Kiki smiles innocently at Avery. “That’ll depend on how good of an excuse he comes up with.” She looks around, biting the corner of her lip as she makes sure no one’s looking their way. She half hops onto his lap with a small smile.
Nero grins widely and shakes their head as they chant, “Chaos, chaos, chaos.” They say with their best gremlin voice as they faux stomp in a circle around Caden before they chuckle and wrap their arms around him. “Alright, you have peace in your lands until dawn breaks.”
Caden followed Nero with his eyes as they stopped around him. His grin seemed to be etched into his face while he watched his little imp. Caden shook his head, enjoying their chaotic little gremlin.
He wrapped his arms loosely around Nero's waist when they stopped in front of him. ”Thank you, little imp. We'll have our fun tomorrow.” He kissed them once before the door opened and the stairs were flipped down.
Caden took Nero's hand and led them towards the stairs. He stopped and thanked his pilots before handing them an envelope. On the tarmac Caden noticed Avery and Kimiko waiting for them. Interesting.
Kiki starts to frown, worried she’d done something wrong to make Avery take her off his lip until he places his hands on either side of her. Her eyes brows raise and her face flushes as she realizes why he had moved her. “O-oh.” She nods her head in agreement before she sees movement from the jet and peeks her eyes over Avery’s shoulders.
Nero grins as they hold Caden’s hand. “You’re lucky I love you.” They say before following Caden’s gaze and see Avery and Kiki by one of his SUVs. They stretch up on their legs so they can whisper to Caden. “Maybe our weekend away helped them too.” They guess.
Caden nodded, inclined to agree with his imp. Caden walked down the stairs first, bringing Nero along with them. Avery joined them briefly before he went to gather the bags and carried them to the car.
”Did you have fun?” Avery asked.
”We did. How did the staff fair?”
”Good. Most of them left for the weekend but some stayed behind and threw a bit of a pool party.”
”That's good. Did you join them?”
Avery glanced back at Kimiko and smirked before looking at Caden.
”No,” Avery said and walked away to load the bags into the SUV.
Kiki catches Avery’s smirk and glares at him playfully before she stands up and crosses her arms over her chest as Caden approaches, turning a not-playful glare at him. “Nero, be a dear and hold Caden still for a moment.”
Nero tilts their head, but smirks. “And here Caden said no chaos until tomorrow after breakfast.” The demon does wrap an arm securely around Caden though, wanting to see what this is all about.
“I think you forgot to talk to me about something.” Kiki says to Caden.
Caden raises his eyebrows in confusion as they now stand in front of Kimiko. Nero's arm wrapped around him, secure despite their size and Caden cocked his head to the side, looking at Kimiko curiously.
”Talk to you about what?”
Avery meanwhile, walked back and forth a couple of times to load all the bags into the SUV. Once he finished, he reminded by the SUV, watching everything unfold with mild amusement.
Kiki clenches her jaw, a weird creepily sweet smile on her face as it starts to grow red. “Oh, I dunno,” She’s about to start shouting, but stops herself after glancing at Nero. They switch to French, knowing Avery can speak it whereas Nero cannot. This is just in case Caden had forgotten to tell Nero in the same way he forgot to tell Kiki.
“Peut-être pour avoir parlé à Avery de notre aventure sans m'en parler d'abord.”
Kiki flashes her eyes at Caden, waiting to hear Caden’s explanation before she gets any more angry. Last thing she wants is having ears or a tail pop out in front of Caden. While she’s still happy that Avery already knew about the two of them and didn’t have qualms with it, a heads up at the very least would have been appreciated.
Maybe about telling Avery about our fling without talking to me first
Caden leaned back into Nero, enjoying their arm wrapped around him despite the seriousness of the situation. When Kimiko explained her reasoning for her anger Caden nodded.
”Ah. You couldn’t have warned me?” Caden asked, looking over Kimiko to Avery would conveniently remained by the SUV.
Avery grinned and held his hands up. ”Wasn’t my place.”
Caden snorted. ”Well, it is my place to dock your pay.” Caden looked back at Kimiko while Avery just laughed. ”I apologize I didn’t clear it with you, but as I was part of that relationship, I didn’t think it a problem telling my friend about it. Aside from that, I knew Avery was hesitating because of who you are to me. I wanted him to know our relationship history and know that I wasn’t entitled to you. Only you are.”
Still grinning, his eyes dancing with humour, Avery shifted his attention to Kimiko. Her glow was something he had seen briefly before, but not to this extent. It definitely wasn’t the right time or place for it, but Avery found it rather attractive. At the moment, the blue dress didn’t suit the mood. Instead, Avery pictured her in yellow. A living flame.
Avery ran a hand over the back of his neck, looking away to clear his thoughts. As it was, Caden had glanced back at Avery again before speaking through their bond.
Calm yourself. I can smell your scent from here.
Avery smirked, staring at the building and nodded before he looked back at the stand-off between Caden and Kimiko.
