If you're looking for a pairing, might as well turn back now.

"Johnny?"

"Mm?"

"Why did she have to die?"

It was a simple question, really. Johnny knew Todd would ask it sooner or later; he just wished that it would be later. It's not like he minded the fact that Todd's mother was dead- it was just the way she had died.

"You aren't going to answer."

Johnny turned to his companion, eyes wary. Todd was staring at his feet, toes curling and uncurling. He had his legs pulled against his chest, arms wrapped around them and chin resting in the space between his knees. Todd's black hair was shining blue in the starlight, dark in contrast to his pale skin, shadows stretching across his features and making him look ages older. His chocolate eye closed, and Johnny thought for a second a streak of light, a tear, was running down his cheek.

"No."

"Okay."

Johnny turned back to the stars. "I... She... Um..."

"You don't have to answer." Todd sounded bitter, and Johnny looked back at him. Yes, that was a tear. Todd seemed to notice, and quickly wiped it away.

"I do." There was a pause. "What can be said, Todd?" Johnny mumbled, staring at the stars with a distant look in his eyes. "What once laughed and cried and dreams becomes fodder. Fate brought him to her, and if not him, then without question the worm, a no less ravenous beast than he. There are monsters who wait for all of us upon our return to the earth, so what can be said?"

Todd was silent. Johnny was a confusing man, at best, even when he was calm. Johnny, even after returning from his 'vacation', was not as sane as he had wanted to be. Todd sometimes wondered if he wanted to be sane at all; maybe it was all about the emotions. If so, he had failed epically. Johnny was still smart- sometimes Todd wondered if he was a genius. The way he phrased words, the way he talked, and the way he could see past the film of humanity made the teenager wonder exactly who his neighboy had been before he had gone insane. Turning back to the task at hand, he dissected everything the man had said in his head, bit by bit.

It was true. Todd's mother, in one of her less drugged states, had mentioned that she had never wanted to marry her husband. She had sighed about how their wedding was just at a machine in Vegas, not even the pretty white wedding she had been dreaming of since she was a child. Todd had asked her if it was his fault. She had looked at him, eyes clear for the first time in years, and had shaken her head. Then she popped a few pills, and told Todd to lie down in the center of the road. And even though Todd didn't like to think so, everybody would die sooner or later. He just wished she hadn't died until later.

Although she had her issues, Todd's mother was kinder than his father. When she wasn't drugged up, she had actually been nice to him. It made him wonder if she really did hate him, or if it was just the drugs. He hated his father; he didn't hate his mother.

"You aren't wearing shoes."

"No."

"Or socks."

"Nope."

"You're gonna catch pneumonia and-"

Todd turned to look at Johnny. "And die." he finished, then turned to look back at his bare feet. "I know."

Johnny clicked his tongue and looked back up at the stars.

"It's so pretty when you look down on it." Todd whispered just loudly enough for Johnny to hear, motioning to his lawn. Johnny guessed he meant his house.

"It is."

No, it'll be longer. Patience...

Notes: If you're looking for a pairing, turn back. Sorry, no pairings here. Plot is still in development.