---- Dae ----
Dae's lingering concern led him to Nox's apartment the day after the incident. Nox, like Dae and most of the other guild members, was given the chance to move into the guild owned housing. Living on site made it easier to respond in case of emergency. A-S class Espers and guides of any class were allowed to utilize the apartment complexes owned by the guild.
Jin-Won was more than happy to give Dae Nox's apartment number when he hesitantly asked her. She'd grumbled at him and called him an idiot several times but given her disposition that was basically an endorsement.
Dae stood in front of Nox's apartment, wringing his hands and shifting his weight from foot to foot anxiously. The idea of seeing Nox was as fear inducing as it was appealing. It had Dae's hand pulling back each time Dae tried to reach for the bell.
He played this game of chicken with himself until the door opened from the inside. Nox jumped as he saw Dae standing in his doorway. Dae also flinched when he saw the dark bruising adorning Nox's neck. It was bad enough that Dae could distinguish individual fingers.
Nox noticed Dae's gaze and brought a hand up to cover the bruising.
"That noticeable huh?" As always, his tone was gentle.
"No it-" The lie died on Dae's lips, "I'm gonna be honest, it looks like you're wearing a purple choker."
Nox snorted and turned on his heel, retreating into the apartment. He left the door open. Dae puzzled over if that was an invitation to enter until Nox called out, "Come in! I need your help with something."
Dae stepped in slowly and carefully, hyper aware of his every movement. Nox had already decorated to match his vibrant personality. There were various posters pinned up on the walls. All bands Dae didn't recognize. He committed each one to memory.
The kitchen was filled with custom black bakeware and utensils. Candles sat on every surface not already covered in books. The provided bookshelf was overflowing. Books sat on the floor and all over the other furniture. Dae covertly ordered another bookshelf be brought over as Nox slipped into his bedroom.
Nox returned from the bedroom with a wooden box. Inside, Dae could see stacks of necklaces and chokers. Nox rummaged around and pulled out several. He fastened one to his slender neck and looked at Dae expectantly.
When Dae stared at him blankly he spoke, "Does it cover it enough"
"Does it hurt to wear that over the bruise?"
Nox stared at Dae, unamused, "That's not what I asked, but no it doesn't. How tight do you think these are?"
"Umm, you can still see it around the edges." Dae anxiously rubbed the scar on his own neck, "I don't wear jewelry. I've only ever worn sedative collars and they're pretty tight so I just assumed-"
Nox bit his lip and let out a regretful hiss, "I forgot about those… I don't work with many S-classes." Dae nodded and watched silently as Nox tried on another choker. Dae shook his head and Nox switched it out again for an even thicker one. This one had lacing on the back like a corset and Nox turned around so Dae could help him lace it.
As Dae gently tugged on the laces until it sat flush but not tight to Nox's skin, he asked the question that had been on his mind since Nox asked about the first choker, "Why are you going through the effort of hiding it? Most of the guild already knows, since the Esper was banned from entering the guild."
Nox's shoulders drew up upon hearing about the Esper's fate. Dae was reminded of his mother, sitting in their kitchen and shaking after visits with her contracted Esper.
"It's just my job sweetie."
"Sedative."
It wasn't Dae's place to criticize any guide's choice. But Dae couldn't get the rasp in Nox's voice out of his head. Anger simmered in Dae's heart. Nox's fingers were cool against Dae's skin. They wrapped around his wrist and his eyes found Nox's.
"I'm going to see a friend who works at Sceptr. I have a non-exclusive contract with them and now that I'm with Titan I need to terminate it."
"Let me come with you." The request was out of his mouth before he had time to think about how ridiculous he was being. To his great surprise, Nox agreed easily.
"That would be perfect. Mac really missed you. She said you didn't keep in contact after you transferred."
Dae's mind worked overtime trying to remember who Mac was. There was a foggy memory of a face next to Nox's the first day they met. Dae remembered. Madaline Carpenter, who Dae knew as Mac. He also remembered a supposed arranged marriage with the heir to Sceptr. The heir who'd acted entitled to Nox's guiding when they were younger.
