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notes: Micah links this fic to my other post-finale fic, finding the ounces, which follows Charley through the rest of her night

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Micah honestly spends most of his nights online. He watches youtube videos, scans a few articles about his dad, and basically burns time until he can knock out for the night. It's not super glamorous, but it gets him through the quiet nights at Violet's since Hollywood isn't around anymore. With Ralph Angel and Blue at Grandpa Ernest's place now, the whole house is just him, his mom, and Aunt Vi. Not really a lot of quality company there for a kid that wants to have a good time. No offense to either of them.

Keke helps. Messaging her, calling her, keeping himself occupied with someone who's so… he doesn't know, different? She grew up down here in the South. She's got these customs and a whole separate way of understanding how people interact. Like, how he needed to meet her dad if he wanted to date her, but she was still really independent and forward with everything she wanted. Stella played a lot of games when it came to dating her, and it's nice to not have to deal with that. To be with someone who would tell him exactly what she wanted and when she wanted it. If she wasn't happy, she'd tell him, and he definitely wouldn't have to worry about her cheating on him.

Plus, she sent him messages sometimes about his family. Cool articles about Nova, or think pieces on his mom and dad. His phone jumps up with a new shared tweet. He clicks, already smiling at whatever new dumb meme or vine she's got for him. Only, it's not something fun this time.

BLMdontplay — I'm out tonight right & tell me who I see getting her swirl on? #NovaBordelon #notmadatya
— BLMdontplay she and her boo are the bar. real cute but idk I wanted more from her
— BLMdontplay FUUUUUUCK, some other white dude snatched his hand back from her
— BLMdontplay hE JUST GRABBED HER ASS! WTF I'M FIGHTING
— BLMdontplay SECURTIY IS COMING! HE FUCKING SPAT IN HER FACE
— BLMdontplay NOVA BAIL ME OUT LIKE YOU DID TOO SWEET. I'M JUMPING IN
— BLMdontplay jk I'm not but I will be getting his badge number later. his wife is right here too
— BLMdontplay somebody else posted the video. watch it #staywoke

Micah leaves the thread without clicking on the video. He doesn't need to see whatever some dude did to his aunt. He needs to know she's okay.

Micah to Keke, 9:12p
/ Fuck
/ what the fUCK
/ Is this serious?

Keke to Micah, 9:13p
/ I think so. Is she okay?

Micah to Keke, 9:14p
/ idk, let me see

He clicks over to his chat with Nova. She hasn't said anything to him, but maybe that's because he's a kid. Or maybe she's not telling anyone. If this really happened, she's probably still processing. The tweets are barely an hour old.

Micah to Nova (Aunt), 9:15p
/ Hey, you okay?

Nova (Aunt) to Micah, 9:16p
/ Always. What's up baby?

Maybe the fact that some guy thought it was a good idea to attack her in a bar? God, his mom does the same thing; she channels everything that she's worrying about into fixing him rather than confronting what's happening with her. He knows that he can thank his mom for Davis coming down. Which — whatever, it's not the time to think about that. This is important. Though, maybe he could work up to the important part.

Micah to Nova (Aunt), 9:18p
/ Nothing, just wanted to talk. My dad's in town right now. You'd be proud. I told him off and said everything I needed to say. and Mom's not falling for anything he's trying either. I don't even think it's about Remy or whatever's happening there. Mom looked so done with him. you wouldn't believe.

Nova (Aunt) to Micah, 9:19p
// With Remy or your dad?

He rolls his eyes.

Micah to Nova (Aunt), 9:20p
/ Dad. She had him eating out of her hand and signing his life over to here
/ but anyway that's what's happening over here. how are you really?

Nova (Aunt) to Micah, 9:22p
/ I'm fine, Micah
/ you know, if you're bored you could use that number I gave you for Too Sweet. it'd do you good to keep a friend like that

Micah to Nova (Aunt), 9:23p
/ Do you have friends like that?

Nova (Aunt) to Micah, 9:24p
/ Some of them

Micah doesn't know if Nova has friends to be honest. It seems like she mostly has co-workers, or brothers and sisters within the movement who can act like friends when the time calls for it but ultimately aren't around when something else does down. Who does she turn to for stuff like this? Probably not his mom, or his mom wouldn't still be here at Vi's. Honestly, if she knew, Charley'd probably be tracking down the cop and making sure he's charged for assault tonight with or without Nova's consent.

But that might not be what Nova needs. Nova holds pretty much everything in, so maybe she just needs to talk about it. She works better in person than over messages — something about being able to feel the person and their energy, he doesn't get it, but he knows that if he could just get to her, then he could help her.

He could try using her need for projection against her. Not technically against her, but to his advantage. Pretend that he needs help so he can help her?

Micah to Nova (Aunt), 9:26p
/ You're right. I am bored, and restless too. my mom keeps staring at her computer, but she won't move. I need to get out

Nova (Aunt) to Micah, 9:27p
/ I'm not really up to going anywhere right now

Micah to Nova (Aunt), 9:28p
/ why not?

Nova (Aunt) to Micah, 9:29p
/ You have something to say, Micah?

He can hear her judgment through the phone so he sighs and types up the truth.

Micah to Nova (Aunt), 9:31p
/ Keke found tweets about tonight. They said you were out and some cop got all over you. Now I know you just see me as a kid, but I want to help you.

