Chapter Text
It was dark when they had gotten to a nearby forest to rest after that whole disaster with Henry and Sam. It was already Fall time now. God the way Ellie gasped when Henry shot himself. The way she froze. Joel knew no kid should see something like that, for fucks sake no one should damn it. No one should have to. He could feel Ellie’s sadness, he saw it. It wasn’t her fault Sam turned. But she would still think she was just useless. She wanted to help, to do something other than just be here in this hellhole of a world where she didn’t turn in that god damn mall that day when…. “Ellie it’s time to sleep” Joel had shouted but it was like he’s voice was stained? Maybe it was from exhaustion. Maybe it was from the lack of sleep or from something entirely different. “…Night Joel.” Ellie knew Joel wasn’t going to sleep tonight. She didn’t even know if she could herself. Tears slowly filling up her eyes..fuck…shit..ugh she hated this. Her face buried in her arm she was using as a pillow. --------------------Few hours pasted------------------------ “Ellie time to get up.” It took her a second, but she got up and started to pack up the little amount she had. They were both quiet for the first couple of hours while they walked. It was awkward silence…. “Hey Joel why do we tell actors to break their leg? Because every play has a cast.” Joel rolled his eyes. Ellie sworn she saw him smile just a little. ---------------------------30 minutes later-------------------------------- “Ellie, I found one of those comics you read. Cool, thanks Joel.” “Stay close Ellie. Joel it’s fine, it’s open area.” Joel huffed, not too loud. It was becoming dark again. It felt like it wasn’t even that long ago she had woken up from Joel calling her name. “Joel does that place look okay enough for the night? Hmmm I guess just be careful and stay behind me while I check it out.”
Joel walked in front, gun in one hand flashlight in the other.
Joel ended up finding a younger man on the floor with a gun and knife in his hands.
The man looked around mid to late 30s, at least definitely younger than him.
Joel said something to Ellie under his breath.
“Ellie go a bit back and keep your gun close.
Just stay there until I tell you anything more, understood? Yeah old man she whispered back.”
Joel had his gun pointed at the guy.
“Wake up” Joel shouted.
The younger man’s eyes opened wide; he knew what was about to happen by the looks of it.
He didn’t move, he sat still where he was, looking up at Joel and me.
“You’re going to put your hands up slowly boy.”
His hands now in the air. “I don’t have much on me. You can check” Joel of course didn’t need him to give him permission to do so.
Since he was already doing so while still pointing his gun at the boy.
“Is there anyone else with you.” Joel had growled at the younger boy.
“No, there’s no one else.”
----------------------------An hour pasted-------------------------------
Joel had tied up the young man and he was now patrolling the surrounding.
Ellie just sat there next to him. Not too close but close enough. She had her gun out just in case if he got lose.
She really didn’t want to have to kill him.
She saw Joel come back in from where they thought was the front door.
Joel walked right up to the younger man, right pass Ellie.
“How long have you been here….
I asked you a question boy.” He growled.
“Just a few hours. I was taking a break. I stopped here.”
Joel’s eye’s neared as he looked down at the boy in front of him.
“Ellie go get some sleep after you eat. Ughh Joel but…. No Ellie. Fine Joel” she said with an almost pout on her face.
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“So your names Joel?” The younger man said with a smirk on his face.
“That’s none of your business boy” Joel said it like he was trying to poison him.
“Well mines y/n not like you seem you would care.”
“So Joel you going to kill me?
I mean I wouldn’t like it if you did. You know since I would be dead.”
Joel looked him in the eyes until he heard a growl.
“Uh sorry.”
Joel looked at him again and I guess he decided to just say fuck it in his head.
He threw some jerky over to the boy. It wasn’t much it was still something though. God Joel hoped Ellie wasn’t awake or she would be hell right now.
“Thanks but I can’t really eat it if I can’t reach it since you know I’m kind of tied up.” He said with a soft smile climbing up his face.
Now that Joel was looking at the boy. He saw how his hair fell, it was around his length but just slightly longer. How his eyes were, his jawline. How his shoulders fell into place with the rest of his body. His arms were a bit flexed because of being tied up for hours now. Joel wonder if he was taller than him or not.
Joel looked lost in thought.
