Chapter Text

renegade

angst, romantic

"Ellie?" You knocked on her bedroom window, the glass slightly opaque from dirt and water stains. From the dim light beside her bed, you could make out the heap of blankets on her bed, rising and falling rhythmically.

You didn't know if she genuinely couldn't hear you, or if she was choosing to ignore you. You banged on the window, giving up on your subtle approach.

"Ellie!" You shouted, trying to catch her attention. This funk she was in was really starting to get old. She wasn't showing up to patrols, and she barely left her room except to go to the bathroom. It was freezing outside and pitch black out as well, so patience was wearing thin.

"Fuck me." You whispered under your breath, giving up on waiting for her response.

You marched yourself around to the front door, walked up the steps, and attempted to turn the doorknob. She was smart enough to lock it, so that ruined that plan.

"Fine. You wanna ignore me? I'll kick your damn door in." Without another thought, you swiftly kicked your boot into the door near the handle, the door flying open and smashing loudly into the wall behind it. "Woah. Nice." You welcomed yourself in, shutting the door behind you to keep the cold air out.

A week ago, Ellie was giving you all the signs. Sitting next to you whenever she could, 'accidentally' brushing her hand against yours, throwing out flirty comments, blushing when you reciprocated. Then, she and Joel got into a huge argument over God knows what and now she's refusing to leave her bed, and she hasn't talked to you throughout the whole ordeal.

"Ellie?" Hollering through the hallway, you were met with heavy silence once again. Now it was clear she was actively choosing to ignore your calls.

This wasn't the first attempt you'd made this week at reaching Ellie, but after 3 or 4 trials of politely knocking and waiting, home invasion seemed appropriate.

You trudged down the hall and stood in the doorway of Ellie's room, looking at her face which was completely blank, void of any emotion. "What's wrong with you?" She didn't respond. She just made eye contact with you and rolled over to face the wall opposite of the doorway. "Really?" You rolled your eyes at her immaturity.

"If this is how we're going to do this, then I'm going to stay here until you talk." You noticed the armchair in the corner of the room and plopped down into it, wrapping yourself in the blanket on the arm. She turned her head, observing your movements as you settled yourself in the chair. "I'm not leaving until you talk to me."

She didn't think it, but you were being serious. You were prepared to eat, sleep, and breathe in this chair if it meant getting your Ellie back. "Goodnight." You said, not expecting any response.

"Night." She replied flatly. Even though her tone wasn't sincere, it made your heart flutter. It's been too long since you heard her voice, so anything was an improvement.

----

You woke up to an orange glow across your face, the sun rising accompanied by birdsong. There was nothing more you wanted to do than cuddle deeper into your blankets and fall back asleep, but the stabbing pain in your neck from the awkward positioning of the chair made you remember why you're sleeping in a chair in the first place: Ellie.

You groaned, not wanting to deal with this so early in the morning. However, you both had patrol later, so it was now or never that you fixed this.

"El?" You called quietly, looking at her face which was so peacefully resting. Her eyelashes fluttered slightly, opening her eyes and squinting at the bright light of the sun. "Morning." You smiled, trying to nudge her mood in the right direction.

She grunted at your voice, pulling the covers further up her body.

It is too goddamn early for this.

You rubbed your eyes, trying not to lose your shit yet, but she was making it very hard. "Ellie, I appreciate that you're struggling with whatever it is that happened between you and Joel, but you cannot keep going like this." You pushed yourself up from the chair, your joints crackling as you moved. She shot you a dirty look, obviously not pleased at your bluntness. "Get up." You crossed your arms, putting on your best demanding face.

"No." She murmured.

"Wow. She speaks." You rolled your eyes, continuing your pestering. "Get up."

"Stop, Y/n." She groaned.

"Get up!" You yelled, grasping the blankets which covered her bed, and yanked them off of her, forcing her out of her blanket cave.

"Hey!" She yelled, immediately diving to retrieve the covers and retreat to her comfortable state.

"No!" You hollered back, throwing the blankets on the ground, out of her reach.

"Fuck you!" She shouted angrily, but her anger was misdirected and it was obvious.

"No, you don't get to get mad at me." You scolded through your teeth, making it clear that her rage for Joel wouldn't be targeted at you. "You don't get to yell at me. If anything I should be yelling at you!" You said as Ellie's face morphed from pure rage to confusion. "You lead me on all week, and then you drop off the face of the planet because you got in a fight with Joel? Come on! What are you, five?" You shouted out of pure exasperation.

"My fight with Joel is none of your go-"

"Goddamn business, yeah I know." You cut her off before she could say the line she had thrown at you one too many times. "Nothing is my business apparently, because you don't tell me anything!" If you weren't a couple, you sure were fighting like one. Ellie sat with her arms crossed and brows furrowed.

"I don't tell anyone anything! It's not just you."

"That's not something to be proud of!" You groaned, holding your hands over your face while trying to reason with whatever logic she was defending herself with. "I don't know why you're so personally affected by this." She accused.

"Because!"

"That's not a fucking answer!"

"For the love of god Ellie, get your shit together so I can love you!" You cried. Ellie's jaw remained open, not expecting what you said. She loved you, but she didn't know that the feeling was mutual.

The silence that hung in the room was painfully long and thick.

"Y/n, I didn't know you liked me back." She stood up, steadying herself on the ground.

"Yeah? Well maybe if you weren't being so immature and selfish, you would have realized." You spat, burning with anger.

"I love you."

Woah.

All of the blood rushed out of your head, and your anger was replaced by shock. "What?" It was quiet, but you heard what she said clearly. You just didn't expect it.

"I said," She stepped closer to you before continuing. "I love you." Her eyes watered slightly. The guilt on her face was undeniably clear, and your previous rage at her actions evaporated.

Your voice wavered slightly as you responded, "I do, too."