#i’ve been so busy and distracted by tlou

[blastadiamond]

Cause of death: baby holding onto both his daddy’s finger and chest straps. Do not separate!!

[findmeintheferns]

your bestfriend’s roommate

(part one)

𝓢𝓾𝓶𝓶𝓪𝓻𝔂: you’ve had the same plug for years, but he wasn’t replying & you were desperate. your bestfriend had been wanting you to switch to her roommate for ages so fuck it. problem is though, you weren’t expecting her to be this attractive…

𝓦𝓪𝓻𝓷𝓲𝓷𝓰: a lil bit of smut, drug use (weed), slowish burn, kinda boring sorry lol writers block

𝓦𝓸𝓻𝓭 𝓬𝓸𝓾𝓷𝓽: 2.2 k

𝓟𝓪𝓲𝓻𝓲𝓷𝓰: dealer ellie williams (TLOU) x reader (y/n)

You stare down at your phone for the 100th time only to once again get met with a blank screen. It had been 5 whole hours yet still nothing. You tried not to let it bother you but at this point you were well and truly feeling impatient. You groan, flipping the phone over so you can no longer fixate on it.

Dina notices your frustration, “I’ve told you so many times that my friend is a way better plug, she replies almost instantly. Plus, she’s in my dorm, you can visit me & stock up at the same time.”

You’ve heard this spiel before, but you weren’t sold on it. You liked having a dealer that was strictly business, you’ve never been one to want to stay and chat, you just want to get your weed so you can go home & get high as soon as possible. Plus, you’ve had the same dealer for over 2 years now, going to someone else would be like a betrayal.

You go to reply but Dina beats you to it,

“Yeah, yeah I know. You guys have an unbreakable bond or whatever.”

You give her a small smile, “I mean hey if he doesn’t reply in the next hour, I might get desperate. I told Alex we could smoke & get ice-cream tonight.”

Dina lets out a snort, “Oof yeah, you’ll definitely be needing the weed if you’re spending the night hanging out with him.”

You roll your eyes, not wanting to reply to her snarky comment. You had nearly been dating for nearly a year, but she still hated him. She never really liked him in the first place, she says ‘his vibe is off’, whatever that means. After a little incident with his best friend Mia however, her dislike turned to hatred. Nothing bad even happened, you overreacted. They hung out, you weren’t aware, and you walked in on them hugging. You got upset at first yeah, but he reassured you that it meant nothing, that she was having a bad day and it was just a simple hug. You believe him, so that’s that.

Dina grabs your phone from off the table, distracting you from your thoughts.

“Just let me put her number in your contacts in case okay? Her name’s Ellie.”

“Fineeeee. I need to go anyway. If I don’t study for this exam I’m screwed, I slept through like half of the lectures.” You sigh, stressed about all the content you have to somehow remember over the span of a few days.

Dina pulls you into a hug, “You’re terrible. Good luck with that, I love you dumbass.”

You pull away and laugh at your brutally honest friend as she begins to walk away, “Yeah, yeah, I love you too I guess.”

You grab your bag, placing a tip under your now empty coffee cup before leaving the little café.

You stare at the clock, it’s an hour before you’re meant to meet Alex and your dealer still hasn’t replied.

“Ughhhhhhh. Whatever. Fine. Fuck it.” you murmur, pulling out your phone.

You really didn’t feel like texting a new dealer, you’re pretty introverted already and it seemed like a lot of effort. But what were you supposed to do.

You unlock your phone and open contacts, Ellie’s profile popping up straight away. You send a short text, introducing yourself as Dina’s friend and asking if she had anything to sell tonight, you weren’t in a place to be picky.

To your surprise it was only 5 minutes before you received a reply. Her response was short too;

-

ellie: yeah, i’ve got a bunch. do you want to come here & pick up? that way you can decide what you want

y/n: oh okay, sure. what time?

ellie: now?

y/n: okay. see u in 5.

ellie: you know where to find me

-

You did appreciate that she didn’t drag out the conversation, but you were still nervous about meeting someone new. Dina’s dorm room is only a short walk from yours which you couldn’t lie, was pretty convenient if Ellie did become your new dealer. Once you arrive at the door you stop for a moment and take a deep breath in, hoping the conversation would be as short as it always was with your normal dealer. If only Dina was here to make things less awkward, but she had volleyball on tonight.

You knock and the door opens instantly. Suddenly your whole body completely stiffens as your eyes meet the girl opening the door. You know you should be speaking right now, but you’re weren’t mentally prepared for this. She looked absolutely nothing like you had imagined. You don’t know why but you kinda assumed she’d be on the gross & dodgy side. She was in fact the complete opposite. She was wearing baggy grey sweatpants and a tank top that hugged her body. Her short brown hair was half tied up in a little knot, her fringe falling over her face. She must of been getting ready for bed. You really wish Dina had gone into more detail when describing her, you weren’t prepared for her to be this…well, attractive, for lack of better words.

“Y/n? You here to pick up yeah?” Ellie’s voice snapped you out of your thoughts.

“Hey, yeah, sorry. Yes I am” you quickly respond, kinda embarrassed about the pause.

“All good, come in and I’ll get you what you need. Sorry about the mess.”

You walk inside the dorm, you had been in there before obviously, but not while Ellie was there. You never even really payed attention to her side of the room yet now you can’t take your eyes off it.

“So, what are you after? I’ll see if I have some.” Ellie asks

“Honestly I don’t mind. Whatever’s your favourite at the moment���

You don’t want to drag this out, you need to head to Alex’s soon and you already feel awkward from the previous interaction.

“Hmmm. Probably blue dream then, it’s mostly Sativa. Really helps with relaxing.”

You shrug “I trust you.”

She puts your weed into a small ziplock baggie and you pay. You quickly try and say goodbye as you walk towards the door but she stops you

“Yeah you’re gonna have to stay at least for a little longer.”

Confused, you stare at her blankly, “Umm, why?”

She returns your glare, “Have you never picked up before or something?”

This kinda offends you and you don’t really know why.

“Yes I have. For your information my dealer just isn’t responding tonight. This is a one off.”

Ellie scoffs, “Huh, lemme guess. Derek is your dealer?”

This takes you back for a moment,

“Yeah… how do you know that?”

She laughs, relaxing her stance and moving to lean back onto her bed.

