#requ

The first time you heard about this dimension-traveling Angstrom Levy was from Mark. He doesn’t tell you much, only that he is from another dimension, wanting revenge on another version of him. The thought of that – even the moment when Mark voices Angstrom's plans to you, he sneers. The fact that this man was willing to come to your dimension to negotiate with your Invincible regarding the vengeance of his doppelganger was deceitful. 

“This is clearly a trap.” You spoke out, raising from your seat. Life after the dominance of the Viltrum Empire over your planet changed many things about how you viewed the world – life. Not only was Mark named Emperor, but he willingly took you along with him. Now you resided in the empirical castle of his terrain. Though still on Earth – it looked nothing like the place you were born in years ago. “He’ll take over our world and then the next.” 

“You think I haven’t thought of that before?” Your partner snaps, rubbing his forehead vigorously. Mark’s visage has hardened since the day he took over for the Viltrum Empire. No longer was he the sweet boy who left you little trinkets by your locker, or flew by your house for a quick visit to France. He had planets to look after. And now, you can see his ambition growing as he stares down at you with fierce intensity. “He proposed a deal.” 

“What kind of deal?” You crossed your arms, skeptical. Because whatever got Mark’s attention was something to be analyzed. It had been a long time since you’d seen him so genuinely interested in anything. The last time you ever saw him this intrigued was when Conquest surrendered himself to him. 

“The kind where I get control of other dimensions.” He simply puts it. It was a tricky business. You haven’t met Angstrom Levy, and while still wondering how he managed to contact Mark so quickly, you wondered why go through all the trouble to recruit him. To play foot soldier? 

“There’s always a catch to this kind of deal, hon.” You stride towards the wide window, spanning across the entire wall – showcasing the outside world, Earth, or what it looks like now. And every time, you felt a tinge of bitterness. “Can we really trust him?” 

“Of course not.” Mark lets out a frustrated groan, insulted by the fact you would question his judgment. But rather than say anything else, he turns his attention to where you are looking at. For a second, you speculated he would make another harsh remark but instead, you see him deep in thought.

You haven’t gotten to see Mark in a while – a few weeks you would gather by all the mayhem and disarray he can go through with the Empire. And every time you would try to bring it up, he wouldn’t give you a straight answer. Because since taking over, Invincible no longer became Mark’s secret persona. It became his identity, for the people of Earth and all other planets Viltrum had under their control. He was a reflection of his father, people would say. By how ruthless and uncaring he was of the millions of people perishing under the jurisdiction of the Viltrum Empire. Earth changed because of him, willingly allowing Viltrumites to conquer and destroy whatever was left of your peaceful home. 

You wouldn’t even call it home anymore. You’ve survived long enough to understand because it has been ingrained in your mind. The moment you surrendered yourself to the Empire’s mercy, you knew you would never be the same. Perhaps Mark was your saving grace in that, he kept you as a trophy wife. No one dared to touch you or attempt to talk to you unless it was under his orders. 

The longer you stayed in this confined position, the more you began to sympathize and accept Mark for what he was becoming. However, that did not mean you did not fear him still. He terrified you, and with his quick temper, Mark could eliminate anyone who had wronged him the slightest. 

“I’ll go through with his proposal. But if he makes the slightest mistake, I’ll gut him.” He says in seriousness. You can tell that even though Mark was confident in his abilities, Angstrom was still an unknown entity. In your world, Angstrom never even made it far to live tomorrow. He was already dead by the time the Viltrum Empire came and took over Earth. Seeing another version of him – more grotesque, and deformed made you wonder, who did this to him? 

The fire was everything. In every direction, Mark heard the cries of people, all running away from the very thing that caused it all. Him. It was not as if he cared to become suddenly aware of the miserable lives suffering under his wake. He’s dealt with this before, more likely than his other variants. Every day, in his world, he dealt with threats ten times more threatening than the damage he did to Chicago. 

