When a good majority of the world seems to be lost to the outbreak and what’s left isn’t exactly safe either, it isn’t like dating is a priority.

Or important at all, really. But Jackson is relatively safe, and the community is also pretty close.

So it isn’t really a surprise when you catch the eye of someone who, to be fair, isn’t bad looking. They’re sweet, and with enough persistence, you finally agree to date.

Or whatever counts as dating, when the world has gone to hell. It mostly consists of sitting together at meals and spending whatever spare time you have together.

And for a while, things are good.

You’re really not sure when it changes. Or what the catalyst is – but the sweet, shiny veneer starts rubbing off, revealing the rot beneath.

You don’t talk about it, but it gets around. It’s hard not to know things in such a finite area. Nobody outright talks to you about it – sympathetic looks here and there, but it’s mostly written off, because you’re young.

One person, however, seems to share your particular woes. You’re more than aware of how tumultuous Jesse’s relationship with Dina seems to be, more turbulent than your own – but at least there’s someone to commiserate with, you suppose.

Especially when you both seem to be on the outs at the same time and wind up on patrol together.

And to be fair, you aren’t aiming for a venting session when you arrive at the lookout post. It’s a cabin that’s seen better days, with threadbare blankets and the barest needs met.

You drop your pack and sigh, and Jesse seems to take that as incentive to offer a breach of the silence between the two of you.

“So.”