Eyes

How did our eyes get so red?
And what the hell is on Joey's head?

"Why are your eyes red?"

It was a question he'd expected the other to pose long before now, so it was a bit surprising to hear it escape now. Beyond looked over at the white-clad boy who was lying beside him, his eyes focused on some action figure in his hands. Why was he asking this now? He could've asked at any other time...hearing that question at this moment made it seem unimportant. "Why would you like to know?"

Near's gray eyes flickered over toward Beyond, looking at him out of the corner of his sight. The black haired boy was staring up at the stars, those beautiful red eyes focused on the glittering galaxies above. "Because."

Because. It wasn't much of an answer but BB knew it was probably all he would get. He let his eyelids fall over the eyes he hated, the ones that Near liked, and decided to try to formulate his answer. "...that is not a reason."

"It's enough of one, though." Near rolled over onto his side and looked at him with an intense gaze, one a child of ten shouldn't have had. "Now tell me."

How can I tell you when it does not matter? I do not want you to know. If there is anything right in the world you will drop this now. "I do not know. Genetics?"

"You know genetics don't work like that. Please tell me how they got to be like that." How they got to be that beautiful scarlet color, like fresh blood, or like strawberry jam. Yes, the second one worked better: it was something his boyfriend liked. It was something that could work with him. "I want to know."

And now Near wouldn't stop until Beyond told him. He knew because of that determined voice, that shift in tone that spoke of things unknown. The other only spoke like that when he wanted to know something badly. "You wish to know? I will tell you: I was born with them. I do not know how it occurred: mother had black eyes and father had gray. I should have been born with the black eyes, and yet I was not. I was born with red."

Red. Hated red eyes. He despised the sight of his eyes so much he rarely even looked in mirrors anymore. "I do not know how it happened. I just know it did. And that is that."

Silence met his answer, except for the occassional chirp of crickets. Summer was going to end soon, bringing Fall and with it, Winter. Things were soon going to die, creatures that wouldn't live to see another Spring. And it was still quiet.

Did my answer surprise you that much? Or are you trying to see if I am lying? He didn't want to open his eyes to see, didn't want to see the other's skeptical look, didn't want to not be believed anymore. Everytime he tried to say that his eyes had always been this way, no one believed him. He hated that-

His thoughts were cut off when he felt something falling onto his face. Swiftly Beyond sat up, shaking his head, his eyes opening in surprise. Little whisps of green - grass clippings? - fell around him, some of them landing on his shirt. His hand reached up to mess through his hair, dislodging a few more pieces. "What was that for?"

Near tilted his head, wiping them against each other to get rid of the few pieces of grass that clung to his skin. His action figure was down by his side and he shrugged slightly, leaning forward so that his forehead was pressed to Beyond's chest. It was a comfortable place to be, a place where he could hear his crush's heartbeat. "I thought you could use it." He answered honestly. After all, the situation had been getting too complex, too tiring. The two of them needed something to distract them, and the only thing he had to work with was grass. So that was what he'd used. "I could use it, too."

Everything could use a chance to laugh. Near wouldn't mind the questions that Matt and Mello would pose, most likely wondering why Beyond had grass in his hair (or why Near did, seeing as some of the clips were sticking to him), or why they had been outside in the first place. He just wanted a chance to be like this. To have one moment together.

To ask why his eyes were red.

End Notes:

Another chapter down. I do not own Nickelback's Photograph or Death Note. And my apologies for the mis-spellings in the first chapter.

Thank you for reading.