Nice To Meet Ya

It was late Friday night, you could hear the buzzing of the bright sign that hung above Neon Pie as it cast a soft glow on the worn sidewalk outside. The diner was everyone's go-to, especially after a night at a bar or club, despite looking like it was trapped in the 80s. The smell of greasy fries and warm coffee filled the air, a comfort in the chaos of the evening. At this hour, the diner was mostly empty aside from a few patrons. A few of the usual long haul truckers occupied the counter, their rough voices low and blending with the music of their dinnerware tapping their ceramic plates rhythmically as they shovelled food into their mouths. The partiers occupied a booth on the far right-hand side of the diner, filling themselves with the diner's famous milkshakes and burgers. It was something they did routinely every Friday and Saturday before they went and drank away their youth. You could hear their laughter meshed with the sound of their phones snapping pictures. 

Nyx wandered around, checking on the diners' patrons, a refill of coffee here, and some ketchup there. Pretty easy for a Friday night. She had been working here for a few months now, and had such a great relationship with some of the regulars, she talked to some of them during her shifts, and in town. Despite the few strange occurrences, she began to feel settled. 

"Hey Doll, how are you? Can I get you all anything?" Nyx asked one of the customers, "I'm doing fine, Nyx. We don't need a thing. The tattoo is healing beautifully, by the way!" The customer all but shouted, pulling down the sleeve of her dress and showing her tattoo. 

" Oh, that's wonderful, Dianna." Nyx beamed a little surprised, remembering how shy and reserved Dianna was when she initially got the tattoo.

 "Let me or Karli know if you need anything," Nyx says, walking away. She began feeling the butterfly zoo in your stomach, and the hairs on the back of her neck began to stand. And right on cue, in walks Zane. The pair caught each other's gaze, smiling. He nodded at her and walked deeper into the diner. Zane slid into a booth in the back left corner, his usual calm presence seeming to dominate the space without even trying. His eyes lingered on her as she worked. Even with the hustle and bustle of a Friday night, she did it effortlessly. 

He had visited her just a few days ago when he had that childish phallus measuring contest with Officer Stranton, but there was something else about the place that felt distinctly familiar. It made him feel grounded—maybe it was the nostalgia, the way it had seen him through the last few decades, or maybe it was the normalcy it offered, even if only for a little while. 

Zane finally looked away from her when the bell above the door chimed, the sound cutting through the love-struck fog in his brain. It was Jackson, also known as Jax, his best friend.

 Jax stepped into the diner, his tall frame making an entrance as usual. Like Zane, his presence didn't go unnoticed by those around him. He looked around, scanning the room, before his eyes landed on Zane.

"Zaney!" Jax exclaimed, going from serious Model to giant hyper goofball in seconds. He had a lazy grin tugging at the corners of his lips as he made his way to the booth. His sharp eyes, always observing, settled on Zane before flicking over to the rest of the diner. "Didn't expect to find you here. Kind of eccentric," Jax says, rubbing his chin.

Zane smirked, staring at Jackson with slight irritation. "I told you to meet me here. I know it is not one of our usual spots. We are here for a reason, Jackson."

Jax slid into the booth, sitting opposite Zane with a casual ease. "Yeah, I figured it's just different." He picked up the menu and glanced through it, though it was clear he wasn't particularly interested in what was on it. His gaze shifted back to Zane. "So, what's the reason? I don't usually get summoned to a public place unless there's something big going on."

Zane leaned back, his eyes narrowing slightly as he studied Jax for a moment. He knew the man well enough to understand the weight behind those words. There was always something bigger, something deeper with Jax—always a deeper reason, even if it wasn't spoken outright.

Zane hesitated for just a second, taking a slow sip from his cup. "I told you, I wanted you to meet someone," he said, his voice steady, though there was a hint of something else there—something unspoken, something that made the air around them feel charged.

Jax's brow arched, curiosity piqued. "Who? The hot curly-haired semi-goth chick from the bar we were talking about?"

Before Zane could answer, Nyx had made her way to their booth. She moved through the space with the same quiet confidence she carried everywhere, like she was part of the world but always slightly apart from it. Her presence screamed it—something Zane didn't want to overthink but knew all too well.

Zane blushed as she approached, his posture shifting as he welcomed her with a smile that was more than just polite. There was something else there—an unspoken connection that wasn't easily ignored. He could feel the Electricity buzzing between them faster now that she was closer. 

