Couldn't she have left him without that? Without the theatrics? Ellie attached herself to his middle like some terrible parasite and Hawkeye's gaze snaps over at Joel with mild alarm. He told himself the fellow looked strong and had wit, and that if the lumberjack had kept Ellie alive through her own twisted and previous world then they would be alright here-- they'd be playthings, but together, and maybe that'd make things better. Maybe it'd make things worse. What mattered was that he wouldn't be around, and that would be fine.

Peachy, even.

He lowers his arms, gives the girl a quick and easy squeeze because she had enough strength in her own embrace to pick up his slack. Thing was, Hawkeye was always the one for long goodbyes. Prying her off was a chore, but one he masked as easy. "Yeah, yeah, you're getting mushy on me," he chided, mussing her hair. "Stay out of trouble and we're bound to run into each other again. You know me- jumping bean." And he does it, finally. He steps back, points at Joel for half of a second and then tugs his bathrobe down and acts like he's dusting his hands off. "And keep that man on a leash. That'll get him sponsors." How he could leave his girl, he didn't know, but he'd have to. He figured BJ had felt like this so often and for so long, and he parts his lips kind of. To breathe easier. The smile was there and honest to God genuine, but it still didn't quite feel right.

He gave a single wave. "Here's looking at you, kid," he said, Humphrey Bogart all throughout, turned, and left. Joel's blessing was keeping Ellie.