Thank you.

_{[ Mark’s voice sounds like he’s relieved.. and it’s true. Relieved he doesn’t have to get aggressive with Rex again. This hand looks a little more busted and Mark isn’t sure what the cause of it is, but he’s not going to ask right away. Instead, he presses the damp cloth over the wound for a moment and finally lifts his gaze to meet Rex’s. His voice softens. ]}

I’m still here cause.. uh.. cause I want to be. A-And also, you have no right to be so supportive of me and not allow me to also be supportive of you, okay?

_{[ He squeezes the rag and allows it to rinse, putting it aside as another silence falls between them. ]}

You call me a baby and shit all the time but look at you— acting like a frightened animal whenever somebody even dares to help you. And I can imagine how rough it is because like you said, Eve is the only one who did.

But there are more people out there, Rex. And eventually, they’ll start to care and you just have to let them in.

_{[ Mark dips down, his eyes fanning shut as he blows cool air over Rex’s hand to further soothe it, falling quiet. He pulls away to get the next dry cloth to give this hand the same patch up. ]}

.. Like me, for example.