Imperial Coffee

Knots: Part Ten

A/N: Imperial Coffee has reached 10 parts and 20,000 words, so to celebrate I made a playlist for it called Meet In The Middle! It took waayyy more time than I intended, so I don't know if I'll make more in the future, but it was fun~ THANK YOU TO ALL READERS AND ESPECIALLY COMMENTERS! 

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/user/porsheee/playlist/2HbgiFbD1r2x9r7P6QlO40
Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLNv0MzB_CqrBvalcsvFGVY4fSutb0ngqH

His lips were gone just as soon as they were there. His hands lingered on her cheeks, but they soon too pulled back. It was a phantom kiss; it was almost as if it had never happened.

Except Cinder's lips were tingling and her cheeks were warm and it had happened. She knew because she'd forgotten to close her eyes; she knew because for that second, his lips had been there, and they'd been warm and uncertain.

She didn't know what to say, so she didn't speak and avoided making eye contact.

"Now I feel really bad," Iko said, breaking the silence. "I didn't think you'd actually do it."

Cinder's cheeks were definitely burning.

"I..." Cinder started, then trailed off. She turned her back to them and started crawling under the covers. "I'm going to sleep. Goodnight."

"You can't just leave us like that!"

Cinder's stomach was in knots. She didn't know how she felt. She didn't want to feel at all. She wanted to melt into the sheets, cease to be there, in between her sister and her...her...friend.

She. Wanted. To. Be. Alone. She wanted to leave.

Iko and Kai exchanged a look. Iko could see concern in Kai's eyes; was he worried she was angry? Did he think he'd messed up?

Iko couldn't quite read Cinder sometimes. She worried about Cinder more than she admitted out loud. Cinder had always been independent, able to stand up for herself and pick her own fights. But Cinder was also cryptic, withdrawn at times. Iko had always been good at crying her problems out and moving on, but Cinder internalized them in a way that made Iko nervous.

So she couldn't tell if Cinder was sad, or angry, or embarrassed, or simply tired because it was after 4 am and the stress on both of them was an ever-present weight, even when they tried to forget about it.

Iko moved to crawl under the covers too, but then Kai caught her eyes. She tilted her head questioningly but began to slip from the bed.

He pointed at the door and walked towards it. They were both still in their pajamas, but Iko only hesitated a second before walking out after him.

"I screwed up, didn't I?" Kai said after the door closed behind her. He was leaning against the wall, hands over his eyes.

Iko didn't know what to say. She leaned on the other side of the door, looking at the wall opposite her.

"I'm sorry," Iko said. "I really shouldn't have done that. I was just getting back at her, caught up in the hour...I honestly didn't think you guys would actually do it."

"Which is why it's my fault." Kai sighed and shifted, taking his hands from his face. "Stars, what was I thinking."

"I...I don't think it's as bad as you think it is."

Kai turned to look at her, and she met his eyes, giving him a small smile.

"You like her, don't you?" Iko asked. "That's why you're so scared? Not because you're so worried about your friendship?"