---

---

---

---

After her shower, Kiki dressed in a simple dress with some yellow sneakers. It took most of the day before she could stumble upon Avery without furiously blushing. She busied herself in Caden’s library, seeing what she could find on kitsune just to pass the time, but she told herself it was to help Nic and his father.

Now at dinner, she fidgets as she worries that Avery is going to bring up the items he found in her drawers at the most embarrassing moment he can choose. Kiki returns Avery’s smile with a nervous one. “Have you been unbuttoning your shirts just for my benefit?” She asks in a light teasing tone.

---

---

---

---

Today’s outing felt like its theme was humans and what they’ve accomplished. It was amazing seeing so much history of the race and the planet - Nero even learning new things about their birthplace thanks for some of the museums. It was a delight for Nero whenever someone approached Caden, knowing that they did this because he has such a vast collection.

Nero tries the escargot at dinner with some apprehension, but it isn’t terrible. Tastes like a lightly salted mushroom. They think to themselves before looking back at Caden. “We can see if there’s anything from my place they might like too.” They suggest with a little wiggle. They know that their collection is pretty eclectic, but they’re sure some museums would love to have some of their unique and frankly priceless treasures.

---

---

---

---

Nic could feel tension building in his neck and shoulders as the day wore on, knowing that his dad surely felt it too. At one point when Cass stepped out to take a call, Nic turned to give his dad a pointed look and Ren just waved his son off. Once downstairs was fully unpacked, Nic took Cass out to dinner at one of the more inexpensive spots near his apartment before driving the two of them to Cass’ house.

Wayland, of course, was a zooming ball of fur as soon as Nic stepped inside. Waiting for Cass to return, he’s taken off his button-up and his t-shirt underneath so that Cass had ample room to tattoo. He strokes Wayland’s fur as his nerves start to catch up a little. “I know Cass said she has stuff to numb and heal, but I’m anxious, little buddy.” He coos to the cat.

“But that might have more to do with my dad than the actual tattoo.” He looks up as Cass enters the room again and smiles a dimply expression her way. “It’s not fair that you look absolutely beautiful and adorable in everything, you know.”

---

---

---

---

Avery smirked and leaned forward on the table. "If I was doing it for you I would just take my shirt off all together," he teased her. He sipped his iced tea before relaxing in his seat again. "It's because I'm not working. When I'm not working, I want to feel more relaxed so I unbutton the shirt, when I'm working, it's buttoned. Depending on what I'm doing, I'll wear a tie, but it always feels too tight and claustrophobic."

---

---

---

---

Caden happily devours his snails. It was another one of those dishes he rarely got but loved. "I'm sure they would love a look at your collection. But you don't have to put the items on loan if you don't want to, my little imp. I do it to free up space or acquire more. If I didn't, I'm afraid I would have no living space in any of my homes," he said with a chuckle.

---

---

---

---

Cassiopeia stood in the hallway, watching Nic and Wayland. She gave him a look when he teased her. "This coming from the half-naked man in my living room," she said and nodded at Wayland. "He can come along for moral support. He usually leaves me to tattoo in peace." She walked over to Nic and handed him a cup of tea. "Drink this. It has peppermint, clove, willow bark, and corydalis. All good for numbing pain. I'll also do a little magic and old fashioned numbing cream on your arm to help. You might feel a little fuzzy and some tingling, but you'll be fine and well enough tomorrow to work."

---

---

---

---

Kiki chuckles with a smirk. “I have a feeling they’re too tight due to your muscle mass.” She winks at him before drinking her strawberry lemonade and mirroring Avery’s relaxed pose. “Did you have a dream job or career you wanted as a kid?” She asks curiously. “Or did you always want to be a trainer slash bodyguard slash security slash driver.” She can’t help but smirk with naming the many hats he wears.

---

---

---

---

Laughing, Nero nods along. “That’s why there isn’t any living space in my house.” They remind Caden. The two had managed to fit in a tour of Nero’s place last week - the demon had sent away all their minions so that the two could see if Nero had any additional information in their collection to help with Mundus. The answer had been, unfortunately, no.

