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Cassiopeia gave Nic a bit of a look before she squirmed and batted away his hands to keep him from pinching her. "You want me to tease you more? Are you sure? I was fairly certain you were going to jump me in the kitchen," she teased him and made her way for his bedroom door.

She opened up the door and glanced back at him. "Do I need lessons or is it revenge on your part?"

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Caden snorted and laughed, covering his stomach from the image Nero conjured in his head. Caden barely had time to recover from his laughter when Nero dragged them from the auditorium back to the gift shop.

"But what about the night show? Or the rest of the building for that matter." It was a rather large building with multiple exhibits that would rotate several times throughout the year.

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Avery grinned when Kimiko's eyes drifted to his lips. He nearly begged her just to forget it and kiss him, but Avery was competitive at heart.

"At least one round," Avery said and nodded. He laughed when she didn't have an answer for what the prize would be, but made sure to tell him what he couldn't have.

His eyes instantly drifted to her lips, and his hand twitched where it rested on the side of Kimiko's leg. He wanted to slide it over and hold her ass, but he refrained for now.

"No riffling through the underwear drawer. What about modeling for me what's in the underwear drawer?" His eyes looked into hers briefly with a challenge before they settled on her lips again.

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“I just like how we tease each other constantly,” Nic says, refraining from grabbing one of her hands when she bats him away. He catches up to her at his door fairly quickly, smirking at her next question. He closes the door and places his hand against it, leaning on it. “Why not both?” His eyes wander up and down Cassi, his other hand twitching when his gaze falls on the little bit of thigh exposed between her stockings and skirt.

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Nero sighs dramatically, stopping shortly after they left the auditorium. “Ugh, fiiiine.” They force themself to pout, but their lips quiver as they try not to laugh. Especially as they start to picture a large dragon with an astronauts helmet.

“Can we make you a spacesuit just to see how it would look? For prosperity’s sake.” Their impish expression makes a few bystanders look nervous from the pure chaos it implies.

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With just one sentence, Avery’s managed to make Kiki’s entire face flush bright red and she looks back in his eyes just in time to see them rest on her own lips. She turns her face away as she tries to calm herself down, taking a couple of deep breaths before she spoke. “F-fine, but only one set of your choosing.” She looks back at him, holding her forefinger up in an effort to convince him not to argue. If she knows her wolf, however, she knows he’ll argue no matter what thanks to his competitive spirit.

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Cassiopeia blinked when the door she had just opened shuts. She turned and had to look up to see Nic properly as he towered over her. She leaned back against the door and swallowed.

"We are rather good at teasing each other," she managed to say. She didn't miss the way his hair swooped across his forehead when he scanned her from head to toe. She also didn't miss the way he stalled on the little bit of skin she had showing.

Cassi smiled and tucked her fingers under his chin to tilt his head back to look into her eyes. Cassi still had to look up at him, but she felt like she was on an even playing field with him now.

"We still have shopping, and lunch I believe," she reminded him.

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Caden smirked and pulled Nero close. "I don't think you understand how large I am in my dragon form. I'm confident you wouldn't be able to make a suit," he declared.

Caden turned around and pulled Nero on to the centre of the building where the night show always played.

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Avery's hand slid back up to Kimiko's hip when she turned away from him. He was worried she was going to pull away, and wanted to make sure she didn't. His eyes moved away from her lips to her flushed face and he grinned more. Her stipulation made him smile and he cocked his head to the side.

"Only one? What if I win more than one round? Shouldn't it be one outfit for every round I win? We can limit the rounds to five like a typical UFC bout," he offered her.

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Nic grins lopsidedly when his chin is physically made to shift his gaze back to Cassi’s face. “Alright, fine. Shopping and lunch.” He kisses her once more before he straightens to open the door, easily wrapping an arm around her waist so she doesn’t fall from the sudden lack of support.

“What sounds good to you?” He asks, unwrapping his arm once she’s stable and heading for the stairs after ruffling her hair.

