Cresswell: The Lunar Chronicles

Chapter Seventy-Seven

"Your hair's gotten so light." Carswell said as he shook his fingers through Cress's hair.

"I know, you'd think I would have at least a little bit of a tan." Cress scoffed, though she didn't lift her head from his chest. She closed her eyes, feeling his hands slid from her hair to her lower back. 

"You don't tan, you burn. Wear sunscreen."

"I do. Besides, since you, Cinder, and Scarlet have the missing fingers club, me, Scarlet, and Jacin have a 'can't-tan-to-save-our-lives' club."

Carswell laughed. He kissed the top of her head. "That's okay, I like you pale."

Cress grinned.

Carswell trailed his hands up her sides, sending shivers down her spine. He started to say something but a rumble of thunder outside cut him off.

"Ooh, a storm."

"Looks like rain, lemme close the doors." Carswell kissed her before she slid off him. He tugged on his sweats before getting up and closing the balcony doors. Not a moment to soon—the sky opened up and sheets of rain poured down.

"Good timing." Cress laughed, pulling the blankets over her chest and propping herself up on her elbows.

"Aces, it got cold." Carswell shivered, reaching for his hoodie draped over the back of the desk chair. "We should bring some food up here so we don't always have to go downstairs to eat."

"I like that idea. Hand me a sweatshirt?" Cress asked, waving a hand towards the dresser.

"Which one?"

"One of yours."

Carswell made a face and Cress giggled, grinning her most pleading smile. He pulled his black sweatshirt out of the dresser and tossed it to her.

Cress, still grinning, tugged it over her head and pressed the sleeves against her nose.

"Are you smelling it?" Carswell asked, his eyebrows coming together as he laughed.

"It smells like you." Cress retorted, sliding out from beneath the blankets and straightening them. The hoodie fell down to her mid-thighs and she shivered in the cold. "We should go on a picnic one of these days."

"Just not today." Carswell added with a laugh as he tugged on a pair of socks.

"No. But I am hungry."

Carswell took her hand and they started back downstairs. The kitchen had been vacated and from the sounds of it, everyone had gathered in the living room.

"Ooh, there's still pie left over." Cress grinned as she opened the fridge and pulled out the pie pan.

Carswell started getting the stuff out for grilled cheese sandwiches. He made one for each of them and then they joined everyone in the living room.

As much fun as Cress had at Jacin and Winter's beach house, she started to get excited the closer they came to going back home. She had just finished getting all the furniture for their apartment when they left for LA, so neither of them really had the chance to live in it.

Finally, towards the end of June, it was time for Cress and Carswell to start back to Washington. Iko had gone back to Luna a few weeks prior and Cinder and Kai were scheduled to go back to the Commonwealth in a few days.

Cress was glad she and Carswell weren't the only ones leaving; she'd have felt bad for Jacin and Winter at loosing all their guests. Though, she realized with a chuckle, Jacin probably wouldn't have minded loosing all his guests.

"Cress? Hover's here, you ready?" Carswell said, leaning in their bedroom doorway.

"Yep." Cress replied as she reached for her shoulder bag and scanned over the room to make sure it was in perfect condition.

"Ready to be home?" Carswell asked quietly.

Cress nodded, wrapping an arm around his waist. She reached for the stair banister as they started down. Jacin was on a video conference call so he wasn't able to see them off, but Winter, Cinder, and Kai all came out. Hugs were given all around, everyone promising to see each other before to long.

Cress shoved her hands in her hoodie pockets, following Carswell into the hover. She was excited to be able to fly in an airplane again, but at the moment all she could think of was a hot cup of coffee and something warm to eat.

"We'll get breakfast on the plane." Carswell said, snaking an arm behind her shoulders and scooping her against him.

Cress smiled to herself. "Sounds good. Wait, the plane or the airport?"

"If we have time, the airport. But our flight was moved, so we might be a little rushed."

"Ooh, I've never ordered food on a plane before. What kind of stuff do they have?"

"The normal stuff. It's not as good, though. Just a warning."

Cress shrugged. "That's fine. It'll be fun either way."

Carswell squeezed her shoulders, kissing the top of her head. "I like you, Damsel."

"You're alright."

"You've been hanging out with Jacin to much—what's with the sarcasm?"

Cress laughed. "I was trying to harness my inner you."

Carswell scoffed.

Cress tried to wipe the smile from her face as she turned to look up at him. "I like you too."

Carswell kissed her forehead. "It'll be weird to be home."

"Weird?"

"In a good way, but, you know... a little weird."

Cress nodded. "Yeah. We were only there for like a month before we left to come here."

"And the furniture hasn't even been unboxed yet."

Cress shook her head. "That'll be fun. You'll help right?"

"Of course." Carswell pulled his port from his pocket. "We could probably get some stuff done tonight when we land if we're not too tired."

"I vote the bed or the couch so we have someplace comfortable to sleep." Cress added with a laugh.

"Works for me, let's start in the living room."

Cress's grin widened and she almost squealed.