Safe For Now

[Raffe]

The light swooped dead and darkness plunged. Sterling yelped and Raffe felt himself flinch. The sound of his own ragged breathing filled his ears as his eyes adjusted to the remaining flame, curled into a whip held tight in Nox’s fist. His muscles corded tight. Thoughts raced. God his skull pounded.

Nox knelt for the dog, which came to him slowly. Raffe tried not to watch the creatures behind, swaying like they were connected on some invisible current to Nova’s movements. It was eerie. Then Nox grabbed the dog and yelled, and the things left. He shivered. He thought they left, but honestly he could barely see. “Have they gone now?” he whispered.

[Sterling]

He's crazy! My cousin is crazy! That was the only thought she had as she listened to everything that happened. It was better than watching everything her eyes were clamped closed her face pressed into Raffe's side. He was crazy!

The sounds left and there was nothing but the pounding of her heart and the ragged breathing of the three of them. The pup yipped in Nox's grasp but the scratching sound had fled. Raffe's whisper echoed in the sudden silence. The only other sound in the darkness was a soft dripping of water somewhere.

Sterling didn't dare open her eyes. She was afraid of what she might see. But she felt tears falling down her cheeks. She hugged close to Raffe. She wanted this to be all over. "I want to go home."

[Nox]

Nox heard the fear in Raffe's voice. He nodded but knew in the dimness it was hard to see. His voice cracked with the falling tears. "I think so." The power was shredding through him. It was painful and glorious and it was that pain he held on to as he wove an orb of light above his head. The brightness of it flared into existence and Nox had to close his eyes. He whispered. "Sorry." But he needed to see.

It took several long moments listening to Nova whimper and whine in his grasp before he dared open his eyes. And he saw what he didn't want to see - At the base of Nova's neck was a bite, not clean through the throat, but the blood had caked the skin. The scab that had formed was the color of the skin of the creatures who had ventured into the light before he'd rid himself of it.

Nox let Nova go and the dog scurried after the pack that it come with. Tears streamed down his face and Nox fell on to ass and the power winked out. The last link. The last of his sister was gone to his own stupidity. Another epic failure.

His own misery was cut short as he heard Sterling's soft voice in the darkness. Nox pushed himself upwards and walked back to the pair waiting for him. He pried Sterling from Raffe and lifted her easily up and carried her with his good arm. "You need to speak to Julianna first, but as soon as we get signal we'll call your parents." Nox's voice reflected his own sadness and tears.

Raffe's gift was pressing into his side as Streling clung to the plant. He grinned at Raffe in the eerie light of the flamed whip. "A fucked up day." Though he was trying to put on the best face Nox wasn't sure how long the mask would hold. Because that's all it was. A mask - hiding the truth of his reality. "Let's go home."

"Here take this." Nox handed Raffe his wallet, "That dot is where we want to go. I can't hold her and that at the same time." A blinking blue dot on the map indicated their exit. It wasn't near Kalisti exactly more like the old warehouse where he'd first found Nova, but it was the closest to where they wanted to go. Kalisti would be a short walk from there.

[Raffe]

Sterling hugged tight into his side, and Raffe’s arm circled her shoulders like the gesture might somehow hold them all together. He thought she might be sobbing. But it was the crack in Nox’s voice that really caught his chest in a painful vise, because in the darkness he had been utterly unaware of the track of tears. Sterling anchored him from action; he couldn’t leave her, not now, but it hurt to stay away. It hurt to only watch.

He squinted in the sudden burn of light. Nox’s eyes were closed now, the pup wriggling by the scruff. But he could see now that blood coated Nova’s neck; an awful lot of it, lurching Raffe’s stomach with unease. After a long moment Nox inspected the wound, then let the animal scamper off back into the darkness. For a moment confusion reigned, and then he remembered what Nox had said at the hospital. About being bitten. Questions surged, the horrified realisation plain on his face the moment the thought dawned. But he couldn’t ask them with Sterling here.

