Ana came down the stairs in a red satin night gown wrapped in red satin robe. The rest of the help had gone to their rooms so there was no one to see her but him. And it was always a wonder that she was openly his now. Even if he'd never accept her marriage proposal. There was too much at stake.
"I thought you were asleep?"
Ana smiled. "I was, but I got a text from a boy who is apparently on American time right now and forgot the hour here in Moscow."
"Nox texted you?"
Ana nodded. "I thought it might be an emergency since he'd never text at night otherwise, but it's nothing so dire. He's safe, with Sage but he wanted my advice."
Christian raised his eyebrow. "Girl advice?" Nox didn't like girls, he was not that sort of gay man who was especially effeminate so it wasn't about make up or clothing. "From a motherly figure?"
Ana shook her head. "Well maybe. It's not exactly parenting advice he's looking for, though he has a doll of girl on his hip at the moment." Ana came close to Christian and he could smell her high end perfume she'd always used to lure him into the darkest closets of the house.
He hummed in appreciation and nuzzled her neck. "Are you trying to distract me?"
Ana laughed that knowing laugh and he was ready to take her up stairs but her wallet was held in front of them while she wrapped around his body. A picture of a tiny baby girl lying on Nox's lap. Couldn't be anyone else's legs, Christian knew those ripped jeans anywhere. Most people would think it was a fashion statement but Christian knew otherwise, he was just to unbothered to buy new ones unless they were unsalvageable because of monster ichor.
"Her name is Lily. She's the progeny of rape by monsters, the mother passed giving birth and Nox has taken on the guilty responsibility of raising her now."
"Ana, that's not guilt. He wants more. He's taking responsibility. He's growing up."
Ana nodded. "He took in a handful of other children, that are staying at his place in the Red Light District. There are a lot of displaced orphans and he can't take them all in. A lot of displaced people in general he says he wants to help. A whole church full of refugees. He asked me if I knew any foundations he could contact to set up an idea he had."
Christian laughed. "Growing up indeed. Did you tell him of your work in Madrid?"
Ana shook her head. "Not yet. He's having Sage compile his idea and send it to me. I will tell him of Second Chances after we've read his plan." Ana sighed. "How does the child who is most broken have a more full life than our child? I wish Cruz would see that he is more than Jivana or the Vega name."
"Cruz is finding his way for the first time in his life, Ana. He'll find his way. Nox has been finding his since he was 16 years old. And Sage, well his life hasn't been easy either. The three of them have their own challenges."
Ana laughed. "And Elyse too, she's working Kallisti too. Sometimes I think we should send Cruz there. The house of burlesque seems to be a far better learning environment than Moscow University."
"I thought you were asleep?"
Ana smiled. "I was, but I got a text from a boy who is apparently on American time right now and forgot the hour here in Moscow."
"Nox texted you?"
Ana nodded. "I thought it might be an emergency since he'd never text at night otherwise, but it's nothing so dire. He's safe, with Sage but he wanted my advice."
Christian raised his eyebrow. "Girl advice?" Nox didn't like girls, he was not that sort of gay man who was especially effeminate so it wasn't about make up or clothing. "From a motherly figure?"
Ana shook her head. "Well maybe. It's not exactly parenting advice he's looking for, though he has a doll of girl on his hip at the moment." Ana came close to Christian and he could smell her high end perfume she'd always used to lure him into the darkest closets of the house.
He hummed in appreciation and nuzzled her neck. "Are you trying to distract me?"
Ana laughed that knowing laugh and he was ready to take her up stairs but her wallet was held in front of them while she wrapped around his body. A picture of a tiny baby girl lying on Nox's lap. Couldn't be anyone else's legs, Christian knew those ripped jeans anywhere. Most people would think it was a fashion statement but Christian knew otherwise, he was just to unbothered to buy new ones unless they were unsalvageable because of monster ichor.
"Her name is Lily. She's the progeny of rape by monsters, the mother passed giving birth and Nox has taken on the guilty responsibility of raising her now."
"Ana, that's not guilt. He wants more. He's taking responsibility. He's growing up."
Ana nodded. "He took in a handful of other children, that are staying at his place in the Red Light District. There are a lot of displaced orphans and he can't take them all in. A lot of displaced people in general he says he wants to help. A whole church full of refugees. He asked me if I knew any foundations he could contact to set up an idea he had."
Christian laughed. "Growing up indeed. Did you tell him of your work in Madrid?"
Ana shook her head. "Not yet. He's having Sage compile his idea and send it to me. I will tell him of Second Chances after we've read his plan." Ana sighed. "How does the child who is most broken have a more full life than our child? I wish Cruz would see that he is more than Jivana or the Vega name."
"Cruz is finding his way for the first time in his life, Ana. He'll find his way. Nox has been finding his since he was 16 years old. And Sage, well his life hasn't been easy either. The three of them have their own challenges."
Ana laughed. "And Elyse too, she's working Kallisti too. Sometimes I think we should send Cruz there. The house of burlesque seems to be a far better learning environment than Moscow University."