Damian is preparing for school. He grabs his lunchbox from the countertop and places it into his perfectly packed school bag. “I’ll see you for dinner, Pennyworth!” he calls out, before exiting the kitchen, but Alfred steps in front of him before he can leave the manor through the front door.
“Master Damian,” he explains coolly, “I’m afraid your driver has caught a nasty cold. Mr. Jacque will not be able to take you to school this morning.”
Damian seems to consider this for a moment, before reasoning, “Alright. I will just ride to school with my sibling. It’s not ideal, but it will do for the day.”
At this Alfred raises an eyebrow. “Miss Y/N does not take a driver to school, Master Damian.”
Even Damian can’t wipe the look of surprise off his face. “How does she get to school then?”
“The bus,” Alfred replies plainly, with a shrug of carelessness unbecoming of a man like him.
“There’s a bus?”
“Yes. It’s about a twenty minute walk from here.”
“And she takes it everyday?”
“Since the two of you stopped carpooling, yes. Now, would you like me to see if someone else can drive you?”
Damian has a moment of internal debate. Of course, he doesn’t want to be seen on the bus. That was simply unfitting for Wayne. He scoffed at the very thought. But on the other hand, one of his siblings -even if it is just you- has been walking to and from public transit everyday for at least a few months. Were you out of your mind? What if someone saw you? What if someone hurt you? Do you have any idea what kind of ruffians take the bus in Gotham?
“No,” he says after giving it some thought. “I’ll join my sibling on the bus.” Alfred gives a nod, before stepping aside and letting Damian pass. The robin has to jog to make it in time, as you had left about ten minutes ago, but he will catch you. He isn’t worried about that.
🦇🦇🦇🦇🦇🦇🦇🦇🦇🦇🦇🦇🦇🦇🦇🦇🦇
You are the kind of ruffian that takes the bus. Everyday since the year started, as you are a senior and Damian is a freshman. You enjoy the bus. Each morning for roughly a half hour, you’re able to pop in your headphones and read. And the bus driver knows you by this point, so sometimes there’s light conversation when you enter/exit. It’s a ritual you look forward to.
This ritual is interrupted when you hear the light footsteps of somebody approaching from behind. You immediately rip your headphones out, so that you can clearly hear them coming. This is Gotham, afterall. Turning around to catch a glance of the person drawing closer, you’re shocked to see it’s none other than Damian Wayne, the youngest bat child.
When he reaches you, he gives a firm nod. “Sibling,” he greets, and you can hear the faintest sound of him breathing slightly heavier than usual. He must have run from the manor. But why?
“Damian…”you acknowledge cautiously, the fingers on your right palm subconsciously folding inward to rub your scar, “What are you doing here?”
The baby bat looks at you like you’re the dumbest person alive. “I’m taking the bus with you, clearly.”
And now you feel like the dumbest person alive. “But you never take the bus. Jacque’s not driving you?”
“He’s fallen ill.”
“Ah.” The two of you complete your walk to the bus stop in silence.
Once the bus driver, Frank, pulls up, you enter as usual. “Mornin’ Y/N,” he greets you with a headnod your way.
“Good morning, Frank,” you grin out, tossing a muffin his way. You turn back to watch Damian get on and mentally face palm when you see him drop a crisp twenty-dollar into the change slot. He has literally no idea how much a bus ride actually costs.
You sigh inwardly, before making your way over to your usual window seat. This morning is still salvagable. Just when you move to pop your headphones back in and pull out your book, you feel a weight come down in the seat next to you. Tilting your head up, you can’t stop the look of disappointment that flashes fleetingly across your face when you see Damian has sat next to you. The look does nothing to deter him.
“Why do you take the bus?”
This catches you off guard a bit. “You’re the one who said you didn’t want to ride in the same car as me.”
He seems to think back to doing so for a moment. “So I did,” he nods, “I assumed Father would find you another driver.”
“Well, he didn’t,” you answer with a shrug. The speed with which you reply reveals a bit of your bitterness, even though you try to play it off with casualty.
The rest of the ride passes in silence, but when you exit the bus Damian grabs your forearm. “I’ll see you on the way back.”
“I have clubs, so I take the later bus back,” you reply, shrugging his hand off of you.
“Fine,” he acknowledges, and walks away without another word. He’s always so pleasant to talk to.
And with interaction the day goes on as usual. Class goes by without a hitch. You sit in the back, answer questions when asked. Nobody knows you’re a Wayne, and it’s better that way. Normal lunch. Today you sit in the library and do homework. Shifts at the diner end really late, so your only option is to do your work now.
By the time the final bell rings, you’re more than happy to head to work. Grabbing your duffle bag from your locker, you slide your text books in and head to the bus station. This particular bus doesn’t stop at the school, so you won’t have to wait at the same station as Damian. That thought brings you comfort as you begin your short walk. Popping your headphones in, you let the music drown out the sounds of Gotham: construction work, police sirens, car horns.
The peace washes over you to such an extent, that you don’t notice the youngest Wayne trailing behind you.
🦇🦇🦇🦇🦇🦇🦇🦇🦇🦇🦇🦇🦇🦇🦇🦇🦇
Damian begins following you after the final bell rings. Something about your conversation this morning made him curious about your daily routine, even though he’s never given it any thought before now. He watches as you grab your bag, unsure of its contents, and he watches as you walk right out of the school—despite your claim that you had club activities after school today.
The youngest Wayne stays about twenty steps behind you as you walk right past the bus stop in front of the school. He’s not sure where you’re heading, but he knows it’s not home, and he knows it’s not school. Which are the only two places you should be. Does Father know about this?
Keeping a distance while you board the bus, Damian tugs his hood up to hide his face as he boards afterwards, dropping another twenty into the slot. Damn, this bus thing is a rip-off. He allows you to find your way to the back, as he takes the first row. As the buildings and street signs begin to blur outside the window, he notices you’re moving into the heart of Gotham. The surroundings become noticeably more run down. There’s a heavier police presence. It’s certainly a far cry from Wayne manor. The kind of area he and his brothers only frequent on patrol. What the hell could you possibly be doing here?
Another few stops pass before you get off. When you move to the front, Damian’s sure to turn his head so that only the back of his hood is visible. You don’t suspect a thing. Then he follows you off.
Not far from the bus station, he watches as you enter a dingy looking restaurant. Really, it looks like shit hole. Is this why you never eat dinner with them? You’re too busy eating here, in this dump? He contemplates as he watches you from outside. Surely Alfred’s food is far superior to this place. But his thinking is interrupted when he sees you re-emerge from the bathroom…wearing a uniform?
Damian spends the next two hours watching you work. He can’t help but be mesmerized by the way you speak to the customers. You refill coffee with a smile before they’ve even realized their cup has run low. Regulars make pleasant conversation, and you slip from booth to booth as if floating. He’s never seen you look so natural. So…not on edge. The thought disturbs him.
And don’t think he hasn’t noticed that boy you’ve been talking with. Laughing at his jokes, which are probably so dull you feel the need to show him pity. That waste of space probably has no idea you're even a Wayne. I mean, not in the same way that he is but still. That boy isn’t worthy of cleaning the dirt off your shoes.
Damian is debating on whether or not to confront you when he feels a vibration in his pocket. Slipping into the nearest alleyway, he flips open his phone to find Red Robin’s contact flashing on the screen.
“Drake?”
“Damian,” comes the frantic voice, “Where the hell are you? You’re on patrol with Bruce tonight! He’s going to be pissed if you don’t sh—”
“Did you know Y/N has a job?”
A moment of silence passes. “A job?”
“Yes. In downtown Gotham.”
“Downtown Gotham?”
“Can you stop repeating everything I say like a dolt and engage in conversation like a normal human, Drake?”
“Okay, okay! Sorry,” he admits, “I’m just a little shocked. No, I had no idea Y/N was working. And you said it’s downtown? Is she safe?”
“Of course she’s not safe. It’s downtown Gotham, and she’s a weakling."
“Right,” Tim acknowledges. “Well, either way,” he continues, “you need to be back at the cave as soon as possible.”
“Tch,” Damian hisses out.
“Don’t worry,” Tim reassures, “I’ll make sure she gets home safe.”
“Good.”
“Everyone in Gotham falls under our protection, afterall.” And even though Damian agrees, there’s a tugging in his stomach telling him it’s more than that.
🦇🦇🦇🦇🦇🦇🦇🦇🦇🦇🦇🦇🦇🦇🦇🦇🦇
When Jason receives the call, he’s actually not too far off. Pulling his bike over, he makes sure the side road is deserted before flipping up his helmet to answer.
“TImmy,” he greets.
“Don’t call me that, Red Hood.” Jason just rolls his eyes, wearing that antagonist grin of his.
“Sorry, Kid.” Tim audibly sighs, not loving that nickname either but having no energy to spend his time correcting his older brother.
“Listen, d’you know Gibson’s Diner? It’s off of 42nd street.”