Nova (Aunt) to Micah, 9:32p
/ Does your mama know?

That's not an answer but okay.

Micah to Nova (Aunt), 9:32p
/ Not yet

Nova (Aunt) to Micah, 9:33p
/ Good. Keep it that way. She's got enough to worry about.

Micah to Nova (Aunt), 9:34p
/ So does that mean I get to worry about you?

Nova (Aunt) to Micah, 9:35p
/ Worry about whatever you want, boy
/ and I am proud of you for standing up to your dad btw

His chest warms up, and he grins. His mom hadn't said anything after he'd told off his dad, which is basically the closest he could get to her agreeing with him about any of this. If she didn't agree, she would've told him off. She would've reiterated that his dad loved him and cared about him, just not enough since he paid for hookers and left them all looking stupid to the whole of the world when he got called out on it. If his mom hadn't agreed, then she would've told Micah that he needed to hear his dad out and that nothing would ever change and that his dad would always be his dad so he should learn to accept that. He should work on forgiving him eventually, even if it takes some time. Even if forgiving his dad means accepting that his dad doesn't love his mom, who is without a doubt one of the best people on this planet. His mom is —

not the focus right now. He'd zoned out long enough for Nova to keep on talking.

Nova (Aunt) to Micah, 9:37p
/ and I'll be okay. You do this work long enough and nothing fazes you.

He scoffs, honest to God. They should be on the phone because he knows she couldn't've said that sounding as sure as her text might make it seem. There's a lot you can handle and take in when it comes to micro and actual aggressions, but having someone spit in your face? Ultimate disrespect. How do you ever feel clean after that? Seriously?

Micah to Nova (Aunt), 9:39p
/ All due respect, Aunt Nova, but you won't leave the house so I'm guessing this actually did faze you. This doesn't sound like it was about the work either. It sounds like it was a date interrupted

Nova (Aunt) to Micah, 9:40p
/ aren't you clever?

Micah to Nova (Aunt), 9:41p
/ Nova please

He can practically hear her sigh through the start of her next text. Pictures her drumming on the empty text bar, debating whether or not to actually open to him.

Nova (Aunt) to Micah, 9:42p
/ It helps that you care, Micah. For now, that's gonna have to be enough

Micah to Nova (Aunt), 9:43p
/ No.

He hits send before he spends much time thinking about it. That can't be enough, not when there's something he can do. He's not some kid on the other side of the country anymore.

Before he and his mom moved out here, he talked to his family during annual trips down to check on Grandpa Ernest and the farm. He only read about his aunt, and no one talked much about Ralph Angel while he was locked up. Now, he's got this whole network of people who catch everything. They catch changes in his mood from how short his breaths are, or if he leaves a dish in the sink longer than he normally would. Nova laughs with him like no adult in his life ever has. Not in that fake way that the managers did, or in that way the guys on the team did like they couldn't wait to bring him into the fold and have him decked out in Warriors gear too. Nova actually hears him when he talks, and she and his mom are just now finally getting to a place where they don't fight every two seconds. He's not risking any of their progress as a family on some rude dude at a bar.

He's got his dad's card information. He can take a car over to the Ninth, then just hang out with her until she can leech off his energy and feel appreciated by the universe or whatever. She can know he's here for her.

Micah to Nova (Aunt), 9:45p
/ Yeah no
/ What if I can get over there? We don't even have to talk. We can just sit around and stare out your giant windows and feel the breeze and you won't have to be alone when you're sad. You're always there for everyone else. I want someone to be there for you.

He clicks over to his Lyft and Uber apps after he's sent it. Wait time's at about twenty minutes, which gives him just enough time to tell his mom about his plans. He could probably hear about hers too, if she's done being secretive about this mill deal she's working on. He's pretty sure he's not supposed to know about that, but honestly he knows about a lot that goes on around here. People aren't that quiet. No one expects him to be listening either. But he is. He might not be the most out there, but he's a part of this family too.

Nova (Aunt) to Micah, 9:47p
/ Your mama raised you real right.
/ Okay, if you can get over here SAFELY without alerting the family, then you can come keep me company

He claps his hands. Texts her back before she can change her mind and hits the button to officially call for a ride.

Micah to Nova (Aunt), 9:48p
/ I'll see you asap
/ Fire up some tea?

That ought to get her smiling again. Hold her over until he gets there.

Nova (Aunt) to Micah, 9:49p
/ You don't fire up tea. I swear, you LA boys

Micah to Nova (Aunt), 9:49p
/ :P

Nova (Aunt) to Micah, 9:50p
/ 3 3 3
/ auntie's boy

He rolls his eyes.

Micah to Nova (Aunt), 9:50p
/ you wish
/ (but yeah I guess)

Nova (Aunt) to Micah, 9:51p
/ I'm screenshotting that by the way. Gonna make it my wallpaper. Show it to Charley in petty arguments

He wants to laugh, but honestly he wouldn't put it past either of them to bring him into their drama. If they have more drama. They're getting better. This is his part in it. Now he just needs to actually convince his mom to let him go out. How hard can that be? A smile, a well-timed joke, and she'll be putty in his hands. That's the thing about his mom, Nova too — they might act tough, might scare grown men ninety percent of the time, but they're big softies underneath it all. Vulnerable, fallible, and, as he's learning more and more every day, human.

Micah to Nova (Aunt), 9:52p
/ be there soon

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