a/n I just reread this and omfg I forgot how much I foreshadowed

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They Did it Good, I'd Do it Better

•••

"I know him better than you do!"

I followed as closely behind the hospital employees as they would let me as they wheeled Mark into the hospital. Noises from all over echoed down the hall as all forces came together to perform emergency procedures on the fallen heroes but all I could hear was static, my own jumbled thoughts drowning everything out.

My heart felt heavy in my chest as I watched the doctors take him further and further away from me, not unlike what I'd felt when facing my own death. Helplessness.

"There's a hole straight through him!" one of the doctors stated, as if I couldn't see it, and brought Mark into a private room. "Your powers are null here."

I realized that feeling of helplessness came from fear.

The time I waited for Mark's recovery felt impossibly long, despite being under a week. There were never conclusive answers, and despite my own powers being the most useful possible thing, it seemed I was kept further away from him than anyone, not even allowed inside the room. If Cecil had his way, I wouldn't have been permitted to even see him.

I was lucky to have such a good support system. Eve and William kept my empty time filled, and despite my 'extracurricular' activities feeling a little hollow without my usual partner, Affinity faired just fine. School was the same as it usually was, especially compared to pre-Mark.

Still, the whole situation made me realize how big of a space Mark took up in my life. Not a minute went by where I wasn't terrified for his life, even as the days progressed and he visibly began to heal. I was perfectly capable of functioning as my own person, but that didn't mean he wasn't the first name I looked for when I picked up my phone or the first face I checked for in class. It always felt just a little bit like I was missing something.

Unsurprisingly, it seemed like I wasn't the only one feeling his absence. Beyond just his close friends, quite a few people reached out to me for him.

"Do you know where Mark's been?" a familiar voice asked as I sat down for class on a seemingly normal Tuesday afternoon. The question seemed to be on everyone's mind.

"He's in the hospital," I remarked, spewing out the same rehearsed bullshit Eve and I came up with. As I turned around to face the source of the question, Amber's eyes widened. "He got hit by a bus."

"Is he going to be okay?" she exclaimed, leaning forward into her desk and twirling a strand of hair around a slender finger. "I've had a few things I've been meaning to ask him..."

I'm wondering the same question, pal. Hearing it over and over again was exhausting, especially considering he remained unresponsive in a coma.

"He should be, it seems like he's making a full recovery," I replied. I tried to plaster on the most pleasant facial expression I could, a soft smile that barely met my eyes.

"He's really strong," Amber mused, her eyes lighting up. "To come back from something like that."

"Yeah, you should see him in action," I began to explain, almost letting my cover slip as the hint of a genuine smile flashed across my lips. I scolded myself for it internally, getting a little too excited to gush about Mark's achievements. Quickly, I added, "He took me on a date to the pool once, he's a natural athlete."

"A date?" Amber asked, her eyebrows furrowing.

"Oh, yeah," I remarked, internally scolding myself again for assuming she would know. "We've been going out for a little while now."

Amber paused, leaning back slightly in her chair. "Huh. Congratulations."

"Thank you. Honestly I've been really worried," I admitted with a sigh, trying to keep the depth of that feeling relatively contained. "I'll let him know you wanted to talk when he wakes up."

"That... won't be necessary," Amber replied, shaking her head. She chewed her lip as she paused, mulling over her words. "I'll just find him later. I hope he gets better."

"Alright. Thank you. I do too."

The conversation was not dissimilar to any of the other ones I'd had about Mark. I wasn't able to disclose very much information, largely in part to the fact that the information I did know was entirely confidential. He was like a school celebrity, and he wasn't even there.

There are no words in the human language strong enough to describe how relieved I felt when Mark finally woke up, but I'll give it a shot. It was like a thousand pound weight lifted off my shoulders. My feet could've left the ground, and I don't even have that ability. It was like the change from black and white to color.

I knew, somewhere within me, that he would be okay. I trusted that. But that didn't stop the little voice in my head from talking, and there was a vivid excitement when I finally had the confirmation that did.

I'd like to say I was the first to visit him, but I was only one of. His parents got there first, which was fair enough, followed by Eve, and finally succeeded by me. I felt a little ashamed of myself for not arriving earlier, but the way his face lit up when he saw me made me forget any negative feeling I'd ever had.

