wordsofwhimsy

[wordsofwhimsy]

i watched the new superman movie and now i can’t read a mark grayson fic without picturing superman 😭

[wordsofwhimsy]

𝗢𝗻𝗲 𝗡𝗲𝘄 𝗩𝗼𝗶𝗰𝗲𝗺𝗮𝗶𝗹.

Pairing: Lensless!Mark Grayson x Reader

Warnings: Non-descript suicide

Tags: Heavy angst, childhood best friends, Lensless/No Goggles Mark’s origin story

Word Count: 1,349

Synopsis: A missed voicemail from you. The worst day of his life. The day he’s born into something new.

a/n: Please please please talk to somebody if you’re struggling with depression. I kind of suck at responding to messages but I promise if you need someone to talk to about something like that I will always be here.

haven't posted any writings in a while, came back sad as hell huh?

Inspiration: "Manchild" - Eels (seriously please listen to the song it sets the mood so well)

A low curse hissed out of Mark’s teeth as he touched down onto his roof, bloodied fingers curling around the edge of his mask to rip it clean from his face. Shades of honey and blue blended seamlessly together across the horizon, the songbirds all but having gone quiet for the day.

He sat down onto the shingles; one leg stretched in front of him while the other stayed bent to let his arm drape lazily over his knee. He reached into the small pocket at the small of his back, pulling out his phone. There was a text from his mom asking to bring home pizza for dinner, a notification from some social media app he hadn’t used in months, and a missed call from you. You’d left a voice message.

It dawned on him then that he hadn’t actually spoken to you in almost a week, and couldn’t remember the last time he’d seen you. An itch of guilt twisted in his chest. Things had been… different, since he’d gotten his powers a few months back. One minute, the two of you had been inseparable. Agents of chaos in an otherwise boring and mundane world. Partners in crime since childhood, your antics growing from dingdong ditch to breaking into abandon houses and few acts of arson you swore weren’t a big deal.

You always seemed bored of it all. Or at least, that was how he perceived it when you were both still kids. That the world struggled to hold your attention, and every quiet moment must have been torture for your adrenaline-charged mind.

But then, as you got older, he started to notice the way you only ever seemed happy in the chaos that the two of you created. He noticed that your eyes seemed empty in every second in between.

He realized that you never truly smiled.

Never soft. Never easy. Never content. You would only grin in twisted satisfaction during those thrill-seeking moments, like the excitement was finally giving you something worth feeling over.

And when the moment was gone, your lips would drop into a soft line. Your stare would go distant again.

But still, he was always by your side. Conspiring on what boundary-pushing escapade the two of you could fall into next. Giving you those reasons to grin. To laugh. To find that sparkle in your eye that made him feel like life was meant to be enjoyed – every single second of it.

And then he got his powers. Suddenly he was trying to do what was right, and follow in the footsteps of his father, Omni-Man. The calls from Cecil seemed constant, as if world ending events were becoming the new norm. Mark quickly found himself feeling frustrated at how hard he was pressed by Cecil, by his mother, by other heroes to pull his punches.

His mother told him one night that it wasn’t his place to act as judge, jury, and executioner. He held his tongue at the time but realized, slowly, that all of it it felt like a pointless endeavor. A never-ending cycle of stopping some threat just for it to pop back up, fresh from jail a few months later.

And what made it harder was that he was missing you.

But he’d convinced himself that he just needed to find the balance, to figure out how to manage his powers and his real life. He knew you missed him too, but you understood. Didn’t you?

His thumb moved across the screen, tapping into his voicemail box and clicking on your missed call before bringing the speaker to his ear. The mechanical voice of the machine reads to him the date and time. “Friday, 5:16 PM.” There’s a beep, and then your voice starts tiredly as if whispering directly into his mind.

“Hey… it’s me. I figured you were busy. Saving the world or stuck in a space-time wormhole or whatever. Just… wanted to say hi.”

You were silent for a beat. There was shuffling in the background—maybe you were pacing, or messing with the pages of a comic book. It was so quiet he could hear the sound of a clock ticking somewhere nearby.

“I saw a dog wearing shoes today. Like, legit four little sneakers on his feet. Poor guy looked like he was fighting for his life just trying to take a couple steps. Honestly might’ve been the highlight of my week.”

You chuckled slightly, and he did too. And then you sighed, like you were just… tired. Like you were trying to keep your voice up, but gravity kept pulling it down. There was another long stretch of silence. Only the ticking of the clock.

