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 Posted: Thu Feb 06, 2025 6:26 am
“ “ Plot: Hasan and Nox haven’t seen each other since the news that the prince is a father. What will his reaction be when he realizes his brother and best friend kept this information from him? Characters: Nox and Hasan
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Posted: Thu Feb 06, 2025 6:12 pm
  
Nox hadn't found either of the girls in history class but they and Hasan all seemed to be okay with they came out of it. Fio as well, and he couldn't help but turn his gaze to the Mars Duchess that had captured his attention. He was glad everyone was alright and as suddenly as the events started, they had stopped. A few days had gone by and while he'd caught passing glances from the princesses he was curiously not running into Hasan. He had been busy with Lily a couple of times, and beyond that his attentions laid elsewhere.
Nox had a rough morning but had heard there were a couple of people in the weight room already so he decided to go out for a run. He pushed the door open and began to take his usual route around the school. His eyes were focused forward and he thought about what had been happening since they arrived; everything was a blur and not always in a good way. He recalled the night that he'd first met Lily and how Fio and Hasan headed off on their own. He hoped all was alright, he'd had a couple run-ins with the duchess but again, both had been busy and didn't actively make time to get together and talk. This was very different from the war, where they had strict schedules and everyone was making the most of things while they could. He continued his run while he reminisced about the days where they would basically be at each others sides and he knew that he owed his friends some time set aside; Hasan in particular. He had grown up with the other man so he was basically his brother at this point.
As Nox slowed to a light jog and finally stopped at the side of the school where he started he went over to a nearby rock where he propped his foot up on it and stretched his legs out. He hadn't done all his stretches for the day and he knew that in order to stay in good shape he had to be careful and not do things incorrectly. He barely registered when the door slammed open but what did get his attention was the loud, very angry voice of his friend. " DENALI!" his gold eyes widened as he heard the use of his official first name and as he dropped his leg and turned to look to see where he was coming from he felt his stomach tighten, his first name was only used when he had done something wrong. Had he? Was Hasan so upset that he'd not made time? Unfortunately he didn't have time to ask, as the moment he turned his head he felt his friend's fist making contact with him and down he went.
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Posted: Sat Feb 08, 2025 4:11 pm
 
♦ 𝙋𝙍𝙄𝙉𝘾𝙀 𝙊𝙁 𝙏𝙃𝘼𝙃 ♦
· · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · ·
location COURTYARD xxxxx company NOX xxxxx outfit IDK, SOME CLOTHES
Rage was one of Hasan's oldest friends.
He'd met it as an unruly child, rebelling against the authority lorded over him by his parents, against their expectations and obligations. It had driven him away from his loved ones and into the arms of those who had taught him to give in to its wretched influence. After his banishment, rage began to feed off of his pain and guilt, fueling an unholy fire inside of him. And on the battlefield, faced with unprecedented carnage and forced to fight for his life, rage twisted into something more primal, more potent. It was wrath who became his most stalwart ally as a soldier, driving him to fight harder, to leave no quarter, to destroy. Wrath was strong enough to keep all else at bay, so long as he let it take the helm.
Here, there was no place for wrath. There was no war to fight, no enemies to crush. Yet rage clung to him still, like an incurable poison, always whispering in his ear. He had done well to ignore its temptations, but in the wake of recent revelations, with a greater darkness looming ever closer, the cowardly prince had begun to relent. His anger needed a target, a scapegoat, someone or something to focus on in lieu of its true quarry.
It shouldn’t have been Nox. Hasan did not want it to be Nox. Logically, he knew he had no reason to be angry at him. He’d done the right thing, no matter how the facts stacked up. The secret had not been his to share. Keeping that secret kept the people who mattered safe. Not once in the past seven years had Hasan even been in the position to earn the knowledge of that secret. And yet, and yet, and yet... Hasan could not shake that feeling of betrayal. How many times had Nox looked at him and reflected upon his shame? Was he not disappointed in his so-called brother? Had he even wanted to tell Hasan at all? Or would he have been content to keep the secret forever?
The more Hasan obsessed over it, the greater his anger grew. It was shameful, selfish, petty – but he could not let it go. He knew he’d never be able to, until he sat down with Nox and talked it out. The problem was that talking required a level of self-control and maturity he could not achieve amidst his fury. He’d intended to avoid his friend and wait things out, at least until that red-hot rage simmered down.
But when he caught sight of the duke across the courtyard one fateful morning, that tensely-held line snapped. In an instant, all Hasan could see was red. He roared Nox’s name as he took off toward him, terrifying a few nearby students who recoiled in shock. A surprise confrontation in public was the last thing Nox deserved, but all Hasan could think about now was letting loose the fury that had been building inside him.
