Chapter Text
Dhsam ! The door was opened with a loud bang which caused Kai to stir from his work. This uninvited disturbance gave rise to subtle anger and he was ready to pounce on the individual who had decided to barge in his cabin in such a dramatic fashion.
Regardless, he didn't do any of that since the person who was standing at the door was his own wife. He smiled at her sight, expecting the generic 'Did I disturb you?' from her but she had more surprising cards up her sleeves today. Her theatrical entry just led to an even bigger bouncy voice.
" I can't believe you did that?!" she cried as she pulled a seat before him. That phrase left him more baffled than ever. Cinder wasn't the one for dramatic flair if truth be told- he was the theatre kid out of the two.
"What did I do?" he questioned, the file he was working on completely forgotten.
"Look," she said as she passed the tablet to him. Kai was really curious about what he had done that had got Cinder so excited so he looked into the screen without asking any further questions.
The screen played a video:
"Your Majesty, would you like to say anything about the lack of apprehension-" some reporter asked before being interrupted by another.
Kai was not expecting to be chased by a mass of reporters as he flew back home. Alas, he was having a press conference in the airport parking lot right now and he definitely wasn't prepared for this one.
"Goodness, is that Dr Alan Coetze I see there," he exclaimed- seeing the familiar face of the scientist who talked in a language Kai wasn't quite fluent in. Cinder used to love watching his shows and Kai had seen them from time to time too.
"My wife, the Empress is a big fan of Dr Coetze. You would have to excuse me. I need to have his autograph. My wife would be sorely disappointed if I let down this chance," he explained as he tried making his way towards his saviour.
The press seemed taken aback by his words, having a hard time believing that it was the Emperor gushing about a European scientist who had just won the Nobel Peace Prize for his thesis.
"But you are the Emperor, Your Majesty-" someone argued, trying to put sense in him.
"So what? You don't have any idea how inconsiderate intelligent people are towards royalty," he noted. His arguments made little sense but he needed an escapade and this crazily intelligent man that was standing a few yards from him was going to give him exactly that.
"Your Majesty, you don't- "
"I understand it's your work but you do have to be a little understanding about my situation too. My anniversary is getting closer and what better gift than the autograph of Dr Alan Coetze. You would have to excuse me for now. However I promise you, there will be a press conference in New Beijing and I look forward to seeing you all there."
..
"Oh goodness!" Kai laughed and looked up, his wife's contagious smile made him smile more.
"I can't believe you said it!" she gushed again.
"Well, I had a flight to attend and the press wasn't going anywhere. I had to make some diversions," he elaborated, passing the tablet back to her. If he knew anything, he was sure this news was everywhere by now.
"You're telling me the world's best diplomat needed a romantic diversion?"
"You're never gonna let this one go, are you?" he asked, knowing very well the answer to that question, instead he focused on signing the bottom of the page.
"That isn't going to be the problem. Next press conference everyone is going to talk about this and this only, " she pointed out, forgetting to mention that she too was going to make multiple jokes at his expense.
He glanced at her, thinking how if these small diversions were what made her smile ear to ear then Kai would be likely to commit more of them every now and then.
"Nothing that a small ' I love my wife ' can't suffice."
"Which reminds me - you said 'my wife' so many times throughout the entire thing."
"I have a lovely wife. You can't forbid me from bringing her up all the damn time," he said.
"Stars, I can't believe you," she continued to say, glancing back at the video before whispering, "I love my wonderful husband too."
"Shh, don't let my wife hear about this. She gets quite protective," he smirked, throwing a wink in her direction.
That made her chuckle again as she leaned over the desk to whisper in his ear, "Where's my autograph, Your Majesty?"
He tipped to stare into her brown orbs and replied, "I think I said it was an anniversary gift."
Before closing the inches between the two, he murmured, "Wait your time kitten." Cinder captured his lips with hers, her hands holding the back of his neck. One of his hands spread across her cheek, as he deepened the -
Tring!
The kiss was cut short by the comm that rang through Cinder's tablet and both of them groaned over it.
"I'd see you at dinner," Cinder said, getting up from her seat. She was almost out of the door when she looked over her shoulder and announced, "I better have an autograph."
Kai chuckled at the demand and had a delighted feeling for having met the scientist that day.
fin.