#the last of us rewrite

[theetherealbloom]

BUT DADDY I LOVE HIM - CH.3

Chapter 3: ​​Dutiful Daughter, All My Plans Were Laid

Summary: After harboring a crush on your dad's charming best friend, Joel Miller, you graduate college only to be confused by something he supposedly said to you, but then he and his daughter Sarah, reluctantly move away due to his work. Six months later, Joel returns to town, and you're desperate to confirm if his words were real. Both you and your dad eagerly await his arrival but for entirely different reasons. As feelings intensify, you realize that falling for him might not be temporary after all.

Paring: Dbf!Joel Miller x Fem!Reader

Warnings: Angst, AGE-GAP Romance, Reader is Early twenties and Joel is in his late 30s to early 40s, Secret Romance, Sneaking Around, FLUFF, LOTS OF SMUT, SMUT, SMUT, Heavy Make Out Session, Oral Fem Receiving, Kissing, Barely any plot, NOT A SLOW BURN AT ALL, Relationship, Swearing, Depression, Anxiety, Crying, Suggestive content, Flirting, Flattery, Awkward, Virgin reader, inexperienced reader, slightly Self Deprecating, Suggestive Content, Size Kink, Reader is “smaller” than Joel but no further descriptions, Breeding Kink, PWP (wrap it up), Body worship, declaring their love for each other, 

Word Count: 10k

A/N: THERE ARE SO MANY OF YOU… UHM, HI! We’re nearing the end of the mini-series. I believe I have one or two more chapters to write and then we’ll have the epilogue. Thank you for all the comments, reblogs and likes! I look forward to reading all the feedback from ya’ll, it really does give me the motivation to write. Thank you all again!!! 🤍☺️

Side note: I’m dyslexic and English isn’t my first language! So I apologize in advance for the spelling and/or grammatical errors. As always, reblogs, comments, and likes are always appreciated. Thank you and happy reading!

Song: But Daddy I Love Him by Taylor Swift

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As you lay there, wrapped in Joel's arms, you can't help but steal a glance at the small alarm clock on the nightstand. The glowing numbers tell you that it's nearly 3am, and as much as you don't want to leave the warmth of his bed and his embrace, you know that you can't stay forever.

Your dad is expecting you for breakfast in just a few hours, and the thought of him having a heart attack if you don't show up is enough to make you sit up and take notice.

"I don't wanna leave," you murmur, your voice barely above a whisper as you snuggle closer to Joel, inhaling the intoxicating scent of his skin.

"I don't wanna let you go," Joel replies, his accent thick and heavy as he tightens his arms around you, pulling you closer still.

You can feel the heat of his body, the strength of his muscles, and the warmth of his embrace, and you know that you could stay there forever, wrapped up in him.

But reality calls, and you know that you can't ignore it forever.

"I wish we could stay like this forever," you say, your voice filled with longing and sadness.

"Me too, darlin'," Joel replies, his voice filled with emotion. "But we both know that we can't."

You nod, your heart heavy with the weight of the decision you both know you have to make.

"I guess I should get going," you say, your voice barely above a whisper.

"I guess you should," Joel replies, his voice filled with regret.

As you reluctantly pull away from Joel, he surprises you by gently tugging you back into his embrace, his lips seeking yours in a kiss that is both passionate and intense. The taste of him lingers on your lips, a bittersweet reminder of the connection you share.

With a soft sigh, you finally gather the strength to untangle yourself from his arms, a pang of longing tugging at your heart as you begin to get dressed. Joel watches you, his gaze filled with a mix of desire and tenderness, his southern drawl adding a soothing cadence to his words.

"Let me help you, darlin'," Joel offers, his voice warm and comforting as he assists you with your clothes, his touch gentle yet possessive. The intimacy of the moment lingers in the air, a silent acknowledgment of the bond you share.

Once you're dressed, Joel's arms wrap around you, holding you close as if reluctant to let you go. His embrace is both clingy and sweet, a silent plea for you to stay a little longer, to prolong the inevitable parting.

"I wish you didn't have to go," Joel murmurs, his voice filled with longing. "I could hold you like this forever."

You lean into his embrace, savoring the warmth and security he provides. "I wish I could stay too, Joel," you whisper, your voice filled with emotion. "But I have to go."

As you prepare to leave, Joel's gaze lingers on you, his eyes filled with a mixture of love and regret. He presses a soft kiss to your forehead, a silent promise of his affection and devotion.

"I'll be counting the minutes until I can see you again," Joel says, his voice filled with sincerity. "You mean everything to me, darlin'."

As you step out onto Joel's front porch, the cool night air brushes against your skin, a stark contrast to the warmth of his embrace. You take a deep breath, savoring the scent of the night, your heart heavy with the weight of your decision to leave.

You make your way quietly and quickly to the back of your house, tiptoeing through the darkness, your mind filled with thoughts of Joel and the intense connection you share. As you slip back into your bedroom, you can't help but feel a sense of bliss and excitement, knowing that you'll see Joel again in just a few short hours.

The anticipation builds within you, a simmering heat that courses through your veins, fueled by the memories of your time together. You can't wait to feel his touch again, to lose yourself in the passion and intensity of your connection.

As you lay in bed, your mind drifts to thoughts of Joel, his drawl echoing in your mind, his words of love and devotion filling your heart with warmth and joy. You know that what you have together is special, a bond that goes beyond mere physical attraction.

You close your eyes, drifting off to sleep with a smile on your face, your dreams filled with the promise of a future filled with passion and love.

As the morning sunlight streams through your window, you wake up feeling refreshed and rejuvenated, the memories of the previous night still fresh in your mind. You can't wait to see Joel again, to feel his arms around you, to lose yourself in the intensity of your connection.

With a sense of excitement and anticipation, you get ready for the day, your heart filled with hope and joy, knowing that you have found something truly special in Joel.

You make your way downstairs to find your dad had gotten up extra early today. He glances at you and asks, "Well, someone's happy this morning. Did you sleep well honey?"

"Huh, what? Oh... yeah, I was pretty tired from yesterday so I just kinda passed out," you say, trying to be nonchalant. But you can see your dad give you a suspicious look before taking a long sip of his coffee.

"So... you and Joel..." Your dad begins, and you feel blood rushing into your ears, making you feel dizzy.

You raise your eyebrows at your dad, waiting for him to continue.

He clears his throat and says, "You gonna go with him to pick up Sarah later?"

You nod and smile at the mention of Sarah, "Mhm! I'll text you when we're leaving."

"Alright then, just..." Before your dad could finish that sentence, the doorbell rings, and you watch as your dad moves to the front door. When he opens it, Joel is standing there in a grey tee and those tight jeans with his hands in his pockets.

Your heart skips a beat as you take in the sight of him. "Fuck. He looks so good," you think to yourself, your body responding to his presence in a way that you can't control.

"Hey there, darlin'," Joel says, his deep Southern accent sending shivers down your spine.

"Hey," you reply, your voice barely above a whisper as you take in the sight of him standing on your doorstep.

Your dad has his eyes narrowed between the two of you, before saying, "Be sure to tell Sarah hi for me, I'll be going now."

You and Joel say goodbye, and watch as your dad hops into his car and drives off to work, leaving you alone with Joel.

"I missed you," Joel says, pulling you into a tight embrace.

You melt into his arms, feeling the warmth and strength of his body against yours.

"I missed you too," you reply, your voice filled with longing.

As you pull away, Joel's gaze lingers on you, his eyes filled with desire and affection.

"Let's go pick up Sarah," he says, his voice filled with excitement.

You nod, your heart racing with anticipation as you make your way to the car. The feeling of gratitude for the connection you share with Joel washes over you, knowing that it's something truly special and rare.

As you approach the car, Joel grabs the keys from your hand and gives your ass a playful smack, causing you to jolt in surprise.

"Hey!" you exclaim, looking at him with mock indignation.

Joel's smoldering gaze meets yours, filled with a mischievous glint that makes your heart race.

"Darlin', you just sit back and relax," he drawls in that deliciously Southern accent of his, sending a shiver down your spine. "I'm in charge of the driving, and you're in charge of lookin' like a damn goddess."

You can't help but smile at his playful banter, feeling your heart flutter with excitement as you slide into the passenger seat. Joel's eyes follow your every move, and you can't help but feel a little self-conscious under his intense gaze.

As he starts the car, you can't help but feel a sense of contentment and happiness wash over you. The connection you share with him is electric, a magnetic pull that draws you in and makes you feel alive.

With one hand on the steering wheel, Joel reaches out to place his other hand on your thigh, giving it a gentle squeeze. You let out a soft moan, biting your lip as you feel a spark of desire ignite within you.

"You like that, don't you?" Joel murmurs, his voice low and husky. "You like when I touch you like this."

You nod, unable to find the words to respond. Joel's touch is intoxicating, making you feel dizzy with desire.

"Good," he says, his voice dripping with satisfaction. "Because I love touching you, feeling your body respond to my touch. You're mine, and I'm never letting you go."

You lean back in your seat, feeling a sense of contentment and happiness wash over you as Joel's words of love and affection fill your ears.

"So... darlin'... how'd you feel about tellin' Sarah about us?" Joel asks, his Southern accent sending shivers down your spine as he rubs his thumb gently on your thigh.

You play the thought through your mind, considering the implications of sharing your relationship with Sarah.

"You want her to know?" you ask, looking at him with a mixture of curiosity and apprehension.

Joel nods, his eyes filled with warmth and affection. "Of course, darlin'. Do you?"

You take a deep breath, thinking it over. "Will she be okay with it?"

Joel smiles, his eyes sparkling with mischief. "With you and I? Yeah. To be honest... I talk about you to her... a lot."

Your heart skips a beat at the thought of Joel sharing his feelings for you with Sarah. "Really?"

Joel nods, his thumb still tracing lazy circles on your thigh. "Yeah, darlin'. I can't help it. I'm crazy about you."

You can't help but smile at his words, feeling a sense of belonging and love that you've never experienced before.

"Okay," you say, your voice barely above a whisper. "Let's tell her."

Joel's face lights up, his eyes shining with happiness. "Really?"

You nod, feeling a sense of excitement and anticipation wash over you. "Yeah. I want to share this with her. I want her to know how much you mean to me."

Joel leans in, pressing a gentle kiss to your hand. "Thank you, darlin'. I promise you won't regret it."

As you and Joel make your way to the parking lot of the airport, the anticipation of reuniting with Sarah and Tommy fills the air with excitement. The energy between you and Joel crackles with anticipation as you head towards the arrivals area, scanning the crowd for their familiar faces.

And then, there they are. Sarah and Tommy, standing out in the crowd like beacons of joy. You can't contain your excitement and start waving your arms wildly, practically bouncing up and down with anticipation.

Sarah's eyes light up as she spots you, and she breaks into a wide grin, her steps quickening as she rushes towards you and Joel. Tommy follows closely behind, a smile playing on his lips as he takes in the scene before him.

"Hey, you guys!" Sarah exclaims, throwing her arms around you in a tight hug, her excitement contagious.

Sarah then turns to Joel, her eyes sparkling with joy as she throws her arms around his neck, embracing him with her whole body.

"Hi dad," she says, her voice filled with warmth and affection.

Joel's face lights up at the sight of his daughter, and he wraps his arms around her, pulling her in for a tight hug.

"I missed you too, baby girl," he says, his voice filled with warmth and affection.

He presses a gentle kiss to her forehead, his love for her radiating off of him in waves.

You watch the exchange between Joel and Sarah, feeling a sense of warmth and happiness wash over you. The bond between father and daughter is something special, a testament to the love they share.

Your gaze shifts to Tommy, and you make your way over to him, a friendly smile on your face. You wrap your arms around him in a warm embrace, feeling the strength and warmth of his body against yours.

"Hey there, it's good to see you!" you exclaim, your voice filled with genuine warmth and affection.

Tommy returns your embrace, his arms tightening around you for a moment before releasing you.

"Hey, it's good to see you too!" he replies, his voice filled with genuine warmth.

You take a step back, your hands still resting on his shoulders. "So, how was the flight?" you ask, your curiosity piqued.

Tommy shrugs, a mischievous glint in his eye. "Oh, you know, the usual. Turbulence, crying babies, and the occasional snoring passenger."

You laugh, the sound rich and full. "Sounds like a blast," you say, your voice filled with sarcasm.

Tommy grins, his eyes sparkling with mischief. "Oh, it was. Trust me."

As you all make your way to the car, the banter and teasing flow freely, the shared history and inside jokes adding to the sense of closeness between you.

Joel takes the lead, helping Tommy load his and Sarah's suitcases into the trunk of your car. His strong arms lift the heavy bags with ease, his movements fluid and efficient.

Sarah watches him with a proud smile on her face, her eyes filled with admiration and love.

"Hey dad, can I sit up front with you?" she asks, her voice filled with excitement and hope.

Joel shakes his head, a gentle smile on his face. "Sorry, baby girl. It wouldn't be polite to do that since it's not my car."

Sarah pouts, her bottom lip sticking out in disappointment. "But I want to sit up front with you!"

Joel ruffles her hair affectionately. "I know, but we have to be polite. Maybe next time, okay?"

Sarah nods, her disappointment forgotten as quickly as it appeared. She climbs into the back seat, her eyes sparkling with excitement and joy.

Tommy follows suit, his movements easy and relaxed. He slides into the back seat next to Sarah, a friendly smile on his face.

As you all settle into your seats, the car is filled with laughter and chatter, the shared excitement of the journey ahead palpable in the air.

As Joel navigates the car out of the airport and onto the road leading back to his house, a sense of contentment washes over you. The familiar sights pass by outside the windows, the hum of the engine providing a soothing backdrop to the lively conversation inside.

You feel Joel's hand on your upper thigh, his touch warm and reassuring, a silent declaration of his affection for you. Your heart flutters at the intimate gesture, and you steal a glance at him, meeting his gaze with a shy smile.

In the rearview mirror, you catch Tommy raising his eyebrows playfully, a knowing look in his eyes. Sarah, oblivious to the silent exchange, gazes out the window, her expression one of wonder and excitement.

The dynamic in the car is one of comfort and familiarity, each person bringing their own energy to the mix. Joel's presence is a steady anchor, his touch a source of comfort and reassurance. Tommy's playful teasing adds a lightness to the atmosphere, while Sarah's infectious enthusiasm fills the space with joy.

Eventually, you arrive back at Joel's house, the journey from the airport filled with laughter and chatter. As you all step out of the car, you lend a hand to Joel and Tommy, helping them with the suitcases and other items as you all make your way into the house.

Tommy excuses himself to put away his things in the guestroom, while Sarah does the same in her new room. You take the opportunity to help Joel fix up a few snacks for Tommy and Sarah, the two of you working together with ease and familiarity.

As you put the finishing touches on the snacks, you feel Joel's arms wrap around your waist, pulling you close. His lips find your neck, peppering kisses along the sensitive skin as he inhales your scent.

You lean back into his embrace, feeling the warmth of his body against yours. The connection between you two is intense, a magnetic pull that draws you closer together.

As Tommy makes his way back into the living room, Joel releases you, a playful smile on his face.

"I see you two found each other," Tommy says with a wink, a teasing glint in his eye.

You feel your face heat up, but Joel just chuckles, his arm draped around your shoulders.

"Can't help it," Joel says with a shrug, his gaze lingering on you for a moment before turning back to Tommy.

Tommy raises an eyebrow, a teasing glint in his eye. "You gonna tell Sarah?" he asks, grabbing a potato chip from the ceramic bowl on the counter.

Joel nods, a small smile playing on his lips. "Yeah, when she gets down here," he says, his voice filled with warmth and affection.

Just then, Sarah appears from around the corner, her eyes sparkling with excitement. "I knew it! Finally! He's been talking about you non-stop and was an absolute grump for the past few months!" she exclaims, a wide grin spreading across her face.

You feel your cheeks flush at the mention of Joel's infatuation with you, but Sarah's excitement is infectious.

Joel chuckles, his arm draped around your shoulders. "I guess the cat's out of the bag now," he says, his gaze softening as he looks at you.

Sarah claps her hands together, her eyes shining with joy. "I'm so happy for you two!" she exclaims, pulling you into a tight hug.

Tommy joins in, a warm smile on his face. "Welcome to the family," he says, his voice filled with genuine warmth.

You quickly send a message to your dad, updating him on your whereabouts and letting him know that you'll be having dinner with the Millers, and that he's welcome to join you all.

The rest of the evening is filled with laughter and conversation, the four of you sharing stories and memories as you get to know each other better.

As you were nearing finishing dinner, you hear a knock on Joel's front door, and he excuses himself to answer it. You continue to laugh loudly at Sarah's jokes while Tommy rolls his eyes playfully.

But then, you hear a familiar voice call out your name, and you find your dad standing by the entryway of the dining area. The room falls silent as all eyes turn to him.

"Hey Dad... we just had dinner. Do you want anything? I'm sure I can fix you up a plate," you say, standing up to greet him.

Your dad shakes his head. "No, just had dinner with some of the guys back at the shop. I wanted to say hi to Sarah and Tommy. Didn't think you'd still be here... thought you'd be home already," he says, giving you and Joel a pointed look.

Sarah, bless her heart, quickly jumps in to save the day. "Oh! That's my fault. I insisted she stay here for dinner since I missed her so much," she says, her eyes sparkling with mischief.

Your dad chuckles, his gaze softening as he looks at you. "Well, I'm glad you're having a good time. I'll let you all get back to it, just don’t be home too late," he says, giving you a quick hug before turning to leave.

As the door closes behind your dad, a sense of calm settles over the room. You all let out a collective sigh of relief, the tension dissipating as you begin to help clear the table and clean up the dishes. You insist that Sarah and Tommy take a break and get some rest after the meal.

Just as you're elbow-deep in soapy water, scrubbing at a stubborn spot on a plate, you feel Joel's presence behind you. His strong arms wrap around your waist, pulling you gently away from the sink.

"I'll wash 'em, darlin'," he says, his voice soft and reassuring. "You can rest too. You've done so much already. I can take it from here."

You turn to face him, a grateful smile on your lips. "Are you sure? I don't mind helping," you say, your voice filled with appreciation for his thoughtfulness.

Joel's gaze meets yours, his eyes warm and filled with affection. "I'm sure. You've been a big help today. Let me take care of this," he says, his drawl adding a soothing cadence to his words.

"I'll help dry the dishes and put them away," you say, grabbing a towel from the drawer next to the sink.

Joel chuckles, his arms wrapping around your waist as he presses a gentle kiss to the side of your head. "Fine, darlin'," he says with a wink.

You bump your hip with his, a playful grin on your face. "Come on, slowpoke. Let's get these dishes done," you say, sticking your tongue out at him teasingly.

Joel laughs, the sound deep and rich. "Alright, alright. Let's get to work," he says, his arms still wrapped around you as you begin to dry the dishes together.

The warmth of Joel's body against yours, the sound of his laughter, and the easy banter between you creates a sense of comfort and familiarity that you cherish.

As you work together, the pile of dishes slowly dwindles, the kitchen gradually returning to its former state of cleanliness.

Finally, the last dish is dried and put away, and you turn to face Joel, a satisfied smile on your lips. "See, that wasn't so bad, was it?" you say, your voice filled with playful teasing.

Joel grins, his eyes sparkling with mischief. "No, darlin', it wasn't. But I think I'll let you do the dishes next time," he says, his arms still wrapped around you.

You laugh, the sound rich and full. "We'll see about that," you say, your voice filled with playful challenge.

You and Joel make your way back to the living room, the sound of laughter and chatter filling the air. Tommy and Sarah are settled on the couch, their attention focused on the TV as they watch some show they had found.

Sarah turns her head, her eyes sparkling with curiosity as she tilts it at the two of you. "So... when are you gonna tell your dad?" she asks, her voice filled with playful teasing.

You glance at Joel, a mixture of emotions swirling in your chest. "I'm not sure... but hopefully... soon," you say, your voice filled with uncertainty.

Joel nods, his arm draped around your shoulders as he pulls you closer. "Yeah, we'll tell him when the time is right," he says, his voice filled with confidence and reassurance.

Tommy turns his head, a knowing look in his eyes as he takes in the exchange between you and Joel. "Well, whenever you're ready, we'll be here to support you," he says, his voice filled with warmth and affection.

Sarah nods, her eyes shining with excitement. "Yeah, we can't wait to see what the future holds for you two," she says, her voice filled with genuine happiness.

The room falls silent for a moment, the weight of the conversation settling over you all. But then, the sound of laughter and chatter fills the air once again, the tension dissipating as you all settle in to enjoy the rest of the evening together.

As you lean into Joel's embrace, his arm wrapped around you, you can't help but feel a sense of contentment wash over you. 

"I had a lot of fun today," you say softly as Joel walks you back home, the short distance feeling longer with each step as a mix of excitement and nervousness swirls within you.

Joel's hands are tucked away in his jeans, a subtle restraint evident as he refrains from intertwining his fingers with yours, a silent acknowledgment of the need for caution in the presence of your father.

He hums in agreement, a small smile playing on his lips. "I did too," he replies, his voice warm and filled with affection.

You glance up at him, a hint of longing in your eyes. "Wish I could stay over tonight, but y'know... my dad," you sigh, the reality of the situation sinking in as you step onto the familiar steps of your front porch.

Joel nods, understanding the unspoken boundaries that need to be respected. "I get it. We'll have plenty of time for that," he says, his gaze lingering on you with a mix of desire and restraint.

You smile, your heart filled with gratitude. "Yeah, definitely. Thanks for walking me home," you say, your voice soft and sincere.

Joel leans in, pressing a gentle kiss to your forehead. "Anytime, darlin'," he murmurs, his deep baritone sending a shiver down your spine. "I've been meanin' to ask you... d'you mind comin' with me to grab a bite to eat and then head to the store to pick up a few more things for the house tomorrow?"

You nod, a smile spreading across your face. "Of course," you reply, your voice filled with eagerness. But then you remember, “You know what small towns are like. People talk.”

“I can’t guarantee anything,” Joel admits. “But we can only do our best to keep our hands off each other until it’s the right time to have everyone know. If you think that’s for the best,” he susgests, and only try to make you feel better.

You let out a small sigh and eventually nod and give him a small smile in agreement.

Joel's eyes sparkle with affection. "I'll see you soon, darlin'," he says, sweet as whiskey.

