Chapter 14 - First Night

As the Anderson family gathered around Nova, the greetings continued with their usual warmth and enthusiasm. Nova, coming from a family of strict formalities, found himself swept up in the Andersons' casual approach. They didn't adhere to the rules and regulations that his family would have, and though Nova had heard about the Andersons' reputation for being overly friendly, experiencing it firsthand was overwhelming and completely new experience to him.

Nova's handshake with Duke Anderson was brief but firm, and he managed a polite smile as he exchanged greetings with the Duchess. When his eyes landed on Nolan again, his heart skipped a beat. Nolan's shy gaze met his, a light blush dusting the younger boy's cheeks. But before they could say more than a simple "Hello," Nolan's sisters—Elspeth and Eloise—practically dragged him away.

"Come on, Nolan!" Eloise teased, grinning as she hooked her arm through his. Elspeth quickly joined, taking Nolan's other arm. "We're taking you upstairs. You need to get ready for tomorrow. Big day, right?"

Nolan shot a helpless look in Nova's direction as his sisters carted him off, leaving Nova standing awkwardly beside Duke and Duchess Anderson. He hadn't even had a chance to speak with Nolan yet, and already his family was whisking him away.

"Well, well, seems like you would quite like playing along with my kids," Duke Anderson said with a hearty chuckle, noticing the way Nova's eyes followed his kids retreating figures, completely misunderstanding the situation. "Don't worry, Nova. I know how your family is with rules, you'll have plenty of time to have fun with them. Let's head inside for now shall we?"

Nova blinked and nodded, forcing himself to focus. "Yes, of course, Your Grace."

The Anderson manor was lively and bustling as always. The smell of freshly cooked food wafted through the halls as they made their way to the dining area. Nova had anticipated a quiet, formal dinner—perhaps an opportunity to discuss some of the business dealings his grandfather had mentioned—but as soon as they sat down at the long dining table, it became clear that tonight would be anything but formal.

The Andersons were loud, talkative, and boisterous. Duke Anderson regaled them with humorous stories from his university days, recalling the mischief he and his friends had gotten into—most of which, to Nova's surprise, involved none other than his own father.

"I remember your old man, Joshua, like it was yesterday," Duke Anderson said, leaning back in his chair with a grin. "Serious as a stone, that one. Never cracked a smile, always going on about rules and regulations. I used to pull all sorts of pranks on him just to see if I could get him to break. Never did, though."

Nova's eyes widened slightly. He had never heard these stories before—his father had never mentioned his university days in detail. It was strange to think of his father, always so composed and stern, as the target of Duke Anderson's playful antics.

"And you know," Duke Anderson continued, leaning in conspiratorially, "your father had this habit of using the same phrase over and over again. What was it? Ah, yes—'This is highly inappropriate.' Every time we'd suggest something even slightly fun, he'd say, 'This is highly inappropriate.' I swear, if I had a coin for every time I heard that, I'd be richer than I am now!"

Duchess Anderson chuckled softly at her husband's antics, and Nova couldn't help but let out a slight smile as well, despite his lingering nerves. The Duke's good-natured humor put him at ease, but the more he listened, the more he felt out of place. This family was so different from his own. They were warm, lively, and chaotic—nothing like the strict, formal environment he had grown up in, not that his family was completely rigid, their is his Cousin Seraphina's family, but they are more of gossip mongers than anything else.

Throughout dinner, the conversation flowed freely, with laughter filling the air. The twins popped back into the dining room for brief moments, teasing Nolan about everything from his messy hair to the way he had been staring at Nova earlier, much to Nolan's embarrassment, Duke Anderson just nodded his head as he agreed that "Nova is one Bright child" using Nova's last name as a pun and laughed at his own dad joke, making his wife chuckled alongside him.

Nova watched it all unfold, feeling like a spectator in a whirlwind of family dynamics. Despite the overwhelming energy, he couldn't help but feel a pang of envy. The Bright family was close-knit, of course, but they lacked the warmth and playfulness that the Andersons shared so freely. He wondered what it must be like to grow up in a household where affection was so openly expressed.

As dinner came to an end, Nova had barely touched his food, too caught up in the lively atmosphere. Juno excused himself to attend to some work, and the twins practically carried Nolan upstairs again, leaving Nova with Duke and Duchess Anderson once again.

Nova had planned to bring up the security protocols—after all, that was the official reason for his visit—but Duke Anderson waved off the suggestion before he could even start.

"Business can wait," Duke Anderson said with a dismissive wave. "I'm more interested in how your family's been doing. Is your father still the same old expressionless statue? Or has he loosened up a bit since we last spoke?"

Nova blinked, taken aback. "Uh, he's still… quite serious, Your Grace."

"I figured as much," Duke Anderson said, chuckling. "He's a good man, though. Stubborn, but good."

The Duke and Duchess continued to chat casually with Nova, asking about his studies, his hobbies, and even his favorite foods. Nova did his best to answer, but it was clear they weren't expecting anything too formal. They treated him like an old family friend, not like the heir to another powerful noble house.

At one point, Duke Anderson glanced outside and noticed the sky darkening. "It's still early," he said with a grin. "Why don't we go out for a walk? The night view around here is lovely."

Before Nova could protest, the Duke and Duchess were already up and heading towards the door, dragging Nova along with them. The next few hours flew by in a blur. They strolled through the gardens, visited the nearby lake, and even stopped at a local tavern where Duke Anderson insisted on buying Nova a drink—much to Nova's surprise and embarrassment.

Nolan and his sisters on the other hand were having a chat of their own, "You know, we support you right, little brother," said Elspeth, "but we thought a bit and believe what's happening now is just tad bit hasty," continued Eloise, "So maybe get to know him, but don't jump the gun yet." Finished Elspeth.

They had that chat until it was time to sleep, especially for Nolan since it would only be his second day at school tomorrow, so he completely missed when Nova returned with his parents.

By the time Nova, Duke and Duchess returned to the manor, it was past midnight. The Duke was tipsy, leaning heavily on the Duchess as they made their way inside. "You'll have to excuse my husband," the Duchess said with an amused smile as she helped the Duke upstairs. "He tends to get a little too enthusiastic when we have guests, as much as he would like we don't get that many guests over and you just happened to remind him of the past."

Nova nodded, offering a polite smile as he watched the Duchess haul the Duke away. He had expected a serious conversation about business tonight, but instead, he had been swept into the whirlwind that was the Anderson family.

Now alone in the hallway, Nova glanced around, wondering where everyone else had gone. The house had quieted down significantly, and it seemed that most of the family had already retired for the night.

He made his way to the guest room they had prepared for him, a spacious chamber with a glass dome rooftop that provided a stunning view of the night sky. Exhausted, Nova collapsed onto the bed, staring up at the stars twinkling above.

The night had been nothing like what he had expected. He hadn't even had a chance to properly talk to Nolan, and now, lying in the quiet of his room, he felt the weight of that missed opportunity. But at the same time, he couldn't help but smile at the memories of the day. The Anderson family was unlike any other noble family he had encountered, and despite the chaos, he found himself feeling more at ease here than he had anticipated.

His thoughts drifted back to Nolan. Tomorrow, he promised himself. Tomorrow he would talk to Nolan. For now, he would let himself rest, content with the knowledge that he was finally here, close to the person who had been occupying his thoughts for the past month.

As his eyelids grew heavy, Nova closed his eyes, the soft glow of the stars above lulling him to sleep. The first night at the Anderson manor had been a whirlwind, but it had only just begun.