“Makes sense why you don’t know pick up etiquette. You need to stay here for a little so it doesn’t look sus. Otherwise cops will catch on, just like with your friend Derek. He was lazy and now he’s screwed. You definitely won’t be hearing from him for a while.”

Great. Well that makes sense why he wasn’t responding. You sigh and flop down onto Dina’s bed, staring up at the roof. You really don’t feel like staying here for any longer.

“Aww, am I that terrible to hang out with?”

You roll your head to stare at her, but she’s already looking at you. You wonder what she’s thinking.

“It’s not that” You lie, because it kinda is. “I’m just meant to be meeting up with Alex right now”

She laughs to herself again, “Oh that’s right, Alex, your boyfriend.”

“What’s funny about that? How do you even know that?” you retort, pissed off at this point.

“No, no, nothing. Dina told me is all.” She smiles

You sit up, ready to leave, “Right, well, I need to go. Thanks for the weed.”

You move towards the door but once again Ellie stops you before you can open it.

“Hey, I’m sorry” She says softly “I didn’t meant to upset you, stay a little longer and have a joint.”

The way she’s looking at you makes your stomach churn, but not in a bad way. There’s something so endearing about her, even when she’s pissing you off.

“I really should go, I’ll be late” You respond, trying to not be tempted by the offer.

“It’s on me, just because I annoyed you” she smirks.

You know you should decline, but it’s a lot harder than it would seem.

“Fine. One joint”

So, you didn’t just have one joint, you both shared quite a few. You weren’t sure if it was just the weed that made being around Ellie more manageable, but you were actually having fun. You unintentionally lost track of time, talking about anything and everything. Ellie told you all about her Astronomy major and her favourite astronaut, Sally Ride. You told her about how much you hated math and your inability to focus during lectures. You had moved closer together so that you were both laying down, squished on the same bed staring at the roof. Ellie turned her head to face yours,

“You look pretty stoned” she whispered, a big grin on her face.

She was so close to you it made you nervous, but also kinda excited. She looked incredibly attractive, you kept trying to deny it, but you couldn’t help it. The way she held herself, the way she spoke, her looks, all of it was pulling you in even though you knew it shouldn’t.

You giggled, wanting to reply with a snarky comment but being too high to think of one. You went to take the joint from her, but got distracted by the tattoo on her arm. It was pretty big, it was some sort of moth and a fern. You followed it down until it ended, stopping at her hand. You intertwined your fingers with hers, lifting it up so you could get a better look.

“What?” she laughed, confused as to what you were trying to do.

You didn’t think, you just spoke, “You have really attractive hands Ellie”

For a moment she looked taken back by your comment, but she was too high too overthink it. She moved so that her body was on top of yours, your hands still connected. You felt yourself getting wet, too horny to think about the consequences of what was happening right now. She grinded her thigh into your pussy causing your eyes to roll back as you let out a soft moan. She leaned down and pushed your hair behind your ear.

“Oh yeah?” she whispered, replying to your previous statement “You should see what they can d-“

Ellie was cut off by the sound of ringing. Fuck. You jerk up, grabbing your phone. Surely enough, it was Alex calling. What had you done.

“Fuck, fuck-fuck-fuck” you mumble under your breath, picking up the phone call.

-

Alex: “Y/n? You okay?”

Y/n: “Alex I’m so sorry I was studying and I must have fallen asleep.”

Alex: “Ah, no weed then?”

Y/n: “No weed, I’m sorry. Rain check?”

Alex: “All good, love you.”

Y/n: “Love you.”

-

You felt incredibly guilty, probably the most guilty you’ve ever felt in your life. How could you lose track of time like that? How could you act on impulse like that?

Ellie broke you out of your train of thought “Shit. I don’t even know how that happened. Y/n? Are you okay? Fuck I’m sorry.”

You knew you had to leave before you made an even more regrettable decision. Quickly grabbing your stuff you began to walk to the door,

“All good. I need to go. Thanks, erm, for the weed”

Ellie tries to say something else but it’s too late, you are out of the dorm in no time, almost sprinting back to your room.

That night you got barely any sleep, mad at yourself for taking things so far. You knew it was wrong, so why did you feel yourself wanting more.

[pimosworld]

Moon shine

TLOU x Triple Frontier crossover AU

Pairing-Joel Miller × f!reader × Francisco Morales

Summary- You were a bartender at Joel's place and everyone knew you were his but when you meet Francisco Morales you wonder if there’s room in your life for one more.

Rating-Explicit18+ MDNI

Content warnings- Alcohol consumption, eventual mmf dynamics, smut,angst,fluff,violence, any further warnings will be added to individual chapters.

WK-4.5k

Chapter summary- The tf boys arrive at the Boston QZ and get acquainted with the workings of the bar.

A/N- See series Masterlist for story notes

[Series Masterlist] [Main Masterlist]

Chapter I The pleasures all mine

“Sorry it took us longer to get here than we originally said.” Will insisted on being the only one to speak to Joel so as to not ruffle any feathers. Santi is seated in the chair next to him as he fidgets uncomfortably. The office was neat but worn, much like Joel. Filled with things from before, the wooden mahogany desk Joel sat behind as he took a more relaxed posture to the serious conversation. 

  Benny moves idly around the room,touching things he shouldn’t as Frankie nervously leans on the wall near the door. He’s still on edge from the events it took to get here and he wants to be aware of all his surroundings. 

  “No apologies needed,I’m sorry you all lost one of your own.” Santi scoffs and Joel throws him a sideways glare. 

  “I don’t mean to be insensitive but he put himself and us in danger.” Will clears his throat and Santi hangs his head, he was usually the one in charge so it was hard for him to hold his tongue. He desperately needed to humble himself after the fallout in the Dallas QZ. This was their last opportunity to find a place to call home. 

  “We don’t need to bother you with the details of Tom's death.” Right now. 

  Joel will definitely want to hear the details at some point. If he was going to trust these men he often demanded to know everything. There were no secrets around him and the mere fact that whispering was going on behind his back in town was the reason he enlisted his cousin's help.

  “Why don’t we get down to business so you fellas can rest for the evenin.” Joel pulls a small black notebook out of his desk drawer and flips to a tan near the end. 

  “I run a pretty lucrative bar here in Boston, not the only bar but the most successful. If you’re gonna spend your ration cards you don’t want the product or the company to be shit.” The low timber in his voice is incredibly distracting to Frankie as he tries to focus on what he’s saying. 

