It happened fast. The teeth. The pain. The shove. Words in Russian came from Oriena and he only understood one word -- and it was the only word that mattered "mama".
Before he could reconcile what had just happened Nox was careening backwards. He reached out with both hand, but it was the left hand that caught the railing before tumbling backwards down the stairs. If not for the iron grip of the mechanical hand he'd have tumbled backward instead of just wrenching his arm.
Oriena wasn't happy. The fury on her face was unlike any he'd seen but it wasn't pissed off anger -- well not all of it was there was more -- this was not her home -- not a place he should be. He'd crossed a line -- He'd known that going in.
The horde slipped from his grasp much like the power inside would. It didn't threaten to take over in his lapse like it would have before. He had controlled it and it was a thought to consider later, but right now he had an angry bull in front of him and he was the red flag being waved in front of it. But he couldn't just leave. That might damage what they'd built. Not that they talked but they had lines and connections despite the fact that they weren't having a relationship. It was still family.
Nox righted himself and stepped back towards the wall his hands up in surrender before he put them down and made sure the connection to his arm wasn't fucked. That was the first full on weight he'd put on the latching mechansim since he'd gotten it. It held up and he was happy, but he'd have to have Sage run some diagnositics when he remembered later.
"I'll go." He said. But he didn't move. He didn't apologize. Though it was etched on his face. There were things he knew not to do with Oriena and backing down from his intent might be okay but being sorry for it outloud might trigger more. It was better than the alternative. The reason he'd come had just been punched in the face even if he had not. The rejection stung and it bit hard at his mental capacity. Life was draining him right now and he hated feeling it hated what he'd lost but couldn't live without what he'd gained. It was a two edged blade and he danced on its edge cutting his feet in the process. He just stared across the gap at Oriena, unmoving waiting for the other shoe to drop.
Before he could reconcile what had just happened Nox was careening backwards. He reached out with both hand, but it was the left hand that caught the railing before tumbling backwards down the stairs. If not for the iron grip of the mechanical hand he'd have tumbled backward instead of just wrenching his arm.
Oriena wasn't happy. The fury on her face was unlike any he'd seen but it wasn't pissed off anger -- well not all of it was there was more -- this was not her home -- not a place he should be. He'd crossed a line -- He'd known that going in.
The horde slipped from his grasp much like the power inside would. It didn't threaten to take over in his lapse like it would have before. He had controlled it and it was a thought to consider later, but right now he had an angry bull in front of him and he was the red flag being waved in front of it. But he couldn't just leave. That might damage what they'd built. Not that they talked but they had lines and connections despite the fact that they weren't having a relationship. It was still family.
Nox righted himself and stepped back towards the wall his hands up in surrender before he put them down and made sure the connection to his arm wasn't fucked. That was the first full on weight he'd put on the latching mechansim since he'd gotten it. It held up and he was happy, but he'd have to have Sage run some diagnositics when he remembered later.
"I'll go." He said. But he didn't move. He didn't apologize. Though it was etched on his face. There were things he knew not to do with Oriena and backing down from his intent might be okay but being sorry for it outloud might trigger more. It was better than the alternative. The reason he'd come had just been punched in the face even if he had not. The rejection stung and it bit hard at his mental capacity. Life was draining him right now and he hated feeling it hated what he'd lost but couldn't live without what he'd gained. It was a two edged blade and he danced on its edge cutting his feet in the process. He just stared across the gap at Oriena, unmoving waiting for the other shoe to drop.
![[Image: nox_sig.gif]](http://thefirstage.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/nox_sig.gif)