The Stage is Set

Chapter 17: My love, you look better in pieces

911 - Elise

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Blue looks away as he holds Dream close. He didn't want to give Bani the satisfaction of crying for his friend. Yet he wishes he did, so he doesn't see another friend suffer. What would Ink do? He looks over at Ink, is this how he felt in the past? Is this what he had to go through so many days, weeks, and months? How long was his friend in the care of these creators? What did Bani do to him? What's the full extent of the abuse Ink went through? Does Ink even know about the extent himself? Would the Ink he knows today, would he be different? What comes from his time with the creators and what doesn't? So many questions that he can't answer as he watches the screen come back to life.

Dream holds onto Blue tightly, he's scared and weak. He hates the feeling. His arm is almost stone again, and he's so cold. It feels as if he's slowly being frozen alive. A feeling he never wants to relive. A feeling he is reliving yet again. He needs to stay with Blue, Blue is warm and safe. Blue wouldn't hurt him. He nuzzles into Blue's shoulder before sighing softly. He clings to the feeling of safety and warmth in Blue. Trying to remain calm in the panic that is slowly rising with the feeling of cold. He won't look, he doesn't want to. It's going to hurt him.

Error, Killer, and Nightmare try to get Ink back, as his tears fall into his lap. Yet he makes no sound, just sitting there in pure silence. His form wavers and it takes all three of them to reassure him to remain stable. They're worried for him, as Dust tries to comfort Cross. Dust vaguely wishes for Epic to be here, Epic is much better at comforting than he is. He sighs as he gently pats Cross on the back as they hug. Everyone quiets down as the window clears up.

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Hearts stumbles into his room in tears, having just seen Fell go into the cage with Tainted. That was his friend, Fell is his friend, yet he just stood there and watched? What kind of friend does that? How could he just do that? He locks his door before sliding down it and pulling his knees to his chest. He covers his face before wiping his tears. He can't take this anymore. He just can't. Both Desire and he want out. Hearts shakes as he struggles to remain calm. He's done this to himself and he deserves no pity. He chose this. He did this to himself. Shattered likes to remind him of that. Yani likes to remind him of that. Every time, every touch. Hearts chokes on a gasp as he reaches into a pocket under his skirt and pulls out a phone. He's grateful that he remembered to sew pockets into his shorts. He quickly dials Beaker's number before waiting for him to pick it up. As it rings, tears fill his sockets.

He can feel Desire's fear and worry.

Neither of them is different, but the fear of touch and Yani come from Desire. Desire is the one who kills, threatens, and gains information. Desire goes to bars in different AUs to drink, smoke, and get money. Desire has a backbone and a scythe. Hearts has almost nothing but his body and fists. Hearts is the one to sell their body for information. He's the only one out of the two who is the most comfortable doing so. After what they've gone through to get the two of them to split into two separate entities, Desire doesn't want anyone to touch Hearts or him.

Yet, Hearts wants to help his friends, to go back to a time when none of this was even a thought of what could happen, and the biggest issue was who was going to rub Tainted's baby bump. He doesn't want to hide anymore, yet he knows that a wrong slip-up with Shattered will have them disappear. They're both scared of what they're doing right now. It's treason against Shattered. It would get them killed. Get the two of them thrown into the ring with Tainted.

"Hello? This is Sci. I'm not in my office right now, but I can still help you out. What's the issue?" Hearts sniffles, whimpering softly as he wipes his tears. Slowly, Hearts lets Desire take over to talk, Hearts can't stand to hear Beaker after helping Yani send Outer to his death. Beaker furrows his bone brows as he tries to figure out if someone had called him. "Hello? Who is this?"