Jason takes a moment to examine his mental map of Gotham. “Yeah, that’s like a ten minute ride from here. Real cesspool.” he responds, “Why?”
Tim releases another sigh before pausing for a moment. “Well, it’s just…Damian swears he saw Y/N working there tonight.”
Even the ever-stoic Red Hood can’t contain his shock, “Y/N has a job?”
“Accoriding to Damian.”
“Why,” he scoffs, “God knows Bruce’ll just buy her whatever she wants.”
“I don’t know, man,” Tim groans, “but I’m making it your problem. Can you make sure she gets back to the manor alright? It’s not a good area.”
Jason, clearly annoyed, sighs. “Yeah, alright.” He ends the call, kicking up his bike and hopping back on. Then he proceeds back onto the main road, eventually pulling up to the diner Tim had mentioned.
Sure enough, there you are. The warmth of the scene makes his teeth hurt. The diner looks toasty against the Gotham city-scape. Your hands are stacked with plates that you pass out to weary customers with grace. He swallows at the dryness mounting in his throat, grasping at straws to remember the last time you two caught up, the last time you looked at him with all that adoration that shined in your eyes when the two of you were kids. But he can’t.
He spends another few hours alternating between sitting on his bike and patrolling the nearby area, jaw clenching tighter and tighter as evening turns comfortably into night. Why the fuck are you working so late? And here, of all places.
When it finally hits 11:00 p.m., he watches as you remove your apron and step into the back. A few minutes later you reemerge, duffle bag on shoulder. Before exiting, you make the effort to cross the diner and bid one of your coworkers goodnight. A boy about your age. Interesting.
While you move to the door, Jason pulls deeper into the alleyway, so that his bike is hidden from your view. He watches as you walk about a block to the nearest bus station, before jogging a bit to catch the bus pulling up. Ya gotta be fuckin’ kiddin’. You seem to know the driver, as he observes you make brief conversation with him before heading to the back. It’s just you and two others on the bus. When the vehicle pulls off, Jason slips his helmet back on before following from a safe distance, waiting for when you disembark safely.
The bus reaches your stop in about forty-five minutes, making it almost midnight by the time you step off. And then you begin your twenty-minute trek back up to the manor. Exhaustion weighs you down, dulls your senses, and you don’t hear the rev of a motor trailing behind you.
Pushing open the metal gate, you enter and close it quietly. Now seeing that you’re safely home, Jason peels off with a slight hesitation—distrubed by the information that has been gathered tonight.
🦇🦇🦇🦇🦇🦇🦇🦇🦇🦇🦇🦇🦇🦇🦇🦇🦇
It was not uncommon for Tim to be awake at ungodly hours of the night. He was practically a nocturnal animal. It also wasn’t uncommon for Dick to come interrupt him at these aforementioned ungodly hours either. He was a bit of an insomniac himself.
“Watcha’ working on,” he calls out, opening the door without knocking.
Tim doesn’t have time to close out his tabs as Dick approaches, so he just sighs and accepts his fate. “Is that…Y/N,” he asks, “AT A JOB?”
“Yes,” Tim concedes, sighing and rubbing his eyelids as they begin to weigh heavily. “Apparently she’s been working at this shady diner. Tryna figure out for how long,” he yawns.
Dick jerks back in surprise. “What are you talking about?”
“You know, like a job. A service you provide in exchange for money.”
The joke lands flat as Dick just rolls his eyes in exasperation. “I know what a job is, Tim. I just didn’t know she had one.” None of them did.
The two slowly turn their heads back to the screen, where Tim is sifting through employment records and traffic light footage from just outside the diner. Dick’s face devolves from concern to shame for not knowing about this huge (and dangerous) part of your life.
As for Tim…well he had yet to find a mystery that he can’t solve. And you just got a lot more interesting.
Previous
Next
Masterlist
A/N: Thank you for reading! There will (maybe) be a part three if there’s demand for it. Let me know if you want to be on the taglist. And if you’re on the taglist and want to be taken off…I’m sorry, this is your life now.
HI HELLO HOW AR EYOU 🗣️🗣️ i was wondering if you'd write for a gn reader whos really shy around mark / invicible but they're like the biggest invicible fan ever .. they have keychains , shirts etc . imagine mark saving them and them freaking the hell out !! teehee thank u sm if you end up doing my request!!
mark knew there would be invincible fans, he’s been to comic con before and has seen the cosplays. he’s not exactly thrilled with certain fans but non the less, he’s grateful for the support despite everything that happened to him and everyone around the world. what he didn’t expect was the most shy person he used to go to high school with had a little obsession with his alter ego. when the two go to the same college, he began to notice them more often and their bag full of fan made merch, along with the shirts they’d wear saying, “invincibles 1# fan.”
yumeship was a new word mark had learned over the past few weeks. he was doing research on people who loved and decorated themselves to appear like the character or celebrity they loved. he thought you were yumeshipping his alter ego, and honestly he wasn’t upset with that conclusion at all. mark was actually extremely flattered that you love invincible so much, he wanted to chat with you as himself and see if his theory was true. but he didn’t realize how hard it was going to be to get you to talk, because once your professor dismissed the class, you’re gone within a heartbeat. “shit.” mark mumbled, packing up his backpack as he tried to leave the classroom quickly.
you walk really fast because why was mark so out of breath, he needed to take a break up against the nearby trees around his university. invincible doesn’t even get this sweaty when he fights off monsters and kaijus, so why does he sweat bullets when he’s looking for a fan? mark had given up at this point, he wouldn’t be able to find you unless he placed a tracker on your bag. well, he considered the idea, but quickly forgot about it as soon as the smell of chocolate muffins hit his nose. mark was quick to sit up straight and begin walking towards the nearby student ran cafe, and to his excitement they did have freshly made chocolate muffins displayed. he placed his backpack and down then began searching for his wallet on the inside, searching throughout his entire bag until he caught a glimpse of yellow and blue.
sat nearby mark was you, sitting alone as you took a picture of your drink and a mini plushie of invincible next to the glass cup. mark had to stop rummaging around his bag to watch you get excited about the photo, giving the mini plushies cheek a squeeze. he thought— ‘this is one of the most wholesome and kinda weird interactions ives seen.’ he watched as you post the photo on your instagram, which happened to be an invincible fan account ran by you. he was amazed at your dedication, he wasn’t even this dedicated to seance dog. you were making him think he isn’t a real seance dog fan if he wasn’t going this extreme.
there genuinely isn’t a day where invincible isn’t needed, and mark knew that. he couldn’t even finish an entire day going to all his classes without cecil needing him. mark knew this is what he signed up for, what he ever wanted, but it began to grow more and more annoying with each passing day. he shoved his wallet back inside his backpack and stormed out of the cafe, shutting the door. when mark was finally far enough he began to zoom into the sky, changing into his costume mid-air as he flew over to the location cecil had sent him too for another mission.
returning back to his cramped apartment, mark was well over exhausted. he couldn’t enter through the windows because william had locked them and had the curtains closed, which was a sign itself that he was busy, so mark didn’t even bother going to look to see if the sock was on the door. he flew alone campus, no one was really out past ten besides the people leaving to go to a party nearby. mark flew down and laid on the nearby patch of grass, catching his break before he heard something drop nearby him. he instantly shot up, his fists clenched and ready as he looked around, then spotted you with your eyes huge. mark grew nervous as he remembered your his number one fan, and he sheepishly smiled before waving awkwardly. “heeeey, invincible here doing nothing but relaxing at night.” you quickly hid your bag behind your body, not wanting him to see the embarrassing amount of merch glued and strapped on to your bag.
the painfully awkward silence took over, you didn’t respond and mark kept waving like an idiot. after a few more seconds you spoke up, “hey, um. i’m sorry if i’m bothering you but, is it alright if we take a picture?” god, you were way too polite and more nervous then he was, which made mark relax more. he offered you a tired smile, “yeah, yeah of course! always happy to meet a fellow fan— i mean a fan, of mine. which i do have those.” you laugh softly, walking over as you look for the camera app on your phone. mark didn’t want to be noisy, but he couldn’t help himself. he caught a glimpse of your invincible themed phone, along with other heroes as you found the camera app. you take a few pictures, some were silly as mark stuck out his tongue or pulled out the peace sign. he even took your phone and pulled it up before flexing, recording a video in the process instead of a photo. it didn’t matter, you were amazed just being in the invincible presence. smiling and holding your excitement inside, you thank mark repeatedly as you reviewed the photos together, “jeez, this is honestly a dream come true. thank you so, so much invincible!” you smile brightly at mark, and he could feel his face growing hot. he waved it off before placing both hands on his hips to appear more bigger and stronger. “yup. always pleased to meet a fan, i like your bag by the way.” he pointed at your bag, to which you turn around and show him the merch. “holy shit.” was all mark could muster up as he admired each and every single piece of art of him. he saw the little plushie of him along with pins, decorated photocards, some were even photos taken by news stations, or by you, he was still amazed with the quality.
