The Time It Takes To Fall

No Asking Required

USA, 2019 A.D.

"Do you really think that it could be up the tree?" Cinder asked, squinting up into the brush above them.

She was in the middle of the woods with Kai, and they were geocaching. Never before had she heard of such a thing as geocaching, but here she was, with Kai, looking for little treasures hidden in the middle of nowhere. She would have felt somewhat nervous to be all alone with not a soul around if she was with anyone other than Kai. It was odd, but she felt completely at ease with him. Nervous, but not of him— only the feelings she felt regarding him.

"My cellular device pins the treasure to this very tree," Kai sighed, wiping a hand across his brow. The day was cloudy, but all their walking had led to an increase in body temperature— especially with their jackets on. "Perhaps it is up on that particularly thick bough," Kai pointed about twenty feet up, squinting at the foliage.

"Alright," Cinder said, clapping her hands together, the pink scar tissue of her left hand contrasting with the tanned skin of her right. "I'll climb up."

"Pardon?" Kai asked, his eyes going wide. He looked up at the tree, and then back at her. Cinder had already taken off her black jacket and was handing it to him.

"Oh, uh, I can actually climb it," Kai interjected, pushing her jacket back towards her. "I have climbed an abundance of trees in my time. My eloquence in tree climbing is rather phenomenal."

Cinder scoffed, rolling her eyes. "The fact that you just used 'eloquence' to describe your tree climbing makes me think that you have never climbed a tree in your life."

Kai grumbled incoherently, shooting her a glare, but did not argue against her words.

Grinning, Cinder pulled her phone out of her back pocket and handed it to Kai, swapping it for their geocaching treasure. He looked up at her, one eye closing in a goofy, confused manner.

"I don't want it to fall on your head while I'm climbing, Cinder explained, trying to keep a straight face and failing. It was clear that Kai had never before even considered climbing a tree, and the bafflement upon his face was something that Cinder found all too adorable.

Cinder turned away from her flustered date and placed her hands upon the tree. The bark was rough against her skin, but she smiled as she began to climb.

"Be careful," Kai called after her, his voice anxious. Cinder turned her body and looked down at him, his face red from exertion and sweaty from the warmth of his gray hoodie. She scowled at him, then continued to climb.

It had been ages since Cinder had climbed a tree; she had forgotten how much she loved it. The wonderful feel of climbing up into the heavens and away from all the horrors of the Earth. She could remember all the happy times she had enjoyed up in the sky, racing her little sister up and up and up. Hearing Garan cheer them on from down below.

Those had been some of her happiest moments. Just herself and her favorite people, away from all the negativity that was her life. She had gotten to laugh, and make jokes and not have her stepmother call her horrible names or make her do chores throughout the entirety of the day. She had gotten to be alive in those moments— and she would never forget them.

"Hey Cinder," Kai called from below. She was about fifteen feet up the tree, and near the bough where the suspected treasure was sure to be. She squinted around, looking for her next handhold and boosting herself up.

"Yeah?" Cinder replied a little distractedly. She upper body strength was good all things considered, but it had been a long time since she had pulled herself up a tree.