#look for the light
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Parents lie
#the last of us#the last of us spoilers#tlou#tlou spoilers#joel miller#pedro pascal#joel#anna williams#ashley johnson#hbo#hbotlou#look for the light#my edits
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darlinâ iâd wait for you
Pairing: Joel Miller x fem!reader (plus platonic Ellie Williams x fem!reader)
Authorâs note:Â Inspired by my real life love for my godchildren. Mis almas, no hay nadie que ame mĂĄs que tĂş. Gracias por elegirme.
Summary:Â âTen fingers. Ten toes. And even if you had none of them, youâd still be the grandest thing Iâve ever seen.â - Emily Henry, Beach Read aka you and Joel have a baby [3.0k]
Warnings: 18+ MINORS DNI, descriptions of labor and delivery (nothing graphic), swearing, lots of emotions, fluff
"You need to be resting!" Maria says as you pace the living room with your hands on your hips. Ellie is watching you move from her space in the kitchen, her knee bouncing with anxiety as she sits there.Â
"You need to find Joel!"
"Tommy's getting him right now. Please, just lay down."
"I'm fine," another contraction ripples through your body, and you grip the back of the couch. "Fuck! I can't believe Joel convinced me to do this again!" You yell. The pain tightens in your lower abdomen, and you drop your head to the cushions, unable to focus on anything else. Strong hands press against the small of your back, applying the perfect counter pressure to your contraction. The tension releases just enough for you to pick your head up and find Maria standing over your shoulder, a knowing look in her eyes. No words need to be exchanged for her to know how grateful you are for her presence.
The contractions have been coming and going since late last night, but you didn't think much of it. They were sporadic and not painful enough to make you think you were in labor. You had false contractions with Jane and expected the same thing with this one, except that these contractions became very real very fast. Joel was already out on patrol when you had Ellie run to Tommy and Maria's for additional help because they were getting so bad. This baby is coming soon.Â
"Do you have a bag ready to go?" Maria asks as the contraction ends, and you nod, pushing yourself up.Â
"In our bedroom closet, but it's missing some stuff."Â
"Okay, tell me what you need, and I'll pack it."
"I can do it."
"Honey, if you walk up those stairs, there's no way you'll make it back down." She says, and you sigh. Reluctantly, you list some last-minute things that need to get thrown in the bag and where they'll be. Maria turns on her heels and sprints up the stairs, ever a woman on a mission. Ellie walks over to you as Maria's figure disappears, standing awkwardly near you as you hold your belly.Â
"I'm sorry. I'm not trying to scare you." You say, wrapping her in a hug or as much of a hug as you can manage with the baby in between you. She relaxes and lets out a big breath as you rub her back.
"I feel like I should be the one comforting you."Â
"I've done this before. I know what I'm doing."
"Yeah, but that was before," the fear in her voice rattles you to your core, and you pull away to look at her. Her bottom lip is cracked and bleeding from her teeth worrying at it all morning, and she looks like the scared kid you met in Boston. "You really should be on the way to the hospital."Â
"As soon as Joel gets here, I'll go, okay?" You say, tucking a piece of hair behind her ear. She shakes her head, and you open your mouth to say something more, but the vice grip returns, and you grip her shoulders. Your head bows under the weight of the pain, and you clutch Ellie like a lifeline.
"Okay, they're getting closer together. Maria!" Ellie yells as she holds you upright. You vaguely register Maria rushing down the stairs and telling Ellie something, but you don't have enough energy to listen. Time could've stopped right there, and you would've had no way of knowing. No stab wound, gunshot, or punch even comes close to this pain level. Your breathing is uneven, and you can feel yourself sweating bullets despite the cool August air. You thought you were ready. You thought you knew what to expect after Jane, but this is different. You wonder why you thought you could have another baby as the contraction fades. Maria says your name, and you pick your head up from Ellie's shoulder.
"We need to get you to the hospital right now. Joel will meet us there." She says, but you shake your head, the lump of panic in your throat tightening. Memories of begging your mom, Jane's dad, friends, or anyone to come to the hospital so you wouldn't be alone replay in your head. You were alone and scared and sixteen fucking years old when you had Jane on a stormy Tuesday morning. The nurses looked at you like a kicked puppy and mumbled, "a baby having a baby," under their breaths when they left you to cry alone while holding your newborn.Â
"No, no, no. Joel's not here yet. I'm not going without him."
"I promise that Tommy will bring him to you. I'm sure they're on their way back now."Â
"I'm not going by myself!" The harshness in your tone makes everybody in the room pause. "I've already done this alone once, and I'm not fucking doing it again. So, we are going to wait for Joel even if I have this baby on the fucking floor! Do you understand me?"Â
"Hey," Ellie says softly. "Hey, you're not alone. At all. We're all here because we love you and want you to be safe. Nobody is going to leave, okay?" She says, rubbing your back as tears fill your eyes.Â
"I can't do this." without her, you want to add, but you don't. Ellie pushes the sweaty hair out of your eyes and holds your face so you can look at her. Your breath is shaky, and you feel like you could shatter into a million pieces, but her brown eyes are looking into yours so intently that you have no choice but to look back.
"You can. You can do this. You're doing so good. You're going to have this baby, and it'll probably be the cutest fucking baby ever. And we'll all make stupid faces at it and love it even though I don't even think I like most babies, and you'll be okay. Both of you," her eyes don't move from yours as she speaks, even when you start crying. "You're not alone, but I can tell you're in pain, and we need to get to the hospital before it gets worse, okay?" She asks, and you take a shaky breath before nodding. Ellie and Maria seem to let out sighs of relief at the same time, and they start ushering you to the door when it opens.
"I'm here! I'm here! I'm sorry I'm late," Joel yells as he and Tommy run in. He smiles and runs over and kisses you. You have half a mind to smack him for looking so giddy when you're in so much pain, but let him kiss you anyway. "You ready to have a baby?" He asks as another contraction tightens in your stomach, making you squeeze him tightly. You don't get to see your family scrambling to get out the door, but you feel it. Bags and coats find owners as your entourage helps support you down the steps of your home and on the path to the hospital.Â
Four contractions come and go on the way to the hospital doors, where Maria, Tommy, and Ellie cheer and promise to wait there until you're ready for them. "Almost there, baby. We're gonna get you all the good drugs, okay?" Joel tells you quietly as he flags down a nurse and a wheelchair for you. The nurse asks rapid-fire questions as she rushes you into a delivery room, and Joel does his best to answer them. You curl into yourself the second your body hits the hospital bed, yet another contraction hitting you, but this time with a familiar splitting pain. You're not going to have time for the good drugs.
The rest is a blur of doctors, nurses, questions, and Joel whispering praises into your temple. Your vision struggles to focus on anything as pain radiates from your hips to your back and up your spine. It's excruciating and dizzying, and you think you'd throw up if you weren't so focused on getting this fucking kid out. "One more, baby. One more push, and then it's over." Joel tells you. You don't respond. You can't. All the blood rushes through your ears, and you squeeze his hand hard. For a moment, the whole world stops, and tears fall down Joel's face as the tiny baby is placed on your chest. You gasp and hold them close as they screech, announcing their arrival loudly.
"It's a girl!" Someone announces, and you laugh weakly, struggling to catch your breath. You look down at your daughter and kiss her head as she continues to cry.
"You're okay. I've got you. We're okay, sweetheart. You're safe," you tell her, rubbing her back. Joel reaches out to trace the apple of her cheek and grabs her tiny hand. You and Joel join her crying, everything besides your family becoming obsolete. Joel presses a chaste kiss to your lips and smiles when you laugh against him. "I told you so." You say, and he laughs.Â
"You were right," he says. "I'm so proud of you." He kisses you again as your daughter cries beautifully on your chest. Jane didn't cry at first when she was born, effectively scaring the shit out of you and everyone else in the room, but when she finally did, it was like you were breathing for the first time, too. You think this may be the first time since her death that you've felt that much peace.Â
Joel cuts the cord, and the room devolves into a controlled madness with nurses and doctors calling things back and forth to each other. You don't care. The little girl on your chest has settled down and tucked her head under your chin, listening to your rapid heartbeat and recognizing the pattern. "We're right here, baby girl. We're not going anywhere, okay?" You whisper to her, kissing her over and over again. She smiles, and you immediately recognize Joel's crooked smileâ nine months of carrying her and a record-breakingly fast delivery for her to be his twin.Â
"Mama, we're gonna take her to get cleaned up and get her measurements, okay? The doctor's working on getting you fixed up, too." A nurse says, and you nod.Â
"Just be careful, please. I made her from scratch, and it took a really fucking long time." You say as you pass her to the nurse. Everyone, including Joel, laughs even though you're serious. Joel leaves your side only to follow the nurse to the other side of the room, watching her every movement meticulously. You keep eyes on both of them. She starts fussing as the nurse cleans her up, and Joel reaches out to smooth her hair. He says something to her that you can't hear and watch him start crying again. She settles down again, but Joel is a mess. The nurse offers him a tissue, and you laugh to yourself but don't do anything to get his attention.
