What seemed like forever had passed, and he still didn't know.

He tried everything. He thought out all the possibilities of either option. Choosing no equaled death, which meant he was dead, no matter what happened. Saying yes meant he'd have to go see his family, who would either train him and send him back, or keep him. Or kill him. And providing Nocturne made it back to the castle with his life, who's to say Nael wouldn't kill him? Or tell him the whole thing was made up?

When thinking didn't work, he tried something else. He tore the letter into letters that formed a messy “NO”, and placed them by the pendant. He closed his eyes and recited a nursery rhyme to pick the right one. When he opened his eyes, his finger was pointing out at a wall, completely away from either of the choices.

What the hell was he supposed to do?!

“Fuck...” He said, muttering under his breath. “How am I supposed to choose? I want to stay alive, but saying yes would mean putting myself in a variety of dangers, even before I stated to guard him...”

He curled up in the corner, forehead creasing with worry as he continued to think. He was shaking from stress. His eyes were bloodshot, and had large, dark circles around them. He wasn't getting any restful sleep, he was so stressed. His hair was even more mussed up, if possible.

Hello there! A foreign voice interrupted his thoughts. Nocturne looked up, blinking rapidly at the seemingly sudden appearance of a young man in his room.

The man was thin, with the look of someone who spent most of his time indoors, in front of a desk. He was wearing black pants -simple, but spotless- , and a light purple, high collared shirt. Blue hair reached down to his jawline, and green eyes blinked back at Nocturne from behind silver-rimmed spectacles.

“What the?!” Nocturne pressed himself into the corner further when the figure came closer. He quickly muttered “I must be hallucinating...”

Erm, sorry to scare you...I'd speak out loud, but I can't. I'm real.

“Get out of my head!”

Listen to me! I'm real! I can't talk and I use telepathy! Will you shut up?! Though the man offered a gentle smile, everything about his tone conveyed danger, pure and simple.

Nocturne reluctantly stopped shouting obscenities when the man grasped his arm and pulled him up from his sitting position.

“Okay...if you're not a hallucination, who are you? And why can't you talk?” Nocturne was somewhat startled by the fact that the man was only a bit taller than him, most of the people he met seemed like giant in comparison to his short stature.

My name is Mute. And I can't talk because of this. Mute pulled down the collar of his shirt to reveal a large scar that ran horizontally across his throat. The scar was obviously deep, and it was an ugly combination of red and purple.

“How did that happen?!”

Nael's how it happened. But I'm not here to talk to you about that.

“What are you hear for, then? And how did you get in?” Nocturne managed to ignore the part about Nael causing Mute's scar, though he was curious. After all, there were more important things.

I'm here to talk to you. And as for the second question : Teleportation.

“Okay...” Nocturne went over to his unmade bed and plopped onto it, still a little uncertain. “You want to sit down, then?”

Yes, thank you. Mute sat down on the edge of the bed, pushing the sheet out of the way with a gloved hand.

Nael doesn't know I'm here, and I don't want him to just yet, so please refrain from screaming again, okay?

“Sure...” He couldn't help but feel nervous. Nocturne still wasn't one hundred percent sure that Mute wasn't a hallucination.

Good. Now, I'm here to ask you about your choice.

“What?! How do you know about that?” Nocturne blinked at Mute, who smiled gently in return.

I have my sources, Nocturne. I can find out almost anything. But please, tell me, have you made up your mind yet? It's been three weeks, Nael will be coming to see if you're wearing the pendant or not.

“I'm leaning towards yes, but I don't know...” He looked down at his hands, which were fisted on his lap.

You should say yes.

“Wait...Why? How does it concern you?”

Believe me, I know from experience, you don't want Nael to kill you. It'll be slow, and torturous beyond anything he's put you though. And if you're his bodyguard, he'll be preoccupied with you, thus preventing him from trying to find me.

“Ah...Well, I suppose, if it means I'll be helping myself and another...” Nocturne picked up the pendant, which had been left beside his bed, and slipped it over his head, blinking at the tingling that occurred as soon as it was on. “What...”

Tingling?

“Yeah.”

That's a good sign. It means Nael will be here in 3...2...1.

As if on cue, the door swung open right as Mute thought the last number. Nael strolled in, his grin slipping for a moment when he saw that Nocturne wasn't alone. The air hummed with roughly fifteen seconds of tension, before it was broken by Nael's cheerful voice.

“Mute! Long time, no see!” Nael strolled over as the two stood up, both looking up at him. “Why have you invaded my pet's room, though?”

Mute closed his eyes, obviously putting in more effort to make his words echo from seemingly nowhere inside the small room.

I was helping him make the right choice, Nael. I wouldn't want another living being to suffer your wrath at its peak.

“Awwww! You don't call me 'sir' anymore!” Nael gave his signature pedosmile. “And do vampires count as living beings?”

Sometimes I think you bite people only so that you can torture them without any guilty conscience.

“Silly Mute! I have no conscience!” Nael looked over at Nocturne, who glanced shyly back. “Anyways, I see you've agreed to guard me, love?”

Nocturne nodded.

“Good. You made the right choice, pet.”

Okays. Another chapter! Peppermint mochas and a Mute plushie for reviewers! Sorry it's on the shorter side...But size doesn't matter, children! It's what you do with it that matters!