Toothbrush
Fluff <333
Words: 2k
Pairing: Cinder Linh x Kai
Fandom: The Lunar Chronicles
Setting: Around a couple months Warnings: None that I know of
Ao3 Link
Someone could tell Cinder her nerves were all fried and dead and she would believe them. In fact she was surprised they were still functioning because they felt like they were on fire.
She sucked in a breath before she forgot to but it was shaky. She mentally cursed. Considering how close her and Kaiâs bodies were, she was certain he heard the wobbly sound.
They decided (meaning Kai dragged a willing Cinder) to dance with each other late in the night in Kaiâs room, despite the Peace Ball being three nights ago, an event where she was actually forced to dance. Kai might have said they were dancing tonight but no one could call this dancing. Instead their bodies were so close together that would surely mold together soon as they swayed.
She kept her eyes low and focused on the button on his chest. She felt as if her whole body was in turmoil. Perhaps, if she didnât look at Iâm she wonât screw up. Kai, being so close, could probably feel the erratic speed of her heart and her failed attempts to control her breathing. She was also 95% sure her hand was shaking while he held it.Â
Kai, however, seemed perfectly calm, an emotion she envied very deeply in this moment. Perhaps he was lost in thought. Perhaps he was bored. Considering her lack of dancing skills, she reckoned he probably had enough with her.
He sighed suddenly, as if he were reading her thoughts, and the hand on her waist dug deeper into her back. He let go of their interlocked hands and guided hers to his neck. She gulped. He got impossibly closer as their chests met and their legs touched.Â
âCinder, my love, you donât have to feel so tense,â he murmured, speaking for only the third time this night. They havenât been very talkative, and for good reason. This proximity messed with her ability to breathe, how could she even dare to speak?
âTense? Iâm relaxed.â She lied.
âThen look at me while we dance. I promise you wonât have to lie when you say that.âÂ
Oh no. She had to resist his gaze.
Cinder chuckled awkwardly. âYou talk as if your eyes are some magical item and can cure any disease whenever someone looks into them.â She said, still refusing to meet his eyes. She feared would melt or at least explode her brain.
Kai sighed again. âDarling.â he murmured, almost like he was chiding her. His hand travelled up her body in parallel to his whispers. She felt sparks from his trail, never pulling away, making her shiver. He reached her chin and tilted it up to his face. Oh no.Â
Their eyes finally met and her skin erupted in goosebumps. Kaiâs eyes never failed to make her knees weak. A romantic copper that lit up brighter than anything else in is room. What was once the sight she failed to avoid was now the only thing she could look at. She couldnât look away if she tried.
It was hard to believe Cinder had managed to date the Emperor if the Eastern Commonwealth, but if anyone could, it would be the Queen of Luna.
His fingers on her chin moved to caress her cheek. His touch was definitely one of the best things she experienced with him. Her stomach did repetitive somersaults yet it did not bother her. Instead, it excited her, warming her up in the best ways. He moved his hand back to her waist.
âShall we start again?â he said, already starting to sway. She nodded.
She felt the grip of his hands on her waist the most. In fact, she was sure he was holding her hips now. He tried guiding her back and forth but she could barely think. His eyes muddled her thoughts. She kept messing up the footwork but he reassured her with a knowing smile.
The room started to get stuffy and hot real fast. Whyâd she wear long sleeves anyway? With sweatpants? In this warm climate?Â
Back and forth. Side to side. Cinder forced herself to pay attention so she didnât make a fool out of herself. Her breath came in short breaths that she worked hard conceal. But it was hard to focus when they maintained this kind of eye contact. It was intense and a little frightening, but soon enough Cinder reveled in it.Â
The atmosphere shifted so quick that she almost didnât notice. Like it was almost⊠natural. Suddenly there was less observing and more doing. He would slowly drag his hands from her waist to her chest while drawing circles with his fingers. Her own fingers began entangled themselves in his hair, though it was different from her habitual curling. More pulling instead. They seemed to do this on their own. His eyes darkened with something she couldnât recognize. It made her want to do something. Cinderâs hands dug deeper into his hair, hugging his face closer to hers. She could feel his breath tickle her mouth.Â
Warnings popped in her head. Thoughts we're impossible to form. Her eyes trailed to his mouth, carved elegantly on his face, and lips she wanted to kiss. Badly.
She looked up at him to find that he was starting at her lips which slightly parted at the discovery. He licked his own and started to lean in.
They met in the middle with a slow, enjoyable kiss that gradually got more passionate. Soon enough she was pulling at his hair, desperately kissing him without any thought of stopping. He pushed her back until she hit the wall. One of his hands grabbed her cheek while the other explored her lower body.
Kai left her mouth and started again on her throat, sowing kisses up and down on it. She gasped when he reached her collarbone, again when he squeezed her hip, and again when he returned to her lips. Cinder wrapped her arms around his neck, feeling more than content with his actions.
They slowed down a bit until they remembered air existed, panting extensively. His forehead bunched with hers and their lips illustrated matching flimsy smiles.Â
âI wasnât expecting that.â She confessed. Truly, she was surprised, but now that she thought about all the signs heâd been giving she should have at least anticipated it. The right space, the forced warmer climate, the crimson on his cheeks, her mind recalled all of it and truly she should have known better.
âMe neither. Iâm not disappointed though.â He gave her a tender kiss on her forehead.
âNeither am I.â A peck on the cheek.
âCan you ditch the guest room and sleep with your dance partner tonight?â Kai asked. He gave her his signature puppy dog eyes and double downed with a kiss on her jaw.
Cinder sighed. âI hope so, but I have to get my stuff. I always want to, you know.â
A kiss on her other cheek. He was starting to pick it up again, as if he was saying âall right, break over, time for part two, letâs go, letâs go!â.Â
âI know.â Kai barely grunted out, too preoccupied with sparking kisses on her neck. Cinder felt him care for the kisses he planted with careful detail before. Heâd turn her neck into a rose garden soon enough and pick out her own flowers to give to her every morning. She subconsciously threw her head to give him more space. Her body obviously reacted kindly to his advancements. She never knew the lack of control she had over her body, or rather, the amount of control Kai had over hers. It was almost traitorous if she didnât enjoy it.Â
âKai, I have to get my toothbrush.â No response. He mustâve not heard her. Now paying attention to the signs, she realized he was lost in a passionate cloud.Â
He tried to push her even further on the wall that Cinder almost caved in. She decided she needed to put a stop to his activity before it went too far. Or, at least before he reached her lips because then she was confident she wouldnât be able to control the consequences then.
Placing her palms firmly on his shoulders, she pushed gently until he realized what she was doing. His brow furrowed in confusion, then his eyes lost a little of its hungered haze. His face transitioned apologetically. âSorry, I got a little carried away.â He straightened up. âSo, will you spend the night with me, a handsome, charming, funny young emperor or in your dusty, unattractive, boyfriend-less room?â
She gave a dry laugh. âI already said yes but I need to get my toothbrush.â
He cocked his head. âAt this point, just leave it here.â
âWell I need that among other things.â
âBut itâs on a whole other floor!â He whined. Cinder held back a chuckle. He was unbearably cute when he couldnât bear to be alone. âBorrow mine if you have to!â She forgot how desperate he gets. The best ego boost ever.Â
âIâll be quick.â This time she made a move and pecked him on the nose. He tried to glare but his ears reddened. âI promise.â
She left her spoiled Emperor before he could complain about her absence and practically ran to her room to collect all her things. To be honest, she wasnât sure if she could bear to be alone again either. After so much of Kai, she could barely imagine virtually none of Kai.Â
The Dark Days. They have been erraticated from her mind with no explanation. She wasnât complaining.
Soon enough she was in front of Kaiâs door with brushed teeth and fresh clothes.
When he opened the door he looked her up and down, lingering at certain moments, and raised an eyebrow. âDid you forget your toothbrush.â
âUh, no, itâs in the bag.â She lifted a small tote bag that he was too blind to notice.
âYou can always use mine.â He repeated. âItâs the same as kissing.â
âI can assure that it is not the same as kissing, and are the cause of many diseases.âÂ
âSuch as?âÂ
She snorted. âDelusion. Which you donât need more of.â She let herself in, forcing her way through Kai.
âHey!â he countered. âOn what grounds am I delusional?â
Sighing, she plopped herself on his bed. âI donât know. Maybe itâs the fact that after I rejected to go to the ball with and you still persisted in asking me.â
âWell it worked out in the end, didnât it?â Kai walked towards her in a very slow pace, as if he were executing some scheme.
âA revolution and a failed marriage later, it did.â
He reached the foot of the bed and crept on next to her as his goal. She gulped, a feeling of anticipation rose in her chest. âAt least youâre here with me.â He inched closer until he was properly on top of her. âSafe.â He murmured, nearing her mouth. âHealthy.â
He suddenly grabbed her body, shocking her and inciting a surprised gasp. They flipped positions so that she was now on top of him. âAnd in my arms.â
A giddy and satisfied smile appeared on his face. She had the sudden need to wipe it off his face with her lips. More warnings lit up her vision and she blinked it away, along with the desirous thoughts. But they always lingered, like a short breath on a cold morning.
She didnât know what to do with her arms, or her legs, or her waist. She was very much a ragdoll at this point and she wouldnât have complained if Kai treated her as such. The only thing she could control was her head as it hovered over his. She had a feeling that if she didnât kiss him, he would.
So she did. Slowly, tenderly, and mindfully. Her hands fired up again and found new places to trace on his chest. One of his hands got caught up in her hair while the other gradually palmed the skin of her waist. Cinder mightâve made a noise or two because Kai abruptly flipped them over again.
There was a âhmpthâ from one of them, she didnât know who nor cared, and once again the kiss turned passionate. He pressed his body against her as the hand on her back slid up her shirt. He returned to her neck as her hands pulled on his pajama shirt. She felt repetitive and slightly painful tugs on her scalp as he tried to make more space for his mouth. It was more enjoyable than expected.
âStars,â He muttered. She thought she imagined it until he kept going. âI love your neck.â
The words shocked her, even in that hungered haze. It made want to do something, to want more. She groaned as her hand grabbed his jaw and pushed it up until their lips met. She kissed him with a new type of craving, with the same type of desire from earlier. This is time she didnât suppress it. Her metal hand slipped underneath his shirt and rubbed his back, while her fleshed one tugged his hair in a frenzy. More gasps and small noises were let out. Every time she heard her name escape his lips she would respond by kissing him on the sensitive part of his neck where sheâd get more response out of. It gave her more drive to feel and peck his skin, to kiss and suck his lips, to whisper and murmur his name. Her heart pounding in her chest made it all the more intense, and even more so when she could feel his.
The more she thought about them, the more Cinder wanted to smile. While her lips were practically hovering over his ear, she couldnât help but grin, then laughter spilled out. She dug her head into the crook of his neck, trying, and failing, to stop herself.
He pulled away so they met eye to eye. How he got underneath her, she couldnât remember, but, stars, he was gorgeous in this angle. And his shirt was practically undone so her eyes couldnât help but linger. She felt his soft fingers draw circles on the small of her back as he grinned up at her.
âWhatâs so funny, my love?â Kai asked. His voice was rough and lips plump from kissing for so long. It was surprisingly attractive. Well, it shouldnât be surprising because almost everything about Kai is attractive, especially to her.
âI donât know. I just felt like laughing.â She let out another giggle. âI feel soâŠâ She paused, searching for the right word.
âHappy? Joyful? Bliss?â He offered.
âEuphoric.â She smiled, kissing his nose. She rather liked his nose, as she did his neck, and his face, and oh-so-mangificent eyes, and his elegant hands, and his intelligent voice, and his lips, oh stars his lips! She adored his lips, and how they felt against hers. Especially how they felt against hers.
Her gaze paused at the swollen sight, trying her best to swallow the urge to devour them again. Just how plump could they get anyway?Â
Kai had other plans. He grinned like an amazed artist satisfied with his work. He brought his hands to either sides of her bare hips, making her heart jump in excitement, and laid her down next to him.
Their eyes met for the thousandth time that night but in this moment she saw stars, galaxies, and universes of wonder in his.Â
âKai?â She murmured, breaking the silence.
âYes, my love?â
âI think Iâm going to sleep here tonight.â
He smiled, eyes tinkling at the joke. âI think thatâs a wonderful idea, my love.â
He pulled her close so they could fold on each other, limbs intertwining with limbs. She smiled as her cheek pressed to her chest. His leg rested on her hip and his hand played with her locks.
Not very long after, their hearts matched each otherâs beats and they fell into a long and comfortable sleep.
A/N: So here's that one make out pic I promised to post... Whatever. Hope you like :D Tell me if you no like D:
Tagging: @just2bubbly @cinderswrench @cindersassasin @the-wee-woo-royal @deprivedmusicaljunkie @crescentchat @notjacinclay @wheresmymom-imlost @salt-warrior @rapunzelfromthemoon @briggycat @impossiblesuitcase @kaider-is-my-otp @definitelynotisabel (these are for my kaider ONLY fics so please ask if you want to be tagged or removed <3)
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Cut, Comb, Detangle, Repeat - part v.
Epilogue: Repeat (In Your Forever, Till For That Long It Lasts)
v.
âThe floor is lava!â
The prince and princess of the Eastern Commonwealth were running around the New Beijing Palace garden, feet sloshing through the dewy grass. It was hard to tell that the children were royalty when they were running around and playing as they were now. They just looked like normal kids.
Four-year-old Peony had laid out picnic blankets and was jumping from one to another to evade the pretend lava. She teetered on a particularly long jump.
âNo!â she cried as her toes kissed the grass. She dug her heels to plan her next jump and glanced over her shoulder.
Rikan stood at a distance. She yelled after him. âCome on, Ri! Come play!â
Rikan looked around, squinting at the grass. Heâd played the game countless times before, but with just a thought, he could imagine a way to make it more fun. More realistic.
Concentrating, he pictured the grassy floor as oozing lava. The blankets and leaves as rocky stepping stones. And where else would lava be found, but under the Earthâs crust? Or perhaps, in a volcano. Either way, the air would be musty and hot, and the sky red and dark under the cavern of a volcanoâs walls.
With the entire scene imagined, Rikan sought out Peonyâs bioelectricity and slotted the vision into her mind.
Her shriek was ear-splitting.
âââ
It was a mild autumn afternoon, and Cinder forwent the stuffy indoors for the gardens. Her youngest daughter was fast asleep, and Cinder cradled her while responding to comms on her retina.
She was sad Kai couldnât join them â being tied up in a meeting â but she was glad anyway that the children could have some time to play outside. Rikan and Peony were running around and from the sounds of laughter, they seemed to be enjoying themselves.
The joy fled when a scream spiked the air.
Cinder jumped to her feet but didnât need to rush over â within a second, Peony was crashing into her legs with wild sobbing. Cinder set her other daughter on the bench and brought Peony into her arms, not knowing whether her soothing voice would be heard over the frantic cries.
After a moment of trying to calm her to no avail, Cinder glanced up at Rikan. She beckoned him over.
âWhat happened?â
Rikan sheepishly refused to meet her gaze. âNothing.â
Cinder didnât need her lie detector to know he was lying. âRikan,â she warned.
He finally looked at her, and broke into panicked defence. âI didnât mean to scare her, I swear! I just wanted to make it more fun and Peony said the floor was lava. I thought sheâd like it!â
Cinder stroked Peonyâs hair as she processed his words. âWhat exactly did you do, Rikan?â
He stayed quiet, telling her all she needed to know.
âRikan,â she began, stern but not harsh. âDid you use your glamour to make Peony see actual lava?â
He stilled, and eventually, slowly, nodded.
She sighed. Peony was still hiccupping and snivelling and her youngest was now waking up and Cinder couldnât deal with all of this at once. âRikan, go get your bags and toys.â
He left obediently, and when he returned, Cinder instructed him to take his other sisterâs hand.
