Marko: Reborn

Disclaimer: I don't own The Lost Boys.

Author's Note: So, I've thought about/been asked about making Michael/David a side/background pairing and decided to do it eventually anyway thanks for all the reviews, favorites, and follows!

*EDIT 10/05/18* Chapter beta'd by the awesome exaigon!

Chapter 3: Teenhood Part 1

Marko was thirteen again and dealing with puberty a second time was no fun, but even worse than his own was that of his brother's, Michael.

The blonde twin could barely keep his eye from twitching as a lovesick Michael went on and on about whatever her name was for the hundredth time. Who knew that the boy took after his mother in the romantic department? Certainly not Marko, whom could barely stand his twin on a normal day and this most certainly wasn't a normal day. He really hoped they broke up soon for the sake of his sanity and so that he didn't murder his brother in his sleep.

It was more tempting than ever before. The once-vampire believed that he should get a medal for restraining himself.

It was about two weeks into what his mom called 'puppy love' and what Marko called disgusting. Michael and Rachel -he had heard her name so often by this point the teen couldn't forget it if he wanted to and yeah, he really did want to- caused two full weeks of torture before the younger of the two finally caught something interesting from his twin's incessant babbling.

"-and since she's Rachel's best friend I said I'd mention her to you."

Marko was sitting crossed legged on his bed on the opposite side of the room from his brother's bed, which said brother was lounging on when he stopped twirling his pencil and looked up from the untouched homework in his lap.

"Mention who?" He asked in response.

Michael huffed in annoyance before repeating himself, "Rhonda."

Marko blinked, trying to recall who that was but he drew a blank. "Sorry don't know her," he deadpanned, not sounding sorry at all.

The dark-haired twin frowned. "You've sat beside her in math class all year!"

Marko looked thoughtful for a minute and Michael thought he finally knew who he was talking about and then the teen opened his mouth again, "Nope don't know her. Why's this important again?"

He twirled his pencil absentmindedly before bringing it to his mouth to chew on the eraser.

Michael rolled his eyes. "Because she likes you for some weird reason."

For a moment he just stared at his twin before realizing the other boy wanted him to say something. He spoke around the eraser, "So?"

Marko was beyond ready to start tuning his brother out again as he finally decided what he was going to draw all over his homework; spiders. His teacher hated them. It could be funny. Maybe if he made them look real enough she might even scream before realizing they were drawn.

He had to get his entertainment somehow after all.

"She's Rachel's best friend so I said I'd put in a good word since you're my brother and all... So, can you at least try talking to her? Who knows you might actually find out that you like her too.

Marko nearly snorted but then a plan started to form. "Yeah, alright," he agreed.

Michael looked wary but happy. "Really? You'll give her a chance?"

"Sure, why not?" He grinned, and Michael had to push away the uneasy feeling.

"Great!" He jumped up from his bed and ran off to call his girlfriend and tell her the good news.

Marko ignored that and turned back to his homework smirking. Suddenly, he had something potentially more fun than his teacher's reaction to look forward to in the next few days.

o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o

The next day, Marko tried to remember the girl's name but for the life him he couldn't. He found that hardly mattered as she sat beside him in math and was his twin's girlfriend's best friend, so at the moment that was all he needed to know.

While observing her from the corner of his eye he could tell right away he got the right girl. She was a petite brunette that stared at him and sighed a lot. It was mildly annoying but also slightly humorous as well. She was totally the type of person that he would've ate back in the day.

That thought made him once again reminisce about how simple it used to be to mess with people. Read their minds make them think they were seeing whatever it was they feared. Easy, fun, entertaining.

Now he had to work much harder for it, but he wasn't lazy like Paul so if he wanted something he could put in the effort. He suddenly had a new appreciation for Dwayne's way of doing things as the brunette vampire was never much on messing with people using mind tricks.

Over the next few days, Marko learned enough to know that she had a diary that she wrote in whenever the chance to do so came up. Michael had been annoying him since he hadn't done much talking to her, but he appeared to be somewhat happy when he noticed his twin watching her.

