Sick Child - MarkoxOC

Part 30: everybody wants to rule the world

"And now I'm bored of her," he hisses. David tilts his head and his eyes flash with anger. His fangs drop and she can feel his annoyance quickly turn to anger. "You're a smart girl, Sofie. It would do you well not to question my leadership."

"You be good to her," she threatens with clenched teeth.

"Not possible," David bites. He shoves her backward into Marko like she weighs nothing before turning on his heel and strolling down the boardwalk. Sofie feels tears sting her eyes and Dwayne casts her a sympathetic look before he takes off after David. If anyone can talk sense into their leader, it's him. Paul gives a half-hearted shrug and takes off in the direction of the concert. He doesn't really care about all of this. As far as he's concerned, if his problems can't be solved with sex or murder, they're not really problems. Sofie sniffles and Marko grabs her chin, brushing her tears away.

"You're gonna smear your eyeliner."

She laughs and nuzzles into his chest.

"He's hurting her."

"I know," Marko whispers. "This is just what he's like."

"Why can't he just tell her the truth?"

Marko walks her to the stairs that lead up to the boardwalk. He sits down, encouraging Sofie to crawl into his lap. She obliges and he cradles her in his arms, pressing soft kisses up and down her neck.

"None of us have a lot of experience with this - bringing in new people. He's overwhelmed. I can sense it."

"I can't."

"You haven't known him as long as I have. The more conflicted he feels, the more he pushes away."

Sofie sighs and puts her face in her hands.

"I just want him to stop being a dickhead," she groans.

Marko laughs softly.

"Believe me, Sofie, the three of us have been trying for fifty years."

Sofie lets out a frustrated groan and lifts her head. Marko pecks her on the tip of her nose.

"Come on," he says. "I got money burning a hole in my pocket, and I wanna spend it on you."

"Marko..."

"No objections, sweetheart. It's your birthday. I'm buying. Whatever you want."

"Birthdays don't even really matter anymore," she pouts.

Marko rolls his eyes and kisses her.

"We can make them matter. Come on."

"Buy me a big mallet so I can hit David in the face with it."

Marko laughs and they stand up.

"Well, we can look around, but I think they only sell the inflatable ones."

"Guess we can just fill it with rocks," she mumbles.

He takes Sofie's hand and they start down the boardwalk. He takes her shopping and flirts with all of the girls at the kiosks to get discounts. He buys her two jackets, both black, one short like his and one long like Paul's. He buys her a new pair of motorcycle boots to match his own, despite her insistence that her worn out boots with a hole in the bottom are "just fine". It makes her feel a little better to have him doting on her like this, but she can't shake the anger she feels toward David. It sits in the back of her head like a tiny bomb going off every few seconds. Regardless, she hides it - or at least tries to. Marko can sense that her attention is somewhat elsewhere, but makes the best of it. He takes her out for dinner to a fancy French restaurant just off the boardwalk. It's far too chic for them, but he navigates the menu with confidence and speaks French to the wait staff while Sofie looks on in awe. Marko laughs while she gawks at him, her jaw practically on the table. She has no idea if he's even pronouncing everything correctly, but it sounds so hot that it doesn't even matter.