𝐈𝐍 𝐓𝐇𝐈𝐒 𝐋𝐈𝐅𝐄, 𝐓𝐇𝐄𝐑𝐄'𝐒 𝐍𝐎𝐓 𝐌𝐔𝐂𝐇 𝐓𝐎 𝐋𝐎𝐒𝐄. it means he has changed from his overly cautious and well-behaved self to far more reckless; willing to steal, squat, run from security guards and various other things in order to survive. and then there’s alcohol….. a COMFORT he indulges in when he can, numbing pain and making him care even less, as well as banish his perpetual nervousness. it’s not a life he ever expected or wanted to live, and part of him wishes he'd n e v e r been saved from the burning house. the loneliness is one of the hardest things about this, the way his kind are shunned and looked down upon by others who take their own lives for 𝐆𝐑𝐀𝐍𝐓𝐄𝐃. therefore, it’s nice to meet someone in the same boat as himself and not feel judged or condemned.
despite being inside the subway, he turns and gestures in one direction to walter’s question to indicate the LOCATION of his hideout. ❝ …..there’s an empty building a couple of blocks away. i can get into it from the fire escape. there’s blankets, insulation, it’s quiet….. ❞ he’s been staying there a week or so now, and while he’s always a f r a i d of being caught, it feels safe there. it feels 𝐑𝐈𝐆𝐇𝐓 to offer that to another like himself, especially after the man’s own display of generosity. he’s glad when the offer is accepted, and follows the taller male to his own set-up. the proffered sandwich is then happily taken with a murmur of thanks. ❝ …..that’s okay, ❞ sawyer adds when told of the filling, and he doesn’t wait before opening the package and GOBBLING it down.
then he starts off toward his hideout with a gesture to follow, stopping at the nearest drinking fountain first. after a few minutes of walking, they’re away from the busy urban streets and crowds, and he takes walter around the BACK of the building — seeming to be a former office building composed of two floors with a ladder around one side; which the small brunet begins to carefully ascend.
Walter listens and nods as Sawyer explains where he’s been staying. A soft but warm, “okay,” is his only response. He gives a small smile when he sees how quickly Sawyer eats the sandwich. Obviously, the food was sorely needed. He’ll share the apples he has left once they get to Sawyer’s place.
Once he’s packed and Sawyer’s done eating, he follows along as Sawyer takes him to the empty building. He’s quiet, and pays attention to their surroundings more and more vigilantly the further they get from the business of the subway and the crowds of the cities main streets. Quiet and solitude is a relief, but sometimes there’s more safety in crowds. And he wants to make sure he remembers the route back to the subway.
He recognizes the building when they arrive. He’s seen it when he’s gone exploring around the city, something that he saves for brighter, warmer times of year. The door has a heavy padlock and chain, and a bright yellow “no trespassing” notice from the city, so he hadn’t thought there’s been a way in, but he’s never noticed the small alley that Sawyer turns down, taking them to the back of the building, and, yes, the ladder of the fire escape is down.
“It--it’s safe here?” he asks nervously, though his uncertainty doesn’t keep him from climbing the ladder once Sawyer gets to the top. Sure, the subway puts him at risk for all kind of cruel comments and harsh looks, and the occasional kick in the ribs when he’s sleeping, but it also insulates him against things that are much worse. No one can attack him there, or hurt him really badly, without someone calling the police, even if they’re more concerned with keeping the peace than Walter’s safety. Of course, the difficulty of finding the entrance to this building would add a lot of security. And Sawyer said it was safe, and Walter’s decided he trusts Sawyer. So once he gets to the top of the ladder, he looks to Sawyer, waiting for him to lead the way inside, without any further doubts.
