Chapter Text
Eye was gone.
That's what everyone essentially accepted now.
Vista couldn't understand how they all moved on so fast. How they welcomed the imposter in his body. How they just accepted the fact there was someone in his boyfriend's teammate's body and was just living there.
It made him sick to his stomach.
God, Vista couldn't imagine how this must feel for Eye.
Could Eye see him? See how much Vista was trying to get him to remember? How much he missed him? How hard he was trying to get him back?
Catalyst insisted every time he wasn't Eye.
For once, he was right.
This, thing, wasn't his Eye.
The one who saved him.
The one who Vista would gladly do anything for.
The one who kept him safe for so long.
The one who stubbornly wanted to take everything on by himself because he believed he was stronger than he really was.
Maybe Eye was stronger than Vista by just a tiny amount, but still!
Vista could himself just fine in a fight. Even if Eye didn’t seem to think so.
Vista knew he could.
He knew he could help Eye.
Even if Eye didn't want his help.
He would save Eye, this time with more than just comforting words after a fight.
This time, he himself would kill the bastardly imposter in his boyfriend’s teammate's body and free him.
Vista was going to prove to both himself and to Eye that he was capable of handling himself. That his loyalty to Eye was unwavering. That he was willing to do anything for him, just as Eye was willing to do anything for him.
Vista felt his stomach twist as he stepped out of the Nether portal. It’s just from the nether travel, he told himself.
His heart was pounding with each heavy but rapid step on the wood stairs, netherite boots making for a rather noisy entrance. But still, Vista was focused on how hard his heart was beating against his ribs, the sound beginning to drive him mad.
Perhaps it was simply a side effect from being without Eye for so long.
Perhaps it was just the adrenaline rush from the anticipation of the upcoming fight.
Perhaps he just missed the slight quickening of his heart when Eye was around, and his body automatically attempted to mimic that.
But as soon as his eyes met with that thing inhabiting Eye’s body, the knot in his stomach only tightened and curled in on itself further.
He couldn't help the look of disgust that warped itself onto his face.
“Eye.” It came out rather sternly, even if Vista hadn’t meant to say his name.He just missed the way his name rolled off his tongue so naturally.
“Hello.” It answered back.
Maybe he hadn’t meant to reply to that name.
Or maybe there was still a part of him that wanted to automatically respond to his calls.
Vista corrected himself anyway. “Sorry, Catalyst.” Even his name felt wrong coming out of his mouth. Unnatural, foreign, diseased. And Vista has met some people with some strange names before plenty of times. None of them have ever made him want to gag.
It hummed in acknowledgement, using his voice to do so.
Vista continued with the small speech he had prepared in advance. Had he not, he might’ve said a few not-so-flattering words.
Maybe he should have said them anyway. He deserved it.
“Listen, I-I don’t want to do this.” he lied, pulling out his sword in advance. “But trapped within you is my teammate, and I want my teammate back.” Vista could hear Beats shuffling behind him, most likely getting the potions he requested ready.
“If I have to kill you to get my teammate back, I will.” Vista adjusted his grip on the sword in his hand. “I’m not going to let you hold him hostage any longer.”
Vista watched as that thing reached into Eye’s enderchest and pulled out a shulker of potions. He knew it was potions, because Vista still remembers the lighthearted flirting conversations they shared while refilling those shulkers.
The lingering touches they shared when Vista passed him a strength potion and their fingers brushed. The small moment they made eye contact and both hurriedly looked away, flustered by the sudden intimacy of the situation, as if they hadn’t been borderline flirting with each other just a few minutes earlier.
And yet, Eye wasn’t here to enjoy said potions. Instead, here was this dung beetle digging through their shared work as if it was his to take and consume.
“Well this is interesting.” He spoke as he continued to rummage through the shulker, clearly taking the pots inside.
Vista’s eyes narrowed. “Those are his pots you’re using.”
The fact Vista and Catalyst had now technically touched the same items made his skin crawl.
“He doesn’t seem to mind.” He practically hissed back, clearly sensing Vista’s hostility and returning the energy.
“Not here to stop me, is he?”
Vista had to remind himself they were going to attack him together. Beats still needed a moment to prepare herself, most likely organizing his inventory further to make the best use of their pots.
“Well… what he can’t do, I will.” Vista moved instantly, shuffling slightly to throw down his potions and telling Beats to do the same.
The creature decided to go after Beats the most, for some reason. Vista’s logical side wanted to think it was perhaps because he believed they were weaker.
The more vulnerable and hurt spot in his heart wanted to believe it was because there was still some part of Eye in there that didn’t want to hurt Vista.
It doesn’t matter now.
