#I LOVE SEASON 1 OF SHOW TLOU

[cutestarkersworld]

the first day w starker as bill and frank from show!tlou au

Tony who's been a prepper since he was a teen, his parents always telling him he's worried for nothing but that didn't stop him from creating inventions that could help him if the world came crashing down. who when he heard of a new disease he was immediately finalizing his prep work and hiding in his hideout when the government comes door to door to find civilians.

Peter who was born after the outbreak happened. who listens obediently for as long as he can but can't stand the way the QZ hurts civillians so he escapes with a large group. Peter, who has to witness his entire group die off as he makes his way to a new QZ.

Peter who accidentally falls into Tony's trap and thinks it's the moment, the moment he'll die. who thinks of every moment he had ever since being born. who tells the man he's not infected and he's just trying to get by, hoping it'll get him somewhere and it does. Peter who gets a view of the noticeably older man who was suspiciously clean and is immediately falling in love.

Tony who doesn't want to invite someone into his safe place but the boy has bruises and scratches all over and was incredibly skinny so he lets the boy into his house and offers a warm shower and clean clothes. Who only learned how to cook after the apocalypse and was thankful that his skills improved as he's serving the younger boy.

Peter who eats with more enthusiasm than he has at any point in his life because it was absolutely delicious and it'd been months since he had anything but jerky. Who compliments the older man repeatedly as he chows down on his food, eyes glimmering. He tried to ignore the looks the older man gave him but they were there and noticeable.

Tony who couldn't tear his eyes off the supple skin and pretty pink lips as the boy ate his food. He wanted nothing more than to hear his voice again but it's been years since he'd been in contact with people, he'd forgotten what human interaction felt like so for once he was completely at a lost on how to flirt.

Peter who finished his food all too quickly and is now looking for any excuse to stay and get to sneak more looks at the older man. Who points out the piano sitting in the living room and approaches it eagerly. Peter who plays a song beautifully and it makes Tony fall deeper into, what he could only say is, love. Maybe it's the years he's spent in solitude and repressed his sexuality, he'd met a boy who was so clearly open about his own and he was pretty.

Tony who leans forward and captures the boys lips in a soft kiss before they even knew each others names. He cradled the boys cheeks and every ounce of fear and need was poured into the kiss. It was soft and tender, much different than any kiss he'd ever experienced. Who asks if this was Peters first time to be answered with a nod and he smiled gently, reassuring him that he'd be gentle.

Peter who before anything happens tells Tony that this was more than a one night stand, that he didn't do those. Who falls into bed with Tony and is met with the upmost pleasure, hands gripping the older man's shoulders as he thrusted in and out of him much more gently than he could've ever expected.

Tony and Peter who found comfort in one another in this apocalyptic world. Who sure some would say they were only together because they were lonely but they knew better, this was more than that. They'd seen each other from the first day they'd met and nothing would change the amount of love and care they shared for each other.

[lmxpsuedonym]

I’m tired of people complaining that Ellie isn’t angry enough-SHE IS ANGRY. She just hides her emotions in the show. She’s so used to hiding important things about herself, like her being immune, so of course she would hide her feelings aswell!! We see her do this a number of times like when after she’s attacked by the cannibals she keeps telling Joel nothings wrong, and when Joel died she keeps telling Gail that’s she’s fine. This episode we finally see her take that calm-stable-person mask off and we see how she’s actually feeling and she is SO ANGRY.

[diazmaximoff]

I'm actually feeling physically sick from all the hate toward Bella Ramsey right now. I've been watching TLOU with my little sister obsessively, and the other day she sent me a TikTok that was supposed to be all "jokey," but it was basically just tearing into Bella, saying she isn't good enough looks-wise or acting-wise, and that she should be recast to look more like game Ellie. It honestly feels like people are just shifting all the hate Abby got five years ago onto show Ellie/Bella now, and I wasn't ready for that at all :( I hate people sometimes.

[haemosexuality]

oh that hurts so bad

[r3starttt]

STOCKINGS

PAIRING: Abby x Reader

SUMMARY: You made her a stocking

CW: tlou universe. sfw. fluff. lev included!! cs Abby is such a boy mom and ughh cute.

NOTE: For this fic Abby did not try to go and look for the fireflies again so the last fight with Ellie did not happen.

*Can you tell I love acts of service... can you tell I wrote this while listening to music for indigo...

TAGLIST: @twopeoplee @greysontheidiot @sapphic-ovaries @bilsvlt @tlouloser @marsworlddd @1-800-fantasy @prwttiestbunny @thesevi0lentdelights @lvlymicha @stickycherritart @abbys-muscles @lott6i @usuck @thalchmy @lovelyy-moonlight @fakevalentine

The cold floor hit your bare feet as you tiptoed your way toward a small chair near the bed, reaching for an old hoodie to shield yourself from the chill. Abby was still asleep, her steady breathing and quiet snoring letting you know she was deeply wrapped in the comfort of her cocoon. You didn’t have much time, though—she would wake the second the bed grew too cold and her arm could no longer find you, desperately pulling you closer to warm herself.

She lay on her stomach, one arm draped across the mattress, reaching into the warmth you’d left behind. The white sheet beneath her, its soft folds matching the pine-green ones above, held her gently. Loose strands of hair from her thick braid fell against the sides of her face, barely brushing her skin with each soft exhale. Her eyebrows, usually so bold, were peacefully soft, and her lips—plump and rosy—mirrored the flush of her cheeks. You couldn’t resist leaving a soft kiss near her ear, a gentle touch before you left the room.

Each step toward the door made you regret not putting on socks last night—maybe Abby’s old slippers would do. With your steps now messy and hesitant, you made your way downstairs. The worn wood creaked slightly beneath you, the house itself groaning in the quiet of the morning.

You had eventually made yourselves comfortable in this small house nestled in the heart of the woods, large enough for the three of you—Abby, Lev, and yourself. Together, you had worked tirelessly to make it a safe and secure place, not just from the infected, but from other, more dangerous people. You had made it a home.

You ensured that everyone felt welcome, particularly Lev. You took every opportunity to talk with him, to teach him what he hadn’t yet learned, and to share the things you loved—books, music, art—while helping him discover his own interests. And with Abby, your love deepened with every day she returned from her small patrols, always bringing back something for Lev—a plushie or a trinket—and for you, perhaps a new vinyl to play. She would ask you to show her the record, and later, you would listen together, the soothing classical music filling the house while you shared a quiet dinner.

As the months passed and your future materialized in the present, you found yourself gathering small gifts. It would be Lev’s first holiday, and Abby’s too, at least with you. The first time you would all celebrate Christmas together. You wanted it to be special, a way of thanking them for everything they had done for you. All the words Lev had shared when he realized you were just as broken as he was, and how, despite it all, he allowed you into his life. And Abby—your way of giving her the love she had always shown you, in the form of the most precious gift.

You knew Abby would appreciate it—celebrating the season was something she had learned from her father. She had told you once that receiving a gift was the way she could feel loved, a reminder that she was not a monster. And you wanted to show her that—wanted to remind her that she was seen, that she was loved, and that you all had each other.

Since the weather had turned colder, you’d offered to join in the patrols, even begging Abby to let you go outside. She always insisted it was too dangerous, but you knew you could take care of yourself, and somehow, you managed to sneak out on occasion. You gathered small things—some fabric, trinkets, and a few essentials. And when Abby took Lev to care for the animals you’d gathered, or when she napped after lunch, you’d use your quiet time to craft their gifts.

It wasn’t too difficult, given that they were often busy—Abby tending to the animals or decorating the little pine tree you’d dragged home from the nearby woods, with Abby’s approval, of course. You had to be careful, though, not to trust too easily that they would be distracted. But it worked.

The sight before you made your stomach flutter, like a child eager with excitement. Three stockings hung from the mantle, each chosen with care—yours in the middle. Beneath the homemade tree, a few gifts waited for everyone—unwrapped, because there wasn’t enough paper, but neatly arranged, placed with care just as the stockings were.

The next task was to light the fire, to warm the house and prepare breakfast, just as you had for months. It was small, but it had become part of your routine—after all, lunch and dinner were a family affair, something you all shared.

Once the food was ready, you made your way upstairs. The light from the cloudy sun streamed through the windows, warming the house with its yellow hues. You returned to the bed, noting that Abby was still asleep—though not for long, it seemed, as her lips were slightly parted and her breathing had shifted into quiet mumbling. You sat on the edge of the bed, taking her hand and brushing the stray hairs from her face before pressing a kiss to her cheek.

"Abby... Abs—baby?" you murmured, tracing soft circles on her back, the rhythm calming her as her mumbling slowed.

"Abby..."

Her eyes opened slowly, clearly disoriented by the nightmare and the sudden waking, but you were quick to soothe her. "Shh, I’m here... It’s alright. You were dreaming."

She grasped your hand, groaning quietly before turning to face you, her face flushed with the softness of sleep, her lips plump and cheeks full. The sight made you smile, warmth blooming in your chest.

"Merry Christmas," she murmured, trying to pull you back into bed.

You chuckled softly, brushing your hair behind your ear. "Not yet..."

She rolled her eyes, laughing softly. "Is Lev awake yet?" she asked, her voice still thick with sleep as she rubbed her eyes.

"I haven’t checked, but... probably not," you hummed in response, pausing to study her, to savor this moment of quiet contentment with the woman you loved. A slow, peaceful morning like this was a dream come true for many—and here you were, living it.

"Breakfast’s ready," you added, patting her stomach lightly.

You leaned in for a kiss, despite her typical aversion to those unshowered, still-groggy moments. But you couldn’t care less—she was the woman you loved, in all her unrefined beauty, even in these fleeting moments.

"See you downstairs, alright?" you murmured, pressing another kiss to her forehead.

She nodded, but you knew her well.

"Abigail... I’m serious."

She laughed quietly, rolling over and letting her arms fall to her sides as she stretched out. You left the door open as you moved to the curtains, letting the light in while ensuring Abby wouldn’t fall asleep again. You then made your way to Lev’s room, the blue walls of his space greeting you.

He was tangled in blankets, his back to you, but you gently brushed his shoulder, calling out in a soft whisper.

"Lev... morning."

"Morning," he murmured, his eyes still closed.

You smiled, the privilege of caring for this young boy—who still had so much ahead of him—filling your heart.

"Breakfast is ready, alright? Take your time." You caressed his shoulder before stepping out of his room, hearing Abby’s groan as she dramatically climbed from the bed.

"Did you take my shoes?" she called out loudly, too much for the quiet of the morning.

"Yep! I took your slippers," you teased, and Abby laughed quietly in response. She was falling in love with you all over again.

You went downstairs, retracing your steps from earlier, and settled on the couch, waiting for them to come down. Neither of them knew about the stockings or the gifts—it was supposed to be a small, intimate gesture, a simple way of celebrating the season. Just making food together, exchanging small self-made gifts—maybe a letter.

But as much as you were excited, there was a hint of anxiety too. What if it was too much? What if they didn’t like what you had chosen?

"What is that?" Abby’s voice broke you from your thoughts, and you turned to find her standing at the foot of the stairs, still in her pajamas, holding the railing for support.

Her eyes, illuminated in the soft morning light, met yours—she looked so precious.

"Did you seriously make us a stocking?" she whispered, so amused she barely seemed to believe it. Maybe she thought she was still dreaming.

"I did," you said, standing and moving toward her.