It seemed he thought his brother was just being shy and Marko didn't bother to correct him.

Getting ahold of the dairy was surprisingly easy and quick much to the once-vampire's displeasure. He'd hoped for more of a challenge but, oh well, the quicker this was over the sooner Michael might get dumped. Gotta look at the bright side of things.

Reading her diary during lunch in the bathroom, he discovered her biggest draw to him was the whole 'bad boy' thing; the fact that he was always getting into trouble. Though he'd lessened that considerably lately as he had been doing his best to break the rules and not get caught doing it.

A nice challenge and a way to avoid perpetual grounding.

Noticeable exceptions, of course, being when it came to homework as Marko's had his name on it. On occasion, he did switch his out with Michael's and sometimes he even got away with it. Turns out he could copy the other boy's handwriting easily enough when he made the effort.

Back to the diary. She liked the fact that he was different, that he didn't care what people thought, and that he was cool and confident.

Flipping further, he discovered something else. It turned out she had stolen quite a few of his doodles and taped them into her diary, which didn't endear her to him at all, and the most interesting part was the secrets about her best friend.

Marko could use this. He smirked before returning her diary to her locker after making sure to trace over some of the entries. He might be able to imitate Michael's handwriting but that was due to his familiarity with it so it would be harder to pull off this girl's handwriting. He knew he could, though, and if all else failed, most would be more focused on the words themselves instead of the way they looked.

All in all, it took two more weeks of practice before he was ready to set the first stage of his plan into motion.

Dropping off a love letter to the locker of the biggest, most stereotypical nerd in school in her handwriting and signed by her was a nice warm-up. Just barely, he managed to keep a straight face when the pimple faced kid with huge glasses and braces approached her at lunch to respond to her feelings.

The girl was horrified, and the boy was embarrassed beyond belief. Marko had to leave the cafeteria to hide his laughter. It blew over quickly and she made sure he knew that she didn't write that letter. He knew from her most recent diary entries, which he kept stealing to read without her notice, that she thought he had a crush on her.

She was just waiting for him to make his move.

He planned to, but it wasn't the move that the girl wanted him to make.

The next day he posted his copied entry about Rachel on the bulletin board. He was careful to make sure no one was around. The writing was on a torn piece of paper, so it looked authentic as if it had come right from her diary, and, well, she couldn't deny that it wasn't legitimate without showing the real entry and proving that she didn't write it.

Funnily enough, Marko didn't have to edit the diary entry to make it damaging given that there were accounts of her friend vandalizing her neighbor's car, trying drugs, and having gone to second base with several upperclassmen. Nothing too shocking to the once-vampire but he still knew that she wouldn't want it all around the school.

The resulting blowout, that happened not thirty minutes later, had him hiding his smile and snickering behind his hand as the two girls fought in the hallway. Personally, he never understood the hair pulling thing, but it didn't make it any less amusing.

Michael was the only one who noticed his humor and confronted him about it after school while the two walked home.

"Did you write that?"

"Write what?" Marko asked innocently.

"You know what," he told him in frustration, "That page full of lies about Rachel!"

Marko rolled his eyes. "How do you know they're lies?"

"Because she's not like that!" He exclaimed angrily.

"Of course, she's not. You've known her for all of what, three or four weeks now?" He asked sarcastically.

Michael glared. "She doesn't smoke, she's never vandalized anything, and I'm her first boyfriend!"

"Uh huh," Marko said unconvinced and somewhat dumbfounded that his twin thought him being her first boyfriend meant that she'd never messed around before; as if someone couldn't without dating.

"I know it was you that wrote that!" Michael knew about most of the homework swaps that Marko pulled with his handwriting, so it had to be him. Also, he never found anything that funny if he wasn't personally involved.

Marko stopped walking causing Michael to do the same.

"Prove it." The blonde smirked and for the first time ever Michael threw the first punch.

o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o

Lucy wasn't happy with them when her eyes landed on their bruised and bloody faces that afternoon but, at least for once, she was grateful that the boys waited until after school. Still, as their mother, she grounded both of them despite the protests that Michael started it and that Marko deserved it.

