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When Leo told them the plan, of killing them and giving them a second body Pac should have guessed there would be a price, but he was too euphoric by the opportunity to please Leo and… well, a bit scared by the dying part if he was being truly honest.
A part of him knew Leo was not above harming them, he just had to take one look at Guaxinim and Guhzera to know this, but even then Pac didn’t think he would go as far as to cause physical harm to them.
The new bodied were wonderful, tall, strong and powerful, Pac felt like a god when he was using it and it was everything he ever wished for, unlimited power and a way to make those who hurt him pay! The price was almost worth it… Almost.
Pac wasn’t sure how it worked exactly, he knew that while they used the other body their original body remained asleep, almost in a coma in a safe location which sounded pretty good at first, the first time he returned to his original body he felt a bit off, but Pac thought it was just a side effect of doing body swap. It got worse slowly, first he started to notice a weird ache in his bones, like he had aged at least 50 years in just a few days, next thing was his skin getting paler, Pac wasn’t particularly super tanned but he had acquired a nice healthy glow now in his late 20s, probably an effect of having food to eat regularly and not being always on the run, but one day after using the second body he went to look at the mirrors in the tiny bathroom at their base and noticed he had acquired a sickly pale complexion along with some heavy dark circles under his eyes.
Maybe that should have raised an alarm for Pac, maybe he should have stopped using the other body too regularly, but the call of power was too strong.
…
He was woken up by a feeling of liquid coming up his throat, he barely had time to seat up in bed before coughing up more blood than was healthy for any human body, his white sheets were now stained red. Fuck, he would have to wash it before any of his friends came back, Pac refused to let them know just how sick he truly was, cause that’s what he was, he was sick and probably dying.
His body ached as he got up, he could almost hear his bones creaking as he moved, his heart beating way too fast for the little effort he was doing and his vision was a bit dizzy, sometimes he wondered if he was losing his vision too… Maybe it would be for the better, then he wouldn’t have to see his body decaying in front of him.
Pac knew, knew that all of this was the price he was paying for his own ambition, for his own arrogance of thinking Leo would never truly harm him, after all he needed Pac, right? Leo wanted him to follow his legacy… right? He didn’t know anymore, he didn’t know what Leo wanted or what his objective was and there was no way he could get away now, after falling so far who would even welcome him back? None of them trusted him anymore, they avoided him now and Pac knew it was because he smelled rotten now, he was nothing but a walking corpse waiting for death.
His knees gave in under him and Pac fell to the floor, he didn’t have the strength to stand anymore, he was so tired, so sick of everything. His shaking hands came up to his face and he let out a loud sob, even this was enough to make his lungs hurt.
He was dying, he was really dying, he would never get to see Mike again, he would never get to hold son into his arms, he would die all alone and forgotten.
...
Pac passed out after this, not even caring he was on the cold floor or that his bloody sheets hadn’t been washed, he just wanted to rest, to sleep and never again open his eyes. Maybe this would hurt less, maybe he would finally in peace if everyone forgot his existence… He understood Bagi now, dying seemed to be his only way out now.
He didn’t know for how long he was out, but he woke up to warm hands on his arms, calloused hands that he knew well.
“Guaxinim?” He couldn’t open his eyes, it took way too much effort.
One of the hands caressed his face and he wanted to lean into the touch, but once again his body didn’t have the strength.
“Hey mininim… What happened here?” The voice was gentle, but Pac could hear the veiled worry in his tone.
“I fell.” It was a bad lie, Pac was aware of how it didn’t sound at all believable, but part of him hoped that Guaxi would believe him and understand that Pac didn’t want to talk about it.
“And is that why the bed sheets are covered in blood?”
Damn the fact that Guaxinim was so good at seeing through Pac’s lies!
“It’s nothing…”
Guaxinim sighed as his hands slowly caressed Pac’s face, trying to comfort his friend.
“We told you to stop using the other body as frequently.”
They had, they really had, both Luis and Guaxinim rarely used to bodies nowadays, only when Leo told them too, Pac and Guhzera were the ones who became addicted to the power.
“I know…”
“You know what it did to Guh, I don’t want that to happen to you too.”
Pac opened his eyes, it hurt a lot but he made an effort to look at Guaxinim’s face, he looked beautiful, his brown eyes were so sad and he also had dark circles under them, but still he looked like an angel to Pac.
“It won’t… I’m stronger than that meninim.”
He could see Guaxinim’s eyes fill with tears that he would never spill.
“I… I fear you aren’t anymore.”
Pac didn’t have an answer to that, he knew Guaxinim was right, he was close to death and everyday the possibility of him going to sleep and never opening his eyes again became bigger, it was scary.
“Xinim can you… can you hold me? I’m cold.”
His eyes were begging to close again and so he did, the last thing he saw was Guaxinim’s mouth trembling in an effort to not cry.
“Of course mininim.”
And so Guaxinim did, he pulled Pac’s body to his lap and held him as he watched Pac’s consciousness slip again.