Jenny

It could be thought that you hated your brother Mark. Especially because of your constant yapping about him being a selfish, stupid, thoughtless thing in the middle of every conflict.

But there was something people just didn't want to understand, you were just like that too. More like on the visible side of the iceberg, you seemed calm and gentle like him but you weren't like that at all. You weren't that person in the identity you hid from society.

As always, you were pulled away from a dream you wouldn't really remember by the sound of your alarm coming from afar. While your eyes opened lazily, they searched for the clock by your bedside.

The bad news was, you were late for school. The good news was, you were actually late for school. This meant not seeing the faces of those damn teachers and a day where your brother and the carrot shoved up his asshole didn't follow you around.

"Ahhh, thanks for a beautiful day to whoever is up there," you said while stretching in bed and getting up quickly. And of course, to greet a beautiful morning in the best way possible, a cold shower could not be skipped.

Without worrying about your messy state, you grabbed the pitcher by your bedside and filled your glass with water. You drank the water in a single gulp while walking out of your room toward the bathroom.

Your mom's voice wasn't coming out, which meant she wasn't home. And you, using the freedom in the house to the fullest,left the door open. You decided to sit on the toilet and watch some reels. After all you weren't in much of a hurry.

But someone else was. Especially an old emo whose name started with C. You didn't open it, you didn't want anyone to hear you peeing. Homever Cecil was calling persistently, which confirmed your thoughts. First, Cecil didn't trust Mark but if he had to choose between him or you, he would stick to Mark. Second,this was Cecil; if his ass was in a tight spot, he would call you like he was calling his kid sitting in the corner of the park.

Instead of answering his call, you sent a message. Of course he replied instantly. Or rather he just cut it short. You looked at the coordinates reflecting inside your eyes. At least he could have sent a proper message.

"Hah, I'm sure it's not even anything important," you said as you went back to reels. You weren't really eager to rush.

Not giving your focus to the screen in front of you, you slowly lifted your head toward the wall. A seed of doubt had fallen inside you. "Could he be having a heart attack on the way or something?.."

Laughing quickly at your own thought, you answered as if you were someone else. "Hahh no, no. That's Cecil Stedman. He has that teleportation he uses constantly that costs 7 million dollars as if it's nothing."

Back when you faced your father, Cecil had suddenly teleported away during the incoming attack, causing you who was behind him, to taste the incoming punch. A shiver passed through you; that had really hurt. "Anyway if he dies, at least I'll go to his funeral."

-----

You were messing around with your fingers intertwined. Your eyes with the most judging exhaustion, were looking at the press in front of you—while Cecil sat next to you, answering the directed questions.

Without looking at him you said in a low voice, "I can't believe I made the stupid mistake of taking pity and rushing to your side—what a fucking situation."

Even though Cecil heard you, he didn't break his composure. Honestly your words sounded quite normal right now—especially with your magician version constantly bouncing one foot under the table, it was completely normal.

When your spells weren't active, you were quite polite. Thoughtful, helpful and soft-spoken as velvet. And when you used your powers, everything turned upside down. This spent its time insulting the decisions you made in your other version—and then cursing at those around you.

"Alright, does anyone have any questions?"with Cecil's words and everyone in the room raising their hands, you returned to the matter at hand. Of course,Cecil would pick the most sensible-looking person and direct a boring question at you.

As for you, you didn't have the precious patience to deal with any of this.

You lifted your chin slightly toward the youngest and most inexperienced looking reporter among them. Cecil gave you a brief glance—he looked a bit bothered by you interfering in this. Well what can you say, you lived for these moments anyway. With a little bit of enjoyment creeping in, you leaned back in your chair—your fingers smoothing the skirts of your sparkly dress.

The young reporter stood up before even digesting the shock of being picked. "It is said that the Flaxan army from a long time ago will return—is this true?"

You and Cecil glanced sideways at each other at the same time. What the fuck kind of a question was this, you thought to yourself; on the other hand Cecil was thinking, oh god please don't say something stupid.

"Who is saying that?"" you said, shifting slightly in your position.

The young man answered, stuttering from his excitement, "According to rumors from certain experts—"

One of your eyes narrowed questioningly. "Are you taking men seriously who can't keep their hands busy with anything other than jerking off?" you remained there with your lips slightly parted in a dismissive expression.

Cecil let out a muffled cough and immediately reached for his water next to him. You focused for a moment on the movement of his throat as he drank loudly—while another woman, taking advantage of the young reporter's shock at your answer, pushed the topic forward. "Magi Girl, what is your strategy against this army that has threatened to invade the world?"

