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Otto had forgotten what day it was, and he was late.
On any other day, that would have been fair enough. Being a criminal mad scientist that was trying to construct what was essentially a miniature sun, all while getting into constant spats with the world’s most famous and spunky hero – it was bound to make a man forget a few things here and there.
But being late today specifically, after being told to come home for 5pm sharp? For Marcus, that was pushing it too far. It was beyond accepting; it felt like salt rubbed into a wound. Did their anniversary truly mean so little to him…? Idly pushing the steak he’d cooked around in its pan, Dr. Pierce frowned and took in a sharp breath through his nose, deeply filling his lungs with the quiet flat’s heavy air until they pinched. He was doing his very best to not overthink, to not spiral from being just grumpy into an exasperated full-on rage, but that lover of his… Octavius truly was trying his patience. Just where was he? What was he even doing? What could possibly require him to disappear so early in the morning, stay away all day, and yet still not be back in time for supper? Marcus hated to admit it, but sometimes, he simply felt needy. His anxiety would flare up when Otto was gone most the day, a sick uneasiness rocking in his belly and tainting anything else he tried to do or focus on – the previous several days and even weeks long disappearing stunts the man had pulled before certainly didn’t set Marcus at ease. Nor did all the times he had come back a bit too wounded and weary for it to be close enough to comfort. All those memories and their implications, the what ifs, they definitely didn’t help matters.
Wrinkling his nose and gritting his teeth with frustration, lips curling back like an affronted dog, Marcus roughly shoved his spatula down against the counter and slid it away, as if it the utensil was the one to blame. He set the stove to a low heat to keep he and Otto’s meal warm, doing it out of reflex, before pausing. Should he even bother? Or should he just start sticking everything in the fridge – in the end, Marcus couldn’t help deciding to hold out for just a little bit longer. Even though an increasingly pessimistic suspicion was telling him it was against his better judgement, the doctor just couldn’t help it. It was supposed to be a great night, akin to the ones when they could still go out in public together, when they were first still truly falling in love. He wanted to hang onto the idea that this night still could be like that, and he couldn’t really help it either. Not after all the planning and effort he’d put in, and all the lovesick daydreaming he’d gotten carried away with.
Marcus dragged himself away from the counters with a sigh, trying his best to ignore the flash of his shifting reflection in the sink as he glided past it. He felt like a clown, dressed to the nines and adorned with his finest cologne, ready for what he thought would be an amazing night and meal in with Doctor Otto Octavius – but the day would probably just end with that fool coming back at 2am as a bloody mess, needing to be patched up after some farfetched fight. Marcus rolled his eyes, pouting as he began flicking the remote after slouching into the back of the sofa and wearily sprawling out his legs, a grumbled sigh escaping him. He may as well check the news to see if said aforementioned fight was already airing – even though he knew seeing it would make his anxiety worse in some ways. He’d been avoiding it for that very reason, that, and he didn’t want to get any angrier from seeing Otto waste time that should have been spent at home with him. Perhaps that line of thinking was a bit selfish, but these reckless conflicts… while the violence and power Otto would display thrilled a more malicious part of Marcus, he was always the one to fix what went wrong – healing all of Otto’s wounds, no matter how grave, until the man rushed out again. He just wished they could spend more time together, outside of all the madness of the city and the villainy. That wasn’t so much to ask for, was it? To have a spare moment to just do regular couple things together.
Still, while Marcus’ thoughts on everything were rather complicated, the confirmation often felt good. It may have been scary at times, being stuck behind a screen, only able to watch as bullets reigned towards his love, but at least that way he knew what was happening. He would have at least some sign of life. It felt good to know exactly what was going on, where Otto was, and most importantly, what to expect and when the old man got home. Otto truly was lucky to have him.
Marcus spotted a piece on the news that looked to be of interest, something about a major jewelry store robbery – well, Otto did like committing a good break in every now and then, and he needed the cash more than ever as of late, what with his reactor. Otto’s disappointed date sat up and leaned in, but he didn’t get a chance to listen properly or watch any further – Something else caught the doctor’s attention. Something much better than distant reporters droning on about crime statistics and the decline of the city. It was the sound of metal getting slammed against and rattled outside the window. Ah, that sweet sound, that sweet sweet sound. How Marcus loved it. That sound was how Dr. Pierce knew Otto was home. He shot up, only to remember that he was still rather angry with his love – and rightfully so! Otto still was 2 hours late, after all. He took a deep breath, suppressing an excited grin before rushing over to the window, unable to help hurrying. If Otto was injured, then he was injured; bygones would become bygones for at least the next hour or so as medical necessity took precedence.
