o2 | Dictation/Action

[nohalfway]

[ Ellie is silent for a moment, before sighing. ]

I give this place about twenty points just for not being too high on the bullshit meter.

And I get there's a price for making wishes, but still?

Here's the bullshit: I've got something to celebrate, and from what I've gathered in those "days of old" stories before the world ended? You get a cake when you've got something to party about. I already spent a wish on a pizza party, and since I'm basically trained to not trust anything, I won't let myself go any further.

So.

Baking. How does one accomplish it, and where the fuck does one start?

Comments

[dog_eat_dog]

[She nurses her beer for a moment, eyes unfocusing as she falls into thought. She'd never asked Joel what he'd told Ellie –– she'd just always assumed he would fall silent about her the way he was silent about Sarah, about Tommy, about everyone else, saying something only when drunk or dreaming. Tess isn't hurt by it –– she knows Joel will still think of her, and she doesn't need to be some faceless part of his past to Ellie –– but it hadn't really troubled her before.]

No, that's how I've always thought about it, too. Once a dad, always a dad.

But yeah. [A dismissive wave.] I wouldn't expect him to have talked about me much. I guess it's been pretty weird for you to see him so... domestic.

[nohalfway]

[ There's a bitter laugh there, and it's a prelude to Ellie stopping her actions to take part in her drink again in turn to Tess. ]

He never wants to talk about anything. Probably because it's fucking tough to face.

I think that's why he never talked about you or Sarah. Too hard for him to deal with.

[ A heavy exhale follows her taking another drink. ]

And yeah, it's really fucking weird.

[ She makes pause to think about it, really taking in just how much Joel has changed in the last year. It took a huge turn in the winter, after he'd gotten hurt. After she'd been stuck on her own for days trying to keep him alive and keep them safe, which she ended up hanging by a thread in the end anyway. ]

Can't say I don't like it, though. I guess if I ever did have a dad, this is what it'd feel like--

[ And she shoots a look of embarrassment, nearly dropping her beer. ]

Oh fuck, don't tell him I said that, okay?

[dog_eat_dog]

[Tess nods.]

I won't.

[And then, after a thoughtful pause:]

Neither of us are really likely to talk about the past, especially at length, but the long story short of it is that he and I have known each other for about fifteen years. And in that time, I haven't learned much about Sarah, either.

[nohalfway]

Holy shit. Fifteen years?

[ That's a long time to know... Anyone, really. Especially in the world they come from. She muses a smirk. ]

Sooooo he the slick-moves kinda guy or what? I can't even imagine Joel being capable of that.

[dog_eat_dog]

[That gets an unexpected snort of laughter.]

You'd be surprised, then.

[nohalfway]

What? No way.

[ Ellie looks highly amused. ]

So, what, he's actually the romantic type or something? No fucking way, I don't believe you.

He's such a... Downer sometimes!

[dog_eat_dog]

Oh, he is. You'll never see it –– he's all gentlemanly about that PDA stuff around kids –– but you can trust me. He's romantic.

[nohalfway]

Pfffff.

[ She waves her hand dismissively. ]

Gross. Who does he think he is? Being... Not-douchey and likeable. Makes me sick.

[dog_eat_dog]

He's likable regardless of that stuff.

[nohalfway]

[ A laugh. ]

Yeah, he really is.

I know, I give him flack for shit but he's a really good guy.

[dog_eat_dog]

I certainly wouldn't trade him in.

[nohalfway]

[ Ellie makes a sound of acknowledgment, nodding happily. ]

Man, this batter's still lumpy. That's not good, right?

[dog_eat_dog]

So beat it harder. They've all got to be beat out.

[nohalfway]

[ Ellie does just that, whisking away at the batter and practically putting her whole body into it. ]

So... Did you cook a lot before the world got shitty?

[dog_eat_dog]

Sometimes. I was only nineteen when shit hit the fan, so most of the cooking I did was helping my parents in the kitchen.