The Morning After [House Party cont]

[Ashton]

Ashton got the distinct feeling the girls didn't like Nox. He supposed that was to be expected, he was a bit scarier than most people even though he knew he was an easy mark just like anyone else.

"I'll take you wherever you want to go. Just..." He held up a finger and pulled out his wallet and sent Vic a text offering her the place to stay that was far better than this one. Much more to her standards. And then he put it away and smiled at Esper. "Ashton. Shall we go?" He looked to Nox and gave him a smile but that was it. He didn't want to press his luck. But he wanted to know more about Esper.

Before he put his wallet in his pocket it dinged several times. He checked and found an address, a phone number and some information about the Vegas he didn't expect. He glanced at Sage and wondered why he was doing all this. It was strange to have someone just sent him information when he knew he didn't even give the guy his number. But then he was a hacker so there was that.

"Ladies?" Ashton held out his elbow and offered it to Esper. He wasn't exactly sure what was going on, or why they wanted to go to this Vega's place, but it was in a nice neighborhood, one he had avoided and was for the rich and posh. How did Nox even know them?

[Roza Vas]

Roza wondered if all boys were rude. He pulled out his wallet, and the other one listened in on conversations and so did all of them it seemed. His name was Ashton, and Esper was taken by him. It only bothered her a little, she knew where things were with them, but still there was a tinge of jealousy, and a bit of dislike for the dancing man with the baby.

Roza was happy to leave. "A bed sounds nice." Though she didn't like the idea of pushing people into obedience either, maybe the fact that this boy knew them would be an advantage. Maybe... But Roza still didn't like him.

[Esper]

He held up a finger, and Esper’s expression deadened. Not that she had been smiling before then anyway. She could feel Roza’s irritation sparking too, as well as a small swirl of jealousy. A sigh upended from Esper’s lungs as Ashton turned his attention to his phone, and she twisted around into Roza. Her brows rose in a disgruntled expression. “Durva,” she muttered into her hair. He is rude. She’d spent enough time around the Vas’s to pick up a little Hungarian. Enough that they had a language just between them.

Ashton offered his arm, but though Esper’s mournful eyes cast him up and down she ignored it. She wouldn’t tolerate being an afterthought no matter how sweet she knew he could make his voice. Instead he could follow or not, as she slipped her arm inside Roza’s.

[[new thread?]]

[Ashton]

[[ Esper, Ashton and Roza continued here ]]

[Seven]

Seven was enjoying the lively banter around him, though he couldn’t help but think Jay would be absolutely mortified if he knew he was the topic of conversation. Then again, knowing Jay, he might just preen like a cat in the sun. The man was maddeningly unpredictable—something Seven had learned in the short time they’d known each other.

When the group turned to Seven for confirmation, he paused, considering his answer with a faint, wistful smile. “He is… beautiful, yes,” he said finally, his tone laced with a hint of nostalgia. The room believed they had hooked up, but the truth of that night? That would remain a mystery. Jay had drunk himself into unconsciousness, and while Seven had been similarly inebriated, his memories of the evening were fragmented at best. Still, what fragments they were—sharp, intoxicating flashes of laughter, music, and passion that lingered like perfume. The apartment had been crowded with other bodies, other pleasures, and though the night blurred at the edges, it remained unforgettable.

The conversation soon shifted, now centering on a man named Jaxen, whose exploits had the group laughing and shaking their heads. Seven found himself intrigued. From the way they described him, Jaxen sounded like the kind of man who left chaos and charm in his wake. It was hard not to like someone like that, Seven thought, though in truth, there were few people he truly disliked. Remnants of the described video footage were gone, but Jaxen was a name now etched into his mind.

Eventually, the group’s attention shifted again—this time to two young women seated nearby. Seven observed them quietly, sipping his coffee, a faint smile curling at the edges of his lips. Their body language gave them away immediately: the way they leaned into each other, the subtle possessiveness in their gestures. A couple, and an intense one at that. He was surprised to hear they were searching for someone—a boy younger than both of them, tied to their story in a way that seemed deeply personal. Seven raised an eyebrow, his curiosity piqued as he listened to the tale that connected the three of them.

When the women departed in company of said boy, Seven’s attention wandered to someone else in the room—a man he hadn’t yet been introduced to. With his empty coffee cup in hand, Seven rose from his seat, sauntering over with his usual casual charm.

“I don’t believe I’ve had the pleasure of meeting the ‘famous hot model,’” he said, offering a hand in greeting and a sly smile.

“Seven, at your service.” His tone was light, teasing, as he cast a quick glance back toward Hayden and Nox. “As you’ve likely already heard far too much about my many romantic conquests”—he quirked an eyebrow, clearly referencing the playful ‘love triangle’ the others had brought up earlier—“I find myself equally curious about you. How do you fit into this fascinating web of dark partygoers orbiting Nox? And,” he added, voice dropping just slightly, “which one of them, exactly, is the infamous stalker?”

[Sage]

Sage half listened waiting on Hayden's reaction. But seven's voice broke through and he raised his hand. "I'd be the stalker, not sure Gideon Marquis would know who I am. He's Liam's cousin." He didn't mention that he was Hayden's half brother, it was a covered up scandal. Information he was now privy too but not something he'd share unless it gained him something, or someone pissed him off.

