Hello readers! And welcome to my fanfic.

Now I know, I know I should be writing my other series, but I swear I couldn't help it! It all started one afternoon when I stared at the intriguing books my sister had already read called "The Lunar Chronicles" and I thought, okay, I'll give it a shot. What's the end of the story? I practically swallowed the four main books in less than a week. It's been a really long time since I read such a good saga, and I'm so glad I started reading the series recently, otherwise I would have had to wait for each book's release (shudder). This idea came to me while reading Winter and wouldn't leave me alone, so here I am! I will continue my other series, but not yet. Not while I'm in my post-read frenzy.

You should already know this, but there are SPOILERS EVERYWHERE! Also, the cover image doesn't belong to me. Enjoy!


My nightmares are usually about losing you.

-The Hunger Games, by Peeta Mellark

SECOND KISS

There was light and noise around him.

Kai looked around, blurry spots dancing across his vision. He was inside a dark room, sitting in a long table filled with culinary utensils and people. Everyone was talking with each other, although he couldn't make out their words. 'Dinner', he thought. Somehow, he knew they were going to have dinner.

He recognised Torin at his side, and after some time, he also noticed both Queen Levana and Sybil sitting in front of him. Kai tensed, a thread of anxiety lacing his gut, but no one seemed to pay him any attention.

It wasn't long before the servants came with their food. They placed the silver plates in front of every guest and left as soon as they came.

Queen Levana was the first to raise the lid. Kai squinted at the contents. And gasped.

It was the most revolting thing he had ever seen. The little small of pink muscles was partially complemented with metal platings that bore themselves into Kai's mind.

Just as he knew he was having dinner, he also knew he was looking at Cinder's heart. Cinder's fragile, half-synthetic heart.

Everyone else lifted their own lids, revealing yet more horrors. There was a metal hand, a metal leg, a pair of eyes, a brain, lungs… Cinder's body parts were distributed all over the table.

No. This wasn't happening. How? HOW?

Kai looked down at his own plate. His hand moved out of its own accord, reaching shakily towards the top. The silver glinted back his own terrified reflexion.

His hand gripped the top of the lid and pulled.

Cinder's own preserved head stared back at him. She still had her ponytail, but the eye sockets were empty. Dark. Lifeless.

Only then did Levana raise her head and smirked at him triumphantly. 'It's over', she seemed to say.

Despair washed over him, hot and endless.

Kai snapped his eyes opened. He expected to see Cinder's head gazing down at him, but instead, he was met with darkness. His hands fumbled around until they brushed against a soft material.

Right. The kidnapping. The Rampion. The Emperor realized he was panting and forced himself to calm down. He tested something unpleasant in his mouth.

Kai took a moment to steady himself, curling over the blankets and feeling the too-hard material against his back. After a few moments of staring into nothingness and listening to the engine, he sighed before sitting up. The eyeless head haunted him mercilessly.

He searched for his wedding shoes, and when they were found, he slipped into them and stood up. Walked to the dimly-lit exit.

The kitchen wasn't very far away. While he doubted he had the skills to make himself some food, he was confident he could at least get some water.

However, when he entered, there was another person inside. At first, she had her back on him, but she turned once he got closer. His steps probably gave him away.

"Kai." Cinder said with surprise. She seemed to be opening a can, and he felt his heart jump a little at the sight of her.

"Hello." He answered, equally startled. "What are you doing here?"

She gestured at the can, twirling the can opener in the process in that way he could never understand. "I just got back from the engine room and was a little hungry. You?" That wasn't hard to believe. She had new stains on her clothes and was still sporting her tool belt.

He shrugged. "I was getting thirsty." Kai hoped she didn't question any further than that.

"Do you even know where the water is?"

He looked around. The crew had already given him a tour of the ship, but they didn't get that far. "Somewhere around here?"

Cinder put down the already opened can. "Close enough." She crossed to the other side of the room and he followed.

"Why were you in the engine room?" He asked. "Was something wrong with the ship?"

"Not really. I was just checking whether there was anything damaged after…" She hesitated.

"The kidnapping?"

Cinder grimaced. It had only been some hours since he had woken up, but it was still a touchy subject. "Everything was alright."

They reached a crate, and Cinder pulled out a canteen. Kai accepted it gratefully. "Thanks."

She nodded and went towards her can.

Kai stared at her. He tried to imagine all the metal plates and wires beneath her skin, but there was no indication of a robotic movement in her walk, let alone a manufactured organ. If not for her gleaming left metal hand, she would have looked as any normal girl.

But even then, she was still far from normal. She was also Princess Selene, the only one capable of dethroning Queen Levana.

As he moved to lean against the counter just a distance away from her, he remembered his dream. Apprehension gripped him suddenly. Kai still couldn't get the image of her preserved head off his mind.

"You're more thoughtful than usual. Are you alright?" Cinder was eating the contents of the can in a plate.

He took a drink from the canteen, knowing he had been gazing at space. Kai also noticed how she grabbed a wrench and fumbled with it, something he knew she did when she was nervous. It was endearing somehow. Everything about her was. "If it's because of the kidnapping, I'm really sorry. I know you're also under a lot of stress with everything that's happening and all, but we need your…"

He cut off her rambling. "I know. We're all a bit desperate right now."

