Consequences

[Sage]

It was like coming home after a long vacation. That feeling of being in the perfect place, right before you realize tomorrow you have to go back to work. Sage had already hung up the phone when he lost the connection. He hadn't felt Nox come up behind him but when he turned around Sage nearly lost it when he saw the dongle held between his two thin fingers.

He did lose it when Nox tapped him on the head - he presumed to tell him what to do. Who the fuck did he think he was? Sage didn't think he flew on reaction and his fist flew and connected to Nox's jaw. And before he could think he threw another punch. Instead of finding a meaty purchase in the man's gut before him Sage found himself pressed up against one of the basement supports near the stairs. Nox's hand was pressing the middle of his shoulder blades just below his neck. He spoke softly in Sage's ear. "Chill the fuck out."
Short of the swear word in the mix of words he didn't sound mad.

Sage struggled against his captor but he couldn't escape. How the fuck!

[Elyse]

Nox had that playful smile and Elyse knew what it meant. She didn't blush at all, but smiled back as he held her. Throwing balls at Nox sounded like fun actually, but he wasn't able to finish as he had to go deal with Sage.

Something was wrong. Elyse could smell something - something primal like a wolfkin that had gone bad. Sage wasn't one of them - at least she didn't think he was. Some sort of device was the reason for Sage's outburst. Elyse didn't know what it was, but "connectivity" told her that it was some sort of communication device or something of the sort?

Whatever it was - it was like the drug that she thought Sage was on, and immediately she was glad she hadn't tried to hand him his wallet. Nox was protective of her and the confrontation would have likely been more violent than it already was.

But it was over in a flash. Nox had Sage pinned and Elyse could hear the words that he spoke to Sage. Definite signs of addiction and withdrawal. Elyse hoped Sage would be okay. She didn't know him well, but he had seemed nice to her.

As for getting involved, Elyse didn't. She remained prepared to intervene if necessary, but Nox seemed to have things under control for now.

[Nox]

The words were barely out of his mouth before fury turned on its heel and belted him in the face. Nox's jaw stung with the pain of Sage's knuckles connecting. At least someone had taught the hacker to throw a punch. Nox still had the power and the pain floated across his awareness of it, but he knew it was there - he knew it'd hurt later. Skinny kid had some bite to him. Not that he should be surprised.

Sage threw the second jab towards his rib cage but Nox wound him up in air and turned him quickly away from him and pressed him against the pillar that held up the stairs. His voice sounded odd to him as he told Sage to calm down - but not in those exact words. It always amazed him how things were so different with the power coursing through his veins. He sounded oddly like Aria does when she goes into battle mode, it made Nox wonder if it was one and the same thing.

Nox should be angry but he wasn't. Sage was a junkie just not the kind that did drugs. Sage's wallet rang and Nox used a weave of air to bring it to him and he answered. "Nothing to worry about Sasha."


Sage struggled against the bonds and he spoke through grunts. "What happened to my stuff?"
Sage continued to try to move but Nox wouldn't let him. Air and his hand between his shoulder blades kept the hacker from moving even though he probably could if Nox weren't cheating.

"You hear him?"


Sasha sighed over the line. "Put me over speaker." Nox complied. Sasha started a few moments later. "Someone came in and took Bryan, Sage. They tried to access your server, Bryan didn't give them the codes. It started a wipe. They tried to stop it by unplugging it and then the whole server started frying - literally. We all heard the first bang in the den - even over the music. They kept calling him Phaser. Sage they thought he was you. But everything's gone - there's nothing in your apartment. They couldn't put the fire out fast enough."

Nox knew that feeling all too well. He'd felt the loss of everything he owned - everyone he loved was gone and Nox tried not to let his feelings show - he wasn't sure how much he achieved but at least Aria wasn't there to feel everything. Nox interrupted Sasha before she could continue on. "If I take away that thing he plugs into his head am I going to have a problem? His doctor said he can't use the thing in his head. He got a message on his wallet and then tried to plug in. He's not happy with me right now."


"I wouldn't if I were you. I'd be like taking his safety net from him. But that's your call. Nox, he'll die if that thing gets any worse. Whatever he's doing now, will only get worse."

Nox laughed dryly. "Pretty sure I can take hacker boy here. Though he does have a nasty right hook."


Sasha gasped. "He hit you? Jesus Christ, Sage. He's only trying to help. Let him call me back when he's feeling better. I gotta go. We are still scrambling after the fire."

Sasha hung up and Sage began his struggle again and Nox let him go backing up three steps holding the hardware he'd confiscated in his fist while he waited those few moments for Sage's reaction.

[Sage]

Sage struggled against Nox's grip on him. The pillar smelled musty and Sage sneezed. His wallet rang and Sage sighed knowing who it was. Nox answered the phone telling Sasha it was alright. But Sage needed to talk to her - what the fuck happened to his things... His voice came out tight - he didn't swear which surprised him as much as Nox's non-anger had.