He threw a brutal right hook, catching the duke square in the jaw. Hasan was on him before he even hit the ground, left hand balled up in Nox’s shirt to hold him down.
“Seven ******** years?!” he shouted as he stole yet another cheap blow – likely the last before the duke’s defenses were up. “Seven ******** years and not once did you think to tell me?!”
It was all the context he could give right now, without shouting unnecessary details for the rest of the student body to see. Already people were beginning to gather. This was the absolute last place he ought to be pulling this stunt, but the deed was done. All Hasan could do was hope Nox would give it back just as good as he got it – if not more. Because that was what Hasan deserved, and what his rage truly wanted, underneath it all.
“You absolute b*****d! I trust you with everything!!”
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Posted: Sat Feb 08, 2025 7:36 pm
Nox wasn't expecting a fight, not today. So when he had heard his name yelled across the yard he knew something was wrong. He was unsure of exactly what it was but it didn't take away from the sting that he felt on his cheek, causing him to land hard on his back. He didn't have much time to react before he felt his best friend on top of him yelling at him. The first shouted set of words made his eyes widen, did she tell him? He assumed so after the second hit to his jaw, that time though he snapped his eyes open and grabbed Hasan's wrist and held firm. He let him get his final words out before he pulled down so that the other man lost his balance a little bit, low enough he could growl out a reply. " That wasn't my secret to share, and you know that!" he knew his friend, he knew that he understood. But the anger that they both often struggled with around the war came out in different ways. Hasan just so happened to be more the violent side when he snapped, something that the stinging bruise on his cheek would be proof of. " And...besides--!" as he spoke he raised his right arm and intentionally took a swing of his own, releasing the prince's wrist to try and dislodge his grip he had on Nox's shirt.
He managed to pull it off, twisting his shoulders slightly as he moved his right leg and pushed hard, before he aimed another, if not harder, hit towards his sternum. He refrained from doing so too hard, but hard enough to knock the air out of his lungs for a second and that was all he needed. " We both know I tell you everything I am permitted to!" As he finished his sentence he had flipped Hasan over, his hand grabbing the man's shirt by his left shoulder, holding him firmly to the ground. His gold eyes flashed, almost daring the other to try it, and he knew that they were both pretty well balanced when it came to strength. He wasn't going easy on him just because it was his friend, if anything he knew kind of what was needed to soothe the rage that was building in him.
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Posted: Mon Feb 10, 2025 11:36 am
♦ 𝙋𝙍𝙄𝙉𝘾𝙀 𝙊𝙁 𝙏𝙃𝘼𝙃 ♦
· · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · ·
location COURTYARD xxxxx company NOX xxxxx outfit IDK, SOME CLOTHES
As expected, Nox was quick to react, snatching Hasan's wrist before he could do any more damage. The prince jerked his arm back, attempting to pry himself out of Nox's hold. Without the use of that arm, he had no defense against the duke's next move, and very quickly Hasan found himself yanked downward, mere inches from his friend's face.
"That wasn't my secret to share, and you know that!"
Hasan's expression twisted further, but there was no response he could offer. He did know that -- he understood that, he believed that -- yet the knowledge did nothing to soothe the inferno in his chest. The muscles in his jaw tensed as he gritted his teeth and snarled, fingers curling more tightly in Nox's shirt. Just as he finally opened his mouth to spit out a reply, the duke's fist connected with his face in a stunning blow.
Hasan reeled back, and was unable to steady himself before Nox's next strike, straight to his sternum. If he wasn't seeing stars before, he was now, as all the air was forced out of his lungs. In spite of his dazed state, he still fought the grapple, throwing haphazard fists and elbows until he was fully restrained, face down against the ground. He sucked in a ragged breath as soon as he was able, finally banishing the clouds from his vision, and thrashed beneath Nox's weight.
With some effort, Hasan managed to bend his right arm beneath him and attempted to push himself up. He probably looked pathetic right now, shoved into the dirt, wheezing in pain and rallying helplessly against the giant of a man pinning him down. He twisted just enough for his wild eyes to lock with Nox's, teeth bared.
"Everything you're permitted to," he spat, tone dripping with venom. At the very least, he wasn't yelling anymore. Hasan pushed against the ground again, finding newfound strength in his adrenaline. He gained an inch, and then another -- but still not enough to be able to get Nox off of his back. "Didn't realize our relationship was a ******** obligation to you, that --" He grunted, nails biting into the dirt. "-- that the bonds of brotherhood mean so little to you."
