Too low to dig, I might just touch hell.

[hostage]

WHO: Jesse Pinkman & OPEN
WHERE: Various
WHEN: Throughout September
WHAT: Average day-to-day encounters with Jesse.
WARNINGS: Language, drugs, gore, body horror...

HEROPA - THE PARK ( OPEN )

[Coming off a healing tour of the local hospital's ICU, Jesse heads straight for the park across the street and settles himself on the grass beneath the shade of a willow tree. He's a mess - as he always is after a long round of healing the sick and injured - and doubly so since he's dressed in his rattiest torn jeans and dirty t-shirt combo. He self-reports as homeless on his paperwork, and today he looks the part.

Hands wrapped in gauze from fingertips to shoulder, there's not much Jesse can do while he waits to regenerate. He sprawls out on the grass and stares skyward. Bleeding through his bandages, he probably makes an alarming sight. But he's not unconscious. Just resting.]

NONAH - BEER GARDEN ( OPEN )

[Fresh out of a business meeting with some of his more respectable contacts, Jesse's looking remarkably clean-cut tonight. He's not in a suit, but with his pressed denim jacket and neatly styled hair, he fits in with the young professionals around him. He's not a regular here. He just looks like he could be.

Since he's dining alone, he takes a seat at a communal table around a fire pit and orders one of the fancy overpriced pizzas off the menu, along with the special craft beer the waiter kept pushing on him. His mind isn't really on dinner. He pulls a notepad from his pocket and starts crunching numbers with abstract notes. A few things to jot down before he forgets.]

MAURTIA FALLS - THE STREETS ( OPEN )

[It's the kind of night he used to love. Bass thumping in the club, throngs of revelers bumping and grinding around him, beautiful girls snorting rails off the bar... Nowadays it's overstimulating, and if Jesse could get a headache, he'd have one. Instead the pressure's more discarnate, less tangible, like the air's too heavy. After a few hours, he's having trouble maintaining the necessary smile and the social lubricant of easy conversation. People look to him for charm and entertainment, and when he can't give that to them anymore, that's when it's time to excuse himself.

Stepping out into the cool night air, Jesse swipes a hand across his sweaty forehead before lighting up a cigarette. It's better out here, with the music and shouting muffled behind him. When he exhales, a sigh of relief escapes with the smoke.]

DE CHIMA - THE OFFICES OF PKE ( CLOSED TO MARK VORKOSIGAN )

[Jesse's about five minutes early for their scheduled appointment. The last time they sat down together was in a grimy dive bar, and Mark was going by a different name. This time around, the setting's more professional and so is Jesse. He may not be wearing a tie or carrying a briefcase, but he fits the part of an upstart entrepreneur. He's flying under the radar. That's the whole point of this.

When he's called in, Jesse walks into Mark's office with a notebook tucked under one arm. He smiles as he approaches Mark's desk, offering his free hand.]

Hey. Thanks for seeing me.

Comments

[shittybirthday]

I'm not workin' myself into anything, I'm...

[ Just keeping busy is what he almost admits. The warmth of Jesse's face nuzzling into the side of his neck has him trailing off, and after a long moment, he relents a little. His shoulders slouch slightly, letting Jesse press up against his side. ]

S'pose I don't gotta warn you that I stink.

[ Of sweat and sawdust and manpain tears. ]

[hostage]

I like your stink.

[And Jesse doesn't smell much better, reeking of cigarettes as always. Even when he's showered, the stench lingers in his clothes.

He inhales deeply as he presses a kiss to Joel's neck.]

Take a break, at least.

[shittybirthday]

[ Joel remains passive as Jesse kisses his neck, not even making a dry comment about Jesse liking his stink. Silence is nothing new from Joel but all the things he's trying not to think about and definitely refusing to talk about hang heavy in the things he doesn't say. ]

Wanna get this finished.

