He doesn't know exactly what that is, in a single word, that's kind of pouring off of Mark in waves in that second. It's... heavy. Sad, but it isn't exactly sadness. It's clawing and desperate and seeking. It's...insecure and validation-seeking.

Talk about two sides of the same coin. Damien, maybe better than anyone, can understand wanting to matter. To someone, anyone, in his case, but it's even closer to home than that for Mark. His parents. People that were supposed to love unconditionally. No strings.

The difference in their views there is: some part of Mark clearly still wishes he could get it from them, somehow, and Damien had given up any hope on it years, and years ago.

"So, it's- it's just a blanket generalization. Like every -ism out there... One bad apple ruins the bunch. God," he shakes his head a little at that. "That's seriously fucked up, man..." Maybe worse than his parents leaving him the way they had. At least he'd gotten to just be bitter at them for not being around– Mark grew up seeing the constant disappointment? fear? hatred? How many things had he watched his parents look at him with in their eyes? How could that not fuck him up?