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mark grayson x saiyan! reader
⢠fic type: oneshot & fluff
⢠summary: crash landing on such a feeble planet wasn't on your to-do list. although this being whose nearly as strong a you confronts you, so you decide to humor him.
⢠word count: 5.8k
⢠warnings: mild canon typical violence, threat of violence, blood
⢠a/n: As you can see I got really carried away. đ§ââď¸I like DBZ and I like Invincible, so why not combine the two!! Also I've just started watching invincible so sorry if he's ooc.
A shrill, wailing sound yanks you from unconsciousness, vibrating through your skull like an alarm gone haywire. You groan, forcing your heavy eyelids open, and are immediately greeted by the acrid stench of burning metal and scorched earth.
Smoke billows around you, thick and suffocating, curling from the shattered remains of your shipâa twisted hunk of alien steel embedded deep in the cracked pavement.
Your head pounds in protest, a dull, throbbing ache pulsing behind your temples. You press a hand to your forehead, then glance down at yourself.
Dust clings to your skin, mingling with smudges of soot and dried blood. Your armor, now riddled with scorch marks and gashes, groans as you shift.
Damn. That landing mustâve been rough.
Muffled shouts rise above the ringing in your ears. Blinking away the haze, you finally take in your surroundings.
Small, weak-looking creatures encircle the crash site, clad in identical dark uniforms. They hold strange little metal sticks, aiming them at you like they actually expect them to do something.
âPut your hands where we can see them!â
âStep away from the wreckage!â
âYouâre under arrest!â
You arch a brow, a slow smirk tugging at your lips. They think they can arrest me? Thatâs adorable.
With a groan, you push yourself upright, rolling your shoulders. A shower of debris crumbles from your armor, scattering across the crater floor. Your hair, wild and voluminous as ever, whips around your face as you stretch.
"Where in the name of Vegeta am I?" you mutter, voice thick with irritation.
The humans stiffen. Their fingers tighten around their weapons, eyes flickering between you and the destruction left in your wake.
The boldest of the bunchâa man with gritted teeth and an unfortunate mustacheâsteps forward, barrel trained directly at your chest.
âI said put your hands up!â he barks.
You tilt your head, gaze flicking over him with mild amusement. âDo you know who youâre speaking to?â
Apparently, he doesnât. None of them do. Because instead of answering, they just keep shouting, their voices a frantic mess of demands and threats.
You sigh, rubbing your temple. This is exhausting. If they refuse to answer your questions, perhaps a demonstration is in order.
Your eyes scan the wreckage, landing on the nearest object of interestâa large, boxy vehicle with shattered windows and blaring alarms.
Without hesitation, you grab it by the undercarriage, lift it effortlessly over your head, and hurl it toward a nearby building.
Glass explodes outward as the car crashes through the structure, embedding itself halfway into the second floor. The ground trembles from the impact, sending fresh cracks spiderwebbing across the pavement.
That gets their attention.
âHoly Shit!â
âSheâs a freaking alien!â
âNo shit,â you scoff, crossing your arms. âNow, which one of you is in charge?â
Before anyone can respond, a gust of wind nearly knocks you back. A shadow streaks across the sky, descending at high speed.
You turn just in time to see a figure land in front of you, kicking up dust upon impact.
An array of yellow, blue and back filled your vision, toned muscles flexing between the tight material of a suit.
You recognize the stance immediately. A fighter. Interesting.
âYou must be the problem everyoneâs freaking out about,â he says, arms crossed. His tone isnât immediately hostileâmore wary than anything.
You grin, rolling your shoulders. âDepends. You here to challenge me?â
The guy blinks, visibly thrown off. âUh, not exactly.â
You frown. âShame. I was hoping someone here would be worth my time.â
Despite yourself, youâre intrigued. Heâs strongâyou can sense it. Not nearly Saiyan strong, of course, but thereâs something different about him. Something⌠familiar.
He studies you just as intently, gaze flicking between your tattered armor, your battle-worn knuckles, andâmost notablyâthe towering mass of thick hair atop your head.
His lips part slightly, like heâs about to say something, but he hesitates.
âIâm Invincible,â he offers instead.