As you watch Joel's retreating figure, a smile tugs at the corners of your lips, a silent acknowledgment of the warmth and affection that fills your heart. Reluctantly, you turn and head back towards your house, the day's events still lingering in your mind.

The familiar surroundings of your home envelope you, the sound of the television filtering in from the living room. You pause in the entryway, taking a moment to gather your thoughts before making your way towards the comforting glow of the screen.

"Hey, Dad," you call out, your voice filled with a mix of nervousness and excitement.

Your father looks up from the television, a warm smile spreading across his face. "Hey, kiddo. How was your day?" he asks, his eyes filled with genuine interest.

"It was good," you reply, trying to sound casual. "I'm going with Joel tomorrow to help him pick up some stuff for his house."

Your father raises his eyebrows, a hint of a knowing smile playing on his lips. "Oh, alright. Sarah and Tommy coming too?"

You shake your head, feeling a slight flutter in your stomach. "I don't think so... I think they wanna fix their things and rest up a bit."

Your father nods, his gaze studying you for a moment, a hint of a knowing smile playing on his lips. "Just the two of you, huh?" he says, his voice laced with slight concern.

You feel your cheeks flush, but you hold your father's gaze, determined to be honest. "Yeah, just the two of us," you confirm, your voice soft but steady.

Your father leans back in his chair, a thoughtful expression on his face. "Alright," he says, his voice calm and reassuring. "Just text me when you leave, okay?"

You nod, a grateful smile spreading across your face. "Thanks, Dad," you say, your voice filled with appreciation.

You feel a warmth spread through your chest, the weight of the day's events finally starting to catch up with you. "I'm gonna head to bed," you say, stifling a yawn. "I'm kinda exhausted."

Your father chuckles, the sound warm and familiar. "Get some rest, kiddo. You've got a big day ahead of you tomorrow," he says.

You nod, leaning in to give your father a quick hug. "Thanks, Dad. I love you," you murmur, your voice filled with emotion.

"Love you too, kiddo," he replies, his arms tightening around you for a moment before you pull away.

You tuck yourself into the cozy comfort of your bed, a big smile spreading across your face as you let out a contented sigh. 

As you settle into the familiar softness of your pillows, your mind can't help but wander to Joel. The thought of spending the day with him tomorrow fills you with a sense of giddiness and anticipation that you can't quite contain.

You hum a soft, lilting melody to yourself as you move through your morning routine, the excitement for the day ahead bubbling within you. The sound of your father stirring in the kitchen reaches your ears, and you know he's likely headed out for an early shift at the shop.

After quickly whipping up a simple breakfast, you hear a familiar knock at the front door, and you can't help the grin that spreads across your face as you practically bound towards it.

Pulling the door open, your eyes are immediately drawn to the sight of Joel standing there, his tall frame leaning casually against the doorframe. His silver curls are neatly pushed back, and he's dressed in a different colored flannel than the one he wore the day before, paired with his well-worn jeans.

A smirk plays on his lips as he takes in the sight of you, his eyes sparkling with a mix of affection and mischief.

"Mornin', darlin'," he drawls, his deep voice sending a shiver down your spine.

"Hi," you breathe, suddenly feeling a bit self-conscious, yet unable to tear your gaze away from him.

Joel chuckles, the sound low and rich. "You ready to head out?" he asks, his arm reaching out to gently brush against yours.

You nod, your heart fluttering at his touch. "Just let me grab my bag," you say, turning to retrieve it from the nearby table.

As you turn back to face him, you catch a glimpse of your father in the kitchen, offering you a warm smile and a subtle nod of approval. The gesture fills you with a sense of comfort and reassurance.

Turning your attention back to Joel, you can't help but feel a surge of excitement and anticipation. "Okay, I'm all set," you say, your voice brimming with enthusiasm.

Joel grins, his hand finding the small of your back as he guides you out the door. "Then let's get goin', darlin'," he says, his touch sending a thrill through you.

As you step out into the crisp morning air, hand in hand with the man you've come to care for so deeply, a sense of anticipation and uncertainty lingers between you.

"What are we gonna do, Joel?" you ask suddenly as you settle into the car's passenger seat, the weight of the situation pressing down on you.

To be honest, it's the last thing Joel is thinking about, and your question catches him off guard. But he can see and feel how it's affecting you, the worry and doubt etched in your expression.

"You could just sneak over to my house every night. Make sure you're back home in time for breakfast," Joel suggests, trying to lighten the mood, but he knows deep down it's not as simple as that.

"Do you think your dad might already kinda know?" he asks, his voice soft and filled with concern. "Deep down, I kinda mean, darlin'."

You shrug, a mix of emotions swirling within you as Joel drives. You feel annoyed at yourself for even bringing it up, but Joel is grateful that you did.

"Or we could just go. Take off," Joel says, thinking aloud. He feels you turn to look at him, his hand still rubbing comforting circles on your thigh.

"You mean... just leave?" you ask, the idea not entirely foreign to you.

"It's not something we have to think about right this minute, but do you really wanna stay here, in this house? In this town, tutoring kids for a few bucks an hour?" Joel questions, his voice tinged with a hint of restlessness.

He remembers one of the main things he doesn't miss about small towns – how everyone seems to know everyone else's business. And in the case of you and Joel, that would be none of their damned business.

"But you only just bought the place, and Sarah and Tommy just arrived, and I guess the only thing I'm really worried about is Dad. Screw tutoring," you say, your brow furrowed as you grapple with the weight of the decisions ahead.

"I only bought the place... only came back to town to be closer to you, remember?" Joel explains, his voice filled with sincerity. "Sarah's school transfer papers haven't been processed yet, and Tommy has to go back anyways. I didn't think in my wildest dreams that I'd have you all to myself on day one, darlin'."

"You're a pretty fast operator, that's for sure," you tease him, a hint of a smile playing on your lips, but the underlying tension remains unresolved between you.

The realization that you are well and truly Joel's, the depth of your connection with him, fills you with a sense of contentment and joy. It's a problem, but the best kind of problem to have, a testament to the love and bond you share.

Unbeknownst to you, Joel hasn't checked his messages yet, but he's confident that the call he made to boost your dad's business will yield positive results. It may not all happen today, but he's hopeful it will help your dad regain his confidence and pride in his work.

In the meantime, Joel is adamant that you shouldn't do anything you're not comfortable with. He inquires if you're the only tutor available at the college.

"Of course not," you sigh, a hint of resignation in your voice. "It'll just mean a couple of college kids keep their tutoring money from Mom or Dad, is all," you reflect, the weight of the situation settling on your shoulders.

From your perspective, the real challenge lies in explaining to everyone that you've been with Joel the whole time. The thought of facing your father's reaction weighs heavily on your mind, and Joel is keenly aware of the potential conflict that may arise.

He knows that your father's protective instincts will be triggered, and navigating that aspect of your relationship will require patience and understanding from both of you.

"Well, if we're gonna burn for it, we may as well burn together," Joel tells you, his voice filled with a mix of determination and tenderness.

"But there's no point makin' it harder on ourselves either," Joel adds, his tone thoughtful. "Let's just wait and see, huh?" he suggests, his eyes meeting yours with a reassuring gaze.

The idea sinks in – it isn't the end of the world if you stop tutoring, and if nobody has caught on to the fact that you two are together, why stir up unnecessary trouble?

Relieved when you agree, you relax back into your seat, the weight of the situation lifting slightly. Joel parks the car on a street lined with small stores and cafes, the hustle and bustle of the town adding to the charm of the moment.

Despite the external distractions, it feels wrong to be near you and not show you how much you mean to him. The subtle touches and stolen glances have evolved into something deeper, a connection that demands to be acknowledged.

By the time you graduate from those fleeting moments to a full-blown kiss once you're back in the car after your meal, the intensity of your feelings for each other becomes undeniable.

Just as the moment seems to crystallize into something special, a female voice interrupts, shattering the private bubble you and Joel had created.

"Oh! Hi, Professor," you squeak, the sudden intrusion jolting you out of the intimate moment.

Joel, his expression darkening, turns to face the unexpected visitor, a protective instinct rising within him as he assesses the situation with a keen eye.

As the scene unfolds, Joel quickly grasps the situation at hand. A mildly annoyed college professor, Professor Hannah Bennett, catches her star tutor – you – in the arms of a man, instead of where you're expected to be.

The initial tension softens as Professor Bennett's gaze meets Joel's, her expression shifting from annoyance to curiosity. Joel, ever the gentleman, gulps slightly before extending his hand in introduction.

"Professor Hannah Bennett," she says, regaining her composure, though Joel feels her hand limp in his for a brief moment, a sign of her surprise.

Her eyes flicker from Joel to you, who has momentarily lost your voice in the unexpected encounter. The professor, quick to regain her professional demeanor, decides to leave you two to your own devices.

"Your dad mentioned you were helping his friend... uh, new neighbor," she stammers, a deep blush coloring her cheeks.

"Just maybe more notice next time if you're not up for tutoring for the day, that's all I ask," she adds, her tone taking on a more authoritative air as she reverts to her professorial role.

"I think I'll take a rain check on tutoring for a while, Professor Bennett," you declare in a clear, resolute voice, your hand slipping into Joel's for support.

Joel's pride and satisfaction are evident as he grins at your decision. The old professor huffs in disapproval, muttering something about the younger generation, before swiftly retreating from the scene.

"You quit?" Joel asks, his eyes filled with a mix of amusement and admiration, leaning in to kiss you deeply before you can respond.

"I guess I did," you reply, a hint of amazement in your tone at the sudden turn of events.

"Was it hard?" Joel teases, and you shoot him a sidelong glance, a hint of amusement in your eyes.

"The professor's the soul of discretion," you assure him. "But if we're caught like that on our first time out together..."

Joel knows exactly what you mean. The potential fallout from such a public display is looming, and he can feel the weight of it pressing down on you both.

"C'mon," Joel urges, determined to enjoy the moment despite the impending challenges. "Show me around town. Take me grocery shopping," he suggests, his voice filled with enthusiasm.

"We can fill up both our pantries and maybe we can cook up a storm for dinner?" he asks, but he can see the worry etched on your face.

"Hey, your dad was alright with the idea, right? To come with me for the grocery run?" Joel reasons, hoping to ease your concerns.

Relieved when you finally yield, a smile spreading across your face as you relax. "You're right. He did," you agree.

"But easy with those kisses," you're quick to add, a hint of playfulness in your tone. "What if it was Dad that happened by just now?"

Joel bites his tongue, and to keep you happy, he agrees to the new terms and conditions. No aggressive public displays of affection – a small price to pay to maintain the delicate balance of your relationship.

Your little run-in with the professor has only affirmed Joel's feeling that small-town eyes and ears are always connected to big mouths. He knows they'll have to be cautious, at least for now.

"Say," Joel asks once you're back in the car, a mischievous glint in his eye. "Is there like a lingerie store or something in town too?"

You raise an eyebrow, unsure if he's teasing you or not. "I think there is, but I don't think that's where you wanna be seen hanging out, is it?" you ask, a playful challenge in your voice.

Joel chuckles, his gaze focused on the road ahead. "I'll keep it in mind for future reference," he explains, a hint of a smile playing on his lips.

As he navigates the quiet streets, Joel makes a mental note that you're going to need a ready supply of all things underwear. The memory of tearing yours off is still fresh enough in his mind to remind him that he wants to make it a regular occurrence.

As you and Joel make your way through the quiet streets of the town, you can't help but feel a growing sense of unease. It must be your imagination, you tell yourself, trying to push down the nagging feeling that something is off.

But as you step into the local grocery store, the truth becomes undeniable – everyone is staring at the two of you. You're nowhere near touching, and you definitely don't have a sign around your neck proclaiming your newfound intimacy, but the curious gazes and hushed whispers are impossible to ignore.

You keep forgetting that a man of Joel's stature and presence is bound to turn heads in a small town like this. But as quick as the locals are to stare and gawk, they're just as fast to look away, especially when they lock eyes with Joel's unwavering gaze.

"Grab whatever you need, whatever you want. For your place, too, darlin'," Joel says, his voice warm and reassuring, though you can see the strain in his expression, the desire to reach out and touch you palpable.

He focuses his attention on filling the biggest cart he can find, his movements efficient and purposeful. You can't help but wonder how you're going to explain a houseful of food to your father, but you're sure he's well aware of just how naturally generous Joel is by now.

After filling up not one, but two overflowing carts, you can't help but protest the sheer volume of groceries Joel has insisted on purchasing. But he's quick to reason with you, his voice low and conspiratorial.

"The less I have to go out to shop, the more time I have to work on my new house," he says, his words laced with a hidden meaning that's clear to you.

You nod in understanding, realizing that his reasoning is not just about efficiency, but also about maintaining the appearance of propriety in the eyes of the small-town community.

As you check out, the total on the receipt makes your eyes widen, but Joel simply shrugs it off, his focus on ensuring you and your home are well-stocked. You actually think it's a great idea – if you both stock up now, you won't have to venture out for anything later.

No tutoring, no errands to run, at least for the next week. The thought of having all that spare time with Joel has your heart racing with anticipation, and you're pretty sure he has a few ideas of his own.

But as Joel pulls into your street, your breath catches in your throat. There, parked out front, is your father's truck. You swallow hard, the weight of the situation suddenly pressing down on you.

"Your dad's home," Joel says, his voice strained, but there's no hint of worry in his tone. If anything, he sounds more like an animal guarding its prized possession than someone afraid of getting caught.

Taking a deep breath as Joel pulls into the driveway, you brace yourself for the moment of confrontation you've been dreading. But as you both start to unload the groceries, the anticipated showdown never materializes.

Far from it, your dad practically leaps out of the house, a huge smile spreading across his face as he welcomes you both. Joel's mood instantly shifts, a sense of relief and contentment washing over him – if your dad is happy, so is Joel.

And just like that, you're off the hook for now.

"You're home early, Dad," you observe, but he's way too pumped up about something else to ask you two where you've been. He's grinning like a maniac, and you can't help but wonder if he's finally cracked.

Catching Joel's knowing look, you realize that this must be good news somehow. Whatever it is, it's clearly put your father in an exceptionally cheerful mood.

"I dunno what you did, Joel, but it worked!" your dad almost shrieks, pumping the air with his fist before high-fiving Joel, who doesn't seem surprised at all.

"What did you do?" you ask them both, but it's as if you've disappeared or something. Your dad has gone into full Joel-best-buddy mode, slapping his back and whooping and hollering. It's not until you're all inside that you can finally get any sense out of him.

"I'm booked solid for the next three months!" your dad exclaims to Joel, who's trying his best to look excited for your father's good fortune.

"And that, uh, client of yours? The one who collects all those vintage cars? Guess who he wants to be maintaining them all?" your dad asks, his eyes sparkling with excitement.

"That's great news. I'm glad I could..." Joel begins, but your dad is on a roll.

He's re-hiring the mechanics and workers he's laid off, and he's going to "expand the business." He's going to do better than ever from now on.

He's going to...

He's going to make you vomit if he keeps going on about it.

"Dad," you finally say, talking over him to get his attention.

"Yeah, sweetie, what is it?" he asks, holding his thought so he can keep telling Joel all about his fresh business plans.

"Nothing." You smile. "But are you gonna stick around, or do you still have that tractor to fix?" you ask, wondering if you and Joel will have any time alone now.

And you haven't even thought about what's going to happen when it's time to go to bed.

"Oh, yeah. Thanks, honey, but I've got Lucas going out to do it now. Boy! Is he glad to have his old job back!" your dad exclaims loudly, beaming up at Joel.

His admiration for Joel makes you feel like you're not the only one who thinks he's pretty amazing, which he is to a lot of people. But to you, he's the only one.

"You've done the hunting and gathering," your dad proclaims, his eyes sweeping over the abundance of meat and groceries you and Joel have just started to unload. Sarah and Tommy quickly make their way outside, greeting your father and offering to help with the remaining items that belong to them.

"So I'll start making us all a feast to celebrate," your dad announces, asking you if you can finish bringing in the groceries while he and Joel "catch up."

The subtle way he singles you out of the conversation is not lost on you. If this had been a day or two ago, before you had just lived through the best twenty-four hours of your life with Joel, you wouldn't have minded. But you hadn't counted on your dad being home early, nor did you expect him to hijack your man as soon as he saw him again.

You look to Joel for help, but he only shrugs, a strange expression crossing his face when your dad's back is turned that has you stifling a giggle. Instantly, you find yourself forgiving the entire group for being in this crazy situation.

You do as your dad asks, leaving out the items he calls for, the ones he'll need to amaze you all with his cooking skills. But once that task is complete, you're left awkwardly hanging out in the kitchen, feeling miles away from Joel. Maybe you should just go to your room.

No sooner do you glance towards the hallway leading to your bedroom, Joel's stern look stops you in your tracks. The message is clear – he wants you right where he can see you.

"I might just go change," you tell the room, knowing your dad is not paying attention, still talking a million miles a minute to Joel, who gives a little nod of approval.

You haven't seen your dad this excited, ever. Whatever Joel did has clearly done the trick to help your dad out, but are you really going to have to hear about it all night? It feels like you are.

By the time you change clothes, trying to look nice but not overly dressy for Joel, your dad stops long enough to notice you for a change.

"Sorry, honey. I've just been so pumped all day. And I've just gotta talk to the man who made it all happen," he explains, shooting Joel another glowing look.

"Don't let me do all the talking, though, and don't worry about skipping tutoring today. I already spoke to the professor," he adds, making your heart freeze in your chest.

"So? What have you two been up to all day?" he asks, snapping off a celery stalk from one of the brown paper sacks, crunching it loudly as he leans back against the counter.

Now, he's all ears, eager to know what it is that you and Joel have been up to.

He looks from you to Joel, and you can feel your mouth hanging open. You're waiting for Joel to save you both, which he does without effort.

"I had sweet darlin’ here help me run some errands, we did some grocery shopping, and then she showed me around town," he says, and none of it is a lie.

Your dad's brow creases with attention as he listens, already looking bored if he can't keep talking about his own good news. Joel does skip some parts, though, including the more intimate moments you shared – your father wouldn't be interested in those details.

But once Joel suggests you help him out like you did today more often, especially with all the plans Joel has for his new house, and hanging out with Sarah and helping her by tutoring her, it starts to sound more like a job offer than anything else.

"Well, it's up to you, hon," your dad says thoughtfully after a moment, not even a hint of suspicion in his voice anymore.

As your dad busies himself selecting ingredients for the meal he's going to prepare, you can't help but feel a mix of emotions swirling within you. The prospect of spending more hours talking and eating with your family and Joel looms ahead, a bittersweet reminder of the newfound dynamics in your life.

Joel's pivotal role in saving your dad's business is evident, and it's clear that your father is more than willing to follow Joel's lead from now on. Despite the relief and gratitude you feel, there's an underlying longing for the quiet moments alone with the man who has quickly become the center of your world.

"I wasn't getting paid very much to tutor, Dad," you remind him, shooting a playful glance at Joel when your dad's attention is elsewhere. You can't help but ponder what your hourly rate might be if you were to accept his unofficial job offer, a hint of mischief dancing in your eyes.

It takes some time to adjust to the new dynamic in the kitchen with Joel and your dad. You find yourself fighting the urge to seek out Joel's touch every few seconds, a silent reminder of the growing connection between you.

As you call Sarah and Tommy over for dinner, the atmosphere shifts to one of camaraderie and relaxation. It feels good to simply talk, eat, and goof around without the weight of other concerns pressing down on you.

Throughout the evening, you notice the subtle strain on Joel's face, a reminder of the complexities of the situation. Yet, your dad remains your dad, unwavering in his friendship with Joel, creating a unique bond between the three of you.

As the meal progresses and conversations flow, you find yourself washing up alongside Sarah, the men engrossed in their post-dinner discussions out on the porch. Sarah decides to head back to the house early, leaving you with a sense of peace and contentment in the quiet moments that follow.

The realization hits you like a ton of bricks – you might have to spend the night away from Joel, not just tonight, but potentially every night until you both figure out what to do. It's not a happy thought, and you know Joel is thinking the same thing as the time for bed draws closer.

You've spent more hours today not touching and kissing than you two have actually been able to do so, and you just know Joel isn't happy about that either. So when your dad comes back inside without Joel or Tommy, you try not to sound panicked as you ask where they both are.

Your dad chuckles, "He went home, sweetie. He lives next door now, remember?" he asks, stifling a yawn and scratching his belly, letting you know he's about to turn in.

"I gotta huge day tomorrow, so I might not even see ya before or after work, but thanks for helping Joel out. He's really saved our bacon," your dad says, pecking your cheek before stretching out another yawn and heading to his room.

Not long after hearing his door close, there's a light rapping at the back door. You spring around and see Joel, his finger pressed firmly to his lips before he stalks over to you in two steps, kissing you with a desperation that takes your breath away.

"Wait 'til he's asleep again... Then come over," he murmurs, cocking his head and darting back out the door before your dad shuffles down the hall again, this time in his pajamas on the way to the bathroom.

Once your dad goes back to his room, you know he won't be coming out again. And if he does, he'll think you're asleep. So, tidying up the rest of the kitchen in record time, it isn't long before you hear your dad blowing bubbles in his sleep, and you're hot-footing it next door.

The need for Joel's touch is overwhelming, the hours spent apart feeling like an eternity. As you step into his home, the familiar scent of him envelops you, and you can't help but feel a sense of relief and excitement wash over you.

Without a moment's hesitation, you find yourself in his arms, your lips crashing against his in a desperate, passionate kiss. The world around you fades away, and all that matters is the connection you share, the hunger for each other's embrace.

Joel's deep, southern drawl sends a shiver down your spine as he leans in, his lips brushing against your neck. "You gotta be quiet for me, darlin'," he murmurs, his warm breath caressing your skin. "Can you do that for me?"

You nod eagerly, your heart racing with anticipation. The need for his touch is overwhelming, the hours spent apart feeling like an eternity. As his strong arms wrap around you, pulling you flush against his muscular frame, you melt into his embrace.

Joel's calloused hands roam your body, igniting a fire within you that threatens to consume you. His lips crash against yours in a desperate, passionate kiss, his tongue exploring your mouth with a primal hunger. You whimper softly, the sound muffled by his searing kiss.