[ Jesse has a way of making him give in, though, with his familiar and reassuring closeness. Joel makes no move from where he's standing because, truly, he's tired. And drained. The heavy breath he lets out and the subtle way he kind of sags against Jesse's side makes it obvious that, okay, maybe a break isn't such a bad idea. ]

...Okay. You win for now, I guess.

[hostage]

Good.

[With a gentle nudge, he starts tugging Joel away from the workspace and toward the couch by the window. Better to get him somewhere nice and comfortable before it all catches up with him and he passes out.]

You got plenty of time to finish later.

[shittybirthday]

[ Joel reluctantly steps over tools on the floor, letting Jesse lead him towards the couch. When he reaches it, he slumps down heavily, letting out a low, tired groan under his breath like the weight of exhaustion has suddenly crashed down onto him. He stretches his legs out, drops his head back against the overstuffed headrest. Lolling his head against it, he looks up at Jesse. ]

Where you been all day, anyways? Thought you'd be down here helpin' out.

[hostage]

[Jesse settles onto the couch next to Joel, resting up against him and finally popping his beer open to take a sip.]

Mm... Mostly on the phone. Business keeps on moving even when I'm trying to take a day off. Life of a kingpin, I guess.

[There isn't much he enjoys about being on top. He'd trade it for a different life without hesitation, if that was any kind of real option.]

[shittybirthday]

[ Joel finally takes a swig of his beer as Jesse talks. ]

Hm.

[ Makes sense. For a few moments, Joel says nothing else, just pensively sips his beer.

Until he suddenly says, the idea suddenly coming to him: ]

Maybe we should go somewhere. Get outta here for a little while.

[hostage]

[Jesse thought the whole point of this house was to give them a place to get away to. But given the circumstances...]

Where do you wanna go?

[shittybirthday]

I dunno. Somewhere.

[ He's slouched there, staring ahead of him, so tired but he's not going to be able to sit still for very long. And all the things about Ellie they've both left unsaid keeps suffocating the air between them. The more Joel thinks about just getting out of here, the more it seems like a good idea.

He lolls his head against the headrest, looks over at Jesse. ]

Let's just do somethin' different. Yeah? Somethin'... I dunno. Somethin' we ain't done before. I mean, name the place and I can get us straight there.

[hostage]

Alaska.

[It slips out of his mouth before he's even really given it a thought. Just like when Saul asked him, when he was making preparations for the Disappearer. Alaska is the furthest place that comes to mind. It feels like the edge of the world.]

[shittybirthday]

[ His immediate reaction is to ask why Alaska of all places, though does it really matter? Seems like the edge of the world to Joel, too, but it's a place he can get to in the blink of an eye. ]

Alaska's a helluva big place.

[ Meaning: where exactly in Alaska? If Jesse even has an exact place in mind. ]

[hostage]

Yeah...

[He's obviously not thought it through.]

I dunno shit about Alaska.

[It's probably... cold? Does it snow all year? Jesse's starting to second-guess himself already. This isn't the time to fuck off to the wilderness. He's got work to do, and eventually they'll have to come back, and Joel will still be miserable.]

[shittybirthday]

[ A barely-there huff of amusement despite himself. ]

Figured as much.

[ He sobers, studying Jesse. ]

All the places I could take us, you wanna go to Alaska?

[hostage]

I don't really wanna go anywhere.

[Well, that isn't exactly true. He'd like to go to another time, when the world felt less empty and there was less weighing on his shoulders. Or another world, where some of the doubt and loneliness might stand a chance of subsiding. But that's impossible, so Jesse lays his cheek against Joel's arm.]

I just wanna be wherever you are. The rest don't matter.

[shittybirthday]

[ Joel doesn't say anything at first. While Jesse is leaning against his arm, he sits there in silence like he's not sure how to respond to Jesse wanting to just be with him. Eventually, he turns his head a little more towards Jesse, his lips and his bristly chin resting against Jesse's temple.

Murmuring: ] I know a place. Warmer than Alaska, and there won't be anyone around for miles. Just want to get outta here for a little while, clear my head.

[ Because if he stays at home, he's going to get antsy and restless and wind up burying himself in renovations around the house again. ]

[hostage]

Okay.

