The Lunar Chronicles - Short Stories

Cinder & Kai: Father's Day

Cinder searched, searched, and searched for some notification or paper that would give her the important information she has been trying to figure out for quite the while.  She looked through Kai's desks, cabinets, etc., yet couldn't manage to find anything that would help her with her bothersome question.

She was going through a couple of papers in a cabinet when she heard chattering outside the door. She immediately perked up and looked around, trying to see if there was any hiding spot she could go in. She saw a closet and ran over quietly, opening it. There was barely anything inside, so she squeezed her body in the tiny thing.

She heard the door to Kai's office open and her breath hitched. Words were being flashed on her retina display.

RISING BLOOD PRESSURE;  ADRENALINE RUSH;   HEART RATE TOO FAST;  SYSTEMS OVERHEATING; AUTO-COOL RESPONSE INITIATING IN 3...2...1...

She heard Kai laugh and her heart beat at the same time. She wondered if he could hear it by how loud it was pumping.  She heard a man, most likely Kai, sit down in a chair and release a relaxing sigh.  Cinder supposed he put his feet on top of his desk when she heard a loud thump. 

Cinder was becoming impatient, wondering how long it might be before he leaves his office. Fifteen minutes? An hour? Seven hours? She would never truly know until he actually left. 

Her hand hit the side of the closet as her breath hitched again.  Her heartbeat pumped faster and faster as she heard footsteps coming her way, slowly.

He can't be coming! It'll blow my cover!

But Cinder knew he was coming. And she couldn't do anything about it. She heard a hand on a doorknob and it stayed there for a few seconds before the door was yanked open, revealing Cinder.

Kai and Cinder both yelped as they both cowered away until realizing who each other were.

"Cinder, oh stars! You nearly gave me a heart attack! What are you doing here...in there?" Kai was clearly confused on why Cinder was in the closet, hiding.

"I was...playing hid and seek! You found me..ha," Cinder lied, but Kai knew she was telling a false statement.

"Cinder really," he perked up one of his eyebrows.

"I can't tell you!" Cinder sighed. "It's supposed to be a surprise."

"Well, if you haven't been able to tell yet, I don't enjoy surprises too much," Kai explained as he lent Cinder a hand to help her out of the closet.

"Well then you're not going to like this one..." Cinder muttered, but Kai overheard her.

"What one?" Kai questioned, confused.

"I was trying to figure out what you want for Father's Day," explained Cinder. "You wouldn't tell me."

"Cinder!  You don't have to get me anything! Your presence is the best gift, anyways. Plus, I'm not a father yet," Kai walked to his desk as Cinder stopped.

Her throat felt as if it had closed in and her stomach was flopping as Kai stopped in his tracks.

He turned around, face cold.

"I'm not a father yet...right?" His voice small and barely audible.

"It's a boy," Cinder smiled with tears in her eyes.  Kai's face it up right away.

"Why didn't you tell me you were pregnant? This is...amazing!" Kai hugged Cinder, nearly suffocating her.

"I was afraid you wouldn't want to know. I was just...worried," she muttered, looking at the ground.  Kai's hands were still wrapped around Cinder's lower back as he looked up at her.

"You have nothing to be afraid of. You are very strong," he smiled his adoring smile.

"Okay, that's something I have to agree on," Cinder and Kai laughed. 

Kai continued to look at her as he leaned in, glancing one or twice at Cinder's lips.  Cinder started to do the same, and soon their lips conjoined, causing fireworks to explode over their bodies.

Cinder's retina display started to give out warnings again, but she ignored it as the kiss went on.

When they separated, they smiled lovingly at each other.

"This is the best gift you could give me. Thank you," Kai looked into Cinder's eyes.  They continued their smile, growing wider at the minute.

"Royal Adviser Konn Torin has requested immediate entrance," Kai's speaker that was laying on his desk spoke.

"Sure," Kai spoke as Cinder and himself separated themselves.

Torin ran in but slowed down as he approached Kai.  He took quick glance at Cinder, but looked back at Kai, worry that was on his features, slowly disappearing.

"Your Higness, I apologize for my immediate interruption, but I heard screams coming from this room. Is there something wrong?" Konn asked quickly, yet respectfully.

"No, no. Everything's fine," Kai smiled as he looked at Cinder who returned it.  Konn squinted his eyes and pursed his lips as he looked at the way Cinder and Kai were staring at each other.

"Alright then. Shall I leave you two in peace?" He asked, interrupting the staring "contest."

"Sure," Kai shrugged, not paying too much attention to Torin.

Torin left and Kai blurted out a question.

"So, when are you due?"

"In about seven months," Cinder responded as Kai perked up.

"Seven months? How long have you known?" Kai asked, more interest in his eyes as he asked.

"Only for about a week.  I didn't know how to tell you. And so close to Father's Day and..." Cinder trailed off.

"Well we better get started on his room, shall we?" Kai excitedly questioned.

"Kai...we have seven months. Do we really need to start now?" Cinder let out an exasperated sigh. When it came to shopping, she was not in favor.  Or, at least, shopping for non-related mechanic tools. Of course, she was extremely ecstatic to be pregnant and to get ready.  She just didn't like to think of ALL of the things that needed to be done.

"Yes, we need to start now. We should plan all of this out," Kai looked at Cinder.

"Okay then.  I know one thing we will need," Cinder sat down in a chair that Kai offered for her.

"And what's that?" Asked Kai, sitting opposite to her.

"A LOT of diapers," Cinder informed Kai, "and you're going to have to change him."