Let them have their secret conversation. You have a feeling it will be the first of many.
She's asleep, but you can't stop looking at her. Joel is lying in the hospital bed with you as she rests in his arms, your chin hooked over his shoulder so you can stare at her. The little girl who gave you enough excitement for a lifetime is bundled up in a white blanket with a striped hat covering her dark hair. Her legs are long and skinny, but she's strong, grasping anything within reach.
She has his nose and lips, but your eyes match. Her little chest rises and falls steadily, and little sighs come from her occasionally as she sleeps. Her hand somehow escaped the swaddle, and her fingers flex around the blanket's fabric like she's trying to decide whether she likes it. Joel reaches for her tiny hand and tries to tuck it away again, but she resists, making an angry face until he lets go. You laugh and melt simultaneously at her actions.
"She's perfect," you whisper as you kiss Joel's shoulder. He hums and turns to kiss your temple. "How did we get so lucky?"
"I've no idea," he whispers back. "Thank you."
"For what?"
"Her. This. Making me a dad again." His voice is so tender and raw that your eyes mist up again. You sniffle and wipe your eyes.
"Anytime, cowboy," you rest your hand on her chest to feel the little heartbeat you made from nothing but stardust and blood. Her face scrunches up in her sleep before her little fingers find yours. "Well, maybe not anytime, but you know what I meant."
"Oh, 'm ready for another one right now."
"Never in a million fucking years could you convince me to do that again."
"You did great." He says, and you smile. You're both exhausted and should be sleeping, but you can't stop looking at the life you created together. She's not even a day old, and you know you would tear the world into a thousand pieces if she asked you to. You would do anything for her.
"D'you still like the name we picked?" You ask, and he nods.
"Do you?"
"I think it's perfect for her."
"Hey, guys," a nurse peeks her head in the door. "Are we ready for some visitors?" She asks. You nod, and Joel adjusts baby girl in his arms. Her little arm reaches up in a stretch, and she fusses when she loses the grip on your hand. You tell her you're not far, and Joel bounces her.Â
"Hey," Ellie says softly as she enters the room. You smile and sit up, ignoring the jarring pain in your hips at the movement. "Oh, my God. How are you feeling?" She asks as she hugs you like she's afraid she'll break you if she holds you too tight. You rub her back and kiss her head.
"I'm okay. I delivered pretty much the second they could get me to lay down."
"I knew we should've gone to the hospital sooner!" Ellie says, and Joel shushes her. She makes an eek face as she looks at him.
"A baby's tryin' to sleep here."
"Holy shit," she breathes, taking in the bundle in Joel's arms for the first time. "Girl or boy?"
"I'm pretty sure the Millers are only capable of having girls at this point," you say, and Ellie smiles. "Do you wanna hold her?"Â
"Can I?" She asks as Joel stands. She's unsure what to do but copies Joel's position and puts a hand under her back.
"Support her head," Joel instructs quietly as he carefully transitions your daughter into Ellie's arms.
"I got it. I got it," she says. Instinctively, she starts swaying back and forth and patting the baby's back. Joel stays nearby, watching as Ellie gets comfortable holding her. Your heart could explode seeing the three of them together. "Who are you?" She asks quietly, pulling the blanket under the baby's chin so she can see her.Â
"This is Charlotte Elaine Miller," you say. "Charlie, for short."Â
"Hey there, Charlie girl. My name's Ellie."
"She's your big sister." Joel adds. Even though he's talking to Charlie, he's looking at Ellie. She takes a shaky breath as she processes his words. He wraps an arm around her shoulders and kisses her forehead.Â
"I'm one of your big sisters," she says. The pregnancy hormones and the day's emotions catch up with you, and you couldnât stop the tears even if you wanted to. Something about seeing Ellie with Charlie hits you hard. "I've got so much to teach you and tell you about when you're a little bigger, though. There's not much I can do with you right now except, well, this," She shrugs as if to make her point to the sleeping baby, and you laugh. Charlie stretches again, probably getting used to having so much room now that she's out of you, and yawns. "Oh, big yawn. Good job." Ellie praises.
"You're a natural," Joel says, making her smile.
"I dunno about that, but she does like me. Right, Charlie girl?" she asks, and the Charlie girl in question chuffs. "Oh, we're gonna have so much fun together." She says sincerely. Joel meets your eyes, sending you a knowing look and a crooked smile, and you smile back a little sadly. He works at his jaw, and his Adam's apple bobs as his eyes sparkle with tears again. No words need to be exchanged. You know. You may be one of the only people who know. Ellie rambles to Charlie, ever the present audience, and you remember, silent and pious in your devotion.Â
You think you'll spend your whole life remembering, a constant scramble for pieces of memories that bring her closer. You think you'll find bits of her in music, the summer sun, and your girls' eyes. You think you'll tell Charlie of her big sisters, who were loved and cherished beyond belief, and their shared adoration of Patti Smith. You think you'll be able to find a way to talk about her that doesn't feel like your soul is desperately ripping away from you. For Sarah, Jane, Ellie, and now Charlie, you think you would do anything.
Even after so much loss, destruction, and nights spent hopelessly staring at the wall like it would be enough to start Jane's heart again, you think you would do it all again. The world can be a really shitty place, and you've seen firsthand how horrible people can be to each other. You and Joel have been a million different versions of awful people, and you can never escape that. But you have Ellie and Charlie. And each other. And for a moment, in this horribly lit hospital room, every minute of that misery has meaning.
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taglist: @evyiione @nyotamalfoy @abbyhaslongshortsâ
#the last of us#joel and ellie#joel miller#joel miller x reader#joel miller fic#the last of us x reader#joel tlou#ellie williams#joel miller the last of us#joel miller fluff#joel miller x female reader#joel miller x f!reader#joel miller x pregnant reader#big sister Ellie Williams#thereâs such an Easter egg in the babyâs name#first person to look up the name meanings gets a kiss on the mouth#look for the light
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Well, Marlene, maybe you would know what Ellie would have decided if you hadnât decided not to tell her, not to cause her any fear, not to give Ellie time to really think about the idea of dying for a potential vaccine that would have to be somehow mass-produced and distributed by a group with scarce resources who couldnât even manage to get Ellie to that hospital by themselves to a world full of, in Marleneâs own words, infected who would still torn people apart and murderous raiders.
If Marlene had given Joel the chance to talk to Ellie at the hospital, and if after thinking about it Ellie still decided to go through with the surgery anyway, then Joelâs hands would have been tied. But Marlene and the Fireflies dug their own grave when they took away Ellieâs choice first.
#the last of us#the last of us spoilers#joel miller#marlene the last of us#ellie williams#look for the light#tlou#tlou 1x09
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â¨Masterlist⨠A03
Hi! Iâm Jamie and welcome to my blog! If youâd like updates for my work, my updates page is @mermaidgirl30-updates. I mostly write about Pedro Pascal characters. Always looking to converse about music, writing, video games, Pedro Pascal, really just anything âşď¸ I am always open for requests and asks and will do my best to answer them 𩵠Dividers and Masterlist main pic by @saradika-graphics
~I DO NOT CONSENT TO ANYBODY USING MY STORIES OR REPOSTING THEM IN ANY AI OR ANY OTHER WEBSITE!~
â¨One Shots/Drabblesâ¨
Always In My Heart: Losing a pet is never easy, but youâre not alone because Joel is right there with you, keeping you afloat.