the two of you sat together on the grass, you went over each and every little piece of merch you had on your bag. some were art work done by fellow fans, while others were real life photos of mark while he saved the world. he was embarrassed by a certain photo of him sitting on top of a burger mart, his face covered in ketchup as he munched on the burger. “who even took that photo..” he muttered, you shyly looked away before speaking. “i was uh, on my way to work and i saw you.. you were eating so i couldn’t interrupt, but i wanted a photo so..” mark smiled and playfully pushed your shoulder, “don’t be! you’re probably one of the only fans i don’t have to be worried about, you’re pretty cool and amazing to me.” mark couldn’t help but smile along with you, you on the other hand looked like a child on christmas. the genuine happiness you felt meeting invincible never left, and mark could see how happy he made you just by being invincible. however he saw the disappointment approach as you stood up, “i really don’t want this moment to end, but i really gotta get home. i have early classes tomorrow. but i’ll see you around, maybe?” you sounded so hopeful, like you were asking mark to promise to come and visit you. he stood up as well and opened his arms, before realizing maybe you didn’t want a hug. mark wasn’t even given the chance to close his arms before you bear-hugged him, the wind left his lungs as you continued to crush him with your arms. he watched as you waved him off before walking towards your on campus apartment, and he’ll never forget the bounce you had in every step.
over the next few days, you posted the photos you took with invincible. you even gained a new follower, seance_mark began following your invincible account on instagram. your mood genuinely couldn’t be brought down, you were so happy over the past days, and mark took notice. you walked up the apartment stairs, and noticed a bag sitting in front of your dorm door. you were heavily skeptical, a bag in front of your door isn’t normally a good sign if you didn’t expect a delivery. however the closer you got, you noticed the package was signed— ‘to my biggest fan.’ you were now curious on who left this, before opening and seeing a huge print of invincible signed by invincible, himself. you were so shocked you could start crying, the excitement rolled out as you quickly rushed into your dorm. letting out cheers of happiness as you quickly found space for the poster, you placed the large item down on your desk before jumping up in the air. mark kept his distance as he flew around your apartment, his face hurts from how much he was smiling, but it was worth it to see how happy you’d get.
…
“is it weird for celebrities to marry their fans” was a recent search on marks internet history.
a/n: I LOVE U ANON ABAHHAHAAAA UR ENERGY I LOVE IT the mark grayson fans r starving, thankfully im here to cook.
idk how "black people should feel welcome on this website" became something you have to say out loud. if black people aren't comfortable or safe on here then that is our failure. be anti-racist or die.
Everyone shut up about Charlie Kirk now, he’s dead we’ve made the memes move on.
Because Russian just sent drones into Poland in what’s being called “a test of NATO” to see if NATO responds and with who.
Because the biggest extinction event currently is still occurring off the coast of Australia with almost all Marine life being smothered by algae that should not be there like that.
Because we still don’t have the epsitine files and this is likely a distraction to get it out of the media.
Because far right parties (neo-n’s if you will) are gathering across the globe.
Because climate change is still an issue.
Because Women’s right are under attack in multiple countries and areas.
Because LGBTQIA rights are being taken away.
Because school shootings are still occurring in America with little to no news coverage.
Because there is a genocide in Gaza.
Because there is famine around the globe.
Because Nepal reportedly shot 19 people for opposing a social media black out.
Because Indonesia arrested reported over 1000 people for protesting against their government.
Because of the Congo.
Because of Ukraine.
Because of every other person and child who is not safe.
Choose a different issue, THERE ARE MANY TO CHOOSE FROM THAT ISNT A WHITE MAN GETTING SHOT
Charlie Kirk was murdered in cold blood at the age of 31, leaving behind his wife and young children.
May he rest in peace, and may every person who celebrates this horrific act of political violence one day feel ashamed of their ghoulish actions and repent.
For years I've seen a nonstop deluge of right wingers cracking jokes and cheering for the murders, suicides and oppression of vulnerable and marginalized groups. I've seen these same people laugh at the deaths of the other party. I've seen Charlie Kirk at every turn adamantly support the continued genocide of tens of thousands of fatherless children in Palestine. Not once do you express shame with going along with this rhetoric, a rhetoric that casually and willfully allows the continued slaughtering and induced hate crime of an innumerable number of people -- and yet you expect me to feel shame for being glad that the spewer of this vitriol is no more?
warnings‼️: crude language + spoilers for s3 (mark’s variants) + amber & eve never get w mark but r goated wingwomen & friends for reader + william, rick & rex r goated wingmen for mark + 2 jealous!mark moments + the tiniest moment of tension + multiverse talk + a mention of the chicago incident feat. scott / powerplex + REX LIVES 🗣️‼️🔥🔥 + a short & sweet kiss scene.
It was the first day of school, 2nd grade homeroom. The first day of school was always nerve wracking but this time was different.
His desk was next to you per the seating chart and you were the last kid to come in.
You were wearing a black t-shirt with some white bows on it and sky blue jeans with pink flowers embroidered on the pockets. White twinkle toes with pink and purple rhinestones. Your hair was styled in 2 ponytails with cute bows on the bands.
Your eyes bright and a shy smile on your lips.
“Hi.” You bashfully said to him.
“Hi.” He said back in a daze.
His seven year old heart was fluttering and he was as red as a tomato when he realized it was you! You were the girl whose empty desk he was seated next to!
You always shared homeroom, if not, recess with him in elementary school.
Then came middle school, where you had at least 2 classes with him.
High school was a bit easier as you saw him 3-4 times a day, and that’s not including clubs or other extracurricular activities.
He spent 11 years like that. Seeing you in class, in the hallways, at lunch or after school.
Your relationship with him never wavered. Your character was still the same even after new chapters and opportunities for development.
He’s endured some insane shit, but he’s so happy the one constant in his life remained consistent.
“You still have a crush on her?!”
“Shut up, William. Or do you want the whole world to know.” Mark chides.
William snorts like it’s the most obvious thing in the world (it is). “The whole world already knows, it’s just your dumbass that’s somehow oblivious.”
“Give the lover boy a break.” Amber lightly teases.
Mark sighs and rubs his face with his hands, trying to hide the redness creeping up on him without his consent.
“Is that her?” Rick points towards Mark’s dream girl.
But what he forgot to mention was the living explosion (literally) walking alongside you.
“What’s he doing here?” Eve’s surprised Rex decided to step foot on college campus willingly.
William subtly side-eyes Mark and makes a desperate attempt to hold in his laughter by squeezing Rick’s hand.
Mark slowly stands, a confused look on his face. “I’ll… go find out.” He says it like a question, like he’s unsure if that’s what he should do.
Amber and Eve share a knowing look.
“You’re funny.” You say as you catch your breath.
Rex shrugs nonchalantly and smirks. “Yeah, I get that a lot.”
You’re shaking your head and are about to say something when you see Mark in front of you.
“Mark.” Your eyes crinkle as you smile. You go in for your usual hug and Mark accepts it.
Unbeknownst to you that he’s making wide eyes among other facial expressions in a desperate attempt to make contact with the other male.
The hug lasts for a second longer and you ignore the butterflies that swarm your belly, deducing that he probably just wanted to hug you a bit longer.
No big deal you think as you’re screaming inside the longer you feel Mark’s arms around your waist.
When you meet Mark’s face, he allows himself to give you a tight-lipped smile.
“Mark, this is—”
“Rex! Heyy, how’s it going?” He chuckles nervously and rubs the back of his neck.
Your eyebrows furrow and you tilt your head a bit. “Yeah… wait, you guys know each other?”
Rex is enthusiast with his reply. “Fuck yeah! This is my best bro.”
He slaps Mark’s back with a confident grin and his “bro” laughs awkwardly.
You know, one of those ‘ha ha ha’ type laughs.
“Okay. So, um, Mark?”
“Yeah?” Aaand his voice cracks.
You politely ignore it but Mark wants to die inside.
“I was wondering if you were still down to go to the mall?”
Mark knows you’re attentive and take your friendships seriously. That isn’t old news. But he can’t help feeling special that’s you remembered a thought from a couple days prior.
“Only if you buy me boba.”
Mark never lets you buy him anything if he can help it, and that’s how it’s always been.
You insist, he denies; but that doesn’t mean his sentiment isn’t nice.
You blink and softly smile at his bargain. “Deal.”
Rex hums thoughtfully, a hand at his chin and his gaze on the sky. “Can I join? I don’t have anything going onnn~” He suggests in a sing-song manner.
“No, you can’t!” Mark suddenly yells.
You look at Mark with furrowed brows. “Mark, don’t be rude.”
“Yeah, Mark, don’t be rude.” Rex repeats with a sly expression.
Mark deeply exhales through his nose and puts on a fake smile. “Rex, can I talk to you? Alone.”
“Sure!”
He follows Mark about 15 steps away from you.
You decide to sit down on a bench nearby and watch some TikTok to pass the time.
“Hey, so, um- quick question: what the hell are you doing here?”
Rex scoffs. “What, I can’t come visit my bro?”
