KazAlkemi

Chicago After Hours

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Avery Zain

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Location: Caden&Nero’s House – Chicago, IL
Skills:

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Avery mirrored Kimiko's smile, easily getting himself lost in her hazel eyes when she met his gaze. He brushed his thumb across her lower lip as he spoke.

”You're more important than my need to ‘wolf out’,” he said before closing the distance between them with a kiss.

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Cassiopeia Claire Alistair

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Location: Cassi's House – Chicago, IL
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Cassi glanced at her TV screen, watching the two main characters locking eyes before the guy looked away with indifference. She swallowed and replied back to Nic's message.

Just gardening and things. Reviewing the case.

She didn't know why but she felt embarrassed by the fact that she was watching K-dramas. There was no way Nic could ever find out. She couldn't bring herself to turn the TV off yet, but she would before Nic arrived.

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Caden

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Location: Caden&Nero's House – Chicago, IL
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Caden laughed and shrugged. ”Makes it feel more like a hotel and less like a permanent stay. Most people get the idea. Those that don't, Henry gets to throw out.”

Caden walked over to the bed and leaned over to stare at the headboard with Nero. ”What are you looking for, my little imp?” His tone was playful, but deeper and evocative.

Chicago After Hours

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Avery Zain

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Location: Caden&Nero’s House – Chicago, IL
Skills:

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Before he can talk himself out of doing it, Avery pulled Kimiko into a hug. He doesn’t care that she is sweaty from her work out and sparring. Her scent envelops him and he sighs, resting his cheek on top of her head.

”There was nothing you could have done differently in that moment, little fox. It was an unfair fight. It must have been something they were planning for a while, waiting to catch you off guard and it worked.” He kissed her head before moving back.

Avery rested his thumb under her chin, and titled her head up to make her look at him. ”We can practice climbing trees now, if you want. It’ll be easier for me to catch you with two arms if you slip,” he said.

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Cassiopeia Claire Alistair

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Location: Cassi's House – Chicago, IL
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Cassi continued to multitask between getting some snacks ready for Nic, as well as breakfast. She knew the food would cook quickly, so she didn’t want to start right away but got the ingredients sorted. She had paused in her task to watch another scene from he K-drama she was watching.

Oh. Do you not want it to be a surprise?

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Caden

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Location: Caden&Nero's House – Chicago, IL
Skills:

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Caden seemed to grow a permanent smile on his face anytime Nero was around, and this was no different. Caden’s eyes drifted up and down, following Nero as they pranced around him, never able to sit still. He chuckled to himself as Nero listened off almost everything aside from furniture that they brought over.

”You know we’re going to have to bring that all back after the renovations are done, right?”

They reached the second master bedroom on the top floor and Caden opened up the door. The master on the guest wing wasn’t as large as Caden’s or the other rooms in his wing, but it was still comfortable and inviting. The windows over looked the side garden of the house, providing a private view.

Caden walked into the bedroom after Nero and shut the door, ready to shower and clean up for the day.

Chicago After Hours

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Avery Zain

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Location: Caden&Nero’s House – Chicago, IL
Skills:

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One of the difficult things about being in a relationship with a woman like Kimiko was knowing when they needed comfort and when they didn’t. Avery knew how independent she was, and that she didn’t seem like she wanted to be fussed over. However, Avery wanted to fuss over her.

He waited until she went through her breathing exercise before he closed the distance between them. Avery forgot about Caden and Nero even though they were still in the room.

”We can still try if you want… I just don’t want to push you before you are ready. I want you to like my wolf side, not be afraid of it.”

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Cassiopeia Claire Alistair

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Location: Cassi's House – Chicago, IL
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I suppose I can allow that. Oh, good! I’ll be able to heal it a little and wrap it before you leave for work. I’ll see you soon?

Cassi pressed play on her show again before she started to prepare Nic’s breakfast, as well as a few things he could take to work with him.

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Caden

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Location: Caden&Nero's House – Chicago, IL
Skills:

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Caden smiled and looked back at Avery and Kimiko before he left the gym with Nero in tow.

”So, what did you move over to the other master bedroom?” Caden already had some clothes in that room. Before he fell into a relationship with Nero, Caden had that room reserved for his overnight conquests, so it made sense to have a second wardrobe in that room. However, Caden hadn’t spent time in that room in weeks. He wasn’t sure what he had on there anymore.

Chicago After Hours

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Avery Zain

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Location: Caden&Nero’s House – Chicago, IL
Skills:

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Avery walked over and grabbed a towel and a bottle of water for both him and Kimiko. He noticed Nic was leaving and nodded goodbye to the man before his focus returned to Kimiko. He drank his water while she confided in him.

