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elliesbff · 3 months ago

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hii !! <33 since you asked for requests... i have one! let's say abby and reader have been friends for a while – reader recently got dumped by her girlfriend. her ex complained that she spent too much time with abby, and talked about her a lot... as if she loved abby more than her girlfriend. (shocker!)

abby's there for her best friend, of course. reader was there when abby decided to dump her ex boyfriend months ago, said she didn't feel anything for him anyway... abby has never been with a woman before. and she slowly realizes her feelings towards reader? sjsjdh so sorry if its badly worded !! <3 mwahhhh

a little less blue with you — abby anderson

can we get an amen for anon!!!!

summary: you just went through a messy breakup, and you both realise something about yourselves in the process notes: slightly suggestive, other than that pure fluff !! (and angst?) wc: 4,782 | tags: none

also i send my sincerest of apologies for putting this off for so long. i received this submission MONTHS ago. i’ve tried time and time again to perfect this ever since this was submitted. this is quite a long one, so enjoy !

abby groaned impatiently as her and manny lined up at the canteen. it was the third day in the row where they hadn’t prepared the food on time, it was evident by the masses of angry mumbling and insignificant pokes at the food workers.

“they forget to prep early again today..?” abby scoffs unimpressed, picking at her fingernails with manny close to her side.

“don’t stress hermana, they look pretty busy today..” manny reassures her, unable to come up with a reasonable explanation for the shortage of food staff himself.

a few moments pass and the canteen pulls its protective roller shutters up, and the screech of its metal scraping against the ceiling makes a hoard of hungry soldiers come running.

“what’dya think they’re serving today? bet it’s something instead of burritos, hm?” manny inquires, catching abby’s attention. a bet he says?

“if it’s burritos, you give me half of yours. deal?” she places her hand out, veins cast perfectly against the harsh cool fluorescent lights above them.

manny confidently shakes his head with a cheeky grin on his face, he almost looks too proud of himself — the food hasn’t even rolled out yet.

the line slowly picked up pace, with people quickly snatching rolls of food off the bench in front of them. looks to be…

“burritos again! pay up.” abby chuckles at the look of defeat on manny’s face, he stares at his burrito with a frown, hesitantly ripping it apart like it was worth nothing.

“i should learn to never make bets with you abby, you always win them somehow.” manny playfully rolls his eyes, soon covers with a smile as he immediately digs into his food.

“i’m just that good.” she whispers, almost like it’s a hidden talent that she can’t dare let people know about.

abby and manny talk a bit longer before the topic of you is brought up.

“you hear about their break up? god, it was messy. carmen called it off’a couple days ago out of the blue. pobre chica…” manny mumbles as he continues to maul through his burrito.

it would be concerning if abby wasn't filled in about it. she was the first one you entrusted to tell.

you don't even remember how it started —more so how it ended— you'd just got off from patrol, unwinding in your dorm room when a shy pattern of knocks on your door alerted you.

standing up from your worn couch, you limped over to the front to be greeted by your girlfriend, carmen, when you opened the door.

"hey." she croaks. she looked exhausted despite not having patrol today. it was her day off, what could make her so ridden with fatigue?

you took a closer look at her eyes, they had the most unique pattern; brown on the outer edge, with greens and hazel blending in the middle. they were sunken in, and pinker than what was considered normal.

"you okay?" your hand reaches out, but carmen pulls away. with concern flooding your gut, your hands subconsciously begin picking at each other, ripping your brittle skin off the tip of your fingers. she notices this, but alas, doesn't soothe your nerves like how she usually would.

"we... i want to break up." carmen blurts out, totally knocking the wind right from your throat as you were about to take a deep breath in. where was this coming from? from the look on her face, it seemed like she wanted to lay it on you more gently than she had. with the abruptness of this news, you could feel your mind whir. tears would accumulate from the corners of your eyes as you stared at her, not sure if this was some sick nightmare of yours.

"mm.. what?" you dryly hem, a less than pleasant taste roaming your mouth. she wasn't kidding.

"i've... been thinking about it for a while. i wanted to bring it up earlier, but i couldn't find the right time.." she exhales, the tension from her shoulders somehow releasing as she unloads this onto you without warning.

but why?

"but.. why?" you mutter, attempting to keep your composure even with a trembly throat, dry and empty. your anxieties get the better of you as you stand in front of the love of your life, whom you'd spent so much time with —all of that gone to waste for reasons you didn't even have any knowledge of.

