The gun fired, and Marco could hear himself screaming as he waited for death to arrive...

Nothing.

Blue flames licked his temple, where the hole should have been, where blood should have been coming, where the wound that should have killed him was.

Or, at least, where it had used to be.

I'm alive.

He kneeled over, forehead pressed against the ground, gagging in disgust.

Why am I alive?

He wanted to vomit... to scream, to punch something, to do anything, just to get rid of the feeling of disgusted horror that was rolling around in his stomach.

I shouldn't be alive.

There was the sound of screaming... was it him? No, it was the other man... the one who had shot him.

"Get away, monster!" Panicked screaming as the gun clattered to the ground, and the man half stumbled, half ran away.

It's true. Marco thought, eyes closed as his owner put the collar back around his neck.

I'm a monster.

0o0o0o0

"Hello." Marco gawked at the cooling corpse of his owner... or rather, the one who used to be his owner... as the giant of a man stared sadly at him. "Do you have a name?"

Marco bit his lip and looked away. Are you going to kill me, too? He wondered. Or will you just become my new owner?

Whatever the case, it was better to stay silent.

The man's face fell, and he sadly offered, "It's okay. You're free now."

Free. The word sounded strange, alien.

"I can't." Marco shook his head, before hurrying to explain. "I'm a monster. I can't be free."

The man looked sad, and Marco thought, That's it, he'll treat me like the others now.

But warm arms wrapped around him, and the man murmured, "It's okay. I'm a monster, too."

Marco flinched. "But, you..."

"I'm free." The man replied firmly. "And you will be, too."

It's too good to be true.

But it's real.

He can't really accept you.

He already has.

You're a monster.

"My name is Marco."

The man smiled triumphantly, and replied, "Mine's is Edward."

0o0o0o0o0

"I'm sorry." Marco whispered as the familiar blue flames closed over his vision and he closed his eyes, feeling sick.

"You're okay, though?" Oyaji whispered, shock lining his voice.

"Yes." Marco replied as he turned away, too afraid to meet Oyaji's eyes. "I told you, I'm a monster. I can't die. I'm not like you. I..."

"You're my son." Oyaji cut in. "And that's all that matters."

"I'm different, though." Marco protested. "I'm... I'm a monster. I'm a freak. I can't die! You can't possibly accept that! You can't...!"

"I can, and I will." Oyaji's voice was firm as he tightened his hand around Marco's. "You're my son. That means family. And family never abandons each other. Besides, I already told you when we first met, I'm a monster, too."

And Marco thought that maybe, even if he was a monster, it would be alright.