justgo | IC CONTACT.

No, it ain't that. [Anything that's gotta do with caring's been considered stupid -it's what she picked up back in Boston and a few weeks won't break nearly twenty years of that experience. Back then, when she figured they were damn near invincible with their luck, she could afford to keep guarded. After dying, seeing Joel again and know how far he's gone because she asked first?

She doesn't think on it instead, slips her hand down to his shoulder and picks at the fabric of his shirt instead.] Worried I won't get the chance again.

At this. [And God damn, does she not like fretting about this.] At you and me.

[ While she picks at his shirt, his fingers busy themselves with gingerly tracing a fading scar at the line of her jaw. ]

Nothing's changed, darlin'. [ They're alone, uttering the term of endearment comes easily to him, full of meaning. Full of affection. Anywhere else where there are people and he would just use her name.

Up now to the beauty mark at the corner of her left eye, a rough finger pad strokes over it. Joel watches her, searches her expression. He's vulnerable right now; she's one of the very few he's allowed past heavily guarded walls to see that, as his normally gruff visage is softened by what she's confessing to him. ]

There will always be a you and me. Until you tell me you don't want anything to do with me anymore.

[She's tense at that, but it's only for a moment. Moving her hand back, she trails it against his arm, up to where his hand is, against her face. The pads of her fingers dragging over the side of his hand, she turns her eyes up.] You really mean that, don't you?

Christ. [Swallowing the lump in her throat, she shifts a little, leans up just to nose against his jaw. For a moment she doesn't mind the beard, then she's turning her head away, letting out a little breath.] Don't think I could ever not want a thing with you, Tex.

You fine with that?

Of course I'm fine with that.

[ But it pleases him to hear that, that she wants him, wants to keep things going. Doesn't help the hurt any less, however. It's going to take him some time to forget what had happened back home. Even now it's coming back to him and a small knit begins to form between his brows.

They finally have something good going for them again.

To distract himself from such thoughts and memories, Joel leans his head down, his beard teasing over her cheek as his lips find the shell of her ear. A kiss is pressed there, her name a low murmur against the sensitive skin as his thumb passes along her jaw line. ]

I'll always be fine with it.

[She took those feelings, used them as a motivation for him - if there was anything left between them, he would take Ellie and go. Tess doesn't regret that call, doesn't feel bad for using it because she knew it would work and right now she doesn't focus on it, thinks on how she's got Joel back, how there is something, more than that.

A soft gasp for the affections and she tilts her head slightly, looks over to his face when he speaks again.]

Sure do have a way with words. [It's good.] Still think you could do with a trim, though.

We got any scissors kickin' around?

[ Since she was always the one giving him his trims before, why should that change now? Tess is the only one he trusts enough to hold a pair of sharp scissors around his head. Probably best that she keeps up the tradition.

Joel brushes his nose against her ear once before leaning back, both hands on the edge of the table again. ]

Picked up a nice pair the other day when I went lookin' for basics, actually.

[There's a wry smile as he leans back - she follows after, tugs him in for brief kiss. It's a little proper for their situation and she can't help it, moves back and lets both hands slide down his arms, all the way to the wrists.] You up for it?

Tess- [ It's a quiet, gruff little murmur just after she's pulled back from that teasing kiss. He hates it when she does that, yet loves it just as much.

Joel says nothing as he looks down at her, watching her, wanting to imprint this moment to his memory, his pulse kicking lightly in his wrists beneath her fingers. It feels like nothing's changed, and Joel doesn't know whether he should feel happy or guarded. ]

I'm up for anything right about now.

[Lower back pressed against the edge of the table, Tess tilts her head at the suggestion, can't help but raise a brow. The kiss was nice, she'll admit to it but it's the way Joel acts after it that has his attention more than that.

She drums fingers against his skin, waits to see if he'll move.] Anything, huh? Maybe that trim can wait, then.

I'm not going anywhere anytime soon, Tess, and I reckon neither are you.