"you know why babe.." your eyes sting at the name. the nerve she has to call you babe when she's come here to break up with you.

you stare at her, at a loss for words as the subtle poke at you flies over your head. the sympathetic look on carmen's face contorts to that of annoyance when you shrug your shoulders cluelessly. she must have been thinking this over a lot more than you expected.

"..it's abby. it always has been." she pokes again, crossing her arms over her chest, her stance straight and sturdy. your palms cover your face to wipe your eyes, confused as to what she's saying. every word she's uttered to you, has sounded like nothing but muffled chatter. your head was ringing with each passing second.

"are you in love with her or something? she's all you fucking talk about." carmen spits, her infuriated tone sparking an anxious fuel in the pit of your stomach.

"carmen, we've talked about this... abby and i are nothing but friends." she wasn't convinced, and by the way her eyes shot daggers through your throat, she'd totally made up her mind on the situation.

"baby, please. i only love you, you know that." you reach your hands out, only to be rejected once more. the old carmen wouldn't think twice about sharing an embrace, for however long. whoever this was that stood at your doorstep, you didn’t know her.

"i see the way you look at her. the way you look at each other." her head drops at the last couple words, with fingernails digging into the flesh of her biceps.

you didn't want to plead, but you couldn't lose her. she was all you knew, her touch, her lips, her presence. it was too much for you to lose. it was too much for you to lose.

"i can't lose you." you sniffle, hands limp by your sides. carmen's head isn't turned to you anymore, her beautiful sun-kissed cheeks tensed as you spoke, like the thought of breathing the same air as you was enough to cause a visceral reaction.

"you already did." she chokes up, a stray tear trickling down her face that you so desperately wanted to kiss and hold next to your own. she lets her arms fall to her sides as she walks away, her speed picking up to no longer let you witness this side of her.

her captivatingly beautiful hair bounced with each step she took, her coils fading into the distance turning past a corner.

your eyes flickered as you stayed perched at your front door, one hand making its way to grip your chest with the other maintaining a painful fistful of your hair. it hurt to admit that what happened truely wasn't just some twisted scenario your mind had created in your sleep. this was real. this felt all too real to be a nightmare. this was a nightmare, but not in the way you would rather experience it.

you slammed the door in a pitiful rage, huffing around your room as you looked for any belongings to gift with your unforgiving wrath. you picked up a porcelain mug, not thinking twice about regret as you swung your arm, smashing it on the floor.

plates, chairs and cushions flew around the room. gifts made by friends, books and non-prohibited patrol gear weren't safe from your suffocating hostility neither.

some more countless, unintelligible screams later, you'd grown void of your initial anger as it slowly morphed into sadness, and pity. you never saw it coming, so you never got the chance to prepare.

as you sat with yourself amidst the chaos of shattered glass and ceramics, a smothering black hole sat alongside you, embracing you when no one else would. it was your only friend in these shallow, unforeseen times. the only soul you'd ever allow to see you in this state, was your friend abby. but she was the reason why carmen broke it off, so seeing her right now would only escalate things.

you needed space, and space was the black hole's speciality. it could give you all the space you needed; create a pit of nothingness for you to float around in and bear silence, or the company of your deafening, endless thoughts, who'd echo the desire of how things could've been different.

how things could've been different.

abby clutched her burrito and the half that manny tore for her in one hand, traveling solemnly down the corridors. it was apparent that she was stricken with worry as she pictured how you were holding up. she'd noticed you hadn't left your room since the breakup; six days and counting. the fact she's been counting the days you've been away has remained hidden for now —manny would never not mention it if he found out.

abby had her fair share of heartbreaks, her most recent one being almost a year ago. she knew the pain, and the grief that followed soon afterward. it was never pretty, nor an easy thing to experience, especially for the first time.

the day after your breakup, you were due for another patrol, yet you never showed for the shift. abby skipped, using the excuse of checking in on you to warrant her own absence. she never expected to see you heaving underneath your blankets and sobbing uncontrollably when walking in. abby immediately fell to your side, pulling you into her arms while asking what was wrong. you both sat there with her sweet words pulling each of your heartstrings as you explained your sorrows.

that was the last she saw of you, and to be honest, it was less than comforting not knowing for certain if you've gotten better. you refused any visitors since the six days you've been absent, even those of your closest friends, even abby. but she wasn't going to give up on you anytime soon. she needed to know how you were holding up.

as she approached your room, a shaky hand lifted to knock on the door. the grip on the food she held tensed as she heard shuffling from the opposite side.

the door began to shake as bolts unlocked from inside. abby held a relaxed stance when it slowly swayed open.

when you fully computed that abby was in front of you, your slouch stiffened, trying to look as awake as possible despite just having woken up. your eyes were unsurprisingly swollen from crying the previous night. your hair was a bed-ridden mess, and you wore the same clothes abby had last seen you in, which didn't make her feel any better.

