A/N: Hey, I'm not dead even though it's been like three months... I started this fic over a year ago and they're not together yet, I'm so sorry. Also, 1.11k views? I'm speechless, thank you!

The first thing that isn't generally assumed to be done in the mornings that Cinder does when she wakes up is switch on her laptop and log into her tumblr.

She's met with four new messages:

- Good Morning, Princess!

- Thorne says that I should explain what happened but I don't have a way to articulate it just yet so is it okay if I don't for now?

- I completely understand if you don't appreciate my insincerity and would like to stop working on my car now.

- Have an ace day!

Needless to say, she ends up grinning at her screen for so long that her eyes unfocus and everything goes blurry.

At that point, she blinks and types a quick reply, knowing she doesn't have much time before breakfast is expected to be ready.

- relax, idm, take ur time

- c u at the garage, kite boy

- ps. say hi to thorne for me by throwing smthing at him?

She then deftly logs out and shuts the laptop down, not wanting anyone to stumble across it and find out about Kai.

Breakfast is a blur, laundry is spent thinking about that one time she'd spent insulting her so-called family's fashion's taste, and her brisk walk to the café is silent.

The glass door slides open with ease so she slips inside, shivering as the warmth of the place hits her cool body. For a moment, she thinks she's made a mistake in calculating Kai's working schedule but no, she spots his silky hair behind the main counters within seconds.

Grinning to herself, she joins the small line of sleepy customers and ducks her head down a little so Kai won't recognise her.

"Why the hiding?" someone asks from behind her so she turns to see a girl with a curious smirk on her face.

Cinder shrugs. "Watch and see."

The girl nods at her, her eyes flickering between blue and green as the light hits them, and gestures for Cinder to move as the line shortens.

They don't talk more until they're at the front of the line and Cinder turns, giving the girl a small wink before stepping forwards.

"One 'I like your shoelaces', please," Cinder says, keeping her voice level, trying her best to keep a straight face.

Slightly flushed, Kai nods without looking up. "One 'I like your- wait, what?"

He pauses, drops the lid he'd picked up, and looks up with a ridiculous combination of fear and glee on his face. His copper eyes light up as soon as he matches her gaze, his furrows eyebrows of confusion rising to form a joyful expression.

"Cinder! What are you doing here? I mean, aside from more or less ordering coffee, of course..." he grins sheepishly, starting to make said beverage for her without her having to say anything.

She faces the girl behind her, who's stifling a laugh, and gives her a quick nod as if to say 'voila' before turning back to Kai and shrugging. "I just wanted to see if you were okay."

He nods at her without looking up again. "I'm okay, but I still don't understand how you can drink coffee if it's black, or at all..."

Chuckling, Cinder leans on the counter, only partially mesmerised by the way his hands deftly align the stencil and sprinkle whatever it is they put on top of coffee. "That's not your problem, kite boy," she mumbles, hoping he won't notice how distracted she is.

He must not, or he just doesn't mind, because he offers her the cup and sends her a charming smile. "If you can wait ten minutes, my shift ends then."

A part of Cinder wants to tell him that she'd easily, without question, wait hours, days, weeks, or years for him but she can't even explain that to herself so trying to articulate it for someone else is out of the question. Which is probably why she only nods and takes the cup from him, smiling as best as she can.

"Sure, thanks."

The girl behind her grins widely before subtly saluting to Cinder, flicking her long, straight hair as she does, then placing her order.

It only occurs to her that she hadn't even offered to pay when Kai slides into the chair opposite her with messy hair, a lopsided smile and bright, bashful eyes.

"Hey Princess," Kai says sofly, his voice smoother than the oil she'd used to fix the door hinges in her house just last week.

"Hey..." Cinder bites her lip, then sighs, deciding to just go for it. "Did I say something? I know your messages were diplomatic and all but I don't think I entirely believe you."

He looks startled for a moment before lightly shrugging his shoulders. "Honestly, I'm not a fan of violence. I simply didn't take it so well when you mentioned the whole nose-punching thing. I'd rather all noses stayed nicely unpunched at all times, if you know what I mean?"

She can't help it; she laughs.

Of course, she then promptly flushes and tried to hide behind her coffee cup, which serves as a great reminder of her payment, or lack thereof.

Knowing from his messages that he doesn't feel comfortable getting into why he prefers all noses to stay unpunched, she uses the opportunity to change the topic and says: "I didn't pay you!"

"Yes, that was the point," Kai replies, laughing, his dimples weakening her argument.

Trying her best to scowl - and succeeding if the look on Kai's face is anything to go by - and folding her arms, Cinder shakes her head. "I'm going to pay for it. You can't just give me free coffee, I'm pretty sure that's against your rules or whatever. Won't you get fired for a financial loss?"

"One single drink will hardly jeopardise the entire coffee industry, princess." He perfectly raises a perfect eyebrow and Cinder wants to punch something because everything about the way he'd said that had been so perfect, she'd momentarily forgotten her own name.

"Still..." she manages, angrily taking a sip of her coffee.

He bites his upper lip thoughtfully before his face lights up and he winks. "I found a way you can pay for your coffee without actually paying!"

"You would so fail business class." Cinder rolls her eyes.

"I'm actually top of my business class," Kai says, somehow managing to sound guilty for being smart, then frowns. "What exactly do you think a business class consists of anyway?"

Her brain blows a fuse because she's never attended a class, studied business, or anticipated she'd have to answer a question like that. Luckily, she's saved from stumbling through an answer by the girl from earlier, who comes up to them and gently taps Kai on the shoulder, steeping back as Kai jumps, turning.

"Hi, sorry to interrupt, the boy at the counter said you should go and catch your bus now," she says, her voice soft and sincere.

"Thank you." Kai smiles at her, quickly stepping out of his chair and holding out a hand for Cinder to take.

She stares at it, confused, until the girl clears her throat and she's jerked back into the present, taking Kai's hand for a moment, using him as a ballast to stand.

The girl quietly laughs behind them and heads back to her table, nodding encouragingly to Cinder before sitting opposite a boy that must be her twin brother, judging by the stark similarity between them.

"Cinder?" Kai asks, having opened the door for them.

"Huh? Oh, your bus. Right." She lets him hold the door open for her but falls into step right beside him as soon as they're outside.

Of course, he leads the way, but they're equal as they walk, their steps echoing on the pavement. They don't say anything but she appreciates it anyway, liking that they can be under a comfortable silence without it being too awkard, liking that Kai isn't someone who needs certain things out of their friendship for it to work.

She's almost sad that they get to the bus stop without interruption. Kai seems to be sharing her thoughts because he looks almost troubled for a second but quickly recovers, smiling again, once more sending warmth through Cinder's veins and arteries.

"I'll see you later, at the garage, right?" He looks at her with what should be an illegal amount of hope.

Cinder smirks. "Unless one of us goes blind before then, yeah. Until next time, barista."

They can hear the bus approaching so she waves at him, turning around before he can see her blush when he happily waves back, and starts walking to the garage, definitely not stopping and looking back to fondly watch the bus turn the corner, definitely not.

You can thank Bella ( The Original Percabeth Child) on FFN for this chapter as it was a birthday gift for her!

That also means I wanted to get it out quicker and spent less time proof-reading, sorry for mistakes! And happy August, y'all!!

It literally took me almost an hour to format two chapters on tumblr mobile, it's now nearly 2 am and I am tired™.

Let me know if you thought this chapter wasn't too bad! Xoxo