He drifted again into the things he was doing. He was busy pushing informations.

[Hayden]

Hayden looked around to see who might have heard but no one said anything, no one was even looking their way. He didn't really care if it got out. His father might, either of them. Biological and otherwise. But he didn't want to cause his mother any injury, he didn't know here. Gideon might get a kick outta the drama. But he'd have to talk about it with his brother, what would happen if it got out.

"I assume that's between you and me."

The kid just smiled and gave me a nod. And he kept his word. Hayden laughed when Sage said he was the stalker. He'd proven that, but what Hayden wanted to know was how he hadn't been doing anything of note on the computer that he could see. Even though the little cousin was paying avid attention.

Hayden pulled him self from the couch and wandered over to wrap his arm around his brother's neck. He didn't much care if anyone thought he'd fucked him it was all part of the man-whore his brother claimed he was. And it wasn't like Gideon hadn't flirted with him the first time they met. "This is Gideon Marquis, face of Zalya Fashions, his aunt's company where his mom is a designer. Keeping it all in the family. Notorious play boy, gives me a run for my money." Hayden whispered in Gideon's ear, made it look like more than what it was. "We need to talk, I got a question."

[Gideon]

Ah, so now everyone wanted a piece of him. Gideon watched his brother’s newest beau saunter over to him with a wide grin of welcome, eyeing him up and down with no real attempt to hide his interest. Men weren’t Gideon’s thing, but it didn’t stop him flirting – even moreso if he’d thought it’d make Hayden a little jealous, though it already seemed that wasn’t going to be the case. Even he had to admit this one was beautiful, though, with the sort of jawline and flair for style that would offer him plenty of opportunity in Gideon’s line of work.

“Enchanté,” he said as he took the hand, though he half tilted his head. “You seem familiar. We haven’t met?”

The computer nerd answered the rest for him, and Gideon only gave a permissive shrug to confirm it was indeed the case, since he didn’t even know the guy’s name. “Though,” he leaned to add mischievously, “we may be being a little light on the number of stalkers in the room.”

Talking of, Hayden was suddenly draped all over him. And with a much better introduction. In fact Gideon even pressed a little flattered hand to his chest. His head tilted toward the whisper with interest, eyes not leaving Seven. His brows rose, grin devilish.

[Nox]

Nox wasn't sure he liked the Hayden was playing at being what he knew he was in his house. He'd hit on Nox the first night and they'd spend a great week in bed together, and then he followed him all the way to Moscow, killed his mark and now was cozing up with all the men in the house. Not that Nox was interested in any of them, but still, he seemed to want to see what he'd do with all the attention on everyone but Nox. Nox didn't give a shit who he fucked. As long as what they talked about after and before stayed between them, Hayden's sex life was his own fucking thing.

And Nox was drowning in the horde. He's thought Ori had been enough, the steak had been enough, but there were too many people around the baby. A lot of names passed his ears, and when Ashton left Nox wasn't sure he'd come back from the look on those girls faces as they left his home. Whatever...

Nox growled to himself and decided it was best to spirt Lily away from the crowd. More some for his mood than for her safety, she was fine bundled against his chest in a wrap of air, but at least he could put his room back together after the violence of the night and blare his music in the comfort of his own home. it was funny how living in an actual home felt stranger and more crowded than living in a spare room above a club...

Nox sipped down the hall and shut the door behind him. "Sky turn the music up only in here." The house complied but the response came from his wallet. She didn't have access to the system here. That was good to know!

[[ ooc: anyone is welcome to follow but extraditing Nox from the thread so he's in one less unless you need him still ]]

[Hayden]

Hayden might resemble that mark a little and his brother's grin to Seven had him flicking his brother's ear playfully. Annoying him like any brother might -- older or younger didn't matter though Hayden was glad to be the older in this case. Even if that revelation might cause a scandal on their mother's part and Hayden should care if it upset his brother's and father's but honestly he didn't care anymore. They could go fuck themselves. Maybe working for the Atharim was having a good effect on his judgment. Maybe.

Though Hayden removed himself from Gideon and returned his flirting to Seven. It was he afterall who had give him a wonderful night and maybe one they could continue again another time. "I am no stalker, no matter what our dear Mr. Marquis says. I am only doing my job."

Hayden put his arm around Seven and tapped Gideon's chest. "He is only here because someone has a big mouth." Hayden turned and pointed to Liam. "The baby hacker's cousin came because the name on the invitation was my mark." Hayden turned to find Nox had disappeared and frowned but shrugged, he'd ask later about that. "Our lovely host who has disappeared, and we met because Gideon also has a big mouth and wanted to see if I'd come running." Hayden chuckled. "Which I did, I was only two doors down after all, but he'd been off my radar for a few too many days and I wanted to make sure he was alright. Which he obviously was since he was all over the leather clad woman." Hayden smiled at Seven. "Which lead me to you and well that's all that matters. I suppose that's all the orbit around Nox. But I don't know the rest of these clowns. Though that one I have heard his name." He pointed to the computer kid. "Nox talks alot about him."