"..still feeling shitty i'm guessing?" she jokes, lifting a sore smile from your face. it was the first time you'd smiled since before you opened the damned door all those days ago, the same one you both stood between.

"can i come in?" abby holds the food to her side and out of your view, not wanting you to feel obliged to eat. she stands there rather awkwardly, like you would ever deny her entry into your room. it was like her second home, and vice versa.

you nod eagerly as abby steps inside, hand behind her back and burrito gripped tightly.

“got you a present.” you’re quick to turn around as abby gestures for you to take it. it was some of the only real food you’d laid eyes on in days.

it’s filling contained beef, rice, salsa, lettuce, onions and sour cream, and its exterior seemed perfectly toasty, just how you liked it. your face grew warm with your cheeks pulling back to show a beloved smile.

“abby, you didn’t have to..” you hesitantly reach out, almost snatching the burrito right out of her hands as your stomach churned on cue.

“eat up babe.” abby chuckles, her cheeks growing rosier with each second she relished in your presence.

you shyly walk away, heading back to the couch. sitting on it’s plushy surface didn’t feel the same as it used to. having carmen’s strong arms wrapped around you with her head leaning on yours, she’d kiss your temple tenderly as you sat there in comfortable silence.

since then, existing in silence no longer brought you that familiarity of comfort, and its warmth. it would only remind you of how things used to be. how things still could’ve been if you hadn’t fucked it up.

a worrisome whirl began growing in the pit of abby’s stomach as she followed, sitting next to you. the air in this room quickly turned suffocatingly awkward. there was silence, apart from the occasional tinnitus ringing from lack of sound.

“..you haven’t been out for a while.”

“yeah.” you cough, phlegm rising from the back of your throat.

“it’s been six days,” she recalls, maintaining a somewhat frightening amount of eye contact with you as you stared blankly at the floor.

“you’ve been counting?” you ask, gaze not breaking from the withering carpet while you dug into your food like a crazed dog. it was concerning to abby how big each mouthful was.

“uh, yeah. i’ve been worried about you, y’know.” abby doesn’t falter in admitting that, it was pretty obvious, even to manny.

there was a long pause once again, the exception being your aggressive chewing and swallowing. the noise didn’t bother her, it was the way you were handling it that put her on edge.

“hey. look at me.” placing a cautious hand on your shoulder, it snaps you out of your empty daze. your eyes regain their slight glint when you lock eyes with her.

she pauses for a moment to take it all in — how drained these circumstances have left you, how the life from your skin had faded significantly since she last saw you. it left a sinking feeling in her heart, seeing her dearest friend like this.

“i think you need to take a break from this room. it’s doing your head in.” abby proclaims confidently as she stands up from the couch. she turns to you, hand stuck out.

“mmwhat?” you mumble in a confused tone, with abby already pulling you up by your hand.

the blanket that had draped your shoulders fell back, leaving you shivering. your arms sheepishly wrap around each other to conserve your warmth as abby guided you away from the totalled couch.

“i’m gonna help you feel better, okay? what do you need?” abby places both her hands atop your shoulders, the tips of her fingers laying delicately on the surface of your skin made your face melt.

it was the first time in god knows how long since someone asked you how you were doing, let alone how they could help you. and to be quite honest, there was a lot. you just couldn’t wrap your head around what to start off with.

after a weak pause, you muttered,

“well… i haven’t gotten to a bath since..” you sniffle, a bit embarrassed admitting it out loud. the fact that this seemingly never ending depression had you so in over your head that your hygiene wasn’t as accounted for as you wished, wasn’t something you wished to let abby know.

but by the looks of your matted hair, lifeless skin-tone and a lack of clean clothes, abby already knew.

she patiently walked you over to the bathroom. the bathtub was less than clean itself, but it was going to make do.

there was a bucket next to the tub, to which abby began filling up with miraculously warm water. you stood behind her, so many thoughts on your mind that you couldn’t even begin to think at all.

“i’ll help clean you, get undressed.”

the words that left abby’s lips violently snapped you out of your meaningless thoughts, so when her demands finally registered in your head, the apples of your cheeks flushed immensely.

“..i’ll be completely naked?” you remind her, giggling unexpectedly. the idea hadn't phased her one bit, minus a slight dazzle in her eyes.

