'It couldn't have been the pink covering his ear… I don't think he would overreact like this due to something like that…'
…
His reflection… has… has he ever seen what he looks like before? It would be strange if he never has but seeing the way he reacted… I think that's the case.
But even then… Why would he act like this?
Looking back at Inv, I see him slumped in the corner still covering his face. The sobbing has turned into small whimpers, and his skin is a mix of purple and deep blue now…
I want to just pounce on him and say it's ok, but I feel like that would just make things worse!
Feeling angry at myself for not being able to comfort Inv I keep trying to think why Inv reacted like this when he looked at himself.
…
Looked…
…
…
…
'Wait… how did I react when I first saw Inv?'
…
It felt like the most terrifying monster had found me and I was about to die. I was actually about to start fighting Inv to the death, but I was able to snap out of it at the last second…
…?
After that, I forced myself to adjust to the way Inv looked and sounded… I was so desperate for some form of communication with anybody that I didn't give in to the strange desires that made me want to hurt Inv…
When I got more comfortable looking and listening to Inv the desire faded away… it was still there but not as bad as before…
…
Strangely I think about a small detail Inv said earlier.
'I foun a blu lizar bu wen et shaw me et jum off ledg…'
…
Not only did I react strongly when I first saw Inv but… any creature seems to act in some sort of way when they see Inv.
'Is… is this some kind of ability? If anything sees him it makes their fight or flight kick in?'
Well… not exactly fight or flight but I guess it would be more of an instinctual reaction. My instincts kicked in telling me to kill Inv, but I resisted it…
Then I got that passive… what was it called again…
…
Universal Resistance I think… when I got that I could look and listen to Inv much more comfortably.
…
'I really need to figure out this passive bullshit… but I can't just leave Inv like this!'
Thinking through this more clearly, I can only conclude that Inv has some sort of… aura around him that makes creatures instincts kick in when he's seen.
With the passive I'm able to resist it while anything else can't… including Inv himself. But the way he reacted isn't one of anger but one of fear… towards himself.
'Alright… So, whatever this aura or ability is, is making him act like this… now I just gotta calm him down somehow…'
Inv at this point is quiet while covering his face in the corner of the shelter. I'm not sure if he feels any better now…
…
"Inv?" I quietly call out his name. With us both being in the shelter even this should be clearly heard.
…
Not getting a response back, I don't give up.
"Inv… can… Can you please answer me?"
…
After a moment I see a subtle movement from Inv. Slowly moving 2 of his fingers covering his eyes I can now see a small bit of one of Invs eyes looking at me.
Knowing that he's looking back at me now I see this as a good start. It would've been terrible if he didn't react at all!
"Inv I… I don't know what you saw… but clearly right now I'm looking at you and I see nothing wrong"
…
"Can… Can I come closer?"
…
Not hearing an answer from Inv, worry builds up inside.
…
"I'm… I'm going to get closer now so… just say something if you don't want me to" I say, severely hoping he doesn't tell me to stay away.
Slowly, I start walking towards Inv. His eye watching me while I do this.
…
…
…
Arriving in front of Inv I feel slight relief. He's not pushing me away which has to be a good sign!
…
In silence I just look back at Inv… looking right into his eye as he stares back.
…
"Hey Inv… can… Can you take your paws off your face?" I ask Inv.
…
…
…
"Nu…" I hear Inv mumble back.
Hearing an actual response from him makes me feel like I'm going in the right direction.
"Why not?" I simply ask.
…
"Caus I don lok gud…" I hear Inv respond back a bit more clearly this time.
"Why don't you think you look good?"
…
"Don u se me Joey? I jus don lok gud…"
"I do see you"
…
Not further answering Invs question I look at Inv waiting for him to say something else.
…
"pwease don lok et me…"
"But I want to"
…
"Bu y?"
…
"Because you're my partner"
Saying this I move even closer to Inv. Reaching my paws out I gently grab Invs paws.
"I don't care what you look like, Inv. I just want to see you" I calmly say and subtly try to move Inv's paws off his face.
…
After a moment I feel Inv himself moving his paws with mine taking them off his face.
Seeing Invs face I can see it stained more with his dyelike tears.
"U weally don car?" Inv asks while looking at me.
"Of course not. No matter what you look like, I only want to see you"
…
"I… I don unerstan…hoaw cen yu lok et me lik an no car?"
"Because" I grab both sides of Inv's head and look him straight in the eyes.
"You, are, my, partner"
…
…
…
Looking into Invs eyes I can see them slightly shaking. Also seeing dark blue drops forming at the bottom of his I start worrying that I said something wrong.
But before I can start worrying, I see Inv slowly lift his arms towards me. Slightly surprised I feel Invs arms wrap around me and start slowly pull me closer to him.
Feeling absolute joy from him initiating the hug, I quickly wrap my arms as much as I can around him and push myself right into him hugging him back.
With my head rested underneath Invs head I can hear him quietly crying while holding me in a somewhat tight hug.
I can still tell he's holding back his strength to not hurt me though, so I ignore this and hug him as tightly as I can back.
I can feel his tears drip on the top of my head joining the dried blue tears from earlier.
'I think my head is going to turn blue at this point… but that's a pretty good trade if Inv feels better'
With this thought we quietly hold each other in silence.
----------------------
A/N: UGh, more mopey stuff... trust me though, this will be very important later on.