"Eeeeeeeh! You know the drill. You yap and yap and yap until the fuuuuck-in' beepity boop. And who knows? If your voice doesn't annoy the shit out of me, I miiiight just call ya back!"
[ Mark cannot help but look at Rex with larger eyes as he responds so hastily. Surely there was something going on here that Rex knew about. That's when the miniature version of Rex walks by and Mark cannot help but state the obvious: ]
Hey..! Hey, that's you! It has to be.
[ Although his voice is hushed, he's expressive and curious sounding. It had to be Rex.. just look at that busted nose, red hair and green eyes. Mark is watching intently, frowning, especially when the younger Rex starts crying. His lips part to say something to Rex, but then the older teen starts spilling out words. Mark glances back at the younger figure on the couch before settling his gaze on Rex. It sounded like Rex remembered this happenstance well-- it must be a vision of one of his memories. ]
.. I'm so sorry, Rex. Um. I'm not sure why the train is showing us something like this, but.. Did it.. ever get better for you? Also.. are those your parents that were talking to you just now?
[Rex's nostrils flare the second he barks a retort back at Mark, both fists balling up at either side of his weighted musculature. Old habits die hard, and for a good minute and a half, Rex allows his kneejerk tendencies to consume him. Of course the younger boy wouldn't understand. It wasn't the pain of the injury that had made him shed those tears, not entirely- It was the fact that even though he had gotten hurt, his father had been more concerned about the quality of the meat than his own son. A dead animal was somehow more valuable than a living, breathing child.]
...Better? You're askin' me if shit got better?
[The worn imagery of Rex's childhood home fades, giving way to the kind of riotous sound that sears through the air and pierces through one's ear canals. Said noise is accompanied by smoke, debris, and an undeniably hot temperature.
Rex appears unphased by it all.
The dust clears to reveal a kiss between two very young teenagers, one about the size and shape of a smaller Rex, and the other a redheaded girl, un-mistakeably clad in a familiar pink color scheme.]
[ Look. He's not sure. Sometimes superheroes had like.. butlers and stuff? Mark lifts his hands in defense but he holds his ground, understanding that this was a very sensitive subject for Rex, and by the looks of it, it seems like there was a lot of repressed anguish over his childhood. Rex had made some statements in the past; about not attending high school.
He silently nods in affirmation when Rex asks that rhetorical question that he probably shouldn't answer but he is distracted when the scenery changes. Mark is startled and simply holds his breath as the next scene plays out exhaling once he recognizes Eve's silhouette (because of course he would really fast..)
Oh man. The image gets clearer. ]
That's Eve!
[ WHAT IS THIS GHOST OF CHRISTMAS PAST SHIT??? His eyes survey the scene. What was going on? This was a lot it looked like. It seems like they were.. together, of course, and that whole subject is an awkward topic in and of itself, but, the rest of what is happening around them is a great topic changer. ]
[It takes nearly every fragment of his cybergenetically engineered being to keep Rex from blowing up any further. What should ground him is his newfound affection for Mark, but instead, several other factors seem to take the wheel here. Even if he attempted to slap Invincible across the face, it'd do next to nothing. Between the explosive hothead's terrible luck and their vast difference in power, Rex would be most likely to merely injure his own hand.]
Can't you see we're making out?!
[The words are all spat out.]
D'ooooh, god! You might as well have popped out of your mom's baby hole without any eyes attached! Hrrrrgh.
[Rex shuts his own pair of peepers tightly, forcing them closed with such a fervor that for a split-second, he feels as though his eyeballs may have actually been shoved backwards and into his thick skull, past the cavities of the sockets.
This should be a pleasant memory of his first kiss with his first love, but because of his own self destructive buffoonery, it's been tainted. Seeing his parents and having his living situation exposed to someone like Mark, a well-meaning but clueless idiot, has already stirred a ripe storm of emotion inside him. Rex breathes in and out, crouching over and covering his face with his hands, hoping that if he stays like this and counts to ten, perhaps the unwanted picture show will finally cease to exist.]
Fuck! Why are we so loud?!
Who told tweeny-boppers that they had to make sooooomany mouth noises when they're sticking their tongues down each other's throats? I'd rather do time than listen to any of this bullshit! Just cuff me and throw me in jail.