Sasha told him what happened. And Sage's body felt broken - like every bone in his body had turned to jello and his limbs felt like noodles and he wanted to collapse to the floor but the hold Nox had on his kept him upright. Sage could feel his own body shaking as the two continued to talk. He didn't catch most of it too lost in his own thoughts.

Sasha hung up. Talk to him later he'd heard. It brought him out of his pain - his loss. Sage shrugged and tried to struggle again and Nox let him go. The other man backed away and Sage just glared at him before he leaned against the wall and slide down to curl up into a fetal position leaning against it.

Nox squatted down but didn't move any closer and asked, "You alright?"


Sage turned his body away from the other man, so he couldn't see him. The last thing Sage wanted was to see a disarming grin and the good natured kid helping him through a shit storm. He wasn't some baby. Didn't need kid gloves. Nox asked again, this time calling him by name. Sage couldn't answer. He would be lying. It wasn't okay. Nothing about this was okay.

Everything he owned was gone. All the information he collected over the years gone up in smoke because of Byran. All his friends lost in the wipe. He knew they were real people - he could track them all down again, but now - now he had to start over.

Nox just watched him from where he'd squatted down. He didn't touch him, didn't say anything else. Sage couldn't take it and he unfolded himself from the ground and stood up. His anger bubbling to the surface again. Sage paced rapidly back and forth in a small space. He hated this - hated feeling helpless. He wasn't connected. He was a lone - his friends all gone.

Sage wasn't usually violent - Nox was rubbing off in a bad way. Sage couldn't help the overwhelming desire to punch something. All thought had fled with his anger and Sage pulled his fist back and hit the same pillar that Nox had pinned him up against.

The pain shot through his fingers and up his arm... there was nothing else but the mind numbing pain.

[Elyse]

Well things enfolded in interesting ways, but Elyse began to figure out what was going on. Like her, Sage had lost everything. He was angry and frustrated and probably confused. Elyse could relate.

Elyse felt like she should say something, but didn't think she had anything to offer the hacker. She barely knew him, so she didn't think he would trust her. She felt the best thing to do was to leave the talking at least in Nox's capable hands, but she could help.

"I'll go get an ice pack."
she said, even though the hacker would possibly need more. He might have broken knuckles.

Elyse took to the stairs and quickly grabbed an ice pack before coming back down. She held the ice pack out for Sage. "Here it might help."

[Nox]

Sage looked lost like he'd felt so many times before. Nox didn't want someone interfering with his feelings so he let Sage be - he wasn't in danger to himself or others - yet. The hacker had gotten up and started pacing and Nox stood back up. He watched the other man stomp from one end of the small space he occupied to the other. It was a split second decision on Sage's part, Nox saw the moment it clicked into his mind and Sage was pulling back. Nox wove air, but the impact of Sage's hand to the pole was faster than Nox could think. That second separation was everything.

Sage didn't cry out in pain, he only doubled over and cradled his left hand against his body. "You're an idiot."
Nox closed the distance between them and reached for Sage's hand as Elyse was already moving to go get an ice pack. "Let me see it."
Nox demanded. Sage just curled up over his hand protectively.

He was being such a child. Nox grabbed the hacker's hand in his own and pulled Sage into the light. Sage winced as Nox touched his knuckles with care. "You are going to have one hell of a bruise. But I don't think you broke anything."


Elyse came back down the stairs and was handing over an ice pack which Nox took with a grateful smile. "Thanks, Duckling."
He grinned at Sage and touched it to his jaw. The look Sage gave him was priceless. Nox chuckled as he put the pack on Sage's left hand with a grin. "Looks like you won't be typing much for a little bit. Sadly this is your predominant hand so you aren't likely to be throwing things at me either. Such a shame."
Nox had been looking forward to the game. He missed his little arena at the warehouse, with automatic pitching units set around the room filled with bean bags. Aurora had programmed them to fire randomly and in no specifically order. He'd have to recreate it, and even better now he had a computer guru here to help him with that sort of stuff - provided he didn't kill himself in the process.

Nox looked to Elyse and to Sage - they both needed a little venting. Violence was perfect except Sage couldn't hit things. Dodge ball was still a good thing - if they wanted. "I'm still willing to let ya throw the balls at me. Sage might suck a little more than usual now, but I'm sure we can manage."



Edited by Nox, Jan 24 2017, 02:59 PM.

[Sage]

Hitting the pillar was probably a bad thing at least Nox's jaw had given way some when his friend had moved. The pillar did no such thing. Sage clutched his hurt hand to his chest and when Nox called him an idiot he wholeheartedly agreed with the sentiment but he didn't want anyone to touch and tried to evade Nox's reach, but the man had a long reach and was a lot quicker than Sage was.

His hands sent rivers of pain through Sage's arm as he tugged on him to see better. But the pain was nothing compared to the fact that Nox was tenderly touching his hand checking for broken bones. Sage's heart skipped a beat as he watched the brief interaction take place - the gentle touch of strong calloused fingers over his knuckles and fingers. Fuck!

