Cicero x Male!Reader

Chapter 8

Back at home you were stopped by Astrid. "We need to talk." "D-did something happen?" "Cicero is planning something, i can hear him always mumbling, speaking to someone up in the nightmother's room. You have to find out who that damned traitor is, (y/n)."
"Me?!" "Quiet. You are the best at sneaking and lockpicking. Get into the coffin and eavesdrop on him." "But i don't want to do that, it's disrespectful towards the nightmother." "I am your misstress, not her. Or do you want to go? You know the consequences." Your eyes widened.
"Y-you can't just throw me out of the sanctuary. People know who i am. They will lynch me!" "Now now, who is going to get lynched?" Festus was coming up the stairs.
"S-she wants to throw me out because i won't be disrespectful!" Slowly everyone came by to watch the argument go down.
"Astrid, he has just turned nineteen, he's still a hatchling." "Veezara is right, Astrid. You can't do that to him. Let alone the fact that he is part of our family." "And have you forgotten how terrified he is of Cicero?"
She growled. "Out of the room! All of you!" You ran after the others. "Why is she so angry? Did something happen?" "That old jester wants us all to follow the tenets. She is afraid of loosing leadership." 'She should be. She disrespects our dear mother far too much.'
You snuck up to where the nightmother's coffin stood and tried to pick the lock, but it just would not work. 'Fuck. I have to think quick now. Come on, how else can i-'
The door opened and Cicero came in. He stared in disbelief when he saw you kneeling in front of the coffin and trying to break into the iron tomb. "P-please, it's not what it looks like! I swear!"
He slowly came closer, forcing you into a corner of the room. You were scared for your life, knowing what he was capable of, and started crying. Crying because you were afraid of the person you loved. When you hit the wall you just sunk to the ground, knowing what would happen next.
You felt how he laid his hands around your throat, waiting for him to just choke you until you died. So you would finally shut up. So you weren't able to run away from him anymore. But nothing happened.
He slid his hands further up to hold the sides of your face, gently stroking your cheek. "(Y/n).." You felt his heat. Felt his warm breath. Heard him quiver. You gave in. Too long had you deprived yourself of his touch.
You let him hug you, caress you, show you that he did in fact love you. You knew that this love was dangerous. That he could snap again at any moment. And yet he was the only one you ever had feelings for.
Maybe it would get better if you let him shag you? Would he then maybe have less doubts? But you were afraid that he would hurt you while it too. That he wouldn't care.
You looked into his eyes. They were filled with guilt and sorrow. "I'm so sorry for what i've done to you.. Say.. Do you still love me..?" "Yes, Cicero. And that will never change, my dear. But you have to get the laughter under control."
The laughter. The damned laughter. That's what you both called his insane side. When he talked of himself in third person. When he had his unreasonable outbursts. That all was the laughter. But who could really blame him for his insanity?
You pulled him closer and kissed him, enjoying this warm feeling you craved so much. "My dearest Cicero. My one and only. Astrid thinks you are a traitor. She send me to eavesdrop. But i would never do that, the second tenet forbids it."
"Oh (y/n).." "You were right. We should have gone back then. She has no respect for our mother. None at all. I will only tell the others. They are true family after all. Then we will be off even before the first light hits this land. And mother will of course come with us."
He nodded and smiled a little. "But now i am curious myself. Who was it that you spoke to?" "The nightmother. It's been such a long time now that Cicero cared for her. He hopes she will make him the listener one day, yes yes, he does."
You stoke his cheek. "Even if she shouldn't choose you, you know she loves you very much. You are the keeper. And the keeper means so much more to her than a listener ever could." "Really?" "Really."
You packed some of your clothes and a bit food, getting everything ready. "Will Festus help us again?" "I'm sure he will."