The brunette tried, over the next few days, to find a way to prove that it was his twin that pulled the diary prank but that got him nowhere. Not even when both girls returned to school after being suspended for fighting in the hallway.

From there the happy couple's relationship went downhill because Michael was not a good liar and couldn't hide the fact that he thought his brother was behind it, especially after another successful prank on Rhonda. Which in Marko's opinion wasn't as bad as the first. Really, she'd been stealing his drawings for a while, so she should've been happy to receive one.

A portrait of herself even.

One he'd spent quite a while perfecting. Truly, it was one of his best works.

Her scream as she saw it, when the middle schooler opened her locker, made him smile and while she ran off with Rachel close on her heels -probably to tell a teacher or something- Marko decided that if the young girl didn't appreciate his art he'd just take it back while the students in the hall were distracted watching the fleeing girls. So, when the teacher came to the locker and the crying teen tried to describe what she saw, without much luck, he couldn't help but laugh, catching another girl's attention. Rachel.

Her blue eyes glared at him before she pointed at him and yelled, "It was him. He drew that disgusting picture!"

That got the gathered students' attention and the teacher sighed -probably regretting her chosen profession at that moment- as she told them calmly that there was no picture and that they can't just go around accusing people without proof.

Rachel turned to Michael and glared. "Tell her he did it," she demanded.

Marko looked at his brother with a raised brow wondering what he would say.

He looked between the two, torn, before looking at the tile at his feet. "I don't know if he did… I didn't see the drawing."

Which was true, but it also sounded like something Marko would do. In fact, he was pretty sure his twin did do it he just couldn't prove it.

Rachel glowered at him before breaking up with him then and there, in front of everyone. Then to make matters worse she started claiming he was defending his brother even when he clearly threatened the other girl's life. The teacher had enough of the drama. She finally broke up the crowd and told them all to get to class or they'd be serving detention. It was the class with his most hated teacher, but Marko happily walked to it with a spring in his step. His plan worked out and now he didn't have to share a room with a lovesick teenager anymore. All was good in the world.

At least, that was what he thought until he realized that the only thing worse than a lovestruck Michael was a heartbroken one. He moped around their shared room moodily and played stupid sappy/sad love songs such as John Waite's Missing You, Bonnie Tyler's Total Eclipse of the Heart, and Every Breath You Take by The Police to name a few, a very few. Marko wanted to strangle him more than ever before. His elation at the breakup was long gone and, after two days, so was his patience.

"Alright, that's it no more!" He all but shouted over the loud music before marching over and taking the record off none too gently, probably scratching it, despite the other boy's protest.

"You wanna listen to a love song?" He grabbed another record off the shelf above their player and continued, "I've got one for you."

He took it out of its slipcover and put it on turning it up even louder than before.

Suddenly, the whole room was blaring with the song Love Stinks. As far as love songs went it was one of the most tolerable the blonde thought.

Michael frowned but didn't get up from his bed as Marko exited the room, slamming the door, and leaving the other to his misery.

Outside of the room, Sam was standing there unsurely like he had been debating knocking for some time.

"What?" The older brother asked as the music blared through the door behind him.

"…Is Mike alright?" He asked in concern.

Marko snorted, "He's just being a drama queen."

Sam nodded uncertainly and looked at the door again. "So, he's alright?"

His older brother didn't answer and instead went to the kitchen for a snack and, as Sam was in no mood to be around his usually preferred brother's moping, he followed him. The next few days, Sam chose to spend more of his time around Marko than Michael and, for once, the blonde didn't protest. His dumb kid brother was certainly the better choice of the two.

Eventually, Michael moved past his moody breakup phase and the blonde twin was relieved and decided he never wanted Michael to fall in love again because he didn't think he could handle it. For all of his begging, his mother wasn't giving in to his sudden desire for his own room for his future sanity.

Really how hard could it be to add on another room to the house?

