Canon one shot following on from the end of Winter. This is a one shot I've had in my head for a while for this couple ever since I listened to the song seven wonders of the world from the musical Catch Me if You Can which I felt fit them really well. First foray with this ship which is my favorite from the books but I've been lurking on this fandom for a while and I hope you enjoy this and all the fluff as I want to do more with these two little beans.

Verity

"You know I still don't understand why you love me," Cress mumbled around a yawn. She'd woken up a few minutes ago and was lying sprawled out on his bed watching as Thorne busied himself around the room preparing for the day ahead. She hadn't meant to fall asleep there she'd only gone because she heard him calling out in the night and knowing that he suffered from the same nightmares as she did had drawn her through the corridors clad solely in her white nightgown.

He turned towards her at the sound of her voice and couldn't help but let a crooked half smile cross his face and Cress hated him for it. He knew that she couldn't do anything when he smiled like that and she pouted petulantly at him. Thorne let out a laugh at the sight of Cress pouting in his bed before settling himself down at the end of the bed, "Don't you remember how I told you or last night? I thought that was vehement enough

Cress shifted in the bed uncomfortably feeling Thorne's weight as she shifted above her feet and ankles rendering her immobile. "Forget it." She said dismissively before scratching at a spot on the back on her hand compulsively. "It's stupid anyway."

He laughed again properly at this comment of hers and Cress felt pricks of anger fill her at his callousness and she kicked his arm off from where it rested on top of her ankles before rolling away from him and standing up on quavering legs with her nightgown billowing down around her. "I should just go," Cress felt the urge to scratch the spot on the back of her hand but she balled them both up into fists by her side with her nails biting into her pale unmarked skin. Cress had already turned away when she heard him stand up the bed springing up around him and she'd already taken two steps by the time he caught up with her but he'd already reached the door when her shaking feet had carried her there.

"You don't get it do you Cress," he said with that same damn smile on his face as he leaned across the door blocking her exit.

She wanted to melt, to bend to that look in his eyes that she couldn't pin down and brush those curls out of his face but she stood to her whole 153 centimetres and instead tried to push past him and to get out of there. She didn't know what had just happened and she didn't think she wanted to find out. All she wanted was to have little cress back and play some stupid video games until she stopped hurting and just hear the calm clear voice of her childhood self ringing clear. "Let me by please Carswell."

Cress felt him wince at hearing his full name and part of her rejoiced in that she could create the same pain as she did but the other part felt intrinsically guilty he didn't deserve to have to deal with her self loathing and lack of confidence. She bit a lip nervously and only looked up when she felt his hand on her chin. "I only laughed cause you're the smartest girl or aces even person that I've ever known and nothing not even your drunken rambling is stupid and you tried to convince us all that all your soaps imparted valuable life lessons." His eyes shone will gravity and dragged her gaze up to meet his.

She giggled slightly as the memory. It had been the last time they'd all met up on earth and Iko had thought it would have been funny for Cress to get drunk for the first time and it had been for everyone else until Cress had stood up to the microphone to give a speech about the brilliance and education value of Maggie's Men. "I still stand up to the fact that it was an underappreciated gem of comedic interaction." She went up onto her tiptoes suddenly bold and rested her hands on his shoulders for balance before pressing a kiss to the edge of his lips. Thorne shuddered underneath her touch and he tried to catch her with his hands but Cress was too fast and dropped down from her tiptoes. "Besides I wouldn't have known to do that if it wasn't for Maggie's Men"

"Well thanks for Mags in that case." Thorne said smiling before pulling her close against him and Cress closed her eyes for a second as she rested her head against his chest. He stepped back for a second to survey Cress in her entirety before looking back at her again, "What did you say was stupid?" he asked after a few seconds of them just staring at each other.

Cress's smile fell. She had hoped he wouldn't remember that offhand comment of hers but obviously he had. "It's nothing," she offered hoping that he'd let it go.

'Tell me," Thorne said the teasing absent from his voice and his very body language and he was suddenly deathly serious and Cress was almost scared of him and what he could do.

"I just don't understand why you'd choose me when you could be exploring and free and able to travel and meet people now you're no longer a criminal without having to drag me along." Cress said the words spilling out of her mouth and tearing at her as they did. He didn't say anything instead Thorne grabbed her and lifted her up before after taking a few steps resting her on his chest of drawers sending everything there flying. She winced as his cologne fell the amber liquid splattering across the white carpets but Thorne held her still and flat against him. "What are you—," Cress began before Thorne cut her off with a searing kiss to her collarbone.

He pulled away after a few seconds before looking right back at her. "I've seen already the wonders of the universe Cress." He pressed another kiss more insistently against her neck. "But none of them compare to you." his breathe hot against her neck and she couldn't help but squirm against it. "I see all the sights and wonders I need when I see those eyes of yours light up just once and you cares for the sun lit beaches when the gold of your hair is all that I require. He ran his hands through her hair which is approaching should length and Cress arched her back at his touch and his words.

"What about Luna or the stars," Cress asked breathlessly not knowing what to say but knowing that she needs him to keep on talking regardless of what he says.

"Luna, " he said scoffing into her hair, which was suddenly everywhere, and whispered against her ear, "It's just a hunk of cheese."

"Don't let Cinder hear you say that," Cress said teasingly but she couldn't help feeling courage pool in the base of her stomach at his actions.

"I won't," Thorne promised before taking the hand she was scratching at earlier and pressing kisses onto the spot. He moved his way up to her wrist when he pulled away in a mockery of a courtly kiss, "And Cress the stars in comparison to you are just broken Christmas lights." He moved up again emboldened by his own words and her reaction to them and his lips scorch her skin every time that they touched and Cress was a mess by the time Thorne reached her shoulder. He kissed her clavicle three times in short succession before moving up her neck and then settling on the base of her jaw.

Cress ran a hand through his sandy brown hair pressing him closer to her. His hands settled on her lower back and each hand was burning through the flimsy white nightgown. "Besides Cress," Thorne started separating from her skin and Cress's skin goose bumps in his absence. "There's no need for me to roam and see the wonders of the world," She tried to say something, anything but before she can Thorne's lips are on hers claiming them. Unlike his earlier kisses its not scorching hot but is instead gentle and fills her with warmth. His hands snake around her neck pulling her down towards him and she cups his jaw with one hand not allowing him to move away until she's ready.

Finally Cress breaks off the kiss as she realised what he said. "Why don't you need to roam anymore?"

Thorne pulled Cress in until she's so close she could count his eyelashes and feel the warmth of his breath against her cheek. "Because there's no need to roam when you've already found your home."