They walked back to the palace, Peony still desperately holding onto Cinder in fear that anywhere else but her motherâs arms would be fire and magma and terror.
âââ
âWhat happened?â Kai whispered.
Cinder rummaged through the linen closet as Kai leant against the wall. Peony was now asleep in his arms, with her head tucked under his chin.
She had been inconsolable the whole evening, too young to understand that what she had seen was a glamour and not reality. Rikan had hung his head all evening and lazily picked at his food at dinner. Now he was in the living room as instructed, waiting for Cinder to return.
âThey were playing, and Ri glamoured her into lava.â She handed Kai a blanket to tuck around the child.
He groaned. âWeâve talked to him about this,â
âI know,â she said, exasperated. âBut I honestly donât think he realised he was doing anything wrong.â
âDo you want me to talk to him?â
âNo, Iâll do it.â She reached up and brushed a kiss to his mouth. âYou get Peony ready for bed. She wonât sleep tonight unless itâs with us.â
He nodded and left as Cinder stalled by the doorway. With a deep breath to compose herself, she entered the living room. Rikan sat on the couch, worrying at his lip.
âHi, bÇo bao,â she called. He pressed his knees together as she sat next to him.
âHi Mama,â he murmured.
âNow, do you know what you did wrong today?â
He launched into his excuse. âI only wanted to make it more fun for Peony!â
âI know that,â she said calmly. âI know you didnât mean any harm. But that doesnât make it right. What did you do wrong?â
Rikan fidgeted, gripping the fabric of his pants. âIâŠmanipulated Peony. I scared her.â
âMhm. Ri, how old are you?â
âEight.â
âAnd Peony is four. Imagine if I had manipulated you into seeing scary things like lava when you were four. How would you have felt?â
Rikanâs eye twitched in a way that indicated he was thinking deeply. âI would have been terrified,â he confessed.
Cinder tilted his chin up towards her. âBecause you are older, you know more than your sisters. You knew that it was just a glamour, but they wonât. And because you know, you have a responsibility to do the right thing.â
She lifted the short on her left leg, exposing the part of her thigh where burnt tissue met metal. âYou remember how I became a cyborg, Rikan?â
He traced the swivelling lines on the scarred flesh. âLevana burnt you in a fire.â
âBut do you remember why she did it?â
âBecause she hated you?â he guessed.
Cinder shook her head. âBecause Levanaâs sister burnt Levana in a fire. And because my mother had done that, Levana did the same to me. Do you see, darling? Our glamours are very powerful, and if we misuse them, we can hurt people. So can you promise me that youâll be careful with how you use your glamour, particularly on those who are younger than you?â
Rikan nodded. âI promise. Iâm sorry, Mama.â
Cinder smiled and squeezed his hand. âI know. Dad and I are going to decide what your punishment will be, and I expect you to apologise to Peony, okay?â
He nodded again fervently, with eyes pleading sincere apology. âOf course. Iâm sorry, I really am.â
She kissed his forehead and stood. âYou can do that tomorrow. Now itâs bedtime. Youâre a good boy and a good brother, but you have to be careful. I do too, and so will your sisters when theyâre older.â
Rikan buried his head in her hip, and Cinder empathised with his guilt. It was how sheâd felt when sheâd started using her glamour on people, too.
âââ
Cinder heard hushed humming as she walked through her bedroom door. Inside, Kai was singing to a sleeping Peony, who lay sandwiched in between them when Cinder slipped under the covers.
Kai shuffled the blankets around for her. âHow did he take it?â
âPretty well. Heâs going to apologise to her tomorrow, and Iâm going to be more militant with teaching them responsibility.â
Kai smirked. âRikan will listen, but I donât think a two and four-year-old will quite comprehend the moral dilemma behind their abilities.â
âI disagree,â she whispered to keep Peony from waking. âWe should start them young. Say, âif Daddy had a cookie and you wanted it, is it okay to use your glamour to take it from him?ââ
Kai frowned. âThey couldnât control me if they tried, not with my bio-lock.â
She rolled her eyes. âThe point is to teach them in terms they will understand.â
Kai dropped the banterous tone. âI agree with you, love. I canât teach them how to use their glamour, but we can both teach them discipline in using it.â
She looked down at their daughter. It was awful, knowing that such a sweet child had the capability to terrorise hundreds without breaking a sweat.
And although their children were kind and gentle, they truly didnât understand that their glamours were a danger. Even as toddlers they would try to manipulate her into moving her hand or picking them up. Not out of malice, but simply because they could.
Cinder fell back against the headboard with a whimper. Kai pushed hair off her brow.
âIâm worried.â She dragged a palm down her face. âI honestly thought all the Blackburn stuff was behind me. But what happened today reminded me of my mother. She used her power over Levana, evil as she ended up, was then just a defenceless child. I donât want that repeating with our kids.â
Kai stroked her cheek. âThatâs why weâll teach them.â
They couldnât embrace with Peony in the way, but as they settled into their pillows his presence nestled close to hers.
Just when Cinder thought Kai was asleep, his husky voice cut through her thoughts. âTheyâre our kids, not Levanaâs or Channaryâs, and weâre going to do all we can. It will be enough.â
Cinder ruminated on his piece for a moment, then leaned over to kiss him goodnight.
âââ
Cinder had spent The Lunar Revolution afraid that she would turn into Levana. Kai had quelled that fear, and she had overcome it, certain that she wasnât like her aunt, or her mother, or anyone from that wretched bloodline.
That fear returned in blaring colours once her children got older. Glamour, manipulation. It was a problem all Lunar parents faced, but Cinder regarded it as more than just a childish phase.
It sounded like the beginning of past Blackburn atrocities.
From that point onwards, Cinder and Kai meticulously taught their children to use their gift fairly. They reminded them that when they were adults, they could make the decision to dampen it with a bioelectrical lock, if they so wished.
They tried their best, but Cinder still feared that it wasnât enough, or that she hadnât taught them what they really needed.
Mechanics had blueprints. Empresses had protocol. In comparison, motherhood felt like a chasm of options and uncertainty.
She wouldnât know the fruition of her efforts until there was nothing else she could do.
âââ
Thirteen Years LaterâŠ
âââ
Peonyâalso known as Her Imperial Highness, Princess of the Eastern Commonwealthâwas glad she hadnât inherited some of her parentsâ worser traits.
Her dad, for example, put salt on watermelon. Irredeemable in her eyes.
Of her motherâs traits, Peony was glad to have dodged procrastination (instead, sheâd gotten the exact opposite, and was now extremely impulsive⊠). Remember that one thing Cinder had to do? That one thing that she was dreading and therefore never got around to?
Abdicating the Lunar throne did not mean that the Blackburns were free of all ties to the monarchy. Particularly when it came to all its assetsâchalets, jewels, artefacts.
Yeah, Cinder hadnât remembered either, likely on purpose. In the past she had done a rather brief skim of the assets and taken a few of the crown jewels with her. Everything else she left in the governmentâs hands, promising to âget to it soon!â and âcome back when my kids are old enough to decide what theyâll keep.â
Sixteen years later, the department in charge finally sent all the goods to Earth, carefully packaged and protected so that âHer Imperial Majesty can discern what will be kept for the Blackburn line on Earth.â
Code for âSo Selene can finally sort this out like weâve been asking for over a dozen years.â
Now the New Beijing Palace storage rooms were filled with Blackburn paraphernalia, and Rikan and Peony agreed to tackle the task to spare their mother.
Their younger sister weaseled her way out under the guise that she was drowning in homework. The so-called drowning hadnât stopped the youngest princess from hanging out with her friends, but Peony couldnât blame her. Going from room to room of useless trinkets did not make a riveting afternoon.
âAm I going to have any use for Queen Esmerayâs solid gold toothbrush holder?â asked Rikan, perusing the ornaments. They were all nestled in beds of velvet, and most made out of gold or silver or crystal or any number of impractical materials.
âAs long as you donât use her actual toothbrush,â said Peony.
Rikan huffed and looked around, boredom scrawled across his face. Then, his lips tugged into a smirk. âSo, virtual hearings impair fairness in the absence of a reliable jury, as the courts cannot confirm whether the jurors are seeking external resources during proceedings. It inhibits accessââ
ââby disabling the anonymity of trials, where victims canât ensure who is observing proceedings. I know,â recited Peony, tired. âYouâve studied for this. Multiple times. So many times, in fact, that I could probably take the exam on just what youâve told me alone.â
He glared at her. âIâm allowed to be over-prepared. My lifeâs aspirations are resting on this!â
Twenty-one-year-old Rikan was stressing over his upcoming legal exam, and absolutely everything unrelated to it went completely forgotten. She doubted he even remembered they were on Earth when his mind was so fixated on Lunaâs legal precedents and statutes.
âYou could become an actor,â she offered.
He snorted. âRight. Me, because Iâm so good at that.â
âTheyâd take you on for your title and pretty face, regardless of your acting ability.â
Rikan baulked at the comment. With a blend of his parentsâ features, he was very handsome, and subject to as much adoration as his father had received at his age. He didn't mind it until people seemed to care more about his looks than his opinions. Then, he hated it.
Peony had darker hair and softer features than her siblings. She was hailed as beautiful by her proud citizens, particularly since she looked like Kai's mother, but thankfully not enough to face constant media swooning.
Rikan shuddered away his discomfort and gave the room one last scan. âCâmon, the sooner we get out of here, the sooner I can get to my flashcards.â
Peony rolled her eyes and followed him, peering into the next room.
It was like a museum to the Blackburns with all the priceless items on display and protected by security scanners. In the Lunar palace, maids and housekeepers often prattled on about the great history of spectres and toys that so-and-so who was her great-great something or other grandparent had treasured.
She never found any of it particularly remarkable, and today was seeming like a similarly lost cause.
âThis is useless,â she grumbled. âWeâre not doing anything.â
âWeâre studying for my exam,â Rikan countered.
âNo, I havenât found anything yet.â Rikan had already scored some weathered books from King Cyprusâ collection, but Peony had had no such luck. âI agree with Mumâthis is a waste of time.â
âNo itâs not! Look here.â
He dragged her to a wall where three tall metal rods stood proud centre. According to the description, they were ceremonial poles belonging to their great-grandfather, King Marrok .
âThese? What would I do with them?â
He spread out his hands. âPicture this: Giant shish kebab.â
She barked out a laugh. âYouâd have to fight me to get to eat them.â
His mouth quirked. With a shared thought, he snatched up the poles and tossed one to her.
She had only a second to brace herself before he lunged forward in a fighting stance. âEn guard!â
Peony swivelled the baton for better grip. She backed up three steps, gridded her feet to the floor, and surged ahead.
The two began sparring. After an undercut and three successive strikes, Peony frowned. âDo you think weâll get in trouble for this?â
âNah. Itâs legally our stuff, and Mum would probably love to know we're defacing Blackburn property.â He grinned. âSpeaking of property, what prompted the High Court to rule the Zhao Hu case as ultra vires?â
âArenât I the one asking the questions?â
âYesââa matched strikeââbut you need to know the answers in order to quiz me.â
She stumbled on the rug and Rikan lowered his stick while she found her footing. âYouâre overthinking this,"
He charged again. âIf I fail, I canât become a lawyer, Pe-ah.â
âEh,â she dismissed. âMum and Dad can get you automatic entrance.â
âThatâs nepotism, and itâs bad.â
She feigned offence. âCanât even have nice old fashioned corruption anymore.â
Rikan shifted the pole into one hand and strung the other through his hair. âI donât think Iâll fail, but thereâs always a chance andââ
Peony took advantage of his distraction, smacking his baton to the floor.
âI win,â she preened.
Rikan gaped. He shuffled backwards until he hit the velvet storage trays. âYouâre right, Iâve lost my weapon. But did you expect me to have...â
He left his phrase hanging while he spun around. Peony struggled not to laugh as fished through the random items for a replacement.
He brandished his new weapon. âAha! Bet you didnât expect me to have a backup!â
She squinted. âItâs a hairbrush.â
His brow furrowed. âWell, yes...but how do you know itâs not a sword, that I am merely glamouring as a hairbrush?â He pulled up a quick glamour, morphing the hairbrush into a sword.
She dropped her rod to the floor. âBecause when I touch it, I wonât be stabbed.â
He aimed it at her. âOr will you?â
She walked over and pried it from his hand, to which he instantly dropped the glamour.
âOkay, you wonât, itâs just a hairbrush,â he admitted. Whenever they used their glamour on each other as a joke, they made it abundantly clear that it was in fact, a glamour, as per their Motherâs insistence on being responsible.
Peony examined the silver paddle, tracing over the lines. She brought it up to the light so the sheen glimmered brighter. âItâs pretty. Did the label say who it belonged to?â
Rikan glanced at the âChannary Blackburnâ in golden tactile script and grimaced. âAh, creepy evil grandmother, no thank you.â
Pushing its former owner out of mind, Peony considered the brush objectively. It was sturdy but delicate, the bristles hardly worn. She combed it through her hair to test its effectiveness, and decided immediately that yes, this she would take.
But then, she wondered if keeping their grandmotherâs things would be sacrilegious to their values. Backsliding into the Blackburn past.
She tensed and looked up at him. âI need a new brush, butâŠwould it be weird?â
Rikan stretched out his arms, shaking away his own discomfort. He lay a reassuring hand on her shoulder. âItâs just a hairbrush, Peony, of course you can take it.â
Peony beamed and pattered her fingers over the hilt once again.
âââ
Cinder decisively ignored all the Blackburn memorabilia, and now it was finally returned to Luna, she was content to never think of it again.
The further away she was from the Blackburn legacy, the better.
She stood behind her desk with an unintentional air of authority. The clock was ticking over to noon. After lunch with Kai, she had three other meetings and legislation to approve before dinner. But even with a busy schedule, she was content.
In the office sheâd inhabited for a quarter of a century, Cinder was comfortable with the predictability of her life. She cherished the stability she had as empress, as Kaiâs wife and as a mother.
But a touch of spontaneity now and then was nothing bad.
âMum? Can you help me with something?â
Peony stood by Cinderâs door, hair several centimetres shorter than it had been that morning.
âYou cut it?â
âIâm realising that Iâm impulsive.â Peony tossed her head around, watching the strands sway back and forth. âCan you feather the ends for me so itâs not so blunt?â
Cinder came over hesitantly. She was understandably cautiousâsheâd never cut hair before and hated the thought of damaging her daughterâs healthy head of it. âAre you sure? I have no experience.â
Peony grabbed her hands and pulled them out of the room. âIt doesnât have to be perfect. I trust you.â
Peony led them to her bathroom. The pattern on the tiles was hidden behind dark chunks of hair which Cinder avoided stepping in as she was handed the scissors.
âJust make it neat on the ends.â Peony ran her fingers up her back until she reached the desired length. âUp to here. Iâd do it myself, but you know, dud hand.â
Sheâd jarred her wrist days ago after round two of sparring with Rikan. Rikan took all the blame for instigating the game, but Peony had been rather unapologetic about her own carelessness. She appeared to have inherited that from Cinder.
Cinder took a breath in and commenced the first snip. She didnât dare to take off more than a millimetre at first.
Peony glanced over her shoulder. âTry to cut a little more than just the particles, Mum.â
âI will, I will.â After a few more miniscule snips, she grew bolder once she discerned the weight and depth of the scissors.
Her fingers knotted in a section and when she tugged too hard, Peony flinched.
âOw!â
âSorry,â Cinder hissed. âI told you Iâd be bad at this. We need a comb.â
Peony rubbed her scalp. âItâs my fault, I should have brushed it through first.â
Peony retrieved a brush from the bathroom counter. Once it was placed in her hands, Cinder realised it was Channaryâs brush. The very same one that Cinder had known and used on Luna as a lonely, newly-minted queen.