Lucy told him he was being dramatic, but Marko knew that was Michael's job. No, he was just being realistic. If the dark-haired teen wanted to live until they moved to Santa Carla they needed their own space for times like the one that just passed. Marko was one hundred percent positive it wouldn't be the only time.

His mother remained unmoved by his argument, but Sam offered to room with him when he overheard, thinking it be fun to share his room. Marko didn't say 'yes'. Of course, he didn't say 'no' either… because if he had to choose well… he didn't want to.

Maybe Michael would swear off girls until he met Star?

One could dream. So, dream Marko did.

o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o

Later that year when Michael was searching their room for something he came across a very gruesome drawing of, what appeared to be, something straight out of a horror movie and it didn't take long for the boy to realize what drawing it was.

Marko entered the room minutes later munching on a roast beef sandwich.

"Hey, here's your sandwich." He motioned to the other one wrapped up in a paper towel to avoid getting the condiments on his clothes. "Two pieces of cheese, mayo, extra mustard… are you listening?"

Michael looked over his shoulder with an unreadable expression on his face before holding up the drawing. Marko walked over to him to look.

He stared for a moment before shoving the uneaten sandwich at the other boy, grumbling, "I'm not gonna hold this forever."

The teen took the offered sandwich and looked back at the drawing while Marko plopped on the closest bed which happened to be Michael's. For once, said boy didn't complain about crumbs on his sheets as he took a bite of his food while his eyes traced the picture.

Swallowing, he finally looked over at his brother. "This is really detailed; did you look at an anatomy book or something?"

The blonde ate his food slowly and shrugged in response.

"…Right well, it's good."

No wonder Sammy is still trying to get him to draw him his own personal comics, Mike thought to himself.

Marko laughed, "Good? Don't you mean bad, creepy, horrifying, disgusting, etcetera, etcetera?" He finished with a wave of his sandwich probably getting even more crumbs on the older twin's sheets.

He shakes his head. "No… I mean it. It's good. Very detailed and I'm not sure what an actual dead or dying person looks like but this looks more real than some of the movies I've seen."

The boys locked eyes and Marko's expression was a thoughtful one as he tilted his head before a grin overtook his face. "You know I thought you were in shock. I was sure you were going to try and lecture me when you came out of it."

Mike shrugged. "Well, you probably shouldn't have put this in her locker. I mean, if the teacher did see this it really could've been taken as a threat."

Marko finished his meal and laughed while he flopped backwards on his brother's bed. Sometimes Mikey surprised him. But that still didn't mean he was cut out to be a vampire. Yeah, he wasn't vampire material, but he wasn't a bad human brother to have for a limited time either.

o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o

Watching Sammy ride his bike around the street was boring, even more so when Mike joined in. But, well, at fourteen Marko was tired of his bicycle. He wanted his real bike back… Laying down in the grass, he daydreamed about said bike.

Of course, even if, no, when he got back to Santa Carla for good -because those trips that he went on during the summer a few times over the years to visit his grandfather didn't count. Especially when he was too 'young' to do anything but go to the beach and walk the boardwalk during the day- Marko knew he wouldn't get his bike back. He'd have to get another one… But still, he didn't want to wait that long.

Mike had a bike when he moved there… It was a piece of junk compared to Marko's but, really, even that one was better than nothing, which is what he currently had.

When did his brother get it? Probably when he was sixteen. When did he start saving for it? Marko had some money saved up but from what he knew his twin did extra chores and stuff like mowing the neighbor's lawn for cash. So then, was he already saving for one?

He'd never mentioned it but that didn't mean he wasn't thinking about it on some level.

That night while the curly haired blonde was getting ready for bed he asked, "Mike, why do you do extra stuff to get money? Are you saving up for something?"

Mike looked up from his magazine. "Not really, but I thought I should save up just in case and I was thinking about getting a part-time job soon, but Mom already said no the last time I asked…"

Marko made a hummed sound briefly before deciding to bring it up. "Well if you started saving for a car you could probably buy one by the time you turn sixteen."

