Chapter Text
Joel and Ellie had been living in Jackson for near on a year now, enough time to be integrated into the community. Joel and Tommy were Jacksons best patrollers, and Ellie had been going to school, graduating last week. It was actually quite adorable, and Joel’s only regret was that he hadn’t managed to find a working camera, not that he was likely to forget the moment. Tommy, Maria, and baby Posie attended the ceremony as the teens all lined up and one by one went through the community hall, collecting a form of diploma, one that now hangs with pride on Joel and Ellie’s fireplace mantle. It was also quite amusing to Joel that the kid who didn’t hesitate to take town a clicker was sweating over one walk.
“But Joooeeel, it’s in front of fucking everyone! What if I trip? I’d have to leave. We’d have to pack up, and head straight out, I’m sure we could find a ranch, maybe steal a couple of sheep?”
Joel just chuckles “yeah, course kid, we could go lookin’ for a rocket and head for the moon too, how does that sound?” which warrants a whispered “asshole”.
Ellie perks up when she hears the shouts for her, not only coming from Joel, Tommy, and Maria, but from some other Jackson residents too. Although Ellie was a bit shy and subdued, it didn’t stop her charm from rubbing off on the town. In fact, Joel knew a couple of people there who didn’t even have kids and attended just for Ellie. There was the stable master who became friends with Ellie after she got caught trying to sneak Shimmer out, which Ellie used her big brown eyes to get out of trouble – he was now keeping anyone else from claiming Shimmer as a patrol horse until Ellie was 17 and old enough to start patrol training. There was also the cook who, on the first day, got caught on the other end of Ellie’s brash honesty, this time about how FEDRA would beat her for taking too much food. Now she got extra portions whenever that cook was on and had even started giving Ellie cooking lessons. And lastly, their crotchety old neighbour who Ellie described as “somehow older and crankier than you, which I didn’t even think was possible?”. This guy apparently was a bit of a recluse after his wife passing a couple of years back. But Ellie being Ellie had taken it upon herself to befriend the man and Ellie would take the labours of her cooking lessons over to his house sometimes. A year ago, Joel could never have imagined he’d experience anything like this, and after everything they went through, seeing that shit eating grin on Ellie’s face, waving over to him made every shot worth it.
“Urghhh Joel, what the fuck am I supposed to do?” Ellie storms in after spending the day with Maria and Posie.
There was always some kind of drama with this kid, still adjusting a bit to normal life. They’d even had to compromise on a few thing by letting her patrol the top of the wall once a week. Normally, kids in Jackson weren’t allowed until they were 16, and even then, they had to be accompanied. But after the fourth time Ellie is caught trying to get up there, it was decided it would be easier if they just knew. And now she’d turned 16 a few weeks back, she was nagging about taking outside patrols. That one was a lot easier to police with only one gate in and out though.
“What is it this time?” Joel sighs. Ellie then just goes on a rant for what must be over half an hour about how she’s expected to wear a dress to the Prom next weekend, and how gender roles shouldn’t matter in an apocalypse, how it should be fine to go in smart jeans and flannel, and how she would just boycott out of principle if Maria kept going on about it. Joel had to stifle in a chuckle, really wishing he could’ve been a fly on that wall when Maria suggested it.
“You don’ have to wear nothin’ you don’ wanna kid. Ignore Maria. We can go lookin’ for some smart clothes you would wear tomorrow?” Joel can tell this isn’t what Ellie predicted. He could tell she was all rattled up and ready to explode on him, and now had the fuse extinguished.
“Well…yeah…but…” and eventually she gave up and dropped herself onto the sofa next to Joel, still with a grimace on her baby face.
“At least she didn’t bring up the whole ‘date’ thing, some kids are doing that but me and my friends are going together” Joel chuckles and decides to tease a little. “Good, ain’t no boy in this town good enough for ya” which got the confused look Joel was expecting, followed swiftly by a punch to the arm. Joel feigned pain, which just got a rolled eye silent response. He would never say anything, but he’d heard Ellie go on about some of her female friends compared to how she talked about boys, and she was definitely not interested in the boys. Which, honestly, was a huge relief for Joel. Sarah had never really got to the dating stage, so that was one part of parenthood he wasn’t experienced in and knowing no boys would be coming round he’d have to threaten was pretty nice.
“Sorry kid, couldn’t resist. You lookin’ forward to Prom though?” Ellie just shrugged. That was weird, she was all for it a few days ago, even begging Joel to let her friends come round before to all get ready together. Joel was not looking forward to a house full of excited kids, but he also couldn’t resist the big brown eyes.
“What’s got ya down hon?”
She eventually looks up, “What’s it like to be drunk?”
Goddamn it. Not a conversation he was prepared for. Again, another thing he hadn’t come up with Sarah. She would occasionally have a beer with Joel and Tommy when the latter came round to watch the football, but Joel always ended up finishing it off. “Why are you asking?” which prompts Ellie to go into another rant. Don’t tell anyone, she doesn’t want her friends to get in trouble, and she also doesn’t want to be a snitch. Her friends had planned to sneak in some whiskey into Prom, and they were teasing Ellie about what she’d be like drunk. It’s the “you said I should always come to you, even if it’s bad, and you’d never be angry if I was honest” that got him. That one came after he’d found a cigarette in her bag. Some older kid made her take it so they wouldn’t be caught. She was so goddamn scared, thinking she was going to be punished that the honesty rule came out. Well, fuck.
“It really depends, people react differently. If Tommy has enough, he gets punchy, had enough times bailin’ the fucker out of jail pre-Outbreak. I just get tired these days, probably cos of how ‘goddamn old’ I am” he sniggers, jabbing Ellie in the side, getting a small grin in return.
“What if I get punchy? I’m already pretty violent, and Maria has only just forgiven me for all the fights I got in when we first got here?” Turned out, fighting was the way to solve problems in FEDRA school, which was a bitch to teach out of her. And also pretty heartbreaking that this kid all of 5’1 and 80 pounds had to beat her way out of arguments. “They all think I’ll cry” she whispers.
Goddamn, his heart was too old for this shit. “I would say don’t drink too much, but I know you wanna seem cool. I did it at my prom too, ‘cept I was 18, not 16.” He sternly says, which just gets a mini rant about how age isn’t as important these days, how raiders and infected didn’t discriminate etc. “What I’m try’na say…” he manages to interrupt ”is that I won’t stop ya, or tell anyone, jus’ ask you to be careful.”
“Could we…like…practice?” Ellie whispers, staring down at her hands in her lap.
Joel’s brow furrows until he realises what she’s asking. What’s even more confusing is that it’s actually a responsible thing. Ellie was pretty responsible around Jackson but was always trying to push her limits around Joel. Once, Tommy made a joke about Ellie putting greys on Joels head, and she’s made it her personal mission to turn him all grey, even after metaphors being explained to her. But this, having her first-time drinking be supervised and in his own home? Why didn’t he think of that?
“D’ya know what baby, that is a mighty fine idea. ‘Sides, I reckon I can hold my own over you, and after all of your old jokes, it’ll be a sight to see you hungover the next day.” Which Ellie responded with another punch to his arm.