Mark quirks an eyebrow and crosses his arms, unimpressed.
Rex puts his hands up in surrender. “Fine, fine. I’ll be honest. I was here to talk to you about Cecil,” He looks over at you and sighs dramatically.
“But?” Mark presses when he sees Rex eyeing you.
“I see a hot girl and I can’t help myself, you know?” He smirks knowing he’ll rile Mark up and get the exact reaction he wants.
Mark immediately gets in his line of sight, making Rex back up a bit from the fast and unforgiving wind.
“Woah, man! A little warning next time before you almost blow me away?”
Mark ignores him. “Don’t call her that.”
The truth is, Rex came to campus with a purpose.
Mark never talks about you, but Eve may have let your name slip into conversation a few times.
Rex may be aloof and jerk-ish but he’ll be serious when it’s time.
He’s seen the way Mark’s face changed every time Eve mentioned you; his head would tilt slightly, he’d have a small, unnoticeable smile on his lips.
Rex suspected a crush and he was right! Of course he was, look at the way he’s being defensive of you.
There was just one problem, he didn’t know how you looked. He asked Eve and she was suspicious, but when he revealed his own suspicions, she indulged him.
So, the two of them made a plan with Amber, William and Rick; Operation: Get Mark To Man Up and Admit His Feelings Before You Slip Away.
- FLASHBACK -
“She’s wearing a PINK t-shirt with ripped blue jeans. Oh, and a black backpack.” William directs.
“Pink shirt, black backpack, ripped blue jeans. Got it.”
“PINK as in the brand, not the color.” Amber reminds.
“Wait, what? So what color is the shirt?”
“I’m pretty sure it’s dark green..? And the logo is an even darker shade. ” Eve remembers.
Rex is so unimpressed.
“So, let me get this straight; she’s wearing a shirt from the brand PINK, but it’s just dark green?”
“I’d say you’re on the right track.” Rick chimes.
“This shit is ridiculous. I mean, seriously. Why can’t you girls just wear stuff that warrant normal descriptions?”
“Shut up, Rex.” Amber and Eve say simultaneously.
- FLASH FORWARD -
“Alright, her unwanted, meddling knight in shining armor.”
Mark is about to defend himself against that true baseless allegation when William and Rick find him.
“What’re we gossiping about?” There’s a glint in William’s eyes, the kind you don’t miss if you’re paying attention to the very specific lilt in his tone.
“Oh, I was just telling Marky boy here,”
Mark side-eyes Rex at the ridiculous nickname.
“How he’s Y/n’s unwanted, meddling knight in shining armor.”
William claps his hands together. “That’s actually an accurate assessment.”
Mark’s offended. “Whose side are you on, anyway?”
Rick clears his throat as a guise to hide the very subtle laugh itching his throat.
“Sassy.” William says impressed in his best friends comeback skills.
Rex gets a phone call and excuses himself, giving William a crisp high-five and Rick a chest bump.
“Go get your Juliet, Romeo!” He cheers.
William shakes his head as he guffaws at the man.
“Dude, he's hilarious. How come you've never introduced him to us before?”
“Do I really have to answer that?”
William rolls his eyes at him. “Anyways. When are you gonna tell Y/n you love her, again?”
“William!” Mark whines.
Rick smiles and expands his thinking. “He meant to say, you should tell her soon. Before she's with someone else and leaves you to collect the pieces of your broken heart.”
“Not gonna lie, that's exactly what he needs to hear right now.”
Mark can't lie either. “Yeah. You kinda ate with that.”
William cringes and Rick winces with embarrassment.
“Hey! So, uhh, never say that again. Hope this helps.” William makes a finger heart.
“Wha- but I used the phrase correctly! Oh, come on guys, seriously?”
- MEANWHILE, WITH AMBER & EVE -
Amber and Eve thought it’d be a good idea to have a quick chat with you while you were waiting on Mark.
They casually brought up relationships and basically implied that ‘men ain’t shit’, but you disagree with that attitude.
“I dunno... Mark’s a good guy.”
“Oh yeah, for sure! Mark’s one of the good ones.”
Eve nods along to Amber’s statement.
She reminisced on her fair share with toxic relationships. She deliberately left out how it was with Rex but that’s okay, you don’t need to know that…
“Are you and Mark..?”
You feel your cheeks warm at the thought but you’d be lying if you deny your feelings for him.
“No.” You state with your head down and hands in your lap, playing with a ripped thread on your jeans.
“Huh. That’s a shame.” Eve comments.
That gets your attention.
“What do you mean?”
“It’s just that you and Mark seem…”
“Ideal.” Amber completes smoothly.
Your wide eyes and mouth agape give you away.
“You've never thought about him like that?”
You have, but how do you admit this to Mark’s coworker and friend without it getting back to him?
You think Amber and Eve are cool, they’re nice to you; but they're more Mark’s friends.
To you, they're friends of a friend.
Amber senses your hesitation and sat down next to you.
“We won’t tell anyone, if that’s what you’re wondering.”
Eve locks her lips with an imaginary key and throws it away.
That elicits a small laugh out of you, making you feel a bit more confident to share your secret.
You look over and see Mark and Rex still talking, now joined by William and Rick.
You contemplate for a moment before admitting it.
“Yeah.” You breathe out.
Eve hums in thought. “Let me guess, you don’t want to say anything in case it’ll fuck up the friendship?”
You gasp lightly at her spot-on description. “How’d you know?!”
She just shrugs nonchalantly and Amber bites her tongue to point out how obvious the entire situation is.
“I do like him, a lot... but what if he doesn’t feel the same? I would've ruined something special for something selfish and it would stay with me forever.”
You rant to the 2 girls you’re closest with and somehow, it feels right. You dismiss the thought of them turning out like the average mean girls in a teenage rom-com.
“But what if he does like you back?” Eve proposes.
“Then he’ll have to make the first move.” You shrug obviously.
“I know that’s right.”
You feel giddy from Amber’s approval.
She’s always been the type to keep it short and sweet but once you get her talking? She’ll always keep it real.
“We gotta go but we’ll see you later?”
Eve's already planning on the next hangout because she likes you enough to wanna help. She doesn’t like a lot of people so consider yourself special!
“Oh! Uh- yeah! Sure, that works with me.”
“It’s settled then.”
“See ya, Y/n.”
Coincidentally, you see the boys leave, leaving Mark to come to you.
“Shall we?”
“We shall.”
“Just let me try it.” Mark whines.
You shook your head and stood your ground. “It'll be gone in under ten seconds.”
He gasps dramatically, a hand to the heart like a lady of the opera. “You don't have faith in me?! I am a superhero-”
“I'm sure that's what they say.”
Your sarcasm isn’t foreign but he grows quiet at the remark.
It just slipped out so easily, without care or regard. You immediately try to make it right.
“I’m sorry, Mark.”
“No, no. It’s okay. You didn’t mean it like that.”
Ever the sweetheart but you refuse.
“No, it isn’t.” You stop walking. “I was careless with what I said and it’s not right.”
He looks at you with appreciation and gives you a smile. “Thank you, Y/n. It feels nice to be seen as I am.”
That both warms and saddens your heart.
You know how much he’s been through and even though you’ll never truly understand, you know he can still count on you. You’ll be there for him and that’s gotta mean something.
“Of course.”
You and Mark spend the next hour chatting and idly checking out things in the stores.
You wander into the dress and gown section and are completely in awe of the collection. Every color you can think of in every style: silky, thigh cut, halter top, strapless.
Your hands run through the material and you’re reminded of the spring formal coming up soon.
Not everyone gets the chance of going but you have a friend who extended the courtesy of inviting you and a plus one.
You recall the last time you went to a dance: your senior year of high school's prom. It was memorable. You were a part of a small group that went together; consisting of your friends.
You took photos with Mark and danced with him for a bit but not like anything you wished. There's nothing romantic about screaming club anthem lyrics while getting twerked on but since it was Mark's ass, you didn’t complain.
That was the first and last time he accepted drinks from William, by the way.
You chuckle quietly to yourself in memory of that glorious night when Mark comes up behind you.
"You ready to go or do you wanna try some of them on?"
You take another look at the gorgeous dresses and think.
Mark's hoping you say yes.
He won't admit it anytime soon and despite him already thinking you're the most beautiful girl he'd ever seen, prom night solidified that for him.
You had him starstruck.
His hear stuttered, adrenaline rushed through his veins and conjured up a swarm of butterflies in his stomach.
SImply put, every feeling and action that describes a man in awe of a pretty lady was an accurate depiction of him.
“Nah, maybe some other time.” You decide.
Mark nods, looking forward to the future dress tryouts. “Okay.”
Later, you have dinner with Mark, Oliver and Debbie.
Mark flew out and brought home some authentic pasta and garlic bread from Italy.
You rolled your eyes playfully and claimed he was being “extra” but reevaluated your statement when you thought about it.
If you could move that fast, you'd go to another country to have their finest food as well.
“It's so good to have you, honey.”