  “I’ve run into a few problems lately and that’s not good for business. Too many fights, too many risky clientele feeling comfortable here and most importantly too many patrons hassling my bartender.”

  Frankie’s not sure why that’s the most important over the other issues, bartenders could hold their own and if they couldn’t he could just find someone else to pour the cheap liquor that most people consumed just to get some sleep or forget about the world they lived in. 

  “William and Santiago, I need you to be my eyes and ears in the bar while it’s open and outside the bar while it’s closed. Benjamin I need you to keep the patrons in line when it gets busy, I’ve had fights shut me down for a few days and we can’t have that.” He stops his wandering around the room to grin amongst the other men. 

  “So I’m just a bouncer.”

  “Ben!” Will stands from his chair to approach but Joel raises his hand, stopping any further movement.

  “It’s fine, I know it sounds boring but it will be plenty exciting.” Ben spins the globe on the desk seemingly more fascinated in that than arguing about his new job. 

  “Francisco…you have the most important job.” Frankie looks up from the scratches he’s been studying on the floor, not much interested until now what their jobs were. He just wanted somewhere to rest for the first time in weeks. 

  “I need you to look after my bartender, she’s one of the main reasons why this place is so popular and lately she’s been getting hassled.” He turns to him, raising an eyebrow but lets him continue. “Make sure she can do her job with no interruptions and walk her home when I have late business dealings at the bar.” He thinks it’s a joke at first but he sees the seriousness in Joel’s face. 

  Joel was not a small man, he had strong broad shoulders and a commanding tone that said he was not to be fucked with. Frankie doesn’t need to continue to list the reasons why he couldn’t bring himself to look anywhere but the floor before being addressed formally.Until now

  “Excuse me, I don’t mean to be rude but you seem like a man that can take care of his staff without question.” Joel smiles a wide berth grin that would have anyone else on their knees.

  “I certainly can take care of my staff but I can’t be everywhere at once. In order for me to continue my business as usual I need to make sure she’s safe.”

  Ben is bent over in laughter and Frankie’s jaw clenches at the sight of Santis' shoulder visibly shaking while his back is turned to him.

  “I’m sorry for complaining about my job Joel, I’d gladly be a bouncer over a babysitter.” Frankie shoots him a look and Ben just raises his hands in mock surrender. 

  “Jesus Ben what the fuck is wrong with you,are you trying to embarrass me.” Will is in his face now practically spitting fire. 

  Joel hasn’t so much as flinched throughout the entire meeting, he seems eerily calm despite the group of men all but spitting in his face at the offer of jobs and a place to stay. They weren’t much for authority after the outbreak or staying in one place too long. It was a hard habit to break.

  “Relax Will I know you boys have had a long journey, I’ll just chalk it up to exhaustion and hope it doesn’t happen again.” He says the last part directly to Benny which seems to temporarily shut him up.

  Frankie’s had enough of this meeting and he's  wondering what is so goddamn special about this…

  Suddenly the door to the office opens and from where he’s standing he thinks maybe he’s died and gone to heaven. 

  You’re standing there in a baby blue sundress, the stark contrast to your black combat boots. You’re holding a tray with a drink that looks like a traditional old fashioned and a single cigar. Three two luxuries he hasn’t had in awhile standing right in front of him.

  “Joel…I’m so sorry, I didn’t know you were expecting people. I’ll come back later.” 

  “Hold on sugar, not so fast. I'd like you to meet a few people.” He motions for you to come over and you hesitantly make your way around the desk to set the tray down. He taps on his thigh with one finger so subtle that only you could see. 

  It wasn’t unlike Joel to show possession but in what seemed to be a private meeting this was unusual. Still you knew not to test him in front of company you could be a brat on your own time.

  You took a seat on his lap with your legs tossed to the side, you were feeling exposed in your dress and it didn’t help when he had you seated so precariously. He looked at you with those deep brown eyes, they almost seemed black with the way he was so excited to be showing you off. 

  “I should be the one apologizing to you, this meetings gone on longer than I anticipated and it’s cutting into our special time.” He talks as if you’re the only one in the room and your cheeks grow hot at the bold way he suggests what you were going to do in his office. 

  Frankie’s throat has gone dry, the temperature in the room is stifling as he feels a bead of sweat travel down his back. He should look somewhere else but he can’t take his eyes off the way your dress rides up the way you're seated on Joel’s lap. His large calloused hands rubbing slowly up and down your thigh as he talks so sweetly to you. 

  He wonders what it would feel like to get his hands on you, your skin looks so soft and he can imagine his face buried between…

  “Fish…” Did someone say his name?

  You’re chuckling to yourself  as you finally meet his gaze, those soft brown eyes much like Joel’s but just a hint of innocence. He takes his cap running his fingers through those soft locks and quickly places it back on his head. You wonder what it would feel like to run your fingers through his hair or grip it as he…

  “He’s the one that’ll be looking after you.” Joel’s voice brings you back to the moment and all you can seem to remember is someone called him.

  “Fish?” You look at the older blonde and incredibly handsome man sitting across from you for some guidance. 

  They all laugh amongst themselves, perhaps some inside joke you weren’t privy to and you can’t help but notice how handsome they all are. The younger blonde who is much too enthralled in the trinkets in Joel’s office, lets you know he hasn’t seen much of life before the outbreak. If it weren’t for Joel you wouldn’t know of such things either. 

  The shorter man with the salt and pepper curls gave you a flirtatious wink, not unlike some of the men in Boston who tried to gain your attention. You didn’t have time for men like him but he seemed more of a gentleman than the latter. 

  “Umm…it’s just a nickname sweetheart, his name is Frankie, the bouncy one over there is my brother Ben, this is Santi and my name is Will.” You’ll be sure to remember Frankie. 

  Joel squeezes your thigh and tips his head towards the room. 

  “My name is Moonshine.” You still weren’t sure about these men and you weren’t interested in giving out your real name just yet. 

  Joel leans in close to your ear, his breath is hot on your skin as he traces that spot on your neck with his lips. “This shy sweet act you’re puttin on is cute.” He loves to tease, and right now you’re not feeling like being your usual bratty self. 

  “Joel I really should be getting the bar set up for tonight.” You’ve had enough of being on display and you figure he’s made his point whatever that may be. 

  “Sure thing Darlin.” He taps your leg as you stand and hands you the drink on the tray. Confusion etched across your face as to why he would hand you his afternoon cocktail. 