With your head shaking slightly in an unsteady manner, you huffed to show you were bored and slowly turned your gaze toward the woman. Then you leaned forward resting your elbows on the table in a heavy, deliberate way.

The microphone stabbed your arrogant voice into every single soul in the room. "Strategy? I'm going to smash those ugly creatures wrinkled faces flat with my pink wand. I'm calling out to them from here—I'm going shopping on saturday fuckers, so if you don't want to meet worse consequences, don't you dare try to attack on that day. Come on friday—let me finish your business in 5 minutes."

Turning to Cecil's piercing glare—which looked like it was digging a hole in your head—you gave him a cool wink. The press, meanwhile, had filled up again with noise and the clicking of cameras. Everything seemed under your control,almost.

Of course some disruptions occurred,a sweaty balding man in the middle of the crowd suddenly stood up. He rolled his tongue in a tone close to your previous arrogant manner. "The success of your father, Omni Man was the only factor that completely solved the last invasion. His son Invincible, was the next power after him—so where were you during this time?"

Your jaw tightened for a split second, but you immediately brushed it off your face. "Are you asking why Flaxan blood didn't splatter on my skirt while the old man and my brother went out and handled an entire army?"

While pointing and shaking your finger back and forth at the man, you snapped your fingers noticeably. "While ostriches like you were staring pitifully at the sky just for a single footage, doing absolutely jack shit—who did you think was saving the civilians? But no, the only thing that matters to you is flashy news, right."

Spreading your hands glamorously in the air, you visualized the imaginary headline in your head. "Omni Man and his successor save the world from terrorist aliens!"

"You got the topic wrong—"

"We know what the fuck we're talking about here." you slammed your hand onto the table. Cecil completely unfazed, had already picked up his glass beforehand to prevent it from spilling. Then he placed it back on the surface and crossed his hands. He really didn't have the energy to deal with you.

"Your problem isn't finding a real hero. You can fool society, but never me," you also pointed your thumb at the man next to you who wished he could just vanish. "Or this man. Right, Cecil?"

Without looking at you, he leaned into his microphone and addressed the press. "The briefing is over, Magi Girl has other projects she needs to attend to."

You crinkled your nose, stating loudly, "Exactly! Before you freaks get the fuck out of my presence, know this if you're looking for a real hero, look at my outfit and my wand, the rest are just muscle-heads."

While Cecil shot you a glaring look, your words caused a massive reaction. The crowd was heatedly trying to make themselves heard, stepping all over each other's words. Meanwhile you and Cecil were already close together, starting to argue.

"Damn it, how many times have I told you to watch that tongue of yours!" you gave Cecil a bored smile. "Who cares about my tongue, people are already used to my true self. I wish you would accept it a little too so we could focus on the future, big guy."

Cecil looked like he was about to have a literal nervous breakdown. Mark would always annoy him, but in the end they could compromise and de-escalate the situation somehow. But stopping you was impossible. You were like a runaway stop sign with legs. "People being used to that tongue of yours doesn't mean they aren't twisting your words. Listen to me carefully, next time—"

"What the fuck do you even do, you pink whore!"with the voice coming from the crowd, your fight stopped. For a moment Cecil's hand hung in the air, opening and closing as he didn't know what to do—ultimately pinching his eyelids with his fingers,while you turned your head with a slowness that felt like a century toward the press that had fallen silent.

You scanned the crowd with dull eyes. "Who said that." you hadn't asked you demanded.

This must be what they call reckless bravery—believing he wouldn't get caught in the crowd same man threw another insult. "It seems like the dildos you shoved in this morning weren't enough for you—you're just standing there braying as horny as a bull."

Your head, which was looking at another corner of the room, snapped toward the sound. Your lips curled into a ready growl,your eyes flashing fire. Of course you had caught the owner of the disgusting mouth directed at you. No other expression could be read from your gaze.

You threw the microphone in front of you to the side. As it bounced on the floor, a sickening screech echoed through the room. Cecil slowly leaned back in his chair, watching with wide eyes. "Get the fuck out of here," you said as you stood up.

There was only madness in your eyes.

You flipped the table in front of you to the floor as if it were nothing. You walked toward the press member with your jaw clenched tight. "Get the fuck out of here, man!"

The words filled the room, making the air thin and hard to breathe. Your sudden outburst had created a moment of stillness—but immediately after the sound of flashing cameras and shouting voices filled the room.

Of course, they were going to turn this into a news source too. Society loved bringing a hero down just as much as they loved praising one.