Debbie was always so nice to you, it made you feel happy and proud of yourself knowing someone's mom wholeheartedly accepts your presence in their kids life.
“It's good to be here.”
“Are you gonna stay the night?!” The purple little boy asked full of hope.
You didn't want to let him down but you had no choice.
“I'm sorry, Oliver, but not tonight.” You ruffle his hair and give him an apologetic smile.
You know he's bummed out when he doesn't sound that infectious laugh and tell you you're messing up his hair.
“Oh.”
You feel Mark's gaze on you and when you look up, he offers a sympathetic smile.
“I can stay until it's time for you to sleep.”
You know you've got him, it's an offer he can't refuse.
He's all smiles now and hugs you by the waist, his head laying on your chest.
You smile and hug him back, your head laying on his.
Mark cleans the table and Oliver takes out the trash while you help Debbie with the dishes.
“It doesn't matter how many times I say “no”, does it?”
You hum and shake your head. “Nope.”
You make small talk while you dry after she scrubs and rinses. About college, your plans after college, Mark.
“What about him?” You wonder.
“I mean, how has be been since...”
You see a look of helplessness on her face.
Debbie may be his mother but even she is not immune to the conflict of secrecy in her son's life.
You instantly feel bad.
Mark always tells you everything but to have his own mom ask you things about her son makes the situation complex.
You turn your head over your shoulder and see Mark playing a video game with his baby brother.
When Mark told you about Nolan, what happened to them on Thraxa and the events that unfolded afterwards, you didn't know how to respond.
As if hearing Nolan reveal his plans for Earth and call Debbie a “pet” wasn't heartbreaking enough, you were there with Debbie when Mark was brutally assaulted by his own father.
Then you hear of Nolan's second family he while the first one was still trying to keep it together and deal with the devastating aftermath of the biggest betrayal.
You almost cried when Mark broke down about Angstrom Levy hurting Debbie and Oliver.
You were out of the country on a field trip with your classmates when that happened. Devastated was an understatement for how you felt to hear both Mark and Debbie in the hospital from William.
Mark shamefully admitted to killing Angstrom, thinking that would sever the bond between you two. He expected you to be afraid of him, no matter how awful he’d feel about doing that to you.
It was the total opposite, you embraced him and let him cry on your shoulder. You let him feel everything but you also let him feel your hand in his.
You looked him in the eyes and told him that he did what he had to do and if killing Angstrom was the solution, then so be it.
“Mark told me everything. From seeing Mr. Grayson—”
You see a flash of hurt in Debbie's eyes at the mention of his name and almost forget that before he was known as Omni-Man, he was Mr. Grayson. He was Mark's dad.
“—again and about Oliver. Up until Angstrom and how the last thing he did was hurt you and Oliver.”
Debbie drys her hands and looks out of the window above the sink.
You can tell she’s disassociating. Her eyes seem so far away and crestfallen.
You don’t know if she’s getting much sleep but you also can’t imagine getting any if you were her.
You put a hand on her shoulder and she’s visibly shaken out of her thoughts.
“He’s gonna be okay, and so are you.”
She looks at you like you’ve lit up a candle at the end of a very dark tunnel.
Debbie leans in for a hug, eliciting a small sigh when you strengthen the embrace a little.
You figured she should feel taken care of for once.
“Thank you.”
You hear her sincerity and make a mental note to talk about this with Mark later on.
Oliver is tired out from having a “good playdate” with you and his older brother.
You tuck him in for the night per his request and can't help but feel the warmth from taking care of him touch your heart.
He's a growing boy but despite the many changes one goes through due to that constant stage of life, his feelings for you don't change.
Mark loves how much Oliver loves you. He loves seeing 2 of the most important people in his life get along so well, secretly admiring the way you've grown a soft spot in his mother's heart, too.
“They grow up so fast.” Mark attempts to humor.
You hum and try your best not to cry dwell on the bittersweetness of that phrase.
“Yeah.”
You're sitting on Mark's bed, looking fondly at the one of many drawings the kid made for you.
You softly exhale and bring up the conversation you had earlier with Debbie.
“Mark, I have something I want to talk to you about.”
He looks at you knowingly. “I know.”
Your eyes widen a bit at that revelation. “You do?”
He nods, a pursed smile on his face. “I have super hearing, remember?”
How did you forget that?
You close your eyes and exhale sharply, feeling silly for forgetting that power of his. “Right, duh.”
You don’t want to push the conversation if he’s not feeling it but you want to know if you did the right thing.
“I... didn’t overstep… right?”
“Oh, no. No, you didn’t.”
He rubs the back of his neck sheepishly. “I… haven’t had the best time talking to her about the things I say to you.”
You nod in understanding.
“I felt bad when she asked you how I’m doing. She should be able to ask me that.”
He’s guilt-stricken and it makes you feel dejected.
“Mark.” You put a comforting hand on his shoulder. “I know it’s hard talking to your mom about your inner turmoil but you’re all she has.”
Who does Debbie go to when she wants to discuss the matters of her heart? Who’ll listen when she wants someone to talk to?
“You give her the strength to carry on so let her give you some peace of mind, hm?”
Mark’s eyes shine with a strong fondness for you, his mind wiped clean of all things difficult and heart ten times lighter.
You’ve always understood him, whether he explains himself or not. You could always just know.
Your heart and emotional intelligence are perhaps his favorite things about you.
“You okay?” You ask, worried you’ve overstepped again.
“Never been better.” He promises.
A soft smile graces his lips as he leans in to hug you.
You accept it with an equal gentle expression and when you feel his arms wrap around your middle, you feel good.
Mark is invulnerable but not when it comes to the war between his mind and heart, that’s when you step in. And when you do, there’s always a resolution found in great clarity.
You feel his heartbeat above yours and unconsciously, they sync. His breathing evens out with yours.
It feels intimate, this hug.
You’ve hugged him a million times before but none of them have felt quite like this.
A heavy weight on his shoulders has evaporated and you can feel his gratitude.
“I don’t know how to thank you.” He murmurs.
You tilt your head back a bit so he can see you. “Then don’t.” You shrug, like it’s the most obvious answer.
He chuckles lightly and blinks at you, a tight-lipped smile on his face.
You’re suddenly hyper-aware of his arms loosening around you and replacing the warmth with his hands on your hips.
You subconsciously gulp and watch his eyes flicker towards your eyes, lips then back to your eyes.
You don’t know if it’s your mind playing tricks on you, but you swear he moves his head a little closer to you; just enough to barely touch noses.
Your stomach is in a frenzy and your hands feel clammy.
Is this really happening?
But then, like a switch being flipped off; he gingerly clears his throat and backs away.
You blink, catching yourself in a daze and he gets up to put on a movie.
He acts like he wasn’t just about to kiss you, as if that chemistry was just a figment of your imagination.
You don’t have the guts to say anything, to ask the obvious. So, you also pretend that you two weren’t just about to fulfill your biggest ‘what if?’ scenario.
“Oh, wow… that’s crazy.”
“I’m sorry, Y/n.”
It was nice to hear sympathies from the only people who you could afford to talk about this with. They’re also the only people who wouldn’t go and spread the telltale truth of the most embarrassing moment of your life.
“I can’t believe he fumbled this badly.” Amber facepalms herself in disbelief.
She sighs in exasperation and plops down on your bed with an arm covering her eyes.
Eve doesn’t move from her position; leaning on your wall with her arms crossed and her face in thought.
“What if he doesn’t like me like that?” You wonder aloud.
Amber peeks an eye out from under her elbow and Eve shakes her head.
“No, no, no. Trust me, that’s not it.”
“Don’t seem so sure.” You grumble as you pick at your nails to distract yourself from the heartache.
Eve sits down beside you and thinks about her words carefully. “Mark… well, I won’t defend him; he is kinda stupid.”
“Kinda?” Amber argues.
That makes you grin a bit.
“But he’s also your best friend, and you’re his. Maybe he doesn’t know how he feels but he does know that you’re not worth the risk of something he’s unsure will ever happen.”
Somehow, she put things into a perspective you’ve never thought about before.
“I never thought about it like that.”
You feel Amber sit up.
“That’s because it’s a confusing situation. Seeing both sides of the story might help you make some sense, give you consolation.”
You nod, already having potential answers to your unanswered questions. If not real answers, you’ll settle for theories. It’s still something.
“Thank you, guys.”
Amber winks at you. “Anytime.”
“Of course. We're rooting for you both.”
You shyly smile when Eve nudges your shoulder.
“So,” She claps her hands together. “What should we do to commence our very first sleepover? Omegle?”
Amber is concerned for the first time at Eve’s expense.
“Umm...” You pout your lips to the side.
“I don't find the idea of accidentally getting flashed the most... thrilling.” Ambers grimaces.
“Yeah.” You nod.
Eve has a sly look on her face, one that says her proposition comes with an entertaining twist.
“Trust me, I have an idea.”
“Okay, that was pretty fun.” Amber concedes.