  “You should let Francisco have a taste, it seems like he wants to try it.” Frankie forgets how to breathe, it’s like all the air has been sucked out of the room.Was it that obvious? The way he’s been transfixed on you. If so then he’s surely out of a job before it even starts. 

  You cross the short distance to him silently thanking the gods that you remembered how to move your legs. You hand him the glass and your fingers barely touch but you both feel the electricity between you. Your composure was breaking sitting in Joel’s lap and now it’s threatening to combust. Just as you reach the door you hear Joel clear his throat behind you. You silently curse under your breath as you turn on your heel. 

  “Moon, don’t you want to see Francisco’s face when he tries it? You made it after all.” The way Joel says his name and the way you’re looking at him, pleading more than anything to be out of this situation. 

  He lifts the glass to his lips without breaking your eye contact and it takes everything in him not to moan at the strong but sweet flavor as it floods his senses. He doesn’t think he’s tasted anything this good in a very long time. You don’t miss the way his throat bobs as he takes two large gulps of the drink. Joel liked it from before and he taught you how to make it, you hope Frankie likes it just as much. 

  “This…this is incredible. I’ve never tasted anything like it.” It feels like he’s staring into your soul, you haven’t felt like this since…you met Joel. 

  “I’m sure you haven’t.” Joel drops his tone dangerously low and you can feel the shift in the room. So can he and he knows there won’t be much back talk from the team now. 

  “You can go now sweetheart, I’ll see you later.” You finally leave the office and desperately clutch your chest on the other side of the wall, trying to catch your breath. You need to get a grip around him or you are going to be in big trouble. 

  “That right there is why we’re the best bar in town.” Joel’s pointing in Frankie’s direction and he hasn’t taken his eyes off the melting ice in the glass as the condensation drips down his fingers. “We also have the best booze.” Frankie looks at him now and he knows why his job is the most important. 

  “You guys take tonight off and rest, your apartments are upstairs a few floors above the bar. Feel free to come down for a drink when you’re rested.” A bed and a hot shower sounded like heaven right about now. 

  “You sure you don’t want us to start tonight.” Will never wanting to be a burden can’t help but offer as Ben grumbles from somewhere in the room. 

  “No I’d actually prefer you watch how things run normally so you can see for yourself what I’m dealing with.” Joel stands from his desk to shake each of their hands as they exit the room and Frankie sets the glass down on the tray before shaking his. 

  He turns to him before he leaves hesitating in the doorway. “Thank you for this opportunity Mr.Miller,it was a pleasure to meet you.” He picks up the glass as he laughs, swirling it around, eyeing the way it moves so freely.

  “The drink must have been good if you’re thankin me already.” He takes the rest of the drink down in one gulp and sets it back on the tray. “You can call me Joel and the pleasures all mine.” 

  Frankie finally exits the room taking a few deep breaths as he walks through the bar. Fuck he was in big trouble.

  ****

Later that night after some much needed rest and the hottest shower the boys have had in months they all file down to the bar to grab a drink and do some intel. 

  It’s plenty packed as they slide into a large booth in the corner of the room. They’re used to having eyes on them but there’s so much commotion they’re hardly noticed. The bar smells of smoke and stale cologne. It’s a myriad of noises from the dragging of chairs across the floor to the clinking of glasses in celebration. Inside this bar would almost make you feel like things were normal outside. 

  There’s a small stage with a beautiful brunette playing songs on a guitar. She must be around their age if she’s old enough to know these songs, of course Santi’s attention is rapped on her as the sweet melody carries  throughout the noise of raucous laughter and men getting a little too loud. A few couples are dancing on the small black and white tiles in front of the stage. People seem to be happy here or at least attempting to be. 

  The wall is lined with booths with cracked red leather seats and cherry wood tables. The middle of the room is mostly tables and chairs where a lot of the seedy men Joel mentioned have congregated. Will notices a lot of ration cards being passed about and makes a mental note to mention it to Joel. It seems too much side business is happening in this bar which is sure to bring some unwanted attention. 

  Ben hears some yelling at the front door and sees Joel dragging someone out by their collar, he starts to slide out of the booth before Will grabs his shoulder and tugs.

  “We’re supposed to be observing.” Ben shrugs his arm off and sits back against the booth. 

  “You expect me not to go over there?” 

  “I thought you didn’t want this job.” Joel closes the door and glances their way offering them a curt smile. 

  “Ya well I wouldn’t mind hitting someone right about now, he wasn’t lying when he said I wouldn’t be bored.” Bennys fingers are tapping the table nervously, he was ready to start his new job if it meant he could rough some people up and get paid again. 

  Until the scuffle at the front door Frankie’s attention has been solely on you. From the moment he walked in he could tell you were in your element. The way you moved so fluidly behind the bar like it was second nature. You had to have at least 30 people waiting for drinks and you somehow managed to command attention from all of them. He was focused on the way your lips moved when you asked what they wanted or the way you spoke with your eyes to let someone know you’d be right with them. You would make 3 or 4 drinks at a time without breaking a sweat. It was entirely too distracting when you would shake the drink high over your head with one hand and manage to pour a beer with the other. Now he notices the line is gone as well as you. 

  “Hi boys.” A tray of beers slamming on the table snaps him out of his trance. You’re wearing a black thin tank with cut off black shorts and your boots from earlier. The red lipstick is a little faded from wearing all night but it compliments you perfectly. He can smell the hint of vanilla and something citrus wafting off you over the pungent smells of the bar. 

  “I saw you come inside a while ago but I was so busy, I hope beer is fine I don’t really have time to make you my specialty cocktail.” You place the glasses and pour them all beers noticing the way Frankie is watching you. 

  “Beer is fine sweetheart, thank you.” Will says looking around the table at his friends who’ve seemed to be interested in other things. 

  “Pope quit gawking at the singer.” Your head snaps to the stage and you smirk to yourself. 

  “So…Pope and Fish, any other nicknames I should know about?” 

  “Iron head is by brothers I don’t have one.” Ben squeaks out before his brother can stop him. You raise an eyebrow at the younger man before turning to the group. 

  “It was our call sign in the military.” Will seems suddenly bashful so you decide not to pry. 

  “What about you Moonshine, you look a little young for that nickname.” Frankie finally speaks a little more confident than he was earlier in the day and you figure now is as good a time as any to drop the shy act. 