His words were unfair, and untrue. Both of these things he knew. But he'd never learned how to express his feelings in a mature and reasonable way.
"Did you even want to tell me?! Or would you have just been content to keep it from me forever?!"
Fury coursed through his veins, and finally he gained enough leverage to get his leg under him. With all the strength he had, he shoved against Nox in a half-roll, hoping to knock him off of his back.
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Posted: Mon Feb 10, 2025 7:03 pm
Nox felt his own expression darken as his closest friend began to speak of their relationship. Sure enough as his anger grew the words became more and more bitter. Nox scowled briefly as he had to shift his footing to remain steady. Hasan was stronger than one might think, and just because Nox had the high ground it didn't mean much. A flash of something dark move through his expression before he felt the other get his leg under him and that was it, he let go a moment before Hasan pushed and leaned back onto his feet avoiding the other man's roll. He brushed his closed fist against the corner of his lip where there was only just a hint of blood. " Of course I wanted to tell you! Why do you think I kept mentioning you should talk to her? You thought I just wanted you to get laid?" he glared at him and his head tilted slightly as he kept talking, his tone a bit more level than Hasan's but there was a more frustrated hint to it. " And hell no. You're my brother through and through, even if we both make stupid decisions! None of this is just obligation, and if I have to beat you to get that through your head, I will." towards the end his words turned into a growl. He always understood when Hasan lot his cool but it didn't make it any easier to listen to. He'd never been this angry at him before however, and to be honest he understood why he was.
Nox shifted his weight and one leg forward a little as he wrapped his hand around Hasan's forearm and pulled him towards himself in an attempt to twist his arm around behind him, to get him to chill out. his other hand had grabbed his shoulder before he kept his face somewhat away from Hasan, not expecting him to be beyond a headbutt. " And I would have told you the moment she allowed it--" he lowered his voice to a lower tone so only Hasan heard him, making sure to be careful with the name. " We both know that Aithne means the world to her, and Fio would have had my head if I spoke up." this was something they both knew. Even though they were strong and fought in the war, so did Fio. She was a woman not to be messed with, and the respect ran deep. Although not as far as his respect for Hasan did. That just meant he had to do things that were right, not easy though.
Nox tightened his grip before letting go, standing and catching his breath as he backed up enough to give Hasan a little space to process his words. " Now, if you want to keep coming after me, lets do it elsewhere. We're drawing a crowd." he was more than happy to keep going, until Hasan got it out of his system. He was hoping the dropping of his daughter's name would throw him enough to at least get them out of public eye.
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Posted: Fri Feb 14, 2025 9:01 pm
♦ 𝙋𝙍𝙄𝙉𝘾𝙀 𝙊𝙁 𝙏𝙃𝘼𝙃 ♦
· · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · ·
location COURTYARD xxxxx company NOX xxxxx outfit IDK, SOME CLOTHES
"Of course I wanted to tell you! Why do you think I kept mentioning you should talk to her? You thought I just wanted you to get laid?"
That --
Okay, that made sense.
Nox had tried, had done all that he could despite his commitments. It wasn’t his fault the hardheaded Hasan had not picked up on his clues. The fault lied solely with the prince… as always. He was truly his own worst enemy. Even unconsciously, unknowingly, he was ******** things up. It was a wonder Nox was even still here, still clinging to the bonds of brotherhood. He hadn’t deserved a shred of what Hasan had done or said to him in the past few minutes. And some terrible part of Hasan wondered what it would take for that bond to break. Was there a limit to how far he could push his best friend before Nox gave up on him entirely? Before everyone did? Or was Hasan destined to take them all down with him?
A sobering thought, but his body did not let go of his anger quite so easily, even if its focus had turned purely inward. Once Nox was off of him, Hasan thrashed blindly, hoping to take advantage of this chance. The cooler-headed duke quickly detained him, though, and even avoided what would have been a nauseating headbutt. With bared teeth, Hasan struggled against Nox’s grasp like a caged dog. The fact Nox was opting to hold him back instead of beating him into the ground only exasperated him. He opened his mouth to demand Nox stop ******** around –
Then Nox dropped the A word. And it froze Hasan in his tracks.
He stopped struggling and went limp against the ground – but his furious gaze was still locked with Nox’s, wild and unblinking. He was right, of course; this was neither the time nor place for such a confrontation. And though Hasan had not spoken aloud any details, the fact remained that he was now responsible for Aithne’s safety, too. He could not afford to be careless, not when there were so many clever and curious minds at this school.
It was also a sobering reminder that his feelings did not matter in this equation. He could rage against the world all he wanted, but it would not change anything.