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Nero peers up at Caden with a big grin. “Challenge accepted.” They say confidently before they’re turned with Caden. “So, do you have a favorite part of space now?” They ask cheerfully, wrapping their arms around Caden.

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Kiki would smack the grin off Avery’s face if she could. “Okay, if I can’t win one round against you, fine, it can be five outfits.” She says, lips quivering as she tries not to laugh at him but also feels the blush not leaving.

“But if I win even one, no outfits.” Her forefinger wags back and forth at him while she forces herself not to look at his lips or think about the hand on her hip.

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Cassiopeia's heart skipped a beat when Nic grinned at her like that. She slid her hands to his chest when he pulled her in to open the door and Cassi smirked. She wondered if he truly thought she would fall, or just wanted to hold her a little longer.

Cassiopeia batted Nic's hand away once more when he messed with her hair. She captured his hand though when he didn't take hers, wanting the connection now.

”Let's just wander until we find some place that smells good,” Cassi decided.

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Caden chuckled and shrugged. ”The science is interesting, but all the emptiness makes me uneasy. There is too much distance between things.”

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Avery pouted from Kimiko's new stipulation. ”How is that fair?” he asked, rubbing his thumb along the front of her hip bone. He watched her wagging finger, remembering when she had bitten his in the restaurant.

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Nic pulls her hand close to kiss it as they make their way downstairs. “Sounds good to me.” He says as they make it back to his dad and Wayland, both of whom perk up and look at Nic and Cassi.

“We’re going to do some shopping and grab some lunch, are you okay watching Wayland while we’re away?” His dad nods happily, motioning for them to leave before turning his attention back to the cat. Nic tries not to laugh when he turns to flash another smile at Cassi.

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Hero nods, understanding what Caden means to a degree, especially when they consider that as much as the two love the company of each other, they would miss the family they’ve created before too long. “Alright, I concede, no space - but I’ll still try to make the spacesuit.”

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Kiki snorts, raising her eyebrow at Avery. “I beg your pardon? I literally just gave you five outfits if you win!” The spot he rubs his thumb along feel hot to Kiki the more he does it and she wiggles a little.

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The image of Nic's dad playing with Wayland was a sight to warm anyone's heart. Cassiopeia smiled and wiggled her fingers at Wayland before scratching the top of his head. He meowed happily before focusing on the play with Ren. It looked like Wayland was going to be good for not only Nic but Ren as well.

”Do you want us to bring you food?” Cass asked Ren. She pulled on her jacket, fixed her hair, and grabbed her bag.

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Caden laughed and shook his head. Nero's ambition was something to be admired, but Caden didn't think they would succeed with it.

Caden walked into a large, dark room with Nero. There were multileveled seating, plus a large open space on the floor to lay down and look up. Caden brought Nero over to the space on the floor and stretched out on the ground. He set his hands behind his head and looked up.

The show started by the room darkening first. Music came across through hidden speakers, and the ceiling lit up with thousands of lights that looked like the stars in the sky. They shifted and moved, matching the spin of the earth. Every once in a while, shooting stars or a meteor shower would happen. Then a constellation would be signalled out.

”We should do this at home,” Caden murmured while the show continued.

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”Only if I win all five! But if I lose one I get nothing. Seems like a lot of work to me,” Avery said with a grin.

Kimiko wiggled under his touch, and Avery looked at where his hand was. He raised an eyebrow at her. ”Are your hips ticklish, too?”

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“Only if it’s not going to be too much of a hassle to do that,” Ren says, bouncing a toy attached to a stick with string.

Nic flashes him a smile to his dad. “I’ll make sure to get you something you’ll like dad.” He also gives Wayland some scratches before he and Cassi leave the apartment and head into the elevator.

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Nero follows with their wriggling excitement as they enter the room. They gaze around before noticing Caden stretching out on the floor. Nero lays down next him, careful not to flash anyone, before they rest their head on his arm. They watch with intrigue, smiling to themself when Caden whispers. “What, stargaze?” They mumble back.