After giving the man one final lethal look, you walked toward the exit without caring.

The moment you stepped through the door, the room let out a heavy breath. Still no one stepped up to open their mouth and say a word. Even Cecil just sat there in silence. While they were trying to shake off the effect of the shock, you walked back into the room swinging your arms by your sides like a rowdy.

"Excuse me, there was something I forgot." In a polite tone twirling the wand between your fingers and pointing it towards the crowd.

"Cunt louse." with the words you spoke like a magic spell, a crimson beam shooting out of your wand hit the target. While people screamed and instinctively threw themselves to the floor and ducked, you were already looking at the little thing in front of you—your lips curled in a sadistic manner.

You had turned that reporter into a human faced cockroach the size of a mouse.

-----

"If you got a problem, then it's your fucking problem."

Without listening much to the panicked word vomit Eve was spitting out, you snapped back with the phrase. It had been an incredibly exhausting week—not to mention Cecil looking at you as if he was about to drop all his principles and beat you with a bat.

And here you were dealing with another mindset you absolutely loathed. "Alright, where is he?"

"Who?" you said lifting your eyebrows slightly, leaning your hip against the desk in front of you while sipping the coffee you had stolen from Cecil's office just a few minutes ago.

Eve looked a bit tense because you couldn't speak completely openly due to the people around. "Of course Invincible!" Raising her voice like that was even more boring than Cecil's coffee spreading across your palate.

"Oh him? My clone? Your little piston." you tilted your head expression crinkling with amusement.

"Wha—what the hell are you saying?" With a wicked grin on your lips, you mocked her mockingly. "W-what the hell are you saying?" you didn't even give Eve the chance to open her mouth and speak. "I guess you guys are just fucking around way too much. Girl, your brain is literally mushh! Until you got together with him,"

You brought two of your fingers close together in the air, leaving almost no space between them. "You had at least a bit of a mind. Now what's left is just completely turned to mush. So, sooo sad."

"Oh my god...Cecil. Tell her something."

Cecil, who had just entered the room, gave a brief side eye—while in the background only your wild laughter could be heard.

-----

"Ohohohooo and here I thought you were smart, you red prick." You soaked in him furious glare with a massive grin. "So, how much of a fucking idiot do you feel like right now? Come on, come on tell me."

"Don't worry, I won't snitch on you." You had caught Rex in another one of his so- called little flings. But you weren't the only one who had gained a secret. Earlier this week, he had also overheard some things he wasn't supposed to hear.

Specifically things Mark wouldn't like. But you were as relaxed as if you had just been hit by a gentle breeze rather than a threat. Shoving yourself right into Rex's space, blowing air into his face with a playful mood and then instantly turning into a dead serious expression,was something else entirely.

"Oh, you better do that or else I'll rip your damn balls off and castrate you."

"Wha—" you reached out to his cheek and patted it lightly. "Go on now, don't keep your harem waiting."

Despite the tension between you, Rex offered to take you out toward the middle of the day. Of course you accepted—you didn't want to stay with Cecil, who had sworn not to give you a single mission until you rotted away from boredom.

But before that dragging Rex along with you, you went to the laundromat near the agency. You had a few nice dresses left there—thanks to your dear brother getting overly emotional and hugging you despite the blood all over him.

"Everything of yours has shrunk, let's go this weekend and buy you some things." while examining yourself in front of the mirror out of boredom, you turned to Rex. You wanted to punch that expression on his face as he leaned against the wall, staring at you. "Finee let's go hand in hand but Mark has to come too."

After a terrible day—suppressing the urge to slap Mark—you joined the sweet family dinner. Though it was more like stuffing your face while suffocating between Oliver and his strange thoughts.

Despite the occasional glances and implied smiles Debbie threw your way, you didn't even bother getting out of your superhero uniform using a split second spell.

When you lifted your head from the steak you were chewing with your cheek stuffed, you met Mark's gaze. Your eyes darted to Oliver next to you, then back to Mark. You knew those eyes, that puppy look with those damn sparkling irises.

You forced yourself not to just get up from the table and leave. He was definitely either going to ask you for something or he was going to ask you for something.

"We're having a baby." Mark blurted out excitedly, squeezing Eve's hand next to him across the table.

"Congratulations," you said, maintaining your blank facial expression. Mark wasn't immediately affected by this—he probably thought you were just in shock from the excitement. "6 weeks along."

You watched out of the corner of your eye as Debbie happily clasped her hands together and left to go grab the camera. "Good fucking job to you both," you said the moment your mom was gone.

