Author's Note: I got an anonymous ask on my blog (andromedawriteslc) about a week ago asking for an older!Cinder, Winter, and Jacin bonding session, so I wrote up a little drabble thing. I hope it's not too terrible. I didn't think I would get it done this week at all. ;A; I hope you like it!
Winter's eyes flooded with tears, though she did not weep. She stared at her friend–her long lost best friend who had finally come back to her. "Jacin," she said, "you were right. Selene does not remember us."
Cinder's heart cracked. "I'm sorry, Winter. I know that I loved you, and that we were best friends, but I don't really have memories from my childhood. Levana took all of that away from me."
The princess's eyes darkened. "Levana took a lot of things from us."
Jacin placed a comforting hand on her shoulder. "It's all right, Your Highness. Selene's back now. We can make up for all of that lost time."
Winter's eyes brightened again, the warmth returning. "Would you like to go see the menagerie, Selene–um, Cinder?"
"I'd love to." She smiled and held her arm out for Winter to take. "I didn't get to see much of it when we were rescuing Scarlet."
"You know she was never in trouble, yes? I quite like her."
Cinder chuckled. "Sure, I know that now."
Winter giddily wrapped her arm through Cinder's and tugged her in the direction of the menagerie.
Cinder listed her head towards Jacin, who was following them now. "So, tell me, Jacin. When did you discover that I was Selene?"
One side of his mouth quirked up. "When I saw what you did to Sybil."
Guilt flooded her stomach, nearly killing her good mood. Sybil had deserved it, even if just for what she'd done to Cress alone, but what Cinder had done to her made her feel as though she were just like Levana. She realized now that it didn't really matter. Cinder would never be like Levana, even if she didn't make an effort either way, even if she wanted to be.
"It's okay, Cinder," said Winter. She seemed to caress every word before it left her mouth. "Sybil was very cruel."
Cinder swallowed the guilt. It would no longer eat her alive.
The menagerie was breathtaking. There were birds flying freely, singing their melodies, there were caged birds singing along, and there were various animals placed throughout.
"This is Ryu!" Winter bent down at the first cage, effectively pulling Cinder with her, and reached her hand through the bars to pet the white wolf. It was not terrifying, as Cinder had expected. "I'm sure you remember him! He was Scarlet's friend when I wasn't around."
Cinder gave a stiff nod. "I'm not sure if Scar used those exact words, but I do remember him."
Winter beamed. "They were the best of friends! They even played fetch! Pet him, he doesn't bite!"
"Uh, I don't–" Winter took Cinder's hand and guided it to the fur of Ryu's head. He sniffed her wrist briefly, licked it, and then nuzzled her palm. It was kind of adorable.
"He likes you! I knew he'd like you!"
Cinder forced a smile. "Yeah, I guess he does."
Just then, Winter jumped up. "You know what we should do?"
Cinder swiveled her gaze to Jacin, who just shrugged, a hint of an apology behind his eyes. Cinder sighed and straightened. "What?"
"Play hide and seek! It was our favorite game when we were kids!"
Jacin cleared his throat, but said nothing.
"Uh, we're not kids anymore, Winter," said Cinder.
"Oh, nonsense. We can still have fun with it. I'll count first! We'll play in here! There are lots of places to hide!"
Winter buried her face in the bark of the hazelnut tree beside Ryu's cage, counting out loud.
"One... two… three…."
Cinder looked at Jacin and he nodded. "Let's hide, then. She only goes to fifteen."
He swished away, presumably to hide. Cinder groaned.
"Seven… eight… nine…."
She half-jogged over to a small collection of bird cages and tucked herself behind one.
"Fourteen… fifteen! Ready or not, here I come!"
Though frustrating, Winter was kind of adorable, too.
Cinder watched as the Lunar princess prowled around the menagerie, peeking over cages and between trees. "Come out, come out, wherever you are!" she sang, practically dancing through the grass and down the trail that cut through the center of the small zoo.
Excitement welled in Cinder's stomach. She hadn't played a stupid childhood game like this since she was young, and it was her, Iko, and Peony instead. A ping of sadness hit her, but she forced it away. This was not a time to be sad. She was winning.
She watched as Winter rounded a corner, and she knew Jacin was hidden there. Winter squealed in delight, and Cinder knew she really had won.
Winter looked around, tugging Jacin along behind her. "But where is Cinder?"
She jumped out from her hiding place and did a victory dance. "I won!"
The princess giggled. "Why, that's not fair, Cinder. It's easy for me to find Jacin because I like Jacin."
An eyebrow shot up. "And you don't like me?"
Winter leaned in, giggling. Jacin was as stone-faced as ever. "Well, not like that, Cinder!" She tucked her arm through Jacin's. He was still staring straight ahead, but Cinder could tell he was straining against a reaction. "Jacin and I are going to get married one day! And you and all of your friends are invited!" Her golden eyes lit up impossibly more, her ruby red lips rounding in excitement. "Oh! When you and Emperor Kaito are married, we can come, right?"
Butterflies erupted in Cinder's stomach. It happened every time she thought of her and Kai and their now-possible future. She rubbed the back of her neck. "Of course, Winter. I can't not invite my childhood best friend to my wedding!"
One arm still hooked through the guard's, Winter threw her free arm around Cinder and pulled her in. "I'm so happy! I'm so glad you came back, Cinder!"
This time, even Jacin showed a tinge of weakness. With a light chuckle, he wrapped his arm around the cyborg, and Cinder felt him link hands with Winter behind her back.
Somehow, she knew that this was nothing new for the trio.
It almost felt like home.