The Soldier's Hostage

Chapter Two

I jerked awake when my hand was touched. Arthur looked down at me, unconcerned as he removed the cuff from around my wrist, leaving it to hang around the bedpost. "Morning. Get ready. We're going out." Then he left.

I slowly sat up, scrubbing at my face sleepily. I yanked on my shoes and stumbled for the door, still mostly asleep. I found Arthur by the front door, digging through a closet. He glanced back at me as I approached.

"Ready?"

I nodded and he handed me a coat. I pulled it on. He opened the door and started to go through it before stopping and turning back to me. "Behave yourself while we're out and I won't have to put the cuffs back on when we get back."

I nodded again. I could do that. He led me out of the building and out onto the mostly abandoned streets. We walked down the street a ways and made a stop at a coffee shop first. I breathed in appreciatively as we walked in and got in line. Coffee had been my addiction of choice when I was still a normal human, unaware of the monsters hiding in the shadows. And it had been the first piece of freedom to be taken away from me upon my arrival into Sophia's harem.

"What do you want?"

I blinked in surprise at the question. Arthur jerked his head towards the menu and fixed me with an expectant look. I opened my mouth, then had to close it and swallow to get any words out. "Coffee?"

Arthur nodded and stepped forward in the line, ignoring the fact that I had phrased it as a question. I followed his step. The person ahead of us moved out of the way and Arthur stepped all the way up to the counter. I hovered behind him nervously. The girl behind the counter grinned.

"Morning Arthur. Usual?" She glanced past him at me. "Who's your friend?"

Arthur smiled at the chipper girl. "Morning Ashley. Usual twice today. This is Tucker."

"Hello Tucker."

I dipped my head. "Hello."

The girl giggled as she accepted the cash Arthur handed her and totaled out his order. "Kinda shy isn't he?" She handed him his change and nodded. "Order's right there for ya."

Arthur thanked her and moved down the counter to collect a pair of blueberry muffins and two large black coffees. He handed me one set and took the other for himself off to a small table in the corner. I slid in across from him and wrapped my fingers around the cup of coffee, soaking in the heat.

My mouth was already watering, anticipation sitting heavy in my stomach. I slowly lifted it to my lips and took a sip. It burned me a bit on the way down, but I really couldn't bring myself to care. I sighed, closing my eyes in bliss. If I died in the next two minutes, I would die happy.

I opened my eyes to find Arthur watching me with a bit of amusement. I flushed. "Been a long time."

He smirked and his eyebrows quirked up as he unpeeled the paper from his muffin. "It's the little things in life."

I nodded and took another sip of coffee, savoring it. The little things indeed.

After coffee, Arthur took me back to his place. I was beginning to think he didn't cook. But I certainly wouldn't complain if it meant I could have more coffee. My body was pleasantly buzzing with caffeine and the muffin was plenty to fill me up after the big meal last night.

Arthur was starting to look tired despite the coffee. It was almost dawn after all. He sat down to watch TV again. I sat stiffly on the other end of the couch, needing a distraction. I wasn't tired and I preferred having something to engage my brain with. I drew my knees up to my chest and hooked my heels on the edge of the seat.