14621/A very Miller family Christmas (pt1)

A very Miller family Christmas (pt1)
Date of Scene:	05 December 2022
Location:	Ute Avenue, Aspen, Colorado
Synopsis:	A mystery trip to Aspen. Jax introduces Kit to his parents and 'extended family'. That's a lot of uncles and aunts!
Cast of Characters:	Kit Killovarras, Jax Miller

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Jax Miller has posed:
It's that most wonderful time of the year! There's sleigh bells a-ringing and carols a-singing and all such good cheer... Well, literally. There's carolers out and about, there's even a few sleighs being laid on for the more traditionally minded tourists. In short, it looks like the very picture of a winter holiday outside of Aspen County Airport, where a certain cat mutant has just stepped off a domestic flight from New York with his best friend. Seats had been, of course, in first class.

Even Jax seems to have caught the season's fever, as evidenced by the absolutely atrocious sweater he's wearing under a down puffer jacket. The beanie, which would in theory have kept his ears warm in the frigid mountain air, has a pair of ear holes which renders it decorative only. You'd expect him to start singing at any moment.

But then again the entire trip is a bit... secretive. A few day's notice, a summons at awful early afternoon to get under way, and never a notion of where they were going, only to pack warm.

What on earth is Jax up to now?!

Kit Killovarras has posed:
Pack warm, he says... PACK WARM?! That's an understatement and a half, but oh well. The yeen is dressed in his normal attire, hoodie, jeans and that's about it visibly, but underneath he's wearing something a little warmer, or rather, something designed to catch his body heat and trap it.

Normally in Manhattan Kit's body is pretty much normal, normally even in that kind of cold he can sort of hide what he is and more importantly, the nature of what he is. His magic does - after all - cause his muscles to work in an almost constant state. So what does this mean for a yeen?

In a place like Aspen Colorado, there is almost constantly a thin, visible steam rising off of his body, billowing out of the raised hood of his hoodie. "Ok, so why are you trying to turn me into a pupsiccle?" he asks as he eyes Jax. He wouldn't have minded the first class flight, or the time spent with the kitty and he doesn't mind it being a little nippy... But this is far beyond what he's used to.

Jax Miller has posed:
"All in good time, my little hot dog." Jax grins, all the way through the terminal where the priority bags are already rolling down the belt, and he quickly collects the bags. Pack warm, yeah, but it seems he packed light. There's hardly enough in that small backpack for a day or two, and surely he wouldn't drag his friend all the way into the wilderness of Colorado just to turn around again the same day?

Then again, he might. Capriciousness, thy name is Jax.

With his steaming pal getting about as much attention as himself, Jax leads on to the car park, where it's marginally warmer... that is to say, there is no actual snow on the ground, but that's likely only because it's roofed over. Breath still steams. Certain yeens also still steam. The car he's heading for is, inevitably, a white Jeep. Almost exactly the same one that was so recently wrecked in New York. Quite frankly, it's identical. The plates are 'Bill JR II'... why does Jax have a second car in Aspen?!

A click of the key fob, which was apparently in his pocket the whole time, and the doors unlock, at least giving some refuge from the cold, if not refuge from mystery.

Kit Killovarras has posed:
Walking only about a half-step behind Jax, the yeen chuckles a little and murmurs, "I'll 'hot dog' you.." with a hint of a rather playful growl. It's rather amazing how easily he seems to have adapted to the cold, or perhaps it's just because he's good at dealing with being uncomfortable and simply staying quiet about it...

Or maybe he's just a masochist, who knows?

The Jeep gets a little quirk of a brow, though he just chuckles and shrugs a little at the vehicle and it's plates. "Why am I not surprised..?" he says with a little chuckle. Ah well, when it's unlocked, the yeen's fur crackles ever so slightly as Jax's door opens, giving the feline a gentle thwap with his tail in passing as he says, "After you.. Princess." Oooooh, that one might get him smacked, but he HAS been trying to find new ways to make the feline's ears go nice and pink lately.

Jax Miller has posed:
"Ah, if you think I'm royalty now, wait an hour or so." Oh, that grin is back. And the blush, of course. Bags deposited in the back seat (who needs a trunk?), Jax slips into the driver's seat, put on the seat belt, starts the engine...

And relaxes.

It's uncanny. In New York, he drives with enthusiasm, does everything dialed up to eleven. But here behind the wheel of the Jeep, as it pulls out of the parking spot and rolls to the exit gates, he might as well be someone completely different. If New York Jax is always ready to record the next rock album, Colorado Jax seems ready at any moment to start a campfire and be at peace with the world.

A flash of a card gets the car through the exit gates without fuss, and a half-salute from the attendant.

Then, it's onto airport road, heading south, just as the first strains of 'Sweet child o' mine' begin playing on the local radio.

The scenery is, quite frankly, stunning. Snow has come to Colorado, and the mountains look majestic.

Kit Killovarras has posed:
Well, this is the type of scenery that is going to have the yeen just, STARING out the windows all wide-eyed and curious. He really is just like a puppy sometimes, especially when in new places. The gentler driving isn't something Kit seems to mind either, given the fact that it gives him a few seconds more to look around at each of the new sights.

"So, where exactly are we going?" he finally asks after a fair few minutes worth of drive, giving Jax a glance and a tilt of his head. Again, curious yeen is apparently curious, but sadly he's not allowed to snuggle the driver to death for answer while they're still driving.

