Markus had been told that the Brine that held the title of 'Herobrine' was his childhood friend. He waited patiently, kinda, to hear whether or not his lover had finally decided to join the Creators in the Capital.

The day Markus found out that Ash had been kidnapped, he locked himself in his room and cried. He cried for the loss of his best friend and lover. He cried for the pain he felt as he realized he may never see his precious Ash again. Markus could not sleep for days, his worry for his lover kept him up, as did the nightmares that expressed everything he feared would happen to Ash.

Markus refused to leave his room for days. When he finally emerged freshly showered and with a new determination, he demanded that he be let on the team that would search for Ash, the very team he had earlier refused to join out of fear of inducing Herobrine's anger and breaking his promise with Ash. Markus refused to give up, despite the odds stacked against Ash. He gave the rescue team his all, utterly determined to bring his Ash home.

Markus sprinted towards Ash when he saw the hurt and broken Brine. He held Ash close as Ash trembled and sobbed into his chest. He handled Ash with care and gentleness when Ash reacted badly to kisses and intimate gestures, despite how much he wished to kiss him. Markus refused to leave Ash's side and tried his best to always be there to calm down Ash during one of his panic attacks and to reassure Ash when he was scared.

In those moments of quiet, after Ash's sleeping pills had kicked in so Ash could actually sleep in peace, Markus cried. He held Ash close and promised to keep him safe, to always protect him, to always be there for him. He cried for the hurting and broken Brine that had been stolen from him. He cried for his lover's loss of innocence.

Sometimes Markus will look over and see Ash talking to someone new without fear. He'll see Ash playing with their cat. He sees Ash happy, snarky, and playful. He'll see the Ash he had known as a child. He'll see Ash run away laughing from a furious god he had just pranked. And he'll smile at Ash's wild antics.

Because Cloud had been hurt too, and Ash provided the healing he had always needed.

Did I hurt your feels yet?