Nox seemed to recognize his surrender, and at last released his hold. Hasan was slower to sit up, head hung in sudden exhaustion. He ran a hand over his face, wincing as he brushed the welt on his cheekbone.
“No, I…” he muttered hoarsely. “I’m done.”
After a moment, Hasan finally pushed himself to his feet, ignoring the now scattering onlookers. Somehow he could not quite look Nox in the eye just yet, but at least his anger was on its way out. He rubbed the back of his neck. “Y’know, it’s a hell of a lot easier when you just kick my a**,” he said – a halfhearted joke. “Look, I’m… sorry. I didn’t mean any of that, I just…” How could he even begin to explain? Hasan heaved a sigh. “You got time to catch up?”
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Posted: Sun Feb 16, 2025 8:41 pm
Nox had done his hardest to get the facts to his head. He knew Hasan preferred a fight over words but at the same time he knew word would get back to Fio and he certainly didn't want her to be any further angry with Hasan, or both of them. He rolled his shoulders as they ached slightly from how hard he hit the ground, but he watched Hasan slowly getting up. He raised an eyebrow at the calmer reaction, and while this was surprising, it was preferred. Especially when it came to the little light that was his niece. While he and Hasan weren't blood related, he felt like the other was his brother in all other ways, so he considered him as such. Sure, the words hurt that Hasan threw his way earlier, but he also knew the way he struggled with his anger and what caused that to happen. Sympathetic was not the right word, but he understood.
Nox brushed his own hand over his cheek, he knew both of them would have bruises for sure. That was the risk they took when they fought with each other though, and one that both of them have come to understand over the years. " Good. I'm always here if you need to get it out though." even though Hasan wasn't looking up at him at the moment he flashed a grin. " You got one over on me. I wasn't expecting you to come out of nowhere and do that." he sounded almost, proud? He was certainly proud of him but even more so when he heard his next words. He walked up to Hasan, leaning an arm around him and nodding his head. " Of course. And look, I know. You're good." he clapped his left hand against Hasan's shoulder before letting his arm fall off, his gold eyes flashing to the last of the onlookers who ran off. " You have somewhere in mind? I have all the time in the world." he knew they both probably should be at classes but honestly this was beyond needed and far more important than the classes.
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Posted: Fri Feb 21, 2025 1:53 pm
♦ 𝙋𝙍𝙄𝙉𝘾𝙀 𝙊𝙁 𝙏𝙃𝘼𝙃 ♦
· · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · ·
location COURTYARD > NOX'S DORM xxxxx company NOX xxxxx outfit IDK, SOME CLOTHES
Leave it to Nox to still have his back, even after all the bullshit he'd just pulled. The rapid forgiveness wasn't something he deserved, but he selfishly appreciated it. Hasan responded to the duke's offer with a curt nod, eyes still averted. With his temper cooled, and the raw weight of everything he was grappling with settling in, he now lacked the desire to fight -- a fact that was bizarre in and of itself. The realization made him nervous, and he wasn't yet ready to face those ramifications just yet.
"Yeah, well, sometimes a blitz attack is the only edge I can get against you," he retorted, trying to keep his tone light, but his heart clearly wasn't in it. Still, he was grateful for the arm around his shoulder, and leaned into the steadying touch. "...Thanks, man."
Whether Nox really was free, or was simply choosing to make time for his wayward friend, Hasan did not care. If the man was willing to offer his ear, he intended to capitalize on that. The question of where, at least, was an easy one: somewhere private, away from prying eyes and ears. That left only two options, and he wasn't really in the mood to face the disaster of his own bedroom, where Aithne's existence had been revealed to him. "Your place okay?" he asked.
When Nox affirmed that was alright, Hasan spared a moment to fetch the bag he'd abandoned in his mad rush to tackle his friend and slung it over his shoulder. He followed after the taller man on their path to his dorm, taking that time to try and organize some of his thoughts. Although Nox was the person he confided in the most, talking about his feelings still wasn't his strong suit. Some things he wasn't sure he was ready to admit even to himself, let alone another person.
And he had not made much progress on that front by the time they arrived. Hasan lumbered into the room after Nox, dropping his bag by the door. He headed straight for the bed, which he obnoxiously flung himself down upon with a loud groan. "You got anything to dri-- <********>, wait, I'm trying to cut back." Hasan ran a hand over his face in frustration. Alcohol would definitely make the words flow more freely, but it would also make him do things he regretted. Not to mention the fact that it was still morning. "Never mind."
Hasan fell quiet, staring at the ceiling, as he tried to decide where he wanted to start. Fio, Pascha, Fio, Pascha -- over and over again in his head, like some howling whirlwind. The former probably made more sense, considering that was why he'd attacked Nox in the first place.
