Copii Defalcate

I woke up for the final time that night. I refused to watch that gruesome dream any longer, today was too big to have that lingering in my mind all the time.

I got out of bed quickly trying not to stir the resting . . . man beside me. I looked over his inked skin. The colors covering most of his torso making him look more alive than he was. His ivory skin shined on any part that didn't have words or swirls of lost expression. His dark hair matted to his face from sweat from the earlier night. I didn't hear him come to bed but he was probably exhausted after his . . . work, as he described it, he never did tell what he did at the early hours of the morning where the sun was even too tired to show its face.

It was around 7 am and I decided I would at least shower and eat before I went along with my daily duties as head marcat. My mind was racing as I got ready brushing my long, black hair back into it's straight ways instead of the rat's nest it usually was after I woke up. I covered my own surprisingly pale skin with plain black pants and a red t-shirt.

I went down the long corridors of the mansion, palace, thing in which I live. Finally, arriving to the kitchen I let my thoughts get the best of me as I slowly ate whatever was on my plate.

A new comer was coming today. He was going to be Gerard's marcat. He was already marked so half of my job was really done. I was happy for Gerard that he wasn't going to be so lonely anymore it has been a rough couple of years since his brother left. But I also hated the idea that someone else was going to end up like me in this place.

Once I finished my food, I went up to Gerard's room to finalize some plans about his new guest, if that's what you would call it. I knocked on the door aware it was still very early in the morning for any marcators to be up, which was what he and the man in my bed were, well most of the. . . people in this house were marcators. To my surprise the door opened right away showing a very anxious looking Gerard. His raven hair usually shaggy and bed head looking was now stuck in a fashion that looked like he had been pulling on it. One of his bad habits when it came to anxiety. His pale skin looked fine though, he didn't seem physically ill, maybe it was just mental.

"Can I help you Linda?" He asked politely.

"Yes I was wondering when your Friend would be arriving so I know when to have all the plans done with?" I replied in the normal marcat fashion. Polite, light, showing all the signs of submission, and above all controlled.

"I think he will be coming around 3. Not really sure though he told me before but I was preoccupied at the moment."

"So, basically, you weren't listening." I stated dropping all the formality in my body. I had known Gerard a long time the normal marcat procedure was over ruled when you became good friend with someone.

"Yeah, kinda." He admitted looking guilty. I looked inside his room around him, to see how far he was along he was to having another person move into his room. I was sadly disappointed. He had barely done a thing.

He saw me looking. "Um, can you help me?" he asked. "Always."

After about two hours of messing around with Gerard's room and teasing him about random things in his room, we were finally done. He then had to go do some of his usual things, acting as if today wasn't as nerve racking as it actually was. I on the other hand did not have anything to do, so I walked around the house looking onto the other people's business until I got to the garden.

The garden was gorgeous and it was huge. I have been in the house for quite a while and I still haven't seen everything in it. Although, I was usually not aloud to go into the uncharted part of the gardens without someone who has been in them. Something about getting eaten by a killer plant I think was said in the conversation.

I stock to the places I knew best until I heard my name being shout from a ways away. I turned to see Max. He was my cousin and my best friend; he was also a marcat. I walked over to him passing hanging flowers and vines that could easily swallow someone to never be seen again.

"What can I do for you this afternoon, Maxie?" I asked, amusement in my voice. He hated the name Maxie and I was the only one who dared call him that for the fact that he had a quick temper and could curse like a sailor.

"Ronnie and I were wondering if you wanted to have lunch with us, Lin?"

"One this game of you trying to find a nickname that is just as annoying as Maxie to you has gone on long enough. And why would I want to have lunch with you too when I obviously have business to attend to?" I replied.

"Yes because wondering around the gardens is one of your required duties. Besides, Oli will be there." He said a -matter-a-factly.

"Touche. Fine, I will join you." I replied throwing my hands up in defeat while Max's face held a cocky grin in triumph.

As we walked back to the house I realized Max looked different today, not enough for anyone to really notice besides me and maybe Ronnie. His black, chin length had been straightened and he wore his usually eyeliner on, but instead of wearing his ratty old Iron Maiden shirt and skinny jeans, he wore a new looking Iron Maiden t-shirt and acceptable skinny jeans for someone going into town. He seemed happier today, not much but enough.

Max had been strange ever since he and Ronnie became the only same gender relationship in the house. In this world in homosexuality was perfectly normal but Max and I had not grown up in the world we had grown up in the human world. And there it was not normal. And it was highly frowned upon to the point where Max had to be hospitalized for three weeks under high suicide watch. The memories still brought a scowl onto my face. But, now he wouldn't be the only marcat that was gay.

We walked back to the kitchen where we saw Oli and Ronnie chatting away while leaning against the island and counter in the center of the kitchen. Max walked right over to Ronnie while nodding a greeting to Oli. Ronnie wrapped his arm around Max's waist and kissing his temple. Ronnie had looked sharper today also but like Max it was barley noticeable. His brownish black hair in his normal scene style while wearing an appropriate black shirt and red skinny jeans.

I offered a happy smile to Oli in greeting while he just grinned back at me. I was always happy when I was around Oli, he was the man I woke up with every morning so I hoped I was happy with him. When we sat down for lunch, Ronnie next to Max and me next to Oli with his hand in mine, we talked about random things Gerard and his new friend coming up in conversation. Before I new it, it was 3 o'clock and I had to bid farewell to everyone in an appropriate fashion. Kiss on the check for Oli, hug for Max, and a fist bump that turned into a snail at the last moment for Ronnie.

I walked to the front doors where Gerard was pacing quickly up and down in font of the door. "Are you nervous?" I asked him. "Very much so." He replied quickly. "Don't be you've met him before. You know everything about him or you wouldn't be doing this right now." I said trying to calm his all to apparent nerves.

"Yeah but he hasn't seen this side of me yet," he replied quietly, "you know, the vampire one."