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Kiki sticks her tongue out at him before she sits up, stretching as she does. “All I did was cuddle you more.” She says as she yawns.

“Are we eating on this run?” Kiki asks of Avery.

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Nero smiles brightly, glad that they are able to help, even if it’s just a little. At the mention of Cassi, their hands pause for a moment before resuming their work. “I think that’s a good idea.” They say finally. “You should bring her lots of different drinks.”

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Nic nods with a chuckle - he had thought the same thing when he discovered the place earlier. “It really does, I like the boots too.” He glances over at her and flashes a smile.

“Although, you look cute in just about anything.” He gives her leg a gentle squeeze before parking the SUV, getting out to help Cass out of the car and grab the drinks as well.

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”Oh, I won't be able to shift again, but if you want to I can track you,” Avery offered. As he thought about the idea he thought it would be good if he stayed human while Kiki shifted. She would probably feel more comfortable with it, Avery thought.

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Caden chuckled from Nero's comment.
”You don't think bringing her a 18K gold bracelet will cut it?”

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Cassi clicked her boots together after Nic complimented them. She sipped her tea happily before smiling at Nic.

”Thank you. I wanted to look good for my boyfriend, you know. Ren can be so hard to impress some times,” she joked, referring to Nic's father as her boyfriend.

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Kiki shakes her head - a nice human run sounds very nice. “Oh no, I’ll stay as a human. You’d be too tempted to pick me up and carry me - my fox is too adorable after all.” She beams at Avery.

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Nero chuckles, having forgotten about the bracelet to be honest. “I’m sure she’ll appreciate that too, but she does like her drinks. Plus it might distract her from killing you.” They tease but there’s a small bit of worry in their voice too.

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Nic gasps, dramatically clutching his chest. “You wound me.” He says with a shake of his head. “And here I actually put some effort into my outfit for you.” In his typical jeans and t-shirts, he had added a light button-up as a second layer. He lets go of his chest and quickly grabs Cass’ hand in his own as they enter the building.

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”You were rather adorable,” Avery agreed. ”But .certain I'd let you run around until you wanted to be picked up,” he teased before he stood.

Avery walked over to the dresser and pulled open the drawer to select a pair of joggers, deciding to forgo wearing a shirt. Laundry had been freshly done last night and Avery had just added those clothes to the drawer in Kimiko's room, so he had a few outfits before he'd have to get something new.

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Caden smiled and rested a hand on Nero's leg once more. ”Even though she feels betrayed right now, Cassi and I have too much history. She won't kill me. But thank you for worrying and for understanding. Neither one of us wants to have this conversation but it needs to happen. We need to move forward.”

Caden had been understanding with Cassi's emotions when she had called on the storm that day, but his patience only lasted so long.

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”For me? Why, Nic, I had no idea you felt this way,” she teased, helping Nic carry in the assortment of drinks he had bought for them.

She walked into the elevator, watching the doors close before she grinned at Nic. ”You do look rather handsome today,” she complimented. He was dressed casually yet put together.

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Kiki can’t help but openly stare at Avery as he rifles through his drawer for clothes. She has to physically make herself stop looking and get out of her bed. She hovers by Avery - she’d probably just switch to leggings and add a sports bra under her tank. “Thanks, I know.” She finally says to him with a small smirk.

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Nero nods, placing their hand over his. “You probably don’t need to be told this, but try not to be too protective of me with her when you talk.” They kiss Caden’s shoulder before resting their head on it for a moment. Nero doesn’t mind what Cassi thinks of them at this point - that’s something the two might never get past and Nero understood.

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Nic smiles lopsidedly down at her, ears warming a twinge from the compliment. “Why thank you.” He holds her hand up to his lips and kisses the back of it. “I couldn’t let you look so pretty and then have me looking like I just got back from the gym. I’m not a scrub, I only wear them.” He winks at her with a cheesy grin.

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Avery pulled his pants on, and glanced at Kimiko. He grinned and kissed her once on the lips. ”I'll meet you on the back deck,” he said, leaving her to change in peace.