But in the end, Hasan took the coward's way out.
"So..." he began, propping himself up on the bed. "What's new with you?"
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Posted: Wed Feb 26, 2025 7:38 pm
Nox could tell his friend was still struggling with his feelings. The sooner they got out of public eye the better. He clearly had some things he had to talk about, his daughter being one of them and if either of them valued their lives, they wouldn't speak of her in a loud enough voice in public. He smirked slightly at the fact that he was able to admit that Nox was capable of besting him in many instances but he didn't push too far, not while they were still getting looks. He moved his arm from around Hasan and nodded. " Sounds good to me." the thought of them being in his room made his mind flash back to Lily before he shook his head. Nope, not the time for that. He glanced back over his shoulder as Hasan retrieved his bag and slowed his steps until the other joined up with him as he leaned his head to the side, his neck making a fairly loud sound as he released some tension. He knew that that had been coming for years, quite a few years at that. And Fio wouldn't be happy when she found out how open it had been but he knew better than to keep his friend-- his brother out in the open feeling such things. That was the time they usually fought things out, but it was clear a talk was needed.
When they finally made it to his dorm, he stepped in first before chuckling slightly at the dramatic way he threw himself on the bed. He pushed his door closed with his foot before he sat down in his chair, spinning it so he leaned on the back of it and faced Hasan as he remained quiet for a moment just watching his gears turning. He raised an eyebrow at the fact that he asked Nox what was up with him first, but he knew they had to work their way up to the good stuff. He folded his arms over the top of the back of the chair. heavy topics first, then they could cover the fun stuff. Lily. She counted as fun.
" I finally told someone else about my father." his words were simple, but for the longest time Hasan and Fio were the only two who knew the entire situation. Sure, he'd told Nadia and Amena, and hell, he'd even made sure Akwasi knew; but the only two who knew the full details were his brother and close friend. The others were mostly so that they didn't question his powers. " She took it a hell of a lot better than I thought, especially considering I know my expression got dark." his father was a tough subject, but one that was something he'd always felt comfortable talking to Hasan about.
He gave him a moment to register his words as he watched him, his eyes gauging his reactions and watching how he seemed interested in what Nox had to say. And while he knew he was, he also knew it was a short-cut to keep his own issues hidden, for the moment. " Although I did leave out the wanting to find him and teach him to mess with people like that." Lily may have been from Mars, but he also didn't want to scare her off. Certainly not after what they'd done.
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Posted: Fri Feb 28, 2025 9:46 pm
♦ 𝙋𝙍𝙄𝙉𝘾𝙀 𝙊𝙁 𝙏𝙃𝘼𝙃 ♦
· · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · ·
location COURTYARD xxxxx company NOX xxxxx outfit IDK, SOME CLOTHES
"I finally told someone else about my father."
“Oh s**t.”
That... was definitely not something Hasan had been expecting. He stared at Nox in surprise, wondering if perhaps he had heard him wrong. The story of his father wasn't one he tended to share. So either Nox had suddenly become unbothered enough to speak about it freely, or he’d become close enough with someone to feel comfortable sharing. The latter seemed more likely; but who? Someone at the school? They hadn’t been here that long…
"She took it a hell of a lot better than I thought, especially considering I know my expression got dark."
Key word: she. Hasan’s brows lowered in cautious suspicion. Despite the still lingering tension, and the gravity of the subject at hand, he was feeling impishly curious. This mysterious she had to be quite special to have earned the knowledge of Nox’s origins. Was there something going on there? Had someone caught his brother’s eye? If that was true, Hasan absolutely had to know. And he had to get to know her, to make sure she was worthy of Nox’s affections.
But he was getting ahead of himself. He could be completely misreading the situation, and he didn’t need to make more of a fool of himself today by teasing Nox too early.
“That’s a pretty big deal for you,” he responded casually, tilting his head to the side. “You trust her that much?” He was trying to dip his toes in the water here, but playing coy wasn’t exactly in his wheelhouse, so almost immediately he gave in to his curiosity and leaned forward. “Who is she? Do I know her? Is there somethin’ goin’ on there?”
Even if she wasn’t a romantic prospect, he was still eager to know about this mysterious person who had become so close to his best friend – as well as to learn more about what Nox had been up to in the time since they’d last talked. Clearly there had been some significant developments in his life. Hasan couldn’t allow his anger to get between them ever again; he didn’t want to miss things like this, especially because of his own issues.
