[ Joel's already learned that most of the kid's comments don't necessitate a response. Not as far as he's concerned, anyway. He doesn't respond to Jesse's questioning acceptance, just follows him down the path, and at his question about the turnoff he just grunts in assent. He does have to close his eyes briefly in exasperation at the reckless way he just sticks his head through - it's a wonder he hasn't been killed already, with an attitude like that, but then, the kid's probably spent his whole life in the zone. Never had to think about or deal with what lives outside.
Luckily for Jesse, this place, at least, is secure. Joel's made sure of that. He follows him inside more carefully, freezing in place and listening intently when he hears the noise. ]
Nothin' we need t'worry about, hopefully.
[ Nothing that can reach them in here, that's for sure. He fixes his gaze on Jesse, watching him curiously, and not a little appraisingly. ]
[ It's true, much of what Jesse says is something like a monologue--things to be heard, but not necessarily responded to. It's difficult out of habit for him not to sort of narrate his life. Maybe it comes from spending a decent amount of time by himself, or maybe he just talks too much. Either way, it's a habit not yet gotten rid of. Jesse is a little more than reckless when he sticks his head into the hold in the drywall, but does he really have much to lose at this point? If anything, he'll maybe be granted a quicker and more merciful death than what those he's fucked over are likely to afford him. But that quick death doesn't come and, even though a sound rattles through the old bones of the building, it's not close, and Joel is that thinking-ahead type who would've made sure the pathway was clear. At least as much as he could. ]
Hopefully doesn't sound that definite.
[ Jesse snaps back before really giving in a second thought. He softens, though, looking around as the flashlight beam enters the hole behind him followed by Joel. ]
I get it, though. Nothin's ever definite these days.
[ Jesse shrugs off that thought, but his head darts back in Joel's direction at the man's question. There's a longer pause this time. Maybe the longest in any of their conversation. Jesse tries not to allow the hairs at the back of his neck stand on end; tries not to let a tremor shoulder its way into his body. ]
Yeah. Couple times.
[ He hasn't been bitten yet, but that doesn't mean he hasn't had a couple of close encounters, one of which where he'd needed to go hand to hand with the things and finished them off with a piece of broken glass. There's still a scar running across his palm and tha creases of his fingers because of it. Jagged and raw like the memory. ]
[ For the moment, at least, and that's all they have to worry about right now. Later is for worrying about later.
But Jesse's responses surprises him, his eyebrows going up despite his stoicism. Huh. Yeah, he hadn't expected that at all. He might've guessed the kid might have seen one - if he's dumb enough to get caught up in everything else he'd gotten caught up in, it makes sense he might find himself somewhere he wasn't supposed to be. But killing one? ]
Y'got lucky, then.
[ That's true no matter what. Meeting even one of those things - it's never a sure thing for anyone, no matter how skilled you might be. And Jesse...Joel gives him one more appraising glance before walking the perimeter of the small space, just in case. It doesn't take long. ]
[ Jesse's not entirely sure if it was luck or what. He knows he's scrappier than he looks, but honestly, he hadn't been sure he had it in him until it came down to life or death. He's still not sure about that because there are still nights when what he did bothers him. He gives Joel a long look when he asks how it happened and he turns over his hand, holding it out palm-up for Joel to see his scars. ]
It happened when I got a hold of the stash. I got intel that it was comin' in from another QZ. Figured it'd be easier to get to it on the outside than once it made its way in here since it was only traveling with a couple of people--efforts to keep it on the low or whatever. Anyway, while my guys were gettin' the stash secured? Guess the struggle caught the attention of some infected. We barely made it back. One of 'em ended up breaking through. Killed one of my friends outright, and infected another. He downed it but I didn't know he was bit. Guess he was too scared to tell anybody so I didn't know 'til he came after me. So I had to take him out myself with a broken bottle. That's how I ended up with this. The bottle broke in my hand while I was fighting him off.
[ Jesse lets his scarred hand drop to his side again, shrugging it all off but it's clear in his suddenly glossed-over blue eyes that it's something that continues to affect him in spite of his efforts to shove it all away. ]
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zvi
no subject
Date: 2023-02-26 07:56 am (UTC)Luckily for Jesse, this place, at least, is secure. Joel's made sure of that. He follows him inside more carefully, freezing in place and listening intently when he hears the noise. ]
Nothin' we need t'worry about, hopefully.
[ Nothing that can reach them in here, that's for sure. He fixes his gaze on Jesse, watching him curiously, and not a little appraisingly. ]
Y'ever seen 'em up close?
no subject
Date: 2023-02-28 04:42 am (UTC)Hopefully doesn't sound that definite.
[ Jesse snaps back before really giving in a second thought. He softens, though, looking around as the flashlight beam enters the hole behind him followed by Joel. ]
I get it, though. Nothin's ever definite these days.
[ Jesse shrugs off that thought, but his head darts back in Joel's direction at the man's question. There's a longer pause this time. Maybe the longest in any of their conversation. Jesse tries not to allow the hairs at the back of his neck stand on end; tries not to let a tremor shoulder its way into his body. ]
Yeah. Couple times.
[ He hasn't been bitten yet, but that doesn't mean he hasn't had a couple of close encounters, one of which where he'd needed to go hand to hand with the things and finished them off with a piece of broken glass. There's still a scar running across his palm and tha creases of his fingers because of it. Jagged and raw like the memory. ]
Killed one.
no subject
Date: 2023-03-04 03:12 pm (UTC)[ For the moment, at least, and that's all they have to worry about right now. Later is for worrying about later.
But Jesse's responses surprises him, his eyebrows going up despite his stoicism. Huh. Yeah, he hadn't expected that at all. He might've guessed the kid might have seen one - if he's dumb enough to get caught up in everything else he'd gotten caught up in, it makes sense he might find himself somewhere he wasn't supposed to be. But killing one? ]
Y'got lucky, then.
[ That's true no matter what. Meeting even one of those things - it's never a sure thing for anyone, no matter how skilled you might be. And Jesse...Joel gives him one more appraising glance before walking the perimeter of the small space, just in case. It doesn't take long. ]
How'd it happen?
no subject
Date: 2023-03-04 09:15 pm (UTC)[ Jesse's not entirely sure if it was luck or what. He knows he's scrappier than he looks, but honestly, he hadn't been sure he had it in him until it came down to life or death. He's still not sure about that because there are still nights when what he did bothers him. He gives Joel a long look when he asks how it happened and he turns over his hand, holding it out palm-up for Joel to see his scars. ]
It happened when I got a hold of the stash. I got intel that it was comin' in from another QZ. Figured it'd be easier to get to it on the outside than once it made its way in here since it was only traveling with a couple of people--efforts to keep it on the low or whatever. Anyway, while my guys were gettin' the stash secured? Guess the struggle caught the attention of some infected. We barely made it back. One of 'em ended up breaking through. Killed one of my friends outright, and infected another. He downed it but I didn't know he was bit. Guess he was too scared to tell anybody so I didn't know 'til he came after me. So I had to take him out myself with a broken bottle. That's how I ended up with this. The bottle broke in my hand while I was fighting him off.
[ Jesse lets his scarred hand drop to his side again, shrugging it all off but it's clear in his suddenly glossed-over blue eyes that it's something that continues to affect him in spite of his efforts to shove it all away. ]