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He was beginning to realize, with Tenya's additional observations, that Maebe only ever seemed to look past him at best. Never at. And the more she did it, the less it seemed intentional. As he walked over to her, her arms did not reach with accuracy. When she spoke, it was as if she wasn't being honest. No, it felt more like she was trying to prove something. And not the sort of something he'd originally thought.

She wasn't avoiding looking at him.

She physically could not.

His hands touched hers only because he touched them first. His heart grew colder with fear as he looked in her eyes and realized they saw nothing.

"Maebe.." He murmured with a shake in his voice. "....is somethin' wrong with yer eyes?"

She seemed calm. It was her specialty. Acting. But his heart was pumping nervously, as little clues had locked into the puzzle. "No." He kept a distance, only their hands connected. If she could see him, even tired, she'd see him fine from where he was. She shouldn't have any issue with it. So why?

"What's wrong, Maebe?"

"Then look at me." He insisted, his stubborn nature not allowing him to back down. He'd gotten hold of something, a hint of something, and it was nagging. It was important. Maebe was getting impatient and wiggling out of something. Avoiding something.

"But... I said you ain't looked at me. You said that's dumb.. but you still won't.." He grimaced. He didn't want to be right, of course. He wanted it to be something else. He would rather Maebe have actually just been angry. Or afraid. Because whatever he was stumbling onto was much worse than all of that.

"So.. somethin' really is wrong." Was it his fault? Was she not looking at him by choice because of him? Or because she could not because of him. Both terrible. One worse.

"Maebe, please.."

Don't lie to me, Maebe.

So it was true then. She couldn't see. Otto took a moment to take it in, but ultimately, what he focused on more than anything? Was that Maebe finally let him know the truth. He let out a shaky breath. Not relief. No, but one less thing was Maebe hiding something from him.

He knelt on the floor in front of her, tapping his fingers against her knuckles. He wouldn't say sorry. She already knew that he was.

Still... this really was his fault, huh?

He'd cry about it later. By himself. Away from Maebe, who didn't need to hear that from him. For now, he'd be a rock. Or at least half as strong as one. "Yeah.. don't worry." He murmured back, a smile on his face she'd never see. "Don't keep me out of it, okay?" He wanted to know, one way or another. Good or bad. And he didn't want her to shut him out.

Otto shrugged. "Yeah well... I'll be a baby about it later. I mean.. like you said. It ain't for sure yet." And as long as it wasn't set in stone, he still had hope.

"Worried about me.." Yeah. he could see why. He took the world on his shoulders often. Everything, the sky falling and pollution, all his fault. "I don't want you hidin' stuff like that though. It hurts you, don't it?"

"Yeah. You lied. Y'know I almost believed you, too. You're too good at what you do." And that wasn't a compliment. He wrapped his arms around her, and he prayed, prayed that she'd be okay. He kissed the top of her blonde head. She had to be okay. There was no surviving on an island blind, was there? Lance got off okay with zero leg capabilities. But he might have been a special case.

Never mind all of that. What about Maebe herself? How would he feel if he could never see again?

"Maybe you won't always be honest with me, or even confide in me.. and I'll just have to accept it."

He believed her white lie, and it made him happy. Made him feel like he was special to her. "Well, I'll keep pryin', cause I worry. I just worry I'll pry too far, and make you upset." And not in a good way. Getting her too upset to a point she'd really hate him or avoid him entirely; he feared that most.