“How did you end up collecting everything? Is it just a dragon perk?” Nero grins at their own cleverness. “‘Cause, you know, dragons are typically depicted as hoarders.”

---

---

---

---

Nic grins lopsidedly at her. “I figured you might enjoy a view while you work.” He teases before taking the cup and chugging the liquid inside quickly as he carries Wayland. “You won’t ditch me, will you buddy?” He coos to the cat. “Now, when you say fuzzy, do you mean mentally or physically?”

---

---

---

---

Avery flexed his muscles in response to Kimiko's words, the shirt tightening over his arms before he relaxed. That was another reason for wearing black. It wasn't always so obvious how much muscle tone he had, plus he blended in with her surroundings better and went unnoticed, which was ideal for his line of work.

”Growing up I didn't have much of a dream, and then in the army it was just about surviving but we also had to blow off steam so I started fighting, like boxing. I got pretty good at it and thought I might have a shot at that and did for a while but then everything changed and it was back to trying to survive,” Avery said with a shrug, not really wanting to get into it. ”Did you always want to be a PI?”

---

---

---

---

Caden grinned at the memory and the reference. The waiters came and collected their appetizer plates and resupplied their drinks.

”It's definitely a dragon thing. I collect knowledge but I'm also drawn to power. My father was music and my great grandfather was the typical treasure. My grandfather and I often got into trouble because of what we needed to hoard. Most dragon legends are based on my grandfather because he couldn't resist stealing what the kings and queens of his time had.”

---

---

---

---

Cassiopeia's eyes wander Nic's body. She smirked and looked at her boyfriend. ”It might be too much of a distraction,” she announced.

Cassi turned and led the pair of troublemakers upstairs to her tattoo room. The lights were bright, illuminating a table that was reclined with a couple pillows wrapped in plastic for sanitary purposes. Cassi had her tattoo gun laid out next to needles in their packaging and a series of colours laid out.

”Fuzzy mentally. The tingling will be felt physically. It should start to work in about five minutes,” she said. ”Which arm do you want?” Cassi asked, holding the stencil paper up.

---

---

---

---

Kiki makes a show of ogling Avery’s muscles as he flexes, which isn’t hard to do because she really does enjoy his muscles. She stops herself from biting her lip though, wanting to save that for a rainy day if she can help it. She probably won’t be able to help it. She listens as Avery talks, noticing the tone got close to how he sounded when she asked about his grandma. She let him change the topic.

“I wanted to be a doctor at first.” Kiki says with a small smile. “Puis j'ai appris ce qu'était mon père et j'ai voulu devenir un "homme de lettres", puis j'ai appris que j'étais un kitsune et j'ai soudainement réussi à tenir jusqu'au lendemain sans m'exposer. Finalement, j'ai compris que ce que je savais des "hommes de lettres" et de mes capacités surnaturelles pouvait être utilisé à meilleur escient que le farniente dans la maison de mon père.” She shrugs and sips her drink, unable to help the smile she gets from the taste of strawberries.

---

---

---

---

---

Nero leans forward on the table, propping their head up with their hands as they listen to Caden. Their eyes go wide with excitement at this new information and their smile looks like a cat who’s eaten a canary. “That’s amazing.” Nero says with a tone of awe. “I’m convinced I was a dragon in a past life then.” They declare before picking up their newly filled drink.

---

---

---

---

Nic grins as Cass looks at his body. He knows he’s on the thinner side, especially compared to Caden and Avery, but he does take pride in the muscles he’s worked hard for. He flexes his pecs back and forth in a little dance before following Cass upstairs.

Nic could kiss Cass for how sanitary she kept the area - he isn’t sure what he had expected, but he’s proud of her nevertheless. “You’ll have to tell me if I say anything loopy and forget it.” He tells her before tapping his right upper arm. “Rather keep my dominant hand in good shape.” He grins up at Cass. “So fuzzy mind, I’m curious if I’ll seem more drunk or more high.”

