Mark laid in bed beside Amber, their naked bodies were tangled under the sheets. Amber curled up against Mark's bare chest, her fingers lazily tracing a line down his collarbone. Her skin was warm against his, her breath steady, relaxed.
"I missed you," Amber murmured, voice soft and a little sleepy.
Mark smiled, turning slightly to kiss the top of her head. "I missed you too."
There was a pause, just long enough for her to soak in the moment. Then she asked, "So… how was your trip? "You've been gone for like 3 weeks."
Mark gave a soft shrug, eyes drifting to the ceiling. "Pretty smooth, honestly. Went out to meet with the Coalition council, there was some talking, boring stuff at first. Then, a few Viltrumites decided to crash the meeting."
Amber's eyes widened. "What happened?"
Mark yawned, like he was recounting a long day at work. "We handled them. Took them down pretty easily and brought them with me to Viltrum."
Amber blinked. "You went to Viltrum? What was it like?"
Mark's expression softened as he recalled the alien world. "It's… hard to explain. Imagine the kind of planet humans picture in sci-fi movies when they talk about utopias. It was full of advanced tech, white buildings, and pristine skies. The architecture is super clean and organized. It's kind of surreal."
Amber's mouth opened in wonder. "Wow… that sounds incredible. I'd love to see it one day."
Mark smiled down at her. "I'll take you. Promise."
For a few seconds, they just lay there, bathed in the fading light and soft silence. But then Mark's eyes flicked to the window, and he noticed how the sun had nearly disappeared.
He sighed and gave her a quick kiss on the lips. "I should get going."
Amber pouted, pulling the blanket tighter around them. "Why? Just stay here."
Mark chuckled. "Tempting, but your dad's still home. And let's be real, if I stayed here… I wouldn't be able to keep my hands off you. And we'd make noise."
Amber laughed and nuzzled his neck. "I'd be fine with that."
"I bet," he smirked, "but there's another reason. Anissa's at my house, and she's… well, she's not exactly used to Earth yet. I trust her, but I also don't want to come home to a crater in my kitchen."
Amber giggled again, but then sat up, letting the blanket fall and revealing her chest. "Then let me meet her."
Mark blinked. "Why?"
"I wanna meet her," she repeated. "I've never talked to a real alien before."
Mark raised a brow. "You're literally dating an alien."
Amber rolled her eyes. "You were raised here. It doesn't count."
Mark stared at her for a beat, then sighed. "Alright. But you're telling your dad."
Amber groaned but nodded. "Yeah, yeah. I guess it's about time I introduced you properly anyway."
They got dressed, taking their time but eventually making their way downstairs.
But when they reached the living room, they looked towards the ground.
Mr. Bennett was there. Still unconscious, lying sprawled across the hardwood floor exactly where he had fainted earlier.
Mark knelt and easily lifted him onto the couch like he weighed nothing. With a small puff of his cold breath, he blew over Mr. Bennett's face until the older man jolted awake, arms flailing.
"W-What the—?!" he gasped, sitting up straight, eyes darting wildly.
"Dad, calm down, it's okay!" Amber said, rushing over to steady him.
Mark and Amber sat side-by-side on the couch across from him while Mr. Bennett slowly came to his senses, adjusting his glasses and squinting at Mark.
He didn't say anything at first. Just stared.
Mr. Bennett's eyes stayed locked on Mark longer than Mark was entirely comfortable with. He scanned him head to toe. The suit, the solid build, the quiet composure that didn't look like it came from being someone who'd literally fought a god a day ago, it was all a lot to take in. There was something about Mark that didn't just say superhero. It said something more authoritative. Like he was someone of great importance in the government.
Eventually, Mr. Bennett cleared his throat and sat up a little straighter on the couch.
"I guess I should start with introductions. I'm George Bennett. Amber's dad."
Mark smiled and extended a hand. "Mark Grayson. And I'm... her boyfriend."
Amber glanced at her dad from the corner of her eye. She kept her hands in her lap, her knees drawn in close. She didn't say anything, but her nervousness was all over her face.
George shook Mark's hand stiffly. His grip wasn't weak, but somehow it managed to not hurt him.
"Boyfriend," he said, repeating it to himself.
