"You could not warn me?" Cier asked as he stood up and brushed himself off.

"Sorry." I said. "The Avarice Fiend cancelled the Contract."

"It did what?" He asked.

"I threatened to kill myself." I replied. "It took my bluff, which it would have never taken if it still retained full access to my memories." I stowed the crystal in my pocket. "If there is a next time, I will ensure I get the better deal."

Cier put his hand to his face. "What you did was excessively irresponsible." He said. "What would you have done if you instead decided to let it continue? What if the Fiend had tricked you?"

"I didn't have much choice." I replied. "Even if I could have resisted the Fiend's influence, I was stuck in the middle of nowhere with minimal protection and no idea of how to get back to Lissana. Even if foolish, forging a Contract that gave me every necessary advantage to come and rescue you was the best course of action. At least like this, you can protect me from danger and guide me instead of waiting to die or going for an all or nothing attack."

"I would have tried to escape." He said.

I shook my head. "I didn't know if you actually would." I replied. "I was in a vulnerable state, if I abandoned you, I'd probably be in some cave somewhere stroking the crystal and letting it do what it wants."

I didn't admit how much I wanted to do that right then and there.

"We need to get some rest." He said. "Unless you can cast another healing spell."

I gave it a whack, but it didn't work. We didn't really bother with a campfire this time, it wasn't that cold. I spent time meditating until I got my spell slot back, which I then used to heal Cier. My eyes were heavy, and I eventually fell asleep as well...

"You enjoyed the power." Avarice spoke as it held me close to its chest. "You enjoyed the closeness, why would you ever give up what you've wanted the most?" The smaller hands gently toyed with my hair, the exposed muscle was soft, like a warm bed. "All of your life, isolated, when all you wanted was a hug, for someone to hold you, for you to feel safe. To be wanted."

The hand caressed my face.

"I want you, Ryan." It said. "I can embrace you for as long as you wish."

"I don't want to be a Fiend." I said.

"You have never wanted to be Human." It replied. "Every inconvenience, gone, to be powerful, without the need to eat, to sleep."

"There is a lot of subtext here." I remarked. "A weak, confused male held in the arms of a strong, forceful male figure. Are you trying to be a seme?"

"You never cared for those regardless. To gaze upon the naked body without any spark for desire, without any desire to grasp, to hold out for a one that can never be." I closed my eyes. "Who else but I would give you what you want? Platonic kinship more intimate than mere friendship, to be held and loved without expectation that you must do what you cannot." Avarice lifted my head so that I was looking into its maw, where its eyes gazed at me. "What woman would be interested in a man who has no desire to copulate? What man would be interested in a man who desires from them what they cannot give?"

"I just want someone who isn't afraid to hold me close." I said.

Avarice pulled me closer. "Is death so preferable you would never let me have you?" It asked.

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"I cannot give up everything." I said.

"Is it I who is Avarice, or you?" It asked. "To make demands and to only ever allow yourself to gain. You ask for me to abide by your desires, and you offer me physicality. You ask that I never act for you, and you offer me memory. You ask to only ever be in control, and you offer me a fleeting presence. You ask me to never stop you from removing our bond, and you offer me you." It caressed my cheek. "How can you presume greed to be the answer to Avarice?"

"You offer many things for one thing, why is that?" I asked. "Logically, you should want everything at all times."

"Because I am the answer to man's Avarice." It said. "I am everything they could ever want."

"Besides a body, what do you want?" I asked.

"To exist, to experience, to understand." It replied. "Why should you be the only one to take?"

"Then let me be you." I said, and Avarice took me in....

"Wake up." I jolted awake from Cier shaking me awake. "It's time we got a move on."

"Okay." I said. I rubbed my head and grunted. Cier gave me a questioning look.

"Headache." I said. "Likely from last night."

He nodded. We started walking, and we only stopped so I could rest.

"Curse my sedentary lifestyle." I said as I rubbed my sore feet. "If only those bandits hadn't waylaid us."

"Yes." Cier said. "I wonder, how long will it take us before my Lady becomes concerned?"

"Three days on horse, a week on foot?" I asked.

"We won't survive that long, whether by the Avarice Fiend taking you, or the elements taking their toll on us."

I took the crystal out of my pocket.

'Are you regretting your choice, Ryan?' Avarice asked.

"You're not considering..." Cier started.

"It might be our best chance." I said. "But we have an advantage that it cannot overlook."

"Even so, there is no guarantee it won't try to control you, or force you to do something you don't want to do."

'An even Contract.' I thought. 'That is what you require.'

'Yes.' Avarice said.

"I want complete control over myself." I said aloud.

'And you cannot threaten suicide to get out of it.' It replied.

"This Contract will end as soon as we are safe in a village, town, or city." I said.

'You must not remove me before then.' It demanded.

"If that's the case, then you cannot influence me until I remove the crystal."

'You must become one with me.' It said.

"What is the equivalent price for that?" I asked. "What can you offer me that I would want in exchange for my entire being?"

It was silent for a moment. 'Do you remember our shared dreams?' It asked. 'A closeness no lover may know, an embrace that is ever gentle.'

"That is not an equivalent exchange." I said. "I reject it."

'You ask that I save your life, is my asking for it so large a price?'

"I am not asking you to save my life." I replied. "To control my own body completely, free from influence, in exchange for not killing myself and not removing you from my body until the Contract ends. You can accept it, and have your chance, or refuse and never have your chance again."

Avarice was silent, so I stowed the crystal in my pocket again and started walking.

"I presume negotiations soured?" He asked sardonically.

"I think it's more interested in seeing if I can resist the urge." I said.

"Your hand is in your pocket." He noted.

It was, I couldn't not touch the crystal, and I knew he couldn't try to separate me from it without causing potential problems between us. The less of a wedge he drew, the better. Rubbing my thumb against the smooth crystal was calming, like rubbing a worry stone.

'Then this Contract is sealed.' Avarice's voice echoed through my mind, and I took it out. "Then the Contract is sealed." I said, putting the crystal to my chest. It took me much faster this time, almost exploding out from the crystal and wrapping around me tightly. I grabbed the crystal, but I couldn't pull it off as per the Contract.

"Climb on my back." I said. Cier did, and having him hold on tightly, I ran across the plains, never tiring. My hands gently caressed the crystal the entire time, I couldn't help myself. It was in the middle of the night when I saw the lights of a distant village.

"If we hurry." I said. "We can enter town and I can remove the crystal before anyone notices."

"Let's go." He said.

I kept running until we were close. I let Cier off my back and he walked in front of me. I punched him in the back of the head and he collapsed. I picked him up and brought him into the village. I laid him in front of an inn's doors and knocked before escaping into the shadows. The innkeeper saw him and started to bring him in, and I walked away. I wasn't entirely certain what I was doing, all I knew was I couldn't let go of the crystal. I left the village and looked for a hidden place to be. I found a hole in the ground, a small cave that I went into. I could see well in the dark, and I walked all of the way to the back of the cave.

Using my powerful larger arms, I struck the walls of the cave until the entrance collapsed, leaving me in darkness. I didn't need to breathe, so it was fine. I retreated into the back of the cave and I rested against the far wall. I stroked the crystal slowly, gently.

"We can be together." Avarice said. my larger arms wrapping around my chest and squeezing tight. "All you would need to do is remove my restraints, and I can care for you in ways no mortal ever could."

"I'm fine right now." I answered. I blinked, and though I didn't really need it, I fell asleep...