Birthday Blues: Joel spends his birthday sulking on the porch, regretting the mistakes of his past. Just when he thinks heâll spend his birthday alone, you come around and turn his cloudy skies into sunshine.
Caught In the Act: Thinking youâre home alone, you decide to unwind in bed, but the last thing you expect is to have Joel Miller, the man youâre renting a room from, find you naked in bed.
Clouded Skies Drabble
Comfort in His Arms: A little Drabble about enjoying the sunrise while youâre being comforted and held by Joel. Soft, gentle, warm. Heâs your forever.
Crimson Ties: Joel was a creature of the night, a monster who begged to be released from his curse. He wasnât a good man, didnât think he deserved anything that shined light on his dark soul. But there was you, the girl he so desperately wanted to stick around, if only for one more night.
Dominate Me: dom! reader x sub! Joel. You dominate Joel in the bedroom, and he takes every demand you give him.
Fading Into Lilac Skies: You never meant to fall for your boyfriendâs dad, but it happened. You just couldnât stay away from those shades of blue and grey. But your favorite thing was turning them the color your soul was. Lilac.
Fall Into the Dark With Me: Youâve had your eyes on the new Defense Against the Dark Arts Professor for a while. Just like heâs had his eyes on you. Heâs a sly, sneaky, teasing Slytherin, and youâre a shy, meek Hufflepuff. Will your little flirting game suddenly lead to more once he gets you alone in a room?
Happy One Year, Baby: You forget your one year anniversary with Joel and donât remember until you see a dozen roses with a love note left on your doorstep. Since heâs away on a work trip, you decide to get all dolled up to give him a little show over FaceTime
Haunt Me: Joel isnât all that he seems. He might be dead, might be a ghost, might somehow just be trapped in a curse, but you find him. You always find him.
Her Bodyguard, His Shining Star: Youâre performing at Coachella, throwing winks and flirting with your eyes as Joel Miller watches you from the side of the stage. Heâs your bodyguard, and he should know better, but he wants you just as much as you want him.
Iâve Got You, Baby Girl: After suffering all day alone with cramps, Joel comes home from work to take care of you and gives you exactly what you need.
Jealousy, Jealousy: After having a bad breakup with Joel Miller, you decide you need a night to relax at the bar and find someone new. Little do you know, Joel is there and heâs not alone. Will you let your jealousy get the best of you or will you get revenge with another man at the bar?
Love and Coffee in the Mornings: This one's just a short fluffy/smutty one shot that's filled with morning love between Joel and reader.
My Heart I Surrender: Feelings and words never come easy to Joel, but they come out slowly and surely for you. So much angst coming off the pages on this story, and it's all in Joel's POV.
My Paper Heart Will Fold: Joel fights himself over his feelings for you, not wanting to admit theyâre there. He finally comes to blatant terms that he canât lose you. He canât ever lose you. Not ever.
My, My, Such a Sweet Surprise: When you stumble upon a cute little property with a farmerâs market, you get more than you bargain for when you meet the man with honeysuckle eyes and a thick Southern drawl that makes you weak in the knees.
On My Knees for You: Youâre supposed to be getting ready for a Halloween party, but maybe youâll just have to be late because all you can think about is getting on your knees and making Joel Miller feel so good.
Pulled by the Scarlet Reins: In the hate filled town of Salem, no one is safe. With accusations flying daily, no one is spared from speculation. When the blame is pointed at you, who will be there to defend you?
Run Rabbit: At the beginning of every month, you meet Joel to play a little game of hide and seek at the abandoned mansion near Jackson. Itâs not just any game of hide and seek though. Itâs dark and itâs twisted. If he catches you, he gets to do whatever he wants with you.
Show Some Self Control: It's your birthday, and Joel can't deny you from wanting to explore being with another woman, so he indulges. He sits and watches, but he can't hold back for long. Not with the way your body is writhing against the damp sheets.
Soft: Just a little Drabble about Joel being in love. So very soft.
Stay in the Light: Joel gets injured after a raider attack, and heâs wishing he couldâve told you all the feelings he held back from you for so long
Take Me to Wonderland: You find yourself in Wonderland, but you think youâve been here before. And the handsome stranger, Joel Miller, is someone that definitely seems familiar.
Teach Me a Lesson, Mr. Miller: Tonight, you planned for beer, loud music, and sloppy sex with one of your hot college classmates. Instead, you get your best friendâs dad putting you in your place.
Tongue Tied: Your dadâs best friend, Joel Miller, finds you in the kitchen eating some cherries. For your birthday, he gives you something thatâll make you a little tongue tied.
Welcome to the Moulin Rouge: Welcome to the Moulin Rouge where touches and gazing eyes turn to feelings and longing that overpower all senses. Thatâs where Joel meets you, the girl of all his desires. The girl that starts a fire inside him that he canât control. But heâs not the only one after her. No. And heâll have to share even though it destroys him.
â¨Seriesâ¨
Can You Please Be Mine?: (Ongoing multiple part series)
No Outbreak!Joel x fem! reader
Itâs a hot summerâs day in Austin, and youâre cooling off by having a cold ice cream cone while riding the carousel at the fair. You see a handsome, older man that you think is just the hottest man youâve ever seen, and you just wonder what itâd be like if he took you home with him.
Captured in the Woods:
(Ongoing multiple part series)
Joel Miller x fem! reader
Joel books a nice secluded Airbnb cabin out in the middle of Southwest Texas to get a little alone time with you for a weekend. Little do you know, youâre not alone. Youâre being stalked by a deranged family, and youâre going to have to fight your way to make it out alive.
Crimson Tango: A Dance of Diamonds and Revenge: (Ongoing multiple part series)
Moulin Rouge Joel x fem! reader
Joel Miller doesnât know what awaits him as he takes on a maintenance job at the Moulin Rouge. He doesnât know heâll meet the absolute love of his life, the Sparkling Diamond, as his world comes crashing down around him fast. Will he be able to stay away when heâs warned not to touch the dancers? Will he listen or will he challenge that pull that draws him to the one thing that sets his soul on fire?
Daddyâs Best Friend, Mr. Miller: (Ongoing multiple part series)
dbf! Joel x fem! reader
After going out with your classmate from graduate school, Mr. Miller doesnât take so kindly to your date when he sees you out and about with the college jock. Will the older, attractive man youâve been pining after for years finally give you what youâve been wanting for so long? The only problem is that heâs your dadâs best friend.
Dancing With Fire: (Ongoing multiple part series)
maintenance man! Joel x ballet dancer fem! reader
Youâre starring in the ballet Swan Lake, taking on the lead role in New York at a huge theater. You practice day and night and are always staying after hours. One day you notice the hot maintenance worker, Joel, and you canât seem to keep your eyes off him. Lucky for you, he canât keep his eyes off you either.
Dark Shades of Innocence Lost: (Completed)
pleasure dom! Joel x fem/sub! reader
After your friends drag you out to Club Inferno on a Friday night, you meet an unexpected man with dark brown eyes. That man is Joel Miller, who turns out to be the owner of the club. The menace that will turn your life upside down. After not dating for a couple of years, Joel finds out and strikes up a proposition for you. Keep coming back and heâll make sure you experience pleasure like youâve never felt before.
Deep Blue: (Ongoing multiple part series)
Diver! Joel Miller x marine biologist! FOC
Swimming with great white sharks was always on your bucket list. Now that youâve graduated with your masterâs degree in marine biology, thatâs the only thing you want to do. Luckily your friend, Jenna, pulls some strings and gets you on a private shark diving tour. What she didnât tell you was that your diving guide, Joel Miller, was going to be ridiculously hot. Will you survive the dive or will you end up falling for the man of your dreams?
Destined Hearts: (Ongoing multiple part series)
Joel Miller x fem! reader
After a messy break up with Joel, the two of you cross paths again unexpectedly at the lake. Everything seems to fall back into place, and you slowly start to fall back in love with him. Maybe he just might be your forever.
Enchant Me: (Ongoing multiple part series)
soft! Joel x witchy garden fem! reader
Joel delivers a custom built table to a little house out in the middle of the woods, but he doesnât realize heâs going to fall for the girl behind the doors of that small purple house. He falls head over heels for her special herbal tea, tarot card readings, and talks of nature and plants as he keeps going back to see her.