---

---

---

---

Avery smiled, listening to Kimiko’s French as she spoke about how her dreams shifted. ”Did you find being a PI helped you, too, in trying to find your mom but also being able to solve mysteries for others?”

---

---

---

---

Caden laughed and shrugged, nodding his head. ”It could be very possible. We are merely hosts for our dragons within. They choose us, and we host them until they decide to move on or we die,” Caden informed Nero.

---

---

---

---

Cassi laughed at the pec dance Nic gave her, but she still blushed. It reminded her of something Avery would do, but she was more attracted to Nic doing it. When Nic told her what side, she had him shake out his arm before letting it rest relaxed at his side. She laid the stencil down over his skin and rubbed it in before pealing back the tracing paper.

”Okay, look in the mirror and let me know how you feel about the placement. We can shift it any way you want if you don’t like it there.” She had made sure it was high enough and angled so Nic could add to it when he was ready.

---

---

---

---

“Call me the Scooby gang of one.” Kiki says, the tone a little tense at the mention of her mother, but she still smiles at Avery, wanting to make sure he wouldn’t think the tone was his fault before glancing down at her fidgety hands. “I think it did for a while there, but… I’m kind of tired of always moving, if we’re being honest. It’d be nice to settle down in a place for more than just a few months.”

---

---

---

---

“I should try looking up my name when we get home to see if there were any dragons there.” Nero says with a smirk, but now they actually want to find out. “You already have to be a shifter for a dragon to choose you though, right?” Nero says this part quieter just in case.

---

---

---

---

Nic rotates his arm as he looks at his reflection before grinning at Cass. “Looks perfect, m’dear.” He tells her as he his brain starts to have that little hazy feeling that Nic associates mostly with marijuana. “Do you want to do my whole sleeve eventually? I’m thinking ninjas.”

---

---

---

---

Avery looked down at the table, his mind processing Kimiko’s words and her tone. They definitely were kindred spirits. Kimiko’s story was her own as was Avery’s, but they both had shared pain from their past. Demons, they were still fighting.

He looked back at her as their food arrived. ”Would you still do PI work if you decided to remain in one place?”

---

---

---

---

”Yes, and from my family line. We have a specific pedigree that allows us to sustain and survive with a dragon inside us. Not to say a dragon hasn’t chosen outside my family before, but it is rare.”

The main course of their meal arrived, and Caden happily cut into his steak, mixing it with the potatoes before taking a bite.

---

---

---

---

Cassi looked up from Nic’s arm to his face when he mentioned ninjas. ”Oh good, the tea is working. Time to sit down, handsome,”

Cassi guided Nic into the chair, and Wayland curled up in Nic’s lap. Cassi lit a candle with a snap of her fingers and poured a fine white powdered substance into her hand. She sprinkled some over the flame and onto Nic’s arm. The candle flared while Cassi spoke the spell in Latin.

”Asinta Mulaf Hinto, Sho Bala.” Cassi left the candle lit, dumping the remaining powder and turned to focus on breaking the needle out of its package and added it to her tattoo gun.

”Do you want your tattoo black and white or coloured?”

---

---

---

---

Kiki shrugs, realizing how hungry she is now that their food is there. “Probably - il est plus facile de cacher le fait que je ne vieillis pas dans ce domaine.” She winks at Avery before happily digging into her food, nodding her head happily at the taste.

---

---

---

---

“Once again making me wish you could just turn me into one. Maybe I’ll get lucky in my next life.” Not that Nero really believes in that at this point. They wiggle happily in their seat as they start to eat their own steak.

---

---

---

---

Nic glances down at the cat curled up in his lap. “Hmm, what do you think, my son?” Nic starts to move his head but realizes how bad that decision is when he feels like his head weighs as much as a boulder. “He says mostly black and white with some nicely colorful touches.” He declares with a goofy smile.

---

---

---

---

Avery grinned and started eating his meal happily, too hungry to continue a conversation for the moment. Once he finished his burger, he finished his drink and cleaned off his hands before he sat back and started eating his side dishes.