“i don’t care, i’m helping you.” her attention is focused on the tea-towel in her hands, scrunching it up as she dips it into the bucket. after wringing out an appropriate amount of water, abby looks back to you.

“c’mon, you need this.”

the sincerity and softness in her voice helped soothe your nerves, so with each layer of clothing peeling off your skin, you shyly hopped into the tub. abby’s gaze remained on the towel in her hands as you pulled your hair out of your matted ponytail.

your back is turned to her, giving her all the time in the world to admire all the scars and blemishes that scattered across your spine.

you shiver as abby places the warm towel on your back, scrubbing gently. the smell of pine fills your senses. is that abby’s soap?

it must be, she probably left it behind from the last time she slept over here, before the breakup.

it was awfully quiet, minus the awkward sounds of water splashing against your back, and abby dipping the towel in the water. her movements are patient, hands grazing across your shoulders so she can scrub your arms. abby’s lips quiver, a question previously left unanswered, lingering on the tip of her tongue.

“i have a question…” the break of silence catches your attention, slowly peeking your head to the side. your peripheral vision catches the way she handles you so gently, unlike carmen. abby could snap you in half, but currently, she utilises her strength for something other than be-ridding of seraphites or infected.

you nod, and she speaks,

“what.. caused carmen to end things between you guys? i don’t think you ever mentioned it.” she asks, aiming not to phrase it too harshly.

it didn’t make sense to abby that she would randomly cut things off, they were great for each other in her eyes, excusing how she believed there was better out there... there had to be an underlying reason.

abby continues to clean you up, cleaning out the bucket with fresh warm water. she brings the towel to the bucket, squeezing it of its suds as she urges you to turn around.

your face feels warm to the touch as abby takes it between her index finger and thumb, gently rubbing the towel across your forehead.

it grew harder to look her in the eyes in this position, being completely naked and all. not only that, but over the course of these six days, your mind had completely blocked out the most significant reason for your break-up.

"..it's abby. it always has been”

“are you in love with her or something?”

your eyes drop, and abby notices. she always does, and you don’t know how you didn’t realise sooner. she knew you better than you did yourself.

“hey." abby voices.

"what’s up babe. you can tell me.” her tone is placid as she caresses your cheek with the cloth, a string of hope deep down wishing it was her bare hand instead.

your eyes meet hers, both savouring the moment. the gleam in hers told so many stories. the comrades she’d lost and gained, her deepest traumas, her greatest accomplishments, and her strongest passions.

the concoction of blues and hidden tinges of brown swirled hypnotically, its petals would bloom around the irises that met yours.

you shakily inhaled,

"she thought our friendship got in the way of the relationship we had.. like there's more between us." you shiver when a stray droplet slides down your neck. abby is still, her eyebrows tightening together.

"apparently you're all i ever talked about with her." a dry chuckle escapes your throat, you heave in response.

she pulls the cloth way, directing it to the back of your neck. she scrubs your nape, slightly dragging it down to the middle of your back.

"i mean, i'm a pretty interesting person." abby retorts, a helpless smile creeping on her face. you shake your head dismissively, attempting to disregard the fact she could not be more right.

she pulls her hand away, gesturing for you to turn back around. you do, and in turn, she gently tugs at your hair. her fingers run through each knot, untangling the jungle you managed to obtain on top of your head.

yet again, her large hands tenderly pull each section apart, remaining as patient as can be.

"why are you doing this?"

you blurt out unmistakably so, and abby scoffs, as if the answer could not be more obvious. it was not, at least to you.

anybody could have let you recover in the burdening silence alone, but abby was the one to uncover the door to your tomb. she was the one to lend out a genial hand, to release you of your harrowing sorrow —the only source of fruition you had the pleasure of taking in, being by abby's side. more so, her being by your side.

"well… i care, for starters."

her fingers part through your hair with less restraint than before, the matting seemingly fading away. slowly, as did your despair. with each knot untangled, was another tinge of heartache lifted.

she croaks,

"i know how hard break ups are. they're never easy... so if i can help you, even just a little bit..."

"i'll know i've done my best to get you out of this."

her words almost bring a tear to your eye. thankfully you weren't turned for her to see it.

a faint smile crosses your lips, you shake your head at her response.

