#𝐊𝐍𝐈𝐅𝐄 𝐃𝐀𝐃

@insaniamcura​​​​ asked: “ we’ve got each other. as long as we have that, we’ll be okay.. ” --- ellie

THERE’S  TRUTH  IN  THOSE  WORDS.   the  world  could  crash  and  burn,  if  it  meant  that  ellie  was  safe  at  his  side.  never  again  would  the  world  be  so  cruel  as  to  steal  what  was  important  to  him  again.   as  long  as  they  stayed  together,  here  in  the  comfort  of  jackson  county,  once  strained  shoulders  could  know  relaxation.          “     yeah, well.   you  go  on  and  try  tellin’  that  to  maria,  last  time  me  ‘n  tommy  went  out,  i  swear  she  was  about  to  strangle  me.     ”

it  wasn’t  often  that  jokes  fell  from  his  mouth.   this  was  a  side  of  joel  that  may  have  been  the  only  benefits  to  this  sudden  change  of  pace  in  their  lifestyles.   joel  lets  out  a  groan  of  aching  pain  as  he  climbs  to  full  height,  having  spent  far  too  much  time  on  his  back  in  the  last  few  days.          “     i’m  assumin’  y’ain’t  stickin’  ‘round  here.   i  gotta  few  things  to  do,  gonna  ride  up  and  check  on  some  stuff.     ”

@fightrisk​​​  asked: “ there aren’t any good people anymore. ”

“     hmm   ...   way  i  see  it,  there  ain’t  never  been  any  good  people.   sure,  they  might’ve  tricked  themselves  back  in  the  day,  thinkin’  there  was  some  kinda  humanity  left  in  ‘em.  can  you  blame ‘em?  it’s  us  against  the  infected.  but  give  them  enough  rope?  they  won’t  hang  themselves, no.   they’ll  string  you  up  before  you  can  get  a  word  out  in  protest  and  that’s  it.   YOU’RE  DEAD.     ”

somehow  they’ve  stranded  themselves  in  this  godforsaken  place.  several  flights  of  stairs  down,  there’s  a  hoard  of  runners  and  clickers,  stalking  around  for  anything  making  sudden  movements.   joel  is  assessing  the  damage  from  his  recent  fall,  but  even the  slightest  movement  sends  a  jolt  of  pain  through  his  body.

❝ oh, get to pay old bill a visit do we?  that’ll be fun. ❞  their cargo was going to have a field day with that guy.  bill was even harder to deal with than joel.  both were stubborn and grumpy, but at least joel wasn’t half as paranoid as bill.  still, sometimes he made for some interesting conversation.  ❝ see, at least bill knows who’s in charge. ❞  sends a wink his way as she straightens herself up.  even a bullet wound can’t stop her from being playful.

a glance over to ellie, who was just mindlessly wandering a short distance from them.  she whistled, and jerked her head towards the exit.  ❝ let’s get a move on.  i’m ready to get the hell out of here and back into the fresh air. ❞

what  was  naturally  meant  to  be  an  hour  long  walk  would  have  them  trekking  through  infected  territory  for  the  next  few  hours.  joel  keeps  a  cautious  eye  on  tess,  wary  of  any  changes  in  her  wound,  as  he  wanders  forward  to  scout  their  way.   ellie  remains  somewhere   between  the  two  of  them,  guarded  by  two  seasoned  smugglers,  despite  her  apparent  immunity.          “     now,  when  we  get  there,  i  need  the  both  of  you  on  good  behavior.   bill   ---   he  ain’t  like  most  people.   piss  him  off  and  we  might  find  ourselves  on  our  asses  quicker’n  i  can  convince  him  otherwise.     ”

who was to say there would be somebody else?  who else would be crazy enough to take this gig?  whether they like it or not this was their task.  tess wasn’t about to give it up so easily.  ❝ this is fucking real joel.  i don’t think there is anyone else. ❞  gives him the faintest smile.  ❝ come on, we’re a badass team remember?  anyone can do this, it’s us.  could consider it a vacation, get to see the countryside. ❞

tess wasn’t usually one for optimism, but being negative wouldn’t get them anywhere.  ellie’s personality reminded her of herself at that age.  mouth like a sailor and an attitude to match.  that girl was growing on her, and she wanted to see this through to the end.