Jax Miller has posed:
For a moment, it looks like Jax was going to ask if Kit wanted him to roll down the window so he could stick his head out, but either a sense of serenity or some hidden cache of inner wisdom stops the words before they manage to escape his mouth. Close call! The scenery is indeed a sight to behold, especially in the few minutes when the airport suburb is left behind and the road threads arrow straight through a mountain pass, before a sign and a new speed limit announce the city limits of Aspen itself.

Airport road turns into main street, and a large sign directs drivers to the Aspen Golf Club, where a gaggle of journalists are already thronging to catch a glimpse of someone. It seems totally like Jax's scene...

And yet he drives past without even giving that hullaballoo a second glance. Main street goes from West to East, and then gently curves south, becoming Original Street.

There is the expected grin when they pass the road sign, proclaiming this to be South Original Street, which the city deemed necessary to abbreviate 'So Original St.'. It's a nice city, even covered under snow, and the main road bears east again, although this time Jax heads further south, past Glory Hole Park (there is absolutely a grin at that), and so onto Ute Avenue.

Traffic peters out into nearly nothing, the street gets more discreet, and the houses get bigger. A lot bigger. So big, in fact, that most of them are built above the road level, leaving only a door and garage seemingly sticking out of the bedrock of the mountain.

The song is just ending when Jax turns the car towards a gate which obediently swings open, and onto a serpentine driveway towards a house set further back from the road, almost invisible behind the stand of dense trees.

He pulls up in what is clearly a motor court, which is already packed with cars. Rather nice cars. Not to put too fine a point on it, seriously nice cars, which makes the Jeep look positively pedestrian. And all of the cars have one thing in common... all their plates are a variation on the theme of 'Bills'.

Except, of course, for the Mercedes which glories in the tag 'Dollar'. There's always one...

Kit Killovarras has posed:
The 'dollar' plate gets a little snerk from the yeen and all the cars? Yeah those do get his attention for a moment, but it's the surroundings are still what seem to get the yeens attention here, right up until he notices the plates and ...

It's like there's almost an audible **CRUNCH!** from the yeens psyche when he realizes that all the other plates are renditions of the same thing, something very, VERY similar to what Jax's plates have typically been.

"Kitten.." he says, drawing the word out ever so slightly on the 'i', turning his attention entirely to the feline with those mismatched eyes of his. "This is starting to feel like something you /really/ should have warned me about first.." He doesn't sound upset, far from it in fact, he sounds more amused than anything else.

Jax Miller has posed:
"There's... a good reason I didn't. But, no matter what happens in the next five minutes, try... ehmm... yeah." Whatever Jax wants to say is going unspoken. But a lot is very loudly not being said. The next five minutes, the oddly truncated statement declares with its eloquent silences, is likely to be unusual, hectic, chaotic, or all of the above. But why?

It starts when the pair approach the front door, and a very, very loud splash can be heard from somewhere at the back of the house, followed by a cheer. And as by now probably half expected, Jax produces a key from his jacket pocket, takes a deep breath, and unlocks the door. "Hey hey! I'm h-"

"TRAITOR!"

The bellow comes from a man who has just appeared into the entry corridor, and a paper plate filled with finger food goes flying into the next room. This man, and a man it is without a shred of a doubt, is large enough to block the entire corridor. Large enough, probably, to blot out the sun should he choose to. Jax has shot up over the last few years to over six feet, but this giant is taller. And wider. And, clearly, much heavier.

The giant lumbers into a rush that seems as unstoppable as a tectonic shift, and promising much the same results upon impact. And no matter how Jax braces, the tackle sends both the man and the cat mutant flying several feet from the front door, out onto the snow covered motor court, where they end in the inevitable heap.

"The lions?! Really?! You could have gone to the Bulls!" shouts the mountain of a man, with a smile on his face, and he gets a Jax grin in return.

"From a guy who played for Georgia? Really?!"

And then the mountain hauls Jax to his feet, amiably, putting a massive hand on the mutant's shoulder, glancing over towards Kit as if he has only now realised the yeen was here, and then heads back inside, shouting at the top of his voice again. "Hey, Colin! Yer kid's home!"

Kit Killovarras has posed:
The flying finger foods that got hurled into the next room? Yeah, those would just sort of be hanging out near the doorway to the next room with the plate, stopped dead in their tracks by an unseen force. It's an instinctive response on the mages part, but it's probably going to cause some questions, especially when they start seeking out the plate and reassembling themselves into a neatly stacked dish.

The yeen watches the mountain of a man tackle Jax and just sort of hides his muzzle with a paw, trying his damnedest not to simply break out into a fit of laughter, though I mean..

Yeens will be yeens and the giggle fits commence for at least a few moments regardless. "Ok, so you /ARE/ used to getting pounced on by bigger guys." he says with a grin that practically stretches from ear to ear. "Good to know."

There are telltale signs though that something is probably not entirely right with Kit right now, perhaps the fact that there's energy crackling around along his spine? Or the fact that his hood is now almost entirely filled by a recently fluffed up 'mane'?

Yeens a little on edge apparently, but oh well.

Jax Miller has posed:
With some dignity, or more accurately, the theater of dignity, Jax dusts himself off. Clearly he had half expected that, and retrieves his keys from the front door, where they'd been left in the lock. He gives Kit a sympathetic look, and given that the tip of his own tail is twitching, he's probably a bit on edge as well.

As he ushers his friend inside, two things happen almost simultaneously.

In the room off to the left, there is a sudden 'What the hell?! Devon, that you tryin' to mess with my head again?' as someone discovers the hovering plate of food. Although they're not so astonished that they don't help themselves at the same time.