"don't get all sappy on me now." you joke, deflecting the fact that her words just then meant the world to you. you couldn't ever find someone with such a radiant, divine soul. her actions perfectly reflect who she is as a person. confident, understanding, and humorous. your mind finally focuses on the more positive things in life for the first time in days, and you turn your head to her.

abby has a warm expression on her face, her dazzling eyes now half lidded, meeting yours with the utmost sincerity. she really cared about you.

your heart grew heavy looking at her, it was unfair that she felt obligated to help you. even if she claimed she didn't mind, it left you with a simmering pot of guilt in your stomach.

switching your position, your front is fully exposed. but you don't give it thought when you clutch onto abby. the suds of soap from your hair transferred to her own neatly tied braid as you clung to her.

no words were said, and none were needed. she unsurely wrapped a stark arm around your waist, worried you'd fall out of the tub if not for her grip on you.

her breath was chilly against your ear, leaving a shivering effect on you. your toned arms were snug around her nape, uncertain if you should let go. if you could let go.

it was silent, and part of you liked it that way. the bustling noise of other soldiers were muffled against the towering solid walls that encased you. the only thing you could hear besides that was your rising heart-rate. it pounded louder than any hammer or drill, and you swore abby could hear it too.

after some silence, you muttered, "i don't know how to thank you..." your voice is unsuspectedly quakey. a lump in your throat forms when abby hums in response. she was such an intent listener. you wouldn't know where'd you be if not for her.

"don't." her tone matches yours, equal in volume and honesty.

abby was your mount. the sail that guided you during a storm, the magic mirror that advised your every move, the morals to your humanity. your other half in this wretched world, you beckoned.

you pulled away, her hands still lingering on the small of your back, the mere size of her palms fit snugly.

you couldn't recall how many times you'd locked eyes with her today, yet, even now, you couldn't bring yourself to look away. the deep love she had for you was apparent on her face. her features softened as she saw raw emotion pour out from your own.

your staggered movements startled her as she felt the plump surface of your lips press against her cheek. your hearts would skip a beat together, and she could sense the lingering connotation in that action. surprisingly, she returns the gesture with a smile. she pulls you into yet another embrace to hide how it'd painted her face with rosy pinks.

"i'll always be here for you." you didn't have to see her to hear the smile in her voice. your ears go hot as she breaks contact, both of her hands grip your shoulders steadily.

"c'mon, let's get you dressed." abby stands up, dropping the tea-towel that'd been forgotten into the sudsy bucket. she assists you in standing up, feeling a prevalent cue to stretch when you un-arch your back.

the initial embarrassment of being nude returns as she leaves the room to fetch you a clean pair of clothes. your hands sneak around your figure to try and cover yourself when she returns, handing you a loose fitting t-shirt with some silly illustration on it, and some tight-fitting jeans, along with some underwear.

you suddenly feel overpowered as she stands across you, fully clothed in contrast to you. her arms are heavily defined against the harsh sunlight emanating through the windows in the main room.

you quickly dry yourself and get dressed, and she asks for your hand. "let's get you some fresh air." you don't have time to protest as she pulls you out of the bathroom. just barely scraping your socks and boots, you've now stepped out of your room for the first time in how many days?

"it's been six days. and about time since you left, everyone's missed you!" she exclaims, wrapping an arm around your shoulder.

it'd been so long since you've seen another human being that you'd almost forgotten how to exist within the space of another. but with abby by your side, nothing would slip by you.

your hands somehow made their way to intertwine with abby's, fingers interlocked and tight. her strut is powerful and confident, something you could learn from as you shrunk into a shadow beside her. abby turns to you when she notices you're dragging her back. she can sense your hesitance.

"it'll be fine, i’m here." she squeezes your hand like the beat of a heart, one two, one two. her reassuring smile eased your tensions, slowly picking up the walking pace again. you trusted her judgement, and nothing would cease that.

"hermana! where have you been girl? we've missed you!" manny's thick accent could be heard from yards away. his face is visibly elated and his sturdy arms rose above his head to pull you into a suffocating hug.

others that you were close friends with were sat behind him, including nora, leah, and mel. even owen was present, some steps away.

they all looked so relieved to see you, had your absence meant that much to them?

"i’ve told the guys at the range that you're coming in with me, and no, you don't have a choice." nora chuckles, standing up to push manny out of the way and hug you instead. you reciprocate gladly.

"it’ll give you a chance to let all that anger out, you're a fierce one." she adds, pulling away.

abby stands behind you through all this, incredibly proud that you were making the effort, even if it was challenging. but knowing that people genuinely worried and cared about you had lifted your spirits tremendously. there was more to life than relationships, and abby had helped you realise that.

you turn back to her, and her smile is as cheerful as ever. seeing her compassionate side then had brought her into a totally new light. you loved her, deeply.