"Is your contract with Cas by any chance?"
Nox turned to Dae and made an X over his mouth, "Can't say until I break the contract." The playful spark in Nox's crimson eyes served as a wordless conformation.
Dae pressed his lips into a tight line and tried to suppress the urge to share his opinion on Nox still being involved with that asshole. Aside from the obvious-- that Dae had no right to comment on ANYTHING Nox did --Nox was about to break the contract. No point in complaining now.
"It's more of a favor to Mac," Nox sensed Dae's distaste, "The person she's contracted to has horrible compatibility with her. They have to bring in other guides to manage his condition. Something about keeping up appearances. But don't tell anyone I said that. Seriously, I'll get in legal trouble."
In response, Dae mimicked the X Nox had done and then placed a hand on his chest, "I'll take your secret to the grave."
The laugh Dae missed for all these years filled the air around them. It was just as comforting as Nox's guiding. Not just the sound, but the possibility accompanying it. That they could start over and build on the fragile affection they'd shared.
"So does this one cover it? I don't want Mac to worry about me."
Dae turned Nox to face him and studied the choker, "You can kinda see the fingerprints in the back in the gap for the lacing. Other than that, you're all good."
With a shrug, Nox responded, "It'll have to be good enough. Give me a second to get changed. I'm a little too casual for this choker."
Dae sat gently on the only cushion on the couch not piled high with books. His eyes flitted around the room eagerly. Soaking up every detail he could. He tilted his head and began skimming through the titles of the pile to his right. Going by the titles, it seemed like a mix of horror and romance. Dae pulled the top book off of the stack, a thick hardback titled "Her Spine, My Pendulum" and read the description. He couldn't tell if it fell in the horror or romance category. Something about the twisting of bodies and teeth sinking into flesh.
"Are you interested in Elizabeth Demetra?" Dae looked up at Nox. The outfit he wore was certainly less casual than his initial baggy jeans and band shirt. The gems from the lace choker hung on his bare chest. He'd added several chains filling the space revealed by his open sleeveless blouse. A half skirt circled all but his left thigh with fitted pants underneath. A line of buttons peeked over Victorian riding boots.
"Wha- I- Who?" Dae blinked repeatedly as he attempted to reign in his wandering mind. Nox tilted his head, the chains leading from the studs in his earlobes up to a cuff caught the light as they swung hypnotically.
Nox tapped on the book in Dae's lap, "The author."
"Ah- no, I just…" Dae mimed picking the book up from the pile and Nox snorted. Heat colored Dae's cheeks and he smiled in spite of himself.
Nox bent down and snatched up Dae's glasses. He gently wiped the lenses before carefully placing them back on Dae's face, "You should give it a try, I think you'd like it. Think you can lead me to Sceptr?"
Dae nodded and set the book down. When they reached the elevator Nox asked the question Dae had been dreading since they reconnected, "Have you made any progress on that guiding machine we talked about?"
Dae bit his lip and looked away, only to find himself locking eyes with Nox's reflection in the mirrored walls of the elevator.
"I've had to bench the project."
Nox hummed with mild disappointment, "That's too bad."
Dae had expected more of a reaction so he continued, "I discovered that your energy is alive in some sense. It needs a living host to be stored. Without it it just dissipates. Blood transfusions only work since blood is alive when used."
"But even then, since it's separated from its host it can't reach its full potential. The only way to 'store' the energy would be to connect a device to a living guide. Since guiding energy must be given willingly you'd need to hook up a guide that's functionally braindead to consistently give an output. Which presents a clear breach of ethics and defeats the whole purpose of making guides' lives easier."
Nox nodded along to his explanation, attentive and unreadable.
"I'm sorry, really. I promise I tried everything but nothing works."
"Still, that means your work gave us a better understanding of guiding energy. Do you know if Esper's energy works the same way?"
