Donut Look Now

Chicago After Hours

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Kimiko “Kiki” Voss

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Location: Diner - Chicago, IL
Skills:
Fit

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“Oh.” I say before I join his laughter. “Oh thank the gods. I know it’s cliche to pick on American foods, but I was really scared for a moment there.” I look over the menu once again before I peek over it at Avery. “What do you usually get?”

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Nero

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Location: Caden’s Home - Chicago, IL
Skills:
Fit

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Shaking and sobbing, I can hear Caden’s voice break through the memories and realize I’m not in Hell with Mundus - I’m safe in Caden’s arms. Although, he is holding my wrists. Blinking several times, I look up, half expecting to see Mundus. Relief floods me as I only see Caden’s face. Unable to stop the tears that are still streaming down my face, my lip quivers. “Caden.” I manage to say through the sobs.

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Nicholas “Nic” Wu

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Location: Driving - Chicago, IL
Skills:
Fit

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I nod along as I process the plan. “That sounds like a good idea. I can try to distract him while you look for it. Are we worried that he’s supernatural at all?” I glance over at Cass and gently squeeze her thigh.

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Chicago After Hours

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Kimiko “Kiki” Voss

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Location: Diner - Chicago, IL
Skills:
Fit

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“But… biscuits…?” I ask with a brow raised. “That sounds disgusting. Is this an American thing? Like a sweet and salty combo?” I must be missing something because the idea of putting gravy over a dessert item does not appeal to me in the slightest.

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Nero

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Location: Caden’s Home - Chicago, IL
Skills:
Fit

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I struggle against his arms, screaming ‘no’ and crying for help, but nobody ever comes to save me. I try hitting Mundus’ chest with small fists. “No! No, NO!”

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Nicholas “Nic” Wu

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Location: Driving - Chicago, IL
Skills:
Fit

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I smile that Cass waited for me to open her door. I lean down to kiss her forehead before I shut her door and get behind the wheel. “Yeah, I don’t want to give something away and ruin the plan.” I say, placing my hand on her thigh after I’ve pulled out onto the road.

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Chicago After Hours

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Kimiko “Kiki” Voss

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Location: Diner - Chicago, IL
Skills:
Fit

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“Yeah, I think you deserve a helmet in the back.” I don’t add anything to my coffee when it arrives, sipping it before I pick up the menu. “What in the hell is ‘biscuits and gravy’?” I peek over my menu to give Avery a dubious look.

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Nero

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Location: Caden’s Home - Chicago, IL
Skills:
Fit

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I nod, burying my face in his chest again. I don’t have to even try before this one comes forward and I grip Caden’s shirt in my hand. The memory doesn’t play out like a movie at first, it’s just flashes of different images. A cage, a grey-skinned man, a chain. It’s when the grey man reappears that I’m sucked in.

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Nicholas “Nic” Wu

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Location: Driving - Chicago, IL
Skills:
Fit

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I lean over to kiss Cass’ head when she takes my hand. “Let’s do this.” I say with a positive attitude as we exit the shop and head to the SUV.

“Should we lay down some ground rules for how we handle this guy? I don’t want to repeat the hand burn incident and overreact.”

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Chicago After Hours

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Kimiko “Kiki” Voss

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Location: Diner - Chicago, IL
Skills:
Fit

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“I mean, the diner itself. Like, it’s a staple in so many American movies.” I say as I wiggle my way into the seat. The vinyl of the booth and my leather pants does not make a very pleasant noise and I cringe a little, choosing to hover over the seat as I finish sliding in before I sit down.

“Do they serve burgers and fries and milkshakes here?” I know we had stopped at a steak and shake the first night I was here, but this is an entirely different experience.

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Nero

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Location: Caden’s Home - Chicago, IL
Skills:
Fit

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I close my eyes, taking a few deep breaths to steady myself and focus on Caden’s hands on my back. “We’re not expecting anyone today… so… should I just let it surface?” I pull my face out of his chest so I can look up at him.

“I don’t want to put a damper on everything.” I add.

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Nicholas “Nic” Wu

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Location: Mystic Dreams - Chicago, IL
Skills:
Fit

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I smile, loving that I had been able to guess how she would feel about spiders. “Ready. Do you want me to carry anything?” I ask, eyeing the numerous small bags going into her bag.

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Chicago After Hours

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Kimiko “Kiki” Voss

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Location: Caden’s Home - Chicago, IL
Skills:
Fit

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“I make no promises.” I tell Avery, but I’ll certainly try not to dig the helmet into his back. We enter the diner and I take a look around curiously. This would be my first time experiencing an ‘American diner’.“Yes please, thank you.” I answer with a smile.

I glance over at Avery, wondering why he is choosing this place to eat at today. “Will this be an authentic American diner experience?” I ask in a low whisper.

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Nero

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Location: Caden’s Home - Chicago, IL
Skills:
Fit

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I frown and take a deep breath. “There’s been a memory trying to surface for the last day or so that I’ve been repressing… I’m not meaning to hide anything from you, I just don’t know who or, or what I’m afraid of.”

I bury my face in Caden’s chest. “This memory scares me and I know I can’t just keep avoiding it, but I also don’t want to experience it.”

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Nicholas “Nic” Wu

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Location: Mystic Dreams - Chicago, IL
Skills:
Fit

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”Huh,” I say, mulling it over in my mind. ”There was a story my mom used to tell me and Kiki as kids,” I don’t bother to clarify which Kiki since it feels obvious with the context. “Apparently, in ancient China, spiders were referred to as ximu, or happy insects. The story my mom would tell was how a mother who was waiting for her son to return after being gone for awhile would find a spider crawling on her clothes. It wasn’t long after that, that the son arrives.”