" thank you." you mouth, and she nods. you felt a little less blue now that you'd cleared things up, and in helping you, it healed her own woes from her past. the blues would no longer linger as long as you had each other.

#abby anderson #abby anderson tlou2 #tlou game #tlou x reader #tlou part 2 #tlou2 #tlou series #tlou fluff #tlou angst

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elliesbff · 3 months ago

Text

something stupid — abby anderson

summary: you and abby found a music store on a scavenge and decided to indulge in the hidden artifacts. notes: heavy fluff , reader and abby have no established relationship , enjoy ! wc: 2,779 | tags: @taissaswifelowkey

you and abby were scavenging for anything that could be of use as you, mel, owen, yara and lev, and alice were seeking refuge in owen's renowned palace of peace; the seattle aquarium. no other WLF soldier, or scar (that you knew of) had any knowledge of this place, let alone thought it to be an AWOL soldier hideout.

you couldn't remember the last time you had been at the FOB, it had most likely been a week, but with the frequent journeys you and the group went on, it had all melded together into one blurry memory.

you both were walking down the abandoned streets of seattle, where infected were rarely ever seen anymore. upon your growing curiosity, (and boredom) you slid into a concealed opening in the wall, covered by a large, rotting board that had succumb to its age.

"abby, through here." you urged, dragging yourself through the large gap with ease. she followed behind you, essentially following your lead during one of your many countless adventures.

shuffling through the enclosed space, abby's arm gently grazes yours, trying to shimmy through as quick a possible.

"why in such a rush, anderson?" you humour her, unable to turn your head from the lack of room, but you could hear the smile on her lips as she replied, "am i not allowed to be afraid of closed spaces?" she questions you, and you just scoff. with nothing much to be said, you finally exit the suffocating crevice. as your eyes danced around the room, you realise you've stumbled into a music shop. abby seems to share the same excitement as she stumbles in after you.

"woah, look at these bad boys..." abby walks around, tip-toes dragging along the dusty floorboards. her eyes are pinned on a vinyl basket, many old, and unopened vinyl cases. she picks one up, softly blowing on the cover to budge off any dust. it was an old rock band, 'ac-dc' it read in bold, fiery red and orange text.

"you think lev would like that?" you ponder, inching closer to her as you both analyse the unopened vinyl. "i think it'll help him let out all that teenage rage." she smiles smugly, packing it in her bag.

"oh you seem to know a lot about that." you smile, looking around the almost near untouched store. it had its fair share of dust and cobwebs, but compared to other places you've visited, this didn't come close to reckaged.

"don't i know." she stands back up, now more keen to find more music to fill the deafeningly quiet aquarium with.

there were all sorts of prizes you just couldn't help but touch. gramophones, cd players, speakers, turntables -- there was just too much to choose from to take to the safehouse.

you begin to browse the vinyls yet again, and notice a '60's' label. wow, wasn't that a long time ago, you mumble to yourself. with abby too busy by the rock and metal section, you start snatching a look at the oldies section.

part of you deep down wishes you could've lived a day back then, just to see what it was like. you knew people at the FOB who were actually alive before the outbreak, even before the new century. you couldn't be more grateful for their stories about pre-outbreak. they were a historical treasure.

and so were these profound albums. you pick one up, the title and cover striking your heart immediately. it was a dull gold, with a face of a man plastered on the side, in three different expressions. it read 'frank and nancy sinatra; something stupid'. the name being 'something stupid' meant it had to be good. you gleefully packed it away in your bag before taking more of a look around.

"we better grab one of these before we head out." you call out to abby, pointing at the dusty gramophone. it featured a large yellow horn, which you assumed was the speaker, and a vinyl player at the bottom with a needle as well as a manual crank on the side. abby gives you an understanding smile, knowing just how keen you were about this shop. it was like a preserved time capsule you heard a couple of the seniors talk about back home.

"yes ma'am" she responds, that childish, beautiful smile on her face spreading colour to each of her freckled cheeks.

pushing aside the raft sized board out of the way of the crevice, you both had a shit-load of bounty in your packs. this was definitely a place to remember for later.

abby's collection included a majority of rock, metal and alternative albums, as well as some cassette tapes for a walkman she found some time ago -- a gift for the kids. well, most of what she collected was for the kids. how generous she was, it made you stifle a smile.

your collection of vinyls was very contrasting from hers. mostly 60's and 50's jazz. it wasn't your usual cup of tea, but you wanted to try something new. after all, you could always come back and get something more your taste.

