A Month Of Kaider

Fourteen: Finding Perfection.

I'm sorry in advance, don't kill me if this is really weird...

Cinder holds her breath.

She steps back as Kai goes to once again switch the droid on, having lost count of how many times they've tried this before.

They do this each time, getting their hopes up only for them to fall again. Well, Kai somehow manages to stay optimistic but Cinder damages her foot, and the wall, a little more after every failed attempt.

As Kai steps back so he's right next to her, he laces their fingers together.

"This is the one, I'm sure, it'll be perfect," he whispers, and she laughs, nodding absently.

She and Kai watch as Nainsi's eyes flicker before fully lighting up, a cool blue glow arising.

Kai's voice is calm as he navigates through Naini's interface but Cinder can feel the hope rising in his tone. And, just like every other, she hopes that his hope won't have to fade away.

For once, it doesn't. Or, at least, not yet.

This time, Nainsi accepts the navigation command she usually rejects, opening up more and more of her mainframe.

Kai gasps, clutching Cinder's arm in excitement. She internally laughs at his childish behaviour but she's doing the same, her eye wide with curiosity because they've never gotten this far before.

"Storage files available," Nainsi declares after a moment.

After a pregnant pause, they both grin.

"You did it!" Kai yells, his voice somehow still smooth.

"We did it!" Cinder corrects, yelling even louder.

Without missing a beat, they turn and envelop each other in the warmest embrace they can manage. Kai's arms are wrapped around Cinder's shoulders and her arms are wrapped around his middle.

They're locked in their embrace until Kai pulls back a little, gazing down at her with a bright sparkle in his eyes. The two of them smile with pride for a finite eternity, their intermittent laughs full of joy and contentment.

His laughter has never been so melodious and Cinder can't help the bubble of something unknown that floats in her heart. She can't even help how fast her heart is beating, her pulse drumming so hard she's afraid it might burst through her skin.

Kai's expression is the first to turn into one much more serious, his gaze dropping to Cinder's lips.

She watches his gaze flicker between her lips and her eyes, eventually nodding at him once she understands what he's trying to ask.

His fringe is messily flopping over his forehead, there's a hint of a bruise on the side of his cheek and his coffee - coloured skin is smudged with either oil, pen, or a mixture of the two.

But Cinder's never seen anything as beautiful.

Slowly, cautiously, he leans down, tilting his head ever so slightly to the right.

Cinder watches his lips until she can feel his breath and brush her nose against his – which she does.

He chuckles, doing the same and making her giggle, a sound that can rarely be associated with her. The two of them let their noses collide over and over for far too long, laughing uncontrollably like immature toddlers.

Then Kai's leaning forwards and Cinder's shutting her eyes, tilting her head up and trying not to forget how to breathe.

She does forget.

She can't help it.

Kai's lips are soft, warm, explosive.

The unfamiliar heat that comes from their skin making contact sends shivers down her spine and soft explosions of joy through her skin.

Then Kai moves and their lips rub against each other and Cinder's never felt anything like it.

She gasps, and Kai's bottom lip slips between the two of hers, sending all sorts of shivers through her. She can taste the hot chocolate he's been drinking, and suddenly that's her new favourite drink.

Kai moves back a little so they can breathe, Cinder only remembering to gulp in air as she opens her eyes to lock gazes with Kai.

He practically giggles. "You taste like coffee."

Cinder giggles back, letting their noses brush. "You don't like it, do you?"

"No, but I like you."

Cinder grins, and she can feel his smile as she takes his lip between hers. Kai chuckles quietly, but Cinder doesn't exactly hear it, she feels it - as small fireworks against her lips.

She shuts her eyes again as a reflex, gasping as Kai's hands gently move to either side of her head. Somehow, this doesn't faze her, his tender touch the most comforting thing she's ever felt in her whole life.

She pulls her arms from around Kai and does the same to him, cupping his face with her hands and letting her thumbs rub circles on his cheekbones.

He shivers at first and Cinder inwardly cringes, knowing how cold her hands must be. Despite this, he doesn't allow her to pull away, letting his mouth move against hers in rhythm to their heartbeats.

Their elbows, bent between them, brush against each other, and Cinder can barely register the multitudes of shivers travelling along her arms.

And she doesn't know what she's meant to do with her tongue or if she should open her mouth or –

Her breath hitches.

Kai's tongue softly runs over her bottom lip and she can't move, the tingling feeling that he leaves behind overtaking her other senses.

But then she's doing the same, opening her mouth and letting their kiss deepen until she can't tell if she's breathing or not because she's sharing the air with Kai.

They're breathing as one, moving as one, existing as one, and Cinder never wants the moment to end.

Then their tongues retreat and her lips are simply moving against Kai's, but that's more than enough, and she can't help wondering exactly why they've never done this before.

She's lost in the faint taste of chocolate, lost in the soft feel of his lips, lost in the gentle touch of his fingertips on her skin.

She's lost in Kai.

She's so lost that the beeping from Nainsi startles her and she jumps, her eyes flying open.

Kai yelps as she accidentally bites his lip instead of her own, the metallic taste of blood slipping into their kiss.

"Sorry!" Cinder breathes, moving back only enough to separate their mouths.

Kai runs his tongue over his lip before chuckling, resting his forehead against hers and rubbing circles on her temples as his eyes sparkle. Cinder shuts her eyes again and tries to recall the definition of bliss, pretty sure that whatever it is should be replaced with this moment.

"Sorry about your lip," she giggles, adrenaline still coursing through her blood.

"That's okay," he giggles in return, shutting his eyes in attempt to calm his breathing.

And Cinder just stares.

She stares at the crinkles on either side of his eyes, she stares at the dimples she can never get enough of, and she stares at the locks of his hair that she'd run her hands through, now messy and mussed.

"I love you," he murmurs quietly, softly, without opening his eyes.

And she can't stop herself from grinning.

She's finally realised what perfection means to her.

So Cinder lets herself smile.

There we go, kiss complete! Was it any good? Hope you enjoyed and see you tomorrow!