A London Reality [London, England]

[Hayden]

Nox was quiet all night. He didn't talk and he always talked, but he was lost in thought. He was not normal, the news was ferverent with the attack on Reggie Hill. But no one knew who it was or why or anything like that. Security had been tightened. And there were no suspects.

Hayden had watched the play by play on the news as it happened. And still they knew nothing. He could tip the authorities off, let Nox get caught, but that wasn't his job really. If the Atharim wanted the kid taken care of they wanted him quiet and in the ground. That would be his job which Hayden didn't really want to do.

When he contacted Zef for instructions she didn't give the word to decommission him. Which was good, but what did she expect him to do? So Hayden waited for Nox to figure shit out, He seemed better in the morning.

[Nox]

Morning saw Nox in a better mood and he woke Hayden with a rousing bout of horizontal dancing between the sheets followed by a hearty thank you breakfast.

Hayden left after breakfast with a smile and not without extracting a promise that Nox would stop by the bar that night.

Nox spent the day researching waves.

And researching sequences and patterns.

Ideas percolated in his head.

The night saw him down in the bar flirting with Hayden. Nox even took out a few moments of his nighttime brooding to dance to the song on the jukebox. There was barely room to do so but he didn't care. Dancing cleared his mind. Brought things to fruition even if he hadn't been thinking about it.

Nox let the music through him and let the thoughts go where they went.

The bar closed and Hayden locked the door and sat down at the bar and watched Nox. It was almost like being back at Kallisti.

"Not bad."

Nox chuckled. "I did it for a living for a little while."

"I believe it. Did it help?"

Nox smiled "Actually I think it did."

The night played out the same way as two nights ago with very little sleep, a lot of sex and fewer nightmares.

Morning like the last few. And Nox had a few ideas rolling through his head on things to try. But not while Hayden was around. Besides he needed to figure out how to fix the botched job.

Hayden growled as he looked at his wallet. "Fucking guy is wasting no time."

Nox looked over at Hayden as he started fuming. "What's up?" Nox stepped in front of the pacing man. "Anything I can do to help?"

Hayden stopped and chuckled. "Unless you can take this man out of the picture, not a thing you can do."

"What's got you upset right now?" Nox asked curiously.

"He's firing everyone with no notice. It goes down today."

"What is so important about the building?"

"State of the are equipment. Research facilities. It was a medical center that gave free help to those who couldn't afford it. Cancer, the sickness etc."

Nox grinned. "They've all lost their jobs right? If he loses the building? Be just deserts? I can't help with the lost jobs but I can bring the building down around his ears." Hopefully while he's still in it.

Hayden chuckled. "I mean yeah, that would serve him right, but you can't bring down a building."

Nox smirked and leaned forward and kissed Hayden. "I'll stop by the bar tonight if you want me to."

Hayden rolled his eyes. "Why don't we leave it as a standing invitation for as long as you are in town."

Nox chuckled. "As long as I'm in town," Nox agreed with a squeeze of Hayden's ass and a peck on the cheek. "I'll see you tonight."

[Hayden]

So the guy Nox was hunting was a bad man, not Atharim bad just bad for the community bad for poor people and just plain bad. The botched job meant that security was extra tight, he was extra pissed and now he was taking it out on the people in the community. He had no fucking right and it really did piss off Hayden. He hated people like that. At least his dad gave people jobs. He wasn't a criminal -- at least not in that.

He probably did things Hayden didn't want to know about but he stayed out of it. He was grateful he didn't stand a chance of inheriting anything even if he was legally heir, he didn't want to have any part of the Sebastian fortune like that.

Hayden wasn't sure sending Nox with a new plan was a good thing. It sounded dangerous. So fucking dangerous and Hayden wasn't sure who was more dangerous in that moment.

[Nox]

One way to get around the idea of his mark seeing his weaves was not to let him been seen. Nox texted Sage and they were all ready to go.

The man in question had already ordered the building empty. He was taking a tour of his alleged property. Nox pulled the fire alarm with a weave of air and Sage pulled the fire doors down around his ears. Him and his goons. Collateral damage, but they were probably dicks too doing his work without a qualm.

Nox sent weaves of air into the ground and found the supporting columns of the building and weakened them all at the same time. The building tumbled in on itself. It was like a beautiful display of colorful dominos without the theatrics and set up required. One floor after another tumbled down and in and the pile of rubble only grew as news crews pulled up and helicopters took flight. Buildings just don't fall down. Except when they do.

Destruction of property. But it killed the man inside. His estate would lose the building. Those jobs lost would be nothing, but the man was dead -- the only lost life. At least that's all they knew to still be in the building. His guards somehow managed to flee just in time -- thanks to the Wicked Truth.

Nox waited for the crowds to die down before he fled the scene of the man's demise. It was late, and dark but the bar downstairs was still open, and Nox had a promise to keep. And likely the last night with Hayden. Nox wasn't sure if that was a good thing or a bad thing.

[Hayden]

It hit the news again. People spilled out of the building. Men and women hugging each other as the building fell straight down. It was like watching a movie, it was literally a perfect demoltion. Everyone but Reggie Hill was accounted for. Not a soul lost. There had to be a trick. A clean up. But there hadn't been an Atharim coverup -- he was the coverup.