[Jesse can't argue with that, can he?]

Wherever you wanna go.

[He meant it. As long as they're together, it doesn't matter where they are. Joel has a habit of disappearing for weeks on end, leaving Jesse behind. If there's any way to avoid that... God, of course he'll go wherever Joel wants.]

[shittybirthday]

[ Joel wordlessly stretches his arm around Jesse's shoulders, pulling him close to hold him close; the only way he can teletransport anyone is by holding them. He focuses his thoughts on the place he has in mind and a second later, black smoke-like tendrils materialise in the air and start to engulf them both.

Not more than three seconds later, the black coiling tendrils clear away to reveal a deserted beach that seems to stretch in an endless curve along the coastline. Soft sand underneath them instead of the couch, the sound of waves lapping lazily against the shore, a gentle sea breeze, a shimmering clear ocean that stretches out to the edges of the horizon ahead of them. Behind them, sand dunes roll up to a grassy embankment that gives way to nothing but trees. No houses around for miles, no people. ]

[hostage]

[By now, Jesse's at least accustomed to the process of teleportation enough that he doesn't feel sick to his stomach. But the lurching and yanking through space is still rough, and once they reach the other side, he keeps on clinging to Joel as if that'll do something to reorient the world around them.

Jesse exhales slowly, staring at the sand beneath them for a moment or two before he finally raises his head to look around.]

...Where are we?

[shittybirthday]

[ Joel is unfazed by teleportation these days, able to shake off the gut-wrenching sensation of being twisted and stretched and sucked through a tight tube the moment he's arrived at his destination. He wedges the beer bottle he's still clasping in his hand into the sand beside him, and he lets his arm go slack around Jesse's shoulders so it's casually resting there. ]

Somewhere in Hawaii. Not sure where exactly. Discovered this place a couple of weeks ago.

[ When he'd disappeared after Ellie was ported out; he'd drifted from place to place, winding up teleporting to all kinds of places just to try and get away from the crippling numb grief that chased him down wherever he went. Not that he's going to talk about that. ]

[hostage]

[Jesse sort of gets it, anyway. And he doesn't want to talk about that, either. There's a miracle to focus on.]

It's so fucking weird. Just... being somewhere halfway around the world. Just like that.

[That right there was probably the furthest he's teleported since the Porter brought him to this world. He sets his bottle down, too, just so he can run his fingers through the sand.]

You got the best power.

[shittybirthday]

Yeah, it's kinda handy. Heh.

[ Typical Joel understatement. ]

Didn't used to be able to travel this far, but... guess it's grown stronger lately. Or maybe I'm just finally becomin' less of an idiot about how the whole teleportation thing works. 'Cause, yeah, it still weirds me the hell out, too. Probably ain't ever gonna get used to it, to be honest.

[hostage]

It's gotta be nice. Knowing you'll never be trapped anywhere, like... ever.

[A fear that preoccupies Jesse's mind. Though maybe he's the only one who worries about stuff like that.]

[shittybirthday]

Hm. Yeah.

[ All of that kind of stuff is always in the back of Joel's mind. ]

Knowin' I can... y'know. Look out for my own, too.

[ Get people he cares about to safety in the blink of an eye instead of having to run in terror, death right at his heels. ]

[hostage]

[That's an immense comfort to Jesse, too, knowing that Joel will always find a way to save him. He smiles, leaning into Joel's arm and nuzzling up to him.]

Is this your favorite spot you found so far?

[shittybirthday]

Yeah.

[ His answer comes out quietly wistful, trailing off like there's more he's thinking that he's not admitting. Ellie would have loved it here. All the places he could have taken her, the life Joel was foolish enough to think wouldn't be snatched away from him this time around...

His arm around Jesse's shoulders tightens with a restless squeeze, his jaw tight as he stares out at the water while pushing that Ellie-shaped knot of grief back down inside him. He finally glances sidelong at Jesse with a weak attempt at a half-smile. ]

Better with company, though.