“Anything else major go down in the past few weeks? Or anything minor. Whatever you feel like sharing.” He rested his elbows on his knees and locked his fingers together. “I’m sorry for not being here, man. I’ve been so caught up in my own problems… I won’t let it happen again.”
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Posted: Sat Mar 01, 2025 8:31 pm
Nox could see the surprise on Hasan's face. Yeah, that's about the reaction he expected. With Hasan being one of only two previously who knew of the kind of person his father was it was no shock to him that his brother was curious. And like usual, it wasn't hidden from his eyes but as Nox shifted his eyes back to Hasan he took his question in. Did he trust Lily? Yes. Something about her made him think she wouldn't use that against him. Hopefully he was doing the right thing trusting his gut and he leaned his head onto his arms, nodding his head. " I do. It's hard to explain, but I'm trusting my gut and her on this one." he hadn't mentioned the sexual nature of their relationship as well, but certainly it would come to that. There was no doubt that would come up. The immediate line of questions made him grin, there it was. " Actually, you do know her. Kind of." thinking back, Hasan and Fiorelli both had briefly met her. Even if in passing. He tilted his head to the side and breathed out. " That night of the explosion, the blonde I was with." he knew the next piece of information would be big too, so he carefully watched Hasan's expression.
Hasan knew him. Knew how his brain worked and it went the same for him. They might not be blood relatives but it was clear to almost everyone that the two were close. He knew deep down that they were in his closed room, but he spoke a little quieter than usual still when he revealed the next fact. " She's my mother's friends daughter. Lilith. The one who passed away." that alone would explain his protectiveness but even he couldn't put his finger on exactly what about the blonde caught his attention. " I'm not sure what it is, if I'm being honest. We're together a lot and hell, I've found myself missing her." that was a big confession on his part. Even though he cared about each of his partners in the past, he rarely missed someone. Unless they were special.
The second line of questions had him laughing slightly before he sat up and lifted his head. " Nah, been keeping an eye on you and the girls. Even if you never noticed me. Spent a lot of time with Lily between classes." none of it which was a lie. He had kept tabs on Hasan even when they were avoiding one another, but he didn't go talk to him until the other was ready. Although that really shouldn't come as a surprise at this point though, not for Hasan. The girls may not know how much he keeps an eye out, but he knew that Nadia had caught him occasionally and he'd just smile and wave to her. He never wanted to invade on their space, he just liked to see that they were in good health. That, of course, went for Fiorelli and Hasan as well.
Gold eyes locked onto Hasan's briefly. " That's alright. I'm sure finding out about Ainthe was enough to throw you into shock." if he knew how Hasan worked, and he did, it was news big enough to throw him off his game. He tilted his head slightly before asking the question on his mind. " How are you doing? I am sorry I couldn't say anything before...you know how she is. She'd take me down in no time at all." it was half a joke and half not, both of them knew that the shorter woman was a force to be reckoned with.
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Posted: Tue Mar 04, 2025 1:18 pm
♦ 𝙋𝙍𝙄𝙉𝘾𝙀 𝙊𝙁 𝙏𝙃𝘼𝙃 ♦
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location NOX'S DORM xxxxx company NOX xxxxx outfit IDK, SOME CLOTHES
An inexplicable sense of trust, huh... Hasan could relate to that. He was certain Nox's instincts were better than his own, anyhow. Nodding, he listened to the duke finally reveal her identity -- and as soon as he spoke that telltale detail, Hasan perked up. "Lady Lily!" he exclaimed, echoing Draco's words from the other day. "I ran into this guy during History class who mentioned her. He thought I was with her that night..." Belatedly, he realized Draco may have been mistaking him for Nox with his mix-up. "Hey, she was pretty cute." And tiny, particularly compared to the giant before him, but Hasan kept that thought to himself.
At least Draco hadn't gotten her name mixed up. As soon as Nox spoke of Lilith, Hasan knew the name had to be true. "Damn, what are the odds you would have found her daughter here? I'm glad you were able to close the loop on that whole thing. I know it's been weighing on you all this time." Nox and his infallible sense of duty... The prince watched him carefully, doing his best to hold back a grin as his friend admitted to missing her when she wasn't around. In better circumstances, he would be teasing the hell out of him right about now. Maybe he could wring more details out of him later, when the mood was a little lighter.
Though, that didn't stop him from raising a brow at Nox's next confession. "Not creepy at all, buddy," he joked. "Thanks for looking out for them. I'm still not convinced this place is completely safe... Better to keep the girls in our sights for now." He'd been doing his best to give them their space, but he was due for a little brotherly bothering soon. Who knew what they'd been getting up to behind closed doors? If they were getting close to anyone in particular, Hasan had a definite need to know.
