( third ) dictated/action

[focusrighthere]

I'm there. Take your time.

[Casually nursing a drink at the Deathmatch, a glass of draft beer. Lee invited him out and offered to pick up the tab, but if he's honest with himself, he's been curious about this conversation for some time coming. He'll be sitting at a table around the back somewhere, somewhere far removed from any potential commotion and noise.]


---

(Action; back-dated to Jesse's arrival, coming in from here.)

["Come meet Jesse before I kill him" was the text he'd received from Tess. Without the benefit of being able to read tone and body language, his first instinct is to take a message like that seriously. She doesn't mean it, on second thought, but after years of working under her thumb and seeing how she works, he figures it would be wise to intervene either way.

So for the second time this month, he's ambling into the bar. Hasn't met Jesse face-to-face yet, but he spots Tess in about two seconds and closes in on the conversation, catching the tail end of what sounds like Jesse giving her some lip. Yeah, wise to intervene.]

How about you both take it down a notch? [Stern, without being threatening. The kid was already nervous about them packing heat. Joel pulls a stool up on Tess' other side and orders himself a drink, wearily.] He just got here, Tess. Let him unwind a little before you lay into him.

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[dog_eat_dog]

[Tess sits up straighter when the Death Match door opens, and when Joel speaks, she looks over her shoulder at him. Wow, rude, she was just trying to educate the kid –– Joel doesn't need to give her attitude for it. She keeps her body angled away from Joel and gives him a bit of cut-eye before turning her attention back to Jesse.]

Is there anywhere in the goddamn universe where you aren't stripped of having a choice? Sometimes life forces your hand.

[But fine.]

Jesse, this is Joel. Joel, meet Jesse.

[magnets]

[ She treats him like he's just a kid, and maybe he's a lot younger than her, sure, but that doesn't mean he hasn't had his fair share of -- Whatevers. She's talking about life and choices and Jesse's just sloshing more whiskey in his glass, even as Joel approaches. His expression is cross, folding into something more pissed off. ]

Like I don't already know. [ Vague, foreboding in a way, and he doesn't care. ] Remember the whole not givin' me a reason to say 'no shit' thing?

[ Tess and Jesse are like cats and dogs so far, bickering nonstop, one thing after another. It's trying and he's not about to give up on the fact - stubborn as a mule and with twice as much of a temper - but for some reason Joel's presence has got him cutting down on the snapping already. Defuses the tension and lets him lean against the bar and sip his drink, nurses the burn down his throat. He can't help it, he likes the guy, and while he's quick to quip back at Tess, he knows there's something to be said about this fight and getting nowhere. ]

Comin' to babysit? [ He still shoots it out sarcastically, leaning both elbows against the bar and peering between the two of them from the other side of it. Whatever, there's no bartender right now. He can stand where he wants. ]

[focusrighthere]

[Tess gives him the side-eye and Jesse gives him attitude. Getting too old for this. If he was a more patient man he'd see both sides, with Tess doing what comes natural to her and Jesse new to all this castle bullshit, but right now he wants to separate them and tell them both to go stand in separate corners. Tess would pop him in the jaw for that-- and the kid would probably flip him off, being a punk.

Why did he come down here again? Oh, right, "before I kill Jesse." Joel lifts his drink in the kid's direction, both for the sarcastic greeting and for having enough fire in him to keep giving two much older people with guns a hard time. Give credit where credit is due.

Something about that nags at him.]

Good to meet you, too. [Tired and sorta sarcastic in turn, but also genuine. Jesse looks like he clocks in at a little over 100 pounds, soaking wet. He wears clothes 5 sizes too big to cover it up. He's a walking reminder of a lot of people from Joel's time, friends even, acquaintances from his childhood. A very different time.

When Joel's done sizing him up, he turns to Tess.] Now how did you two get into this and how can I get it to stop?

[dog_eat_dog]

[She looks to Joel, still frowning. She's annoyed that he doesn't instantly side with her, either. Traitor.]

