A/N: Hey guys, sorry I missed a week, it was a bit hectic! Here we go with another Kai POV to make up for it!

(Kai POV)

"Why are you late?"

Kai jumps and straightens as he hears Torin ask his question, then sheepishly clears his throat when he's greeted by the sight of a raised eyebrow, folded arms, and a questioning expression.

"And why are you dripping water everywhere?"

Kai opens his mouth to reply but an answer escapes him, and it takes all his energy to refrain from shrugging in response or utilising the plethora of sass at his disposal.

"Kai..."

"I know, I'm sorry, I just..."

Torin sighs, "It's the garage girl, isn't it?"

Kai shakes his head, but can't answer because his moral compass would probably stab him with guilt for the rest of the night. Unfortunately, Torin can easy take his answer from Kai's lack of one.

"For stars' sake, kid, you don't even know her name."

"I will... soon." Kai pulls his shoes off and slips his coat off. "I couldn't just leave her to walk home alone."

Torin sighs once again. It's something he's been doing way too often. Shaking his head, he just shrugs. "You know I can let you off this time. But you also know you're grounded if you do it again, yeah?"

Kai nods vigorously, grinning. It's not a second later that he's hugging Torin with all his might, and making the man stumble backwards with a chuckle and a shake of his head. Not that he minds; Kai's hugs are, after all, the cosiest of embraces a youth can possibly offer.

"Now, go change and come eat dinner."

"At the same time?" Kai asks, raising an eyebrow, then wincing as Torin lightly slaps the back of his head. "I deserved that."

"Hurry up," Torin laughs, rolling his eyes before going to, presumably, set the table.

Kai does, grinning to himself and quickly getting himself warm and dry, sighing at his rumbling stomach. He might have sacrificed a meal for some time in the rain with the most stunning girl he's ever seen, but his stomach hadn't agreed with that plan.

Torin doesn't get to ask Kai about the car before the food is being attacked, and quickly wolfed down as politely as possible. Shaking his head, Torin starts to eat as well, the two of them letting an acceptable silence rest over them.

"Are you going to explain why you didn't take an umbrella with you?"

"I did," Kai replies, then shakes his head, "I mean, I didn't remember."

"I wasn't aware that you were so forgetful."

"I'm very sorry," Kai says quietly, starting to eat his food again as if avoiding having to answer any more questions; he's not exactly comfortable with lying, even if he is rather decent at it.

"You're banned from the study for a week." Despite seeming reluctant, Torin's order is akin to household law, and Kai frowns.

"But-"

"I know," Torin interrupts.

"I-"

"Perhaps you should have thought of that before misplacing yet another umbrella," Torin says coolly, and Kai can't argue unless he wants to admit that he'd lied, and then also explain the actual whereabouts of the object.

"I understand," Kai says instead, sighing.

Not long after, the two of them finish their meal, Kai washing up and Torin heading to the living room. Fleetingly glancing at the news flashing on their TV screen, Kai mumbles a 'goodnight' and heads upstairs. And, like any other lowkey love-struck teenage boy, Kai logs back onto tumblr so he can talk to the girl from the garage.

-do you have a cold

-No, why?

-was making sure i didn't have to be guilty of anything

-Right...

-full sentences take ages

-mind if i shorten stuff down

-As long as it's decipherable...

-gr8

-Wow, numbers as letters?

-Why is your idea of abbreviating just reverse algebra?

-how do u type so fast

-Practice?

-wots reverse algebra?

-Sorry?

-Oh

-It's not a real thing... that was a joke...

-i knew that

-gtg kite boy gdnite

-Night, Princess.

Kai sighs, reblogging only a few posts before getting tired and sinking into his duvet, closing his eyes before he can even think about brushing his teeth.

Which probably explains why he wakes up so early, at quarter to five in the morning. As someone who's used to only sleeping a routine seven hours per night, he finds it almost physically impossible to fall back asleep once awake. With going to the study so he can read or research out of the option, Kai decides to get ready early and work an extra shift at the café.

It doesn't take him more than half an hour to assemble his school bag, his uniform neatly folded inside so he can quickly change into it after his shift, and grabs an apple for breakfast. He leaves a note for Torin before leaving, then quickly walks to the café in the darkness of a diminishing night.

"Kai? Dude, why on earth would you voluntarily work this shift?" Spencer asks him as soon as he dumps his stuff and grabs a waistcoat.

Kai grins. "Good morning to you too."

Spencer waves a hand, handing Kai one of the orders so the two can settle into their complicated yet perfectly efficient rhythm.

The two of them work methodically until Spencer's eyes start drooping, at which point Kai practically scolds him into ending his shift early. He might be against arguments and violence, but Kai is admirably persuasive when he's trying to make someone prioritise their health.

"Thanks, Kai," Spencer says as the two exchange a hug, then chuckles lightly, "Catch you later?"

"Of course."

Kai exhales as the other boy leaves, leaning against the counter for a moment and thanking stars that most people don't tend to wake up early; he's not sure if he could handle a busy shift by himself, without the practical and moral support of Spencer backing him up.

Two and a half of his three shift hours have already passed when a familiar face walks into the café.

"Can I have a black coff- Kai?" The mechanic girl asks, apparently shocked. She then immediately goes pink, as if regretting her choice of oversized shirt and old jeans.

"Hey, Princess. You're up early."

"No, I'm not. But you look like you were."

"Maybe?" Kai can't help but sheepishly grin under the power of a skeptically raised eyebrow.

The girl smiles. "So, my black coffee?"

He ponders for a minute, then decides to try and finally figure out the girl's name. "Who should I make it out to?"

The mechanic girl laughs, "You can just use my regular old name, I guess."

Kai imagines whacking his head on a desk but outwardly smiles. "And which one would that be, Princess?"

The girl smiles again, her eyes sparkling with sly curiosity. "Surely you know my name?"

"I wouldn't want to spell it wrong," Kai says, biting his lip to stop himself from messing the whole situation up.

The girl's eyes widen in shock for a minute before she frowns, then grins again. "I think you're the first barista to care."

Kai shrugs. "Names are important."

"Fair enough. It's C – I – N – D – E – R."

"Thanks, Princess." Kai winks, sighing in relief as she goes to sit down and he starts the coffee machine, almost forgetting her order as he silently cheers to himself for achieving this one thing.

"One black coffee for the Cinder," Kai announces, placing the cup in front of her.

She laughs, a bright sound in the faint light of an imminent sunrise, and tips her cup towards him. "Cheers, kite boy."

"Kite boy?"

Cinder nods. "I'm keeping that name and no amount of complaining can stop me."

Kai makes a face but doesn't complain; the nickname isn't wildly different from his own name after all.

"Bye, kite boy," Cinder calls as she opens the door to leave, her hair gently lifted up by the morning breeze, then leaves before Kai has a chance to reply.

He doesn't mind, simply content in finally knowing her name.

Hope you liked it! Thanks for 150 hits btw! Until next time <3