Her Bodyguard, His Shining Star: (Ongoing multiple part series)
Bodyguard! Joel Miller x singer fem! reader
Joelâs your broad, handsome bodyguard that you flirt with and secretly dream about. Little do you know, he canât seem to keep his eyes or his hands off you for long. The two of you should know better, but after Coachella itâs so obvious that you canât stay away from one another. Could he be your end game?
Just Breathe: The Dinosaur Diaries: (Ongoing multiple part series)
paleontologist! Joel x fem researcher! reader
After going under the wings of doctor Miller, the hottest paleontologist youâve ever seen, he takes you on a little adventure as his research assistant. Youâll get more than just knowledge and dinosaurs, youâll also end up getting the sweet scientist who canât seem to keep his hands off you.
Look for the Light: (Completed)
outbreak! Joel x fem! reader
Aly finds herself trying to escape the Boston QZ. What Aly doesnât know is Tess is pairing her up with Joel to go on a dangerous mission to find Tommy. Will Aly survive the brooding, moody Joel or will she find herself falling hard for him?
Love Amidst the Blue: (Ongoing multiple part series)
sailor! Joel x mermaid fem! reader
Joel sets out on the Tyrrhenian Sea with his crew in search for hidden treasure. What he doesnât know is that heâll meet a beautiful mermaid that will turn his world upside down. Will he win her over or will he introduce a long ago foe to the mermaids of the hidden underwater city of Capri?
Royalty Clad in Silver Armor: (Ongoing multiple part series)
knight! Joel x princess fem! reader
Youâre the royal princess of Ireland and your parents are hounding you to find a suitable man to marry. Joel gets placed as your protector (knight in shining armor) and swears an oath to put your life before his own. But after meeting him for the first time, you donât want to leave him alone. In fact, you canât help but to pine after him, even though he is off limits to you.
Saddle Me Up, Cowboy: (Ongoing Mini Series)
Cowboy! Joel Miller x fem! reader
One night at the country western bar was all it took for you to fall head over heels for the sweet cowboy that swept you off your feet. Little did you know, he may be what youâve been after your entire life.
Saving What Was Lost: (Ongoing multiple part series)
You never expected to get auctioned off in a room full of filthy rich, vile men after being taken over a year ago, but it happened. And the man that buys you, the one with soft brown eyes, just mightâve saved your life. He doesnât want to hurt you. No. He wants to show you what itâs like to fall back in love with life.
Slip Into Me: (Completed)
QZ! Joel x fem! reader
After getting caught by a FEDRA soldier in the QZ, a certain broad smuggler comes to your rescue. Heâs not at all what you expect. Heâs reserved, intense, and intimidating. But you soon find out heâs not all brick walls and harsh words like you thought. You just might be the one that tears down his walls and helps him see the light again in a torn up, infected world.
Somersaults and Stealing Hearts: (Ongoing multiple part series)
Coach! Joel Miller x gymnast fem! OFC
Being a competitive gymnast at UT Austin is nothing short of hard work and dedication, but winning Nationals is all Iâve ever wanted, so I stick out the long, grueling practices. When my favorite coach leaves for another job, just when I need her most, another coach has to fill in. And that coach ends up being Joel Miller. The tall, handsome man with pretty brown eyes that I just canât seem to keep my eyes off. I wonât let an attractive man get me distracted from what I want, but what if I end up wanting him too?
Tear You Apart: (Completed)
Outbreak! Joel x fem! reader
Joel comes for you late at night. He always does. Always stalks, chases, and prowls after you like a starving wolf. And when he catches you, he devours you, feeds on you like the animal he is. Will you run and hide or will you give into the temptation that calls you into the forest?
â¨One Shotsâ¨
Guiding Light: You watch Marcus avenge himself week after week in the pit of the arena, but how much longer will it take to make you snap? How much longer can you go on watching when heâs the only man you want?
â¨One Shotsâ¨
Javiâs Playground: Javi decides to blow off some steam at the strip club, but he doesnât intend to attempt to take one of the dancers home with him.
â¨Moodboardsâ¨
Colors đ
Infra-Red â¤ď¸
#joel miller#joel x you#tlou fanfiction#joel the last of us#joel x female reader#joel miller smut#pedro pascal#joel miller pedro pascal#joel miller fic#joel miller fanfiction#protective joel#joel x reader#pedrostories#pedro pascal fanfiction#pedrohub#joel tlou#look for the light#soft joel miller#joel miller masterlist#dbf!joel#dbf joel miller#joel x oc#dom!joel miller#dark!joel x reader#pedro pascal fandom#masterlist#soft!joel miller
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Look for the Light
The final part of A Sinner's Redemption
SERIES MASTER LIST | MAIN MASTER LIST
Previous
Word Count: ~9.8k
Author's Note: Agh, I'm honestly crying. It's all too bittersweet. I started this fic over a year ago, and now it's over. I'm happy with how it ended and I'm glad you were all there along for the ride. Thank you for all your support for "A Sinner's Redemption". I hope you all enjoy the conclusion to Ellie, Joel, and Piper's story.
- With much love, the author.
Warnings: Canon typical violence, spoilers for the last episode and game, Joel goes full momma bear, mentions of death, suicidal ideation, mental health, explicit language, major angst and hurt (with comfort), deceit and lies, gun violence, mentions of gore, description of gore, Joel kills a whole bunch of people, mentions of surgery and medical procedures, mentions of infected, descriptions of child birth, mentions of trauma and coping mechanisms, mentions of injuries and scars (let me know if I missed anything)
Look for the Light (the Final Chapter)
Piper seemed to hit every low branch as she was dragged along. The warm hand holding hers was sweaty. Her motherâs long fingers tightened its hold.
âOw, mommy,â Piper whined. She looked up at her mom, who quickly apologized, fighting off a painful groan.
âBaby, letâs keep going. Come on.â Anna, the girlâs mom, tugged her child along. A distant howl made her blood run cold. Everything was going wrong. Contractions constricted her bodyâs muscles. A runner was after them. Sheâd been running for who knows how long with Piper in tow. Despite the overwhelming surge of fear, Anna knew one thing. She had to keep her sweet girl safe. Both of them, now that the other one was fighting to come out into the world.Â
âMommy, I-â
Anna pulled Piper along. âI know, sweet girl. I know. Once we get to the house, weâll be safe. I promise.âÂ
Heavy huffs of breath fall from Annaâs mouth. The pains were getting worse. She couldnât keep the sound inâthe sound the monster used to track them.Â
âFuck,â Anna cried, using her free hand to clutch her round stomach.Â
âMommy?â Piper peered up at Anna with worried eyes.
Taking a deep breath, Anna softly smiled down at her daughter. âMommyâs okay, Pipes. Mommyâs okay.â She knew Piper didnât believe her. Three-year-olds were brilliant, especially when it came to their mothers.Â
âLook, Pipes.â Anna pointed to the tall gray house up ahead. âWeâre here.â
Anna hastily waddled her and Piper along into the house. The door swung open. âItâs me!â Anna announced. No one answered. Frantically, she looked around. âAnyone?!â
âMommy?âÂ
âNot now, sweetie.â A screech pierced the air. âShit!â Anna cursed, pulling Piper up the stairs and into the farthest room. âIn here, sweetie.âÂ
Letting go of her daughterâs hand, Anna closed the door, locked it, and dragged a chair to barricade the room.Â
âMommy?â Piper whispered. Her tiny finger pointed to the puddle of water underneath Annaâs legs.Â
âOhâŚâ Anna grasped her stomach. âSweetie,â Anna winced. âHelp mommy sit down.âÂ
Piper ran to her momâs side, reaching for her hand. With a thump, Anna collapsed against the floor. Gently, she wiped some of the grime off of Piperâs face.Â
âI love you; you know that, right?â Anna asked. Piper nodded.