You laugh softly to yourself, remembering the events from the previous night.
The 3 of you decide to go out for lunch, finding the night an excellent moment for bonding.
“What was fun?”
Mark pulls a seat up at the table you're occupying.
“Mark? How'd you know we were here?” You query.
Mark looks just as confused as you but before he could answer, Eve does it for him.
“I invited him.”
“Oh. Okay.”
You don't have a problem, it's just that you thought this was gonna be “girl time” as you like to call these moments.
It would've been nice to know, at least.
Amber attempts to start up a conversation but little did you know; this conversation was a part of Eve's “idea” she mentioned the night prior.
“We went on Omegle last night.”
Mark's eyebrows raise in surprise. “Did anything happen?”
You understand the underlying message to be, “Were you victims to any unsolicited sexual advance?” and find it kind of sweet that Mark cares enough to have that be his first train of thought.
“Yeah, actually.” Eve notes as she takes a bite of her burger.
“Y/n's got herself a loverboy.”
You choke on your drink. Exploding into a fit of coughs, you hope it kills you.
Mark is quick to pat your back and try to aid in helping.
When you catch your breath, you look over at him awkwardly and thank him.
“Don't mention it.” He humbly said.
You make it a personal mission to never bring it up. Ever.
Amber continues to fuel the fire.
“Yeahhh.” She sighs. “He's Russian and was all, like, ‘Your eyes are like the ocean and I am a merman.’.” She puts on her best Russian accent and giggles when she nails it.
“Mm!” Eve makes a noise of enthusiasm, adding on to the punchline. “And then he said, ‘They are so deep, I can drown in them.’.”
“The fuck?” Mark grunts under his breath. “But mermen can swim.”
Honestly, he thought it was fucking stupid. Even if this guy was a “merman”, he'd be able to swim. Drowning is totally out of the question.
“Yeah, but it was the thought that counts.” Amber spoke before eating a fry.
“It was pretty corny.” Eve seemingly agrees with Mark.
“See?! I knew I wasn't the only one.” Mark nods to himself.
“But...”
His smile drops.
“I gotta admit, it was kind of romantic.”
Mark can't believe this.
Is romance really dead? Aren't punchlines supposed to make sense?
He knows it's only romantic because the guy's Russian. Okay, so he has an accent. So what? That should pardon his inadequacy of flirting?
“You guys only ate it up because he has an accent.”
Mark narrows his eyes as he takes a curly fry from your plate.
Amber and Eve side eye each other with mischief as they see you enter the ring.
“I thought it was kind of sweet, you know? At least he tried.” You counter.
Mark tilts his head, clearly bewildered. “You mean to say that you actually liked that?”
You don’t like his accusatory tone. “It wasn’t that bad, Mark.”
He rolls his eyes and begs to differ. “Wasn’t that bad- it made no sense! He definitely pulled that shit out of Google’s top thirty best flirty lines.” He puts air quotes around best.
“Oh, would you look at that? I actually have to go do that... thing.” Eve slowly rises from her seat.
“Yeah, me too.” Amber flashes a sweet smile.
They’re gone before you can impose.
“They really just left.” You say to no one.
Mark is still somehow going. “I just… I dunno.” He says, defeated.
“Mark, it wasn’t that deep. He liked my eyes and said some line that made me feel nice. That’s all.”
He nods like he understands but he really doesn’t.
“He’s no Mr. Darcy.” You settle as you take a sip of your milkshake.
Mark smiles at that and you’re confused.
“Why’re you smiling?”
“I knew it! I knew you couldn’t possible swoon over that ridiculous, nonsensical one-liner.”
You laugh incredulously. “Seriously, what’s your problem?”
He raises his hands in surrender. “I just knew he couldn’t be your type after that. Sure, you like them romantic but with genuine thought.”
He says that so confidently, with such attention, it makes you feel nicer than the Russian’s compliment. He makes you feel seen with that keen observation.
You nod to yourself, lowkey impressed.
“Mkay.” You simply say.
His gaze flickers towards you at the seemingly confusing, neutral response.
“What.”
“What, what?”
“You said that like you’re not convinced.”
You deeply exhale, not wanting to argue anymore. “Mkay.”
His eyes widen a bit and he snaps at you like he’s just discovered the phrase: ‘eureka!’.
“That, right there. That’s what I mean.”
You rub at your head as if you’ve got a headache but you doubt you won’t get one soon.
“Elaborate.”
You’re sticking with as little words as possible if it means to get to the point.
“Are you mad at me?” He asks with worry coating his tone.
You shake your head, unsure of what’s happening. “I just don’t know what’s gotten into you today. You’re in this strange mood to argue.”
He blinks.
You’re right.
Arguments are a rare occurrence in this relationship.
“We never argue.” He realizes regretfully.
Your eyes trail up his form and you see the uncomfortableness etched onto his outline.
“I’m sorry-”
“Sorry-”
There’s a pause, one that melts the lingering awkwardness into friendliness.
You see the hints of a smile creep up on him and instinctually, there’s one in yours.
“You first.”
Ever the gentleman.
“Sorry for making it awkward.” Your fingers interlock with each other and you give him an apologetic look.
Mark immediately shakes his head. “No, you didn’t make anything awkward… It was me. I got-”
He doesn’t speak for a few seconds, trying to find another way out of this as two thirds of his sentence has already been put out.
“You got..?”
He puts on a tight-lipped smile but it looks pained. “I just wanna say that I’m sorry for getting defensive for no reason.”
He thinks that was a good excuse for his detour but you’re smart.
“Jealous.” You say firmly.
“Huh?” He squeaks and immediately clears his throat.
“You got jealous.” You shrug your shoulders and move the whip cream in your milkshake around with the straw.
He scoffs with the intention of obscurity. “That- I- What? Pfft, jealous. Who, me?! Yeah, right.”
His stuttering erupts a snort from you, an “I told you so” fresh on the tip of your tongue.
He wanted to spout declarations of how incorrect you are but he couldn’t. The cat had his tongue.
“Whatever.” He bites with little heat.
He crosses his arms over his chest and appears to look unaffected by your ability to see through him.
“Mkay.” You hum to tease him.
Your best friend groans and you giggle at him slouching down in his seat, his hands covering his face and in turn; a sheepish grin.
You’re in your home when your TV bears awful news.
“Breaking news: intruders that look like multiple Invincibles are wreaking havoc across the globe.”
As soon as you hear that, a loud boom is heard from across the city and sends shockwaves to where you are.
“We urge you to stay in your homes and hide. Do not make contact, I repeat; don’t engage with them.”
You’re scared.
How the hell are you supposed to stay hidden in your home when there’s the start of destruction visible outside?
How can they tell you to stay inside when there’s a chance you can die in there?
It’s not like the variants aren’t gonna come inside. Who’d stop them from hurling your place of residence like a football?
Despite all of those thoughts, you stay inside.
You hide in your living room. You sigh to yourself as you hide inside a spare closet, leaving a sliver of space open to breathe.
You turn your phone’s ringer off but feel the vibrations in your pocket. You look to see who it could be and feel so much relief flood your stomach when it’s Mark.
“Mark?” You say shakily.
“Y/n? Oh, thank god. Where are you?”
Your eyes water but you keep them at bay. No point in crying over spilled milk.
“I’m in the spare closet of the living room, what’s going on?”
He starts to explain when the call abruptly cuts.
So fucking cliche you think as you the see the dead battery sign.
The sound of a window opening makes you heave out a sigh of relief.
You get out and are about to hug him but the first thing you notice when you open the door is his face. Er, the lack thereof.
“Is… this a new costume?” You ask wearily.
You didn’t know Mark had a black mask installed. It covered his whole head and the lens was turquoise blue instead of white.
He just stares at you, unflinching and scarily still.
You gulp as the realization sets in your stomach.
This isn’t the Mark of your world. This isn’t the Invincible you recognize.
The masked stranger can sense your irregular heartbeat and hear the small panicked breaths that well up in your chest.
He slowly stalks towards you; like a predator to their prey, except there’s nothing dangerous about his stance. He doesn’t radiate harm or anger and he puts his hands up, as if to show you he won’t harm you.
For your own sake, you don’t believe that. You can’t believe that’s what he wants.
You’re frozen, wide eyes filled to the brim with fear and shock.
You grip your phone tight in your hands, ready to turn it into a weapon if you must.
He’s interrupted when another one shows up.
This one has a black and yellow suit with a yellow cape.
Your eyes dart to his figure and you’re sure this one’s gonna do the honors.
“You’re alive.” He says to himself.
His eyes are covered with white lenses but you know he’s looking at you.
His hands ball up into fists and he walks to you with an urgency in his stride.
You instinctually back up and hit a wall when the masked variant gets in between you both.
“She’s scared.”
The tone in his voice almost makes you think he cares. Almost.
“Get out of my way.” The bright-caped intruder basically spat his face.
“And let youuu have all the fun? I don’t think so!”
What the fuck?
You see what looks like Mark… in a mohawk.