'something stupid', 'it's been a long, long time' and 'hopelessly devoted to you' were a couple of your favourites you picked out. and you wanted to surprise abby with them.

she had no idea what you picked, except from your purposefully vague description of 'oldies' music.

"so, you happy with your presents?" she nudges your arm playfully, pulling up the straps of her pack. it was kind of hard to stand up straight and not slouch with all the collectibles in your bags.

you hum, a shit-eating grin spreading on your face at her question. she noticed, nudging you harder.

"what’re you smiling about?" abby's braid slid to the side as she turned, bending down to meet your gaze on the walk back to the aquarium. this was about as peaceful as a walk could get in seattle. this specific suburb was a complete ghost town -- not even infected plagued these grounds.

"you'll see." looking up at her, you can feel your heart climb for your throat. those eyes never failed to take your breath away. with an almost hazel brown surrounding her pupil, it almost faded into black as you held her gaze.

she doesn't continue to instigate, only pulling away and holding her pack steady, a solid arm wrapping around your shoulder.

"i can't wait to show the others, especially lev.. he's always humming up a new song to keep himself busy." abby expresses, her arm tightening around you, but it doesn't feel suffocating. it feels relieving. it's as if a soft weight were being applied to your chest, aiding you with every breath you took.

"me too."

after many minutes spent cluelessly setting up a station for your new gramophone, you sighed, letting out a breath you didn't know you were holding in.

"which one do you want to play first?" stepping away from the gramophone, abby stands next to you, arms broad and crossed over her chest. her brows knit together as she picks up one of the vinyls you chose. 'something stupid'. she hums.

"i can see why you chose it," she pauses, lifting the cover up to your face, comparing the two. she chuckles, taking the vinyl out of its protective covering. her jokes almost always targeted you, but they never failed to arise a chuckle or an eye roll from you.

"i'm going to pretend you didn't say that." you step closer, grabbing the handle that connected on the side. abby places the large vinyl onto the turntable, and places the needle onto the outer edge of the disc. it started to spin after you turned the handle three or four times.

all you could hear at first was prolonged static, but after a couple patient seconds the melody finally rang through the entire open marina.

youtube

your eyes set ablaze as this trophy began to speak to you, the soft instrumentals in the background echoed through the open halls and dock. you'd be surprised if the others weren't able to hear it.

abby visibly shares the same amount of curiosity.

then, a man and woman begin singing, and your faces immediately light up,

"woah," she blurts out, the vibrations from this vintage speaker danced around you, you could almost see it.

"it worked! it worked!" your smile only continues to grow as the melody rings through your ears. you lunge at abby and pull her into a tight embrace. you didn't have much hope in terms that it would work, considering it hasn't been in use since before the outbreak. you were just glad there was one more thing for everyone to look forward to now.

"i've.. never heard music like this." she says, the pure shock still prevalent on her features. her eyes were wide, but in the way that wasn't concerning to anyone. her lips curled just enough to see her teeth, and it's like a breath of fresh air, seeing her so relaxed and full of life. it wasn't often she could be herself.

since jackson, she hadn't had much to look forward to. the nightmares hadn’t stop, as much as she thought they would. it would still prolong her sleep, terrorising her in the dark of night until the rise of the new day. then again... it's like a burden had been relieved of her. maybe this could help get her mind off things. it was like she had more room to be herself. the half of her that was so full of rage and fright, wasn't as present anymore.

"i could get used to this" abby admits, hand on shoulder, eye to eye.

you nod, thoughts traveling to the back of your mind to focus on the now, on abby.

you both stare in awe at the gramophone, it sounds nothing short of magical. your head sways side to side in sync with the rhythm, it'd been so long since you'd heard music.

turning to abby, you notice she's stuck in thought, eyebrows crinkled like when she was deciding on a vinyl. your faces drops to a slight frown, wondering what passed her mind so suddenly.

as you were about to ask, she interrupts you,

"can i ask you a stupid question?"

"shoot."

she stands awfully close, nudging you in a playful manner.

"wanna dance?"

you chuckle, the sincerity in her voice bringing your arms to your stomach.

"you know how to dance anderson?" you question, genuinely curious. if she knew how to, there's no way you didn't already know, too.

"not at all." all of a sudden, she bends down with one arm behind her back and another in front of her, asking for your hand. you almost break down on the floor in hysterics at the sight, she definitely didn't look like a dancer.

her head lifts up to see you laughing at her, and she straightens up.

