e2 | UN: BOMBAF

[He sucks the air in behind his teeth once more, eyes closing tightly.

There it is.

Shame.]

I did some really awful stuff.

[Oh, how it hurts him still. To know he killed all those innocent people.]

I was a kid that nobody ever saw! I just wanted to be the big guy, for once...

I didn't know any better.

[He took advantage of me.]

But that doesn't-

[That will never bring back the dead.

There are hundreds.]

Change anything, really.

Edited 2021-10-01 17:04 (UTC)

_{[ The more that Rex opens up about himself, the more Mark is realizing what a dark, dark place he came from. The redhead is vague enough in his response that Mark isn’t sure he understands what exactly was going on, but it sounds like he did something in the past that he regrets immensely. Mark somewhat understands as a hero now. There are people he couldn’t save and he thinks is hard about if there was anything he could do differently to rescue them.

But it doesn’t matter cause he can’t bring them back. It’s in the past.

The brunette closes the distance across them and wraps his arms around Rex in a warm embrace. ]}

I don’t fully understand and that’s okay. What I do understand is what happened is in the past now, and even if you can’t change that, you can continue to be your best in the present.

And I know for a fact you’re a good person in the present.

[Rex is completely still for a few seconds, so stiff he almost resembles a corpse.

He was not expecting the embrace, not from Invincible of all people, but then again Invincible isn't really... Well, a real person. Much like the boogeyman supposedly hiding under the bed of an eight-year-old child, Invincible was whoever Rex made him out to be. A rival, a girlfriend-stealer, a goob! With terrifying, unimaginable strength... The son of Omni. Omni-spawn!

But Mark couldn't be more different. He is naive and stupid, sure. The sort of boy who is sympathetic to a point where it's almost pathetic. He doesn't understand everything but he tries to, even when he doesn't have the capacity for it. It occurs to Rex that he's never met another boy who felt so... Normal. An average joe, if much kinder and somehow far more patient most goons their age.

In a way, Rex feels sorry for him. The life of a hero is miserable one, rife with picking between options that are all bad.

Slowly but surely, Rex returns the hug by wrapping his arms around Mark's torso and leaning in. At a whopping two-hundred and fifteen pounds, he's much heavier than he looks, but for a Viltrumite, that wouldn't be a fucking problem now, would it?]

Edited 2021-10-01 19:51 (UTC)

_{[ Mark isn’t sure what to expect after doing this, but he relaxes when he feels the heavier weight against him. His smile reappears and his hands smooth up and down Rex’s back.

He feels accomplished. It is paying off to force himself into Rex’s bubble and see the parts of him that truly are nasty.

Mark feels like a hero. ]}

… You feeling better now?

_{[ He asks this with some hopeful tone to his voice, but doesn’t break the hug. Instead, he tightens.
Um.
He tightens maybe a little bit too tight by accident. You might want to tap out of that, Rex. ]}

You're really pushin' it, there, Mister Rogers.

[He does nothing to wriggle out of Mark's embrace, but he does smile! Sarcastically.]

Don't ruin the moment!

[Followed by a deep inhalation, because damn, even if he wanted out of this hug, any form of escape looks to be physically impossible.]

Or my ribcage, ow! That thing has vital organs in it, hey!

Oh! Ohh, oh my God. I am so sorry, uh, uhm.

_{[ At that moment, Mark releases him entirely and sits back on his butt across from him, his cheeks pink as ever. He adverts eye contact pretty much right away, unsure of what to say. ]}

.. Yeah, uh. I hope your hands heal quickly. Take it, um, easy with them.

I already told you-

[Thank god, he is free of the superboy chokehold.

Rex would never admit it out loud, not willingly or without coercion, but as mentioned before, he is the tactile sort. Get on his good side or become a friend of his, and he will be extremely touchy-feely. He likes to drape himself all over Robot despite the other's cold, metallic, and generally uncomfortable body, and he loves to high-five people or pick them up when celebrating.

He keeps the Guardians together, close, in his own little way. Loathe as the others are to admit it, Rex really is at the center of the team, its beating heart, one that might need to be put on several medications for high blood pressure.]

They heal on their fucking own! By tomorrow, they'll be as good as new.

[He should be saying thank you, but it is hard.

Mark is soft and warm. He embraces without abandon and gets excited about things. On certain occasions, the other boy had legitimately been happy to see him.

It's not as though Rex hasn't noticed. When he is paying attention, he is frightfully perceptive. He remembers everything.]

Yeah, yeah. But for now.. take care of them!

_{[ Mark stands to his feet again. He feels like he’s really made progress this time and it feels good. The heat has subsided from his face but for some reason he can’t get rid of a small smile on his face. It really looks like Rex is feeling better and Mark thinks he helped in all aspects: physical, emotional and mental. ]}

I didn’t mean to interrupt your routine, but I’m glad that you allowed me to. I should probably let you get back to that.

_{[ Unless you want him to stay for some reason? ]}

[And therein lies the problem. He does want Mark to stay.]

Ch'yeah. I've still got a couple hundred more sit-ups to do.

[But he thinks he does not know the other boy intimately enough to feel comfortable expressing that request. He has yet to learn through trial and error what humorous notes are always guaranteed to make the younger teen laugh. Rex knows that Mark had a hard time at school and lacks confidence in many areas, and that his father, once one of the world's greatest superheroes, is actually a murderous psychopath. The dark haired, bright eyed boy is close to his mom, has recently been through a breakup, and possesses a literal gay best friend whom he cherishes dearly (that's how you know this series was originally written in the early 2000s). Lastly, he rocks a love for all things nerdy, like comic books about a psychic pooch and Renaissance fairs.

Somehow, that is not enough information??? rex that's gay as fuck lmfao]

And god, would it kill ya to be a little less polite all the goddamn time? Language!

[That's a joke, he is joking, even if it's hard to tell.]

This isn't Sunday school!

_{[ Apart of Mark wants to stay too simply cause he doesn't really have any other place to be, but also, he feels like maybe he interrupted what Rex was doing and is trying to give him some space. Rex's comment makes him reconsider. ]}

Less polite? Do you want me to be rude to you, Rex?

_{[ He sounds and looks a little playful. ]}

What? Should I insult you?

_{[ Mark, could you even do that? ]}

Maybe.

[Oh no, that's a real smile, if a tad mischievous in nature.]

Then again, you haven't got enough dirt on me to hit the hilarious sweet spot between actually offensive and chronically lame just yet, so.

Don't push your luck.

Didn't know you liked to be insulted either way.

_{[ Good to know. Wait. Why is it good to know? ]}

In that case, I'll just peace out then and you can do whatever the hell you're doing. _{Is that less polite?}

[Rex crouches back down to the ground on his elbows, as if setting up for some hardcore planking.]

Well then, fuck off already!

[As usual, his bark is worse than his bite. If anything, this is his own way of encouraging Mark to spread his wings and see what else is out there.]

UN: BOMBAF | TEXT

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