[OPEN]

[shorttempered]

Characters: Mark Grayson/Invincible and OPEN
Date: Backdated to shortly after Eve left
Location: All over
Situation: Eve has gone home, and Mark isn’t taking that too well.
Warnings/Rating: None (may be subject to change)

A.
[Eve was gone. It was the only thought that occupied his mind, no matter how desperately he tried to change it to something anything otherwise. Thanks to Bruce he had finally gone outside for the first time since being evicted from his… Eve’s apartment. And now that he was out, he just simply no longer felt like there was a good reason to go back. Mark took up to wandering aimlessly, as if he could find some new purpose by stumbling onto it. He barely notices that there is anyone around him as he stops every so often at a place that reminds him of Eve and screws his eyes shut as he tries to push the memory from his mind, before ultimately giving up and letting the tears flow.]

B.
[Eventually Mark does make his way back home… but only long enough to grab his costume and he was gone again, this time taking to the air as Invincible. He had slipped back into the anger… angry she was gone, of course, but angrier at himself. He and Eve—most of the people here, really—all wanted to go home. How could he have been so selfish to want to keep her here, when she was needed at home? When she was where he always wanted her to go back to after all?

Mark pushes himself faster, barely registering the wind against his costume, making a beeline for the barrier. Not on purpose, but at the speed he was going it was only a matter of time before he rammed right into it… or more specifically rammed into it then plummeted into the water.

And he didn’t care.]

Comments

Closed to Bianca (and possibly Jaime)

[shorttempered]

[His chat with Dick really helped, he wouldn’t deny it, but it wasn’t enough to take his mind off of the matter. Eve was still gone and he was still struggling with how to deal with that. He thought that walking would help clear his head.

A young kedan couple passed by with a small child between them, barely old enough to walk it seemed. Mark stopped dead in his tracks and watched the trio as they walked out of sight, and for the first time he realized exactly what it was he apparently would miss by helping his family and the coalition destroy the Viltrum Empire. He could have been a father. He and Eve could have started a family just like that one. And now that she was gone they wouldn’t have the chance to try again. Even if he went home, history would just repeat itself.

Mark yelled and swung at a nearby building, barely remembering to pull his punch at the last second. He might not have destroyed the wall, but spider cracks sprang from the point of impact regardless… and then he swore quietly at himself for his carelessness. He could have killed people. Again.

He took a deep breath and rubbed at his eyes, not sure if he was stopping himself from destroying everything in sight or crying… or possibly both.]

[asoothingvoice]

[Bianca had been walking back to her suite (even with Jaime here, it wasn't home) with some groceries when someone not too far ahead of her suddenly stopped, before yelling and hitting the building they were walking by.

The aftermath of cracklines emanating from where he punched the exterior wall only made her pause for a short moment before walking over to him.

She had always done her best to help others when they needed it, and it was something Bianca and 'Berto had done their best to pass on to Jaime and Milagro in actions towards others and in their words. The fact that he just pounded fractures into the side of a solid building wasn't something she was going to let stop her from acting. Especially if he was distressed enough to do that in the first place.]

Are you alright?

[shorttempered]

[Oh man, as if his day wasn't bad enough, someone might have seen him damage this wall. Not only was such an act completely irresponsible, he could have blown his secret identity.

He turns to the voice and gives her his best smile, but his red, puffy eyes betray his real emotions.] I-I'm fine, thanks for asking. [Did she see what he did?]

[asoothingvoice]

[Oh yes, she did. But she won't bring it up while they're in public. Besides, he's upset, it wouldn't be tactful right now.]

[Gently:]You look like you need some company. My suite isn't too far away from here.

[She adjusts her hold on the bag of groceries.]

Why don't you come with me?

[It'll hopefully help him feel better, and get him away from the building he just damaged before someone else notices.]

[shorttempered]

Thank you, but I couldn't impose...

[Sees her adjusting her hold on the groceries and gives a small smile.] But I could help you carry your groceries. [It'll give him something to think about other than Eve.]

[asoothingvoice]

It's not imposing if I asked you in the first place, and definitely not if you're volunteering to help. [The bag isn't all that heavy, but if it'll help him to think he's helping, she'll let him carry it.]

I'm Bianca, Bianca Reyes. Just call me Bianca. [Since he looks young enough to lapse into 'Ms Reyes' or 'ma'am' without a thought.]

