Tales Untold

Unspoken Words

A/N: This is the scene from "Played for a Fool"  when Cinder and Kai finally get together that is briefly mentioned in the second to last chapter. Please don't read unless you've read that story.

Kai didn't know why, but the bell seemed to ring slower this year than any other. Most would claim that he just had a bad case of senioritis, but he knew that wasn't the case. He couldn't care less if he was graduating and going to a top college next year. All he wanted in the whole world was to be with her.

Cinder Lihn was not only the sun and the stars in his world, but his entire universe. They may have decided to keep things simple after the horrible ordeal that had happened, but Kai knew that he was in love with her. There was no way that he couldn't be. She understood him in a way that no other person could. She completed him.

When the bell to Kai's AP Euro History class rang, it was to much relief. Finals were close, and he knew that by the time all the early spring blossoms had disappeared he would regret not having studied. He just couldn't help himself. With every moment away from Cinder all he could do was think of being with her. It was practically torture.

Soft cherry blossoms fell like rain from the low hanging trees as Kai walked to his car. His pace was faster than normal, his entire being itching to be with Cinder.

Five months had passed since the Battle of Luna Hospital and Cinder seemed to spend most of her time at the Commonwealth Hospital since. Her physical therapy was grueling to the point where it was painful for Kai to watch. It made him sad to see her in such a state, but he understood that the Doctor's were only trying to make her better.

When Kai arrived at the hospital, he nodded and extended pleasantries to the nurses and doctors passing by, each of them used to his presence. He looked in at the small bakery but decided to pass on getting something. It was a Thursday, which meant Thorne would have been with her most of the day and they seemed to always be eating.

As if being summoned, Thorne chose that moment to walk past Kai, his face beaming like the sun. Kai had a suspicious feeling that it had to do with a certain nurse he was good friends with, but Kai was still too frightened of Thorne to breach that subject.

"Hey, Thorne." Kai high-fived his mate, swinging back for a fist bump. "You look to be in a brilliant mood today."

"I guess," was all Thorne said, shrugging his shoulders casually. The smile remained plastered to his face like a bad spray tan. "I'll see you later, little guy."

Kai glared at him, and Thorne chuckled. It was the most recent nickname that Thorne had come up with. He was only an inch taller, yet he still had to gloat.

An elevator ride later, and Kai had already forgotten his conversation with Thorne. He was so close to Her. He would see Cinder in a few seconds. It was crazy how after everything he had been through, his heart still beat out of his chest and butterflies swarmed within him whenever he saw Cinder. She drove him absolutely crazy.

He stopped right outside the door labeled "Dr. Nandez." He used to just walk in without knocking, but it had gotten him into trouble one time when they had been running some uncomfortable tests. From then on, he always checked first.

Kai rapped on the door three times and heard a shout for him to enter. He twisted the handle quickly and shoved the door open. He expected to see Cinder sitting in the chair, looking frustrated as Dr. Nandez explained complicated medical things. It was the same scene he saw every day; except now she was alone and standing in front of him with a blazing smile on her face. Then she took a stumbling step towards Kai with no support but her own legs.

The whole world seemed to stop in that single moment as Cinder slowly progressed towards him. Then everything sped up, and Kai was yelling with more joy than he had ever felt. Tears stung his eyes as he leapt towards Cinder and embraced her body with so much force that all the air left her in a single laugh. She wrapped her arms around his neck, and he spun her around as though they were in a movie.

Everything about that moment was perfect, and Kai could have said with the utmost surety that it was the best moment of his entire life. He couldn't imagine anything better. He didn't think it was even possible.

Then Cinder kissed him.

Or maybe he had been the one to kiss her. Either way, the sensation of her lips on his was sweeter than any candy in the world.

Kai had waited for months to kiss Cinder again. He had dreamed and daydreamed about it more often than he would ever admit. He had stopped himself from doing it time and time again over the past five months, not wanting to complicate things any further; but now it was different. Perhaps they were finally ready to be together.

Cinder broke away first, dragging her face away from Kai's. It took all of his willpower not to stop her. Both of them were grinning and flushed. Cinder's cheeks were wet and Kai knew that his must be worse. Cinder brushed her thumb gently across his face, and Kai couldn't help it. He leaned his face towards hers. Their noses brushed in a ticklish manner but Cinder's lips made every other thought in the world disappear. He was enveloped in the sensation of her.

Time could have been nonexistent in those precious moments. The two kissing sweetly, as if the other contained oxygen. When they finally broke, it was for a single question.

"Are you happy?" Cinder whispered breathlessly.

Kai cupped her face in his hands, her tan skin contrasting greatly against his fair pallor. Her brilliant eyes shone with something Kai couldn't quite name. He licked his lips, still tasting her sweetness on them. His heart pounded to the rhythm of the three words he wanted to say to her; but he couldn't voice them.

So instead, he answered her question, knowing that one day he would say those words.

"More than I've ever been in my entire life." He brushed a strand of hair back from his love's face. Cinder smiled sweetly, and he finally understood what her eyes were saying.

The unspoken words were the same ones that pounded inside Kai's veins. The unspoken words which held more power than was fair for eight letters. He longed to tickle her ears with the simple phrase, but restrained himself.

Kai cloaked her with his arms as a substitute. Cinder buried her face in his neck as Kai pressed one hand on the back of her head. He kissed her hair softly, letting the unspoken words resonate in the air like a forgotten wind.