The image of Terry grabbing Kimiko and squeezing her until she dropped her star ball was something that Avery carried with him, even though he wasn’t there. He could picture it so clearly in his mind's eye. Avery looked away from Kimiko, feeling his own emotions starting to take over. He rubbed the back of his neck and sighed.

”We can try, but I don’t know if there is anything I can teach you to prevent that, Kiki. He grabbed you by the neck and squeezed until you couldn’t breathe and nearly lost consciousness. The best advice I could give you would be not to get caught, but there is always going to be the possibility that someone or something is going to want what you have.”

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Cassiopeia Claire Alistair

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Location: Cassi's House – Chicago, IL
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Cassi had finished her chores in the garden and was currently standing in the kitchen eating toast while she watched a K-drama on her TV. She wasn’t sure what compelled her to put the show on, but Cassi had quickly become fascinated with it.

Her phone chimed, and she jumped a little before muting the TV. With the piece of toast in her mouth, Cassi smiled and typed back to Nic.

Banana kale, please! How was the work out?

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Caden

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Location: Caden&Nero's House – Chicago, IL
Skills:

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While Caden had his phone out, he quickly found a couple of stables in the area of Chicago that Nic could take Cassi to. With that task completed, he looked up to see Nero doing their walking handstand. He smirked and turned to see Avery and Kimiko deep in conversation.

”Little imp, shall we go clean up then have breakfast? Or are you enjoying yourself?”

Chicago After Hours

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Avery Zain

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Location: Caden&Nero’s House – Chicago, IL
Skills:

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Avery threw his head back and laughed. He shook his head before he stood and offered Kimiko a hand up. "I think that's enough for today, Voss. We can do some hand to hand tomorrow, and I can teach you how to get out of some holds."

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Caden

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Location: Caden&Nero's House – Chicago, IL
Skills:

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Caden shook Nic's hand, and laughed before he let go. "I'm sure they'll be fine with that. They'll be up front waiting when you're ready," Caden said and grabbed his phone to text one of his staff members.

Chicago After Hours

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Avery Zain

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Location: Caden&Nero’s House – Chicago, IL
Skills:

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"What a quick learner you are. Alright. Let's have some fun then," Avery said and started to pace back and forth. He watched Kimiko, his eyes scanning her from head to toe. He looked for weak spots, a foot she favoured more, one of her arms longer on one side than the other. The things that people didn't see unless they were really looking. Like how Kimiko turned her head or moved her hands, her feet. Every little thing she did was a tell. A story that told Avery how she preferred to fight.

The wolf made his move forward, coming at Kimiko from the side. His hips had shifted slightly to indicate when he was about to move, but his eyes didn't change their focus, nor did the rest of his body.

His arms came to wrap around Kimiko's waist in a vice grip and he lifted her from the ground. He shifted the momentum quickly and threw her back to the ground, pinning her to the mat. He debated on throwing in a jiu jitsu move to either pin her legs or to pull her arm that would elicit the same intention as when he pinned her arm behind her back, but he figured getting the breath knocked out of her was good enough.

Avery released her, rocking back onto his knees with his feet tucked underneath him. "What's my tell?"

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Caden

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Location: Caden&Nero's House – Chicago, IL
Skills:

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Caden laughed and nodded, shifting his hold on Nero. He watched Avery toy with Kimiko until he went for her. He watched Kimiko go into the air, a second of nothing before she was quickly thrown in the opposite direction.

"Damn Zain, you really don't go easy on anyone, do you?"

Avery glanced back at Caden and shook his head. "You don't learn if you don't what it feels like."

Caden nodded in agreement before he popped Nero off his lap and stood. He held his hand out to Nic, making an unofficial agreement with the man. "Alright. I'll have something drawn up for you to review. Make sure you ask Cass about the ranch. She might not want to have to deal with staff while the two of you are there. I can dismiss the house staff, but the ranch hands would have to stay to tend to the animals, but they have their own staff housing," Caden told Nic.

Chicago After Hours

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Avery Zain

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Location: Caden&Nero’s House – Chicago, IL
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Avery smirked when she stuck her tongue out at him. "Tellement mature," he declared. "Rule number three?" He held up three fingers now, wiggling them while he watched her.

Translations

So mature.

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Caden

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Location: Caden&Nero's House – Chicago, IL
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"Oh, really? Are you bringing Cassiopeia with you?" he asked curiously. "The place is fully staffed all year round due to all the live stock I have, but you are welcome to it and the jet if you want it," Caden told Nic. "I'm sure we can comes to terms on what a fair payment is if you'd prefer that," Caden added.