Sage looked up when Elyse returned with an ice pack from the kitchen. Nox thanked her with a smile and then proceeded to ice his jaw with a shit eating grin on his face. Sage could feel the fury rising again until Nox laughed - Asshole!

His friend applied the cold ice pack to his hand and the tenderness was not lost on Sage. It numbed the pain and was cold against his skin, but Nox's hand underneath was warm and was having an interesting affect on Sage, but the sensation was gone when Nox's hands fell to his side as he looked back and forth between himself and Elyse. What Sage wouldn't give to know what ran through Nox's head as he proposed to continue his original plan.

Nox's insults were tossed with playful banter. He'd almost gotten used to the biting comments which weren't meant to be mean. It was the guy thing to do, but Sage hadn't had many friends and nearly everyone who did would never have said things like that even in jest - they feared Sage's anger - his hacker friends feared him - for Nox there was nothing to fear. Whatever records that were of Nox were few and far between and they were all lost in the damned explosion of his property. Sage was mildly worried about Bryan - later he might feel more - but right now there was a drowning feeling.

Sage shook his head. "That's okay you two go ahead."
Sage started for the stairs and he could feel the loss weighing heavily on his shoulders.

[Elyse]

Time alone with Nox would have been fun. Elyse had to admit it. Sparring would have been great. Elyse smiled slightly at the thought. "Sparring" would be fun. But she had sympathy for Sage right now. She understood, likely more than Sage knew.

Elyse saw the weight on him. He had lost everything that he had known. Despite her mother's words, Elyse had felt abandoned by her mother. Unerring devotion to dogma had won out in favor of love for her child. As Sage walked away, Elyse had the urge to speak. She looked at Nox, quickly and then turned back to Sage.

"Sage,"
she said, hoping he'd stop. He did, but didn't turn around. "I've lost everything too. All I have is here. Sometimes it helps to do something - move around a bit. Play a game with us."


Elyse's voice was encouraging. She hoped Sage would stay.

[Nox]

Nox watched Sage walk away. He was about to stop him when Elyse spoke up citing the same thing he would have. This was not a time to be alone - Sage was volatile it could lead to self-destruction. Things that he knew all too well - his father drank himself to death in his self-destruction. Nox found other pleasure to take his mind off of things. Sage didn't have his normal means of venting - he had to find something else to do and Elyse was right - just moving would help - even if only a little.

Nox smiled at Elyse and put his arm around her shoulders and hugged her to his side in a quick gesture of appreciation and acceptance. He was sad her family hadn't accepted her. But he could understand. He was beginning to think Dorian was not made of the same typical Atharim cloth. "You know my story, Sage. I don't have to tell you the shit storm I've gone through. In light of the losses we've all suffered, we are still here - alive and kicking - stay and join a game. If you don't feel better after 30 minutes, we'll go upstairs and play one of your shoot everything games I suck at."
Nox mumbled to himself, "Despite the fact I can hit an oni with a crossbow at 9 paces dead in the eye."


Nox wove a net of air and captured one of the smaller balls he'd made earlier and lifted it with the air and held it out in front of him hanging in mid air should Sage choose to accept the challenge.

[Sage]

Elyse called out after him and he stopped with the weight still pressing on him. He felt like drowning. Sage felt like he was drowning in a sea of emotions he couldn't process right now. He wondered if he had taken the medication this morning to help manage the anxiety of being unplugged. This new revelation was certainly ramping up that problem. He wanted to plug in.

Nox joined in with the same pleas - weren't they all like three peas in a pod. Though Sage didn't think he was as well adjusted as the other two. They took their loss in stride - or hid it well. Nox was good at hiding things - or so Aurora had always mentioned when she was frustrated by her brother. Which was a lot if Sage remembered correctly. But even that was difficult to do without hitting the processor in his mind. His memories were just data he stored. And right now everything was giving him a missing file error.

Nox promised to play video games if he didn't enjoy himself. That was a show of how much he was concerned over Sage's well being. It warmed his heart, but Sage knew Nox was trying to be good - he'd keep his feelings to himself. It wasn't the first time he'd crushed on a straight guy before. And it wasn't likely the last. But every so often Nox was more than friendly like before with the hurt hand. Now as kinda pushing the he didn't have to this for a friend. Nox had more interesting things he could pursue if he wanted.

Sage turned around and smiled though he knew it wasn't heart felt. They were both being nice, he'd give them the benefit of the doubt, for now. Sage reached out with his left hand, but regretted it the moment his hand wrapped around the strange ball Nox had made. A small shooting pain radiated up his arm and he winced. But he picked it up and it was surprisingly light. There was still pain. But the smile he saw when Nox was watching him made it worth it as his friend started the game. "Game on."


Sage put his right hand behind him and felt the invisible wall directly behind him. "You hit me in the face and I'm done."
Sage called out as he threw the first ball at his friend - maybe a real friend? time would tell.