I never truly learned his features. I stare at him now.
His brow bone isn't heavy, but it's strong and masculine. His cheekbones are high, and his cheeks look sunken. Where his eyes are supposed to be are hollow, dark craters, as smooth as the rest of his skin. He has a tall, thin, straight nose, complete with small, sharp nostrils. Obviously, he's thin, but has broad shoulders and a miserable slouch.
"Are you ok?"
He lifts his hand, but pauses in the air. He's conflicted.
"It's ok," I take his hand and fit mine into his palm. "Are you cold?"
He drops my hand, which I took offence to, but then quickly put it awkwardly on the side of my face. He tried to be gentle, which he was, but he doesn't know how to be "normal".
"What-" I am silenced by the sight of one of his inky black tentacles. My eyes widen at the sight, instinctually of course, for I'm not afraid of him, but I don't know what he's going to do.
"What are you doing?" the words quickly escape my mouth before they register in my mind.
More tentacles are born from nothingness, they close in on my head. I feel several of them wrap gently around locks of my messy hair.
Gently, I catch myself think. Some of them caress my face, I think one flicks its way to the nape of my neck, but all I see is a dark mess of tentacles with only gaps of light and a pale face, intense, fierce, and getting closer to my own.
His forehead touches mine, and I force my eyes shut.
I feel as if-
No, I know, that he sent me images in my mind.
I see a deep purple, and a misty blue forest, tall loblolly pines and a sullen Slender. Then a deep red, a distressing crimson, and I feel a tremendous pain in my chest, the feeling of anxiety and pain. I feel a heavy melancholic burden and I see an angry Slender in a burning forest behind my eyes.
Then my mind goes white. Like a child's drawing, I see a massive black smudge in a forest path. The feelings tell me that smudge is Slender himself. I see a tiny white figure, with small black-dot eyes and long hair. That's me, his thoughts tell me.
I see mental images of memories. He sends me the memory of him carrying me home.
Then he does something surprising.
He speaks.
His voice wasn't human at all, but sounded more like wind in the trees and a deep hum that somehow made syllables. These words were still unidentifiable, but they came with the meaning they had.
A guttural, deep, moaning rumble bellows in my head. The meaning came along with it.
From the day we met, I knew you understood.
I feel my physical body shiver and gasp, but in my mind my spiritual body waits patiently for more.
From this day forward, I entrust you with the affinity to communicate with me mentally.
He gifted me with telepathy.
From this day forward, I promise to guard you with the entirety of my dark being, to protect the innocent soul who believed in me.
The words resonate in my empty head.
I am eternally yours.
The connection breaks and white light introduces my eyes to reality again.
"What was that?"
He looks at me warmly and sends me the feeling of tranquil happiness. Resonance.
"Resonance? I see..." I pause "Why did you give me telepathy?"
I trust you. You do not perceive me as a monster. I repay you with protection for the rest of your, hopefully, long life.
I smile, and he somehow smiles back sweetly. "Thank you" I say as I nuzzle my way into an embrace.
It is of nothing, my dear Innocent Soul.