The thing about Mark, Eduardo has found (and all but forgotten, only to remember again now), is that whether intentional or not, everything feels like a test. Like Mark's ever-critical gaze is on him, and there's an expected answer and he has to figure out what it is so he can get it right. He's disagreed with Mark, of course, on multiple occasions, though never so big an issue as advertising on the site, but what he thought — and still thinks — that Mark never seemed to get was that he was only ever doing what he was brought on board to do, to act as CFO, to use the one thing he was ever really good at to try and benefit the site (which made it sting all the more to have Mark point out, after he flew out to Palo Alto, that he'd failed at that, too). On the littler things, the strictly personal things, he's always been quick to try to give Mark what he wants, and glad to do so. He's not vindictive enough for that to have changed now.
Of course, the position that leaves him in, as he starts out of the Winchester, is one as uncertain as all the rest of this night has been. He doesn't know how to read Mark like he used to, the revealed deception and, now, years of distance making that obvious enough; as such, it's hard to tell what Mark really wants. Surely, he means what he says, but that doesn't have to mean anything when put into practice. For all Eduardo knows, if he agrees and takes Mark back to the Compound, then he'll be the one to drive them apart, implying that this is a one-time thing, not a sign of any friendship rekindled. On the other hand, though, to insist and drag a semi-drunken Mark back to his place — he learned the hard way that to try to insinuate himself in Mark's life, to hold on even when it seems impossible, is something that very well might not work, or could even wind up having the opposite of the intended effect. After so much time, he'd be even stupider than just being here makes him not to wonder if it's too late for anything.
Either way, he doesn't know what the answer is supposed to be. Maybe Mark wants to see him insist, like proof of his clearly unfaltering loyalty. Maybe Mark asks if he's sure he shouldn't worry about it because Mark thinks he should, and that's his way of saying so. Maybe Mark is using this as an excuse to reclaim some space between them again, like this is an experiment gone wrong.
Or maybe, Eduardo thinks, maybe he's just losing his fucking mind and it doesn't mean anything at all.
When it comes down to it, it's worth the gamble, or at least a slight one. He won't send Mark away, not when this is a chance to make himself needed, something that tonight has made him crave as sharply and suddenly as if a switch were flipped in his head, turning back on what he'd meant to keep off. He smiles, why, and shakes his head. "Exactly. It's one night," he says, voice catching like around a laugh that he doesn't quite let out. He doesn't add that he's done as much before, that he brought Olive and Erica over the nights they arrived, too. It may be dishonest, but he wants this to mean something, not for Mark to think it's what he'd do for just anyone, or born of some sense of obligation. "Not a big deal at all." Just let me do this for you, he wants to say, but he doesn't. "I told you, I was going to offer anyway." More like he was just going to take Mark there and just tell him to sleep, but that's all logistics.
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Of course, the position that leaves him in, as he starts out of the Winchester, is one as uncertain as all the rest of this night has been. He doesn't know how to read Mark like he used to, the revealed deception and, now, years of distance making that obvious enough; as such, it's hard to tell what Mark really wants. Surely, he means what he says, but that doesn't have to mean anything when put into practice. For all Eduardo knows, if he agrees and takes Mark back to the Compound, then he'll be the one to drive them apart, implying that this is a one-time thing, not a sign of any friendship rekindled. On the other hand, though, to insist and drag a semi-drunken Mark back to his place — he learned the hard way that to try to insinuate himself in Mark's life, to hold on even when it seems impossible, is something that very well might not work, or could even wind up having the opposite of the intended effect. After so much time, he'd be even stupider than just being here makes him not to wonder if it's too late for anything.
Either way, he doesn't know what the answer is supposed to be. Maybe Mark wants to see him insist, like proof of his clearly unfaltering loyalty. Maybe Mark asks if he's sure he shouldn't worry about it because Mark thinks he should, and that's his way of saying so. Maybe Mark is using this as an excuse to reclaim some space between them again, like this is an experiment gone wrong.
Or maybe, Eduardo thinks, maybe he's just losing his fucking mind and it doesn't mean anything at all.
When it comes down to it, it's worth the gamble, or at least a slight one. He won't send Mark away, not when this is a chance to make himself needed, something that tonight has made him crave as sharply and suddenly as if a switch were flipped in his head, turning back on what he'd meant to keep off. He smiles, why, and shakes his head. "Exactly. It's one night," he says, voice catching like around a laugh that he doesn't quite let out. He doesn't add that he's done as much before, that he brought Olive and Erica over the nights they arrived, too. It may be dishonest, but he wants this to mean something, not for Mark to think it's what he'd do for just anyone, or born of some sense of obligation. "Not a big deal at all." Just let me do this for you, he wants to say, but he doesn't. "I told you, I was going to offer anyway." More like he was just going to take Mark there and just tell him to sleep, but that's all logistics.