[ his shoulders jolt, but it's smothered in the mattress and so hard to tell from him just shifting his weight to turn his head towards Ellie, face blank and neutral in response to the anger that finally comes out.

Their world's changed a lot since they were kids, he's realizing. Danger isn't adults and stray dogs anymore, but demons and hunters and people who want those like Kano dead and maybe that's the scariest thing, people. ]

...I won't just up and die, like from a heart attack or falling off a cliff, that's not what's got you worried. You're scared of me being killed. Why?

[ That's not a worry people have over somebody out taking a walk, unless that fear got planted somewhere else. ]