Dae's eyes went bright and his shyness melted away at the opportunity to discuss his research, "It doesn't. It seems like Esper's energy is provided from the world around them. That's why Espers can make lasting changes to the world. I didn't dig too deep into it after I realized that it wouldn't help advance my project."
The soft grin Nox sported reminded Dae of their first meeting, "You've had quite the career you know."
The elevator doors opened and Dae led Nox out to the street.
"I'm sure it pales in comparison to yours. I've effectively retired from gate missions. I'm not out there saving people like you."
"You're kidding right?" Dae stared at Nox blankly, "Your energy wells have saved so many lives. Before they became widely available I had at least three gate missions a week. These days I can go months without a single mission."
"You're not disappointed in me?" Dae's voice betrayed his insecurity. Nox tilted his head and considered Dae as they walked.
"What right do I have to be disappointed in you?"
Relief flooded Dae. He felt foolish spending all these years constantly repenting to a version of Nox that only existed in Dae's memories. Each of their interactions now were slowly reconstructing Dae's view of Nox.
For years Dae had felt indebted to the Nox since his guiding was the main reason Dae was able to use his full strength at his testing. Every opportunity and perk that came from being an S-class was a reminder of his debt. Hearing about the 'ambrosia blooded guide' reputation and seeing the scars that came with it only made it hurt more.
The other implication was that the two of them were nothing to each other. While technically true, it stung for some reason.
"Wanna get something to drink?" Nox paused in front of a cafe. Dae, who had taken a few steps before realizing Nox was no longer following, turned. He peered through the window and saw that the cafe was quite crowded. Sensing Dae's hesitance Nox added, "If you'd prefer to wait out here I can order for both of us."
Dae covered his face as it flushed with embarrassment. Being a 'famous' Esper still felt wrong. Ever since the introduction of the energy wells Dae's face had become well known. The pseudo celebrity status S-classes were subjected to still felt like being a child and trying to wear your parent's suit. He couldn't quite fill it out and he ended up being swallowed by it.
Having Nox allude to it only made things worse since the guide was the only reason he'd qualified in the first place. He'd actually retested a few years ago and only technically qualified as B-class. Since your official rank was determined by your peak output it didn't change anything aside from confirming that Dae was nearly useless without Nox.
"What do you normally get?" Dae snapped his attention back to Nox who was waiting patiently for him to make a decision.
"Wait!" Nox held up a finger and started to mess with his watch, "Is it still latte with two pumps of cinnamon and one pump of vanilla?"
Dae crossed the distance between them and looked down at Nox's watch. Sure enough, there was an entire section in his files dedicated to his preferences including everything to favorite scent all the way to his clothing measurements.
"Why is that even listed?" Dae furrowed his brows, confused as to how any of that could be relevant.
Nox laughed brightly and dropped his hand back to his side, "It can be useful to know how to create a positive environment for an Esper, especially if said Esper has reported issues with guiding."
Dae winced and looked away, "Who's giving this information? I don't remember filling out a form or anything."
"As you know, higher class Espers have less rights to privacy than the general population. Any time you ordered something to the guild that information will be documented. When guides notice a positive response to something they would note it down as well. Here," Nox lifted his hand again and clicked a few things.
"Your favorite sexual position is…reverse cowgirl." Dae stared at Nox, completely mortified.
"I-I don't even- That's not true."
Nox tilted his head and frowned, "It's the one you request the most."
"We don't need to talk about this right now." Dae hissed, moving even closer to Nox. Their proximity allowed Dae to smell the woodsmoke scent that clung to Nox.
"Is the coffee order right at least?" Dae nodded, trying his best to control his embarrassment. Nox just flashed that professional smile and stepped into the cafe, leaving Dae to sit at one of the outdoor tables.
While waiting for Nox to return, Dae accessed his own files. Sure enough, there were pages upon pages of notes on all of his preferences. It was even more extensive than the glimpse he'd seen on Nox watch.
