Home Sweet Home

[Nox]

After take off Nox offered an ear bud to Sae and let her choose the music and he listened.  Thankfully she liked the same things he did and it was all working out well.  He pulled down the terrarium the moment he could stand and set to pruning some smaller branches to start from scratch.  He wasn't sure when he had made up his mind, but he had and now was going to gift the pot to Raffe.  He'd made it, raised the plants himself.  That was an accomplishment in and of itself.  But Raffe liked plants.

"What are these for?"

"Help me stay calm.  Gives me something to do when I'm anxious -- like right now."

Nox trimmed a spring off each plant and wrapped them in a wet paper towel from the restroom.  Perfect for starting a new plant.  "Valerian, sage, sweet orange and bergomet. Helps with the nightmares too."

Nox busied himself with texting Sage asking about a home.  He didn't want to go Kallisti to spend even one night -- he might never leave.  But he would go back.  He wondered if his job was still there.  He never asked.  Though did he want to be a bouncer or a dancer?  Or did he want to do something different -- hunting was not a favored option.

Well that was a lie -- he had some hunting to do before he called it done.  The horde would forever be his problem to fix.  He didn't start it, but he was damn well inclined to end it all.

There was so much to do when he got back.  Hopefully one of those things was not find a place to stay.

By the time they landed, with no incidents other than a few bumps here and there, Nox was ready to be on solid land.  Sage was happily chattering away at him now that they were once again in the same timezone.  It was still relatively early.  Nox was drained and he was grateful that Sage had finalized everything for the new place -- fully furnished.  Nothing big or fancy and just off the Red Light District.  Not too far a walk from Kallisti and had a balacony with good lighting.  All great things.  Just what he wanted.

Hopefully Sage didn't do anything too bad to get him that place.  He would expect Sage to handle everything and tell him anything he needed to know.

[Nox]

Sage sent Nox an address where he could go. Said he'd meet him there. Which wasn't the truth in reality. Nox's phone rang when he stopped in front of the small building just a few blocks away from Kallisti, conveniently with in his security system.

"Welcome to your new home." Sage said over the phone. "Key are in your mailbox. The front doors should be open. Box 3. Take the stairs to the second floor."

Nox had walked past the building many times. He'd never really given it much thought. "Sage..."

His friend giggled on the other side. "Just go in."

Nox sighed. But did as he was asked. The building itself was pretty nondescript. It was four stories, and Nox was pretty sure it had a basement, but he wasn't positive. The entrance was indeed unlocked and he pulled it opened followed by Sae. A set of stairs leading up and a door to the left said basement greeted him along side a bank of mailboxes. A sign pointing to the left were two signs pointing down a long hall.

"Sage, what was is Durante Security?"

He smiled. "A long story. But short one is. Your security system you installed around Kallisti, the sensors and cameras and all that software. It's sold under Durante Security."

"You're selling my idea?"


"And making you money. I am. And I'm selling Aurora's software too. That's Borealis Industries. I'll explain it all later. There is a lot I've not told you, about you." Sage laughed softly and continued, "Technically I bought the building, but it's an investment by the two companies, which you are a silent owner in. The building is yours. First floor is the living spaces with an office in the back. The upper two floors are bedrooms, a total of four. A garden on the roof, and weights, laundry and your dojo in the basement. Nothing needs to be done. It's all legal. I promise."

"We'll talk about this later then. What's the combination to the mailbox?"

Sage rattled off the combination and Nox opened the box. There were more than just a pair of house keys -- more like all the keys to all the doors and everything. Nox sighed. "Do I have to maintain this place?"

"Only if you want to. You can hire a manager. But I figured you'd use that power of yours and fix everything anyway so why bother."

Sage wasn't wrong.

Nox took the stairs and unlocked the door stepping into the brilliantly white walls of his new place. "Everything is white. And fully furnished. Didn't figure you'd have much time to do it all yourself. Nothing fancy, I didn't know what you liked, but it's serviceable."

Looking into the living room a gray, L-shaped couch sat in front of a TV on a stand with a coffee table set up in the middle. The floors were a dark hard wood, though from the sound it made it was actually tile.

The tile continued past the island/bar combo with sink and had enough room for comfortable enough looking bar stools. Might need to get a small table if he ever wanted to have more than a few people over.

Everything was a stark white with the hidden pot lights in the ceiling.