"Aren't you excited?" Mark asked, trying to keep the smile on his face with a slight look of surprise. He was completely disappointed, those puppy eyes were now clouding over with a bit of sadness. "Why? Am I the one who's going to pull the kid out of Eve's pussy?"

"Oh my god, Y/n." Debbie said as she walked into the room, staring at you in utter shock with warning eyes.

-----

"You use your spells in unnecessary ways." You stopped the dessert fork you were bringing to your mouth. Your eyes widened completely as you looked at Cecil.

Placing one hand on your chest, you spoke dramatically, "When did I ever do such a thing?" Cecil, however, looked back with a completely unfazed intensity, "When didn't you?"

You pulled your head back, letting your double chinshow. Your eyebrows furrowed slightly as you tried to remember the past days.

"Eat that shit!" you shouted as you suddenly grabbed the stop sign you created in the air with your magic, swinging it like a baseball bat at the ten meter tall, one eyed alien. With the blow it received, the giant which had been running on all fours, screamed and fell backward onto its ass.

With an excited giggle slipping from your lips you yelled, "Can you read what's written on it, you ugly creature? It says STOP, STOP! But I guess you don't know how to read and write!"

The creature screamed in pain and swung its claw at you—you quickly dodged it. Right after, you slammed the sign onto the monster's face with massive force. The shape of the sign literally printed itself onto the creature's head.

With the impact it took the creature crashed into the special, massive fountain built just this year behind it, turning it to dust. This brought a reaction from Mark, whose presence you had almost forgotten. "Hey! You're damaging government property, Cecil is going to be so mad about this!"

Pouting your lips, you made the sign in your hand vanish—scattering pink glitter around. "We pay taxes Mark, shut up and clean up this mess!"

Your focus snapped back to Cecil. "Every single accusation thrown at me is a lie."

Cecil raised his eyebrow at you as if to say really. "Because of your stubbornness, Mark is always the one writing the reports."

"Yeah, but that idiot can't even write properly with those glasses anyway."

For You  | @lumineya

while you are protecting the world during the Invincible War you come across one of the Invincible Variants

I WANT SOMEONE BADLY | @digitald0rk

after a hard night of fighting crime, you take mark back to yours to spend some extra time with him, one of your closest friends. he is a yearner, through and through.

and they called it puppy love | @sqgeism 

a man | @/sqgeism

a mans greed | @/sqgeism

Hold me while you wait | @damselneedssaving

An ordinary movie night over at your place with your favourite crime-fighting vigilantes ends in a knock at your door and you wrapped up in the embrace of a complete stranger claiming to be your boyfriend of another world—much to the blatantly obvious dismay of your house guests. Batboys X Reader, Mark Grayson X Reader

Cut Deep, Kiss Hard, Part Two, Part Three | @wordsofwhimsy

Your dangerously unhinged not-boyfriend threatens to “take care” of the friends of yours that keep trying to pull you away from him, and you are having none of it. literally a crazy stand-off

All the Pretty Girls | @/wordsofwhimsy

Three weeks after a breakup he can’t shake, Mark finds himself aimlessly nursing milkshakes and regrets—until William drags him out for a night at the club to help him “move on.” But no amount of drinks, dancing, or pretty strangers can quiet the echo of what Mark lost.

If I Was Your Girlfriend… | @/wordsofwhimsy

Mark just needs to be close to you dammit and he can’t stand that you’ll be that way with your girl friends but not him

Shy Girl Supremacy | @/wordsofwhimsy

You & Mark have been going steady for awhile. You’re the personal assistant to Cecil – handling all the jobs that are too low for Donald (think coffee runs, taking calls, etc.). You’re shy, reserved, and quiet. So the night you come crawling out of your shell and take the reigns in bed? Mark becomes your biggest fan, your personal hype man, and a man on the edge of religious experience.

misery of a superhero | @certifiedlovergirlsstuff

a new dawn begins | @/certifiedlovergirlsstuff

ROLLED UP ‘N RUINED | @slutla

you try to teach your friend how to smoke a blunt—instead, you learn something entirely different.

“A” 4 EFFORT | @/slutla

mark, smart, awkward, and far too soft-hearted, made the mistake of doing one too many assignments for you. a bully in heels, unhinged and relentless, you’ve taken a liking to him in the worst way possible.

They Do It In Porn | @sobbingscripter

Daddy Dearest | @tiramissyoucake

A possibility of a powerless firstborn is raised, where the child is almost entirely earthling. Nolan is not happy.

