KazAlkemi

Chicago After Hours -- Paused (indefinitely)

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Caden

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Location: Caden&Nero's House – Chicago, IL
Skills:

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”Oh, well, we definitely can’t have that.” Caden held Nero’s face in his hands. His thumbs rubbed their cheeks in a gentle back-and-forth motion. ”I love you, Nero. I love the way you stick by my side, and I love the way you look after me.”

Caden shifted closer to the counter and Nero. He kissed their lips, then their forehead before he pulled back. ”Let me help you undress. That will help me feel better,” he said, matching Nero’s cheeky grin from earlier.

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Avery Zain

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Location: Caden&Nero’s House – Chicago, IL
Skills:

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The image Avery had created in his head when Kimiko was glowing in her power earlier filled his mind. Her anger shouldn’t have turned him on so much, but it had. Her power and strength had matched something deep within him, and Avery couldn’t help but respond to it.

Kimiko bit her lip in that way that drove Avery crazy, but rather than push him away this time, she gave in and kissed him. Thank the gods.

Avery growled his assent before his legs and arms shifted to wrap themselves around her more fully. The blanket slipped further, and Avery shivered when her bare skin connected with his for the first time. Avery splayed his hands along Kimiko’s back, holding her close while they kissed. As much as Avery wanted to remove the blanket completely and lay her on the bed, he remained seated, letting her control the pace for tonight.

Chicago After Hours -- Paused (indefinitely)

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Caden

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Location: Caden&Nero's House – Chicago, IL
Skills:

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Caden watched them remove their earrings before they kissed him. Caden shut his eyes, allowing him to focus on Nero and the moment they were having rather than what happened earlier.

Caden's voice, filled with desire, broke the silence. ”Mmm, that. Definitely more of that,” he said, his lips meeting Nero's. His hands, like a whisper, traced Nero’s neck and unclipped the necklace. He pulled back, setting the necklace on the counter with a smile on his face.

”Have I told you how much I love you yet today?”

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Avery Zain

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Location: Caden&Nero’s House – Chicago, IL
Skills:

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Avery’s eyes wandered to look at Kimiko’s bare shoulder as the blankets slipped off her shoulder from her constant wiggling. Avery swallowed, brushing his fingers across her bare shoulders instead.

”I should let you get ready for bed,” he said, but he didn’t make any effort to move away from Kimiko. She still sat in between his legs, and Avery still had one arm wrapped around her.

Chicago After Hours -- Paused (indefinitely)

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Caden

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Location: Caden&Nero's House – Chicago, IL
Skills:

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Caden walked into the bathroom, and nuzzled into Nero before answering them. ”I wouldn’t say no to one of those shoulder rubs,” he said and set Nero on the counter after shoving some things out of the way.

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Avery Zain

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Location: Caden&Nero’s House – Chicago, IL
Skills:

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”You’re welcome, Kimiko.” He kissed her nose in return. ”Now, is there anything I can do or get for you?” He ran his fingers through her lose hair, fiddling with the ends of her hair before doing it again.

Chicago After Hours -- Paused (indefinitely)

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Caden

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Location: Caden&Nero's House – Chicago, IL
Skills:

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Caden chuckled, watching Nero go before he settled back in the chair. He titled his head back, staring up at the ceiling before he closed his eyes and listened to his imp rummage around in the bathroom.

Thoughts of Nero, Kiki, Cass, Avery, and his family bounced around in Caden’s head. He felt the emotions bubbling up and let himself cry a little before Nero’s hands wrapped around Caden and pulled him out of the chair.

Caden looked at Nero and smiled. He wiped his face before he wrapped Nero up and carried them into the bathroom. ”I’ve decided you need to join me.”

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Avery Zain

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Location: Caden&Nero’s House – Chicago, IL
Skills:

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Avery smiled, and took Kimiko’s hand from his cheek. He pressed the palm of her hand to his lips and kissed her hand before resting it on his chest. ”It’s alright. It was a long time ago and it shaped me into who I am today.”

Avery lifted his hand and brushed it across Kimiko’s cheek and into her hair. His eyes searched hers, finding that familiarity in them he had come to find comfort in. ”I just wanted you to know, you’re not alone in the anger or the pain. Yours is yours, and mine is mine, but we don’t have to go through it alone.”

Chicago After Hours -- Paused (indefinitely)

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Caden

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Location: Caden&Nero's House – Chicago, IL
Skills:

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”Break as much as you want. Everything can be replaced,” Caden said. It was all just stuff anyways and if it helped Kimiko, he didn’t care what got broke.

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Avery Zain

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Location: Caden&Nero’s House – Chicago, IL
Skills:

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”And you will…Eventually,” Avery said and turned his head to kiss the top of Kimiko’s before he rested his head on hers again. He fell silent for a minute, warring with himself on whether he should say anything or what he could possibly say.

”I’m not going to pretend I can even understand what you are going through or what you are feeling when you see the woods or see me in my wolf form, but I went through a pretty rough patch after the wars. I fought along the front lines in World War two, the Korean war, and Vietnam. The things I saw, the things I did to survive… That stuck with me for a long time. I was angry for a long time. Living didn’t feel right; people around people were terrifying. I hated a lot of things for a long time, but one day something just clicked. If I kept reliving those times, those moments, I lost. I lost the war, I lost my friends all over again, and I was so tired of losing. What happened is a part of me; fighting or ignoring it didn’t help me, but accepting it did. Accepting that I fought and survived allowed me to live again, at least for a while. Then my wolf went through a dark phase, and that’s when I met Caden, and he pulled me out.”