[ The trim can definitely wait. Because Joel's not moving back, not unless she nudges him to. He's just fine where he is with her close, with her fingers drumming on his wrists, her warmth and familiar scent right where she is.

The nail of his thumb quietly drags down the outside seam of her jeans, a soft scratching along the ridges in the taut fabric. ]

Unless...

I figure I would've been gone by now if I had plans. [There's a hum as she crosses her ankles, eyes sparing a glance down to where his thumb is, has been. It's nice enough, plenty intimate but there's still room for space if either of them need it.]

You got something in mind?

Do you?

[ He'll counter her response with one of his own mostly because it's been some time since they were this close, since they playfully snarked with one another, simply had a moment alone. His lips skim the crown of her head, his legs spreading to better balance his weight.

Joel moves a hand from the table, the one he had teased her jeans with. His fingers follow the bottom hem of her shirt.

Baby steps. ]

Always asking me for a plan. [Her head shakes, slow and short as she closes her eyes. Letting out a small breath at the touches, Tess settles her fingers around the edge of the table, waits as he moves.

Lifting her gaze in the quiet, the corners of her lips draw back in a smile, slight.] You know, we got a proper bed for this sort of thing.

Thought you might wanna make use of it.

Never needed it much before now did we?

[ And a pair of strong hands have moved down to grip her behind the thighs, pulling her up off the ground, away from the table. Pulling her up flush against him. Good thing he had been 'healed' by someone capable or else he wouldn't be able to lift her or do much of anything with the internal damage he had suffered weeks ago.

Counter tops, the wall, couch-- yeah, who needed a bed when they had so many other options available? ]

[Like a one-two motion, Tess is letting go of the table, bringing her arms up so she can lace fingers against the back of his neck. Teasing the ends of his hair, she lets out a slow breath when he gets her close, head shaking.]

You got me where you want me, Tex. [Now the question of if she'll be behave is in the mix, not that she's promising much. Legs wrapping around his waist, Tess leans up to bite at his chin.]

Sure you can handle it?

I sure as hell hope I can. [ He has a hand splayed over the small of her back, his other grasping the side of her thigh. Slowly Joel begins to move them to where their room is. ]

If not- [ A muffled sound of dry humor is breathed out against her jaw. ] -reckon it might be about time for me to retire.

You, retire. [A snort as she tangles fingers in his hair. Turning into the touches she nuzzles against him, kisses the side of his head.] I'll believe it when I see it.

[At the least, she reaches back to push open the door to their room.]

Give you plenty of opportunity to find yourself a nice buck.

[ Even now they're still working together, not a beat missed, no direction needed.

He gets her to the bed and climbs onto the mattress with a knee, dipping it beneath their combined weight. His lips find the base of her throat, slip a kiss to the skin dipping between her clavicle, his hands working between them at the buttons of her shirt.

Slow. Baby steps still. ]

A bu- nice to see your sense of humor's still just as bad. [She likes it, but.

Legs loosening once they get onto the bed, her hands are sliding down to his collar, fisting the front to keep him close when he comes in.

Nosing through his hair, she pressed a kiss to the top of his head, fingers reaching out to scratch at the skin under his shirt. There's a pleased hum if anything as she shifts, feet flat against the bed.]

Do I hear you complaining?

[ His lips travel up along the tendon of her neck, and then he nips when he feels her nails dragging over the sensitive skin of his lower back. A heavy exhalation of breath against her; there's no way to put into words how good it feels to have her so close again, to be able to breathe her in, feel her, hear her.

As his lips touch over the pulse in her throat, Joel pauses. Still too damn good to be true, to feel the kick of her heart so steady and so sure. She's so warm, skin soft over lean muscle and slender limbs. He can only murmur her name as an arm slides underneath her, wrapping to pull her up against him. His weight settles to balance on his knees and an elbow.

Joel's missed this, missed her. ]

IC CONTACT.

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