The Lunar Chronicles Oneshots and Scenarios

Thress- Merry Christmas!

This is set around the same time as the last one: after Princess Selene claims her right to the throne.

~•~•~•~•~

They were all seated around a long table, chatting amiably, laughing and discussing what they had been doing since the last time they had seen each other. Cress and Thorne had been on a cruise- Cress gushed over how the boat was perfect, Thorne remarked with pleasure that the smoothie bar was also quite good, and free internet! Everyone erupted with laughter, seeing the momentary look of glee that had passed over Thorne's face. 

There was a knock on the door, and Iko burst in, blue braids flying, proudly holding way too many bags for her own good.
"I found your Christmas decorations, Kai! Time to decorate the tree!" She grinned, plopping the bags on the table and dramatically collapsing in the spare chair saved for her. 

"But we don't have a tree," Kai said, frowning and looking around, as if one might have magically appeared. 

"Yeah, I found that, too," Iko chirped cheerily, waving a dismissive hand at the people wheeling in a six–foot tree. 

"Iko," whined Cress jokingly. "I'll never be able the reach the top! Only Kai could reach that high!" Everybody laughed. 

"I'm not that tall," muttered Kai, making the mistake of standing up. His skinniness seemed to give the impression that he was taller than he really was. 

Thorne caressed Cress' now just-over-shoulder-length hair. "Don't worry, babe, I'll pick you up so you can reach the top," 

There was a collective 'aaaaaaaaw' from everybody watching. Cress and Thorne were generally considered the 'cutest couple', because, why not? Their personalities were so conflicting it was amazing to watch them argue. Cress was the person who always got her facts right; almost pedantically so. Thorne tended to get facts 'half right'— forgetting most of it except maybe one word or so. The rest he just makes up. 

"Come on, guys! Grab and bag and this tree is really looking boring!" trilled Iko, handing round bags. 

"Do these even count as decorations?" Scarlet said in disgust, holding up a neon pink plastic angel. She stuck her hand in again and drew out a plastic Jesus, in a snap- back, 'cool people' shades and a gold chain necklace with a dollar sign hanging off his neck. Scarlet squinted at it, mouth hanging slightly open. 

"What in the stars is that?" exclaimed Cinder, frowning with disbelief. 

"Well, I don't know about you, but I like it, so it's going right in the centre," drawled Jacin, voice heavy with sarcasm and suppressed laughter, but nevertheless taking the Christmas tree decoration and hanging it smack bang in the middle of the tree. 

"Honestly, y'all have no sense of fashion whatsoever," Winter babbled, her voice very stereotypically teenage American, placing her hand on her hip. Strutting up to the tree, she twisted it around at the plastic base, so that the decoration was now facing the wall, out of sight. She dusted her hands off, and voice back to normal now, said: "Well, that looks so much better!" Everybody laughed. 

They spent a few more laughter-filled minutes making fun of Kai's... unique... Christmas decorations, although everyone was grateful when Wolf suggested that they do the tree later, with a glance at Thorne. Thorne had been quite quiet, looking nervous and playing with his fingers. Kai jumped up just as some more people came in, carrying plates. He exchanged a few words with them, looking worried at first but settling down as he returned to the table. 

"Well, just before we start eating," he started, before Jacin interrupted with: "There is no food to eat." Kai just rolled his eyes, waving his hand at him. 

"Are there any announcements?" He looked around expectantly. 

"Well, we'd, uh, like to invite you all to spend New Year with Scarlet and I," Wolf glanced at Scarlet, and she nodded, red curls bobbing. "So... Would you like to come over to France with us on the twenty- ninth?" There was a general murmur of agreement, and both Scarlet and Wolf looked satisfied. 

"Uh-mmm, I have an announcement," stuttered Thorne, looking down nervously. The whole table erupted with movement; this was a well choreographed dance by now, Thorne had made them all practice at least three times a week! 

Scarlet and Cinder lifted a flustered Cress into the table, beaming at her. Wolf, Jacin and Kai whipped out little Santa hats and lip-synced to the Christmas carols playing from the old fashioned stereo. Winter ducked under the table, bringing out a small black box, and presented it to Thorne. He took it, and got down on one knee facing Cress. 

"Cress," he began, looking down nervously. "Will you please merry me?" Everybody giggled at this, and Thorne looked at Cress expectantly. She had both hands pressed over her mouth but you could still see the ecstatic smile behind. She nodded wordlessly, just smiling and nodding for a moment, before she launched herself at Thorne and kissed him full on the mouth. After breaking apart, tears of joy streaming down her face, she half whispered, half giggled: 

"Yes, Captain Carswell Thorne. I will merry you!"

~•~•~•~•~•~

Ahh! Did you enjoy that? I ship Thress so much!
~~ Bobbie Penn