FIC: Weights and Measures - Breaking Bad, Walt/Jesse

[squonkfan]

Title: Weights and Measures
Pairing: Walt/Jesse
Rating: NC-17
Word count: ~1000
Spoilers: 3x13 - "Full Measure"
Other formats: AO3 || Russian translation (translated by pointlessride)
Disclaimer: This is an amateur, not-for-profit work of fiction. No attempt has been made to copyright characters and/or concepts owned by the Breaking Bad people, nor

Comments

[periariyx]

I-- whoa

[squonkfan]

I apologize for the delay in replying to such a lovely comment.

I actually really can't stand these two as a pairing

Any specific reason you can pinpoint? Just curious!

and considering Jesse's look in the final scene that we've seen thus far, and whatever may come of that, he feels right, too.

Oh, thanks. Yeah, I feel like in another context Jesse would be significantly more resistant than he is here. I do think he would eventually (uh, the only word I can come up with is) submit, and that once he did, at this point Walt knows enough about what makes him tick to control him pretty thoroughly. Here, though, as you suggest, I was working off Jesse's expression in the last scene and just thought would be too wrecked, too in need of comfort, to put up much of a fight. I, too, am anxious to see where the writers take him.

But ths is so believable. Even though it would never happen in the show.)

Hee, some of us have been discussing that. There are folks who think it could actually happen. I am way skeptical.

And, because it bears

[periariyx]

Any specific reason you can pinpoint? Just curious!

I'm really not too sure, actually! I don't have a problem with their age difference, I don't have a problem with a teacher/student thing in their context, I don't have a problem with incest from the father/son (nephew?) angle... I just have a really hard time seeing it. In fact, the only way I really can see it is when Walt is this messed up (re: getting to the point of shooting a guy in the head with no hesitation), and Jesse is this vulnerable. Any other way and it just leaves me cringing back and completely unable to see it. It's weird.

There are folks who think it could actually happen. I am way skeptical.

Haha, well, AMC might be a cut above, but it still isn't quite HBO.

Wow, thank you. Seriously. I'm so happy you found him true to form. And thanks so much for reading, and for all of your kind words!

Oh man, any time. :D You're phenomenal at this. I'd totally love to read more from you (this fandom has such a depressing lack of fic!).

[squonkfan]

In fact, the only way I really can see it is when Walt is this messed up (re: getting to the point of shooting a guy in the head with no hesitation), and Jesse is this vulnerable.What's interesting to me about Walt's killing those two foot soldiers is that it's one of his most unhesitatingly brutal acts, and at the same time, also appears to be one of his most "purely" motivated: it feels like he does it simply to protect Jesse. (Well, arguably he shot the second guy to ensure his own safety as well, but.) The show is so consistent in portraying Walt's motivations as a massive psychic tangle, and this is especially true when it comes to Jesse. There's really no kind, loving, or protective word or deed I can think of by Walt toward Jesse that isn't marred by the potential for some darker motive or emotion. This is not to say that I think a less paranoid, less out-to-lunch Walt would necessarily have acted so extremely; the mental state he's gotten himself into and the person he is becoming are obviously huge factors here. But the

[periariyx]

I can't find any of the usual underlying elements of selfishness that are normally associated with his doing something concerning Jesse's welfare.

Oh, absolutely. Every other time he undoubtedly has his own angle on it: Jane is blackmailing him, Hank is in legal trouble, etc. He had no reason to even do this; in fact, it would have solved his problems. He'd still be in Gus' good graces, his family wouldn't be in danger, he'd get to keep his awesome lab and keep on making a lot of money. And we only do see the impulsive actions, the sudden having to go, driving over the foot soldiers and shooting the living one, but he's clearly thought about it, at least on the way over - and he still goes full throttle. I loved that bit, especially for such a rationalizing, calculating man. Somehow Jesse got under his skin, and vice versa, and there's definitely love there, as bizarre as it is.

Aaaaand then he goes and uses it to emotionally manipulate Jesse into getting him Gale's address, and indirectly, into actually killing Gale. *facepalm*

[squonkfan]

It leaves me thinking back to when he was in the hospital and clarifies to Walt that he's rejecting him, not the money, because ever since Walt came along everything's just gone wrong for him... and now it's even worse.

That's such a powerful, painful scene. I actually think most of that, though certainly it had been building for a while and certainly he's not wrong about his history with Walt, stems from that one moment where Jesse shows Walt the results of his own cook and Walt, out of his own selfish pride, throws it back in his face and tells him it's garbage. It's only one line in Jesse's speech I believe--something like, "You said my cook is shit"--but it's definitely the crux of it, and of course Walt recognizes it, too, and attempts to correct it (again, for what I think are tangled reasons). I find that whole thread so heart-wrenching: As much as he's also looking to hook up with Gus, in showing Walt the meth Jesse is also so clearly trying to show him that he's learned from him, wanting to recreate that moment/feeling in "

[periariyx]

For Walt to respond like that.... It's that same anguish of not being good enough that drove Jesse away from his parents and probably into drugs.Something that actually just clicked with me about that scene, is that Jesse is showing off that he actually learned from Walt, right when Walt is taking his "indefinite sabbatical" from teaching. All that time of Walt telling Jesse to apply himself, and now Jesse actually has. And it means nothing. Of course it's Walt's wounded pride, but just realizing the timing of the scene just now has added another layer to it that I can't even dissect yet. (This show is so good!) I definitely do agree with you, and the line - "You said my cook is shit" - when I hear it in Jesse's speech, it doesn't even sound like it fits in properly. Thematically it's about Walt ruining Jesse's life, but that really is so specific a thing to say amongst the rest of it all. Jesse was definitely hurt by that. He's so sure that Walt is going to be proud of him, and he actually respects Walt, probably the most he's ever

[squonkfan]

Something that actually just clicked with me about that scene, is that Jesse is showing off that he actually learned from Walt, right when Walt is taking his "indefinite sabbatical" from teaching.

Oh, interesting! And Walt has always been less than satisfied with teaching, certainly at the high school level. Once he gets a taste of the excitement of the criminal life, going back to that banality is eating him alive, much more so than the guilt of the plane crash. He doesn't want to teach anyone chemistry--he wants to be doing it; to be the center of it, the genius, the Big Cheese. He doesn't give a shit about having taught Jesse anything, especially because it seems to be in the service of Jesse's carrying on what Walt started and what Walt wants to keep doing. Shades of Elliot all over again. Walt sees himself as the guy who has all the brains and puts in all the work, only to watch everyone else climb to the top on his back. No wonder he gets so pissed at Jesse.

I'm pretty sure Gale is dead... I think that when Vince Gilligan

[periariyx]

But I could also see something interesting wherein Jesse tells Gale to run, paralleling "Half Measures." And then Jesse telling Walt that he did it and disposed of the body, and then we deal with that tension for a season. Gus would have to keep Walt around even without hard proof of Gale's death, as long as he couldn't find Gale.

But, see, if I were Gale, and that happened, the first thing I do is run straight to Gus, because he's the only person that I know that can protect me. I see that solution as being very short-sighted. Which is definitely within Jesse's character to do, so I guess actually killing Gale is just a reinforcement of the love he has for Walt. Which, as you said, killing Gale takes the Jesse/Walt relationship to a far more interesting place, since they've now killed for each other, tied to each other pretty much from hereon out, but how much is Jesse going to resent Walt for this? Ohh there's so much there. It's so messy and painful, I love it!

And added you right back. Awesome. :D