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Kiki shoots a glare at Avery. “No! Believe it or not, I’m not that ticklish!” She says before turning their focus to concentrate on the current issue at hand. “And also, the bet is based on if I win a round against you! Why would you get anything if you don’t beat me?” Her voice quivers with suppressed laughter as he tries to seem domineering but also finding it hard to focus because of his hand.

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Cassiopeia smiled and nodded, saying goodbye to Ren before walking to the elevator. She stared at the buttons on the elevator for a while, lost in thought. She took a steadying breath before letting it out.

”I have a feeling Wayland may have found a new home,” she confessed, looking at Nic.

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”Ya. There's no light pollution where we live. We always get a good show out there whether it's just the stars or the aurora. Could be relaxing, romantic even.” Caden turned his head to look at Nero. He shifted his arm to rest their hand along their back and rubbed his hand along their back.

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Avery's eyebrows rose, questioning Kimiko's claim. ”I believe half your body is ticklish, at least the last time I tickled you proved that. But I'm glad your hips aren't,” he said and continued to rub his thumb along the front of her hip.

”And I'm giving you five chances to beat me at least once! That should be worth something,” Avery declared. He narrowed his eyes at her, daring her to laugh. However, he couldn't keep his own smile from his face.

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Nic blinks, a little blindsided by what Cassi’s said. “Wait, what?” He pushes the button for the lobby floor before turning towards her with an eyebrow quirked. “He has a home with you, he’s just visiting us… Right?” Had he missed something?

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Nero nods as a smile appears on her face. “I’d like that.” They whisper cheerfully before cuddling into them as much as they could in public without getting in trouble. “I mean, if I can’t take you to space, at least we can stargaze together.”

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Kiki only sticks her tongue out in response to what Avery says first before she laughs. “No deal - you’re just looking for an excuse to be a dirty old man.” She pokes his sides, trying to see if she can tickle him. “Unless you can come up with an offer that’s just as good for me if I do win.”

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Cassi smiled and took Nic's hands in hers.

”I don't think so. We'll have to see, but how he reacted when you came to my shop that day, and how he is even acting with your dad… I think he might want to stay with you and him. Wayland was always the cat to comfort my patrons at the store, but he took to you exceptionally quickly. If he has chosen you and Ren, it won't be like I'll never see him again,” she pointed out.

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Caden kissed the top of Nero's head, smiling in agreement. He held Nero for the rest of the show before he stood and helped them up.

”Alright. I'd ask if you want to explore the rest of the planetarium but I have a feeling I've prolonged your need to go to the gift shop long enough,” he said, releasing Nero's hands. ”Am I right?”

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Avery laughed and slid his arm around Kimiko's waist. He pulled her onto his lap, grinning.

”Why do I have to come up with your winning prize? Isn't that your job?”

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Nic nods slowly, digesting the information Cassi shares. “I see what you mean, especially when it comes to you seeing him often… if he does start to live with us, I’ll definitely want to get him a friend.” He offers a half smile, letting go of Cassi’s hand to wrap his arms around her in a hug. “And I think I have the perfect person to help me choose.” With a kiss to her head, he pulls back and recaptures her hand as the elevator doors open.

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Nero laughs, positively relaxed after that show. “I dunno, I could probably be convinced to see another show or two.” They hop onto the balls of their feet and kiss Caden’s cheek before pulling away with a genuine happy grin. “I’ve enjoyed them so far.”

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Kiki lets out a small squeal of a gasp as she’s pulled into Avery’s lap, her legs stretched out to the side as she twists her torso to face him, placing her hands on his chest and shoulders. “Because I can’t come up with it.” She says simply with a smirk before kissing his nose. “Unless heaps of chocolate covered strawberries for each round I win is agreeable.”

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Cassi blushed and leaned up to kiss Nic's jaw. ”You, Ren, and Wayland need to pick out the cat. They have to like you the most, and well, all cats like me,” Cassi said with a cheeky smile.