Hayden didn't understand. How? Or why Nox cared about collateral damage. Not many Atharim would have insured everyone was safe. Hayden didn't think he'd met any that would. If they could bring down the building they'd bring it down without caring how many people died. They'd cover it up. There really wasn't much to do here. But Hayden had no idea how to cover it up even if he was supposed to.

Nox showed up near closing time. He was all smiles and a total flirt.

[Nox]

Everyone was talking about the fall of the building. Nox listened to all the speculation as he sat at the bar watching Hayden work. He hadn't thought about Raffe until that moment -- he'd do the same thing with Raffe back when they were together. Listen and watch.

It pulled a little bit of sadness around his heart, but Hayden was there with a water and a brush of his hand over Nox's. He seemed to read him well.

No one really understood what happened and when the night was over and the bar buttoned up Hayden took Nox up stairs. "You leaving tomorrow?"

"I assume I'll get new orders once confirmation is done."

"How did you do that?" Hayden asked. "Or do I not want to know."

"You don't want to know." Nox agreed.

Hayden took Nox by the hand and lead him to the bed. If it was going to be their last night they both agreed it was best to spend it naked -- and sweaty.

And they were both when they stopped for a breather tangled in each others arms. Hayden pulling Nox close and tracing the lines of Nox's back. "You feel amazing. I gotta thank your handler for sending you my way, been way to fucking long."

Nox tensed under the praise and recognition that it hadn't really been a long time since he'd been with a guy, and who the guy was and what was he doing now. But Hayden chuckled. "You really like him."


"Loved him. Wanted to spend my life with him. Realized that hasn't changed, even if he isn't the one. I still want the white picket fence, 2.5 kids and a dog."

"Not much a dog person myself. And isn't it a bit hard to get even that .5 kid if you cut out all the good bits." Hayden's other hand drifted down his chest and barely reached their intended destination between his legs.

Nox chuckled. "Kids don't need to be biological to be loved. I don't want to pass down my affliction. Part of my deal, but mostly a personal decision."

Hayden pressed a kiss to the top of Nox's forehead. "That's a shame, you'd make cute babies."

"Small price to pay to make sure this shit ends with me." Nox wasn't sure if Hayden knew anything about what kinda monster he was, or what he referred to. He'd never asked about the missing arm, barely mentioned it at all totally took the cues that Nox actually preferred being on the bottom though he had no problem being on top -- just was a little more difficult with a single arm to do any maneuvering. There was no fucking way he was using the mechanical arm for delicate things like touching a human. Specially in the throws of passion where control wasn't at his finest. Though Ori had been an exception -- the only exception.

"Am I losing you? You keep drifting off."

Nox shook his head. "Nah. Just lost in thought. It's one of my many quirks."

Hayden rolled on top of Nox with a mischievous grin. "Let me see if I can figure any of those other quirks out."

Their night didn't end till the wee hours of the morning. Both of their wallets buzzed with a few missed messages and they let them linger while their bodies tried to meld together and never forget the other. It was bitter sweet when Hayden left that morning.

He sat on the end of the bed watching Nox do his normal morning routine. "This is your normal morning? What have I been doing sleeping?"

Nox chuckled as he finished the last sit-up and looked over his knees at Hayden. "Something like that. Have to stay in shape. Mind, body and soul. Though the soul could use a little more work."

"It's been a while yeah? Since you spoke to your guy back home? Like really talked?." Nox shrugged. "You should really tell him how you feel, now that you've both had time to chill."

"I dunno. We worked together, lived together. Only been apart really since I left and came here. Hasn't been all that long. Maybe when I get back."

Hayden got up and squatted down in front of Nox. "I got things I have to do this morning, but promise me you'll talk to him. Life isn't worth living if you do it alone and with regret. I don't regret telling you how it is. Fucking amazing few days."

"I'll talk to him when I get back." Nox said.

"Nah, man. Promise me. An Atharim is nothing more than his good word, right? Ain't that the American thing?"

Nox sighed. "My word means shit right now."

Hayden laughed. "We all fuck up. But it doesn't change the next one. Just try harder. Promise me. Say the words."

"Fine. I promise I'll talk to Raffe soon."

Hayden smiled and pressed a kiss to Nox's lips. "Thank you. Go live life. And don't die."

Nox nodded and watched as Hayden slipped out the door. Nox had a ferry to catch soon, then a bus and a train and a fucking Atharim diplomat to figure out. And a fucking promise to keep...

[Hayden]

Leaving had been hard. Necessary but hard. He was a good kid. Smart, capable. It wasn't a complete wonder why the Atharim choose to use him despite his abilities -- maybe Zef wasn't as blinded by it as he had thought.

But his mission wasn't done. When he sent confirmation that the mark was down. He received a message that told him he was going to tail him. And the reason sent had been pictures of him and Nox having sex. Not that it was a problem. His father wouldn't be happy if they got leaked. Not that Hayden kept his affairs to women only. But that was what his father preferred.

All the old blood did. Hayden didn't really care one way or the other. But apparently Zef thought that blackmail was a good way to make him do something. If it had been anyone else, Hayden might have said fuck you. But he decided it was better to be the one to kill Nox if it came to that. At least he understood him better than any other Atharim. And he wouldn't mind getting to know him more.