He nearly said bike but refrained because the other never mentioned it so the obvious thing to drive would be a car.

"That's actually a good idea…" He trailed off for a minute before smiling, "I might even be able to talk Mom into letting me get a summer job at least to help get the money for it." He looked thoughtful for a moment before asking, "Were you thinking about getting a car too?"

"No," he answered truthfully. His twin went back to his magazine while Marko grabbed his headphones and cassette player before jumping into bed. It was not the most comfortable thing to sleep with, but it beat listening to Michael at night.

o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o

At fifteen they both got permission from their mom to work part-time, and not just have jobs over the summer, as long as they were making passing grades. Marko hated it but he was unwilling to let Michael be the only one with a bike. Which he now doubly wanted after asking his brother about the reason he suddenly started doing things to earn money.

Since he asked, Marko told him about his desire causing Michael to realize he wanted one as well. After being teased about copying him the brunette got him back by teasing him about not sharing his bike because he'd obviously have the money to get his as he'd been saving for longer.

And thus, began the two boy's competition to see who could earn more money by their sixteenth birthday.

Still, Marko hated his job. It wasn't fast food any longer because, even though he started there the same as Michael, he got fired quickly. Luckily, he showed his skills at a local car garage and they hired him much to his twin's annoyance.

From then on, the other teenager wouldn't let up on making his blonde-haired twin teach him about his knowledge on fixing up cars. Marko gave in and taught him things. Just not enough that he wasn't still currently working at the concession stand at the nearby movie theater, much to the boy's chagrin and his brother's delight.

It was always funny to poke fun at Michael's job via his work uniform.

Marko was a good brother, though, and told him that it suited him with only mild snickering involved instead of the full belly laugh Sammy gave the first time he saw Mike in the outfit.

o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o

Another breakup. That was like, what, the fifth or sixth one now? He was losing count.

Sam walked into the kitchen and saw his only sane brother heating up some leftovers.

"So, Mary dumped him then?"

He plopped down at the kitchen table and grabbed an apple to munch on.

Marko turned to him and answered, "Wait. Wasn't he dating Amanda?"

Sam rolled his eyes. "No that was last month. Both cheerleaders, though, I think."

The microwave beeped so Marko opened the door to get his lunch while replying, "Yeah, he's going through a cheerleading phase at the moment. In fact, I think he's going through the whole cheer team."

Just as he took a seat, Lucy walked into the kitchen and sighed at the music playing in the background. It was a sure sign that her oldest was currently suffering another broken heart. "Did Michael break up with Susan?"

"Who?" Marko looks up from his meal and Sam rolled his eyes. "Yeah, like five months ago. He just broke up with Mary."

Honestly, Sam wondered how the two of them could be so behind the times.

"Oh… that's too bad, she seemed like a lovely girl." Lucy sat down with her sons then and also grabbed an apple. "Should I make him his favorite chicken pasta for dinner. Would that cheer him up?"

Sam shrugged, and Marko muttered 'go for it' around his food which Lucy disapproved of. He was thoroughly reminded of his table manners.

o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o

Lucy couldn't find her hairspray… again.

"Honestly those boys!"

Leaving her bathroom, she saw Marko watching TV in the living room and asked, "Have you seen my hairspray?"

The blonde twin shrugged without looking away from the sitcom and said, "Ask Michael."

The older woman nodded but this went unseen as her son's eyes remain glued to the screen. She went to the twin's bedroom and knocked on the door getting a 'come in'. She cracked open the door to see him lounging and listening to music while flipping through a magazine.

"Michael, have you seen my hairspray?"

Looking up briefly he shook his head. He gazed back at whatever had his attention on the page in front of him before saying, "Ask Sam."

Lucy shook her head before going to find her youngest son who was also in his room and who called for her to enter when she knocked on his door.

"Sam, have you seen my hairspray?" She asked for what felt like the umpteenth time.

Sam was organizing his comic book collection by series and number, so he was barely paying attention to the question. Automatically he went to his default answer, "Ask Marko."

"I already did!"

