Jesse would have laid down good money on a bet that Wash was too drunk to try to start a fight. But that fist hit him pretty solidly. It sent a slice of pain through his jaw. Unfortunately for Wash, Jesse had grown up fighting Jody. Jody's punches could knock a guy clean out cold after just one. He'd taught Jesse how to knock a bull unconscious the same way. Just the one hit. Something Jesse had actually liked learning from the man, unlike many of the other things he'd seen. Jody had been a good fighter, and thanks to him, so was Jesse.
Wash just didn't hit as hard as Jody did.
"You don't wanna be doin this, Wash." Jesse stood up from the bar stool, and put a couple of feet between himself and the other man. "You ain't gonna like what comes of it. So how 'bout I just give you that one fer free, cause you truly deserve to be able to hit the man who... well, yanno... and we both walk away from this right now, before this gets messy."
Wash had every right to hate him. Jesse didn't fault him for that. But he wasn't about to stand by and let himself get beat up. Not for anything.