The most upsetting thing was how much of it was actually accurate. It suddenly made sense why certain candles would always be burning during his guiding sessions or how they knew to prepare certain food and drinks for him afterward. There were a few things wrong here and there. The most glaring being an entry that had to have been made under Tessa's instruction that claimed he enjoyed romance novels.
Embarrassingly, most of the incorrect entries stemmed from the fact that Dae didn't feel comfortable with guides outside of Nox. Favorite sexual position, with Nox? Anything. With other guides? Any that allowed Dae to distance himself from the guide. What books did he read, mostly nonfiction because romance plotlines reminded him of Nox which made him sad.
A warm cup was pressed into Dae's hand and he looked up at Nox, "I'm pathetic."
Nox pressed his lips together like he was trying not to laugh, "Where did that come from?"
Dae thanked Nox for the drink and stood up to continue leading Nox to Sceptr's central office, "It's nothing- Don't worry about it."
Out of the corner of his eye, Dae could see Nox giving him a curious expression. But he seemed to decide to drop it for the time being.
Dae didn't go to Secptr often. They'd reached out to him with several offers, always focused on his scrapped guiding storage project. He'd go to share and compare research with the scientists but he hadn't spoken to any of the executive staff outside of the odd letter addressed from them but likely written by a secretary.
The individual researchers were kind and sharp, Dae always learned something new from them, but the company as a whole had a sinister aura. Through conversation Dae had always been given the impression that ethics weren't high on the list of priorities at Sceptr. That was to be expected from a company that profited off of price gouging life saving medications.
It wasn't at all surprising when Nox implied that the relationship between Mac and Cas was arranged for political gain. It wasn't even surprising that they would go so far as using external guides to supplement low compatibility for optics.
Mac was a sweet girl from what Dae remembered. A little overly ambitious and self centered, sure. But overall a good person who didn't deserve to have her talents wasted on Sceptr's nepo baby.
When they walked through the doors both of their faces were scanned. Nox was waved through immediately, most of the staff seemed to recognize them too. Nox had a short heated discussion with the reception staff before a guest pass was printed and handed to Dae under the stipulation that he was not to leave Nox's side.
In the past Dae always entered through the lab accompanied by other researchers. He'd never had clearance to enter the rest of the building, not that he wanted to. It was strange that entering the executive suite had stricter guidelines than being in their actual labs.
The academic in Dae had him speculating about what they could be hiding and if there were research facilities he was never given access to. Still, Dae didn't want to cause problems for Nox and beyond that he had no interest in getting on Sceptr's bad side.
Unfortunately, the moment Nox and Dae entered Cas's office it became clear that Dae's mere presence was a transgression. The bright smile on Cas's face when he saw Nox faded the moment he noticed Dae.
The salt and pepper hair Cas now sported suited his carefully crafted socialite air. He had deep creases between his brows, marking his lightly tanned skin. Dae hoped silently that they were formed from a lifetime of disappointment.
"Deadalus Kane." Cas spoke his name as if it were beneath him, "I thought you turned down all of our offers, what brings you here? And with my guide no less."
Before Dae could speak Nox crossed his arms and snapped, "Cassius Jessop," Cas winced and looked at Nox like a kicked puppy, "I am not your guide. I have a non-exclusive contract that I have only been entertaining for Mac's sake."
"The front desk told me you were coming, so Mac should be here soon." Cas tried, and failed, to improve Nox's mood by changing the subject.
Nox rolled his eyes and grabbed a tablet off of Cas's desk. Dae had never seen Nox act so casually around someone. He would have expected an office like this to bring out even more of Nox's professional and composed mask. All fake smiles and straight posture, that's what Dae was prepared for. Clearly, whatever complex relationship existed between Nox, Mac and Cas brought out a younger more relaxed version of Nox. Even if Nox's opinion of Cas seemed less than positive.
