stand_unshaken | IC Inbox

stand_unshaken

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From:

stand_unshaken

"Fucking Christ, I knew I shouldn't've asked," he grouses. This fucking world. He knows he can't convince her to come with him, eventually, but he sure as hell hopes she will.

From:

dog_eat_dog

That gets a little smile, grim as it is. Her fault for walking him into asking.

"See, the city's not so bad," she replies. Look at that, some positive thought. There's a big rock face in their path, though one that looks like it could be climbed over. Tess glances back at him. "Give me a boost."

From:

stand_unshaken

He steps up close enough that she can step into his linked hands, trusting she'll give him a hand once she's there.

"I try to imagine myself in that world, at times. It does not end well for me, I don't mind tellin' you."

From:

dog_eat_dog

Up she goes, well-practiced, and the moment she has her footing, she crouches down to reach for his hand. Come on up, big guy.

"I think you'd get by just fine, whether you liked it or not," she replies. "And who knows, you like traveling and living outdoors. Maybe you could make it that far north, go up to Canada. You'd still have to deal with hunters and that, but the Infected are slower in the cold."

Positive thinking.

From:

stand_unshaken

He gets most of the way, but he's grateful for the hand up. It's always nice to get a little help from someone on trips like this.

"And I'm a quick shot," he points out, with a little grin, as he heaves himself up on the ledge. "Canada. Never been that far North."

From:

dog_eat_dog

"Well, hopefully you get to explore up there someday," she replies, getting her other hand on his arm to help him up, and she gives him a fond little pat on the arm before carrying on. "In your own time would be better. I'm sure you'll find your own version of trouble to shoot, anyway."

From:

stand_unshaken

"Likely so. And I might actually get that chance, thanks to Dr. Goodsir."

He falls back in step behind her, letting her take the lead again.

From:

dog_eat_dog

“Might?” she replies. “You can do whatever you want after this, Arthur.”

He gets to go back to an America looking forward to more than a century of growth, innovation, optimism. That, in Tess’s books, is worth planning for.

She looks out at the path ahead of them, still narrow and still with its ups and downs, and she glances back at him. She guesses if this were wrong, he’d say something, so she just carries on, hopping back down on the other side.

“You can risk your neck on all the treasure hunts you want.”

From:

stand_unshaken

He wouldn't, in fact, tell her if she were wrong. But she doesn't need to know that, so he just follows her.

"I don't know about that, Tess. After this- after what happened with Dutch, I don't think I can do whatever I want."

From:

dog_eat_dog

"You'll figure something out," she remarks. People always do, especially when they don't have a choice not to. "He's not going to dog wherever you go, is he?"

From:

stand_unshaken

"I don't know how long he's going to live. He ain't made a lot of friends lately."

From:

dog_eat_dog

"You've already tried to save him from himself, Arthur," she replies. "You can't let him stop you from going on without him."

From:

stand_unshaken

"I know," he says, hoarsely, as he trudges on. "I know. ew weeks before I came here, I woulda argued with you on that point, but I know."

From:

dog_eat_dog

It’s been novel, in a way, spending so much time with a man who looks back. One who doesn’t just make the past off-limits. Harping on him to move on almost feels cruel, so she bites it back.

“Alright, so start thinking of plans,” she informs him. “Otherwise I’ll have to come back with you and make sure you don’t become a loner.”

She spots the big long crack in the rock and crouches a bit to look at it.

From:

stand_unshaken

"You say that like I'd mind your company."

He leans a shoulder against the rock wall and looks at her, looking at the crack.

From:

dog_eat_dog

"See how I put up with camping out first and then you decide how much you mind," she replies, playful, her attention still on the rock face. Better to dull the smile she can't resist, too. Imagine that, knowing someone almost always up for her company.

She idly wonders if she's going to get bit by a snake or a bat if she just sticks her arm in, but she supposes there's no way to know but to try.

From:

stand_unshaken

He sees that smile and doesn't comment, but he flicks his own nose with his thumb. Sometimes he's just got a feeling like he's doing something right.

No way to know but try-- and when she reaches into that crack she's rewarded for her inquisitive mind with the feeling of cloth.

From:

dog_eat_dog

She pulls it out. She's not sure what she was expecting as far as treasure, but it certainly wasn't fabric, and she gives it a cursory look before unrolling it. Another map, this one with twiggy trees and little smoking volcanos. Geysers? Whatever the fire version of a geyser is?

She glances at Arthur sidelong.

"They got you running over to Yellowstone or something for treasure?" she asks, amused.

From:

stand_unshaken

There's a little pouch behind it, too, which comes along a little when she pulls out the next map. Arthur crouches next to her and nods at the crack.

"Who's 'they'? Get your treasure, Tess."

It's a bracelet and a necklace from very fine material - that will disintegrate when they leave the Enclosure, but still.

From:

dog_eat_dog

“Whoever left this behind,” she replies, sticking her hand back in to get it. She empties the pouch into her palm and chuckles. “This real precious metal? Must be real.”

From:

stand_unshaken

"Real in the sense that none of this is real, but sure," he says, trying not to wrap his head around it.

"Think this is some gang's map, and they hid bits and pieces everywhere. Not sure what happened to 'em."

Hey, count yourself lucky he's not recreating the gruesome murders he stumbled upon!

From:

dog_eat_dog

The gruesome murders would be run of the mill, at least.

“I mean it’s not cheap metal plated with something else, or plastic pearls,” she replies. She tips them back into the bag. “They must have been wiped out if they left all this unclaimed.”

From:

stand_unshaken

"You're likely right. You have to be strong to survive intact."

He straightens up, groaning when his back cracks. Getting old. "You did good."

From:

dog_eat_dog

She pockets the bag and stands up straight again, dusting off her hands. Bizarre, touching earth.

“Wasn’t that hard,” she remarks, though she smiles. Compliments! “Smugglers use caches too. Our maps are just a bit more... legible, I guess.”