The Stage is Set

A psycho plays with you as I die pt.2

POWER - Ethan Gander
play this as i die - Ethan Gander

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Swap stares up at them for a moment. He says nothing as the moment drags on longer. Then he laughs, "Don't be silly, love! I would do nothing to hurt you or Gin." He takes a deep breath, moving his hands as he speaks to try and convince Creation to believe him. "That power is the ticket to living forever with you. With that, should anything happen, we can," Swap looks at his hands as he moves them around, looking for the right words, "Change the past! We can go back and fix everything, nothing will ever hurt us again. We can change the outcome of Gin's story, and let him live a long life with us. We can change his story to stay with us and be intertwined forever with our stories. And with your soul, we can stay in the same timeline forever. We can stay young, with our kids forever. We can save and go to the younger days when we're old and dying. We can live out our vows of staying together until time ends and the Multiverse collapses on itself. We can go back and relive our lives together forever! We can have times where we have no kids, one kid, many kids!"

Tears pour out of their eyes as Creation shakes their head gently. It's like he forgot everything about the rewrites. He's forgotten how bad they are, and what they take from people. It's like he's forgotten all the times Ree had collapsed into Swap's arms crying over that a rewrite has taken, what it had changed. Those blessings Ink had that were taken, the bad times outweighed the good. It's like he's forgotten that it was because of a rewrite that he was taken from Ink. It's like he's forgotten all the times Ink's tried to save Gin, only to end up in an ink puddle for days. It's like-

Oh.

Swap's soul is gone. It's corrupted to the point that there is nothing left of it. It's just a gooey mess of corruption and hate. The color of insanity lazily swimming in that goo along with obsession. This is no longer the Swap that Ree, Ink had known and loved. This is not the same Swap that Creation had watched Ree fall in love with. This...being is dangerous. Their face scrunches into a scowl as they glare down at Swap. There is no love there, nothing but obsession. There is no love for those searching eyes to find.

Who's looking, neither of them can tell.

Creation takes a step forward. "You gave up your soul to play god?! Do you understand the consequences of your choices?!" Swap goes to respond before Creation cuts him off. "So if you had creator's magic, you plan to let the Multiverse burn down? All for your plan? All with none of your old values to uphold?" Creation stops. Their shoulders sag as they stare at him with disappointment and grief. "You would actively fuel the death of our home?"

Swap pauses for a moment. He stands there, not moving, and Creation hopes they got to him; he'll see reason.

Swap smiles. "If it means being with you, I will do anything."

Creation feels their face drain of color. They shake their head as they back away, they need to get him away from their AUs. From all that they are determined to protect. Creation clenches their fists as they look around. The room shivers and shakes. Creation sends a message of worry. Ink needs to stay hidden. He still needs to connect with Tainted again. The code of the three of them has been torn apart for too long. If they want to be as strong as possible; they need to go back together. Creation looks back at Swap, looking down to see him standing right in front of them.

Swap whistles as he looks them up and down. He puts a hand under his chin as he stares up at them. Creation fights the urge to cover their body with their hands. They feel stripped of their clothes under Swap's gaze. "It looks like you've grown a little more since I've last seen you like this. Still so beautiful. That time of growth of our tree has done you some good, look at you. Time has made you grow even more ethereal than before. Those beautiful curves, everything carved from the gods above... You have become more of a god than the creators." Creation feels their face burn in embarrassment and shame. "Won't you come down to face me, love? I've missed you for so long."

Creation, unsure of his reaction to a 'no' shrinks their form to a more manageable size. Swap still has that tongue that poetry drips and rolls off of. Creation can feel their face heat up, even if they don't want to feel flustered by the corruption before them. They stare down at Swap again, anger filling them once more for listening to him. Oh, how they want to hurt him. Hurt him the way that he hurt Rewrite. Yet something screams at them to cry and kiss him. They wonder if Ink realized that he never truly grieved the loss of Swap.

Swap moves closer, looking up at them. He takes in the new muscles with a small tut. As much as he loves the look of the muscles, his darling angle should've never needed to gain muscle. Those servants should've taken care of all the heavy lifting Ink would need. He takes in the little fat that still clings to their cheeks, to their body with pursed lips. What has happened to his darling? Why has he changed so much? Swap pulls them against him, feeling the gasp that they give out. Creation shudders at the feeling of Swap holding them so close. The way he buries his head in their chest, makes them feel sick. All they can see is their little save star, this was never meant to happen.

This isn't right.