You snort. âBit cocky, donât you think?â
He sighs. âYeah, I get that a lot.â
A beat of silence. Neither of you moves.
Then, cautiously, he gestures toward the chaos surrounding you. âLook, I donât want to fight you.â
âThat makes one of us,â you say, cracking your knuckles.
Mark exhales through his nose, clearly trying to be patient. âSeriously, can we just⌠talk?â He gestures at the wreckage, the police, the frightened civilians peeking from behind cover.
âYouâre obviously not from around here, and you seem kinda⌠lost?â
You bristle at the implication. You are not lost. Saiyans do not get lost.
But.
Well.
You donât exactly know where you are, and itâs slightly concerning that your ship is currently a pile of molten scrap metal.
ââŚFine.â You roll your eyes, shoving your hands into the tattered remains of your belt. âBut if this is a trap, Iâm breaking every bone in your body.â
Mark exhales in relief, though the corner of his mouth quirks upward. âNoted,â he mutters. Then, more amused than he probably should be: âYou always this dramatic?â
You smirk. âYou havenât seen anything yet.â
His lips twitch, as if suppressing a laugh. Instead, he just shakes his head and gestures for you to follow.
You crack your neck, glance at the still-stunned humans, and grin.
Letâs see where this goes.
â˘â˘â˘â˘
You hate this place.
It smells like sterilization and fear, the kind of artificially clean air that makes your skin itch.
The walls are a cold, metallic gray, pulsing with dim overhead lights. The whole facility hums with electricity, the kind that suggests they have restraints for things stronger than humans.
And the way theyâre looking at you? Like youâre a specimen in a cage? You really, really donât like that.
You sit in a metal chair bolted to the floor, arms crossed, one leg bouncing slightly as you stare at the wrinkled man in front of you.
His name is Cecil. Youâve already decided you donât like him.
For the past ten minutes, heâs been droning on, asking questions about your species, your ship, your intentionsâlike you owe him answers.
Youâve made a game of not responding, watching his patience wear thin.
âYouâre really not gonna talk?â he asks, finally, voice dry as dust.
You smirk. âWhy would I answer to someone who canât even fly?â
Cecilâs face twitches. Across the room, MarkâInvincible, as he insists on being calledâsnorts.
He tries to smother his laugh, pressing his lips together, but you see the amusement flickering in his eyes.
Cecil doesnât react beyond a slow exhale through his nose. Heâs good at this, youâll give him that. A lesser man wouldâve cracked by now.
âIâll be honest,â he continues. âYouâre not our first alien visitor, and you probably wonât be our last. But if youâre planning to cause problemsââ
You lean forward, resting your elbows on the table, flashing him a slow, sharp grin. âI am the problem,â you say, voice dripping with amusement.
âAnd thereâs not a damn thing you can do about it.â
The silence that follows is delicious.
Mark shifts slightly. You donât need to look at him to feel the tension in his shoulders, the way his body tenses like heâs preparing for you to lash out again.
Youâre not going toâyetâbut the fact that he thinks you might is amusing.
Cecil just sighs and rubs his temple. âGet her out of my sight.â
You stand, stretching with a dramatic groan.
âFinally. This room smells like weakness.â
One of the armed guards by the door stiffens at that, knuckles whitening on his weapon. You give him a slow, pointed grin before turning away.
Mark steps beside you, shaking his head. âYouâre so charming,â he mutters, voice laced with dry amusement.
You flash him a smirk. âI try.â
He gestures toward the exit. âCome on, oh mighty warrior. Letâs get you some fresh air before you pick a fight with the janitor.â
â˘â˘â˘â˘
Mark insists you need to learn about Earth.
Assimilate, he says. Blend in.
You think itâs ridiculous. Why should you have to adapt to them? You are superior in every wayâstronger, faster, smarter. If anything, they should be learning from you.
But⌠well. You suppose humoring Mark is preferable to rotting away in that dreadful government facility.
So when he insists on introducing you to âthe best thing Earth has to offer,â you allow yourself to be dragged along, arms crossed and skepticism at full capacity.
Which is how you find yourself sitting in a place called Mama Luigiâs Pizza.
The walls are plastered with photographs of grinning humans holding enormous, greasy slices of something that looks like food but definitely doesnât smell like anything worth eating.
