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Like there's someone, when there's no one even there by Bumblepony
Fandoms: The Last of Us (Video Games), The Last of Us (TV)
29 Apr 2025
Tags
Summary
Ellie’s standing outside the building, Maria explaining where she’ll be staying, and about the basket on the ground with items she may need, the words pass over her, dull and formless, unable to penetrate the hazy fog that’s fallen over her. She hasn’t been away from Joel for more than a few hours since Boston, nearly eight months ago, and while she’s the one who asked for it, the reality of being alone once again has her feeling unmoored, her tether cut from its anchor.
The sounds of shouting and scuffling boots from inside the building drag her back to her body, the noises around her suddenly too loud and grating in her ears.
“Baby girl, please,” Joel calls from the door, his expression one she’s never seen before. She thinks it might be despair.
IE: A story where Ellie doesn't live with Joel once they return to Jackson. Instead, she uses Jackson's version of the foster care system, and through interacting with the families she lives with, she learns about love, loss, grief, and sacrifice.
Series
- Part 15 of A Step to the Left