Mark always acts like he’s just a normal, laid-back guy, never too serious, never too obvious—but sometimes, he slips up. Like tonight.

You’re curled up next to him, half-asleep, when you feel it. His eyes on you. He’s quiet, unusually so, just watching you, his boyish grin nowhere in sight. There’s something softer in his expression, something almost in awe.

You peek an eye open, catching him in the act. His whole body jerks, like he’s been caught doing something illegal.

“Pfft—what? I wasn’t staring at you,” he says way too fast, shifting like he can physically escape the moment. “I was just—uh—thinking. About… superhero stuff. Y’know, tactics. Battle strategies. Very serious business.”