With both of us full, it's time to get back to the shelter. Raising my arms in the air in my sprawled position I look up at Inv.
"Pick me up Inv, uppies" I tell Inv while opening and closing paws. using slugcat terminology that Inv will definitely not understand.
"O-oh! Umm… ok??" Inv picks me up, placing me on the Inv express. Free of charge.
'Yeah, I just talked about all that stuff about not being a burden to Inv. but I feel full and this is probably the fastest way back to the shelter' I gaslight myself into thinking. Definitely not doing this because I want to be physically closer to Inv…
With me secured on his back, I tell Inv how to get back to the pipe we exited out of earlier. Directing him through tunnels and telling him which poles to grab on to.
Also warning him not to go further down into the room since a DLL is waiting on the other side. It's a good thing this one acts the exact same way it did in the campaign… not moving at all.
Getting back to the pipe, Inv makes his small journey back to the shelter. Me comfortably riding on his back…
…
…
…
With nothing else jumping out at us and no surprises. We easily make it back to the shelter. Inv crawling into the shelter through the pipe and standing up. I feel his fur loosen and i hop down on the shelter floor.
"Phew… that was a pretty good cycle. Don't ya think Inv?" I ask as I watch the exit of the shelter start to close. Locking both me and Inv inside until the next cycle starts.
"Mhm! Te blu ting keps brigin dos lizrds hear! Es nic…" Inf refers to the overseer luring the lizards to our position when it explodes.
"Well, just be prepared for the next cycle Inv. I don't think that's gonna happen again" I warn Inv as i start to settle myself on the ground.
"O-ok…"
…
Now laying on the ground I look up at Inv who's looking back at me. A look of anxiousness written all over his face. I know why he seems so hesitant right now. It's about what he wanted to talk about earlier.
Staying silent, I wait for Inv to say something.
…
…
…
"J-joey… i… i wan tu tel u somting…" Inv's fur turns a dark shade of blue, purple also in the mix. Rubbing his paws together he looks at me, the most anxious I've ever seen him.
"The thing you wanted to tell me earlier?"
"Y-ye… dat…"
…
"Ok… well… what's wrong?" I quietly say back. Silently hoping he can get it off his chest.
Inv takes a deep breath.
"Joey… i… i…"
…
Inv tries to say it but keeps stopping himself, clear hesitation written all over his face. I start feeling bad seeing Inv like this. Was I too pushy when it came to him revealing this? Should I have not said anything in the soul space?
Second guessing myself, I see Inv's fur start turning darker and darker. Nearing almost to black.
"I… umm… jus waned tu sai dat…" Inv looks down, not able to look me in the eyes. I feel my heart stop when I see this.
"D-day wen i wok up dat me fur wa da sofest et eve ben! H-hoaw di u du dat?? I nevr fel su gud befor!" Inv looks back up and says, a smile on his face that doesn't seem real. Clearly trying to hide his sad state from me. His fur truly telling me how he feels at the moment.
Pitch black.
"I-Inv… it's ok if you don't want to tell me. You don't have to force yourself…" I try to play down the situation, regret starting to kick in. Seeing Inv start to slightly shake on the spot, tears threatening to spill from his eyes.
"H-huh? W-wa u meen? Dat es rely wa i waned tu t-tel u!" Inv lies to me. His eyes watering up with the strange blue dye that are his tears.
'N-no! I didn't want this to happen! I don't want to see Inv hurt again!' I stood up from my spot. Worried about Inv's current state.
I just wanted to get closer to Inv! But why does it feel like we're about to grow further apart?!
"I-Inv?"
"I-I fin! Don wory abou me Joey! D-du u wan tu du dat kising ting agan? U likd dat, w-wite?" Inv says, tears strolling down his cheeks.
'NO! FUCK! WHAT DO I DO?!' I try to think of anything to calm Inv down, my heart pounding in pain from seeing Inv like this.
I just wanted Inv to accept himself! To know that I don't care what he is! That I like him because he's himself! Not some sexy abnormal slugcat!
'I can't think of anything! How can I say that I don't care that he isn't a slugcat?! How-
…
…
…!
'Wait! Fuck, I'm so stupid! This entire time I had the answer in front of me!' I remember something. Something about myself that is technically the truth. Something that also makes me slightly similar to Inv.
'It's the only thing I can think of! I just hope this works…' I firm myself to tell Inv.
A secret that I never thought I would tell anyone. Simply because I thought it would never be necessary. But I have to try!
Before Inv can go into a full spiral, I speak up.
"I-Inv! I'm not sure what you were about to say. A-and that's ok! You don't have to tell me if you don't want to!"
"H-huh?? Bu i alredy tol u-
"Inv please! Just… just listen to me… because I have something to tell you… a secret I've been hiding from you the moment we met…" I stop Inv, determined to calm him down.
Hearing my words Inv's eyes slightly widen while looking at me.
"S-secwet?"
"Yeah… I… I wasn't sure if I should ever tell you… scared that you wouldn't be able to look at me the same again…" I say to Inv, at the same time also feeling that this was the truth.
"J-joey?" Inv looks down at me, looking slightly calmer but also worried with tears still strolling down his cheeks.
"Inv…" I slowly walk up to Inv, standing right in front of him. I look up right into his teary eyes.
…
"I'm not a slugcat"