The second thing, is the appearance of a man in soaking wet clothes, as if he's just come out of a pool. Given the temperature, that would have taken some courage. Or stupidity. Or alcohol. Or, just quite possibly a dare. Unless, naturally, he'd been thrown in by the rowdy crowd that seems to be around. Whatever the reason for the water still dripping off him, he's coming straight for Jax. No words, no shouts, just a steady th... squelching of foot across floor boards.

And a hug. A tight, nigh-crushing hug, as the pair touch foreheads with their eyes closed. It must be the moisture from the pool, because there's no way both of them would have tears running down their cheeks at the same time. Right?

"Jax!"

"Hey dad!"

Kit Killovarras has posed:
... Yeeaahh, the comment about the plate gets a little chuckle, though when the man comes into view, the yeens tail stops dead where it had once been very slowly swishing - a normal sign that he's amused and the sudden stop, probably being one that the amusement has suddenly ended.

Yup, that line of energy just sort of jolts across his spine again, visibly forming an almost electric version of the mane that usually drapes in a Mohawk from between his ears to nearly his mid back for a split second on the outside of his hoodie - something that practically no one has ever seen from the yeen till now.

For the moment, he's just sort of quiet for the moment, watching the exchange between the two with the faintest of smiles. By now he's also actively in his typical 'disguise', which means he's nowhere near his full height and his paws have found their way into the pockets along his abdomen.

Jax Miller has posed:
"I didn't know you were coming! You didn't... I mean... why... it's just..." Yeah, like father, like son. This man is just as eloquent with his pauses. "It's so good to see you!"

The hug finally subsides, and Jax stands normally again, now nearly the same height as his father. "Dad, hey, this here is Kit." Deep breath. "He's my-"

"Any friend of my son's is welcome here!" the man, who it might be deduced is named Colin from the earlier bellow from the mountain, extends a very playful fist for a bump. "Sorry 'bout the mess, we got half the team here to celebrate the pre-christmas party." Which implies at least two more parties.

Again, Jax tries "Dad, I need to tell you s-"

At which point, he is practically pushed into the other room, and Colin doesn't seem to find it odd that his son's friend isn't entirely human shaped and occasionally crackles with energy. But that does mean he's also not touching, in case of accidental electrocution, and instead motions for the yeen to follow.

Inside the great room, there's pandemonium. At least a dozen men are gathered, watching sports, drinking beer, eating junk food, and occasionally throwing each other around the room. All except one, standing away from the group, in a shirt and tie, sipping a whisky. Probably for the best, he looks like he would be accidentally broken in half if he got involved in the shenanigans.

And for the next five minutes, Jax introduces Kit to everyone in the room, each of which, implausible as it might seem, is an Uncle. The title is most assuredly honorary. The mountain of a man turns out to be Uncle Von, who according to the replay of the action on TV, is the linebacker of the Bills. In fact, all of these 'Uncles' have names that are appearing on screen at one point or another.

Except the one standing somewhat apart, who it turns out is 'Uncle Alan'. Alan is also the only one who seems less enthusiastic about having Jax around.

"And guys... guys... GUYS!" With some effort, Jax manages to get them all to pay some attention. "I want you to meet Kit. My boyfriend."

For a moment, the room is utterly, completely silent.

Kit Killovarras has posed:
While Kit does follow, he keeps a step or two behind both of them, observing everyone and keeping his sort of guarded stance and demeanor through the introduction of uncles and so on, keeping almost dead silent through most of it as well beyond the typical formalities of being introduced.

Then Jax wrangles their attention and THAT is what he uses it for? It was one thing to meet Jax's grandparents, it's another entirely to be meeting a massive group of people who look like they could break him in half like a fucking wishbone!

He's been fairly careful to remain BEHIND Jax throughout most of this, which gives him the perfect opportunity to lean ever so slightly closer to the feline JUUUST long enough for him to say, "I swear to the gods, I'm going to put you in a dress in front of your family if I get tackled for that.." at a volume that could only be heard by inhuman ears.

He does a bit to make the lean look like a gesture of greeting, brushing his hood back finally and brushing back his mane with a paw in the same motion, letting his ears flick a little before offering a warm smile and a simple, "Hello."

The energy has stopped crackling along his body by now, strangely enough, but to someone as familiar with the mage's power structure as Jax would be by now - for how little that might ACTUALLY be - that in itself is a sign that there is something either remarkably wrong with him in the moment, or he's somehow found a level of calm that he's never had before in his life.

Jax Miller has posed:
The silence, it stretches. It becomes deafening. The tension suddenly in Jax is impossible to miss, not even responding to the whispered promise. And after Kit brushes back his hood and bows his greeting, there is an unmistakable arm around the yeen's shoulders. Jax is, it seems, ready to do whatever may be necessary to protect his friend.

The first to respond is Uncle Von. The man doesn't simply stand, he unfolds, walking to the pair. Looking down. Looming. Until he puts a hand on Jax's shoulder, and then steps behind the pair. Slowly, very slowly, lowering a hand towards Kit's shoulder as well. Standing there like a mountain sentinel, defying the rest of the room.

At the furthest end of the couch, money is changing hands.

Grins are appearing in stoic faces.

"Hell yeah! Finally!" And the storm breaks loose. Congratulations, well meant wolf whistles, and high fives only barely edging out fist bumps. To the team, it seems, this was no great news.

And neither was it to his father, who winks at Kit "I did say a friend of my son is welcome here. B'sides, his mother and I knew years ago."

The look on Jax's face is worth a picture. Seriously, it is, he's never blushed this much before in his life, even his nose pad is blushing!

And almost lost in the hubbub, Uncle Alan is trying to clean whiskey out of his shirt...