  “You don’t look like a Fish and I’m sure you’ll find out soon enough.” You wink as you flip the tray under your arm. “Oh by the way my name is -, and ugh… Pope her name is Charity.” You point to the brunette on stage and he smiles to himself as you turn and walk away. 

  “So what’s her real name?” You spin on your heel and walk back to the table, as you reach across to grab his beer from his hand Frankie can just barely see down your black tank top, you down Santi’s beer in no time flat, as you tipped your head back some beer spilled down your neck and it takes all the willpower in the world for Frankie to not lean forward and lick it off you. 

  “Her real name is Charity ass hole.” You pour him another beer as Benny gives you a slow clap, pleasantly amused at his friend's wide eyed expression. 

  You saunter away towards the bar as Pope gives a low whistle. 

  “Have fun with that one hermaño.” Frankie shoots Santi a look that says drop it and he knows he’s only kidding but he realizes that he does indeed have his work cut out for him. 

  “Get your hands off me!” You haven’t made it very far when he sees some grubby older man has your arm in a grip that is sure to leave marks. Joel’s crossing the room before Frankie even realized he was standing and heading towards the table. 

  “I’ve been waiting for a drink for ten minutes.” He’s practically spitting in your face, piss drunk and certainly doesn’t need anymore. Ben obviously moved faster than any of them could and too fast for Will to stop him. Much to his surprise he grabs the man’s arm and pries his fingers from yours. You take a step back directly into Frankie and he holds you before you stumble. 

  Joel comes up to you, caging you in between him and Frankie and you’re suddenly less concerned with your arm and more concerned at their close proximity to you. This would be a fantasy in any other circumstance but right now you wished you were anywhere else. 

  “You okay sweetheart, are you hurt?” He’s looking you over for any signs that you need help but he knows you’re used to it. Which is why he asked for help in the first place. You shouldn’t have to get used to treatment like this. 

  “I’m fine Joel, just Jim way too drunk again.” He leans in and places a soft kiss on your cheek and you can still feel the heat coming from Frankie as your back is pressed to his chest, his hands still idly placed on your hips. 

  Joel makes his way over to Ben who is all but grinning at the man who he has pinned to the table. He leans down and whispers something in the drunk man’s ear causing him to tense slightly. 

  “Ben, why don’t you help our friend find his way outside.” He yanks him up by his collar, not waiting for his footing to steady and all but drags him out of the bar. The entire display is a warning to any other patrons who think they’re going to continue this behavior in his establishment any longer. 

  Frankie releases you and silently curses himself for holding onto you for so long. You turn to face him and you can feel it again, that spark from earlier that threatens to ignite something inside you. He just stares at you for a moment and something is pulling him in, as dangerous as it is he can’t ignore it. 

  “Thanks Francisco.” Joel’s voice breaks you apart and you both jump back as if you had been caught doing something in the middle of the bar. You stumble around to the bar to attend to the people who’ve been waiting. 

  “Looks like you’re itching to start your job.” Joel crosses his arms and nods his chin at you already diligently working. 

  “I’m sorry…I just couldn’t sit by and watch.” Frankie doesn’t know what to do with his hands as he fiddles with the hem of his flannel. This is the closest he’s been to Joel and he can see the age lines and the soft curls, he can see why you’re so taken with him. He leans in close so that only Frankie can hear.

  “No need to apologize…it’s why I picked you after all.” Joel walks to the front of the stage  and Frankie can still feel his hot breath ghosting over his neck. 

  “Last call folks, I hope you enjoyed your night.” He walks over to you planting a kiss on your temple before retreating to his office for the night. 

  They finish their beers as they watch the people file out, staying to make sure you don't have any problems. You insisted they head up since Joel wouldn’t be working late tonight, unfortunately for Frankie you wouldn’t need a personal escort but he would have his chance soon. 

  ****

  You collapse into Joel, both of you trying to catch your breath after he somehow managed to pull 3 orgasms out of you. Something was up with him tonight and quite frankly had been all day. You really should get up but lying on his chest feeling the rise and fall as his breath evens out is starting to lull you to sleep. He’s humming some tune he always does after sex while he trails his fingers up and down your sweaty back. 

  “Sorry if I was too rough Shine.” You pepper kisses along his chest as you try to see his face in the dark room only lit by the moon. You can see his brow furrowed in deep concentration. The complete opposite of what it should be in this moment. You draw your thumb across his forehead to smooth it out causing a low chuckle from him. 

  “You could never be too rough with me.” You trace the line of his bicep with your finger down his arm before interlocking yours with his. 

  “I was wondering what got into you today though? This morning when I met the guys you were acting strange.” He huffs and ponders his words as he continues to lightly rub you. 

  “It was just a lot of testosterone in the room and maybe I got a little carried away…it won’t happen again.” You know he cares for you so deeply and it was honestly harmless but you don’t want anything worrying him more than what he already has to deal with. 

  “But since we’re on the subject…I could ask you the same thing.” You tense slightly just enough for him to notice and you think this is it, you’ve been caught. You don’t want to be the reason they’re all out of a job. 

  “No need to worry sugar, he’s real pretty.” 

  “I promise I was not” He grabs your chin and tilts it up to face him.

  “Don’t lie to me.” That was your one rule, never lie. You gather your thoughts for a moment to weigh your options. You have to be honest with him, and you haven’t actually done anything wrong, not yet at least. 

  “Yes…he’s very handsome but they all are.” He smiles so wicked you could see it in the dark. 

  “You don’t really care for the others though…it’s not wrong to notice.” You’ve only been with Joel and you’re not sure why he’s being so calm about this whole thing. 

  He rolls you off him so he’s on top of you, supporting his weight on his elbows. He dips his head down ghosting his lips over yours and you can feel him slowly getting aroused again. He kisses you soft and sweet, he always takes his time as he pulls away from you taking your bottom lip between his teeth. A simple kiss from him could leave you so breathless. 

  “All I’m sayin is… you’re young and there’s enough love in your heart for more than one person.” I guess you’ll have to read between the lines. Either way it seems you both have other plans for Francisco. 

Next

Comments and reblogs are much appreciated.

@fishingforpike @christinamadsen @theywhowriteandknowthings

[pinestripes]

Quiet Day (The Last of Us)

Summary:

The last few months in Jackson have been paradise compared to the hellish cross-country road trip that came before. But scars still run deep, and shadows can lurk around even the brightest corners. 

