Marc hated days like this, he really did. Days where some self-proclaimed super villain decided to run around town causing chaos around the city and he was left to stare out of the window, terrified for a great number of reasons.
The main reason being that his boyfriend was the soul defence the city had against crazed lunatics with powers.
Marc tore his gaze away from the city skyline, trying hard to ignore the little voice in the back of his head that was currently screaming worst-case scenarios.
The computer screen wasn't a much better sight. It was mocking him really, laughing at his despair as the the little line flashed at the end of the last word he had typed.
Seriously though, he didn't have time to let the worry stunt his creativity, he had a deadline looming over his head like a thundercloud, ready to drop the rain and lightning the second he handed another chapter to his agent late.
"You've had 2 lockdowns in the past week!" She would scold, voice harsh as she undoubtedly paced her office on the other side of the phone "Why don't you spend the time you aren't allowed to leave your flat doing something productive so we can actually get this handed to the publishers on time?!"
Marc could never really come up with a response, after all, he couldn't tell her his boyfriend was a superhero and was risking his life during those lockdowns.
Blink, blink, blink. As if the damned line was trying hard to communicate with him through morse code "Idiot. Think of something. Idiot. Worrying doesn't help."
Marc pushed his desk chair away from the computer and that damned line, cursing himself for even starting the book series. He had meant it to be a distraction from exactly this type of situation, situations where anxiety ate him up from the inside out. Fat lot of help this damned book was turning out to be.
He could work on the comic he and Nath were working on together, he could bash out another volume's worth of content for Nath to draw when he got back, but thinking of Nathaniel made his worry swirl even more. It was no good. Marc was going to have to turn on the TV.
On days like this Marc really tried to avoid the TV and its continuous coverage of the fight going on across the city. Marc tried to ignore the idiotic journalists and camera men who would put themselves in obvious danger just to try and get the best footage. Nath had been hurt really badly once whilst he was trying to protect such journalists. And, of course, it had been caught on camera and broadcast live, right to Marc's TV. Marc had burst into tears instantly and buried himself under his covers since there was nothing else he could do whilst police had been stationed in the entrance way to the flat block to keep people inside.
Marc flicked the TV on, biting his lip as the news flicked onto the screen and some obnoxious newsreader started recounting the events from the day whilst footage of the battle played in the background.
"I'm back," A voice announced from the balcony door which had clicked open whilst Marc had been turning on the TV "safe and sound."
"I'll believe that when I see it." Marc muttered, flicking off the TV in an instant and turning to face the balcony and his boyfriend.
He had looked better, Marc noted, but he had definitely looked worse. His red hair was matted with dirt and, in some places, blood. Nath's left eyes was bruised and he had an open burn wound poking through a large rip in his left sleeve. Yeah, he had looked a heck of a lot worse then he did right now.
"Lets get that under some running water." Marc stated, rushing over to guide Nath into the bathroom where they could use shower to clean this mess up.
"Can I at least get out of the suit first? I'm going to need to send it to Edna for repairs."
"Fine fine, but I'm cutting the sleeve off so we don't agitate the burn." Marc stated, detouring into the kitchen to grab the first aid kit, glad for what definitely wasn't the first time that he had taken first aid training.
When he finally got to the bathroom after grabbing the first aid kit and a pair of fabric scissors from their room, Nathaniel was sat on the side of the bath, water already running from the shower head and arm already held under it, clearly having given up on his plan to change first.
"At least tell me that's cold water?" Marc asked, skittering to his boyfriend's side, brandishing the scissors.
"Yep, I learnt from the best." Nathaniel stated, smiling.
Marc brushed him off, Nathaniel really should be aware by now that Marc was all business until Nathaniel had been fully checked over for injuries and all of said injuries had been cared of.
Marc worked quietly, focusing on the task at hand and brushing off the residual panic from earlier. Nathaniel was back. He was safe. Injured, sure, but safe. And right now Marc needed to not fuss and worry over the hero but he needed to care for him like any good boyfriend would.
When the wound was properly cared for Marc wrapped it in clingfilm and stepped out of the room, allowing Nathaniel to shower alone as he stepped into the bedroom and finally allowed himself to crack. He tasted the tears on his lips before he even realised they had been there, anxiety and fear finally beating him in the struggle for control.
Marc really did hate days like this. Days where his boyfriend would rock up at the flat, injured and sore but still smiling and saying he was okay. It hurt Marc every time. Granted, it hurt a lot less than the alternative end to a fight, but it still hurt.
The bedroom door cracked open and Nathaniel entered the room, dressed in fresh pyjamas with a towel over his head. Marc had to stop himself wrapping Nathaniel in the biggest hug he could manage when the redhead sat down on the bed next to him, wary that he was probably in pain.
Thankfully Nathaniel moved first, pulling Marc into a hug and rocking slightly as he hummed, a proven way to calm Marc down "I'm okay," he murmured into Marc's ear "I'm fine. Everything's good."
"I know." Marc whispered back "But you keep scaring me."
"That's the last thing I want to do." Nathaniel answered.
It was rehearsed, the same every time a situation like this occured. Like a well choreographed dance. Nathaniel would return to the flat, beaten and bruised, sometimes concussed or in need of an ambulance and actual medical care, Marc would take care of him the best he could whilst maintaining a mask of calm, and then he would break the second he had done everything he could to help. Nathaniel would then swoop in, always the hero, and comfort him, assure him he was okay and try to help him relax.
"What-" Marc swallowed "What was it this time?" Marc asked, not able to bring himself out of the hug.
"Hotshot teenager that just discovered she had powers." Nathaniel responded, continuing to rock Marc left and right "Probably thought that burning things with fireballs would be a bit of a laugh. Didn't have much of a plan. It was over fairly quickly."
"And the hand over?"
"The police took her away, they're going to get all her details and find out if she's old enough to be prosecuted as an adult. A lot of the damage was confined to the park though, she might just be let off with a night in the cells and community service, depending on if she hurt any bystanders before I got there."
"She should at least be sent to a correctional facility." Marc huffed.
"She might be." Nathaniel responded.
They were silent for a second before Marc mumbled "You scared me."
"I know, and I'm sorry. But if I don't go out there then who will? Hm?"
"You're right. I just wish it wasn't as frequent as it is."
"I know, I wish the same thing." Nathaniel loosened the hug slightly, pulling away enough so he could rest his forehead against Marc's before gently pecking his boyfriend's lips.
"I made lasagna for dinner," Marc stated once they pulled away from each other, mask of full calm and control back in place despite him knowing Nathaniel didn't fall for it "It should be ready right about now, I'll just go check." He quickly left the room, heading for the kitchen.
Nathaniel smiled at his retreating back, a tired yet fond smile that always graced his lips on days like this.
Because to Nathaniel, Marc was the true superhero.