“Do you ever feel like things are just kind of… heavy lately? I don’t know, it’s like I’m wearing wet clothes all the time or something. I go to bed, and I swear I wake up even more exhausted.”

You laugh again, something that sounds closer to self-deprecation than genuine amusement.

“But maybe that’s just adulthood, right? Endless to-do lists and no serotonin.”

You paused again, and there was a creak, like you were leaning against a wall. Or maybe shifting from foot to foot on the old wood floors of your bedroom.

“Did I tell you my neighbor’s been accusing me of stealing his mail?  Fucking asshole. I wasn’t at first, but now? Fuck him. I mean it’s always just dumb coupons and junk, but still. Dude deserves it. He left a note in my door that said ‘I’m watching you’. Like yeah, okay buddy, clearly not good enough.”

You scoffed and muttered something he couldn’t quite make out, then he heard you sigh again. The sound was like it was coming from deep in your chest. Mark was frowning without even realizing it.

“I’m not having any fun.”

There was another tick of silence.

“I’m not having any fun…”

The next silence that stretched made his stomach twist, his palms beginning to sweat beneath his gloves. When your voice came back, it was softer than he’d ever heard it.

“Sometimes I wish I could just, sleep forever…”

“[Y/N],” Mark choked, as if you could hear him as he sat up straighter, his brows furrowing tightly together.

“Anyway. I miss you. Not to be dramatic or anything. I just wish…”

“What?” He whispered into the receiver, cradling it so closely to his mouth he can feel his lips brushing across the screen.

“Never mind. This is dumb, I’m being dumb. Ignore me. I hope you’re having fun, Mark. I—"

BEEP.

Message ended.

Mark’s heart lurched, pulling the phone back to look at the screen. What else were you going to say? He tried calling you back, but it rang until it reached your inbox. He tried again, then hung up before it hit the voicemail, slipping the phone back into the pocket at the small of his back while he was already floating up into the air.

He had the time, he would just see you now.

Wouldn’t he?

—

Mark stopped being the hero in his own story the minute he saw the police lights.

The ambulance.

The body bag.

“I’m not having any fun.”

His tears fell 50 feet to the pavement below, and still no one looked up. No one noticed him. But to Mark, it felt like you were staring at him through the black canvas of the bag that hid you from his view.

“I’m not having any fun…”

His hands balled into tight fists in a vain attempt to stop the way they trembled.

A villain was born that day, but to him, there was no other way to live. Constant chaos, for you. Forever seeking stimulation. A never-ending high.

Anything to feel what it might be like to exist in a life where you were still in it.

And every Friday, at 5:16 PM, he would listen to your voicemail. In the middle of a fight. In the shower. In the vacuum of space.

At that moment, on that day, it would just be you and him.

[wordsofwhimsy]

my life’s changed for the better since discovering these Ottley sketches

[wordsofwhimsy]

y’all i’ve clearly taken a break from writing but i have this TERRIBLE, AWFUL, TRAGIC idea of a backstory for Lensless that involves a childhood best friend reader and i think i gots to write it

[wordsofwhimsy]

i’ve been seeing people post about these new collectors boxes or w/e for Invincible and I saw this picture of one of the cards from it. so i guess canonically this is what their hero signatures would look like and

i’m not gonna lie Mark’s has me dyinggg

you can tell he’s had the same handwriting since 3rd grade and never was able to fix it 💀 but he’s trying so hard to make his autograph still look cool 😭

[wordsofwhimsy]

stop playing with meee

that body???? those ARMS???? are you kidding me?????? 😩😩😩

[wordsofwhimsy]

I don’t have a lot to say… I finished the series

I need more and I feel empty inside 😭

[wordsofwhimsy]

omfg guysss look at this official art by Ryan Ottley of Sinister & Deadpool

i’m foaming at the mouth about it 😭

[wordsofwhimsy]

y’all……. I just finished the 2nd compendium and I am SHOOK. gonna put more below the cut so y’all can save yourself from spoilers if you want

also Thragg is so mf fine like woooow that’s a whole lotta man

WTF IS THIS SHIT WITH AMANDA & RUDY??? Like jeeeeezus I did NOT expect that shit with her and the Thraxan honey 💀💀

i also was screaminggg about Nolan clapping Debbie’s cheeks nonstop when they finally linked again. That Viltrumite stamina is no joke 😮‍💨 and I guess Debbie’s a soldier in her own right lmao

