Lunar Chronicles Oneshots

Oneshot #13: She Was His Home

"Carswell Thorne... Your name, when rearranged, spells out cellar, you know," the brunette sitting to his right said flirtatiously, running a finger down his arm and biting her lip.

"Erm... That's nice?"

She looked back up at his eyes, but Thorne didn't turn. He kept staring at the wall behind the counter. Just because she looked attractive in that short purple dress didn't mean Thorne would like her. She seemed like someone who wouldn't understand hacking, anyway. Not that the subject had any effect on him.

"Do you wanna dance?" she asked, curling his hair on her finger.

He swatted her away. "I don't dance."

She scoffed, giving him an incredulous look. "Then why are you here?" She waved her arms around, referring to the nightclub around them.

"I'm waiting for someone."

She smirked and leaned close to his ear. "She doesn't have to know."

"What makes you think it's a she?" She stepped back and blinked a couple of times. Thorne rolled his eyes at her reaction but sighed. "I'd appreciate it if you left now. I'm... not in the mood... For anything, really."

"Yet you're in the mood to wait for your little friend?" she spat.

He shrugged. "They're close and I will do something stupid if they don't arrive."

"Like dance with me?" she teased.

"Exactly," he sighed, rubbing his face. He couldn't sit there for much longer. Besides, who was he to resist an attractive female? No, Thorne. You're in mourning. Stop it.

"Why would you do something stupid?" she asked, now a bit more serious.

"I'm in pain." She frowned and walked away. Of course, thought Thorne.

Just then two sets of footsteps stopped behind him and he stiffened before sitting up and turning to see a worried Cinder and a sympathetic Kai.

He felt his walls breaking and he felt his chest ache.

"Thorne..." Cinder started. She pursed her lips, threw a sideways glance at Kai, who nodded and walked off to get Thorne and them a booth. She turned back to Thorne and patted his shoulder awkwardly. Then, seeing his expression, sighed. "Oh, Thorne, come here."

She opened up her arms and Thorne didn't hesitate before accepting the hug. He let the pain he was feeling out, and Cinder frowned as she felt his shoulders shake. He was crying. Thorne, one of the bravest people she knew, was crying. All because his heart was broken.

"It hurts, Cinder!" he yelled and she squeezed his arm before pulling away and leading him to where Kai was now seated, waiting. She let Thorne get a seat to himself while she sat next to Kai across from him. He didn't say anything, just sat with his hands in his lap and his head hanging low.

Kai scratched behind his ear. "Hey, do you want to... talk about it...?"

Thorne groaned and fell to his side so that they couldn't see him because he was lying on the seat. "It hurts Kaito," he mumbled.

"I- I know, Thorne. I- We're here for you." He looked at Cinder and they nodded.

Thorne sighed deeply, letting his eyes focus on the ceiling above him. A small fly was buzzing near the light bulb. He wrinkled his nose and moaned. "I love her," he said quietly.

"Thorne, she loves you too."

"She left me!" he screamed, sitting upright all of a sudden and glaring at Cinder for saying such a lie. "She left me and my broken heart, Cinder. She didn't love me enough and now I'll never see her again."

Kai gave him a sideways smile. "Thorne, she's just upstate. You'll still see her..."

He scoffed. "What does that help with? It's not like we're..." He swallowed. "It's not like we're together anymore."

Cinder frowned. "She just needs time, Thorne."

"I don't deserve her."

Silence.

"Thanks for agreeing," he laughed with a shrug.

"That's not what we--"

"You guys can go."

"No," they replied at once. "You can't be left alone, Thorne. A broken man is not safe."

"Now I'm broken?"

"You need someone to be there for you right now. And we are here," Cinder reasoned.

"I need Cress."

"I'm glad you finally realized that, you ego-inflated-- ow." Kai glared at Cinder for elbowing him in the ribs.

"Need a ride home?"

Thorne shrugged. "Cress is my home, don't you get it? There's no point to anything anymore. I'm homeless. She was my reason to live, Cinder. I don't- I don't have a reason anymo--"

"Stop it," Kai said. "We've lost enough family, Thorne. Please." And his copper eyes, normally so full of joy, were pleading. Cinder knew he was remembering.

Thorne looked down. "I love her more than my own life."

"Then tell her," Kai told him simply, a mischievous glint in his eyes as he threw the car keys across the table at him.

And so Thorne grabbed them and ran out the door.

Cinder frowned. "Kai..."

"Yeah?" Kai asked with a grin, leaning back.

"How are we getting home?"

He shrugged. "Haven't thought this fa-- You are my home." He winked.

She smacked him on the head. "Dork."

"Leave him be," he laughed, kissing her head. "I know I would feel the same if I lost you."

His phone beeped and he pulled it out to see a single text message on his screen.

They should call you two the love whisperers... thank you

__

A bit of Thress/ Cresswell and a bit of Kaider. I felt like writing something... different.
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~O.P