064. Down By the Seaside

[samson]

[Dictated somewhat lazily.]

Alright, I haven't mentioned this in awhile and with the like... revolving door policy the castle likes to do, figured I should say something. Name's Brock, I have a little bit of land sort of southwest of the castle, off the main road to the city.

There's a community garden there if you don't feel like wishing for food or paying the townspeople with fake magic money. Which I totally get, by the way; it feels a little, uh... dishonest. Anyway, the garden's there for anybody who wants to use it. Just don't take everything without putting some work in too, alright?

I got a greenhouse too, in case you want to grow something out of season. There's also a smokehouse but I don't want anybody putting weird mystery meat in there so that's sort of off-limits, okay?

That's about all I wanted to say.

[A pause. Apparently he remembered something else, so--]

Oh, uh, if you see a little dude around the garden, that's just Frodo. So don't scare him or anything. He works for me.

[Vereesa.]
Hey. I'm guessing you went with everybody on that expedition, right? You back yet?

Comments

[dog_eat_dog]

I'm not saying disregard it entirely, I'm saying we've always taken risks and doing things any differently now is pointless.

[focusrighthere]

Before it was just you and me.

[Here we go.]

[dog_eat_dog]

[A frown.]

You aren't serious, Joel.

[focusrighthere]

[A very serious glare and nothing else.]

[dog_eat_dog]

[Tess gives him one of those are-you-fucking-serious? looks, despite all accounts that he is, in fact, very goddamned serious.]

We're actually in a place where we can do better than just get by, and on considerably less risk. What makes you think we should even entertain passing that up? And you're the one who wanted to take a vacation.

[focusrighthere]

Not rushin' into anything, Tess. You don't see me jumpin' out the door, do you?

[Annoyed, he raises his voice. He's just thinking things through for Ellie's sake and that puts him on the immediate defensive.]

[dog_eat_dog]

[If he's going to be defensive, then she's going to move on the offensive. These past few weeks have been good. But between the three of them living under one roof and Infection and the end of the Fireflies, it's been stressful, too, even on top of the food and the luxury and the material goods.

Even suggesting they give up the food just for the sake of caution, and Tess was going to flip. You didn't leave real food after decades of rations for anything, not after so many close calls with starvation.]

Forget rushing, I care that you're even considering it. Caution be damned. We have food. Real food.

[focusrighthere]

I know. Don't you think I understand what that means?

[She's reminding him of that fact? Of all people, she's reminding him about what it means to be nearly dead and starving? She should know that if he's got a bad feeling it's not one he just pulled out of his ass because he was bored.

Fucking hell, the anger in his voice is almost booming now.]

But we both know there are worse things than death, huh? And we don't know a damn thing about what the price is gonna be for all this food and comfort.

[dog_eat_dog]

[She steels herself when he gets this angry, and right now is no different. Tess keeps her hands at her sides and her chin high.]

I don't know, Joel. Do you? You said before it was just you and me, excuse me for wondering what makes it so different now. What could this place really do that's worse and less dangerous than carting her across the damn country?

[focusrighthere]

[Scowling. He's suddenly quieter, all quiet fury underneath the pissed off surface.]

Whatever, Tess. I'm not gonna fight with you over fuckin' nothing.

[Except he totally was and is.]

If I wanna ask questions, I will.

[dog_eat_dog]

[Tess lets out a scoff and looks away. So fucking mature, Joel. She leans against the counter in their little kitchen and folds her arms.]

Then don't fucking yell at me if you don't want me to yell back. Ask your god damn questions.

[She'll just be piqued in silence and still listen in on whatever stupid questions he has. Is the place really going to turn them into dolls or make them fuck everything? Please.]

[focusrighthere]

Maybe you shouldn't accuse me of being goddamn ungrateful.

[He will ask all the questions he wants, he's gonna ask a billion stupid questions just to bother her. Or maybe he'll put it under a filter so she can't see. Real mature. She started it, right?

Breathe in, breathe out. Joel's not even sure what's really irritating him the most, but he's not gonna continue to let it eat him up like this. In public.]

[dog_eat_dog]

Get off my ass. I don't need to accuse you of anything when you're being that way all on your own.

[Actually, fuck stewing over this, she's getting a bottle of vodka from one of the cabinets. One glass, too, just for her –– she's not going to offer him jack shit. It'd only make him more mean, anyway.]

[focusrighthere]

[He shoots her the dirtiest look on her way to the bottle. This has happened a hundred times before. Joel decides he's not going to dignify that with a response.

It's time for the silent treatment.]

[dog_eat_dog]

[Well, that's fine. You can watch her enjoy the shit out of that vodka. And a piece of cake. Vodka and a fat slice of pudding cake with lemon curd filling. Cake that was wished for. Suck it.]