He held Nox's gaze only briefly when he mentioned Aithne, and then he sighed and flopped back against the bed. Yeah, he supposed it was about time he started opening up, too... Still, it took him several seconds just to figure out what to say. "Yeah, it was, uh... a shock." That felt like a bit of an understatement. "Honestly, I'm not doing great... Not just because of that." But how much of what he was going through did he want to reveal right now? Not even Nox knew the full depth of his emotional state post-war. It was a truth he didn't even want to admit to himself...
No, he'd just focus on the recent events. "I was mad when I found out. And then I was just... sad, I guess. Disappointed in myself. But I know now, and I'm trying to figure out what I want to do about it. I owe Fio a decision eventually. I don't want to make her wait too long, though. She's... well, you know her. She's amazing. Patient. Understanding. She deserves a lot better than to have to deal with someone like me. So I'm trying to be better. For whatever that's worth. But it's not going too well so far."
Pausing, Hasan put both hands on his face and groaned. "On top of all that, I colossally ******** up with someone else who doesn't deserve my bullshit. All because I can't keep it in my ******** pants." He let his arms fall onto the mattress beside his head. "He's a blonde, too. Some crazy synergy you and I have got goin' on, huh..."
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Posted: Sat Mar 08, 2025 8:33 pm
Nox knew almost right away that Hasan knew who he meant, the woman's name echoing as he allowed a slight grin to form and nod. However, the next words that he said send a shiver down Nox's spine. " I have a feeling I know who that might be. Dark hair looks like he's up to no good?" he figured there was one man who may have made that mistake, and it was the very same he rescued her from the situation with. To be fair he really had no place at that time, or even now, to say no to her sleeping with him but he got bad vibes from the man. Shaking his head, he returned to the present moment, the fact that the two of them were still getting confused causing him to smirk slightly. " Yeah, she is." once they got beyond the more important conversation of his niece, at least that's what she'd be considered to him, he'd fill Hasan in on the finer points of how much he had been enjoying her company. Perhaps not all the details, he still wanted to respect her, but he certainly was looking forward to being able to tell someone he could trust with the information. He knew his expression flickered to contemplation for a moment before nodding and relaxing his gaze again. " Yeah, I'm sure once I write back to my mother she'll be relieved as well." although he'd be leaving out the personal details, he could at least let her know that Lily was in fact, okay.
A deep laugh escaped as he Hasan joked with him. He damn well knew the other did the same thing, and there wasn't a need to voice it even if they both knew it. " Yeah, well, I give them space but I still need to make sure our girls are okay." there was something about the fact that when he met Hasan that he didn't really have anyone but his mother, and then from there he found a whole new family. It was something he was bound and determined to protect not matter what the cost.
Waiting patiently after mentioning the little girl who had prompted the initial ambush, he leaned his head on his hand as he let Hasan gather his thoughts. Even if he didn't know him like the back of his hand, he could tell that he was conflicted about the whole thing. His expression softened but he remained quiet, letting his friend and brother get his words out. It wasn't easy for him to voice how he felt so Nox knew that the more he could get out the better. Better for him too, so he could get an exact read on the situation. He exhaled out his nose as Hasan finished up and closed his eyes. " Yeah, she's definitely been a trooper through all of this. And for what it's worth, I'm sure she knows you would have done the right thing. She didn't tell you... well, at first for Aithne's protection. Beyond that I didn't get told." and it was true, he had intentionally chosen not to know more than she needed him to know because it was hard enough to not tell his best friend about it. It killed inside every time he saw Hasan walk away but he had to keep his end of the promise he made. " Fio has had seven years to raise her, and you're just processing this information now. It might take a little bit of time, but...what do you want to do?" he knew it was a loaded question, so he raised his hand before Hasan spoke and clarified. " Do you want to be involved in her life? I can tell you firsthand she's a wonderful little girl, but I do not see Fio tolerating going in and out of her life. It would probably be all or nothing." he spoke softer than usual to try and soften the blow of his words even if they were honest. That much he owed Hasan. It never counted to beat around the bush with him, especially when it came to such an important topic. " I know you want to do the right thing too, bad habits and all." as if he was one to talk about bad habits.
Hasan's last statement made Nox raise and eyebrow though, and he allowed himself to grin and relax his shoulders slightly. " Convenient. I wonder if our blondes know each other." he remarked before tilting his head to the side and sitting upright a little more. " What happened? If you don't mind me asking of course." Hasan mentioned it, so it was worth asking. He knew Hasan better than to think he went all the way when someone wasn't comfortable yet, but he also couldn't help but think he might have felt like he ******** up because of all the complicated feelings that came with realizing he had a seven-year-old daughter out there.
