We Will and That's Okay (Elder Mark x Reader)

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Mark growls. "It wasn't my fault, blockhead!"

"Oh yeah, because Elder Mark Jr. escaped and made it her life's goal to destroy your glasses," Barry says, head lazily propped up by his arm. "Geez. Who knows what kinda damage sleeping with those could've done to you."

Elder Rock is quiet, save for the usual bickering and all the Elders' attempts to repair Mark's glasses. The hinges squeak and twist in ways they're most definitely not supposed to, a gentle crack has disfigured one of the lenses, and the other has popped out with no hopes of getting it back in.

"Alright, I think I've assessed the situation," David says with a thoughtful hum, tilting the spectacles in sync with his head. "Your glasses are broken." Mark snatches the frame from David's grasp and thwacks it against his helmet with a clang, loud enough to be heard from outside of Elder Rock. He stills the ringing with his palms, shooting Mark a pout. "You're not gonna make 'em any less broken doing that!"

This early Summer day, the Elders gathered for the season premiere of their new favorite anime, Boku No Hoagie Academia.

Unfortunately, one of them showed up without the only thing needed to watch it: a pair of working eyes.

Insisting that it was merely a psychological barrier, Mark tried his luck at enduring the full twenty minutes in order to avoid spoilers on the Internet. That attempt fell flat on its face once he'd thought Utsuhoagie was three different characters onscreen at the same time—although, that may just be a testament to her character design.

It's been an hour since, and Barry watches his friends argue, fabricating a possible Plan B. Sunlight beams down into the rock's entrance, and this blazing afternoon taunts him with a pleasant, passing breeze. As much as he enjoys discussing media with two guys he's known his entire life, the increasing temperatures were really starting to get to him; being cooped up in a cave with various body heats and odors will do that.

"See! The other lens is starting to pop out already!"

"I'm gonna pop out your face with my fist!"

Barry dramatically straightens out of his seat, cutting Mark and David's chatter short by the screech of his folding chair. He marches from the table, climbs out of his armor, and gently rests it near the entrance. 

Finally. Barry's time to shine.

"Hey, where do you think you're going?!" Mark sneers, chasing after him.

David reaches an arm out in panic. "On your left—!"

Barry's chest plate clatters onto the floor, a pathetic Mark following suit. His limbs subtly twitch in agitation, and he sighs—or at least tries to with a face half-mushed into the dirt. In his effort to not be late for the screening party, Mark had completely forgotten about bringing possible back-up glasses. Obviously, this isn't the first time he's broken them, but this is the saddest way it could've possibly turned out. He's still reeling from the bruises on his ego let alone the physical ones.

"Alright, up and at 'em," Barry grunts, hoisting Mark's arm over his shoulders. "We're heading to DuckMart. David, put on some sunscreen and your emergency shirt."

David gives a firm salute and runs off to fetch the rest of his belongings. Meanwhile, Mark turns to the exit with a frown. If he'd found getting into Elder Rock was difficult, he certainly didn't consider the getting out part. It takes a couple of tries and Barry's help, but once Mark stops shoving his head into the ceiling rather than the entrance, it all works out. Soon, two young adults and a disoriented nerd are all standing outside, finally able to breathe in the painfully fresh air.