MASK OR MENACE - contact.

[hostage]

_“ Hey, it's me. Wait for the thing. _”

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[kingpawn]

He moved before he got too much. I was handcuffed. I couldn't get away. And then he got my gun...

[ Awareness came over him as he reaches into his back pocket, searching and coming up empty handed. ]

He still has my gun. That son of a bitch.

[hostage]

Don't sweat it.

[Jesse taps the headboard. Magnetic gun racks are so cool.]

There's a gun right behind here if you need it. Or take any of the other ones in the drawer.

[kingpawn]

[ He looks up at Jesse's tapping. Well, that puts him at ease. They're armed and loaded. Walt reaches over and takes the offered glass, pretty much downing it. ]

I'm just glad that he never got to you, Jesse. One whole year and you escaped his notice...

[ And then suddenly Walt showed up and painted a target on both of them. Sorry about that... ]

[hostage]

[Jesse picks up the bottle, ready to refill that glass if necessary.]

I'm getting good at being boring.

[kingpawn]

I thought that was supposed to be my specialty.

[ Walt offers a wan smile as he extends the glass for Jesse. ]

[hostage]

[And he fills it. Get hammered, Mr. White.]

Don't worry. You're still on top.

[kingpawn]

Gee. Thanks. Remind me to give you a chemistry lecture later. Just for that.

[ He sooo is. But he drinks this one slower than the first -- taking a sip. ]

If you want boring, I'll give you boring.

[hostage]

You know what, the sad thing is that's probably still more interesting than how I spend most days now. I think I'm officially old.

[kingpawn]

Stop that. If you're old, what does that make me?

[ He takes Jesse's pillow -- adjusting it so he could lean back against it. ]

I can come over more often if you'd like?

[ Every day until Chilton is dead. ]

[hostage]

[Jesse gives a light shrug.]

If you wanna. If you ain't too busy.

[Please stay and never leave, ever.]

[kingpawn]

I just work.

[ And drink. ]

It wouldn't be any problem. Honestly, I should have been doing it from the start.

[hostage]

It'll be easier once we got a place of our own.

[kingpawn]

Yeah, it will. I honestly wish we had it now.

[ Walt draws in a breath and slowly finishes off his glass. ]

I wish we could just run away. Run away from all of this. Just you and me -- not a care in the world.

[hostage]

We could, you know.

[Not that he thinks Mr. White's serious about this. It's the liquor talking. And speaking of that, Jesse brings the bottle forward for another refill.]

I got the money. Once we find a place, we could just stay there.

[kingpawn]

That would be nice. That would be so nice.

[ He closes his eyes. ]

I thought we could have that here. It was supposed to be a second chance. How did it all get so screwed up?

[hostage]

[Jesse has no idea, honestly. He managed to go almost a full year without drawing any attention to himself. Try some subtlety and patience, Mr. White???]

Nothing's blown yet. We'll take care of Chilton and everything'll be fine.

[kingpawn]

He's a monster, Jesse.

[ Walt takes a drink. ]

A monster.

[ ....and so is Walt. ]

[hostage]

[As it happens, Jesse's not easily scared off by monsters, so he's not moved by that. He lays his hand on Walt's shoulder, massaging gently - the way Walt always does for him when he needs comfort.]

[kingpawn]

[ The tension leaves his arm a little bit after Jesse's touch. Walt sets the half-empty glass on the nightstand and pulls up the covers, grimacing a little as he wedges his way under them. ]

Just be safe, Jesse. That's all I ask.

[hostage]

[Jesse takes his cue, setting the bottle down beside the glass.]

Nothing can hurt me, Mr. White.

[kingpawn]

That's not true. Just because you have advanced healing, doesn't mean you can't be hurt. Or killed. You're not immortal, Jesse....

[ Walt mumbles, taking off his glasses. ]

No one is.

[hostage]

[Jesse reaches to take Walt's glasses and set them on the nightstand.]

You haven't seen half the shit I lived through. Trust me, I can take whatever this bitch throws at me. I might not be immortal, but I ain't found something that'll kill me yet.

[kingpawn]

It's not always physical pain and torture that cause the most damage...

[ He closes his eyes, nestling his head into the pillow. ]

He knows that.

[hostage]

If a headshrink could get through to me, all my problems woulda been solved years ago.

[kingpawn]

[ That earns a soft laugh. ]

Well, it's not impossible to get through to you. I managed it somehow. I used to think it was when you were in my class, however.