Chapter Text
December 1st
Months.
I’d been months since he broke out of that dinghy prison cell. Months since he fought the red haired kid. Months since the Battle in Deadwood. Months since he’d gotten his son back. Months since he’d helped tide with getting his powers back.
Life was a bit quieter since that day. Ashe had gotten accepted into college, along with one of Tide’s boys, and they spent a whole afternoon setting up his dorm just right. Mark had visibly shed tears that day while hugging his son goodbye. He wouldn’t admit it though.
The rest of the months had been hard, especially as it started to get colder outside. Mark hated the holidays, admittingly only celebrating for the sake of Ashe. But Ashe was gone, and so there was no reason.
Halloween, he stayed inside all day, eating a jumbo-sized bag of mixed candy while watching the Addams Family on television.
But that changed when December 1st came around.
Mark had decided he wouldn’t celebrate christmas this year. Ashe wouldn’t be coming home, and he’d be able to lounge around eating candy canes. He was passed out on the couch when there was a ring at the doorbell.
He groaned, hand coming to rub up his face and eyes. Mark swung his legs over the side of the couch, his bones cracking and popping as he arched his back to stretch. With a grunt he stood, walking towards the door.
He twisted the doorknob and pulled open the door. Standing there was Tide, surrounded by four familiar kids.
“The fuck?”
The three boys ran into the house, Dakota dropped his bags in the middle of the floor and immediately rushed into the basement. Vyncent walked in with William close behind him, practically clinging onto him. They all look different from the last time Mark seen them. Well, except maybe Dakota.
Tide smiles politely as he walked inside and follows Dakota down the stairs, and it causes Mark to short circuit for a second and shake his head to recollect himself. Before Mark could turn to confront them, Ashe lightly grabbed his arm.
“Hey dad.”
Mark absentmindedly pulled him in for a hug, “Why the hell are you here?”
“I wanted to surprise you,”
“And..”
Ashe continues, “They wanted to come along, spend Christmas with us.”
Mark pinched the bridge of his nose. He didn’t want to celebrate this year, and even with Ashe here, he doesn’t want to celebrate with those nutcases. “So you invited those maniacs to my house for a whole month without tellin’ me?”
Ashe shrugged, an apologetic look on his face. He made his way past Mark and into the house to set his bag in his room.
How did he get himself into this? He’s glad his boys making friends, but why did it have to be them? He’s pretty sure Dakota still hates his guts, and the kid aggravated the fuck outta him.
Vyncent, Mark knew the least about. He was nice, but obviously not from around here. Seeing him now, he’d definitely grown up a lot. The hair on his chin was fuller, and he just all in all looked like a grown up. It was a little refreshing to know that he lived near Ashe.
William was a different story. Since Deadwood he’s been coming to terms with himself, and embracing the fact he’s dead. But the kid has always been a loose canon, and could freak out during stressful situations. Mark just started to assume it was his personality, and William seemed mature enough to handle himself and his friends.
And then there was Tide.
He’s known Tide since Wavelengths first debut. He was newly created back then, only having Magma by his side during the battle. But he’d be lying if he said Tide wasn’t strong. For his first time fighting ever, he was capable of things Mark had never witnessed. They continued to have countless interactions with one another, almost like they were searching for each other. The News speculated their dynamic for a while, and all Mark could do was snicker at the TV.
But as time went on Tide started taking care of his boys, and Mark had slowed down. He wasn’t in his younger years, and villain work really aged you. They hadn’t fought in forever, and maybe it was good that way. When he was told Tide was taken from Mallard Conway, he took in the boys.
Then they met Ashe, and his world turned upside down. All he ever wanted was to protect them, and he ended up letting that Trickster fuck take ahold of him. The greif was unbearable, not knowing if he’d ever see his son again. Escaping Prison, he went in search for Ashe. It wasn’t successful though, instead fighting Dakota and getting some sense knocked into him.
That’s when he got a call from Tide asking for his help, and how could he say no to that? Meeting with Tide again was like meeting an old friend, except not really. Tide and Mark are enemies, and that shows with how they interacted back then. Staying with Tide for a while he had to loosen up around him. Eating beef stroganoff every night was a pain in the ass, but Tide grew more comfortable around him and offered him food and shelter. It was nice. They started growing closer and closer, spending their days cooped up in each others bubble while planning out how to get Tide’s powers back, leading to a strange love starting to blossom. They were both shit at romance, and didn’t know how to work out their feelings for one another. It was natural, but it felt wrong.
It all came out one night while on the couch, under a blanket and dangerously close to one another. Watching a romance movie probably wasn’t the best choice. Both felt anxiety as their walls started to crumble. By the end of the movie, Tide was straddling Mark and kissing like there was no tomorrow. The rest had progressed like normal, with a bonus of a new romantic parter.
Mark hadn’t seen Tide in person in a while, and all he wanted to do was wrap him up in his arms and never let go. He pushed that thought down, cringing at himself. Maybe he was growing too soft.
He closed the door which left a cold breeze where he stood. Mark turned around and went to deal with the mess Dakota made.
Maybe he’ll try this Christmas.