Kiki keeps her gaze cool as she regards Caden and his words. “Always the smooth talker.” She says with a snort. “You could have at least told me after the fact - let me know that you had the conversation.” She tries not to let her frustration get the better of her - it’s not that big of a deal - but she feels the frustration that’s built over the last week and a half.
Kiki can’t take her frustration out on Levi or Terrance, but Caden on the other hand is standing right there. She feels herself grow hotter and barely notices the tail that’s popped out, lifting her short blue dress up. “And does Nero know?” She asks through gritted teeth. “Or did you conveniently forget to tell them too?”
Nero’s head tilts as he glances between all of them as their brain reads between the lines. “Caden, my love, are there any other ‘family’ of yours that you’ve slept with?” They say it in a very light and teasing tone. Nero knows he was a bit of a playboy before the two started growing closer, so it comes as no surprise that Caden slept with Kiki at some point. They plant a kiss on his cheek as he leans into them. Movement in their peripheral makes them look over at the fox and they see a bushy white tail twitching behind Kiki, the tip of it a pinkish-orange hue.
The amusement Caden felt from Kimiko’s frustration changes. He moved his hand to rest on Nero’s hip and squeezed gently in a warning.
”I could have,” Caden agreed. ”But I didn’t.” Kimiko’s change in attitude told him that there was built-up emotion Kimiko had yet to release, and Caden was more than happy to take the brunt of that frustration. He was fireproof, after all.
Caden took a step to the side regarding Nero’s question. ”Aside from Cassi and Kiki, none that I’m aware of,” Caden informed Nero. He wasn’t ashamed or concerned about his past and all those he slept with. If Nero had concerns, Caden was confident Nero would have addressed them, but they both had lives before they met each other. Caden had been transparent with Nero and honest in how he felt about them. There would be no one else aside from Nero unless they wanted it. Besides that, Nero was more than enough to satisfy Caden’s appetite.
”Geh und steh auf der Seite des Wolfes,” Caden muttered under his breath to Nero before pushing on their hip with some force.
”If I had told you I had the conversation, would it have made any less of a difference? Were you ever going to tell him? I think I did you a favour,” Caden pushed. He knew he was crossing a line, but he was fine with pushing Kimiko to that point. She needed to let her anger out somehow, and it was getting worse. Caden knew from past experience when Kimiko started to half shift she didn’t have control and was simply letting her emotions control her instead.
Avery shifted uncomfortably, noticing the change in Kimiko after Caden did. Avery didn’t understand why Caden was exacerbating the situation. It made more sense for him to diffuse the situation, but Avery trusted Caden with his life. There was obviously something here that Caden knew that Avery didn’t. However, the fact that Caden was pushing Avery’s mate and knew more about her wasn’t sitting well. Avery clenched his hands into fists, ready to step in.
Nero glances between the two, the fox and the dragon. Caden had been a bit forceful in pushing the demon, so they figure that this is no longer just playful banter. They still kiss Caden’s cheek before leaving his side and joining Avery. They raise an eyebrow when Caden antagonizes Kiki further, wondering what Caden is planning here, but also ready to jump in if needed.
As Kiki blinks, staring at Caden with a look of pure rage, she growls. Two fluffy ears have sprouted on her head as a little piece of lint on the floor sparks with a pinkish flame. “You want to repeat that??” She says in a hiss, glaring at Caden as she steps closer. “How in the bloody hell do you think I found out about it!?”
Kiki’s eyes shift, the irises similar in color to her fire and almost dance like the flames themselves. “The difference would have been a normal conversation with Avery about it all! Like how couple normally bring up their exes. If you had told me, maybe I wouldn’t have been such a neurotic mess around my boyfriend! I deserve normal after what happened to me!!” Tears sting Kiki’s eyes, the hot liquid rolling down her flushed cheeks as she shouts at Caden.
Caden paused, his face falling slightly from Kimiko’s words. ”You do deserve normal, Kiki. But you aren’t normal, and nothing about what happened to you is normal,” Caden took a step closer to Kimiko, closing the distance. Her power started to shift, growing stronger as she became more emotional.
Avery took a step forward but Caden spoke down the pack bond. Don’t move. She needs to get this out. Let her grieve.
”I only told him about us because I want you to be happy after what happened to you, Kiki. You weren’t going to let yourself be happy. I could see that. You were going to push him away or run again. Like always, but none of us are running from you.”
Kiki glares at Caden, not knowing where all this anger for him is coming from. The large angry tears keep falling down her face and she tries to stop any sobs but biting her lip. With closed fists, she starts hitting Caden on the chest with the base of her hands, not putting much force into it before she slowly stops and starts to sob instead.
Unable to exactly control herself, her body shifts fully into her fox form, her clothes falling to the floor around her for the most part. Not wanting Caden to touch her any further, she hops over to Avery and leans against his leg instead.
“Oh! She’s adorable as a fox!” Nero hadn’t really gotten a good look of the form when they fought the Chicago pack and has to stop themselves from picking up the little fox and cuddling it. Instead, the imp goes back to stand by Caden, wanting to know if he’s okay. Emotionally, of course, since they assume Kiki’s punches did very little damage to their dragon.