'S not like life hasn't already fucked me up the butt! What's another couple of unadulterated prison buttfucks, hah? Why I oughta...
[ Mark was mostly talking about the debris and everything else around the spectacle, but, okay, fine. He allows Rex to be angry at him, but his expression draws stern as he takes a gander back at.. everything that was going on here. Was it jealousy? Maybe a little bit, but Mark couldn't decipher if he was jealous because of Rex or if he was jealous because of Eve.
Quickly, he pushes those feelings aside because it didn't matter. Not right now. Especially not right now when he and Rex were in an established relationship after Rex had sabotaged his relationship with Eve. Even more so, Mark's feelings didn't matter now that Rex was seeming to have a break down.. with proper reason too. Mark also exhales. It was time for him to look away from all of this cause, yeah, it seemed pretty invasive to watch. The whole occurrence was just very unfair for everyone involved, but especially Rex who seemed to have this memory either repressed back into his mind or maybe.. it was something he thought about too often. ]
... It's alright, Rex. Uh.
[ Oh my god he feels SO AWKWARD being here. ]
Are you still.. not over Eve? Do we need to talk about something?
[ THIS IS AWKWARD TO ASK NOW, ESPECIALLY AS HIS CURRENT BOYFRIEND, BUT YOU KNOW.. ]
[Rex's shoulders heave as he expels each following breath, the heavy admission not only weighing on his heart, but his entire body. His rational thoughts are being drowned out by that maelstrom of misery, and so it takes him a second to realize that aforementioned statement could be vastly misinterpreted.
To clarify, he points to himself-]
Me-
[And then to her.]
And Eve.
[Rex fails to notice that, while he desperately attempts to clarify his situation to Invincible, that the scenery changes frantically with the pace of his ever-accelerating heart. He and the other superhero now stand in a box of screens, each wall playing a different memory from Rex's consciousness, some gorier than others.
The first, and perhaps the largest, most notable projection, is the one on the ceiling- A recent recollection of Rex and Eve the summer before her junior year, taking place in her room, which is decked out in pale pink wallpaper. The door to the bathroom is open, revealing the two teenagers bathing together in what appears to be her bathtub, although all that's visible is her bare back from the waist up, and his chest from the same water level. She giggles, pressing her nose to his as the suds bubble around them both, taking Rex's wet hair in her delicate fingers and joking audibly,
"Wow! Your hair's almost longer than mine! When's the last time you had a haircut?"]
Because I fucked up! I fuck everything up!
Cut the crap, In-
[Invincible. Fuckface.
He can't bring himself to just say, "Mark." He's too angry. It doesn't matter how kind Mark is. How much he has in common with Eve. How much time he spends wih Kate on the regular.
Rex is convinced, as of this moment, that none of their affections will ever be enough. He is too broken and full of self hatred, constantly wanting more love, more understanding, more sympathy...
Because he can't even give it to himself.]
What is it that you really wanna know? Can't you see that I'm goin' through the ringer right now!
i had to find my zen in order to respond to this.. REX.. HONEY...
[ Was there every going to be an instance where they're going to keep progressing forward and not taking steps backward? Mark was beginning to wonder. The initial exclamation makes Mark's heart sink for a moment because, of course, he is assuming this is about their relationship. Oh, boy. He really wasn't cut out for relationships, was he? First Amber and now Rex--
Oh. There he goes. Clarifying. That would have been nice to know in that painful matter of seconds where Mark is holding his breath, but he eases out an exhale.
He gives Rex a few moments, noticing the environment was changing. He should have never pressured Rex to watch the tape or anything.. it's just what the prompt was insinuating. He's trying not to focus on the fact that this is ultimately his fault since he should be putting his focus on someone else right now. Someone else that was hurting. Someone else that he cared about. It's a little foolish, but Mark reaches out and settles a hand on Rex's shoulder, ignoring the display around them (no matter how tempting it may be to look...)
Mark's eyebrows pull together, a stern expression fixing on his face. ]
.. To help you.
[ Learn HOW to help you cause he doesn't even know. He can't even say he understands or anything like that because it's obvious now, Mark has a visual of what he's been through. ]
[Mark's response is compassionate as ever, which only seems to make Rex scowl more, although he doesn't resist the touch to the shoulder. Every part of his hot-tempered consciousness searches for an excuse, and he lands on the notion that he is the only other person from home here. Yeah! That has to be it.