"You told me once that you wished someone loved you enough to make you one. I do... I love you."

The words hit her, and you watched as she fought back tears, her jaw clenching, her teeth biting at her bottom lip before she looked back at you.

"I didn’t... Come here." She opened her arms, and you stepped into them, feeling the weight of the moment settle in.

She buried her face in your neck, wrapping her arms around you as all her emotions—fear, love, anxiety—washed over her.

You were real, and so was this. She had someone who listened, who remembered her words, who cared enough to create something special—something that said, "I love you."

And as much as she feared that this day might bring painful memories of her father, the love that surrounded her now was taking up more space. This was hers—this love was real, and it was for her.

You felt Lev coming downstairs, his confused expression slowly softening as understanding spread across his face. You had told him about the stockings, explained what they meant one evening when you and Abby had talked about Christmas traditions.

Lev hesitated, cradling the fabric of the stocking in his hands. He peeked inside, then looked up at you for reassurance. With a nod from you, he carefully pulled out each gift, his eyes brightening with quiet joy.

There was nothing extravagant or meaningful in the traditional sense—but the gifts held things they liked, things they could use, things they wanted. They weren’t

about purpose, but about love. They were a reminder that you saw them, that you loved them, and that they were always safe in your arms.

[musings-of-a-rose]

Meet the Millers - Chapter 12

Pairing: Joel Miller x Benny Miller x Will Miller x f!reader (coming soon - another Miller?)

Word Count: 4700+

Rating: Mature - 18+ ONLY!

Warnings: Just like ao3, “creator chooses not to use warnings.” If you click Keep Reading, that means you agree that you’re the age to handle mature themes. Also by clicking Keep Reading, you understand warnings may not be complete in order to avoid spoilers for the story. 

Notes: Well folks, it's finally here! I originally ended this series back in April 2022, nearly a year before TLOU season 1 debuted. I thought it was over, but not only did I have a few scenes I wanted to write but wouldn't fit, SO MANY PEOPLE asked me for more. No one more than @theewokingdead so I dedicate this last half of the series to her!

This is set loosely in The Last of Us universe. I’ve only played a bit of the game and watched others play (and the show isn’t out yet), so please forgive any inaccuracies. Also it’s a post-apocalyptic world so I’m taking a bunch of liberties here. Because fan fiction.

Ages at the time of this story (so you don’t have to do math):

Reader: 29

Benny: 36

Will: 39

Joel: 51

Main Masterlist

Meet the Millers Masterlist

<<Chapter 11

“So they were tiny rocks that popped in your mouth?” Ellie says with disbelief. 

I chuckle. “Yeah. They were called Pop Rocks.”

“Could you hear them popping?”

I nod. “Yup.”

“Weird.”

It’s been a few weeks since we left the safety of the Boston QZ, or whatever safety that place could truly offer. I was better off than most, but that was thanks to my husbands, Benny, Will, and Joel, who all happened to be brothers. It’s a long story. 

Ellie came to us via Tess, who asked Joel to get her smuggled out of the QZ because she could be the cure to all of this, the clickers, the runners. Everything. I wasn’t sure what to expect from Ellie, as I hadn’t really been around teenage girls even when I was a teenager. But to my delighted surprise, she’s funny, smart as a whip, and strong. Or stubborn. Either way, we’ve clicked. I love my men, but it’s nice to have a girl to talk to, even if she is 15 years younger than me. Like a little sister.

We stop on the side of the road, hidden by some trees. Benny pulls out a pair of binoculars and stares down the road, his long fingers adjusting the clarity. 

“There’s a gas station down there. Looks deserted but intact. Might be a good place to camp for the night.”

Joel nods in agreement. “Sounds good. Silence from now until we clear it and the area. Got it?” He pointedly looks at Ellie, who raises her eyebrows and points to herself.

“Why are you looking at me, Joel?”

“Because last time I almost lost an arm to that pack of dogs because you kept askin’ questions.”

She’s quiet for a moment. “Ok, that’s fair. I’ll be quiet.”

I give her a wink and she smirks at me, miming locking her lips and putting the key in her pocket. We all assume positions and move down the road, keeping to the safety of the trees as well as we could in the overgrowth. When we’re closer, Will signals to us and we break - the boys all moving to encircle the gas station while Ellie and I sink further into the trees, crouching behind a fallen log that also gave us a clear line of sight to the station. We watch and wait, my head on a swivel to check our surroundings while Ellie keeps an eye on their movement. Several minutes later, Will walks from the gas station and waves, a signal that it’s clear. Ellie lets out a breath as she stands to follow me. I walk up to Will and cup his cheeks, pulling him to me to kiss him. His hands travel down my sides and end up on my ass, squeezing it before Ellie clears her throat. But it’s not until Joel yells at Will that there’s a child present that he drops his hands from my ass, smirking at me with that twinkle in his eyes. 

“Better stop before we get in trouble,” he chuckles. 

We all head inside the station, wandering the mostly empty isles to see if anything remained. We managed to score a box of tampons, but that was pretty much it. We opted to go without a fire tonight, choosing instead to set up a makeshift camp in a back office. It was lucky we found a place with cover, as the sound of thunder in the distance rumbled through the broken glass windows. Joel reaches in his pack and pulls out some sticks, mixing them up and lining the tops so they’re all uniform, the cut ends hidden in his large hand. He holds out his fist and we each take one, Benny and I drawing the shortest ones, which means we have first watch. We leave Joel, Will, and Ellie in the room as we make our way out front, shoving the last bite of our jerky dinner in our mouths. Benny stops me just outside of the door, grabbing my wrist and pulling me to him, wrapping himself around me. 

“How’d I get so lucky to have watch with you?”

His nose brushes against mine and I smile. “We just always have the best luck with guard duty.” 

He presses his lips to me, holding me as tight to his body as he can. “Love you, Ghost.”

“Love you.” As he lets me go, he pinches my butt and I yelp, turning to get him back as he makes high pitched sounds. We stop after a moment, each of us chuckling as we get into our positions outside. 

It only takes an hour before he has me pressed up against the wall, hand over my mouth as he buries himself inside of me, biting my shoulder to stop himself from making sounds as he fills me.

It’s been a few days since the gas station. I walk up next to Ellie, who is lost in thought.

“Hey.” 

She blinks and looks at me, a friendly smile disappearing as quickly as it had appeared. “Hi.”

“You ok? You’ve been awfully quiet for a few days.”

“You miss my jokes or something?”

I chuckle. “Actually, yeah. Bring on the dad jokes. I know Joel loves them especially.”

Ellie manages a small laugh, but it fades, her expression changing to contemplation. “Can I ask you something?”

“Anything.”

Ellie glances behind us, Will several feet away. She looks ahead to Joel and Benny, several feet ahead. Comfortable with the distance, she looks at me before sliding her bag around from her back, opening a pocket to reveal a book that she must have picked up from the gas station.

A romance novel.

“Is it any good?” I ask, keeping my voice low to match her seriousness.

She shrugs and nods, quickly closing her bag back up and slinging it on her back. “Not bad.”

Silence passes between us for several feet. “My life definitely didn’t turn out like one of those books. Well, maybe it did.” I chuckle and I can feel Ellie relaxing a little. 

“I think you lucked out with having all 3 of them. I can tell they really love you.”

I smile, warmth spreading through me. “Yeah. Yeah, they do. We’ve each had to deal with our shit, but we found each other in the end….you’ll have that someday. If it’s what you want.”

Ellie is quiet again for several feet. “I think I might have missed mine.”

“What makes you think that?”

Ellie swallows hard. “I had a…friend. Back in the qz? Anyway, she snuck out one day and a few weeks later, came back for me. We snuck out, played in this mall. It was a lot of fun. But then….” her eyes tear up and I grab her hand, squeezing it slightly. 

“Did you love her?”

Ellie wipes the tears from her face with her sleeve. “I think so. It felt like it but I don’t know. Was your first time them?” She nods towards Joel and Benny. 

I scoff. “Not even close.”

Her eyes light up. “Tell me!”

“I don’t know if I’m the best person-”

“Literally, who else is there?” Ellie whisper yells at me, her entire posture begging me to tell her. 

I sigh, giving in. She is like a little sister to me and she’s right. There really may not be anyone else out there. I know the boys won’t share. Well, Benny might. But I don’t want to scare her. 

“When outbreak day happened, I was little. 8. My family, we all escaped to a cabin in the woods and were there for years. Then it became…not safe. My sister, and brother, and I managed to escape, eventually meeting up with a group of Fireflies. I was about 16 by then, and a pretty good shot, so they took me in right away. A few weeks goes by and we meet up with another group, among them a handsome older man with curly brown hair and freckles dotting his cheeks.” I pause, remembering how beautiful he was.

“Sounds handsome,” Ellie says.

“He was really beautiful….anyway, we were paired up a lot with reconnaissance missions and such, as we were the best shots in the group. He taught me how to tighten my grouping, how to track, and a bunch of stuff. I fell for him almost instantly, and I swore he felt similar. One day, we were coming back from a scavenging run and I mustered up the courage to give him a hug. And I felt it. The sparks. He looked down at me and I up at him, our lips almost touching. But then he pulled back, said it was wrong because he was 16 years older than me. I didn’t care of course, but he stood by that. For a while anyway.”

Ellie’s eyes twinkle. “Wear him down, did you?”

I laugh, elbowing her in the arm. “Not…entirely intentionally. There was…a lot more flirting, and I felt myself getting more and more drawn to him. This world is a cruel place and so many beautiful things can be lost to horror. So one night on watch, I gathered up my courage again and kissed him, fully expecting him to pull back. He did, but he didn’t let me go.” I pause for a moment, remembering how I felt when he looked at me, how much he was holding back out of respect for me. 

“Then what happened?”

I take a breath. “And then…I asked him if he would..well, be my first time...being with someone...intimately.”

A smile stretched across Ellie’s face. “I fucking knew it! What did he say?”

“He said no,” I chuckle. “He asked me why I would want to have an old man on top of me. Which I think he said to chase me away but that did the exact opposite.”

“Yeah I figured your taste in men was “old”.”

I elbow her in the arm again as she rubs at it. “I definitely have a type…anyway, I explained to him that this world was hard and cruel, and I wanted to try and get the most happiness and goodness in when I could. I knew what could happen to women in this world. I didn’t want someone who didn’t care about me to take it from me.”

“So…he agreed?”

I nod. “Yeah. He thought for a bit and told me to meet him in our little practice cabin on the edge of our camp that night. When I showed up, he had made up a whole little scene. He tried to make a comfortable bed, lit a few candles, had sheets hanging over the doorway for privacy. He…he took his time with me, making sure I was not in pain, that I uh..enjoyed myself. We ended up falling asleep there, in our little cabin.”

“You’re not going to give me any juicy details?”

“Absolutely not.”

Ellie pouts. “Fine…what happened after that? You obviously didn’t live happily ever after.”

The smile fades from my face. “I woke up the next morning cold. When I sat up I realized I was alone and had been for a bit. I got dressed and went back into camp looking for him, but he wasn’t anywhere. I found our leader and she said he’d gone out with the early group…the one that was separating from us to join a different area of the fighting. And that they wouldn’t be coming back.”

Ellie stops and I nearly trip on her, we’d been walking so close. “He slept with you and then left you??”

“What?” Joel asks, turning his head to look at us.

“Nothing. Just girl stuff.”

Joel doesn’t look convinced but nods and turns back around. 