”So a PI, living in a tree house. Anything else I am missing? What will you be doing when you aren’t hunting down people?”

---

---

---

---

”Ah, but I like you just the way you are, my darling imp. Of course, if you wanted to be anything else and I could help you achieve that, then I would,” Caden added.

---

---

---

---

Cassi smiled and nodded. She finished getting everything ready and started with the outline of Nic’s tattoo. ”Try not to move your arm too much. You might fall asleep, and that’s okay, but if you do need to move or need a break, just let me know,” Cassi said before she turned the tattoo gun on and started outlining the koi.

---

---

---

---

Kiki grins innocently across the table at Avery. “I was thinking about maybe getting a dog.” She throws him another wink as she picks at the reminder of her truffle fries. “Do I need to ask Caden for your adoption papers?” She can’t help herself at this point

---

---

---

---

Nero beams at Caden with cheeks full of steak. “I know.” They say happily around the food. Someone shoots them a dirty look, but Nero refrains from trying to scare them immediately. Swallowing their food, they pull a ring out of their purse and make it fall into the two glasses of champagne headed for the couple who had glared. Nero wiggles excitedly, waiting for the entertainment to begin and glancing at Caden with a wide, innocent smile. They’d been carrying around that fake diamond ring for a long time waiting for a moment like this to force a fake proposal on two unsuspecting humans.

---

---

---

---

“Roger, roger.” Nic says in his best droid voice. “Have you seen Star Wars?” He pets Wayland with his free hand, carefully staying still with the arm being tattooed. “We should watch them if you haven’t. Cinematic classic even with the horrible prequel sequel whatever movies.”

---

---

---

---

Avery nearly choked on his food. He stole Kimiko’s drink to take a sip and clear his airway before he coughed and laughed.

”Are you going to ask him before or after you punch him?”

---

---

---

---

Caden watched the glass float its way through the restaurant until it found the right table. He glanced at Nero, shaking his head, but was fully entertained by the minor chaos Nero had just unleashed.

”Do you think they’ll go along with it?”

---

---

---

---

Cassi focused on her work, but a smile remained while Nic rambled on. She rather liked this high side of Nic. ”I have, but we could still watch them together. Why don’t you like the sequel movies?” she asked him curiously.

Cassi dipped the needle in more of the ink before she continued on.

---

---

---

---

Kiki fakes outrage at him stealing some of her strawberry lemonade but joins the laughter. “Oh, after. He totally owes me for some of the things I made sure to buy for Nero.” She smirks happily before pushing her plate towards Avery. She still has almost half of her fries left, but she’s already full from ‘pregaming’ dinner.

---

---

---

---

“Not a chance.” Nero says with a devilish grin. “I heard them arguing about moving in together by the hostess.” The imp leans their head on their hand, their elbow on the table as they enjoy the dinner and show. When the glasses arrive at the table, they almost don’t notice anything until the woman excitedly finds the ring. The man sitting across from her goes deadly pale and makes exaggerated movements as he tries to explain it’s not his.

Nero giggles a soft, maniacal laugh, their wiggle dance reinvigorated. “So easily predictable.” The imp says in delight.

---

---

---

---

Nic leans his head back and glares at the ceiling. “Jar-Jar Binks was supposed to end up being a sith but they totally ruined that with the prequels.” He says in dismay. “I had such high hopes since Carrie Fisher was involved in the writing but…” The young man sighs dramatically. “They weren’t good. Isn’t that right, Wayland?”

---

---

---

---

The waitress returned with another drink for Avery, so he didn’t have to keep stealing Kimiko’s. He sipped his sweet tea before accepting Kimiko’s plate of fries. ”What did you buy for Nero?”

---

---

---

---

Nero’s delight is a show on its own. Caden is torn between looking at the couple and looking back at Nero while they enjoy themselves. Caden just shook his head, amused by their antics.

”Should we send over a piece of cake in congratulations for the happy new couple?”