"Hey," she greeted, setting two mugs of coffee and a mug of tea on the table. "You're early tonight." She offered a half-smile, her tone casual as his gaze shifted to Jax.

Zane returned her smile, his eyes softening as he caught her gaze. "I thought I'd mix it up," he said, His gaze flickering to Jax, who was already settling in the booth across from him with that typical air of confidence. "And you're working."

Nyx arched an eyebrow, placing the cups down in front of them. "I was, but I'm done with my shift for tonight, you have a problem with that?" she teased, not hiding the hint of sass and humor in her voice.

"Not at all," Zane replied, his voice low. "I just didn't know you liked Neon Pie this much."

"Some nights are quieter here than at Blood and Bourbon," Nyx shrugged, her fingers tracing the edge of her tea. "But I'm sure you know that." 

Zane smiled at her amused words "Touché, lovie, touché." "Anyway, who's your friend?" Nyx asks confused.

"Jackson, this is Nyx," Zane introduced, his tone just a little more careful than usual. "Nyx, Jax."

Nyx gave a small nod as she slid into the seat next to Zane. Her eyes met Jax's, an unreadable expression passing between them before she offered him a brief smile. "It's nice to meet you," she said, her voice calm and steady. Jax studied her for a moment, in wonder. He was so used to reading people in one glance. But not her. 

"Likewise," Jax said after a minute, his grin widening slightly. "Zane doesn't usually introduce me to people. You must be someone special."

Zane raised an eyebrow but didn't comment on the remark. Instead, he looked at Nyx, his gaze softening slightly. "She is," he said simply, but there was an edge to his voice now, something that made Jax lean in, sensing that this meeting was more than just casual.

Nyx didn't respond right away, but her lips curved up into a small, knowing smile. "I'm sure he's said a lot about me," she said, her voice laced with just enough humor to keep the tension from becoming thick and awkward. "In case you're wondering, I'm not a fan of introductions either. But here we are."

Jax chuckled, shaking his head, lightly holding his hands up.

 "Fair enough. I like that." He seemed to relax a little, though the wheels in his mind were still turning. 

"You got a story, Nyx?" he asked, leaning forward a little. "Or should I just wait for the punchline?"

Nyx's eyes flicked to Zane for just a second before she met Jax's gaze, her expression thoughtful. "I've got a few," she said quietly, "but I'm not sure I'm ready to tell them just yet."

Jax raised his eyebrows, intrigued but not pressing. He could tell there was more to this woman than met the eye, but Zane's tone earlier made it clear that it wasn't his place to push her for anything she wasn't willing to share.

"So, what brings you two together?" Jax asked, his casual demeanor hiding the sharper interest beneath. "What's the connection here?" he asks, as if he didn't know. Despite his best friend withholding information from him, he could sense their connection. Zane looked at Nyx for a moment before answering, his voice lower. 

"It's complicated. But let's just say... Nyx and I have more in common than I expected."

Jax's curiosity flared, but instead of probing further, he simply nodded. "I get it," he said, leaning back in his seat. "So, what now? What's next on the agenda?"

Zane gave a small shrug, clearly enjoying the moment of normalcy. "Right now? A drink, maybe some food. Let's see where the night takes us."

Jax was here for one reason: to meet Nyx and confirm some of Zane's suspicions. Mission accomplished, for the most part. Jax gave Zane a slight nod, he had sensed who she was from the moment he laid eyes on her. For the moment, Zane felt like he wasn't going crazy and things were starting to make sense. The weight of the past had always been a burden, but with Nyx at his side, and Jax now in the mix, maybe things were starting to shift. Maybe they were finally ready to connect the pieces.

And as they all sat there, the diner buzzing with quiet conversation and the clink of silverware, Zane couldn't help but feel that, in some strange way, this was just the beginning. After a long pause, Jaxx pipped up.

"You know," Jax started, grinning widely, "the last time I saw Zane here was—well, let's just say it was in the sixties or seventies." He glanced at Zane, his eyes twinkling with that playful edge. "And let me tell you, you would not have liked him back then. Not even a little. I don't think you'd even like the Zane from when he and I first met."

Zane raised an eyebrow, clearly not fazed by Jax's teasing. "What's your point, Jax?" His voice was a touch amused but guarded, as if anticipating where the story might be going.

