Et tu, Brute?

[Aiden Finnegan]

Aiden tried to suppress his shock, but he couldn’t help the fact that his eyebrows seemed to want to climb to the top of his scalp. Sage was surprisingly forthcoming with the mystery that was Nox, but then again, Aiden had never really tried to pry. Nox seemed like the lonely, broody type; men like that didn’t normally want to get too close to people. Hearing what Sage had to say, Aiden found his assumptions to be validated. Guilt formed at the pit of his stomach over Nox’s youth… To think that there were still parents out there that held homophobic views… The world had made such strides over the last few decades on that front, but then again, when Aiden was a child, those changes were still taking hold across the globe.

                With a shake of his head, Aiden took a sip of his drink and spoke in a half whisper, “That’s horrible… A messed up childhood and an ex-Atharim channeler? I’m surprised the man is still going on. He’s made of tough stuff, that’s for sure.”

                Then came the rest and Aiden couldn’t help but feel a twinge of amusement- and regret, “So, I basically complicated things then, huh? Things might have gone differently had you and I met later? You and Nox might have had time for something to bloom.” The thought didn’t hurt and Aiden, surprisingly, was not jealous; although that might have been due to the fact that Nox had had a life-long crush on him (hence the amusement.) Memories of that first night at the mansion, Sage servicing him while Nox looked on, started to take a completely different cast. Had the man had other motives? Aiden had certainly provided him with a free show…

                A chuckle escaped Aiden’s lips, but he quickly stifled it, lest he appear insensitive. Looking out the window, Aiden noted that they would be pulling up to the mansion within five or ten minutes. Not much more time to talk. The thought of pulling Nox into Sage and his relationship pulsed at the back of his mind, but he still did not feel right suggesting it. Then again, Aiden liked to think that they were all friends. Surely friends helped each other and looked out for one another. It sounded like Nox needed to heal some old wounds. Love and sex could do that… But then again, it could also complicate things and even cause new hurts. Polyamory wasn’t for everyone and it was definitely a complicated matter… But, the truth of it was, Aiden could see himself with Nox and Sage. Those nights, so long ago, with Kyle and their ‘thirds’ were nothing more than fun. This could very well prove to be something else entirely, but that depended on Nox and Sage.

                Might as well start with the basics. There was no harm in asking.

                “Let’s speak frankly, mon dieu… Do you have feelings for Nox? At all? Spare my feelings. I genuinely want to know.”