Sick Child - MarkoxOC

Part 32: landslide

"Matt," she says. "But I think I was just confused. We were fifteen. He was the only person to tell me I was beautiful."

"Nobody told you you were beautiful before?"

She shakes her head. Marko presses his lips against hers.

"I think that's a lie."

"I was such a dork in high school. Like, Revenge of the Nerds kind of dork."

Marko covers his mouth to stifle giggles. She runs her fingers through his hair and traces a delicate line along his jaw.

"I want to ask you questions."

He frowns.

"Mmm. Seems risky."

Sofie laughs and pinches his sides.

"Come on!" She whines. "It's not a game if only one of us gets to play!"

Marko laughs and grabs her hands, kissing her fingers.

"Okay."

"When did you first know you were in love with me?"

"The night I bandaged your hand."

"Really?"

"Really."

"When did you know you were in love with me?" He asks.

"The night we brought Laddie over to my apartment," she confesses. "Don't ask me why, but that was the night it all clicked."

Marko kisses her deeply. When he pulls away, she buries herself in his arms. Another moment of silence worms its way in between them, but it's more comfortable for Marko this time around. His fingers run through her hair and he braids a few strands together gently, watching them unravel the moment he lets the braid go. Eventually, he can't stand the silence anymore, but Sofie could lay in the quiet with him forever. No heartbeats, no breathing, just the sound of the rocks around them shifting and settling. He starts chattering again. It's mostly mindless chitchat at first and then he launches into the worst impressions of David, Dwayne, and Paul she's ever seen.

"They all sound the same!" She exclaims.

"No they don't! I've created very distinct voices! This is years of character work!"

She giggles and rests her head on his chest while he plays with her hair, combing it and twirling it softly. Her entire body is covered in goosebumps and a warm rush pulses through her.

"You feel better?" He asks after a long time. Sofie hums and kisses his chest.

"I do. Thank you."

"Hey, if having sex with you and doing terrible impressions is enough to make you happy, consider me husband of the year."

It's more than that, though. He makes time for her. He makes her feel like she's the only person in the room. He always has. She lifts her head and her eyes go wide.

"So you admit it. Your impressions are terrible."

Marko's eyes go wide with mock panic and he flips her onto her back, covering her in love bites and kisses. Sofie squeals and writhes underneath him, laughing until her stomach aches. A loud scream rips Sofie from her small moment of sheer bliss. Both of them jolt upright and glance at each other, panicked and visibly shaken. And then she hears Star's cries.

"SOFIE! WHERE'S SOFIE?!"

"She knows," Marko whispers.

Footsteps. Hurried and sprinting. Toward their room. Star's heartbeat pounds in Sofie's ears. Marko leaps off of the bed and grabs his jeans, falling over as he tries to pull them up in less than a nanosecond. Star bursts through the curtain and Sofie is only half-dressed. She gasps and yelps, shielding her eyes and backing back out of the room.

"OH MY GOD, I'M SO SORRY!" Star shouts.

"STAR WAIT OUTSIDE!" Sofie yells.

Marko is doubled over laughing on the floor, his pants barely hiked up to his hips. Tears are leaking out of his eyes. Sofie yanks a dress on and helps him up, buckling his belt for him. She kisses him softly.

"She's fast for a human," he chuckles.

"Or you're slow for a vampire."

His jaw drops.

"Really, Sofie? After all I've done for you..."

She snickers and kisses the tip of his nose.

"Star?" Sofie calls, making sure that her voice is bright and welcoming. The last thing she wants to do is cause any more panic. Sofie remembers the overwhelming confusion she felt when Marko first told her what he was; what she was going to be. It felt like she was in a tunnel with no way out and the only person to guide her was the one person she wasn't sure she could fully trust.

Marko breaks away and tries to slide out of the room unnoticed, but Sofie grabs his arms and pushes him back down onto the bed. He frowns at her and she reaches over to grasp his hands, her eyes pleading with him to stay.

"I need you."

He taps out a cigarette from his jacket and motions toward the curtain.

"Come in, Star," he rumbles, flicking his lighter and exhaling a large cloud of smoke.

Star creeps inside, clutching her hands in front of her and trembling like a leaf. She looks so small. Sofie gives her a lame smile and motions to the bed.

"Do you want to sit?"

Star's eyes flick to Marko.

"Are you going to hurt me?"

He shakes his head. Star sits next to him and folds her hands nervously in her lap. She looks up at Sofie who stays standing. Star's fear is palpable.

"What did David tell you?" Sofie asks.

"I didn't believe it until he showed me..." tears spill down her cheeks. "His face..."

Sofie and Marko exchange a sorrowful look. Marko hands Star his cigarette. She takes it and mumbles a soft thank you.

"Are all of you...?" Star asks.

They both nod.

"Laddie too?"

Marko scoots closer to her and puts a hand on her bare shoulder.

"I know this isn't easy," he whispers. "David wouldn't have told you if he didn't care about you."

Star wipes away a tear and looks up at him, her large brown eyes wide and swirling with a thousand emotions at once. Sofie feels paralyzed, helpless. She lacks the wisdom and experience of her brothers. The only things she has to offer are things she's read in books and fairy tales. That's not comfort. Star glances at both of them, searching for something else - something more. An answer, maybe? Sofie can barely get a read on her. Her heart is hammering in her chest and her mind is a hurricane. She passes the cigarette back to Marko and looks down at the floor.

"David offered to make me one of you. Tonight."

"What do you think about that?" Sofie asks.

Star shakes her head and Sofie's stomach clenches. If Star leaves, they'll have to kill her. She knows too much.

"I don't know yet."

"Yet," Sofie whispers.

"David's giving me the night to think it over." She glances up at Sofie. "What happens if I say no?"

Marko and Sofie's silence says everything. Star puts her head in her hands and begins to weep.