Title: The Human Inside
Author: jberri79
Character's: Luke/Noah
Word Count: 1,710
Rating: PG-13
Warnings: Probably
Disclaimer: I don't own these characters- but I love them lots, seeing as I keep posting them even when LJ wants too piss me off.
Author's Note's: Written for seajellybaby's 'Noah on the beach challenge.' Also might offend some, sorry. I do not believe any state is bad, this was just the state I picked. You will see what I mean once you read.
Beta'd: Nope.

Atlantic City June 2112

Noah's been waiting in this ally way to long, Luke's cravings take up more time then they should. It's late so most of the shops are closed, and the board walk is not cluttered with tons of people, this is very good for Luke.

Without the masses of people walking along around him distracting him from what he is; the stores to keep him entertained, Noah can hear the background noise loud in his ear, the crash of waves hard against sand, the people in bars laughing, drinking, enjoying themselves whole heartily - The dangers that lurk in the dark, unknown to them. The darkness and quiet murmurs of their chats make him think too much. In the day he can pretend, it's the night that hurts him.

He leans against a wall- back pushing hard into it, as his legs spread out in front of him. The strong beat of a heart speeding up in fear rushes through his ears. He has no choice but to ignore it.

Instead he closes his eyes, leans his ear closer to the people in bars listening to their laughter and ignorant knowledge of things that go bump in the night. It helps him to block out the faint cries of 'please sir…please don't do this.' Noah keeps his head tilted to the laughter- waits until the very last moment to speak. When all he can hear is the pitter patter of rats and the content breathing of his partner's breath filling up the darkness, he knows it's over.

Noah pulls himself from the wall, his eyes looking down the dark ally way. He cocks his head to the side; his patience wearing thin. "Can we go now? We have wasted enough time."

"Come here"

"Luke I-"

"Noah"

Noah sighs and narrows his eyes, he knows the routine already. They'll discuss his issues, his struggle to maintain his way of living. They may fight.

Noah heads down the dark ally, his eyes already finding Luke in the darkness. He steps closer, can see the body Luke holds close to chest, his hand wrapped around neck so tight eyes are popping out of sockets. "Red head this time?" Noah steps closer, his hands reaching out touching the still warm skin. "She didn't put up much of a fight, there are no bruises."

"Yes, she was a delight" Luke smirks at the sadden look that falls on Noah's face. He drops the body with a thud to the floor; the hair splaying like curtains over his sneakers. "Ugh! Please stop with the look, it creep's me out. This is what we are, this is what we were created to do. Hunt, feed, live in the shadows…be the beast that they know nothing about." Luke flings his hand violently down the ally way. "They laugh, drink and be merry, they're so oblivious." Luke steps over the corpse- foot stepping on a finger as he does it "you have to stop this Noah; learn to live with it. Stop hating yourself, it's not good for you…hell, it sucks for me, having you look at me like I'm some kind of animal."

Noah steps into Luke's space "I'm sorry I…I didn't mean to make you feel like that, I…I…"

"What?" Luke practically yells it. He runs his hands through his hair- a smear of blood from his finished meal streaking his hair, while a smudge lingers at the corner of his mouth.

Noah's thumb presses into the corner, he swallows hard. "I miss being human, I miss feeling…feeling everything." He drops his hand, wiping the blood on his jeans. He dare not taste it.

"We are human, we do feel. Look at you; you're bursting with emotion now. It's sickened."

"Luke?"

Luke inhales "I didn't mean for it to sound so harsh, I'm just…Noah, you need to feed."

Noah shakes his head violently "I can eat."

"I know! You can eat food" Luke looks at the body on the ground, he licks his lips "but that's not enough."

"Baby, I can't kill innocence people."

Luke huffs and crouches down in front of the stiff corpse "she was no innocent" he murmurs.

"What?"

Luke stands back up. "Noah, you have this notion that all humans are fragile, innocence beings." He shakes his head "they can be monsters too. We've lived over a hundred years…you should know this by now… this one." Luke presses his sneaker into her cheek, pushing it down hard into the soiled ground. "This one offered me two grand and a quick fuck to kill her mother." Luke looks at Noah- whose eyes are bugged out of his head. "We are not the true monsters, the only thing different is that they have a heartbeat and can die. They are no better then us."