Kit Kilovarras has posed:
Aaand just like that, the energy that was building suddenly discharges harmlessly into whatever oblivion it normally comes from. There's a very faint exhale from the yeen and Uncle Von would be able to physically feel that the yeens almost steel-tense muscles relax by a significant margin at the responses.

There's a little chuckle when Jax's dad states that both him and his wife knew years ago, accompanied by the simple admission of, "Still doesn't make meeting the parents any less stressful."

Then he turns his attention to Jax, almost AIMING the next statement of, "Especially without any prior warning." as he once again gently swats the feline with the tip of his tail, though this time it's almost playful.

"Though honestly, I've been wondering how long it'd be before this happened. Oh and no," he says with a little wink as the plate that had been hovering near the entry way swiftly hovers over to a table. "Devon wasn't trying to mess with you, I just don't like seeing good food go to waste."

Jax Miller has posed:
When the tension goes, there is a very, very obvious squeeze from the massive hand on Kit's shoulder. Uncle Von, it seems, is all tough exterior with a very soft center. That is, until Kit tells the room that Jax hadn't warned him. At all.

Jax freezes again, although this one of his obvious comical freezes. And while the hand on Kit's shoulder is removed, the grip on Jax's shoulder is tightened. "Now that... that is bad manners!" It's again the roar at the top of the voice, and Von picks up Jax as if he weighs nothing, carrying the feebly struggling feline away and out of the room, tucked under the man's massive arm.

Kit, on the other hand, is waved over to the couch, and handed a soda. Despite all the beer going around, someone has actually run back to the kitchen to get sodas... it seems there's a strict rule about alcohol for the younger guests. Colin is desperately trying to dry himself off using an old jersey, but the crowd on the couch is all ears for Kit.

"For real? How'd you pull that off?"

In the background, there is a loud splash, a very feline hiss, and the frantic paddling of someone trying to get out of the pool as they find out just how cold it can get in the Colorado winter.

Kit Killovarras has posed:
Kit makes his way over to the couch, graciously accepting the soda with a simple, "Thank you." as he cracks it open. When Von picks Jax up, there isn't a move from the yeen to stop the impending weirdness and from what seemed to have happened to the felines father? He snerks quietly when he hears the splash and various noises.

Then someone asks about the levitating plate and the yeen just takes a sip of his drink, taking a moment to try and explain something like this to people without simply resorting to the simplest answer. Eventually he figures it out and shrugs slightly as he says, "Ever heard of Doctor Strange?" Then he looks to the table and each of the plates lift ever so slightly from the table, reorienting themselves in a strangely alphabetical way as he adds, "We share rather similar abilities. Though I'm nowhere near as powerful, obviously."

Jax Miller has posed:
There is polite incomprehension for a while. These are, it seems, people who prefer their answers straightforward. Not stupid, by no means, but used to thinking in straight lines and split seconds. That is, until the plates lift and start to move. Devon is the first to get it.

"Man, you're a magician!"

"Yeah dawg!" and the fist bump is on the way before the speaker knows what he just said. Then the words seems to catch up with his brain, and there's a sudden freeze in the room again. "I didn't mean..."

"Look, he didn't mean..."

"Man, seriously, he really didn't mean..."

These guys, it seems, are used to being around someone not human shaped, and may have gotten into the habit of cracking cheap accidental jokes. The backpedaling is spectacular as they try to figure out if Kit is offended.

Possibly nobody wants to be next in the pool for bad manners.

Kit Killovarras has posed:
The sudden realization from the others gets a little nod and a smile as the yeen goes to take another sip of his drink, though the 'dawg' comment? It's quite possible that he lets the sip drag on a little longer than needed, but he is a little bit of a jokester at heart himself sometimes.

He lowers his drink after a moment, looking to each of the men who seem to suddenly be panicking and then? He does what Hyena's do best.. LAUGH!

"Seriously? Lighten up guys. Besides, I'm a Hyena, we're the prettier ones." It very much seems he's not offended and even gives a little wink at the tail end of the comment. No harm no fowl, right? Plus, it probably helps that he's used to some of the less subtle American linguistics having spent a year in the country already. "And yeah, I'm a magician. Sort of runs in the family."

Jax Miller has posed:
There is a palpable lightening of the atmosphere. There's nothing like the presence of another jokester to put these guys at ease. Without ceremony, the bowl of cheez-its is passed over, and the offerer takes the opportunity to ask "So, how'd you get to meet the cat? I got fifty bucks riding on football..."

"Nah man, telling ya, must've been a club somewhere." another pipes up, which starts a veritable storm of theories, each of which is, apparently, backed by fifty dollars in some sort of betting pool. One thing is for certain... they'd all expected Jax to hook up with someone at some point, they just didn't agree on when and where. Or how, it seems.

Eventually there's a sharp rapping of knuckles on a skull, which turns out to be Colin using Devon as an improvised percussion instrument "Guys! C'mon guys, give him a chance to talk, alright?" Brief pause. "Besides, it was totally at a school dance."

Cue storm of advanced theories and many snacks being flung.

Kit Killovarras has posed:
The yeen can't help but laugh at all the theories, but he just shakes his head a little, listening to them for a few moments before the tapping of a skull, then snags a few snacks that are being flung around to nibble as he listens to the ADVANCED theories. He'll let them have their fun for a little while before he tips his head back a little and lets out what can only be described as a bark, a sound loud enough that it could be heard outside the gates of the estate.

The sound is loud, but not deafening. Perfect thing to perhaps quiet a bunch of rowdy football players.