Cinder stared at it, trying to discern why it was here and not still on Luna.
âIt was the only thing from the Blackburn stuff that I wanted,â Peony explained.
Oh yeah, that. Cinder had done such a great job of trying to ignore it that it actually slipped her mind. She began to detangle the knot.
â...Have you seen the brush before, Mum?â
Peonyâs nervous tone gave Cinder pause. Clearly, she had interpreted Cinderâs surprise as aversion.
âYes, when I was around your age. Seventeen or so.â
When Peony stayed uncharacteristically silent, guilt nagged at Cinder.
âDonât feel bad about taking it, darling.â
Peonyâs shoulders slumped in relief. âI thought it might creep you out,â she confessed.
Cinder hesitated. âNot really, itâs justâŠstrange to mix this aspect of my lifeââshe waved the brushââwith my life now.â
Peony hummed. Cinder could practically see the cogs turning in her head by the slant of her shoulders and listed head.
Once Cinder lowered the brush, Peony lifted her chin. âI was thinking about it. I know you always felt bad that people slandered us for being Blackburns. People claiming that weâd turn out like them. But I think every family has itâs bad parts, not just the Blackburns.â She shrugged. âAnd itâs not like Dadâs side is much better. How many unethical policies like the cyborg draft had they instituted?â
Cinder clucked her tongue in agreement. âDozens. Believe me, Iâve spent decades as empress trying to reform all those policies.â
âExactly.â Peony turned to face her. âBut I never had to worry about all that, because you made sure none of the bad things that happened to you happened to us."
Cinder managed a smile. âYou make it sound like I did something prize-worthy. I just wanted to give you what I never had. Understanding, respect. Mostly, well, love.â
That love was clear in Peonyâs face. âWell, I want to give something in return. Weâre the only Blackburns left, and I donât think weâre terrible people.â She smirked and laid her palm on the brush. âThis reminds me of what our ancestors did, but one day, my kids arenât going to think of it as âevil Queen Channaryâs brush.â Theyâll think of it as mine. Thereâs no more hurt in it.â
With quiet tenderness, Peony wrapped Cinderâs metal fingers around the handle. âLetâs take the hurt away from the Blackburn name, Mama.â
Cinder grasped her daughterâs hand. Their grips were alike, firm and steady but never too harsh. Close but not cramped. Soothing, as though the very molecules of shared space emanated comfort. It was love, not based on some survivalist maternal instinct, but something carefully nurtured.
Cinderâs cheeks stretched in a proud, grateful smile. She had nothing to worry about, not when her children had grown up to be more brilliant than she couldâve ever envisaged. Far more brilliant than herself.
She enveloped Peony in a hug. âThank you. You are so wise.â
âI got it from you.â
âBut you didnât really,â she insisted. âI got my wisdom from everyone else."
Peony lay her cheek on Cinder's. âThatâs what families are for.â
A lightness came over Cinder as she turned back to her work. A few cuts later, she stopped to evaluate. âOkay, that looks good. I think,â she cringed.
Peony laughed with exasperation. âI trust you, Mum. For as much as I love you, I wouldnât have let you come near me with scissors if I thought youâd ruin my hair. Thatâs why I didnât ask Rikan to do it.â
Cinderâs heart panged. Rikan had been studying Lunar law on the neighbouring moon for the past month after nailing his exam.
âI bet heâs been eating junk food this whole time. Iâm going to nag him about it.â Peony glanced back at Cinder mid-laugh and frowned. âI know what youâre thinking, Mum. Itâs not forever.â
âI know,â Cinder said sadly, laying her chin on Peonyâs shoulder. âI just miss him.â
âArenât I a good enough consolation?â
âDecent,â Cinder teased. With a once-over, she pushed Peony to the mirror. âAll done.â
Cinder flipped the brush from hand to hand as Peony inspected the cut. She caught a glimpse of herself and the smile lines around her mouth, which she had been first surprised to discover until Kai had told her that she was always smiling. He too wasnât immune to the effects of ageing and now had some grey threaded through his sideburns. It made him no less handsome.
âItâs exactly what I wanted!â
âPhew, I feel marginally better,â Cinder laughed. She slid the brush through the hair once more, but Peony coaxed the hand back up.
âKeep going. I like when people brush my hair.â
Cinder grinned and began to comb in a rhythmic pattern. âI heard it shows the trust between the individuals,â she recited, not remembering the source. âThatâs why itâs common in families.â
âWhereâd you hear that from?â Peony murmured in a low, relaxed tone.
Cinder paused, the memories flooding back both naturally and via retina recall. Her sister Linh Peony and Iko in the bathroom at Phoenix apartments, Peony cutting Cinderâs hair.
Now it was still New Beijing, but in a palace, and Cinder cutting a different Peonyâs hair.
How things came full circle.
âIt was my sister. Actually, itâs probably not even true. She was always reading scams on the net.â
âI think itâs true. Do you like it?â
She set down the tool. How many times had Cinderâs friends and family cared for her by brushing or cutting or touching her hair? It was far more than sheâd ever realised, and too many to remember each occurrence.
She kissed the girlâs cheek. âI do. And you look lovely.â
Linh Peony had been right. On Luna, Cinder had had a mother and a cousin and friends who loved her, of which she had lost some and regained others. Sheâd had her sister, the family given to her who she loved and adored and missed.
Cinder was pieces of all her family, good and bad. She kept the good in mind: Linh Peony and Iko, Kai, even Torin at times. The rampion crew of course, and now her own children. It was more real than any of the token families sheâd known in the past.
Peonyâs copper eyes went dark as the sun dipped behind a cloud. âThanks for the haircut, Mum.â
âAuntie Iko wouldâve done it if youâd asked. Or Uncle Thorne, for that matter."
Peony stuck out her lower lip. âNah, Iâll stick with you.â
It was past noon now, and Kai would be waiting for her at lunch. When she left, Peony would leave a message for him: âdo not ruin a perfectly good slice of watermelon with salt.â Cinder would laugh and deliver the message faithfully, and Kai would say that their daughter was just as headstrong as her mother.
The sun returned its light to the room. Cinder squeezed Peony tight, just because she could, and resolved to keep this in her heart in case she ever forgot.
Cinder wouldnât stay away from the Blackburn legacy, because it was them, and there was nothing she wanted more.
Notes
Parts: 1 2 3 4 5
Cinderâs children are called Rikan and Peony in this fic though I personally think they would have these as middle names or nicknames rather than first names. However for ease of readership and to keep with the consistency in the fandom I've written them without specifying whether they are such. For that same reason, I havenât provided their second daughterâs name because it would be OC.
taglist: @just2bubbly @lunamaximoff22 @spherical-empirical @gingerale2017 @shelbylmkaider @cinderswrench @zephyr-thedragon
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kaider withdrawal is going crazy rn
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Only You Can Mend My Heart of Glass
Fluff/ Angst... mostly angst <3
Words: 8k (WOAH THAT SHOCKED ME)
Pairing: Cinder x Kai
Fandom: The Lunar Chronicles
Setting: Modern AU where Cinder has already been traumatized once, and they are married and share a last name :)
Rating: Teen
Warnings: Torture, kidnapping, grunts of pain? (Oh, and very lazy editing, especially after Kai leaves!)
AO3 Link <3
In recent days, Cinder had been waking up with a smile on her face. Nightmares of dead sisters and fake mothers with shotguns finally began to leave her alone. Now she was left with fantasies of suburban households with large playrooms and nurseries with comfy cradles.
Yet, the smile that warmed her face this morning was most likely a consequence of last night. She opened her eyes slowly, getting used to the minimal light the window covered by the blinds provided. Staring upwards, she could see the top of their bedpost, the white ceiling, and the modern fan. Kai was always hot and Cinder didnât mind the temperature, so the fan was usually on, but it stayed still this morning. They definitely were too caught up last night to remember temperature preferences.Â
She turned her head to face her husband who was still asleep. Her smile only softened as she traced the features of his face with her eyes. His face looked like a Renaissance painterâs masterpiece in her eyes, one that she had memorized, analyzed, and wondered at countless times. She interpreted his every expression, when heâd make them, and what they would mean. She wiped his tears and even wiped her own with his neck. She kissed every ridge and touched every bump on his body. If he was an unknown land, she was an explorer who discovered and researched every territory, reporting both the good and the bad.Â
Yawning, she intuitively knew it was around five in the morning, just in time for the sunrise. Good, he needs his sleep. The bags under his eyes looked a little too deep to be healthy. Smirking to herself, she knew exactly what Kai would say if he found her awake in these hours. Heâd have the same reason she had for him not waking up. Stretching as quietly as possible, she scouted the room for a shirt. Kaiâs discarded button-up was the closest thing she could grab. Luckily, it was one of her favorite items of his to wear.
Cinder rolled out of bed without pulling and blankets and quickly put on his shirt. She stood up, smiling in success, and gave Kai a celebratory kiss.Â
âDonât wake up.â She whispered, but she knew he couldnât hear her. He didnât even stir.
Before she headed downstairs to watch the sunrise, she stopped by his wardrobe for a pair of boxers and sweats, and happily glided down the stairs.Â
The aesthetic of the interior design of their little condo was created via the genius of Ikoâs love for fashion, and Kaiâs perfectionist tendencies. Though Cinder couldnât offer much because of her horrible eye for fashion, she loved her home.
Following her routine for these types of mornings, she prepared hot water for Kaiâs tea and made a coffee for herself. The sun continued to be stubborn while the water heated, so she paid a visit to Kai.
He shifted his position from his side to lying on his stomach while hugging a pillow, back muscles on full display. Cinder told herself not to ogle much on his gorgeous back and limited herself to one (only one?!) kiss on his shoulder. Maybe one more on his smushed forehead, but that was it. He continued not to stir. Triumph!
Finally, the first rays of sunlight revealed themselves through the humble windows. Already, she could feel herself waking up as her body yearned for the warming light.Â
She raced out of their room and positioned herself on the ledge under one of the windows with a mechanicâs manual and another cup of coffee.
The beauty of the sky was enough to hush crying toddlers and bring an old man to tears. Colors danced in the sky, clouds worshipped the sun, and landscapes were heightened to their full beauty. No, sheâd never get tired of witnessing this phenomenon, it was worth the lack of sleep.
And before she knew it, her mechanicâs manual was marked up and the sky turned baby blue.Â
Her stomach rumbled, signifying it was time for a bowl of cereal.
As she poured milk into a bowl of honey nut cheerios. Her mind wandered to the surprises she had planned today. Excitement grew in her stomach as she went over the itinerary and schedule for today. He was going to love it, for sure.
As if on cue, arms suddenly grabbed Cinderâs waist and her feet left the ground for two seconds. She yelped, her pitch high enough for bats to get confused.
She felt soft, quick, little kisses moving along the length of her neck. She giggled uncontrollably as his hands squeezed her waist even harder. He began to exaggerate kissing noises as he tried to claim her neck with his lips as his mark as if he hadnât already thousands of other times.Â
âGood morning to my beautiful, genius, early bird, perfect, wonderful, pretty, petty, and Iâm running out of adjectives to describe my amazing wife.â Her husband greeted her while very gently nipping the places he pecked. More of this and her neck will be glaringly red.
She laughed. âKai!â
âHowâs my lovely wife today?â He murmured, starting on the other side of her neck. She instinctively leaned into him, practically begging him not to stop.
âMmh. Alright, I guess.â She couldnât even remember his question.
He turned her around. Stars Above, was his smile not the most wondrous thing ever created? He was so cute.
Pressing his forehead to hers, he asked another question. âArenât you going to ask your husband how heâs doing?â His copper eyes were enough to awe even the most stubborn.
She barely formed her answer. Stars, she was surprised she could form audible, coherent words. âI was if my husband was a little more patient.â She challenged him back by refusing to look away. Sometimes, she was able to stun him, and it always felt like her greatest achievement.
âItâs quite a shame then because your husband is having a wonderful morning.â He pulled suddenly, smiling wider (if possible).Â
âToday is going to be a great day, my love. I can feel it.â
âIâll make sure of it.â She bit her lip, pulling him back to her again. âI have lots of surprises planned today.â
Kaiâs gaze became a fraction more intense. âOh? May I ask what kinds?â
âThen they wouldnât be surprises, dummy.â
His small smile will be the death of her. âCan you spoil a surprise right now?â He lightly whispered against her ear, nudging her cheek with his nose.
He breathed her name slowly and pulled her waist tight with his. As soon as he kissed her, she felt herself unravel. She turned her head to his and kissed him fully on the lips, pulling at his hair. He grunted in pleasure and licked her bottom lip.
She whispered his name in between breaths and in response he sat her on the counter, somehow missing the bowl of cereal she had been preparing.
He dug himself into her, enveloping Cinder fully. Their breaths became more desperate as she kissed him harder. Caressing his cheek with her hand, she guided him to stay on her lips. He liked to linger down on her collarbone and neck often, and to be honest, so did she, but today she wanted the focus on her lips. They couldnât get too carried away, not today at least.
Kai, however, did not take the hint and kept devouring her, as if last night wasnât enough. Wrapping her legs around his waist, he nurtured her lips to flourish. The temptation to let him carry her away was much stronger than she expected, and she knew a little more of this would end her resolve. So she pulled away with a mocking smirk and pecked the tip of his nose.
He looked down, blinking the haze away and through the confusion. Only now did she notice his work attire was only half-put together. His tie somehow fell on the floor (she suspected it was never tied), his blazer was nowhere to be seen, and his button-up lacked buttoning. None of it was her fault, she was sure.
âIt canât be earlier than six thirty now and if continue on the path I think weâre headed on, then you will be late.â She let her hand glide up his chest as if to comfort him.
His face dropped as he continued to look at her desirously, not helping to cease her shivers. âThis is a crime. Youâre making me wait on my birthday.â
Cinder laughed. âWhat is a crime is your lack of patience.â She leaned in to tease him while brushing his chin and he fell for it. He sighed, closing her eyes and breathing her in, ready to kiss. She jerked away and stood up from the counter. Kai lost his balance and held onto her for support.
Cinder broke into laughter, digging her face into his neck. She kneeled to pick up his discarded (and decidedly unloved tie).
âThat works,â Kai remarked. Flushing, she stood up immediately to glare at him.
âTrust me, tonight will be worth it.â She winked, wrapping the thin piece of fabric around his neck. âI made a couple of things for you to decorate your office with-â
âAw, darling, I love it when you make me things.â
â-and our friends are gonna pay a short visit.â Once she completed the first step of tying his tie, she glanced at him to see a joyfully radiant smile. Cinder grinned to herself. He liked it.
âWill there be cake?â He asked. She resisted rolling his eyes as her husband was no better than a small kid. She continued her task.
âYes, babe, there will be cake.â A big loop.
âAnd a party?â
âRight here, with all our friends.â Through the loop.
âAnd time for plenty of cuddling and kisses with my beloved wife?â
Cinder smiled softly. âAnything for my beloved husband.â Tighten the strands. âIt is his birthday after all.â
âHm. How is a pretty girl like you married to such an old guy?â
âThirty is not old at all!â She pat his chest. âAnd Iâm not pretty enough to be dating cougars.â
Kai huffed, scrunching his eyebrows. âWhat does that even mean?â
âWell, you know how the most gorgeous models are dating, like, practically dead men?âÂ
âYes.â
âWell, Iâm not that level of pretty for that level of decay to be attracted to me.â She had no clue what she was saying.
Kai smothered his giggle. âOh, darling, Iâm sure the most crusty, old, wheel-chair bound man will fall in love with your beauty. If I were in that position, I would.â
She squeezed her eyes shut. âCan we scrap this conversation? I donât even know where weâre going with this.â
âYes, please.â He agreed.
