Chapter 20

A/N: So, I didnt go, because my mother and i got into an argument and so I didnt go to the party thing, and I was like fuck it, lets do this. Sooo...here it is. Keep in mind that its only short because time was limited, but there will be more updates soon. Expect the next before the the week is out. Thanks.

The soft hum of running water echoed off the walls of the lifeless room. The only audible heart in the apartment was beating abnormaly fast...which could only mean one thing.

With an exasperated sigh, Near placed the three large plastic bags on the unmade bed. By the sounds of things, Matt was going to be in the shower for a while. Teenage humans and their hormones.

With another sigh, the young vampire decided that some snooping was in order. The first thing that caught his attention was the large dresser, filled with the redheads clothes, and over-flowing with video games. He pulled the first drawer open and peeked inside.

´Boxers, boxers....more boxers...yeah.´Near shut the drawer, a look of utter boredom on his face. There was nothing remotley interesting about plaid boxer shorts.

Next he went to looking through the different video game cases on the top of the dresser. The whole shiny black surface was covered in them.
´Video games, Video games...Vide-oh? What´s this?´ The young vampire plucked the regtangular photograph from inbetween two piles of cases.

In the photograph, a darkhaired man with equally dark eyes and a woman with ruby red hair and sparkling green eyes - Matts´eyes - stood side by side. Happy smiles on their faces as they looked at the camera. In the center, short, pale and grinning widely, was a young Matt. He looked about eight years old.

There was no doubt the redhead took after his mother. The red hair, the green eyes...even the soft, feminine curves of his cheeks.

Matt´s father had an arm wrapped around his wife´s waist, his free hand resting on his sons head.

An odd clenching sensation blossomed in his stomach. His throat went dry and pain raced across his chest. Near´s eyes widened in surprise. He quickly looked away from the photograph, to his reflection in the mirror, hanging just above the dresser.

With his free hand, he reached up to touch his finger tips to his left eye. When he pulled them back to examine the pale digits, they were dry. Vampires couldnt cry. He knew that; it was stupid of him to even bother checking.

But what was even more stupid...was that he had no idea what had brought this on. His pale grey eyes rested on the photograph in his right hand again.

A sob tore from his throat, surprising him. The pain flashed across his chest again. No tears fell, just a dry sob. It was the only form of crying a vampire can do.

´Why?...´His fangs dug into his bottom lip, gently so as to not break the skin. ´This stupid picture?´Yes. That was it. The happy , smiling family reminded the young vampire of his own. Before things started to snowball out of control that is.

Another sob shook his shoulders, so he placed the photograph back where he had found it. This had first happened to him, years ago. But back then. he hadn`t known what the pain in his chest had meant.

"Near?"

The young vampire turned his grey eyes on Matt. He must have looked pretty upset because the redhead´s questioning eyes over flowed with sympathy and concern.

He ignored this, instead focusing on the towel Matt had wrapped around his thin waist, the moisture that clung to his skin and the dark blush that stained his cheeks upon noticing the vampires eyes on him.

"We dont have time to waste." Like an old fashion gentleman, he held his hand out to Matt, to which the redhead responded by shyly placing his hand into Near´s cold one.

The silver haired vampire, now more composed, led Matt to the still unmade bed. "Sit." He said, giving him a light shove before going about pulling things out of the plastic bags.

Matt watched with mild interest. He was far more curious as to why Near - The cold-hearted, human-loathing vampire - had looked so torn and distraught. And how did the pitcure of his parents fit into the situation?

A/N: Kay, there it is. I´m feeling really down right now, so...whatever, excuse the poor quality. I have nothing to say today.

ReViEw Sil´Vous Plait. You´ll be much loved. (That includes you, Mell...grrr )

Matt.