2

Matt rushed out, hearing screams and shouts. He slipped on the last few steps, but quickly saved himself.

"What's wrong?!" he exclaimed, looking around in panic. To his relief, it was just Edd. "What'd you do, Edd?"

"I tried to see what a coke can would do in a microwave," he said, embarrassed. Meanwhile, Tom was in the other room laughing his head off. Edd glared at the doorway and grumbled to himself. Matt could hear the words stupid or idiot being said. He grabbed his friend's shoulder.

"Hey, you're fine. Just a bit of messy curiosity," he gave him an encouraging smile, which Edd gladly returned. He cleaned everything up and grabbed another can of coke. Matt followed him into the living room. Tom was slouched in the armchair, a half empty bottle of smirnoff in his hand. The TV was on as usual. Edd sat criss-crossed on the couch, Ringo curling up in his lap. Matt sat next to Edd, looking at the electronic screen.

"Anything good on?"

"Nope."

"Wanna watch a movie?"

"Sure," Tom got up and put something in.

Later that night- after many, many movies- Matt was chilling out in his pajamas downstairs. He scrolled through his phone in the dark, staring blankly at the various twitter posts before him. Something clanged in the kitchen, causing him to sit up and shut it off. He listened very closely.

A gasp.

Matt tilted his head and looked towards the doorway.

An intake of breath while holding in what seems to be a whimper.

Matt got up and slowly- silently- crept towards the doorway, peeking in.

Drip. Drip. Drip.

Matt held in a gasp at what he saw. Tom was standing there, a small lamp illuminating his arm. A large knife was cutting deep into the scarred flesh. Blood dripped into the sink slowly and it pooled on his arm.

"Tom," he said quietly. Tom gasped and dropped the knife into the sink as he looked over at him. The void that took place of his eyes showed… fear. Matt crept towards him, placing a hand on his shoulder. He didn't say anything more. He examined his arm and kept himself from crying.

"Stay here," he told Tom and went to the bathroom for the first-aid kit. He came back to an empty room. It was suddenly cold. Matt rushed to the front of the house to see the door wide open.

Damn it, Tom, he thought to himself. He noticed blood droplets on the ground. He followed them until they became sparse. He groaned, leaning against a wall and placing his head in his hands. He'd have to look for his friend even if Edd finds them both missing. He stood up and set out.

He never found him until he got back. He was freezing cold since it was late autumn and he was dumb enough not to go out with at least a hat

"There you are!" Edd said, worried like a mother, "Geez, you're freezing! C'mon."

Edd took him into the living room.

"Set that down, it won't help you. Why do you even have it?" Edd asked, looking at the first-aid kit, "Oh, nevermind. Here."

He handed Matt a blanket.

"I'm going to make you cocoa. Try to warm up," he told him. Matt obeyed and sat down. His nose and cheeks were a bright red on his freckled face. His hands felt numb and his left hand was stiff from tightly gripping the first-aid kit practically all night. He'd had absolutely no sleep.

"You… You okay?" Tom asked. He was in his chair as usual, but Matt guessed Edd took away any alcohol from him since he looked as cold as Matt. Matt just looked at him with disappointment and hurt. He looked away. Edd came back in eventually with two cups of cocoa- one for him and one for Tom.

"Now," he began, "You two will warm up and talk things out. I'll be in my room if you need me."

He left and they heard a soft slam down the hallway. They sat in silence, Matt sipping his cocoa.

"I'm sorry," Tom began quietly. Matt didn't say anything. "I was scared. I… I didn't know what else to do."

Still silence from the ginger.

"Matt, say something."

"Show me your arms," Matt finally said, getting up and setting his cup down. After a moment of hesitation, Tom did so. Matt took the first-aid kit and set to work.