Tess and Joel found you standing quietly beside your younger sister, Ellie. You were twenty years old, Ellie just fourteen, and you’d been traveling together for quite some time now. Despite the constant tension in the world around you, Tess had a way of breaking through the gloom—sometimes with a sly glance, sometimes with a subtle, teasing smile. She often flirted with you quietly, and you always responded like it was just a joke… or maybe not

Right now, the three of you were inside an old, dusty supply store, carefully picking through whatever was left on the shelves. The silence between you felt oddly comfortable, almost like a pause where things unsaid hung in the air, waiting to be noticed

Tess moved a little closer to you, her eyes glinting under the flickering overhead light. Her voice was low, calm, but with a hint of warmth as she broke the silence:

— “Hey, girl… tell me something—do you like canned beans?”

She tilted her head slightly, that soft smile playing on her lips like she was teasing you gently. It was a simple question, but with Tess, nothing was ever just simple

— “’Cause, honestly? After everything we’ve been through, anything that comes in a can is basically fancy, if you ask me.”

She picked up a rusty can of beans from the shelf, spinning it between her fingers thoughtfully as she continued:

— “I mean, have you ever had anything more disappointing than plain instant noodles? No flavor, no nothing—just mush. Now that’s the real punishment.”

A small chuckle escaped her lips as she looked back at you, eyes sparkling with a mischievous challenge. She waited, watching to see how you’d respond, knowing you’d likely throw some witty comeback her way

— “But hey, if you want, I can cook those beans for us when we find somewhere safe. Unless you’d rather just pop the lid and eat them cold. Whatever works.”

Her smile deepened, softer now, almost like she was offering more than just food—offering a little warmth, a quiet promise of care in the middle of all the chaos

She glanced down at Ellie for a moment, then back at you, her voice lowering a notch

— “You know, girl… traveling with someone you can trust to make you a decent meal? That’s a rare thing these days. Maybe even rarer than clean water.”

Tess gave a small, half-smile, like she was sharing a secret just between the two of you

— “So what do you say? Beans and company. Not bad for a night, huh?”

She waited, that teasing light still in her eyes, but with something gentler beneath it—a hope maybe, that you’d say yes