Oriena left without a thank you departing her truths which the sound of fireworks punctuated in Nox's pocket. Nox sighed. "She's not wrong. But she's lying to herself if she thinks I don't know it." He pulled out his wallet, though it was more a fumble for it as he had to reach across his body to find it in the opposite pocket from his good hand where he'd apparently placed it when he was done with it before.
The message from Jay sat on the front of the screen and he tapped it quickly opening up his log of messages.
This one read. Got time for a card game? I’ll shuffle for you.
Nox set it down between himself and Raffe the message still on display along with the log. Their last exchange had been short and it had been after he and Raffe had kissed in the hospital. Most of them were worry stupid things meant to entice a reply. Nox had been worried about him. He was alive and well, and that's what mattered and they had a lot to talk about. But Jay was not like an ex. He was a friend with whom Nox shared an intimate encounter before. And if it weren't for Raffe sitting next to him right now, Nox wouldn't have hesitated in replying with his own response.
With a slow nod to the message sitting between them, Nox spoke in a hushed whisper, "Do I?" He hoped Raffe would look and even scroll up to see their exchanges in the past. No secrets he told himself. Jay was not a dirty little secret. But Raffe was more than just a friend. And the thought of hurting Raffe torn Nox apart. Even if it was because he was an idiot.
The message from Jay sat on the front of the screen and he tapped it quickly opening up his log of messages.
This one read. Got time for a card game? I’ll shuffle for you.
Nox set it down between himself and Raffe the message still on display along with the log. Their last exchange had been short and it had been after he and Raffe had kissed in the hospital. Most of them were worry stupid things meant to entice a reply. Nox had been worried about him. He was alive and well, and that's what mattered and they had a lot to talk about. But Jay was not like an ex. He was a friend with whom Nox shared an intimate encounter before. And if it weren't for Raffe sitting next to him right now, Nox wouldn't have hesitated in replying with his own response.
With a slow nod to the message sitting between them, Nox spoke in a hushed whisper, "Do I?" He hoped Raffe would look and even scroll up to see their exchanges in the past. No secrets he told himself. Jay was not a dirty little secret. But Raffe was more than just a friend. And the thought of hurting Raffe torn Nox apart. Even if it was because he was an idiot.
![[Image: nox_sig.gif]](http://thefirstage.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/nox_sig.gif)