He could not pinpoint why he was feeling a slight disturbance as he continued to do as he was told. Angstrom made it clear to destroy everything for as far as the eyes can see. The fact that he was not fazed, creating mass destruction, in parallel to his Earth again was enough to prove that Mark was no longer human. He was not the boy who wanted to protect Earth from Viltrumites and other unknown aliens. No longer was he shackled by Cecil’s control, recalling the time he nearly tore his ear to remove the chip that could set out a sonic alarm to paralyze him. No longer would he be the boy who lost to his father, Omni-Man who had previously brought terror and turmoil to Earth. 

He could barely distinguish the screams now. They all blended so seamlessly, it was like a symphony. He turned, facing the unharmed buildings, standing tall and brave. At tremendous speed, he flies straight through the remaining ones, allowing the collision of every building to fall on top of one another. Like a domino effect, they fell, quicker and more devastating than the next, crushing those around them. Invincible watched as the mass of people ran like ants in every direction to avoid the fall, but it was too late. It crushed everything, people, cars, streets, heroes, and rescue teams alike. Was this what he was looking forward to? 

“I got you!” A few miles where Mark hovered, he picked a familiar voice. It was close to the disaster he had provoked, but not so distant that he could afford to underestimate the owner of that voice. Your voice, he always felt, was like a gentle whisper in his wake, tugging on the memories long buried in his mind. It was soft but screamed velocity, panicked but stern affected by the chaos he created. Even in this universe, your voice – your comfort brought a hint of something unspoken to him. 

Then, he caught a swift glimpse of black and blue, a blur that left him momentarily frozen. 

It was him – from this universe, he did not adorn the Viltrumite uniform, white and gray. Instead, he carries the Invincible uniform, loud and proud as an unrelenting protector of Earth. 

He frowns, utterly disappointed at this version of him. 

“Hey! Hey – are you okay?” His doppelganger swoops down and lifts you by your shoulders. God, look at you. There you were, all the same features and colors. He remembers you like this, sincere and virtuous, willing to do what’s right to save others. Back then, before the Empire’s control, you always had a kind-hearted mind, always looking out for others, even when you didn’t have to. Because that was the kind of person you were. And despite everything he put you through, you’d still stay with him. 

“I’m fine,” You weakly smiled, gripping Invincible’s forearm like it was a lifeline. Your legs were hurt, not broken but badly bashed. Even though Mark knew he shouldn’t feel this way, he still feels bad for you – getting involved in all this. You knew no better than anyone else in this dimension other variants of him were going to attack. “Go – I got it covered.” 

He watches from a far distance, as you pull on a child’s limp arm, pushing the rumble away and lifting her against your shoulder. This world’s Mark stares at you with genuine softness in his eyes. 

“You’re hurt.” 

“I know but this is what I do Mark.” You remark sternly, glancing at the child’s face. She’s crying, dirt and blood dripping from her scalp down to her shoulders. He catches your sympathetic expression, drawing circles on her back for comfort. “You have more things to deal with–” 

“I just don’t want you to get hurt!” Mark exclaims, his grip not leaving your shoulders. He moves in front of you, careful of your fragile position. He’s beaten badly and parts of his costume are slowly falling apart. “I– Just be careful, okay?”

Viltrumite Mark sharply focuses on your affectionate gaze, unable to deny the connection between you two. It’s clear – Mark loves you, and his counterpart in this world mirrors the same devotion. The care and understanding you share with one another is undeniable, a kind of love that distinguishes itself from what exists in his world. In his universe, where he rules the Viltrum Empire, and you stand by his side, the love you share takes on an entirely different form. 

Of course, you love him, right? If your version has learned to embrace every aspect of Mark and Invincible, then surely you would feel the same in his home dimension. So why does it feel so different? 

You pressed a gentle kiss to Mark’s cheek, followed by a reassuring pat on the spot where your lips lingered. “Go,” You say, your smile widening, capturing your natural beauty even with all the dusk and debris fallen on you. “The world needs their Invincible.”

Mark grins, before letting go of you. With one last glance, he zooms off the ground and disappears. 

On Day Three, Mark meets with his other variants, hovering over his old home. Luckily, his mom, Debbie, was smart enough to desert this place. Angstrom called for it, yet none of the other variants seemed to know what it was about. But seeing it all – the major cities, all the people burning brought a smile to his face. His sick and despicable plan was running smoothly, only after a few setbacks, eliminating the weaker Mark variants, and now left with eight, he wanted to draw him out. 