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Caden hesitated before he responded. ”I'll try not to, but there is a limit. I've seen things she hasn't yet. Things that would help her understand but she has to be willing to get to know who you are. Not what.”

Caden shut his eyes when Nero laid on his back, and for a moment Caden envisioned them in the air, flying above the world.

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Cassi laughed at the dorky joke, absolutely loving it. ”Well, if your gym clothes are anything like what you wore yesterday to move, I wouldn't mind that either,” she declared.

Cassi stopped her matcha bubble tea innocently before the elevator doors opened.

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Kiki beams at Avery after he kisses her. Once he leaves the room, she changes into a pair of black leggings and slips a black sports bra underneath her green tank. She slips on a pair of black running shoes and socks before heading to join Avery out back. She tries to sneak up behind him again, wondering if he’d catch her this time.

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Nero stares at the wall as they lay on Caden’s back. He’s right, there’s parts of the story that might help Cassi understand Nero better, but it’s still difficult to think about. It’s only thanks to Caden that they have the empathy to see where Cassi’s coming from with all of this. “I like the power I have being a demon - the promise of not dying easily, the strength - but I think I should have never become one…”

They trace imaginary lines on Caden’s skin as they think about it. “Should have tried being an angel or something instead.” There’s a teasing ton to this, but Nero can’t help but think of alternatives to the evil and torturing of Hell.

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Nic smirks widely, glad that Cass had found him attractive in that. “I do prefer shorts and tanks for working out.” He said with a waggle of his brows. The doors open and they head inside of the apartment. Nic had spent some of the morning and night rearranging boxes into what rooms they would go into at least. He slips off his shoes before heading into the kitchen to start on breakfast.

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Avery had stopped to get a baseball cap from his room and running shoes before he slipped outside to start stretching. He wore the hat backwards with the Chicago Blackhawks logo in near pristine condition. He was stretching out his calves when the hair on the back of his neck started to prickle.

Avery spun around and captured Kimiko in his arms before she could jump on him again. ”Not this time, little fox,” Avery said and kissed her nose before letting her go.

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”Hmm, I think I like you better with a mischievous side,.” Caden shifted to lay on his side, pulling Nero off his back and holding them. ”But I understand.”

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Cassi grinned, happily following along behind Nic into his apartment. She stopped to pull her boots off before stepping into his apartment and looked around. There was still a lot to do but it was starting to feel like a home.

”Is there anything I can do to help?”

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Kiki lets out a small shriek of surprise when Avery turns around and wraps his strong arms around her. “Aw, shucks.” She says sheepishly, letting her eyes cross a little as he kisses her nose. A light blush covers her cheeks from her nickname.

“Where are we heading today?” She asks as she sits on the deck to start her own stretches.

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Nero laughs, nuzzling into Caden’s hold. “Oh, that would have certainly stayed. That has to be engrained in me.” They place a kiss on Caden’s chest.

“At least I found you.” Nero says with a happy sigh.

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Nic’s busy getting the ingredients out of the fridge. He turns around to look at Cass. “Oh, hmm… Did you want to check out the terrace a little more to get an idea for that? I wanted to go get some wood and supplies today so I could build a custom bookshelf in my bedroom, so we could pick up anything we might need for planters too.” He sets the food out and grabs some pans, rinsing them off and drying them before placing them on the stove.

“How would your eggs today?” He asks, turning around again to look at her. If she didn’t want to do that, there were all the sentimental albums and scrapbooks from his dad’s place that could be put away as well.

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”Well usually I'll run the property line to check in, but that's all trees. We could run along the road. It's usually quiet in the morning,” he said while he finished stretching.

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”We would have found each other. One way or another,” Caden said matter of factly.

”Will you lay with me until the alarm goes off or do you have to get ready sooner?”

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”Oh, sure,” Cassi said and pulled her sketchbook out of her bag. ”I've got your tattoo design done by the way. I'm still working on your dad's but I want him to see to make sure he's happy with it.” Cassi grabbed a couple of pencils and tucked them behind her ear.

She picked up her matcha and headed for the backdoor.

”And surprise me,” Cassi said with a wink before she disappeared onto the terrace.

