04-14-2025, 10:56 AM
It didn't surprise Nox that Hayden was at the house. He seemed to be the kids go to. Nox is in trouble or anyone really so we should call Hayden to help us all through it. Nox didn't know why Hayden came most of the time, but he was always glad to see him.
Liam was the first to greet him. He had Lily in his arms and handed her gently to Nox. "You didn't do anything stupid did you?" Liam didn't hesitate before wrapping him in a hug.
"I know what I'm doing. I'm fine." Liam seemed to take the fact that he was standing upright and hugging him back as a good sign as he slipped away to go make himself a plate of food. It did smell good, but the house was full and he was dirty. There was still blood on his hands and he needed it gone.
Hadyen caught his arm as he walked past. Nox reached with his free hand which was the mechanical one, the other held Lily tight against his chest like she liked. She was a warm weight against his chest and that made Nox feel safe and happy. But the tip of his thumb slid under Hayden's shirt and touched bare skin. Normally it wouldn't have been something noticed, but the texture of the jeans and then the soft skin below was a high contrast. But he couldn't feel with the mechanical hand.
His eyes darted to his placement on the hip and Nox realized that the nanobots had completed the nerve connections and he was feeling things for the first time in months. Nox's hand went to Hayden's cheek. An experiment, but more than that, to feel skin beneath those fingers to know he wouldn't hurt his friend and lover and... it pulled at emotions that he didn't want to touch. He missed Raffe, but that was over. He kept telling himself that as he looked into Hayden's eyes. Hayden didn't want more. And that was fine with Nox, he was a good friend. He hated he'd ended things with Jay... he had to reconnect and fix that too. There was a lot rolling through his mind as Hayden asked him if he could feel that. Nox nodded and asked ""You staying?"
Hayden nodded. "I will. Go clean up." Nox gave him a smile and headed back to his room and into the shower. Lily lay in the bouncer just outside the door. His stomach rumbled -- probably should have eaten first, but blood was not his favorite thing.
Liam was the first to greet him. He had Lily in his arms and handed her gently to Nox. "You didn't do anything stupid did you?" Liam didn't hesitate before wrapping him in a hug.
"I know what I'm doing. I'm fine." Liam seemed to take the fact that he was standing upright and hugging him back as a good sign as he slipped away to go make himself a plate of food. It did smell good, but the house was full and he was dirty. There was still blood on his hands and he needed it gone.
Hadyen caught his arm as he walked past. Nox reached with his free hand which was the mechanical one, the other held Lily tight against his chest like she liked. She was a warm weight against his chest and that made Nox feel safe and happy. But the tip of his thumb slid under Hayden's shirt and touched bare skin. Normally it wouldn't have been something noticed, but the texture of the jeans and then the soft skin below was a high contrast. But he couldn't feel with the mechanical hand.
His eyes darted to his placement on the hip and Nox realized that the nanobots had completed the nerve connections and he was feeling things for the first time in months. Nox's hand went to Hayden's cheek. An experiment, but more than that, to feel skin beneath those fingers to know he wouldn't hurt his friend and lover and... it pulled at emotions that he didn't want to touch. He missed Raffe, but that was over. He kept telling himself that as he looked into Hayden's eyes. Hayden didn't want more. And that was fine with Nox, he was a good friend. He hated he'd ended things with Jay... he had to reconnect and fix that too. There was a lot rolling through his mind as Hayden asked him if he could feel that. Nox nodded and asked ""You staying?"
Hayden nodded. "I will. Go clean up." Nox gave him a smile and headed back to his room and into the shower. Lily lay in the bouncer just outside the door. His stomach rumbled -- probably should have eaten first, but blood was not his favorite thing.
![[Image: nox_sig.gif]](http://thefirstage.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/nox_sig.gif)