The air is thick with the scent of melted cheese and sizzling dough, mingling with the faint tang of tomato sauce.
Mark places a box in front of you with a dramatic flourish. âAlright, first lesson in being an Earthling, food.â
You narrow your eyes at the offering. The circular dish is sliced into uneven triangles, topped with bubbling golden cheese and a thin layer of something red.
You poke it with a finger. It squishes slightly. âWhat is this?â
Mark sighs like he was expecting this reaction. âItâs pizza. Just try it.â
You glance at him, then back at the pizza. It doesnât smell awful, but it looks so⌠soft.
Your diet consists of meat cooked over an open flame, raw energy rations, and the occasional alien delicacy that most species wouldnât dare touch.
This? This just looks like melted goo on soggy bread.
âDo humans consume nothing of nutritional value?â you ask, lifting one of the slices and examining it like it might try to escape. âHow does this pathetic excuse for sustenance fuel you?â
Mark groans, pinching the bridge of his nose. âItâs not always about nutrition. Sometimes it's about taste.â
You snort. âTaste is secondary to power.â
âOkay, Y/n,â Mark deadpans. âJust take a bite.â
You sniff it warily, then, with great reluctance, sink your teeth into the gooey mess.
The moment the flavors hit your tongue, your brain short-circuits.
Salty, savory cheese. Rich, tangy sauce. The warm, crispy-yet-doughy crust. Your taste budsâso accustomed to the harsh, metallic tang of survival rationsâpractically explode.
You donât mean to make a noise, but something between a hum and a low growl of approval rumbles in your throat.
Your grip on the slice tightens, fingers flexing instinctively.
Mark watches with interest as your pupils dilate. â...Well?â he prompts, smirking.
You donât answer. You canât. Instead, you devour the rest of the slice in two bites, grab another, and tear into it like a starving beast.
Mark blinks. âOh. Oh wow.â
The next few minutes are a blur. The pizzaâthis godly, divine creationâis disappearing at an alarming rate.
You donât pace yourself.
You donât breathe.
You just consume.
Mark leans back in his chair, watching in a mixture of horror and awe. âUh, you do know youâre supposed to chew, right?â
You ignore him, grabbing another slice, cheese stretching between your fingers.
Markâs brows shoot up. âAre youâoh my god, are you actually growling?â
You pause mid-bite, realizing that yes, you are growlingâa low, territorial rumble vibrating from your chest. Your muscles are coiled, posture slightly hunched as if guarding your prize.
You force yourself to relax, clearing your throat. âInstinct,â you say, voice muffled around your mouthful. âSaiyan biology.â
Mark stares at you.
Then at the emptying box.
Then back at you.
âThatâs terrifying.â
You wipe your mouth with the back of your hand, completely unbothered. âIt is efficient.â
Mark gestures to the now nearly empty pizza box. âThat was supposed to be for both of us.â
You glance at the single, lonely slice remaining in the box, then at Mark. Then back at the slice.
You grab it.
âHEY!â
You take an exaggerated bite, chewing slowly, making direct eye contact with him as you do.
Mark groans, slumping back in his seat. âI cannot believe I just witnessed a Saiyan discovering pizza.â
You swallow and grin. âAlright.â You gesture to the crumbs and grease-stained box. âThis planet might have some value after all.â
â˘â˘â˘â˘
Mark insists you need to learn human customs if you're going to stay on Earth.
You think human customs are stupid.
âJust try to blend in,â Mark says as he leads you down a crowded city street, his voice already laced with exhaustion. âNo throwing cars, no threatening people, and for the love of God, no fighting the barista.â
You scoff, ruffling your hair in annoyance. âIf this barista dares disrespect me, theyâll have earned the beating.â
Mark sighs. âIâm begging you to be normal for five minutes.â
You donât dignify that with a response.
The place Mark drags you to is small and cramped, filled with the scent of something bitter and the low hum of human chatter. Coffee shop, he calls it. You call it a waste of time.
The line moves painfully slow. You tap your foot impatiently, arms crossed, eyes scanning the ridiculous menu full of nonsense words like macchiato and venti.