Ellie and I resume walking. “Yeah, basically. So I said to myself if he’s still alive and I see him again, I’m just walking right up to him and punching him in the face.” 

“I think that’s your only logical choice. If I’m still with you, can I punch him too?”

“Definitely.”

“Bill’s should be about half mile up the path,” Joel says as he folds up the map and puts it in his back pocket.

“I thought his place would have been closer?” I ask.

Joel nods. “Normally, yeah. Maybe a day or 2 walk? But we had that storm and then those dogs-” he glares at Ellie who holds her hands up in a placating manner. “- so it’s taken a little longer. I just hope he’s ok.”

We finally arrive at the gates around Bill’s place. Joel heads to a panel on the side of the gate and types in a series of codes. It takes him a minute, and a little swearing, before the gates creek open and we slip inside, closing the gate behind us. 

It’s quiet. Too quiet. I know Joel had told me it was just Bill and Frank here, but it feels like no one is here. We follow Joel up to a beautiful home, Bill’s, I’m assuming. We stop at the edge of the sidewalk, Joel nudging me and nodding towards the flower beds, which were all drooping. He locks eyes with Will and Benny who both nod, drawing their guns. We follow Joel up to the door and he hesitates a moment before squeezing the handle, which clicks open easily. Our feet echo on the wooden floor as we step inside, the men quickly following into a formation and fanning out. Ellie and I head into a dining room, Joel telling us to yell if we see or hear anything. 

Ellie looks around the room, an intense gaze on everything she sees. She fiddles with the piano for a moment, a sound I’d long forgotten about. Memories of my mother playing when I was a child flash in front of me and I get lost in them for a moment, in the days before the outbreak. When I come to, Ellie is sitting in a chair reading a letter, a car key sitting on the table along with the torn open envelope. Before I can ask, Joel comes up behind me, pressing his hand to my arm for a brief moment. He looks at Ellie, who slowly looks up at him, holding up the letter.

“It’s from Bill.” She pulls the envelope from the table and reads. “‘To whomever, but probably Joel….I figured I was part of the whomever.” She slides the key across the table. “Came with this.”

Joel doesn’t move for a moment. “So they’re dead?”

Ellie nods. “Yeah.”

Joel turns away for a moment before turning back. “Read it for me.”

Ellie looks down at the letter. “August 29, 2023. If you find this, please do not come into the bedroom. We left a window open so that the house wouldn’t smell, but it will probably be a sight. I’m guessing you found this, Joel, because anyone else would have been electrocuted or blown up by one of my traps heh heh heh. Take anything you need. The bunker code is the same as the gate code but in reverse, do not make a mistake or you will get blown to shit. I am not joking. Don’t fuck that up heh heh heh.

Anyway, I never liked you, but still, it’s like we’re friends. Almost. And I respect you. So I’m gonna tell you something because you’re probably the only person who’ll understand. I used to hate the world, and I was happy when everyone died. But I was wrong because one person was worth saving. And that’s what I did. I saved him, and then I protected him. That’s why men like you and me are here. We have a job to do, and God help any motherfuckers who stand in our way. I leave you all of my weapons and equipment. Use them to keep your people safe, until such time as you all decide you’ve had enough. At that point, I recommend pairing 40 vicodins with a nice Brunello…Bill.”

Joel takes the letter from Ellie, staring at it for a long moment. “Stay here.” Joel storms out of the room and out the front door, leaving a loud silence in his wake. Will starts to turn, but I put my hand out. “Let me.”

I follow Joel outside, who is slowly crumbling the letter in his hand. I gently place my hand on his back, feeling him tense for a moment before he realizes it’s me, his shoulders slumping down. He doesn’t turn towards me, so I slide my arms around his waist, my cheek resting on his back. I feel his large hand wrap around my entwined ones, giving me a small squeeze. 

“Come on,” he says. “Let’s go have a look at this truck.”

About 20 minutes later, we head back inside the main house, Joel informing everyone that we’re leaving in a truck. 

“Once the battery is done charging, we can head out.”

“Is that the best idea?” I ask, everyone turning to look at me.

Joel nods. “We’ll have the truck. We can make good time out west.”

“Yeah, sure. But…”

“What’re you thinking, darlin’?” Will asks, touching the back of my arm to give me confidence. I give him a small smile.

“It’s just…well, we have been walking for a while. Stuck in a storm and other..stuff. We could probably use a good night’s rest. There’s other rooms here or there are other houses. I say we gather up what we need, but stay here a night. Have a shower and a rest. Head out in the morning?”

Joel shakes his head. “No. We should leave now. The truck will save us time.”

Will chimes in. “Yeah. But Joel, she’s right. We’re all tired. We could use the break. Have clear heads when we go out.”

Joel’s jaw clenches. He looks at his other brother. “Benny? You’re quiet.”

“You know me. I’ll do whatever.” He looks at me and Will, glancing at Ellie. “But I do think we need the rest. All of us.” He looks pointedly at Joel. 

One quick nod. “Fine. We’ll take turns showering, but we need to gather what we can.”

We spend the next couple of hours combing Bill and Frank’s place, gathering weapons, supplies, and rations. We rotate taking showers as we look, donning new clothes that don’t smell like shit from whatever Bill and Frank had stored. Joel heads upstairs to the bathroom and I hear the water turn on. Will, Benny, and Ellie are sitting around the kitchen, joking and eating. I excuse myself and head upstairs.

Quietly, I slide into the bathroom, slipping my clothes off in the steamy room. I gently knock on the tile by the shower, the curtain pulling back just enough for Joel’s wet head to pop around it. He sees me, his eyes never leaving mine, and I see them a little red rimmed, like he had been crying. 

“Thought you might want some company?” I ask, fully prepared for him to turn me down. But he doesn’t. He simply pulls the curtain back, offering me a hand as I step inside the warm water with him. 

I push him towards the water, taking the shampoo and squirting some in my hand, lathering it up before I reach up, Joel bending slightly so I can wash his hair. My nails gently scrape against his scalp, massaging him as I wash, a quiet moan escaping him as I do so. He rinses his hair, water and bubbles cascading down his body while I lather the remaining soap. Slowly, I start washing his body, working my way across his tense muscles, working on some areas I know he’s tight in, working out some knots. I make it to his hips and pause, kneeling on the ground in front of him, his eyes growing dark as he looks down at me. 

I quietly wash each of his legs, waiting for him to confirm if he wants me to touch him. I glance back up at him and he nods slightly, taking in a sharp breath as I wrap my soapy hand around him, gently stroking him up and down, spreading soap everywhere. He lets the water run down him, rinsing the soap from his body. I move to take him in my mouth, but he grips my chin, turning my head up to his, guiding me to my feet. He presses his lips to mine, kissing me with a soft heat, his tongue sliding over mine as he puts an arm out, pushing me against the wall. He taps my leg and I hitch it up high, his erection pinned between us. Suddenly he has my legs wrapped around him as he slides into me, both of us moaning with the sensation. He sets an increasingly rough pace, pouring out all of his emotions in the piston of his hips. I clutch his back, my nails scraping against his broad shoulders as he makes me see stars, his name a gasp on my lips as I tighten around him, feeling him spill inside me as well. 

He pulls out of me, gently setting me back down on my feet. He presses his forehead to mine, both of us just breathing, his fingers tracing lines up and down my arms. Then he turns me to the water, taking his time to wash me in turn, his thumb rubbing across my nipples, pressing against my clit as he pushes me against the wall again, kneeling between my legs with one tossed over his shoulder, my fingers gripping his wet hair as I moan his name again. 

Once we’re both cleaned and relaxed, we dress in some clean clothes that we’d found earlier. I watch him as he combs his wet hair back, making sure no strand is out of place as he looks in the mirror. When he turns, my breath catches in my throat. The greys in his salt and pepper hair are vibrant again, and I can’t help myself as I step up to him, gently running my fingers through it.

“Did I miss a spot?” He asks, eyebrows raised. 

“No. I just had to run my fingers through it. You’re truly gorgeous, Joel.”

“Nah. You’re the gorgeous one, angel.” He gives me a gentle kiss as he pulls me in for a hug, resting his cheek against the top of my head. “Thank you.”

“Anything for you.”

“Anythin’ huh?” I pull back and playfully smack his chest as he chuckles. The laughter dies down, the tone more serious. “Will you sleep with me tonight?”

I smile. “Absolutely.”

The next morning we all load up into the truck, Ellie, Benny, and I taking the back seat, Will and Joel up front, the latter driving. Ellie is ecstatic, touching and moving everything in the truck, giddy at her first time in one. She takes out a cassette tape from somewhere in the back, holding it up for Joel, who takes it, smiling. He puts it in the stereo, Linda Ronstadt belting out over the speakers. We pause at the gate, Joel pulling a remote control from the middle console. As we wait for the gate to open, Linda continues singing. 

And I think I’m gonna love you, for a long, long time.

I sit up, leaning to squeeze my head around the seat to kiss Joel’s cheek, doing the same for Will. When I settle back into my spot in the middle, I cuddle up to Benny, kissing him fully as he cups my face. 

“Hey, there’s a kid back there,” Will chuckles from the front. 

“Why are we the only ones gettin’ in trouble?” Benny whines playfully. 

We make only a couple stops to sleep, the rest are intermittent, depending on when the truck needs more gas, which is more frequent than normal because of how old the gas is. 

Ellie, Benny, and I do our best to annoy the shit out of Joel. Ellie found one of Bill’s old uh, magazines, and was quizzing Joel about it. Benny and I couldn’t breathe we were laughing so hard, tears streaming down our faces, Will’s too. We manage to score some more music from one of the cars while Will fills the tank, giving us more to listen to on our way across the country.

I feel the car slow down and I blink awake, having been napping against Benny’s chest. He’s already awake and alert, his eyebrows furrowing as he looks out the front window. 

“What do you think?” Will asks Joel, Benny shaking his head.

“I don’t like it,” Benny says quietly.

I sit up, looking out at the cars all stacked against the opening of the underpass we need to cross through to quickly get around the city. Will looks back down at the map and holds it up. “Ellie, what do you see?” We had all been trying to teach her things. Will had been showing her how to properly read a map. 

“I don’t know. I can’t figure out where we are.”

Will points at a spot on the map. “We’re here, just outside Kansas City.”

Joel gets out of the truck and walks up to the cars, looking behind them. He returns just as quickly as he left.

“How long will it take us to go around this?” Joel asks as he gets back in and closes the door.

Will traces a line with his finger. “A while. If the roads are even clear. We’ll have to back track.” 

Joel taps the steering wheel with his fingers. “Screw it.” He puts the truck in reverse and turns around, going around the tunnel and taking the next ramp, saying we’ll be back on the road in a minute tops.  

Instead, we get lost in the city trying to find the highway. Will is looking between the map and the street signs, trying to find out where we are. “I think we’re heading north?” He says, more to himself than us. 

“Stop!” Ellie yells and Joel slams on the breaks. She’s looking out the side window. “Is that the qz?”

We all turn and look. There’s a long cement wall with the name CHECKPOINT NORTH 7 across the top. The doors are wide open, with no one in sight. 

“Where the fuck is FEDRA?” Ellie asks. 

Suddenly, a man appears in front of our car, leaning over, his hand clutched to his side as he begs for help. 

“Seatbelts!” Joel quietly barks out. We all quickly scramble to latch them. 