Omni-Mark's loving housewife | @/tiramissyoucake

Being a hero was exhausting work, but maintaining a wife's satisfaction and happiness was an 'enjoyable' way to unwind

Your Only Good Boy | @/tiramissyoucake

Mark loved being praised by you, he loved being good for you. on days where he could be himself in your lap, he was the happiest.

Variants x Fem! Reader,  Pt. 2 | @mirai-lunar

Right There, Pt.2, Pt.3, Pt.4, Pt.5, Pt.6ish | @acenanxious

mask on | @ruusawa

Just for Practice | @cherryyluvs

What started as homework turns into something else entirely… and it involves kissing Mark

You're All I Think About | @/cherryyluvs

Mark becomes obsessed with you, stalking your social media, learning your routines and slowly inserting himself in your life.

Late Night Confessions | @/cherryyluvs

late night calls and movie nights with you slowly turn into something more.

Little Notes, Big Feelings | @/cherryyluvs

Notes in your locker, simple, and anonymous. A little bit sweet. You never expected Mark Grayson confessing that he likes you.

Third Wheel Trouble | @/cherryyluvs

Mark was supposed to have a romantic skating date with you. But thanks to Debbie, he now has an unexpected plus one, his very nosy little brother

Don't Wake Up My Parents | @/cherryyluvs

You're staying over at Mark’s house. He sneaks into the room late at night and things get… risky

Study Break | @/cherryyluvs

Who needs textbooks when Mark's teaching you anatomy like this?

Varient!Invincible x reader MasterList | @slutoru1207

Multiple versions of Mark Grayson from different dimensions find the reader, each desperate to keep her because they lost their version of her. Now, they refuse to let her go.

Imagine Invincible!Mark x reader window moment | @/slutoru1207

You're Dead Everywhere But Here, part 2, part 3, part 4, part 5, | @readingbunny44

You were thrown out to the wolves—well, in this case, Invincibles and they seem a bit too eager to see you.

IF YOU CARE | @controld3vil

In this version, where Mark only ever saw you as a comrade, you were spared the worst. You escaped the fate that awaited you in every other reality.

u love me and i love you | @/controld3vil

Mark accomplished what his father couldn’t – he conquered Earth. Accepting that wasn’t the hardest part; living with it wears you down.

big flirt | @grimmsbride

the almighty invincible has no problem showing his lovely girlfriend how beautiful she truly is..

Touch | @/grimmsbride

mark grayson doesn’t give a damn what you can do, or how fear hurting him; he would touch you again and again no matter the consequences.

best time | @/grimmsbride

an opportunity presents itself that your beloved mark grayson simply can’t give up. sinister! Mark

boyfriend material, pt 2 | @0bticeo

“boxers? as boyfriend material?” you shrug, your movements stifled from your position between his legs, your cheek pressing up against his thigh. you shift a little, the pleats of the oversized tee you’ve stolen from him somehow having gotten stuck under his leg. “what? you can’t tell me these-” a gesture towards his boxers, the ones you’re currently wearing “- aren’t the type of stuff a hypothetical girlfriend would steal.”

takeout mishap | @/0bticeo

mark stumbles in, looking wrecked—bruised, bloody, barely holding himself up—but guess what? he still has a takeout bag. the paper’s stained red, but he just grins like an idiot and goes: "still hot." priorities.

love me like an innocent (and hold me tight) | @/0bticeo

viltrumites are war-borne. the only love mark grayson has ever known is the crushing weight of his father's fist. you remedy that. 

"in every dimension, Mark Grayson falls for you, but not this one." | @swightops

Inexperienced Boyfriend Mark Grayson | @angelltheninth

Mark Grayson Sees You Get Hurt | @/angelltheninth

Mark Grayson x healer!reader | @thegr33nc0met

Second Chance At Love, Part 2, Part 3, Part 4 | @tokoyamisstuff

During the war, one particular variant searches for someone he once lost.

Psychosocial | @/tokoyamisstuff

Yandere! Sinister Mark x Reader

Payback | @/tokoyamisstuff

After killing you in his timeline, Mohawk is seeking you out to do it again.

cuddling with mark | @sanguineterrain

The Ones That Belong to Me | @markeater

After fulfilling his part of the deal with Angstrom, he moved on to the main clause of the agreement. What he truly wanted to possess. Still the differences between universes could be quite strange. Sinister Mark x F!Reader

boyfriend hcs | @ditzybeee

he's in love, pt 2 | @starzyangel

How Mark Grayson Realizes he’s in Love with his Best Friend and how he always has been

𝑇ℎ𝑒 𝑂𝑛𝑙𝑦 𝐸𝑥𝑐𝑒𝑝𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛 | @your-s-truly

in every universe, mark grayson turns into his father and seals his destiny as a true viltrumite. what if things are different this time around?

