I got bored and started going through the paper and notes that I saved from school. I keep the paper from school so we can use it to build up our fires in the fire pit. I save the ones with drawings I like and writings. I am lucky that I look at the paper before I burn it. This was on some social studies type stuff. We were watching a movie that day and writing down something... I think it had to do with working on our writing skills for question answer stuff or something along those lines.

I sat with Masky in the underbrush as Jay walked by with his camera. And he calls Us weird. I slowly stood with my friend as to not give away our presence.

"What now? Should we let him go?" I asked softly.

"Yeah. We'll confront him another time." He answered mimicking my hushed tone.

I nodded to show that I understood and we hastily left the area. I so badly wanted to confront him. To get rid of him as soon as possible, but if Masky really thought it would be better to do so on a later date then I trusted him. We quickly pinned up the last warning note before heading back. The night was a nice cover and all, but it wasn't like we were cats or something. People never think about how maybe the darkness could help them. They think, hey if I go to the light I'll be safe. Not all the time. That just makes it easier for people like Jeff. Besides if there is a creature that can see in the dark that's hunting you then you're screwed no matter what you do.

The dull light on the horizon was slowly getting brighter. We picked up speed a bit. Didn't want to be the last ones back and wake everyone. We headed up the few steps onto the porch and went inside. I fell back on the couch with a sigh.

"Tired?" Masky chuckled but it quickly turned into a cough.

I sat up at that. "Are you alright?"

He took a minute to recover from his coughing fit to answer me. "Y- yeah." He hacked. "Fine."

"Maybe you should… I don't know…" Quit smoking? Yes. He most definitely should. "Lie down?" I suggested.

He shrugged and headed toward the stairs. He stopped at the base. "Coming?" He asked, looking back.

I stood and followed him up. I fell back on my bed in the same manner as I had the couch downstairs. I didn't bother getting under the covers since I wouldn't be able to sleep anyway. All I could focus on was Masky and his smoking habits. I mean this was going to kill him. The coughing fits that he had were just getting more and more frequent. That worried me immensely.

"... Hey, Masky?..."

"Yeah?"

"..."

Could I really do this now? Should I? Visions of him collapsing from a coughing fit played in my mind. But what if I angered him again? What if I brought it up some other time? I knew such a habit wasn't broken easily especially one so addictive… It would be best to bring it up as soon as possible before it killed him. I could feel the tears starting to build up. What would life be like without Masky? The last time such as subject was brought up… Who knew how long such a fight would last? Neither of us were very willing to surrender the last time so it would definitely escalate. A usual fight between us was a disagreement over something ranging from not worth it to important but we'd usually be over it like it never happened in an hour or so. Just like the arguments never existed and I was glad for that. However this was one of those touchy subjects and wasn't going to be forgotten in an hour. He got really defensive about his smoking habits. So it was either us fighting and him hating me for I don't know how long or him dying of a coughing fit one of these days. Dammit I'm dramatic…

"What is it?" Masky pushed himself up.

Now or never.

"N- nevermind. It's nothing." Coward!

"No really." Now he really looked interested.

Come on grow a spine. "..."

"Hoody." He said when he realized that I wasn't going to say anything. "You do realize that you can talk to me about anything, don't you?"

That's when the tears that I thought I had control of spilt. No. No I could not talk to him about anything. If only he knew just what was on my mind. I couldn't ruin everything that this moment held. He would go from concerned to defensive in half a second. I really didn't want to fight over something so stupid. No fights. Not tonight. No more tears over this.

"Hoody?... Are you crying?"

I froze. "N- No! I mean. No." I answered automatically.

He took a moment before slipping out of his bed. He crossed the room and sat on the end of my bed.

"I'm fine." I insisted, now sitting up as well.

"Whatever it is you can tell me. I promise tha-"

"No. I can't." I interrupted, shaking my head.

"So you don't trust me?" He looked kind of offended.

"No. That's not what I meant."

"Then what did you mean?"

"I- I- um. J- just forget it. It was nothing to begin with."

"Then why can't you tell me?"

To that I just remained silent. I mean really? What could I say?

He sighed. "Just tell me. You'll feel better if you talk about it."

"I can't."

"Tell me."

"Just drop it."

"I can't do that."

"Why not?"

We were raising our voices now. Just great.

"You were crying!"

I looked away. "I just… I can't!"

"Why not?!"

"Because we'd fight!"

"Well it's too late for that! So you might as well say it now!"

"It was about your smoking habits! I was worried! Ok?!"

"That was it?! Why couldn't you tell me that?!"

"Because you get all defensive!"

"I do not! Besides my Habits are fine!"

"You're addicted and it's going to kill you!"

"I can stop whenever I want!"

"Then stop now!"

"Why?! Because You said so?!"

"Because you're going to get left behind! How can you expect to get better, heck keep up if you can't run or fight for ten minutes without breaking into a coughing fit?!"

"You think you can tell me how to live my life! I don't need you!"

"I'm only trying to help!"

After a few attacks on each others flaws we broke into a physical fight. Though it didn't last too long.

"I'm done!" I announced, pushing him off. "I can't take this anymore!"

I Wouldn't take this anymore. I headed toward the door.

"Where do you think you're going?!"

My only response was slamming the door. I walked briskly down the hall. My anger quickly faded. What did I just do? I had caused what I had hoped to prevent. I hadn't even tried to fix anything. Now he was going to just purposely smoke more and he was going to kill himself and now I was crying again. I killed Masky. I wiped at the tears though that did next to nothing. I drew in a shaky breath. Then let it out slowly. I would not cry for him. He said he didn't need me. Well I didn't need him either. I would be fine without him but I guess I needed a place to stay for the night. Would he be awake? He was usually one of the last ones back… I walked the halls as silently as possible to my destination. I stopped at the door and hesitated a moment before knocking lightly on it. I waited. The door slowly opened.

"Hey, Hoods, what up?" Jack gave me a sharp toothed smile.

I kept my head down. "May I- May I sleep in here tonight." I clenched and unclenched my hands on the mask in my pocket.

"Sure." His smile faded and he allowed me to enter.

I sat on the unclaimed bed in the room.

"So. Do you want to tell me what happened?" Eyeless Jack took a seat next to me.

"Not really…"

He took a moment. "Have you been crying?"

"It doesn't matter anymore." I mumbled.

"Like hell it doesn't. What happened? Was it Jeff? Masky?"

I didn't respond.

"It Was Masky, wasn't it?"

"Jack. Please."

"What did he do? If you need me to-"

"No. Don't. It's fine."

"...Ok." He stood. "You can stay as long as you want. Alright?"

I nodded.