*(Is this all we see?)*

~*Chapter 20*~

**Mentions and scenes of Self-Harm and Minimum thoughts of Suicide**

"Again thanks for bringing me home." Midnight pushed a piece of his hair behind his ear. "I really appreciate it."

Nick stepped out of his car behind him, leaning on the car door. "Of course. Someone needed to get you out of the freezing cold street."

"And someone had to get you away from your guys." Nick chuckled and looked back up at him. "Yeah. Thanks shy kid." He paused, ruffling his jacket and smiling back at him. Those dimples again. He couldn't stop staring at them. Nick then looked up to his house. "It's a nice house."

"Yeah my mom owns it." Midnight looked to the ground with a deep breath. He could see the warm air of his breath in the cold night. "I'm not excited to get inside."

"Why?"

Midnight fondled his fingers. "I had an argument with my sister and my moms friend so I kind of ran off without saying where I was going." Nicks eyes widened at his truth. Surprised? He wanted to ask him that but he assumed he would try to keep up his random tough guy act. "Shy kid has gone rebelious."

"Not really." Midnight frowned. "Anyway I have to--be yelled at now so.." Midnight turned to walk into his house. He glanced back with a small blink. "Thanks for coming to help."

Nick nodded and waved to him. "Always." With a last smile, Nick turned around as well, slipping in his car then soon driving off.

Midnight stuck outside for an extended time. The birds and crikets chirping, the stars full out. He stared up. Would things be looking up for him? Ever? Would he ever get control of his powers? He looked back to the door. Taking a deep inhale, he opened it.

When he walked in close to the kitchen Lilly was there with Dawn and Fawn. They were all talking. Probably about him. Lilly looked up, her face fading into shock. "Midnight!" Fawn ran over to him. "Hey where have you been? I told Lilly to make sure you stayed home but--" She shook her head in disapointment. "Where were you?" Her tone was soft, she held his shoulders.

"I'm sorry.."

Fawn noticed his small tears, whiping them away with her thumb. "I know. But you can't do that. I--" She stopped to straighten her sweater. She turned stiff. "Dawn and Lilly told me what happened, and what has been happening." 'No, please don't lecture me.' "I'm--I'm sorry I never noticed how upset you were. I have been so busy and I just didn't."

"I know mom," he shrugged her off of his shoulders, "I know you've been busy. But I can't--I need to deal with this on my own."

"Midnight--" Dawn soon walked in the entryway, her eyes red like she was crying and she looked stressed. "I never wanted to make you upset I didn't know how else to tell Leah and you would deny it if I did so I--"

Midnight didn't bother to keep listening. She was lying, of course she was. How could she think that was right? How could she think she could apologize for that? He ran up the stairs after shaking his head and soon reached his room. Slamming the door, Midnight grabbed his almost dead phone.

Nick: "I hope you didn't get yelled at too much Shy kid." He started typing again, then stopped. Midnight held his fingers over the keyboard. "No," He began to type. He wanted to tell him why he ran off from home, and why he was so--closed.

But he wouldn't say.

"I didn't get yelled at too much Cool Boy."

Nick: "That's good. I was worried I would have to rescue you again."

Midnight: "And would I be rescuing you?"

Nick: "Funny."

Midnight: "Are you with them?"

Nick: "No. I decided not to go to them anyway. I bet their drunk out of their minds."

Midnight laughed looking twice at his message. He put his phone back down to charge, peaking back to his bedside table. He saw the razor blade, still having his dried blood on it. He leaned over to grab it, running it through his fingers. It was still sharp, as it was every other time he had cut himself.

Midnight pulled up his sleeve, looking at his bare wrist above all of the bright red markings. He placed the blade lightly on the spot. What was worth it anymore. His mother now knew what he was doing. Dawn revealed it to Leah against his will. In a very bad way if he had to say it. And Nick--the person who was such a mystery couldn't know about what he had been doing. He would think differently of him. Noah would too. Maybe it was good he never told him.

Midnight pressed the blade to the blue vein, it stung. And it made a small red slit, not piercing his vein, but it did make him drop the blade.
He could feel the blood trickle down into his palm. He pressed the blade again. This time his intention was to slit it. He tried to press harder --

Nick: "Hey. I know you're charging your phone but I want to talk to you about something."

Midnight picked up his phone with the blade falling out of his hand. He saw the message, whipping the tears away from his eyes. He couldn't could he..? Nick wouldn't have anyone to run to when he wanted to be away. Even if that's all Midnight was to him, he needed him. And at least someone needed him for help. If in any way.

Midnight: "okay. Shoot."

Nick: "So the bad habit right?"

Midnight knew what he was going to ask. "Yes.."

Nick: "Is it..really bad?" He started typing again. "Like I know i said I would stop bothering you about it but, I just think I--if its really bad i want to help."

Midnight sighed. Picking back up the blade. Could he say? Or at least give him something to find out. "Yes Nick. It is."

He could imagine Nick start to panic, maybe be anxious, putting his phone down and pulling his hair roughly by the roots. If he cared that is. He probably didn't. No doubt like he said it was only him trying to get away from his friends. Nick kept typing and stopping, then continuing again. 'He doesn't know what to say. Cool boy has actual emotions.' He laughed at that.

Nick: "Just tell me at school. Or if you want to tell me another time I'll listen."

Midnight smiled. Plugging his phone back in, he undressed to his boxers and cuddled up to his blankets. He again, tried to sleep for thirty minutes, he opened his phone back up and texted Nick one last time. "Always?"

"Always shy kid ;))"

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Thanks for reading!

~Liz <3