âThese names are stupid.â
Mark pinches the bridge of his nose. âYou donât have to understand them. Just order something.â
Finally, you reach the front. A young man stands behind the counter, looking more exhausted than Mark. His uniform is wrinkled, his expression blank.
He sighs. âWhat can I get you?â
You lift your chin. âYour strongest drink.â
The barista barely reacts. âDo you want that hot or iced?â
You narrow your eyes. âIs there a difference?â
Mark nudges your side. âJust say hot.â
You roll your eyes. âHot, then.â
The barista punches something into his register. âName for the order?â
You blink. âWhy do you need my name?â
âItâs so we can call it when your drink is ready.â
You frown. âYou mean I have to wait?â
The barista, clearly dead inside, just blinks at you. âYes?â
You lean forward slightly. âDo you know who I am?â
Mark audibly groans.
The barista, now vaguely alarmed, glances at Mark for guidance. Mark shoots him an apologetic look before turning to you, voice dangerously close to pleading. âJust give him your name and be cool.â
You stare at the barista. The barista stares back. Then, slowly, you smirk. âFine. My name is Y/N the Warmonger.â
Mark visibly deflates.
The barista, now beyond caring, just types something into the register. âThatâll be $4.75.â
You blink. âThat will be what?â
âFour dollars and seventy-five cents.â
Mark pulls out a small green rectangle and hands it over before you can start breaking things. âI got it.â
You watch as the barista takes the rectangle, swipes it through a strange machine, and hands it back.
You lean over, voice low. âDid he just steal from you?â
Mark drags a hand down his face. âThatâs how money works.â
âMoney is a scam.â
Mark gestures for you to step aside as the next customer moves forward. âWelcome to capitalism.â
You huff, tapping your fingers against the counter as you wait. âHow long does this process take?â
âDepends.â
âOn?â
Mark shrugs. âHow busy they are.â
You look around. There are only three other people waiting. âThis is pathetic.â
âDo you have to say everything you think out loud?â
âYes, I do.â
Mark stares at you for a long moment, then sighs. âJust⌠stand here and donât start a fight.â
You scoff, crossing your arms. âI wonât start a fight.â
Mark looks at you like he doesnât believe you at all.
Minutes pass. The baristas move at a snailâs pace, making drinks with far more effort than seems necessary.
Your patienceâwhat little existsâwears thin.
Finally, someone calls, âY/N the Warmonger?â
You smirk, stepping forward. âAh, finally.â
The barista places a small cup on the counter.
You eye it. âThatâs it?â
Mark claps a hand over his face. âPlease donâtââ
You grab the cup and inspect it. Itâs smallâfar smaller than you expected. And itâs hot, heat seeping through the flimsy material. You narrow your eyes at the tiny opening in the lid. âThis is ridiculous.â
Mark nudges your arm. âJust take a sip.â
You do.
And immediately gag.
Mark snorts. âNot a fan?â
You shove the cup back at him, wiping your tongue on your sleeve. âIt tastes like burnt dirt.â
âThatâs coffee.â
âWhy do humans drink this?â
Mark shrugs, taking a sip of his own drink. âSome of us like suffering.â
You glare at the cup. âThis explains so much.â
Mark is laughing now, shaking his head. âOkay, maybe coffee isnât your thing.â
You sneer at the cup as if it personally offended you. âI will destroy this establishment.â
Mark grabs your arm. âWe are leaving.â
â˘â˘â˘â˘
Mark shouldâve known better than to mention Halloween in passing.
The moment the words leave his mouth, you stop walking, whip around, and grab his shoulders so fast he barely has time to react.
"Wait, wait, waitâ" Your grip tightens, eyes burning with intensity. "So youâre telling me thereâs a dayâa whole dayâwhere I can wear anything I want, and people just⌠give me things?"
Mark blinks, looking mildly concerned for his well-being. "Uh⌠yeah? Thatâs⌠basically Halloween."
Your expression is deadly serious. "This is the best planet in the universe."
Mark sighs, prying your fingers off his shoulders. "You really donât need to be this dramatic."
You scoff, crossing your arms. "I absolutely do. This is groundbreaking information, Mark. Do you understand how insane this sounds? Where Iâm from, if you want something, you take itâor you beat someone into the ground until they hand it over."
