Lead to Survive

{He doesn’t smile, but it helps ease the tension in his shoulders and etched in the lines of his face. It’s a little funny to him that Sam can make it sound like Eli’s doing him a favor, but that he offers that to him counts for a lot. He would do what he wanted anyway and they both knew it, but it was easier and hurt a lot less when they were on the same page.} So what you’re saying is you do want me to head out tonight.

[Samson gives a small chuckle, ducking his head slightly. He'd never presume to tell his brother he couldn't go out or couldn't do what he wanted to do. He knows what would happen if he tried to push to hard and this had been frightening enough in itself. Just telling Eli that there would be another scouting party aside from him.] Want you to do what you want. Just... [He trails off, tipping his head to the side.] Don't fall in any holes.

{He doesn’t answer for a moment, but it’s not because he doesn’t know the answer. He’d never hate his brother and he’d like to think he knows that, even if he doesn’t say the words. He just hates the idea of it, however Sam sees this going, but he doesn’t voice that either. This is his brother’s group and he’ll do what he wants with it. He thinks Sam would be happier if he brought a friend, but it’s nothing that’s ever going to happen.} As long as you don’t hate me if I want nothing to do with them.

[The answer makes him snort, but not because he finds it all that funny. Mostly he just thinks that Eli already knows that he'd never hate him for that. He'd never hate him for anything. They'd already been through the worst sides of themselves with each other, there's nothing in the world or the next that would make Samson hate his brother.] Never going to hate you. And I still want you to be my eyes, if you want that.

{His lips press together to keep him from telling him flat out ‘no’ because he’s not really interested in a fight with his brother. But it feels like Sam’s tiptoeing around something and he’s not sure what it is, if he just doesn’t want him to go, or doesn’t want him to go alone, or if Robyn’s right and he’s just scared.} What are you asking, exactly?

[Samson sighs and he really doesn't know how his brother's going to react. Neither of them are saying what they want to say, that much is obvious, so he shrugs a little bit, opening his mouth to say one thing, but he closes it in the next because Eli deserves just being asked flat out something. He thinks they're both adult enough to be able to do so.] Guess what I'm really asking is if you're going to hate me if I send other scouts out.

Okay. {It’s all he says about it for a moment, still watching his brother carefully. He doesn’t like it, but he’s not going to argue him on it if that’s what he wants. He’s not a leader and he’s never pretended to be. He’s left that for the most part up to Sam. So while the thought doesn’t sit well with him, he’s aware it makes more sense for him. It’s the quiet implication he balks at, enough that he can’t even make a joke about it.} But I’m not a party.

I figured. [Samson nods at that. He hadn't really thought Eli would go for it, hadn't thought he would go for it. Didn't think Eli would want anyone to go with him, but he wasn't sure what he'd think of sending out a scouting party to run side by side with Eli. Two separate parties, and Eli's on his own. He licks his lips, keeping careful eye on his brother.] What do you feel about a second scouting party?

{He can’t help but frown at the words, though he doesn’t say anything to them right away. They shouldn’t bother him and he’s aware of that. He was dead, at least as far as his brother was concerned. He thinks it’s worth noting they’re not the words he uses now, but he doesn’t comment on that either. It shouldn’t surprise him that by pure necessity he’d have to figure out another way to keep the group moving. He just doesn’t see what it has to do with him now that he’s not gone anymore.} I’m listening.

[He can already tell how this conversation is going to go, but he doesn't see a way around it. It's something they need to talk about and need to make changes in the group over. It's not that he doesn't trust Eli to get the job done, but to put all their eggs in one basket, it's not something he wants to consider, but he knows he has to.] I want our scouting party to be two people.

{He nods his head and doesn’t argue his brother. He keeps an eye on him for another moment all the same, but he doesn’t look ready to fall over and it doesn’t sound like a loaded answer. He turns to face him, taking in the words and while they don’t matter much to him on the large scale, it fits the bill as some kind of excuse for him to go. Not that he really feels he needs one, but it still makes it all the more convenient.} Then I’ll head out tonight.

[Samson nods and he's not sure that's exactly what he was saying. He crosses his arms over his chest and regards his brother for a moment, but he doesn't exactly know how Eli's going to react to what he wants to say. It probably won't change that he'll go out and scout anyway, but Samson doesn't think he's entirely against that notion either.] I wanted to talk to you about scouting, actually. When we thought you were gone, we were coming up with a new plan of action.

Yeah. {He glances at his brother’s reflection in the mirror, letting his hand fall away from his face. It’s a minor thing, not like getting gutted, and it has him studying him for a moment with more intensity. He looks alright, upright and walking around, but it’s the axe more than anything that has his gaze lingering on it. He knows the demon’s gone, he saw it go, but he doesn’t forget that it’s the second time one’s crawled inside Sam.} Just looking. How you feeling?

I'm good. [Samson says the words without hesitation and he doesn't doubt them as he deals them out. He's feeling good. He's feeling strong and he won't allow himself to be anything but ready to go and ready to take care of the group, lead them where they need to go. He wants to move them out of the winery soon and that makes him eye his brother somewhat .] I want to move the group soon.

{He starts looking out the window, because he never rested easily at night to begin with and now even less so. He’d almost rather be out there than in here, because here he doesn’t know what to do with himself anymore. It’s the sight of blood on his lip that distracts him from the window, fixating briefly on the mirror next to him. He pokes at the split with idle fascination, but all it does is increase the metallic taste of blood in his mouth. That his reflection is a barely recognizable thing at this point isn’t worth noting, because he figures most people could say the same.} Huh.