He had to help Beats, she was taking quite the beating from Ey-Catalyst. From Catalyst
Every now and then, they would all exchange comments about each other. It mainly came from Vista communicating with Beats, but sometimes, he even sounded like Eye.
“There’s a bit of Eye left in there.” Vista spoke up, his eyes readily following Catalyst as he windcharged up. A small part of him instinctively braced for a mace attack.
“Yeah, I know, that’s fucking-” Beats began, pausing their sentence midway to continue his concentrated attacks. “... annoying ass smug…” they trailed off, deciding to focus on his swings.
“I deserve to be smug if I can kill you this easily.” the thing spoke up with Eye’s voice.
Vista knew there was never the option of holding back. But perhaps his body had been subconsciously pulling his swings because, well, it was Eye’s body he was fighting.
But now, actually seeing him fight? It was clear. This wasn’t his Eye in the slightest. He was skilled, sure, but Eye doesn’t grip his sword the way this poser does. He doesn’t time his gapples the way he does.
Eye doesn’t run away like the coward that was occupying his body.
And yet, for some reason, they began to lose.
Sure, Beats had already popped a few times earlier, but it wasn’t a huge worry.
But now Vista had popped as well. A well timed sword crit to the back of his neck caused the totem in his hand to burst with an explosion in the air, the wound and blood returning to his body to reconstruct and fix the damage.
He had told Catalyst earlier that compared to his Eye, he was weak. Vista still full on believed that, but he still couldn’t deny the fact that he was rather skilled.
It could just be a side effect from occupying such a strong and skilled body.
No matter. He’d win this fight.
He couldn’t afford to lose this. He couldn’t afford to lose Eye. He couldn’t.
Eye wasn’t gone. He was still there; he just knew it.
If he had to tear that bastard out of his lover's skin with his bare hands, then so be it.
The only issue was that this stupid, annoying, thing, just-
Would
Not
DIE WHY WOULDN’T HE DIE HE’S WEAK AND PATHETIC COMPARED TO EYE WHY WOULDN’T HE JUST GIVE UP AND DIE-
Vista angrily reached into his inventory, his blood running cold as he realized it was nearly empty.
“Aaand I’m outta pots…” Vista forced his exhausted body to keep moving anyway.
A totem pop caught his attention.
“Yo Beats! Just go, just go, just go! You can’t take this, you can’t take this. Go!” Vista called out to her, chasing Catalyst in an attempt to get him to lay off of them.
They can’t win this fight.
Perhaps this was the first rational and realistic thought Vista has had since he took note of how skilled Catalyst actually was.
It didn’t matter. He has to win.
For Eye.
There was still some part of him in there.
Vista just had to tear it out of him.
It was just him and Eye now. Vista, Eye, and the creature still holding Eye’s body hostage.
“I don’t remember you being this obnoxious, even when we were teammates.” Vista mainly wanted to tease Catalyst. A part of him expected Eye to respond with another teasing reply. Something like “You love me for it” or “You stick around anyway, what does that say about you?”
Instead, the words that came out in the facade of Eye were “God, you keep comparing me to him.” It hurt. “When are you going to realize I’m not him?”
If Catalyst had said a few other words, Vista might have completely lost what little composure and sanity he had left. But he couldn’t. Not now. Not when Eye was still somewhere in there.
“There’s a part of you that still recognizes me as a friend.” he said carefully, still trying to reason with whatever part of Eye he could.
Vista didn’t want to hurt Eye. No, never, but couldn't he see just how much he needed him back?
He really was a mess, without him, wasn’t he?
“Right, yeah, whatever you say buddy.” Vista could practically hear the eyeroll that Eye would normally combine with the comment. But he wasn’t Eye.
Vista grit his teeth, trying to calm his breathing. “If I have to kill you to prove that, then I have no problem.”
“It’s going to take you a long time to train for that.” Catalyst closed in on him, beginning to swing his sword with small hops in order to gain crits. Vista deflected a few, and hoped his armor would hold out a little longer.
“I think I’m about ready now.” While he might have sounded rather confident, there was still that lingering fear of failure on his mind.
No.
“You’re weak compared to him.” Vista knew how much Eye hated being seen as weak, let alone straight up being called weak. “You’re nothing.” he continued, “I’d be dead right now if you were still-” still yourself, is what he wanted to say, “-just as good.” is what he went with instead with a small breathless laugh.
He was getting tried,
“Still as good, just like this?” Catalyst asked, as he let down an overwhelming amount of hits, ones that Vista could only hold up his shield in an attempt to block the attacks.
Catalyst simply circled around Vista and began to attack from behind, now rendering Vista’s shield useless.
