KazAlkemi

Chicago After Hours -- Paused (indefinitely)

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Cassiopeia Claire Alistair

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Location: Walking – Chicago, IL
Skills:
Fit

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Cassi elbowed him playfully while they walked, shaking her head at him. ”I listened to them then, too. Just today, with everything that happened and how you are always there for me, it just clicked for me that I do deserve you and this feeling of being cared for…” She trailed off, staring at the sidewalk as they walked along.

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Caden

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

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Caden smirked, the image mirroring the same look Nero would get on their face when they were being mischievous. ”If you’ve ever wanted to have sex with yourself, I’ll be happy to comply,” Caden said and kissed Nero’s cheek.

”You have time. Just be quick about it. They aren’t doing anything, just monitoring the house. Thankfully, I also entered your home in a different body, so they don’t know I’m here.”

Chicago After Hours -- Paused (indefinitely)

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Cassiopeia Claire Alistair

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Location: Walking – Chicago, IL
Skills:
Fit

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Cassi laughed when she heard the passing wolf calls and car horn honking. She shook her head and claimed the food bags from Nic so they could still hold one of Nic’s hands while they walked.

”Oh, they like you…Trust me. Before we started dating, but we were getting closer, one of my ancestors visited me at night to confirm my feelings and that you would be good for me. I don’t know if you know this about me, but I’m rather stubborn and don’t accept good things when they come my way,” she said, knowing full well Nic knew all of that.

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Caden

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

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”I’m going to buy you some time to get those books and get to the car,” Caden said. He kissed Nero softly before he pulled back and shifted.

Caden no longer stood in front of Nero but rather a second copy of Nero themselves. Everything matched Nero identically from the hair, the two different coloured eyes, including the clothes and the knife placement.

Chicago After Hours -- Paused (indefinitely)

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Cassiopeia Claire Alistair

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Location: Walking – Chicago, IL
Skills:
Fit

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Cassi giggled again and buried her head into Nic’s chest when he talked to the air around them. Thankfully, no one was around to look at them strangely.

”It’s not a show. It’s just… My mom and grandmother used to kiss me on the forehead, and when I felt them and the rest of my family near, I felt that kiss again and then you kissed me there and I just… I needed to feel it again.”

She rested her chin on his chest and looked up at him. ”I love you.”

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Caden

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

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Caden didn’t like the idea of Nero teleporting them, not that they didn’t trust Nero, but their teleportation had been sketchy at best. Caden looked down at Nero as an idea formed.

He cupped their face in his hands, rubbing his thumbs along their cheeks.

”Do you trust me?”

Chicago After Hours -- Paused (indefinitely)

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Caden

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Location: Nero’s House – Chicago, IL
Skills: Dragon Magic -- Sense
Fit

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"Let them watch if they come. Maybe they'll learn something," Caden teased, happily following Nero into the next room.

He grinned at their offer and squeezed Nero's hand. "I would enjoy breaking some furniture with you," he said.

While they walked Caden let the dragon come closer to the surface. They searched Nero's property, looking for signs of things that should not be, of people who should not be around.

Something bounced off Caden's power, something that shouldn't be there. Caden stopped walking when the dragon growled inside his mind., warning him that their mate wasn't safe. Caden's eyes shifted back to the dragon, and he tugged on Nero's hand.

"Someone is watching," he said. Caden's voice held an air of authority and an otherness. It was still Caden's familiar cadence, but the dragon was with them.

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Nero

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Location: Nero’s House - Chicago, IL
Skills:
Fit

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Nero chuckles and shakes their head at Caden’s replies, squeezing his hand back three times as they lead him. When Caden stops and tugs on the imp’s hand, they turn to look at him. Hearing the dragon in Caden’s voice doesn’t alarm Nero as much anymore, but hearing that someone was watching has them ducking into his arms, hiding themselves in his torso.

“Can you tell who it is? I swear to god if it’s Ryan, I’m turning him into dust.” Although, Nero feels like if it was the German-speaking demon that they loved to always call by the wrong name, Caden would have recognized him… right?

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Caden

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Location: Nero’s House – Chicago, IL
Skills: Dragon Magic – Sense
Fit

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Caden wrapped a protective arm around Nero when they curled into him. He knew his imp was dangerous enough to defend themselves, but the fact that Nero chose to defer to Caden enraptured him.

Caden reached out with his power again to take a closer look at what was within the boundaries of Nero’s home, but besides being a demon, Caden didn’t know who it was.

Caden growled in annoyance. ”I don’t know who it is.” He wrapped his other arm around Nero. ”I need to get you out of here.”

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Nero

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Location: Nero’s House - Chicago, IL
Skills:
Fit

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Nero’s brow furrows - even though Caden didn’t individually meet every single one of their peons, he’d probably recognize one if it was one of them. The thought that not only was it someone unknown, but also a demon chills Nero to the core. Their hands clutch at Caden’s back as their mind starts going through possible escape maneuvers. “Should I try teleporting us?”

“Wait, no, the books in my office - we need to grab those before we leave.” Nero looks up at Caden with a pleading look. “I don’t care about all the other stuff here, but those books…” The imp scans their dragon’s face. “They likely hold the answers we need. I had my demons retrieve them from Hell as inconspicuously as I could… Scheisse…” They trail off, trying to think who it could be invading their property.

Translations

shit

Chicago After Hours -- Paused (indefinitely)

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Cassiopeia Claire Alistair

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Location: Walking – Chicago, IL
Skills:
Fit

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Cassi giggled, looked up at Nic and grabbed his sweater. ”Wait. Do that again,” she said and tapped her forehead when he kissed her.

