Surprise, Jesse: Ned has an infinite capacity to tolerate (nay even a predilection for) corniness. He hasn't heard that particular quotation before, and it's a little simplistic for all occasions, but he rather likes the sentiment behind it. Particularly now that there are people in the latter category. Ned's never had people who don't mind, and he's quickly realizing what a difference it makes. Perhaps it is because it's starting to seem that no one in the Cape is normal. They are their own little colony of fucked up people, outcasts and freaks, mutants and outsiders. It's like he's tumbled into Wonderland, and more and more he's realizing that - Queen of Hearts and all - he doesn't want to wake up.

"Most everyone's mad here," Ned says, offering his own quotation as counterpoint, not realizing that the leap from what Jesse said to the relevance of that statement mostly all occurred within his head, and its relevance might not be clear. Probably a side-effect of the exhaustion, creeping up on him again like a wave. Ned yawns again - a slow, jaw-popping thing - before shaking his head, trying to clear it. He blinks four or five times in a row, runs a hand down his face. Biological necessity is finally becoming urgent enough that it's overriding his fear of falling asleep again.