Ellie has a bad day. Joel wants to help.

Rating: T for a bit of language

Can also be read here on AO3 and here on FFN.

Author’s Note:

I liiiiive! Feels good to publish something for the first time in...a year, actually, as of yesterday. I've had a busy and stressful year, though I'm sure a lot of you can relate. Anyway, I just love TLOU (as much as someone who has only watched playthroughs of it can), and I especially adore Ellie and Joel's dynamic. Thank you for reading!

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Joel is a light sleeper and an early riser. The latter has been a trait of his for most of his life; the former, however, developed by necessity once not being able to jerk awake the instant something went bump in the night became a death sentence. Both of these qualities together means that he rises before the first rays of sunrise stream into his room.

He throws on stained jeans and an old shirt. Scrubbing a hand across his bleary eyes, he lumbers into the bathroom. Once done in there, he heads downstairs and to his front porch, sinking into the rocking chair there with a sigh.

He opens the worn science fiction novel he’s been making his way through for the past week or two, quickly thumbing through the brittle brown pages before finding the one he dog-eared the day before. He wasn’t a big reader, back before everything went to shit, but he had been known to pick up a sci-fi or western, sometimes even a mystery novel, every once in a while.

Joel reads in the soft morning light for half an hour or so before he exchanges the book for the guitar that has been resting by the front door. He lazily strums a few bars of a couple different songs, humming. Ellie will be awake soon, and it’s their morning ritual that when she comes down he helps her practice for a little while before breakfast.

Contrary to his expectations, Ellie doesn’t make her appearance. A familiar anxiety, one he feels less and less often the longer they stay in Tommy and Maria’s compound, clamps down on his chest. He stands and leans the guitar against the wall, the instrument making a discordant twung when he drops it less than gently in his hurry. He stalks into the house and through the barebones living room, eyes on the stairs to the second floor as his footsteps quicken and the clamp squeezes, squeezes, squeezes—

He jerks to a stop when he sees movement out of the corner of his eye. He whips his head around to peer into the kitchen. Ellie is sitting there hunched over at the table, nibbling at a piece of buttered toast.

Suddenly Joel feels a little foolish. His heart is pounding, breathing shallow and quiet. He forces himself to take two slow breaths in and out, feeling the clamp slowly release, lungs expanding and taking in air once more. Finally, he says, voice nearly steady, “There you are, kiddo. Thought maybe you were still asleep.”

Ellie startles, looking up at him with a sharp intake of breath. (He’s surprised she didn’t hear his heavy footsteps into the house from the porch, actually.) Her shoulders relax again when she sees him. “Morning,” she says and returns to her toast.

Shaking off the last of the adrenaline rush and deciding he may as well join her for breakfast, he pads into the kitchen and starts getting out supplies for omelettes, thanking his lucky stars the hydroelectric plant has been providing the town with electricity, and therefore refrigeration, consistently for the last few weeks. “What do you want in your omelette?”

She doesn’t answer.

“Ellie?”

“Hm?”

“What do you want in your omelette today? I got some more green peppers from the garden yesterday, and we’ve got some ham, believe it or not—”

“I’m just going to have the toast today.”

“That all?”

“Yeah, I’m not really hungry.”

“You sure?”

“Mm-hmm.”

He leaves it alone and goes back to making his own breakfast. Usually Ellie would be chattering up a storm by now, but when he’s nearly finished with his omelette and she still hasn’t said a word he finds himself speaking again. “So, didn’t want to do guitar today?”

Silence.

“Ellie?”

“Yeah?”

He sets the omelette on his plate and brings it to the table, taking a seat to her left. “You alright? You seem kind of out of it this morning.”

She shrugs. He notices she hasn’t made much headway on the piece of toast. “I’m fine. M’just tired. Didn’t sleep much. What did you ask?”

He quirks a doubtful brow. “I asked if you didn’t want to practice the guitar today.”

“I just thought we could...take a break today.”

He nods, and returns to eating, deciding once again not to push the issue. By the time his plate is clean she’s finishing the last few little bites of the toast. They both stand to wash their plates and utensils. Per routine, Ellie washes and Joel dries.

Concerned with the continued silence, he decides to give one last try. “So. It’s Sunday. Got any big plans?”

“No, don’t think so,” she responds.

“Not gonna go see Jessie, or, uh, Dina? Or anyone?”

“Nah.” She scrubs at a pan mechanically. “I think I’m just going to stay in and read a book.”

“Alright, then.”

They finish up, and Ellie heads upstairs to her bedroom. He goes to bring the guitar back in from the porch, then stands in the middle of the living room for a minute, feeling a little lost. Finally he sighs and heads out back to weed the vegetable garden. He can tell it’s going to be a quiet day.

Every once in a while, something—a nightmare maybe, or maybe a bandit attack, he can’t always figure it out for sure—will shake Ellie. She’ll retreat into herself, go quiet and distant. She’ll be spacy and—well, he isn’t sure what else to call it but flat. Which is decidedly not Ellie-like.

He’s learned that if he tries to push too much, if he tries to convince her to get out of the house or to talk to him, she gets cagey and defensive. So, even though he hates to see her light so dim, he gives her space and makes sure others do the same. Sometimes she’ll reach out to him of her own accord, looking to talk or a distraction in the form of a guitar lesson. She’s usually back to herself by the next day.

It’s lunchtime once he’s weeded the garden and patched up a few wobbly posts on the porch railing, a continuation of his ongoing attempts to renovate the house. He heads up the stairs and to Ellie’s door. He raps his knuckles against it twice. At her affirmative response, he opens the door and pokes his head in. “I’m thinking I’m going to head to the mess for lunch. You hungry?”

She’s laying on her bed in a loose fetal position, facing the door with a book lying open in front of her at an angle that suggests she hasn’t actually been reading it. “I’m okay.”

“You sure? You didn’t eat much for breakfast.”

“Yeah, I’ll be fine.”

“Suit yourself, then.” He almost shuts the door, then remembers something else. “Hey, Tommy mentioned something about a roof needin’ fixin’ yesterday. He might try and drag me into helpin’ him with that after we eat, so it could be a couple hours before I get back. That okay?”

“Mm-hmm.”

He doesn’t worry; he knows it’ll be a few hours at least before she wants company. “Alright. See you later.”

----------------------------------------------------------------------------

Tommy does drag Joel into helping fix a roof, and it takes almost three hours, but he finally finds himself at Ellie’s door again.

