#ttittf

“How?” Thorne scrunched his brow, looking truly puzzled.

Of course he would be confused, seeing how Cinder made hardly enough to stay afloat; but times had changed. Kai, though sometimes not the best in terms of his critical thinking skills, was practical. He’d invested in banks years before she, Cinder, was born, and through all those years his account had grown. There wasn’t a place in the world they couldn’t visit, and there were so many lands they wanted to see.

“I’m traveling with a friend,” Cinder said slowly.

“What friend?”

“Stars, Thorne,” Cinder huffed, pushing herself back from the desk. “Why do you even care? I’m leaving, and that’s all that matters. I’ll finish my two weeks but then I’m off.”

“Wait wait wait,” Thorne held up a hand. It quivered slightly. “Slow down, Cinder. Geez, I just wanted to make sure you’re okay. You know, last time we talked you told me that your boyfriend thought he was some long lost prince of China or something whacko like that. And you left early due to a family emergency. How did that go?”

“Fine,” Cinder grumbled, rubbing a hand across her face and surely dirtying it. “My mother died, and I’m planning on visiting my sister this weekend. And where Kai is concerned, that’s none of your business.”

“None of my business?” Thorne shrieked, causing Cinder to jump. “What the hell do you mean it’s none of my business?”

“I mean,” Cinder growled, nostrils flaring, “that you are not involved in this— I don’t have to tell you what I’m doing with my life. We worked together, and now we don’t.”

“Oh, so it doesn’t matter that you wanted my advice last time. Little Cindy has everything figured out, and can’t be bothered to tell her friends why she’s leaving. Are you in trouble? Is something going on? I can help you, kid, if you’re in trouble-”

“No,” Cinder whispered, all her anger abandoning her in a second. “Everything’s fine. I’m not in trouble. Actually, I’m going with Kai, and–”

“What?” Thorne roared, standing up from his seat and stumbling a little, placing his hands on the desk to steady himself. “You’re telling me that you’re running away with crazy-pants? Do you want to be on the next episode of Dateline?”

“It’s not like that,” Cinder said, crossing her arms defensively over her chest. “It’s- it’s-”

“What’s it like?” Thorne asked, stepping around the desk and placing a hand on Cinder’s shoulder. “He hurt you? Because I’ll-” Thorne stumbled a little bit, throwing his other hand on Cinder’s other shoulder. “I’ll knock his face in.”

Cinder grabbed Thorne’s wrists and pushed him back until he sat upon the desk. It was rare that he was this drunk at work; it must have been a rough night. 

“It’s not like that at all, Thorne,” Cinder grumbled, shutting her eyes for a moment, then glaring at Thorne. “And besides, it’s none of your business.”

It was strange how gaining the memories of her past life had changed her. She wasn’t a different person, but rather a more detailed version of herself. She wasn’t scared, as she once had been, and no longer was she equipped to handle the dramatics of most mortals. In fact, it was hard to communicate with those she had once known in this life— they just didn’t understand her. She couldn’t fathom how Kai had made it through all those years without anyone for company other than that heinous fish deity.

“Cinder,” Thorne sighed, “I just want to make sure you’re okay— I worry about you, kid. I truly just don’t want you to get murdered.”

“Thanks,” Cinder huffed, rubbing the bridge of her nose. “I really appreciate it Thorne. Really. I just– I don’t know if you’d really understand the circumstances.”

“Circumstances?” Thorne asked, leaning forward.

“We’re getting married,” Cinder mumbled, voice low.

Not an instant later, Thorne was on his feet again, his eyes ablaze as he sputtered, “That bastard knocked you up, now didn’t he? Oh aces and spades, I’ll kill that little psycho for you. I will–”

“There will be no killing of my dearest love,” Cinder hissed, throwing her hand over Thorne’s mouth to stop him from shouting. “This is a consensual marriage; no one is– is knocked up, and no one is being coerced, and no one gets to have an opinion on whether or not it’s a good idea other than Kai and myself!”

Thorne stared at her, and Cinder knew that if her hand weren’t covering his face he would be slack-jawed. Never before had she been so firm with her points— so sure of herself— but times had changed. She was a new woman—er, old woman?—and no longer did she take crap from anyone, especially someone slandering Kai’s name.

“We talked, Thorne,” Cinder explained, checking over her shoulder to see if any of the other employees were listening in. As per usual, they were all engrossed in their tasks, not caring about Thorne’s drunken dramatics. “We figured things out, and we love each other. We’ve decided to get married and travel the world together. We’re happy— I’m happy.”

Thorne leaned away from Cinder, allowing for her hand to drop from his mouth and down to her side. “Well if you’re happy and okay, then I guess that’s all that matters, now isn’t it, kid?”

“Yeah,” Cinder smiled, a bit sheepish. “It is.”

“I’m happy for you,” Thorne said, unable to look at her. Cinder could see a mistiness in his eyes. “I will miss having you around though.”

Cinder patted his shoulder, trying not to laugh as she watched Thorne. It wasn’t that she found the situation funny, it was that she wasn’t entirely sure how to deal with this. Of course she’d realized what Thorne’s friendship meant to her, but she had never known that her friendship meant anything to him in return.

“I’ll miss you too,” Cinder said, wrapping her arms around herself. “But hey— I’m still here for another two weeks, so it’s not like this is goodbye.”

Cinder glanced out to the front of the garage and saw a familiar face smiling at her. Cinder grinned in return, unable to help the flutter within her chest. The mere hours away from him had been too many— she couldn’t wait to be in his arms once more, and feel him against her and know that they were finally together after so many years apart.

She gave Thorne one last pat on the shoulder, hardly comprehending his verbal goodbye to her as she walked away.