Work Text:
Ink has always been so fascinated by emotions.
From the moment they had woken up in the doodle sphere for the first time, confused and disoriented, until they had tasted every emotion they could find. Ink loved the effect the paints had on them, loved the bursts of energy from yellow and the faux sincerity from green; real emotion was even better, even if Ink couldn't experience it themself. Observing it from a distance was enough to captivate them.
Real emotion did have its downsides though, and there was one particular downside that never failed to grate on Ink's nerves.
"We can't just leave them like this, Ink." Blue says, determined. Ink had already told him why they shouldn't intervene. Why couldn't he just look past his misplaced sympathy and understand that—
"It's better to leave this universe the way it is." Ink replies, exasperated. They'd already made a paint portal, having deemed this universe self-sufficient. Blue's frown deepens, and Ink would feel guilty at inciting such a rare expression if they could feel in the first place.
Blue looks out at the grim scene they'd been surveying; a distressed Swap Sans kneeling before the ashes of his brother, a distinct orange hoodie in his hands. Ink understands Blue's concern—he's probably putting himself in that Swap's position right now. What they can't understand is Blue's insistence to act, Ink is aware of their friend's friendlier disposition, but there was no reason to be unreasonable over some alternate universe.
There were hundreds like it in the multiverse, if they 'fixed' this one then they'd have to fix them all, and that was impossible. There were other, more important AU's that needed their help. Not this generically-tragic Swap AU.
Ink can't see Blue's face with the way he's standing, but he sounds hurt when he speaks, "Why can't we help, Ink? Aren't we supposed to—aren't we doing the right thing?"
"We would be helping by following the script," Ink snaps. Blue finally rips his gaze from the sight in front of him to stare at Ink, hurt. He opens his mouth, just to close it a second later, hesitant. Good. Ink can't afford to waste anymore time on this AU.
Ink can't afford to waste anymore time on Blue.