Even so, Mark is just a kind person with a soft center, sporting the sort of ooey-gooey heart that oozes fee-fees like the yolk of an undercooked egg. So, Rex will throw in the towel and finally give the other boy the benefit of the doubt. Also, he would like to get out of here.]
No.
[He holds himself tightly instead of reaching out, scowling as he hears a blast in his left ear. To that side of him is a screen that reveals a childhood memory, his suit is skintight and all in black, and he's seemingly chuckling after blowing an entire banquet of foreign dignitaries to smithereens.
no subject
Hey..! Hey, that's you! It has to be.
[ Although his voice is hushed, he's expressive and curious sounding. It had to be Rex.. just look at that busted nose, red hair and green eyes. Mark is watching intently, frowning, especially when the younger Rex starts crying. His lips part to say something to Rex, but then the older teen starts spilling out words. Mark glances back at the younger figure on the couch before settling his gaze on Rex. It sounded like Rex remembered this happenstance well-- it must be a vision of one of his memories. ]
.. I'm so sorry, Rex. Um. I'm not sure why the train is showing us something like this, but..
Did it.. ever get better for you? Also.. are those your parents that were talking to you just now?
no subject
[Rex's nostrils flare the second he barks a retort back at Mark, both fists balling up at either side of his weighted musculature. Old habits die hard, and for a good minute and a half, Rex allows his kneejerk tendencies to consume him. Of course the younger boy wouldn't understand. It wasn't the pain of the injury that had made him shed those tears, not entirely- It was the fact that even though he had gotten hurt, his father had been more concerned about the quality of the meat than his own son. A dead animal was somehow more valuable than a living, breathing child.]
...Better? You're askin' me if shit got better?
[The worn imagery of Rex's childhood home fades, giving way to the kind of riotous sound that sears through the air and pierces through one's ear canals. Said noise is accompanied by smoke, debris, and an undeniably hot temperature.
Rex appears unphased by it all.
The dust clears to reveal a kiss between two very young teenagers, one about the size and shape of a smaller Rex, and the other a redheaded girl, un-mistakeably clad in a familiar pink color scheme.]
For a time.
no subject
He silently nods in affirmation when Rex asks that rhetorical question that he probably shouldn't answer but he is distracted when the scenery changes. Mark is startled and simply holds his breath as the next scene plays out exhaling once he recognizes Eve's silhouette (because of course he would really fast..)
Oh man. The image gets clearer. ]
That's Eve!
[ WHAT IS THIS GHOST OF CHRISTMAS PAST SHIT??? His eyes survey the scene. What was going on? This was a lot it looked like. It seems like they were.. together, of course, and that whole subject is an awkward topic in and of itself, but, the rest of what is happening around them is a great topic changer. ]
What is happening here, Rex?
no subject
[It takes nearly every fragment of his cybergenetically engineered being to keep Rex from blowing up any further. What should ground him is his newfound affection for Mark, but instead, several other factors seem to take the wheel here. Even if he attempted to slap Invincible across the face, it'd do next to nothing. Between the explosive hothead's terrible luck and their vast difference in power, Rex would be most likely to merely injure his own hand.]
Can't you see we're making out?!
[The words are all spat out.]
D'ooooh, god! You might as well have popped out of your mom's baby hole without any eyes attached! Hrrrrgh.
[Rex shuts his own pair of peepers tightly, forcing them closed with such a fervor that for a split-second, he feels as though his eyeballs may have actually been shoved backwards and into his thick skull, past the cavities of the sockets.
This should be a pleasant memory of his first kiss with his first love, but because of his own self destructive buffoonery, it's been tainted. Seeing his parents and having his living situation exposed to someone like Mark, a well-meaning but clueless idiot, has already stirred a ripe storm of emotion inside him. Rex breathes in and out, crouching over and covering his face with his hands, hoping that if he stays like this and counts to ten, perhaps the unwanted picture show will finally cease to exist.]
Fuck! Why are we so loud?!
Who told tweeny-boppers that they had to make sooooo many mouth noises when they're sticking their tongues down each other's throats? I'd rather do time than listen to any of this bullshit! Just cuff me and throw me in jail.