"…Then ask Mike," he stated simply. In response, Lucy shut the door. Why she was even bothered she didn't know. It was like the three of them had this game. If she asked one of them something they'd tell her to ask another… she didn't think they did it to annoy her. At least, she didn't use to think so.

Lately, she was rethinking that theory.

Not that it did her any good now. One of those boys was using her hairspray again and, truthfully, it could be any one of them as they'd all been caught with it before.

Until that happened, though, it looked like she was going without… or making another run to the store. Perhaps she should start hiding it in her underwear drawer. They'd never think to look there and even if they did they wouldn't go through it.

With a new plan in mind, she told Marko she was going out and to tell his brothers if they ask. Not looking away from the TV he replied, "Okay, sure."

o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o

It was summer break now which meant that both boys could work more, so that's exactly what they were doing. Though Mike's schedule was set, Marko's tended to be more flexible. When they didn't have any vehicles to work on he could get sent home early.

Today was one such day. Mike was still working, Sammy was at a friend's, Mom was off somewhere doing whatever it was that she did, and 'Dad' was supposed to be working so Marko thought the house would be empty. He was wrong.

Right away, when he was close enough to see their driveway, he knew his 'father' was home by the sight of his car. The teen nearly turned right back around and walked back the way he came but he stopped himself.

No, he was going to go in take a shower and then lock himself in his room and ignore the man like normal. His relationship never took off with the older man, not like it did with his twin. Michael was probably the closest to their dad out of the three of them but that was likely because he was the proudest of Mike what with him being a jock like he'd been once upon a time.

Sammy was the youngest and a comic book nerd who he had nothing in common with and Marko, well, after all the trouble he used to get into as a kid and the fact that whenever he could he ignored, glared, or was generally unpleasant around the guy… it was understandable that their dislike was mutual.

Once he got to the front door he was surprised to find that it was unlocked so he didn't even have to use his keys. The blonde shrugged it off after a moment and went inside.

Immediately, he knew something was different. It wasn't the woman's shoes by the door or the clothes littered along the hallway that tipped him off first, but the sounds coming from the living room. He knew what those sounds where despite not having heard them in this lifetime.

Marko followed the noises to the source and found something that really didn't surprise him.

His mother's husband was cheating right there on the living room couch. He rolled his eyes at the scene and walked passed them and into his room. As he passed his 'Dad', they locked gazes with for a moment. Marko flipped him off and continued on his way.

Well, he'd wondered about where the husband was when Lucy arrived in Santa Carla. Unfortunately, he probably doesn't die a painful death, so they probably get a divorce but at least that meant he could still eat him one day.

He took his shower and went back to his room and turned on the record player, loud, to avoid hearing anything in case they were still going at it or going for a whatever number round.

Not too long after he relaxed on his bed there was a knock on his bedroom door and the teen considered ignoring it but, in the end, he got up and answered it.

"What?" Marko asked the waste of space outside of his door.

"Don't think for even one second that Lucy will believe you," he told his rebellious son, glaring at his attire which was even worse than his youngest sons' in his opinion. Marko rolled his eyes and went to shut the door when the older man's hand grabbed it preventing that from happening.

"She'd never take the word of a delinquent like you over me," Jack says surely.

"Whatever you say," Marko said trying to shut the door again. It was no use. Who knew the old man had such a grip?

"Just look at the way you dress. And that hair. It's ridiculous. You should cut it. You're not a damn woman," he spat.

"Thanks for the warning and the fashion advice. A plus parenting by the way," he drawled in full sarcasm mode. That didn't go over well with him. In a fit of anger, his 'father' yanked the door from the teen's grip before throwing a punch, fist connecting with Marko's cheek.

It stunned the younger male for a moment as he didn't see it coming. The man had never been physically violent with him before, so he got another surprise shot in and kneed him in the stomach before the teenager gathered himself and fought back.

Though his 'Dad' was bigger than him and unexpectedly strong, Marko was faster and didn't play fair. When Lucy arrived shortly after the fight broke out she was stunned at the sight of the two's bloody and bruised forms.

