Sitting on his window ledge, the 15 year old boy watched out at his neighbor's house. "Well, it looks like another night alone," he sighed, crossing his arms and resting his face in them. His hair was scruffy, pieces longer in some places than others falling over his face. He couldn't get it cut by a professional because his parents never gave him any money, so he had to cut it himself. It was as black as a raven's feather contrasting to his innocent chocolate eyes. His clothes hung loosely off of his scrawny body. His clothes barely fit him and it was particularly hard to keep his pants up. He never ate much, not because he was doing it on purpose, just because he was never hungry.

"What do you mean alone?"

"Shmee? I…is that you?" He asked startled.

"Who else my Todd. You didn't forget about me did you?" The stuffed bear responded. He was missing an eye since he was about 11.

--------------------

"You're too old to keep that bear of yours Todd" his father said.

"But Shmee is my friend! Give him back." Todd responded.

"You should get some real friends. You don't even belong here. You're just a mistake. You were never supposed to exist!"

Tears started welling up in Todd's eyes, "Please give him back daddy PLEASE! I promise never to ask for anything again"

His father grunted and pulled at the bear's eye until it ripped off and gave it back to his son. "Fine then, don't ask for anything got it? You just get to live here until you finish High School."

---------------------

"N…no I'd never forget about you Shmee, you're my friend" Todd said as he took the bear into his arms.

"You aren't alone Todd, you've still got me right?" The boy nodded.

"Good, then stop sulking around here and have some fun. You should get out more my boy." The mangled bear said.

"B…but my dad. He'll catch me for sure and then he'll…" He shut his eyes at the thought of his father beating him again. It was almost every day that happened, whenever he came home late, if he ever bothered either of his parents about anything. Even though he had numerous scars to prove to the police that his parents abused him, he didn't want to leave. Something kept him there, something said that his parents loved him.

"Todd look at me," the boy obeyed, "I won't let that happen to you anymore. I won't let him hurt you. I promise."

"H…how?" Todd asked.

"I..I don't know yet, but I will soon. I'll put a stop to this no matter what. Now go out and have some fun ok?"

The boy smiled and nodded. He grabbed his black trench coat, put on his army boots, and headed out the window. He turned around to see his bear on his bed. "See you later Shmee!" he said, and he climbed out his window.

When he got half way down his street, he heard screaming from behind him. Typical, it was probably just his neighbor killing yet another person as he did every day. He continued to walk until he felt a hand upon his shoulder. He squealed then turned around carefully thinking it was Johnny, but he saw a smile and two horns in the dim light of the night.

"Pepito?" he asked.

"TODD! It is you after all!" Pepito said gladly as he took the boy into a hug. "Buddy! How've you been?" he asked.

Stunned, Todd said looking at the ground, "not the best in the world Pepito."

"Oh? What's wrong?" Pepito asked sadly petting the mop of black hair on the boy's head.

"I…I don't really want to talk about it right now Pepito." He averted his gaze so his friend wouldn't see the sadness in his eyes.

"It's you parents isn't it Todd?"

Todd mumbled something under his breath in response.

"You've got to tell someone about this." He lifted Todd's chin up smiling at him. Todd shook his head.

"When are you going to realize that keeping this a secret isn't going to make it better?" He looked somewhat angry to his best and only friend.

Todd took a step back from the antichrist. "You…they LOVE me Pepito. They really do."

Pepito started to show the anger growing within him. "Todd…they can't love you if they hurt you. It just doesn't work like that Todd!"

"You wouldn't KNOW what love is like would you! That's right because you CAN'T love. The son of Satan can't love CAN he?" He yelled at his friend.

"I CAN love as a matter of fact. I love my parents very much and they love me." Pepito responded walking towards the younger boy.

Todd kept stepping back until he had his back against a tree looking scared. "Pe-pepito I didn't mean it. Really I'm sorry."

Pepito stood practically on top of his friend with their faces mere inches apart. Looking him straight in the eyes and saying, "Yeah right, I can love but you just don't know it do you?"

Todd felt Pepito's hand caress his cheek and closed his eyes at the touch. The next thing he knew was a pair of lips meeting his own. Pepito's hand went up the back of Todd's shirt slowly before he noticed the boy flinching. "What's wrong Todd?" he asked breaking the kiss.

The boy's eyes were closed shut, "It just hurt a bit is all, no worries Pepito." he said half smiling. Actually there were worries, his father had hit him with a spiked belt leaving cuts all over his back. Trying to not let Pepito get suspicious, he took him back into another kiss. This one was different however. Todd ignored the pain from his cuts made earlier that day, and enjoyed the contact with his friend. It felt right to him, to both of them. Running his hand through Pepito's hair and lightly touching his pointed horns. Pepito kissed a path down to his neck nipping at it, causing Todd to release a small moan. He found Todd's sweet spot on his neck, causing his knees to buckle beneath him, sitting on the grass with Pepito leaning over him.

"I think we should go to a more private place, don't you think so Pepito?" Todd said innocently. Grinning, Pepito responded "I like the way you think." Before helping his friend off the ground and heading to his house.