“Aren’t we gonna help him?” Ellie asks as she clicks her belt into place. 

“No.” Joel presses the gas and the truck takes off, the man swearing and jumping out of the way. We head down an ally and Ellie screams “Joel!” A cinderblock falls onto our windshield, a giant crack splaying out across the fractured glass. It doesn’t phase Joel, who quickly regains control of the truck. But then we hear a loud POP! The truck lurches from side to side as bullets slam into the already cracked windshield. 

“Fuck!” Joel yells as he tries to keep the truck under some form of control. A man with a gun jumps out in front of us, but he swerves to the right, slamming into the glass front of a small shop, and then everything goes black. 

>>Chapter 13>>

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[andyholls]

So this is Abby “built like an Ox” Anderson?…

I understand that the show is an adaptation, and I don’t understand the hate for Bella Ramsey, as someone who’s played both games a hundred times, I thought Bella did a good job portraying Ellie in season 1, the tough Ellie who’s also still just a kid, was great.

Yes, Abby’s physique is not realistic in real life, but it’s almost like there wasn’t even a try. I have no doubt in my mind that Kaitlyn Dever is a great actress but where’s Abby?

Abby in the game was a tank, she looked like the type to survive the apocalypse, but you expect me to believe that this Abby is Isaac’s top scar killer, and survives all Abby went through? Same with Bella Ramsey in this season, this is the girl who’s gonna kill half of Seattle, an unborn child, hunt Abby down with nothing but a map and again survive everything Ellie went through.

I understand it’s an adaptation and it’s not the game. Yes Maria also is blonde and pale in the game but that didn’t make a difference to her character. The details that are missing are some of the big reasons people love Ellie and Abby so much.

I’m still going to watch the season don’t get me wrong, but I’m sorry that is not TLOU 2 Ellie and Abby.

(Rant over)

[tv-opinion]

breaking my silence: i hate the way tlou game fans act so condescending towards people who enjoy the show. “this sucks, the acting and scenes in the game are so much better” okay do you want an award for having played the game? i’ve played both games and love the show. the game being incredible doesn’t mean the show can’t also be good! (tlou is objectively a good show lol) and i just know that if they had recreated the entire game 1:1, the same people who complain about changes would still whine that they weren’t original enough. the show doesn’t copy the game on purpose, and bella is not meant to be copying ashley. not to mention the obsession with tearing down bella and trying to spread propaganda that they can’t act. absolutely bonkers to me that so few people appreciate bella’s talent, even here on tumblr there’s so few gifsets of just ellie. like i can’t even tell which ep bella is going to submit for the emmys bc there are too many options lol. (i hope they choose either 3 or 7 maybe 6). anyways sorry for the rant you can ignore me but i enjoy reading your perspectives :)

the condescending shit i see on social media on the daily from game fans has me muting them honestly. and i dont want to be mean because i know the game means a lot to so many people but i have zero interest in video games. obviously from the title of my blog i am a huge TV fan and i fell in love with TLOU when i watched season 1. as someone who watches a boat load of television it’s so frustrating to see people a) blatantly misinterpret craig’s writing and character choices that differ from the game and then turn around and say it’s too heavy handed and b) not understand how the television medium greatly differs from the video games medium and that narrative changes are unavoidable. TV audiences want different things.

i’m glad people have been enjoying my daily ramblings about TLOU HBO lmao. and i will also always be on the frontlines defending bella because i’ve said it before you have to be truly delusional to not see how phenomenal their performance has been from the jump.

[psycheofaphaggot]

okay, rant incoming

“oh its an adaptation its not gonna be exactly like the game”

yeah no SHIT its not gonna be exactly like the game. but there’s a difference between making some small changes so that it fits better into a tv show format, or changing certain actors features of which have nothing important to do with the character (such as casting a black actor for sarah).

there’s a difference between that and LEGIT MAKING CHANGES THAT MAKE NO FUCKING SENSE AND COMPLETELY DISREGARD THE CHARACTER IT WAS BASED ON.

Let’s get a few things straight rn.

1. Abby’s muscles ARE important. Her stature is a key point to her character, and the way her appearance changes overtime has direct correlation to her mental state. HER ENTIRE REASON FOR COMING INTO THE PICTURE, HAD TO DO WITH HER MUSCLES. IT IS NOT AN ATTRACTIVENESS THING.

and that does not mean I advocate towards hate for the actress. in fact, i think she would’ve made a wonderful kid abby. but there were plenty of methods they could have used to keep from ERASING her character.

2. They have also completely erased dina’s character. I don’t care if you consider it too woke, I don’t care if you think its stupid. Dina is a CONFIDENT, BISEXUAL, STRONG woman. She is not just “Ellie’s girlfriend” in the game, she has much more character than that. First they take away her entire culture, and then they literally make an entirely new character by making her obsessed with jesse, and never showing any interest in ellie at all. She is dedicated to ellie both as a friend and love interest, that is why she goes with her. They all have a connection with Joel, but she has an even BIGGER one with Ellie. She is trying to keep Ellie afloat because if she went off the rails while in such a horrible mental state she was going to DIE. They have literally watered down Dina’s character so much she barely passes the Bechtel Test

i loved season one. i think the liberties they took and more importantly the things they KEPT made it an amazing adaptation of TLOU. but part II is too amazing of a game to take away all of wonderful writing, characters, and themes this way.

abby despises joel. she would NEVER compliment him or call him handsome. dina would NEVER play with ellie’s feelings. there is NO NEED for drama between jesse and ellie who are GOOD friends.

AND WHY WOULD THEY ERASE TOMMY’s ENTIRE CONFLICT BY MAKING ELLIE AND DINA LEAVE FIRST. i can’t.

you people piss me off so fucking bad.

[perotovar]

i binge-watched s2 of tlou yesterday in the hopes of coming away with a more positive outcome...

i've been a fan of these games for years, going on 10 now. i've played each of them like 5/6 times, they're some of my favorites. i've been an active participant in this fandom for many years, read reddit thread after reddit thread and analysis after analysis. this is how i joined this fandom. i was watching the game awards with a friend in 2022 before s1 premiered and bella and pedro went out on stage with ashley and troy and i was like "oh, they all seem excited, this is a good sign".

what i'm saying is, i was going to watch this show if it was good or bad because i've been in love with the source material for so long.

i know, another game fan complaining about s2. but i like to think i'm a little different than a lot of game fans (for a number of reasons....... those people SUCK) because i actually welcomed and really enjoy bella and pedro's performances. in fact, i prefer pedro's joel over troy's, which is like blasphemy to those people. this is also why i'm even a part of the pedro fandom at all.

however, i think something changed from how fucking good s1 was to what we got in s2. in the hopes of not making this post terribly long, i'll try to narrow down why i thought s2 was just "fine".

1. craig mazin fundamentally misunderstands ellie as a character.

ellie's entire arc in pt 2 is about her grief over losing joel. she's lost everyone she ever loved and this is like, the final nail in the coffin, so to speak.

there's a huge shift in ellie's personality from game 1 to 2. her voice is monotone and devoid of a lot of the childlike silliness and wonder. even before joel dies this is the case because she feels betrayed by him for lying to her.

the problem i have with season 2 is that ellie still feels like she's 14 because that's how craig mazin sees her. he sees ellie as a child and even refers to her relationship with dina as "parent/child" which is fucking WEIRD. he sees her as someone that's incapable of intelligent thought.

ellie is reckless, that's true. but i never once questioned ellie's abilities in this world that she's been raised in. she spends a lot of pt2 alone because of dina's pregnancy and she handles herself exceptionally well. season 2 ellie makes me feel like she needs someone holding her hand the whole time and that's disappointing as fuck.

2. the studio had too much influence and it fucked up the tone.

this part of the story is supposed to feel different to the first game. "why do you want the depressing tone to stay?" because i thought that writing was great? because i think the show-only fans are getting an inferior experience than the one that i got.

changing an interactive experience to a passive one is hard, and i know that was always going to feel different, but they managed it in season 1! they did that so fucking well. it's some of the best tv in recent memory imo.

i don't even want a 1:1 recreation of the game, because i want to explore this world as much as i can. i can just turn the games on if i wanted that, but i'm only going to get bill and frank's story if i turn on that episode.

cutting this season down to 7 episodes takes away a lot of the meat of the story for pt2. the studio obviously didn't want to spend the money on the resources it needed to make a lot of what makes this story compelling actually work. but they had no problem wasting a fuckton of money on giant sets that didn't even get used/seen, because idk.... why not? idk, i'm annoyed.

they hit the main story beats and went "that's enough, right?" also despite wanting them to explore more, it's a problem when the best parts of the season are the 1:1 recreations.

final thoughts:

pedro, bella, and the rest of the cast do an amazing job in s2. despite the questionable writing/dialogue, there are some standout moments.

but overall i don't feel nearly as excited as i did with s1. i don't like being led by the hand in order for someone to tell me a story.

it's fine and that's... not good, imo.

i'm gonna go replay pt2 as a cleanse.

[ashleyfilm]

Seeing Clearly

Hi Everyone, this is my first fan fiction. I love Joel Miller and Pedro and I just wanted to write something about him/them. I was inspired by the many many many fantastic fics I've read and all their writers. You all are amazing. I don't know what I'm doing so, if I do something wrong, please let me know and I'll adjust. Please leave comments, I'd love to know your thoughts. And if you feel inclined to reblog, that would be so nice.

Chapter Warnings: violence, cursing, gore, blood. (There Will Be Smut, eventually) Minors - DNI

Characters: Jackson!Joel Miller x F!Reader Plus Size. I will give her some physical descriptions because she is me for this one but I've taken to writing her and You (Reader) so hopefully you can still imagine yourself. Black hair, glasses, tattoos, big body, wears dark clothes, won't stop talking, a little annoying. Joel is tv show Jackson Joel.

Story Summary: Joel just saved your life, begrudgingly. He doesn't know exactly why but he brings you back to Jackson and you ingratiate yourself into his very small circle and his life. This takes place after season 1 of TLOU and season 2 doesn't exist in my brain because no.

Chapter Summary: Joel saves your life and takes you back to Jackson.

Chapter 1: Him.

It all happens so fast. You step on that fallen fucking branch and it snaps. It feels so loud in the eerie quiet of the forest, like an explosion. Your heart almost burst in your chest, and the clicker you were hiding from, praying would pass you by, turns on the stumps left of its heels and comes towards you. Its limbs flailing, but at a speed that seems impossible. Next, you’re on the ground, pushing the things’ rotting neck and shoulders as hard as you can to keep its snapping jaws from your face, when suddenly, with the sound of a shot, the head splinters, and bloody debris falls onto the skin of your face as the clicker’s strength weakens and its weight falls against you.

Your brain can’t catch up with what is happening as the corpse is lifted off you and the sound of a man’s voice starts to come through as if you’re hearing it under water. “ANSWER ME!” You finally make out the words, “WERE YOU BIT?” You find your voice, shaky but still strong, matching the man’s intensity, “I DON’T KNOW.” You hear him sigh, almost as if he’s irritated rather than fearful. You still can’t see him clearly, the viscera of brain matter from the clicker being shot above you still blurring your vision, along with the loss of your black framed glasses that helped you see, even if the prescription wasn’t exactly right. Damnit, where are they now? You wipe your face as best you can and move your mass of black hair streaked with gray out of the way as the man, who you can now see is large, broad shouldered, only being able to make out his shape without your glasses. He grabs at your collar and moves your head from side to side to check your face and neck, and then pulls you up to a standing position. You’re weak on your legs after the, let’s face it, near fucking death experience you just had, and reach out to the man, grabbing his hand for balance, after you seem steady and not a second before, he pulls his hand back and squeezes his fist like you burned him. Okay, man, just trying not to fall over again.