The man fell then, and Raffe half moved towards him, still gripping the kid. But Sterling’s soft voice punctured the grief, and Nox pulled himself from the wreckage to come take his cousin. Raffe’s own anxiety peeked in the meantime, concern open and fraught in his expression even as he helped calmly peel Sterling free. He murmured brief reassurances to supplement what Nox told her must happen next, but it was to Nox he looked once she was gathered up. A fucked up day indeed. His hand trailed the cap of Nox’s shoulder like he needed the touch; a commiseration, an acknowledgement of pain. Maybe that was selfish. Nox looked about ready to shatter. But it wasn't in his nature to witness without some kind of offered connection.

He swallowed and took the wallet, forced himself to the task. “Right,” he said. “Right. I can do that.”

[Sterling]

Nox pried her away from Raffe. Both of them soothing her but she wasn't sure if that was what she wanted but all in all Nox was family and even despite all his crazy he wanted to protect her so she went willingly. She clung to Nox just like she had Raffe, and for some strange reason she clung to the plant just the same. She wondered why it was important. What was so special about the plant?

Sterling could feel the damp tears from the man holding her, why was he crying? His shoulder was soaked for her own fear filled tears. Why was he afraid? She thought. He didn't seem so afraid before. There were so many questions. So many things to ask but right now she only wanted her Mom.

They followed whatever dot that Raffe lead them towards. The air started to feel lighter, the darkness gave way to more natural lighting. Until there was an opening with white bright light. Nox set her down and held her close. "Slowly, so you can see." Nox prompted without being asked. Sterling listened for once. She stayed with them while they all walked towards the light.

[Nox]

The weight of the world was pressing down on Nox. He didn't want to think about it. And as the flaming whip disappointed in the darkness the light from the world started to light their way. Home wasn't far. His bed wasn't far. And at the moment all he wanted to do was crawl into it and die. He wouldn't of course. There was too much to do. He had to get Julianna to help Sterling. They had to call Sterlings folks to come get her. Nox knew Raffe had a billion and one questions - probably in addition to the questions Nox already had himself. He needed to check his messages and he knew he had one from Jay and he thought he'd heard a message go off in the middle of their fight from Sage. But he'd been too busy to really take care of either of them at the time.

And then there was Nova... and the hoard of monsters that Nox could still feel. Their hunger only sated a little from whatever meal he'd sent them after. He thought stay, sleep, hide and hoped that it was what would keep them there. He had a feeling they had come to help him. Come to him when he was fighting. They were too close to the surface and he was heading into the light. But he couldn't stay one more moment in the darkness. He'd cautioned against the light and he listened to his own words but he was still ready to see the sky. To feel the suns rays on his skin. To burn away the darkness. Both inside and out.

Nox gave Raffe a faked smile once they reached the entrance to the Red Light District. They had to crawl under the once solid metal grate. Now it was mostly rusted away but it still stood. "We'll make a good tracker outta you yet." Nox joked. His voice didn't sound that happy but he hoped the smile said enough. His heart wasn't in it and he wanted a comforting touch, not to be the one doing the comforting. But such was his lot in life.

"Call your parents Sterling. Tell them to meet us at Kallisti House of Burlesque. I will explain everything." Nox looked at Raffe again with a smile. "It's safe here. As safe as we were before you saw the darkness. I might not be able to stay if the Atharim find me." It was a sad moment but he would stay as long as it was safe. "But I need food and sleep and home."

[Raffe]

Raffe was glad when they surfaced back into light; the dark places were not from him, and a touch of sun’s warmth did a great deal to ease at least the surface of his worries. Nox’s grin had a wooden feel to it, like he’d plucked it box-fresh off the shelf, and Raffe didn’t quite know what to say. He half-smiled back but there was a heavy cast of concern to his expression. Nox didn’t need to be the strong one for him, and he wanted to say that, but he also wanted to ensure Sterling was taken care of first. It was a responsibility he wouldn’t shirk. He knew what it was like to be the lost kid, especially one way out of their depth.

He watched her start to make the call before he turned. The emotion was probably plastered all over his face, but he’d never particularly been apologetic for the way he was. Raffe hadn't even considered that the events at the hospital meant Nox might not be able to come home. It’d be empty without him, if it came to pass. Which meant he was prepared to do whatever he could to ensure it didn’t. He wrapped an arm around him, aware of the injury, and pressed his forehead lightly against the other man’s. His eyes shut, wishing there was something he could say that was more than I’m sorry.