Her assumption about Jax had been correct. He was indeed a Fangster like Zane, but like Zane didn't look older than twenty-eight. Nyx leaned forward slightly, intrigued. She didn't know much about Zane's past—his very long past—but hearing Jax talk about their shared history felt like a window into something she couldn't quite access on her own. She had desperately wanted to unlock the enigma that was Zane.

Jax didn't need any further invitation. He was eager to share, clearly enjoying the spotlight. "I was a asshole back then. I ran with the wrong crowd. Got myself into a little bit of a mess—okay, a big mess—after being turned by some vampire asshole. But here's the kicker: that vampire, he didn't just want me for his little army of immortals. He wanted to make an example of me."

Nyx's curiosity piqued, and she glanced at Zane. He had remained quiet, his face unreadable as Jax continued, but she noticed the tension in his posture, something in the way he was holding himself. She couldn't tell if it was discomfort or something else entirely.

"I was young," Jax continued, his voice light but with an underlying seriousness. "Still a bit reckless, you know? I did a few things that I wasn't proud of, but the blood lust was mostly the reason. I was bitten and turned into a vampire echo. And echo is what vampire movies would call a changeling, it just means I was bitten. The guy who did it wanted to have an echo army; there were nearly two thousand of us." He shakes his head as if he is shaking away something dark. A horrific memory to be specific.

"I was tired of doing his bidding, behaving terribly, and pretending that I didn't have a conscious. Sire dearest didn't take kindly to my change of behavior and decided to make an example out of me. So that my fellow echos wouldn't defy him as I did. Anyway, that vampire—I never stood a chance against him. Not when Zane showed up." He paused, his eyes glinting with mischief. "See, Zane saved me. Saved my ass from the guy who turned me. He saved a few of us that day."

Jax leaned in closer, lowering his voice like he was about to share a secret. "Zane didn't just kill the bastard—he took me under his wing. Told me he didn't think I was beyond redemption. Even in the times when my blood lust ruled me and I begged for him to end me, Zane never gave up. Hell, he didn't even want anything in return. He just helped me and pushed me to be better because that's what he does."

Nyx's eyes widened slightly as she looked at Zane, feeling the weight of Jax's words. She had known Zane had a history, but hearing it firsthand, so raw and honest, left her speechless.

Zane didn't seem surprised by Jax's recounting. He looked a little… resigned. "I don't need any credit for that, you did most of the work," he muttered, but there was a tone of sincerity and sadness in his words that Nyx was able to catch.

Jax grinned. "Of course you don't. But you saved me from turning into a damn monster. And for that, I'm grateful. So I guess I owe you, huh?" His smile was wide, playful, but his tone was deeper than it seemed on the surface. There was respect there—something Nyx hadn't expected to hear from Jax, based on his demeanor, I guess you can't judge a book by its cover.

The two men shared a look, and Nyx could feel the connection between them. They were brothers in every sense of the word. Zane had a lot of secrets, a lot of pasts that people didn't know about. But Jax, with all his joking and charm, had seen the darker side of those years.

"What was it like, then?" Nyx asked quietly, breaking the comfortable silence. "Being turned? I mean, I guess you didn't have much say in it." She was staring at Jax, her curiosity getting the better of her. The idea of immortality was something she had only begun to scratch the surface of, and hearing Jax's story, hearing about Zane's role in it, gave her a glimpse of a world she still didn't fully understand.

Jax looked at Zane, pondering how to answer. His eyes drifted back to her, his smile softening for a moment. "Did I have a choice? Nope. But it's not all bad," he said.

 "It just… changes you. You either learn to adapt or you go mad." His eyes flicked to Zane, a silent understanding passing between them. 

"Zane and I, we're survivors of sorts. But it's a hard life. Trust me."Zane didn't respond to that, but Nyx could see the truth in Jax's words. There was more to this—more than the easy-going facade that Jax wore. They had both lived through things she could hardly imagine, and it made her all the more curious about Zane's past. Nyx understood Zane, for the most part.

As the diner continued to hum around them, the three of them settled into an easy rhythm, but Nyx couldn't shake the weight of the conversation. Zane's past, Jax's past, and how they intertwined. There was something about it all—about them—that felt fated, but also dangerous.

She stared at Zane, she realized with a subtle pang that, she wasn't sure if she wanted to know more. The connections were growing, she had a feeling that whatever came next would pull her deeper into their world than she had ever planned on going.