They stood in their small kitchen with their foreheads pressed against each other. She couldâve stayed there for a lifetime if he didnât pull away.
âHey.â He murmured, pulling away.
âHey.â She smiled, pressing her chin to her chest.Â
âWill you come with me to work today? I donât know.â Kai whispered. She chewed her bottom lip. âI had this weird feeling all of the sudden, and I donât want anything happening to you-â
Cinder him off with a soft laugh. She knew how these past few months had been hard on him. All of his anxiety centered around her and something bad happening to her. Heâd been the primary one to care for her after her sister died and her stepmother accidentally killed herself. He found Cinder hyperventilating, trying to keep Adri alive by putting pressure on the wound. He scrubbed blood, dirt, and grime off her body. He coaxed her through panic attacks and nightmares. It must have been so hard for him to go through that, and he never told anyone that he was struggling. Cinder had to find that out by herself.
âNothing will happen to me, I promise. I canât go with you, love, Iâm sorry. Iâm stuck preparing your birthday surprises.â She reassured.Â
Kai sighed, holding her hand to his cheek, and gave it a small kiss. âI understand. Iâll see you later then?â
âOf course. I love you.â
âI love you darling. You are my everything, donât forget that.â
âDo you always have to out-love me?â Cinder whined.
âStay safe.â
Kai left for work soon after, and Cinder was left alone. Usually, sheâd go and work as a mechanic around this time, but today she had tasks to complete.Â
She made sure the floors were crumb-less, and the windows spotless. Everyone confirmed their arrival time. 6:30. She had all day to finish everything.
Once she finished cleaning the house, she left for the grocery store. There was a nicely done charcuterie board for sale, along with sangria and red wine. She needed chips, non-alcoholic drinks, dessert, and of course, cake. After she grabbed everything save for the main attraction, she headed to the bakery.
It was here while watching the baker write Kaiâs name on the chocolate cake that Cinder got the call that will haunt her forever. It was the third worst call she ever received, second being Peonyâs death, and first being a much, much worse one.
She felt the dread Kai mustâve felt that morning, as if something horrible will happen. Recognizing the number from their company, she picked up. âHello?â
âMrs. Prince? Sorry to disturb you, but is Mr. Prince with you by any chance?â
She glanced at the baker in confusion. âNo. Why?â
âIt may be for a silly reason but we canât seem to find your husband.â
The silence following was overwhelming. Cinder had to force herself to calm down because she could feel her panic start to spiral. âWhat?â She barked. âWhat do you mean you canât find my husband?â
âWell, he isnât picking up his phone, maâam, and not even Torin can find him.â
She pinched her forehead with her fingers. âHold on, let me try calling him.â
She hung up quickly and called her husband, but he never picked up.
âMiss? Your cake is ready. Is it good or do you want me to fix anything?â The baker said in a sweet voice.
âThank you. Can you box it up please?â
âOf course.â
Cinder decided to check out as a way to convince herself this is just a big misunderstanding. Maybe heâs taking a nap and his phone died or something silly. Yet her fingers kept trembling and the strands of her hair continued to be annoying. She stayed in contact with the company the whole time and they kept asking her if she heard from him. Clearly, if she was asking them about Kaiâs whereabouts, she didnât know Kaiâs whereabouts!
Their panicked Once she paid she flew to her car and called Torin.
âCinder, stay calm.â He greeted in a baritone.
âDid you find him?!â She cried as she sped down the street.
âNo, not yet-â
âWhat even happened?! How can no one find him?!â Her panic made were swerve through lanes. When a car honked at her she screamed: âGet off the road!â Strange since she was never the one for road raging.
âCinder, please calm down!â She took the chance to breathe deeply at a red light. âHe was in his office taking calls one moment and gone the next. I am quite shocked to his disappearance as well.â
âAny guessed as to where he could be?â She asked. Torin paused, and Cinder nearly drove her car into a tree.
âHe either fell asleep in the storage room or..â He paused.
âOr what?â She pressed. He didnât answer. âTorin, or what?!â
âI may be wrong, hopefully I am, but I fear your husband has been kidnapped.â
Cinder froze. Thankfully, she was already in her neighborhood or else she would have crashed into someone else.Â
âCinder, this is a reach. I donât think anything bad happened.â He tried to comfort her.
âNo, you think this is the most likely answer, or else you wouldn't have hesitated.â
He sighed, the stress obvious even through the phone. âJust stay home Cinder. Everything will be okay.â
Being left alone was not the right choice for Cinder. She drove herself crazy with horrible theories. Pacing non-stop around the condo, she told all her friends about Kai. Iko resolved to come asap, as did Thorne and Cress. The rest said theyâd check in and try not to storm her. She was grateful.
Not even ten minutes later Torin called again.Â
Heart racing, she answered. âHello?â
His voice sounded dejected, heartbroken and tired. She knew exactly how he felt. âI think we need to get the police involved.â
Her heart dropped. Her mind spiraled, her hand shook uncontrollably, she even dropped to her knees. She rubbed her stomach in an attempt to calm herself. She spoke in an assured voice. âOk. Iâll call them.âÂ
Even through shaking fingers, she dialed 911. âHello, this is 911, what is your emergency.â
âHi, my name is Cinder Prince and my husband is missing.â
Hours later there were lights outside the condo and people inside. This was not the type of gathering she expected tonight yet all her friends were here along with Torin and police. They questioned everyone there multiple times and no one had not one lead. Kidnapping, though, became the lead reason to his disappearence. Reasons: Heâs the CEO of a major company with many loved ones and nor very skilled at self-defense.
Cinder sat on the couch with Iko rubbing her back and Scarlet offering her water.
âBreathe, Cinder. Everythingâs gonna be okay.â Scarlet assured.Â
Cinder hunched over with her hand buried in her hair. Slowly rocking herself, she cursed and sat up. Scarlet and Iko shared a look, no doubt noticing how eerily similar this situation to the one a couple months ago with Peony.
âIâm fine.â Cinder assured, taking a swig of Scarletâs water. âHeâs fine. Weâre all fine.â
Iko gave her a worried look and hugged her. âWe should go to a club after this all passes. Dance the shock off.â
Cinder laughed but there was no humor in it. Winter and Jacin walked up to the girls.
âHow are you feeling, dear cousin?â Winter inquired.
âHorrible, but managing.â How she managed to not break down screaming, she didn't know.
Jacin grimaced. âWinter and I need to go check on something very important. Weâll be right back.â
She blinked, feeling like a jerk for not caring about whatever mini emergency they might have. âTake your time.â
The smiled and left.
Scarlet excused herself to go to her husband. Now left alone with Iko, Cinder felt herself start to crack.
âIko,â She murmured, focusing on the corner of the TV. âI canât do this again.â
Her friend knew exactly what she meant. âNothing is happening again, ever.â
âI barely survived the first time. If I lose K-â Cinderâs voice cracked. The surge of emotions that she had ignored all morning came bursting forth like a geyser. Iko tightly pulled her close as she sobbed in her shoulder. âIf I lose him, I lose myself.â
âYou wonât lose him. If I have to go track him down in the sewers like a bounty hunter, I will. Heâll be back soon, youâll see.â Ikoâs words always brought comfort to Cinderâs pain. They spent years comforting each other through Adriâs abuse and Peonyâs pain that they knew the best methods of making the other feel better.
This time they did little to calm Cinderâs panic. âYou donât understand. When Peony died, I died. He brought me back to life. So did you, of course, but he was there for me the most. If he dies, I die. Thereâs no one to bring me back to life again. I live for him. I work, and I clean, and I laugh, and I breathe for him. I love you, Thorne, and everyone else for him. Because of him. If he dies, I die.â
âListen to me Cinder. No one is dying tonight.â Iko squeezed her hand but she continued.
âHeâs probably lying in a ditch, window glass everywhere, stuck in his car, bleeding out right now. On his birthday!â She began to sob. âHe asked me to go to work with him and I said no because I wanted him to have a good birthday, especially after everything heâs done for me. This is cruel. Evil. And itâs all my fault Iko. I- I killed my husband, the only person who would put up with me-â
âCinder! Please snap out of it!â Iko cried. âYouâre overwhelmed and spiraling, enough.â Iko gave her a moment to calm down. Once her breaths became more even, her friend spoke. âYour mind is causing you to say false things. Kai isnât dead. I have a feeling youâd know once he passes. Do you know?â Cinder shook her head. âGood. Two, he isnât the only one capable of resurrecting you. I will try hard as hell to pump your heart again and you know how relentless I am. Besides, thereâs a room full of people who love you who would do anything to bring you back to life, am I wrong? Exactly. Three, if anything, stars forbid, happens, it will not be your fault. We aren't going down this road again. Promise me you wonât blame yourself. Promise me, Cinder.â
Cinder hesitated. âI promise.â She murmured, barely audible.
âGood.â Iko hugged Cinder tight again. âEverything will be okay. Iâll be here for you no matter what, okay?â
âOkay.â
Just then Cinder felt a vibration in her pocket. Frowning, she pulled her phone out. Little did she know sheâd receive the worst call in her entire life.
She answered the phone on speaker. âHello?â Her voice shook.
âIs this Mrs. Prince?â A deep voice greeted her.
âYes, this is she. Who are you?â
âI suggest you go somewhere private.â She gave Iko a weird look. Her friend nodded.Â
After settling herself in a small corner of her condo, she spoke. âOkay. Tell me who you are now or Iâm calling the police.â
âI donât think you want to do that.â
âWhy not? Who are you?!â
âBecause your husband wouldnât agree, isnât that right Mr. Prince?â The entire world froze. She felt ice climb up her veins, overtaking her whole body.
There was movement on the other end of the line, a sound of someone choking and then a voice she loved more than anyone elseâs.
âCINDER?! CINDER!!â Kai cried.
She couldnât even sob. Dread filled her body and strangely enough, so did relief. He wasnât dead. She hasnât lost him yet. Her voice trembled. âKai?â
âCINDER! Whatever you do, donât listen to them, theyâre lying-â He was stopped abruptly by a sickening, flesh-sounding noise. She gasped, in shock. They struck him. They hurt the love of her life. Kai groaned in pain, causing rage to replace everything she had been feeling before.
âKAI! Touch him again and I swear Iâll kill you!â She screamed. Everyone in the room ran towards her but she could only focus on what was on the other side of the line.
The police motioned something to her but she couldnât interpret them.
âNow, letâs not make empty threats, Cindy.â There was a grunt and cry of pain. She suspected they were pulling his hair or something. Quickly that rage submitted into desperation.
âSTOP IT!â She wailed. âLeave him alone! He didnât do anything wrong!â
âYouâre absolutely right, Cindy-â
âDonât call me that. Let him go. Iâll find you.â
There was a loud slap and a sharp whimper. Her heart shattered out of her chest. She could almost see her broken, beaten down expression from the shards of her glass heart.
âMrs. Prince!â The officer barked. âTell us what is going on!â
Cinder continued to push out the world. She choked on the sound of his cries. Another punch and Kai gasped for air. She imagined him breaking down, bleeding, murmuring her name. Her guts twisted in agony, her throat uttered in pain. It should be her in that chair, not him. It never should have been him.
âWhay do you want?â She pleaded. âMoney? We have money, just stop hurting him.â
âNo, my mistress wants something more valuable.â
âAnything, just leave him alone.â There was a clatter in the background.
âNah.â He said lightly, as if hurting another human brought him delight What a sick, twisted man. âItâs for the video Iâm making you. Iâm sure it will liven up the bedroom, if you know what I mean.â A kick to Kaiâs body, another grunt in pain
She shut her eyes so tight they might have ruptured. âYouâre messed up.â She murmured.
âItâs why I have this job. I love torturing entitled bitches like you. I love watching your fake âtoughâ outer skin break.â
There was a muffled yell in the background followed by another gut-piercing slap.
âTell your husband to shut up or I will.â
âWhat do you want?â She asked again. âTell me that and I will give it to you.â
He laughed. âSimple. Your inheritance.â
She scoffed. âMy inheritance? Is this a joke?â
âYou are a Blackburn, are you not?â
âA disowned one. The wouldnât give me cent.â
âAh, thatâs where youâre wrong, Cindy. In your mail, which I doubt you checked, youâll find a contract listing all your holdings in Prince Organization, and anything you have in Blackburn Industries.âÂ
She forgot about Blackburn Industries. After her mother died, she owned quite a bit of the twisted business, but like that horrible part of her life, she blocked it out. She remembered her aunt Levana needing her part of the inheritance to take control of everything, but at that point, she was long gone. What she did know, though, is that if her aunt took control of the whole company, lotâs of innocent people will suffer.
She held the phone away and asked one of the officers to check the mail. They left right away. âThe Prince Organization is not my inheritance, I got some of it when I married Kai. Marital rights and all that.â
âI know, itâs not on the contract. I just wanted a tip.â
Cinder couldnât do this for much longer. S
Even breaths, in and out.
âIf I sign this, youâll let him go?â
âAs long as you personally deliver it, you have my word.âÂ
The man hung up, leaving Cinder a void of a human. Once she got the energy to speak, she explained the situation to everyone.
The officer who checked the mail came back with the contract that contained everything the man said it would be.
âDonât sign anything yet.â The police instructed. âLet us investigate everything first. If they call again, tell us.â
Cinder nodded as Iko and Cress guided her to take a seat.
âThatâs absolutely disgusting.â Cress remarked. âHow is it possible for anyone to be that cruel.â
Cress blinked back tears while Thorne comforted her. âKaiâs a strong guy, heâs been through a lot. Heâll endure, Iâm sure.â He said.
âHey.â Scarlet said, seating herself next to Cinder. âWhy donât you take a short bath or shower, fresh yourself up. Youâll feel better afterwards, trust me.â
âWhat if they find something while Iâm gone.â Cinder protested. âI canât just leave.â
âYou won't leave, weâll come and get you right away.â Argued Scarlet.
After some protest, Scarlet and Wolf hauled Cinder to her bathroom.
âTry to relax your mind. Anxiety wonât help the situation at all.â Then her friends left.Â
Baths were Kaiâs method of soothing her. That horrible night when both her sister and step-mother died, Kai had singlehandedly bathed and took her of an unresponsive Cinder. The trauma had left Cinder in a state of shock for several hours and Kai had to drive her home, up the stairs, and in the bath. Blood cakes her entire body and every time she looked at herself sheâd freeze and recount everything that happened step by step. That loop replayed in her mind for hours and the next thing she remembered was Kai in the tub, fully clothed and wrapped around her. That was her first crack of the night. She seemed to sob in his chest forever.
He did a good job with scrubbing all the blood out. He managed to wash her hair too, though she didnât remember it. Heâd talk about his job, the nice old secretary he hired, their finances. He made jokes, not good ones but the kind that are so bad you have to laugh at it. It took her a while for her even smile again, and when she did, it was with him. She was happy again because of him.
Cinder dunked her head in the water and screamed. She let frustration, anger, desperation, depression, and anxiety fuel her throat. She couldnât think about Kai anymore, sheâs supposed to be relaxing. She and him had picked up bathing as a calming process following panic attacks, stress, anxiety, or even just a bad day. Though they bathed separately, it was always more effective when together.
Sighing, she quickly started to wrap up the bath when she got a call. Though it didnât make her top three of worst calls, it was still up there.
A cold ominous feeling seemed to replace the warm water in the bath tub. Cinder dried her hand and slowly picked up the phone. Somehow she knew this call was important.Â
âHello?â She answered with a shaky breath.
There was a pause then a sigh. âYouâve taken your time getting back to us.â Replied a smooth feminine voice. âI take it you want to negotiate?â
The voice sounded horribly familiar. The voice that haunted her life. The voice she had pushed so far down that she couldnât remember who it belonged to.