“Roll up your sleeves and show me your hands and arms, both sides. NOW!” You do just that. His brow furrows at the site of the tattoos covering your arms, like he’s wondering how you got them all, and trying to figure out if it was before the world ended, or after. How old you would have been, and if you could have gotten them all before. You can see the gears turning, then it seems he finally deems you unbitten and therefore not an immediate threat, but certainly not safe. “What are you doing out here alone, where are your people?” He says while looking around him, checking his six or whatever the fuck, you wonder if he was in the military or something, he seems like a soldier but also like maybe the Jason Borne kind. You never got to see the sequel they announced before it all happened, sequels usually sucked anyway. God, you miss movies.

“What is wrong with you, kid, you got brain damage? Answer my questions,” the man says, still more irritated with you than anything else. Kid? You’re fucking 40. Whatever. “Um, no brain damage that I know of, but I have a theory that I had an undiagnosed concussion as a teenager, um, but I’m out here trying to not get eaten by clickers, or raiders, or murdered, or worse and trying not to starve. Also, no people. I have no people.” You ramble quickly and the man sighs, AGAIN. You look down and see a rough black outline in the grass below and- “Oh, thank fuck.”

You reach down, clean them off on the part of your black long sleeved shirt that doesn’t have blood or clicker gunk on it and put them on with a long sigh of relief, “Do you know how hard it was to find glasses that actually helped me see and hold onto them and not break them in this shit show of an existence…” another sigh of relief as you open your eyes to finally look at the man who saved your life and already seems like he wants to take it back from you and Holy shit. He’s hot, there’s no other way to put it. He’s the hottest person you’ve ever seen on planet earth, and you’ve just ran your goddamn smart mouth like a fucking moron this entire time. Without the decency to be quiet and nervous in front of, again, THE HOTTEST PERSON YOU HAVE EVER SEEN. You choke on your own thoughts and wide-eyed look into his eyes, they’re chocolate brown and filled with life and emotion, he’s gruff and scary but his eyes…god, they betray him. His hair is just below his ears, curled and brown with slices of gray throughout. His face is worn, scarred, like he’s been through shit, you know because you have too. His nose is like a roman god’s, aquiline and fucking beautiful. He’s got a patchy beard the same two colors as his curly hair and his lips are full and pouty with a mustache and you wonder how it would scratch if he put his mouth on your neck. Wait, what the fuck. I mean he’s hot but instantly thinking of him kissing your neck… relax bitch.

He clears his throat, looking at you like you have two heads and sighs. He really likes to sigh. Then he finally speaks in a stern but soft voice, “Okay, look, don’t know why, but I believe you when you say you’re alone, your eyes look like you haven’t eaten in a few days, that true?” You nod and he seems relieved that you don’t start speaking again, so you stick with it and stay silent. His southern drawl continues, “I come from a community. If you want, I’ll take ya there. Food, shelter, medical. You gotta contribute and you gotta behave. Might want to watch that smart mouth of yours until people start trustin’ you, or maybe forever.” You look at him, tears threatening to fall, turning away to shield him or yourself, you’re not sure. Food. Shelter. Medical. My god how is this possible. He takes this time to look away from you and retrieve jerky from his pack which he holds out for you, and you take it. “Thank you...” you say in the quietest voice you think you’ve ever used realizing you don’t know his name. “Joel, name’s Joel Miller.” He nods and points his head in the direction he wants you to walk. Looking at your hair he says, “C’mon Ash,” and he follows just behind you. What you don’t see is the uptick of his lip on one side that reveals a dimple you’ve yet to witness on his beautiful face and his eyes linger on you for far too long when he should be watching your surroundings. That’s what you don’t see.

[bluestar22x]

What If? Masterlist

Pairing: Joel Miller x F!Reader (Around Joel's age; no physical details except age related ones)

Other Major Characters: Tommy Miller, Maria, Ellie Williams

Series Summary: What if you entering Joel's life could (maybe) change his fate? (Fix-It AU for Season 2 and beyond)

Rating: 18+ Series

Warnings: Spoilers for TLOU show (some elements of the second game yet to be seen in show are used), fluff, smut, angst, grief, tragedy, fowl language, show level violence, happy ending or unhappy ending (it all depends on your choices and what you consider "happy").

Author’s Note: This is going to be a huge undertaking but I'm excited to make an attempt at a decent choice-your-adventure story for the show. I've never done this before. Hopefully it pulls together well. I can't guarantee a lot of choices, but there will be a few major and minor ones along the way.

xxx

Please don't reblog choice posts! Please reblog the masterlist and main chapters only so that we limit the exposure of the choices and they remain more secretive. :)

Feel free to comment on and like choice posts though.

xxx

Prologue: The Meeting

Choices: Leave Quietly Or Save Tommy

Chapter 1: Can't Help Falling In Love

Choices: Couch Or Bed

Chapter 2: The Lie

Choices: None

Chapter 3: Could I Have This Dance

Choices: TBA...

Chapter 4: New Year's Night

Choices: Reveal Your Secret Or Don't Reveal Your Secret

Chapter 5: Fateful Day

Choices: Follow The Hoofprints Or Forge Your Own Path

Chapter 6: After

Choices: Shoot Immediately Or Hesitate

Chapter 7: Broken

Choices: None (follows previously chosen routes)

Chapter 8: Soft Place To Fall

Choices: None (follows previously chosen routes)

Epilogue

Bonus Scene Or Not

xxx

Music List

xxx

Main Masterlist

xxx

[boobabietch]

Now that The last of us 2 is over I’m going to give my unsolicited opinion that no one asked for but I’m giving anyway. Season 1 was perfect, truly a fucking masterpiece, and that got me really excited for the second one. Wrong. I wouldn’t say this season is shit cause I enjoyed it, but I’m going to give it a 7/10. Last season the writers made changes to some things that made the show different from the game, but I liked all those changes, and I was prepared for season 2 having them too, unfortunately most of the changes didn’t hit this season, I really tried to separate game from tv show but they truly changed some of the most basic things that made The last of us 2 be The last of us 2.

But right now I wanna talk about the characters, especially the female ones, cause when TLOU 2 came out people were outraged, didn’t share that feeling, but it is so clear that the writers this season didn’t want to make men mad. Completely changing Abby’s physique that means so much for the character, making conventionally pretty Dina basically the main character (no hate to Dina or Isabela Merced I think she made an amazing job as her and I was happy to see that Dina was a more complete character in the tv show) but here comes my main point, they completely butchered Ellie’s character, Bella Ramsey is a hell of a performer, they truly are Ellie and season 1 was perfect, but it was so clear this season the writers really saw how many people had a problem with them playing Ellie and completely made her lose all the traits that made Ellie be Ellie, and I think that’s the thing I’m mourning the most, cause this was supposed to be Bella’s season and they didn’t give her the time or importance to her character EVEN THOUGH SHES THE MAIN CHARACTER, I’m so sorry Bella, your Ellie is perfect but the writing felt lazy and compliant, the writers didn’t capture game Ellie’s essence at all and truly wasted the potential of the person portraying her. Ellie in the game is sick with pain, with revenge, so full with rage that completely blinds her, she calls Dina a burden even though she loves her CAUSE SHES LOSING HER MIND, and you could barely see it in the show, Dina seemed more pissed. It was until the last episode when I saw a little bit more of that, Ellie leaving Jesse to go to the aquarium completely disregarding the fact that they need to find Tommy cause Dina is pregnant and injured so they have to go back, I think that was the only moment I could see that selfish Ellie of the game

Another one of my problems is the timing of this season, in Ellie’s part of the game a million things happen, but when episode 7 came out I felt like nothing had happened yet, like everything happened but at the same time Ellie and Dina’s storyline was stuck on the beginning and then they tried to cram everything on the last episode.

But anyways, I give this season a 7/10, and I think I’m being generous, I really tried to take the game and the show as different pieces of media but the writing just felt half assed, lazy and compliant. I don’t think all of it was bad, I liked a lot the flashbacks episode, I liked how Joel was a little bit more complex in the show. But truly season 1 and season 2 feel like such different shows, how could they completely nail the first one and butcher the second one? I hope the third season is better, Abby’s storyline is also very rich and they could exploit the hell out of that. I’m so sad this season was not that good, cause it had potential, the story, the writing, the actors and actresses had potential and I feel like they completely wasted it. But anyway what did y’all think about this season?

[disgruntled-welshgirl]

It's a day late but not a dollar short, that's right it's the:

TOP 100 RONANCE FICS

and to say there's been some shake ups would be an understatement. More votes were cast in the last two weeks than in the first month of the poll's existence and so we have a lot of new entries. If you'd like to vote then head on over to the survey.

I just want give a quick reminder of the rules for entries as well:

1: Ronance must be the main ship, not a background one

2: The fic must be under the stranger things fandom tab

3: The fic must have at least 500 words

So, with the formalities out of the way, let's get to the list which is, as always, below the cut.

1:

This story we found ourselves in by EskaWrites

Votes: 9

Ranking: 4.4

Rating: Mature

Word count: 164,289

Chapters: 28

Complete?: Yes

A slow burn fic where Robin and Steve are celebrities who are fake dating while Robin and Nancy figure things out between them. Angst is in plentiful supply with depictions of homophobia (Internalised and external), and substance abuse.

2:

Make my Menace Into Someone You’d Adore by Moonflowery 

Votes: 7

Ranking: 4

Rating: Teen and up

Word count: 92,605

Chapters: 12

Complete?: Yes

A slow burn enemies to lovers AU where Nancy starts working at Scoops Ahoy alongside Robin and they cannot stand each other. Set during season 3 but without the russians, the biggest enemy is the girls’ chronic inability to talk about their feelings.

3:

My Piece of Land by Titface

Votes: 5

Ranking: 6

Rating: Mature

Word Count: 24,250

Chapters: 1

Complete?: Yes

Nancy Wheeler is a doomsday prepper, and then doomsday happens; after a few years alone she welcomes a strange woman falling into one of her traps. If you’ve seen the TLOU tv show, it’s Bill and Frank but with Ronance.

4:

When It’s Cold I’d Like To Die by Notesfromthechamber

Votes: 4

Ranking: 3

Rating: Explicit

Word count: 159,811

Chapters: 29

Complete?: No

An exploration of the trauma the upside down inflicts and how that brings Robin and Nancy closer than they thought possible. As you might expect, angst, hurt/comfort, and heavy themes of all kinds are prevalent in this character study fic.

5:

A Never Ending Story by Summersociety

Votes: 3

Ranking: 2

Rating: Mature

Word count: 48,815

Chapters: 13

Complete?: Yes

Robin and Nancy fall in love through the magical medium of DnD in this hurt/comfort fic. Steve and Eddie are also there to watch as the lines between the girls and their characters becomes ever more unclear.

6:

In Her Hips There’s Revolution by Monstrous_Femme 

Votes: 4

Ranking: 4.5

Rating: Explicit

Word count: 70,550

Chapters: 11

Complete?: Yes

The author describes this fic as “Jane Austen with more alleyway head” and features Nancy wheeler deep in the Riot grrl movement of 1995 Washington. Drug use, trauma, and sexual 

content abound.

