[Of course Phantom feels the pain across their link as well. For a few seconds it doesn't even make sense. The idea that anything he says could affect Marcus that deeply is... laughable. Less than laughable. But if it struck a nerve at all he knows exactly why. That for a moment, it must not be him Marcus is seeing at all.
He stumbles when Marcus drops him, catching himself hard against the wall as he drags in great, heaving breaths. Logic says it's the remnants of the panic still, making his body overreact. He glances up at Marcus, expression still every bit as blank as the moment Marcus let go.
Of course it's about Phil. It's always, ever, only about Phil. He could try to find more words that would gouge at that weak point and see if he can deepen the pain Marcus is already feeling along their link. But it feels so far beyond pointless. Nothing he could say would provoke Marcus to simply finish this. And repairing things between them was out of his grasp from the moment he was created. So instead he shoves himself away from the wall with one hand and tries to brush past Marcus, fully intending to say absolutely nothing.]
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He stumbles when Marcus drops him, catching himself hard against the wall as he drags in great, heaving breaths. Logic says it's the remnants of the panic still, making his body overreact. He glances up at Marcus, expression still every bit as blank as the moment Marcus let go.
Of course it's about Phil. It's always, ever, only about Phil. He could try to find more words that would gouge at that weak point and see if he can deepen the pain Marcus is already feeling along their link. But it feels so far beyond pointless. Nothing he could say would provoke Marcus to simply finish this. And repairing things between them was out of his grasp from the moment he was created. So instead he shoves himself away from the wall with one hand and tries to brush past Marcus, fully intending to say absolutely nothing.]