ALSO when Mark loses his powers and we find out that he’s so much more sensitive without them so he can’t last that long liiiike there is SO MUCH MATERIAL THERE TO BE CAPITALIZED ON IN FICS

and lastly ☝️ idk people had me thinking Mark was like homophobic about finding out William was gay but I didn’t get that from it at all lol I actually thought it was funny how he was like saying he KNEW he was dumb for worrying that William was crushing on him that whole time and William was so real like oh nah you fine af LMAOO and Mark’s just like ok lol anyways let’s hang soon??

gonna start on compendium 3 today, so nervous tbh but also DYING to see the variants again

[wordsofwhimsy]

I AM NOT DEAD. just extremely busy!!!

went on a 6 day vacation last week which was nice but also a lot with a 1.5 year old lol she did good tho 🥰

BUT while i was up there we stopped by this really cool bookstore and they LITERALLY HAD THE THIRD COMPENDIUM. the bookseller told me they special ordered it for someone who ended up not wanting it and that they’d just put it out on the floor that morning lmao it’s like it was destined for me 😏

NOW I HAVE ALL THREE!!

[wordsofwhimsy]

heyyy y’all

haven’t been active in a few days—a lot going on in my dumb mind & heart lately. been real tired. life’s ass sometimes but it be like that

anyway i saw this video about shiesty mark’s supposed origin story. do they actually give background info for the variants in the comic or are people just making shit up 😭

causeee if that really is his story he is legit 100% my fav

[wordsofwhimsy]

Clem meets Eric and Eric makes sure no creepy aliens try and get her while they go try to find one anyways imma do a coloring of Clem soon

!!!!!!! i absolutely ADORE these!! eric kind of reminds me of Ash from Evil Dead omfg would love to know more about him 🙂‍↕️

[wordsofwhimsy]

[wordsofwhimsy]

they’re so silyyy 🥺🥺🥺

[wordsofwhimsy]

did somebody ask which version of mark is puttin it down best?

guess i'll give my analysis 😮‍💨

main!mark is all about pleasing you, sooo he's definitely giving the other boys a run for their money. his oral & finger game? UNMATCHED. he's not dumb and aggressive about it like the majority of the others. he keeps it slow, intentional, so dedicated, living in your pleasure. the more praise you give him the better. his sex game tho takes awhile to come up to par - he's so scared of hurting you for soo long that he just takes it too easy, or doesn't take the lead at all. once he learns the fine art of blowing your back out without killing you tho? 😏

mohawk!mark is soo aggressively fun, but he's really only in it for his own pleasure. he kinda just assumes (rightly so) that you're gonna feel good either way but he never bothers to actually check in with you, see how you're doing lol it's probably also a MUST for you to suck his dick every time, forcing your head down and then mocking you when you gag or gasp for air. he doesn't care to return the favor too often but if you whine too much he will. it's not really that great tho - he's rushing and careless, just trying to move on to the main event

viltrumite!mark takes some teaching. he's of the mindset that sex is just for procreation, and if this is a scenario where he's taken you back to viltrum he's not going to really feel the need to view it any other way. but if he's staying on earth with you? well, sex sells baby and the influence is all around. he starts noticing things in movies and in songs, stuff on the internet--hell even billboards and magazines. don't be fooled his dickin is good even when it's boring missionary but once he starts coming around to trying all the other fun things? oh lawd have mercy

omni!mark is an interesting mix of dominance without aggression, no dirty talk. all business, really but this man IS in the business of pleasure - for you at least. he struggles to let you take the lead though which is kinda boring sometimes, and anything kinky? like spanking or choking? absolutely not. you're not some scallywag hoodlum (LMFAO) and he's definitely not going to treat you like one. buuut if you start talking dirty and cussing? he might be flustered, and maybe even a little more turned on than usual (he'd never admit it)

sinister!mark is all about HIM HIM HIM. but the caveat of this is he needs to know he's GOOD at what he's doing - which means you need to feel good too. he's so unbelievably aggressive and doesn't do missionary. you are not coming away without bruises and marks every single time. i think he likes to make you dance for him too beforehand. that's his idea of foreplay - something that reminds you both who's in charge and who it's all for. you better hope he's not in the mood to go down on you cause that bitch bites 😭

no goggles/lensless!mark is probably my fav 🤭 is literally 100% about whatever it is you're into. i guess except missionary whoops. like he's fine throwing it in there occasionally but not a chance he's opening or ending in that position. in fact switching positions is HIS personal favorite thing. honestly his oral is so-so. he's just too damn talkative and can't focus on the task at hand. he also doesn't take it well either - the man's LOUD. and honeestly busts pretty quick but that's okay! he bounces back quicker. viltrumite stamina is crazy and his libido just adds to it

