Being the Former Archon's Live-in Cook (Furina x Male reader) *Completed*

Act 20

Seven hours later... 

... At the Fortress of Meropide's Interrogation Rooms...  

A dull ache throbbed through his wrists as consciousness slowly seeped back into his mind. His eyelids felt heavy, but he managed to crack them open. The first thing he noticed was the harsh light overhead, a single bulb casting a stark, almost surgical white glow down upon him. This was familiar. All-too familiar. 

He squinted, trying to shield his eyes, but his arms wouldn't move. Veritably so. As he realized his hands were chained to the armrests of the metal chair he was seated in, his legs suffering the same way, his eyes searched amidst the darkness he found himself in.

The room around him was a blinding expanse of white, the walls smooth and devoid of any features. The silence was absolute, save for the faint hum of the light above and his own breathing. 

He shifted in the chair, the chains clinking softly as he did. His eyes slowly adjusted to the room, and he noticed a figure sitting across from him.

"Furina," he said, his voice steady despite the circumstances.

"Your real name isn't Faith, I presume," she replied, a slight edge to her voice. He could tell she was still nervous despite him being bound to the chair.

"You waited for me to wake up? How sweet of you."

"I have questions."

"I'm sure you do. I won't bite, promise."

Furina recoiled slightly at that.

He chuckled softly. "Relax. I can't do anything to you right now. I'm not superhuman enough to break free from this Fontainian safekeeping. The Fortress of Meropide ensures the best there is in that regard."

Her eyes widened.

"Your reaction tells me I'm right about the location. This must be one of the interrogation rooms the Fortress of Meropide is so proud of. How do I know that?" He couldn't move from his spot, but his presence seemed to fill the room, even in his most vulnerable state. "I've heard many fearmongers exaggerate the strength of this prison's walls and confines. They're quite talkative, though not very friendly. You'd be surprised how many guilty people roam the city without the authorities giving them a second glance."

A low, humorless snicker escaped his lips, the sound echoing faintly off the room's walls. The tables had turned this time, and he couldn't help but find the irony in it. Not too long ago, she had been in the same position as him, feeling hopeless and afraid.

"Well? How was your first time of being abducted? I hope it made you more aware of your own worth." Furina didn't even want to answer that question. As she was about to divert the topic, Faith flipped her plans over completely with another question. "Did you bring your friends over?" he asked, his tone dripping with mockery, camouflaged by a false sense of friendliness.