[Samson's just coming in from outside when he notices Eli sitting near one of the windows. He has the axe over one shoulder and the wound on his stomach has all but healed. Faster than her remembers happening last time. Now it's just a nasty scar and he's already taken the stitches out. He eyes Eli for a moment before heading over, setting the axe down against the wall and stretching his arms out as he looks out the window with his brother.] You okay?

Is there anyone you see as a potential threat to the group?

There’s always potential threats. If I deemed them to be an actual threat, they would no longer be in the group.

#personal #asks

Do you really think your brother came back okay?

If he didn’t, he’s hiding it well.

#personal #asks

What kinds of changes are you making to the group?

People are going to contribute and if they don’t feel it necessary to do so, they won’t be afforded the luxury of our protection or supplies.

#personal #asks

rose-benedict

{Rose leans forward to get a better look at it, and it’s obvious from the look on her face that she’s not impressed with this person’s stitching skills.} Did you do this yourself? It’s… Not the best work I’ve seen. {She says apologetically.} Do you want me to redo it or just heal it? {Rose knows that there are some people that simply don’t like what people with white marks do.}

[Despite his earlier words, there's something playful on his face as he lifts his chin back. The words are joking, because he thinks she can do whatever she wants to the wound so long as he's able to still do his job.] What's wrong with it? I thought I did a pretty good job.

#c:rose #rose

{The words have him stilling, all attempts at humor fading, because his immediate reaction is just a flat out ‘no.’ Wherever he was, whatever name they want to give it, it wasn’t a place meant for anything human and he knew it. So he hadn’t been that while he was there and the thought of his brother under the same circumstances has him pushing back with more force than he usually directs towards Samson.} You don’t get one. Ever. {He leaves the silence there for a moment afterwards, busying himself with lighting his cigarette. It’s a small thing, but there’s relief in taking that first drag because he’d been without for a while. And it was the only thing close to a luxury he’d allow himself again.} I don’t know half the people here anymore.

[The intensity of the words have him looking over at his brother. That about sums up what he needs to know about what was on the other side of that rift. Some place Eli doesn't want him to go and even though he knows his brother doesn't want him to be in any sort of danger, the intensity of it says enough. He doesn't joke any more about it, doesn't say much else, at least for right now.] You and me both. [It's in response to Eli not knowing half the people here. He feels similarly and he hadn't even gone anywhere. Shaking his head, he looks back at his brother.] Thanks for not dying on me. I mean that. [He doesn't know if he can explain it more than that. That they both know what type of person he'd turn into without anyone holding him grounded. He's halfway there now and he doesn't think there will be any way to get out of it.]

kris-shepard

[Kris nods her head at that understandingly. They were fortunate enough to not come across Dark Men when the two went out, but Kris doesn’t think that the pistol he kept on him and the shotgun on him just for show. But she can’t be certain until either of them sees it for themselves Yes, it’s a risk to put him out there since he was more vulnerable than the others, but at the same time he was their best bet if they wanted to move quickly through the fog.] Want me to put him through gun training and see what he can do before we send him out?

Yes. [Regardless if Mike knows how to use a gun or not, getting proper training from someone whose gone through it will help. At least then he'll know the man knows how to take care of his guns, in and out of action with them. He nods his head and then points a finger her way.] We'll show him some hand to hand, too.

#c:kris #kris

angel--ramirez

[When she was younger, Angel spent her time hating cops because of the crowd she was surrounded by. When she grew up a little more, she realised she hated an entire profession based on a few stories she heard through the grapevine about abuse and while she’s sure the statistics are still there, she doesn’t hate anyone until she knows them well enough. And Samson was probably one of those good guys, actually in it to help people out or whatever.]

Got any good scars from it?

[The question has a smirk on his face again. He has a lot of scars. Some from them, yeah, but most from after he got home. He's not sure he wants to tell her the whole story, so he diverts the attention.] Some. What'd you do before all of this?

#c:angel #angel

rose-benedict

{Rose sighs in relief. That also makes several things easier. At least he remembers the names of most of the people in the group now. Can’t be calling everyone numbers… Well, she hopes not. She lets out a small laugh before running a hand over her face.} Yeah. Sure. What is it?

[Samson smiles when she gives a small laugh. He leans back, pulling at the hem of his shirt so he can show her the poorly stitched wound on his stomach, seeping through the gauze there.] You mind making sure this is sewn up alright? Just so I can tell everyone I saw you about it?

#c:rose #rose

{He smirks at both the answer and the question, but it’s a tight lipped thing and he doesn’t rush to answer that either. He just gives the back of his brother’s head a light shove because it sounds like fishing. He doesn’t think it’s anything close to the question he wants to ask, and it’s funnier than it should be to him that no one is. He’s gotten ‘welcome back’s and ‘glad you’re not dead’ but no one’s come out and asked him. Where he was, what happened to him, what’s on the other side of the rift. That the general consensus seems to be it was Hell isn’t far off, and he’s alright with letting the name stick.} Fuck Sam, I barely make friends above ground. You think I’m gonna have better luck in Hell? {He shakes his head before he’s getting a cigarette out and gesturing it at his brother.} Good. Glad you’re back. And hey, happy birthday. Sorry about getting you a flesh wound.

[Samson makes a face when his brother shoves at his head, but the words that follow are light and funny. He watches him to see if there's any sort of actual pain behind them, but he can't see any. He doesn't know what to make of it. Maybe it just means that wherever Eli had gone, it had toughened him up. Not that he needed it, but there was a new resolve in him that hadn't been there before. One that he was appreciative of because if Eli was okay, if he wasn't consumed with fear or grief, then that was a step in the right direction to keeping his brother around. But he also focuses on some of the words his brother says, making a face at him.] Hell, huh? [He turns away again, not really expecting an answer from that, but it makes him think that if that's what Eli went through, and if it turns out he does need to recover from it, he doesn't know how to help.] Where was my invitation?