shiesty!mark has probably fucked more people than all of them combined so, yeah, he's got the practice and experience. he KNOWS his dick is phenomenal and tbh if he's not really into you he's letting you do most of the work. he thinks he's doing YOU favor by letting you ride it. but if you were hard to get? ohhh he's got something to prove now, and trust he will. this man reaches spots none of the others even knows exist, uses his strength in a way that is just chefs kiss - pinning you without hurting you, playing with your nipples and the other sensitive parts with expert care. and probably my fav thing about him is that he's the only one (except maybe main!mark) who ever thinks to put on musiccc

moustache!mark is 😛 father dearest. TOTALLY showing you what it feels like to be owneddd - unquestionably, but not in the way sinister does. he does it with affection. you know, like a 'pet' and all that jazz. he's got this way of making you feel simultaneously small and like the most important person in the world. and when he goes down on youuu? THE TICKLE?? biiitch stop. he also is the one who appreciates the thickies the most ughh like he NEEDS all that ass in his hands, in his lap, on his dick. the love handles? the tummy? give him alllat - trust ☝️ he can handle it

prisoner!mark is an interesting one. if we're talking straight out the pen? he's an ANIMAL. i'm talking y'all are going at it aaall night long, him painfully impatient through every little break you insist he gives you. he's also physically the strongest of them all, and, yeah, it shows. all that body pressed into you? those arms? 🥴 idk how anatomically that would even work but for some reason i feel like he'd have a thicker cock too. he'd be so deep and guttural with his groans, all in your ear with it. no holding back. after some time though i think he'd be focused on you and learning what you like - buuut at the end of the day, he still is the most deprived and wants it ALWAYS

[wordsofwhimsy]

I don’t have anyone else to yap about this to, so, Mark x Superhero!Reader, but the reader was a superhero before Mark and never tells him their identity. Mark has been like disgustingly downbad for the reader since he met them, and so the moment he learns about a hero who looks similar to and even kind of sounds like them (I would imagine reader would have to either be wearing a mask or that they stay out of the public eye a lot for this to work) well, obviously that hero becomes his new favorite! (Besides his dad of course). He probably watches so many edits of the readers superhero identity, likes every bit of art made of them, shit he’s probably the leader of a few Facebook fangroups. NOW HERE COMES THE FREAKY, WEIRD, SHIT.

Y’know those people who write fanfics, and other shit of real life people? I don’t think Mark would ever make that kind of content, BUT I do think he consumes it. I think he’s very ashamed and guilty about it too, because he’s not even just fantasizing about a real life hero, he’s using said hero as a placeholder for the reader. It makes him feel gross and like a pervert but he just keeps doing it cause he’s so atrociously downbad for them, and he can’t explain it but this hero he’s probably never even met irl (cause he would probably recognize them immediately if they did meet) feels so similar to them in ways he can’t even explain. He’s dying of embarrassment when he finally gets his powers and becomes a hero, and gets to learn their identity and also SO much makes sense to him now. (I send you so many asks maybe I should start signing off, hmmmmmmm idk)

THIS IS MF GOOOOOOD mark's gooner ahh is down so bad he creepin like a true freak 😭😭 like c'mon on in buddy we got room over here for ya LMAOO

he def wouldn't write the fics himself that man is so bad with his words but yuuuh i can picture him finding like, a short one on twitter or something by accident and being like wait... lmao *the obsession begins*

i don't think he'd ever mentally recover from his internalized embarrassment when he realizes who the hero/reader is. he'd DIE with that secret, going straight to the grave with him 500+ years from now 💀

[wordsofwhimsy]

WHIMSYYY your writing feels like you’re clenching my heart with your hands girl 😭😭 SWEETLY but the recent fic of Mark accidentally ghosting reader IS SAUUURR RAHHHH 😭 I love you and your writingSO MUCH!!! 😞💕💕💕💓💞

🥹🥹 this genuinely means so much, thank you!!

pieces like that are very cathartic for me so i try to come at them with a different writing style - one that's more emotionally driven rather than story driven, with the hope that it translates to the reader. i get that they're not as interesting of a fic to read but 🤷‍♀️

tbh i wanted to do more with it but it is legit emotionally taxing for me & i just gotta stop lmaoo