Arcfall (Male Reader Insert)

Chapter Fifty One

   "So Qrow is back, and Ozpin isn't keeping you in the loop anymore. Is that about right?" Cinder asked.

   "Pretty much," you replied with a shrug, "I don't know how much they know, but they know something is wrong. That night I confronted Ozpin, the night of the dance, I lost control. He doesn't trust me anymore."

   "But Qrow does?" Cinder asked.

   "For now," you answered. A light,

   "Hmmn," escaped Cinder's throat. Seconds passed before she finally spoke, "We will continue as planned. Stay the course.

   "But-" you started before Cinder interrupted,

   "Emerald and Mercury are about to start their match. If we'd been discovered, you and I would both be in chains, and their fight would have been canceled. Don't do anything reckless, stick to my plan, and I will give you Ozpin's head on a silver platter. Do you understand?" You let out a breath you didn't know you were holding before answering,

   "I understand."

   "Good. Now, if you'd like, why don't you accompany me," Cinder slipped her arm in yours as she spoke, "We can watch the fight together."

   "Of course." Cinder let out a sigh at your answer before bringing her hand to your cheek.

   "(Y/N), nothing has changed between us. I'm not your boss, I'm your lover. Please drop the formalities."

   "I'm sorry, it's just..."

   "You're worried you're in too deep, that you'll say the wrong thing and get cut down," Cinder replied with a smirk as she pulled towards you, whispering in your ear, "This is as deep as it gets, and the only way out is through. But don't worry. I'll protect you~" The words that came out next were the hardest you had said in a long time.

   "I really am sorry. I've been distant. Cold. It's just... I need this to work."

   "And it will, but for now all you need to do is what I tell you to. And it will all work out in the end," Cinder said, a venomous smile splitting her face. You smiled back. Softly. Sadly. The was nothing for it now save to accompany her.

***

   You did your best to keep your eyes off your boots and on the fight, but it was difficult. Watching Emerald thrash Coco was hard enough on its own. Knowing you were helping those that rigged it was even worse. Every time your eyes pulled up to the arena all you could focus on were Coco's shattered glasses. Pat's glasses.

   "She's competent," you commented to Cinder absentmindedly.

   "It's why I chose her," Cinder replied. You found yourself unable to formulate a response. The glasses captivated your eyes again, as though you had crushed them yourself. Did it matter who crushed them? They were just a thing. Another casualty of life. Everything broke. Everyone. You forced your eyes back to your lap. It didn't matter. It didn't matter. Of course, it mattered. Their deaths had kickstarted this. You had spent years of your life pushing down the pain and drowning the memories, but you knew beyond a shadow of a doubt that they wouldn't approve.

   So it's not for them. It's for us. That was one way to look at it. You could view it all as a single-minded effort towards revenge, those already lost be damned.

   'Mourn the dead, fight like hell for the living. But you knew the living wouldn't approve either. Ruby and Yang would fight you, tooth and nail... and Jaune... if you made this about him it became an insult to who he was. Who he had become. You had decided to let him make his own wrong decisions, and you wouldn't take that back.