The Acolyte of Spirits and Curses

Chapter 88: Shut up!

"We also have secrets that we are hiding from you!"

Arwen’s eyes widened instantly as her mind tried to process what Cynthia just said.

"...What?" she breathed out, but before the thought could even settle, she suddenly lunged forward across the bed.

"Cynthia!"

Cynthia yelped as Arwen grabbed her by the shoulders, clearly trying to stop her from saying another word.

"Don’t-!"

But Cynthia, already committed, pushed back stubbornly, trying to twist out of her grip as she turned toward Klein. "Klein, we are actually-"

"No, we’re not!" Arwen cut in immediately, grabbing her again, this time more forcefully.

The two of them struggled for a second, completely ignoring Klein now, who just sat there blinking at the sudden chaos unfolding in front of him.

"...What is happening?" he muttered under his breath as he was confused about what secret is there.

Cynthia tried to pry Arwen’s hands off her. "Let go! You can’t just drop that line and expect me to not explain!"

Arwen tightened her grip, "You’re not explaining anything!"

"Oh, so you can interrogate him but I can’t talk?" Cynthia shot back, twisting her body to face her more directly.

"I was asking a normal question!" Arwen argued.

"That was not a normal question!" Cynthia snapped.

Klein raised a hand slightly. "...Arwen, Cyn, stop this-"

Neither of them listened.

Cynthia finally managed to shove Arwen back slightly, turning again toward Klein "Klein, we are actually-"

Before she could finish Arwen grabbed her again.

The sudden pull threw off Cynthia’s balance completely, and with a small yelp, the two of them tumbled off the bed together along with the blankets.

"Ah-!"

Thud.

They hit the floor in a heap, and the blanket half-followed them down as it slipped off the edge of the bed.

Klein stared down at them, utterly dumbfounded.

Cynthia groaned, pushing herself up slightly while trying to untangle her arm from Arwen’s grip.

"This is your fault," she muttered.

"My fault?!" Arwen shot back, equally disheveled as she glared at her. "You’re the one trying to blurt things out!"

"Well maybe if you didn’t go into interrogation mode-"

"Oh, so now I’m the problem?"

"Yes! You are the problem, Arwen."

Cynthia snapped at her "He was saying a secret that has been weighing on his mind, and he was vulnerable, but instead of comforting him, you are just interrogating him like an insecure bitch."

"Cynthia-" Klein tried to speak, but she didn’t stop.

"So yeah, shut up, Arwen! Shut the fuck up!" she cut in, her chest rising and falling as she glared at her.

"I am sick of hiding things from him about our life when he is completely honest with us."

Arwen froze, and her gaze quivered in stunned silence.

Her lips parted slightly as if she wanted to say something back just like her...

but nothing came out.

Her fingers curled slightly against her lap, and she bit down on her trembling lower lip.

Klein quickly got down from the bed and crouched in front of them.

"Arwen, Cyn..."

Cynthia blinked, and the heat in her expression faltered slightly as she realized how far she had gone.

Klein reached out instinctively, his hand hovering for a second before gently grabbing Cynthia’s wrist, lowering it from where she had been pointing.

"That’s enough..." he said quietly.

Cynthia swallowed, looking away slightly, and her jaw was still tight "...She started it."

He turned to Arwen, and seeing the expression on her face made his chest tighten.

"...Arwen," he said softly.

Her gaze lowered again as if she didn’t want him to see her expression.

Klein exhaled slowly, then reached out and gently took her hand.

He pulled her closer and wrapped his arms around her in a soft hug.

Arwen stiffened for a brief moment, but then she melted, pressing her shoulder lightly against his chest as she let out a slow breath.

Cynthia looked between the two of them, and her anger subsided as a quiet guilt settled in her heart.

"...I didn’t mean to say it like that," she muttered.

Arwen sighed into Klein’s arms "...Shut up, bitch. I know," she said softly.

Cynthia: (;☉_☉)

For a moment, she just stared at Arwen, completely caught off guard by the mix of insult and understanding packed into the same sentence.

Without saying anything, he reached out and gently cupped Cynthia’s cheek, brushing his thumb lightly against her skin.

Cynthia blinked at the sudden contact, and her earlier frustration melted almost instantly, a faint blush rising to her cheeks as she looked at him.

"...What?" she murmured softly.

Klein simply pulled her closer, guiding her into his right side while his other arm remained loosely around Arwen.

"Let’s just calm down for now."

Cynthia leaned into him almost immediately and her body relaxed as she rested against his chest.

"...Yeah..."

She tilted her head slightly, pressing a small, absentminded kiss against his neck as she settled in, as if seeking comfort more than anything else.

On the other side, Arwen shifted as well.

Without a word, she leaned in closer and tightened her arms slightly around him as she pressed her face near his neck, brushing her lips against his skin.

Now, both of them were pressed against him.

Klein couldn’t help but chuckle in his heart

Just a moment ago, they had been arguing, snapping at each other, and now...

they are cuddled into him like nothing happened.

He looked down slightly at Cynthia leaning into his right side, then tilted his head a bit to glance at Arwen resting against his left.

He doesn’t know what kind of secret it is, but for Arwen, who is always calm, to snap out like that, it must be something big.

’...Is it about her parents? I know they were assassinated in the past.’

Cynthia briefly glanced at Arwen and mouthed softly ’I am sorry.’

Arwen watched her for a second, then closed her eyes before mouthing back ’No, it is my fault.’

After a few seconds, Arwen took a slow breath and pulled back slightly.

"You must be curious what that ’secret’ is..."