Breakdown

[realworldweirdo]

Mario blinked. Had he been looking impatient? He didn\'t really have anything else he needed to get to; his interview had been the only thing on his schedule today.

"Huh? What? Oh, no I don\'t have anywhere to be. I was just making sure we didn\'t miss it. Some of the tow companies around here are real assholes."

The horrifyingly guilt-stricken look on Gene\'s face lingered in Mario\'s mind\'s eye, though.

"Besides, it\'s like a thousand degrees out there. Chill out, relax. And never give me that look again.... it freaks me out," he added nervously. In half a second, Gene had gone from rather taciturn and quiet to a quivering mass of guilt and remorse. Now Mario felt bad for glancing out the window.

[Saccharin]

"I\'m sorry," he said, miserable because his concern that he was inconveniencing someone had only inconvenienced them further.

"I just figured you were looking because you were ready to go. I don\'t want you to think you have to stick around or anything unless you want to." He shrugged, still looking abashed but trying to keep from directing it Mario\'s way, since apparently that had made the other man uncomfortable. "Sorry," he mumbled, and winced internally because Mario might be annoyed with the repeated apologies since it was doing the opposite of relaxing\'. It was too late to retract them, though.

[realworldweirdo]

Mario was conflicted. Part of him had no idea what to do with this person; another part said to make an excuse and leave. He was too softhearted for that, though. Gene seemed like he was under a lot of stress and like he was coping with a lot of stuff.

"Oh," he said to buy himself a moment.

"Listen, you seem really stressed out. You want to call the tow company and tell them where to take the truck, and I\'ll give you a ride home?"

Some vampires told him that he\'d be talented at psychic skills if he were ever turned, because he displayed so much empathy as a human. Mario thought they were nuts and he was just a softie. Either way, he couldn\'t really handle Gene apologizing so much, which he interpreted as being so hard on himself, much longer.

[Saccharin]

He considered the offer and his immediate inclination was to tell Mario no, but the sooner he got home, the sooner they could both get on with their lives. With the way things had been going, it\'d probably be an awkwardly silent ride, but it\'d be a relatively quick one. If he didn\'t fear it getting dark before he made it all the way home, he could\'ve walked there.

"Alright," he finally said. "I\'d appreciate it."