[shorttempered]

[Holds out his arms to take the bag from her.] Mark Grayson.

Are you any relation to a Jaime Reyes, by any chance? [And no sooner does it come out of his mouth does he regret it, because he realizes he met Jaime as Invincible. Why was maintaining his secret identity here so hard?]

[asoothingvoice]

It's nice to meet you, Mark. [She hands the bag over to him.]

I am. Jaime's my son.

How do you know him?

[shorttempered]

[Accepts it and waits for her to pick a direction, sparing a guilty glance at the poor building be cracked.]

I've... [Crap.] uh... seen him on the network before.

Small world!

[asoothingvoice]

[Between that and the glance back at the buiding, she's certainly convinced he's hiding some sort of superhero related thing. You're about as bad at this as her own son is, Mark.

She sets off in the direction of her suite.]

It is. There aren't very many of us here. I'm trying my best to at least recognize everyone. [She gives a friendly smile to him as she says that.]

[shorttempered]

[He can't help it! He's not used to hiding his powers like this. When you're used to travelling the world, living on a turtle the size of Vancouver is stifling.]

It's harder than it looks. I've been here... 7 months now?--Something like that--And I still barely know everyone here.

[asoothingvoice]

[Self control is an important character trait for everyone, including superheroes, Mark.]

I'm not expecting it to be easy. Sometimes things take effort, but they're usually worth it.

Seven months is a long time to be here. [She hasn't even been here for a month, and that already feels too long.]

[shorttempered]

[He knows that, it's just the putting that into practice he has issues with.]

It wasn't so bad...

You full of those mom-isms? [He doesn't seem annoyed by this; quite the opposite. It's making him miss his own mom.]

[asoothingvoice]

[That building's suffering because of you. Its self confidence in its looks will never be the same.]

Only sometimes. [Lightly teasingly.] You aren't allowed to let Jaime know, he thinks I have them ready all the time.

[They're also actually alternated with occasional moments of sarcasm. The real source is actually years of practice on two children.]

[shorttempered]

[Well that's something else he can add to his guilty conscience.

He laughs.] My mom's going to be so mad you're spilling the secrets to mom code.

[asoothingvoice]

[That's better, and just in time, too; they've reached the door of the Reyes suite, which she unlocks and opens.]

I'm sure she'd understand.

Why don't you come inside? [Instead of just giving her the groceries back and leaving.]

[shorttempered]

I'm sure if I say no, I'm going to get mom guilt, aren't I?

So yes.

[asoothingvoice]

You learn fast.

[Once he's inside, she steps in behind him and closes the door.]

You can set it all on the table, nothing needs to be refrigerated.

[shorttempered]

You've never met my mom.

[Puts it down as instructed.] So, um... thanks for making sure I didn't fall apart back there.

[asoothingvoice]

I'm sure she'd be happy to know she taught you well. And you're welcome.

I couldn't just leave you there, even if I don't know what's wrong. [Even if Mark hadn't cracked that building's wall, she wouldn't have.]

[shorttempered]

I hope she knows.

[Considering how far out of her way this woman has gone for him, she deinitely has the right to know.] ...I just lost my girlfriend.

[asoothingvoice]

She was here too?

[No wonder he was so upset. She moves over to one of the couches.]

Come, sit down. What's she like?

[Better the couch or a pillow than one of the walls.]

[shorttempered]

[Nods.] For a little bit, anyway.

[Mark sits down and stares at his hands. This is certainly deja vu...] She's amazing. She's smart, she's funny, she can do anything... and she's gorgeous.

And it wasn't until she left did I finally realize... I think she's the one.

[asoothingvoice]

[Just take it as a good sign.]

Put that way, it sounds like she is. There's nothing wrong with realizing it because she's not here. Just like there's nothing wrong with missing her now that she's gone.

My husband was in the army when we were dating. It didn't seem too serious at the time, we were just enjoying ourselves. Then he was deployed, and I realized when he was gone that I wanted to spend the rest of my life with him.

[Considering the war was against aliens who were planning on wiping out every human being on earth, it didn't look like it was going to be a very long life if they didn't win.]

He must have felt the same way, because he proposed when he got back.

[There's a definite smile on her face by the time she gets to that part.]

[shorttempered]

[He can't help but smile a bit at the story as well.] How long have you been together?