Second Chances

[Nox]

"Have you read my proposal?" Sage asked over the phone on one of the rare occasions he actually called Nox to discuss whatever it was. Probably because it was faster for Nox to talk than it was for Sage to communicate.

"I did, not that I understood much." 

Sage chuckled over the line. "Sounds about right. Basically it's the legal stuff that'll help you sell the idea."

Nox nodded not that Sage could see it. "I knew that much I don't need to understand it as long as you do."

Sage laughed. "The lawyers do and that's what matters. I laid out the business plan in layman's terms. So you could understand them.  Ana and Emily both have both documents too. So everyone's on the same page."

Nox nodded again flicking his eyes to the left to change the song streaming into his ear bud. Ashton's voice was a godsend when it came to interacting with people who didn't know him. At the club none of the regulars even really noticed that he was just a little off. They didn't see it, didn't know any better. But the crew knew. They would wince when Nox said something in a wrong tone. He was still getting used to it all, but the normies didn't know anything was wrong, even when he pretened to be threatening someone with a weave of air. Bruno was always ready to swoop in should there be trouble, but Nox's reputation preceeded him in Kallisti. He hadn't been back to the Alamz. There really was no point.

The song switched to the normal happy and content to something a bit more somber and business like -- not completely an emotion that Nox had displayed before, but he knew how to be serious. But even the sarcasm was tight and bitter when he remembered to play to his strengths. Everything was just wrong. Nothing felt right. The world was empty and even now he missed Lily. He missed the warmth of her body against his chest. He missed her babbling, but this was a business meeting and while Ana and Emily probably would have dotted on Lily, that was the exact reason he didn't bring her. This was important to him. He needed help and he couldn't do it alone. Money aside, he knew nothing of running a business or even if the plan was doable. But he had to do something!

They were meeting at an upscale cafe across town. Nox would have preferred his favorite, but this was business and there were better places with more privacy than that so he'd let Sage make all the arrangements. As usual.

It was cozy and warm when Nox arrived first.  He took a table in the far corner his back to the kitchen so he could keep an eye on the front door. He ordered black coffee for himself and a fancy coffees one  with oat milk and the other with whatever they usually made it with and carmel for Ana and Emily. Sage had given him Emily's order and Nox wondered if all rich people drank the same things.  When they all arrived at his table the Caramel macchiatos smelled way too fucking sweet and Nox reached for the power to push the scents away but the power was no where to be found and the stabbing pain of loss ripped through the song that played in his ear.  

Nox took deep breathes calming himself as he bent over his black cup of coffee with his good hand pressing against his temple trying to right his world again.