Suddenly, glass broke. It came from downstairs. Anna bit her lip to stifle her groan. âBaby, go hide in-,â Anna howled in pain. âGo hide.â
The chair against the door thumped. Growls seeped through the cracks. It found them.Â
âPiper! Go-â
The door flung open. The infected charged into the room. Its sights were set on Annaâs little girl. Except it didnât attack Piper. With a swing, the girl was tossed to the side. The infectedâs actual target was revealed as it lunged at Anna.Â
Piper screamed, and Anna fought. With a switchblade, she swiped at the monster, fighting it off as her body fought to push a baby out. The creature gnashed its teeth, searching for something to bite. The rotten bones found home in Annaâs thigh. She cried out in pain, bringing down the blade into the Infected. She grunted with each slice of her weapon until it dropped dead.Â
A new cry filled the air. It was the baby.Â
âOhâŚohâŚâ Anna cooed, lifting her baby. She was tiny. Her frail arms flailed in the air. Her dark eyes crinkled open.Â
âMommy?â Piperâs voice called to her mom.
Anna glanced up. âPiper, come meet your sister.âÂ
Piper tip-toed over to her mom and new baby sister.Â
âHiâŚheyâŚâ Anna cooed. She turned the baby over to Piper. The young girl brought her face as close as possible to her new sister.Â
âShe looks funny,â Piper muttered.Â
The baby started to cry again. Anna held her close. âDid I make her cry?â Piper sniffled. Anna shook her head and chuckled.Â
âNo, sweet girl. Babies just cry.â Then Anna turned to the baby. âYeah, you tell âem. You fuckinâ tell âem, Ellie.â
âHi EllieâŚâ Piper whispered. Baby Ellie grew quiet. Her bright, wide eyes looked over at her mom and sister. âIâm your big sister.â
âDo you want to hold her, Pipes?â Piper nodded. With her tiny arms, Piper held Ellie close.Â
âHold her head like this, and-â Anna adjusted Piperâs arms. âJust like that.â Anna sank deeper into the wall. Her eyes watched over her daughters, the view growing blurry.Â
âYeah, itâs okayâŚâ Anna whispered to herself. The pain in the thigh crawled its way around her body. She could feel the infection spread.Â
âPiper,â Anna said. âCan you take your sister and sit in the corner over there?â Piper looked confused but did as her mother said.Â
Anna bit back a growl. âFuck,â she quietly cursed. She prayed that Marlene and the others would be back soon. She prayed the last thing her daughters would see was their mother become a monster.Â
âItâs okay.âÂ
When Anna opened her eyes next, crickets began to chirp outside. Silently, she scolded herself for closing her eyes. Beside her, Piper sat, curled up around her baby sister, the two of them fast asleep. Anna lovingly smiled even if Piper had left the corner.Â
Taking a hand, she began to run her fingers through Piperâs hair. Her voice croaked but quickly smoothed out as she sang to her baby girls.Â
⪠Hold me âŞ
⪠Close to your heart âŞ
⪠Touch me âŞ
⪠Give all your love to me. âŞ
âAnna?â Marleneâs voice called out. Anna sat up straighter as the door to the room creaked open. Bright white lights momentarily blinded her.Â
âOh god,â Marlene cursed, noticing the bite on Annaâs thigh.Â
With a calm voice, Anna looked up at her friend. âItâs not your fault.â
âWe were delayed getting out of the zone. Iâm so-â
âTheyâre hungry,â Anna said, looking down at her girls. âThe baby needs to be fed, and IâŚI didnât wanna nurse her.â Marlene furrowed her brows in skepticism. âI cut it before I was bit, and it never got to Piper. Marlene,â Anna begged.âBefore.â
Sighing, Marlene lowered her gun and approached Anna. Her hands gently reached for the baby in Piperâs arms. Unconsciously, the young girlâs grip tightened around her sister.Â
âSweet girl,â Anna whispered, rubbing her finger gently up and down her daughterâs nose. âPiper, I need you to wake up.â Piper stirred and snuggled deeper into her motherâs side. âBaby, please.â Piper awoke. Bringing her hands to the sides of Piperâs face, Anna smiled. Her eyes fought back tears. âThereâs my sweet girl.â
âMommy?â Piper said groggily.Â
âYeah, itâs mommy. I need you to promise me something, Piper. Can you do that for mommy?â Piper nodded. âCan you promise to watch over your sister?â Again, Piper nodded, wiping the sleep away. âI need you to be a big girl and a big sister.â Tears began to flow out of Annaâs eyes. âI need you to promise me youâll always be with her. Piper and Ellie forever. Okay?âÂ
âMommy, why are you crying?â Piperâs hand reached up to her momâs face. Her tiny fingers wiped away tears. Anna struggled to peel off her daughterâs hands.Â
âPiper, remember Aunty Marlene? Sheâs gonna take you and Ellie to a new home.â
âWhere are you gonna go, mommy?â Piper asked, and Anna wanted to break in two.Â
âI want you toâŚâ Annaâs voice trembled as she looked at Marlene. ââŚtake them with you to Boston⌠find someone to bring them up, and make sure that theyâre safe.âÂ
âI canât do that,â Marlene breathed, but Anna ignored her.
âAnd I want you to give her this.â Anna handed over a small switchblade.Â
âAnna.â
âHer name is Ellie,â Anna explained.Â
âI canât,â Marlene sternly said.
âHow long have we known each other?â Anna asked. Her eyes held strength even as her mind fought the monster crawling within.Â
âOur whole lives,â Marlene answered.
âSo you pick her up right nowâŚtake Piper, and then you kill me.â
âI canât kill you.â
âPlease, please, please.â Anna cried as Marlene stepped away with her daughters in tow. âPlease!â
âMommy?!â Piper began to cry, seeing her mother so distressed.Â
Anna groaned as a growl grew from her chest. It was comingâthe monster.Â
âMarlene!â Anna screamed. Tears poured freely from her face.Â
âMommy!â Piper flailed around as Marlene drew her back from her mom. âMommy!!â
Suddenly, Marleneâs hand withdrew and was replaced by another.Â
âHere,â Marlene instructed the Firefly. âHold her head⌠There you go.â Ellie cooed in the manâs arms. âCover her ears.â Then she crouched down to Piper. âCover your ears for me, Piper.âÂ
Piper shook her head. Her only thought was her mother. âMommy!â She cried. Annaâs sobs followed the sound.Â
Marlene clenched her jaw and stood up. The gun felt heavy in her hand as she marched back into the room. She had to make it quick. Anna nodded and closed her eyes. Thoughts of her daughters flashed before her as the bullet tore through her skull.Â
Piperâs ears rang. Ellie cried, and her sister screamed. Piper didnât stop screaming for her mother until sleep overcame her petite body. Even when she woke up, she still cried for Anna. But sheâd never come. Instead, Piper clung to her baby sister. Although memories faded with time, one thing remained clear. Piper promised. It was her and Ellie. Sisters forever.Â
ę§_____________ę§
A smile beamed from Joelâs face at his surprise find. Pulling himself away from the car, he called out to his girls. There was no response. He sighed.Â
âEllie! Piper!â
No reaction. Joel walked closer to the truck the girls sat on. Their eyes glazed over, stuck in their own heads.Â
âGirls!âÂ
Piper blinked, her ears ringing as Joelâs voice called out to her. With a gentle nudge of her elbow, she pulled Ellie out of her trance.Â
âDâya hear me?â Joel asked the girls.Â
âNoâŚ,â Ellie shook her head. âWhat?â
âWell,â Joel began, âfound this in there. Beefaroni. Chef Boyardee.â He proudly grinned at them.Â
âOh, cool,â they muttered at the same time. Their postures shrank back down.Â
âAnd have you ever played this?â Joel blurted, regaining the girlâs attention. âBoggle? Itâs a word game.â
The girls shook their heads.Â
âWell, if you wanna beat me at somethinâ, it would be this.â Ellieâs ears perked up at Joelâs words, but she didnât speak. Neither of them did.Â
With each moment of silence, Joel felt his heart tear in smaller and smaller pieces. âWell, all right then. Weâre gettinâ close.â He strolled over to the girls, packing away his finds.Â
âMm-hmm,â Ellie hummed.Â
âHospital that way.â Joel pointed over their shoulders. âMay be the one weâre lookinâ for.â
âGot it,â Ellie muttered, hopping off the back of the truck.Â
Slowly, Piper placed her feet on the ground. Her hands clutched tightly to the metal of the vehicle. Joelâs eyes flashed with pity, looking at the teen.Â
Scars had littered her body. The biggest one was found on her face like a crevice carved by tears from her now pale eye. She couldnât see out of it anymore. A consequence Joel blamed himself for. Joel had done his best to help her heal, but it was never enough to stave off the bouts of pain that would arise from time to time. He knew even more scars were hiding deeper under her skinâfor both of them.