Jack blamed Marko, of course, saying that he attacked him out of nowhere and he was only protecting himself. It was self-defense, he claimed, and as the one who looked the worst and with Marko's less than stellar record when it came to fighting Lucy believed him which had Marko upset but that hardly surprised him.

Mainly he was pissed off. At the old man, at Lucy, but mostly at himself for feeling hurt over the fact that Lucy didn't even let him speak to try and defend himself. He hadn't planned on telling her about the affair figuring she'd find out eventually and they'd end up in Santa Carla but now there wasn't any way she'd believe him even if he did.

As he lay in bed sore and angry, the once-vampire planned the most horrific death he could think up with his creative and sadistic mind and this continued right up until Michael entered the room. Meaning he'd been laying there stewing in his anger for hours now.

Not wanting to get into it with him he pretended to be asleep, but the dark-haired teen didn't seem to buy it if the dip in his bed was anything to go by.

"What happened?" He asked. Marko almost ignored him except for the fact that he was actually being asked for his side instead of just being blamed for what happened.

Marko was the furthest thing from a good or even decent person. He knew that and sometimes he felt guilty about having killed so many people. Sometimes he had nightmares about it, but he shoved it all away telling himself that it was all his stupid human emotions and once he was a vampire again it wouldn't matter.

But right now, he was still human.

That meant that human things bothered him and being attacked by his 'father' didn't phase him because he hated the man's guts but having the rest of his human family believing the lying, cheating, disgusting waste of space human over him hurt and right now he couldn't push that away.

So, he vented even though he didn't think Michael would believe him.

"Bastard went in on me about my clothes and my hair and I might've commented on his parenting skills before trying to close the door in his face when he hit me! So of course, I hit him back."

Michael didn't say anything for a minute before he sighed, "Did you tell Mom."

Marko glared at the wall. "She wouldn't listen."

"I'll tell her," he said causing the blonde to turn around and give his brother a side glance.

"Don't bother she won't believe you."

Michael frowned and even in the dark room the blonde twin saw it. If he didn't have proof before that he'd been sitting in the dark for a while he did now because his eyes had adjusted so well to the lack of light even with one of them slightly swollen shut.

Michael opened his mouth to say something, probably to deny his brother's words, but Marko stopped him.

"So why do you believe me?"

It was a surprise because if anyone knew that Marko didn't like the other man it was Michael, but he still came and asked him for his side and believed him when he told it.

"Because you're not a liar," he told his twin.

The once-vampire snorted, "Yeah. I'm completely trustworthy. That's me."

The sarcasm wasn't missed.

Michael looked exasperated. "I meant that you don't lie about things like this. The only time you lie or avoid telling the truth is when it's fun for you…" Marko looked confused so he expounded, "You dance around the truth if you don't want to tell someone something or you lie because it's funny."

He hadn't really thought about it like that before but, well, that's not inaccurate he supposed.

"This isn't something for fun and you didn't avoid the question, so I believe you. Besides you're not the great liar you think you are," Michael bluntly told him.

"What's that supposed to mean?" Marko growled slightly offended.

"You grin, smirk, or hide behind your hand because you're trying to hide those two reactions. Not exactly subtle."

After a moment of silence, Marko finally said, "…I'll have to work on that."

He really would. Was that how the guys always figured him out? He'd always assumed they were just reading his mind like the cheaters they were but maybe they could read him without it.

Michael rolled his eyes fondly. "You do that but, in the meantime, I'll get you some ice for that." He poked the swelling under the blonde's eye and he winced in response before glaring and swatting the offending hand away with a hiss.

"What are you a cat?" Michael laughed, getting up and Marko glared.

"Nah, I don't have the claws for it but do that again and I will bite you."

"How scary," the other teen mocked.

One day that threat will be, he thought and grumbled to himself wishing he still healed like he once did.

Author's Note: Okay I know I said that this would be the last chapter before they moved to Santa Carla, but it turns out there will be one more before that happens anyway I hope you enjoyed it!