Tell the truth

"Look... you deserve to know the truth. Anna, what's the last thing you remember?" you ask, a tingling sense of guilt twisting in your gut.

"I... I went to your room to see if you were okay. And then... you showed me that... thing. It... blasted. We both laughed, and then... nothing." She answers, her brow furrowed in concentration.

"Okay. You see, I handed you this," you say, showing her the SSR, "and you accidentally triggered it and shot yourself with it. This thing... it turns people into skinsuits."

"Skinsuits? What's that?" she asks, a mix of curiosity and concern in her voice, noticing your inability to hold her gaze.

"It's... from what I've learned... it's a skin that a person can wear to become someone else." You continue, your breath heavy.

"I don't understand..." Anna tries to wrap her head around your words.

"Let me... put it simpler. You were turned into a skinsuit. I put you on and became you."

"Y-you what?!" Her eyes widen in disbelief. "What do you mean, you put me on? You... you wore me? I... I can't believe it."

"I understand, Anna, but I had ****. Josef got home, and I had to do something."

"What... what did you do?" Her voice is shaking now.

"I put you on and pretended to be you in front of him. He didn't suspect anything and left. After that, I took you off and brought you back."

"So... you brought me back? And nothing else?" she wonders.

"No. As soon as Josef left, the first thing I did was figure out how to exit the skinsuit and how to reverse the changes. Then I brought you back. That's all."

Anna seems to calm down a little. Then you ask her, "Did... did it hurt?"

"No... I mean... I don't remember..."

"If you're not hurt, then I'm glad everything is back to normal. I was crazy scared for you."

"R-really?" she says, confused.

"Of course! You're my aunt. The closest thing I have to a mother. I can't imagine what I'd do without you."

Your words seem to calm her completely. Hearing the genuine concern and compassion in your voice reassures her.

"T-thanks..." she says, a single tear slowly tracing a path down her cheek.

"No need to. Thank you for being okay, Anna." You wipe the tear away and pat her shoulder.