"Truth be told," he says with a little chuckle, "We met because a friend of ours found me sleeping in central park one day and sent some people from the school to find me. Jax just happened to be one of the people who came along." Then there's a little shrug and a playful grin, "Better story would be from when I actually asked him out." Then he takes a little sip of his drink, giving that part of the choice to sink in before adding, "Or maybe the one about how we both wound up naked in a hot tub in the middle of the ocean." with a little waggle of his brows.

His voice carries, it carries quite well when he wants it to and at the moment? Well, he has to pay the kitty back somehow, doesn't he?

Jax Miller has posed:
As expected, the bark brings silence. Dead silence. Because after a sound like that, something good must be coming, and the whole team is agog to hear who's going to walk away with the pool. To their credit, nobody seems disappointed that the pot will remain unclaimed, with just a a single whisper from one of the guys to Colin 'Told you, you got a good kid there.' breaking the hushed silence.

That is, until the naked in a hot tub story comes up. "For real?!"

"No way!"

"Hell yeah, that's our Jax!"

"How?!"

Only 'Uncle Alan', still standing by himself and having fixed himself a new whiskey, seems not to be interested in the story. His interest seems to be elsewhere, because rather than jump at the opportunity, he goes for a completely different tack. "So, you go to the same private school? And it takes in ... impecunious cases?"

Silence again. As one, the team turn to him, glaring daggers. It's a stare that goes on for just a bit too long, before the man turns to look at the replay of the football match which the team seems to have abandoned in favor of better entertainment.

"Anyway, naked in a hot tub, in the middle of the ocean. C'mon man, you can't leave us hanging at that!"

Kit Killovarras has posed:
There's a little chuckle from Kit at the responses and he just shrugs a little before giving a glance to the outliar in the building, quirking a brow while the others stare daggers at him and explaining, "I had been sleeping in the park because I'd gotten lost. Kinda easy to wind up that way when you're a foreign exchange student in a completely new part of the world, specially with a face like this.." He doesn't seem too thrilled about that question, but he does shrug it off pretty easily too.

"Ok, so Jax decided to bring a mutual friend of ours on a sort of private cruise for her birthday and she invited me to come along with them." He continues a bit of the story, keeping mostly to the jist of the tale, how things went right up until that particular night, but then he pauses and gives a little laugh. "Hold on a second." he says with a grin before he belts out, "Hey Kitten! You might wanna be in here for this one!"

Yup, payback is a thing. "Anyways, where was I? Oh, right.."

Jax Miller has posed:
There's more than a few raised eyebrows at the tale, but they're paired with friendly grins. This is a crowd that's used to these kinds of stories and just can't get enough of them. A whole new well to plumb is just too good of an opportunity to pass up.

In the background, there's the sound of a dozen or more hair dryers starting up, and Colin pops out for a moment to check on something. He's back in a few moments, grinning and shaking his head.

"Wives caught him, he'll be a while." Colin laughs when Kit calls for his friend to join them and at least be present when the story of the hot tub is being told.

"Hold up, hold up..." and Devon grins over to Colin "That why the boat wasn't available? I thought you said he crashed it or something, quarter mil repair bill, as I recall." A wink over to Kit "Man, he was complaining 'bout that for weeks, 'till the kid paid up. Guess he was eating pot noodle for a while there, huh?"

Kit Killovarras has posed:
"Do you really think I'd let my Kitten suffer like that?" is the first response to the mention of pot noodles, but he just shrugs and adds, "And yeah, no.. That's a whole different story, but anyhow. We were both sitting there, stripped down and enjoying the water and our friend Shannon decided to show up to join us. I don't think she was quite ready for the realization that she was the only one dressed though."

There's another little shrug before he grins that mischievous, toothy little grin of his and adds. "Got him blushing a little that night when she put two and two together. That was the night I realized I wanted him by my side though." There's a little sigh with the last part of the statement, the grin melting into a sort of warm smile before he takes another sip of his drink, killing off what's left of it.

Jax Miller has posed:
"Awww. Puppy love..." Yup. It's that guy again. Dawg was apparently not enough to insert foot in mouth, he comes out with that. First a storm of cheez-its goes in his direction, and then a few empty bowls just for emphasis. "What?! Oh..."

"You guys make a great couple." That surprising statement comes from Devon, who until now has been nothing but sass. But when he speaks now, there's warmth in his voice, and a knowing smile. Then there's the grin again. "And if you ever want to see him again, I suggest you get your ass over to the kitchen, because unless someone goes to rescue him from his aunts, we ain't gonna see him for the rest of the night."

But where in this maze of a house might the kitchen be? It's surprisingly Alan who comes to the rescue. "Don't worry, I'll take you. Wouldn't want you to ... get lost again, would we?" Yeah. After a few seconds, there's cheez-its in his whiskey, but at least the man motions for Kit to follow. Considering the talent in the room, the fact that the aluminum bowl missed the man by half a foot was probably intentional.

Kit Killovarras has posed:
There's an actual laugh from the yeen at the response to the 'puppy love' comment and he just shrugs and nods, "Yeah, we get on like cats and dogs." he says with a wink, then stands up with a nod and looks to Alan and gives an almost sheepish little smile as he scratches at the back of his head and admits, "Yeah, I probably would get lost in a place like this. Put me in the middle of a desert and I can find my way just fine, civilization though?" He shakes his head. "Can't find my way to save my life half the time."

Then he heads off with the man who offered to lead him to the kitchen, tail swishing behind him a little as he moves, looking around a little to admire the structure around them.