"Yeah, we call that robbery," Mark mutters.
You ignore him. "But this? This is a sanctioned event?"
He shrugs. "Pretty much. Kids dress up, go door to door, and get candy."
Your head tilts. "Candy?"
Mark pauses, realizing something horrifying. "Wait. Youâve never had candy before?"
You raise a brow. "Should I have?"
Mark grabs you hand, a new found conviction stirring his heart. "Okay, new plan. We are absolutely fixing this."
The next thing you know, youâre standing in the middle of a store filled with costumes.
Mark drags you through the aisles, dodging plastic skeletons, fake cobwebs, and a disturbing number of severed limbs. You pick up a dismembered hand, inspecting it with mild curiosity.
"Humans celebrate death?" you ask, turning it over in your palm.
Mark huffs a laugh. "Kinda. Halloweenâs all about spooky stuff. Ghosts, monsters, horror moviesâ"
"Horror movies?" you echo, dropping the fake hand.
"Yeah, it's filled with things that's supposed to be scaryâlike, creepy stories, jump scares, murder-y villainsâ"
Your eyes light up. "You have a murder holiday?"
Mark sighs, rubbing his temple. "Thatâs notânever mind. Just pick out a costume."
You survey the wall of options, eyes scanning the bizarre selection.
"Whatâs a âsexy nurseâ?"
Mark chokes, face growing warmer. "Not that one!"
You grin, baring sharp canines. "Ohhh, so it's not just a murder holiday."
Mark groans, dragging you toward another aisle. "Weâre not doing this."
After an obnoxiously long debate (and Mark vetoing several of your more violent ideas), you finally settle on something appropriately intimidating.
A black cape, sleek armor, and a terrifying mask with glowing red eyes.
Mark squints at the tag. "Darth Vader?"
You tilt your head. "This manâhe was a warrior, yes?"
"Uh⌠kinda?" Mark hesitates. "More like an evil space dictator."
You grin. "So, a king."
Mark sighs. "I feel like I should stop you, but⌠honestly? Youâre weirdly perfect for this."
You flick the cape over your shoulder, nodding in approval. "Yes. Lord Vader is ready to conquer this...Halloween."
Mark pinches the bridge of his nose. "Please donât start referring to yourself in the third person."
You smirk, already deep in character. "Lord Vader does as he pleases."
Mark groans.
Hours later, youâre stalking the streets with a plastic skull bucket (Mark refused to let you carry an actual skull), and your energy is through the roof.
"Look at them, Mark!" You gesture wildly at the groups of costumed children. "They fear me!"
"They donât," Mark corrects. "They think youâre cosplaying."
You scoff. "They should fear me."
"That's called fear mongering."
You ignore him, marching up to a door and pounding on it like youâre issuing a challenge.
A kindly old woman answers, beaming. "Oh, what a lovely costume! And who are you supposed to be, dear?"
You puff out your chest. "I am Lord Vader! Kneel before me, mortal!"
Mark, standing behind you, mutters, "I can't do this."
The woman chuckles, unbothered, and drops a handful of candy into your bucket. "Well, Lord Vader, enjoy your treats!"
You stare down at the loot. Then at Mark. Then back at the candy.
Your voice drops to a whisper. "It worked."
Mark claps a hand on your shoulder, smiling lightly at the child like wonder in your expression. "Welcome to Halloween."
â˘â˘â˘â˘
Mark fascinates you.
You donât know when it happened, or how, but somewhere between the endless sparring matches, the insufferable Earth lessons, and the way he constantly calls you out on your arrogance, you started⌠caring.
Itâs infuriating.
Heâs not a Saiyan. Heâs soft. Idealistic.
Sentimental in a way that would get him killed on any real battlefield. Yet, he doesnât break. No matter how many times he's knocked down, he always gets back up.
Heâs stubborn. Stupidly determined. And worseâso much worseâheâs kind.
And every time he smiles at you, your stomach does this weird thing that you refuse to acknowledge.
You blame it on Earthâs atmosphere.
Youâre sitting on the edge of a rooftop, the city sprawled out beneath you, golden from the streetlights. Itâs lateâtoo lateâbut neither of you seems particularly eager to leave.