The young man wonders what he was caught up in.
“Joel?........ Hey Joel, you there?
Hmm what do you want boy.”
Joel had to snap out of whatever the fuck that was.
“I can’t pick it up since I’m tied.”
Joel looked at him for a second before words came out. He started to grab his gun from his side pocket. He then slowly bent down to untie the boy.
“You try anything, and I shot you understand. Say you understand.”
“I understand..cowboy.” Joel could see a smile on the boy’s face. It was suffocating.
The you wonder what might happen if you mess up even just a bit. You knew, just didn’t want that. You wondered what Joel was thinking so hard about. You were scared for if you’d have to explain the certain situation. Hoped you wouldn’t have to. Sure people can be accepting but it’s the fucking apocalypse, it’s a need-to-know situation if it ever came to that in the first place.
“Eat.” His voice rang threw your head.
“Right, about the food... thanks I guess is what I’m trying to say.”
He just stared at you until you started to eat the bit of jerky he gave you.
---------------------------------Dawn------------------------------------
After you finished eating he trussed you back up. He’s stare was burned into your mind by now. How he held himself, you admitted he was hot but you knew it wouldn’t work out especially because..(trussed is another word for tied).
“Joel why shouldn’t you write with a broken pencil?” (Joel thought to himself I’m going to regret this) “Why Ellie. Because it’s pointless!”
“What are we going to do with that guy over there?” Ellie looked over at you.
Joel kind of just stood there for a second. Until you saw his head turn fast and sharp.
Shit! There were runners outside.
“Everyone quiet.” His voice was low and raspy. He looked down at you for a second and then turned his head around to the girl that you guessed her name was Ellie since that’s what you heard him call her.
“Ellie untie him.” He quietly tossed over your stuff. Ellie came and untied you. You went straight for your gun and knife.
“You better know how to use that boy he whispered to you.”
That pissed you off. Of course you knew how to use a gun let alone how to defend yourself. You’ve been by yourself for most of this whole hell hole of life. Joel didn’t know that though.
“I’ll go after the ones on the right…. If that’s good with you cowboy.” You somehow huffed out.
He just shook his head and turned the other direction. You had kept looking over at Ellie, you were a bit worried cause she was just a kid. You were too when this all started not as young but still. ------------------------------------------------- You and Joel had taken out the runners rather quickly. You took out one behind Joel. Which seemed to earn you a head shake as a thanks.
“Where you headed?” You looked over at Ellie. You looked at the both of them in silence for a minute until you saw Joel about to speak.
“I’m headed to Jackson. You?"
“None of your business. Hmm well cowboy your daughter there just asked me?”
“Not my father! I’m not her father.” They stared at you, it was kind of cute how they got so defensive about. Especially because they seemed like they were. You chuckled to yourself.
Ellie started to open her mouth. “We’re headed there too.”
--------------------------4 and a half hours later-------------------------------
You saw Joel lean down to Ellie. He was whispering something to her.
“Ellie, I can’t believe you dragged me into agreeing to this shit again.”
“He’s going to Jackson too, maybe he can help us, Joel. It’s not that much further anyway.
“I think it might be best if we start to find a place to get some rest for the night or at least a place to stop.”
(After they set up camp)
You leaned down to get your funnel out of your bag. Sure it wasn’t the same as a stp but it did the job pretty good even better than some of the stps you knew of before the outbreak. (A stp is a thing trans guys use to piss standing up).
You saw Joel looking over at you, luckily he didn’t see what you were pulling out of your bag.
“I have to go piss; I’ll be back soon.” Joel started to stand up.
“You know cowboy you need to at least buy a guy dinner or a drink at the very least…
I’m not going to go anywhere, promise.” Joel just looked at you, it seemed like he was surprised a bit.
“Look I left all my stuff here.” Joel was still looking at you with a cold face.
You really didn’t want him to come with you because if he did he would find out.
“Fine here” you toss over you gun. “Now I’ll really come back, but I’m keeping the knife on me just in case cowboy.
Joel (leubh) abhor that fucking smirk you gave him before you walked away from him.
(Leubh-Oldest meaning for love, meaning to care or to desire. Abhor-Regard disgust and hatred)