The doors to Cas's office opened and Mac entered, beaming at Nox. She'd changed quite a bit since Dae had last seen her. Which made sense, nearly a decade had passed since then. All of them were nearing their thirties. Her blonde hair was now laced with grey, she had crows feet and smile lines. Dae remembered that her mother had very distinct frown lines between her brows and smiled with the knowledge that Mac's life had at least been slightly happier.
When Mac spotted Dae her eyes narrowed. Dae saw her take him in, gaze painfully reminiscent of her mothers analysis of him on their testing day. Her eyes touched on the scars on his chin then the one on his neck then to his glasses, a more rectangular frame than he'd had in high school. Something about them seemed to jog her memory because she smiled brightly and threw herself into Dae's arms.
Dae stood still for a moment, stunned by the sudden contact before he returned her embrace and patted her awkwardly. Nox was covering his mouth in a fruitless attempt to suppress his laughter at Dae's shock.
"Daedalus!"
"Dae."
"Dae," Mac rolled her eyes and muttered something about his full name being better, "I never thought I'd see you again in the flesh. I was getting tired of seeing your face everywhere but in person."
Mild guilt pulled at Dae's bashful smile. In the background Dae noticed Cas scowling at him. Arranged or not, Mac was his guide and wife so seeing such a display of affection for another Esper would be…upsetting to say the least. Dae gently disentangled himself from Mac and put some distance between them. Mac instantly shot a glare at Cas, clearly aware of the silent conversation that had just transpired over her shoulder.
Dae feigned innocence and pretended to study the office decor. Atop a shelf, on paperwork adorned by a seal depicting a kingfisher, sat a framed picture that caught his interest. It was of Cas and Mac at their wedding. The main reason it caught Dae's attention was because a certain black and white haired guide was standing off to the side. It was strange to see Nox without fully white hair. The transition felt more real, more painful. A clearer view of what Nox had been giving up through the years.
"I'm here to terminate my contract with you."
Dae brought his attention back to the others in the room. Mac had taken both of Nox's hands in hers and was giving him a pained but supportive smile. Dae was reminded of the way Mac had silently expressed guilt to Nox before Cas's test.
"I'm so happy for you!" Mac's eyes flitted to Dae and she grabbed one of his hands too, "For both of you!"
"No!" Dae pulled his hand away and held both up defensively, "We don't have an exclusive contract. He just signed on to my guild."
Cas surged forward and stepped between Mac and Nox, leaning towards Nox and hissing, "Traitor."
Instinctively, Dae put a hand in front of Nox to pull Nox behind him. He felt his abilities hum under his skin. Nox clearly felt it too, he wrapped his fingers around Dae's wrist and that nullifying effect coated Dae. It felt like trying to listen to music while submerged in water. It hurt a little knowing Nox felt the need to suppress Dae. But he couldn't argue much since Cas had this
'So satisfying to maim' energy about him.
"You don't even have a contract with this prick." Cas pressed an accusatory finger against Dae's chest and Dae stayed completely still, "He ghosted all of us for years, he's always thought he was better than us. And you think, what? That he'll eventually contract with you? Think he can give you better benefits just 'cause he's S-class?"
Dae looked back at Nox, unwilling and unmotivated to respond to Cas's personal insults. Nox on the other hand, looked furious. His expression was as neutral as always, but something in the way his pupils dilated and the way his breathing became painfully controlled told Dae that he was ready to snap. Dae started to understand why Nox had agreed to him tagging along.
It was Nox who would need holding back, not the other way around. The suppression started to feel less like diffusion and more like a warning that Nox wanted to handle this himself. Nox's eyes locked on Dae's for a moment and the message in them was clear, move aside.
Who was Dae to deny the man his revenge. He stepped back and looked to Mac who was watching placidly. It seemed like this wasn't an uncommon experience. Though the subtle grin gracing her lips made it clear that Nox usually held back more. Dae bit his lip to keep from grinning as he turned his attention back to Nox and Cas.
"I've been covering for your failed arranged marriage for years. It was never about benefits or money, you know that. If it was, I would have pursued an exclusive contract. You have no right to comment on any of Esper Kane's actions. Since your presence had a worse impact on my quality of life than his absence ever did."