7:

Feels Like I’ve Been Gettin’ Anointed (Ever Since The Day That I Met You) by Khalasaar 

Votes: 4

Ranking: 4.8

Rating: Mature

Word Count: 10,782

Chapters: 1

Complete?: Yes

Catholic school AU where Robin and Nancy are put to work together on a project, they’re both very normal about it. Some light angst but mostly a lot of tension between the girls.

8:

8 Feet Apart by Camaroo

Votes: 3

Ranking: 2.3

Rating: Mature

Word count: 59,869

Chapters: 10

Complete?: No

Nancy is a vampire, newly made in a Russian lab and confined to a house. Outside her window, just 8 feet away, is the home of Robin, physics nerd and radio enthusiast. This slow burn fic has a healthy dose of angst and mutual pining.

9:

All Strung Out by Polterjap 

Votes: 3

Ranking: 4.3

Rating: Unrated

Word count: 20,228

Chapters: 1

Complete?: Yes

The ever-prevalent spider-man AU, in which Nancy is a journalist who seeks to unmask Spider-woman, all while getting closer to college student Robin Buckley. 

10:

A Love That Came And Left With This Train by Melodicchaos 

Votes: 3

Ranking: 4.3

Rating: Mature

Word count: 78,311

Chapters: 15

Complete?: Yes

A ronance AU of the book One Last Stop by Casey McQuiston. Nancy is a college student who runs into Robin on the Boston metro; she soon discovers there’s far more to ‘The MBTA Angel’ than she could have ever imagined. Very fluffy with some tense moments.

11:

Like a Damaged Nerve Like a Dark Bird by Monstrous_Femme

Votes: 3

Ranking: 4.3

Rating: Teen and Up

Word count: 86,970

Chapters: 16

Complete?: Yes

A fix-it fic of sorts, where the problems of the upside down have rendered Hawkins a barren wasteland by 1993 when Nancy falls asleep on Barb’s grave only to wake up back in 1985. Will Nancy be able to stop the apocalypse with the help of Robin and Chrissy? This slow burn fic will tell all.

12:

The Devil’s After Both of Us by Eskawrites

Votes: 3

Ranking: 5

Rating: Mature

Word count: 35,421

Chapters: 5

Complete?: Yes

Set post season 4, Robin gets possessed by Vecna and it’s up to the party to save her. What better time could there be for Nancy to work through her internalised homophobia? 

13:

Accidentally In Love by Angelranger 

Votes: 3

Ranking: 5.3

Rating: Teen and Up

Word count: 33,484

Chapters: 11

Complete?: Yes

Nancy decides she wants to get to know Robin better and uses a set of questions designed to make people fall in love. What could go wrong? Mutual pining and some angst that’s what.

14:

Orange Crush by Titface

Votes: 3

Ranking: 5.6

Rating: Teen and Up

Word count: 7,152

Chapters: 1

Complete?: Yes

Nancy has trouble sleeping and has taken to calling or visiting Robin when insomnia strikes. This time, Robin has promised she’ll tell Nancy how she really feels during her midnight visit. Unfortunately they run into some people, one person in particular.

15:

Love Is a Battle I Can Win by Palmviolet

Votes: 2

Ranking: 2.5

Rating: Teen and Up

Word Count: 24,653

Chapters: 1

Complete?: Yes

It’s christmas 1994 and Nancy is visiting Steve for christmas alongside the whole party; at the same time she has to reckon with her feelings for Robin and her comphet. Internalised and externalised homophobia is depicted alongside drug and alcohol use as well as homophobic slurs throughout.

16:

Some That Fall Don’t Land In Bubbles by Moonflowery

Votes: 2

Ranking: 2.5

Rating: Teen and Up

Word count: 56,239

Chapters: 13

Complete?: Yes

One of the heaviest fics on this list, a hurt/comfort mermaid AU slow burn. Robin gets turned into a Mermaid after a traumatic event and Nancy, another mermaid, has to help her adjust to her new life underwater. This one touches on a lot of serious topics including suicide, substance abuse, and homophobia, read the tags and the authors note for a detailed breakdown.

17:

Our Hearts Know Deeper Seasons Than Our Memories by EskaWrites

Votes: 2

Ranking: 3.5

Rating: Mature

Word count: 167,512

Chapters: 35

Complete?: Yes

An alternative POV for This Story We Found Ourselves in, everything said there applies here.

18:

Entirely on Purpose and According To Plan by Titface

Votes: 2

Ranking: 4

Rating: Explicit

Word Count: 14,090

Chapters: 3

Complete?: Yes

A secret agent catches Nancy’s eye and it spirals into her and Robin spying. The spying is definitely not foreplay, what would make you think that?

19:

The Universe Isn’t Always Helpful (But It Can Be Kind) by LaceyBarbedWire

Votes: 2

Ranking: 4.5

Rating: Teen and Up

Word Count: 1,373

Chapters: 1

Complete?: Yes

A soulmark AU in which the first words your soulmate will say to you are written on your body. It just so happens that Nancy’s is in French.

20:

All I Want For Christmas (Is Queen Elizabeth’s Engagement Ring) by eyeseeun

Votes: 2

Ranking: 5.5

Rating: General Audiences

Word Count: 18,965

Chapters: 1

Complete?: Yes

The party discovers that their teachers, Nancy and Robin, are dating. This fact is then used for all manner of shenanigans.

21:

If This Feeling Flows Both Ways by Sapphirerays

Votes: 2

Ranking: 5.5

Rating: Explicit

Word Count: 9,117

Chapters: 1

Complete?: Yes

Nancy receives a… sensitive message from Robin that wasn’t intended for her. But if not for her, then who? The jealousy (and the want) sets Nancy on fire but it takes a talk with Eden for her to realise the truth.

22:

The Night Breeze Carries Something Sweet by Starryeyedjanai

Votes: 2.

Ranking: 5.5

Rating: Explicit

Word Count: 5,414

Chapters: 1

Complete?: Yes

Robin, seeking solace from a college party, goes and locks herself in a bedroom without noticing that Nancy is already in there. They get to talking, and then to what usually happens in a bedroom at a party.

23:

Monster of the Week by freezeveganpolice

Votes: 2

Ranking: 5.5

Rating: Teen and Up

Word count: 225,020

Chapters: 43

Complete?: Yes

Did you ever watch X-files and wish it was gayer? Well in this Ronance X-files AU, your wish comes true! As the word count implies, this is a slow burn.

24:

No Sweeter Drug (Than Just Giving You My Love) by IL46

Votes: 2

Ranking: 5.5

Rating: Teen and Up

Word count: 60,110

Chapters: 12

Complete?: Yes

Yet again we see comphet Nancy, this time pining for a relationship with Robin she broke off after a summer romance. Feature Nancy and Eddie being best friends and a healthy balance of fluff and angst.

25:

Pas De Quatre by Freezeveganpolice

Votes: 2

Ranking: 6.5

Rating: Unrated

Word Count: 55,015

Chapters: 8

Complete?: Yes

Post season four Nancy realises that she misses ballet and tries to reconnect with that part of her. In doing so she starts to connect with Robin. It’s angsty, it’s a slow burn, it’s got internalised homophobia.

26:

The Way You Make Me Feel by Gwenstrikesagain

Votes: 2

Ranking: 7

Rating: Mature

Word count: 93,110

Chapters: 47

Complete?: Yes

A ballet AU in which the party is accepted into a ballet academy and Nancy does not get along with her new roommate, Robin. Angsty, enemies to lovers, slow burn is the name of the game. Heavy themes of eating disorders, depression, and anxiety are featured.

27:

Good Grief by Fascardotmp3

Votes: 2

Ranking: 8

Rating: Mature

Word Count: 19,600

Chapters: 1

Complete?: Yes

Set in the distant year of 2015, this fic asks what would Nancy’s life be like as a funeral director who has to deal with the death of Jim Hopper. As the name implies, this is an exploration of grief and trauma after 30 something years of hardships. 

28:

I Buried a Hatchet (It’s Coming Up Lavender) by Poorlittlegreenie

Votes: 2

Ranking: 8

Rating: Mature

Word count: 59,249

Chapters: 9

Complete?: Yes

Vecna almost takes Robin out so Nancy has to nurse her back to health, a job made more complicated by having to deal with her comphet at the same time. This fic touches on the extremes of tooth-rotting fluff and graphic depictions of violence to bring a slow burn hurt/comfort fic.

29:

Nothing But The Whole Wide World by Titface

Votes: 2

Ranking: 8.5

Rating: Mature

Word Count: 10,920

Chapters: 1

Complete?: Yes

Nancy is bored and so decides to try and find Bigfoot, with the help of Robin Buckley of course. The premise of this, while somewhat comedic, leads to some angst and an exploration of her and Robin’s relationship. There is also eventually smut. 

30:

If You Rewrite Your Life, May I Still Play a Part? by Moonflowery

Votes: 1

Ranking: 1

Rating: General Audiences

Word Count: 34,454

Chapters: 40

Complete?: Yes

This is quite unique on the list as the only choose your own adventure fanfiction which, by it’s nature, is impossible to summarise; to attempt would be doing it a disservice. Check it out to find out for yourself what lies within.

31:

I’ll Be Home Soon by Megzeman

Votes: 1

Ranking: 1

Rating: Teen and Up

Word Count: 7,378

Chapters: 1

Complete?: Yes

Nancy and Robin find solace in each other after the defeat of Vecna in this start to a multi fic series. A slow burn romance, hurt/comfort, mutual pining; it all stems from a late night walkie talkie call.

32:

A Love Like This, All It Does Is Burn by Starryeyedjanai

Votes: 1

Ranking: 1

Rating: Explicit

Word Count: 2,506

Chapters: 1

Complete?: Yes

Robin and Nancy can’t stay away from each other, even when both are in relationships. This story is all about infidelity and so i think it goes without saying that angst and toxic relationships are to be expected.

33:

Please, Please, Please, Let Me Get What I Want by Marissalyn14

Votes: 1

Ranking: 1

Rating: Explicit

Word Count: 60,154

Chapters: 5

Complete?: Yes

This fic posits what the show might have been had Robin been introduced earlier and is set between seasons 1 and 2. Robin and Nancy start a fake relationship to get Steve and Jonathan to leave Nancy alone. It just so happens that Robin’s had a crush on Nancy for a long time.

34:

Shining Trinkets of Grief by fastcardotmp3

Votes: 1

Ranking: 1

Rating: Explicit

Word count: 15,505

Chapters: 1

Complete?: Yes

The party try and navigate the post apocalypse with varying levels of success. Can it get worse? Of course it can, when Nancy and Robin also have to navigate grief and love together.

35:

Crooked Love in a straight line down by Pineappleking

Votes: 1

Ranking: 2

Rating: Mature

Word count: 75,644

Chapters: 28

Complete?: Yes

Nancy Wheeler is a reporter assigned to cover the meteoric rise to fame of the band Hellfire, in doing so she meets and forms a relationship with the band’s lead singer, Robin Buckley. Sex, drugs, rock and roll; add in some hurt/comfort and you’ve got yourself this band AU.

36:

Dream a Little Dream Of Me by Culpabilities

Votes: 1

Ranking: 2

Rating: General Audiences

Word count: 2,956

Chapters: 1

Complete?: Yes

Short and sweet, Robin comes out to Nancy who takes four days to think through how she feels about it. 