She pulled Nic from the elevator and walked over to the SUV with him.

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”Well in that case, let's go see what we can find.” Caden kissed Nero once before they wandered the building.

They took in a couple more shows, plus some exhibits and interactive games. ”Alright my little imp, what did you have your eye on in the gift shop?” Caden thought he might look in to see what sort of literature the store had. Being surrounded by space had helped Caden develop an appreciation for it, but he wasn't ready to fly to space.

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Avery shifted, pressing himself into Kimiko's touch. He looked into Kimiko's eyes and shook his head. ”No, that's too simple. You know I would make them for you daily if it's what you wanted. No, it should be something else. Something I don't normally do, or something you've been nervous about and need an excuse to make it happen.”

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Nic chuckles, guiding her through the apartment’s lobby and out the front before they start walking towards the closest shops near the building. “I must be a cat then.” He says with a crooked smile as they walk down the sidewalk. “Do places have ‘cat introductions’ like they do for dog adoptions?”

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Nero beams brightly, enjoying their adventure together as they visit nearly all the planetarium has to offer before Caden offers the gift shop as an option again. “They had some fun jewelry I wanted to look at. I might even look at their t-shirt options.” They tell their dragon cheerfully. Something about focusing on just space has them in one of their best moods since their discovery of Mundus and their own human memories.

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Kiki bites her lip as she tries to think of something else. Is there something she’s been nervous about asking? Or too shy to request from her wolf? “Hmm…” Her lips quiver in an attempt to subdue her nervous laugh. “I’m drawing a blank here. Can you provide a hint at least?”

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”They do, and we can do proper conditioning once you adopt another, so they can get used to each other and their new surroundings,” Cassi said, looking into shops as they passed.

”Do you want to eat first or shop first?”

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”Jewelry? Is what I've gotten you not sufficient?” Caden teased Nero. He brushed their shirt aside to reveal the dragon pendant they wore before meeting Nero's eyes.

”Whatever you want, I'll get you,” he said and kissed them.

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Avery chuckled and shook his head. ”No, because I don't know what you want. I know what I want. I want you to be vulnerable and look at me with that shy confidence I love.” Avery brushed his fingers across Kimiko's cheek, smiling at her.

”So, do you want me like that? Or do you want me to do something that's embarrassing or do something for you? Like cleaning something or doing your laundry or whatever you want.”

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Nic smiles at this news, glad that he’ll have a way to make sure he finds the perfect buddy for Wayland if he does end up living with him and his dad. “I think that’ll depend on what you want first, mon amour.” He stands a little straighter as he tries to see what’s available around them.

“I know the boba place nearby has things like bao and dumplings… And this is downtown Chicago, so there’s bound to be some deep dish pizza nearby… What sounds good to you?” He asks, not even waiting to see if she wants to eat or shop first. He guesses eating might be her choice based on his experience with the drink and snack gremlin she is.

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Nero giggles, batting their eyelashes dramatically up at Caden when he asks if his prior presents were insufficient. “What can I say? Your hoarding tendencies seem to have rubbed off on me.” They stand on their toes and wrap their arms around his neck to kiss him back, not caring about the bystanders who shoot dirty looks for their PDA. They can get over it.

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Kiki has to concentrate to keep herself from shying away when Avery mentions wanting to see her vulnerable, her face flushing, of course. She focuses on picking at a loose thread on his shoulder as she tries to conjure up the idea of Avery being vulnerable.

“I can’t even imagine you as shy… or vulnerable in that kind of way.” Her eyes shift back to look him in the eyes. “Besides, I’m quite sure… never mind. I don’t think you can be shy.” She changes the subject as her mind quickly tries to erase the thoughts of being dominant over Avery, the only image coming to mind is of Kiki dressed like a dominatrix. There’s no way she’d be able to pull something like that off.

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Cassi hummed over Nic's suggestions, trying to decide if something ethnic was really what she wanted today, not that it wasn't delicious, but Cassi was feeling…Pizza. The word instantly captured her attention and Cassi nodded eagerly. Grease. That's what she wanted.

