unsteady

Campbell’s bar had quickly turned into his favourite drinking spot. There was no loud music to contend with and most the customers weren’t blind drunk falling everywhere. It was a different atmosphere to Emerald City, which pushed him into applying for a job at the bar. One of the brothers had to keep the food on the table, which was only applicable to Raik now. He watched as Remzi forced down human food down his throat, the look on his face telling Raik it was vile. Nowadays his brother wanted his food in the form of liquid, from a vein, but Raik refused to ask Remzi where he was getting his fill from. He simply didn’t want to know, believing for now ignorance was bliss. So long as there were no police tapping on their hotel door he was happy to turn a blind eye. For now.

As always Raik was on his own. No brother by his side, irritating him. After spending so long with Remzi it was easy to miss him as he entered the bar alone. The pair truly were polar opposite now. One getting dressed at 9am, the other climbing into bed at the same. Hopefully, his upcoming job at Campbell’s bar would set the pair back on the same sleep schedule. Despite their arguments and Remzi’s talent for getting under his skin, he missed spending time with his younger sibling.

This brotherly trip was supposed to be some corny bonding experience for the pair. They’d spent far too many years apart, albeit by Raik’s career choices. Choosing to serve his country rather than stay behind in Detroit.

Needless to say, he was still filled with stress every time his mom’s number flashed up on his phone, but the poor woman didn't suspect a thing. Her precious children were off on an exciting adventure across America, but the excitement had started to fade for Raik, leaving behind a headache and the feeling of failure. He failed his brother in the worst way possible.

Raik spotted another male at the bar. It was tempting to settle into one of the empty booths, but a friendly chat with a stranger could be comforting. Even if it was a simple hello. Although he was far warier of the locals after his encounter with Frank a few days before. It was clear the town had a sinister background, but Raik avoided the papers. Every headline etched across the front he was worried Remzi would somehow be involved.

“Aye…”

He turned his head as he slipped onto the stool next to the male, “Dominic?” A frown on his face as he settled into the seat, placing both forearms on the bar, twisting towards Dominic a little.

“Rake.”

A laugh rolled out of Raik, as he gave Dominic a short nod. “Raik, but yes it is me” Mispronunciation of his name was a common occurrence in his life, especially in school. It was always on the first day back when the teacher was standing at the front of the class writing out the names for the first time. A quiet yes would come from Raik somewhere in the room before he politely corrected the teacher as his cheeks flushing a shade of pink as everyone's eyes were on him. In his younger years, he would complain to his mom, asking her why she didn’t call him something simple like Daniel. Even Remzi was easier to read and pronounce, but his younger brother had no issues calling the teacher out in front of everyone.

“Long fuckin’ way indeed. I’m here with Remzi visiting someone he knows” The more he told the lie, the more believable it became in his head and easier to relay. “What are you doing here?”

Dark eyes settled on Dominic as he took his shot before he started going on about some black and white thing with dots. Raik pondered for a moment, wondering what the fuck Dominic was on about. “Wait… Ying Yang?” He pulled his eyes away from Dominic as a bartender appeared in front of him, “A pint of Heineken please… and whatever he wants” He nodded towards Dominic.


DOMINIC PHENDER

“Yeah, s’what I said.”— Raik’s lips twisted into a thin smile, with a short nod.

As a child, he was considered a pushover, but now he just chooses his battles wisely, most of the time not bothering at all. The only person capable of getting under his skin with ease was Remzi. He knew exactly what buttons to push with Raik.

“Yeah? Remzi got anythin’ with him?”

Sure, he was naive, but Raik wasn’t stupid. He was born and raised in Detroit at the end of the day, surrounded by gangs and hardened criminals. Still, he frowned a little at Dom’s question. A simple how are you? or how’ve you been? wouldn’t have gone amiss, but this was Dom. Straight to the point. “Afraid not” At least he hoped not, but he’d been with Remzi so long now he’d like to think he would have noticed his brother stashing goods away. He didn’t need all that now he was a vampire though. Blood was his vice. His sweet release and for Raik it was still the beer.