"That's it, darlin'," Joel growls, his voice dripping with desire. "Let me hear how much you want me." His hands slide down to your hips, gripping them firmly as he grinds his hardness against you.

You gasp, the sensation sending a jolt of pleasure through your core. "Joel," you breathe, your fingers tangling in his silver curls. "I need you, please..."

He chuckles, the deep rumble vibrating against your skin. "I know, sweetheart. I'm gonna take care of you." Deftly, he lifts you, your legs instinctively wrapping around his waist as he carries you towards the bedroom.

The world around you fades away, consumed by the raw, primal need that pulses between you. Joel lays you down on the bed, his calloused hands caressing your curves as he hovers over you, his eyes dark with lust.

"You're so damn beautiful, darlin'," he murmurs, his lips trailing featherlight kisses along your jaw. "I've been waitin' all day to have you like this."

You arch into his touch, a soft moan escaping your lips. "Then take me, Joel," you whisper, your voice dripping with desire. "I'm yours."

With a growl, Joel captures your lips in a searing kiss, his hands roaming your body as he slowly, methodically undresses you. The air is thick with the scent of your arousal, and the sound of your ragged breathing fills the room.

As he buries himself deep within you, you cry out, the sensation of being so completely filled sending waves of pleasure coursing through your body. Joel stills for a moment, his forehead pressed against yours.

"That's it, darlin'," he murmurs, his voice strained with restraint. "Let me hear how much you love it."

You whimper, your hips rolling against his. "Joel, please," you beg, your nails digging into the taut muscles of his back. "Don't stop."

With a groan, Joel begins to move, his thrusts slow and deliberate, driving you higher and higher towards the precipice of ecstasy. Your bodies move in perfect harmony, the world around you fading away until all that exists is the two of you, lost in a haze of passion and desire.

The room is filled with the sounds of your shared pleasure, the heady scent of sex hanging in the air as Joel's movements become more urgent, more primal. Your bodies move as one, a symphony of desire and need as you reach the pinnacle of ecstasy together, the intensity of your release washing over you in a wave of pure bliss.

As you come down from the heights of pleasure, Joel holds you close, his heart pounding against yours as you both catch your breath. In the aftermath of your passion, you're left feeling sated, fulfilled, and more connected to Joel than ever before.

In this stolen moment, you know that no matter the challenges that lie ahead, as long as you have Joel by your side, you're equipped to confront almost anything. The future may be uncertain, but in his arms, you've never felt more at home.

[writersblockedx]

Loose Ends: Chapter One

Chapter One: Insects

Based off - Episode One Pairing - Joel Miller x Fem!Reader Warnings - General violence, language, a good bit of angst  Words - 6.3k

A/n - Hello! Welcome to my the last of us rewrite! I wasn’t sure whether or not I was going to write this as I’ve never tried to start a rewrite without having watched the full series first. I’m hopping everything I’ve planned for the reader’s character works out and I hope you enjoy it!

⇨ Next Chapter Read on: AO3 Wattpad

Masterlist

There was a hasher side to having the job Y/n did. But, the bad things were lucky they didn't weigh out the good. She had a job that not many could replace. At least, not yet. She may not occupy the great muscle that soldiers did but she held knowledge above a college level. Without, any sort of school system left standing, Y/n was a rarity many had fought over. Though, she found herself settled in Boston for the last ten years.

A very long, a very complicated ten years.

She wiped the used needle, putting it back in its box of the remaining free that they had no choice but to keep using over and over. The woman turned, halted by the figure standing in the doorway between the hall and her makeshift office. She shifted and her expression turned sour as a huff fell from her lips, "I thought you were avoiding me."

Joel was leant against the door frame, hands in his pockets ever so lazily. "Apparently Doctor Davis is unavailable." He informed as his gaze guided along her. "And I'm in need of pharmaceutical resources."

She shook her head, "Doctor Davis was demoted because he failed inventory. Lost some painkillers and couldn't explain it. We came to the conclusion a smuggler was behind it." The man tensed. "Whatever it is you want Joel, I'm not helping you."

"What about a check-up?" He pressed.

"You want a check-up?" She gestured to a group behind him, analysing some lab work, yet they lacked the lab coat that hung around Y/n's shoulders. "Get one of the junior doctors to do it for you."

Joel glanced back at them and scoffed, "You mean your little science projects?" He raised a brow which seemed to taunt the woman.

She walked from the middle of the room towards the door. And even with him towering over her, her stern expression didn't dare to break. "I'm not giving you anything, I'm not helping you. So whatever has brought you here after a year, I can't do-"

"It's Tommy." He interjected, his gaze falling down to meet hers. Her lips shut. "Its been three weeks. He hasn't responded."

Y/n thought on it for a moment but the second her eyes met with Joel's, he knew it was a lost cause. "That's got nothing to do with me anymore, just like you don't."

He peered behind him, catching sight of the working group once again. He looked back and leaned in slightly, his words only a hushed whisper, "I know you don't owe me anything, but-"

"You're right." She cut him off like her tongue were a knife. "I don't owe you anything. I'm sure you or Tess will figure something out." It took Y/n a lot, but she looked him in the eye and she swore all she could see was a flicker of a memory she had forced herself to forget. "Now, if you don't mind, I've got somewhere to be."

But Joel nodded and took the rejection in his stride as he turned his back to her and exited the building.

Y/n wasn't lying. She had somewhere to be. Somewhere she needed to be desperately in fact. She left the building with a bag of her usual medical supplies. This was her third time sneaking around in the last week; she was surprised no guards had started to catch on. Then again, as Joel had once put, the white lab coat she wore seemed to open every door and drew any attention away from her.

She took the same route. Though, as organised with Marlene, never the same time. Y/n's lab coat couldn't quite hide her from everything, she still had to be smart. She slipped into the Fireflies building, unnoticed and, seemingly, safely.

There were a few people dotted around, all of them tightly focused on their individual tasks.Y/n didn't have to walk far until coming across Marlene, likely planning within the space of her own head. "Hey," The woman greeted, wandering around the table where maps were laid out. She jolted a little, only settling when her gazed settled on Y/n. "Jesus, what's up with you?"

Marlene huffed as she looked back to the papers scattered beneath her, "Got some new resources coming in before we move." She informed.

"Since when did that put you on edge?" The other girl questioned.

She finally pulled her gaze from her maps, finding her palms settling on her hips. "Since it's a new smuggler whose delivering."

Y/n nodded her head in realisation, "Ah, right." She uttered before her eyes pulled to a door situated across from them. "You spoke to her yet?"

Marlene looked to the door too, "Yeah. Once we get this stuff, we're gone." Y/n met the gaze of her friend and found a glint of regret surged through her pupils. "You can still come if you want."

She flashed an apathetic smile, "You know I can't." As much as she may have wished she could. "I'm the only doctor they've got left in this zone."

"What happened to Davis?"

Y/n could have laughed. In fact, she almost did, "Helping Joel smuggle painkillers." By the expression Marlene wore, she wasn't all that surprised by such. "I'd go with you if I could, but you can get her out of here and you keep her safe better than anyone else ever could."

Marlene shifted in her stance, her expression softening, "You can still come with us. We'll find somewhere with better medical supplies, somewhere that's safe-"

"Marlene," The girl cut in. "Nowhere is 100% safe, I think here is the best place for me." She went on, taking a cautious step forward as her voice lowered, suddenly aware of the ears which could be listening in. "There will be other scientists, other medics, whatever you need will be out there to maybe do something." She assured.

"We'll miss you." She sent a smile which was easily returned.

"I know." Y/n was already walking out the room as she continued, "How long have I got to do vitals?"

"Dealer should be here in five."

Y/n nodded in understanding and fully turned, heading for the room Ellie was still stuck in. As she had been doing for two weeks now, the girl entered the room with her bag of medical supplies and a smile she hoped would comfort the kidnapped girl. Ellie wore the same clothes she came in. Yet, now, she was freed from the chain which once kept her here, along with having her bag returned to her.

At the sound of the door opening, Ellie stood, relaxing only a little when Y/n walked further into the room. "You're still here." She observed with knitted brows as if she hadn't expected it.

Y/n unzipped her bag, pulling out the damaged and remaining supplies she had. "What? You miss me?"

"That lady-" She gestured her head towards the doorway.

"Marlene?" Y/n questioned.

To which, Ellie nodded and continued, "Said I was leaving. I wasn't expecting the FEDRA doctor to come with me."

"I'm not coming with you." She broke to the younger girl.

Something of which seemed to insight panic, "You're not?"

Still, with that comforting smile which wasn't doing a brilliant job, Y/n shook her head. "I can't." She started walking further into the room. "Come on, sit, I still need to check your vitals before you go."

Ellie wasn't certain but she took to the floor as Y/n did. The woman reached for the blood pressure machine and as she always did, she turned to find Ellie had already rolled up her sleeve. "What will you do now then?" Inquired the girl.

Y/n didn't look away as she strapped the machine around her arm, turning it on as it started to squeeze against her skin. "Nothing different." She answered mindlessly.

She waited until the machine relaxed around her arm before continuing, "You know they tell stories about you at military school."

The older woman barely looked up from jotting down the results as she answered, "And do you bother to believe them?"

Ellie shrugged, "Some are a bit far-fetched." She thought aloud with a hum as Y/n reached for a thermometer. And, as had become routine, Ellie looked to the side as Y/n scanned her ear. "Mainly the ones that call you a murderer."

She chuckled, "And what are they becoming in military school I wonder." The thermometer beeped and Y/n pulled it back. Once again, noting down the results. "I wish I could come with you, you know." She admitted.

"Then why don't you?"

Y/n thought on it for a moment. She thought about avoiding the answer all together but that curious glint in Ellie's eyes seemed to insight her. "Because them stories you've heard, they travel further then your little military school."

The younger girl was about to give a reply when the mutterings from outside the door got louder. At first, Y/n wasn't going to pay much attention to them. That was until she caught the words woven between the sudden sharp tones. "This wasn't what we agreed." Yelled Marlene.

A sickening scoff was sounded, "Oh, was it not?" Taunted another voice. Y/n wasn't certain, but she made an assumption it was the new smuggler. Obviously not one to be trusted by the sound of things.

She glanced back to Ellie who was listening just as intently as she were. "Stay here." Y/n instructed.

Ellie watched with wide eyes as the woman slowly crept closer to the doorway, keeping low to the floor as to not give away her location. Well, more importantly, as to not give away Ellie's location. She peered her head around the doorway, lucky to find most backs faced her. The smuggler and his fellow guard dogs were talking to Marlene and a few other loitering fireflies.

"Look, I don't know what your plan is here, but either you're going to get what we actually agreed on or we're gonna have a problem." Said Marlene.

She scanned the various smugglers. Their ripped and ragged clothes. And then the pistols which hung from their belts, accompanied with shivs and other blades. A part of her worried for the woman who was facing the group, but Y/n knew Marlene could handle herself. And while she was certain Ellie could too, she took the decision to protect her.

With a sharp inhale, Y/n delicately pressed the door shut, holding her back against it. She met Ellie who had still yet to move from her spot. "You got a gun in that backpack of yours?" She questioned, quietly, gesturing to the bag which was near the girl.

The girl didn't speak. Instead, she rummaged through the bag and pulled out a very small pocket knife. Not a gun, not a dagger, just a small, blunt pocket knife. Y/n could have sworn they were dead there and then.

"I don't think that's how this is gonna work!" Snapped the male voice, immediately followed by the sound of gunshots.

Y/n stiffed and her gaze jumped to Ellie. She gestured her head for the girl to come next to her. She followed, scurrying across the wooden floor as her back leant aginst the door like Y/n's did.  The sounds of bodies getting hit and thrown jumbled with groans of pain. Y/n reached out her palm as Ellie passed the only thing they had to protect themselves. She had no plan on moving from this room. She would wait it out. The only problem which plagued her was if they dared to look in the locked room.

Alas, long moments passed of holding their breath before the gun shots dwindled out. The sound of movement was limited to the sound of body's dropping and suddenly, the only noise from outside their room was the mumbles and groans that Y/n struggled to make out. "Is it over?" Whispered Ellie from her side.

The younger girl was looking up at her for assurance that she was unable to give. So Y/n kept her gaze to the floor as she focused on every sound she could catch. "I don't know yet."

The groaning continued and Y/n thought about escaping the comfort of the room which was keeping them hidden. Then came the footsteps. More than just a pair and that was enough to keep her body and Ellie's behind the door. "Shit," She heard Marlene curse. Another voice replied in a soothing tone which told her the girl was safe.

"It's Marlene." Ellie noted, worry glazing her pupils as the two looked to one another.

"I know." Y/n huffed.

"Well, aren't we going to do something?"

The expression written over the woman's face gave Ellie her answer. She wasn't going to do something. Not yet, anyway. So in an act of desperation, Ellie snatched her pocket knife back and busted the door open.

"Ellie, don't!" Her voice screeched. Y/n scurried to her feet, attempting to grasp the young girl, but she had slipped from her fingers.

Though by the time the words had slipped from her tongue, Ellie had been thrown to the floor again and Y/n found herself faced with the barrel of a gun. A gun that was held by Joel Miller. "Y/n?" Questioned Joel as if he didn't quite believe it.

And, in a similar fashion, she did the same, "Joel?" Their eyes both snapped to the end of the hallway where Marlene was stumbling with a gunshot wound, held in a steady position by Kim.

Then Y/n's eyes jumped to Ellie and her expression simply read: Told you so. Y/n looked passed the gun that was still held at her head, "Ellie? You okay?" She asked, glancing between the weapon and the teenage girl.

She hummed something along the lines of a, "Yeah." before reaching out for the pocket knife, almost bruising her fingers as Joel stepped on it, keeping it from use.

"Ellie." Called Marlene. At first, the girl seemed too captivated with sending a death glare to Joel that she hadn't dared to turn away. "Ellie." Marlene repeated, more stern and forceful than before, prompting her to finally look away.

Her eyes found Marlene's face first, then they jolted to the blood which was drowning her t-shirt. "Oh, shit!"

Marlene hovered a hand in front of her as if silently saying it was okay. "No, it's okay. I'll be alright." She lowered her gun. "You can't be stupid like this."

"Trust me," Y/n spoke up. "I'd tried to stop her." The two were like scolding parents with a disruptive child.

Y/n only caught a glance, but a glance was enough to process the puzzled, tender emotion that was painted over Joel's face. Even if he had yet to move that gun from her. "So this is who Robert screwed us over with?" Came another voice as they rounded the corner: Tess. "The Che Guevara of Boston and the FEDRA medic turned firefly?" She scoffed as if it were laughable. "War must be going pretty shitty for you to buying from scumbags like him."

Y/n found her eyes rolled but her lips stayed tied shut while Marlene replied, "Yeah, it kinda has been. Merch was bad and he didn't take fuck off for an answer." Which would explain the voices her and Ellie had overheard before the gunshot started.

"What about you?" Y/n's gaze jumped between Joel and Tess. "The hell are you doing here?"

Tess snapped back before Joel could, "None of your business."

"Give me my knife." Demanded the voice from below.

The voice of which had been ignored. "What do you need a car battery for?" Joel interrogated.

Ellie moved when she shouldn't have. Maybe the fact she was ignored had prompted her on as she reached for her knife anyway. Thus, leading to the gun once pointed at Y/n to point at her. Marlene and Kim both raised their weapons. And with nothing else, Y/n swiftly pulled the shiv from Joel's belt, swinging it around his throat.

It hovered over his skin just as the gun hovered over Ellie's forehead. "Don't point it at her." She stated in a slow, firm tone which had seemed to send a shiver down Joel's spine.

He didn't dare move. So he gave a harsh whisper in reply, "Then where the fuck am I meant to point it?"

"I don't care." She said. "Just not at her."

So, with that, Joel's hand moved. Rather than point to Marlene or Kim, Y/n felt it prod below her ribs. Sharp and prominent that it made the thought of breathing fearsome. "Why do you need the car battery?" He asked again.

This time, Y/n felt obliged to answer, "For a much better reason than you do." He pushed the gun further into her skin and she tensed.

Luckily, Marlene swept in to continue, "Tommy's just one man." She felt the gun relax slightly at the mention of Joel's brother. "It's our business to know things."

"To know things." The man reiterated. "You're the cause of it. You turned my own brother against me."

"Not the only reason." Y/n mumbled, expecting that to cause Joel to push the gun against her skin again. Alas, it seemed to just keep his lips sewn shut.

Within the silence, Kim brought everyone back to current matters at hand, "That was a lot of gun fire. FEDRA's gonna be on their way." As if they didn't already have enough to deal with.

"I know." Marlene nodded.

Y/n looked over Joel's shoulder, "What do we do now?" It was obvious Marlene was stuck in a thought. A thought of which she didn't seemed to like. "Marlene?"

She sighed but let on such thought, "We were going to move Ellie out of the zone tonight. But we won't make it anywhere like this. Not for a while." She explained. "So now I'm thinking, you're gonna do it."

The shock from both parties encouraged them to pull away as the shiv left Joel's neck and the gun left Y/n's ribs. Spontaneously, together, there came a chorus of negative responses:

"What? Marlene-"

"I'm not going with them!"

"The hell we are."

Glances were shared between the three of them; all of which opposed this very stupid idea. "Who is she?" Tess inquired, considering this deal.

"To you, she's cargo." Suppose that was how they were sure to look at this.

"We don't smuggle people." Said Joel.

Kim looked over at Marlene and offered, "I can do it."

That was instantly shut down by the wounded woman, "Kim you don't have a fucking ear on your fucking head." And that plan went out the window just as quickly as it had come in. "There's a team of fireflies waiting for her at the old State House. We were going with a whole squadron for that very reason. But now I don't have a squadron or a truck. FEDRA's five minutes away. What I do have is you."

Maybe it was practical, but it was still a stupid idea with how delicate they must handle this situation. "Why can't Y/n take me?" Ellie queried.

Tess had scoffed at the idea of that as she stared at the doctor, "Because she's got no idea how to survive without these walls which keep her precious prestige."

She could only reply to Tess with a deadly glare that did nothing. But as she looked back to Joel, she spoke up, "I know what you're both capable off." A glint passed through the man's eyes that she couldn't pinpoint. "For better or for worse."

"What are they capable of?" Came that vulnerable voice from below.

Y/n's gaze flickered to Ellie before back to Joel, "We can give you what you need to find Tommy, not just the battery."

Marlene backed that up, "Just get her to that house safely."

It seemed they were on the brink of a deal when Ellie had to throw in a curve ball. "I'm not going without one of you." She was peering over at Marlene and Y/n, that worry still lingering in her pupils which sparked guilt.

"I'll just slow you down." Marlene pointed out, still having that gushing red pool at the fabric of her shirt.

So then eyes landed to Y/n. The automatic answer of 'I can't' didn't seem to follow. Not when she was facing Ellie's desperation to feel secure with someone she could trust. And it took her a long moment before she sucked it up, "Okay, I'll go with you." She decided.

"Y/n-" Marlene was about to remind her of what she already knew, about what could be awaiting her out there if she wasn't careful.

"It's okay." Y/n assured.

"Well this will be a first." Critiqued Tess. Again, something that had earnt her a glare from Y/n as she was left with nothing else to respond with.

The couple soon met eyes, Joel nodding his head before they trailed over to have a silent conversation. Y/n took that as her chance to move over to Ellie, handing the knife back over to her. "Talk it through but please remember I'm bleeding out over here!" Yelled Marlene.

That seemed enough to draw their ever so important conversation to a close. "Alright, here's the deal." Tess started as she spun on her heels to face the group. "The three of us will get her to your crew at the state house but before we hand her over, they give us everything that we want. If not, we kill her. There and then." As in true Tess fashion.

And, almost too quickly, "Deal." Agreed Marlene.

"Really?" Ellie uttered. "That fast?"

"You are all that matters." Marlene said. "My team will not jeopardise that."

Y/n helped the girl back up to her feet, "Come on, lets get your stuff." She gave one more glance to Joel and Tess before wandering back into the room.

Ellie grabbed her backpack and Y/n stuffed her medical supplies back into her bag. By the time they exited the room, Marlene was by the doorway, offering a pistol to Y/n. "Just in case." She uttered.

She glanced between the weapon and the woman who had grown to become her friend. "Do I get one?" Ellie beamed.

In synch, they both snapped back, "No." Before Y/n took the offer, shoving it in the waistband of her jeans.

"You stay safe out there." Was the last thing Marlene said to her before her and Ellie were trailing behind the smugglers. Joel took one last stare and Y/n overheard Marlene as she practically threatened the man, "Don't fuck this up."

There came no reply from Joel. Instead, he must have nodded his head and continued on with the rest of them. They tread through the pouring rain. Pace in their step as they walked against the curfew. Ellie was smart. Any whiff of a solider and she had her face hidden. Right up until they entered an apartment complex.

Tess led the way, stopping at what Y/n assumed to be their apartment, unlocking it. She slipped in first and held the door open. Ellie wandered in first, her curious eyes translating between this new surrounding. And Y/n followed her. Which was when Tess moved. "Give us a minute." She stepped back through the doorway, and before either of them could realise what was happening, the door was slammed right in their faces.

"What the fuck!" Exclaimed the young girl, while Y/n found it to be expected. Tess had never particularly warmed to her.

Ellie huffed as her back hit the wall. Y/n took further steps into this apartment that wasn't her own, but seemed to have speckles of her memory. Most memories which had Joel attached to them. The blanket they had once shared, the old board games she had been adamant they kept, the books which words were rich, but their pages were lacking in such as they started to tear. As Y/n kept walking, her eyes fell to the paper insect that hung by the window.

The cutout butterfly glistened against the street lights, it's colours reflecting into the room. It was a haunting memory of someone Y/n was still certain came as a comfort to Joel. "Do you trust them?" Ellie questioned, finally moving from the wall she had once been leaning against.

Y/n peered away from the butterfly, "I trust Joel's need to find his brother." Their voices still lingered outside. When the girl looked to Ellie, she was sat in a deadpanned expression, urging for more information. To which, Y/n obliged. "For now, I trust them. I'll let you know if it changes."

Ellie started snooping herself. Though, not for what parts of her might still linger in this room, but for what she could use as leverage. Something better than a blunt pocket knife, she hoped. "How do you know 'em?" She wondered as her fingertips tranced a bookshelf by the window.