He knocks on it, twice again. “Hey, uh...just wanted to let you know I was home.”

“Okay,” she responds through the door.

“...I’ll be downstairs.”

When she doesn’t respond, he walks away, intent on continuing his ongoing Sunday project—fixing the floor in the downstairs bedroom. He’s been replacing the busted up hardwood in the downstairs bedroom little by little on Sundays—when everyone gets the day off in town, with the exception of a regular rotation of necessary jobs like patrol duty. It gives him something to do.

When it gets close to 5:30, according to the cracked, flickering display on the oven, Joel squares his shoulders and heads back to his familiar place outside Ellie’s door.

He knocks, asking “Can I come in?”

“Yeah.”

He opens the door to see that she has shifted onto the floor, leaning against the side of the bed that’s facing the door, a book in her lap. He thinks she might have actually been reading it, which is a good sign.

“About time for supper. Ready to head over to Tommy’s?” Sunday night dinner at Tommy and Maria’s place is a regular part of their routine. Joel and Ellie host dinner on either Wednesdays or Thursdays, depending on the schedule.

She shrugs. “Eh, I’m not really hungry.”

Joel’s already decided that he is going to press the issue this time. She seems a little perkier, so he figures it should go over okay. “All you’ve had today is some toast. And they’re expectin’ us.”

Ellie pulls a face. It’s not as exaggerated as usual, but it’s close. “Do I have to?”

He jerks his head in the direction of the door. “Come on.”

She sighs and pulls herself up off the floor before shoving her hands in her pockets and trudging out the door. He follows behind, the twitch of a smile on his face.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------

Ellie’s still quieter than usual at dinner, which earns Joel questioning looks from both his brother and sister-in-law. He just answers with a shrug and a meaningful look, which they accept, already having witnessed a few of these days before.

As they finish up their lasagna, Joel goes ahead and suggests watching a movie. He knows Ellie loves the compound’s movie nights just as much as the little ones.

“Can we?” she asks eagerly, a familiar spark flickering in her eyes.

Tommy and Maria look at each other. “Well, sure. Why not?” Maria says.

They clear the table quickly after that and select an action movie that Joel is pretty sure he caught on TV one night ages ago when Sarah was at a sleepover. The pang the thought sends through him is quick and biting, but the way Ellie bounces in her seat on the couch with anticipation helps him put the thought to rest once he recognizes it.

He takes his seat next to her. Ellie starts out resting against the arm of the couch, chin propped in her hand, but by the beginning of the movie’s second big action sequence she’s shifted to lean into his side. He adjusts so they’re both a little more comfortably settled into each other, his arm draping around the back of the couch.

Neither of them move for the rest of the movie, except for when Joel’s arm shifts to settle around her shoulders.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------

By the time the credits roll, it’s dark out. They walk through the cool fall night back to their house. Joel is glad to see that the movie night has helped Ellie perk up to her normal self. She babbles about the film’s effects and discusses the story’s various plot holes and inconsistencies. For his part, Joel mostly just listens and occasionally responds in agreement.

“I mean, what even was the bad guy’s plan?” she asks. “The bald asshole kept babbling about missiles or something, but I’m pretty sure he never actually said what they were going to do with the missiles. Right?”

“Don’t believe he did,” Joel responds.  

“And why did that one agent think going in without backup was a good idea? I mean, yeah, it was badass, but it was obviously going to fail from the beginning.”

“Don’t rightly know.”

“And for pete’s sake, why did the woman agent not have pants on for half the movie?”

“Because the people who made the movie were gross old men, probably.”

Ellie snorts. “You’re probably right.”  

They lapse into a companionable silence for a few minutes before Ellie suddenly leans over to nudge Joel’s arm with her elbow. “Hey.”

“Hm?” he questions, turning to give her his full attention from where it had been scanning the night sky—as far as he can tell, the single positive effect of the apocalypse is the decrease in pollution, including light pollution, which means the sky is blanketed in stars no matter where you are.

She sticks her hands in her jacket pockets, looking away with flushed cheeks and scuffing the heel of her shoe in the dirt before turning to look him in the face. “Thanks, Joel.”

He doesn’t need to ask what for. “Anytime, baby girl.”

[themandadlorianbod]

I have seen so many theories as to why Pedro is in Europe and I think people are making it more complicated than it is. I think he is simply in Italy enjoying some down time with SM and that’s it. No extra work on The Bubble or whatever. They seem to be out of the city right now with SM posting beach pictures and the landscape behind Pedro in that video and I think the wine guy met them at a winery or countryside restaurant.

As for not going to see Lux, we know he has flown a lot but Italy - NY - Italy is still probably extravagant even for him. So it was possible for him to go right after Chile which we know he didn’t or right before Canada so I guess we will see. Even if he doesn’t go see her before TLOU it’s not like he was a jackass who willing chose SM over his sister. I believe Julliard is coming up to their end of term? Someone can correct me if I’m wrong. End of term is always an insane time and having big brother hanging around would probably be a distraction and he would be in the way. Remember Lux has her own life too and maybe it’s simply not a good time *for her*. And so Pedro went to see someone who has come to mean something more to him the last several months instead. I don’t see anything wrong with that.

Sorry this got long but I’ve just seen people really pulling some stuff out of their arse to “explain” everything when I think it’s really pretty simple overall. I imagine he will be off to Canada soon anyway.

yeeeah I’m pretty much with you here on the above being likely, and possibly being many factors going into not seeing Lux.

I think people need to ask themselves why P was filming out in a field - if he was really out there doing something for SW/Disney (wishful thinking IMO), I’m sure he could have been provided with some nondescript room to film that in. and the idea of stunt training for TLOU?? why would he need to go for Europe for that??

def possible he’s done something like with Chile to mix business and pleasure but people are reaching. combined with how he stopped in Italy a week between London and Chile and was obvs not working that whole time...

[coppermarigolds]

Quarantine Meme

Thanks for tagging me, @servantofclio!

Are you staying home from work or school?

Yep, I already worked from home before all this, so nothing has changed for me location-wise. All that’s different is that I don’t actually have much work to do. My job is coding same-day surgeries, which have all been canceled or postponed. So I’m working as many hours as I can, and hoping unemployment benefits will come through to fill in the rest.

If you’re staying home, who’s with you?

Sis, five cats, and a dog. Sis is still going in to work some days (she works in a dental office), but is also doing some work from home.

