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[atypical_echo]

What it says on the Tin

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[heydrb]

Wha- I don't know. If that's what you wanna talk about...? [What the fuck? When had that happened?]

[atypical_echo]

[Oh not that long ago at all.]

I don't know what I want to talk about, Damien. But everything's been bad since I came back to Boston and Agent Green died and Joan took over at the AM, and Sam's dating another AM employee and Joan's maybe dating another AM employee and what the fuck am I supposed to do with all of this?

[heydrb]

Shit... [That's... a lot.] Wait– [He shakes his head.] Dr. B's dating someone?

[Record. Scratch. Halt. W H A T?]

[atypical_echo]

I mean, not officially. The whole grieving over Owen dying trying to save her life has slowed things down. But yeah. With an atypical with super speed. He helped save all of our lives then.

[heydrb]

Jesus, Mark... You need to take time to fucking breathe. Get out of Boston for a weekend or something.

[He pauses and sighs a little– ]

I didn't mean– that's not...an invitation or anything...

[Unless...?]

[atypical_echo]

[Yeah, podunk Colorado is a VERY serious distance to go for a weekend.]

Where would I even go? I fucking blew my job. I can't go see my parents. I can't...

Fuck, I just don't know what to do anymore.

[heydrb]

I don't know. Anywhere–

New York. Virginia. Wherever you want.

[Here.
He won't say it, but his entire body screams at him to.]

[atypical_echo]

Well I can't go out of country easily. And if I leave, who is there to keep Alex company?

[heydrb]

Take him with you.

[atypical_echo]

That might be sending a message I don't want to send.

[heydrb]

Rumor has it road trips are generally supposed to be better with other people, I'm pretty sure... you guys are friends, right?

[atypical_echo]

We're trying. But asking a guy hitting on me on a road trip implies interest.

[heydrb]

So... explain it from the outset? I don't know... I just know you're gonna explode if you keep this up, Mark... you gotta do something.

[atypical_echo]

I want to drink. Badly.

[heydrb]

[He tucks his lower lip between his teeth as he tries to figure out what the hell to even say.]

It won’t help anything… might make it worse, but it definitely won’t help…

[He hesitates, almost leaves it at that, but a thought occurs to him and he decides to follow it.]

I’m not saying it for now, but… what’s some place you want to visit, full-tilt tourism and everything. Rome? Germany? Where do you wanna go?

[atypical_echo]

I once... I wanted to see the world. Hit all the touristy spots, and then find the quiet country-sides and get all of that working too. I wanted to see it all. I asked Sam to go too. She didn't. She wouldn't.

[heydrb]

[A smile touches his lips at the thought because it feels so incredibly Mark. And it’s a little sad because, in another life, where he hadn’t fucked things up to the point of no return, he definitely would have gone on that trip with him. Damien knows plenty of places in the states just like that. He’d show him all the ones he knew, and they could find new ones together.

But.

It’s not going to happen, and that makes his chest tighten.]

I’m sorry she wouldn’t go… [Its strange to find he actually means that. Yes, he’d rather be the one Mark wanted to take, but he gets all the reasons that isn’t possible. And if he can’t, then he’d like Mark to at least get to see everything he dreamed of seeing.

Doesn’t sound like it’s happening any time soon, though.] Sounds like it’d be fun…

[ ‘I would go with you,’ burns a place at the end of his tongue, but he keeps it to himself. ]

[atypical_echo]

[Mark knows what is being felt without Damien saying it. Because, looking back, he had fun when they were together. Until he was forced to talk, and prevented from reaching out to Joan. The rest? The rest was nice.]

I don't know that Alex trusts being that far from the AM and his medication yet, though. So I sit around here, trying to find an answer to life.

[heydrb]

Mark… [He sighs his name out in a soft huff.] you have to live for yourself.

You have earned every fucking right to just… be selfish for once. Do what you wanna do, quit living for other people.

[atypical_echo]

[He doesn't know what to do with that.]

I just... I want things to be about me for a change. But in a good way.

[heydrb]

Then make it happen. I don’t know what that looks like, but whatever it is? Just do it.

[atypical_echo]

I don't know how.

[He hadn't been able to help the fear of traveling alone. He just can't do it.]

But I guess I can at least head out of town for the weekend. Not far, but away.

[heydrb]

Sometimes that’s all it takes… nobody said it has to be a cross-country trip.

[His voice is quiet, softer than usual. He likes the idea of Mark doing something for himself for once.]

[atypical_echo]

[He just... doesn't know. Man he really doesn't.]

Guess I'm just afraid there are other AM divisions that would go after me. Maybe I'll agree to check in with The Order and see if they can ensure I come back.

[heydrb]

The fuck is The Order? [His face scrunches in confusion though the other man can’t see it.]