"Old friends." Y/n uttered and Ellie hummed in response as if she didn't quite believe her but didn't bother to pester further into the topic.

"Tess!" Yelled Joel's voice from the other side of the wall. Y/n turned, facing the door which was still closed on them. Then she looked to Ellie who was flicking through a music book. "Tess!" He repeated.

Soon after, he entered the room, clearly not in any better of a mood. He threw his bag to the side and headed for the couch without muttering a woad. "So?" Ellie spoke up. "Who's Bill and Frank?"

His eyes widened slightly before meeting Y/n who had seated herself in the armchair by the window. "Didn't I tell you she's good at eavesdropping?" The woman raised a brow.

Ellie continued on: "The radios a smuggling code, right?"

Again, Joel looked to Y/n for an answer. "Or that's she catches on quickly?"

"60s song they don't have anything new, 70s they've got new stuff." She went on, reading from a note tucked into the thick book. Joel stood from the coach. "What's 80s?"

He snatched it from her hold and threw it to the battered coffee table which was somehow still standing. Then he returned back to the coach, getting comfy against the fabric once again. Y/n was just about to turn her head to the window, when Ellie piped up again. "What are you doing?" She was standing over Joel.

"Killing time." He said without taking a peak back at her.

"Well what am I suppose to do?" She snapped.

"I'm sure you'll figure it out."

Ellie spun, facing Y/n who didn't have any excuse for Joel's unwelcoming ways. She took the book back, dragging a chair over to where Y/n was sitting. "Your watch is broken." She pointed out as if Joel were unaware.

That time, his eyes pulled open, meeting Y/n. They both thought the same thing but neither of them made a move to voice it. Ellie huffed harshly as she sat down, "Why were you friends with him again?" She asked.

Y/n stole one more peak at the man who had shut his eyes again, though was still obviously listening, and she chose it best not to answer. Her gaze pulled to the window as she attempted to wash away the thoughts of the day. She wasn't sure yet if she had just made the worse decision she could, but leaving this zone was the biggest risk she could possibly take. Only time would tell if that risk was going to come back to haunt her.

Hours must have passed. The sun set and curfew was soon enforced. Ellie had shut the song book and joined Y/n in staring out the window like it was the most entertaining thing in the world. Somewhere along the lines, Joel stared to stir back awake. Ellie noticed first, "You mumble in your sleep."

Y/n turned her head, confused as she expected Ellie to be talking to her, only to find her eyes centred on Joel. The man pulled himself up and the young girl continued on with her words, "I've never been on the other side of the wall. Look how dark it is. You guys go out there a lot?"

"I guess." Joel answered, still in between the state of dreams and consciousness.

"When was the last time?"

His eyes flickered to Y/n before he said anything, "A year. Maybe." He shook his head, seeping into a different topic, "What's it matter?"

Ellie shrugged, "You know where to go. So were gonna be okay?"

Silence passed and neither of the adults in the room knew how to answer that question. It seemed a matter of false hope or reality. "Yeah," Y/n finally uttered. "We'll be fine." Or so she prayed they would be.

"What's the deal with you anyway?" Queried Joel. "You some kind of bigwigs daughters or something?"

Y/n replied before giving Ellie the chance, "Since when did you ask questions?" She snapped like the words meant something.

Joel shifted at that, standing from the couch in an act of opposition. "Sorry," He spat back. "I won't do it again." Y/n watched as he turned his back to her, wandering over to the kitchen tables. Suddenly, she was wishing she had given the chance for Ellie to speak first, a guiltly feeling burdened her gut that she knew wasn't going away any time soon.

"Oh, the radio came on while you were sleeping." Uttered the younger girl once tension had sizzled slightly.

Joel snapped back around as Y/n scolded her, knowing where this was going, "Ellie-"

But it was no use, "What?" The man rushed. "What was the song?"

"He kept saying like 'wake me up before you go-go'."

Joel looked down, "Shit." He muttered to himself.

And such had ever so easily given him away. A smile tugged at Ellie's lips as she said, "Gotcha." It was with that when Joel finally caught on too. "80s means trouble. Code broken."

"I did warn you." Y/n added.

The man was about to point his finger and scold the girl just like Y/n usually did when the door swung open again. Tess walked in and all three of them stayed silent. "The spot under Lancaster looks good." She informed before pointing to Ellie. "You got a jacket in your pack?" She nodded and then Tess glanced over to Y/n. "What about you, prestige? Got something other than that lab coat?" Her response was a silent one, the answer given to Tess by the expression which was written over her face. "Of course, you haven't."

Joel was already moving as he spoke, "I'll go get you one from the war-"

Some material hit her chest before he could finish.  The man stopped, seeing as Tess had thrown her one from her bag anyway. No one dared to say anything. Y/n slipped from her lab coat to Tess' jacket within the matter of a moment before she announced, "Let's go." And with that, the rather dysfunctional group exited the apartment, uncertain as to when they would return.

The streets were littered more than usual. Soldiers lined the roads, their guns aimed and trucks patrolling the area. Each of them stayed clear of the light, weaving and tangling through the bodies which could easily catch sight of any of them. They were lucky to get so far. Though, once they were outside of the wall, loitering on the outskirts, it may as well not have been worth it.

Tess led the way, turning a corner they didn't realise was going screw them over. "What the hell?" They all stopped at the voice they didn't recognise as one of their own. They turned, a soldier starring at each of them, all while his zipper was undone.

"Shit," Y/n mumbled, instinctively nudging closer to Ellie.

The man scurried to make himself some-what presentable before addressing the group. "Hey, hey! Don't move!" He threatened and they are raised their hands at the sight of the rifle he grasped. And then he uncovered the front of his helmet, "You got to be shitting me."

Y/n looked to Joel; of course, she should have known. "Okay let's talk this out-"

"Turn around!" Suppose he wasn't in a talking mood. "Get on your fucking knees!" He demanded when none one of them moved.

"Now, hold on-" Joel tried again.

And again, he failed. "What did I fucking tell you man? Stay the fuck home."

Y/n glancd to the man, "Glad to know you shared that information with the group." She huffed.

"Get on your knees!" He ordered again.

This time, Tess moved. "Just get on your knees." The woman said. And they followed her, dropping to the dirt and mud. "Listen you let us do this run, we'll split the cards with you."

"Oh, will you?"

She nodded, "Yeah."

But Tesss' plan hadn't worked. He laughed and gave her the sarcastic reply of, "I'm so blessed." Which was followed by, "Put your hands on your head. Eyes forward."

"Really man?" Y/n looked across the line to Tess who was being tested.

Shit. Her eyes widened, soon to meet an equally worrisome Ellie. "Yep." Said the soldier. "We're doing this by the book." The machine beeped and Y/n knew her and Joel were all that stood between Ellie's life and the soldier.

"Alright, how about three-quarters?" Tess still nagged.

"Joel?" Y/n leaned over, her voice low in hopes to not gain the soldier's attention.

He looked between her and Tess a few times before finally listening, "What?"

"Unauthorised exit." Continued the guard.

"I didn't tell you everything." Y/n spoke up to Joel, lucky the guard was too focused on the beeping machine in front of him.

Joel's brows became knitted, struggling to follow her words in such dire situation. "They'll hang you for that." Informed the soldier as he moved behind the man.

"Fine!" Said Joel, bypassing Y/n's words for a moment. "Everything from this run and half off on the pills."

The machine beeped, followed by a scoff from the soldier. "Half of?" He reiterated like it was pitiful. He moved to behind Y/n as he responded, "All off!"

Y/n slowly brought her eyes to meet the man next to her. Her pupils empty as she knew what awaited them. And in that moment of complete uncertainty, she could only say one thing. "Joel." Her words were drowning in the type of fear he had only ever heard her say once before. And that's when he realised something was truly wrong.

The machine beeped behind her head before the soldier moved on to Ellie. Y/n couldn't take another breath. Not until she heard the soldier groan and stumble. The four stood to their feet, watching as the blunt pocket knife was soon shoved into the man's thigh. "Ellie!" Y/n snapped.

And while the girl had lept for Ellie, Joel lept for the guard. The rifle was soon pointed right at him. "Woah woah, we can fix this." Said Joel in the calmest tone he could muster in that moment.

The soldier gave one order: "Move."

And Joel didn't listen to it. He jumped forward, tackling him to the ground. The rifle was thrown to one side. Once given the upper hand, Joel started punching. And punching. He didn't stop until the breath from the guard's mouth did.

He slowed. He realised. And then he rose, turning to face what was left. Y/n was holding Ellie who seemed curious at the violence which had occurred. Not scared, just curious. He looked up and down between that sight and his bloody hand. There were thoughts plaguing his mind. Enough that  it had pulled Y/n forward, as softly, she called, "Joel?"

It was more of a question, a prompt for assurance which wasn't given in return. She stepped closer to him until he was only looking at her. "Are you okay?"

He never got the chance to answer. "Joel! Joel!" Screamed a panicked voice from behind them.

Tess was showing the machine, the blinking red machine which meant infected. "I'm not sick!" Ellie claimed.

"Tess, you don't get it." Y/n went on as she jumped to protect Ellie once again.

"Look!" The younger girl yelled, rolling up her sleeve and the wound which painted her forearm. "This is three weeks old!" Tess inspected it herself. "Nobody lasts more than a day. This look a day old to you?"

Y/n went on to add, "You have to trust us Tess. Why else would the fireflies and a doctor be working together?" Tess seemed to be coming around to the idea. "Why are we all trying so hard to keep her fucking safe? Huh? We need to go, alright?"

The sirens made clear of that plan of action. Y/n took a hold of Ellie and Tess started to lead the way once again. "Joel!" Y/n yelled and the man glanced at her. "Come on, we gotta go!"

It took him a moment. He stared between the body and the girls which were already leaving before he started walking, grabbing the rifle as he did so. He joined the side of the woman he once loved as they followed the one he did love and the dead girl walking.

--

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[himehomu]

While we all are pretty much aware that this is Madoka's concept art outfit finally being used for her new Magical Girl design, there seems to be a lock and some chains around her ribcage. The first thing I thought about was the metaphor “hearts are wild creatures, that's why our ribs are cages” which is meant to illustrate that the heart cannot be governed, that it will go anyway it wants, that it is uncontainable, hence the “wild creature” title, and the heart being a “wild creature”, needs to be encased, limited, caged, hence the “rib cage”. This could symbolize a lot in terms of Madoka's character, but one of my theories is that Madoka's memories of every loop where Homura fought for her and never gave up, the realization that someone like Madoka, whom has never seen herself as worthy of anything, let alone love, unless she was helping or being of use to someome else, actually had someone all this time who's loved her for who she is, not what she can do for others, the clarity of “oh. this is the love letter I've always wanted,” the reciprocation of Homura's love that transcends time and space, all of that is locked away with the final memory wipe at the end of Rebellion. Maybe the metaphorical key to unlocking it is her finally regaining all of those memories, all of that love. Of course, she'd have to regain her godhood to do so. My second theory is that maybe this is meant to symbolize Madoka's ultimate sacrifice being locked away both as a means to keep her alive as a human and as a means to spare Homura anymore grief; maybe eventually Homura's acceptance of her death and acknowledgement of her grief will be the symbolical key to unlocking Madokami... which unfortunately will kickstart the inevitable battle between God and the Devil.

[an-architect-of-words]

It’s been literally so long since Fire Emblem 3H came out. At this point, I’m a hair away from assuming people who say Rhea was running around murdering people of other religions are being intellectually dishonest. We have multiple support conversations just saying entirely uncryptically that she doesn’t do this, and we never even see strong evidence that she does? She executed people for active blasphemy and attempted assassination, it’s just that the context made her ruthless (the people executed were clearly pawns, scared, and suffering too) which is why the scenes depict her as cutthroat. But to say she’s killed people because they just casually didn’t think Sothis was real is more than just simplifying— it’s just incorrect. It’s because these people ultimately threatened the juggling act Rhea is doing to prevent another grand scale war and triggered her because they messed with things she considers sacred, final reminders of her mother.

It’s just so weird because I used to post like screenshots and STATEMENTS FROM THE WRITERS that confirm all this in no uncertain language and people would be like doing extreme mental gymnastics to explain why “Rhea doesn’t care that I don’t believe in Sothis” and “Rhea did what she did to prevent war” are not clear statements. I mean, I am so chill with having different takes on characters from people or viewing characters as more or less sympathetic. That involves personal code and ethics. But with 3H, I hit this wall where I’m like.. when do we admit that, for you, this conversation is not about actually understanding the character?

I swear, some people need to go take a break, grab a latte, and privately come to terms with their irl beefs with the Catholic Church before engaging with this game. Because, my friends, I do not have the ability or strength to shoulder/accommodate your external opinions on a real religion on top of my analyses of the motives of the green haired dragonfolk.

[maegalkarven]

The thing what kills me what it's not even OOC for the team to work with Gortash. You can canonically do that.

Wyll and Karlach don't even leave the party if you do that, you don't even have to make a roll to convince them.

You can either abandon Ravengard or save him BEHING GORTASH'S BACK after you've already killed Orin and solidified your pact and he went to the Morphic Pool. Like this is legit the thing I did in one on my playthroughs.

He canonically only attacks you if you attack him first, give him the stones (proving yourself to be weak) or if you went to a place he Explicitly told you Not To Go.

He calls you before you enter the Iron Throne and tells you not to do that. It's a direct warning and pretty much the only line you can't cross. You can destroy Steel Watch Foundry and STILL he offers an alliance.

(Fr how desperate is he for an ally??? Hello?? @ Mr Bane's Chosen, I don't think Bane approves???? You got this whole tyranny thing a lil wrong???)

His downfall is HIMSELF; if he did not go for that dumb stones grab he'd survive, but also he KNOWS they're going to fail in confronting the Brain, he pretty much states it in the convo next to a Morphic Pool, but he still pushes to try it, to meet the downfall on his terms.

I'm pretty sure it would be possible to convince him the Elder Brain needs to be destroyed because it became uncontrollable and is too much of a threat now (the things you can't control should be destroyed, yadda yadda, survival is a strong instinct and would win against thirst for power bc power is a means of survival too and power can be achieved elsewhere, meanwhile in death he is sentenced to Bane's wrath)

All the possible scenarios where his death by Netherbrain's command does not happen cloud my mind and I suffer. They could have had it all! Even Good!tav/Durge could have a Good Ending(hero of Forgotten Realms) and alliance with Gortash.

We could have had it all!!!

[galvanizedfriend]

Fic Update: The Wolf III [21/21]

Summary: Months after their return to New Orleans, Klaus and Caroline try to settle into a semblance of normalcy, while Elijah struggles to forgive his brother's sins. But a mysterious prophecy that foretells the downfall of the Mikaelson family brings them all together in a war that will reopen ancient wounds and see each of the siblings doomed: one by friend, one by foe and one by family.

[It's The Originals Season 3, but Caroline had Klaus' baby, now she's a vampire and they are back in New Orleans after a stint in Mystic Falls. It's mostly about Klaroline, obviously.]

---

S03E21 The Bloody Crown Caroline wakes up from something that doesn't really feel like sleep. It’s as though her brain disconnected and went into a blackout state for a few hours. She doesn't feel well rested, not even close, but there's a soft tingle chasing across her skin that is oddly soothing.

She blinks out the drowsiness and follows the sensation, finds Klaus tracing the arm she has draped across his middle. It's a feathery brush, an absent-minded movement he probably doesn't even notice he's doing, but it still has the power to awaken butterflies in Caroline's stomach. Even after years, she feels it every time he touches her. Fire at the tips of his fingers.

He's facing away from her, staring at the sliver of daylight trickling in through the curtains, his usual dark and devious look replaced by something weary and distant. Caroline watches him for a long time, trying to peer through the mask of impassiveness, past the glacial ice in his eyes. She hates it when he's like this, lost in the corners of his own mind where she can't follow. With Klaus, that always spells trouble. The anger she knows how to deal with. The barks and snarls she can handle. It's the blank stares, the emptiness and the silence that scares her the most.

Read the full chapter here

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😃 Two updates in less than a week, and TW3 is over. 😃 Who am I, what am I doing with my life? 😃

There are loads of info on the actual story about how this will continue and some other stuff as well. We have reached the 1M words mark and I can't decide if this is impressive or if I have just completely lost control of my life. Either way, thank you so, so much to everyone who had read my long-ass fic and stayed with me through all of this. 💜 It's a mess, but I have loved living in this universe, and I hope some of you have too. 🥰

A special shout-out to my friend @definedareasofuncertainty, who was holding my hand when I posted the very first chapter, almost five years ago, and who is still somehow my friend. 🥹

I hope you guys enjoy it! And as always, your reblogs/comments/kudos mean the world to me, please support your local insane fic writer. 🥹

[silverskye13]

For the first time throughout RnS, I have slightly shifted my opinion from "Tanguish needs to be protected at all costs" to "actually someone needs to talk some sense into this headless chicken of a self preserving punk" and I mean this with so much positivity. I live Tanguish as character a lot because he at a glance is harmless and kind, and while he is pretty sweet, he's also pretty self serving at his core. A survivalist who will use whatever tactics he can to make his life as comfortable as seems feasible. He's just a little guy whom I love, but also needs a bit of insight into other perspectives and I'm so excited for the next chapter.

He's just a little guy! He's just a little guy and he needs people! Needs-- like he needs-- like it's a problem he needs people.

But you're absolutely right! He is trying his best, that's evident. Everyone can sympathize with the idea of loneliness, and of not wanting other people to hurt themselves, and of needing companionship. The issue is when his need for companionship overrides both his ability to be comfortable alone, and everyone else's ability to live their own life. He's really good at figuring out how people work, why they do the stuff they do, and right now he's using it to feed his codependency problems.

But! He's learning.

[beef-unknwn]

clawdeen got dat dawg in her y'know what I'm sayi-💥

[journeyman-tier-fibercraft]

Knitting repeat 37 out of 40 on the lace shawl for my cousin’s wedding present

[actual-changeling]

It is not until they return to Jackson that her past starts catching up to her.

Ellie expected the Silver Lake nightmares, the faces of Tess and Sam, of Henry and Riley, and everyone else she should have saved but didn't, to haunt her, but despite all the recent chaos, she never gave any thought to the cruelties of her childhood. They're safe here, something they both have to get used to, however, logically knowing that no one in Jackson will try to hurt her is, after all, very different from getting her gut instinct to believe the same; her trust has never been freely given, and for good reason.

She can deal with the constant paranoid itch in the back of her neck and the urge to settle in the corner of every room she is in with the door in clear sight, and adjusting to the constant influx of sudden, unexpected noises is deeply uncomfortable but doable, although it makes her miss the wide stretches of quiet forest filled with nothing but their soft bickering. Every adult gets cataloged as a potential danger, a threat to her, to those she cares about, and not flinching back from every loud voice is harder than it should be.

Unsurprisingly, everything is easier when Joel is around.

There is comfort in his rage the same way she finds comfort in the feeling of her blade or the weight of a gun in her hand. It is a promise of protection, of security, and it offers her a kind of control she seldomly had as a child - not that she has too much of it now either. On the road, the world was a coherent stretch of all-encompassing fear surrounding them, and Joel put himself between her and the hands trying to tear her apart more times than she can count.

Her gut instinct is harder to convince sometimes, and so she watches his hands, not necessarily with distrust but with a mild curiosity, and it makes her notice a lot of things. Like the fact that the very first thing he always does is take a deep breath, sometimes several if he needs to, and only faces the problem or person once he can talk without shaking. He curls his hands into fists and then unfurls them in the same second, more of a nervous tick than the desire to use them, and after watching him do it for a while, the tension snapping into her heart like a rubberband loosens as her brain stops recognizing hands as a potential source of pain. They're Joel's hands, safe hands, and he has never once used them to hurt her, and he never would.

She has seen them with bruised knuckles and bloodied skin, has seen them take lives and cause harm to people who very much deserved it, yet it feels impossible to believe sometimes when he tucks a strand of her hair back with fingertips barely grazing her temple, his movements slow and deliberate. There is an intrinsic gentleness with which he reaches out to her, hands carefully wrapping around hers, squeezing with enough pressure to be grounding without getting anywhere near painful, and when he cups her face with burning palms to press a kiss to her forehead, she lays hers on top of them to keep them in place.

Ellie intertwines their fingers to pull him closer whenever she can, mindful of his right one and the jolts of distant pain he sometimes gets, and Joel rubs circles into the back of her hand like he always does; her safety is in his hands, and nothing could ever make her let go.

[sisterdivinium]

The doors closed for good, forbidding the world they saved from invading their sanctum. The weapons were stored out of sight, fighting practice gave way to full prayer — the remaining members of the Order of the Cruciform Sword retired.

Sister Camila, still joyous despite a missing eye, breathed in deep.

“I never thought this day would come. Did you?”

Superion stared at the doors.

“… Do you regret keeping the habit, Mother?”

A voice, stolen glances, elusive touches… Her soul longed for God, but her body yearned for a woman; somewhere, Jillian Salvius beckoned.

The nun smiled and lied.

“No.”

[theetherealbloom]

UNEVEN ODDS — CH. 1

Chapter One: These Questions Take Shape

Summary: The Reader is dragged into the Last of Us universe and has no choice but to watch the events unfold live in front of her or will she be able to change what was already written?

Paring: Joel Miller x Fem!Reader

Word Count: 6.1k

Warnings: Age-gap Romance, Violence, PTSD, Depression, Zombies, character death, swearing, angst, fluff, eventual SMUT, MY SCIENCE MIGHT BE WRONG, plot holes, rusty writing, alternate universe

A/N: I write?? Kind of?? Tbh, this self-indulgent for sure! We love maladaptive daydreaming :) Anyways, English isn’t my first language so please forgive me for any grammatical errors or spelling mistakes! Tbh I was just gonna write one chapter per episode but I got too excited :p 

Song: doomsday by Lizzy McAlpine

-> Next Chapter | Series Masterlist | Main Masterlist

YOUR OBSERVABLE UNIVERSE – 2023

It’s been three years since the pandemic, COVID-19 has taken a toll on many people. Millions have died over the past few years and you were one of the lucky ones who got by, survived, and received the vaccine as soon it was available. The world slowly begins to open up and awake from its slumber during those years of uncertainty.

So what do you do now?