Chicago After Hours -- Paused (indefinitely)

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Caden

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Location: Caden&Nero's House – Chicago, IL
Skills:
Fit

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Caden barely sat up from getting his shoes and socks off when Nero jumped into their lap. Caden let out a surprised grunt before he laughed and ran his hands up their legs to their hips.

He looked into Nero’s eyes and sighed. He leaned forward and rested his forehead on Nero’s chest. ”I’m doing… not great actually.” Caden had thought about lying but decided at the last second it wouldn’t help anyone if he did.

He pulled back and looked at Nero. He smiled sadly at them before he continued on. ”I know it’s not me Kiki is angry at, but the two people I’ve known for the longest are angry with me right now, and I am struggling with it. I’ve never gone more than a day without talking to Cassi, and I miss her. With Kiki, she’s always been able to count on me, and I feel like I’ve let her down.”

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Avery Zain

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Location: Caden&Nero’s House – Chicago, IL
Skills:
Fit

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Avery moved closer after Kimiko moved closer. He switched positions so his legs were on the bed and he pulled Kimiko in her blanket burrito in between his legs. He rested his arms around her while her head connected with his shoulder. Avery rested his cheek on her head and huffed a laugh.

”I’m fairly certain he said those things to get you to explode like that. You don’t need to keep those feelings bottled in, little fox. You can be angry and frustrated, sad and scared, even happy when you feel happy. Nothing is going to get better if you try and force it to be better.”

X-Men: Cosmic Crusades 👽

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Antoinette McCarthy

Location: Foyer – X-Mansion
Skills:

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Antoinette followed Pietro and Guin, glancing over at her friends a couple of times before they reached the front door. Antoinette’s eyes widened in surprise at who was standing in the X-Mansion foyer. When it came to X-Men royalty, these two were definitely at the top of the list.

”Hi Jean, hi Scott!” Antoinette waved eagerly at the both of them before she frowned at bit. ”Mary hasn’t been around the mansion much. Last I saw her was two days ago,” Antoinette informed them. ”Did something happen?”

Chicago After Hours -- Paused (indefinitely)

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Caden

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Location: Caden&Nero's House – Chicago, IL
Skills:
Fit

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Caden sat down in one of the armchairs in his room to take off his shoes and socks. As he did so, he watched Nero. "Do you want me to? I can shift right now if it is something you want to see," Caden said.

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Avery Zain

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Location: Caden&Nero’s House – Chicago, IL
Skills:

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Avery watched Kimiko wiggle her fox self under the covers. He took a step towards the bed until he felt magic in the air and understood that to mean she was shifting back. Avery turned away and stripped off his shirt before he opened his drawer to find some sweats to change into.

He managed to change his clothes in the five minutes it took for Kimiko to shift. He looked into the mirror when he heard her voice. Avery turned around and leaned against her dresser, crossed his arms, and shrugged.

"Don't be sorry. This is one of the reasons why I work out as much as I do, or I go to my screaming spot, or... I find someone who won't remember me in the morning," Avery said with a shrug. He pushed away from the dresser and sat on the end of Kimiko's bed. "Are you really that mad at Caden for telling me about you and him?"

Chicago After Hours -- Paused (indefinitely)

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Caden

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Location: Caden&Nero's House – Chicago, IL
Skills:
Fit

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Chuckling and shaking his head, Caden followed Nero into their bedroom. He shut the door behind him, moving some of the luggage that Nero just dumped out of the way. He discards his jacket, smiling at his little imp.

”And how I missed seeing you in that bed,” Caden replied. He walked over to the bed and stared down at Nero, the amusement plain on his face.

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Avery Zain

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Location: Caden&Nero’s House – Chicago, IL
Skills:
Fit

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Avery can't help but laugh at the look he received. It reminded him of her deadpan look.

”So much sass still,” he teased and headed inside. He heard the door of Caden and Nero's bedroom click shut and sighed, relaxing. At least the rest of the night should be quiet.

Avery headed down the hallway on the main floor into Kimiko's room. He closed the door and set Kiki on the bed with her clothes. Unsure what she wanted to do now.

Chicago After Hours -- Paused (indefinitely)

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Caden

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Location: Caden&Nero's House – Chicago, IL
Skills:
Fit

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Caden shut the car off and got out. He paused to watch Nero effortlessly carry their luggage into the house. He glanced over at Avery and laughed.

”I might have to fire you, Zain,” Caden joked and headed inside, following Nero upstairs.

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Avery Zain

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Location: Caden&Nero’s House – Chicago, IL
Skills:
Fit

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Avery grabbed Kimiko’s clothes before he got out of the SUV. He adjusted Kimiko in his arm before he looked up and snorted, laughing at Nero and Caden. He shook his head and glanced at Kimiko, who was sitting up with her paws resting on his shoulder. ”Do you want to head inside or run around outside in the open part of the backyard?”