Fear seized her body. She gripped the edge of the tub to steady herself. âWhat do you mean?â
The woman laughed. âDonât act stupid, Selene, er- Cinder is it?â
She squeezed her eyes out of her forgotten birth name. Had this woman checked her medical records? Who is she? Why would she go to such lengths.
âWhat do you want?â Cinder demanded. âGive me back my husband!â
The woman tittered. âYouâre not in the right place to negotiate that kind of stuff, girl. I could have my men hurt your dearest even more?â
âWhy are you doing this?â Cinder panted.
âIâm running out of patience and I need your finances. This isnât the worst thing Iâve done, so donât worry.â
Cinder paused and recollected her thoughts. âYou said you wanted to negotiate. All I want is my husband back. What can I do to achieve that.â
âYou know what to do, yet youâre reluctant to give it to me. I donât want you to negotiate, I want you to do as youâre told.â
âMy inheritance? Itâs practically useless once my relatives find out Iâm giving it away.â This conversation only solved to further her confusion.
âI just need your signature, then it will be out your my hands.â The voice sighed. âIf you need my word, it shall be yours.â
âIâll think about it.â Cinder mumbled, unsure of to say.
âWell, make your decision fast because in thirty minutes weâll move to harsher punishments on your husband. Iâll have my men call you so you wonât miss out on anything. Goodbye, Mrs. Prince.â The woman hung up with a laugh.
Dumbstruck, Cinder sat in the tub with a slacked jaw. Once again, she could not believe this was happening. Soon enough, sheâll wake up, right?
Once reality became clear again, she hustled out of the bath and tried to get downstairs as soon as possible.
âCinder, whatâs wrong?â Scarlet stopped her frantic run. Her caring friend mustâve notice the desperation on her face. âWhat happened? Did they call you again.â
âYes.â She breathed. âI think is was the person in charge this time. She said in thirty minutes theyâre gonna hurt Kai with more painful methods, I canât let that happen. I have to save him.âÂ
Cinder rushed to the kitchen island where she had last seen the fateful papers.
âWhereâs the contract?!â She yelled.
âThe police took it when they left like two minutes ago.â Iko explained.
Only then did she notice there were no blue uniformed officers around. She spun. âWhy didnât you tell me?â
âI was about to knock when you came rushing out.âÂ
âWhereâ they go? And why?â Cinder asked, voice rising again. Her anxiety and fear were moving too fast in her head to keep up with.
This time Thorne walked up to her and steadied her shoulders. âThey said they had a lead and ran out to pursue it.âÂ
âAnd they didnât tell me?â
âThey wanted to but they had no time.â Thorne frowned and pulled her close. âAll you need to do now is breathe and to have faith that they will find him. This is hard for all of us too, Cinder. Weâll get through it together.â
She leaned against his chest, hiding tears from her friends. They were so good to her and so calm. They must think her crazy or overreactive. They were correct, of course. What she needed was to get her mind straight and collected. She need to swallow one worry at a time instead of swallowing all at once. That way, she wonât do something stupid and make this situation worse.
Once she gathered herself, she pulled away. âOk. Youâre right, Thorne.â Then she smiled and turned to her friends. âThank you guys for being here, I donât know how crazy I couldâve gone without you.â
Crests smiled reassuringly back and walked up to grab her hand. âCâmon, everybody, letâs go sit down.â
As they settled around the living room, Cress went to make some calming tea. Scarlet sighed, pulling out a metal flask. âI fear I might need something stronger.â
Cinder couldnât help but snort as Thorne agreed. âDitto.â She wasnât much for drinking but when Cress handed her tea, she motioned for Scarlet to pour some in.
âOh crap!â She slapped her head. âI forgot I canât drink.â She put the mug down and Cress walked back to refill it.
âWhy not?â Scarlet asked. But Ikoâs eyes went wide.
âDonât tell me youâre-â Iko started but Cinder cut her off with a nod. Hands flew to her mouth. âOh my stars, Cinder.â
âWhat? Youâre what?â Wolf said leaning in.
âIâm not following.â Cress said, sitting down.
âWell, I only found out two weeks ago, which was really convenient because his birthday was so soon and I planned to surprise him now in front of everyone.â Cinder smiled go herself. âHe wouldâve been so happy. That was the biggest surprise I had in stock for him.â
âAces and spades, Cinder. Youâre pregnant.â Thorne concluded. Cinder only nodded in agreement.
Scarlet sat up to hug her. âCongratulations, Cinder. I know how hard you guys worked to do this. Oh, Iâm so proud.â
âItâs bittersweet, you know. He should be here.âÂ
âHe will soon enough.â One by one each of her friends congratulated her and tried not to be over excited. Cinder was happy she remember the good news in spite of the bad.
âGood luck with the newborn years.â Thorne cautioned. âEspecially if you get two like us. Expect no sleep.â Cinder laughed.
âIâd say the toddler years are worse. Youâre not exactly there yet, Thorne.â Wolf argued.
âI say it all depends on the baby. Thomas was a fighter as a newborn, but Michelle stayed consistently feisty. Mara is very quiet.â Added Scarlet. âThe twins are somehow natural opposites.â She laughed to herself.
âYes, Iâve notice how Michelle is so social but Mara very kept to herself.â Cress agreed. âMy twins are like that, but they love being near each other.â
âWell, my girls love their older brother and their father.â Scarlet said with a quick look at Wolf. âThey go wherever the men go. Which is such a shame because they get spoiled to death.âÂ
âAw.â Iko squealed. âHow could you not spoil them with those faces.â
Scarlet smiled warmly. âBelieve me, it is very difficult to say no to them sometimes.â
âBut they need character, Scar.â Wolf muttered, kissing Scarletâs forehead. She looked at him as if they shared an inside joke.Â
âYes, they do, hun.â Scarlet murmured back.
After watching the coupleâs intimacy, Cinder felt her heart begin to slice apart. She wished Kaiâs arms were around her neck right now, kissing her cheek and telling her what a great surprise this wd. And his reaction to her news? Stars above, he wouldâve not been able to quit bouncing off the walls. A ghost of a smile graced her lips as she imagined them holding each other in bed after everyone had left storming up names. After theyâd come up with something serious, he would say Matchia or Matchi which would we short for matcha green latte. Oh, aces and spades, she loved him. Oh, stars, she missed him. Oh, on her poor torn-up heart, please let him be okay. Please let him come back to her, or, at the very least, let her go to him.
At that moment, in the midst of her inner plea, Winter and Jacin stormed through the door without knocking. The group stared at them with confusion, and desperate curiosity. The lot hungered for news about their friend, and based and the coupleâs expressions, it looked like they had an answer.
For a while, they took each other in. Winterâs usually never pulled back hair. Jacinâs blond locks in pure chaos. Cinderâs disheveled posture. A broken heel. A bottle of rum. A stack of papers in a flushed pale hand.Â
At last, Winter broke the analyzation. âCinder.â She breathed. At once, Cinder felt goosebumps create ridges all over her body. Whatever her cousin was to say next was going to destroy her entire existence, or prevent her world from ending. âThereâs a lot I need to share with you, but first, Kai is okay.â
Cinder felt the pressure of her body tighten in disbelief. She stared at Winter in shock. Then, with a shuddering chin, she spoke in a vulnerable, haunted voice. âHeâs okay?â
Winter nodded encouragingly and wrapped her arms around Cinder. They couldnât stop the tears that flowed through in each eye. Around the two, their friends got up and hugged each other in relief. As Cinder quietly sobbed in Winterâs clothes, her cousin whispered in her ear. âWe know who did it.â
As she blinked tears away, her nerves revived and turned more aware. âWho?â She whispered, her voice hungry for an answer.
âThe same person who murdered your stepmother.â Immediately, Cinder pulled away with a furrowed brow.
âWhat happened to my stepmother was an accident.â She asserted.
âNo, it was quite intentional. We found proof of the whole situation being set up. In Adriâs mind, she was going to pretend to attempt suicide in front of you so you could be rattled up enough and easily taken advantage of in that state. The death of your sister only doubles your trauma and weaken your mental strength.â Winter looked at her intensely.
âWhy would she do that?â Cinder murmured.
âShe was offered quite a lot of money.â
âEnough for her to settle peacefully for the rest of her life.â Jacin butt in. His interruption made it clear that the whole room was listening to their conversation. Cinder didnât mind though, and motioned for Winter to keep talking.
âBut the safety on the gun was malfunctioning on purpose. She was meant to die to shake you up even more. And to get rid of evidence I suppose.â
Cinder rose up from the couch, mouth agape. âI donât understand why someone would do something like this. What do they want from me so badly?â She rambled.
âIâm afraid it is had to do with some laws my stepmother cannot tiptoe.â Winter said.
She whipped her head to her cousin frighteningly fast. âLevana?â Her auntâs sinister voice hissed like a snake in her head, the same rattle as the woman in the call. How could Cinder be so dumb, of course it was her aunt?! She needed time to think to put two and two together, to recognize the sliding voice.
Instead of diving herself into the new information, she chose to push it down and focus onto more upcoming matters.
âWhere is Kai?â She urged suddenly. Winter blinked from the sudden change in subject but answered quickly.
âHe should be at the hospital by now? I warned the police to his location before I got here.â
âThank you so much Winter.â She hugged her friend tightly. âAnd Jacin too. Youâve done me the greatest thing imaginable. You found him. Oh stars, Iâm so glad heâs okay. Thank you so much, for everything.â
After the hugs and relieved conversations, Jacin drove Cinder and the group in their respective cars to the hospital.Â
She raced through the sliding doors, ignoring the familiar scent of the wallowing walls. Her fingers gripped the white counter as she asked for Kai.Â
âMay I have some form of identity, please?â said the front desk lady. Cinder was shaking so bad, Thorne had to help her pull out her license.Â
âHeâs in room 102. And two to three visitors at a time, please.â She said, casting a sideways glance to her friends.
Cinder nodded and jogged away, not really knowing where room 102 was. Jacin, being familiar with the hospital, dragged her from running to the opposite end of the building. She was too drained to argue the tight grip on her arm.
Finally, she stood face to face from room 102. The door was the only thing standing in way from her and the love of her life. Scarlet suggested she go in and have a moment alone before the rest of the lot come in. She hesitated when her fingers gripped the handle. Thorne nodded at her to go on in. They shared a reassuring look that gave her confidence.Â
Taking in a deep breath, she opened the door.
He was sleeping. Of course he was sleeping. Her whole body was trembling as drunk him in. She did her usual hung she did when he slept: analyze. And it broke her heart.
The masterpiece she gazed upon every morning without fail was tainted, torn, and unloved. It was as if someone spilled a can of tomato soup on it, or stabbed with a fork. Like it was purposely stomped on or kicked around, ignoring itâs value and love that went into it. Ignoring that he was a person too.
His nose was bandaged up. His left eye was covered by gag-inducing shades of purple, blue, and green. His lips were painfully open and a cut on his skin was covered by two staples. The hair she ruffled this morning was matted and lost itâs depth. Even as he slept, his eyebrows were tight as if he were disturbed. He canât find peace even in his dreams.
Horrified, Cinder covered her mouth with her hands. A wave a fury washed over her again, and she wanted to fish for a scalpel and cut each villain for every time they even breathed near Kaiâs body. She didnât even know what they did to him below his collarbone. Instead, she calmed down and forced herself to approach he beloved, one step at a time.
She had always ben a fan of running. Saving the harder problems for late or, even better, for someone else. Part of her wanted to wait outside and call Torin to wake him up. By the time she reached Kaiâs bedside, she nearly completely swallowed the urge to leap over the bed and run away screaming or chase after those evil men.
Once she made contact with his skin, though, she found it impossible to leave. Her fingers traced his name across his palm, like a plea. She would wait for him to wake up on his own violation, not on hers. But she had also always been impatient.
âKai?â She finally voiced the one thing she wanted to ask. âIâm here my love. Be with me now.â
Because the stars loved to mess with her, he did not wake up instantly like his favorite cheesy movies. Instead, she watched his chest move up and down while their friends waited outside. She felt a little bad for her friends, but Kai needed rest.
After tracing and kissing his arm for the twenty-fifth time, Kai woke up.
His eyes fluttered like small butterfly wings. She froze, not wanting to scare his fragile body away. She watched his lips form her name. His beautiful voice felt miles away from the sheer power of his eyes. He held so much control over her, sheâd do anything with one glance.
He was here. With her. He didnât die. Heâs alive. She didnât die.Â
Before she knew, she was crying. Kai noticed and reached out to her with a bandaged hand. Her breath choked at his wounds but he ignored it. All he wanted was to touch her.
Cinder leaned towards his outstretched hand and let it caress her face. Closing her eyes, she felt him wipe away her tears. Kai softly wrote poetry on her face, as if she were his favorite poem and it had taken him years to write. As if he almost lost her before she could complete her. He didnât want anyone else to write her ending, only him and her as his muse.
He drew in a shake breath, causing Cinder to open her eyes and focus on his tears. Like a catalyst, she sprung from her seat into Kaiâs arms, wrapping herself around his broken body, promising to fix it. She guided his head to her shoulder and told him to cry. She told him to give all his pain to her, she can take it. His hands gripped her hands, although they felt much weaker. His whole body was trembling. What did they do to him?
âOh, Kai, Iâm so glad youâre okay. I thought-
I really thought you were going to-.â She spoke through her tears.
âI know, my love, me too.â His confession only made her cry harder.Â
They laid there for while, sobbing in each otherâs arms, basking in their presence, not taking this moment for granted. They kissed, they hugged, they talked, and they finally agreed to let their friends in.
The ton came in with a rush. Iko was first who grabbed the rails of his bed and asked him if it was okay to hug him. He said yes. The rest embraced him one by one and gave a remark. Lastly, Torin and Nancy, came in (she didnât remember if she called them or not) holding the birthday cake she planned to surprise him with.Â
Laughing, she wiped her tears and walked over to the pair. âTorin, you didnât need to do this!â She hugged him.
âKai always got cranky when he didnât get cake on his birthday.â He said. Then he walked over to Kai and said some words that made her husband cry.
Nainsi placed the cake in the table Cinder pulled out from Kaiâs hospital bed. She invited all her friends in, surely no staff would know for a second.Â
Kaiâs eyes gleamed with joy, despite his wounds. They sang to him but his eyes stayed glued to hers. He mouthed âI love youâ in the midst of his song.
A single tear fell from her eye. She didnât die. He didnât leave her. Feeling the power of the unyielding vow she made at their wedding day, she mouthed. âI love you too.â
Kai was released the next morning. He had a bad concussion that they wanted to watch him overnight. He was fine.
During the car ride, though, he was silent. He had a fractured ankle so he had to wear crutches, and stitches over his left arm and hand. At red lights, sheâd steal glances at his form, how hurt and broken he was.Â
Once they arrived home, she helped them to their room and settled him into their bed. Once he was comfortable, she plopped right next to him.Â
His head turned to her with smirk. âWhat?â Cinder asked with a smile. She tucked her elbow underneath her head so she could talk to him better.
âNothing.â He murmured. âYouâre going to be a good mom.âÂ
Her eyes widened, she had forgot about their brewing child. How did he know? Who told him? âWhat?â She said in shock.
âSorry!â He murmured, turning his head to the ceiling. âI know we just started talking about kids a couple months ago, but when I was in that room, I kept thinking that I didnât want to die without raising a kid. And seeing you again, of course, but I really want a baby.â He sighed. âSorry if I scared you off.â
She unsuccessfully smothered a giggle. He turned to her with a raised eyebrow. âWhat?â
âNothing, itâs just timing.â She explained. âYou only got to wait nine months to raise a kid.â
Kai nodded. âOkay. In nine months, weâll try for a kid.âÂ
Cinder knew she shouldnât but she laughed at his concussed brain. âNo, I mean your kid will be born in nine months.âÂ
Kai looked at her confused. âWeâre adopting.â
She smiled, kissing his cheek. âBless your heart, my love. Iâm pregnant. Due dateâs in December.â
He only blinked at her slowly until it sank. âOh stars, weâre having a baby. Youâre cooking it right now!â
He started to get up, but she put him down. Her smile grew wider at his excitement. His face was pure wonder and endearment. âDonât get up, baby, you can celebrate from here.â
âCinder, youâre gonna be a real momma!â He reached out to her face, laughing. âShould I call you momma?â
She threw her head back and laughed. âIf you want to.â
He started shaking his head excitedly. âItâs the best nickname ever! I love you, momma.â
She ticked her head once to the side. It sounded weird, but whatever helped his healing brain.