Mark talking you through it | @justevelynnnn

your first time together gets ruined by sex pollen | @sunaskura

Hello, You | @earlgreylatte

Of course he would come to see you. You’re the reason he’s here, after all.

Another You | @/earlgreylatte

In one life, Mark loses his sister too soon. In another life, you willingly left him behind.

Unyielding | @/earlgreylatte

You’re usually at his mercy.

I Can Feel It in My Bones | @couldeatthatgirlforlunch

Being Invincible’s pet is cruel, but you manage to find comfort in it.

Masterlist | @/tiramissyoucake

Viltrumite Mark Masterlist | @/tiramissyoucake

Dad Viltrumite Mark | @/tiramissyoucake

CHERRY BOMB | @/digitald0rk

he’s whipped — more than the cream on your milkshake.

NERD ALERT, pt. 2 | @/digitald0rk

in which mark falls for the new comic book store employee who matches his nerd and realizes he wants that effing cookie SO BADD.

mark grayson/ invincible Masterlist | @/justevelynnnn

BABY, IT’S COLD | @/starzyangel

you ever seen the northern lights? me neither

FLYING | @/starzyangel

Mark takes you on a date flying

Of Moons, Birds, & Monsters | @/earlgreylatte

Where Mark Grayson having a sister changes everything and nothing.

Eldest Daughter Syndrome | @/earlgreylatte

Where being the daughter of Nolan Grayson was a burden in itself, despite him wanting the best for you.

dad mark HCs | @/ruusawa

not so secret identity | @/certifiedlovergirlsstuff

touch …. | @/grimmsbride

mark grayson doesn’t give a damn what you can do, or how fear hurting him; he would touch you again and again no matter the consequences.

Lately, the GDA had taken full control of the situation, putting all their faith in Mark. He was the only one who might have a chance to stop the Empire, or at least delay it. But that faith came with fear: they needed to keep him close, to monitor him constantly, just in case he ever turned against them.

Your time together had been cut in half since then, and now that he was with Eve… spending time alone with him had become even more complicated.

The faint cry of a child pulled you back to the present. You knew neither Mark nor Eve had heard it, but you couldn’t ignore it. You broke formation, diving toward the remains of a collapsed building. They stopped mid-air, probably thinking you had spotted one of the eighteen variants currently tearing the planet apart.

The sound led you to a small boy trapped under rubble. Somehow, he was unharmed, though his sobs made your blood boil. The more debris you moved aside, the stronger your anger grew: not at him, but at whoever had caused this devastation.

You stretched out a hand, and the child immediately leapt into your arms, trembling. You barely had time to ask if he was okay before a shimmering pink bubble enveloped him, pulling him gently out of your grasp.

“I think it’s better if we split up,” Mark suggested, landing behind you alongside the red-haired girl who had conjured the forcefield. “We need to cover more ground and find the version of me that’s behind this. If we all stay together, it’ll just slow us down.”

“Are you sure you’ll be fine on your own?” you asked, unable to hide the concern in your voice. The idea of letting him wander off into a battlefield like this made your stomach twist, especially after his last encounters with other Viltrumites, his father included. “We don’t know how strong they are. You might need backup.”

“I’ll go with him,” Eve interrupted softly as she tended to the boy inside her energy bubble. “I can help with civilians along the way, get them to safety.”

You said nothing. You just looked at them, at the way they moved so easily in sync and how she touched his arm like it was the most natural thing in the world. You couldn’t deny the sting of jealousy that burned in your chest.

You’d had your chances, but you never said anything. You never told Mark how you felt, never even tried to show him. How could he possibly have known?

“You’re probably the only one who can beat me,” Mark said with a half-smile, resting a hand on your shoulder as if he could sense your unease. “You shouldn’t have much trouble if you run into one of the variants. Just… try not to get too caught up with the civilians, alright?”

“You know I can’t just ignore them,” you replied, your voice tight. The thought of leaving people behind to die clawed at your chest. “They need me.”

“If we manage to stop all of them and find whoever started this, that’s how we’ll really save them,” Eve interjected, her tone pragmatic but not unkind. And she wasn’t wrong, logic was on her side.