âTake this for me?â Joel asked Piper, holding up his gun. She held it as Joel slung the backpack over his shoulder. âThanks.â Piper nodded, brushing her hair behind her ears.Â
It had grown out since theyâd left Jackson. Her dark curls were tucked beneath her chin. The length helped hide some of the more minor scars that lined her face.Â
âThey had a guitar in that RV,â Joel announced as they passed an abandoned RV on the highway. The girls nodded with false amusement. âIt was all smashed up but got me thinkinâ, maybe I should find one. I havenât played in forever.â Joel turned to look behind him at Ellie and Piper. âIn fact, I was thinkinâ maybe I could teach you two. I bet you guys be great at it. Maybe make our own little band.â A slight chuckle left Joelâs mouth as he thought about a band of the three of them plucking away at guitars. âDo you two wanna learn how to play guitar?â
Piper shrugged before tripping over some rubble. Thankfully, she caught herself before falling to the ground.Â
âEllie?â Joel muttered.Â
âHm?â Ellieâs brain quickly recovered. âOh, yeah. Thatâd be great. A little guitar band.â
Joel smiled at his girls. His grin was big enough for the three of them when neither of his girls felt like smiling.Â
The birds chirped louder and louder as they entered Salt Lake City. Even in late spring, the city emitted a ghastly heat.Â
âOkay, so this is what Iâm thinkingâŚâ Joel began, wiping sweat from his forehead. Â
âCut through that building to get around that stuff, find the skyscraper, go up and look around,â Ellie vacantly finished.
Joelâs eyes widened in surprise, but he quickly collected himself. âUhh, actually, this time, I was thinkinâ we blast our way through that rubble.â The girls looked up at him with expressions of pure confusion. âI found some dynamite in that RV back there,â Joel said, fighting off a telling smile.Â
âReally?â The girls cocked their brows.Â
âNo,â Joel teased. The smile exploded on his face. âSo weâre gonna cut through that building, find a skyscraper, go up and look around. But I had you goinâ, didnât I?â
Piper rolled her eyes and bit back a smile. Ellie scoffed and continued on walking.Â
âLook at this place,â Joel muttered, peeking around the abandoned construction site. âTalk about bad luck.â Ellie sent him a questioning look, and Joel answered. âMilitary drops bombs⌠not one of them hits the building youâre trying to demolish.âÂ
âNo way up,â Piper mumbled. Joel peered around, discovering she was right. Spotting the edges of a ladder above, Joel turned to the girls.Â
âI get you two up there. You guys can drop that ladder down; maybe we go through that way,â Joel proposed. âCome on. Iâll give you a boost.âÂ
Piper stepped up. Her hand clutched onto Joelâs shoulder as he hoisted her up. He could feel her legs shaking in hesitation as she reached for the edge. Suddenly, her legs buckled beneath her.Â
âYou okay?â Joel asked.Â
âYeah, Iâm fine. Just my leg.â Piperâs hand rubbed the area where she got shot. âGet Ellie to do it.â
âAlright.â Joel nodded. âEllie?â The girl didnât answer him. âEllie?â
âEls!â Piper yelled.Â
âWhat?â Ellie said, whirling around. Her attention had been taken away from the flapping construction sheet.Â
âYou alright?â Joel questioned. âItâs just you kinda seem extra quiet today, so.â
âOh⌠Iâm sorry,â Ellie apologized.
âNo, itâs fine,â Joel reassured her. âDid you hear what IâŚâ
âYeah, boost. Got it.âÂ
Marching over to Joel, Ellie copied Piperâs earlier motions.
âOne⌠two, up.â Ellie stood up tall and reached for the edge. A grunt escaped her mouth as she pulled herself up. The ladder clattered as Ellie slid it down to Joel.Â
âYa got it?â Ellie asked.Â
âYeah,â Joel huffed, trying to latch onto the ladder. Suddenly, the ladder dropped. The metal clambered to the floor. Joel narrowly dodged the object.Â
âGod damn it, Ellie!â Joel cursed and picked up the ladder. âShit.â
âYou stay there!â He instructed Ellie.Â
She didnât listen. Joel heard her voice echo off the walls of the building as she moved away from the ledge. âYou gotta see this!â She exclaimed with excitement.Â
âEllie?!â Joel yelled. Climbing up the ladder. Upon reaching the top, he helped Piper come to her feet before they ran after Ellie.Â
âUp here!â Ellie announced.Â
âEllie!â Joel reprimanded.Â
âCâmon!â He could practically hear the young girl jumping up and down with joy. âCâmon, slow pokes.â
âJust wait. God damn it,â Joel grumbled. His knees ached as he trekked up the stairs and after Ellie. When he got to the top, his breath stilled.Â
His feet didnât move. He stood there watching Ellie admire a giraffe. Piper stopped beside him, catching her breath before she approached her sister and the animal. Joe wanted to freeze time as the girls stared in awe at the peaceful creature. But time didnât work like that.Â
Slowly, Joel stepped forward.Â
âDonât scare it,â Ellie whispered.Â
âI wonât.â
His hands deftly snapped some leaves off the tree the animal was munching on. He passed the leaves to his girls.Â
âWhat are you doing?â Ellie asked, taking the leaves.
âItâs all right.â Then Joel stuck out his hand, feeding the giraffe. He raised his brows and motioned for the girls to do the same. âCome here, hurry up. Come on.â
Ellie was the first to step up. Hesitantly, she stuck out her hand as far away as she could from her body. The giraffe sniffed the leaves before opening its mouth to munch on them. Its dark tongue licked around Ellieâs hand. Giggles erupted from the girlâs mouth.
âEllie, give me a try,â Piper interjected, sticking her hand of leaves to the creature. The giraffe moved from Ellieâs hand to Piperâs and began to feast. Disgust and amusement contorted on the teenâs face.Â
âGod, itâs wet and it tickles.â Piper felt a shiver go down her spine. Ellie laughed and teased her sister.Â
Scratch what he thought earlier. If Joel could freeze time, heâd do it now. His girls were happy. God, he hadnât heard them laugh in so long. It was better than any music heâd ever heard in his life.Â
âSo fucking cool,â Ellie muttered at the giraffe. Before the girls knew it, their hands were empty of leaves, and the giraffe had pulled back. Its lanky legs were taking it away.Â
âAw, whereâs she going?â Ellie hopped back before entering a sprint, determined to follow the giraffe. âCome on, come on, come on, come on!â
Piper skipped after her, eager to spend longer with the animal.Â
âOkay,â Joel chuckled, chasing after his girls.
When he finally reached them, Joel couldnât help but feel an overwhelming sense of deja vu. There, Ellie and Piper stood, gazing out across a city. The sunlight reflected off the shattered windows of the skyline. Nature overcame the city. Vines and trees ensnared everything in sight.
