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1. When the World Falls Apart by leftwardship

   Fandoms: The Last of Us (Video Games), The Last of Us (TV)  

   • Mature
   • Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
   • F/M
   • Complete Work

   28 Jul 2025

   Tags

   • Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
   • Joel/Tess (The Last of Us)
   • Joel & Tess & Tommy (The Last of Us)
   • Joel & Tommy (The Last of Us)
   • Joel & Tess (The Last of Us)
   • Tess & Tommy (The Last of Us)
   • Tess (The Last of Us)
   • Joel (The Last of Us)
   • Tommy (The Last of Us)
   • Minor Original Characters - Character
   • Canon-Typical Violence
   • Pre-Canon
   • Canon Compliant
   • Original Character Death(s)
   • Implied/Referenced Suicide
   • Sometimes beta
   • we die like fireflies (well armed and nonetheless doomed by the narrative)
   • Post-Apocalypse
   • their love language is acts of violence
   • Joel is Bad at Feelings (The Last of Us)
   • Tess isn't that great at feelings either
   • Cordyceps Fungus (The Last of Us)
   • Mutilation
   • Angst and Feels
   • Survival

   Summary

   “I don’t think we really get to try or fail or make choices anymore. We just do what we have to, and if we don’t, we die.”

   Dying wasn't an option for Tess, though she sometimes wished it was. When the outbreak hit, she did the only thing she could: survive, and at a terrible price. Joel was just supposed to give her better odds.

   Tess's story, the early years.

   Language:

   English

   Words:

   31,420

   Chapters:

   16/16

   Comments:

   6

   Kudos:

   21

   Bookmarks:

   4

   Hits:

   728