You work, continue with your quantum physics research and try and make sense of your life. Someday you’ll be able to be under the mercy of light to choose your fate and your need to find certainties and concrete science. For now, you enjoy the comforting sounds of characters conversing with each other.

Immediately as the show credits show, you fold your laptop close and prepare for bed. Episode 3 of the Last of Us was the most emotional so far, Bill and Frank’s story reminds you that love will transverse in every universe. With these tired eyes, you’ve seen enough for tonight. Your eyes slowly droop down and close, luring you into a deep sleep in a state of wishful thinking, hoping that you would have that kind of love in your life. But for now, the watercolor vivid dreams will suffice.

TLOU WORLD – 2023

You groggily wake up and find yourself on the floor. Slowly as you sit up, you use one of your hands to rub away the sleep, “What the hell,” you mumble. The anxiety begins to creep in, you recognize the coloring of the walls and the type of flooring used.

You look down at yourself to check what you’re wearing, no longer in your sleep clothes but traded away for cargo pants, a shirt, socks, and black boots. What’s more concerning was the familiar voices just outside the tattered room you were in.

“There’s not gonna be anything bad in here?”

A gruff response comes, “Just you.”

“Oh, funny.”

No. God, no way. This is not happening. This isn’t possible. You must be dreaming, right? You quickly stand up, and as soft footsteps come closer, you see Ellie staring at you with complete shock, “Holy shit!” she screams.

The thundering thumps of footsteps quickly make their way into the room as you stand there in complete shock. Your eyes widen in shock as you are now face to face with the characters you’ve grown to love from last night through your laptop screen right in front of you. This feels like a very cruel joke.

Dark brown eyes, salt and pepper hair, tan skin, and lines that appear as Joel frowns at you, unimpressed and suspicious. While Tess is completely covering Ellie, she narrows her eyes at you and says, “Raise your hands.”

Slowly you follow her command and raise both your hands, not wanting to increase the tension between you and them. Then you try your best to steady the trembling voice that wants to escape from you and directly look at Joel to say, “I’m not infected.”

“Show us your arm and neck.” He replies with his thick southern accent, and you bring your hand to the collar of your shirt to show them your neck and then lift the sleeves of your jacket to prove that you are being truthful.

The tension between the four of you still hadn’t dissipated despite proving that you didn’t have Cordyceps. “You got any weapons?” Tess asks and you shake your head, “No.”

Ellie groans in frustration, “Guys, I need to pee.” And you bite back a smile, her attitude, and unintentional humor. You clear your throat and say, “Um, you two could interrogate me in the other room so she can, uh, relieve herself.”

Ellie’s two protectors give each other a knowing side glance and proceed to lower their weapons that were aimed at you. You take a deep breath and then follow Joel as he first leaves the room while Tess watches and follows you from behind, making sure you don’t try anything funny.

You stand in the center of the room, with lush green grass, and flowers,  you tilt your head up to look at the stream of daylight hitting your face. You take note of the overgrown plants and trees, mother nature taking back what’s hers. Eco-brutalists would be ecstatic about all of this, minus the fungi zombies.

Tess breaks the silence and asks, “What’s your name?” You give them your name and ask for theirs, even though you didn’t need to however, it is the polite and fair thing to do. You turn your head to look at both of them. They reluctantly tell you to give them their names as you try and manage to swallow away the fear and secretly hope this was all a dream or maybe a fucked up prank. Tess raises one eyebrow at you, “Where are you from?”

You purse your lips to a thin line and wonder how the hell you were gonna answer that question, you then settle for a, “It’s complicated.”

“Complicated how?” Joel gruffly asks you and you give him a light shrug in response and he scoffs.

Your shoulders sag at his reaction to your words, “I’m not trying to be difficult, I swear.  It is complicated and hard to explain, you wouldn’t believe me if I told you. And to be honest, I’m trying my best to wrap my head around this and find a way to explain it without sounding completely insane.”

Joel all but frowns at you but continues to ask, “You tryin’ to get to the QZ?” And without even thinking about it you shook your head in disagreement, and immediately followed your response with suspicion growing on their faces and a frown.

Tess looks at you in disbelief and says, “So, what the hell are you doing out in the city with all the infected running around? Going for a stroll?”

Not wanting to answer the question, you pivot to looking at his fractured hand and give him a light nod, gesturing to it, “Does it hurt?”

Tess glances at his hand and pushes Joel to sit on his chair, his hands shaking as he looks at his bloody knuckles. You also choose to sit on the plush cool green grass, the smell of earth fills your nostrils, and then watch the scene play out in front of you.

“Broken.” Tess states that Joel avoids eye contact with his partner in crime, “Maybe a hairline. It’ll heal fast.”

Tess looks down at the grimy floor and folded her hands in an attempt to calm herself, then raises her head as she whispers, “She made it through the fucking night, Joel.” He shakes his head at her, “It doesn’t matter. It’s gonna happen sooner or later. All right? We’re still close to the wall. We sneak both of them back into the QZ. We find a different way to get the battery.”

“This is our best shot,” Tess says unwaveringly with her decision while Joel scoffs, you watch them both like a tennis match and are surprised by the fact they didn’t even acknowledge your presence.  

“We take her back into the QZ, someone’s gonna notice her arm. They’re gonna scan her then they’ll kill her.”

He harshly whispers back at Tess, “Well, better them than us. You need to stop talking about this kid like she’s got some kind of life in front of her.”

It felt like extreme deja vu watching Joel and Tess argue, and on queue, Ellie walks back in and throws the magazine on the floor, and slides towards Tess. The kid plops down to sit next to you on the lush grass and you look at her with a small smile.

“You hungry?” Tess asks the both of you as she rummages through her backpack to find the energy bars, “You can share some of ours.”

“Thanks. Marlene sent me with my own.” Ellie says and takes out a chicken sandwich from her bag pocket. Tess looks at you, offering some and you politely decline, the older woman tilts her head and says, “When was the last time you ate?”

“Yesterday.” You say without a thought.

“You wanna try to explain’ how you got here? Cause when we checked, you sure as hell weren’t here. Or how the fuck did you manage to survive this long with nothing?” Tess says as she chews on the bark this world now calls food. You feel your palms sweat and pulse slightly increase, you take a deep breath and say, “This is gonna sound extremely bazaar and completely impossible but try to keep an open mind because literal infected are roaming around the streets so believe anything is now within the realm of possibility. Okay?”

You got a couple of hums with curious gazes and listened as you began to speak, “I’m possibly from a different universe or world where this is all just fiction and you’re characters based on a video game-made television series. No, I have zero ideas how I got here. I went to bed and fell asleep, and next thing I know, I woke up with this painful migraine and fatigue, different clothes and you three suddenly existing.”

You paused as you took in the group gaping at you and you sigh, “From where I came from, we had a similar thing happen, a pandemic. However, it was a virus, not Cordyceps. We called it COVID-19, it could be transmitted through an infected person's mouth or nose in small liquid particles when they cough, sneeze, speak or breathe. The outbreak started in December 2019 and 6.84 million people died in the last three years during that time. We were able to make a vaccine at a rapid rate since our technology had advanced, and we were able to distribute it globally, so in the current year which we both share, which is 2023, we’re slowly trying to find our footing again as the world opens up.”

You feel your eyes glaze over, and you then shut them as you continued, “I know it sounds fucking impossible, trust me, a lot thought so too. My scientific hypothesis is that the multiverse does exist and somehow sleep or dreaming is connected to it. I really don’t know, it was all just theoretical.”

“Prove it.”

You open your eyes and look at Joel, completely surprised he spoke, “What?”

Joel’s baritone voice and defensive stare felt like electricity through your bones, “I said, prove it.”

If there’s anything you were good at, it was reading a ton of books in a short period and memorizing the important details and plot points. Visual memory paired with the love you had for these characters had you rewatching the three episodes over and over again. Quietly, you thank the younger you for being so nerdy.

You look Joel dead in the eye and turn to the kid beside you quietly looking at you while eating her sandwich, “Your name is Ellie, you got bitten by an infected while you snuck into the mall and then Marlene found you soon afterward. Those two,” you point your thumb in their direction, “need to get you to the state house in exchange for a battery so they can go find Tommy who has been missing for almost a month.”

“Holy shit. She knows my name.” Ellie said with her mouth full of her food.

You turn back to look at Joel and Tess, and then glance at his broken wristwatch, “And, um, Joel, I know how your watch broke, I’m so– .”

“Stop.” Joel lowly says, his stare as cold as ice and distrusting of you. You avert your gaze, and a blanket of silence covers the room. Shakily Joel eats his bark of food and Tess stares at you and Ellie as she chews and swallows, “Is that chicken?”

“Yup. Marlene said they get it from smugglers.” Ellie then thoughtfully tilts her head, “Guess not you guys.”

That does it for Tess and stands up to walk towards you and the kid, “Hey, hey!” Joel says as he stands up after her but Tess holds her hand out to stop him and to signal it’s fine, “Why are you so important to Marlene? And don’t lie to me, or we’ll take you back.”

“Like she said,” the kid gestures to you, “If you take me back, you don’t get your battery.” Tess scoffs, “You heard that?” and Ellie shrugs at her, the older woman mock laughs, “Then you must’ve heard he wants to shoot you.”

Ellie looks toward Joel and he doesn’t deny it, he simply stares back at her.

“If you do that, it would be the dumbest shit you’ll ever do.” You mumble while frowning, Tess turns to you and harshly says, “Zip it, this doesn’t concern you.” And you take what she said in stride and don’t push it any further.

She then crouches down to talk to Ellie, “I’m gonna talk to you like you’re an adult. Okay?” She then takes Ellie’s silence as consent to continue, “Joel and I aren’t good people. We’re doing this for us because apparently, you’re worth something. But we don’t know what you’re worth if we don’t know what we have. So answer my question.”

Ellie rolls her eyes, rubs her face, and mumbles to herself, “She told me not to tell anybody and now I’m telling the first people that I…” She lets out a sigh and reluctantly speaks, “There’s a Firefly base camp somewhere out west with doctors. They’re working on a cure.”

Joel immediately groans in frustration, “I’ve heard this before.” Ellie continues, “And whatever happened to me,” and at the same time she and Joel say, “is the key to finding the vaccine.”

He sighs in exasperation, “That’s what this is? We’ve heard this a million times. Vaccines, miracle cures. None of it works. Ever.”

Ellie stands up, “Fuck you, man. I didn’t ask for this.”

“You and me both.” The grouch turns to his partner and says, “This isn’t gonna end well, Tess. We need to go back.”

You then remember after all those essays and news articles about your pandemic, the time when everything felt so hopeless and scary. You look at Joel and you see a reflection of your own, his fear and panic, “It’s possible.”

They both turn to you and you continue, “Theoretically, it’s possible to create a fungi vaccine, however, I’m not even sure you have the technology to produce it. And it would take finding out what Ellie truly is. Either Ellie’s immune system mutated and created antibodies to fight against the Cordyceps or something else… But either way, a vaccine or maybe a cure could be possible now because of her.”

Tess stands up, as do you, and looks at Ellie for a moment, then to Joel to say, “Let’s just finish it. It doesn’t matter if she is what the Fireflies or what an alien says.”

“I’m human.” You grumble and Tess ignores you, “If they believe that she is then we get what we want.”

Joel gives a glare at Ellie and then shifts his gaze to you, he sighs and shakes his head, “If she so much as twitches.”

Ellie proceeds to make gurgling noises and movements to pretend as if she’s turning into an infected. Tess turns to look at her and scolds in a motherly fashion, “Don’t.” You try and hold in your laugh and the young girl clears her throat, scratches the back of her neck, and mumbles, “Yeah… okay.”

Tess then turns to Joel, “Okay?”

Defeated, Joel swings his arms open and whispers, “Okay.”

The foreshadowing of the fact it will not be okay in the next few moments had you feeling nauseous. The churning fear begins to bubble inside of you, Tess is going to die, albeit a noble and honorable death, but it still would hurt Joel, and Ellie as she slowly grows more fond of the older woman. Then, it hit you, is it possible to change what already was written? Could you save them all? Well, you’re already here, might as well try.

The three of them begin to pack their belongings as you awkwardly stand there with your hands in your pockets and watch as they prepare for the journey to the State House. The sound of Joel picking up his gun catches Ellie’s interest, “Can I have a gun?”

“Absolutely not.”

“No.”

“Okay. Fine. Jesus. I’ll have to throw a fucking sandwich at them.” Ellie then shoves the leftover sandwich into her bag and Joel goes to the giant bookshelf, which is blocking the door, to the side, then peaks out of the door to check if it’s safe. You hear the sound of birds chirping and feel the warmth of the light flood in the abandoned building.

“It’s clear.”

Following Ellie from behind, you begin walking slowly toward the light and into the apocalyptic city. Your eyes take in the sight of tilted, destroyed, buildings, overgrown plants, trees, abandoned cars, and trucks. A hauntingly beautiful sight if you were being honest.

Ellie gasps in wonder as she takes it all in, “Woah.” Tess looks over at her and says, “Yeah, looks different in the daylight, huh?” Joel quickly scans the area, “We should get moving.” Tess begins to take the lead, followed by Ellie then you, while Joel trails from behind.

“It’s like a fucked up moon.” Ellie moves towards a crater and peers over it, “Is this where they bombed?”

“Yeah, they hit most of the big cities like this. They had to slow the spread somehow.” Tess says and Joel continues to walk past it, ignoring the crater and any kind of conversation. “Worked here, but it didn’t in most places.”

Unconsciously, you begin humming to the tune of a Linda Ronstadt song. The last song you ever heard before sleeping. Continuing up to a ruined building, with debris blocking your path, “So the State House is across there. It’s about a ten-minute walk if you could go straight.”

Ellie looks at both of them and you wonder how the fuck you were gonna defeat the clickers later on with no weapon, “So…”

“Long way or short way?” Joel asks Tess, she holds the straps of her backpack and the wind blows through her hair, “I mean, it’s a long way or the we’re-fucking-dead way.”

“Well, I vote a long way just based on that limited information,” Ellie says dryly, and Joel stares at her, a puzzled expression on his face, then his eyes lands on you, waiting for your input.

You frown at him, “No, don’t look at me like that. I’m not giving you any spoilers.” Joel clenches his jaw and turns to Tess, “We have to check it from the hotel first.” She begins to walk away, “Okay.”

You walk along the highway in somewhat comfortable silence, you carefully look to the ground and see a giraffe plushie, the symbolism doesn’t escape you, knowing all too well what it meant. Moss and different kinds of plants grow over the cracks of the road, you spot branches atop abandoned cars and dust covers the windows of each door.

Tess and Ellie begin conversing in front of the group, while you and Joel follow from a distance. You look at Joel and say, “I’m sorry if I overstepped a while ago. I couldn’t prove it unless I told you something only you knew.”

He looks at you in an emotion you can’t quite understand, but still responds in his grumpy demeanor, “Just don’t bring it up again.” You quickly nod, “Mhm, noted.”

It was quiet for a bit until, to your surprise, he asks you, “What did you do for work?” The smile was so difficult to hold back, you chuckle and raise your eyebrows, “I’m… well, was a Quantum physicist. You were a carpenter right?”

“It kinda’ freaks me out how you know that off the top of your head.” His Texan accent heavy as he spoke, you knew that it would take time to build his trust. His reserved and security-oriented nature would prove to be a challenge, but something you wholeheartedly would take on, “I’ll try not to do it as much, I’m sorry.”

“You apologize too much.”

“It’s a habit I’m trying to break, to be honest.” You chuckle nervously, putting your hands in the pockets of your cargo pants, and continue to walk, watching and hearing bits of conversation from Tess and Ellie.

“I thought you were some sort of’ performer, a singer maybe, with all that hummin’ you were doin’ awhile ago.”

That catches you off guard and you feel the confusion form on your face and you begin to feel your face feel warm, “What?” Joel continues, “You were hummin’ to Linda Ronstadt, right? Haven’t heard that song in a while.” You stared at him in complete disbelief, “You heard me humming?”

As he was about to reply, you and him managed to catch up to Ellie and Tess to overhear their conversation, “How old are you?” Ellie replies, “Fourteen.” Tess hums and smirks at the kid, “Wow. Well, I mean you got some balls on you, sister.”

“Thanks,” Ellies says and follows after Tess, climbing over the flipped rusted car. You follow their movements and Joel does too.

Tess curiously looks over her shoulder at Ellie and continues her walk forward, “Nobody is gonna come after you, right? Like Mom, Dad, boyfriend?”

“I’m an orphan, and, uh, no.” Ellie takes a look around her surroundings and lets her hand brush on the tall grass growing from the cracks of the pavement, “Everyone said the open city was crazy. Like, swarms of infected running around everywhere.”

Joel humors her, “Not exactly like that.” Tess smiles, “You know people like to tell stories.”

“So there aren’t super-infected that explode fungus spores on you?” Ellie curiously asks with a somewhat happy tone, as if all of this doesn’t scare her. Fearless is what you conclude, a trait that could be good when at its best but dangerous and reckless at its worse. “Shit, I hope not,” Tess says.

“Or ones with split-open heads that see in the dark like bats?” Ellie asks and that causes a shift in Tess, Joel, and your demeanor. Fucking clickers. And on queue, you hear the screeching of the devil’s spawn in the distance. The whole group stills and Ellie shakily asks, “What was that?”

Joel doesn’t reply, instead, he just says, “Let’s keep movin’.”

Joel pushes the doors of the hotel open, loudly shrieking as he does, and all three of you are greeted with the sight of the flooded hotel. It was almost swamp-like due to the green water, lily pads floating, and the ducks and frogs swimming.

Ellie takes a spin and looks at the view with a childlike wonder you wish you still had, “You’ve got to be kidding me! You ever stay in a place like this?” “Uh, no, a little out of our league.” Tess says and Joel looks at Ellie and asks, “How do you even know what this is?” Being the smartass that she throws him a look and says, “Have you heard of books?”

You chuckle as Joel shakes his head and walks down into the murky water, “Wait we’re going in there?” Ellie asks, and Tess nods, “Yeah, we gotta get to the stairwell on the other side.” The kid takes a step back, “Well, I don’t… I don’t know how to swim.” Joel lifts an eyebrow, “Seriously?”

“Do you think we have pools in the QZ?” Ellie says with narrowed eyes. “No, smart-ass. I mean…”, Joel does a little jump into the water, it does a small splash when he does. “I don’t know how I was supposed to know that,” Ellie says as she walks down the steps and into the water, you follow behind her and Tess.

You four wade through the green murky water, “This is so gross.” Ellie says with a huge smile on her face and you can’t help but laugh, “This is disgusting.” The fourteen-year-old spots the concierge desk and makes her way over, “Oh, check it out!”

You place both of your hands on your hips and  watch her mess with the call bell, “Ding, ding.” She begins to do her form of roleplay for her entertainment and to cure her boredom, “Yes sir. I would like your finest suite, please.”

“Yes, ma’am. Would you like me to take your luggage?”, she proceeds to answer her own question and pushes the hotel bell cart through the water, “Yes, ma’am. Right away ma’am…”

“You’re a weird kid.” Joel states, Ellie turns her head to look at him, “You’re a weird kid.” Something falls over, a sloshing sound indicating that it had fallen in front of Ellie causing her to jump back and bang the piano behind her and yelp, “Oh, fuck!”

You and Joel are quick to come to her side to see what it was. A skeleton lay there unmoving and rotten, your eyes raise to look at Ellie panting and clutching onto the hotel bell cart, “Oh, my god.” Joel kicks the skull and the kid mumbles, “Uh, sorry.”

Joel offers his hand to help Ellie back up and the sound of the honky-tonk piano creates sharp notes as she stands, Joel pulls back his hand once Ellie can manage on her own and begins to walk away.

You look to Joel, “How’s the hand?” He looks down at it as it shakes again, “It’ll heal.” Your face forms a frown and you shake your head, “That doesn’t answer my question.” Joel doesn’t respond and decides to continue and you simply follow.

“You okay?” Tess asks Ellie, and the young girl wades through the water like nothing happened, “Yep. Fucking Fabulous.”

After ten flights of stairs you finally made it to the top floor, Joel goes through the doorway first, while Tess takes a moment to catch her breath, “Fuck. Holy shit.” 

You’re a little breathless, but not as much as Tess since you were a bit younger than her. “Come on, it wasn’t that bad.” Ellie says teasingly and Tess shoots her a look, “You try climbing ten fuckin’ floors with our knees. See how you feel.”

You turn right to a hallway, to see a giant obstruction made out of the rubble, “Well, when the fuck did that happen?” Tess tries to push the door to her right, only to be blocked. You try to check the door to the left to find the same outcome, you sigh “No.”

“All right, well, I mean, maybe I could climb up there. Work my way around and open it from the inside?” Ellie peers around the rocks, “Uh, no. Well, I’m the smallest, so it’d be easier for me to get through.” Tess hums, “But you die and we get nothing. You stay.”

“I could help.” You say a little meek, Tess is a little intimidating and you feel so out of place like you’re intruding. Technically, you aren’t supposed to be in this mess. She takes a good look at you and says, “Yeah, no.”

You deflate a little and avoid trying to argue, Tess turns to Joel and asks for help, “Can you give me a hand?” Joel pulls back Ellie with the strap of her backpack and she sighs, then Joel tugs your jacket sleeve to do the same. Your face warms a little bit, it’s the first time he’s ever touched you.

Joel boosts up Tess over the pile of rubble and she climbs over, “You good up there?” Tess analyzes the mess she needs to clean up and replies, “Yeah. It’s a bit of a mess, so I’m gonna need a few minutes.”

Joel turns around to face you and Ellie, he adjusts his gun and lets his back slide against the wall to sit down across from both of you. Ellie has her arms resting on her knees while you decide to sit comfortably cross-legged.

Ellie takes out her knife and decides to play with it, tossing it in her hands as if it were just a pen and not something that could easily cut her if she commits a mistake. You watch everything play out just like it did in the episode—character development.

“Nice knife,” Joel says as his eyes follow the movement of Ellie’s tossing. She only glances at him with acknowledgment. “Where’d you learn to do that?” he asks, you gotta hand it to him for trying to make an effort.

She replies with a monotone voice, “The circus.” 

Joel looks away exasperated and completely done with her bullshit. You try and hide your smile, but the slight crease in your eyes gives away your amusement. Ellie folds her knife, and as Joel sighs, the kid decides to give an olive branch, “Where are you from?”