Sliding the glass, Marcus peeked his head out the window, eyebrows furrowed as he searched. He was quick to spot Otto’s familiar form in the little remaining evening light there was, semi-crouched as he seemed to try to catch his balance, the tentacles clumsily grabbing at the brick walls of the apartment complex to aid him. He supposed it was a lot for the old guy, hurrying as fast as he could to crawl along from building to building, only to leap down onto the shaky grated metal platform that stood waiting, ready below Marcus’ window. Still though, Otto looked more off balance than usual. Marcus realized it was because the scientist was staring right back at him, and was fumbling to hide something, before promptly giving up, knowing he was now seen. Some kind of bag with thin flimsy handles, and something else, something big and all dolled up in crinkly wrapping paper. Eyes adjusting to the dim light, Pierce twigged that what his date was holding was a huge bouquet of flowers and a gift bag.
It was adorable. The doctor was dressed in a black turtleneck, leather, boots, and the shades he liked to wear so much when roaming as a villain. He had just been out committing even more violent crimes to add to his ever-growing tally, and now here he was. Fumbling against the leather of his gloves to grip the handle of a plastic giftstore bag covered in shiny red hearts, all while trying to balance flowers in the crook of his elbow.
“Darling!” Otto’s voice was light with excitement and recognition, before he tried to become a bit more formal and apologetic.
“Good evening my dear, I am so sorry that I’m late – I,” Otto cleared his throat, a pink dusting his cheeks just slightly.
“Well, there is a lot of reasons, though I know there’s no real excuse. But I had to get your surprise presents, and then I had to get a bag for them, and then I actually dropped the first set of flowers while climbing along some buildings, and the girls kept arguing with me about which kind to get for the second-“
“Otto.” Marcus’ grin was akin to that of a Cheshire cat, one of the widest and most elated Otto had probably ever seen. There was no way he could have smiled any smaller, either. He felt too lit up and electrified with joy.
“Get in here and kiss me already.”
Otto froze with surprise at Marcus’ bark of his name, lip pursing before he grinned back. He hummed loudly and with delight, feeling in good spirits as he stepped closer to the window, handing over the bag and flowers – Marcus hurried to set them aside onto a dresser while the scientist began hauling himself through the opened frame. The doctor firmly grabbed Otto by the arm, the men linking together and both huffing as he hauled the big lug through the window – practice had made perfect, and soon enough, a few tugs were enough to give and Otto was through just fine. He stood up a little too fast to get his bearings, a tentacle sweeping by a shelf and knocking over a vase, before another quickly caught it and carefully set it back down.
“In that bag.” Otto pointed to the red heart-covered thing, a bit breathless.
“You will find several rings – I wasn’t sure which you’d like best, so, I just sort of took the top five – the ones that seemed the most you.”
“That was the reason you robbed the jewelry store?” Marcus’ grin hadn’t dropped, and it wasn’t going to anytime soon. Even better, he noted that his boyfriend looked to be in good shape – no visible wounds, just dust peppering along strands of his soft hair and caked onto his jacket's shoulders, leftovers from cracked apart walls and blasted rubble. Walls that had been torn down just to please him. Still, Marcus wanted to be sure.
“Are you hurt?”
“No my dear, I was careful this time. I knew that you had plans for us, and I tried my very best not to get bloody for them. Though I suppose I am a little dusty.”
A lighthearted, apologetic huff left Otto’s lips, the edges of his large eyes crinkling a bit as he smiled. His grin was so earnest, and in that moment, upon witnessing it, Marcus felt at home. At ease. Everything melted away, all he knew and all he needed to know was that he was completely in love. Perhaps things weren’t – and really could never be – quite like their first few dates again. But this was something new, and something so sweet. It was consistency, it was familiarity, it was stability. It was peace and hope and a sense of contentedness that Marcus wanted to sink his nails and teeth into, to cling onto for the rest of his life, like a determined animal. A warmth built in his chest from just thinking about it, and his eyes shined, radiant with fulfillment and adoration.
“You really remembered, huh? Otto, I’ll be honest. I’d assumed that you’d forgotten.” The doctor’s tone was soft.
“Forgotten? Oh no, not today, my dear boy. Not today.” The brown in Otto’s eyes was especially warm as he gazed affectionately, a very slight sadness in his smile at the idea of that.
“Maybe some things do tend to... slip my mind. But today is a day I’ve been careful to keep marked in my calendar. To do otherwise would be a disservice to you, and you don’t deserve that. Here, I’ll dust myself off, get into a nice suit, and we can finally have this date. Sorry to make you wait again. I’ll prove it to you tonight-"
Otto stepped forwards. He cupped a hand against Marcus’ cheek, his lover’s breath catching as he reached over to place his own palm over Otto’s knuckles.
“I’ll prove that I know that you, my dear boy, deserve the world.”
A soft kiss was laid upon Marcus’ forehead.
Otto may have not been the best with some things – but where it mattered most, he pulled through. And that was all Marcus truly needed.