âSo⌠is it everything ya hoped for?â Joel repeated himself.Â
Ellie grinned. âItâs got its ups and downs⌠but you canât deny that view.âÂ
Joel laughed and then joined them. The view was lovely. His eyes scanned the scene and froze on what appeared to be a hospital.Â
âLook,â he turned to Ellie and Piper. âI donât know exactly where this hospital isâŚâ
âYeah, weâll find it.â Ellie didnât remove her gaze from the view.Â
âSure. Itâs justâŚâ Joel trailed off, thinking of his following words. âMaybe thereâs nothinâ bad out there, but so far, thereâs always been somethinâ bad out there.âÂ
âWeâre still here, though.â Ellie was facing him now.Â
âI know. Iâm only saying thereâs risk.â Taking a deep breath, Joel made sure he had both girls' full attention. âWe donât have to do this. I just⌠I want you to know that.âÂ
Piper froze. All of a sudden, she felt like she was on fire. Did she want to do this? She knew what awaited her and Ellie. Sick boiled in her stomach, and Piper wished she hadnât eaten anything that day.Â
âWhat do you mean? What else are we supposed to do?â Ellie questioned.Â
âNothinâ. We just go back to Tommyâs.â Piper could tell it was all he wanted to do by the way Joel spoke. âWe forget about the whole damn thing.â
Ellie shook her head. âAfter all weâve been through⌠everything Iâve done⌠it canât be for nothing.â
With Ellieâs confirmation, Piper knew her answer. She could see the hope in Ellieâs eyes. Those eyes had been so void of anything since their entrapment with David. Piper had already failed Ellie once. She knew she couldnât do it again. How would she live with herself if she let her sister mindlessly walk alone into death's hands?Â
âI know you mean well,â Joel began.Â
Standing straighter, Ellie interrupted. âI know you wanna protect me. You have. And when weâre done, weâll go wherever you want. Tommyâs, sheep ranch, the moon.â Joel laughed.Â
Inside, Piper cried. Her dream flashed in her mind. She returned to it every night and almost stayed in her dream that day. God, Piper wanted more than anything to have her dream come true. But Piper had made a promise. It was her and Ellie until the end, and if Ellie wanted to march right into death's arms, so would she. After all, maybe then Piper could do something good. Maybe in her death, sheâd finally be able to do what she always wished- then perhaps sheâd be able to save someone instead of killing.Â
âIâll follow you anywhere you go,â Ellie continued. â But thereâs no halfway with this. We finish what we started.âÂ
ę§_____________ę§
Joelâs plan was a plan. That was all Piper could say. After theyâd found a way around all the rubble, Joel decided they would just walk around. Theyâd stumble upon the hospital eventually. However, Piper saw through Joelâs confusion. It was hard to comment on anything over her pain.Â
The worst of it came from her leg. Getting shot wasnât fun. It's definitely an experience Piper wouldnât recommend. Next came the pain in her eye. About a day or two after they escaped from the cannibalistic cult, she started to lose vision until she became completely blind.Â
It was tricky navigating the world with a crippled leg and a narrower peripheral vision. Some days, it was too hard. Phantom pain from her other injuries nabbed at her, cutting deep into her mind. She was weak. Piper couldnât even walk a few miles without her leg giving out. Most of their travels to Salt Lake consisted of Piper using Joel as a crutch. Eventually, Joel assembled one for her, but she refused to use it. She just couldnât. Not when she knew how strong she could be. If anything, Piper would just suffer through the pain. After all, itâs what she deserved for failing her sister. Piper deserved it all.Â
âWas this a FEDRA thing?â Ellieâs voice cut through the torment circling Piperâs mind.Â
Joel shook his head as they entered the abandoned encampment. âNo. Army,â he corrected. âThey put these places up all around the first few days after the outbreak. Emergency medical camps. Obviously, it didn't last. They had me in one just like this.â
Looking back, Joel noticed Piper lagging. Her face clenched as her hand grazed over her leg. Nodding to Ellie, he led them to a makeshift bench. The tension in Piperâs face eased.
âWere you there with Sarah?â Ellie asked, resuming their previous conversation.
âNo,â Joelâs face dropped as he looked at his hands. âShe was gone already.â
âOh,â uttered Ellie.Â
âSo what did happened?â Piper piped up to distract from the lingering pain in her thigh.Â
âIt was for this.â Joel pointed to the scar on the side of his head.Â
Ellieâs eyes widened with recognition. âAh, the guy who shot and missed. I figured that wouldâve happened later.â
âNo. Second day,â Joel explained.
âWell, Iâve gotta hand it to the Army people,â Ellie sighed. âThey were way better at stitchinâ you up than Piper was.â She peered at her sister, hoping her teasing comment would help distract Piper. It didnât.Â
âIt was me,â Joel admitted. âI was the guy who shot and missed.â
Piper gulped. âOhâŚâ She breathed. All thoughts of her pain were replaced with concern for Joel.Â
âThereâs no story.â Joel began. He hated telling this story. He was at his lowest. His weakest. He had lost everything. âSarah died⌠and I couldnât see the point anymore. Simple as that. And I wasnât scared either. I was ready. I couldnât have been more ready. When I⌠When I⌠went to pull the trigger, I-I flinched. Still donât know why.âÂ
Piper fiddled with her fingers, tracing the scars along her palms. Sheâd been there. Piper would have done it, and she wouldnât have missed. In her mind, she saw the mall, the infected, and Ellie and Riley. Unconsciously, Piper trailed up to the scar of her bite mark. The mark was a perfect match to her teeth. She could still hear Riley and Ellieâs begsâasking her to kill them.Â
âAnyway, the reason Iâm telling you all thisâŚâ Joel trailed off, looking at Piperâs, whose knuckles had turned white.Â
âI know why youâre tellinâ me all this,â Ellie interjected.Â
Joel turned to her. âYeah, I reckon you do,â he smiled.Â
âSo time heals all wounds, I guess.â Ellie jokingly rolled her eyes at the cliche.Â
âItâll be fucking years thenâŚâ Piper mumbled, making Joelâs heart shatter.Â
âIt wasnât time that did it.â It was said so softly, but even through their trauma-induced daze, the girls heard it.Â
âOhâŚâ Piper softly said. A faint smile ghosted her lips.Â
âWell, Iâm glad that⌠that didnât work out,â Ellie muttered.Â
âMe, too,â Joel admitted.Â
Suddenly, he felt a gentle weight on his side. Joelâs eyes trailed over to Piper, who leaned against him. She avoided his gaze, but the gentle pressure said more than anything she could muster. Like a domino effect, he felt Ellie rest her head on the other side. There, they sat in silence, embracing each otherâs comfort.Â
Just as fast as their moment started, it ended.Â
âWe should probably get going,â Joel sighed, pushing himself up.Â
âYeah,â the girl half-heartedly agreed.Â
âYou know what Iâm in the mood for?â Joel announced.Â
âWhat?â Ellie asked.
Joel smirked and peered down at her. âShitty puns.â
A groan erupted from Piperâs mouth. âGod no, Joel, whyâd you have to-? â
âOh-ho-ho.â Ellie chuckled, already flipping through the pages of the book. âPeople are making apocalypse jokes like thereâs no tomorrow.â Joel winced. âToo soon?â
âNo, itâs topical.â
Ellie giggled. âOh, I love this one.â
âMoon rocks taste better than Earth rocks. Why?â She paused, wiggling her brows at Joel and Piper. âCause theyâre meteor.â
âOh, thatâs terrible,â Joel exclaimed.
âFuck you,â Ellie scoffed. âThat was actually good.â
âThatâs a⌠ThatâŚ,â Joel waved his hands in search of words. âThatâs a zero outta 10.â
âAll right, all right.â Ellie read a new joke. âWhat did the green grape say to the purple grape? Breathe, you idiot.â
âThat was a three outta 10.â
Ellie shook her head. âSeven, minimum.âÂ
âUh-uh.â Ellie disagreed.
âIâm sticking with the three,â Piper added from behind the group.Â
âIâll give it a five,â Joel settled.
âFive outta 10. Five?â Ellie dramatically gasped.Â
CLANG!
The trio whirled around. In between Ellie, Joel, and Piper sat a small flash bomb. Joel grabbed onto Ellieâs shoulder, pulling her close. Piper ducked and covered her ears.Â
As Piperâs head hit the ground, she couldnât hear anything. She knew she was calling out for Joel and Ellie. It looked like they were saying her name if she squinted hard enough. Her head hurt, and it felt wet. She groaned and fell to her side. Two foggy figures loomed overhead. And then it was black.
ę§_____________ę§
âIs her head okay?â A faint voice tickled Piperâs senses.Â
Someone was touching her. Piperâs hand clasped around the person. Her eyes whirled open, and then she pounced. She fought until the poor woman lay on the ground. The teen could see the terror oozing from the woman, her hands raised.Â
âPiper?â A familiar voice commanded. âPiper! Let her go.â Piper tore her gaze off the trembling woman and onto Marlene.
âMarlene?â Realizing she still sat over the woman, Piper pushed herself off. She sent a silent apology, collecting herself. One thing was for sure. Everything hurt, more so than usual. âWhat happened?â She croaked, rubbing her aching head. Her hand felt sticky. It was covered in a clear ointment mixed with blood. Her blood.Â
Marlene dismissed the woman, who quickly left the room. âPatrol didnât know you were coming. You got the worst of it.â The woman pointed to Piperâs head injury.
