Inv made up his mind. He wouldn't tell Joey. Everything was going so well right now! Why would he try to ruin it by telling Joey the truth?! Joey liked this version of Inv! The one that was a slugcat!
How could Joey possibly like his true self?!
"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 makes up on the spot, trying to keep a smile on his face while feeling terrible on the inside.
Joey liked his fur, right? Only as a slugcat could Inv have fur like this! It made so much sense!
"I-Inv… it's ok if you don't want to tell me. You don't have to force yourself…" Joey says to Inv. Inv's stomach hurt even more while hearing this. Joey obviously knew Inv was trying to avoid it now! Joey wasn't stupid! Inv was! But he just couldn't tell the truth! He couldn't!
"H-huh? W-wa u meen? Dat es rely wa i waned tu t-tel u!" Inv lies, trying to fight down tears that were starting to water his vision.
He didn't want to cry! He really didn't! He couldn't cry in front of Joey! That would just make Joey sad! Inv didn't want to see Joey sad!
So why… why couldn't he push them back?!
Why was he so damn emotional?! Inv was never good at keeping his emotions in check…
His vision grew more and more distorted. Through the blurry vision Inv could see Joey stand up from the ground. A clear look of concern pointed right at him.
Inv hated that. Hated that he was making Joey worry.
"I-inv?" Joey quietly muttered Inv's name. Another pang of guilt radiating through Inv, his thoughts a mess with negative emotions.
"I-i fin! Don worry abou me Joey! D-du u wan tu du dat kissing ting agan? U likd dat, w-wite?" Inv remembers how much Joey liked doing that kissing thing. Inv himself also liked it as well. Maybe if they did that Joey would be happy again? Forget about this whole situation?
Joey seemed to really like his body! So Inv could use that, right? Joey didn't have to know! All he had to do was like the current Inv! That's it! Joey never had to know!
But in response to his words, Joey's face turned petrified looking back at Inv.
Inv was about to break down. What did he say that would terrify Joey so much?! D-did he not like the kissing thing?! Is that not what he wanted?!
T-that was fine! They didn't have to do the kissing thing!
They could… they could…
'We could… we could…' Inv was at the tipping point, tears spilling down his cheeks as he thought of anything to say to Joey. Why did Inv have to go and run his mouth! Why did he have to make this such a big issue when it didn't have to be?!
Inv couldn't control his emotions no matter how much he wanted to. He just wanted to hide. Hide from Joey. Hide from himself.
Hide from everythin-
"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!" No! It wasn't ok! He wanted to tell Joey but he just couldn't!
"H-huh?? Bu i already tol u-
Joey cuts Inv off from lying again.
"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…"
…
…
…
'H-huh?' Inv is broken out of his emotional stupor. Surprised by Joey's word about him keeping a secret.
Joey… kept a secret from him?
…
Inv couldn't help but feel he deserved it. Why would Joey tell Inv everything? They had only just met a couple of cycles ago! Of course he also had secrets… Just like how Inv has his own…
Even if it was only one secret…
"J-joey?" Inv looked down at Joey, his emotions still uncontrollable but more focused on what Joey was about to say. Inv couldn't understand why Joey was suddenly about to tell him one of his secrets.
"Inv…" Inv watched as Joey slowly approached in front of him. Looking up into his eyes with the most serious look Inv has ever seen from Joey.
Inv was anxious seeing such a serious demeanor from Joey. that unconsciously his emotions were starting to slowly calm down. So in the quiet of the shelter, Inv waited for Joey to say what he wanted to say.
…
…
…
"I'm not a slugcat"
…
…
…
"Huh?" Was the only thing Inv could mutter out. Did he just hear that right? Did he just say-
"I'm not a slugcat Inv"
…
…
…
"Huh???" Inv seriously must be hearing things. Inv clearly wasn't thinking right cause he could've sworn he just heard Joey say-
"Inv, I am not a slugcat"
…
…
…
Inv's brain wasn't working at the moment. All forms of thought were currently short circuiting. He couldn't think right. What he just heard was so unbelievable that Inv just couldn't believe it.
It absolutely made no sense. There was no way that Joey was not a slugcat. What he saw in his vision was clear proof that Joey was a slugcat!
"I… I don't understand???" Inv asked Joey. Not understanding why Joey suddenly said this.
Wasn't this exactly what Inv wanted to tell Joey? How did it suddenly become the other way around?
At this point Inv wasn't crying anymore. His face was just stained with the blue dye from his tears. He was confused. All he could do was look at Joey and wait for an answer.
"It's uhh… it's kind of a weird story… but… it's the truth Inv" Joey slightly turned his head away from Inv, scratching the back of his head.