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Glorp, what is this feeling stuck in xeyr throat?
The thought of the past had struck xem out of nowhere. Xey had grown up a soldier, as many gnarpians are. It's just their nature at this point. Xey fired their first laser at the ripe age of 8, and killed their first man only a year later. To anybody else, it's an utter shame, but to a gnarpian, it's a good omen. A good warrior. It's what a co-leader like xem should be.
...
Glorp, stop thinking about it! Not here! Not now! Not with them!
Gnarpy stood in the elevator, both sets of arms crossed and attempting to face away from Poob, despite how strange it might've looked. Better than losing it in front of a pathetic earthling, xey guessed. Even then, the pain of holding it in was almost unbearable, and for all the wrong reasons. Poob seemed so unaware. How foolish!
... Xey were quite foolish as well, weren't xey?
Poob wasn't the one who slaughtered thousands- no, millions of people in countless planets for conquest. Poob wasn't the one who had experimented on innocents for pointless purposes... Of course, xey were just following orders, but the people who gave them out were gnarpians just like xem.
Maybe it's just their nature to be cruel. Maybe something's wrong with Gnarpy, but xeyr feeling a... Connectivity with some of the people in the elevator now. Perhaps it's the prolonged contact with them or just Gnarpy losing it, xey don't know.
"Hey!" A sickeningly sweet voice pierces his thoughts like a raygun through the head. "Are u alrite?" It was Poob, of course. No one was in the elevator but the both of them.
no.
"Of courze. Why wouldn't I be, gleeblong?" Gnarpy glances at Poob defensively, still a bit startled by the high voice. Poob needed little convincing, giving a wide, dumb smile at Gnarpy. Why is that?
"Okeh! By the way," Poob pauses, pulling something out of their pocket. "Dis is for u!" He placed it on Gnarpy's hands. Feels like an earthling letter. Might as well look at it now...
YOU'RE INVITED!
... What?
YOU ARE INVITED TO PARTY! The invitation was covered in colored scribbles.
... Why xem? Why the being who has continuously insulted him?
THE PARTY WILL BE AT THE HAPPY HOME!
Something wet hit the invitation. Xeyr not sure what. Poob seems to know something, though.
WE CAN'T WAIT TO SEE YOU THERE! Some spots were faintly covered by oncoming liquid.
Who? The people xey insulted? The people xey killed? Who could possibly want to see xem? Poob seems to be staring... Why'd they stop smiling?
FROM, PARTY NOOB!
"... Why r u crying??" Poob asks.
Xey were crying. How long has it been? Months? Years? Perhaps longer. It felt oddly good to cry, but it also felt agonizing. It didn't help that Poob was here to witness xer weakness flowing from xer eyes. Xey wanted to say something, perhaps to save face, but xey just... Couldn't. Xey only made pathetic noises xey didn't like.
"Have u gotten invited befor?" Poob asks, watching Gnarpy with good intentions. How weird. This is the second question and xey still haven't answered. Xey rubbed their eyes, wetting xer hand in the process.
"... Do u need a hug??" Poob was strangely into the idea. "Dat always makes me feel better!"
... No! Of course not! A gnarpian warrior would never perform such an act of vulnerability with an earthling, let alone a commoner! So why are xey coming closer? Why are xey extending xeyr weakened, shaking arms towards them?
Gnarpy felt arms wrap around xeyr torso, and xeyr own around Poob's. Gnarpy's head fell onto Poob's shoulder, outright sobbing into it like a commoner. Poob rubs xeyr back, whispering utterly stupid phrases of comfort that... Work... Gnarpy felt utterly weak. Vulnerable. The exact opposite of a warrior.
but xey also felt surprisingly comfortable.
It felt good to let the weakness flow out like water. It felt good to scream out the vulnerability like a warcry. Why did being so pathetic feel so... Relieving?
Soon, xey realized. The weakness and vulnerability was leaving. Weakness came from tears and vulnerability from the mouth. The relief comes from the strength returning to xem. The elevator became quieter and xeyr face, though still wet, was no longer flowing.
Gnarpy's mouth felt hoarse, but it wasn't anything xey haven't experienced before. "Do u feel better?" Poob spoke quietly, still patting xer back.
Gnarpy let's go of Poob, hesitantly nodding, attempting to save face by straightening out xer expression... How pointless at this point.
"Did I still want to come to da party????" Poob looked upon Gnarpy with excitement. Xey never had someone smile at xem like that before.
"... Zure."