Mark leans back on his hands, staring up at the stars. âYâknow, I used to think I was strong.â
You snort, swinging your legs over the ledge. âUsed to?â
He gives you a sideways glance. âYeah, and then I met you.â
You smirk. âAh. A humbling experience, Iâm sure.â
Mark groans. âI hate that youâre so smug about it.â
âBut I earned the right to be smug,â you counter, grinning. âBesides, Iâm doing you a favor. You should thank me for showing you how weak you are.â
Mark scoffs. âOh yeah, thanks so much, Your Highness. I love getting my ass kicked on a regular basis.â
You shrug. âYou should. It builds character.â
Mark huffs a laugh and shakes his head. âYou love messing with me, donât you?â
You tilt your head. âOf course.â
âWhy?â
You blink. The question catches you off guard.
Mark watches you expectantly, but thereâs something different about the way heâs looking at youâless irritated, more curious.
You feel a strange warmth creeping up your neck.
You click your tongue. âBecause you react.â
His brows furrow. âWhat?â
You wave a hand at him. âMost beingsâweaklingsâwould just fear me, but you? You get angry. You argue. You fight back.â You smirk. âItâs entertaining.â
Mark shakes his head, exasperated but smiling. âYou are so weird.â
You huff, crossing your arms. âYou say that like itâs a bad thing.â
He leans back again, gaze shifting to the sky. âItâs not.â
Something in your chest tightens.
You donât like the feeling.
The next time you spar, itâs different.
Youâve fought Mark dozens of times now, and itâs usually predictable. You win. He loses. He gets slightly better each time, but the outcome never really changes.
Except⌠today, he lasts longer.
His movements are sharper, more controlled. His dodges are precise. His counters actually make you work.
You grin, blood pumping, excitement thrumming under your skin.
âFinally,â you breathe, dodging a punch by a hair. âI was starting to think youâd never improve.â
Mark exhales sharply, rolling his shoulders. âYeah, well, Iâve had a very aggressive training partner.â
You smirk, throwing a kick that he barely manages to block. âAnd look at you now! Almost respectable.â
âAlmost?â
You grin. âLetâs see if you can prove me wrong.â
He lunges again, and for the first time, you let yourself enjoy itânot just the fight, but him. The way he moves. The way he refuses to back down. The way he looks at you, like heâs actually enjoying himself too.
And then he smiles.
Not a smirk, not a cocky grin, but a real smile. Bright. Genuine.
And something in your stomach flips.
You stumble.
Not muchâbarely a misstepâbut enough. Mark seizes the opportunity, slamming into you with enough force to send you skidding backward.
You catch yourself before you hit the ground, flipping midair and landing in a crouch. Your heart is poundingânot from the fight, but from the fact that you hesitated.
You never hesitate.
Mark grins, slightly out of breath. âHey, did I actually get you just now?â
Your fingers twitch. You force your expression back to neutral. âNo.â
Mark raises a brow. âAre you sure?â
You glare. âAbsolutely.â
He smirks. âYou totally hesitated.â
You stand up, rolling your shoulders. âYou wish.â
Mark chuckles. âOh, I know I did.â
You hate that heâs right.
You hate that you let him be right.
And most of allâŚ
You hate that your stomach does that thing again.
â˘â˘â˘â˘
You donât care about Earth.
Thatâs what youâve told yourself, over and over again, ever since you crash-landed on this ridiculous planet full of weaklings. You donât care about its people, its customs, or its foolish attachment to peace.
But then someone hurts Mark.
And suddenly, none of that matters.
It happens fast.
One moment, youâre watching him trade blows with some costumed idiotâsome third-rate, no-name waste of oxygen who dares to think they can beat him.
And thenâ
Mark hesitates. Just for a second.
And in that second, the bastard slams a fist straight into his ribs with enough force to send him crashing through a building.
Your vision goes red.
Your usual smugnessâyour sharp, teasing quipsâvanish. There's no room for anything but pure, feral rage.
You donât think.
You react.
The air around you crackles as you launch yourself forward, faster than the fool can process. One second, theyâre standing there, smug over landing a hit on Markâ
The next, you have them by the throat.
Their eyes widen, hands clawing at yours, feet kicking uselessly in the air. You squeeze, just enough to make them panic.