I lean on the shop’s counter to watch Cass as she organizes the things she’s grabbed. “So, spiders were often associated with good news. My mom would threaten to disown us if she caught us killing a spider.”

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Chicago After Hours

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Kimiko “Kiki” Voss

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Location: Restaurant - Chicago, IL
Skills:
Fit

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Ignoring how warm my ears now feel and how much I almost wished Avery would have just kept holding me, I nod along to what Avery’s saying. “Yeah, that might have helped a little.” I say with a small laugh. “I’ll try not to hold on so tight on the way back.” I probably won’t be able to keep that promise.

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Nero

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Location: Caden’s Home - Chicago, IL
Skills:
Fit

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“I’m not afraid of Crowley.” I say, but I do look down. I’m afraid of someone. I furrow my brow and chew on my lip. “But, maybe I’ll make the peons do it before I finally disappear from that part of my existence.” I finally look back at Caden with a nervous smile.

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Nicholas “Nic” Wu

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Location: Mystic Dreams - Chicago, IL
Skills:
Fit

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“Guardians?” I ask, unsure of what she means by that. “Like guardian angels or… fox spirits…?” It’s common habit to bring up foxes with closer friends and family, but today I’m not so eager to bring it up. I am curious what guardian means to Cass.

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Chicago After Hours

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Kimiko “Kiki” Voss

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Location: On the set of a KDrama - Chicago, IL
Skills:
Fit

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I feel tiny compared to his arm around my waist, my degenerate mind wandering before I see the grin on his face. “I think think I held too much tension in my muscles from the death grip I had on you.” I pat his chest, trying to indicate he can let me go.

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Nero

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Location: Caden’s Home - Chicago, IL
Skills:
Fit

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I look at Caden with wide eyes, taken back once again by his sincerity, but a grin slips back onto my face. “I know I might - I’d love to be there with you to learn more about the items I have.” The smile falters a little as I think about where the other half of my collection is.

“I’ll have to go to Hell to retrieve some of the items.” I say.

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Nicholas “Nic” Wu

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Location: Driving - Chicago, IL
Skills:
Fit

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I turn once I hear Cass leave the back room. “You have many spider friends hanging about. They must help with keeping other bugs out of your plants.” I purposely kept a friendly spider around my place to evade fruit flies hanging about.

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Chicago After Hours

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Kimiko “Kiki” Voss

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Location: Restaurant - Chicago, IL
Skills:
Fit

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“Well, you might not die.” I say with a huff. I finally unmount the bike and feel myself wobble a little as I stand before falling into Avery.

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Nero

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Location: Caden’s Home - Chicago, IL
Skills:
Fit

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I tilt my head, bemused at his reaction. “I know I haven’t come to a decision about the mate thing, but I at least know I want to stick around for a long as possible with you.” I look in his eyes as I say this, wanting him to know I’m being genuine.

“Besides, they’re just collecting dust at my place - I think you’ll make much better use of them.”

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Nicholas “Nic” Wu

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Location: Mystic Dreams - Chicago, IL
Skills:
Fit

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I grin - I knew she would have rules about the webs. “You’ve got it.” I tell her before I grab a little rag from behind the counter and start inspecting the webs. If she had wanted me to get rid of them, I would have been careful to relocate the spiders I did end up finding.

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Chicago After Hours

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Kimiko “Kiki” Voss

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Location: Restaurant - Chicago, IL
Skills:
Fit

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It takes me a moment before I finally register that we’ve stopped. I unwrap my arms from around Avery and take off my helmet. “I guess I can see the appeal.” I finally say, a little breathless. “Is it for the adrenaline rush of feeling like you could die any moment?”

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Nero

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Location: Caden’s Home - Chicago, IL
Skills:
Fit

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I feel elated that Caden doesn’t even hesitate to wrap his arms around me, but I try to listen to him as he talks about next steps. “I also want to give you all the relics I’ve collected over the centuries.” I tell him with a smile.

“I think they’ll be much safer and more appreciated by you.” I turn to look Caden in his eyes, waiting for his reaction.

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Nicholas “Nic” Wu

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Location: Mystic Dreams - Chicago, IL
Skills:
Fit

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I smile, trying to keep my thoughts from going into a rabbit hole regarding what will happen when I grow old. “I think you’ve already been annoyed by me.” I tease as we enter her shop. Noticing a couple of dust bunnies and cobwebs, I go to take care of them before I pause.

“Do you normally keep spiderwebs around or would you like me to get these while I’m here?” I call towards the back where Cass disappeared into.

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Chicago After Hours

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Kimiko “Kiki” Voss

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Location: Driving - Chicago, IL
Skills:
Fit

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Okay, I can see what’s so appealing about this. I think to myself as a town comes into view. I look around, feeling like I can move a little more as Avery slows down. I desperately want to ask where we are, but I doubt Avery would be able to hear me.

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Nero

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Location: Caden’s Home - Chicago, IL
Skills:
Fit

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I grin, wiggling with excitement. “I’d love that.” I’ve managed to get everything downsized, combining similar items together in bags. “Should I put things in the closet for now or will that get in the way of things?” I prance over to Caden and take my seat in his lap.

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Nicholas “Nic” Wu

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Location: Mystic Dream - Chicago, IL
Skills:
Fit

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I snort, shaking my head. “I thought the age difference would bother you.” I explain, grabbing the hand she patted my leg with and kissing it. “But I’m here to stay for as long as you let me.”

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