---

---

---

---

When all the reviews of the movies had come out, Cassi had read up on that fact and knew it was one of several the fandom was disappointed with. ”Rey was pretty cool though,” Cassi commented while she continued to work.

---

---

---

---

“I mean, personally I didn’t buy anything for Nero, but I did make sure Caden’s card got the little imp as many nice underthings as I could without the sales lady questioning it. This was while you and Caden were talking to…” Kiki fumbles and focuses on finishing her lemonade before Avery can steal anymore of it. Even if he does have his own drink again.

Setting the glass down, Kiki plasters a smile on her face. “Anyway, all that to say that Nero’s drawer is far more interesting than mine.” Realizing what door she’s just opened, she puts up a hand towards Avery. “Not a word, mister.” She tells him sternly.

---

---

---

---

Nero stares at Caden in pure delight, eyes wide with excitement as they grin. “Oooooh, yes please!” They chirp happily. Nero readjusts how they’re sitting at the table so they can watch the couple but also cut their steak to eat more of.

“You just get me so well.” They add with a wink before stuffing their face again.

---

---

---

---

“Oh I loved Rey. I wish we could’ve seen JJ Abram’s full trilogy - they absolutely butchered it with number eight.” Nic bemoans. He refocuses his attention to Wayland again and does his best Baymax impression. “Hairy baby.”

---

---

---

---

Avery glanced down at the empty plates when Kimiko stopped talking midway through her sentence. In the last week he had replayed each time he came in contact with the Chicago werewolf pack over and over again, wondering if there was a different way they could have approached Levi and his pack. After hours of beating himself up, Avery determined that there wasn’t. Levi and his pack had been self-absorbed and entitled. It wouldn’t have mattered how Avery and Caden treated them. They would have acted and done what they wanted regardless. Avery was just glad he had been there the night at the club. Who knows what Terry and them would have tried that night if Avery hadn’t been there.

Kimiko started talking again, and Avery glanced up at the mention of her underwear drawer. He grinned, amusement plain on his face. He shrugged, the epitome of innocence. ”I have no idea what you are talking about.”

---

---

---

---

Chuckling, Caden signalled for their waiter and relayed what he wanted. The waiter happily complied before leaving to fulfil the task. A few moments later, a piece of cheesecake with two forks was delivered to the not-so-happy-looking couple.

Still smiling, Caden turned his attention away and finished his drink before finishing his meal.

---

---

---

---

Cassi paused in her tattooing to look up at Nic with amusement before shaking her head and returning to her task. Most of the next couple hours went like that: Nic feeling rather good and Cassi being entertained by all his wild theories and the things that seemed to upset him most. Honestly, Cassi found most of those things to be amusing.

”I need a little break. Why don’t you stretch a bit? Your body should still be numb, but your head should be clearing a bit. I’ll go get you some water,” Cassi said and pushed her trolley aside before she stood and stretched.

Wayland also took the opportunity to jump from Nic's lap, where he had been happily taking all the human's attention, and went to stretch his own legs.

---

---

---

---

“It better stay that way.” Kiki replies, her expression taking that of a school teacher or mother trying to instill a lesson in a child. “If you’re good, I’ll treat your to FroYo.” Kiki can’t help the grin that appears on her face, finding the situation to be rather humorous despite how embarrassing it all is for her.

“But really, do we have time for frozen yogurt? It sounds delicious right now.”

---

---

---

---

When the couple looks around for who would’ve sent them the cake, Nero quickly turns to face Caden, biting their lip to suppress the laugh bubbling up their throat. They make the ‘chef’s kiss’ gesture at Caden with a wink. “We should pull pranks like that more often.” Nero practically sings as they finish their plate. “Also, we’re ordering our own cheesecake too, right?”

---

---

---

---

Nic stands, shaking his limbs loose, but carefully when it came to his right arm. “So, how much longer do you think?” He asks as he starts to follow Cass, but then stops himself at the doorframe. “Also am I allowed to leave the room or…?” Maybe I should have looked up a guide to getting a tattoo ahead of this. He thinks briefly. Nursing Nic tells him to stay in the sanitary environment.