'S not like life hasn't already fucked me up the butt! What's another couple of unadulterated prison buttfucks, hah? Why I oughta...
no subject
Quickly, he pushes those feelings aside because it didn't matter. Not right now. Especially not right now when he and Rex were in an established relationship after Rex had sabotaged his relationship with Eve. Even more so, Mark's feelings didn't matter now that Rex was seeming to have a break down.. with proper reason too. Mark also exhales. It was time for him to look away from all of this cause, yeah, it seemed pretty invasive to watch. The whole occurrence was just very unfair for everyone involved, but especially Rex who seemed to have this memory either repressed back into his mind or maybe.. it was something he thought about too often. ]
... It's alright, Rex. Uh.
[ Oh my god he feels SO AWKWARD being here. ]
Are you still.. not over Eve? Do we need to talk about something?
[ THIS IS AWKWARD TO ASK NOW, ESPECIALLY AS HIS CURRENT BOYFRIEND, BUT YOU KNOW.. ]
no subject
We're over!
[Rex's shoulders heave as he expels each following breath, the heavy admission not only weighing on his heart, but his entire body. His rational thoughts are being drowned out by that maelstrom of misery, and so it takes him a second to realize that aforementioned statement could be vastly misinterpreted.
To clarify, he points to himself-]
Me-
[And then to her.]
And Eve.
[Rex fails to notice that, while he desperately attempts to clarify his situation to Invincible, that the scenery changes frantically with the pace of his ever-accelerating heart. He and the other superhero now stand in a box of screens, each wall playing a different memory from Rex's consciousness, some gorier than others.
The first, and perhaps the largest, most notable projection, is the one on the ceiling- A recent recollection of Rex and Eve the summer before her junior year, taking place in her room, which is decked out in pale pink wallpaper. The door to the bathroom is open, revealing the two teenagers bathing together in what appears to be her bathtub, although all that's visible is her bare back from the waist up, and his chest from the same water level. She giggles, pressing her nose to his as the suds bubble around them both, taking Rex's wet hair in her delicate fingers and joking audibly,
"Wow! Your hair's almost longer than mine! When's the last time you had a haircut?"]
Because I fucked up! I fuck everything up!
Cut the crap, In-
[Invincible. Fuckface.
He can't bring himself to just say, "Mark." He's too angry. It doesn't matter how kind Mark is. How much he has in common with Eve. How much time he spends wih Kate on the regular.
Rex is convinced, as of this moment, that none of their affections will ever be enough. He is too broken and full of self hatred, constantly wanting more love, more understanding, more sympathy...
Because he can't even give it to himself.]
What is it that you really wanna know? Can't you see that I'm goin' through the ringer right now!
i had to find my zen in order to respond to this.. REX.. HONEY...
Oh. There he goes. Clarifying. That would have been nice to know in that painful matter of seconds where Mark is holding his breath, but he eases out an exhale.
He gives Rex a few moments, noticing the environment was changing. He should have never pressured Rex to watch the tape or anything.. it's just what the prompt was insinuating. He's trying not to focus on the fact that this is ultimately his fault since he should be putting his focus on someone else right now. Someone else that was hurting. Someone else that he cared about. It's a little foolish, but Mark reaches out and settles a hand on Rex's shoulder, ignoring the display around them (no matter how tempting it may be to look...)
Mark's eyebrows pull together, a stern expression fixing on his face. ]
.. To help you.
[ Learn HOW to help you cause he doesn't even know. He can't even say he understands or anything like that because it's obvious now, Mark has a visual of what he's been through. ]
Whatever it takes. Do you even know?
i'm so sorry now u kno what it is like 2 be me.
Even so, Mark is just a kind person with a soft center, sporting the sort of ooey-gooey heart that oozes fee-fees like the yolk of an undercooked egg. So, Rex will throw in the towel and finally give the other boy the benefit of the doubt. Also, he would like to get out of here.]
No.
[He holds himself tightly instead of reaching out, scowling as he hears a blast in his left ear. To that side of him is a screen that reveals a childhood memory, his suit is skintight and all in black, and he's seemingly chuckling after blowing an entire banquet of foreign dignitaries to smithereens.
"Gottem!"
Rex reaches to cover that ear, flinching.]
There's a lot of ugly up in here.
It's not your problem.