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Kiki chews on her lip as she thinks about it. “Let’s do the property line. I think the more I see the woods in the daylight, the better.” She stands up to finish her stretches before straightening to look at Avery. She smiles nervously at Avery. “As long as you stay by my side.”

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Nero smiles widely to themselves at how decidedly Caden had come to that decision. “Hmmm,” They hum as they think. “If I don’t wash my hair, it should be okay.” They mumble before burrowing more into Caden.

[

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Nic beams at hearing that Cass has his tattoo designed and he’s tempted to ask her to show it, but she’s already headed up the stairs. He laughs to himself, shaking his head when she tells him to surprise her. He pulls out some chives and green onions, deciding scrambled will be a good choice. He puts on some music to dance to just as he hears his dad upstairs follow Cass out on the terrace, asking how she is.

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”Always. Set the pace and I'll guide you,” Avery said and pointed in the direction they needed to start in.

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”Your hair is fine. You showered yesterday,” Caden determined and locked his arms around Nero so they couldn't leave.

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Cassiopeia pushed open the door and stepped onto the terrace. She was about to wander the deck when she heard Ren.

Cassi turned around and beamed. ”Hi Ren! I'm doing good, just thinking up a design for the garden up here. How have you been?” Cassi asked, her voice taking on more of a compassionate tone.

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Kiki kisses Avery’s cheek before starting jogging at a moderate pace towards where he pointed. “This time you should follow at a closer pace.” She calls boldly over her shoulder as she flashes him a grin.

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Nero chuckles, gladly accepting their fate in Caden’s arms. “Then it is decided.” Their voice is muffled but they’re sure Caden could hear them anyway. They close their eyes and inhale their mate’s scent with a goofy smile.

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Ren smiles sweetly at Cass, pulling her into a hug. “I thought it was you I heard downstairs. Are you and my son hanging out today - that’s what the kids say, right?” He happily takes a seat in one of the chairs at the table after releasing her from his embrace. “Nic told me what you’ve done with the garden… I can’t thank you enough for all you’ve done for us.”

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”What, do you want me to be on top of you?” Avery asked, chuckling. He ran beside her when he could or drifted around trees.

It had been a week now which meant the scent of the Chicago wolfpack was officially gone.

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Caden chuckled and kissed the top of Nero's head before he settled in. Caden spoke from time to time with Nero but he ended up drifting, falling into a deep sleep quickly. Once the alarm went off Caden felt refreshed.

He rolled away from Nero and stretched.

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Cassiopeia laughed and nodded. ”Yes, he's making breakfast and sent me up to be out of the way,” Cassi said with a laugh.

She flipped open to a new page and wrote on the top ‘Terrace Garden’. Cassi brushed her pencil along the page, outlining the deck and the house. She paused when Ren thanked her. Cassi blushed and looked down.

”You don't have to thank me, Ren. I've never liked watching a garden go to waste. It was nothing,” Cassi assured him.

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“I just didn’t want you waiting at the bottom of the stairs again.” Kiki teases with a smile. “I half expected you to still be on the patio.” She bumps his shoulder with hers, dodging a tree right afterwards.

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Nero doesn’t sleep, but they do close their eyes and let their mind go empty when Caden falls asleep. When the alarm goes off and Caden sits up to stretch, Nero has half a mind to pull Caden back down and sleep more, but they resist and roll out of the bed. They kiss Caden as they pass him before prancing into the bathroom to wash their body, throwing the night shirt off behind them.

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“Lì would have loved you,” Ren says as he reaches over to gently squeeze Cass’ hand before he observes the skyline with a sad smile. He nods to himself as if he needs the assurance himself. It’s not long before Nic joins them outside with food and plates.

“Bacon, scrambled eggs with chives and onions, and sourdough toast.” He announces with a smile, pulling silverware wrapped in a napkin out of his pocket after setting the food down on the table.

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Avery laughed and shook his head. ”That’s not how the prey instinct works. You should know that. We're just running. You're not running from me.”