---

---

---

---

Avery could think of several other things he would enjoy far more for his reward than frozen yogurt, but the stern look on Kimiko’s face, mixed with her hopeful expression, had Avery caving rather than teasing her.

”We definitely have time to get you frozen yogurt.”

---

---

---

---

”Oh? I thought you and Kiki shared a bond over pranking. I wouldn’t want to take that away from you two,” he said before assuring Nero that they would be getting dessert as well. They still had an hour before they needed to be at the airport to leave.

Caden was equally sad and happy to be returning to Chicago. He was feeling rather tired and was looking forward to sleeping on the plane, but he had enjoyed a simple weekend with Nero where neither of them had responsibilities to attend to. That would all end tomorrow.

---

---

---

---

Cassi paused to look at Nic’s arm. ”At least another hour, closer to two.” She resumed walking out of the room and smiled at Nic. ”You can leave the room. Just don’t lean against anything. I’ll be swapping the needles out for a fresh one when we start up again anyways, so everything will remain sanitary,” she assured him before she resumed walking.

Cassi rotated her neck and arms while she walked. She stretched out her fingers and yawned before walking into the kitchen. She turned the kettle on for some tea before pouring Nic a glass of water.

---

---

---

---

Kiki beams at Avery with a bright smile, happy in her triumph. “I haven’t had it in a hot minute, so I’m excited.” She says, looking ready to bolt from the table at any moment. “Do you have a favorite dessert?” She asks Avery.

---

---

---

---

Nero chuckles with a shake of their head. “Now that her and Avery aren’t aiming to kill each other, she doesn’t want to help me prank. I still need to get Henry back at some point too.” Nero says, remembering their first day at Caden’s house when the butler had snubbed them.

“Besides, I do so enjoy a good petty prank and you just can’t get that at home.” Nero finishes their drink and happily wiggles. Of the other table with its couple, only the woman remained, crying as she ate the cheesecake by herself. Nero’s overly eager in seeing their misery.

---

---

---

---

Nic follows Cass to the kitchen, still loosely shaking his body to help it relax. “Would you like me to massage your neck or back or anything? I won’t use the right arm.” He does gratefully take the water from Cass and chugs it.

“Also, I know I mentioned ninjas earlier - I do not want them on my sleeve. I made a grave error with that idea.” Now that his head is clearing up, he has a much better grip on not saying every thought out loud.

---

---

---

---

The next time the waiter came around, Avery asked for the bill. After they left, he crossed his arms and leaned on the table, watching Kimiko. Her fidgeting was getting worse and Avery was half tempted to pick her up and sit her on his lap so she wouldn't run off on him.

”Fresh apple pie, with vanilla ice cream and caramel sauce,” Avery said, very specifically. ”Yours?”

---

---

---

---

Unlike Nero, Caden doesn't enjoy seeing the woman crying by herself. From the conversation he overheard, it was for the best the relationship ended. It wasn't going anywhere, but it came to a forced conclusion rather than natural.

When the cheesecake is delivered to Caden and Nero, Caden asks for the woman's bill so he could pay it along with theirs. Once the waiter left, Caden picked up his fork and sliced a piece. He contemplated it before eating.

---

---

---

---

Cassi crossed her arms and leaned against the counter while she waited for the kettle to boil. She laughed when Nic remembered what he had said about ninjas and backtracked.

”Awe, why? I was already designing a piece in my head,” she teased him. ”And no, you don't need to massage my neck and shoulders. I rather think you need that more than me.”

Cassi turned around when the kettle boiled and poured herself a cup of hot rosehip and cerulean tea with other fresh herbs. As it steeped, she refilled Nic's water glass for him.

”Actually, would you maybe consider spending the night? I know you just moved in to your new place and the bed is very comfortable since you mention how comfortable it is every time you sleep in it… but there was all that tension with your dad today and you haven't spent the night since that night at Caden's and…” Cassi continued to ramble even as she moved to finish preparing her tea.