“Ah, shit, my helmet’s about to pop.” he spoke out loud, beginning to retreat from the fight.
Vista had no choice. He had to surrender and leave.
He couldn't die. Not before getting back Eye.
He had to see Eye again, just one last time.
“Where’s your teammate now?”
Vista hated how much he wished that voice wasn’t directed at him, but rather perhaps a common enemy.
A common enemy?
An idea suddenly struck Vista as he stood atop the trees.
“You give up yet?” Catalyst called out, staring down Vista.
God, how he wished it was instead Eye, lovingly staring at him there instead.
…
He had to try, try to reason with the part of Eye still trapped in there.
“Listen, if you want to kill me right now, you can. I’m not going to stop you.” It was a half truth. Eye was the only one Vista ever planned to willingly die alongside.
“But something tells me you’re not going to.” He knows Eye wouldn't ever kill him. And if this thing here tried to…
“You’re really stupid if you think that.”
“I’d be willing to bet my life on it.” Eye would surely fight back as much as possible.
“Well you could lose your life on it.”
There it was, the part of Eye that he knew was in there all along. The one that still cared about him. The one that gently caressed his hair, the one that softly held his hand, the one that shielded him from any dangers that could hurt him-
“Without you, I have nothing to lose anymore.” Vista told Eye, his heart twisting from just how truthful and vulnerable he was being in front of an enemy.
‘I’d be losing something I’ve clung on to for far too long.” Vista shook away the previous thoughts, noticing the shifting and narrowing of Eye’s Catalyst’s pupil.
He was getting upset.
“I can’t believe I almost joined you. I almost became one of you.” All in order to get closer to the thing that resembled his lover teammate.
Finally, Catalyst turned around, walking away to search Eye’s enderchest again. “You need to stop clinging to him. He’s gone.”
Vista followed. “I think personally you’re clinging to him.”
“I could kill you now if I wanted to.” He hissed out, still rummaging through the e-chest.
“You could, but you don’t.” Vista spoke carefully, trying to get a feel of where Eye stops and where Catalyst begins.
“I just don’t wanna waste durability on ya.” He looked up, taking note of Beats. She had returned and stood beside Vista in facing down Catalyst.
Vista hummed. “Yeah, I’m sure that’s the reason.”
He paused for a moment, choosing his words carefully.
“I don’t think you’re going to last very much longer on this server.” Vista spoke calmly.
“My Eye will be coming back.” He says it like it's the most natural thing in the world.
Because it’s true.
It’s something he was willing to bet his life on.
That’s why he accepted the duel.
Sure, he tricked Catalyst, but in all honesty, the bastard deserved it.
Sunny had to be able to finally kill him. That’s what he believed, anyway. Even when Sunny called out through the pouring rain and the clashing of swords, that “He might be stronger than Eye.”
Oh please, what a joke.
He wasn’t stronger than Eye. Not in the slightest. Seriously, what kind of coward just runs because they realize they can’t win?
Vista hasn’t failed Eye. Not yet.
There was still one more thing they could do if he was just going to leave.
Get rid of that damn skulk.
The skulk he seems so fond of.
That bitch Catalyst took away the one he loved away from him.
Why not return the favor?
That was the plan initially, but when Vista began to gear up and find as many explosives as possible, he was struck from above.
Seems he really does care about that stupid skulk. Vista initially sent the message just to rub it in his face, but no matter. He could work with this.
Another shot at finally killing him, and freeing Eye from the prison that was his own body he was trapped in.
God, he couldn’t wait to hug him at night again, to eat with him, to simply love him again.
But then, Catalyst said something that made Vista’s blood run cold.
“Oh, but I’m gonna tell Eye what you said, bro.” he teased, a smile forming on his face at the sheer thought of reuniting with Eye.
“Whenever Eye’s back, he’s gonna be pissed.” Vista laughed softly as his own joke. He could see it all now. Them finally reuniting, Vista laughing as he tells him all the stupid things Catalyst things did in his body, Eye getting all mushy at the thought of him hurting Vista.
“He’s not going to care, he’s dead.” Catalyst spoke as he ran around, trying to evade the attacks from the now crowd of people.
Vista couldn’t afford to pause and linger on the thought properly, but the word echoed through his mind anyway.
Dead.
Had…had Catalyst killed Eye in order to take over his body? Is that what this was?
It didn’t matter, Catalyst was running away again.
Good. This… this was good, that meant they could prepare more.
Vista quickly rummaged through his supplies, trying to focus on the task at hand.
Yet the thoughts wouldn’t leave him alone.
