Comfort
So my heart just broke upon learning Marc’s story. Not even with Loki did I want to reach into a TV screen and hug a character. This episode made me fall in love with Marc as much as Steven. (BRING HIM BACK MARVEL!!! 😭) And until episode 6 comes out, I need this catharsis to tide me over. Hints of Steven x reader and Jake x reader, but mostly Marc x reader. Enjoy!
Waking up in the middle of the night was to be expected when dating a superhero that worked mostly at night. What you could never expect was the same experience each time. Because your boyfriend was actually three people in one body thanks to their Dissociative Identity Disorder.
Steven would try to be quiet when he came in. He really did. But his natural clumsy nature would often bump into something with a hushed curse along the lines of “Oh Bollocks!”
Or sometimes you’d open your eyes to see him sitting up and reading in bed. Still unable to sleep sometimes. Squinting through his glasses in the moonlight. He’d always notice you had awakened, and apologize,
“Sorry Love. Did I wake you?”
Then you would curl up on his chest as he read to you, his London accent soothing you back to sleep.
Jake didn’t bother being quiet. He knew you were a light sleeper. He did try to avoid you seeing the blood on him before he stripped to take a shower. Other times you would wake up to find Jake lavish his attentions on you. Giving you a sly wink on his way down.
Marc almost never woke you up. Maybe you’d wake up when he come home, but he’d always whisper in his Chicago cadence,
“Just me. Go back to sleep Baby.”
And with a gentle kiss to your forehead you would, only briefly becoming aware when he’d join you under the covers. He never tried to wake you up again.
So imagine your surprise one night when you awoke to the sound of whimpering. Jake would never and the lack of Steven’s accent told you it was Marc. You turned over to see Marc practically in the fetal position, eyes clenched closed.
He was muttering softly in his sleep,
“No…please Ma…Mom please…please stop…stop…I didn’t mean it…please…Mommy please…”
You sat up, unsure. You wouldn’t dare with Jake. Steven you wouldn’t hesitate. But how would Marc react? Though you couldn’t see or hear Khonshu, you knew he had his way to make himself known.
“Should I wake him?” You whispered to the dark. A gentle breeze that came from nowhere ruffled the curtains.
“I hope that’s a yes.” You muttered to yourself. You turned to Marc and started to shake his bare shoulder.
“Marc? Marc? Marc Honey wake up.” You called gently.
He jolted awake, sitting up trying to catch his breath. His eyes, watery and red from unshed tears took in his surroundings before landing on you.
“Bad dream?”
He nodded, swallowing,
“Bad memories.”
He sighed rubbing his hands down his face.
“Come on. Lie down.” You nodded plumping up the pillows. Unsure, Marc waited until you laid down and made grabby hands at him. He gave a small upturn of his lips before he complied. Adjusting himself so that he was using you as a pillow. His head nestled between your boobs. He sighed in content as your fingers started to comb through his curls.
Still he had to ask,
“Aren’t you going to ask me about it?”
“Do you want to talk about it?” You replied.
You waited. He didn’t say anything. But you could hear the gears turning in his head.
“Not really.” He finally replied. “But you need to know.”
So he told you. About his little brother. About the accident in the cave. About his mother. You felt your nightshirt growing damp with his tears. You felt your own tears threaten to fall. You knew from your research with DID that some kind of childhood trauma caused it. But suddenly it all made sense. Steven’s innocence. Jake’s intensity. Marc’s protectiveness. All combined by a sweet gentleness that took your breath away.
When he was finished, you sniffed,
“Oh Baby. I’m so sorry. I wish I could have helped you.”
“You do though. Every time you touch me with love. Every time you comfort me. And Steven. And Jake. All those times you do something for us to make us feel loved. That helps.” He told you.
What else could you say?
“I love you. All of you.”
“I love you too. Steven and Jake say Ditto.” Marc told you with a glance at the mirror. You only saw his reflection of course, but you knew in his minds eye that Steven and Jake were there. Steven smiling softly with adoration. Jake smirking with pride.
With a giggle you put a hand on his chiseled jawline and drew Marc up to meet your lips. He shifted up on his knees to deepen the kiss. You wouldn’t mind it if this was how Marc would wake you up.
