malloraird for the ship ask: 26, 39, 42
Thanks for the ask! I don’t know how good this turned out, but I tried...
26. How do their friends feel about their relationship? Their families?
I have a feeling most of the people around them would have somehow suspected it already. Or at least, it would not come as that much of a surprise to anyone they know. They bicker like an old married couple at the workplace. Everyone can see that Mark is the only military man Adrian seems to have even a modicum of respect for (well... he would never admit to it, of course, but maybe he respects the general and his stalwart nature just a little). Mark, meanwhile, brings up Adrian way too much in casual conversation (and at inopportune moments with his various romantic partners, too). I think the only surprise to anyone is that Mark might actually openly be into men.
In terms of individual reactions:
Their Space Force colleagues would be supportive all round.
Fuck Tony would probably want to tweet about them because it would be great publicity: “The first openly non-straight U.S. military general and his senior citizen boyfriend!!! DIVERSITY!!!”
I think Kelly and Jerome would take it in stride, because really, they already saw it coming a mile away.
Maggie would be all for it: “Hey, we both just found out we're bi and found a same-sex partner! Good for us!”
Erin might be a little upset, because even though she knows now that her parents are in an open relationship, she still doesn't like the idea of anything or anyone taking up more of her father's time when she feels he already doesn't spend enough time with her... but maybe Adrian would integrate into their family life more, and she'd warm up to him eventually? He could help her with her homework, be the cool anti-authority uncle... I definitely see Erin liking Adrian as a person, so maybe she thinks, if her dad was going to be with someone, at least it’s Adrian?
39. Who initiated the relationship? Who kissed who first? When did they realize they were in love?
Adrian confessed to loving Mark first, because Mark is too repressed.
Mark kissed Adrian first, because what else does one do when the infuriating scientist you have a secret crush on confesses to loving you?
They first fell in love with one another when they realized they were in fact on the same team: Adrian realizing that Mark is a good person underneath that repressed macho disaster of an exterior, Mark realizing that Adrian does have their mutual best interests at heart even if he acts out whenever he doesn’t get his way…
42. Do they let each other get away with things that would normally bother them?
Mark lets Adrian get away with being disrespectful of the military, and in return, Adrian lets Mark get away with being military. :p