What if you’re wrong? What if, by killing Catalyst, you’re destroying the only way of getting Eye back? What if you fail? What if Catalyst is just here to stay for good? What if he just respawns as Catalyst again? What if-
He had put the spiraling thoughts on hold as someone called out that Cataclys had returned, but looking slightly off.
He had to win this.
And after several more minutes of trying to bring him down, he just… gave up.
His excuse? He was out of gaps.
That was the last straw.
Vista pulled out his spear, readily aiming it at Catalyst.
He was going to kill him.
He was going to kill him, and save Eye.
He was.
He was.
And yet, when he lunged forward, Catalyst windcharged up, mocking him for the attack. Like it was nothing.
And once again, Catalyst began to attack him, forcing him to retreat. For a while, Catalyst actually followed Vista, and for a brief moment… it felt like it was him and Eye again, traveling together.
Eventually, Catalyst ran off again, which finally gave Vista the opportunity to do what he originally was intending to do.
Get rid of that damn skulk.
Vista didn’t waste a second longer on placing and lighting the TNT, making to sure to only light a few at a time to ensure it did the most damage as possible.
Craters quickly formed, bits of dirt and skulk flew throughout the air. A small piece landed on Vista’s shoulder. He plucked the piece off and held it in the palm of his hand. While it sure looked like normal skulk, Vista could see the small vines curling slowly in on itself, before moving it’s way to Vista’s finger. As soon as it reached his finger, and began to also curl around his finger.
Disgusting.
He couldn’t allow this thing to live on any further.
Vista pulled out his flint and steel, lighting it on the ground, not hesitating to shove his hand into the fire.
He didn’t care how much it hurt. He only cared about how the small vine thrashed around instantly, quickly shriveling up into nothing but ash.
It was time to finish this.
The end has sort of become a rather soothing place for Vista. It’s always felt like a part of him yearned to be there, but now, with all the fond memories he had, it truly felt like home.
Home.
Home there, with Eye.
All the time they spend together. Laughing, making new gear together, eating together, bickering, holding hands, kissing, cuddling, sleeping on the couch when they were too lazy to move to the bed.
It hurt. It hurt to know that they were missing out on so much potential time together.
Vista gently placed a hand over his heart, feeling the emerald trim on his chestplate. It was originally on his ring, the promise ring Eye had given him, but he thought Eye might like this more.
That way, it might feel like Eye was hugging him. Like Eye was protecting him from any and all harm. That this way, Eye was the single thing protecting his vital organs.
His life.
His heart.
Vista’s sappy and sentimental thoughts were interrupted as he heard footsteps coming from the portal room.
It was Catalyst.
“Fancy seeing you here.” He greeted, hopping down from the obsidian tower.
“Come on, let’s-lets’s take a little walk.” Vista didn’t bother to turn around as he made his way to the edge of the island.
The stars sure were beautiful.
Just like when they went stargazing that one time.
“You’ve fallen pretty far from that cocky attitude you had with me before.” He paused for only a moment to admire an end storm burst that shone a purple hue, before continuing to walk towards the edge.”
“Well, it’s kind of hard to be cocky when half the server’s trying to kill you.” Catalyst sneered.
Vista frowned slightly, before smiling again.
Eye doesn’t like his frown.
“Oh yeah, so… why don’t you just solve that issue.” Vista shrugged,not being able to stop the grin now forming on his face.
Sure enough, he couldn’t resit the bait.
“What you trying to say?” Catalyst asked, now looking directly at Vista.
Vista smiled sweetly, just as he would when talking to Eye.
“Kill yourself.” Vista could see how Catalyst gave a small cold shiver down his back at how cold and blunt it came out, despite the warm smile on his face.
“Give that body back to the person who deserves it.” he shrugged, as if he has just spoken about the weather and not the life of another.
“Well, I was trying to, but I got a little buy trying to run away from people.” Catalyst began to walk towards the edge and peered down into the void. A way of deflecting, clearly, after being left with no other option.
Good.
He deserved to suffer.
“Plus, the chase is fun.” He murmured, staring at the star filled void.
“As much as I agree chasing you is-” Vista attempted to find the right words for ‘driving me insane but also the only thing keeping me sane’, “-entertaining enough in itself but…it looks like there's a big, bottomless solution right in front of us.”
Vista watched as Catalyst backed away from the ledge, humming in acknowledgement, before approaching it again.
“As annoying as you are, it was fun getting to know someone in a familiar body.” It wasn't quite a lie. It was weird to see so many small habits that Eye had that somehow lingered in the way Catalyst spoke, such as his little “Hey, buuuddy”. But it also somehow satisfied a strange morbid curiosity Vista had about just how much of Eye was there, and how much he wasn’t.
