay much attention to what they said, as long as it wasn't about him following them.

Nox could hear loud music thumping nearby and smiled. He had been right, they were going to some place he wanted to be. They did glance back at him once they had arrived at the front door of what looked like a warehouse. He laughed to himself, maybe he and Aurora could throw a rave and charge admission. Yeah she would never go for that.

The girls knocked on the door and a man opened it with a brusque look, he looked at the girls. "ID!"

Apparently a reputable rave, or one that wasn't actually going to let kids in. They started fidgeting. Nox pulled out his id on his wallet and flashed it for the door man. "They're with me."


The girls looked up at him as he draped an arm around each of them, they smiled with their too much made up faces.

The man looked at him and smiled lewdly at him. Nox laughed and ushered the girls into the warehouse. The music thrummed and he could feel it in his bones. Nox patted the girls on the shoulder once they were all comfortably on the inside away from the door. He whispered to one of the girls. "Be safe."
He took two steps forward and turned around with a grin and waved them away. "Go have fun."
He wasn't about to play chaperon to kids, he'd get them in sure, but he was here for one thing, and they weren't old enough to help him out.

Nox went to the bar and ordered a beer, he had no intentions of drinking it but he wanted to at least look like he was not a stiff. He did take a swallow before heading out on to the dance floor. The music was loud, he could barely hear anything at all and that was perfect. Nox let the music flow over him and through him until he was in the right headspace. It had been a long while since he'd done this. Months in a cast, and then more time in rehab, and then Aria. He smiled hoping that Aria was enjoying herself. She deserved something good in her life.

But a small body curled up against the front of him, distracting him from his thoughts. The small blond in a pleated skirt and skimpy tank top shirt that slide off of one shoulder inserted herself precisely into his movements. His hands reached for her hips and when she didn't protest, Nox knew he'd be having a good time for the rest of the night.

****

Nox woke up when a car alarm went off outside the window. He rubbed his eyes and he blinked away the sleep before he carefully moved the sleeping form lying on his chest towards a pillow. She mumbled something but it was incomprehensible. He looked around in the room with only the street lamps outside as his guide to find his clothes. His wallet was set neatly on the night stand, her contact information displayed neatly on the first screen. He laughed quietly to himself and swiped it away to delete it.

He pulled on his boots and his coat and slipped out the door. Once away from the girl's apartment he yawned and stretched before stepping out into the cold Moscow night. As he did he heard his wallet beep at him. The sun was on its way up but still not quite there yet. He pulled it out as he boarded the metro to head home, it was only a stop or two but he was still tired from the late night.

He laughed as he read Aria's message. Nox wondered if Lucas was there too. He texted her back. "Be home soon. Don't eat without me. I'm starving."

His stomach decided then was the perfect time to rumble. Perfect timing Aria!

Two stops later and he was back in the cold and at his door step. He unlocked the door and stepped into the smell of sausage cooking. "You speak my language girl."


Aria laughed. Nox turned and started to pull off his leather coat and stared at the broken drywall he'd just painted. "We have a problem?"
He was not happy but he was going to give things the benefit of the doubt first. Aria looked at him with concern, she could feel what he was feeling, he knew that, she could feel the anger that was bubbling just beneath the surface. He didn't bother pretending, there really was no point in it.

[Aria]

Nox came into the warehouse remarking on how the food smelled good. But his good mood was dampened by the busted wall. Aria nodded towards the second one. She continued to cook the sausage and chop vegetables while she spoke. "Your sister decided that me knowing she had a bad dream was an invasion of her privacy and that was the last straw apparently."
Aria turned to look at Nox as he sat down at the bar. "She grabbed the power, threw me into the coat rack, then stalked over to me and held me up in the air, but I had a chance to get to my gun before hand. I lost consciousness as I pulled the trigger next to her head. Lucas says I didn't hurt her. I woke up against the wall. There's a hole in the flooring where I shot, the bullet is wedged firmly in the cement below."


Nox looked around and shook his head. Aria shrugged. "I won't provoke her again, but I don't think she wants me here."


Nox grinned at her, Aria smiled back, his humor returning. "I want you here. It's safer, she understands that. She said you could stay. So don't worry about that."


Aria wasn't sure that was the case anymore, but she could stay out Aurora's way if she had to, it was easy enough to do. "You tell me what to do, and I'll help fix the damage."


Nox laughed. "You help me? Yeah I can see Aria getting paint all over. But hey if you insist I'll sit back and supervise."


Aria grinned at him. "I said I'd help not do all the work."


He smiled at her. "I'm starving, when's food ready."


Aria laughed two track mind for that man. She pushed a hot cup of coffee in front of him. "That's all I got for the moment."
Aria set to throwing the fritatta together so it could all cook together nicely. "Borovsky interrogated me about things, well everything. But I need a favor of you, not a favor, a job request."
Aria glanced over her shoulder to see Nox watching her and sipping his coffee. "I'm going to Sibera, I'd like you to come with me. I don't expect it to be dangerous, but hunting unknown things is always a issue. I don't know what I'll find there. A deep dark cesspool of darkness could be waiting in the ruins of the monastery or it could be nothing. But I need you to come."
Aria only paused a second before adding. "I've asked Lucas to come."
She turned and smiled at Nox. "I don't think either of us fly too well, he'll anchor me so I can curb your anxiety."


