❝ . . . There's plenty room, Tess. ❞ He's noticed. Surely she'd warm up faster if they shared it, right?

❝ Heh . . if you're that cold, you should just take the damn blanket. I can get more if you need 'em. ❞ He found it a little chilly, but definitely wasn't as bad as her. It was a little amusing to see.

❝ Simple manners would do you wonders, y'know. ❞ Despite saying this, he couldn't imagine Tess being any other way. Resting an arm over her shoulder, he smiled ever so slightly knowing she wasn't going to change. He didn't want her to.

❝ I chase after you because you worry me sometimes. ❞ Joel wasn't usually this playful, but he enjoyed their usual behavior towards one another. Not to mention that Tess being Tess, he actually was concerned for her wrecklessness whenever she returned with cuts and bruises.

❝ With you, I think I'll always worry. But I'll take your word for it. As long as you plan to not come back to me covered in wounds that is. ❞ He knew how she dealt with things all too well. He's stuck around long enough to hear all the stories . . . there were a lot of them.

❝ Tch. Just try not to throw hands when it ain't necessary. That's all I'll ask of you, tough girl. ❞ He knew the perfect life without anymore fighting was probably a bit more than just a long shot. But it didn't hurt to be more cautious either, he felt.

❝ Sounds like a deal. ❞ He simply responded, looking at her. Despite not showing a ton of emotion half the time, it was clear he was amused by this. Not to mention he was going to do his part of the deal regardless of whether they agreed or not.

❝ Hm. Knowin' her, she could be anywhere. ❞ It was really anyones guess with what she could be up to. But he wasn't that worried since Ellie rarely went /too/ far from his side anyways.

❝ Heh. Plenty of times by now . . . ❞ He decided to cut the girl some slack for once and trusted she'd do as she was told. ❝ You worried about her? She may be a little wreckless sometimes, but she ain't stupid either. I'm sure she's fine. ❞

"Thank you, Tess...it's greatly appreciated." The sarcasm was strong with this one. x.com/bostonsmuggler…

||: Apologies to those waiting on a reply. I'm hoping to get them finished as soon as possible!