37:

Double Take by Creaturefromspace

Votes: 1

Ranking: 2

Rating: Explicit

Word Count: 67,341

Chapters: 15

Complete?: Yes

Robin has gained a reputation for being a player and fantastic in bed, Nancy knows this and turns to her for a distraction after Jonathan breaks up with her.

38:

Starcrossed by Iappreciateenjolras

Votes: 1

Ranking: 2

Rating: Mature

Word count: 13,296

Chapters: 1

Complete?: Yes

An exploration into Nancy’s grief over Barb’s death and the resulting Trauma, a hurt/comfort fic with a lot of hurt and comfort in the form of Robin Buckley. Heavy themes of grief, trauma, and implied self-harm

39:

Unlikely, But Likely by Pocket_Sand

Votes: 1

Ranking: 2

Rating: General Audiences

Word Count: 136,769

Chapters: 51

Complete? Yes

A collection of one shots centred around ronance, each chapter comes with the appropriate content warnings for that story. Many genres, many tones, the same love.

40:

When You Say My Name by Marissalyn14

Votes: 1

Ranking: 2

Rating: Explicit

Word Count: 95,315

Chapters: 10

Complete?: No

Robin Buckley gets into Emerson college and finds out her roommate is Nancy Wheeler, who she cannot stand (The feeling is very mutual). But, given this is an enemies to lovers fic, this animosity is sure to clear eventually. Right?

41:

Can I Ask You a Question? by MxHaveaChat

Votes: 1

Ranking: 3

Rating: Explicit

Word Count: 15,114

Chapters: 1

Complete?: Yes

While helping her into the upside down, Nancy catches a glimpse of Robin’s shoes and takes note of the extra scribbles that have been added. The thought of what they might mean sets Nancy’s mind aflame, and all that heat has to go somewhere.

42:

Getting Off by Meghan Page

Votes: 1

Ranking: 3

Rating: Explicit

Word Count: 4,682

Chapters: 1

Complete?: Yes

Nancy and Robin get stuck in a rickety dorm elevator and talk about their feelings. I’m sure you know what comes after. (Elevator sex)

43:

Robin Buckley's Expert Field Guide to Catching Fireflies (and Other Childhood Favourites) by Smileweakandwrong

Votes:1

Ranking: 3

Rating: Teen and Up

Word Count: 18,437

Chapters: 5

Complete?: Yes

Picture the fluffiest thing you’ve ever read, double it. That’s what to expect in this fic where Robin works through an old book she wrote all about catching fireflies, turtles, and snakes oh my! Nancy is there because she is in love and hasn’t realised it yet, but she will.

44:

Blue Nights, Red Mornings by Cityseeker

Votes: 1

Ranking: 4

Rating: Teen and up

Word Count: 4,501

Chapters: 1

Complete?: Yes

Nancy feels safe while holding Robin’s hand, and she starts to wonder why that might be. What she does know is that being around Robin helps in the aftermath of Vecna.

45:

Coming Unglued by Freezeveganpolice

Votes: 1

Ranking: 4

Rating: Explicit

Word Count: 5,203

Chapters: 1

Complete?: Yes

Robin and Nancy hunt a man for sport and then torture him, this gets them in the mood for some ‘extracurricular activity’. Be aware of depictions of graphic violence.

46:

Meet Ugly by ItCanBePalped

Votes: 1

Ranking: 4

Rating: Teen and Up

Word Count: 7,777

Chapters: 1

Complete?: Yes

During a walk of shame, Robin bumps into Nancy and makes a… less than ideal first impression. She pulls it back though, eventually.

47:

Missing Out by Smileweakandwrong

Votes: 1

Ranking: 4

Rating: Teen and Up

Word Count: 3,767

Chapters: 1

Complete?: Yes

Nancy gets stood up on valentine’s day and so Robin decides to keep her company.

48:

Red lips, Blue eyes by Iiruwu

Votes: 1

Ranking: 4

Rating: Teen and Up

Word count: 44,231

Chapters: 5

Complete?: Yes

What if instead of Jonathan, Robin is the one who’d found Nancy after the halloween party? Mutual pining slow burn that’s what’s in store as an unlikely relationship forms. Some fluff, some angst, all hurt/comfort.

49:

Robin Buckley’s Mother by Wynhaught_trash

Votes: 1

Ranking: 4

Rating: Mature

Word count: 158,885

Chapters: 44

Complete?: Yes

Another heavy one, in which Steve and Nancy help Robin deal with her trauma after being abused by her mother. A lot of angst, but also healing with graphic depictions of violence. Set after season 3 leading into an alternate season 4.

50:

Stars and Sand and and Leaves by Ghosttotheparty

Votes: 1

Ranking: 4

Rating: Explicit

Word count: 22,427

Chapters: 3

Complete?: Yes

A ronance and byler double feature! Nancy and Mike help each other work through their feelings about being queer. Some light angst mixed in with a bit of smut

51:

This Girl Is a Gun And We’ve Been Havin’ Some Fun by Moonflowery

Votes: 1

Ranking: 4

Rating: Explicit

Word Count: 8,075

Complete?: Yes

It turns out Robin has a thing for guns, which is rather inconvenient when Nancy is trying to give her shooting lessons.

52:

That Girl Is Like an Architect, And I’m Just the New Invention by Sectimo

Votes: 1

Ranking: 4

Rating: Explicit

Word Count: 79,777

Chapters: 21

Complete?: Yes

Set post canon, Nancy has to navigate a tumultuous relationship with Robin amidst the AIDS crisis. The fact that this is a slowburn tagged as “friends to enemies to friends to lovers” should tell you all you need to know. Add in a story about activism and dealing with comphet and you’ve got an all-timer fanfic.

53:

To Be Near You (Is To Be Unable To Hear You) by TotalForgiveness

Votes: 1

Ranking: 4

Rating: General Audiences

Word count: 54,545

Chapters:15

Complete?: No

Robin is the new kid in Hawkins and is astounded to find her favourite youtuber sitting in the back of her english class. It just so happens that youtuber is Nancy Wheeler.

54:

A Girl In Need of a Tourniquet by loudsnapdradon

Votes: 1

Ranking: 5

Rating: Explicit

Word Count: 17,760

Chapters: 2

Complete?: Yes

Following a string of bad luck and a gamut of problems, Nancy becomes an escort to pay for college. And then she doesn’t stop. And then she meets Robin in a random Hotel.

55:

Bathroom Of a Party by Cottagewerewolf

Votes: 1

Ranking: 5

Rating: Teen and Up

Word count: 1,112

Chapters: 1

Complete?: Yes

Nancy and Robin get high in the bathroom of a party. Not really much else to say about this one.

56:

Now the Halftime Air Was Sweet Perfume (While Sergeants Played a Marching Tune) by Red_Banner

Votes: 1

Ranking: 5

Rating: Explicit

Word count: 142,150

Chapters: 15

Complete?: No

This fic (with easily the longest title on this list) follows the party three years after season 4 dealing with the apocalypse while Nancy and Robin are hopelessly in love. Be warned, the fluffy start of this story belies the angst it contains.

57:

The Universe Is Inconvenient (But Sometimes Lovely) by LaceyBarbedWire

Votes: 1

Ranking: 5

Rating: Teen and Up

Word Count: 1,103

Chapters: 1

Complete?: Yes

A soulmark AU in which everyone has a timer counting down to when they meet their soulmate, it just so happens that Robin and Nancy’s go off during the battle of Starcourt.

58:

It’s Nice to Have a Friend by Judasofsuburbia

Votes: 1

Ranking: 6

Rating: Explicit

Word Count: 18,057

Chapters: 3

Complete?: Yes

Nancy and Steve ar so far in the closet that they’re getting married, but is Nancy kissing Robin on her wedding day an indicator of trouble ahead? Whatever happens, it takes at least five years of marriage to play out. There is a depiction of serious illness in this fic alongside the angst you’d expect.

59:

Picture This by Scarletperfume

Votes: 1

Ranking: 6

Rating: Teen and Up

Word count: 15,333

Chapters: 9

Complete?: No

Nancy is a photographer who runs into famous model Robin Buckley while taking photos one day. The two of them become ride or die in record time and cuteness ensues.

60:

Scar Tissue by Titface

Votes: 1

Ranking: 6

Rating: Explicit

Word count: 10,245

Chapters: 1

Complete?: Yes

Nancy and Robin compare their scars and things get heated; stories are swapped alongside spit.

61:

Crimes Against Decency in a Family Establishment by Titface

Votes: 1

Ranking: 7

Rating: Explicit

Word count: 10,849

Chapters: 1

Complete?: Yes

Nancy and Robin decide to duck out of school to go to family video.

62:

Does He Know You’re out (And I Want You So Bad?) by Melodicchaos

Votes: 1

Ranking: 7

Rating: Teen and Up

Word count: 36,315

Chapters: 11

Complete?: Yes

Fake dating, but beards! Robin and Steve decide to fake date to get Robin’s family off her back, what they didn’t expect was that Nancy and Eddie would get very jealous.

63:

Friends Don’t Yearn Like We Do by Oaseas

Votes: 1

Ranking: 7

Rating: Teen and Up

Word Count: 5,889

Chapters: 1

Complete?: Yes

Nancy reveals to Steve that she has feelings for Robin and so he decided to be the best wingman he can. A sleepover and some babycham leads to a game of truth or dare with a result all parties are happy with.

64:

I’m Burning Up (All I See Is Red) by Moonflowerdamie

Votes: 1

Ranking: 7

Rating: Explicit

Word Count: 5,998

Complete?: Yes

Nancy finds out she has a previously undiscovered tendency towards jealousy, at least when it comes to Robin.

65:

Girl in New York by Midorino

Votes: 1

Ranking: 7

Rating: Teen and Up

Word count: 20,302

Chapters: 7

Complete?: Yes

Nancy has a run in with Robin while tanning topless on her apartment’s balcony and vows to get to know her hot next door neighbour. Very fluffy, very cute, but the name is a misnomer; this is not set in New York.

66:

Respectability by Titface

Votes: 1

Ranking: 8

Rating: Explicit

Word Count: 20,302

Chapters: 1

Complete?: Yes

Robin is very invested in what clothes Nancy wears, like more than is usual.

67:

Safe In Your Mouth by Wonder Boy

Votes: 1

Ranking: 7

Rating: Explicit

Word count: 5,076

Chapters: 1

Complete?: Yes

Nancy is half vampire and Robin lets her drink from her, this leads to a series of revelations that culminate in clothes hitting the floor.

68:

Warm My Bones and Fill My Glass by EskaWrites

Votes: 1

Ranking: 7

Rating: Teen and Up

Word count:10,867

Chapters: 1

Complete?: Yes

Nancy keeps pushing people away as a coping mechanism, Robin refuses to be pushed. Hurt/comfort but for emotions and PTSD.

69:

Incredibly Wholesome, Actually by Titface

Votes: 1

Ranking: 8

Rating: Explicit

Word Count: 7,151

Chapters: 1

Complete?: Yes

There is no description I can give this that isn’t some variation of ‘Robin and Nancy have sex’. So that’s what you get.

70:

Make Me Tremble by Lumism

Votes: 1

Ranking: 8

Rating: Teen and Up

Word count: 4,013

Chapters: 1

Complete?: Yes

A five plus one fic of five things Nancy finds infuriating (cute) about Robin and one reason she wants her around anyway. Sleepovers, clothes sharing, jealousy, this textual romcom has them all.

