He's gotten pretty good at the whole distinguishing people by the way they sound when they walk thing. Even now that he's got his sight back, some things just haven't gone away. Then again, it's really not that hard to pick up on that metal leg.
Or maybe that's just something he wants to tell himself, because being more in tune with Cinder than he should be is just slightly awkward.
Still when he turns around, there she is. "Sneaking up on me?"
Cinder scowls. "Why would I do that?"
"Because I'm a handsome scoundrel, and how else will you get one over on me?"
She sighs. She scowls some more. She rolls her eyes at him.
With Thorne, Cinder is everything that she doesn't have to pretend to be. There is no princess here, no world savior - two worlds, at that. Sure, she's still a cyborg, but he's never given a shit about that. With Thorne, Cinder can just be Cinder. And Thorne can just be Thorne.
That's something nobody else will ever get.
"You're definitely a scoundrel," she mutters, reaching around him for the wrench. "I was wondering where this went."
"All part of my plan to get you alone, of course," Thorne answers happily. Actually, he found it out on a bench in the dining area of the ship, but this is a better answer than the truth. "Everyone's vying for the Lunar Princess's attention, what's a man to do?"
That wrench smacks him across the chest - gently.
"Don't call me that. Of all people—"
It's impulse, pure and simple.
He cuts her off by swallowing her words, his lips easing over hers like it's the easiest thing in the world. Like it's natural for him to be kissing her. Like it's nothing.
She's going to kill him.
With a laugh, he pulls away, watching her stare at him with eyes wide with confusion.
"Forget I said anything."
"You didn't!"
"Exactly."