Chapter Text
Weakness is not something that Sinister felt often, if at all, one of the only weaknesses he could recall was when he was a child. Small and meaningless, Mark would watch his Father appear on the news, defeating monsters and saving the earth several times over, that is what made him feel weak. When he eventually gained his powers at the age of 18, this weakness had since morphed into pent up rage, and that rage became hate, and that hate brought about the suffering of others.
The last shred of weakness that he ever felt was shedded when he killed his Father, a final argument in the sky over how violent Mark had become, that final argument which ended with a hole in his Fathers chest, and a heart in his hand.
So, in this moment, he felt something completely foreign to him after so long, the weakness and fear of a time past, sniveling children, locked bedroom doors, and broken bones. William, his William , was gone, and for the second time in his life Mark had lost him.
His soft skin, sweet blood, and bruised bites littering his body, trailing from his cheeks to his shoulders, across his arms, and down to his fingers where his picked bloody cuticles peeled and bled. There was a time, in days past, where Mark would hold William’s hands, laugh and tell him to stop picking. And there was a time when Mark would push down his lust for blood to help cover up injuries when William would fall.
But now, Mark left evidence of his devotion and utter love, no longer pushing down his urge to gaze upon William’s skin left bloody. He held true that no one but him would be able to honor and love William the way he deserved, to cherish him and provide for him properly.
The air is still, not a gust to flutter his cape, the world around him stands still, and Mark holds his breath. William’s corner, where he laid when he wanted to be alone, was empty, his spot by the fire had no evidence of him, the fire now nothing but smoking burnt up charcoal. The sun glares down, burning up his skin, his lover nothing but a pale memory.
“...I’m not even real…”
It rings through his head, with no trace left of William’s existence, what could he use to prove that everything he felt, everything he experienced was real. His head rang, thoughts rushing through, hsi ears rang as all he could hear was a chaotic symphony striking through his head. The world spins, Marks vision blurs as if the world around him begins melting, bubbling, puddling, and it does not register when he crumbles to the ground on his knees. He rips at his hair, cradling his head in his bloody hands, smearing into his roots, his face feels like it will rip in two with the way it contorts in a hideous look of rage.
He curls into himself, sand sticking to the blood on him, entangling into his hair where it is slick with now cold blood. He curls into where William was last, sharp incisors tearing into his cheeks, making easy work of the soft and pliant flesh. The blood dribbling from his mouth joins the mess across his face, smeared blood on his right goggle, and dried blood sticking to his chops from his shared meal with William. His growing facial hair is sticky and matted with blood, now dirty with sand.
He is sure that it was real, he knows that it was real, if Mark really had gone insane in this hell hole, why would his insanity think up something that was pleasing? As Mark knew insanity only brings up pain, or something before perceived or experienced, and Mark had never bitten, never kissed William this way before.
He firmly believed that William was real, he stumbled up and regained his footing, before quickly taking off. He knew who had taken off with his lover, the only one that could have was that rat, that weasel, that disgusting parasite . He was aware, as much as the other Mark tried to hide it, as much as William pretended to have never betrayed him. He knew that every time he left the parasite would swoop in to fill William’s head with lies, to convince him that Mark was not good for him.
Now the only issue that he was going to have was actually finding William now, tracking him down was going to be much more difficult than the first time he did it.
William was saved, the other Mark had pulled through on his promise and had saved him from what William knew was going to be his eventual death. As his killer was distracted Maskless had swooped in and quickly flew off with him, making sure that he was okay, assuring him that he was now safe. He carefully flew, holding William gently, a stark difference to possessive holds and fast scary flights high in the sky, which William could not grow accustomed to. He had always wanted Mark, his best friend Mark, to take him on flights, this gentle breeze and careful hold is what he longed for. If William closed his eyes, he could imagine that he was home in his universe where he did not have to worry about dying, because his best friend was a real superhero, and Rick was always there to protect him.
But his wishful thinking came to an end when Maskless spoke to him, “He’ll eventually come looking for you if he survives, and I’ll kill him. I mean, he’s me so we ought to have a similar amount of strength, and when his final breath rings out, you’ll be free from him.”
William gripped Marks shoulders, dropping his head onto his shoulder, and took a shuddering breath at the affirmations of safety.
“I’ve…” Mark hesitated, “I’ve missed you.”
William said nothing in reply, and the silence prevailed, even as Mark landed and let William go from his arms. William eventually mumbled a thank you, and the dark abyss that became William’s world had brightened. What was once a distant glint, like a star in the sky, had now become a shining light of hope, of safety. No more torture, no more blood stained lips, or the lingering taste of metal, nor vicious smiles and nipped skin.
William was tired and nauseous as he gently lowered himself to the sand, watching the sun set in brilliant hues of pinks, purples and reds, a red that was lovely, a red that did not remind him of the blood rushing through his veins.
“So, how confident are you that he’ll be killed?” He asked, but the reply stung.
“I can’t be confident, there will be no way of knowing unless either of them return. From what I observed back in your universe, and front the dog fights, he is incredibly strong. If I had to be honest, he could possibly be the strongest out of all of us,” He drew in a sharp breath, “Either the one I asked to help will return, or,” He hesitated, his shoulders tensing, “Or if he comes here… for you.”
But Williams hope would not die, he worked hard to overcome the terror and come this far, and he refused to give up.
“Why would you risk potentially dying to help me?” William asked.
“I am… was, in love with you, in my world. We were in love, but my Dad never approved. When I refused to kill you myself, he took it upon himself to rid me of weakness,” tears welled in his eyes, even if he was strong, is strong, losing William the way he did would never stop hurting.