Caden let Kimiko hit him, knowing full well that he was her best option for getting her frustration out. He moved to wrap her in his arms but before he could she shifted and ran to Avery's side. Caden would be lying if he didn't say he was relieved to see that.
When Nero returned to his side, Caden wrapped an arm around them and kissed the top of Nero's head.
”It's like we never left,” he joked mildly. Caden bent down and gathered Kimiko's clothes for her before leading Nero to the SUV.
Avery looked away when Kimiko started to pound on Caden's chest. He wanted to be that for Kimiko. He wanted to be the person she went to for everything, but maybe she wasn't ready yet.
He felt a familiar change in the air and when he looked back, Kimiko was a bundle of fur, running over to him. Avery bent down and let his hand hang by Kimiko's head, hesitant to touch her even though she rubbed up against him.
Nero glances at the wolf and the fox, feeling a little bit of joy in seeing the two grow closer, before they tug on Caden’s jacket sleeve. “Maybe you should drive?” Nero suggests quietly as they see the fox stretch up, placing their front paws on Avery’s thigh before they’re out of sight.
The imp squeezes Caden’s hand three times before stretching to kiss Caden’s cheek. “Well, I got my chaos wish granted, I can sleep happily tonight.” They remark happily.
Kiki nods, pushing her head into Avery’s hand gently before trying to climb his leg. She bats a paw at him, wanting him to hold her, even if he had to set her aside to drive, she still just wanted to be held. She lets out a strange whine, like the one she had made towards him in the forest.
Caden looked at Nero as they stood by the SUV. He smiled at the suggestion of he driving instead. Caden pondered the thought for a minute before he nodded. He took a step and opened the front passenger door for Nero.
”Perhaps I should. We'll just have to make up for the lost cuddling time at home,” Caden said and helped Nero inside before kissing them.
Avery chuckled, amused by Kimiko's behaviour. He ran a hand through her fur, relishing at the feel of it before he scooped her up.
”Needy little thing, aren't you?” he teased but Avery was thrilled Kimiko was chosing him as the comfort she wanted.
He walked around the SUV and met Caden. Caden glanced down at Kimiko then up at Avery. ”I'll drive. You two can settle in the back.”
Avery opened his mouth to protest, and Caden just opened the back door. ”Don't make me order you, Zain,” Caden said before patting Avery's shoulder and walked around to the drivers side.
Nero happily accepts Caden’s help getting into the SUV, wrapping their arms loosely around the man’s neck to kiss him back before settling back into their seat and pulling their seatbelt on. “I’m okay with this.” They tell Caden. “Unless you want to try driving with me in your lap.” Nero suggests in a teasing tone.
Kiki makes an interesting grumbling noise, trying to make it deep like Avery’s voice before playfully nipping at him. She turns and hides her head in the crook of Avery’s neck. While she’s still frustrated with Caden, a voice in the back of her mind reminds her that her explosive outburst of anger was not his fault. No, it’s an accumulation of her bottling everything up and finding the closest person who made her the slightest bit angry recently.
”Let's save that type of driving for when it's just you and me.”
Caden sat in the driver's seat of the SUV, waiting for Avery and Kimiko to be situated before he pulled away and drove them home. As he drove, he rubbed a hand across his face, messing with the hair on his face while he got lost in his thoughts.
He knew Kimiko would be okay, but that was now two women in his life pissed at him for different reasons. He knew Kimiko would be okay. He just wished she wouldn't keep everything so bottled in all the time.
Avery managed to juggle and keep Kimiko secured while he climbed into the backseat of the SUV. He held her close, humming the song he had sang to her softly while he looked at the window. He brushed his hand along her body like he would if it was her arm or her back. He hoped it was enough of a comfort to her as she needed right now.
“How else am I going to finally learn how to drive?” Nero continues to tease but as they watch Caden’s posture and how he rubs his face, they realize he’s lost in some deep thoughts. They reach over the console and pat Caden’ thigh before resting their hand on his lap in an effort to comfort him.
Kiki curls in Avery’s lap, letting herself just feel through the strong emotions coursing through her small body right now. She’s mad about so many different things that they’ve all stacked impossibly high in her mind and anything new just topples the pile over. Even though she can’t cry right now, she places both her paws over her nose.
Caden glanced at Nero when they rested a hand on his lap. He smiled and captured Nero's hand with his and held it tightly while he drove.
Eventually Avery started talking, asking about the trip and the week ahead. Caden went over the contractors who would be coming tomorrow to start work on the house, plus the errands and calls he wanted to make for his and Nero's collection.
Avery turned to look at Caden. ”If you don't mind, I think I'll stay back for that,” Avery joked awkwardly.
Caden chuckled and turned down his road to the house. ”Don't worry. I'll be walking into the lion's den by myself but it's time. She's terribly stubborn and we won't get past this if I don't start pushing.”
”What if she doesn't get past it?”
”Three hundred years of history. I don't believe neither of us want to throw that out the door. I won't give up that easily.”