Jax Miller has posed:
It is, on the whole, probably good to have a guide in the house. It was clearly designed as a holiday home for people whose sense of holiday include having more space than absolutely needed and, in some cases, more space than is entirely wise. But there's touches of family living as well... slight imperfections in the finishes where someone has bumped into a table and left a mark, pictures of a young family taken on or near the slopes, a few discreetly hidden scratch marks... This is where the Millers come for their winter holidays, that much is certain. And Alan seems to know his way around, although he does slow down halfway down the corridor lined with suspiciously leafy plants. The kind of leafs a young kitten would love to bat around for hours. By now, the sound of hair dryers is loud for those with enhanced hearing, and likely even humans could pick it up at this point.

"So, you're a mage. Could you levitate other things? Bigger things? Things like, say, a football?"

Kit Killovarras has posed:
The question gets Kit's ears to fold ever so slightly back as he glances to Alan, giving a little nod before he explains, "I can.. I can actually do a lot of things most people wouldn't expect." Then his ears perk forward a little and thin tendrils of energy crackle along the back of his neck for a moment before the hair dryers suddenly switch off in unison.

Then Kit looks back to the man and adds, "But if you're asking if I would? No. Magi are meant to shield the world from spiritual disasters, not interfere in something like a sporting event." He doesn't seem upset by the line of questioning and his tone is more matter-of-fact than anything. Though after a slight pause he adds, "Besides. Never really been a sports fan honestly." with a little chuckle.

Jax Miller has posed:
At the demonstration of power, the man seems to get the hint, and simply smiles. "I understand perfectly. A sense of fair play is commendable in someone your age, I see you and Jax get along just fine." If the subtext was any heavier, the words would gauge furrows in the floor.

Then, condescendingly, the man pats Kit's shoulder. "Still, think about it. It's just a bit of harmless fun, after all."

A few moments after that, a wild Jax peers around the corner, his ears tilted ever so slightly backwards. "Hey! I was just getting fluffy..." His fur seems still a bit damp, but at least now the mystery of his whereabouts has been solved. "Oh, hey uncle Alan. Showing Kit around?"

The expression on the man's face changed the instant Jax appeared, going from the disconcerting smile of the practiced shark to the affable expression of pleasure reserved for close friends and quite possibly future unwitting victims. "The guys are getting worried you're going to end up getting stuck in the kitchen. I'll go tell 'em you'll be out in a minute, yeah?"

Kit Killovarras has posed:
Kit walks up to Jax when he rounds the corner and without missing a beat? There's a mlem at the felines cheek and an amused, "You do look good fluffed up, but I don't mind when you're a little wet either." Oh lord, yup! The yeen is being the typical teen, though it sounds more playful than anything.

The change in demeanor isn't missed, but it isn't commented on either by the aardwolf... Not yet at least. He knows how to deal with devils and at this point? He can recognize one when he sees them, whether they are true in what they are, or simply a human acting like one. "By the way, something tells me you're going to get nice and fluffy anyhow when we head back in there." he adds with an almost wicked little grin.

Jax Miller has posed:
The mlem gets a very quick lick in return, and Kit would have a quick glimpse of a dozen or so women and a few men sitting around a kitchen table, chatting, drinking wine, having the occasional snack. While the men are having their rowdy party in the great room, their partners are having their own get-together in the kitchen, it seems. Unsurprisingly, many of them are now wielding hairdryers, and given the only vacant seat seems to be surrounded by all the others, it's not hard to guess where Jax has just spent the last ten minutes or so.

Cats do love attention.

"Mom, I'm being dragged away." he calls over his shoulder, and gets a dressing gown thrown at him in response, which he's quick to put on. With the lounge pants and the long shirt, he looks the very picture of comfort.

"You two make sure my Devon behaves himself in there." one of the men calls after them, grinning "Or I will come and drag him out by his ears."

Which explains the knowing smile...

Arm around his friend's shoulder, Jax leads Kit back to the pandemonium. Alan, it would seem, has already gone ahead, no longer anywhere to be seen.

Kilovarras has posed:
Arm around the yeen? Yeah that's going to come back to bite a kitty on the tail because Kit has been wondering how to pull something like this off for a bit now. It's a fairly fluid motion when he slips an arm around Jax, only a moment or two before they make it into the main room again and then? Then an unseen force tugs at a feline leg ever so gently, making it much easier for the next step of the mischievous yeens plan.

His other arm dips, one leg drops slightly as the other plants, then his arm comes around and sweeps poor Jax entirely off his feet! It takes less than the span of a breath and through the process Kit would even nuzzle at his shoulder with a warm smile. "Consider all of this payback.." he says in that same tone, just below the audible range of most humans as he continues his stride, literally carrying the feline into the room full of rowdy jocks.

Jax Miller has posed:
And so it is that Jax is carried over the treshold, striking a dramatic pose in his friend's arms. One hand pressed to his forehead, the other arm flung wide, head tilted back, he is the very picture of the damsel in distress, not missing a beat when the first sudden silences indicate the pair has been spotted entering, declaiming in his best dramatic voice "Bless me, I was saved by my noble knight! Oh woe was me, such cruel fate would have befallen, were it not for the bravery of my beloved!"

This is followed, as might be expected and moreoever quite appropriately, by cat calls and wolf whistles from the myriad of 'uncles', an amused chuckle from his father... and the spilling of yet another whiskey by Uncle Alan, whose shirt must by now be entirely ruined.

The pandemonium only grows when, flexible as always, Jax suddenly folds himself in half, places both his hands on Kit's cheeks, and a solemn kiss on the aardwolf's lips.

Kit Killovarras has posed:
Well, normally that would be a bit of a call for the yeen to start blushing himself, or have some kind of breakdown, but then again it could be that he's comfortable enough in the moment and with the current company that he doesn't mind. The yeen leans a bit into the kiss and once it ends, nuzzles Jax's cheek gently as he carries the feline showman to a rather plush chair that's been left vacant.

