On Saturday April 10th 129 T.E. at 8am in New Beijing, the first volume of the Lunar Chronicles, titled Cinder, was released. It was published both through electronic copies available for purchase through any portscreen and in several thousand printed and bound copies released to specialty book sellers all across the galaxy. Only a few copies were sold.

However, because both the Emperor and Winter the public's beloved princess were said to be involved with this series, the people who did start reading it was the Lunar and Earthen media. They took their time reading through it, only posting their reviews the following Monday. Most newsfeeds took the stance that this story, which took place before Kaito was even an Emperor, was most likely fabricated.

"This is propaganda," said a particularly emphatic reporter from the American Republic. "There is no way that the Lunar princess and the future Emperor of the Eastern Commonwealth just happened to meet each other. And it is preposterous to believe they just happened to fall for each other prior to Annual Peace Ball of 126 T.E. They must have constructed this piece of fiction to make the public less revolted by their union. But I don't buy it. And neither should you."

Similar stories were released across many mainstream newsfeeds and they flooded the net. And then late that Monday night, footage was leaked to the newsfeeds, Earthen and Lunar alike.

The black title screen read "From the Rampion" and faded quickly. A small yet beautiful room appeared, with intricate designs of gold flowers and red chinese dragons on the walls with a gorgeous blackwood floor and ceiling. There was a small timestamp in the bottom lefthand corner of the screen, it read 18 Aug 126 T.E. 16:47:32 with the seconds flying away. Suddenly, the wall on the left side of the screen slid open, parting in the middle.

Two people entered the spacious elevator, the first was Kai - a perfectly groomed prince. The person who followed him was a slim, grungy looking girl in grease stained cargo pants that hugged her hips, large work gloves, and a small tank top that looked like it should have been thrown in a trash compactor years ago. But when she glanced up quickly at the camera as she entered, the world recognized her instantly.

Selene brushed some of her hair out of her face and said something to Kai. The video had no sound, which it should have come with, but the footage had clearly been edited and the audio cut. But it was later discussed that there was really no audio needed, all the words could be found in Cinder anyways. It was a smart marketing tactic, too. Anyone curious about the conversation had to read the book.

Kai made a face at her and relaxed, leaning up against the wall, while Selene seemed absolutely fascinated by her boots. As Kai talked, her body seemed to squeeze together, like she was afraid, and responded with her lips barely moving. Kai was the one to glance up at the camera this time, and then he shrugged at it as his lips started to move. As they talked Kai folded his arms across his chest and held his shoulders up to his ears, then at something Selene said he unwound and ran a frustrated hand through his hair. Selene continued to stare at her boots.

Kai's gaze landed on Selene and his entire body relaxed against the back wall, kind eyes running over her several times. Her stature was hunched as if she thought that if she made herself as small as she could maybe the world would forget she existed. Or at least Kai would. After a moment, Selene hesitantly raised her eyes and looked at him, then jerked her hands to her chest. Kai said something, and it was apparent from the look in his eyes and the way his lips moved, that it was spoken soft and tenderly. Selene gave him a stern look and a single syllable answer.

But Kai's tender look didn't abate and he held her harsh stare for a long moment. Then he said one small thing and it seemed to break her right in two. She slumped against the wall and knotted her hands together, grumbling a response. Kai cocked his head, catching her gaze and flashed her a confident, charming smile before responding. Selene gave him a deadpan look and a biting comment. Kai almost smiled, returning to his sincere expression before responding. They went back and forth for a moment and then Kai put his thumbs into his pockets and replied, it was the kind of casual pose that would have killed many of his fangirls across the universe. Selene just gave him a very obvious eye roll and then looked away.

Pushing himself away from the wall, Kai moved toward Selene and tried to catch her eyes as he spoke. She responded exasperatedly keeping her eyes glued on the door. A frozen moment passed between them were neither said anything, but Kai continued to gaze at Selene with a deep intensity. She was determinedly refusing to meet his gaze, but it was obvious from the straightness of her back and the tense way she held her body that she was aware of his presence. Kai took a hesitant step forward and his lips twitched in a single word. Reluctantly her head lifted and she met his heartfelt stare. With an earnest questioning look, Kai asked her a single question. Selene's eyes grew wide and pressed her body close to the wall stumbling to respond.

Then the elevator doors slid open and Selene glanced at them like they were her savior. She sidestepped Kai and left quickly saying something over her shoulder as she went. His eyes never left her, catching every movement, every glance. There was a silent moment when Kai simply looked after her before he let out a long sigh that hunched his body. Then the doors started to slowly slide shut, and Kai jerked his head up, quickly paced over and caught one of the doors before it closed. The outline of his figure was clear against the bright white of the Research Facilities where he stood for a while before being roughly shoved back into the elevator.