But Mark couldn’t stop thinking. He couldn’t shake the thought of this version of – and you, The truth was, you looked so much happier than your counterpart back home. Your smiles were wider, your complexion brighter. What could he do to make you feel that joy? What was he doing wrong? Because everything he’s done for the Viltrum Empire, for Earth, was for you. He spared you the misery. So why couldn’t express the same affection had when his other version saved you? 

“Tell me something about the Viltrumites.” He remembers you asking some time ago. He’s taken aback by this, because never in all his time reigning, would you ask about his work. You knew what he was up to, ordering the Viltrumites with tasks, keeping Earth in check, and executing those who opposed his tyrannical rule. But not a single time since you came – surrendered, had you been so curious about his work. 

Even now, as you wear the Viltrumite colors, you look strikingly regal – an image so different from your usual style on Earth. You were his Queen, as the people often called you. But you never let their praise linger for too long. If you did, it would pull you back to those painful memories of the invasion, memories you fought so hard to forget. 

“What do you want to know?” he asks, his voice unusually soft, sensing that this rare moment is one of the few times he’s seen you unguarded – vulnerable and real with him. 

Accepting his proposal to stay by his side while he ruined millions of times for the sake of the Empire, made you despise yourself. Knowing all your friends and family were gone, you couldn’t look at Mark for weeks. Trapped in a grand castle, surrounded by Viltrumites, you felt like a prisoner – despite being named a leader in their eyes. You chose this path, and yet, you despised yourself for it. 

Over time, though, you began to accept it, as nothing would change with Mark in charge. He controlled the most powerful Viltrumites, along with hundreds of other planets filled with stronger soldiers. Resisting his cause felt pointless. Ultimately, he had given you a merciful way out, and you had taken it. 

“Your strongest soldiers, Thragg and Conquest. They’ve ruled before you?” You fiddled with a pillow on the couch you sat on. You were curious about Viltrumites in general. Knowing Mark for so long, you’ve asked about his heritage previous times, unaware of the implications of his future. 

“Thragg did.” Finally, he moved to sit opposite of you, on a sofa chair. This room – this entire castle – was supposed to be your home, but it never felt like it. Mark knew with the way you gripped the pillow, how your fingers tightened with every passing thought. He knew the internal conflict you were wrestling with. You were trying to make conversation, trying to push away the nightmares that seemed to linger just beneath the surface. It hurt him to see you like this – knowing that a part of it was his doing, 

“Then, he appointed me.” Mark continued, his voice heavy with a trace of something unreadable. “Or, rather, because I almost… killed him.” 

You hummed, sensing the weight of his word, and knowing how the events had turned out. “Do you think they’ll ever betray you?”

Mark’s smirk widened, though there was a cold edge to it. “Well, if they did, they would be dead by now.” His voice carried a dark, stoic undertone as if the truth of it had settled long ago. “So that’s why they work for me.” 

You leaned forward, crossing one knee over the other. Your elbow rested casually on your knee, chin settling comfortably in your hand, a soft smile curving your lips. “The Invincible Mark Grayson,” you said, the words carrying something harder to define. “Viltrumite’s Emperor.”

For a brief second, the armor around him seemed to crack, a flash of something vulnerable flickering behind his walls.

“Would you betray me?” Mark met your gaze, his expression unreadable for a moment. His tone was distant as if he was speaking to someone else entirely. 

You had thought long about that question. Would you? For months, all you thought about was leaving the Empire – to pursue your freedom. However, there were many moments in this place that you pondered over. In the wake of midnight, you always stayed awake, watching the Empire colonies thrive. It was the only scenery you welcomed because it was simply there outside your window. But after some time, you felt at peace with it, knowing that although the Viltrumites were cruel, they had their reasons to pursue what was meant to be on the top of the food chain. 

Many nights, you’d see Mark, lingering like a faint shadow. He never made his presence noticed but you always knew he was watching. He was afraid of your reaction – afraid you would push him away. That despite your agreement, he knew some part of you still rejected him. 