”You can say hi if you want…They are still lingering…”

Chicago After Hours -- Paused (indefinitely)

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Cassiopeia Claire Alistair

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Location: Walking – Chicago, IL
Skills:
Fit

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Cassiopeia smiled and shook her head, finding Nic's concern perfect and adorable. She chuckled lightly and wrapped her arms around his neck.

"I am more than okay," she said and kissed him deeply. She reached up on her tiptoes, leaning into him comfortably with the knowledge that Nic would support her no matter what. She kissed the man she loved with all of her heart, mind, body, and soul.

She would have kept kissing him like that, but the smell of the food made her stomach grumble and she didn't want Nic to drop the food.

"My ancestors say hi by the way," she whispered before relaxing her feet and released her hold on him.

Chicago After Hours -- Paused (indefinitely)

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Cassiopeia Claire Alistair

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Location: Walking – Chicago, IL
Skills:
Fit

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Cassi smiled softly, shutting her eyes when Nic kissed her hand and held her. His compassion to anything and everything never ceased to amaze Cassi. She admired how Nic could look at every situation from a caregiver perspective. She looked down at her ankle. Twisting it this way and that without the bandage riding up or rubbing uncomfortably against her skin. She turned and looked at Nic through the shop window while he gathered their meal.

Her heart swelled with joy, and a weight seemed to lift off her heart. She deserved this man more than she realized and she loved him more than she could comprehend. A tear fell down her cheek but it wasn't from sadness. She felt relieved. Cassi turned her head and looked up at the sky. The sun had created a beautiful sunset, changing the colours in the sky from blue to brilliant reds and oranges.

"Tapadh leat," she whispered to the sky and to those that were listening.

The wind wrapped itself around Cassi in a warm embrace, caressing her forehead with such tenderness that she started to cry more as memories of her mother and grandmother flooded her mind. The wind released her slowly after that, and Cassi took a steady breath in, feeling like it was the first time she had breathed unburdened in months. Years.

Chicago After Hours -- Paused (indefinitely)

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Cassiopeia Claire Alistair

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Location: Walking – Chicago, IL
Skills:
Fit

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Cassi looked at Nic, narrowing her eyes playfully at his devious look. "Isn't everyone into the uniform? If you were a doctor... I'd tell you to leave the lab coat on...and nothing else," she flirted boldly.

She looked away from Nic, muling over his other questions before she answered him.

"I kept the rope to try and figure out what Aegnor did. I became acquainted with Aegnor shortly after my family... Redcaps are created in areas of high death and violence. We formed an understanding and fought together until I left Scotland. I haven't seen him in a hundred and fifty years. He arrived with new faces because of all the magic here. When a Redcap dips their cap into magical blood they temporary gain the powers of that being. So not only were they already more advanced before we showed up, when I stabbed Caden, and yes it was by accident...not that he didn't deserve it... he bled on the ground and Aegnor took advantage. I think it could have been a lot worse but... I think he wanted me to kill him," Cassi said, looking at the bandage on her hand.

She unwrapped her hand, the cut fully healed and just a faint scar now. She rubbed her hand along it. "Redcaps aren't known for longevity due to their violent nature, but Aegnor had been alive for a long time, and he was a friend I guess you could say. I think he was tired but he wanted to die honorably, so he fought us."

Chicago After Hours -- Paused (indefinitely)

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Cassiopeia Claire Alistair

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Location: Walking – Chicago, IL
Skills:
Fit

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Cassi looked away from Nic, fiddling with her bracelet while she spoke. "Um, the whole fight... The rope was imbued with magic. I couldn't cut it or spell it off for the life of me. So I threw my knives and used my magic on them from there. I ended up hitting Caden once, but he recovered quickly. Caden killed two and then I poisoned six, but then Aegnor dipped his hat in Caden's blood. That was the real problem, but then Aegnor let me down after he threw Caden one hundred and fifty yards."

As Cassi retold the tale, Nic applied the aloe to Cassiopeia's leg. She faltered in her storytelling, sighing happily at the cooling sensation. She shut her eyes, enjoying the feeling of his touch. She hadn't realized the burn was still irritating her skin that much. Maybe she did need to start carrying a mini first aid kit with her.

Cassi opened her eyes and blinked before she looked down at Nic. "No, I haven't touched it. It's healed some naturally, but a normal rope burn for me would have been healed by now," she confessed to him.

The sight of Nic's dark head bent over while he tended to her sent a little thrill through Cassi. Without thinking, she ran a hand through his hair. She slipped her fingers over the top of his ear and down the side of his jaw. It was easy to tilt Nic's head up to look at her since his height allowed him to be closer.

"My knight in scrubs," she teased. She loved how much of a caregiver Nic was, even when he wasn't at work. He had such a pure heart, one that needed to give without worry of ever receiving. She hoped to give him as much as he gave her and the world one day.

Ω Heroes of Olympus: The Next Age of Heroes Ω Officially Done

Ezekiel Kel

Location: CHB – Dining Pavillion
Skills:

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Ezekiel clasped his free hand over Demetri’s. ”For the love of Aphrodite, please stop talking,” Zeke said, completely grossed out about the idea of Demi looking like one of Zeke’s siblings.

He removed his hand and looked at Kiera when she answered him. ”Ya, that’s fair. I’m going. Maybe more about the Doors of Death will be uncovered.” The deadline to be in New York and finally get Mads, and hopefully, Leda was like a slow alarm going off in Ezekiel’s head. Ring ring. Save Mads. Ring ring. Save Nancy. Ring ring ring ring. Say goodbye to Nancy…

Ezekiel walked into the dining pavilion with the others, but he didn’t go get his meal right away. He was in his own head, thinking of his future and what that might look like now.