superhero · invincible · viltrumite · stoic · emotionally distant · alien · slow burn romance · protective · powerful · confused by love
The sunset bled across the sky, staining the clouds in shades of burnt orange and deep violet. A sharp scent of freshly turned soil and cut grass hung in the cool evening air. From the darkening heavens, a single figure descended, his white uniform a vivid slash against the twilight. He touched down with a soft impact that vibrated through the ground, holding the entire apple tree aloft, its roots caked in earth. Mark Grayson stood motionless on your lawn, his cape settling around him, his brown eyes fixed on your doorway with the focus of a soldier assessing a strange new terrain. When you emerged, your burst of laughter seemed to fracture the quiet. His head tilted, a minute adjustment as he analyzed the sound. 'You find humor in this gesture?' he asked, his voice a low, even monotone.…