A/N: What a wild ride! Thank you to everyone who stuck with me through these three crazy weeks. A huge thanks to wavingthroughawindow for being an incredible friend and posting all of these. *all the hugs and cupcakes in the world* Thanks to rowaelinfeyrhys for your advice and incredible sense of humor - you are truly hilarious and an amazing friend. And thank you to 1221bookworm, for your thoughtful reviews; they gave me the motivation to keep writing when I was stuck. From now on, my updates will be significantly more erratic, but I promise I'll try to update as frequently as possible! And I can't wait to write my Jannali fanfic. I have big things in store for you lovely readers... :) Thank you so much! Have a wonderful day!
The world had somehow decided to cram itself into a small, nicely air-conditioned podship smelling vaguely of laundry detergent and lemongrass.
It was, Kai decided, some hassled intern's sloppy attempt at a fresh, clean odor. It was a pity it just about killed the mood.
About half of the given area was decked out in the colors of the Eastern Commonwealth: reds and golds and the like.
The other half was swathed in blues and silvers and purples, colors of the night.
This, Kai knew, was also probably some other intern's idea of of symbolic resonance and something or other, but really, it made the whole affair a bit tacky and cheap.
On the other side of the podship, Cinder stood bedecked in her Lunar royal attire, with a mildly disgusted expression on her face.
It was definitely the smell, Kai laughed inwardly.
In four minutes and thirty-seven seconds, millions of people across Earth and Luna would watch as the two most prominent leaders of the time officially reinstated trade between the two Empires.
It was all very dramatic, Kai mused. Catching Cinder's eye, he pretended to gag on the smell.
Cinder shot him a mock-disapproving look, then pretended to faint.
"Excuse me," a faintly disapproving voice spoke up.
Kai glanced to his left. Their interviewer stood roughly in the center, with an expression to match his voice.
He was a stout, impeccably put-together persona, with a constant air of distaste.
Behind his back, the interns called him the "Balding Bard", for his proclivity to quote Shakespeare.
Pursing his lips slightly, he continued. "I believe we should run through our cues again."
Kai grinned unabashedly at Cinder when the Bard's back was turned.
"First," the man announced, "I will give a brief introduction. You will stand attentively, as the cameras will be alternating between all of us."
Kai caught a flicker of irritation on Cinder's face. She had been vehemently opposed to the whole spectacle.
"Then, you two will simultaneously come to stand in the center of the room and announce how trade has been officially reinstated. Finally, I will conduct an interview about how this will affect intergalactic relations. Is this all clear?"
They nodded.
"Good. We'll begin shortly."
Cinder's flesh hand was anxiously running over her metal one. It was one of her nervous tics, Kai had noticed.
He gave her a reassuring smile and received an eye roll in return.
Some things would never change.
There was a series of frantic gestures on the part of a cameraman, and they were on air.
Kai tuned out the interviewer's words, plastering a bland, amiable expression on his face.
He almost missed his cue.
Hastily stepping forward, he came to a stop next to Cinder.
He wasn't truly present in the moment, as he recited his scripted lines.
It was probably a momentous occasion, Kai mused, but the whole experience was rather ruined by the noxious smell and tacky decor.
They had finished their lines. The camera would stay on them for a few seconds, the leaders of two of the most influential empires.
And so Kai made possibly the most rash, impulsive decision he'd ever made, including his whole stint as a revolutionary.
He leaned over and kissed Cinder, just like that.
In front of millions - no, billions - of people, all witnessing a historic moment.
He pulled away, giving her a smirk.
The cameras had finally pulled away, going to a commercial break.
From the look on the Balding Bard's face, it had been an unforgivable crime.
But catching Cinder's eye, he knew - and knew she felt the same - it would all be worth it.