"Did we not just go over the merits of telling people to fuck off," he answers, and he's only teasing in part. He's done enough that Mark really should have--maybe the only thing going for him is that his bullshit had some experimental merit. For Mark, and the powers that be.

Rolling in his lips, he keeps looking at Mark past the impossible blur of his own eyebrows. The strain on his eyes is worth the face: he's not letting that sentiment touch him. Not a bit.

"If you go saying things like that, I'm going to have to start reciprocating all this help." When he sighs, he looks back out at the crowd, gaze leveling.