"I still can't-"

Luke steps back from the body- watches as the cheek stays pressed flat "you don't have to…kill" Luke eyes stay fixated on the cheek "but you will eat" he finally says, taking his eyes off of the corpse.

"I"

Luke's hand shoots up, stopping the words "I will bring it to you and you will drink. Do you understand?" Noah just nods "say it" Luke says it softly, but his tone holds no room for argument.

"I will drink" Noah says.

"We are not the only monsters."

Noah looks away "I want to go now."

"Say it Noah."

"We are not the only monsters" he whispers. Luke smiles and starts to walk away "where are you going?"

"I want to take you someplace."

"What about her?" Noah looks down at the body, the dent in cheek now more pronounced.

"What about her? She'll be safe until the sun comes up and she's discovered. We'll be long gone by that time." Luke continues to walk "stop sulking Noah; you're to good looking for that."

Noah doesn't say a word, just runs to catch up. Luke is already on the broad walk, while he's still trying to make it out of the dark alley. "God you're fast" he murmurs watching as Luke leaps over the side disappearing from sight.

Noah looks out towards the sea, the moon glowing bright above them, the glimmer of it bouncing off of the water. He steps closer, dipping his toes into the shallow part, watching as small colored fish swim leisurely around his ankles- zig zag between his toes. He smiles contently, shoving his hands into his pants pockets, eyes going back and forth between the fish and the moon hovering over them. "Thanks for bringing me here."

"I'd do anything for you; even catch your food for you."

"You make it seem like a sport."

"It can be." Luke smirks at the shocked look on Noah's face. "Oh come on, take a joke." Luke pouts as he walks towards Noah, his feet submerging into the cool water. "As soon as you feed, you'll be as fast as me again."

"You heard me?"

"Not only am I fast Noah, my hearing is excellent." Luke taps at his left ear "don't you remember how good it felt?" Luke questions, a curious look on his face "don't you miss the strength?"

"Do you hate taking care of me?"

A sad look falls onto Luke's face "never" he says "I love you…I NEED you. You are never a bother to me. I will always take care of you. You would do the same for me…wouldn't you?"

Noah nods his head "of course. I would do anything for you." Noah steps deeper into the water, leaving Luke to stare at his backside. There's nothing left to say on that topic, they are together forever, until the end of time…beyond that. "I wish we could stay here" Noah finally says "…live here. I want to be…I want to feel…things."

"Noah you do feel, you feel so much." Noah turns around, the fish scattering, frighten by the sudden movement.

"I'm-"

"Noah you feel. You feel for that mess in the ally. Even after what I told you about her, you cared. The look on your face as you dipped your toes in the water, the serene smile that graced your lips. You do feel…you feel everything. You are human Noah…just a different kind."

"You? What about you? Are you human? Do you… feel?" Noah bites his bottom lip as he waits for an answer.

Luke cocks his head to the side, a grin spreading wide across his face "every time I look at you I feel. A hundred years Noah and you still make my dead heart flutter." Luke looks away, Noah's eyes on him to much "we should really go; we have to beat the sun." Luke bends down and gathers up their sneakers. "Come on."

"I don't want to leave" Noah squats down. He puts his hands into the water, a rainbow of fish swimming around in his palm.

"Come" Luke says, backing away "there are other beaches."

Noah turns his head, his dark eyes dancing with wonder "you will take me?"

"Just pick one and we will go." Noah smiles and stands up "you will drink though…right?"

Noah nods his head "I will…promise, I promise."

They leave the water and the sounds of crashing waves; the echo of seagulls flying above them behind -their shapes disappearing into the shadows once again.

The sounds of sirens fall over them and Luke shrugs "guess they found her quicker then I thought they would."

"I guess so" Noah says. "Luke?"

"Yeah"

"I think Louisiana is nice this time of year."

"Louisiana? We haven't been there in ages."

"Since the summer of 2080."

Luke smiles again "it's surrounded by water…beaches."

"There's that but…."

"What baby?"

Noah blushes and looks away "the place is filled with sinners… lots of sinners, you could…"

"I could have a field day." Luke's eyes widen as he realizes that. "Come" he holds his hand out to Noah "we have to pack, buy more sunscreen and dark clothes, if we are to travel during the day. We need to move fast, you are too slow." Noah glares but takes Luke's hand anyway. Within seconds he is flung onto Luke's back, the wind whipping hard through his hair as they move.

The End