Are you a homebody?

The homebodiest homebody that ever homebodied. I’m mostly just sitting back, munching on my introvert popcorn and blinking in bemusement at all the extroverts online wailing about how hard it is for them to stay at home. All that’s really changed for me is that I’m having food delivered instead of going out to eat. I’m pretty much single-handedly keeping DoorDash in business. And some movies and games I was looking forward to have been postponed indefinitely (*sheds a tear for TLOU 2*).

An event that you were looking forward to that got canceled.

I was going to attend a writing/publishing workshop in Pittsburgh in late March. I canceled right before they decided to move the whole thing online, so I could have still attended. Sigh. 

What movies have you watched recently? What shows are you watching?

Surprisingly, I haven’t been watching any more TV or movies than usual. I’m spending more time reading and gaming. I’ve been re-playing the entire Uncharted franchise, which I highly recommend to anyone who needs an immersive distraction that’s fun and lighthearted but still brings all the feels. (Also, as an extra incentive to Dragon Age fans, the second game features both Steve Valentine and Claudia Black in prominent roles! :p)

What music are you listening to?

Two Steps From Hell, and the Frozen II soundtrack.

What are you reading?

Basically all the mysteries and thrillers. Most recently I finished “The River at Night” by Erica Ferencik.

What are you doing for self-care?

Napping, gaming, eating (so much eating), taking walks in the park, and hanging out with my kitties.

I’ll tag anyone who’d like to do this!

[writinandwanderin]

Found Out

Joel Miller (TLOU) x Female Reader

Word Count: 992

Reader is a member for the Jackson community and she and Joel basically have to sneak around Ellie because Joel is a protective dad and doesn’t want to hurt her.

Warnings: it’s like PG-13ish lmao idk

You and Joel pretend that nothing is different. ��There are only a few people that know.  Maria, Tommy, and one or two other people have their suspicions, but no one dares say anything.  Ellie can’t know, Joel tells you over and over, she can’t know.  But what is there really to know, longing glances, touching hands for a little too long, water tossed back and forth on a run.  Then there’s that one time, that night, where lips crashed together and breath hitched with need and want, moans against skin and greedy hands searching under layers of worn clothes.  Well, there’s that.

Neither of you had meant for it to happen.  He came to see you after a run that was way too long, making sure that you were alright.  There had been one too many close calls, you had said, unconsciously moving toward him. He was so handsome, you weren’t sure anyone had told him that and you weren’t sure you had the right to. Surely you were far too young for him, he essentially had a fifteen year old daughter.  But then your mouths were pressed together and you both acted instinctively, jerking forward and pressing into each other with an embarrassing level of need.  He had pulled away when he heard Ellie calling, and you hadn’t spoken of it since. But the touches had gotten longer and lower, if you were being honest, but neither of you had had the guts to say anything about it.

Ellie comes to you for every problem she has.  If she fights with Joel, if Joel isn’t letting her do something, if someone isn’t up to her standards, anything.  Maria says Ellie sees you as an older sister, that doesn’t help Joel’s nerves.

One day, you’re standing at the gate, on guard duty when Ellie comes up beside you and plops down, sighing heavily as she leans against the rusted metal.

“What’s wrong?”

“Joel likes somebody and won’t tell me who.”

Your stomach drops to your shoes as she speaks.

“Oh, how do you know that?”

“He was talking about someone and he wouldn’t say their name and when I asked him why he was talking about them like he liked them he kinda froze and started talking around it and I asked him if he liked this person and he kept trying to change the subject and when I asked who it was he wouldn’t answer. Like, wouldn’t at all.  And I kept asking but he told me I was making shit up which is so dumb, I’m not and I just really want to know who-“

“Y/N, I have to-“

Oh great, it’s Joel, looking flustered and disheveled and like he’s in exactly in the wrong place.  He sees Ellie and immediately draws up short.  She looks from you to Joel and back, comprehension dawning on her face.

“Oh my god, no way, no way, it’s Y/N!  Holy shit Joel! I-“

“Ellie-“

“No fucking way!”

Ellie dissolves into laughter as you and Joel stare at each other.

“I was worried it was someone I hated!  This is the best fucking news holy shit holy shit holy shit-“

“Ellie, I-“

“Of man, I thought I’ve been going crazy.  This is the best news!  I’ll leave you alone, then.  Holy shit!”

She beams as she climbs down from the fence, staring at both of you.  Joel waits until she’s sufficiently out of earshot before standing next to you, looking at the ground.

“I thought I’d beat her here, but I shoulda known she’d come here first. You’re a popular girl.”

You push his shoulder playfully, he smiles and reaches out to touch your face. You lean into him.

“I can’t do this now, I’m not gonna get blamed if bandits come break in because I was all over you.”

“Who said anything about being all over each other?”

“I did, I would jump you right here if I could get away with it.”

“Would you now?  That’s a Texas girl if ever I’ve heard one.”

You pull him close by his collar, breathing in the smell of pine and sweat and leather, he leans down to you, his lips grazing your ear, your breath hitches as he holds your face, pressing his lips to yours.  You wrap around him almost unconsciously he groans as your hands slide down his chest, pulling at his belt.  You can feel him harden under your hands and you desperately want to suck him off right there in front of everyone, bandits be damned.  He takes your hands away and whispers guard duty into your mouth, you moan again as he kisses your neck before stealing away, his touch promising more, more, more.

Ellie approving of you as Joel’s partner and letting him be alone for more than ten seconds were completely opposite, you came to find out.  He wouldn’t put anything before her, not that you would ask him to, but the weeks following became...frustrating.  Even when you and Joel weren’t with Ellie, he was always wary that someone might interrupt you, so what you both wanted was nothing but a distant thought, hidden behind an omnipresent veil.

After a couple more weeks of this disappointing back and forth, you had had enough, and found yourself plotting ways to get Joel really alone.  Maria had already agreed to distract Ellie with a prolonged horseback ride, and you had forced Tommy to take the batteries out of Joel’s walkie.  All that was left...well, you didn’t think that aspect would be too difficult.  So there you were, standing in front of Joel’s door and steeling yourself to knock and take this step.

You knocked, and the man of the hour opened the door.  He half-smiled at you, but you meant business no time for pleasantries.  You pushed him inside, slammed the door, and essentially threw yourself onto him.  IT was the end of the world, after all.