Arcfall (Male Reader Insert)

Chapter Forty One

   "Do me a favor," Cinder said as she walked towards the door, "don't lock me out again." You barely registered the words as you heard the door slam. You were slick with a variety of fluids, both yours and hers. You were sore. You weren't even sure if you could walk. The floor rushing up to greet you answered your last question as you tried to get out of bed.

   Shower. You thought as you dragged yourself to the bathroom. It took some effort to peel the curtain back and throw yourself in the tub, but you managed it as you flicked the temperature to cold and withdrew into yourself. What the fuck just happened, was the first thought that went through your head.

   "What the fuck just happened," you repeated to yourself, out loud this time. You weren't sure how you felt about how... aggressive that had been. You weren't opposed. Hell, if you hadn't had any suspicions about her you would have been enthusiastic. Even with your suspicions you would have said yes if only to keep your cover. But she didn't wait to hear that, you thought to yourself.

   Because you don't usually have to ask, you countered, you've both always been down with this sort of thing and if that's changed you needed to say something. You shook your head in response,

   Do I know that? How do I know every other time wouldn't have been like this, and that this isn't just the first time I've hesitated. You scoffed in response,

   You know this woman. You've been dating for long enough that I think you'd know if something else was going on.

   I didn't see this coming, you thought.

   You didn't lock her out before. You've been through worse. Stone the fuck up.

   Touche? You finally managed to stand and wash yourself off before stepping out and drying. You retired to your main room before awkwardly adding a pair of forgotten panties to your dirty laundry.

***

   "How dare he!" Cinder hissed as she paced back and forth, "did he just happen to forget that I like to drop by sometimes? Did he forget who he belongs to?"

   "Who, Ma'am?" Emerald asked awkwardly as her boss paced through their dorm room.

   "None of your business!" Cinder snapped as she went back to pacing, "I mean, I'm sure he's learned his lesson, but I'm not sure if I'm going to have to reinforce it.

   "Do you... want us to leave?" Mercury asked hopefully as he glanced toward the door.

   "You sit right there!" Cinder snarled, "How am I going to get him under my thumb if he's hesitating? Or worse, suspicious?" Cinder's pacing became more intense. "I'm running out of time. There's no way he knows anything. But he might think he knows something. And that could be even worse. I need something final. Something definite. One last push over the edge. Cinder grew quiet then. Seconds seemed to crawl by as her footsteps came to a close. Eventually, it was Emerald who broke the standstill.

   "Ma'am?" She asked meekly.

   "Emerald. Contact Leonardo. I want to know everything he has on Beacon's past missions. Especially if they involved my pet huntsman."

   "Yes Ma'am," Emerald replied before leaving. A smile tugged at the corner of Cinder's mouth. She didn't have to tell him the truth. She just had to find something that could cast a long shadow.

***

   A knock on your door drew you from your thoughts. You turned your shower off and threw a towel around your waist before responding with, "Coming!" You weren't sure you could handle any more bad news. You summoned all your strength, let out a sigh, and opened your door.