Aria could feel his anxiety rising at the thought of getting on a plane, she knew that was probably something that would not go away completely but she could help.

[Nox]

The anger deflated when Aria told him what had happened. He'd have to have a talk with Aurora about that later, but it didn't matter right now and apparently wouldn't matter for a while.

Siberia? What the hell was in Siberia, the abominable snow man? She mentioned a monastery, that could mean only one thing - Ascendancy. Aria was checking out her leads on finding something that could help her or hinder her in her attempt on Ascendancy's life. Nox was pretty sure she was not really wanting to kill the most powerful man on the planet, much less get caught failing doing so or even attempting to take his life. So she stalled, but now Borovsky had uses for her, he'd interrogated her for a week or more, but she didn't seem to well off. No extra cuts and bruises, at least none that weren't from his sister.

But the food set down in front of him made him forget all his other worries. He took a bite and his stomach rumbled for more, he was a lot hungrier than he thought he had been. "You don't have to ask, I can't say I'm thrilled with the idea of flying, but at least you've thought it through."
He was pretty sure with Lucas to balance Aria out they'd make it through the short flight.

Aria sat down across from him and started eating her own after she'd put tin foil over the rest to keep it warm. He grinned at her. "Lucas still around?"
He expected Aria to blush but she only nodded and indicated he was still sleeping in her room. He grinned at her between forkfuls. "So you liked it then?"


She looked up at him with a grin. "Yes, thank you. I didn't quite make it to the bathroom on show-n-tell night, but I've a feeling I'll love it."


Nox laughed, she was far from modest that was for sure. He'd have to get used to that he supposed. "I ran into Connor and his fiance."
Aria looked up at him with a questioning look. Nox grinned. "He held me at gun point and threatened me because I was Atharim."


Aria didn't looked surprised as she looked down at her plate. "I have his number and I gave him yours. His girl is like me and Aurora. She's on the list."


Aria did look up at him with surprise then. "And I suppose you put your name down to hunt her."


Nox nodded. He pulled out his wallet and flipped to her file. "Yeah and that's not the only strange thing I found."


Aria flipped through the files and smiled. "That is interesting."
But that was all she said on the matter. He would have to interrogate her later on that.

Nox cleaned the last of his plate. "I expect more of this if you are living here."
Aria laughed and smiled at him. "I'm gonna shower and get last nights events off of me before I take a nap."
She smiled knowingly at him and he blushed, damn girl and her knowing what he's talking about and feeling. He shook his head and went to his room. It was a mess still but it was home, and for that he was happy, he'd deal with his sister later.

[Aria]

Chatting with Nox over breakfast while not completely usual, it did feel nice. A home sounded like a good thing, and he acted like he did want her there. She was sure why he cared so much, she understood what he felt, but it hardly ever showed. But they were friends, and he knew the the full truth, there was nothing hidden between them, and that was the only way this would work. It would take getting used to living with him, but more importantly avoiding all out brawls with his sister. Thankfully her own room was well enough away that it shouldn't matter.

But Nox mentioned Connor, one of the new normal people she'd met since coming to Moscow. Not that Connor was straight out normal, but he personally wasn't anything special. His son had been like Nox, Aria wondered what they'd talked about, wondered why he had taken Nox at gun point. And it didn't seem to overly bother Nox that he'd been held against his will. But then again what scares a man who can throw you across the room without ever touching you? Surely not a gun. Nox was fearless when it mattered most, but she was pretty sure he had hidden behind his power, hidden in his mask. But she knew he hadn't been afraid, concerned.

The revelation that Connor's fiance, the reason Connor had felt guilty for kissing her made Aria understand why Connor might try to hurt someone from the Atharim. From the looks of the file, they'd had at least one encounter and survived it. The man who had followed them was a cocky son of a bitch. He had been when Aria met him years ago. And he looked like he continued to be, taking on a god alone. Stupid man!

But that hadn't been the most interesting fact, Ayden Hayes hadn't existed before a few months ago. Every past paperwork was there, but she just kinda showed up in Moscow with very little paper trail. That usually meant false identity. Aria would dig a little deeper, she could use someone with that skill. Ayden and Connor could use one of those type people now that they were on the kill list. Aria would have to speak with Connor. She wasn't looking forward to that, but she did need to apologize for her treatment of him. Even though he needs to learn to keep his big mouth shut about things he should know nothing of. Maybe Nox should have thrown him across the room. But a little fear into the man. Twice now he's told Atharim he knows what they are. And TWICE her name has come up out of it. He is going to be the death of her if anyone is. Apparently his own secrets mean very little to him, that he blabs everyone else's.

Nox wandered off to take a shower, she smiled, he'd found a girl to hook up with, which explained his late arrival home. Aria slipped into her room to grab the laptop that sat on the desk, she left the door open to see by but watched Lucas sleep softly in her bed. She didn't want to wake him, he looked peaceful and she didn't want him to leave - not ever.