What an pickley situation this turned out to be, but exciting nonetheless! Johnny was all too eager to do some more scrounging around for treasure, and an actual treasure chest at that as well, yet there was nothing left to scrounge through. Every corner of the living room and kitchen had been examined once he had lost interest in cleaning, even the cupboards had been thoroughly examined. Nothing but pots and pans and some food that had been tossed out of the fridge (which Johnny refused to touch. It was icky). Following the process of elimination, that left only one other place to look through: Edgar's bedroom.

Johnny had avoided it for as long as possible, mostly because he hadn't actually been in Edgar's bedroom before, but also because bedrooms were private places where people did their weird private things, though, he doubted Edgar actually did anything too strange in there. The bedroom has the most significant aspects of the owner hidden within and Johnny wasn't sure if he wanted to invite himself into there just yet: into Edgar's place of comfort, where all of his person was strung up on the walls, where only the people he knew best were allowed, in a domain the provided him the most security. How much of one this one person was he willing to accept, going so far as to delve within their astral plane where they are most vulnerable, invading their most intimate space? If things make a turn for the worse, would he regret having let Edgar become so influential, and having let so much of the man into himself?

But on the other hand: he really wanted to see what this key would open up.

Johnny peeked into the bathroom door, careful not to let the door squeak too much, and gently shut it again once he confirmed that Edgar was still unconscious, cringing too much for his liking at the sight of the previous intruder's brain bits splayed about the floor. The body alone made Nny want to scream out in rage, and he was certainly in no mood for rage.

He walked past the bathroom and towards the end of the dark hallway where the door to Edgar's room lay. Johnny had grown to know a fearful place when he saw one, as he encountered many in his house, and the door to the other man's quarters emitting similar feelings as his own on the night Johnny left the horrid building he used to live in. It seemed to reject his very presence, yet pull him in all the same. It wanted him to intrude.

But do I really want to? I mean...

An awkwardness developed inside of Johnny as he tried to cope with the concept of thinking to himself; he was so used to projecting his thoughts out loud that it seemed wrong not to, yet at the same time, he felt uncomfortable doing so in someone else's home, only serving to stir together the two already-mixed up feelings.

Or, I guess I'm living here too. Shouldn't feel uncomfortable speaking out in here.

But, reaching for the doorknob to his final destination, he had honestly never felt so uncomfortable in his life.

Deep breath now. He inhaled deeply until the air puffed up his chest, and decided to wait another few moments before going inside. His whole body rattled as he exhaled, trying to shake off his fear. Fear of what exactly?

Fear of commitment? Fear of the unknown?

The door clicked with a twist of the cold metal and opened in a slow and steady silence.

What am I afraid of?

The blackness of the room answers, you're afraid of yourself.

It's just an ordinary looking room, hardly distinguishable from a regular room if it weren't for the bed: headboard to the right side of the wall, pressed against the upmost corner. Johnny slid inside quickly and closed the door with utmost care, not wanting to disturb the eerie silence.

Quite a bit of time passed before Johnny had actually moved away from the front of the door. The ticking of a clock had seemed so loud and oppressive the first ten minutes, but now it seemed no more significant than the sound of his own breath, simply blending into the background as he adjusted.

The whole room was an eggshell white, including the bed, which was meticulously made with layers upon layers of very fine and thin white sheets, like something you'd see in a dream. Moonlight piercing through the equally fine white curtains caressed the soft blankets and piles of decorative pillows in a way that seemed too surreal and high-end for such a simple person like Edgar. The simple bed was mysterious and beautiful enough to hold Johnny's attention for a few moments, but he soon got back to his task, feeling more uneasy than he did earlier.

He didn't belong there.

There was a finely polished wooden nightstand at the bedside, just big enough for a single drawer and storage space underneath.

Oh my... seriously? Johnny chuckled at the sight of a fluffy white bear in the nightstand.

Silly Edgar, you're not supposed to display bears.

However, the boy soon diverted his attention to the drawer above, noticing the detailed metal design that flourished its center and the tiny keyhole that poked into it.

He clutched hsi small silver key in anticipation. This is what he'd been waiting for: The chest to his lamp-key treasure.

Just to make sure, Johnny tugged at the handle, but the drawer refused to budge.

The key nearly shook with excitement and danced around the hole clumsily before making it inside, butterflies flying into the boy's fingers.

But...

It... was sticking out slightly. Johnny was slowly becoming aware of the cold breeze coming from the window, wind howling through the curtains.

Doesn't fit...?

He forced the key in harder, trying to push it past the workings of the lock and shaking the whole drawer in frustration. The contents rattled around mockingly and Johnny practically lifted the whole thing up until he noticed that the white bear had fallen out, or, more precisely, what had fallen out along with the bear.

Hardly visible on the ground was a tiny piece of paper folded in half. Nny released the stand and carefully picked the delicate little slip from the soft carpeting, gently unfolding it with his index finger and thumb. He was surprised to find yet another key within and a small note.

"Only if you really need to.

-E"

Edgar's voiced practically narrated in Johnny's mind. The note smelled like flowers.

Johnny was intruding.

"Well..." Johnny whispered to himself, moving the new key inside of the lock. "I don't need to, but-" click! "I'd certainly really like to."

Alright,

Thanks to all of you who have continued to read so far!
I'm sorry my style keeps changing,
but I'm learning, and tired...

late Valentine's Day present, but this chapter is one big ol' metaphor!
Cookies for every answer~
Cuz I'm interested in how you guys interpret it.