“Fine.” You turned away, taking to the air again, the wind catching the edges of your cape as it billowed behind you. “Just don’t underestimate who you’re up against, and-”

Mark shot upward before you could finish, Eve right behind him. “You’re the one underestimating me now,” he called out with a teasing smirk before vanishing into the distance, heading east.

Even flying at high speed, your enhanced vision allowed you to see every single civilian below, all of them in danger.

How could you possibly ignore them?

You descended swiftly, throwing yourself into rescue after rescue, pulling people out of collapsed buildings, moving them to safer areas, treating their wounds as best as you could and coordinating with the scattered heroes still standing to protect those who couldn’t defend themselves.

Once you’d cleared the last area, you soared upward again, scanning for more survivors. That’s when an explosion caught your attention, a massive shockwave rippling through the skyline. You turned toward it instantly, reaching the collapsing tower in seconds. People were still trapped inside.

You braced your arms and caught the massive building before it could crash down, the weight straining even your strength. Slowly and carefully you lowered it to the ground, creating a path for the trapped civilians to escape.

Then… “Help!” A voice. Several cries echoed from above, drawing your eyes upward. You shot into the air without hesitation, heart pounding, and that’s when you saw him.

His suit was different but his face… his face was the same. Mark’s face. Except twisted into something cruel, his expression filled with the kind of rage you’d only ever seen in his father.

The variant hovered only a few feet from the terrified civilians waiting… or maybe just enjoying their fear.

“Leave them alone!” you shouted, launching yourself forward. Your hands slammed against his shoulders, grabbing him before he could react, and together you shot upward, away from the civilians.

The variant slipped free of your grip with unnerving ease, landing a punch square in your gut that forced you backward.

“Pathetic superhero!” he ground out through clenched teeth, obviously irritated that you’d interrupted him, yet the moment he got a better look his whole expression shifted: surprise, as if recognition warred with disbelief at finally finding you.

You stopped too, studying him more closely: he was an exact copy of Mark, so convincing that for a heartbeat you could have sworn your real Mark hovered in front of you. Of course it wasn’t him, though even the thought made heat rise to your cheeks.

“You started all this, I can’t let you get away,” you said, pointing at him and bracing for the next attack, your fists tightening as you closed the distance and landed several blows to his face.

The harder you hit, the more confused you felt by your own restraint: with your best friend you’d always trained together, testing limits and trading blows as practice, never once imagining you’d kill him, and even the idea of ending the life of a copy of Mark sickened you.

It was still him, in a way.

The variant exploited that hesitation, seizing control of the fight. He grabbed your cape and spun you around him until the centrifugal force flung you into the sky, only for you to stop yourself just in time from slamming into a still-standing skyscraper.

When he spoke your name you noticed, unnervingly, how like Mark his voice sounded: the cadence, the way he watched you and he began, almost pleading, “Listen to me, I only ask this…”

Reluctantly, you paused and let him finish, you hovered thirty meters apart, the city’s smoke and ruin framing the space between you.

“First... where did you get these powers?” he asked, as if it were a private detail he had a right to pry into.

The question felt invasive, you wouldn’t lower yourself to answer something so personal to an enemy.

“That’s none of your business,” you said, keeping your tone neutral and distant, forcing your face to mask the strange storm of emotions that rose at confronting an uncanny copy of the person who’d shared your childhood.

He ignored your rebuke as if he hadn’t heard it and continued instead, “I’m here for one reason.”

“And that is?” you cut in, you wanted straight answers, no games.

His face clouded for a moment as memories of the version of you he knew in his world flickered across his expression, hesitation that seeded doubt in your chest. “I want you to come with me.”

“What?” you shot back, eyes wide at the audacity of the proposal, instantly suspicious of why you were even listening. You kept telling yourself stalling him might buy you some advantage. “Where?”

“To my dimension,” he said finally, the gravity in his voice making your teeth ache, and you could read the pain in his eyes, the same vulnerable, familiar hurt you’d seen in Mark a hundred times. “I miss you, I don’t know what to do since you…” he pressed a hand to his forehead, fingers stiff with emotion.

“To your dimension?” you repeated, hoping you’d misheard despite the infallibility of your hearing, he sounded earnest. “No. I won’t, and I don’t want to.” The words tumbled out uncertain, the whole proposition was too tangled, too loaded even for you to sort through calmly.

He blinked, then said, “I’m serious, I came here for you alone… I’m doing all of this to get you back.” He spread his arms, the destruction and death around you both an ugly, undeniable punctuation to his confession. “I’m not asking you to forgive me for what I’ve done here, but-”

“How can I go with you if I haven’t forgiven you?” you snapped, frowning and digging your fingers into your palms until the skin bit back. “I can’t follow someone who caused this, and I don’t want to.”

