Welcome to Gaia! ::

Marcus hoped Rep would show up. Even better if he showed up and didn’t b***h but that seemed like it would be a miracle. He’d asked one of the hunters the other day if they wouldn’t mind picking up some flowers while they were out. At first the senior hunter had scoffed, but when Marcus told them no, they were not for Cass but for others, they nodded. A bit expensive, but it was the least he could do.

He’d admit, he looked gay as all hell, waiting in the commons, Cass having left, and just- he felt gay, Dis telling him how he was in effect, going on a date with Rep not helping. But, Marcus figured that was good fodder for an insult if he needed it. Still, he was waiting going on thirty minutes now. If the sun trainee didn’t show soon? He’d still go on his own.

Oh Yes Rep. Yes yes yes. Marcus wouldn't say it out loud but knowing that he'd hurt Rep made him smile, just a bit. A small sadistic feel good in knowing he'd been a d**k. wasn't right but it made him feel better.
When rep arrived, Marcus rolled his eyes. "To be honest, I half expected you to spite me and not show up. But, then I probably would have sent you a text questioning your manhood given how effective that has worked thus far." A bland look as the sun trainee told him no. "I didn't order you to come Rep, just the same, you're not under orders to come with me. However-" He motioned to the doors. "There is something I think you need to see."

With that he started walking out the doors and down towards the fields. He was going to go, Rep or no Rep.

There were two conversations going on here. Marcus having one meaning, Rep having another. The streams, they would just not cross. Practically hearing Rep's anger behind him, Marcus waited for the man to catch up before he kept walking. "..." He sighed noticing the limp. Dis was pleased at it, Marcus just felt sorry for the guy. "By the way-" He offered the flowers to Rep. "I figured you would want these."
All the wrong signals? Maybe. Looking up at the relatively unused path, the moon trainee frowned at the mud. "Just up and over this part and we'll be there." To his 'surprise'.

Rolling his eyes, Marcus held onto the flowers. "If I wanted to make you feel better I'd buy you a damn tee shirt or something practical. And to be clear, I'm not sorry I hurt you, merely sorry that in being hurt you're now more vulnerable and thus, more of a liability. But in the fact you might be suffering, there is a bit of sorry in how your a** must feel after Dis-." A shake of his head and a sigh.

"Just... look." As they passed over into the area it was unmistakeable just where they were. Tombstones, grave markers- it was a hunter graveyard, and from the looks of it down the path, it had a few newer arrivals. Shoving the flowers are Rep Marcus glared. "Now do you understand why you might want these?"

He waited for Rep to get the picture. For him to realize what he'd been saying and trying to mean. "Everyone is vulnerable Rep. No one is impervious to everything." He silently moved to the one grave he remembered. The first one that had a name he could place with a face. "No one." The man had smiled at them, seemed normal and sane. He promised to help them and then- he was gone. The first face and name he could match. Now? There were more.

Walking over to the newer graves he took a deep breath. New faces to go with the names. He was willing to bet if he looked hard enough, he'd see ones he didn't know but could match from the photos. One who's fates they might share.
Two simple graves, newly marked. Sandy and Barney. "I want you to understand something Rep. But I don't think you will until you read the names for yourself." They had died so the trainees could live. They had sacrificed themselves.

Survivors guilt was something that was a part of being a hunter.

He watched Rep, silent, taking it in. Marcus had his tears and sorrows, and later, he'd have them again. This was his choice in the end. "Do you understand what I was saying now?" He asked, neither raising his voice of letting it fill with anger. "You're not invincible. None of us are."

He pulled a weed that had sprouted on Sandy's grave. Already- "We knew them not even an few hours, but they were ready to die to protect us. And when they died, they didn't do it out of pity for us, but by the fact they wanted us to live, to become hunters." Marcus truly believed that. "But if you keep up the way you have, when we become hunters-" He sighed.

"You insulted Sandy right before she died Rep. The same one who later on saved your life and the cost of her own." He was letting his anger get a hold of him and it was by Dis's chiding, the reminder of where they were that calmed him down. "I'm sorry Rep. Not because I am being a d**k but because there is nothing I can do for you. I can preach all I want but you need to understand that by treating people the way you do, you're going to die. People lookout for those they care about and if you drive everyone away?"

He didn't finish, only looking mournfully at the grave markers.

"Truthfully? I think it's less to do with people saving themselves Rep, so much as saving someone who would not do the same for them, or, who would risk them all because of their insecurities." Blue eyes were filled with judgement, and Marcus didn't deny it. "....I said wouldn't help you Rep. Not until you admit you needed it. And I'll stand by what I said. Admitting you have a problem is a good step, but saying you'll only change if others change shows you're ignoring the basic fact." He moved back to the path.

"We gave up our lives to become hunters. Our past only follows us here if we bring it here. Frankly, no one gives a s**t about what or who you were before you became a hunter Rep." He motioned to the mass field of markers. "At the days end, we're hunters, first and foremost. If you refuse to trust anyone and cite fear of betrayal?" A shake of his head and a wave. "If you give up on people, you might as well give up on yourself."

Marcus had to laugh at that. "Rep." He stopped his walk, chuckling at him. "If I didn't think you could change, that you have that potential why the ******** do you think I took time out of my day to do this? I can assure you part of it is the overall benefit of other yes, but who would stands to benefit the most from this?" A glance back at the graves.

"I honestly don't know why I am a moon hunter but one thing I can say in full honestly?" He sad lingering smile. "I really hate the thought of people dying when I could have helped prevent it."