Legend (Addict 3)

-1: (Payten)

Hmm. What say we start off slow, my friends?

Legend

A Couple Of Years Prior

Chapter -1: (Payten)

"You're binding," Seto deadpans.

"Well... yeah."

"Incorrectly," Seto adds.

"Not usually," I say, wincing slightly.

"Exactly how rare is this kind of situation?"

"Pretty rare," I say, slinking back.

"Payten."

"Seto."

He sighs and leans back, running his hand through his hair. "I understand. Perhaps we could-"

"No, you don't," I breathe.

Seto tilts his head as he looks back at me. "Pardon?"

"You don't understand."

He's quiet for a moment.

"I've enchanted and repaired your binder," he continues, not meeting my eyes. "When it either senses you in pain or senses that it has been used for more than ten consecutive hours, it will loosen." His voice quiets. "Though I would only suggest eight hours. Maximum."

"What- No, what the Nether, Seto!? Change it back!" I shout, standing up and furrowing my eyebrows.

"You are only standing," Seto growls, glaring harshly, "because Jenny knew what a binder is. Had she not known, you would've been jostled around on your way here, with the binder still on, and perhaps even mistakenly diagnosed." He takes a deep breath and forces his shoulders down. "You will take the binder off after eight hours of use for a minimum of seven hours. The enchantment will remain."

"... I'm sorry," I say, reluctant but genuine.

"I know," Seto nods, handing me my binder. "You can go change if you'd like - it will be several days before it returns to it's normal level of tightness." He hesitates, then tentatively continues. "Ah, if you are certain you would be more comfortable... There is always surgery."

I frown, suddenly feeling the weight of my chest with blaring awareness. "That was their excuse for kicking me out. They didn't want me to have enough resources to pay a sorcerer to do the surgery," I whisper.

"I do not charge," Seto whispers back, his eyes sparkling slightly.

"It's so dangerous," I say, a little louder this time.

"I have more experience than you know," Seto replies, matching my tone almost exactly.

"It's like I'm... jumping the ranks. Cheating at life."

"Poker is banned in some parts of the Burg because I ran the citizens broke via a serious lack of rule-keeping."

I laugh, but my eyes are watering. "I'm so tired of being a girl."

"I'm so tired of watching you think you are still someone you are not."

I wipe my eyes roughly with the sleeve of my shirt, refusing to make eye contact afterwards. "You wanna, like..." I cough. "Play catch or something, later?"

Seto tries very hard to hide his smile. "I cannot promise I won't do everything in my power to cheat."

"How do you cheat at catch?" I laugh, snorting embarrassingly through my few tears.

"I suppose we'll find out," Seto chuckles, turning around again. I swallow and wipe my eyes one more time as I wait for him to turn back, which he soon does. "Here are three extra binders - I have adjusted them to fit you, and they all have the same enchantment as your original binder. They're connected, too, so don't try to find any loopholes," he says, smirking knowingly.

"Woah," I say slowly, staring at the differently colored binders with wide eyes. One of them is a nude-colored tank-top binder, a few shades paler than my own skin and almost closer to Seto's. And the other two are half-binders, one red and the other blue. "Where did you get these?"

"Ah," Seto shrugs, smiling slightly. "Found them lying around."

"You're so fantastic," I breathe in awe.

"Doubtlessly."

"When do you think we can... you know..."

"I would prefer a minimum of three years to prepare you and my magic." He holds up a hand to stop my protests before they even begin. "I know, I know. But last time I did this, I- The patient was incapacitated for a good many weeks afterward, though it did, eventually, turn out okay. That was an unusual surgery, and yours will be easier, but I would still like to ensure that you are completely unharmed."

"I've waited this long," I say, shrugging in mild relief. It's finally... happening. Or, at least, it's in the process of happening. "Seto... thank you."

"It is my pleasure," Seto says softly, placing all four binders in a neat pile in my hands. "You can always come to me if you feel uncomfortable or unsafe."

"I know I can," I say firmly, and Seto helps me home.