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Caden smiled, watching his imp prance off to get ready for brunch. Caden left them to their own devices and went to make himself a cup of tea. Before he left the bedroom, he pulled out a ring box and snuck it into his personal bag so Nero wouldn't accidentally find it while rummaging through the other jewellery bags.

Once Caden had his tea, he returned to the bedroom to finish getting dressed and ready. He opted for lighter colours today, but something a bit warmer as well.

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Cassiopeia felt moisture on her cheek from Ren's kind words. She really wanted to believe him. That maybe in a different life Nic's mom, sister, and her could have worked in the garden and created art together. But Nic's sister passed, and his mother was killed. Then Cassi desiccated Li’s body to find Ren. Maybe she would be okay because it was needed to save Ren, but Cassi couldn't be certain.

She heard Nic's voice and quickly turned away to wipe the tears from her cheeks and pretended to be engrossed in her drawing.

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Kiki sticks her tongue out at Avery with a chuckle. “How fast are you on two legs?” She asks him with an eyebrow cocked. She starts running sideways to better look at him, adept at dodging most obstacles.

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Nero’s shower is quick, especially since they didn’t wash their hair. They get dressed, slipping on some platform shoes that matched the outfit. They pick up the two dragon necklaces and turn to Caden. “Do you think this will go with my dress?” They ask in earnest before eyeing Caden’s choice of clothes.

“You can’t look good in light colors too, that’s unfair.” Nero teases with appreciation.

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Nic raises an eyebrow at Cass, who seems to be otherwise occupied. He steps inside for a moment and comes back with the other three drinks and offers his dad the piña-colada flavored one, knowing how Ren likes his pineapples and coconuts.

“What did I miss?” Nic asks as he sits down between his dad and girlfriend. Under the table, he pats Cass’ leg in a comforting manner.

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Avery glanced sideways at her, watching Kimiko and her showing off. ”Not as fast as I am on four, but faster than most wolves. Why? Are you wanting to race?”

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Caden was sipping his tea when Nero finished and started to get dressed. He chuckled and wrapped an arm around their waist before kissing their head.

”I've been around a long time, little imp. I learned how to dress properly. The choker style would look better.”

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Cassiopeia set her notebook away and turned her focus onto breakfast when Nic rejoined them. ”We were talking about your mom, and the garden,” Cassi briefly explained. She dug into the bacon first before moving to taste the other food.

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Kiki’s eyes shine brightly. “When we’re headed back towards the house, we should race.” She says with eagerness. Noticing Avery’s glance, she’s tempted to run backwards, but turns and faces in front of her again.

[color=FFF79A][/color]

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Nero beams up at him, wrapping their arms around his torso in a hug before holding the choker up to him. “Will you help clasp it, please?” They hand over the necklace and turn their back to Caden, already hopping on their feet. The two hadn’t coordinated outfits, but their palettes are similar.

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Ah, that makes more sense. Nic knows his dad to be sentimental and that he probably said something heartfelt to Cass. He leans over and kisses her cheek. “Did you show your sketches to him yet? She’s been designing our tattoos for us, dad.” He grabs some butter and spreads it on his toast.

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Avery grinned and nodded. ”Alright, what do you get if you when?” Avery asked as they ran through the trees.

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Caden smiled and set his tea aside to help Nero. Once the necklace was in place, Caden placed a little kiss on the back of their neck.

”I love this outfit on you,” he whispered before leaning away from Nero to finish his tea.

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”Oh, not yet.” Cassi finished what she had been eating before wiping her hands. She opened up her sketchbook and flipped to Nic's.

”This is Nic’s.” She had designed his like the traditional Chinese koi but rather than the typical scale pattern she had created a forest scene.

In the place of fish scales Cassi had drawn trees in 3D overlay like his mother's art style with a fox on one of the fins in the style of his sister. Periodically there was a swirl or loop in the trees that represented the rune signs Cassi had chosen to protect Nic.

”I wasn't sure if you wanted the anti possession design in with the koi or separated and full as is like mine and like Caden's,” Cassi said. ”So I put the design on the koi’s head, but I can take that easily if you don't want it,” she told Nic.

She picked up another piece of bacon and munched on it while looking over the design with them.