Selene was clearly frustrated with him and glaring down Kai's exuberant grin while scolding him. Kai took a moment and looked down at her hand, still pressed up against his chest, then slowly raised his eyes to hers. The smile that tugged at the corners of his lips was maybe a bit too suggestive and his eyes seemed to be saying 'You can touch me more if you like.' Selene huffed and spun away from him. They started bickering, circling each other in the confined space, until she took a step back and leaned against the wall. Kai continued to talk, causing Selene to look baffled. Their back and forth continued, but their mood started to shift and soon Selene looked heartbroken as she let the wall support her weight. Another quiet moment passed between them, Kai burying his hands in his pockets staring at the floor, before Selene attempted to break the tension. He didn't respond.

Despite constantly pushing him away, Selene shifted forward as if to go comfort him, but she caught herself. Instead she just mumbled something and Kai started to nod, but then stopped. He straightened his posture and said something that made Selene bite her lower lip. She fixed her eyes to the ground and spoke, but when Kai responded she lifted her head a little, almost unconsciously, and started to monologue. When she got a small laugh out of him, her whole body seemed to relax, comforted. And while he talked, looking at the ceiling, her face took on the same tender loving expression Kai had shown her earlier.

But when she started to respond, she quickly ducked her head, realizing her slip up. Kai stole a glance at her as they talked, and then he was laughing - crinkled eyes and all. Selene caught his gaze for a second and then returned her eyes to her boots as she mumbled something.

But before she had finished, Kai had pushed himself off the wall and took a few quick steps to her. This put their bodies only a fraction of a space apart, closer than they had been the entire time in the elevator and the mere closeness silenced Selene. But Kai was focused on her with intent, waiting for her response. Selene licked her lips, pressed her body firm against the wall, and slowly started to form words. Kai let out a slow breath that pulled her eyes to his lips before she snapped them back to his. His thick lips moved around words with slow deliberation.

The moment seemed to stretched on as the two stood excruciatingly close to each other. And the world waited with bated breath as they simply looked into each other's eyes, both breathing way too hard for simply standing there. Then Selene's lips twitched and her chin lifted in the smallest of movements towards Kai. She wanted him to kiss her. Despite always backing away from him and carefully avoiding his touch, with him so close she couldn't help herself. She was attracted to him and it was obvious.

Kai's gaze dropped to her lips and stayed there for a moment before seductively meeting her eyes. In all of his years growing up in front of the media, all the smiles caught on camera, all the charming glances and good humoured smiles this was an expression the world had never seen him make before. He was dead serious and it was written over every inch of him. Desire.

Kai started to speak and as he did he gradually leaned into her. Selene's eyes were large with disbelief but as his fingers brushed against her side, her tongue ran over her lips. Almost simultaneously their eyes slipped shut with their lips only inches apart simply breathing each other's air.

Suddenly Selene's eyes flew open and her hand snapped to her neck as she started to careen to the side. Kai jumped and managed to catch her, guiding her to the floor. That's when the tape faded to black leaving viewers across the universe stunned.

In days to come, the security footage was broadcast regularly across every major newsfeed. And though many reporters didn't know what to make of it, the net did. An image capture of Kai and Selene staring into each other's eyes just about to kiss was posted onto one of Kai's net fangroups.

And it went viral.

References:

Entire elevator scene. Cinder by Marissa Meyer. Page 222-231.

" . . . And dropped her gaze to the polished blackwood floor. Even the elevators were exquisite in the palace." Cinder by Marissa Meyer. Page 226-227.

" . . . And there were two cameras in each elevator in the palace." Cress by Marissa Meyer. Page 434.

"Linh Peony entered fourth stage of letumosis at 17:24 on 18 Aug 126 T.E." Cinder by Marissa Meyer. Page 245. (This comm arrives after her conversation with Erland)

"Reports are circulating that at approximately 17:00 yesterday [18 Aug 126 T.E.] afternoon Prince Kai was spotted in an elevator dock in the letumosis research wing of the palace-talking to a girl!" 'BREAKING NEWS: Prince Kai Has a Date for the Ball?!' blog post written by Marissa Meyer. Read the post here /?p=12246

"We are told that those doors remained closed [after Cinder dragged Kai back into the elevator] for almost eight entire minutes." 'BREAKING NEWS: Prince Kai Has a Date for the Ball?!' blog post written by Marissa Meyer. Read the post here /?p=12246

The cover art is by 7-T, check out more of her art here

Author's Note: Throughout this story I will be referencing not only The Lunar Chronicles books in and of themselves, but also the Lunar Chronicles fandom. I will be doing my best to cite them every time, however I miss one, please message me so I can give proper credit to, mostly likely, the tumblr who originally posted it.