Stories Unknown

Anything For You

Kai awoke to the startling sound of his fiancée vomiting into the toilet. Of course, he didn't recognize the sound as first, having never heard it before— but when he sleepily reached over to Cinder's side of the bed, he knew.

Within a moment he was on his feet, hurrying to the bathroom. He wasted no time in rushing to her kneeling form and pulling her hair back from her face. He pulled an elastic from the sink counter and tied it around her hair. Kneeling down beside her, he rubbed his hands over her back, letting her know that he was there, but not overcrowding her misery.

After a few minutes of useless retching and painful-sounding gagging, Cinder leaned back into Kai, her back resting against his chest. She let out a soft moan, and Kai wrapped his arms around her, pressing a kiss to the side of her head.

In all the years that Kai had known Cinder, he'd never seen her get sick— though that might have been due to the fact that they had been separated by vast amounts of literal space during the majority of those years of acquaintance. But even after she'd woken up from being stabbed in the heart she was somewhat less miserable than she seemed now; granted, she didn't have the drugs.

All situations aside, Kai couldn't bear to see her so miserable. It tore at everything within him, leaving only the need to take care of her until this ailment no longer tormented her.

"I don't feel good," Cinder whimpered. The aching of Kai's heart only increased with these words. He held her tighter, rocking them back and forth just slightly.

"Do you want to lay down in bed?" Kai asked. "Or will moving just make you sick again."

Cinder moaned, and Kai felt gooseflesh rise upon her bare arms. She was wearing only a tank top and shorts— definitely not warm enough.

Kai started to make a mental check-list of all the things she needed: warmer clothes, flu medicine, soup, a trash can...

"I gotta get dressed," Cinder slurred her words so that they were barely understandable. She coughed weakly, her breathing labored as her body leaned farther against Kai's. "I have... meetings. Cyborg rights and Lunar immigration and..."

"Cinder," Kai said softly, his lips brushing against her cheek. "You're too sick to go to your meetings." He brought one hand up to touch her forehead, surprised at the warmth he felt there— wasn't she supposed to be incapable of overheating?

"Kai," Cinder whined, lolling her head back and forth. "I have to go. It's my responsibility and I have to go."

"We can reschedule them, love," Kai mumbled, reinstating his hold upon her and hugging her close to him. "Everyone will understand; it's not a big deal to miss one day."

"But then I'll seem incapable and lazy and not good enough to be empress," Cinder said, her voice sounding very near impossible tears. "I can't just skip my meetings, Kai. I can't."

"Hey," Kai soothed, brushing hair out of Cinder's face and leaving his hand to linger on her forehead. She let out a sigh, her body sinking back into his. He couldn't see her face, but he knew that if he could he would see only anguish. "No one will think any of that, love. You're sick— everyone gets sick, even soon-to-be empresses."

"And besides," Kai continued, "I think it would be far worse if you vomited on some official than if you just postponed the meeting. I bet they'd even thank you."

With this Cinder let out a weak laugh, her body jerky with the movement. Kai closed his eyes and pressed a kiss to her cheek— she made a soft humming sound, as if he had truly kissed her better.

"Bed?" Kai asked.

"Yeah," Cinder whispered.

Kai pulled back from Cinder and got to his feet. Together they trudged back to their bed, Cinder leaning heavily on Kai, her eyes squeezed shut and her face sickly pale. Then Kai tucked her into bed, brushing the hair from her face as he leaned down to press a kiss to her cheek.

He moved to walk away from her, his check-list in mind, but her cold metal hand reached out and grabbed his, stopping him in his tracks. Cinder let out a soft whimpering noise, and Kai felt his heart stop as he looked down on her. With her pale features and the misery etched upon her face, Kai was taken back to the times when he'd watched other loved ones die— his parents, sick and small from Letumosis. His eyes stung with the memories.

"You're... leaving me?" Cinder asked, her voice quivering as the words stumbled from her mouth.

"I was just gonna go get you some stuff— I promise I'll be right back," Kai mumbled, rubbing Cinder's hand between both of his.

"Okay," Cinder sniffed, sounding like a small, frightened child.

It took Kai only three minutes to get everything done: he grabbed the trash can from their bathroom, his gray hoodie from the closet, then sent out a series of comms to Torin, the medical wing, and the kitchens, cancelling his and Cinder's meetings for the day and requesting medicine and soup for Cinder.

When Kai got back, Cinder had not moved an inch, but her lips turned up just a fraction as she saw him approach her. Kai placed the trash can down on the floor beside her, then sat beside Cinder on the bed.

"Can I get you anything?" Kai inquired, his fingers reaching to brush her bangs aside. Cinder leaned into his touch, her hot skin feeling warm enough to melt her metal prosthetics.

"Don't you have to go to meetings?"

"No," Kai shook his head. The tips of his fingers traced her face gently, mapping out her cheekbones and her jaw and the curve of her lips. "I don't have any meetings today. You and me get the day off."

"Hmmmm," Cinder hummed, letting her lashed flutter shut. "Stay with me then?" Her voice came out as hardly more than a breath.

"Yeah," Kai said, leaning down and pressing a kiss to her forehead. "Anything for you."