The corner of her mouth twitched. "You're engaged to a tyrannical Queen who wants to conquer the world, can manipulate people, and is planning to kill all of us in the most horrible possible way unless we stop her. So yeah, I see how we're a bit desperate."

"Not to mention her army of crazy mutant wolf-soldiers."

"And letumosis."

The subject grew too somber for further discussion, and Cinder shoved more food into her mouth.

Kai examined the canteen distractedly, pondering. He took a decision, and scratched his ear. "I had a bad dream." It was impressive how embarrassed it made him to admit it out loud.

The brunette looked at him, eyes expectant but open. Not at all judgemental.

"It was related to a dinner I had with Levana when she came to the palace." He continued. "You and I had already met."

She seemed like she wanted to comment on that, but appeared to think better of it and remained quiet. Instead, she put the wrench back in the tool belt and grabbed another one whose name he didn't recognize. He noticed how her hands were always doing something.

Kai wondered whether he could leave it at that. However, despite the embarrassment, he wanted Cinder to know. "I'll spare you the details for your own sake, but in the dream…" He paused. Took comfort in her eyes. "You were the first course."

Her eyebrows rose. "Excuse me?"

The Emperor grimaced and ran one hand through his hair, recalling the scene. "There was a part of your body on every plate, including the cyborg parts." He was silent for a moment to let the words sink.

Cinder glanced at her own food, probably losing her appetite. Then, she said, "That must have been a very traumatic dinner you had with Levana."

He grinned a little. "Oh, it was the worst. I almost threw myself from the top floor."

She snorted, and finished her food quickly. "Bless your soul. You also said they were going to eat my synthetic parts?"

"I don't know how we were going to manage that, but yep." Kai got closer as Cinder washed the plate. "Do you need any help?"

She waved him off. "No, it's fine. But thanks."

He looked at her cyborg prosthetic. He wasn't used to seeing it, and it amazed him every time he did it. "You can wash with your metal hand?"

"Yes, it's made for that, and so is my leg." She turned off the water and moved to clean the plate.

"Can I see it?"

Cinder paused, and Kai almost regretted asking her that. If she hadn't showed him her other prosthetic yet, then why would she want to do it now? "It's okay, you don't have to." He explained immediately.

She shook her head. "No, don't worry about it. There aren't just many chances to show it. Here." After a slight hesitation, Cinder reached with both hands to the edge of her pants and rolled them up.

Kai watched as the metal extremity came to view. It expanded throughout all her calf and past her knee in a complex set of metal plating. Curiousness bubbled inside him.

Slowly, he crouched and held out a hand, gouging her reaction. Cinder didn't stop him, and he rubbed the material with awe. A man-made metal leg that worked just as well as a normal one, maybe even better.

Kai glanced up. Cinder's gaze was fixed somewhere beyond his position, her hands still for once. The mysterious tool had disappeared, and somehow, the familiarity of his companion overwhelmed him. Her face, her arms, her body, he was so conscious of everything about her that it hurt.

She looked back at him and mumbled with a nervous laugh, "You already know how my foot looks, more or less."

This girl, this cyborg, was the most captivating human being he had ever seen.

Kai whispered, "I don't want you to die." Then he kissed the metal plating of her upper calf, not caring how cold it was.

Cinder inhaled sharply. "I'll try not to." She whispered back. The fingers of her human hand threaded themselves in his hair, and a sigh escaped him. "Is there anything else I should know?"

That I like you. Very much. And just like you, I'm extremely scared. Instead, he stood up gradually. Her fingers traveled from his head to his hand, and her other hand followed. He squeezed them gently. Placed his brow against hers.

"Levana had your heart, you know." He whispered, barely breathing. "In my dream."

She held his eyes, absorbing him. Kai noticed a redness in her iris, but when she blinked, it was gone. "My heart is half-synthetic. If she eats it, she'll just get indigestion."

A laugh escaped him. "With much reason."

"Besides," Cinder glanced at his lips, and he found himself doing the same thing, "right now, my heart is somewhere else."

His gut made a little jump. "Huh." He breathed, very intelligently.

A second later, they were kissing. It was incredibly gentle, but it was enough to disperse the terror of his dream and fill him with pure contentment. His hand found her cheek and her thumbs caressed his jawline.

Their lips brushed for what seemed an eternity, but the need for air was imminent. They departed, panting.

Kai licked his lips, his face warm, and grinned. "Is that tuna and tomato I'm tasting?"


So, how was it? Good? Bad? Please tell me in the comments! (OMG I love Kaider)

Last of all, let me explain something. My intention is to write up to fifteen chapters with different scenarios, but I haven't come up with all of them just yet, so if this little project is successful, I want to listen to your own ideas. When did the other kisses occur and how? Please leave your ideas in the comments and if I like them, I'll publish them! Of course, I'll mention and thank the reader who came up with one I like. The scenario can consist of ANYTHING as long as it matches the storyline. If you have any questions, you can also leave them in the comments. Okay? Okay!

And finally, whether you liked it or not, THANKS FOR READING!