"Well," the yeen muses as he sets Jax down, chuckling quietly as he listens to the chaos of the room, "At least this has been a better experience than when you met -my- folks, though somehow you managed to wind up just as soaked."

Jax Miller has posed:
"It's a talent." At which Jax pretty much flops himself upside down in the seat and catches the half-full bowl of cheez-itz that's thrown at him. And this is, normally, where a crowd like this would be making jokes about moisture and felines, combining the two into an unmistakably crude venacular, but it's as if some invisible barrier has erected itself across that path, a barrier nobody is willing to cross... although from the looks on their faces, several of the guys seem to be restraining themselves with difficulty.

But, of course, an anecdote like that can't be left hanging, and it's Colin who takes the ball and runs with it. "Oh, so we're the last to know, are we? I'd almost say that deserves another dunking."

There's plenty of approval for that, and Von stands up ceremoniously, walks over to Jax's chair and picks the cat mutant up by his feet, hoisting him effortlessly up into the air. "I regret nothing!"

Kit Killovarras has posed:
When Jax gets picked back up, Kit's almost immediate response is to set a paw on the mans shoulder before he can wisk the feline off to get soaked again, giving a simple, "I disagree." in response to the sudden mention of it. Then he gives a glance to Colin and fairly blankly explains, "The first time he met my parents was when the yacht went down.."

Well, that's one way to bring the energy of a room down almost instantly..

But then the yeen's attention goes back to Von and without missing much of a beat, he adds, "Besides, I prefer my pussy nice and warm, not frozen and waterlogged." complete with a little wink.

Well, the adults were restraining themselves, but apparently the comment was just too tempting.

Jax Miller has posed:
There's a very sudden pause when Von feels a hand on his shoulder, that has been put there by someone who can actually reach it without having to stretch. It's a rare occasion, and the assembled crowd is always up for a bit of theater. The silence is only broken when there is the splutter of whiskey, followed by Alan's incredulous voice. "The yacht went down?! Went down?! Why was I never..."

The venomous glares this time transfix the man as if he's actually been stabbed, and Colin leads him away from the suddenly hostile group "C'mon Alan, let's get you a towel and a new shirt, it's been a long night for ya..."

It's only when that man is out of the room that the mood lightens a bit, punctuated by Jax being thrown in a shallow arc at the sofa and fielded by, not entirely ironically, the two wide receivers among the group. After a brief playful scuffle, he's wedged in between his uncles, mostly upright, and a soda and snacks have made their way into his hands.

And then there's the joke. Oh god, the joke. After a brief moment of stunned silence, the uproar is incredible. Cheez-its, miscellaneous snacks, various cushions, all of it is sailing towards the yeen, even as Von's mighty hand descends in an unmistakable high-five. "Just so you know, first one is free. Next one is a dunking!"

"C'mon, tell us 'bout the yacht! First naked in a hot tub, then going down, we missed ourselves one hell of a cruise!"

Kit Killovarras has posed:
The high-five is accepted and while the yeen could obviously bat away the thrown objects? He just sort of accepts the pelting, offering Von and the others one of those ever so toothy grins as he muses, "That I can respect, but ya gotta admit, that one was too good to pass up." with a chuckle.

Then Alan's response gets a glance from the Yeen and after he's led off to get a new shirt, Kit just quirks a brow and asks, "Accountant?" curiously.

Then come the questions about the yacht and requests for more storied from the cruise and the yeen just laughs and nods, "It was a hell of a cruise, I just wish it had ended better. I still don't fully understand what caused it to sink, but it was enough of a shock in the moment that I used one of my mothers enchantments to call for help." He gives a little shrug and looks to Jax for a moment before adding, "Jax hit his head on a table cause of the initial jolt when it happened.. Shannon freaked out and honestly? If Poseidon hadn't shown up when he did, I'm not sure we'd have made it out of there. I mean, don't get me wrong.. My folks are powerful, but they're not - that - powerful."

There's a moment where the yeens eyes sort of go a little glassy, almost like he's looking at something that isn't quite there, but it only lasts for a moment before he sighs and adds, "Happier topics though. You guys should ask Jax about the temple he brought me to when we were on shore."

Jax Miller has posed:
"Colin's agent." is Von's reply when Kit asks about Alan, since nobody else seems to want to discuss him even when he's not in the room. "They're old friends, went to college together. Way he tells it, was fifty fifty which one of 'em was going to get their chance. Something happened during the try outs, mister sunshine busts his knee, and all is well with the world. Anyway, Colin being the good guy he is takes on his old pal as his business agent. Guy's a snake, but he's seen Colin alright. Has to, he hasn't got any other clients."

"Hey, he's my agent too!" is the somewhat feeble retort from a half smothered Jax, which also earns him a gentle pelting.

"Kid, you got more sense than that. Ditch him already, he's only your agent 'cause you don't know how to say no, just like your old man." Which, coming from Devon, is sharp critique indeed.

"Anyway..." Von resumes, occupying the plush chair and actually fitting in it. It's conceivable at least some of the furniture in here was made for him. "... Colin says he's invited, and it's his crib, so what are we gonna do? But we don't gotta like the guy." A chorus on the topic of 'hell yeah' follows, and the good mood resumes until, casually, Poseidon is mentioned.

"Do you believe these two?" Devon suddenly explodes, getting himself another beer. "When we were young, we'd be lucky to get a glimpse of superman, or maybe get a baseball signed by some minor celebrity. An' here they are, kids these days, rubbing shoulders with actual gods. Damn but you guys must go to one hell of a private school!"