His lips spread into a smirk, a cocky tone in his words.
Your nails press into your arm to prevent you from sputtering out a giggle.
How are you supposed to take him seriously when he’s willingly sporting a mohawk? Right.
If you knew there was going to come a time where your home is used as some sort of Invincible convention, you would’ve moved out a long time ago.
“You’re here.”
This one scares you a little.
His demeanor may be softer but his eyes, they’re wild with a fire furling around his pupils.
What makes the fear prick at your heart is the fact that he’s wearing the Viltrumite uniform.
Wherever he came from, he became his father.
That fact chills your bones and you think, how could that happen? Why did that happen?
His wild eyes are wide with surprise and there’s the ghost of a relieved smile on his face.
Very quickly have you gone from 0 to 100.
There are 2 seemingly decent Invincibles and 2 Invincibles that give off evil vibes.
What’s better news is that they all have some sort of fascination with you.
Awesome! Fantastic, even!
Your adrenaline has taken a back seat but you’re still unnerved by the destruction just outside your neighborhood.
You’ve never wished for a quicker death as this cat and mouse game is becoming all too much. The anticipation will kill you if they don’t.
“Alright,” Mohawk Mark yawns. “Enough dickin’ around.”
The 4 variants surround you, encasing you in an otherwise unbreakable square.
“You’re coming with us.” Decides the caped crusader.
He puts his hand out to grab you but is thrown through a wall by an unstoppable force.
It feels a bit blurry after that.
You feel yourself being lifted and moving at an alarming speed, your body lurching forward and side to side by the breeze taking you.
“I’m sorry. I’m so, so sorry.” He murmurs.
He hugs you close to his chest, a hand cradling the back of your head and the other clutching your back protectively.
“M-Mark?”
You find your voice amongst the dizziness clouding your head.
He holds your head and tilts it towards him, kissing the crown and meeting your eyes.
“Yeah, it’s me. You’re okay, you’ll be fine. Just stay here.”
You hold his wrists and blink, looking around you to find yourself with Debbie and her boyfriend, Paul.
“Please.”
Mark’s desperation appeals to you. His voice cracks with an urgency for your life. One that is begging you to listen, and you do.
“Okay.” You agree.
He nods and kisses you once again, a sweet promise pressed against your forehead.
You may have had the wind knocked out of you but that doesn’t mean you’re unaware.
Oh yeah, that kiss sobers you up real quick.
Your eyes are wide and cheeks are warm; you’re flushed and hope he doesn’t detect the jump in your heart rate because of his tenderness for you.
“Be careful.” You blurt out.
Mark looks back at you with a smirk on his face.
“I will.”
He kept his promise for the most part.
“Ow.”
“Maybe don’t move around a lot?”
“…Sorry.”
He winces as you treat his facial wounds.
Mark got pretty banged up; his left eye was swollen and purple from Conquests fists. He has similar shades of bruising on his face and a nasty cut on the bridge of his nose, another on the corner of his lip.
His arms and leg are almost fully healed.
It’s been a grueling 2 weeks.
Oliver helps out as much as he can.
Eve and the rest of the heroes are helping piece the cities back together but no matter how much they help rebuild, the atrocities committed won’t be forgotten.
Conquest was here on a personal mission and almost leveled the state because of it and roughed up Oliver pretty badly.
“I don’t know what to do.”
You hear him, you hear the things he wants to say and the things he doesn’t say out loud.
You feel so bad, so awful for him. He’s still a kid trying his hardest, doing his best.
Why can’t that be enough?
“It isn’t fair.” You respond.
His gaze turns to you.
“You do your best and when you think it’s over, the worst is still yet to come.”
Your fingers lightly touch the one of many bruises on his cheek, his eyes close at the contact.
“I can’t imagine how many times you’ve had pieces of you broken for us but it’s a sacrifice that unfortunately comes with the job.”
It hurt your heart, saying the second part.
Hard truths are a pill you’ll always find difficult to give.
He sharply inhales and the tears he tried so hard holding, come pouring down. Soft sobs and wails plague his throat.
His head falls atop your chest and his hands wrap around your middle, clinging to your shirt.
Your arms wrap around his shoulders and you do your best to ground him, to be his anchor.
His mental state is unimaginable, the thought of him slipping away has been a reoccurring nightmare for you but you push through. You have to.
“So many people died.”
The death toll worldwide was into the hundreds of thousands. That was the doing of the variants but Mark was inadvertently responsible, too.
It breaks your heart at how unfair this all is.
A Viltrumite’s personal vendetta against Mark resulted in such catastrophe.
Scott -also known as Powerplex- fried his only family left and somehow thinks that is also Mark’s fault.
As if the Chicago Incident wasn’t enough, there was almost a Chicago Incident Part 2 had it not been for Eve.
“You can’t blame yourself for Angstrom’s doing.” You try to reason.
Mark shakes his head and gets up.
“I thought I killed him, but I should’ve been sure. I should’ve finished the job.”
Mark palms at his wet eyes, sniffling lightly as he calms down.
You don’t know what to do, you don’t know what to say.
You don’t want him to wallow in this pain by himself but you also don’t want to say something wrong.
“You should leave.” His cold tone and neutral face really sells it.
You’re confused. “What?”
You’ve never seen him like this and are worried the wretched day you’ve been imagining is finally here.
“I’m sorry, w-was it something I said? Or did?”
“No. I just want you to go.”
You watch his fists bunch up the material of his joggers on his knees and the veins protruding from his hands.
“I…”
You want to say something, you want to stay for him but you can’t. You know it’d only make things worse.
So you just nod and whisper a meek, “Okay.”.
Mark still isn’t looking at you when you make your way to the door. His face still expressionless, calculated, distant.
Your fingers reach for the handle when you hear him.
“Y/n?”
It’s embarrassing how quick hope flashes in your eyes at the sound of him saying your name.
You try to suppress the obvious reaction as much as possible.
“Yeah?”
It still seeps through your voice but you’re human.
Your emotions are a part of you, even if they end up being a helping hand to your disappointment.
You don’t see the pool of guilt swirl around in his almost annoyed eyes but maybe it’s for the better.
He stares at you and feels bad but after everything that’s happened, is it worth keeping you in his life?
He wants to tell you so badly what’s making him push you away.
Sure, William is his best friend but you’re so much more. You’re a part of him, you’re his soulmate.
Mark wants nothing more than to see you happy but he ultimately decides that it’s nothing compared to seeing you alive.
“Can you close my door all the way?” He begrudgingly says.
The average person would blame him for pushing you away, him getting your hopes up only to crush them so inadvertently cruelly.
But you only chastise yourself.
You want him to know that despite people like Scott or Angstrom; who put the blame on wrong people for their circumstantial demise, there's people like you and Debbie.
He has a support system ready to recharge him but maybe you were overcharging him?
You go to sleep in tears, crying silently to yourself over how fucked life is.
Mark doesn't sleep the whole night, knowing he can hear your heart break.
It's been a slow week.
You don't talk to anyone or do things you used to; only getting up to go to class and eat, do some occasional grocery shopping.
You make an excuse for Amber and Eve when they text you to meet up and watch their caller ID's flash across your phone before it rings all the way through.
Mark hasn't spoken to you at all. No call, no text.
Despite him quitting school, you used to see him all the time on campus. Whether it be for you or William or Rick.
Now, you don't meet with anyone.
“She doesn't wanna talk to me or Amber anymore.” Eve voiced one day.
"Nor us." Rick pointed towards him and William.
“Something’s wrong. I'm worried about her.” Amber adds as she comes across the last message you sent in the group chat with her and Eve.
hey guys, just dealing with the flu rn. i’m fine tho! no worries :)
But of course they worried. They're your friends and that's what friends do.
Which is exactly what they said when they arrived at your doorstep, so you can't afford another excuse.
Your duo sits on your bed, trying to come up with a solution to best help you out.
“He’s closed off and maybe that was expected, but it's been a week.” Amber says.
“Yeah, you'd think he'd open up by now.”
You sigh pitifully and look out your window and down the street.
You’re a 10 minute drive and he’s a 1 minute flight away, yet nobody is willing to close that distance.
“It should be him, though.” Eve says.
“Hm?” You hum absentmindedly.
“Mark should be the one to come talk to you, not the other way around.”
Eve gauges for a reaction from you, one that will oppose her idea.
“Maybe you should go.” She switches up.
You look at Eve hesitantly, like it's a flop idea.
“You tried, Y/n. You did your part and he let you know but this isn’t the way things between you should end. Should he want it to end.”
It's like Amber knew what you were thinking and tried to dismiss the thought for you.
You weren't gonna lie and say that you haven't thought about blowing up his phone, driving to his house and banging on his door to open up to you.
But would he even want to? Would he even listen?
“It's not about what he wants, it's about what he needs.”
“And what he needs right now, is you.”
- MEANWHILE, WITH WILLIAM, RICK & REX -
“Come on, man. Don't be like this.” William tries.
Rick can see how much Mark is beating himself up over everything that’s happened.