It was a strange town to choose to settle in without good reasoning. The brothers had their reasons for unpacking their belongings and mingling with the locals, but so far that reason was slipping away day by day. Raik was starting to worry they were never going to find the ring and have to try the next place. New Orleans. A city. A place for his brother to become lost in the crowds and give in to his urges. He’d dropped the ball with Remzi back in LA and was keen not to do it again, but there was a fine line between caring and being overbearing. Raik knew he was tipping the scales towards overbearing by questioning his brother every single morning as to his whereabouts the night before. Inspecting Remzi’s beard for any traces of blood or scanning the clothes he was wearing.

In a way, Raik and Remzi were like Yin Yang. One was completely off the rails and the other firmly on them yet they were best friends despite their glaring obvious differences.

Three shots and two beers? It had Raik chuckling quietly to himself, before grabbing the bartender's attention again, “Make it four shots I’ll have one too” Not three. That was enough to send his stomach turning over and his head spinning. Raik could hold his drink, mostly down to his large frame, but drinking spirits was always a slippery slope down into being blackout drunk. A slope he wasn’t about to get on in the middle of the day.

He picked up the shot, knocking it back before placing the glass down gently. Much softer than Dom who dropped it on the bar. He quickly took a sip of his beer, to wash away the aftertaste.

Again, he placed the pint glass down on the bar softly before turning to face Dom.

“Well, you did nearly kill my brother with… whatever the fuck you gave him” Poison. Poorly cut shit.

His brother tried to pretend it wasn’t a big deal, but spending three in a coma wasn’t something minor. Realistically he couldn’t blame them for his brother’s inability to stop when enough was enough, but still, Dom and his dad shared a portion of the blame. But again, he chose his battles wisely. He wasn’t about to start a brawl in the middle of a bar, given he’d only heard half of the story from his brother. Raik knew he didn’t know the whole truth, but so much time had passed he was convinced his brother was never going to tell him. “Just… Remzi’s out of that shit now” Or at least leave him out of that shit.


DOMINIC PHENDER

He was the level-headed one. The calm one who was able to see past that red mist, that Remzi sometimes couldn’t. Patience of a God, according to his mom, but his brother had always been a touchy subject. He wouldn’t stand for anyone speaking ill about Remzi, even if those words rang true. He friends were ‘dumber fuckin’ friends’, but maybe he wouldn’t have strayed down that dark path if Raik had stuck around. Instead of jetting off across the world to play nurse with a bunch of wounded soldiers.

Raik couldn’t allow his mind to run off with that idea. It would eat him alive until there was nothing left but the shell of a human. Remzi was an adult. He chose his friends and he chose to shake hands with Dominic and his father.

What Dominic said was probably true. These friends probably did cut it down, but even so Dominic and his dad could. “Well it was probably already cut down when it got to my brother” That he was certain of. He was familiar with the likes of the Phender family. Lie through their teeth to keep themselves out of trouble.

Much like Remzi.

Raik tapped his index finger on the side of his drink as Dominic continued to ramble on. More insults were thrown towards his younger brother, which had him growing tense. Each tap on the glass was getting heavier. “Why don’t you go running to your dad if you want something so badly? I’m sure he could cut a deal for his favourite son” He wanted to head back to the motel and tell his brother to stay the fuck away from Dominic. Not something badly cut could land him in the hospital again.

Apparently, Dominic hadn’t finished. Raik stopped tapping on the glass, twisting his head to look at the other male.

“...you’re gonna find your brother dead one day from it, an’ ya can’t blame nobody but him... Or maybe yourself.”

A chord immediately struck. Her brother was dead and he shared some blame in it.

If someone was speaking about him like that Remzi would have lashed out minutes ago, but again, he was the level-headed one. Bordering on a pushover at times, letting people use him as a sidewalk. It wasn’t that he lacked a backbone, rather just avoided confrontation, but there was a chance he had been pushed too far. He bit down on his tongue, gently, as if that was going to calm the anger that was stirring inside of him.