The copy of Mark’s face hardened at your refusal. “I didn’t come here to waste time.” In an instant he closed the space between you, his face inches from yours. “This isn’t a request.” He laid a hand on your arm, pressing a firm hold that hurt without breaking skin.

“Don’t touch me.” You jerked away, ripping his hand off your arm. He watched the motion, unmoved and almost unreadable, and said nothing more. “You can’t tell me what to do… this is my home.”

He looked away and exhaled, and when he turned back there was no pretense left: he lunged, all the force he could muster, and you raised your arms to shield yourself as his blows grew heavier, relentless.

“Then I’ll be forced to take you with me!” he snarled, hammering your forearms again and again to test how long you’d keep defending without answering. “Why don’t you show me again those powers of yours? The version of you I knew didn’t have them, I’m curious.”

“You’re curious?” you asked, half-mocking, though he didn’t care for your tease. “Fine. If you want to see.” You trapped his wrists between your hands, his momentum snapped forward as your hold redirected the force, and you drove a headbutt into him, disorienting him.

He immediately clapped his hands to his forehead, grinding his teeth with pain and irritation, then let out a begrudging, almost satisfied, “You’re strong… didn’t expect this from you... I like it.”

Suddenly your eyes flared red and the variant watched in baffled alarm at what unfolded next. When the diagonal arc of your heat vision sliced through part of his costume and hotness seared his chest, he screamed, clutching at the burning fabric.

“You still like it?” you said floating closer, your cape snapping behind you, your words heavy with something that wasn’t quite victory and wasn’t quite pity.

He should have seen you only as an enemy after all he’d done, yet he refused to let go of what he felt: his feelings wouldn’t change even if you killed him… though, perhaps, he secretly hoped you never would.

“Of course,” he replied once the pain had dulled to something he could hide behind a smirk. “The version of you I knew was softer, weaker… you’re different, but you’re still them.”

In the next instant he was behind you, too fast to follow, and his fist slammed into your shoulder, sending you crashing downward through the debris.

“You’ve got their eyes,” he said, landing beside your body sprawled across the rubble, voice low and deliberate. “And I can tell, just by the way you look at me, that you feel the same way about me as they did.”

“I don’t feel anything for you.” You pushed yourself up immediately, brushing dust from your face and wiping the blood trickling down your temple.

Strangely, he didn’t stop you. He just stood there, watching. He huffed, folding his arms across his chest. “Then I’ll just have to change your mind.”

Another voice, the same voice but coming from above, cut through the tension like a blade. “Hey, watch out!”

Before the variant could react, a punch landed square in his jaw, sending him skidding across the asphalt for several meters. You turned, heart skipping, recognizing that voice instantly.

Your Mark had finally arrived.

He hovered there, chest heaving, eyes narrowing at the other version of himself. Eve was nowhere in sight, she must still have been dealing with the civilians. And then, as if the chaos hadn’t been enough, several portals tore open in the sky, unleashing a swarm of ReAnimen that immediately locked onto the variant as their target.

“You okay? You’re bleeding,” Mark said, landing next to you, concern etched across his face as his eyes darted over your wounds.

You nodded, forcing a small smile to reassure him. Kryptonians were tougher than that, the pain had already started to fade. “I’ve been through worse.”

He frowned, glancing toward the variant struggling against the onslaught of mechanical soldiers. “Strange you haven’t finished him yet. He give you trouble?”

You gave a small shrug. “Something like that.”

You didn’t bother explaining the real reason, that you hadn’t been able to bring yourself to truly hurt him even knowing what he’d done. Instead, you just watched silently as the variant fought back, every punch and blast chipping away at the façade of power he’d tried to project.

For a fleeting second the urge to help him, to stop this from ending with his death, rose unbidden in your chest, but then Mark’s voice pulled you back.

“Eve needs backup. The GDA will handle things here.” He took off before you could respond, his voice carried by the wind. “If it weren’t for you, we never would’ve found this variant or stopped him before he caused more damage.”

You hesitated for half a heartbeat, eyes lingering on the variant still thrashing beneath the swarm of ReAnimen. “Yeah…” Then you followed, launching yourself skyward, leaving both the battle and the confusion it brought behind you.

Was it actually wrong to feel bad for that variant in the end? Maybe you should've followed him, give him a chance... maybe he could've changed for the better. Or maybe you were just delusional and wanted Mark, no matter what Mark, to actually see you as something more than just a friend.