He could understand if Nic didn't want handouts. He didn't seem the type to not to earn his way. Of course, Nic would more than pay his way with all the help he would be giving them by getting information from the hospital.

Chicago After Hours

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Avery Zain

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Location: Caden&Nero’s House – Chicago, IL
Skills:

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Avery's grin returns with fervour when Kimiko makes the first move. She keeps charging him until she drops and swipes out at his knee. He pivots so she gets the side of his leg rather than the back, and he laughs before fixing his stance and turning to face her.

"Good, good," he said happily. He's glad Kimiko is a quick learner. It will give him more options for training her, and hopefully build her confidence back up again. "Rule number two."

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Caden

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Location: Caden&Nero's House – Chicago, IL
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Caden pulled his focus from Kimiko's attack to look at Nic. He smiled slightly at the human and nodded. "There are a couple, actually. I know she also expressed interest in traveling to Montana. I have a ranch out there with roughly twenty horses. I haven't checked in with them for a while though. They could have more at this point."

Chicago After Hours

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Avery Zain

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Location: Caden&Nero’s House – Chicago, IL
Skills:

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Avery stood and grinned at Kimiko. "Good." He circled back around, and lined up with her again. "Make sure to keep your legs tucked in if you are jumping. Your opponent could easily grab your leg and pull you back down," he warned her.

Avery ran at Kimiko again. He kept his momentum straight, shifting only when she did. He grabbed her arm and spun her around, twisting her arm and pinned it between him and her. He hooked his fingers around hers, spreading them a part while he pulled on her arm and shoulder.

"Can you feel that strain in your shoulder? I can easily sublux your joint from this position or break your arm or your fingers. You want to keep your arms in close as well. But if you find yourself in this position there are a couple of options. You can shapeshift, you can hook your foot around my ankle and roll us forward, using my speed against me, or if your opponent is the same height as you, you can break their nose," Avery said.

Avery's back was to the little audience Kimiko and him had acquired, and she was pressed right against his chest. Despite Avery saying he wanted to remain professional in the training gym, Avery can't help himself and placed a kiss on Kimiko's cheek before he released her arm. He stepped back from her and reset his position.

Avery's mind whirled with different training regimes he could do with Kiki. It ranged from bag training, to one-on-one boxing moves with gloves and pads, plus agility training. From what he observed during the morning workouts, Kiki had a lot of flexibility that she would have to use to her advantage.

Avery held up one finger. "Rule one," he said, waiting for Kimiko to repeat it back to him.

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Caden

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Location: Caden&Nero's House – Chicago, IL
Skills:

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"Mmm, that was one part of the modern world Cassi could never get behind. She appreciates public transportation, but she never had a desire to learn to drive. It didn't appeal to her. Honestly, up until the second world war ended, Cassi always took a horse everywhere," Caden informed Nero and Nic.

Caden watched Avery pin Kimiko, and nodded in agreement with the options Avery gave her to get out of it. He let her go though and Caden watched that with interest.

Chicago After Hours

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Avery Zain

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Location: Caden&Nero’s House – Chicago, IL
Skills:

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”Play into your strengths. Your opponent will often be larger than you. Of course, don't estimate those smaller than you. Right Nero?”

The little imp was perhaps the smallest thing he had seen that was still an adult human. And aside from Caden, the deadliest thing in this room..

”Rule number two. Don't let your emotions take over. Your anger will be the death of you. Unless you learn how to control it.”

When Kimiko had been taken, Avery's emotions were all over the place but he harnessed them when it came to killing the wolves. Of course, his size had been a factor in overpowering his opponents as well.

”Rule number three. Observation. Everyone has a tell in fighting. Some subtle, some obvious. It's best to figure it out sooner, rather than later.”

For Avery, it was a shift in his hips. They would move left or right depending on what foot he was going to step on. It was subtle. Most people would expect a foot to twist, the eyes to shift or a hand to move. A lot of Avery's power came from his centre, from his core and from his hips.

Before Kimiko could confirm she was ready, Avery ran at her again. He used the same momentum as before, but rather than going right he went left to take out her legs once more.

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Caden

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Location: Caden&Nero's House – Chicago, IL
Skills:

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”If you change your mind, let me know. I'm sure we could work out some sort of deal,” Caden said.

Caden could understand Nic not wanting to accept handouts, and respected him for that.

He refocused on the training session. Avery shifted his weight and ran at Kimiko much the same way as he did before but there was a slight change. Caden's opposite hand twitched when Avery went left rather than right, and Caden hoped Kimiko saw it but he wasn't sure. Avery moved fast, and hadn't given Kimiko much time to recover from her first hit.