The counter tops were a gray stone with gold veins. The appliances all gun metal black. There was even a coffee pot on the counter just waiting for a fresh cup of coffee to be made in.

Down the hall was the utility closet and the bathroom before he opened the door into the office. It was light with mostly natural light from the large windows and billowy white curtains. The patio was small, but there was more than enough room for a small garden and maybe a patch of grass for an emergency pit stop for a dog. Yes he was thinking about that...

The room held a desk and not much else though it looked as if Sage had installed holo projectors throughout the room to be used with Aurora's software. The whole room was the computer, Nox wondered where the processing was.

"In the closet." Sage giggled.

I opened the door and rolled my eyes. It wasn't a server room like Sage had boasted about back home, but it was far more than Nox would ever need.

"You know me a bit too well, Sage, but I don't need all this."

"You do. We'll talk later."

Nox had lost Sae to the TV and couch in the living room he noticed as he wandered up stairs.

The remaining bedrooms were identical. One was connected to the patio, the other was slightly larger. Both had their own bathrooms.

"I fixed both up cause I wasn't sure which one you'd like best. The dark cave like one in the back -- or the one with the open air."

Nox laughed. "Honestly, I don't even know." He looked down the hall between the two, both had merits. But which one would he want to start his family in. Where kids would sleep? What was best in the long run. He still had some time to figure it all out. For now he dropped his bag in the room with the balcony.

"Welcome home. Sage hung up the phone and Nox looked around. He didn't even know where to start or what to do first. So many things. And the horde -- they felt stronger, healthier and somewhere they shouldn't be.

[Nox]

Sae fell asleep downstairs on the couch and Nox didn't have the heart to move her. He couldn't sleep so he went for a walk. He picked up some gifts for his family. It was almost Christmas, and he had money to spend for once in his fucking life.

By the time dawn hit, Nox had already wrapped the gifts and was on his way to Kallisti. He dropped off gift cards to the spa for all the girls and guys with only three exceptions. He left a bottle of Carmen's favorite drink on her desk with a big bright red bow and a note written in his neat hand. "Thanks for everything. Hope this brightens more than your spirits. ~Nox".

Oriena got a bottle too -- her favorite. Or at least what she drank most when they went out. The bottle was wrapped in black paper with a gold ribbon and the note read simply. "To our respective monsters. May they feed together again soon. ~Nox"

The third exception was Raffe's. He didn't wrap it. Not that he couldn't but just that he didn't. He didn't know how long it would be left unopened and well, plants -- they needed light. Nox had replanted his trimmings and cleaned up the etchings he'd carved into the stone, and patched holes he'd made from too much work. It was nice, looked old even though it was new. The four plants were the same he'd helped Nox figure out. They'd helped him get through some stuff. He wrapped a red ribbon around the rectangular pot and left a note. It was a little more detailed than the others.

Merry Christmas. Thanks for the help identifying these gems. Very helpful. I owe you a home cooked meal. Got a place nearby, stop by whenever. ~Nox

With the note he jotted down the address and skipped out the side door before anyone really notice he was there. He was a bundle of knots and nerves and the horde felt locked up and raring to go -- he could feel their sick call and he wanted them gone.

But outside a familiar head of blonde curls waited next to the door. He touched Nox's arm and smiled at him. In a singsong voice he spoke. "Come with me love. I'm gonna take you places you never dreamed. But turn off your wallet first."

Nox followed flipping the wallet off for the first time since he could remember, whatever thoughts before drifted outside the smile and the words spoken. He was captivated by the intoxicating voices.

[Sage]

It felt food having his friend back amongst the living. Not that he ever saw Nox, but it felt good to be able to follow him around and be friends again. Sage missed him. Aiden was busy. Sage enjoyed their nights together and when they were together, he was always present, not following around Aurora's little brother. But when they weren't, Nox's life was far more entertaining than his own. And Nox didn't care that he followed him around. At least he wasn't annoying about it. Nox rather counted on Sage's following and listening. So when his wallet went off Sage was a little concerned but it wasn't the first time Nox had dropped off the face of the earth. And it wasn't likely the last.

Sage went about the plan he had enacted, sending out e-invites out to all of Nox's friends.

Party at Nox's new place. House Warming party. Free drinks. With it was a date and time a few days from now and the address. It would be a good time, even if Nox didn't know about it.

[Nox]

[[ Nox isn't going to be here continuing in Never Too Late ]]