It was clear he was trying to process everything. Not just the guy sitting across from him, but what that guy represented. George had watched the news. He'd seen him take on that cosmic monster that whooped the Guardians of the Globe and other heroes like they were babies. And now that same guy was here. On his couch. With his daughter.
"So, what's your superhero name?" George awkwardly asked.
"Well...people usually know by the name Invincible," Mark said.
"You're... Invincible," George said slowly in awe.
Mark nodded. "That's right."
There was a beat of silence. George looked away, rubbing the back of his neck.
"I've heard of you. So has everyone else. You're one of the greatest superheroes in the world. People often compare you to Omniman."
Mark had to hold back a laugh at that. Being compared to his father, who almost took over the world, was ironic.
George leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees.
"I'm gonna be honest with you. This isn't easy for me. You seem like a good kid. But you're not just a kid. You're a superhero. And that scares the hell out of me."
Mark nodded.
"I get it. Not everyone can handle having a superhero in the family."
George looked down at his hands, turning them over slowly like he was staring through them.
"Ya know, my dad was a superhero. He went by President Mic. He wasn't famous. He had the ability to create weird energy guitars that could fire off sound waves when he played them. Pretty ridiculous looking back, but he meant well.
I asked him one day why he became a hero, and he told me that when he got his great powers, he felt that he needed to use them with great responsibility, and his way of doing that was by putting away bad guys."
(Mark inwardly stiffened)
Amber blinked and looked at him. "You never told me that."
"I didn't think I needed to," George said, smiling faintly. "But the thing is, it cost us everything. One day, a guy my dad put away recognized him walking around in regular clothes. No costume. Just him and my mom, grabbing groceries."
Mark could tell where this was going.
"They both got shot. Mom survived, but... she'd been in a wheelchair ever since before she passed. My dad didn't make it."
"I'm really sorry," Mark said.
George nodded but didn't say anything right away. He looked at Mark again.
"You saving the world is great. I'm glad you're out there doing it. But when you're doing that, it's not you that I worry about. It's her, which is why I can't accept this relationship."
Amber gently reached over and took her dad's hand. Her grip was soft but firm.
Mark spoke. "You're not wrong to be worried. You're right. People around me do get hurt. It's happened before. During the fight with Omnipotus... I almost lost two people I care about. One of them is still in a coma. I won't lie and say I'll always be around to protect Amber, but..."
At this pause, Mark gave off an oppressive feeling, "I'll be sure to do anything to make sure she's safe and alive, even if I have to travel to the afterlife and drag her soul back."
Amber's eyes teared up a bit. She leaned into Mark, resting her head against his shoulder. He wrapped an arm around her slowly, gently.
After a few long seconds, George exhaled deeply.
"Alright," he said.
"I still don't love this," George admitted, standing. "But I believe you. If you say you'll protect her, I'll hold you to it."
Mark stood too, his posture respectful. "You have my word."
Amber was already smiling through her tears. She stood up and threw her arms around Mark's neck, whispering, "I love you."
Mark held her close, trying not to sense her dad staring daggers at him.
And just when things started to settle, Amber looked up and said, casually, "I'm staying at Mark's tonight."
George's calm shattered instantly and was replaced with fatherly anger.
"No, you're not!"
"Dad, come on."
"I don't care if he saved the planet. You're not—"
"I am," she said firmly. "And I'll be fine."
Eventually, George sat back down at her firm attitude and rubbed his forehead. "Fine. This is what I get for spoiling you so much as a kid."
"Thank you, Daddy," she said, planting a kiss on his cheek.
"Yeah, yeah," George waved her off.
Mark flew towards his home with Amber snug in his arms. When they arrived, Mark introduced Amber to Anissa and his mom as his girlfriend. Anissa already knew about him having multiple partners. But Mark's mother was shocked as she thought Eve was his girlfriend.
This brought about an awkward interaction with Mark having to explain that both were his partners. Debbie hadn't taken to that too kindly and ended up scolding him. Having him kneel in front of her while yelling at him about monogamous relationships.
The only way Mark could get out of the situation was by mentioning that the Viltrumites will arrive in about a day's time.
.
.
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Author's Notes:
Be sure to check out my p*tr-eon where you get early access to my chapter and you'll be able to talk to me as I'm writing the story. You'll be giving me ideas I can incorporate into the story or feedback as I am a new writer so there may be plot points or mistakes that I haven't thought about. My p*tr-eon name is Bah_Goat.