“Texas.” He replies, and Ellie continues, “What about Tess?”

“Detroit. It’s in Michigan.”

If there’s anything she hated most, was the fact people underestimate her intelligence, she rolls her eyes and Ellie’s reply comes out harsh, “I go to school. I know where Detroit is.”

Her response causes a wave of silence between the three of you. Your eyes drift from Joel to Ellie, she then decides it’s your turn to be interrogated, “Are you from the future?”

Your mouth twists a little to the right before deciding on a good enough answer, “Sort of? Your technology stopped advancing in 2003, so, I guess I am?” This piques her interest, “So, what’s it like over there?”

You pick the dirt off the underside of your fingernails, a little nervous, or if not nervous then cautious, as you respond, “Almost the same. Our technology is way different though.”

“Different how?” She asks.

You give her a soft smile and respond, “Well, for starters, we have touch screens for phones, laptops, tablets, you name it, it probably has a touch screen.”

“No way,” Ellie says with her eyes full of amazement and wonder, “What else?”

You give a hum as you teasingly tell her, “I don’t know… it might blow your tiny little mind.” She blows a raspberry in your face and you stick your tongue out in retaliation.

“Come on! Wait, you said we were just characters in some kind of story?” She says dramatically and tugs the sleeve of your jacket and continues, “What did you mean by that?”

Your eyes shift to look at Joel, who has his full attention on you; simply waiting. You blink owlishly at him, once, then twice before settling on a response, “Yeah, um, it recently aired.”

“So, do you know the future? Like our future? What’s about to happen? Will we be able to make a cure or a vaccine?” You couldn’t keep up with her rapid questions, and your mouth slightly parts open. Should you tell them? 

Can you change the fact Tess is practically minutes away from death? That Joel is about to make the worst mistake of his life? That Bill and Frank are… that they…

Luckily, you didn’t need to answer Ellie, Joel who senses your unease, steps in for you, “Ellie, stop askin’ her about her life, she doesn’t wanna give anythin’ up.” You look at him apologetically and shut your eyes for a while. This migraine keeps bothering you, a sharp, heavy, thump in the side of your brain hasn’t gone away. You tell yourself that it eventually will. Maybe.

Ellie focuses her attention back to Joel, “So you two like a…”

“Pass.” He says.

Ellie continues, “How’d you end up in Boston?”

“Pass. No more questions about me.” Ellie rolls her eyes at him and racks her brain for a different question, “How long do infected live?” Joel mocks Ellie in reply, “Oh, I thought you went to school.”

“It’s a really shitty one.” She snarkily replies. You smile at their banter with your eyes closed, enjoying the conversation that they have going on. Joel thinks for a moment before answering her, “Well, some last about a month or two. But there’s other’s been walkin’ about 20 years.”

Ellie fidgets with her knife again, “You ever kill one?”

You hear the slight sorrow in his voice, “Yeah, I’ve killed lots of them.” Ellie asks the most human question as she looks at the older man, “Was it hard? Like, knowing they were people once?”

You open your eyes to watch his gaze look away from the kid, memories come back to him, what he’s done and will continue to do, and he nods, “Sometimes.”

“What about that guy last night?” She asks, and you frown while he gives Ellie a stern look. You knew Ellie liked the fact Joel hurt the FEDRA guard to protect her. She loved it. Luckily Joel doesn’t have to respond, you could hear the sound of something approaching you. The loyalist immediately stands up, and you and Ellie get up to stand next to Joel, he puts his finger to the trigger of his gun, ready to protect you both from whatever is out there.

“You can put the gun down, Joel,” Tess calls out from a distance, and a tingle of jealousy moves through your bones like electricity. She knew him so well, to the point where she knew what he was going to do before doing it. They both loved each other without admitting it, and it hurts you. They never stood a chance. 

You hear the quiet rumble of Tess pushing away the debris to open the door, the loud creak of metal reveals her face, and it’s full of worry. Joel reads her like a book, “What now?” Then Tess nods her head, signaling to follow her.

As you make your way upstairs, you take notice of the abandoned wine glass and dishes, the dust that coats every inch of the hotel, and the fallen chairs. Tess pulls back a plastic curtain for you and Ellie to walk through, only to be greeted by the view of hundreds of infected down below.

“There’s so many,” Ellie comments in disbelief, you can hear the cries and wailing of each Runner as they roll and crawl. The young girl leans a little forward to get a better view. Tess nods, “The last time we were here they were still deep inside the buildings. Then I guess enough people came through looking for the QZ they went inside seeking shelter, and that’s how they get more and more of the city bit by city year after year.”

As the clouds pass by, the sun shines through a little, overwhelming light shines over the infected, they screech and roll away, like a domino effect. “They’re connected,” Ellie says, and Tess nods in confirmation, “More than you know. The fungus also grows underground. Long fibers like wires, some of them stretching over a mile.”

If you weren’t so focused on listening to Tess explain the cordyceps, you would have felt Joel staring at you the whole time, observing how you were taking all of the information being shared. You were surprisingly calm, despite the fact zombies are now real and you could die. And possibly a little worried like you were anticipating something bad was going to happen.

Tess continues, “Now you step on a patch of cordyceps in one place and you can wake a dozen infected from somewhere else. Now they know where you are, now they come. You’re not immune from being ripped apart. You understand? It’s important. I’m trying to keep you alive.”

Ellie nods and you do too, even if the question wasn’t directed at you. “So we’re not going that way.” She states, and Tess agrees, “No.”

“What do we do then? Short way?” Ellie asks and Joel looks at Tess, and speaks the dreaded words you’ve heard before, “Museum.”

A/N: Trust me, I’m working double time on the next one if this is received well :,) Thank you for reading! See ya in the next chapter <3

Next Chapter ->

[writersblockedx]

Loose Ends: Chapter Two

Chapter Two: Relics 

Based off - Episode Two Pairing - Joel Miller x Fem!Reader Warnings - Implications of sex, violence, language (let me know if I’ve missed anything) Words - 12K

A/n - I’m planning on writing each chapter as each episode comes out. And I’m hoping to always have them posted on a Monday!

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Masterlist

2007 Sure it wasn't the squeaky clean hospital and labs she was once used to (despite the fact they were all suddenly much more aware of germs), but it was what to be expected. Y/n had what they could find or what they could make and she made due. Only problem being knowing exactly what you needed to save someone who was ill from something disconcerting the outbreak, and not having that something to hand.

Which was why she much preferred appointments like these. The less devastating ones. The ones which she could prescribe some on-demand painkillers. "Joel Miller?" She called, leant against her desk as dark-haired man stood between this office of hers and the doorway.

He flashed a grin, scanning his surroundings before his gaze fell to Y/n. "That would be me." The girl returned the smile, putting her notebook to the side which she had been reading from. When she looked back up, she found Joel walking further into the room, still seemingly amazed by what was around him. "See they brought in a load of nice, shiny supplies for the new doctor."

"Not just a doctor." Y/n spoke as she gestured to the hospital bed that was situated by the window, "Take a seat, please Joel." He did so, quietly as he observed her closely. She put on clear plastic gloves as she stood in front of the man, a grin still hanging from her lips as he looked up at her through narrowed eyes like he was trying to work something out. "I'm also a scientist."

"Scientist?" He reiterated. "But you're a doctor too right? You know how to do doctor-things?" He didn't realise until the words left his mouth how stupid he must have sounded. Especially in front of someone like her.

"Bachelor's degree in biomedical science. That's what makes me qualified enough today to treat you."  Joel nodded but chose to keep his lips shut this time in case words just slipped from his tongue without intention. "Now, what exactly am I treating today?"

Joel only needed to raise his hand, displaying the bruised and bulging wound which burdened his knuckles. "I mean, I don't have a biomedic-whatever, but I'm pretty sure it's broken." Y/n delicately took a hold of the battered hand, inspecting it.

She glanced back up at him and a smile grew at her lips. "Almost." She dropped his hand and wandered over to a supply cupboard, rummaging through it as she continued on. "Your actual hand isn't broken." She started to explain before returning to the man with several supplies he didn't bother to take note of.

"Okay, then what is?" He questioned.

Once more, Y/n took his hand. And with her index finger, she pointed to the dark purple, almost black swelling that lined two of his fingers. "This here. This is broken. Small bones on your fingers which will likely repair themselves over time." She informed, always making sure she stole a glance at him. And always finding that his eyes were already trained on her. "You don't have any need to write or anything?"

He shook his head, "Not anymore, no."

"Good. It shouldn't cause you too much trouble then." She said before her finger moved down to the man's knuckles which were too littered in cuts and dark circles. "This here, this part of your knuckle, looks to be sprained. Not bruised, probably just sprained."

When she looked to him, she found his brows raised. "Probably?"

"You see an  X-ray machine around here?"A lack of equipment the girl could deal with for appointments like these. "It's likely your hand will repair on its own. But, for now, I can tape your fingers up."

She was already reaching over to the supplies she had brought from the cupboard. Some cleaning wipes, a bit of cloth and tape. "And this 'll fix 'em?" Joel asked as the doctor took ahold of the two broken fingers.

Y/n placed them close together with the cloth on the back of the fingers. "It'll help your body fix them, yes." She said, tapping the two together carefully as to not harm the man more so.

A small snicker left Joel's lips, "It's a bit of tape." He thought aloud, meeting her pooling gaze that seemed to keep him trapped here with her - not that Joel was complaining.

"Trust me," She started in a hushed tone, "That's all you need."

She finished bandaging up his fingers, slowly removing her touch from his, leaving the man yearning for the feeling once again. "So, no painkillers?" He pushed his luck once her back was turned, scribbling something down that he couldn't see.

Though, his words had earnt a small laugh from the woman as she flicked her head back around at him, "No painkillers." She finished writing before finally turning to face him, a glint of curiosity in her eye. "But, if it looks to be getting infected, come right back here, alright?"

"And then you'll give me some painkillers?"

"Well, I won't be now." She replied with a grin hanging at her lips. "Could I ask you something Joel?"

The man wasn't sure where she was going with that. But, still, he hummed, nodded his head and mumbled something along the line of, "Sure."

And Y/n went with it. "How many hours of sleep are you getting?"

Truth was, Joel was expecting something more like when are you free? Or, what are you doing tonight? "Well, that depends. If the couple in the apartment next to me are feeling excitable, then 4 hours. If the roof looks like its about to crumble again, 3. And sometimes, though, only on rare occasions, 6 when none of the above takes place." He informed with a light-heartedness to his tone.

"So not enough sleep then?" She questioned.

Joel shrugged at that; he hadn't a clue how many hours people were supposed to get at the end of the world. "I mean, if you're offering to give some methods of relaxation, I wouldn't be opposed." The smirk on his lips was drooling in pride and truthfully, Y/n didn't want to break that pride.

"Not quite." The smirk faded. Y/n took a grasp of a murky bottle and wandered back over to the man. "There not painkillers, alright? But they should help with the sleeping." She advised, handing them over to Joel as he started to inspect them for himself. "I would also recommend requesting a new apartment too if it looks like the roof is about to cave in."

He didn't glance up from the bottle as he responded, "I've tried, don't you worry." The man finally stood, almost too close, shoving the pills into his back pocket. "Thanks for the check up, Doc."

"Of course." He was about turn and leave but Y/n couldn't seem to help herself. "And Joel," The man noted her hesitation. "I may not have a psychology degree, but if there's anything you want to talk about-"

He interjected before she could continue, "That's alright." A smile flashed at his lips. Though, it was one of which Y/n could tell was forced. Joel started walking, peering over as he spoke, "I'll be alright." He assured.

She never broke eye contact. Not even when she followed up with, "Just needing to find some relaxation methods?" And then, at Y/n's lips, there was that smirk. The same smirk Joel had once held.

The man stood in the door way, deabting for a long moment as to what his final words would be to this woman he already seemed to be awing over. "It'd be nice to start getting as much as my neighbours do." And like that, with one final grasp of eye contact, Joel turned his back and exited the building. With a stitched up hand, a bottle of sleeping pills and the yearning ideas of this doctor he left.

Y/n knew after that encounter that Joel Miller was someone she was going to see again.

Y/n awoke to the feeling of being watched. It took her a moment after her eyelids fluttered open to adjust to the sight looming over her. She noted the two figures. Though, it was only when she processed the rifle pointed between her eyes that she jumped. "Jesus, Joel!" She snapped, loud enough to stir the sleeping girl next to her.

Him and Tess were seated on two battered chairs, staring ever so menacingly at her and Ellie. Y/n pulled herself to sit up, Ellie doing the same as she turned to find the gun still pointed right at them. "Morning." She scoffed.

Though it wasn't until Ellie went to get up that the rifle followed her. Joel wasn't threatening Y/n, no, he was threatening Ellie, the girl with the infected bite, the girl who should be dead. Ellie sat back down nd Y/n's stare turned just as menacing as theirs. "Joel." She seethed, her gaze flickering to Tess, only to find she had no intention on helping her; what a surprise.

"Do I look like I'm infected?" Quipped the young girl who's only armour right now was Y/n's body.

"Show us your arm." Joel demanded.

Ellie looked to Y/n first as if silently asking permission. Only once the woman had nodded her head, did she roll her sleeve up, showcasing the white scar which painted her skin. It was rigid and bumpy, but it wasn't bright yellow or red, it wasn't what it should be. Both Joel and Tess suddenly took interest in the mark, "Yeah." Said Ellie. "It's not getting any worse, is it?"

Y/n tilted her head at the pair, "Why else do you think were moving her?" That question seemed to evoke thought as the two looked to another, a similar expression shared between them.

"If we're in open city, why aren't we getting swarmed?" Wondered Ellie as her innocent eyes scanned their surroundings.

"Don't worry about that." Joel snapped, determined to keep on topic.

Though, Ellie still raised a brow and said, "Well, I'm gonna." And Y/n couldn't disagree with that.

Tess looked to Y/n, hands in her pockets and settled in narrow eyes as the cogs in her brain started to turn. "What were you and Marlene doing with an infected kid?" She inquired.

With a gun still pointed at her, Y/n only felt inclined to answer. "Why do you think, Tess?" Her hand gestured to the girl. The perfectly normal, the perfectly healthy girl. "Does she look infected to you?" That didn't seem enough for either of them, still staring blankly. So Y/n huffed and continued to hand out information, "Look, Marlene found her after she got bit."

"And she didn't shoot her?" Joel uttered, harshly.

"Clearly not." Ellie answered before Y/n had the chance to.

"Marlene got a message to me when she realised Ellie was turning into one of them." Y/n went on to explain.

A scoff left Tess' lips, "And I bet FEDRA loved that their favourite doctor was working with the fireflies."

"You two aren't the only ones who know how to get around without being noticed." She replied as her expression turned stern. "I visited almost every other day to see if she was getting sick, checking her vitals, doing tests-"

Y/n was about to point out how Ellie was obviously not getting sick, but Tess cut in, "What tests?"

Her lips didn't move. A pause followed and neither Y/n or Tess looked like they were about to break. Then came Ellie's voice, "I need to pee." She voiced.

And so Tess leaned forward, not breaking her eye contact as even firmer, she asked, "What tests?"

There was no getting out this and Y/n knew it. The gun pointed at her head knew it too. "We'd get her to hold out her hand and keep it steady. Then she'd count to ten. Followed my blood pressure, temperature, every test that I could physically fit in that little bag over there." Y/n pointed to her backpack in the corner. While theirs were filled with food and weapons, all she had were basic medical supplies.

"Though," Ellie's voice rang again and Y/n knew what was about to follow was unlikely to help the current conversation. "I think what really impressed everyone was the fact I didn't turn into a fucking monster." Then she stood abruptly, the rifle following her. "Now, can I please?"

She didn't start walking until Tess said, "Fine." Then her eyes flickered to Y/n who still sat on the ground. "The adults can have a talk." She reached down, grasping a magazine which was soon thrown to the girl. "And here. Tear out a few pages."

Ellie caught in, stole one last glance before turning and wandering into another room. "There isn't gonna be anything bad in here, right?" She yelled.

"Just you." Joel commented as he and Tess stood from their seats.

A scoff came from Ellie, "Ha. Funny." And with that, she disappeared into the other room.

Y/n watched Ellie for as long as she could. Though, the woman wasn't sure if she did so in a want to protect the girl, or if she was just attempting to avoid what was about to come. Once Ellie exited the room completely, Y/n turned. And she turned slowly, finding the pair were towering over her. Lucky, Joel had ditched the rifle by now, letting it hang on the back of his chair. Not that it made his stare any less deathly.

Huffing, Y/n rose to her feet too, as if making herself known as one of the adults too. "What are you doing here, Y/n?" Joel questioned first.

"Didn't I just tell you?" She argued with a snap in her tone. "I'm here because she is." He gestured towards the room Ellie had wandered into. "And trust me," A scoff escaped her lips. "That was not apart of the plan."

"And what was the plan?" Asked Tess.

"None of your business."

"Alright," Tess shifted in her stance and Y/n grew nervous in the uncertainty of what was about to follow. "Whats actually up with her? Was she bitten?"

"Yes, but as you've both clearly just seen, she's not infected." Y/n reminded them.

But even with it right in front of them, they weren't convinced. "How do you know?" Tess pushed.

"How do I know?" A moment passed. Irritation bubbled in her gut. So much so, it urged her forward, a stern glare burning into the eyes of the other woman. "I may not be a smuggler, may not buy guns left, right and centre, but I do still have a biomedicine degree. And a forensic science honours degree and I was just about to get another one in neuroscience before the outbreak hit. I'm a certified genius whose been working as a doctor for the past 20 years. You'd think I know what the fuck I'm talking about."

This time, Tess was the one whose lips seemed sealed shut. A smile filled her expression in an attempt to fill the silence which followed. Y/n took a long exhale, letting her gaze wander, only to land on Joel's hand. The hand which was battered and bruised from killing the soldier. "Your hands broken." She soon pointed out before her eyes jumped back up to his.

Instinctively, his fist clenched. He shrugged it off in the face of Y/n, "It's just a hairline. It'll heal fast." He excused but if Y/n knew anything about Joel, it was his need to hide anyway any sign of weakness.

"Since when did you become a doctor?" She raised a brow at him and the man chose not to answer. Y/n was already walking over to her backpack as she continued on, "I didn't really have a chance to go home and pack, so all I have is this." She showcased the inside, the various machines and supplies. "If there's anything I can actually help with while were out here, it's making sure you all stay in one piece."

Joel's eyes flickered to Tess, silently asking if it were okay. She must have given an indication of permission as the man sat down and held out his palm. The girl kneeled down in front of him, grasping some wipes and tape as she started cleaning the blood which still littered his knuckles. "I think we should take her back to the QZ." Joel voiced, prompting both pairs of eyes to jolt to his. Though, Y/n found that Joel's gaze was centred on the other woman. "We find another way to get our battery."

"They'll kill her if you do that." Y/n told them.

And by the looks on their faces, that certainly wasn't a deal breaker for them. "Not really a priority for us." Joel replied.

"This is our best shot." Said Tess, leaning forward.

Y/n reached for the tape, having to cut it off with her bare teeth before applying it to Joel's fingers. "As long as you get her to that State House, I'll make sure Marlene gives you whatever you need."

Joel looked down at her, "You're talking about this kid as if she's got some kind of life in front of her."

And Y/n came with such a simple reply: "Because she does."

Timing seemed perfect as Ellie came back into the room, throwing the magazine to Tess. Y/n put her focus back to the man's hand, taping the two broken fingers together. "That should help it heal and make sure you don't do any further damage." Which, considering it was Joel, was likely to happen.

The woman shoved the supplies back into her bag, standing and walking back to where Ellie was seated. "You hungry?" Tess inquired as she sat back in her seat and rummaged through her own bag. "You can share some of ours."

"Thanks, but Marlene sent me with my own." And so Ellie pulled out a freshly baked sandwich as Joel and Tess chewed on their jerky.

With nothing but medical supplies, Ellie offered half her sandwich to Y/n. An offer of which she had accepted with much gratitude. "Is that chicken?" Tess thought aloud as the two savoured the food.

Ellie nodded, "Yeah." She seemed to look back at her sandwich to analyse it, "Marlene says she gets it from smugglers." Her eyes then jumped to the pair and her expression tightened. "Guess not you guys."

Her words only seemed to spark Tess as she stood from the chair, walking toward the two. In an act to combat whatever was about to follow, Y/n stood too. But Tess didn't look to Y/n, she just looked down at Ellie. "Why are you so important? And don't lie to me or we'll take you back." She threatened, shoving her hands into her pockets.

Not that such threat seemed to have any effect on the young girl. "You take me back, you don't get your battery."

"You heard that?"

Y/n glanced over at Joel as she reminded him once again, "I did warn you." Ellie may be young, but she was smart and definitely disliked the idea of not being in the know.

"Well then, you must have also heard that he wants to shoot you." Tess nodded her head back to the older man who didn't seem to break at such. Tess crouched down and Ellie nudged back a little, "I'm gonna talk to you like you're an adult, okay? Joel and I aren't good people like your nice doctor over here." Y/n stiffened, unsure as to where Tess was going with this lecture of her's. "We're doing this for us because apparently, you're worth something. But we don't know what you're worth if we don't know what we have. So, one of you is gonna answer my question."

The two looked to each other. Both as uncertain as each other. But Tess certainly wasn't one to give in. "She told us not to tell anybody..." Ellie whispered to herself, shaking her head.

To save the girl the torture of going against Marlene's orders, Y/n admitted it all instead. "I told Marlene about some doctors out West. They always had better supplies and lab environments than we did." She paused but Tess could read on her face there was more coming. Y/n just knew the reaction which was sure to follow. "They were able to start working on a cure-"

And that one. Just that one, four-letter word, ensured a reaction always. Whether positive and hopeful, or in the case of Joel Miller, pessimistic and dismissive. The second the word left Y/n's lips, a scoff came from his. "I've heard this before." His eyes were drawn on Y/n, referring to something only the two of them could recount.

"What happened to me-" Ellie went to start, but her words were cut short.

"Is the key to finding the cure." Joel finished for her. "That's what this? We've heard this a million times before. Vaccines. Miracle cures. None of it works." He stopped and his gaze met Y/n's again, practically stepping on that hope of hers until it faded into nothing. "Ever." He emphasised.

