[ "An arrangement." Wonderful, excellent choice of words, perfect to let people who have no context run away with their own minds. It wasn't supposed to be like this. But all it took was one second of bad timing and everything else piles up one after the other. He didn't want to give out the details, but now... ]

...Arrangement makes it sound like m'getting blackmailed. More like... a game. I... Explaining the reasons wouldn't matter. [ It'd just send Alex into anxiety city, with the chance of him running his mouth to the wrong person and then everyone will get on his case. Not worth it. ] The core rule is we take turns. Non-fatal damage only. If I wasn't glass, the only thing that'd happen is I'd fall on my face and look like an idiot. But I had an additional condition in-

[ Uh.

Here, of all times, there's a glimpse of red on pale skin and he turns away to check the time. Obviously. ]

In exchange for my participation, those under my dominion are not to be harmed.