Still, he wanted all of Eye, not just small muscle memories.
“You’ve changed me a lot.” He made Vista far more sloppy and barbaric in his fighting, paranoid and on the edge. But most of all, absolutely restless.
He couldn’t get a wink of sleep without at least Eye’s hand touching him.
Vista frowned once more.
“I hope we never meet again.”
“Sentimental, that’s gross.” He replies, looking at Vista.
But Vista only stared deeply into the void.
“Well, with all the skulk gone, I’m pretty sure this will be my final death.”
“Good. If it’s not, I’ll just kill you again, and again, and again, and again.” Vista giggled slightly, thought of brutally killing Catalyst for some reason brought him a sense of pleasure. Satisfaction. Revenge really made you do and think some strange things.
“And again, and again- yeah.” He rolled his eye. “How about you consider changing your trims sometime again? Because holy shit that stuff is ugly.” Catalyst gesture towards Vista’s chestplate.
Vista’s eyes widened, hand protectively coming over the embedded emerald eye trim on his chest.
The words still echoed in his mind.
“If he tells me that I’m not apart of this team anymore… I’ll come back for you” Eye stared down at the emerald ring in his hands and took a hesitant, almost nervous step forward. “A-and then we can- we can rule, we can- we can do whatever you want.”
Vista could feel his face burning as he slowly put out his left hand, which Eye took softly with a gentleness he’s only felt coming from Eye.
Eye slowly slipped the emerald onto his finger, neither of them looking up from Vista’s hand, now freshly decorated with the shining emerald.
“And that’s proof that… you know…” Eye trailed off, his own face also becoming redder. “I’m… keeping our promise.”
Vista couldn’t stop smiling- god, was he crying?
Who cares?
Vista pulled in Eye, leaning in close enough for Eye to take a hint and open his maw. Their tongues met briefly, before Vista quickly pulled away to dig into his inventory.
There, he took out a similar ring, only this one was diamond.
Vista could see Eye’s beautiful pupil dilate at the sight, immediately realizing the implications.
“If we get split up,” he began, staring lovingly at Eye, “this is a vow.” Eye mirrored Vista’s actions earlier and slowly raised his left hand for Vista to take with equal gentleness, as he slowly slipped the ring onto Eye’s hand.
“That I will kill as many people as it takes to get back to you.” Vista smiled, as Eye’s pupil seemed to dilate even more as he once again summoned his mouth for another kiss, clearly never having heard more romantic words and vows.
He wondered how they could possibly top this moment on their real wedding day, with actual vows to one another.
No matter.
That day would come soon, Vista was sure. It’s best not to rush those sorts of things. As long as they were happy, there in each other’s arms.
“Do you understand what these trims mean?” Vista asked, both shocked and offended, as he gently caressed the emerald trims with his finger. The same one that once held his ring. “I know there’s some part of you that does.” he reasoned, smiling in disbelief. “I’m sure my Eye will be happy whenever he hears.”
“Yeah, your Eye.” Catalyst mocked, making a hand puppet as he made each ‘meh meh meh’ to further mock Vista.
He’s had enough of this.
“Catalyst, enough of this chitchat.” He spoke coldly.
“Just jump.” Vista nodded his head over to the void. “I don't want to see your face anymore.” He didn’t want to see the uncanny face of his lover claiming to not know him.
“As much as it resembles him, you’ll never be him.” He just wanted Eye back. His Eye. The one who called him darling, the one who held him softly, the one who stubbornly refused help, the one who cared about him so much and said it each and every day with his actions and words.
“So just go.”
Catalyst turned to Vista, his eye forming a small smile. The same one Eye would give him when he called him a silly pet name.
“You want to get the final push?”
Vista couldn’t help but smile back.
“I thought you’d never ask.” He didn’t hesitate to shove Catalyst roughly off the edge, a grin spreading across Vista’s face as he watched Catalyst fall into the endless void.
“Bye buuudy.” Catalyst sang as he fell, still smiling.
Something felt off about the smile, however. It was a knowing one. One that was hiding something. Something important.
Whatever. As long as he got Eye back and acted upon his last act of revenge, Vista was happy.
Now he just had to wait. Wait for Eye to come rushing through the portal. Wait for Eye to come back and embrace him. Wait for Eye to finally express just how much Vista had missed him. Wait for Eye to talk about how annoying Catalyst was and tease him for all stupid things he did while occupying Eye’s body.
He just had to wait for Eye.
He had to wait for Eye.
Eye was going to come back.
He had to.
He just had to.
Or else… Vista didn’t know what he was going to do without him.