Everyone was in love with Hollywood's biggest player. Everyone except for Cress. She always turned away after he introduced her to his latest date. And for some reason, it hurt. So what had he done to Cress to make it hurt so much? Because everyone was supposed to love him.

Why would Cress be any different?

Why did he want her to be different?

He watched her from across the room, laughing and talking to Iko. She looked amazing in her backless top and high-waisted skirt, which he only knew because when you hung around models as often as he did, you learned a thing or two about fashion. He had a feeling she didn't pick the outfit—she probably would've chosen a long, flowing dress without sleeves in some cute patterned fabric.

Not that he knew what she would pick or anything like that.

Thorne took a sip of his drink and flagged the bartender down for another one. Cress giggled loudly and Thorne flinched at the noise, wishing he had been the one to get her to make it. Kai reappeared on Thorne's left, his hair slightly mussed and a smudge of pinkish-brown lipstick on his cheek.

"You get busy with Cinder?"

Thorne laughed when Kai blushed furiously.

"Where's the evidence, Thorne?" He scrubbed at his face with the side of his hand.

"Left cheek, pretty pink lipstick. Must have been one hell of a kiss, Your Highness," Thorne said sarcastically.

"Funny." He rubbed away the smudge. "Is it gone now?"

"You got it." Thorne took another sip of his whiskey.

Kai ordered a drink and glanced at his friend. "What's messing with you, Cap?"

"Nothing." He said it too quickly; Kai's interest piqued.

"You're lying."

"Nope."

"What is it? A job? A girl? A—"

Thorne shifted uncomfortably.

"A girl? Really? A girl is messing with Hollywood's biggest playboy?" Kai laughed hysterically.

"Shut up, Princey," Thorne growled.

"So? Who is it?" Kai grinned at his friend, looking around the room. "Winter?"

Thorne gave no sign.

"Scarlet?"

Nothing.

"Cinder?"

Not even a twitch of the eye.

"Cress?"

His finger fidgeted with the straw in his glass.

"Cress? Seriously?" Kai shook his head. "It took you this long to figure out you liked her?"

Thorne turned to him. "What do you mean 'figure it out?'"

"The rest of us have seen the way you two are with each other. Even fans see it. It's as obvious as the moon in the freaking sky!" Kai took a long sip of his drink.

"What about Cress? Do you think she likes me?" Thorne watched at the woman in question longingly before Kai swatted his gaze away.

"Keep staring and you'll see Wolf and Scarlet swapping spit in a few seconds." Kai made a face. "Cress likes you, Cap, has for a really long time. The girls kept it pretty secret for a while but Wolf picked up on it instantly and then the rest of us knew." Kai shrugged. "I thought your little stunt with all those girls might have been to get her attention. If anything, she seems a little less interested than she used to."

"What?" Thorne paled a little.

"At one point, all she would do was stare at you when she wasn't talking to someone. She hasn't done it in a while, and she's stopped paying as much attention to you in general, I guess."

"So you think she doesn't like me as much?" He flagged down another drink and glanced at his friend—"Kai? Where'd you go?"

"Oh, I'm sorry, Captain, were you looking for Kai?" Cress' sweet voice floated to him from his other side, where she was perched precariously on a bar stool. "Could I have a Shirley Temple please, Roxy?"

"Sure thing, Rapunzel." The bartender winked at Cress and moved quickly around the bar to fix her drink.

"Shit," Thorne muttered under his breath before regaining himself. "Nope, just thought he was still sitting next to me."

"Oh, okay," she said quietly, flashing Roxy a small smile when she slid Cress' drink across the table.

"How's set life?" he asked, trying to make small talk.

Cress shrugged and took a sip of her drink. "The same as it always is. Work, eat bland food from crafts, work some more, sleep for an hour between shoots." She glanced at his lips. "What about you?"

"Between movies at the moment, so I'm about to head off for the Flight Academy publicity tour," he answered, flagging Roxy down for another drink.

Cress watched her pour something alcoholic and hand it to Thorne with a grimace. "Um, Roxy? Could I have a glass of whiskey too?"

Thorne glanced at her, concerned about whether she'd be able to handle whiskey without getting, well, drunk. "Put it on the rocks."

The bartender slid the drink to Cress and watched her take a experimental sip. Cress liked the taste, but not the way it burned down her throat. So she took a longer sip, feeling fuzzy around the edges.

"You know, Captain, this isn't that bad," she slurred as she sipped her second glass.

"And you've had enough, feather-weight," he said, taking her drink away. "I really think—"

"Cress," Iko called across the room, "could you and Thorne get the extra boxes of cupcakes?" She glared at Cinder. "Someone keeps stealing mine."

"Okay!" Cress answered happily, stumbling off her bar stool and heading for the kitchen, Thorne followed on her heels, making sure she didn't fall over.

In the kitchen, Cress stood out from all the stainless steel in her bright outfit as she headed for the two boxes of cupcakes. She turned around, coming face-to-clavicle with Thorne.

"Thorne?" she said quietly. "Why do you go through women like they're tissues?"

He held tightly onto her elbows, hoping she wouldn't lose her balance in her heels. "I don't know. Why are you asking?"

"I want to know if you'd do it to me." She peered up from half-lidded eyes at him. "Would you?"

"No, Cress, I wouldn't."

"Good." She took a deep breath. "I—"

"Go out with me, Cress." It was a random thought that tumbled from his lips before he could take it back. "Answer that when you're sober."

"I am sober." She glanced at his lips again. "And I'd love to go out with you, Carswell."

She tugged his head down and placed a gentle kiss on his lips before taking a box of cupcakes and leaving.

Thorne didn't notice until she was walking out of the kitchen that her steps had straightened out and didn't falter once.

She was a very good actress.

Originally the idea was that Cress got a little tipsy and therefore a little bold, but I thought it would be a bit more fun to have the girls plan something for Cress to do and put her fabulous acting skills to use.

Hope y'all enjoyed :)

-The Duchess

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