As they lay there, laughing, kissing, and holding each other, she vowed to never let anything happen to him again. Now that their family was growing, no one will hurt any member of it. They will never get close. She was shutting the door on that chapter of her life, making sure no one will come knocking ever again. They were going to start a happy life, and raise a happy family. No one will ever come between them again.
A/N: One, I wrote 8k words?!!??! No wonder this pic was haunting me. Anyways, I made this on a whim but have no fear, I have a raider takeout fit that will follow up this as soon as I feel like publishing it. Two, the editing is so bad, the story has SO many holes, I just got tired of explaining. I'm sorry if it bores you, skip to the end if you like, whatever, but show some love if you want that makeout fic. Three, I have nothing else to say. Goodbye for now!
Tagging: @just2bubbly @cinderswrench @cindersassasin @the-wee-woo-royal @deprivedmusicaljunkie @crescentchat @notjacinclay @wheresmymom-imlost @salt-warrior @rapunzelfromthemoon @briggycat @impossiblesuitcase @kaider-is-my-otp (these are for my kaider ONLY fics so please ask if you want to be tagged or removed <3)
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Iâm obsessed with incorrect but accurate quotes like these but specifically with Cinder and Kai. They make me love their relationship even more
more tlc incorrect quotes
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Imagine reconciling with the love of your life in the Cherry blossoms in Tokyo, Kai again
He asks her if she wants to marry him and now be happily ever after after thousand misunderstandings.
She's is 23 years and he is in 25 in this story
d-did they break up on this scenario đ
miscommunication trope đ
like, they have an argument based on a huge misunderstanding and they take a break for a little bit because they are surprised at their lack of communication. maybe they needed space.
they get back together a couple of times, but never fully because cinder wonders how this mistake would be repeated later in life. kai, however, is set to never let it happen again.
so they have an argument about getting fully back together and cinder leaves, not because she wants to, but because sheâs scared. kai is heartbroken. why, because he wants to marry her. đđđđ„đ„đ„¶đ„¶
so, more time apart. cinder regrets leaving him and when she gets an invitation to join him at an event in the province of japan, she canât hide her excitement.
theyâre staying there for week and visit popular places in japan. they missed it each other so much it hurts. whyâd they let a silly little argument that was an obstacle in their relationship become a wall?
so she meets him under the cherry blossoms in tokyo one night to apologize and reconcile their relationship. for realsies this time.
as she speaks, cherry blossom leaves fall all over her face and hair, making this scene a beautiful one. the heartfelt confessions, the climate, the nearly tangible emption, kai canât help but think that this is a set up for a proposal. when cinder finishes, he blurts out âletâs get marriedâ. heâs a little cookoo in this au đ±
cinder is shocked bc she was not expecting that and neither was kai. but he explains that they didnât have to get married right away. theyâd just move in the castle together/live together. cute đ„°.
so yeah, if you were expecting a fic, i am sorry. but love this đ«¶.
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PLEASE DO
Cinder has almost died on multiple occasions. This girl has basically looked death in the eye a number of times before the age of 17 and she lived to tell the story. Literally unmatched
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Rereading my tabbed kaider moments and kai is so funny for saying this about being married to levana
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I despise when other people draw winter with dark skin but still just straight white/European features because being beautiful should not be confined to just western standards. Give us ethnic features to embrace and celebrate, we donât need straight noses we want our flat squishy noses to be seen
frrr some people don't really know how to draw black features and i wish they would learn :( bc sometimes she looks like a white girl w a darker skintone slapped onđđđđ
tip for people who may feel like they do this : try using references and practice with them!! it's really helpful w practicing anatomy n stuff if you're looking at real faces with the features that character has, pinterest is 10000/10 for this
some pics i pulled up in like 20 seconds ^
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can we fucking talk about how kai knew cinder would not be ready to accept his marriage proposal after she was crowned queen? so instead he did the most-kai-thing-possible and proposed to her with her fucking foot and instead offered her dance lessons and a promise that she would one day consider being the empress of the commonwealth, his empress? but when cinder jokes with him and says that she was expecting a ring, he immediately says that there are some nice jewelry stores on luna? god i love him and his ability to understand that cinder would not be ready and waited until she was
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Cinder has almost died on multiple occasions. This girl has basically looked death in the eye a number of times before the age of 17 and she lived to tell the story. Literally unmatched
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I THOUGHT IT WAS JUST ME WHO THOUGHT IT WAS THEM
Thought this was Kaider lol
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Only You Can Mend My Heart of Glass
Fluff/ Angst... mostly angst <3
Words: 8k (WOAH THAT SHOCKED ME)
Pairing: Cinder x Kai
Fandom: The Lunar Chronicles
Setting: Modern AU where Cinder has already been traumatized once, and they are married and share a last name :)
Warnings: Implied torture, kidnapping, grunts of pain? (Oh, and very lazy editing, especially after Kai leaves!)
AO3 Link <3
In recent days, Cinder had been waking up with a smile on her face. Nightmares of dead sisters and fake mothers with shotguns finally began to leave her alone. Now she was left with fantasies of suburban households with large playrooms and nurseries with comfy cradles.
Yet, the smile that warmed her face this morning was most likely a consequence of last night. She opened her eyes slowly, getting used to the minimal light the window covered by the blinds provided. Staring upwards, she could see the top of their bedpost, the white ceiling, and the modern fan. Kai was always hot and Cinder didnât mind the temperature, so the fan was usually on, but it stayed still this morning. They definitely were too caught up last night to remember temperature preferences.Â
She turned her head to face her husband who was still asleep. Her smile only softened as she traced the features of his face with her eyes. His face looked like a Renaissance painterâs masterpiece in her eyes, one that she had memorized, analyzed, and wondered at countless times. She interpreted his every expression, when heâd make them, and what they would mean. She wiped his tears and even wiped her own with his neck. She kissed every ridge and touched every bump on his body. If he was an unknown land, she was an explorer who discovered and researched every territory, reporting both the good and the bad.Â
Yawning, she intuitively knew it was around five in the morning, just in time for the sunrise. Good, he needs his sleep. The bags under his eyes looked a little too deep to be healthy. Smirking to herself, she knew exactly what Kai would say if he found her awake in these hours. Heâd have the same reason she had for him not waking up. Stretching as quietly as possible, she scouted the room for a shirt. Kaiâs discarded button-up was the closest thing she could grab. Luckily, it was one of her favorite items of his to wear.
Cinder rolled out of bed without pulling and blankets and quickly put on his shirt. She stood up, smiling in success, and gave Kai a celebratory kiss.Â
âDonât wake up.â She whispered, but she knew he couldnât hear her. He didnât even stir.
Before she headed downstairs to watch the sunrise, she stopped by his wardrobe for a pair of boxers and sweats, and happily glided down the stairs.Â
The aesthetic of the interior design of their little condo was created via the genius of Ikoâs love for fashion, and Kaiâs perfectionist tendencies. Though Cinder couldnât offer much because of her horrible eye for fashion, she loved her home.
Following her routine for these types of mornings, she prepared hot water for Kaiâs tea and made a coffee for herself. The sun continued to be stubborn while the water heated, so she paid a visit to Kai.
He shifted his position from his side to lying on his stomach while hugging a pillow, back muscles on full display. Cinder told herself not to ogle much on his gorgeous back and limited herself to one (only one?!) kiss on his shoulder. Maybe one more on his smushed forehead, but that was it. He continued not to stir. Triumph!
Finally, the first rays of sunlight revealed themselves through the humble windows. Already, she could feel herself waking up as her body yearned for the warming light.Â
She raced out of their room and positioned herself on the ledge under one of the windows with a mechanicâs manual and another cup of coffee.
The beauty of the sky was enough to hush crying toddlers and bring an old man to tears. Colors danced in the sky, clouds worshipped the sun, and landscapes were heightened to their full beauty. No, sheâd never get tired of witnessing this phenomenon, it was worth the lack of sleep.
And before she knew it, her mechanicâs manual was marked up and the sky turned baby blue.Â
Her stomach rumbled, signifying it was time for a bowl of cereal.
As she poured milk into a bowl of honey nut cheerios. Her mind wandered to the surprises she had planned today. Excitement grew in her stomach as she went over the itinerary and schedule for today. He was going to love it, for sure.
As if on cue, arms suddenly grabbed Cinderâs waist and her feet left the ground for two seconds. She yelped, her pitch high enough for bats to get confused.
She felt soft, quick, little kisses moving along the length of her neck. She giggled uncontrollably as his hands squeezed her waist even harder. He began to exaggerate kissing noises as he tried to claim her neck with his lips as his mark as if he hadnât already thousands of other times.Â
âGood morning to my beautiful, genius, early bird, perfect, wonderful, pretty, petty, and Iâm running out of adjectives to describe my amazing wife.â Her husband greeted her while very gently nipping the places he pecked. More of this and her neck will be glaringly red.
She laughed. âKai!â
âHowâs my lovely wife today?â He murmured, starting on the other side of her neck. She instinctively leaned into him, practically begging him not to stop.
âMmh. Alright, I guess.â She couldnât even remember his question.
He turned her around. Stars Above, was his smile not the most wondrous thing ever created? He was so cute.
Pressing his forehead to hers, he asked another question. âArenât you going to ask your husband how heâs doing?â His copper eyes were enough to awe even the most stubborn.
She barely formed her answer. Stars, she was surprised she could form audible, coherent words. âI was if my husband was a little more patient.â She challenged him back by refusing to look away. Sometimes, she was able to stun him, and it always felt like her greatest achievement.
âItâs quite a shame then because your husband is having a wonderful morning.â He pulled suddenly, smiling wider (if possible).Â
âToday is going to be a great day, my love. I can feel it.â
âIâll make sure of it.â She bit her lip, pulling him back to her again. âI have lots of surprises planned today.â
Kaiâs gaze became a fraction more intense. âOh? May I ask what kinds?â
âThen they wouldnât be surprises, dummy.â
His small smile will be the death of her. âCan you spoil a surprise right now?â He lightly whispered against her ear, nudging her cheek with his nose.
He breathed her name slowly and pulled her waist tight with his. As soon as he kissed her, she felt herself unravel. She turned her head to his and kissed him fully on the lips, pulling at his hair. He grunted in pleasure and licked her bottom lip.
She whispered his name in between breaths and in response he sat her on the counter, somehow missing the bowl of cereal she had been preparing.
He dug himself into her, enveloping Cinder fully. Their breaths became more desperate as she kissed him harder. Caressing his cheek with her hand, she guided him to stay on her lips. He liked to linger down on her collarbone and neck often, and to be honest, so did she, but today she wanted the focus on her lips. They couldnât get too carried away, not today at least.
Kai, however, did not take the hint and kept devouring her, as if last night wasnât enough. Wrapping her legs around his waist, he nurtured her lips to flourish. The temptation to let him carry her away was much stronger than she expected, and she knew a little more of this would end her resolve. So she pulled away with a mocking smirk and pecked the tip of his nose.
He looked down, blinking the haze away and through the confusion. Only now did she notice his work attire was only half-put together. His tie somehow fell on the floor (she suspected it was never tied), his blazer was nowhere to be seen, and his button-up lacked buttoning. None of it was her fault, she was sure.
âIt canât be earlier than six thirty now and if continue on the path I think weâre headed on, then you will be late.â She let her hand glide up his chest as if to comfort him.
His face dropped as he continued to look at her desirously, not helping to cease her shivers. âThis is a crime. Youâre making me wait on my birthday.â
Cinder laughed. âWhat is a crime is your lack of patience.â She leaned in to tease him while brushing his chin and he fell for it. He sighed, closing her eyes and breathing her in, ready to kiss. She jerked away and stood up from the counter. Kai lost his balance and held onto her for support.
Cinder broke into laughter, digging her face into his neck. She kneeled to pick up his discarded (and decidedly unloved tie).
âThat works,â Kai remarked. Flushing, she stood up immediately to glare at him.
âTrust me, tonight will be worth it.â She winked, wrapping the thin piece of fabric around his neck. âI made a couple of things for you to decorate your office with-â
âAw, darling, I love it when you make me things.â
â-and our friends are gonna pay a short visit.â Once she completed the first step of tying his tie, she glanced at him to see a joyfully radiant smile. Cinder grinned to herself. He liked it.
âWill there be cake?â He asked. She resisted rolling his eyes as her husband was no better than a small kid. She continued her task.
âYes, babe, there will be cake.â A big loop.
âAnd a party?â
âRight here, with all our friends.â Through the loop.
âAnd time for plenty of cuddling and kisses with my beloved wife?â
Cinder smiled softly. âAnything for my beloved husband.â Tighten the strands. âIt is his birthday after all.â
âHm. How is a pretty girl like you married to such an old guy?â
âThirty is not old at all!â She pat his chest. âAnd Iâm not pretty enough to be dating cougars.â
Kai huffed, scrunching his eyebrows. âWhat does that even mean?â
âWell, you know how the most gorgeous models are dating, like, practically dead men?âÂ
âYes.â
âWell, Iâm not that level of pretty for that level of decay to be attracted to me.â She had no clue what she was saying.
Kai smothered his giggle. âOh, darling, Iâm sure the most crusty, old, wheel-chair bound man will fall in love with your beauty. If I were in that position, I would.â
She squeezed her eyes shut. âCan we scrap this conversation? I donât even know where weâre going with this.â
âYes, please.â He agreed.
They stood in their small kitchen with their foreheads pressed against each other. She couldâve stayed there for a lifetime if he didnât pull away.
âHey.â He murmured, pulling away.
âHey.â She smiled, pressing her chin to her chest.Â
âWill you come with me to work today? I donât know.â Kai whispered. She chewed her bottom lip. âI had this weird feeling all of the sudden, and I donât want anything happening to you-â
Cinder him off with a soft laugh. She knew how these past few months had been hard on him. All of his anxiety centered around her and something bad happening to her. Heâd been the primary one to care for her after her sister died and her stepmother accidentally killed herself. He found Cinder hyperventilating, trying to keep Adri alive by putting pressure on the wound. He scrubbed blood, dirt, and grime off her body. He coaxed her through panic attacks and nightmares. It must have been so hard for him to go through that, and he never told anyone that he was struggling. Cinder had to find that out by herself.
âNothing will happen to me, I promise. I canât go with you, love, Iâm sorry. Iâm stuck preparing your birthday surprises.â She reassured.Â
Kai sighed, holding her hand to his cheek, and gave it a small kiss. âI understand. Iâll see you later then?â
âOf course. I love you.â
âI love you darling. You are my everything, donât forget that.â
âDo you always have to out-love me?â Cinder whined.
âStay safe.â
Kai left for work soon after, and Cinder was left alone. Usually, sheâd go and work as a mechanic around this time, but today she had tasks to complete.Â
She made sure the floors were crumb-less, and the windows spotless. Everyone confirmed their arrival time. 6:30. She had all day to finish everything.
Once she finished cleaning the house, she left for the grocery store. There was a nicely done charcuterie board for sale, along with sangria and red wine. She needed chips, non-alcoholic drinks, dessert, and of course, cake. After she grabbed everything save for the main attraction, she headed to the bakery.