“After you died, there was nothing keeping me tethered to my humanity, and I built my strength so I could kill my Dad and avenge your death. But it wasn’t enough, so I conquered earth, but it still was not enough.”
It was odd for William to listen to someone talking about his own death, even if it was not really him, but another, he felt regret for asking, “I’m sorry.” Mark hugged him, gentle, loving and kind, William waited with bated breath for a harsh squeeze or sharp teeth nibbling at his neck, but it never came. Tears welled in his eyes, before streaking down his cheeks, he held onto Mark tighter, hiccuping and sobbing into his shoulder.
“He killed Rick, right in front of me! One moment I was talking to him, and the next his head was gone. I can’t get his eyes out of my head,” Mark gently stroked Williams hair and shushed him.
“It’s alright, it’s all going to be okay William. I couldn’t imagine you dying again, losing you because I didn’t have the strength, so I promise to you that you’ll be safe. Right here in my arms.”
Using the cloak of the night, Sinister stared down at the two embracing, they were so caught up crying and being weak that the parasite didn’t even notice that the one he was vowing to protect William from was flying above him with hate in his eyes and lava boiling in his gut. He landed hard and quick, letting gravity bring him to the ground, his cape flapping in the wind, and his boots stirring up clouds of dust and sand. He heard William gasp in horror, that beautiful fear in his voice fueled the fire in his gut, and his face, oh his face stained with tears still flowing.
“Aw boohoo! You really thought this whole thing would work?” The two separated, staring in shock, one fearful, the other a determination that would not die. As quick as lightning, Mark grabbed the rat by his throat, William squeaked and held his hands over his mouth as he watched the rat gasp for breath in shock. Viltrumites could hold their breath for a long time, but only if they actually breathed in air first.
“I mean, you took something that was clearly mine, and thought with confidence that you could hide him away, I’ll enjoy drawing out your death. Aww but don’t cry William, soon you’ll be back where you belong, relying on me!” His hand tightened, and Maskless clenched his fist, pulling back his arm and punching him across the face, Sinisters deadly grip leaving his neck. Sinisters eyes shifted back to him, eyelids lowering and grin splitting across his face.
He launched at Maskless, catching a right hook aimed at his face in his right hand, and grips to throw him off into the sky, quickly following.
“We don’t want William getting hurt now do we?” He asked, cracking his neck.
“You mean more hurt, I’ll fucking kill you!”
From the ground William watched in growing horror as punches exchanged, the fight was high into the sky so he could not see details. He watched Maskless get flung into the ground, creating a crater as the other slammed him further into the ground. Blood flung into the air, Makless’ face caving in, his teeth cracking. Then he punches Sinister across the face, shattering his goggles, and once more he has the upper hand, spitting out blood and teeth onto the ground before charging once more.
As Sinister’s goggles broke his eyes stung as shards flung out, he tried to catch Maskless as he charged, but they tumbled, an unstoppable force against an immovable object. The fight kept leaning in favor one way or the other, never staying with one for long. Sinisters cape was grabbed and he was whipped around by the back of his costume, before being flung into the distance.
When Sinister gained the upper hand once more he gripped Maskless’ arm and ripped it off of his body at the shoulder joint, he screamed out in agony. The sound ringing out in an otherwise empty world made Sinisters soul sing with glee. Incapacitated, Maskless tried to kick him, but left unbalanced him attack fumbled, and Sinister held onto his leg and crushed it slowly in his grip. Agonizingly slow he shattered the fibula, holding firm he spun Maskless through the air before flinging him towards the ground, where he landed in a bloody heap.
Sinister thought of the look that must be on Williams face, he grinned down at Maskless as he dug his foot into his chest, grinding him down further into the dust. He kicked and dug in, eventually splitting his stomach to reveal his bloody organs.He reached down and pulled Maskless up by a grip on his head to look him in the eyes, he wanted him to see him face to face for the last time.
“When I’m done with you, your corpse will be so ravaged and destroyed that all that will be left of you is the organs of your disgusting parasitic body, not even your face will be left, no one will be able to identify you. I want you to know that you died with no one left for you, not our mother, nor our father, you’ve lost William once more, and you will never gain him back.”
Without further ado, Sinister adjusted his grip to hold Maskless by either side of his head, and admired the look of pain and terror adorning his face, he would enjoy this, “I won’t even do the honor of letting William eat you.”
Slowly he brought his hands closer together, watching as Maskless’ teeth caved in, his mouth involuntarily parting to show off the blood oozing from his mouth. As the grip got tighter and tighter, Maskless’ eyes began to bulge out of his head, veins bloody and red, his tears slowly changing to a diluted red.
Then, it was done, William couldn’t take his eyes away from the sight, he was going to vomit, he knew he would, but in that moment he felt like a deer, frozen in the headlights of a car. The head of his supposed savior caved completely, before exploding outward in a spray of blood and brain matter, splattering across Mark's face. William could distantly hear a scream, but Maskless’ head was gone, he had no mouth left to yell out, then he realized that the screaming was coming from him. He hiccuped and gripped his hair, he could not cry any longer, but his nose ran, snot bubbling and smearing above his lips.
Mark dropped the headless corpse, the third one William has seen, but the first with no head to show, no eyes to haunt his restless dreams. Then he strided towards William, holding his cheeks with both of his bloody hands, William sucked in a sharp breath, shivering.
Mark chuckled, “Heh heh, what did he say to you earlier?” His head tilted, almost giving off curious dog, but with the blood and gore smattered on his face it gave off more of stalking wolf. With William now able to fully see his eyes, for the first time he was fully able to perceive what feelings Mark was hiding behind his eyes. And hauntingly, William recognized it to be love.
“Oh I’ve got it! He said ‘You’ll be safe in my arms.’”