“If you asked me on the day I stepped into this place, then yes. I would’ve, in a heartbeat.” You tilted your head slightly, and in an instant, your tender look was replaced by the familiar, stoic mask Mark had managed to hone in on. “But now – I don’t even think betrayal is even possible. If I’m being completely honest, I stopped thinking about escaping weeks ago.” 

Your words shouldn’t have made him shudder so quickly, especially when he still believed there was hope in this kind of relationship. 

“That’s… good – I mean…” A subtle smile slowly creeps up on Mark’s face. Despite all the wrongs he’d committed, winning you over would relinquish all his pain and guilt. Your smile – you were the reason he can keep on moving forward. Without it, Mark wouldn’t be Invincible – he wouldn’t be anything. You are the glue that keeps him together. “That’s progress.”

It became no surprise to him when you told him you wanted to be involved in critical matters. Weeks after the conversation, Viltrumite Mark began to notice subtle shifts in your behavior. You became more open, more bold with questions, and began to act like yourself again. Old virtuous you, pestering more about his well-being than your own. It was charming how captivating you can be without even trying. 

Checking in on you became a gradual routine. You’d sit in your office, filing plans and paperwork with the other Viltrum officers while Mark strides around to make sure everyone is paying attention. You fell into the position of a commanding officer diligently, ordering soldiers twice your size to do tasks and dismiss the cold stares of those reluctant. 

For a while, he believed you had started to enjoy life in the Empire. 

That was what he wanted to believe in. But at the end of the day, you were human – not a Viltrumite. You’d seen the ways – the techniques how Viltrumites dealt with their prey. You were always the bystander, standing along the sidelines, staring at the hopeless be pulled out of their misery. You had no joy in what you did. You only did what you had to do to survive. 

Maybe that was the reason why you were still scared of him. Why do you never initiate physical affection or heartwarming compliments like your counterpart in the other dimension? In Mark’s world, you never got the happiness you deserve. You were merely a chess piece at his disposal. 

Madam Promfrey had given him a pain relieving position until she had an open minute to do the quick spell that would undo the sprain. He grimaced when he took it, and made a disgusted face as he set the empty bottle down on the counter. You chuckled, moving the thermometer around with your tongue, which caught his attention. Crap. Here you were in your button up pajamas, which were grey with pink bunnies on them. Why bunnies? You had no idea, but they were warm and they were the most comfortable items of clothing you owned and the best thing for these awful hospital visits.

“I had to take that one a couple of times, it’s awful, isn’t it?” You said, once he managed to catch your eye. His own lit up as he realized what you were saying, and he continued the conversation.

“It iz,” He said with a nod. “It taste like - rat piss.”

That made you laugh again, almost choking on the thermometer. That got Pomfrey’s attention and she walked over and took it out of your mouth. She checked the results with a sigh. “Another fever, y/l/n. I might as well get your name engraved in your usual bed.”

“No potion for me this time?” You said with your best pout, the one that usually worked on your friends and your parents. But the nurse had seen it time and time again.

“You cannot rely on magic all of the time, it’s not good for you, you’ll build up a tolerance.” She scolded. “You’ll just have to ride it out the natural way. Don’t look at me like that, you’ll be back in class in three days.”

“And spend my last year behind on school work, again.” You sighed. You looked over at Viktor, gave a weak smile, and got to your feet to be lead to your usual bed. She was right, you might as well put your name on it.

“Vait - you are staying?” Viktor followed, limping on one leg. Once you were situated on the bed, you looked at him with your head tilted.

“That’s what happens when you get sick a lot,” You said with a half-smile. “If you’re worried, I always turn out alright - eventually - and I don’t think that I’m contagious.”

It took Viktor a moment to translate what you said into his head. He opened his mouth to say something else, but Pomfrey noticed that he had gotten up from his chair. “Sit down, Mr Krum! I said that I would get to you in a moment!”

