The Lunar Chronicles Oneshots & Headcannons (TLC Wattys)

The Elevator

Cinder was happy to be back in New Beijing with Kai by her side as they walked through the palace halls, talking and laughing and just catching up on everything they'd missed when they'd been apart for so long. Her job as Queen of Luna had been tiring, and she was thankful when she finally had an excuse to visit the Eastern Commonwealth. She had jumped at the first chance she had to see Kai again. She had missed him so much, but she would never admit it.

She knew she still had to go back in a few days, but she was just enjoying her time here. Iko, Kinney, Winter, Jacin and her had all been excited to visit earth. Especially Winter, who had finally gotten to see the season she was named after. Cinder was pretty sure Winter would never want to leave now. She wouldn't stop making snowangels and snowmen, then talking to them as if they were her new best friend.

Cinder smiled at the thought of Winter. Her cousin may be crazy, but she was also so sweet. Kai glanced over at her. "What are you thinking?" he asked.

"Just that Winter's never going to want to leave earth now that she's seen snow." Cinder replied. "You saw her when she first walked out of the spaceship and stepped into the stuff. Her eyes were as big as Luna."

Kai laughed. "We totally beat you guys in that snowball fight, though. Even with Jacin throwing half as hard as he could've trying not to hurt Winter. I think Kinney almost knocked Iko's arm right off, he was throwing so hard."

"You did not win! Winter, Iko and I destroyed you, and if we had gone on any longer, I'm pretty sure Iko would've killed Kinney. Do not underestimate the strength of an angry android. And I hit you so many times!" Cinder said,  giving him a playful shove.

"But I always got you back!" Kai smirked and shoved her right back.

 They approached the elevator doors, and Kai pressed the button before stepping inside.

As they walked into the elevator, Cinder noticed that something in Kai's face had changed. The playful smirk had vanished from his face, and when he talked, his voice was low.

"Cinder," Kai said. "There was something I wanted to ask you."

"Sure, anything." Cinder noticed as she spoke that her voice had dropped as well.

Kai smiled a bit. "Now the last time we were in here, I have to say I was a little disappointed with the answer I got. But things have changed a bit, and this time I'm hoping for better."

Then she remembered what had happened the last time they were in an elevator together, and realized what he wanted to ask her now. Her retina display told her she would be blushing now if she could.

Kai was only a few feet away from her, and her back was to the wall. Things had definitely changed since the last time they'd been here. Back then she'd been nothing more than a cyborg mechanic with grease stains on her face, still living under the care of her horrible stepmother. Now she was Queen Selene of Luna, the girl who had overthrown Levana and brought peace to both earth and Luna.

"They've only changed a bit?" she said.

"Okay, a lot. But Cinder..." Kai took a step closer. "I don't care if you're in cargo pants or a dress, I just want you there, next to me at the ball. Will you... Will you go with me this year?" She could hear the nervousness in his voice as he said it.

Cinder looked into Kai's big brown eyes, the same ones that every girl in the country had admired so many times, and the same ones that now stared into hers. He was holding her hands now, both the metal and the flesh, and she was happy she no longer had to keep that secret from him, along with many others. "I'll think about it," she whispered with a slight smirk, before leaning in to kiss him.

She felt his arms slide around her waist, his lips soft and warm as they collided with her own. In the back of her mind, she thought this probably would've happened in their last elevator escapade, if the device on her spine hadn't chosen that exact moment to break again and cause her extreme pain.

Then Kai pulled back, and craned his head to look at her. "Cinder," he said. "Come to the ball with me."

Cinder smiled. "Okay," she breathed. Kai grinned and pulled her in again. 

She had missed Kai so much, and she didn't want to let him go again. He held her close, like she could disappear at any minute. She wanted to stay here with him forever, but unfortunately Luna couldn't govern itself. She was miserable at the thought of leaving him, and mad that it had to be this way.

Suddenly, Cinder heard a ding and the sound of the elevator doors rolling open. She turned and jumped away from Kai just in time to see Winter walk in. She was happily humming to herself, and wearing a bright white winter coat that contrasted well with her dark skin.

"Oh!" Winter said, as she saw Cinder and Kai standing in the elevator, both startled by the unexpected interruption. Kai still had his hand on Cinder's lower back, and both of them were frozen. "Hello cousin. Kai-friend." Winter said, a mischievous smirk on her face indicating she knew all too well what had been going on in the elevator before she had walked in. 

Winter looked at Kai. "I take it she said yes?" 

"Yeah." Kai said. Cinder looked over at him, her eyebrows raised in question. She noticed his cheeks had gone bright red. "I may have told Iko I was going to ask you to the ball. I'm guessing she told you," he gestured towards Winter, "and then you probably told Jacin, and Kinney said 'good luck' to me this morning, so he's probably found out too."

"So basically, everyone knows." Cinder said.

"Hey, just be thankful Thorne hasn't found out yet." said Kai

"Actually, Iko and I may or may not have sent a comm to the whole Rampion crew telling them how nervous Kai was to ask you to the ball." Winter said. "Speaking of the ball, I do hope Jacin asks me soon."

"I'm sure he will, soon enough." Kai said.

The elevator dinged and Winter hopped out. "I must go now. Have fun at the ball!" She smirked again.

As soon as the doors closed behind her, Cinder turned to Kai. "Were you really that nervous?" She asked.

Kai shrugged and grinned. "I guess I just really hoped you'd say yes."

Cinder's heart fluttered at his smile. As she looked into his copper eyes, she thought to herself - maybe, just maybe - she would let Kai give her dance lessons, and have Iko pick out a dress for her.

She really couldn't wait for the ball this year.