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Posted: Mon Mar 10, 2025 6:02 pm
♦ 𝙋𝙍𝙄𝙉𝘾𝙀 𝙊𝙁 𝙏𝙃𝘼𝙃 ♦
· · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · ·
location NOX'S DORM xxxxx company NOX xxxxx outfit IDK, SOME CLOTHES
Nox having some amount of familiarity with Draco wasn’t a surprise, considering they’d all been chatting together that night, but his less than enthusiastic response piqued Hasan’s curiosity. “He seemed mostly harmless to me, but I’ll admit I didn’t get to know him too well before things went to s**t in the hallucination. You know somethin’ I don’t?” he asked, raising a brow. He wasn’t always the best at reading people (or remembering faces, apparently), so he was happy to trust his brother’s judgement over his own on this one. All he could really glean from Draco in the time they spent together was a bad attitude.
At the mention of writing a letter to Nox’s mother, Hasan perked up with a smile. “Hey, tell her I said hi. Have you heard from her lately? They doin’ okay?” Man, Devi was, what, almost one and a half now? She’d be walking and talking the next time Hasan had a chance to see them. Between he and Nox, they had no shortage of younger siblings under their wings. Though at least Amena and Nadia were old enough know to look after themselves, too. Not that he and Nox would ever give up on watching over them completely...
And now Hasan had even more family to worry about. He grimaced when Nox claimed he would have done the right thing, knowing that was not true in the least. The fact he put Aithne in such danger just by virtue of being his blood still made his stomach twist. Fio wanted them to meet, was open to him being part of Aithne’s life – but wouldn’t he endanger her further that way? It would be much harder to keep her lineage a secret once people saw them together, particularly if she looked as much like him as Fio had described.
Despite his attempts to chill, Nox’s question of what he wanted to do made his whole body tense up, and Hasan fought to shake the stress out of his bones. This was something he couldn’t answer easily – because he had not decided yet. “So you’ve met her, huh…” was all he said at first, giving himself a little time to think it through. Not that it did him any good. He wouldn’t find the answer in a few seconds when he’d been belaboring the issue for weeks now. Hasan sighed. “What does being all-in even mean? I move out to the Affini duchy and become a stay-at-home dad? Fio said she doesn’t expect anything of me, but… I mean, what’s best for Aithne? A sperm donor who comes and goes? I don’t know that I can commit to being there always. I don’t know how much time I could commit. Is being in and out better than not being there at all? And if the war picks up again, I’ll be right back to the front lines ‘til I die or ‘til it’s over, so where would that leave her then?”
Hasan mulled that over, then continued warily, “Look, all I know – all I've been able to decide on – is... I'd like to meet her. Beyond that, it's... a work in progress.” This was his first time admitting that out loud, and he was still terrified of the thought of having to face his daughter, but... it was the one truth he had right now. The rest he was still working through.
The prince kept his gaze on the ceiling as his thoughts drifted to Pascha: another topic he needed to work up momentum for… “I, uh. It started off innocent, I swear. I didn’t have bad intentions in the beginning. He was cute and interesting, but a little dense, so I decided to have a bit of fun with him. Invited him out on a date, but didn’t call it a date, to see how long it would take him to realize what was going on…” Boy, he wished he could sink into the mattress right about now. “Admittedly, I was flirting with him a lot. I just – I didn’t think he would be into it, y’know. And I didn’t think I would be as into him as I was. We hit it off so well – so well – and before I knew it he was confessing.”
Hasan felt his face heating up at the memory.
“All that wouldn’t have been too bad, except…” He winced. “He’s only… eighteen. He’d never been on a date before, had never even kissed anyone. He'd never even thought about being with a man. He was green as green could be, Nox. And I should have left, or shut it down, but I was so…” So… what? How could he even begin to explain when he had yet to confront the truth himself? When he refused to? Hasan draped his arms over his face.
“I tried to resist. I really did. But he kissed me, and I kissed him, and I was so ******** into it. I was so ******** into him. I wanted him so bad. And he kept asking for more, and I couldn’t say no. He didn’t know a damn thing about sex, but I took him back to his room and ******** him for hours. Stayed the whole night. And now we’re…” Hasan took a miserable breath. “I don’t know. It’s a mess. I’m a mess. It’s like I can’t stay away. And he’s good, Nox. Pure of heart and genuine and sweet. And funny and cute, and – I mean, what the ******** am I doing messing around with him like this?”
After a moment, Hasan sat up and looked his friend dead in the eye.
“I’m insane, right? I should be put down like a dog.”
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