"Hey, hero," I greeted as I entered the bright room, an unfightable smile taking over my face. "How are you feeling?"

Mark groaned, losing his boyish smile for only a moment. "Not great," he admitted. Although he was comfortably tucked under a thin blanket, visible dark color lined his face and collarbone. "But I'm alive. And I'm better now that you're here."

I stepped to the side of his bed, close enough I could touch him. Mark shifted slightly, crinkling the white bedsheets as he twisted his body towards me. Despite looking a bit beat up, he was as handsome as ever.

"Do you know how long they're keeping you here?" I asked, asking entirely for myself, selfishly. And also with genuine concern.

"Probably another day, to monitor me and stuff," Mark replied. His eyes softened, lips turning into a bashful frown. "Sorry we never got to see that movie. Is it still showing?"

"You're on thin ice right now," I warned, although the playful smile on my lips gave me away. Although there was a sizable part of me that wished Mark had vetoed that fight altogether and just hung out with me, his sense of justice was still one of the most attractive things about him. "But you're in luck, because it's still playing until next week. So you've got a few days to make it up to me."

"Thank God," Mark stated, breathing a sigh of relief. "Did you miss me?"

"Not until day three when I had to find a new partner for global issues," I replied sarcastically. My face softened, revealing the true depth to my concern. "Mark, at risk of sounding clingy, I missed you so much. That's a stupid question."

"You're right, I just wanted to hear you say it," Mark admitted somewhat sheepishly.

"Well, I missed you. A lot," I repeated honestly. "Speaking of class, though, you're going to have so much work to make up."

"Don't even start," Mark groaned, rolling his eyes. Before I could even finish giggling, his expression shifted into one much more serious. "Before I fell asleep I was so worried about you."

"You were worried about me?" I exclaimed, my jaw dropped half way to the floor. "Your body was almost split in half. I thought you were going to die."

"Yeah, and I didn't want to die without knowing you were safe. You were the first person I thought of when I woke up, too." A soft smile crossed Mark's lips, along with a light dusting of pink to contrast the bruises.

"You're crazy," I replied, shaking my head. "I know I already said this, but I missed you so much. I was so fucking worried about you. And they wouldn't let me use my powers at all, even though that's what they're there for. I guess they healed you good, but I could've done it better."

A cheeky smirk crossed Mark's features, lighting up his face. "Well, now that you have me, I wouldn't mind a little painkiller right now."

"I think you still need to look a little bit like you just came from the hospital, but I wouldn't mind giving you a boost," I remarked, his suggestion not at all lost on me. I looked from his eyes down to his lips, finally meeting his brown eyes again. "May I?"

It was stupid, but I'd been missing it. I was well aware of how ridiculous I was to be encouraging this, especially right after Mark woke up, but in my flimsy defense, he was the one who suggested it.

"You may."

Excitement coursing through me like it was the first time ever, I leaned over the bed and placed a soft kiss to his lips, careful not to disturb his healing body. Mark cupped my chin with an uncoordinated hand, somewhat weakened after days without use.

The contact was warm, in a different way than I'd ever felt. The soft pink glow of my powers permeated even my closed eyes. Despite the fact I was taking Mark's pain, I hardly even noticed it's affect on me, basking in the joy of being with him.

I was fucking down bad.

As I pulled away, my eyes scanned over Mark's. His were wide, as if he'd just seen the universe itself. Some of the bruising was visibly gone, and even his damaged skin seemed healthier.

"I'd say I'm addicted to you but you're going to have me literally addicted to you if you ever do that again," Mark mused, propping himself up on his elbows so he was closer to sitting. "Holy shit."

"You're too much," I laughed, although the compliment was one I'd definitely be saving to replay in my head any time my ego was dwindling. "I'm just trying to show you how I feel."

"I definitely think I felt it."

Although none of the situation was anywhere close to ordinary, I couldn't help but wish I could emulate it forever. Excluding Mark being in the hospital, of course. But everything else could stay.

The moment fit my definition of beautiful, the kind I'd gladly keep infinitely. It was a beautiful day outside, leaves just beginning to change colors and the very faintest of breezes. Despite our location, Mark made it a beautiful day inside with his handsome smile and warm demeanor.

The universe's definition of beautiful is a sanguine paradise.