Mac did a little soft clapping motion and Dae choked on his own spit before joining her. Nox turned to them and did a sarcastic bow that only worsened Cas's mood.
Dae sensed it before he saw it. An arch of electricity, reaching out between Cas and striking Nox. Nox took the hit, only flinching and stumbling back a step. Any thoughts of staying back and leaving it to Nox dissolved the second the smell of burning flesh hit him. Dae felt his powers moving before he did. Cas's cufflinks morphed to form a sharp silver point. Dae put himself between Nox and Cas.
The broiling mix of fear and anger in Cas's eyes looked more pathetic than intimidating. Sure, Cas had financial backing, but so did Dae. At the end of the day, Cas was only B-class. He could spark and shoot off arcs of lightning all he wanted, metal conducts electricity but remains unchanged by it. Dae could take everything Cas threw at him without breaking a sweat, and Cas knew it.
A little point of silver hovered between Cas's eyes. He nearly went cross eyed trying to keep it in his view. It followed him as he took a step back, a constant threat.
Dae felt Nox's hands on his arm again. The sharpened point in front of Cas dropped before Nox had to coat Dae in that nullifying effect. Cas seemed emboldened by Dae's presumed retreat. Electricity crackled between his fingertips and he took several steps towards Dae and Nox. Dae braced himself for an attack. But right as Cas began to enter Dae's space Nox darted out from behind Dae like a bird of prey diving down on its prey.
Fear flashed across Cas's face and he hardly had time to let out a panicked 'no please' before Nox hooked an arm under one of his, grabbed his wrist, and stepped in towards him. Laying him out on the floor in a flash. Nox put a heeled boot on Cas's chest and squatted down, pushing his weight into Cas who let out a pained breath.
Dae looked towards Mac, "Is this typical for contract discussions here?"
"For them, yes. Anyone else would probably end up 'missing' or worse. But Nox knows too many secrets and Cas is too proud to tell anyone that a guide kicked his ass. Plus, if anything happens to Nox our prenup states that I get 50% of his shares, our house, and ownership of several commercial buildings."
Dae's eyes bugged out of his head and his mouth fell open. It was already ridiculous enough to have a non family member mentioned directly in a prenup but those conditions were outrageous.
"Do you owe Nox a life debt by any chance?"
Mac waved her hand dismissively. Her expression turned somber, "Something like that."
A large boot mark stained the middle of Cas's white dress shirt. He pouted as he sat up. When it didn't fade after some patting he glared at Nox who was offering him a hand up. He took the hand but grumbled about drycleaning and Nox being childish. Ironic coming from the man who'd thrown a tantrum over his guiding mistress dumping him.
That immaturity was exactly why it felt so wrong when Cas returned to his desk and pressed the intercom to say, "Cancel Guide Nox Levi's contract with us. Send anything he needs to sign over to Titan."
It felt too easy. Clearly there was a history here between these three. Something complex that Dae had no chance of understanding. But from what little he did know about Cas Jessop, he would never give up this easily. Even if Nox was a secret, the rich had ways of settling threats that never made it to the public eye.
Even the protection Mac's prenup offered felt wrong, why would the son of Sceptr's empire agree to such an outrageous stipulation? There were other universally compatible guides. It would have been more than possible to contract with another guide that Mac had no emotional attachment to.
Mac had joined Cas behind the desk and was rubbing his shoulder placatingly. He shrugged her off and glared at her then pressed a different button and asked for someone to bring him a change of shirt which had Nox snickering.
"Can I have lunch with you two?" Mac asked eagerly.
Nox looked to Dae who nodded reluctantly, his desire to be alone quickly losing to his desire to do everything Nox asked of him. He wondered if Nox had caught on to that particular weakness. Not that Dae expected him to take advantage of it even if he did.
"I know this amazing deli that has really good veggie wraps," Mac paused and looked at Dae, "I'm vegetarian."
