Connections

[Oriena]

Oriena watched him with a surprisingly measured look. His vulnerability was clear, which was always a dangerous thing for her to witness. Not because she took any pleasure in crushing others when they were weak, but because she found it so fucking irritating. Comfort wasn’t natural to her, or at least it wasn’t something she often chose to share. Perhaps because she used up all her quota on her mother. People frequently interpreted that as a lack of empathy but it was just a lesson in resilience. The things you loved didn’t necessarily love you back.

Nox wanted the picket fence. That much was clear. And he lamented his sucky choice in men. So why bother to chase someone who made their boundaries clear? Either enjoy the sex for what it was, or protect yourself and move on. And that was to say nothing of the whole furore concerning Rafael. She sighed, and it perhaps came out like a hard, annoyed sound. She had nothing to say. Or at least nothing Nox was likely to want to hear. So far as she was concerned, her actions spoke louder. He was here wasn’t he? In her mother’s apartment, privy to the most human, vulnerable secret Ori contained. And it wasn’t because of the storm outside that she let him stay.

“Then Hayden’s a dick. But you’re the idiot who keeps picking unavailable men.”

He retreated. Despite her manner, Ori wasn’t unaware that he was depleted. He looked tired in a way she felt, albeit for different reasons. Yet when he started yammering through whatever zen he was trying to achieve, she shifted to shove him in the shoulder.

“You know, this reliance on other people to define your worth is fucking tiring,” she said. “So get over yourself already.”

Ori stood, and assumed he’d do the same – if not a couple of kicks ought to suffice to get him moving. She didn’t want an apology from him, or restitution. And neither was she going to be party to him practically begging for proof that she wanted him here. But she knew a job would sooth him better than she could. It was barely three steps back to the kitchen. She shoved the chair back under the table, and made a loose gesture towards the freezer and cupboards. If she seemed angry, it was only because that anger was an easier thing to sustain herself on. “Take a look, then tell me what we’re making.”

[Nox]

She was right. But he didn't tell her that but he did nod with her words. He was the one who kept wanting more. He wasn't angry with Hayden -- not really. He just happened to be the one who took the brunt of the problem because he was there. He was always there. Which was part of the problem. He was there and there were feelings but he didn't want more -- with anyone. It wasn't a him thing. It was a Hayden thing.

But protecting himself wasn't something he did well. Nox knew this about himself. He took risks that most people wouldn't. His life -- well it didn't mean as much as someone else's. At least that's what his father always lead him to believe and it's really hard to defeat years of ingrained teachings even when the man was dead.

Ori punched him in the shoulder and told him to get over himself. He rolled his eyes as he stood up with her with a shit-eating grin on his face as he said. "Now why would I ever want to get over myself. I'm totally worth the hassle." Which was totally what she was saying though he twisted the words to that egotistical persona he wore most days. It wasn't needed here and it wasn't meant as anything more than a joke.

Of all the people in his life (short of Hayden and his live in family) Oriena was the only person who ever really saw the real him -- without the mask. Another thing he was grateful for.

She invited him into the kitchen a few steps behind them and put him to work. She didn't kick him out. She didn't profess her undying love or her even mildly passing interest in him. She did what she always did, gave him back a piece of himself.

He gave her a shoulder check as he stood next to her gazing into the freezer and the cupboards trying to figure out what they could possibly do. Soup would be good -- something hearty and warm. It was cold and leftovers were easy to reheat. While he didn't like beats he'd been practicing Borscht for Jules. The red fit her classic lipstick and hair and her red hot nature and she said it was her favorite growing up and hadn't had it in ages. Nox liked to learn how to make things people actually liked. And he found all the ingredients.

"How does Borscht sound? We can use some of the canned beans instead of thawing out any meat. Though we could do that too." He was mostly talking to himself, he wondered if Oriena cooked for her mother often or at all. He was about to learn if she could cook. But he didn't say any of it outloud. "We'll need gloves unless we want to sport red finger tips for a few days." He could probably make a look for the club with red finger tips. Black nails... Might actually be a fun getup but not because he was careless with food prep.