Violence is never the answer— a phrase he would hear his mom say to Remzi at least once a week. Coming home with bloodied knuckles and a torn school shirt because another kid had looked at him in the wrong way. Not a scratch on his face obviously. If Remzi had taught Raik anything it was how to fight.

“What’s your deal Dom?” Drinking alone in a bar at midday. His life wasn’t going swimmingly well. “Do you want me to hit you? Would it help you feel something? Rather than looking for it at the bottom of a pint glass… it was stupid of me to think I could come in here and have a sensible conversation with you” He lifted his glass, taking another mouthful of beer as he pulled his eyes away from Dominic, eyes focus on the bottles behind the bar. “You’re so much like your dad”



DOMINIC PHENDER

He should have been the favourite son. He ticked all the boxes. Never brought trouble to the door, excelled at school and ate all his greens. It was a concept difficult to follow as a kid, but as Raik got older he realized he wasn’t that Remzi was the favourite son, rather their parent’s attention had to be on Remzi. Apparently, he needed a little bit more love and nurture. At least that’s how his mom described it when Raik asked why his brother got showered in praise when he came home with a report card that had average grades. Meanwhile, there were A’s scattered across his report card and whilst he too received praise he couldn’t understand why his younger brother was also getting a well done for doing okay. He scoffed at Dom’s comment, uninterested in poking any further. It went without saying that Raik and Remzi had been shown more love than Dom ever had.

Perhaps Raik should have drawn a line there. He should have finished his drink, walked out and accepted Dom was still a ball of anger trying to pick a fight. There was a time he could have felt sorry for Dom. No one asked to be born into that kind of environment. Rough neighbourhood with violence on every corner. Walking through down the street with the bare minimum in his pockets, knowing someone could jump out with a knife at any minute. Raik made it out though and there was only so much a person could blame on their upbringing. Dom had clearly made it out too, but the south side had yet to wash away from him. Raik had been in Mystic Falls for all of five minutes and even he knew that kind of behaviour wouldn’t be tolerated in this small town. Something he kept reminding Remzi.

Yet they were still digging at each other. Seeing who could take the biggest scoop before the other would swing a fist. Raik was predicting Dom would cave first. He just needed to push the right buttons and comparing Dom to his dad was the golden button. “I know enough” He retorted. He watched the same families roll through the streets of Detroit time and time again. The Phender's were just another example of such a family.

Dom caved, but not in the way he expected. Legs scraped along the floor as he lifted from his chair, getting ready to leave. Finishing the drink Raik had been kind enough to buy for him, despite the hostile welcome he received from Dom. Some people were incapable of change, but if he accepted that he was accepting his brother couldn’t be changed. Couldn’t come out the other side. Raik refused to believe that.

The military taught him never to let his guard down fully. An enemy could be lurking around any corner and you must always be ready for an attack. However, he wasn’t expecting Dom to smash a glass into the side of his head. Maybe a swing of a fist as he was leaving, but not a fucking glass. Dom’s hands collided hard with his body, causing him to stumble off the stool. “Seni sikerim” He brought his hand up to the side of his head quickly. There was only a slight break in the skin and a few dots of blood on his fingertips. He blinked hard, slightly knocked off balance by the hit, forcing himself to stand upright. With his other hand, he pushed the stool aside.

Now he couldn’t back down either. The testosterone rushing through his body wouldn’t let him simply walk away. “Now there’s the Dominic I remember” By now the bar staff were watching the pair. He could hear an employee talking in his ear, but the words weren’t registering. His focus was too fixed on Dom. There was so far he could be pushed before snapping. Raik was quick to swing forward with his right fist, aiming straight for Dom’s jaw.

“You two! Get out”— The voice of the bartender rattled through his ears. Raik let his hand drop, trying to ignore the throb in his knuckles. Fuck, he forgot it actually hurt to punch someone.


DOMINIC PHENDER