It was here while watching the baker write Kaiâs name on the chocolate cake that Cinder got the call that will haunt her forever. It was the third worst call she ever received, second being Peonyâs death, and first being a much, much worse one.
She felt the dread Kai mustâve felt that morning, as if something horrible will happen. Recognizing the number from their company, she picked up. âHello?â
âMrs. Prince? Sorry to disturb you, but is Mr. Prince with you by any chance?â
She glanced at the baker in confusion. âNo. Why?â
âIt may be for a silly reason but we canât seem to find your husband.â
The silence following was overwhelming. Cinder had to force herself to calm down because she could feel her panic start to spiral. âWhat?â She barked. âWhat do you mean you canât find my husband?â
âWell, he isnât picking up his phone, maâam, and not even Torin can find him.â
She pinched her forehead with her fingers. âHold on, let me try calling him.â
She hung up quickly and called her husband, but he never picked up.
âMiss? Your cake is ready. Is it good or do you want me to fix anything?â The baker said in a sweet voice.
âThank you. Can you box it up please?â
âOf course.â
Cinder decided to check out as a way to convince herself this is just a big misunderstanding. Maybe heâs taking a nap and his phone died or something silly. Yet her fingers kept trembling and the strands of her hair continued to be annoying. She stayed in contact with the company the whole time and they kept asking her if she heard from him. Clearly, if she was asking them about Kaiâs whereabouts, she didnât know Kaiâs whereabouts!
Their panicked Once she paid she flew to her car and called Torin.
âCinder, stay calm.â He greeted in a baritone.
âDid you find him?!â She cried as she sped down the street.
âNo, not yet-â
âWhat even happened?! How can no one find him?!â Her panic made were swerve through lanes. When a car honked at her she screamed: âGet off the road!â Strange since she was never the one for road raging.
âCinder, please calm down!â She took the chance to breathe deeply at a red light. âHe was in his office taking calls one moment and gone the next. I am quite shocked to his disappearance as well.â
âAny guessed as to where he could be?â She asked. Torin paused, and Cinder nearly drove her car into a tree.
âHe either fell asleep in the storage room or..â He paused.
âOr what?â She pressed. He didnât answer. âTorin, or what?!â
âI may be wrong, hopefully I am, but I fear your husband has been kidnapped.â
Cinder froze. Thankfully, she was already in her neighborhood or else she would have crashed into someone else.Â
âCinder, this is a reach. I donât think anything bad happened.â He tried to comfort her.
âNo, you think this is the most likely answer, or else you wouldn't have hesitated.â
He sighed, the stress obvious even through the phone. âJust stay home Cinder. Everything will be okay.â
Being left alone was not the right choice for Cinder. She drove herself crazy with horrible theories. Pacing non-stop around the condo, she told all her friends about Kai. Iko resolved to come asap, as did Thorne and Cress. The rest said theyâd check in and try not to storm her. She was grateful.
Not even ten minutes later Torin called again.Â
Heart racing, she answered. âHello?â
His voice sounded dejected, heartbroken and tired. She knew exactly how he felt. âI think we need to get the police involved.â
Her heart dropped. Her mind spiraled, her hand shook uncontrollably, she even dropped to her knees. She rubbed her stomach in an attempt to calm herself. She spoke in an assured voice. âOk. Iâll call them.âÂ
Even through shaking fingers, she dialed 911. âHello, this is 911, what is your emergency.â
âHi, my name is Cinder Prince and my husband is missing.â
Hours later there were lights outside the condo and people inside. This was not the type of gathering she expected tonight yet all her friends were here along with Torin and police. They questioned everyone there multiple times and no one had not one lead. Kidnapping, though, became the lead reason to his disappearence. Reasons: Heâs the CEO of a major company with many loved ones and nor very skilled at self-defense.
Cinder sat on the couch with Iko rubbing her back and Scarlet offering her water.
âBreathe, Cinder. Everythingâs gonna be okay.â Scarlet assured.Â
Cinder hunched over with her hand buried in her hair. Slowly rocking herself, she cursed and sat up. Scarlet and Iko shared a look, no doubt noticing how eerily similar this situation to the one a couple months ago with Peony.
âIâm fine.â Cinder assured, taking a swig of Scarletâs water. âHeâs fine. Weâre all fine.â
Iko gave her a worried look and hugged her. âWe should go to a club after this all passes. Dance the shock off.â
Cinder laughed but there was no humor in it. Winter and Jacin walked up to the girls.
âHow are you feeling, dear cousin?â Winter inquired.
âHorrible, but managing.â How she managed to not break down screaming, she didn't know.
Jacin grimaced. âWinter and I need to go check on something very important. Weâll be right back.â
She blinked, feeling like a jerk for not caring about whatever mini emergency they might have. âTake your time.â
The smiled and left.
Scarlet excused herself to go to her husband. Now left alone with Iko, Cinder felt herself start to crack.
âIko,â She murmured, focusing on the corner of the TV. âI canât do this again.â
Her friend knew exactly what she meant. âNothing is happening again, ever.â
âI barely survived the first time. If I lose K-â Cinderâs voice cracked. The surge of emotions that she had ignored all morning came bursting forth like a geyser. Iko tightly pulled her close as she sobbed in her shoulder. âIf I lose him, I lose myself.â
âYou wonât lose him. If I have to go track him down in the sewers like a bounty hunter, I will. Heâll be back soon, youâll see.â Ikoâs words always brought comfort to Cinderâs pain. They spent years comforting each other through Adriâs abuse and Peonyâs pain that they knew the best methods of making the other feel better.
This time they did little to calm Cinderâs panic. âYou donât understand. When Peony died, I died. He brought me back to life. So did you, of course, but he was there for me the most. If he dies, I die. Thereâs no one to bring me back to life again. I live for him. I work, and I clean, and I laugh, and I breathe for him. I love you, Thorne, and everyone else for him. Because of him. If he dies, I die.â
âListen to me Cinder. No one is dying tonight.â Iko squeezed her hand but she continued.
âHeâs probably lying in a ditch, window glass everywhere, stuck in his car, bleeding out right now. On his birthday!â She began to sob. âHe asked me to go to work with him and I said no because I wanted him to have a good birthday, especially after everything heâs done for me. This is cruel. Evil. And itâs all my fault Iko. I- I killed my husband, the only person who would put up with me-â
âCinder! Please snap out of it!â Iko cried. âYouâre overwhelmed and spiraling, enough.â Iko gave her a moment to calm down. Once her breaths became more even, her friend spoke. âYour mind is causing you to say false things. Kai isnât dead. I have a feeling youâd know once he passes. Do you know?â Cinder shook her head. âGood. Two, he isnât the only one capable of resurrecting you. I will try hard as hell to pump your heart again and you know how relentless I am. Besides, thereâs a room full of people who love you who would do anything to bring you back to life, am I wrong? Exactly. Three, if anything, stars forbid, happens, it will not be your fault. We aren't going down this road again. Promise me you wonât blame yourself. Promise me, Cinder.â
Cinder hesitated. âI promise.â She murmured, barely audible.
âGood.â Iko hugged Cinder tight again. âEverything will be okay. Iâll be here for you no matter what, okay?â
âOkay.â
Just then Cinder felt a vibration in her pocket. Frowning, she pulled her phone out. Little did she know sheâd receive the worst call in her entire life.
She answered the phone on speaker. âHello?â Her voice shook.
âIs this Mrs. Prince?â A deep voice greeted her.
âYes, this is she. Who are you?â
âI suggest you go somewhere private.â She gave Iko a weird look. Her friend nodded.Â
After settling herself in a small corner of her condo, she spoke. âOkay. Tell me who you are now or Iâm calling the police.â
âI donât think you want to do that.â
âWhy not? Who are you?!â
âBecause your husband wouldnât agree, isnât that right Mr. Prince?â The entire world froze. She felt ice climb up her veins, overtaking her whole body.
There was movement on the other end of the line, a sound of someone choking and then a voice she loved more than anyone elseâs.
âCINDER?! CINDER!!â Kai cried.
She couldnât even sob. Dread filled her body and strangely enough, so did relief. He wasnât dead. She hasnât lost him yet. Her voice trembled. âKai?â
âCINDER! Whatever you do, donât listen to them, theyâre lying-â He was stopped abruptly by a sickening, flesh-sounding noise. She gasped, in shock. They struck him. They hurt the love of her life. Kai groaned in pain, causing rage to replace everything she had been feeling before.
âKAI! Touch him again and I swear Iâll kill you!â She screamed. Everyone in the room ran towards her but she could only focus on what was on the other side of the line.
The police motioned something to her but she couldnât interpret them.
âNow, letâs not make empty threats, Cindy.â There was a grunt and cry of pain. She suspected they were pulling his hair or something. Quickly that rage submitted into desperation.
âSTOP IT!â She wailed. âLeave him alone! He didnât do anything wrong!â
âYouâre absolutely right, Cindy-â
âDonât call me that. Let him go. Iâll find you.â
There was a loud slap and a sharp whimper. Her heart shattered out of her chest. She could almost see her broken, beaten down expression from the shards of her glass heart.
âMrs. Prince!â The officer barked. âTell us what is going on!â
Cinder continued to push out the world. She choked on the sound of his cries. Another punch and Kai gasped for air. She imagined him breaking down, bleeding, murmuring her name. Her guts twisted in agony, her throat uttered in pain. It should be her in that chair, not him. It never should have been him.
âWhay do you want?â She pleaded. âMoney? We have money, just stop hurting him.â
âNo, my mistress wants something more valuable.â
âAnything, just leave him alone.â There was a clatter in the background.
âNah.â He said lightly, as if hurting another human brought him delight What a sick, twisted man. âItâs for the video Iâm making you. Iâm sure it will liven up the bedroom, if you know what I mean.â A kick to Kaiâs body, another grunt in pain
She shut her eyes so tight they might have ruptured. âYouâre messed up.â She murmured.
âItâs why I have this job. I love torturing entitled bitches like you. I love watching your fake âtoughâ outer skin break.â
There was a muffled yell in the background followed by another gut-piercing slap.
âTell your husband to shut up or I will.â
âWhat do you want?â She asked again. âTell me that and I will give it to you.â
He laughed. âSimple. Your inheritance.â
She scoffed. âMy inheritance? Is this a joke?â
âYou are a Blackburn, are you not?â
âA disowned one. The wouldnât give me cent.â
âAh, thatâs where youâre wrong, Cindy. In your mail, which I doubt you checked, youâll find a contract listing all your holdings in Prince Organization, and anything you have in Blackburn Industries.âÂ
She forgot about Blackburn Industries. After her mother died, she owned quite a bit of the twisted business, but like that horrible part of her life, she blocked it out. She remembered her aunt Levana needing her part of the inheritance to take control of everything, but at that point, she was long gone. What she did know, though, is that if her aunt took control of the whole company, lotâs of innocent people will suffer.
She held the phone away and asked one of the officers to check the mail. They left right away. âThe Prince Organization is not my inheritance, I got some of it when I married Kai. Marital rights and all that.â
âI know, itâs not on the contract. I just wanted a tip.â
Cinder couldnât do this for much longer. S
Even breaths, in and out.
âIf I sign this, youâll let him go?â
âAs long as you personally deliver it, you have my word.âÂ
The man hung up, leaving Cinder a void of a human. Once she got the energy to speak, she explained the situation to everyone.
The officer who checked the mail came back with the contract that contained everything the man said it would be.
âDonât sign anything yet.â The police instructed. âLet us investigate everything first. If they call again, tell us.â
Cinder nodded as Iko and Cress guided her to take a seat.
âThatâs absolutely disgusting.â Cress remarked. âHow is it possible for anyone to be that cruel.â
Cress blinked back tears while Thorne comforted her. âKaiâs a strong guy, heâs been through a lot. Heâll endure, Iâm sure.â He said.
âHey.â Scarlet said, seating herself next to Cinder. âWhy donât you take a short bath or shower, fresh yourself up. Youâll feel better afterwards, trust me.â
âWhat if they find something while Iâm gone.â Cinder protested. âI canât just leave.â
âYou won't leave, weâll come and get you right away.â Argued Scarlet.
After some protest, Scarlet and Wolf hauled Cinder to her bathroom.
âTry to relax your mind. Anxiety wonât help the situation at all.â Then her friends left.Â
Baths were Kaiâs method of soothing her. That horrible night when both her sister and step-mother died, Kai had singlehandedly bathed and took her of an unresponsive Cinder. The trauma had left Cinder in a state of shock for several hours and Kai had to drive her home, up the stairs, and in the bath. Blood cakes her entire body and every time she looked at herself sheâd freeze and recount everything that happened step by step. That loop replayed in her mind for hours and the next thing she remembered was Kai in the tub, fully clothed and wrapped around her. That was her first crack of the night. She seemed to sob in his chest forever.
He did a good job with scrubbing all the blood out. He managed to wash her hair too, though she didnât remember it. Heâd talk about his job, the nice old secretary he hired, their finances. He made jokes, not good ones but the kind that are so bad you have to laugh at it. It took her a while for her even smile again, and when she did, it was with him. She was happy again because of him.
Cinder dunked her head in the water and screamed. She let frustration, anger, desperation, depression, and anxiety fuel her throat. She couldnât think about Kai anymore, sheâs supposed to be relaxing. She and him had picked up bathing as a calming process following panic attacks, stress, anxiety, or even just a bad day. Though they bathed separately, it was always more effective when together.
Sighing, she quickly started to wrap up the bath when she got a call. Though it didnât make her top three of worst calls, it was still up there.
A cold ominous feeling seemed to replace the warm water in the bath tub. Cinder dried her hand and slowly picked up the phone. Somehow she knew this call was important.Â
âHello?â She answered with a shaky breath.
There was a pause then a sigh. âYouâve taken your time getting back to us.â Replied a smooth feminine voice. âI take it you want to negotiate?â
The voice sounded horribly familiar. The voice that haunted her life. The voice she had pushed so far down that she couldnât remember who it belonged to.
Fear seized her body. She gripped the edge of the tub to steady herself. âWhat do you mean?â
The woman laughed. âDonât act stupid, Selene, er- Cinder is it?â
She squeezed her eyes out of her forgotten birth name. Had this woman checked her medical records? Who is she? Why would she go to such lengths.
âWhat do you want?â Cinder demanded. âGive me back my husband!â
The woman tittered. âYouâre not in the right place to negotiate that kind of stuff, girl. I could have my men hurt your dearest even more?â
âWhy are you doing this?â Cinder panted.
âIâm running out of patience and I need your finances. This isnât the worst thing Iâve done, so donât worry.â
Cinder paused and recollected her thoughts. âYou said you wanted to negotiate. All I want is my husband back. What can I do to achieve that.â
âYou know what to do, yet youâre reluctant to give it to me. I donât want you to negotiate, I want you to do as youâre told.â
âMy inheritance? Itâs practically useless once my relatives find out Iâm giving it away.â This conversation only solved to further her confusion.
âI just need your signature, then it will be out your my hands.â The voice sighed. âIf you need my word, it shall be yours.â
âIâll think about it.â Cinder mumbled, unsure of to say.
âWell, make your decision fast because in thirty minutes weâll move to harsher punishments on your husband. Iâll have my men call you so you wonât miss out on anything. Goodbye, Mrs. Prince.â The woman hung up with a laugh.
Dumbstruck, Cinder sat in the tub with a slacked jaw. Once again, she could not believe this was happening. Soon enough, sheâll wake up, right?
Once reality became clear again, she hustled out of the bath and tried to get downstairs as soon as possible.
âCinder, whatâs wrong?â Scarlet stopped her frantic run. Her caring friend mustâve notice the desperation on her face. âWhat happened? Did they call you again.â
âYes.â She breathed. âI think is was the person in charge this time. She said in thirty minutes theyâre gonna hurt Kai with more painful methods, I canât let that happen. I have to save him.âÂ
Cinder rushed to the kitchen island where she had last seen the fateful papers.