âYou think youâre strong?â Your voice is low, almost a growl, vibrating with barely restrained fury. âYou think you can just touch him?â
They make a choked noise, eyes bulging. You hate looking at them. This weak, insignificant thing that had the audacity to harm whatâs yours.
Your grip tightens. The building behind you trembles from the sheer force of your energy surging outward. Hair flickering between its normal color and golden for a split second.
Mark coughs somewhere in the rubble. "Y/Nâ"
Your head snaps toward the sound. Heâs trying to push himself up, one arm wrapped around his ribs, blood smeared across his cheek.
Heâs looking at you now, eyes wide, expression torn between disbelief and something elseâsomething softer.
You donât like it.
You scowl, then turn back to your prey. You could end this fight right now. Just a little more pressure, and theyâd be nothing but a crumpled mess of bone and flesh.
But Markâdamn himâis still watching.
And for some stupid reason, you care about what he sees.
With a growl, you throw the bastard across the street. Their body smashes through a lamppost before skidding to a limp halt. You donât bother checking if they get up. If they know whatâs good for them, they wonât.
The moment theyâre gone, you stalk over to Mark, who is still gawking at you.
âDid you justââ
"Shut up," you snap, grabbing his wrist and yanking him to his feet.
He stumbles slightly, and you automatically shift to steady him, one hand gripping his forearm.
Heâs warm under your fingers, his breath still uneven from the fight. His eyes lock onto yours, searching.
Your jaw tightens. "If you die, Iâll be very pissed off."
Mark blinks, thenâdespite the blood on his lip, despite the bruises already blooming across his skinâhe grins.
âYou care about me,â he says, tone dripping with amusement.
Your eye twitches.
"You care about me," he repeats, sing-song, like heâs delighted about it.
You shove him, hard enough to make him stumble back. "I will end you."
Mark just laughs, wiping blood from his mouth. "Yeah, sure. Right after you finish avenging my honor."
You hate him. You hate that heâs right. You hate that you let yourself care.
And most of allâ
You hate the way your stomach flips when he looks at you like that.
â˘â˘â˘â˘
Itâs lateâtoo late for anyone else to be awakeâbut you donât sleep much. Not like humans do.
So you sit alone on the edge of his rooftop, arms resting on your knees, staring up at the sky. The stars above are bright tonight, scattered across the inky black like shattered glass.
They stretch endlessly, far beyond Earth, far beyond this tiny planet with its weak gravity and fragile people.
Somewhere out there, a long time ago, there was a place you should have called home.
But Planet Vegeta is gone.
You donât remember it. You were too young when it was destroyed, sent away before the blast could reach you. By the time you were old enough to ask questions, there was nothing left to return toâjust empty space where your people once stood.
You should be used to it by now.
But some nightsâlike this oneâyour chest feels hollow.
The soft thud of footsteps behind you barely registers. You already know who it is.
Mark drops down beside you, not saying anything at first, just watching the sky with you.
The silence stretches between you, comfortable in a way you wouldnât have expected months ago.
Then, quietly, he asks, âYou ever think about going back?â
You exhale slowly, gaze never leaving the stars. âNot really an option.â
Mark tilts his head. âWhy not?â
Your fingers clench slightly. âBecause thereâs nothing to go back to.â
His expression shifts. "Oh."
You donât like the pity in his voice. You shoot him a sharp glance. âDonât look at me like that. I didnât lose my planetâI never had it to begin with.â
Mark studies you, his expression unreadable. "Still. Thatâs⌠a lot."
You scoff. "I manage."
Silence.
Then, softlyââThen maybe Earth is your home now.â
Your head snaps toward him, expecting mockery, but thereâs none. No teasing, no sarcasmâjust sincerity. Just Mark.
He looks at you like itâs an obvious answer, like it doesnât matter that youâre not human, that you donât belong here.
For the first time, you donât scoff.
ââŚMaybe.â
â˘â˘â˘â˘
Mark is fidgeting.
Youâve been watching him shift awkwardly in place for the past two minutes, and you canât decide whether youâre more entertained or secondhand embarrassed.