”Oh, pizza. Yes, please!”

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Caden smiled on Nero's lips, grasping a handful of their sweater in his hand while he pushed on their lower back to bring them closer.

”I didn't think I was the bad influence,” he joked before releasing them. ”Alright, show me this jewellery that has captured your attention so.”

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Avery's eyes danced when Kimiko tried to brush past something she wanted to say.

”Oh, no. Tell me what that beautiful mind was just thinking.” If she truly couldn't come up with anything, Avery figured they could figure out what she wanted after she won, because even though Avery wanted to win, he hoped Kimiko did.

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With a grin, Nic starts heading towards the pizza place they went to when he and Ren had just moved into their new place. “Pizza it is.” The walk there doesn’t take too long since he remembers the way. Although taking the SUV might have gotten them there quicker, he enjoys how ditching the vehicle slows down the pace and lets the two just enjoy each other’s company.

“What are some of your favorite foods to get in the other places you’ve lived?” He asks.

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“It’s not just jewelry!” Nero says but they grab one of Caden’s hands in both of theirs and pull him further into the shop. They streamline to a pair of earrings that had caught their attention before getting the biggest size they could find of a sweatshirt.

“Okay, I’m set.” They say with a grin.

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Kiki shakes her head vehemently, face and ears turning more red. “Absolutely not.” She tells her wolf sternly, ready to leap out of his lap if he tried to force it out of her. “It was nothing anyway.” No, that wouldn’t be what she’d want from Avery or herself anyhow. She puts a hand to her face as her depraved brain wanders into reversing the roles… I don’t need this! She desperately tells herself.

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”Oh, that's a rather big question. Ummm, I mean pizza in Italy isn't anywhere close to how it is here. There was one pizzeria I always went to where they collected the ingredients straight from the garden they grew in the back. They only took what they needed to make the pizza you ordered, so it took longer but the taste was unreal. In Spain, I didn't eat much but drank a lot, in France I gained a bit of weight. I had a morning tradition of going to local bakeries to get my breakfast. Hamam Mahshi and shawarma in Egypt. And Indonesia I pretty much ate soup the entire time. Like Italy all of the ingredients were really fresh, and the spices they used were amazing. I've gone to Indonesian restaurants in Europe and in America, and unless they get their spice direct, it doesn't taste close to the same,” Cassiopeia informed Nic.

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Caden looked at the sweater Nero picked, and silently questioned the little imp. ”You're going to trip on it,” he teased them. He dropped the sweater over his arm before taking one of Nero's hands and led them over to a section of books and texts on space.

”Help me pick a few. I want to learn more about this space you love so much.”

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Avery laughed the more Kimiko got red, and completely refused to tell him what she had been thinking. ”You are such a tease,” he informed her and kissed her nose. ”Fine. Keep your dirty little secret. We'll come up with what you want from me later. If you win. Now, let's go get you some riding gear,” he said and patted her bum to get her to stand.

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Nic listens, his smile growing with each word Cassi says. “Someday you’ll need to take me on an international food tour.” He says, grinning as they enter the polish deli and pizzeria before he sets his sights on a table that’s tucked away. He pulls Cassi’s chair out for her before pushing her closer to the table and then takes his seat.

“Okay, so with all that amazing food… Which one would you eat everyday if you had to choose just one?”

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“But I’ll look absolutely adorable while falling.” Nero retorts in a chirp as Caden leads them to the books. They take a step closer, keeping hold of Caden’s hand as they read the titles. Grinning, they find a book that talks about the discovery of space and its evolution through time as scientists learn more about it. “This one should be fun.”

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Kiki would stick her tongue out at Avery, but between her ‘dirty little secret’ and the pat to her ass, she’s too flustered to do much of anything besides standing up. “I’m not a tease…” She mutters under her breath before crossing her arms over her chest. “You’re the tease.”