Just back me up, Texas. This kid is calling himself worthless and is jumping at shadows, and I do not appreciate him jumping at me.

[Jesse gets the hard eyes. Stop fucking calling her lady. She'll take it in jest, she'll take it from Joel in her best mood, but out of some punk kid's mouth it sounds like a way to dismiss what she's saying. Lady. Fuck, the chance to be a lady died out with romance, chivalry and the rest of it.]

Fuck babysitting, Jesse. Joel is my "Good Cop," alright? Or as good as it gets anymore, that is.

[magnets]

[ He could answer Joel's question, probably in a way better manner than whatever the fuck Tess just tried. His face is curling into a bit of a scowl to meet her own dirty look. ]

Worthless. [ Jesse repeats it incredulously, a little angry, ] "Worthless," sounds a whole lot more like it's comin' outta your mouth than it is mine, [ and he's leaning heavily onto the bar and closer to her, like he's trying to be intimidating. ]

Like, sorry that I'm a little nervous after gettin' thrown some place I don't know? Ya think that'd make someone a little jumpy? I got, like, anxiety here, yo, cool it!"

[focusrighthere]

[Did they not hear the how can I get it to stop part? Must've missed it. Joel shoots Jesse a carefully measured look when he tries to puff up at Tess, tensing in preparation to stop her in case she tries to throttle him. For a nervous guy, he's not too good at figuring out when he's on the brink of getting his ass kicked.

Or maybe he knows and just doesn't care.]

Careful. [Whether he's in the right or not, he's outmatched. It's a short warning, sounds like advice more than a threat. To Tess:] He's been a pretty decent sport about the kind of people we are. We don't get that too often.

[She could hate him all she wants for it, for now, but after talking to Jesse a little in the journals he realizes he doesn't want to lose the ability to talk to him again in the future.]

Take it in stride. He's new.

[dog_eat_dog]

[Tess's eyes narrow, her shoulders straightening and chin lifting. Out of her mouth, yeah, but she feels she's only repeating what went into her ears.]

Oh, it's in stride.

[Barely. Tess turns her attention to her drink.]

[magnets]

[ Jesse could be petulant here. He's stood up against enough of the scaries and come out more or less okay on the other side, at least in one piece. So far. But he knows that voice, he knows that tone - you're on thin ice, you little shithead - and he promptly bites his tongue to try to keep from commenting. ]

[ Barely in stride indeed. ]

What's she gonna do, shoot me?

[ He huffs a half a laugh. Is funny joke, yes? ]

[focusrighthere]

[Hilarious. Joel growls under his breath. If Tess called him down here, she was starting to feel raw about something, no matter how tame the fight sounds right now. He wants to tell Jesse, living like they did for twenty years did strange things to your sense of perspective and not to take risks with livewires carrying arms, but he feels like that would lead the conversation away from nice and calm.]

No. [He pays some much needed attention to his own drink and looks at Tess, eyebrows raised an inch.] You're not, are you?

[Just double-checking.]

[dog_eat_dog]

[Tess lets the silence hang for a moment, and then she smiles. Just smiles, slight and even a little cloying, like she might laugh along but she isn't.]

Not right now, no, but the inspiration might strike. Play nice with me, I'll play nice with you.

[magnets]

[ Wow, so that sounds reassuring in the way that isn't reassuring at all. He realizes he doesn't trust Tess for a second, not really sure why he followed her and her gun down here other than a lack for other options. ]

[ He regards Joel, still leaning on the counter, jerks a thumb in Tess' direction. ]

She's totally gonna shoot me.

[ And then back to Tess, pointedly: ] I ain't been shot before, y'know, I'd kinda like to continue that little trend. For some reason. [ The sarcasm is in full force by that last bit, but he scrubs a hand tiredly over his head instead of picking a fight. ] Fine, whatever, truce.