Ellie stood, abruptly. Even though she was much smaller, she had no trouble standing up to Joel. "Fuck you." She snapped. "I didn't ask for this."

"You and me both!"

Y/n stepped forward before the anger in the room could drown out the logic. "Look, I get that for the longest time, I had to have enough hope for the both of us. And yeah, some of it was bullshit and some of it was just a dead end. But this." She pointed back at Ellie. "This is real. And it's right in fucking front of you and you still deny it." The woman paused, suddenly aware of how close she was to Joel, how freely she was speaking and how intertwined it seemed their eyes were. So she gazed back at Tess too, "Both of you." She added, in hopes of covering up her mistake.

No one spoke. Not at first. It seemed everyone took a breath, everyone took a moment to fucking think for once instead of letting emotions guide them any which way. Y/n was awaiting their denial once more, their plans of killing Ellie or taking her back. Plans of which she knew she couldn't argue against anymore. She may be a genius, but there was no way she could protect the girl from those who held the guns and the muscle and the lack of morality when it came to hurting a young girl.

"Let's finish it." Y/n jolted around, staring at Tess in utter disbelief. A part of Y/n was convinced she had heard it wrong. "It doesn't matter if she is or isn't what the fireflies say. If they believe that she is, then we get what we want." And, in way, so did everyone else.

Joel looked between Tess, Ellie and Y/n. But he gave in, "If she so much as twitches-"

Ellie lacking such understanding of bad timing, decided it would be a good idea to do just that. Her shoulders tensed and she mustered out some croaky noises, somewhat resembling an infected. Y/n snapped her head to her, and in the most scolding mother voice she could gather, she said, "Ellie." It was a warning and a warning she listened to as she relaxed and the noises stopped.

Her head dropped and Y/n could have sworn she heard a, "Sorry." In her mumbles somewhere.

Y/n looked between Joel and Tess, brows raised as she asked, "Happy?"

It took them a moment, but Tess nodded, "Yeah."

"Then lets go."

They each disbanded, grabbing their individual bags, Joel making sure to grasp the rifle too. "Can I have a gun?" A voice queried behind Y/n.

In sync, there came multiple responses.

"Absolutely not."

"No!"

"Not happening."

All of which had done well to send Ellie a certain message. "Okay! Jesus!" She mumbled. "I'll just throw a fucking sandwich at them."

With that, they headed for the door. Everything they needed hung on their backs and once they left the room, security left them too.

They came out into the midst of fallen, rotting buildings, masked by the leaves which had littered the forgotten city. Y/n glanced back at Ellie, one hand on a bag strap as a smile came to her lips due to the amazement that fell to Ellie's expression. Y/n couldn't lie, despite all it's ugliness, there were parts of this new world that were natural in their beauty.

"Woah," Muttered Ellie as her feet dragged forward.

The other two gave the girl a look, peering between her utter stupefaction and the view settled in front of them. "Looks better in the daylight, huh?" Tess voiced.

Y/n nudged the young girl's shoulder, "Better than school?" She raised a brow.

Ellie took one last, long look at what was in front of her before nodding. "Definitely."

"We should get moving." Joel suggested. His stares around the city weren't in awe, but instead, they were stares of observation, of making sure there wasn't something lurking around the corner waiting to jump them all.

But they did as he said. Tess led the way, weaving through what was left of pavement and roads. "It's like a fucked up moon." Ellie said, bringing their gaze to the not-so-pretty part of the city. The gigantic creator hole in the middle of the road was certainly an eye-sore. "Is this where they bombed?" She questioned.

"Yeah." Tess answered as they slowed, all taking a peer over the hole. Well except, for Joel, who had just continued walking. "They hit most big cities like this. They had to slow the spread somehow." Y/n's gaze jumped back to Joel, various thoughts passed her mind. Various thoughts she didn't have the courage to voice. So rather, she started walking too. "Worked here. But it didn't in most places."

Not much further passed the hole, they came to the dead end. Two skyscrapers which had fallen in together, blocking the rest of the road. "Statehouse is across there." Y/n informed, slowly taking a glance at Tess who was already looking at her with her brows furrowed.

"Ten-minute walk if we go straight." The woman added. "If we could go straight."

"So?" Urged Ellie.

And for what seemed like the first time in the last twenty minutes, Joel added to the conversation, "Long way or short way?"

Tess tilted her head, "I mean, it's the long or the we're fucking dead way." No need to put it lightly.

"Well, I vote long way just based on that limited information." Ellie uttered.

Y/n nodded, "Looks like we all agree on something." She paused and glanced at Joel who was still silent. Though, his silence had been assumed agreement. "First time for everything."

"We have to check it from the hotel first." He planned. So it was the hotel they headed to.

Getting to the hotel meant going on the freeway. It was still littered with several cars. Many of which were nothing but junk now as they each slithered through them. Tess was still leading the way, Ellie now at her side, badgering the woman with questions. Y/n wouldn't have any complaints about such, apart from the fact that it then left her with Joel.

The two weren't side by side. Not really, close, but not side by side. They were silent. Any movements, any noise that came from either of them echoed. It was practically torture. And it didn't end until Joel finally spoke up. "Since when did you start working with the fireflies?"

There was an uncertainty to his voice. When Y/n glanced to him, there was an uncertainty in his pupils too. "I never had anything against them. If anything, I think a whole load of things would work better if we all actually worked together." She explained.

A scoff left the comfort of his lips, "And you really think that'll happen?"

Y/n kept walking, her gaze dropping to the ground, "I have hope, Joel, but I'm not delusional."

That seemed to prompt Ellie as she turned back around, walking backwards a little as a grin tugged at her lips. "Jurys still out on that one!" She giggled.

"Eyes forward you." Y/n instructed. "You don't wanna break your hand too, do you?" That seemed enough to urge the girl back around as she continued walking by Tess' side.

The pair seeped back into silence. Y/n's eyes were trained on the young girl in front of her, while Joel's kept stealing glances. It was as if they were learning new boundaries. Before now, their break up meant avoidance; couldn't avoid the woman who was living and surviving at his side now. For the first time in a long time, Y/n and Joel's goal matched. Sure, their motives for such goals were different, but it was a step.

"What happens when you go back?" Questioned Joel, breaking the suffocating quietness.

Her eyes met his, uncertain and wary. She shrugged, "I don't know." Her gaze drawn back to the road ahead. "I don't know if I can even go back." Y/n was sure there would be questions. Ones of which she probably couldn't answer, not without certain consequences.

"So what?" Joel pushed. "You've got to live somewhere."

"I know." A sigh left her lips. Between running away from that soldier and trying to survive, Y/n's future wasn't something her brain had the time to think about. "I think maybe- maybe I'll just stick by the kid."

Ellie was still stuck close by Tess' side, deep in a conversation. "I might be wrong here, but surely the certified genius should have a better role than the babysitter?" Y/n peered over at Joel and his raised brows.

"The certified genius isn't just babysitting, but protecting one of the best shots at the cure." She defended. And, as always, that word sparked a scoff from the man. "I'll be alright." Y/n said as if he must have been worried about her.

"Good." He uttered before nodding to the teenager walking in front. "She's gonna need you."

And without thinking, Y/n replied, "And you." When the words slipped from her lips, her eyes jolted to him. In a scramble to recover her slip-up, she went on, "I mean, I can fix broken bones, disease, whatever, but I'm a bit shitty at aiming a gun." Joel nodded as realisation sunk in. Though, he never replied. They didn't look back at one another, didn't say anything and instead, basked in the overwhelming silence.

Luckily enough, the silence didn't last for a prolonged time as they soon came up to the hotel.

Similar to the city, the structure of the building was still there. It was like a skeleton, with some lingering memories of what life used to be like: tables, chairs, even wine glasses still occupied parts of the hotel. But the main spectacle of this skeleton was the lobby. The lobby which was now more of a makeshift pond. A piano stuck in the middle of it, a reception desk which was surprisingly still standing and decaying walls.

"You've got to be kidding me!" Ellie exclaimed with excitement as she scanned over the view. She glanced over at Y/n, a glint of interest in her pupils. "You ever stay in a place like this?"

A grin tugged at her lips and she shrugged, "Without the pond? Sure." Her old job, before the outbreak, had been one of travel and some fancy hotels. Fancy hotels with marshmallow mattresses that were a forgotten memory by now.

"How do you even know what this is?" Joel inquired.

"Have you heard of books?" That response left the man in a scowl, listing the many reasons as to why he still wanted to shoot the young girl. With that brewing, he started walking down the stairs which led into the green pond. "Wait- are we-" She turned to look at Y/n as if she didn't quite believe it. "Are we going in there?"

"Unless you see another way across." The doctor answered before following in Joels footsteps. Neither of them made it close to the pond before Ellie spoke up again.

"There's a stairwell on the other side we need to get to." Tess added as she too started to wander towards the stairs.

But Ellie still firm in her stance. "I- I don't know how to swim."

They are looked back at her if she had just loss several brain cells in one go. "Seriously?" Joel critiqued.

Ellie was still lost at what the man was getting at. So she continued to defend herself, "You think we have pools in the QZ?"

Joel only needed to jump off from the final step, his shoes thudding against the floor. The water reached up to his knees at best. It was only then did Ellie realise, muttering, "I don't know how I was meant to know that." And then she joined the rest of them in walking towards the end of the room.

Y/n shifted through the water, weaving her way through the odd bug and patches of grass which had grown atop the pond. She looked back as she noted the water splashing behind her, checking that Ellie was in fact still alfoat. "You alright?"

The young girl's head was frantically turning from place to place. "This is so gross." She noted with a strange glea in her tone that no one else seemed to understand. Joel and Y/n were almost at the other side when Ellie shouted, "Oh, check it out!"

They turned, Joel huffing as they did so, finding Ellie by a golden trolly and the reception desk. She leaned over, pressing the bell repeatedly adding her own sounds, "Ding-ding!" She sung. Then she straighted her back and pushed out her chest as her impression went on. "Yes sir I would like your finest suite, please." And then in a lower, harsher tone, she went on, "Yes Ms Y/l/n. Like me to take your luggage?" Ellie continued by pushing the trolly forward. "Ah, thank you, yes most appreciated." Said in the squeaky tone.

Y/n had been watching with nothing but a smile, catching the girl's gaze. "That's not what I sound like."

She kept pushing the trolley, "I think it was a good impression personally."

"You're such a weird kid." Said the man next to Y/n.

At which, Ellie's glea faded and she stiffened, "You're a weird kid." She combated. And Y/n looked away for a moment, to get a glimpse of Joel. Which was when, "Oh, fuck!"

She was already moving before she had realised what was wrong. It was only when the woman turned the corner, her eyes settled on the bones that floated in the water alongside Ellie. Y/n reached out a hand that Ellie took, walking around the dead body. "Are you okay?" The question was stern and concerned.

Something which only calmed when she answered, "Yeah, yeah."

Y/n's worrisome eyes flickered to Joel, "Lets get going." They joined back with Tess and finally made it across the pond and towards the stairwell.

They climbed up towards the tenth floor where they would be able to see if this path they wanted to take would be clear or not. Joel got to the top first, Y/n by his side, Ellie lingering right behind her and Tess scurrying to keep up. The man slowed, peeking around the corner until he entered the tenth floor.

Once he deemed it safe, he started walking, Y/n following after him. "Fuck." Complained Tess once she finally made it out, a sigh stuck in her breaths.

She leant against the wall for a moment as Ellie passed her, "Oh, come on," Ellie practically sung in return. "It wasn't that bad."

"You try climbing ten fucking floors with our knees. See how you feel." The woman snapped in return.

There came no reply from the young girl as they wandered through the hallway. Joel seemed certain of the way. Well, that was right before they turned once basic corner and were met with a dead end that wasn't expected. "Well when the fuck did that happen?" Tess thought aloud.

They each stared at the many rocks which had fallen in through the floor above, crashing ontop of another and making it impossible for them all to pass. "Try the doors maybe?" Y/n suggested, twisting the door nobs and finding them locked; they were suddenly left with few options.

Tess walked forward, eyeing the rocks like they were a puzzle. "Alright, well, maybe I could climb up there, work my way around, open it up from the inside." She planned, not so certain in herself.

"Doesn't sound very safe." Y/n commented under her breath.

At which, the other woman chuckled, turning to face her. "Since when did you give a fuck about my safety?"

Y/n chose not to answer that. "What about me?" Asked the voice at the side of Y/n. "I am the smallest, surely I should go-"

"Not happening." Y/n interjected before she could take it any further.

"She's right." Uttered Tess. "You go up there, you die, we get nothing." Then her eyes were pulled to the doctor and a mischievous smile rose to her lips. "But, prestige here, I'm sure you wouldn't mind helping, right? Gonna need someone to help me move the rocks."

Y/n knew that there was no refusing this. Tess was already walking over, Joel holding his palm out as he lifted her up. Which left the doctor glaring at what was awaiting her. "Oh come on, it's a few rocks. It's nothing compared to some of the infected."

With that, the girl huffed, stepping onto Joel's non-wounded palm as he pushed her up onto the rocks too. As if in an instant, the feeling of captivation consumed her. The rocks were at every turn, suffocating her. And all she had to keep her sane was Tess. "It's a mess up here!" She called back. "We're gonna need a few minutes."

And so Tess started dissecting the rocks she wanted to move, the ones she wanted to stay and then ordered Y/n to help. "Here, this side." She gestured to one of the larger rocks.

Y/n hovered her hands over it, not daring to break the path Tess had created so far. "Like this?" Tess nodded. They each grabbed either side and started pushing until it fell. A few small pebbles fell with it but nothing to drastic.

With that moved, it made a way for them to jump down. Tess shimmied through first, grunting and huffing as she fit her body through the hole they had created. Y/n would have followed straight after if her ears hadn't pricked at the sound of name. "You know Y/n says you're just old friends." Came Ellie's voice.

The woman looked back. She had only moved a couple of meters away and well, Ellie's voice had a tendency to echo. "What do you care about it?" Responded Joel in his usual stern tone.

"Because Y/n's is shit liar, that's why." There came a pause. Y/n glanced back to Tess who was still slowly working her way down. "So what were you really?" Another pause in which Joel seemed to refuse to answer. "You were like together weren't you?"

"Pass."

"So that's a yes?"

"No!"

Y/n knew her eavesdropping was likely wrong, but she couldn't help but feel curious about how her ex-boyfriend was dealing with this situation. "What happened?" Asked Ellie, clearly having no idea about boundaries.

Again, Joel replied, "Pass."

"Are you with Tess now?"

"Pass."

"Do you not wanna be with Tess because you're still in love with Y/n?"

"Hey, Prestige!" Another, thrid voice, snapped her from listening in. Y/n turned back to face Tess who now had both feet planted on the wall. Though, by the looks of things, she hadn't heard any of what Y/n had. Or she was just really good at hiding it. "You need some help down, or?"

Y/n was already shuffling to the edge, mumbling, "No." She did the same as Tess, shifting and moving until she was able to dangle from the rocks, jumping as her feet thudded against the floor. "Least we didn't die." Y/n shrugged, but the other woman was already walking around.

"Come on," She urged.

They didn't get far before they had to stop once again. The two emerged into the balcony, the muffled, distant sound of groans met them instantly. "Is that-?" Y/n already knew the probable answer.

"I think so." Tess muttered before the two wandered to the edge. They leaned over slightly, consuming the sight below. Hundreds over them, tossing and turning as they fought to spread their rancid disease.

"Shit." One word which captured all thoughts and feelings in that moment. Y/n shook her head, parting from the wall as she turned, finding her gaze settled on a door. A door which likely led to the hallway. "Here," Y/n instructed, urging Tess to follow her as they left the balcony.

The girl dragged herself along as they headed for the room which would lead to the pair inside it. They took one step into that room when the occupants on the other side jolted. Their footsteps heavy and the sound of something familiarly metallic rattled. "You can put the gun down, Joel!" Tess yelled before unlocking the door.

None of their expressions matched. And Joel could tell within one moment, within one look, something wasn't right. "What is it?"

Tess and Y/n simply looked back at one another, a daunting sense growing between them. They chose it not wise to explain. Instead, they led the way back out to the balcony where that view was awaiting Joel and Ellie. "There's so many." That was one way to describe it, definitely.

"Last time we were here, they were still deep inside the buildings." Tess informed.

Y/n glanced over, "Guess this means long way is out the window too?" Maybe that was already assumed.

"Which way do we go then?" Questioned Ellie with concerned pupils.

The adults all looked to one another. But it was Joel who came up with the suggestion: "Museum."

A new plan set in. They went back down the ten stories and wandered the haunting streets to find this new building. And this one would hopefully reveal a safe path for them to get to the Statehouse. It was similar to the rest of the city. The museum was tangled in leaves as newly grown trees comforted the walls on either side. But the more concerning decor of the museum was the fungi that infected the stairs, travelling onto the pavement and right into the door.

They all huffed at the sight, stopping right before their feet dared to brush against such fungi. "You've got to be fucking kidding me." Complained Ellie.

Tess pointed to the roof of the building, "There's a way across from the top floor."

"Well, then I guess it's fine." Ellie quipped in response, her tone dripping in sarcasm.

"Better than hundreds of infected." Y/n commented before looking over Ellie to Tess, raising a brow, "Right?" The expression Tess gave in return was lacking any slither of hope.

"We used to take it all the time." She tried to offer some assurance, but with that look on her face, it truly wasn't working. "It used to be fine." Emphasis on 'used to'.

Even a scoff came from the youngest girl, "Awesome."

Joel walked out in front of them all, getting the closest to the fungi. He leaned down slowly as he stared at it like he was expecting something. His fingers placed some pressure against it. Nothing. So he took his rifle by the wrong end, plummeting the blunt end into the fungi. It crunched as ash splurted out. And with that, his answers were gained, and Joel stood. "It's bone dry." He informed. "It could mean they're all finally dead in there."

Y/n peered over at the man, "Could?" It didn't fill her with great security.

"It's our best bet." Tess uttered. Like that, they seemed to collectively and rather silently, decide this was what they were going with. Tess and Joel shrugged off their bags, grasping a torch each, along with Tess grabbing her own gun.

Joel was holding up his torch as he looked to the two other girls who were still stood mindlessly, "Marlene pack you one of these or just sandwiches?"

Ellie nodded, reaching for her bag. "Yeah." She mumbled before pulling out her own.

It seemed it was only Y/n who lacked her own source of light. But what she did have was still tucked into the waistband of her jeans. Her hands reached around her back, pulling out the pistol Marlene had lent her. "You don't have one?" Joel was the first to observe.

Quietly, the girl shook her head. "Alright," Said Tess as she stood to her feet. "Then you don't go anywhere without one of us."

"Wasn't planning to, don't worry." She replied.

Tess then looked over at Ellie, "And if we come up against anything, you get behind us." She instructed.

She nodded sternly, "Yes." And with that, they faced the museum that seemed to tower over them. Tess grasped her pistol with one hand, the torch with the other, prompting Ellie as she pointed out, "I have a spare hand."

"Congratulations." Joel took the lead on this one, walking to the double doors as the other three trailed behind him. He dipped his head through, scanning to then look back and give that expression of 'it's clear' before stepping through.

They switched on their torches and wandered through. Maybe it was the darkness, but Y/n noted how much she had preferred the hotel. This place, it was a simple mess. If it weren't the fungi, you were stepping over past relics which once would have been bought for millions. And now, they were just a part of rubbish that would likely never be cleared out.

Each of them kept their eyes straight and their feet light as they crept into the several rooms which led to the stairs. Joel's torch lit the other side of the wall where the fungus seemed most prominent, with a body wrapped between it. "Yeah, cooked." Said Joel.

"Oh, finally." Tess responded from behind Y/n. "Some fucking luck." Though, they all doubted that luck would last long.

"I guess we should have gone his way in the first place." The man continued, following the fungus.

They were turning the corner when, "Oh, shit!" Y/n's eyes snapped to Ellie and then the blood-soaked, lifeless corpse which was lent up against the wall. Joel and Tess soon followed as they all gathered around this body. "What the fuck did that?"

That wasn't the question that they needed answering. "How do we know it's not still in here?" Y/n spoke, her voice suddenly lowering at the thought of the creatures which could still be roaming.

"Maybe he was attacked outside." Tess assumed. "Crawled through the doors. The door was open. I don't hear anything."

"Who would you hear?" Asked Ellie, much louder than the rest of them now. At that, they all jolted, firm in their glares as they silently told her to shut the fuck up. So then her voice lowered, and in a whisper, she repeated, "Who would you hear? Are you saying an infected did that?" Y/n's pupils boiled with a concerning terror as she shushed Ellie. Not that it had stopped the young girl. "Because I've been attacked by one and it wasn't like that."

"Okay from this point forward we are silent." Joel's gaze was mainly directed at Ellie, but he sent glances to both Tess and Y/n as he went on. "Not quiet. Silent." His breath was raspy with his hushed tone, his stare in itself threatening.

"Wha-"

He didn't let Ellie finish her breath, "No. No questions." He told her. "Just do it." Ellie may not have been happy about having to shut up, but it was that or further risking their safety.

Joel started walking first, weaving through the rooms, bodies and fungus as they followed. Y/n's grip on her pistol tightened in anticipation, her paced breaths soon becoming uneven as they took the first step to the next floor. As silent as possible, they proceeded up the grand stairs. Joel was only two steps from the second floor before the roof rumbled above him. A few pebbles dripped down, followed by ash and a grumbling noise which filled the space.

Each of them stood completely still. Each of them held their breath. Once, and only once, did the grumbling noise stop did Joel continue, climbing up to the second floor and continuing towards the third and final one. Though it was here where the bodies piled high - as did the fungi. Suddenly, it seemed impossible to step over it all. But Joel took his chances and Y/n found herself analysing his every step so she could make the same ones.

She had been hoping that Ellie, the young girl behind her, was doing the same. But as they reached their fifth step, a crunch erupted. Her and Joel tensed, snapping back around to the girl who looked ever so sheepish. While Joel wore a scowl, Y/n had a moulding sympathetic look on her face, which could simply read: it's okay. Even if, maybe it wasn't so.

When nothing seemed to jump up out at them, Joel continued up the stairs. Luckily, they made it to the top without any more stepping on the fungus, or making any harsh sounds. Joel slowly pushed the double doors open. They creaked and cracked before revealing the dusty room on the other side. Like the rest of the museum, it was filled with relics. But most of them seemed intact. Suppose not many infected made it this far up.

