Rex manages to fit a huge amount of meaning in that little noise and accompanying, knowing nod. It's a sound of familiarity and acceptance, casually made. Apparently, Peter has said all needs Rex to hear. There's a lot he can extrapolate from the way he phrases it, giving that sense it wasn't an action exactly direct at his uncle. It's not a dark place that Rex visits often. It's where he lives. Rex's own brush with tangential responsibility for the death of a loved one is even less direct- merely by being someone his mother wanted to protect. Being a burden. But when does guilt have to be logical? When does anything to do with death?
Of course, the fact that the quiet unceremonious response goes a long way in explaining why exactly Rex is the way he is is intentional. Because even now, even hating himself for it, it seems a good way to trick more goodwill out of Peter. Same for his respectful manner. Forcing the issue would surely just cause him to retreat.
The fact a long howl in his heart just doesn't want to hurt Pete anymore is ignored.
"You've already told me more than I had the right to ask," he states it as fact. It really is. A guy like Peter shouldn't be talking to Rex at all, but life isn't fair is it?
He makes a soft sighing sound, "goosh". His fingers squeeze just a little bit on Peter's shoulder before coming away, slipping back into his pocket.
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Rex manages to fit a huge amount of meaning in that little noise and accompanying, knowing nod. It's a sound of familiarity and acceptance, casually made. Apparently, Peter has said all needs Rex to hear. There's a lot he can extrapolate from the way he phrases it, giving that sense it wasn't an action exactly direct at his uncle. It's not a dark place that Rex visits often. It's where he lives. Rex's own brush with tangential responsibility for the death of a loved one is even less direct- merely by being someone his mother wanted to protect. Being a burden. But when does guilt have to be logical? When does anything to do with death?
Of course, the fact that the quiet unceremonious response goes a long way in explaining why exactly Rex is the way he is is intentional. Because even now, even hating himself for it, it seems a good way to trick more goodwill out of Peter. Same for his respectful manner. Forcing the issue would surely just cause him to retreat.
The fact a long howl in his heart just doesn't want to hurt Pete anymore is ignored.
"You've already told me more than I had the right to ask," he states it as fact. It really is. A guy like Peter shouldn't be talking to Rex at all, but life isn't fair is it?
He makes a soft sighing sound, "goosh". His fingers squeeze just a little bit on Peter's shoulder before coming away, slipping back into his pocket.
"...We can stop playing, if you like."