If Mark's dropping the computer hurt, it's nothing compared to a statement like that, a fact which is more than likely made obvious in Eduardo's expression, too quick for him to do anything about it. He'd predicted this a few long minutes ago, that things would get worse before they get better, but he hadn't expected it to get this bad this quickly. There's no positive spin to put on it, no way to lessen the effect that those words have on him, except maybe to think that he was right about one suspicion: that Mark doesn't know him at all, not really. Otherwise, he never would have had to ask as much, because it would have gone without saying. Loyalty is a trait he's always valued, and even with Mark, even when things were at their worst, it's come easily, perhaps too much so. Now, of course, there might be more effort involved, but that, he thinks, is only to be expected after what they've been through. After what Mark did to him. Mark shouldn't even get to ask him for anything, but Eduardo wants to follow through all the same, the way things have, with a scant few exceptions, always been. Maybe nothing has changed at all.
"I have never," Eduardo says slowly, shakier than he'd have liked, reminded far too much of their confrontation preceding his arrival here, "never done anything but believe in you, Mark. Don't you get that?" He shakes his head, lets out a slow breath, eyes which have been carefully holding Mark's gaze closing for a few seconds. He'd never admit to being on the verge of tears — it sounds stupid, for one, childish and an overreaction if ever there was one — but there's something there all the same, some sense of defeat and exhaustion and absolute desperation taking its toll on him. Though this is suddenly seeming like a terrible, terrible idea, he nevertheless stands his ground, not about to give Mark the satisfaction of winning, of so grossly underestimating Eduardo's affection towards his former best friend.
There's an intensity replacing some of the tiredness when he speaks again, and for a moment, it feels too distinctly like old times, the days when Facebook was climbing and their friendship going steadily downhill, despite all of Eduardo's trying to throw on the brakes. Quite frankly, it makes him feel a little ill, but he's at least going to get this out. "There's no obligation. There's no — Jesus Christ, Mark, what do you think I was doing all that time? And here, after all of it, you really think I would be standing here now if I didn't want to be? I have no reason to feel obligated to you. I'm here anyway. Can't you see that?"
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
(no subject)
Date: 2011-05-20 05:01 am (UTC)"I have never," Eduardo says slowly, shakier than he'd have liked, reminded far too much of their confrontation preceding his arrival here, "never done anything but believe in you, Mark. Don't you get that?" He shakes his head, lets out a slow breath, eyes which have been carefully holding Mark's gaze closing for a few seconds. He'd never admit to being on the verge of tears — it sounds stupid, for one, childish and an overreaction if ever there was one — but there's something there all the same, some sense of defeat and exhaustion and absolute desperation taking its toll on him. Though this is suddenly seeming like a terrible, terrible idea, he nevertheless stands his ground, not about to give Mark the satisfaction of winning, of so grossly underestimating Eduardo's affection towards his former best friend.
There's an intensity replacing some of the tiredness when he speaks again, and for a moment, it feels too distinctly like old times, the days when Facebook was climbing and their friendship going steadily downhill, despite all of Eduardo's trying to throw on the brakes. Quite frankly, it makes him feel a little ill, but he's at least going to get this out. "There's no obligation. There's no — Jesus Christ, Mark, what do you think I was doing all that time? And here, after all of it, you really think I would be standing here now if I didn't want to be? I have no reason to feel obligated to you. I'm here anyway. Can't you see that?"