As they each wandered through, rumble started falling from the roof above. Until a large thud was heard and it must have finally caved in. Y/n jumped for Ellie, pulling her forward as Tess slid onto the floor to avoid any of the littering rocks attacking her. It was loud. Loud enough that anything outside of the museum was likely to have heard it. And as Y/n glanced away from Ellie, she found they were barricaded in.

"Everyone okay?" She whispered. There was no bother in being silent now that had just fallen, she had thought.

Ellie caught up with her breath as she responded, "Great."

Y/n looked to Tess who was sitting back up. The woman nodded. It was once they stood to their feet, when terror kicked it. Somewhere, from someplace on the floor they were now trapped it, there came the ever familiar shriek which echoed against the walls. One was in here with them. One was here, one of which they couldn't see and they had just lost their exit.

Y/n's arm reached over, hovering over Ellie's stomach, slowly gesturing for the girl to get behind her. Her gun rose, her knuckles turning white with how tight her grip had become. The infected kept screeching as they manoeuvred their way around. They watched as through a doorway, one of them made their way into the room. They dragged themselves over as the group slowly moved backwards as silent as they had been.

It seemed fine until another screech from another part of the museum alerted them. They jolted around to another doorway. There were two of them. The other crawled through the doorway and they moved back away from it again. Suddenly, they were cornered. Their backs hit the glass of a showcase box as they watched the two infected roam the floor.

Each of them listened closely as it travelled across the other side of the glass. It's grunts were haunting as it filled the very silence the group fought to keep. It rushed across from the glass. It was right in front of them. A moment passed in which they didn't know whether it was going to spot them. Maybe one of them had let out a breath too loud or shuffled their feet too much but it knew and it roared at them all.

Joel moved first, pulling the trigger on his gun as the creature tumbled backwards, away from Ellie. "Run!" He screamed.

Tess grasped Ellie's jacket as they stumbled the other way. Y/n found most of it a blurred as she worked out what to do. She saw the two girls face the second infected. And then gun shots followed. Y/n made the assumption that Tess would keep Ellie safe as she turned, facing Joel's back as he fought single handedly against the other infected. Which, within one glance, Y/n could tell he was losing.

The woman raised her pistol, shooting a few times at the monster before it faced her. She circled around it as it stumbled closer to her. That gave Joel the chance to get one bullet in the back of it's head, securing that it slowed down. But it was still alive, still clinging on, still fighting to kill them. "Go!" Joel ordered. Not loudly at all, but stern, very stern.

Y/n did so. She went one way, Joel went the other. A few steps into a hallway and suddenly she became remind of the warning Tess had given her. Don't go anywhere without someone else. The darkness was all around her. She was quiet on her feet as she wove through the narrow hallway to find somewhere with natural light that could guide her. All while trying to listen out for the dying infected.

She heard a gun shot not too far away, followed by the sound of glass shattering. She couldn't work out whether that was Joel, the infected, or Ellie and Tess. But still, she swirled, trying to make out the shadows as she wandered into the next room where there was a window. A wave of relief passed. Though, it hadn't lasted long.

Y/n's whole body jolted at the feeling of touch on her skin. Something, someone, pulled her back. One hand around her back, the other covering the gasp she had been sure to let out. Silence followed and she settled, connecting the feeling to Joel. Y/n's gaze was drawn up at him as he still wore that stern expression. The screeches erupted from behind them. And Y/n realised that was the reason as to why Joel had grabbed her.

Delicately, Joel lowered his hand from her mouth and Y/n didn't stop him. It glided along her waist until reaching her hand. There, his palm slipped over her's, taking a grasp of the pistol. His other hand slid around her waist. And with both arms seeming to cup her body, he reloaded the pistol. Once finished, the two looked to each, ever so close yet that didn't seem to faze them.

Joel nodded, silently saying it was time to move. Y/n leaned around the glass cage that they were hidden behind, finding herself stiff when the infected was only a few feet away. She didn't make a noise. And so, it carried on, without attacking her or Joel. The girl returned back around and looked to Joel for their next move.

She first felt his touch leave her, though he still held the pistol. The man crouched down and started to head towards the further part of the room. Not wanting to be left alone again, Y/n trailed on after him. A few steps in and Ellie came into view. She was hidden behind a display case, right where the infected was about to walk around. Joel and Y/n joined her and nodded their heads for the girl to follow them.

They tiptoed around the display case as to avoid the infected. Slow and steady. So close they had almost reached it but Joel hadn't been watching his feet enough. His toes crunched against some lingering shards of glass. While it wasn't a bang or a gun shot, it was enough. In an instant, they were on their feet. Y/n was able to get ahold of Ellie but Joel tumbled to the floor. The infected hovered over him and it seemed as if he was dead already.

The woman grasped the largest piece of glass she could. It slipped against her palm, slicing her hand first in her act of panic. But, she was far to terroised to take note. Instead, she leaned forward, pushing the sharpest point of the glass into the back of the infected's head. It slowed and gave Joel enough time to recover the pistol he had taken and reloaded. With that in his grasp, his finger tip didn't leave the trigger. Not until it was lifeless. Not until there were no bullet left.

Soon enough, the creature fell and the three scurried backwards. Ellie was tightly protected in Y/n's hands as Joel stood in front, right over the body.

Their moment of peace hadn't lasted long.

Another piercing shriek boomed through the room. They all turned. Defenceless. The second infected was running right for them and they had nothing. Well, they had Tess. The woman rushed through a space between the displays, shoving a 14th-century axe right into the infected's neck.

It hadn't killed it but it had stopped it. The creature waved it's arms around, willing to grab one of them as it croaked out. Joel was the one to move. He took ahold of the rifle he had once lost, aimed and shot. And he didn't stop until it was on the floor.

A long moment passed. Everyone caught up with their breaths and several shared glances were given. Until, in a huff, Y/n spoke up, "Is it over?" Her weary eyes looked around, looking to each of them.

"I fucking hope so." Snapped Ellie, loud enough that, if there were any more infected, it would have come after them by now.

"You all right?" Joel asked Tess who had just limped back up to her feet.

The woman nodded but it was stiff like she wasn't so lucky to be alive. "Twisted ankle, but yeah." Her gaze then jumped to Y/n. Specifically her hand. "What about you? That looks nasty."

Y/n hadn't even realised. Maybe it was the panic, maybe it was the radiating pain, but the harsh cut across the centre of her palm had gone unnoticed until now. It was gushing red. So much so, it seemed to have tinted her skin, pooling over her shirt and jacket. "Shit." She muttered before swinging her bag over and grabbing some cloth.

"You alright?" Tess repeated. This time, to Ellie.

"Well, I didn't shit my pants so." She shrugged off as Y/n wrapped her bleeding palm in the cloth. A sharp inhale left her lips at the sting of the feeling. One of which didn't start easing off until she tied the cloth together, putting her supplies back in her bag.

By the time she had looked over, Ellie's jacket was rolled up, showcasing the bite from the infected. "Shit!" She said again, this time harsher and louder.

"You fucking kidding me?" Ellie swore. "I mean, if it was gonna happen to one of us..."

Suppose she made a point. "Hey," Tess spoke up as they all glanced to her. "Lets get the fuck out of here." That they could all agree with.

They were led towards one of the back windows. Joel pulled it up, slipping through first and holding it up for the other to walk through. "Thanks," Y/n uttered as she stepped onto the roof, her eyes drawn to the view set in front of her.

Ellie proceeded behind the girl, rushing next to her side to catch the view for herself. Though, Y/n turned right back around at the sound of grunting and the words, "Oh, fuck." Tess, while she may have gotten through the window, was struggling.

Her ankle had forced her to sit as Joel joined her. "I can help." The girl offered. Well, it wasn't much of an offer, more of a warning that she was about to help.

Though, such was still declined, as Joel hovered his hand out. "No, no, it's alright. I've got it." He said and the woman shut her lips. "Just give me some of that tape would you?"

Y/n nodded but said nothing. She rummaged from her bag and retrieved the tape, passing it over with a stare caught between the two. Maybe it was wrong to, but she thought back to them questions Ellie was asking Joel earlier at the hotel. Maybe such questions were echoing in her mind also.

"Over there?" Ellie inquired from behind them all. Y/n was the one turn, searching for an excuse to look away.

She was pointing to the building across from this one. The one connected by a long piece of wood. "Yeah, I know it looks scary." Answered Joel.

Ellie was already stepping onto it as she replied, "That was scary, this is wood." And without a flicker of a worry she walked across. She turned when she reached the other building, a grin spread over lips as she looked to the doctor. "You coming?"

Y/n had to look back first. Look back to the man who was patching up Tess like he probably had done a million times before. Then she flashed a smile, one forced and tricky to uphold. "Yeah." She yelled back, tiptoeing across just as Ellie had.

At this new building, she couldn't hear the conversation happening between the couple. She could only watch Joel's sincere, worrisome expression as he ever so carefully taped up that broken ankle. For a moment, and Y/n swore to herself that it was only a moment, a flicker of a memory washed through her mind. A flicker of a memory which urged on feelings of regret.

"Oh. My. God." Said Ellie, snapping the woman out of her thoughts. She jumped back around to the girl who was smiling a devilish smile. "You're in love with him too." She stated as if it were fact.

"What-?" Y/n cut herself off, eyeing the couple once more. "I've got no idea what you're getting at Ellie."

"Yes you do." She argued as Y/n walked passed her. Not that such had stopped the young girl from trailing behind. "You know exactly what I'm getting at! So I was right? You and Joel were together?"

Y/n stopped and turned around, "Well we're not anymore so what does it matter?"

"Because you both obviously still want each other."

That was something she had scoffed out. They didn't spend years avoiding each other because there was still love there. No, they avoided each because- well, because that was what you were supposed to do after a break up. "Ellie, we don't."

"I think you need a new pair of eyes." She giggled at the idea and Y/n knew this wouldn't be the last time she heard about it.

Y/n moved passed Ellie, towards the other end of the building where a view stared back at them. The rest of the city. Still decaying and covered in speckles of green, but as Y/n had gathered, it was nice to see something of natural beauty growing again.

Her gaze hadn't moved when she felt Ellie join her side. But when another figure wandered up, coming to her other side, her eyes did jump. "Is it everything you hoped for?" Joel asked. His eyes weren't on Y/n, they weren't on Ellie, they were settled on what was in front of him and what awaited him.

Ellie shrugged, "Jurys still out." She said and Y/n chose it best to tear her gaze away from Joel before he cared to notice. "But, man, you can't deny that view."

"Think it's even prettier without all the skyscrapers and road rage." Y/n thought aloud. And, as if roles had just be revered, Joel was the one staring at her as she glazed off into the distance.

The man thought about giving something in response, but that idea was broken when another voice came. "Come on, let's get there before dark." Tess prompted, breaking them from their captivated views.

The other woman gave not a second to take in the view. As if a switch had been pulled, Tess was suddenly in full survival mode, not wanting to waste a moment they had. She went down the ladder first and no matter how delicately she placed her footings, it still urged groans of pain. The other three didn't dare comment. Instead, Y/n gently pushed Ellie forward as they all trailed down the ladder too.

Tess was right about wanting to get there before dark. Even with her ankle and the pain Y/n was certain was plaguing her, she led the group, fast in her pace. It took half the time to get to the StateHouse than it usually did. But even in that short space of time, Y/n wandered to herself about this change in mood. Prior to this, she was walking at the side of Ellie, bouncing back and fourth, explaining with great enthusiasm what the world used to be like. And now it seemed she was burdened with apathy.

Y/n was towards the back of the line, though she rushed forward slightly to reach Joel. And ever so quietly, she whispered over to him, "She normally like this?"

Joel looked back with knitted brows, "Like what?"

The doctor huffed and checked off the several attributes she knew all too well: "More irritable than usual? Desperate?" She spoke carefully as she always did. Beating around the idea rather than giving it directly to him on a plate.

But Joel was used to Y/n's careful words and could see right through it. "She's not infected, Y/n." He uttered, stern in his expression that it made Y/n regret saying anything.

Yet, the girl still went on, "Just keep an eye on it, alright?" She told him. Without another second, she walked passed, joining Ellie's side.

Y/n wouldn't push it. Tess was Joel's friend and not hers. Maybe if more symptoms started showing, she might. But for now, she would keep quiet and keep her mind on the task at hand: get Ellie to safety. Which was right where they were. The state house seemed quiet. The only thing to suggest the other fireflies were here was the truck parked right outside.

The four of them crouched down by some rocks, keeping a watch on the doors and the truck. "Where the fuck are they?" Tess had queried, hushed in her tone.

Joel turned back to face her, lightly shaking his head. He took a long moment to think before he stood to his feet and started walking. The others stood but made no move to follow Joel. Instead, they watched. He slung the door to the truck open first, his rifle shaking in his grip, only to find nothing but blood-soaked metal.

Though, that seemed enough for the man to spin around, holding his hand out. "Keep back." He instructed before continuing on.

Even if they weren't the ones searching the truck, Tess and Y/n still equipped their weapons. They waited a few moments, hearing the sound of the back doors pull up. It was then that Tess nodded her head, "Come on." She said, going against what Joel had told them as they wandered around the back. "Joel?" She called. "What the fuck is going on?"

The back of the truck was empty. "I don't know." Answered the man. And while their focus was pulled to the truck, Y/n's dwindled. Her eyes were pulled to the stairs of the Statehouse, noting the splotches of red which littered the concrete.

"They went inside." Y/n informed as all eyes landed to her and then the blood.

She swirled around, facing their puzzled looks. Tess was the one to move first. She huffed and seemed to snap. "Come on." She ordered, hooking her palm around Ellie's wrist and dragging her into the state house. "Come on." She repeated.

"Tess!" Joel had yelled but the woman seemed to have no intent on stopping.

Y/n rushed up with them and without a second thought, raised her weapon. And much quieter than Joel, but much more threatening, there came the hushed order of, "Tess." The woman stiffened and slowed. She turned with glossy eyes that were mustered between feelings of fury. "Let Ellie go. We're all going to go in there but not until you take your hands off her."

It took Tess a moment before shoving Ellie out her grip. Y/n took the young girl into her hold, scanning her once over to make sure she was okay. "Lets go." Said Tess as she went on as if nothing had happened.

In that moment, Y/n met Joel's eyes, a sense of realisation seemed to have dawned on him.

The three followed Tess into the building and they all took sight of what was left. Bodies and blood and devastation. The fireflies had been taken out. "Holy shit." Cursed the young girl.

They wandered further into the building and more and more bodies emerged. It seemed as if there were no survivors. "I mean there's gonna be like a fucking radio or something." Tess rambled on aloud. She rummaged through the many boxes, scurrying through the supplies they had left.

I mean, not mentioning the bodies, this place would be a gold mine to smugglers like Tess and Joel. "Who killed them?" Y/n heard Ellie question. "FEDRA?"

"No." Joel had uttered and Y/n turned to watch as the man's boot spun one of the bodies over. "One of them got bit." And there, on the lifeless corpse was the remnants of the infected, yellow vines and a red rash surrounding it. "The healthy ones fought the sick ones. They all lost."

"God, Marlene's gonna lose it." Y/n thought, giving a scan over all the bodies once more.

"Tess!" Called Joel as he walked over to the woman. "What you doing?" She was still scavenging like her life depended on it.

Though, of course, Tess didn't give an answer to Joel. Rather, she walked right passed him to where Ellie and Y/n were roaming. "Where was Marlene taking her? Huh?"

"West." Y/n informed, tense at the very firm stance Tess was giving. "That's where the doctors are." As long as they weren't all dead either.

"That it? Just west? That all you fucking know?" Y/n had no chance to respond to her outburst as the woman turned her back and started wandering around the boxes once more. "Well one of them's gotta have a map on them right?" She leaned over one of the bodies. "Joel? Can you help me-"

"No!" The atmosphere chilled. "Tess, it's over." And it seemed they all knew that but her. He started walking over to her as she gazed up from the body. "We are going home."

"That's not my fucking home!"

Joel backed off and everything went silent. All that remained was the echo of Tess' screams. It took a second before the woman climbed to her feet, facing the man she had stuck by for years now. "I'm staying." She said with more depth than it needed. "I mean, our luck had to run out sooner or later."

Y/n had already been well in the know, Joel in denial but Ellie, well Ellie had only suddenly come to the same conclusion. "Fuck. She's infected."

Now, the atmosphere wasn't just chilly, but it was as cold as fucking ice. "Show me." Joel requested in such a gentle tone.

She took a cautious step forward, "Joel-"

He took a rapid step back. The woman's fingers gripped at her shirt, pulling it down to reveal the yellow vines and the red rash. "Oops right?" She let her hand go, covering the mark. "Guessing it's not something you can save me from, right, doc?"

Y/n swallowed and wondered if maybe it had happened later, if maybe they had understood Ellie's blood and her genes, maybe Tess would have had something, some hope. Tess' gaze jumped to Ellie, "Take your bandage off."

And so, the girl followed, rolling up her sleeve and showcasing her arm. Her perfectly healthy, perfectly normal arm. No yellow vines. No red rash. Tess walked over, taking a tender hold of Ellie's hand, "Look, this is real." She uttered, knowing this was apart of her last words. "Get her to Bill and Frank's." Joel had shook his head at that plan but Tess kept going. "They'll take her off your hands."

"No, no, no." The man repeated. "I can't. They're not gonna take her-"

"They will because you're gonna convince them." Joel was quiet again. "I never- never ask you for anything, not to feel the way I felt-"

He attempted to interject, "No-"

But Tess wasn't having it. "Shut the fuck up cause I don't have time." Which would have explained the rush she was in prior to now. "This is your chance. You and Y/n. You get her there. You keep her alive. And you set everything right. All the shit we did. Please say yes, Joel, please." She was a begging, dying woman and Joel looked as if he had no choice.

A grunt came from behind them as one of the bodies started moving. They jumped out from their sentiment as Ellie, screamed, "Oh, fuck!" Both her and Y/n rushed away from it as Joel stormed forward, pistol in hand, shooting the infected right between its eyes.

But with that gunshot, further noise erupted. Noise of which they couldn't bare to ignore. Grunts and groans which echoed from outside of the State house. Joel jogged over to the front doors, getting one glance of the outside to know what was coming for them. More were coming. "How many?" Asked Tess once Joel had started walking back again.

"All of them."

A scoff slipped from Y/n's lips, "Fucking great." Her panicked pupils met Joels, "How long?"

"Maybe a minute." He rushed to the centre of the building again, terror started to consume his thoughts.

But it was Tess who made the next move. She picked up the rifle of a dead man, popping the top off one of the barrels. Kicking it down, as gasoline pooled over the floor. "What are you doing?" Ellie inquired.

The woman continued onto each of them, "Making sure they don't follow you." She replied, kicking down another.

Once all the barrels were down and the smell became intoxicating, she threw over grenades. They scattered the floor as the murmers of the infected slowly got louder and louder. With that, she walked to Joel, looking up at him with only inches between them and she whispered, "Joel, save who you can save."

He seemed to hold eye contact with Tess for as long as he could. His eyes glossy when he broke and glanced over to where Y/n was stood, holding Ellie close to her chest. But he was looking at Y/n when he said, "Go."

And she listened to him. She tightened her grasp on Ellie as they stormed out of the Statehouse. The girl cried, "No! We're not leaving her!" She screamed but it seemed just empty words now. Joel was the one who had to make the decision and it certainly was never an easy one.

And they got as far away as they could. When the statehouse inflamed, they knew apart of the many bodies of infected, there was Tess. But there was no time to mourn in the midst of an apocalypse. All they could do was run.

-

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[autumnoficarus]

i can't stop listening to the 'purpose is glorious' track from this season's ost and thinking about how lovely the title and its meaning are. it's just such an amazing underlying theme in this show, and - while i do have criticisms about some of the choices made for the series finale - i really do feel the writers wholeheartedly delivered in sending that message home. for me personally, loki's ending is so gratifying and a large part of that is solely from viewing their arc's conclusion with the perspective of this theme in mind. to have spent years watching this character i hold very dear to my heart struggle to find belonging, to feel as though they matter and there is reason in their existence, finally get a chance to show - and recognize - their worth was so, so rewarding. and honestly, i think the message behind the phrasing of 'purpose is glorious' is all the more meaningful because of how loki's arc finished. yes, the outcome was bittersweet; yes, we're left knowing loki didn't get the happiness they undeniably earned after everything they'd gone through. it smarts something fierce to know their journey up until they deviated from their timeline and became a variant, as well as seen their eventual intended fate. the ache is only worsened after witnessing everything that happens within the TVA and the entirety of loki's character growth leading up to a redefining moment where they willingly choose to undergo a nightmarish amount of time in the endeavor to do the right thing. of course we want them to emerge victorious when they've struggled for so long, but that's not the point. loki's final moments are them forfeiting their right to a happy ending to preserve the stories of others because all stories matter and should inherently reserve the free will to be written; as sylvie says, loki makes their choice so their loved ones and life across the multiverse still have a chance to belong somewhere and embrace their place in the world. the take away is that even burden can be glorious. even with all the hardships of life - all the inevitable heartache, disappointment, and grief we encounter just by being alive - we have meaning in our existence. there is meaning in the trials we face, and the suffering we endure in order to overcome them. our pain gives us purpose; it gives us the ability to love, to grow from and for each other, and choose to sacrifice our happiness for the benefit of another. loki's purpose was forged in the bonds of those they met in their time at the TVA and the sense of value they gained from their companionship. their sacrifice perfectly conveys how the human capacity to love is one of cosmic greatness, which can ultimately surpass our instinctual desire to preserve one's self. we can move immovable mountains and challenge insurmountable adversity in behalf of the ones we love and their welfare. if that isn't an act deserving of glory, I don't know what is.

tldr; loki's purpose is the friends they made along the way = as the saying goes, 'tis better to have loved and lost than never to have loved at all'. or: our own lives have purpose because of the connections we share with others, even when we are met with great loss.

[halain]

hal'ain should get into blood magic. the chantry already wants him dead who give a shit

[lesbianralzarek]

me, teenaged: god how could anyone not know how two women fuck?

me, adult, struggling through writers block: yeah actually, how do two women fuck?