âWhereâs the contract?!â She yelled.
âThe police took it when they left like two minutes ago.â Iko explained.
Only then did she notice there were no blue uniformed officers around. She spun. âWhy didnât you tell me?â
âI was about to knock when you came rushing out.âÂ
âWhereâ they go? And why?â Cinder asked, voice rising again. Her anxiety and fear were moving too fast in her head to keep up with.
This time Thorne walked up to her and steadied her shoulders. âThey said they had a lead and ran out to pursue it.âÂ
âAnd they didnât tell me?â
âThey wanted to but they had no time.â Thorne frowned and pulled her close. âAll you need to do now is breathe and to have faith that they will find him. This is hard for all of us too, Cinder. Weâll get through it together.â
She leaned against his chest, hiding tears from her friends. They were so good to her and so calm. They must think her crazy or overreactive. They were correct, of course. What she needed was to get her mind straight and collected. She need to swallow one worry at a time instead of swallowing all at once. That way, she wonât do something stupid and make this situation worse.
Once she gathered herself, she pulled away. âOk. Youâre right, Thorne.â Then she smiled and turned to her friends. âThank you guys for being here, I donât know how crazy I couldâve gone without you.â
Crests smiled reassuringly back and walked up to grab her hand. âCâmon, everybody, letâs go sit down.â
As they settled around the living room, Cress went to make some calming tea. Scarlet sighed, pulling out a metal flask. âI fear I might need something stronger.â
Cinder couldnât help but snort as Thorne agreed. âDitto.â She wasnât much for drinking but when Cress handed her tea, she motioned for Scarlet to pour some in.
âOh crap!â She slapped her head. âI forgot I canât drink.â She put the mug down and Cress walked back to refill it.
âWhy not?â Scarlet asked. But Ikoâs eyes went wide.
âDonât tell me youâre-â Iko started but Cinder cut her off with a nod. Hands flew to her mouth. âOh my stars, Cinder.â
âWhat? Youâre what?â Wolf said leaning in.
âIâm not following.â Cress said, sitting down.
âWell, I only found out two weeks ago, which was really convenient because his birthday was so soon and I planned to surprise him now in front of everyone.â Cinder smiled go herself. âHe wouldâve been so happy. That was the biggest surprise I had in stock for him.â
âAces and spades, Cinder. Youâre pregnant.â Thorne concluded. Cinder only nodded in agreement.
Scarlet sat up to hug her. âCongratulations, Cinder. I know how hard you guys worked to do this. Oh, Iâm so proud.â
âItâs bittersweet, you know. He should be here.âÂ
âHe will soon enough.â One by one each of her friends congratulated her and tried not to be over excited. Cinder was happy she remember the good news in spite of the bad.
âGood luck with the newborn years.â Thorne cautioned. âEspecially if you get two like us. Expect no sleep.â Cinder laughed.
âIâd say the toddler years are worse. Youâre not exactly there yet, Thorne.â Wolf argued.
âI say it all depends on the baby. Thomas was a fighter as a newborn, but Michelle stayed consistently feisty. Mara is very quiet.â Added Scarlet. âThe twins are somehow natural opposites.â She laughed to herself.
âYes, Iâve notice how Michelle is so social but Mara very kept to herself.â Cress agreed. âMy twins are like that, but they love being near each other.â
âWell, my girls love their older brother and their father.â Scarlet said with a quick look at Wolf. âThey go wherever the men go. Which is such a shame because they get spoiled to death.âÂ
âAw.â Iko squealed. âHow could you not spoil them with those faces.â
Scarlet smiled warmly. âBelieve me, it is very difficult to say no to them sometimes.â
âBut they need character, Scar.â Wolf muttered, kissing Scarletâs forehead. She looked at him as if they shared an inside joke.Â
âYes, they do, hun.â Scarlet murmured back.
After watching the coupleâs intimacy, Cinder felt her heart begin to slice apart. She wished Kaiâs arms were around her neck right now, kissing her cheek and telling her what a great surprise this wd. And his reaction to her news? Stars above, he wouldâve not been able to quit bouncing off the walls. A ghost of a smile graced her lips as she imagined them holding each other in bed after everyone had left storming up names. After theyâd come up with something serious, he would say Matchia or Matchi which would we short for matcha green latte. Oh, aces and spades, she loved him. Oh, stars, she missed him. Oh, on her poor torn-up heart, please let him be okay. Please let him come back to her, or, at the very least, let her go to him.
At that moment, in the midst of her inner plea, Winter and Jacin stormed through the door without knocking. The group stared at them with confusion, and desperate curiosity. The lot hungered for news about their friend, and based and the coupleâs expressions, it looked like they had an answer.
For a while, they took each other in. Winterâs usually never pulled back hair. Jacinâs blond locks in pure chaos. Cinderâs disheveled posture. A broken heel. A bottle of rum. A stack of papers in a flushed pale hand.Â
At last, Winter broke the analyzation. âCinder.â She breathed. At once, Cinder felt goosebumps create ridges all over her body. Whatever her cousin was to say next was going to destroy her entire existence, or prevent her world from ending. âThereâs a lot I need to share with you, but first, Kai is okay.â
Cinder felt the pressure of her body tighten in disbelief. She stared at Winter in shock. Then, with a shuddering chin, she spoke in a vulnerable, haunted voice. âHeâs okay?â
Winter nodded encouragingly and wrapped her arms around Cinder. They couldnât stop the tears that flowed through in each eye. Around the two, their friends got up and hugged each other in relief. As Cinder quietly sobbed in Winterâs clothes, her cousin whispered in her ear. âWe know who did it.â
As she blinked tears away, her nerves revived and turned more aware. âWho?â She whispered, her voice hungry for an answer.
âThe same person who murdered your stepmother.â Immediately, Cinder pulled away with a furrowed brow.
âWhat happened to my stepmother was an accident.â She asserted.
âNo, it was quite intentional. We found proof of the whole situation being set up. In Adriâs mind, she was going to pretend to attempt suicide in front of you so you could be rattled up enough and easily taken advantage of in that state. The death of your sister only doubles your trauma and weaken your mental strength.â Winter looked at her intensely.
âWhy would she do that?â Cinder murmured.
âShe was offered quite a lot of money.â
âEnough for her to settle peacefully for the rest of her life.â Jacin butt in. His interruption made it clear that the whole room was listening to their conversation. Cinder didnât mind though, and motioned for Winter to keep talking.
âBut the safety on the gun was malfunctioning on purpose. She was meant to die to shake you up even more. And to get rid of evidence I suppose.â
Cinder rose up from the couch, mouth agape. âI donât understand why someone would do something like this. What do they want from me so badly?â She rambled.
âIâm afraid it is had to do with some laws my stepmother cannot tiptoe.â Winter said.
She whipped her head to her cousin frighteningly fast. âLevana?â Her auntâs sinister voice hissed like a snake in her head, the same rattle as the woman in the call. How could Cinder be so dumb, of course it was her aunt?! She needed time to think to put two and two together, to recognize the sliding voice.
Instead of diving herself into the new information, she chose to push it down and focus onto more upcoming matters.
âWhere is Kai?â She urged suddenly. Winter blinked from the sudden change in subject but answered quickly.
âHe should be at the hospital by now? I warned the police to his location before I got here.â
âThank you so much Winter.â She hugged her friend tightly. âAnd Jacin too. Youâve done me the greatest thing imaginable. You found him. Oh stars, Iâm so glad heâs okay. Thank you so much, for everything.â
After the hugs and relieved conversations, Jacin drove Cinder and the group in their respective cars to the hospital.Â
She raced through the sliding doors, ignoring the familiar scent of the wallowing walls. Her fingers gripped the white counter as she asked for Kai.Â
âMay I have some form of identity, please?â said the front desk lady. Cinder was shaking so bad, Thorne had to help her pull out her license.Â
âHeâs in room 102. And two to three visitors at a time, please.â She said, casting a sideways glance to her friends.
Cinder nodded and jogged away, not really knowing where room 102 was. Jacin, being familiar with the hospital, dragged her from running to the opposite end of the building. She was too drained to argue the tight grip on her arm.
Finally, she stood face to face from room 102. The door was the only thing standing in way from her and the love of her life. Scarlet suggested she go in and have a moment alone before the rest of the lot come in. She hesitated when her fingers gripped the handle. Thorne nodded at her to go on in. They shared a reassuring look that gave her confidence.Â
Taking in a deep breath, she opened the door.
He was sleeping. Of course he was sleeping. Her whole body was trembling as drunk him in. She did her usual hung she did when he slept: analyze. And it broke her heart.
The masterpiece she gazed upon every morning without fail was tainted, torn, and unloved. It was as if someone spilled a can of tomato soup on it, or stabbed with a fork. Like it was purposely stomped on or kicked around, ignoring itâs value and love that went into it. Ignoring that he was a person too.
His nose was bandaged up. His left eye was covered by gag-inducing shades of purple, blue, and green. His lips were painfully open and a cut on his skin was covered by two staples. The hair she ruffled this morning was matted and lost itâs depth. Even as he slept, his eyebrows were tight as if he were disturbed. He canât find peace even in his dreams.
Horrified, Cinder covered her mouth with her hands. A wave a fury washed over her again, and she wanted to fish for a scalpel and cut each villain for every time they even breathed near Kaiâs body. She didnât even know what they did to him below his collarbone. Instead, she calmed down and forced herself to approach he beloved, one step at a time.
She had always ben a fan of running. Saving the harder problems for late or, even better, for someone else. Part of her wanted to wait outside and call Torin to wake him up. By the time she reached Kaiâs bedside, she nearly completely swallowed the urge to leap over the bed and run away screaming or chase after those evil men.
Once she made contact with his skin, though, she found it impossible to leave. Her fingers traced his name across his palm, like a plea. She would wait for him to wake up on his own violation, not on hers. But she had also always been impatient.
âKai?â She finally voiced the one thing she wanted to ask. âIâm here my love. Be with me now.â
Because the stars loved to mess with her, he did not wake up instantly like his favorite cheesy movies. Instead, she watched his chest move up and down while their friends waited outside. She felt a little bad for her friends, but Kai needed rest.
After tracing and kissing his arm for the twenty-fifth time, Kai woke up.
His eyes fluttered like small butterfly wings. She froze, not wanting to scare his fragile body away. She watched his lips form her name. His beautiful voice felt miles away from the sheer power of his eyes. He held so much control over her, sheâd do anything with one glance.
He was here. With her. He didnât die. Heâs alive. She didnât die.Â
Before she knew, she was crying. Kai noticed and reached out to her with a bandaged hand. Her breath choked at his wounds but he ignored it. All he wanted was to touch her.
Cinder leaned towards his outstretched hand and let it caress her face. Closing her eyes, she felt him wipe away her tears. Kai softly wrote poetry on her face, as if she were his favorite poem and it had taken him years to write. As if he almost lost her before she could complete her. He didnât want anyone else to write her ending, only him and her as his muse.
He drew in a shake breath, causing Cinder to open her eyes and focus on his tears. Like a catalyst, she sprung from her seat into Kaiâs arms, wrapping herself around his broken body, promising to fix it. She guided his head to her shoulder and told him to cry. She told him to give all his pain to her, she can take it. His hands gripped her hands, although they felt much weaker. His whole body was trembling. What did they do to him?
âOh, Kai, Iâm so glad youâre okay. I thought-
I really thought you were going to-.â She spoke through her tears.
âI know, my love, me too.â His confession only made her cry harder.Â
They laid there for while, sobbing in each otherâs arms, basking in their presence, not taking this moment for granted. They kissed, they hugged, they talked, and they finally agreed to let their friends in.
The ton came in with a rush. Iko was first who grabbed the rails of his bed and asked him if it was okay to hug him. He said yes. The rest embraced him one by one and gave a remark. Lastly, Torin and Nancy, came in (she didnât remember if she called them or not) holding the birthday cake she planned to surprise him with.Â
Laughing, she wiped her tears and walked over to the pair. âTorin, you didnât need to do this!â She hugged him.
âKai always got cranky when he didnât get cake on his birthday.â He said. Then he walked over to Kai and said some words that made her husband cry.
Nainsi placed the cake in the table Cinder pulled out from Kaiâs hospital bed. She invited all her friends in, surely no staff would know for a second.Â
Kaiâs eyes gleamed with joy, despite his wounds. They sang to him but his eyes stayed glued to hers. He mouthed âI love youâ in the midst of his song.
A single tear fell from her eye. She didnât die. He didnât leave her. Feeling the power of the unyielding vow she made at their wedding day, she mouthed. âI love you too.â
Kai was released the next morning. He had a bad concussion that they wanted to watch him overnight. He was fine.
During the car ride, though, he was silent. He had a fractured ankle so he had to wear crutches, and stitches over his left arm and hand. At red lights, sheâd steal glances at his form, how hurt and broken he was.Â
Once they arrived home, she helped them to their room and settled him into their bed. Once he was comfortable, she plopped right next to him.Â
His head turned to her with smirk. âWhat?â Cinder asked with a smile. She tucked her elbow underneath her head so she could talk to him better.
âNothing.â He murmured. âYouâre going to be a good mom.âÂ
Her eyes widened, she had forgot about their brewing child. How did he know? Who told him? âWhat?â She said in shock.
âSorry!â He murmured, turning his head to the ceiling. âI know we just started talking about kids a couple months ago, but when I was in that room, I kept thinking that I didnât want to die without raising a kid. And seeing you again, of course, but I really want a baby.â He sighed. âSorry if I scared you off.â
She unsuccessfully smothered a giggle. He turned to her with a raised eyebrow. âWhat?â
âNothing, itâs just timing.â She explained. âYou only got to wait nine months to raise a kid.â
Kai nodded. âOkay. In nine months, weâll try for a kid.âÂ
Cinder knew she shouldnât but she laughed at his concussed brain. âNo, I mean your kid will be born in nine months.âÂ
Kai looked at her confused. âWeâre adopting.â
She smiled, kissing his cheek. âBless your heart, my love. Iâm pregnant. Due dateâs in December.â
He only blinked at her slowly until it sank. âOh stars, weâre having a baby. Youâre cooking it right now!â
He started to get up, but she put him down. Her smile grew wider at his excitement. His face was pure wonder and endearment. âDonât get up, baby, you can celebrate from here.â
âCinder, youâre gonna be a real momma!â He reached out to her face, laughing. âShould I call you momma?â
She threw her head back and laughed. âIf you want to.â
He started shaking his head excitedly. âItâs the best nickname ever! I love you, momma.â
She ticked her head once to the side. It sounded weird, but whatever helped his healing brain.
As they lay there, laughing, kissing, and holding each other, she vowed to never let anything happen to him again. Now that their family was growing, no one will hurt any member of it. They will never get close. She was shutting the door on that chapter of her life, making sure no one will come knocking ever again. They were going to start a happy life, and raise a happy family. No one will ever come between them again.
A/N: One, I wrote 8k words?!!??! No wonder this pic was haunting me. Anyways, I made this on a whim but have no fear, I have a raider takeout fit that will follow up this as soon as I feel like publishing it. Two, the editing is so bad, the story has SO many holes, I just got tired of explaining. I'm sorry if it bores you, skip to the end if you like, whatever, but show some love if you want that makeout fic. Three, I have nothing else to say. Goodbye for now!
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Is this uncle iron in the making
when he grows older kai will deffinitley turn into one of those old men who constantly drink herbal tea and throw words of wisdom and peace at other peopleÂ
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GUYS.
Look at her little baby hand just dangling and those lashes aw. Plus the red lips okayyy. My girl came out the womb serving since day 1
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Everyone keeps forgetting heâs my bf but okay
i forgot yesterday was the seventh but happy birthday to my book boyfriend kai đ©·
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