It's one of those cases where, yeah, he kind of gets it, he's pushing it here and Ghoul's got an awful lot to be angry about - he's fully expecting there to be a reaction here. It's the 'what' in this situation that he doesn't exactly see coming, and by the time he gets to think about it, he's got a metal edge jammed up into his back and a hand squeezing tight against his neck.

A half of a choked sound leaves between clenched teeth and then nothing, he can't talk, he can't breathe, he can't anything but throw his hands out and push into Ghoul's chest as hard as he can. It's not easy to get leverage when they're this close and, short as he is, the guy's built like a tank; nothing happens. Between that and the few sparkles starting to ebb into his vision, he panics.

Only half the words are even sinking in, he's too focused on the fingers tight into his skin, and he sinks a few punches into Ghoul's side at first - those are focused. It's just about the time when Ghoul's starting to wrap up when these black cloudy edges start to crawl their way in from Jesse's sides when he gives a bit of a last-ditch effort, leaves a trail of nail marks on Ghoul's own throat, there's that last final squeeze and then-

It's done, he's walking away. Jesse slides down the mailbox, and whatever rebuttal he might have and could have spit back is left by the wayside, with him shaking and gasping on all fours in the grass.