Addict (SetoSolace)

Fifteen: "Loved"

"Seto. Okay, let me- let me explain. I... I became a Light Mage after you left, partly so I might have a chance at finding you. I never did, but then... I was there, when you won the war for us. And I had the wonderful foresight to begin live streaming the whole event from the moment you fell to your knees." He chuckles. "Long story short: you may be banished from our land, but we're not banished from yours, so we're here to thank you for saving us all."

My jaw drops, very against my will. "Y-You- But I haven't-"

"Hello, Seto," he laughs. "I'm Ty, in case you've forgotten."

I think I nearly pass out. "But you- Why would you help me? I'm bad," I mumble.

"Good," Brice and Ty correct me at the same time.

Ty smiles sadly. "And it's about time you start believing it. I'm so sorry that our other friends and I weren't as supportive as we should have been - some of us were very insensitive and stupid, but I like to think I wasn't one of them. I wanted so badly to help you out of the rut you'd gotten yourself into, but..."

"But you didn't."

"But I didn't. Seto, please, I'm so sorry." He sighs. "I know it isn't an excuse. But all of our other friends were so convinced that you'd be better off if we 'let you go,' and... Notch, I'm so sorry, Seto."

"I am, too," I say quietly.

Ty flinches back a little. "Please forgive me, Seto. I want to be your friend again."

I think the whole crowd holds its breath.

"I..." I sigh and look down for a moment. Five years, I think. Five years of loneliness and sadness and the conviction that I could only be bad for as long as I lived.

But now here he is, one of my closest out of the group of my ex-friends, and he's saying sorry and he's asking to be friends again and he's giving me back the "good" reputation I've always wanted from the City. And there's a smiling crowd of citizens in front of my house, and they're all waiting because this is for them, too, and if I can't forgive Ty then I surely can't forgive them.

"I'm still Addicted," I say, voice wavering as I look down to avoid all of the no-doubt judging stares.

"But this time," Ty replies quietly, "you won't have to deal with it alone."

I squeeze my eyes shut tightly and throw my arms around Ty, and he hesitantly wraps his arms around me, too. "Thank you, Seto," he whispers.

"Thank you," I laugh through a couple of tears. Notch, I've cried way too frequently in the past few days.

The crowd of citizens suddenly goes up in cheers, and I pull away from Ty with wide eyes. "Does that mean we have permission to party?" asks a teenage girl with a cake in her hands.

"P-Party?" I ask, not quite believing what I'm seeing.

"Yeah, to celebrate your victory!" one of the adults shouts.

"I- W-Wait, how did you even get here?" I laugh.

"Danny knew the way," comments another adult.

"Danielle has a surprisingly good memory," Danielle's mother says softly, and Brice coos.

"She's a clever girl," her father comments, looking down at her lovingly, and Jenny grins and gives Danielle a big hug.

I realize, suddenly, that I am happy.

I am not helplessly awaiting the next moment at which I can cast Dark magic (though, of course, the time will come). I am not drowning in my loneliness, for I am not lonely. I am not telling myself I am bad, or doomed to darkness.