Dae nodded, "I know."
Mac and Nox both looked surprised. Dae shrugged, "You're famous on social media, I checked up every once in a while." He left out the fact that he was always checking to see if Nox appeared in any of her posts.
"I honestly thought you disliked me." Dae felt another wave of guilt wash over him at the fragile vulnerability in Mac's voice.
"No-ah… I mean you were always really kind to me. I just felt awkward because people in high school always tried to pair us together. Then it only got worse when we both tested as S-class and the media got all crazy about the fact that we were from the same center and the same age."
Mac threw her head back and let out a frustrated groan, "You should be glad no one was forcing you to do interviews to 'protect your image' back then."
"Sorry, I should have reached out to do a few interviews with you. I'm sure my silence didn't help anything."
With a playful smile and a relaxed shrug Mac said, "It probably would have been worse if we ever appeared together. There was a data breach at the center a year after our tests. They think it was an attempt to get records of me guiding you at some point. You leaving without guiding made their efforts worthless."
Nox looked at Dae curiously, "Why didn't you get guiding after the test?"
"I signed with a guild right after the test and moved the next day. You did such a good job beforehand that I only ended up at like five percent corruption."
"Three," Nox interjected.
Mac shot a knowing look at Nox and Dae tried his best not to read into it or the fact that Nox remembered those details about their first encounter.
"But Mac," Dae turned to Mac, worried that this discussion will lead to him embarrassing himself if he doesn't change the topic, "If you're such a bad match for Cas how'd you manage guiding him after the test? Was his corruption as low as mine?"
Clearly, this was the wrong question to ask. Mac turned solemn. Nox grabbed her hand and gave her a comforting squeeze.
"His was pretty high. He finished in a little under an hour but he overexerted himself. Because of the publicity I was forced to guide him down to stability in front of a camera. When that took too long they gave us a private room and I had to do full contact while his stats were shared in real time."
Dae let out a pained hiss from between clenched teeth. He didn't want to imagine how disagreeable a man who threw tantrums at low corruption would act at higher levels.
"I tried for about six hours but then Nox had to take over. That was also when the idea of the contract came up. I never liked it. But Nox felt sorry for me-" Nox frowned and opened his mouth to disagree but Mac kept talking, "-I know you say that's not why but I'm sure even Dae can tell it's true."
Dae averted his eyes when Nox looked to him for support.
"I wanted to make sure Sceptr couldn't do anything to Nox so I put him in our prenup. I know it's a…unique situation, but I promise, we aren't in a relationship or anything."
"Why would I think that?" Dae asked as if he hadn't been wondering exactly that this whole time. Mac was oblivious to his deception but Nox caught it quickly and bit his lip to suppress a laugh.
The deli Mac recommended was genuinely good. It wasn't overpriced either, which took Dae by surprise. It was easy to forget that Mac was technically a middle class woman who married into wealth. In their school days a lot of her social media revolved around relatable content going through the day to day as a guide.
Whatever contract there was between her family and Sceptr she was still the same kind girl who remembered Dae's name just because they went to the same school. Someone who would tie a friend into her prenup just to ensure his safety.
The conversation flowed easily. Nox and Mac dominated most of it but Dae was more than happy to sit and listen to them, occasionally answering questions Mac had about his life in the time since they last spoke. It was clear that Nox and Mac had a close bond. It made Dae happy to see Nox so relaxed after the tense standoff back as Sceptr.
As the group finished their food Nox's watch lit up. He held his thumb down and then smiled up at his companions, "I'm officially Titan's and Titan's alone."
Dae saw something buried in Mac's smile as she congratulated Nox. Something that sent a thrum of anxiety through Dae. He wondered if he could get access to Nox's contract and a copy of Mac's prenup. An image of Jin-Won lecturing him about abusing his power and committing crimes popped up in his head but it quickly fell to the wayside at the prospect ofNox possibly being in danger.
Dae's scales of morality seem to tilt heavily in favor of Nox.