Swinging into action, Viktor hopped up onto the end of your bed, sitting down with his feet flat against the floor. His back was entirely straight, and he looked at Pomfrey like he was waiting for further instructions. You were amazed at how disciplined he was, though it made you giggle to see the nurse’s angry face, though he had done as she had asked. She sighed dramatically, in the way that she always did when the Weasley twins came in, and did a quick spell on Viktor’s leg. “There, you should be good as new now.” The look that she gave him very much showed that she was waiting for him to leave now.

He stood up slowly, lifted his once sprained ankle, and wiggled it in the air before deducing that it was indeed fixed. He gave Madam Pomphrey a curt bow of the head, which caught her by surprise. “When is - um-” He smacked his lips, thinking of what to say. “Visiting?”

“Visiting hours?” She asked. “Until seven o’clock - sharp.”

“Ahh, very good. I visit.” He sat back down on your bed and gave her a dazzling smile. The nurse didn’t seem very affected by it, just tutted in a ‘very well’ manner then went to check on the rest of her patients. He looked back at you, and his grin turned more shy. “I am Viktor Krum.” He introduced.

You said your name back to him and he repeated it to make sure that he got it right. You liked the way that your name sounded in his thick Bulgarian accent. It made it sound more ... tough, almost. “You don’t have to stay and visit me, I’ll be fine,” You assured him, in case he felt some sort of obligation.

“I want to,” He said, seriously. It seemed easier for him to be serious than to smile, but you didn’t mind. Even while straight-faced, he was incredibly handsome. It was just the prescription that you needed, though Madam Promfrey didn’t order it. “You get better faster with company, my mother says.”

“Smart woman,” You smiled. He kept you company until it was time for him to leave for dinner. He talked about Quidditch, slipping into his native every language every once in a while. Though you didn’t understand him when he spoke Bulgarian, you liked the way that he grew enthusiastic with hand motions and everything. You talked to him a bit about some of the Quidditch games that you had seen, though you weren’t much of a player. You liked the sport though, and the World Cup had made you change your favorite team to Bulgaria because you admired how they played together. “Thanks for staying with me,” You said, when he got up to leave.

“I come see you soon.” He gave you a more curteous bow than he had given to Madam Pomfrey, leaving you smiling as he departed. You couldn’t wait to tell your friends about how you had become friends with Viktor Krum while in the Hospital Wing! No longer could they complain about how you missed out on everything because you were always sick. The doors closed and you settled comfortably against the pillow, preparing yourself for the rest that the hopefully quiet night was going to bring you. Though hard to tell if it was going to be that peaceful, since the aged Weasley twins were still arguing only a couple of beds away.

-

True to his word, Viktor came to visit you each day that you were in the hospital. You were beginning to understand that it was an escape for him. Nobody in here stared at him or approached asking for an autograph. You did your best to treat him like a normal person, though it became difficult because you realized that you were increasingly falling for him. There was a constant flush upon your cheeks and you couldn’t fully blame your illness for that. You were feeling better at an increasing rate though, and perhaps it was like his mother said, the company was helping.

You were released shortly after Viktor left, when Madam Pomfrey did some tests and figured that the flu was entirely out of your system, and you were good to return back to your dormitory. You rushed back and greeted your friends with big hugs, and loved returning to your own four poster bed. As you laid there at night though, you wondered how things were going to work with Viktor. Was he still going to want to see you when you were healthy? Was he going to pretend that he didn’t know you outside of these visits? It was a bad idea to fall fast, you realized, and said to your friends. Half of them agreed with you while the other half told you that he wasn’t just going to stop seeing you now, not after visiting you every day.

You didn’t have a choice except to wait and see how things were going to go the next day.

In the morning, you put on your uniform for the first time in a while. The tie gave you problems as it normally did, but your friends were there to help with a quick tie spell. “Are you excited for a normal breakfast again?” One of your friend asked as you went down one of the moving staircases to head to the great hall.

“So excited,” You said, feeling your stomach growling. “All I’ve been able to eat was oatmeal and dry toast. Bring on the pancakes!” You rubbed your hands together, thinking of a high stack of food, doused in syrup.

“Good morning,” A heavy voice said, clearing his throat as you walked inside of the Great Hall. You looked over your shoulder to see Viktor standing just inside the large doors. In his hand was a single rose, though it was a rather large size, like magic had flowed through the stem rather than just water. You could feel eyes on you - not just from your friends next to you, but from the students sitting at the tables.

