( Joe )
… Oh.
There’s a flicker of surprise in his eyes before his expression melts into one of mild guilt. All of his questioning and his way of doing it must’ve scared a guy who doesn’t have much of a memory of what they went through.
Joe rubs his own arm, trying to find anything to say in response. His curiosity is overwhelming, tearing at his chest while his heart begs for some answer on the status of his friends. Still, he lets out a small sigh and kicks at the ground for a moment, hands now stuck in his pockets while trying to reroute this conversation to anything else.
“ … It’s fine. It’s fine. ” The smile Joe offers is shaky at best, but it’s one nonetheless. Getting further upset about all of this wouldn’t help either of them, especially since Sou doesn’t know enough to defend himself from whatever he says.
( Sou might not be the most trustworthy person out there, but Joe wants to believe in him. )
One hand is out and pats Sou’s shoulder, a comforting gesture before tilting his head to gesture elsewhere. “ We don’t gotta talk about anything then, ” he starts, spinning around and pointing out in a completely different direction than seconds before. “ I haven’t seen much of this place yet, so lets go exploring! If you want, we can go help these kids personally or hunt for items they need! Not like I have a weapon or anything and I doubt you do, so we’d have to be real careful…”
( No point in bothering the man with questions he won’t answer. )
Joe’s hand is out again, grabbing Sou’s sleeve and pulling him forward. “ C'mon, lets go! ”
… Huh?
Even Sara had been wary when last he used this lie; his performance in the first Main Game made sure that no one would ever fully trust Sou again. Even those most trusting couldn’t believe his act at first, and rightly so — and yet here Joe was, taking the barest minimum from him and accepting it as absolute truth.
A memory that seems as if from years ago instead of mere days comes to mind; even after his performance, Joe defended him and gave him the benefit of the doubt. Even until the end, Joe tried to trust in him, even when he deserved it the least. It’s a shame he can’t return the favor.
And just when Sou thinks the younger is done surprising him, he feels a light weight on his shoulder and he can’t help but flinch; not because it’s unwanted but because it’s unwarranted. It’s supposed to be a comforting gesture, but it only further serves to confuse him. If he thinks about it, Kanna’s the only one who’s tried to comfort Sou like that, the only one who got close enough; the only one who wanted to.
( At the very least, it’s reassuring to feel that both of them are real. )
❛ O-Okay... ❜ Sou’s relieved at the quick topic switch, and he feels his breathing start to regulate again — but something else heavy weighs in his chest instead. It’s not an unfamiliar feeling but it’s no less uncomfortable, and he does whatever he can to ignore it. The last thing he needs is to feel guilt about any of his lies.
Thankfully the younger doesn’t give Sou much time to think on it because in the next minute he’s already being dragged along on an adventure he’s not sure that he’d ever sign up for. What little he knows of the kids and the sickness and everything about the new world that makes this conversation even possible rushes back all too quickly, and suddenly everything is overwhelming on an entirely different scale.
( And between the two options, Sou vastly prefers this one — he thinks. )
❛ A-Ah, are you sure we should be rushing off like this? ❜ There’s nothing more that Sou would like now than to get away and be alone, to fully process everything that’s happening on his own terms, but Joe can’t be that naive. He’d catch on if Sou left now — so he lets himself be dragged away with weak protest and just hopes this misadventure ends soon.
❛ M-Maybe something without much risk? ...I’m not that strong, you know. ❜