71:

Makes Me Want To Try Her On by HooliganStyle

Votes: 1

Ranking: 8

Rating: General Audiences

Word Count: 2,413

Chapters: 1

Complete?: Yes

This fic serves as the start of Robin and Nancy’s relationship which then gets expanded on in subsequent fics in the Summer of ‘86 series. This fic has flirting, first kisses, fluff, something else that starts with F probably!

72:

Take the Money and Run by thegoodthebadandthenerdy

Votes: 1

Ranking: 8

Rating: Teen and Up

Word Count: 6,687

Chapters: 1

Complete?: Yes

Nancy and Eddie get high and talk about their respective feelings. There’s no actual interaction with either Robin or Steve but lots of talking about both

73:

Which One Is Worse (Living or Dying First) by BeNotAfeard

Votes: 1

Ranking: 8

Rating: Teen and Up

Word count: 54,556

Chapters: 6

Complete?: Yes

The best description of this comes from the fic summary itself; “Nancy Wheeler has a prolonged sexuality crisis and Robin, Eddie, and Steve are there too.”

74:

You Know There’s Not Another Moment to Waste by BluejayBoi

Votes: 1

Ranking: 8

Rating: Teen and Up

Word Count: 4,421

Chapters: 1

Complete?: Yes

Robin and Nancy are going on a lot of not-dates that are definitely dates, but surely that doesn’t mean anything. Right?

75:

Darling, Are You Ready For More? by fellintotartarus

Votes: 1

Ranking 9

Rating: Teen and Up

Word Count: 4,902

Chapters: 1

Complete?: Yes

The makeover scene we missed out on before Pennhurst. If you’ve ever seen that picture of the girl straddling someone to do her makeup, it’s that.

76:

Forgot to Be a Lover (Have Mercy) by Summersociety

Votes: 1

Ranking: 9

Rating: Explicit

Word Count: 4,318

Chapters: 1

Complete?: Yes

Robin comes to visit Nancy in Boston and gets an exclusive tour of the city, shortly after she gives Nancy a tour of her own. (The tour is sex and maybe something more?)

77:

Honesuckle by Oaseas

Votes: 1

Ranking: 9

Rating: Explicit

Word Count: 9,007

Chapters: 1

Complete?: Yes

This is just smut, there’s literally nothing else I can say about this. Enjoy!

78:

Won’t Go Down In History by Mongr3l

Votes: 1

Ranking: 9

Rating: Explicit

Word Count: 8,153

Chapters: 1

Complete?: Yes

The fruity four get high in Eddie’s garden and Nancy finally reads what’s on Robin’s traines; needless to say, she finds the idea of Robin going down on someone’s sister appealing.

79:

Carry You To The Coast by Smileweakandwrong

Votes: 1

Ranking: 10

Rating: Mature

Word Count: 62,424

Chapters: 11

Complete?: Yes

After the battle of Starcourt, Robin and Steve decide some time to work through all their trauma and build their new friendship and so retreat to Steve’s lakeside cabin in the woods. And then after the defeat of Vecna, they go back with a whole new set of traumas and a budding relationship with Nancy to discuss. This is very much hurt/comfort.

80:

Chasing the Rabbit by freezeveganpolice

Votes:1

Ranking: 10

Rating: Unrated

Word Count: 13,189

Chapters: 1

Complete? Yes

It’s a Pacific Rim AU! I don’t know anything about Pacific Rim beside giant robots so that’s all I can tell you on that front. What I can say is that this is all about grief.

81:

If We Were Crocodiles by Titface

Votes: 1

Ranking: 10

Rating: Teen and Up

Word Count: 4,678

Chapters: 1

Complete?: Yes

This is one hell of a fluff fest. Robin and Nancy always study in the library on tuesdays, something which is far more consistent and serious than any of Robin’s relationships.

82:

Tits Out For Annie Oakley by Titface

Votes: 1

Ranking: 10

Rating: Explicit

Word Count: 9,039

Chapters: 1

Complete?: Yes

Mostly smut with a side of hurt/comfort. Robin gets a surprise midnight visit from Nancy and they get to dealing with their feelings.

83:

With a Comma After Dearest by Morganski_19

Votes: 1

Ranking: 10

Rating: Explicit

Word Count: 46,819

Chapters: 9

Complete?: Yes

Robin is…. not doing good after what happened at Starcourt. Nancy notices and leaves a note in her locker hoping that Robin might respond. These notes are they key to a slowly developing relationship between the girls in this hurt/comfort fic.

84:

You’re Covered In Sun And I Forgot My Camera (Wishing It Was Real) by Titface

Votes: 1

Ranking: 10

Rating: Explicit

Word Count: 9,042

Chapters: 1

Complete?: Yes

Nancy and Robin get high and get frisky.

[familyvideostevie]

I have loved tlou since the first game came out and I really loved that episode so I’m super interested in why you felt is was bad if you’d be comfortable sharing!

/gen

you know what, what the hell. sure! thoughts and spoilers for tlou part ii and s2 below.

first of all, super happy for anyone who loves the show and the way it adapts the story. my beef is my beef! i have like, a lot of things i don't like about they way the show characterized joel and ellie in s1 that are probably the foundation for some of this, but the main thing i Do Not Like about they way they're setting up s2 is the positioning they seem to be doing to the status of ellie and joel's relationship as it exists a few years after the end of part i, the day before/day of joel's death (since it seems to me they cherry picked from the timeline of the patrols/the dance, etc).

now, in part ii, we drop into ellie and joel's life a few years later with only very small indications that something is wrong. she asks jesse about joel right away, she entertains maria's inquiry into their relationship in a way that seems very teenager-ish. when dina asks, ellie is a little cagey, but she talks about him to her. she says she's thinking about inviting him to a movie. whatever. and then we all know what comes next, right? when joel dies, we don't know how bad it was. we don't know that they are, essentially, estranged. as we find this out as the game goes on it makes everything more intense. her loss, her desire for revenge. because she's fighting for something that was taken from her. and then. after we've fought so hard and after we've gotten abby's side of the story -- then we get the dance flashback. and we learn that despite their estrangement, joel steps in to defend ellie and dina from seth and it makes her so angry for just a second because how dare he still love her enough? how dare he, after she told him not to? because if joel loved her enough to damn the whole world, well. what does she do with that? but in the cut scene in the game -- after she said i don't need your fucking help, joel, to me, ellie regrets it. for just a second, she regrets it. cause they have not spoken! by her boundary! she told him in salt lake -- we're done. and he accepted that. so it makes sense to me that she's been coming to her own conclusions about what she wants from him and she goes to the porch because she needs to talk it out. and then they are on the cusp of reconciliation and then it's gone forever.

okay. so, my beef with what they've done in the show. they made joel angry about the whole thing. they made him upset that she's icing him, they made him frustrated that she's upset with him. that she doesn't understand why he did what he did, why he lied to her (i assume she knows that by now), that he thinks she should just accept it and treat him like she loves him. be nice to him. doesn't he deserve that? this, to me, is a million fucking miles off. even for the characterization of joel they've written in season 1! because, in my opinion, the whole fucking point is that he accepts the consequences. he killed that entire hospital full of people, he took away a cure, he saved her because he had to. he made that choice and he sticks with it until he dies. in the game, joel accepts ellie's estrangement. he doesn't push her, he doesn't cross her boundary. because at least she stays in jackson once he tells her the truth, because at least she's alive. because that is the only thing that has ever fucking mattered. and everything else he can live with.

even when faced with death -- a death he doesn't understand, by the way, nor does he seem to care to because of course this was going to happen someday -- he doesn't regret it. he only cares that she's okay. and not for nothing, to me they keep this under wraps in the game. he respects her lines and never crosses them until the dance. it's a private thing. and so it's tragic because no one knows or understands what she's lost when he is killed. and then for the rest of part ii we have this example of joel doing something he believed in unequivocally and feeling no guilt for it even if it cost him, in a way, everything, because did it really? ellie is alive, so he can live with it. and then we have abby and ellie, who are discovering what they can live with and what they can't.

so. i guess i just think it undermines, well, everything, to have joel behave this way. is it making him more complex? not really. it makes ellie look like a petulant child. it makes us wish she would treat him better (which will probably be the show's version of a gotcha when it comes to the narrative truth of the matter). it's making him more realistic, maybe, but when did we start caring about that? part of what is so compelling about him is he is, in many ways, very black and white (which they seem to be hinting at with this refugee plot but don't get me started on that). part of what is compelling about the last of us is we are required to live with his choice, too. we have to understand that everything that happens is a consequence of that and we are the only ones who really understand just how much. ellie doesn't, joel doesn't, abby doesn't. no one has all of the pieces but us, the player/viewer. and i just think muddling a line in the sand that was there for a reason is, well. stupid. what purpose does it serve to show that joel would damn the world for ellie, but he won't respect her boundaries after the fact? he would go so far for her and no more?

yeah. that's my main beef. i have like, 100 more things, but. this is long enough. thanks for asking!

(for the record, there were things i liked, too! i liked the stalker, i liked the game callbacks (the grocery store, ellie's journal and her cleaning her gun at the workbench, the incredibly random easter egg of the employee of the month board even though that actually happens in Seattle, whatever). I'm interested by dina, i think jesse is fantastic. we'll see! I'm going to be watching and I'm going to be critical but I'm still excited to see where it goes. )

[ididntwanttohavetohauntyou]

I don’t get how this is a hot take but apparently it is:

As a fan of the games, I LOVE the second season of TLOU. I didn’t come to the show looking for the exact same storyline and pacing and relationships that we got in the game, partially because I know it’s not possible and partially because it wouldn’t be as entertaining. In fact, I was excited to see what changes they would make now that the creators have a chance to almost go back and tweak the storyline. I understand how someone who was looking for that might be disappointed though.

A lot of people seem to have a problem with 1) the fact that Tommy didn’t go to Seattle first, 2) the difference in the pacing of Ellie and Dina’s relationship, and 3) Ellie’s character overall in season 2.

In the game, Tommy didn’t have to deal with the fallout from an attack on Jackson. He didn’t have the 3 month break between Joel’s death and Ellie insisting on going to Seattle. In the game, Tommy had to go, but in the show he couldn’t—he put the town above his own wants and rationalized it by saying Joel wouldn’t chase revenge, just people he could save. It makes a lot more sense that he would go after Ellie and Dina left so he can do what Joel would’ve and save the people Joel loved.

I personally love the slower start to Ellie and Dina’s relationship. I think it made the payoff feel bigger (especially bc they didn’t hook up while high or drunk or anything) and it makes more sense when we don’t have hours to sit and watch them explore Seattle while their relationship blooms. In a similar vein, the way that we got some of Dina’s backstory in episode 5 felt right because we haven’t had her telling Ellie stories when they run into different things around the city.

I understand that some people think Ellie isn’t angry enough. Even putting aside the way she beats Nora at the end of episode 5, I think that they portrayed her downward spiral really well. If she was rabidly angry from the very start, it wouldn’t have meant as much. Now that we’ve seen her be happy with Dina and we’ve seen how excited she is for their future (unlike in the game—another change I’m happy about), we know exactly what she’s giving up to get revenge. If they had already been together when she found out about Dina being pregnant, or if she hadn’t had those softer moments in episode 4, angry Ellie would feel one dimensional.