A Month Of Kaider

Nine: Concerns For The Cold

Cinder knocks on Scarlet's door, stepping back just in time to avoid being whacked as it swings forwards.

"Cinder, you came!" Scarlet grins.

"Of course I did," she replies.

The two girls share a hug before Scarlet closes the door behind them, immediately turning to Cinder with a mischievous look.

"Kai's in the garden if you want him."

"Who said I-?"

Scarlet cuts of her off with a knowing look, "It's established. Just like we know Cress will follow Thorne."

"And Wolf will follow you," Cinder adds, accepting that she and Kai are, quite often, joint at the hip.

Scarlet grins. "And Jacin will follow Winter."

"Silently." Cinder rolls her eyes and Scarlet chuckles, nodding in agreement.

They make their way to the living room, where Cress squeals and jumps up, "Cinder! Is your hair brushed?"

"Yeah," Cinder replies, "And hello to you too."

Cress immediately sits Cinder down and Scarlet shakes her head at them, "Make it a waterfall braid."

Cress ponders this and nods, "Yup, that's a good idea."

"Which one's a waterfall braid?"

"The one that makes Kai call you a mermaid," Thorne grins at her, "every time."

Cinder blushes but scoffs, "It's not like you don't call Cress an angel every other day."

Before Thorne can retort, Scarlet comes in with a worried expression, "Has anyone seen Winter?"

The three of them share a confused look just as Kai pokes his head into the room, almost falling but somehow managing to regain his balance at the last second.

"I have a missed call from Jacin but I can't seem to get a hold of him! Have either of them arrived here yet?"

He gives Cinder a fleeting smile. "Hey Cinder, I simply adore the mermaid hair, it looks absolutely beautiful! Cress, you're so talented!"

Scarlet, Thorne and Wolf all blink as he carries on, "Does anyone have a car I could perhaps borrow?"

Cinder, blushing but more used to his fast talking, throws him her keys.

"Can I ask that you call me if I haven't contacted you within half an hour?" He requests.

Then he's gone.

He's out of the door and starting the car before anyone can ask for his plan. But it's okay, because Cinder had managed to nod her agreement.

"How does he do that?" Wolf asks, disbelief evident in his voice. "Even my Mum can't do that."

"Well, I was right about him commenting on the mermaid hair," Thorne says finally.

"Do you think Jacin and Winter are okay?" Cress asks, her fingers still twisting Cinder's hair into a braid.

Scarlet nods fiercely, "Of course, they'll be fine."

"You don't win anything for guessing he'd say that." Cinder glares at Thorne, who only flashes her a smirk.

The five of them spend the next twenty three minutes chatting and catching up on their recent weekend stories, as well as throwing in a few snacks here and there.

Cinder jumps as her phone rings, "Hello?"

"Cinder? We're on our way, their car broke down."

"Oh, phew. We'll be waiting, stay safe."

Cinder hears him hum in acknowledgment before he hangs up.

It's seemingly strange how the two of them can communicate with hums but Cinder loves it, and accepts it as a normal part of her life with Kai.

"Are they safe?" Scarlet asks, beating the rest of them to it.

"Yeah, their car just broke down," Cinder informs them.

Cress squeaks as there's a clap of thunder outside, jumping and crashing into Thorne.

"It was just fine a while ago... " Wolf turns on the spot, going to close the back door so the kitchen doesn't get wet.

Cress squeaks again, burying her face in Thorne's chest.

"Hey, you're good, nothing's getting past me." Thorne wraps an arm around her shoulders protectively.

Scarlet puts a hand on her heart, her face softening at the sight of them.

But only for a minute.

After that, she reboots into her usual motherly mode and closes all the windows, shutting the curtains and switching the lights on.

Cinder can't help her heart twisting at the thought of the other three out in the rain.

Unfortunately, she has to wait a further ten minutes before there's a knock at the door. She knows it's not Kai because he has a soft yet succinct knock, but this one is frantic, messy, desperate.

Sure enough, Cinder opens the door to see a soaking wet Winter.

"Winter!" she gasps and pulls her cousin inside. "Are you okay?"

"J- J- Jacin got h- hurt and Ka- Kai's..."

Scarlet stops her and drapes a blanket over her shoulders, then looks to Wolf.

He gives her a nod and pulls up his hood before opening the door.

As Cinder and Scarlet try to get Winter warm again, there's thuds and shouts outside. Cress is still curled into Thorne, who's softly singing to try and calm her down.

Wolf and Kai burst through the door, carrying Jacin between them, who looks the most dishevelled Cinder's ever seen him.

Wolf calls out immediately, "Scar, Jacin's hurt."

Before Scarlet can get up, Cinder's running out of the living room and throwing her arms around Kai. He stumbles, Wolf having to prop Jacin against himself to stop the blond from falling.

"Kai..." Cinder breathes, dimly aware of her t-shirt getting soaked.

"H- hey." Kai shivers, his teeth chattering.

Cinder gasps as she notices how pale he is, his lips tinged purple and his whole frame shaking from the cold.

But he's fine.

And that's what matters, that's what calms her down, that's what lets her breathe again, that's what frees the smile flying across her face.

"I was worried, you stupid..." she takes a deep breath, sighing again.

"I k- know, I lo- love y- you too," Kai chatters.

Cinder smiles, rubbing his arms and planting the softest kiss on his nose, thinking the words she can't say: I love you.

Someone asked on FFN but I'll say it anyway: I personally believe that Cinder is someone who doesn't quite know what love or a relationship entails so, while she's aware that she likes Kai, she isn't able to recognise the difference between friend and boyfriend, due to lack of experience. That's why I think she's able to exchange what she believes are perhaps friendly kisses, not knowing that they're something people who are dating do, and also because she just feels close to Kai and doesn't want to question it in fear of losing what she has with him. Don't worry, I'm going to acknowledge that soon! DTR as they say ;) See you tomorrow!