With the fight against Liu’s dragon and Powerplex. And now recently, Conquest.
Mark never complained, it was the job. But you made getting back out on the field a bit easier.
“It's not worth losing her.” Rick gently reminds.
Mark's trio of lending hands have come to his service but it's unwanted, and Mark lets them know.
“Look, I don't need this. Especially not right now.”
This makes Rex mad.
“Oh you don’t need this? Well, excuseee me! We don’t need you to be so goddamn stupid, especially not right now.”
Mark narrows his eyes, visibly agitated. “Stupid? I’m being stupid?”
Rex widens his eyes, his pitch growing higher. “Yeah! That’s what I said.”
“Okay, I think we’re elevating the situation so let’s all just calm down.” William suggests nervously.
Mark has other thoughts as he rises from the bed. “And how exactly am I being stupid?”
Rex knows he shouldn’t be egging him on, he shouldn’t be encouraging his anger; but if this was the way to make his friend see his foolishness then so be it.
“By distancing yourself from the one woman who’s nice enough to let you, instead of manning up and telling her how you really feel.”
That stung.
“You don’t get to tell me how to handle my love life.”
Rex smirks lazily, a hardball on the tip of his tongue. “You don’t even have the balls to have one.”
“Rex.” William warns.
The cheeky bastard ignores him and continues on, a bit excited to see where this would all lead.
“I think she’d want a man who sees her, who doesn’t hurt her by ignoring her entire existence.”
Rick facepalms himself and wonders where the line between bravery and stupid was drawn.
Mark’s knuckles are white from how hard his fingers are curling in on themselves, his fists ready to pound into the explosive asshole.
Rex steps closer, now toe-to-toe with Mark and ignorantly unafraid. “I wouldn’t make her wait.”
Mark punches him right in the mouth, hard.
“Mark!” The yell of his friends fall on deaf ears.
Rex grunts as he stumbles back a bit, expecting this outcome.
“You don’t know her. You don’t know what’s good for her.” Mark spits bitterly.
Rex spits some blood out, sighing heavily. “You do.”
That makes Mark soften up.
He blinks like he’s snapped out of a trance. His fist wavers and is set down beside his thigh, a deep sigh exiting his nose. He looks at his friend and witnesses the ugly truth; his jealousy won.
“What am I doing?” He whispers.
Rex coughs lightly, the cut on his lip stinging.
“Talk to her, Mark. Don’t let her live with the regret of not knowing.”
Rick puts a sympathetic hand on his shoulder, hoping this will finally tip him over the edge.
Rex comes off the wall, slapping Mark’s back with a warm pat.
“I’m sorry, Rex. I shouldn’t have-”
He dismisses him with a wave. “Nah, I was being an asshole. An asshole on purpose, but still an asshole.”
Deep breath in, deep breath out.
You’re gathering the courage to mull over the most impactful relationship in your life.
Is there even a correct way to do that?
You don’t know, but what you do know is that you have to try.
You look at yourself in the mirror and feel the weight of your younger self.
She’d be devastated. you think. If she were here in the flesh to see this, you don’t think she could withstand it.
A sharp knock to your door pulls you out of your head.
You’re not expecting anyone, and you’re unsure about the one person you did want to hear from.
Regardless, you walk over and open the door and your heart drops out of your ass. Not in fear, but in surprise.
“Mark.” You breathe.
Here he is; in the flesh and without the scowl you picture. In fact, he looks guilty.
His once glee-filled eyes are now empty of it, making you reminisce the time before last week.
“Can I come in?” His voice resounding of forlorn hope.
He expects you to deny him, to make him walk away with his hands held in a helpless prayer.
Instead, you show him mercy and welcome him inside your place of refuge.
Tentatively, he makes his way inside and awkwardly stands beside your desk.
You’re quiet, still trying to process his presence after an entire week of radio silence.
You don’t know how to feel. Should you be happy? Ecstatic? If anything, frustrated and hurt are also a great couple of options.
“Y/n?”
You look up at him and see his concerned face. “Hm?”
“I asked if we can talk.”
“Now you want to talk?” It came out before you could even think about it.
Your annoyance seeps through and he shuffles the weight on his feet a bit uncomfortably.
“I know-”
“No, you don’t.”
He looks at you like you just told him to kill himself.
“Y/n, please. Just hear me out.”
Your arms are crossed over your chest in a defensive position, he clocks that. He also notices the way you make eye contact with him throughout your sentences.
You were really hurt, he gathers.
He takes your silence as a sign to continue talking.
“After I left you at Paul’s, I went back out there and fought off the rest of those… variants. While I was fighting them, they told me about you.”
Your interest is absolutely peaked now.
“What do you mean?”
“They... they said that you existed in their world but-” He cuts himself off with a vexed sigh.
“But what, Mark.”
You want, need to know what was worth hurting you for days on end.
Mark looks at you and it's the most disheartened he's looked since that night he told you to leave.
“You died, Y/n.”
It all makes sense now. You grapple with the stomach-churning epiphany of the century.
The different Invincibles that wanted to take you was simply because you ceased to exist in their worlds.
“I... I died in every single universe.”
He takes some steps in your direction, not wanting to overwhelm you.
“You either died on accident by being murdered among civilians or you killed yourself.”
“Why would I commit suicide?”
He deeply inhales. “Because you'd rather die than join the other me.”
That sounds on brand.
“I couldn't live with myself knowing I'd lose you in this world, too.” He admits raspily.
That touches your heart.
You want to hug him, to comfort him but you're still kind of confused. You needed more answers.
“I was so scared, I had never felt fear like I did when I saw them with you.” He whispers.
“Why'd you tell me to leave?” You ask gently.
“Because I love you.”
His confession is so light, said with such helplessness, that you tear up.
Mark maintains eye contact with you, tired of hiding his true self. He wants you to see him.
“So many people have died because of me, it may not be directly my fault, but it still had to do with me.”
He comes a little closer, just a couple of steps away from touching you.
“What if I was too late that day? What if they managed to take you away?” He mutters in a hushed tone.
Mark shakes his head as if to get rid of those thoughts.
“If anything happens to you, it will be because of me.”
“So, you thought it was best to create such a large gap between us, that there'd be a sinking hole inside of me. Is that it?”
Your eyes well up against your will but you can't bring yourself to care. Not when he can finally see just how much you've been suffering.
“You think I wanted to do that?” He asks defensively.
You scoff indignantly. “I think you could've told me from the jump. That's what I think.”
You know it's a little unfair given how vulnerable he's being right now but he was unfair when you were vulnerable, too.
He shakes his head, eyes closing in on themselves as his tears threaten to fall. “I can't risk your life, Y/n! Why don't you understand that?”
You messily wipe your tears, your lashes wet and nose tinged with the lightest of reds.
“All this time, you didn't have a problem with how close we were. Now that you saw how close I was to something dangerous, it got too real for you?!”
He's in your space now, his chin set down and eyes on yours.
Contrary to how mad he looks, he relays his message in an low tone. “Yeah. It did.”
Your eyes widen a bit at the length he's cut between your bodies and you're back in time. You go back to the moment he almost kissed you.
“Don't push me away, Mark.”
You beg him and you don't care if you look pathetic. You love him and don't want to lose him like this.
Mark just presses his forehead against yours and shuts his eyes, he concentrates on you. Your smell, your hushed breaths, your heartbeat.
You feel his hands slide up and down your arms, grounding you.
Even when he's opening up to you, Mark still chooses to comfort you. He still wants to calm you down, to make you feel better. He still chooses to have your best interests at heart.
“I came here to tell you the truth, that you deserve better.”
You wordlessly deny his idea, shaking your head once.
He grabs ahold of your head, making you look at him.
You see it all, you see all of his pain, grief, anger.
“I love you but you're not safe with me.”
“You don't get to make my decision for me.” You stubbornly point out.
He’s stubborn too. “Y/n—”
“I love you.” A shaky whisper snuck into the air between your lips.
His wide eyes stare back at yours in surprise.
“I've loved you for a long time and I don't wanna be in love with another.” You wrap your hands around his, feeling the warmth bloom onto your cold ones.
“Please, please don't ask me to stay away from you.” You cry.
He kisses your head and brings you close, his palm guiding your cheek to his shoulder. He curls his other arm around your waist and rests his chin atop your hair.
“Okay, alright.” He fondly agrees. Stop crying, you crybaby.”
“Fuck you.” You lightly jab.
He airily laughs and brings your face close to his, pressing an equally feathery kiss to your lips.
You timidly kiss him, shying away a little to breathe but Mark wants you to take his breath if you must. He pulls you in, hands gripping your hips and pulling you flush against him, wanting to shape a new mold from your figures.
Your fingers nervously brush his hair and he groans at the contact.
You chuckle at the sound and he pulls away leaving a soft peck.
He's in a daze and has hearts in his eyes but he ultimately decides; he wouldn't want it any other way.
romaincrisis
yousharknotpass
turnnoffyourmind