"if you don't know how to dance, just say that." as annoyed as she wanted to sound, the growing smile on her face proved otherwise.

"no, no, it's just-- okay."

"okay?"

"okay."

abby doesn't waste time, placing her hand on the right of your hip with her other on your shoulder. you can feel your chest buzz at the feeling as you reciprocate the gesture. with your arms placed atop her shoulders, you take note of how firm and broad they are, holding a steady grip on her as she begins to step in a square-like pattern.

"you seem to really like my shoulders." a rush of warmth instantly plagued your neck and face at the immediate observation.

"i don't want to trip over your two left feet." you retort, and she scoffs, muttering a sarcastic wow under her breath.

as you joked about, you swayed along to the rhythm of the song. neither of you knew how to dance, yet it felt so natural when she pulled you closer, your head resting between her chest and shoulder.

"i thought you didn't know how to dance." you speak just above a whisper.

her hand is steady on your hip, guiding you to follow her movements.

"i lied." she chuckles, her smile sweet as sugar. "manny taught me."

' i practice every day to find some clever lines to say to make the meaning come true '

dancing around in circles, you could feel abby's heart pumping through the thin fabric of her black tank top. it was calm, almost matching the tempo of the song.

' but then i think i'll wait until the evening gets late and i'm alone with you '

abby tugs on your waist, wanting you to inch closer as if there was room. her arms keep you upright and on beat. she was your rock, even if you were doing something as simple and sweet as this.

' the time is right, your perfume fills my head the stars get red, and, oh, the night's so blue '

you take a deep breath in, the subtle scent of pine surrounded you, mixed with an earthy smell. as you exhale, you could swear you felt abby do the same, her hand relaxing atop your shoulder.

' and then i go and spoil it all by saying somethin' stupid like, "i love you" '

you can feel a heat rise to your neck and the apples of your cheeks. your thumbs rub soft circles into the dome of her shoulders, and it catches her attention. you don't look up, but her gaze is focused on you.

the song starts to fade out, the words repeating,

' "I love you" "i love you" i love you i love you '

"interesting song choice," abby mutters, almost too close to your ear. the warmth of her breath sends shivers along your neck, hairs rising.

she doesn't pull back, even after the song fully fades out and the turntable comes to a complete stop. you both stand there, with each of her arms now wrapped around your waist.

"that was nice." she states rather bluntly, a shy smile evident in her tone.

"it was." you reply, reluctantly lifting your head to meet her eyes, they glint when you finally reach her gaze.

she lifts a hand off your waist to tuck a stray hair behind your ear, letting her fingers trail over your skin.

"you have good taste," her tone is almost sultry, inducing a relaxed feeling in your chest. she always made you feel comfortable, safe even. you loved that about her.

you stay silent, your eyes curiously wandering along her features. her freckles that danced across her cheeks and nose, her arched brows, and her divine eyes, you could stare at them 'till the end of time.

her face is mere centimetres from yours, unknowingly inching closer as you'd gawked at her unashamedly.

you press your face against hers, lips delicately meeting. she doesn't pull away, and neither do you. it was so sudden, but so natural.

her lips are cushions against yours, overlapping passionately, yet slow and deep.

"what's all that noise?" lev calls out from around the corner, and you both jump back, still entangled in an embrace.

as he spots the two of you, his brows crinkle, but he's more focused on where that other-worldly sound was emanating from.

"woah, what's that?" he cautiously takes a step towards the gramophone, afraid to touch it. it was 'old world' stuff after all.

you clear your throat. "that- that's a gramophone, it plays music." you answer, he turns to you again before analysing the music player deeper.

you let go of abby, and you immediately miss the warmth her body provided.

around the corner, mel and owen appear side by side with yara behind them.

"yara, come check this out!" he exclaims, and yara runs to him. they both discuss what the hell the unknown object is, the weird shape of the vinyl player only adding to their strange theories.

"seems like you two had lots of fun." mel comments, eyeing the deep red hues that painted your faces.

all you can do is nod, turning to abby who just smiles, grateful to be in your presence.

"yeah, we did." she wraps an arm around yours, pulling you to her side and failing miserably to make it look casual.

owen doesn't say anything, walking over to the gramophone to speak with the kids instead.

you felt belated as abby kept her firm arm around you, almost encapsulating your figure entirely. her sugary sweet smile returns, catching yours alongside.

you could get used to this.

#abby anderson #tlou2 #abby anderson tlou2 #tlou game #tlou x reader #elliesbff #tlou part 2 #tlou fluff #fluff

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