Painted Lies and Demon Eyes (SVTFOE Fan Fic)

Tampered Mind

Once my dizzying vision subsided, I was finally able to make out Tom's solid form clearly, including the menacing look on his face. It was contorted into an expression of hideous fury - wrinkled nose, snarling, jagged teeth bared, beetroot eyes inverted. Even his aura of flames illuminated around him, contrasting against my own - green versus orange - two complimentary colors colliding.

"What the hell do you think you're doing?" His voice was sharp and vicious, taken over by a low, demonic octave. If it wasn't for the strength and booming volume in his voice, I would've not been able to hear him over the ringing in my ears.

Honestly, his anger was not what I was expecting. I'd thought he'd at least be somewhat impressed. Despite it, I couldn't help but respond to his chaotic introduction with wittiness.

"It's just like the good, old times, right, brother?"

Something of his madness felt too surreal, too hysterical to be true - and over a bunch of pathetic mortal lives, nonetheless.

They were the same lives that we had traumatized as kids, sneaking out to the surface to cause mischief. Even then, Tom envied how intimidating I appeared and how easily the humans ran from the sight of me. I presumed it was because of my wings, considering that humans didn't have wings, nor had they ever been in the presence of a humanoid with wings.

Something I said had only provoked Tom more than ever because his grasp on the collar of my shirt tightened, forceful enough to tear through it.

"I am not your brother, Marco!" He bellowed and, if it were possible, I witnessed his anger intensify, boiling over. The flames around him flared in response.

I forced a laugh and the effort made my head prick with a sharpened pain. "Am I supposed to believe you?"

This time, Tom didn't fire back right away. I watched him survey me up and down, studying me. His death grip on my shirt loosened, slightly yet enough for it to be noticeable. He shut his eyes, shook his head, then retried. When he opened his eyes again, they were their natural hues.

The anger on his face fell away and the expression became more... baffled. Curious.

"How... how are you doing that?" His voice was composed and I met his stare, at my smoldering green outline. I flexed my fist and my fire diminished at last.

"What do you mean?" I asked. It was a serious question yet, for some reason, Tom couldn't answer. He was struck dumb with awe.

Then, when he found his words again, he spoke.

"The - the fire! How did you do that?" He fumed, tugging more vigorously at my shirt, as if aggression would shake the answer right out of me.

It was an odd thing for Tom to be questioning. Afterall, he knew I had powers, considering I've had them for practically my whole life now. If anyone should know that, it would be my own...

Brother...

Unless, Tom was telling the truth - that I really wasn't his brother.

Still, even if it were true, it was still too ridiculous to accept.

I would've responded with another witty comment if it weren't for the fact that if I was truly being honest...

"I-I don't know."

Silence hung over us for a long, hard moment. I saw his jaw noticeably clench, a hurried second of contemplation.

His eyebrows rose, his mouth hung open, his hyperactive eyes scanning me through, searching for a fault in my act. When he found I was just as flustered as I was, he eased off me, backing away completely now.