“Good morning,” You said, looking into his dark eyes. His jawline was to die for, and the facial hair that he had seemed to contour it to look even better. You remembered from when the other students came here that first night that the Drumstrang men sat with the Slytherins most of the time. You were not in that house, which was why the Hospital Wing was your first meeting with Viktor - it was a little shocking to see that he wasn’t there now. “Are you not going to have breakfast?”

“I am,” He said with an affirmative nod. So straight to the point, that was one of the things that you liked about him. “I vas vaiting for you.”

“Oh, that’s really very sweet,” You said, smiling widely. You couldn’t help but look back at the flower, then at his eyes. He held it out to you, and you took hold of the stem with your fingers. He didn’t let go. Your skin was brushing against his.

“This for you,” He said, finally letting go of the rose. “Good to see you feeling better.”

“It’s great to be out of that Hospital Wing,” You nodded. “Though I will miss our visits.”

“Can I join for breakfast?” He asked, looking past you to your friends who were waiting. They quickly grabbed onto each other’s arms.

“We forgot something-” One started.

“- at the dormitory!” Another finished.

“We’ll go get it now - see you in class!” The first one said again, and they dashed out of the Great Hall, shooting smiles over their shoulders at you. You shook your head at how obvious they were being, but they were still the greatest friends that you could have asked for.

“It looks like I’m free,” You said, chuckling. Viktor offered you his arm and you took it as he walked you towards your table. There was some free space close to the teachers, since most students didn’t like the idea of Snape or McGonagall eavesdropping on their conversations, so you two sat there. Well, rather, you sat down, then Viktor jogged around the table so he could sit across from you for easier conversations.

He first inquired about your health, making sure that you were okay. And even then, he didn’t seem to believe you until you made it through the meal without coughing or looking pale. “So why did you come to the hospital so many times?” You asked the question that had been on your mind for so long.

“I vanted to see you,” He looked surprised that you asked such a thing. Then he leaned in closer, saying something quietly so that no one else could hear. “Did you not vant me to see you?”

“No, no, I mean yes, I wanted to see you,” You stumbled over your words. “You came to see me more than my friends did. I was just asking because we didn’t know each other.”

“But we do now.” He smiled as he piled eggs onto his plate, as well as a handful of bacon. You supposed that looking like that required a lot of protein so you said nothing, only got your own breakfast together.

“You’re right, we do,” You said. It was hard not to think about the fact that you were friends with THE Viktor Krum, though when it was just the two of you, he didn’t seem like a Quidditch star. He was surprisingly down to Earth.

The two of you ate together in comfortable silence. You let the rose lay beside your plate so you could keep admiring it whenever you went to take another bite. It was one of the nicest gestures that you had ever received.

“So Viktor-” You started at the same time that he said your name and cleared his throat. “Go ahead,” You smiled, resting your hands on your lap once you have finished eating.

“You’ve heard about ball?” He questioned. Your heart started to beat faster as he had mentioned that. Word had even gotten to you in the Hospital Wing that there was going to be a grand ball to celebrate the tournament, despite the fact that the winners hadn’t even been chosen yet. There was no such thing as a secret in Hogwarts. Some girls had already started to order their dresses.

“A little,” You admitted.

“You - go with me?” His voice piqued at the end, as if he were nervous that you might reject him. You were glad you didn’t have food in your mouth when he asked that, for you surely would have choked. You picked up the rose and twirled it between your fingers, breathing in the hefty scent.

“I’d love to,” You smiled. “As long as I’m not in the Hospital Wing when it actually happens. I’m a bit clumsy and I get sick a lot so-”

“I be-” Viktor stopped you, putting his hand up as he thought about the word. You waited patiently as he thought hard for a moment, the word seeming to be on the tip of his tongue. When he finally got it, his whole face brightened up. “Prescription! Medicine!”

You were beaming so hard, you just hoped to Dumbledore that you didn’t have any food stuck between your teeth. You nodded enthusiastically, speechless for once. He reached over the table and took hold of your hand, rose and all, and squeezed it.