Words weren’t enough. He didn’t offer them. Even that brief touch seemed paltry, but it was all that might be spared -- for the moment at least. The promise that he wasn’t going anywhere.

[Sterling]

They weren't outside more than two seconds before Nox told her to call her parents. Under normal circumstances she would have thought twice about it. She'd disobeyed them. But right now all she wanted was to go home.

Her wallet was oddly quiet for not being home. Risha hadn't sent any texts. Maybe they'd come in later. But she quickly dialed home and her mother answered. "Sterling, where have you been?"

So much for that. Sterling thought to herself. "It doesn't matter now, Mom. I'm safe. I know this is going to sound bad but I need you to come get me Kallisti." Her mother gasped. "Before you yell I know. I'm sorry but I had to. Please just come get me. It will all be explained when you get here."

Sterling hung up the phone and looked over at the tender moment being shared between the two guys who her parents were going to accuse of kidnapping her. She didn't want that for Raffe. Her cousin - she thought could deal with it and all the trouble it brought he'd brought her so much more - but even he didn't deserve that. She sat down on the edge of the sidewalk and waited patiently. Now was not the time to be an teenage girl who was afraid. Even though she was terrified.

[Nox]

Sterling made to call her folks and Raffe gave him a look. Nox wasn't sure what it meant but the moment Raffe wrapped him up in his arm being careful not to jostle him too much. He said nothing, just the simple press of his forehead to his, and his arm around his body and Nox felt the last shreds that were holding him together fell apart. He sank into the other man pressing his face into the crook of his neck and fighting off the tears. Tears from the sorrow of losing Nova, of being the cause of Nova's death, the last tie to his sister. Of putting Raffe in danger. The pain of what had happened to him. That was a newfound horror in and of itself. With the adrenaline faded and the drugs seeping from his system the pain of what was left of his arm tore through him.

Nox wrapped his arm around Raffe and held on. He tried to hold it together and he managed - but just barely. He didn't know how long they stood there in a silent embrace. But Nox pulled away first. Eyes puffy but no tears had fallen. He was on the verge of tears even as he smiled at Raffe, this time it hadn't been faked, it was weak but Raffe was there and he'd take that any day. Nox held out his hand to Raffe and prayed that he'd always take his hand. "Let's get you to Julianna, she should be at work by now. There is a cafe along the walk we can stop and get food." Nox's stomach growled but it was the hunger inside he had to feed. One way or the other that hunger had to be feed and right now Nox wasn't sure any other outlet would be good. And he didn't want to inflict the need he felt on Raffe. Not now - not ever. The hunger dwelled in a dark place and it strove to take root in the light. But Nox fought it just like he fought the power with in. Fought through the sludge now, and the control of the power he craved. And something inside him told him that whatever that hunger was wanted that power too.

[Raffe]

The threat of tears tore like shards of glass. Raffe hated to bear witness to pain just as strongly as he was incapable of turning away from it, and for a moment his chest pounded with panic when Nox’s face pressed against his neck, ready to catch but desperately uncertain he would be enough. His entire being lurched with ways he might ease the burden. But the man was silent, eyes dry when he finally lifted, if strained with the effort. It took Raffe a second to shake out of the moment.

Most of his youth had been spent looking out for kids younger than him. Even Kallisti had its own misfit family dynamic, one of many reasons Raffe had been drawn to the place above the other venues he had worked at over the years. Sometimes Oriena had to be handled carefully, when she was even around, but he’d grown roots there nonetheless. It was something of a talent of his to do so in even the most tenuous of soil.

For now he didn’t dwell on the horror. Not the sounds Nova had made, or the glittering of all those eyes, or the reasons Nox had felt it necessary to sever his own arm. He didn’t think about how pissed Sterling’s parents were going to be either, for needing to pick their sweet daughter up from a burlesque house on the edge of the red light district. A rather more pedestrian problem, all things considered.

“You kept that plant safe, right Sterling?” 

She was sat on the edge of the pavement, dutifully ignoring the two men. None of them had had time to process, and for now Raffe chose to forge ahead with as much nonchalance as he could muster. Given the origins of his scar, it was not as difficult as it seemed. Little truly phased him, or if it did rarely for long. He grasped Nox’s hand like it was the most natural thing in the world to lead them out of this shadowy underworld, and beckoned for Sterling to follow.