His hands keep clenching at his sides, like he canât decide if he wants to put them in his pockets, cross his arms, or just gesture wildly. He rubs the back of his neck so much that youâre convinced he might actually rub his skin raw. And the way heâs shifting his weight from foot to foot?
Pathetic. Yet...cute.
Your brow arches. âAre you gonna say something, or are you just gonna stand there looking constipated?â
Mark flinches like you just punched him in the gut. âIâI have something I need to tell you.â
You cross your arms, tilting your head, unimpressed. âClearly.â
He takes a deep breath, like that might somehow help him, then lets it out in a rush of air that makes him seem even more stressed.
His shoulders are too tense, his expression too strained, and his heartbeatâoh, his heartbeat is practically hammering through his chest. Is he nervous?
Heâs never like this during fights. Even when heâs getting thrown through buildings, he usually keeps his cool, and pushing through with sheer stubbornness. But right now?
Mark looks like he might actually pass out.
âSo, uhâŚâ He drags a hand down his face, sighing. âI think Iâno, I know Iâuhââ
Your smirk widens. You canât help it. âSpit it out, Invincible.â
That seems to make it worse. He groans, eyes squeezing shut, head tilting back like heâs begging the universe for patience.
Then, he just blurts it out.
âI like you, okay? A lot. A lot more than normal, And I know you probably think Iâm beneath you, butââ
You donât think.
You act.
Before he can finish whatever self-deprecating nonsense he was about to say, you grab the front of his suit and yank him forward, crashing your lips against his.
Itâs instinct. Itâs reaction. Itâs the only thing you can do when faced with something that makes your chest feel tight.
For a second, he freezes.
Then, he melts into it.
His lips are warm, slightly chapped, and heâs so still. You realize heâs holding his breath, and maybe you are too. The world around you fades into nothing, like the only thing anchoring you to reality is the heat of his mouth against yours.
And then itâs over.
You pull back so fast you nearly trip over your own feet, letting go of his shirt like it just burned you. Your heart is pounding in your chest, your faceâdamn it, why does your face feel hot?
You clench your fists, resisting the urge to cover your mouth, your brain screaming at you for what you just did.
Mark just⌠stares.
His mouth is slightly open, his eyebrows raised, his lips still parted like heâs still processing what just happened. Thereâs a deep flush creeping up his neck, painting his ears red, butâheâs not speaking.
Oh, universe.
Why isnât he speaking?
Panic creeps up your spine like a slow-burning fire. You shouldnât have done that. What if youâwhat if heâ
ââŚYou kissed me.â His voice is dazed, barely more than a whisper, and thatâs when you snap.
You stiffen, looking anywhere but at him. âYou wereâtalking too much.â
Slowlyâtoo slowlyâsomething shifts in his expression. The stunned silence fades, melting into something smug. His lips curl at the edges, the flush on his cheeks still present but no longer uncertain. Itâs a look of pure, unfiltered victory.
His voice is annoyingly triumphant. âYou like me.â
Your entire body locks up.
âNo,â you say immediately.
Mark steps closer. âYou so do.â
âI donât,â you insist, but the way youâre backing up is not helping your case.
Mark follows, his confidence growing with every second. âYou totally do. Oh my god.â He drags a hand down his face, but itâs not exasperationâitâs exhilaration. âI knew it.â
âYou donât know anything,â you mutter, face burning.
He grins. âYou are so cute right now.â
Your hands clench into fists. âI will end you.â
âOh, sure,â he teases. âBut not before I kiss you again.â
You whip around so fast your hair nearly smacks him in the face. âI hate you.â
He has the audacity to laugh. A full, bright, obnoxiously victorious laugh.
âNo, you donât.â
Your mouth opensâprobably to snap something backâbut Mark just leans in, smirking.
âIf it makes you feel better,â he muses, âI really enjoyed it.â
You go completely still, face burning impossibly warmer.
Mark grins wider, âAnd I know you enjoyed it too.â
Your eye twitches.
He laughs again, and you hate how much you donât hate the sound of it.
So, a friend of mine got an oc called Tracks, he is a half Saiyan, not too long ago we talked about his own form called "Blue Moon", keep in mind character is NOT OWNED BY ME, Tracks is the character of NovaCream31 and here's the drawing:
Give that man some glitter this is some Sailor Moon vibes!