Kaider
"You can't protect me."
"Please be careful."
Cinder winced and then met his eyes. "I'm going to be fine, Kai."
His hands balled into fists at his sides. Part of him wanted to kiss her one last time, the other part was telling him to just let her go. This was her battle, her revolution, and she wasn't going to let anyone keep her from doing what she had to.
"I'll come with you," he said, his voice breaking.
"No. I told you. It's too dangerous."
"I can-"
"You can't protect me. You'll only be a liability." There was pain in her features as she strode over and pressed her lips against his. It didn't last long enough. She touched his cheek. Her fingers were warm, and they did not linger. "I have to do this, Kai. Please don't be an idiot."
She turned away and left without looking back
"How long has it been?"
He slid his arms around her waist. "How long has it been, Cinder?" he asked, smirking.
She tilted her head. "How long has it been since what?"
"We've been alone together."
She rolled her eyes even as her brain ran the calculations. "Fifteen hours and three minutes."
Kai clucked his tongue. "Far too long. Almost a lifetime, it seems."
"Good stars," she said, chuckling. Her arms wound around his neck, her human fingers curling in his hair. The heat in her chest still burned so brightly for him, she wasn't sure it would ever stop. "We were just on vacation, remember?"
He grinned, his eyes sparking with the memory. "How could I forget?"
Cinder shook her head. "You're hopeless."
"Is it so bad to wish I got to spend more time with my gorgeous wife?"
She hummed. "No, though I do hope you'll learn to be a bit more realistic about it."
He feigned hurt. "I can't believe you would suggest such a thing."
She laughed, leaned forward and kissed him. One thousand, five hundred seventy-nine.
She wished she could shut off the counter in her head that kept track of every kiss they'd shared over the last year and a half. He kissed her so much that the tallies were getting annoying.
And yet, she still felt the same way she had back then. That they could kiss seventeen thousand more times and she would never grow tired of it.
"It wasn't supposed to happen like that."
"How dare you." She was trembling. "In front of everyone!"
"Cinder, I–," his voice trailed off, trying to find an explanation. "It wasn't supposed to happen like that."
She wrapped her arms around herself. "You ruined everything."
His eyes widened, his face fell. "Cinder, no. I'm so sorry."
"Sorry isn't good enough." She shook her head, tears brimming her eyes.
"I didn't mean it. Please, forgive me."
"You're a traitor!" she barked. "And I will never forgive you."
"And cut!" the director shouted. "That was a great scene, you two. The tears were a nice touched."
Cinder swiped at her eyes and looked over at him. "Please explain again why we have to use our real names?"
"It makes it more realistic!"
Kai rolled his eyes. "It feels like we're actually breaking up."
"That's the point," said the director. "You knew what this play was about beforehand. It's not my fault you two are already dating." She slid out of the director's chair and picked her Starbucks cup off of the ground. "Anyway. That's a wrap for today. Go home. Practice your lines. Whatever."
She stalked off and Cinder glanced at Kai. "I'm glad you and I aren't that dramatic."
He looked at her and smirked. "Could add some zest to our relationship, though."
Cinder narrowed her eyes. "Are you insinuating that I'm boring?"
"More so that I am."
She studied him critically for a moment, her jaw set. Then, she pushed herself to her toes and kissed his cheek. "You're not boring, Kai."
He laughed. "And you're a good actress. Are you sure you haven't been practicing without me?"
She flipped her pony tail over her shoulder. "Never."
"I'm sorry. I didn't know."
"Kai?" she called out into the gardens.
Someone told her he would be there. She didn't really know why.
There was a period of peace as the birds chirped around her.
"Over here." His voice was low, sad.
She followed his voice until she found him crouched in front of two graves. She took a tentative step towards him. "Kai?"
He looked up at her. His eyes were red. "Sorry," he said. "I didn't mean to worry you."
"What's wrong?"
"Nothing. Nothing's wrong." He pushed himself to his feet and walked over to her, pulling her into his arms and pressing a kiss between her eyes. "It's the anniversary of my mother's death."
She took his face in her hands. "I'm sorry. I didn't know."
He touched his forehead to hers. "I didn't expect you to." Their eyes met. "I love you, Cinder."
A smile touched her lips. "I love you, too, Kai." She kissed him briefly. "And your mother would be so proud of you."
He sighed. A tear slipped down his cheek. "Thank you."
"Are you drunk?"
She pressed her cool metal fingers against her forehead. "Good stars above, you're drunk."
"Oh, wow!" He laughed. "Is this what it feels like?"
"Sure," she muttered. She'd have to make a note to hit Thorne the next time she saw him. He knew she didn't want Kai drinking too much.
"But it's the night before your wedding!" Thorne had protested. "You gotta let the guy have some fun before he's officially tied down!"
She had wanted to smack him then, mostly for Cress's sake.
"How many drinks did you have?" she asked.
Kai thought for a moment, his copper eyes dazed and unfocused. "So many."
"Oh, for all of the galaxies, I'm going to murder Thorne."
"Thorne? Don't kill Thorne!"
Cinder groaned. "Someone's going to be punished for this."
He quirked a smile, changed the subject. "You're so pretty."
She softened. Just a bit. "Thank you, Kai. But you should get to bed. We've got a big day tomorrow."
His smile widened. "We do, don't we?"
She sighed. "Yes. We do."
He leaned in. His breath smelled like vodka, his clothes like beer and cigarette smoke - just like a bar. As soon as he moved to kiss her, his face took on a greenish tone.
He screwed his face up and then backed away from her. "I think… I need to go to the bathroom."
Cinder buried her face in her hands. It was going to be a long night.
"You came back."
He swallowed hard, his brain still trying to connect the events of the last few days to what was happening now.
His voice wavered. "You came back."
Cinder smiled and looked away, as if she were too embarrassed to look at him directly. "Of course I came back. You didn't think I was running away, did you?"
He wrung his hands together. "I wasn't sure. The way you said goodbye… I was afraid you were leaving for good."
She walked to him, but remained only within reaching distance. She didn't try to touch him, and he wanted so badly to hold her. "I told you I would."
"I know. But I wasn't sure. Especially after everything."
Fingernails trailed lightly over his left cheek and he shut his eyes on instinct. She cupped his face. "I'm not going anywhere. I just needed a few days to recollect my sanity, and you needed to focus on righting the Commonwealth. You've been doing so well."
"Thank you. But I've missed you so much."
Silence.
When he opened his eyes, she was gone. She hadn't been there. Wasn't there. Never would be.
If only he could stop dreaming about her.
If only her ghost would stop haunting him.
