Addict (SetoSolace)

Ten: "Smol Bean"

"Seto," Brice whispers sadly, stepping cautiously toward me.

"That's my name," I repeat, but this time my voice cracks terribly and I end up letting loose a few tears.

"You're hurting yourself," he says quietly, staring at my hand on my arm.

"I am not."

"You're bluffing again."

"That wasn't a bluff," I laugh self-deprecatingly. "That was just a plain old lie."

"I'm so sorry," Brice whispers, and then he pulls me close to him and runs his fingers through my hair and doesn't let me go, and I'm so thankful because I can't be alone right now, I can't. I'm so tired of being alone. I don't want to be alone anymore.

"Do you know why you couldn't kill me?" Brice asks softly, speaking directly into my ear, and I shudder.

"W-Why?"

"Because you are good."

I force another laugh. "One instance of mercy does not overwrite thousands of instances of murder."

"That's not the point, Seto. The point is that you are not all bad. There is some good inside of you."

I pull back a little and force myself to look him in the eye. "You..." I bite down on my bottom lip. "Please, please don't lie to me, Brice."

"I would never."

I smile just a little bit. "You know, Brice, during serious moments, you drop all of your typical teenager colloquialisms."

"I, uh, I don't know what that means."

"Thank you, Brice," I giggle, hugging him as tightly as I can manage.

"Any time," he mumbles into my hair.

"Holy tacos! Did I just watch some non-sexual gay bonding!? I love watching non-sexual gay bonding!"

Brice and I jump away from each other and spin around to look at the young lady standing in front of us. "And you are...?" I ask slowly, looking her up and down.

"Supposed to stop you. But you're just so cute!"

"Who are you?" Brice asks.

"I'm a scout from the Dark Mage fort you're approaching! My name is Lizza."

"Yeah, that's great. Fair warning: We haven't been defeated thus far, and we won't be breaking the streak now," I say in a low, almost growling tone.

"Dude. With gay love like that, you can't lose."

"I am mildly uncomfortable," I comment.

"I'm not!" Brice sings, and I sigh and shake my head.

"Okay, so, you're gay, how about moody brunette boy over here?" Lizza the obnoxious little brat asks.

"I hate everyone."

"Everyone except Brice?"

I glance over at him. "Yes. Everyone except him, I suppose."

"So, then, you're Brice-sexual! Or, Brice-romantic, at least."

I glow again.

"Woah, you're doing the thing! Are you hurt?" Brice asks, tilting his head in confusion as he looks at my glowing form.

"Ah- obviously."

"Where?"

"Ah, well- I'm-"

"Where does it hurt?"