iesus | open rp post

Jesus has to wear a lot of faces. This one is the closest to real as it gets. He's not a leader; it's not in his blood, in his bone, in his spirit. He does what he can for his people but Gregory stays in power because... what? Because he can't pony up? No one wants to take the responsibility and Gregory is too high on power to let it go anyway. A lot of days he feels guilty for it but he also knows that until other people are trained up, he's the only one that can keep them running with his skills. There's nothing else to be done for it. At least not now. Maybe... Maybe something can change now. If they're lucky. He hates having to come at Gregory practically kneeling and bowing his head to get anything done, to keep him from making stupid decisions to get them all killed.

Maybe he just hates Gregory.

"Be nice to have a break sometimes," he jokes, though he knows he'd get stir-crazy staying off his feet too long. There's a pause though and he looks to Daryl. It's not a hesitation, just a processing, then he nods with a smile. A bit like the sun coming out from behind the clouds. "If you've got a map with you I can mark it off for you right now. If not then I can probably scrounge up an extra to mark off for you."

A little runner humor. Scrounging.

"Got one in the truck." It was just policy to bring one along. In case of sudden roadblocks or herds to get around. He'd left it laying on the passenger seat, though.

Daryl didn't make any face one way or the other to say he got the joke, or that he'd even recognized it. But he finished off his meal and pushed the bowl slightly in front of him to indicate he was done and waiting politely for his only conversation companion to finish up. Fell into silence when he did. Not sure what else to talk about and feeling a little out of his element on that front.

"We can mark up your map before you head back then."

Once Jesus was done as well he nodded, standing and grabbing all the dishes up with practiced ease. "Hang on a second, I'll be right back." He does disappear to take them off to where they'll be washed later but he returns presently, dropping across from Daryl with a sigh.

"If I'm honest," he murmurs, not loud enough for anyone but Daryl to hear, "there's not much of anything left between here and there." Jesus shakes his head after that, fingertips tapping on the tabletop lightly. "I've combed the whole area and with the..." the whole giving 'half' to the Saviors thing, "things dried up way faster than they would have otherwise."

"We been having to go further and further out, too. Didn't used to have to do as many two week trips," Daryl admitted to show he understood. "Ain't done house to house stripping of the places around us, but might have to start just to make sure we get everything useful. Work our way out from there and start heading into the cities."

But cities were dangerous. Not just because of the dead, but because they provided a lot of places for other groups to hide and pick people off from. Sure, there was the possibility of encountering groups with good intentions like the Vatos, but that had been way back at the start. Anymore, the chances of running into people like Grady or the Saviors was much higher. Hilltop had been a chance encounter and even that didn't start out well.

"Ain't really been systematic about it."

Jesus both liked and didn't like cities. He could get around easily from building to building and get into places that other people couldn't get into but the dead could be places there wouldn't be normally too and again, yeah: people. People are always more dangerous. "I've been thinking about systematic a while now. With a finer tooth than before. Even small places can have things of use in them."

When he breathes out it's in a faint sigh. "Cities can have good supplies though. If you need a runner for any trips out, I'm..." His leg jiggles slightly where he sits, thinking of how to word it. "I'm a loner most days but those kind of excursions aren't appropriate for it. You've seen how useful I can be out, just on the less-useful side of it."

He laughs, soft and good-natured: it's clear he holds no ill-will about being tied up or thrown around or knocked out. Look, he gets it.

Daryl leaned back from Jesus as he leaned in. Not far, just a sway of his shoulders the other direction. Not something he even thought much about. But Jesus was new to him and he was always wary of new people.

"Have ta talk to Rick about that," he said, tone not changing in the slightest. Still matter-of-fact, but sympathetic. "And Olivia. She does the inventory. We make runs for whatever we can, but she sets the priority."

"Of course. The offer's there, but I understand if I'm not needed." He gets this, too: priority, hierarchy, trust. So far he doesn't have much stock in the trust department. He can work up to that if possible. It's fine.

A lot of things are fine at the moment. There's a silence that drags on as his eyes flick toward the house and then around the area like he's checking for something in particular. He is, even though he knows Gregory is still laid up.

"Tell Rick that if our communities' lists ever potentially cross over, have someone come to me. While Gregory's down for the count, I'm making most of the decisions." And unlike Gregory (and unlike what his first impression may have been), Jesus believes in being kind and fair. And trading, now that they can.

He'd noticed the looking Jesus just did and figured he was making sure he wasn't overheard. Most of the people around were finishing up their own lunches and talking amongst themselves. Not really interested in what Jesus was doing. More were interested in Maggie because word had spread she was pregnant after their first visit and everyone loved a baby.

That suited Daryl fine. Less people crowding in on him, the better.

But with the majority of the lunch crowd leaving, Daryl figured it was time to take the conversation on the road. Get to that map.

"How's his wound doing?" Daryl asked after a second of slowly nodding his head. Not really interested in the man's health, but rather how long they might have Jesus' easy cooperation vs Gregory's egotistical self-importance.

Jesus is glad for the fact everyone is fawning over Maggie too - partially because he likes her and she deserves it, and partially because he knows some of the others might be a little worried by what they may take as Jesus grasping at too much power. They like him more than they like Gregory, but he's the leader and they have to believe he can keep them safe.

Something like that. Jesus doesn't want the power anyway. He's no leader. As far as Daryl's question he just shrugs, smile a little mysterious. "He's going to be fine, but knowing him it's going to be a long and arduous process."

Of course: far be it from Gregory to do an ounce more work than he had to, and his pride had taken a sound beating.

He stood up, started making his way at a casual pace toward the vehicles. He waited until they were out of earshot before he said, "Only reason he's still in charge is 'cause ya'll have it decent behind these walls. Not sayin' what you've had to do with the Saviors in the past is any kind of hunky dory kumbaya shit, just... he ain't had to face nothin' that hard. People like him wouldn't survive without walls."

Jesus trails after him easily, nice and slow and unhurried. But he nods to what Daryl says, eyes flicking to regard him. "No, I know what you mean. People that don't have to live outside walls... Either they can learn if they have to, or they can't. He couldn't."

Unkind, maybe, but not untrue. His lips twist a little as they reach the truck, waiting for the next cue. "He doesn't respect anyone. Ideas, work, nothing." So no one really respects him.

"He's still in charge, though," Daryl replied, eyebrows raising as he cast a glance over his shoulder at Jesus. Then he shook his head. Men like Gregory didn't deserve to be running things. Had no real sense in their heads. But these weren't his people and he wasn't trying to make them into that.

"Your man, the one we rescued, he doing okay?" It'd been about a week. Guy was probably shook up, but Daryl hoped that was it.

"He sure is." Things will even out, he thinks. Eventually. Better odds of it in more relative safety: easier for someone more suited to step up without all of that hanging over them like dark grey clouds.

"He's doing better. He still has a ways to go, but for now... better." That much makes him smile a little. "It'll just take some time, I think. Some take longer than others, but he's a tough guy."

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