Middle of the Week Motivation

Thank You

Mark and Jack held hands, fingers intertwined, arms swinging back and forth between them as they walked. They were walking home from a date, nothing special, but they had decided that they would go out tonight just to get out of the house. It was warm tonight, and the restaurant was only a few blocks away, but now it wasn't seeming like such a good idea.

Their path was blocked by a group of 5 men, making he couple stop short. "Looky here." One of the men said "a couple, isn't that cute?" Mark assumed him to be the leader. The others in his group murmured in agreement. "But I think the green haired one is the cutest."

Mark pulled his boyfriend closer as the others gave wolf whistles toward Jack. In a world where vampires and humans lived together, Mark decided it was his duty, as he was a vampire, to protect his human boyfriend. While most vampires lived among the humans peacefully there were a few, like these 5, that wanted to cause nothing but trouble.

"You know what boys," the leader grinned "I might just take him for myself." Jack hung onto his boyfriend and Mark pulled him even closer if that was possible, but within two seconds flat the couple was separated.

Jack was taken by the leader, pinned against the alleyway wall and Mark was held back by the others. Jack struggled to get away, to get back to the safety of his boyfriend, but a vampire vs a human wasn't a fair fight. And while Mark was pretty strong for a vampire, stronger than most, four against one isn't a fair fight. So he watched helplessly and the man kept Jack pressed against the wall smiling as Jack failed to escape.

The man tried to kiss the blue eyed human, but Jack refused, the leader eventually getting annoyed and grabbing his face, forcing Jack to look him in the eyes. Jack stared into the mans green eyes, watching them turn a purplish pink. He tried to look away, Mark warning him many times that was the color of hypnosis, but the man kept his face looking right at him.

Jack squeezed his eyes shut, but by them it was too late, the man's voice luring them back open. "Come on sweetie, let me see those ocean blues. Yes, there we go. That's better. Aww... you're adorable aren't you." Mark growled furiously as he watched. "Come 'ere, lean in, closer doll. Kiss me." Mark pulled against the others as the leader kissed his boyfriend. "See, that wasn't so bad, now was it?" He tucked a strand of green hair behind Jack's ear. "Let try it again." Another kiss. "And again." Another kiss. "And again."

As Mark stood there, struggling against his captors, he heard a voice he hadn't heard in a while, but one he often ignore. "You know I can help you..." the raspy voice prompted from his head. "I'm stronger than you, and I'm stronger than them. Let me help you... I won't hurt him."

"You promise?" Mark asked.

"Only them. Only them..." the voice reassured him.

Mark smirked, replying to the voice aloud this time. "Go for it."

The four men turned to look at him, confused. The last thing they ever saw was Mark's brown eyes turn red, his dyed red hair turn bloodier, his skin turn grayer and his teeth turn sharper, the grin on his face staying the same. Seconds after the four vampires realized what had happened, they lay on the ground, dead.

Dark grinned, wiping the blood from the knife on his jeans. "Sorry bud." He apologized to Mark who had taken his spot in his head. Dark advanced on the leader, Mark panicking upon seeing that he was draining Jack, the poor boy gone limp in his arms. Dark ripped the man off Jack, the green haired human sliding to the ground, slightly dazed from the loss of blood.

He slammed the leader against the opposite wall, growling as the man smirked and wiped blood from his lips. It was only upon further investigation that he realized the red haired man's demon side was out, a power not many possessed. His grin faded and fear filled his system, Dark twirling the knife in one hand, the other holding the man against the wall by his collar.

"Look, bud." Dark emphasized the word "bud" practically snarling it in the leaders face. "You see all your friends over there?" Dark pointed with the blade, the mans green eyes flickering over and widening in horror at the pile of his friends bodies. "Yeah, you'll be joining them in a second. You see, I don't like creeps like you. I don't like what you do. What you make others do because they're weaker than you. I find it low and disgusting. Just like you. Low and disgusting. So I'm gonna enjoy holding your beating heart in my hand. I'm gonna-"

He was cut off by the sound of Jack coughing. Dark sighed. He looked between Jack, crumpled on the ground and the leader, pressed against the wall. "You're lucky." He growled. "You're lucky that he's so innocent. I can't ruin the purity of his soul by killing you in front of him. But take your friends as a warning and run before I change my mind." Dark let go of the mans collar, the man just standing there for a second before dashing off, not even bothering to check to see if his friends were still alive.

Dark flicked the switchblade shut, shoving it in his pocket, going over to Jack and crouching down in front of him. "Jack?" He asked softly.

"Mark..." the green haired man replied quietly.

Dark gave a small smile. "Let's get you home, muffin." He replied, using Marks nickname, picking Jack up gently, carrying him bridal style out of the alley and down the street.

Jack snuggled into Dark's chest, the bloody red haired man smiling as he did so. "Thanks Mark." Jack mumbled.

"It's Dark, doll."

"Dark..?" Jack asked tiredly.

"Marks never told you about me." Dark replied, talking more to the man in his head than to Jack, but making sure to continue to talk, trying to lull the blue eyed man to sleep. "He was too afraid. You probably won't even remember this though. Me, talking to you, carrying you down the street. But I'll tell you anyway. Because maybe, just maybe, you'll remember this and you'll ask Mark about me. Why he's never shown me to you. Why he's afraid of what I'll do. Why he doesn't understand that we're practically the same person, with the same feelings. Maybe, just maybe, then he'll understand. That I'd never hurt you. That I'd hurt myself before you. That I love you just as much as him. Maybe not for the same reasons. But I do. I love your innocence. Your purity. And I'm the opposite. So I love you and want to protect you, so you don't have to see the things I've seen, do the things I do, and become the person I've become. Maybe one day, he'll understand."

Dark trailed off as they got to the front door of their house, using some sort of demon powers to unlock, open and close the door behind them once they got inside. He carried Jack upstairs to their bedroom and gently set him on the bed, removing his shoes, kissing his forehead before letting Mark gain control again. Mark quietly fussed over every little detail, Dark observing him from his head, amused. Mark grabbed his boyfriends hand, and gave it a little squeeze before whispering "I love you" and brushing some hair out of his face.

He then sighed, slipping his hand out from Jack's and walking over to the mirror on the wall. He looked at Dark, who was his reflection in the mirror. "He'll be ok, right?"

"For the thousandth time Mark, he'll be fine. He just lost some blood, so he'll feel dizzy and drowsy for the next couple of days. All he needs is time to get more blood back in his system. He'll be up and running in a few days."

Mark nodded. He paused for a second, different thoughts running through his head. He sighed once more before he finally spoke up again. "I guess I didn't realize how you really were. I'm sorry for being such a jerk towards you."

Dark shook his head. "Don't worry about it man, I hated you at first too." He chuckled.

Mark smiled slightly. And then he said two words he never thought he'd say to the demon he once hated, the demon who lived in his head. "Thank you..."