"The best!" Jax confirms and squirms himself fully upright without spilling any cheez-its. "But you should have seen Kit's face when I showed him the Egyptian temple in Pompeii. I swear, it's like I'd just handed him a puppy or something."

Kit Killovarras has posed:
"Colin's agent." is Von's reply when Kit asks about Alan, since nobody else seems to want to discuss him even when he's not in the room. "They're old friends, went to college together. Way he tells it, was fifty fifty which one of 'em was going to get their chance. Something happened during the try outs, mister sunshine busts his knee, and all is well with the world. Anyway, Colin being the good guy he is takes on his old pal as his business agent. Guy's a snake, but he's seen Colin alright. Has to, he hasn't got any other clients."

"Hey, he's my agent too!" is the somewhat feeble retort from a half smothered Jax, which also earns him a gentle pelting.

"Kid, you got more sense than that. Ditch him already, he's only your agent 'cause you don't know how to say no, just like your old man." Which, coming from Devon, is sharp critique indeed.

"Anyway..." Von resumes, occupying the plush chair and actually fitting in it. It's conceivable at least some of the furniture in here was made for him. "... Colin says he's invited, and it's his crib, so what are we gonna do? But we don't gotta like the guy." A chorus on the topic of 'hell yeah' follows, and the good mood resumes until, casually, Poseidon is mentioned.

"Do you believe these two?" Devon suddenly explodes, getting himself another beer. "When we were young, we'd be lucky to get a glimpse of superman, or maybe get a baseball signed by some minor celebrity. An' here they are, kids these days, rubbing shoulders with actual gods. Damn but you guys must go to one hell of a private school!"

"The best!" Jax confirms and squirms himself fully upright without spilling any cheez-its. "But you should have seen Kit's face when I showed him the Egyptian temple in Pompeii. I swear, it's like I'd just handed him a puppy or something."

Jax Miller has posed:
"Yeah, I'm pretty sure he just conveniently forgot that. Not like he'd have made pretty damned sure the boat stopped to visit just there and just happen to be there to guide you around 'cause he had nothing better to do, am I right?" Devon, again, seems to see through Jax without any effort... but then he might have known the cat mutant from his kitten days. "I swear he's just like his old man. Obvious clumsy come-ons an' everything."

"Hey, it works, don't it?" Von retorts with a grin. "Colin eventually got Cat away from that fat cat banker she was dating, and the kid here managed to snag a guy that hangs with ... how'd you put it... ghosts, demons an' gods? Man, if you an' I had that kinda charisma, we'd have been married long before we did." Is there an obvious blush in Jax's ears? Yeah, there it is.

"Just a shame we hardly see our mascot anymore." starts Dwayne, in a voice trying not to be too serious "But with those creeps out there, we get it. I'm pretty sure we're all just glad we still get to see him in the holidays, an' that he landed on his feet."

"And probably snagged himself the most interesting guy in the whole school, if I ain't mistaken." Devon finishes with that by now familiar knowing smile. Damn but they know him well. Imagine how many embarrassing stories they must know about Jax!

Kit Killovarras has posed:
"Thanks, but.." Yeah it seems the yeen has something to say about the 'most interesting guy there' comment, "Compared to some of the people there? I'm not really that interesting. I just come from a family with a weird history." There's a little shrug as the yeen relaxes into his seat, giving a contented sigh as he admits, "There are kids at that school who are going to change the world some day.. People who have devoted their lives to bettering all of mankind and who actually have the resources at their disposal to do just that."

Then the yeen scratches at the back of his head, looking a little sheepish with a sort of half grin and muses, "Pretty sure he could have had anyone at that school if he wanted, I'm just happy I'm the one he said 'yes' to." Then Dwayne starts and the moment he mentions 'creeps' Kit's ears twitch a little, but he gives a little nod. "Looks like we need to figure out a way to get you visiting these fine gentlemen more often." he says with a glance to Jax and a little grin. "After all, family is important." Then he glances to the others and tilts his head, adding, "And as for the 'creeps' out there? No worries. If they want to get to him, they'll have to go through me first."

These men probably have a bunch of embarrassing stories they could tell, but for the moment he's going to leave that idea be. All good things come in time, after all.

Jax Miller has posed:
"If you think you ain't interesting, always remember..." Von begins, leaning in his seat closer to Kit with a grin. "... you were Jaxed. So you gotta be someone pretty special. Real special."

And at that, the man stands and pulls Jax up from the sofa, dangling him for a few moments and then setting him down. "And where are your manners anyway, kid? You got a guest in the house and I bet you haven't even shown him around, or at least shown him to his room. Go on, git!"

There's no denying an instruction like that, and Jax puts an arm around Kit to lead him out "Let's go, I think the old folks want some time to themselves to talk about the good old days, when they could go on winter break at the top of the conference."

What follows is a storm of good natured protest and cheez-its, punctuated by Von's very distinct parting roar "An' we ain't done talking 'bout you joining the Lions either, y'hear?!"

Kit Killovarras has posed:
Well, that brought just a bit more color to the yeens ears at least, so he doesn't exactly protest when Jax wraps an arm around him to lead him out. A few of the cheez-its that get tossed wind up changing trajectory, right into the yeens paw as the two head off, his other arm coming up in a sort of over the shoulder wave as he tosses one of the snacks into his maw, then looks to Jax as they walk and murmurs, "Interesting folks." in that tricky little tone that's just a hair too low for human hearing to properly pick up. "Honestly kinda glad you didn't warn me though."