[focusrighthere]

[Joel looks uncomfortable during that moment where he meets Jesse's gaze, his mouth thinning at the words spoken to him. Could they blame him if he just left and avoided the both of them from here on out? Not really.

But it resolves itself, sort of. Tess taking Jesse in stride was one thing, but the other way around-- hell, he has to give the kid credit for keeping his head and even for biting back like he did. It's not just that he's new here, it's that he's from a totally different time where survival isn't key. Joel can tap into that perspective, when he tries, but Tess more or less grew up on that shit.]

She doesn't mean it. [He mumbles, then speaks to her on it. Slowly but surely tossing some of their habits.] If you haven't shot anyone yet, I think you're good.

[dog_eat_dog]

I haven't shot anyone since I got here. That has to count for something, right?

[She drinks up, and then extends a hand to Jesse across the bar. You wanna truce, you gotta shake on it.]

Truce. You've got guts.

[rightchoices]

[ It's not long before he approaches - he's met Joel once, briefly, not long after his arrival, and he's not hard to spot. Silently, he pulls a chair out across from him and slides into it, one hand lifted in silent greeting. ]

Not a bad place.

[focusrighthere]

I've seen worse.

[Joel nods in greeting, and there's a joke somewhere in that gruff and serious tone. They've both seen worse. A pitcher and two glasses on the table, so he fills the empty one for his current companion.]

How's it going, Lee?

[rightchoices]

It's going.

[ It's an honest, easy answer, and he leans forward to take the glass, curling his fingers around and waiting there before he actually drinks. ]

Still waiting for another shoe to drop, I think, but I get the feeling it's going to be like that for about as long as I'm here.

[focusrighthere]

As bad as things are back home, it's stuff we're used to dealing with.

[Joel complains under his breath and makes a vague gesture, meaning the Castle everything--]

This? I dunno exactly what to do with it yet.

[rightchoices]

Takes a while.

[ He does the same thing, mouth settling into a vague frown. ]

Place put you on a loss yet?

[focusrighthere]

[Egh, he's been spared further ones so far, but he knows it's just a matter of time. Joel frowns too. Grumpy old dudes.]

Not since the first. [Pause.] Your girl told me you can't shoot.

[rightchoices]

She told you that?

[ Lee's shoulders hunch a little, exasperated at himself. ]

Used to be able to. Castle took it away.

[focusrighthere]

[What a thing to lose. The ability to defend yourself, and others when necessary, is of paramount importance to people like them. Joel grunts, expressing that thought without words.]

Just guns, or all weapons?

[rightchoices]

[ Lee understands what the sound means -- probably just because he imagines Joel understands. If it puts himself at risk... fine. But when it comes to protecting people he happens to care about? Damn. ]

Just guns. Working on a way around it -- crossbows work just fine for me -- but it's an ordeal.

[ Especially when you aren't imbued with super powers, like a lot of people around here seem to be. ]

[focusrighthere]

[It's a relief to hear that Lee isn't completely handicapped. Crossbows, bows in general, bricks, pipes-- immediately his mind jumps to all the options while he gives the other man a serious nod.]

Guns are useless without ammo. [His way of looking at the bright side.] Though I suppose in this place, you could wish up all the ammo you'd ever need.

[And his way of fucking up the difficult task of looking at the bright side, immediately. Joel rubs at his chin.] You'll be alright. Can't tell you how many times I was forced to be creative when there weren't any spare bullets around.

[rightchoices]

[ Lee drums his fingers against the table, his expression curious as he regards the way Joel is rubbing at his chin. ]

I'd be interested in hearing about that, actually. We're worlds apart, from what I can hear.

[focusrighthere]

[Worlds apart, different monsters, different times, but the same idea.]

It's a matter of resources dwindling out the longer you go on. [He takes a swig from his glass, clearing his throat.] You learn how to use what's available, against whoever it is you need to use it on.

[You don't think. You just kill. Joel gives Lee a curious look now, in turn.] Tell me, what's been givin' you the most trouble so far? The Walkers, or the people?