❝ we’ve already come this far joel.  and if she really is the key to a cure?  we’ll be like fucking heroes.  nobody will be able to touch us. ❞  not that power was really a tool of persuasion for either of them, but the idea was nice.  ❝ could be our final show.  our big bang before we retire. ❞

MAYBE  NO  ONE  WAS  AS  BRAINLESS  TO  TAKE  ON  THIS  TASK.   maybe  that  was  the  point.   a  suicide  mission   ;   all  dressed  up  in  the  idea  of  saving  humanity  from  this  fate.   if  the  first  portion  of  their  journey  out  of  the  boston  quarantine  zone  had  already  resulted  in  tess  nearly  getting  her  head  blown  off,  what  would  these  following  months  entail ?   there’s  a  profound  look  of  displeasure  to  paint  itself  across  his  aged  features,  suggesting  that  his  support  would  be  something  hard  won.   STUBBORN  AS  A  MULE,  was  the  only  way  to  describe  joel  miller.   so  difficult  that  even  tess  had  trouble  with  him  on  a  good  day.

now  standing  at  full  height,  he  extends  a  bloodied  hand  to  help  her  off the  ground.   silence  lingers  longer  this  time,  thoughts  running  rampant  through  fields  of  doubt.   there  was  too  many  angles  to  attack  this  from,  but  joel  opts  to  dismiss  an  argument  entirely  and  casts  a  bitter  look  towards  their  cargo.          “     there  won’t  be  any  retiring  when  we’re  dead  from  all  this.     ”

❛   𝐓𝐇𝐄𝐘 𝐇𝐀𝐃 𝐊𝐈𝐃𝐒   ❜        ———       she says putting the old drawing of a rainbow down back where she had first found it        ❛      you told me bad people don’t allow kids in their groups     ❜         she continues;    thoughtful        ❛      the trail is fresh but it seems they left in a rush  …       ❜        

         hazels follow the tracks that go further into the sewers      ❛     i’m not sure this is a good idea,  Joel    ❜     Rosario finally utters allowing spit to be harshly swallowed.

“     YEAH, WELL.   sometimes  it’s  like  that,  sometimes  it  ain’t.   kids   can  serve  as  a  means  of  distraction.   people’ll  show  more  sympathy  for  a  kid.   not  exactly  humane,  but  it  gets  people  to  STOP  long  enough  for  you  t’rob  ‘em.     ”          they’re  on  the  trail  of  the  hunters  like  a  couple  of  bloodhounds,  scents  still  fresh  in  their  noses  and  teeth  bared  for  an  impending  fight.

oh she fucking knows it will.  their line of work if you will didn’t come without it’s risks.  wasn’t her first time being shot, or being injured in some way.  can’t count how many times she’s been beaten, sliced, stabbed, or shot.  her body looks like a fucking picasso painting of scars and bruises.  ❝ i know it will.  just hurry it up will you?  who knows if those assholes will be sending more soldiers. ❞  being as stubborn as she was, she’d still fight like hell even in pain.  tess was not ready to die yet.

does her best to keep from saying every curse she knows when the whiskey hits her skin.  burns like hell, and she swipes the bottle from him once it’s adequately poured.  takes a big swig of the whiskey, and lets out a sigh.  at least the drink helped.  ❝ let’s wrap it and get a move on.  we’re burning daylight, and we have to figure out another plan with the girl. ❞

the  cloth  of  the  bandages  seem  to  do  well  to  staunch  the  bleeding.   joel  reckons  they’ll  need  to  change  them  in  no  time,  but  they’ll  do  the  job  until  they  reach  that  bridge.   these  violent  hands,  however,  find  a  certain  softness  as  he  finishes  up.   a  heavy  sigh  moves  passed  his  lips  before  he  reaches  for  the  whiskey.   one  long  swig  and  a  cautious  glance  to  ellie  has  a  heavy  silence  falling  between  them.

WAS  THIS  WORTH  IT?   was  this  kid  worth  this  long  journey?   was  she  worth  their  lives?   they’re  conveniently  out  of  earshot  from  the  kid  when  joel  places  a  hand  against  tess’s  good  shoulder,  a  knowing  gaze  following  not  long  afterwards.

❛      .    ..      HOW   YOU    LIVE       ;       how     you     die     .    ..  

– —      is     not    up    to     me     .    𝙸’𝙼 𝙽𝙾𝚃 𝚈𝙾𝚄𝚁 𝙶𝙾𝚅𝙴𝚁𝙽𝙾𝚁    .      ❜ 

❝ well this fucking sucks. ❞  a sarcastic laugh as she tugs back her collar, revealing a bleeding gunshot wound.  figures the last fucking guy would end up getting her good.  ❝ ah shit, of course it’d be me. ❞  the stain on the fabric was slowly growing the more the wound bled.  didn’t seem like it was going to stop anytime soon.  she was just lucky she had a bandage she could wrap around it until they get to somewhere safe.  then the fun part would begin.  ❝ joel!  help me wrap this thing would you?  you know, before i bleed out in this disgusting place. ❞

there  is  a  flicker  of  worry  that  glosses  over  his  eyes.   almost  immediately  upon  realization,  does  joel’s  hands  wander  over  to  keep  pressure  against  the  wound.   the  bandages  they  carried  with  them  would  suffice,  long  enough  for  them  to  escape  the  grasp  of  the  wolves  at  their  feet.        “     JESUS,  TESS.     ”          he  almost  growls,  hands  blooded  by  contact  with  the  wound.