Reality Is a Lie

Liar

"What do you want?" I demanded, crossing my arms angrily.

"It's nice to see you too, Virgil! Yes, I've been very well, thank you ever so much for asking!" He responded sarcastically.

"I asked you a question, freaking answer it!" I once again cursed at my inability to... curse.

"Well, guess!" He grinned as he put his hand underneath his chin.

I really didn't want to guess. I kind of didn't want to know. I just wanted Deceit to leave me the ever-loving freak alone, but alas it seemed to be impossible, like sisyphus and his boulder, our fates were intertwined.

What on earth was I going on about again?

Oh, right. Deceit.

"I have absolutely no idea why on earth you would ever even consider doing something like this, let alone actually putting this event into action. Please, englighten me! I'd be incredibly grateful for it."

Sighing in what appeared to be disappointment, Deceit hung his head, and stared upwards at me. "It was for you, you idiot. I heard your little fight. Weren't they being unreasonable? Especially Logan, though I'd never expect that from him usually, it seems everyone here is acting... out of the ordinary. Yourself included." He looked at me with those annoying, all-knowing eyes, as if he held a secret that could break my world, should I discover it.

It really pissed me off.

"So, you caused all these problems... because of me?" The guilt began to weigh on my shoulders, the knowledge that I brought this upon us... seemed a little too much to bear.

"It's not because of you, it's for you. They're different words, y'know." He sat up straight, his hand clutching imaginary pearls in false offence.

"In this situation, aren't they the same thing? These people who have done nothing wrong- "

"Nothing wrong?" Deceit looked at me with plastic pity in his eyes. I hated his little lie-detecting skill sometimes.

"Nothing major. I can deal with being upset. But they cannot deal with all this... unnecessary turmoil! Undo this! Now!" I was annoyed, and Deceit knew it.  He'd surely listen to me in this state, there was no reason for him to continue this stupid show of power, puppeteering us and proving some abstract point that nobody cared about.

"No." His tone was flat, and his eyes were dead. "I thought you were big on revenge, what's changed?" He side eyed the same way he did whenever he was trying to get information.

He wasn't getting shit from me.

"I guess it got old being bitter and an asshole all the time. You wouldn't know; you haven't changed." I suddenly realised how more myself I sounded. Less Roman, almost as if being Creativity was just a role to play, or a mask to wear. However, just as I thought that, I felt the mask tighten. The stream of ideas got louder, became more prevalent.

"Just stop this, you fiend!" I glared at him, holding a hand to my head.

"Come on now, Virgil, let's be honest right now. Don't you think they deserve it?"

Deserve it? Deserve what? Was my existence that much of a stain in everyone's life, that the idea of becoming me was a punishment?

"What are you talking about, Deceit?" My heart thudded in my chest, though I wasn't sure why. I hadn't cared for Deceit in a long time. That was what I told myself at least: that I didn't care anymore. What other alternative was there? Entertaining the idea that I still cared about him, who used me and then left me? I could barely think of that time, all I knew were the negative emotions I felt, and Patton's telling of the events to me. It was Hell, and I was Lucifer, who lost his wings, left to rot, betrayed by the one who once claimed eternal love and forgiveness.

What foolishness.

"It's their punishment, Virgil. For being so awful to you." Deceit was still deadpan, but I could sense this was a false calmness. He was angry. I assumed at me, but the way he was talking... he seemed angry for me.

"Everyone gets angry, Deceit. If I hated them all for every little mistake they made then who would I have? We both know they didn't mean it, so stop fucking around with my life to try and get me to come back to you."

Silence fell. Deceit seemed... angry. Sad. Something in the middle, that I couldn't quite pinpoint.

"You really won't come back?" He asked me.

"Why would I? That place is a shithole, who would want to stay there?" I sighed, less annoyed but now... sad.

Why did I miss him? My heart seemed to forget everything he'd done, as if my brain were lying. As if Patton were lying. Which would be complete and utter nonsense, because Morality would never lie. It's Morality. Patton was right, I was wrong.

"Don't you miss us?" A loaded gun he pointed at my head, as if he'd read my mind. I held the trigger. Denial was confirmation, and confirmation was confirmation. I needed to be dismissive. Rude. But not blunt, never blunt. I couldn't let him know that his schemes were working.

"Why would I?"

I looked him dead in the eyes, and in my entire lifetime of knowing him, I had never seen the mask crack quite as much as it did then. Like a deflated balloon, he looked down. I almost felt bad, but I couldn't give in to him. Not now, not ever.

"That's okay." His eyes suddenly filled with determination, "Now I know I have to win." Brushing imaginary dust off of his jacket, he smiled at me. "Enjoy being Creativity, my love." He blew me a kiss. "It'll last a little while." He disappeared then, leaving me with nothing but those ominous last words, and a pang of guilt in my heart. In his seat lay a yellow rose, with some of the sharpest thorns I had ever seen. I picked it up gently, slightly afraid, yet simultaneously comforted. I tossed it onto my nightstand, and stared at it for a while, pondering the strange encounter.