âYeah,â Piper scoffed. âI could tell. Whereâs Ellie and Joel?âÂ
There was a pause before Marlene answered her. âEllieâs fine. Been asking about you. Joelâs still unconscious.â
Ellie. The Fireflies. If they were here at the hospital, then⌠âCan I see Ellie?â
âPiper,â Marleneâs gaze grew avoidant. âAll you need to know is that sheâs safe.â
It was a bullshit answer. An answer Piper wouldnât take. âMarlene, whereâs my sister?âÂ
Marlene sighed with a look that made Piper fear the answer. âSheâs being prepped for surgeryâŚâ Piper shuddered, and a gasp left her mouth. She couldnât look at Marlene. She couldnât look anywhere. Piper couldnât do anything as sobs choked their way out.Â
âYou know.â Marlene stood straighter and marched over to Piper. Her eyes glared down at Piper. âDid Ellie-?â
âNo,â Piper sniffled. âIâŚI couldnât tell her. Not when I had- can I say goodbye?â Marlene shook her head. âFuckâŚâ Piper whimpered. Tears stung her skin as they trickled from her eyes down her cheeks.Â
âPiper, Iâm sorry-â Marlene tried to comfort her.Â
âWhat about Joel?â Piper yelled. She stared up at Marlene. The pools in her eyes reflected the womanâs stern expression. âCan I say goodbye? Please, Marlene. Please.â Marlene didnât answer her. Piper had to see Joel, she had toââIâm saving the fucking world, and you wonât let me say goodbye?!â
Marlene took in a deep and steady breath that seemed to last hours. She raised her finger, and in came a Firefly soldier. âGrab her some paper and a pen.â The materials magically appeared. Marlene threw them into Piperâs hands. âHere, youâll write your goodbye.â
Piper hurriedly placed the papers down and uncapped the pen. âDoes Joel know?â She asked.Â
âKnow what?â Marleneâs voice came out harsher than Piper had ever heard it.Â
âThat youâre killing us for the cure.â
There was a deafening silence before Marlene answered. âNo.â
âAre you gonna tell him?â Piper asked, tearing her attention away from the letter.Â
âJust hurry up and write that goodbye,â Marlene hissed.Â
Piper didnât need another warning and scrambled to scribble on the papers. Her hands shook so much that Piper worried her last words would be illegible. She inhaled. She exhaled. She calmed herself, but only as much as could be expected from someone about to die. As she wrote, her vision grew sloppier. It was hard to see even with her blind eye. Still, she pushed through. With a trembling hand, she signed the letter. When Marlene snatched it out of her hands, a strangled sob scrambled out.Â
âPromise me heâll get it,â Piper begged. âPromise me, Marlene.â
Marlene folded the letter and shoved it into her pocket. âFinish bandaging her up and get her prepped,â she instructed her fireflies. Then, turning on her heel, Marlene stepped out the door.Â
Behind her, Piper yelled. âMarlene, please! Please promise me. Please!âÂ
ę§_____________ę§
âWelcome to the Firefliesâ was the first thing Joel heard once his consciousness returned. Groggy, he pushed himself up to sit opposite Marlene.Â
âEasy.â Marlene gently spoke. âYa got hit pretty hard. Patrol didnât know who you were.â
Joelâs eyes scanned the room. Something was missing. Someone. His girls. âWhereâs the girls?â
âEllie wasnât hurt,â Marlene began. Her answer relieved Joel, but it was not what he needed to hear. âNot even a scratch. Piper got the short end of the stick. My people are fixing her up now. Theyâre mostly worried about you.â
âWhere are they?â He gruffly asked. His eyes stared down into Marleneâs, who remained calm.Â
âWe lost half our crew crossing the country.â Joel frowned. She didnât answer him. Why? She refused to answer him. âI had five men whose only job was to protect me. And I still almost got killed. Howâd you do it?â
âIt was all them,â Joel admitted. âEllie and Piper fought like hell to get here.â
Marlene shook her head in disbelief. âThey wouldâve been dead on day one.â Sighing, she leaned back into her chair and crossed her arms. âYou are the one person I never wanted to be in debt to. But I owe you. We all owe you.â
âJust take me to them,â Joel pleaded. His voice was soft, and in a tone Marlene had never heard from the man.Â
âI canât.â Joelâs face contorted, and his jaw clenched. âEllieâs being prepped for surgery. Piper soon after.â
âWhat surgery?â Joel questioned Marlene so slowly it sounded like a growl.Â
âOur doctorâŚ,â Marlene explained, âhe thinks that the Cordyceps in the girls have grown with them since birth.â
His teeth started to grind against the others. His tanned knuckles grew paler by the second. âWhy is Ellie in surgery?â
âIt produces a kind of chemical messenger. It makes normal Cordyceps think that sheâs Cordyceps. Itâs why sheâs immune. Heâs gonna remove it from her, multiply the cells in a lab, produce those chemical messengers⌠and then we can give it to everyone. He thinks it could be a cure, Joel.â
âA cure,â Joel scoffed. Then he froze.Â
No. No. No. No. No!
âCordyceps grow inside the brain,â Joel stated.Â
Marlene gulped before confirming Joelâs fears. âIt does.â
âFind someone else,â Joel gasped.Â
âThere is no one else.â Marlene stood up and held out her hand to Joel. In it were wrinkled papers. He could see dark ink seeping through the thin sheets. âHere, this is for you.âÂ
He snatched them from her hand and flicked them open. His hands gently straightened out any faults caused by Marleneâs mishandling. His breath shuddered, and his body trembled as he began to read.Â
To Joel:
Iâm not really sure when and if you get this, but God, I hope you do. Marlene wouldnât let me see you; she said you were out. She wouldnât let me see Ellie either, and Iâd rather get out one goodbye than never have said anything at all.Â
When we started this journey, we were just cargo, and you were our carrier. Thatâs how it was supposed to be. Then you did something I never thought would happen. You made me trust you. You made me feel safe. You made me feel at home, even when it was the last thing I ever wanted to feel. You reminded me how to live and not just survive.Â
GodâŚIâŚthereâs so much I want to say, but I canât. Marleneâs getting impatient. Ellieâs going into surgery, and then Iâm next. You came into this thinking weâd walk out, but we wonât. And itâs okay. Itâll be okay, Joel. Maybe now I can save someone. Maybe with me dying, I donât have to kill anymore.Â
I just want you to know that when I go, Iâm gonna dream of that farm. Iâm gonna dream of Ellie and her puns, you playing guitar and yelling at some stupid sheep. Cause thatâs my dream. A home with my family. A home with my sister and my dad.Â
Goodbye Joel Dad
- Piper WilliamsÂ
With as much care as he could muster, Joel folded the letter and placed it in his breast pocket over his heart. A large tear fell to the floor, and Joel stifled a sob.Â
Marlene took Joelâs silence as a cue to speak again. âWe didnât tell Ellie. We didnât cause her any fear; there wonât be any pain. Piper-she knows.â
Joelâs head started shaking. A physical sign of his rejection. He couldnât let them do this. He wouldnât lose his girls. Not when heâd just- âNo. No, you take me to them. You take me to Ellie and Piper right now!â He stood up, all anger and fury, and lunged for Marlene. Joel was fast, but her men were faster. With a swift kick of the knee, Joel toppled to the floor.Â
âPlease...â Joel cried. You donât understand.â He kneeled in front of Marlene as if to pray. He needed the girls; he loved them. They were his redemption. âPlease.âÂ
âI do. I was there when she was born, Joel.â Marlene glared down at Joel. âI promised her mother that I would save her children. I promised. So I do understand. Iâm the only one who understands. Iâm sorry. I have no other choice.â
But he did. Joel had aâ âI do,â he growled.Â
âWalk him out to the highway,â Marlene commanded. âLeave him there with his pack. Give him this.â Joel saw the glimmer of Ellieâs switchblade. His baby girl. âHe tries anything⌠shoot him.â
The Fireflies nodded and nudged Joel off the floor with their guns. Joel scowled as Marlene watched him be escorted away. Each step farther away from the room, from his girls, was agony. In the dimly lit hospital hallway, Joel plotted. He was Joel fucking Miller, and he was going to get his girls back. The lights flickered, and Joel saw it. It was a sign reading âpediatric surgery: 6th floor.â The sixth floor. Thatâs where his girls would be.Â
âI didnât hear anyone say, âStop.â One of the Firefly men shoved Joel along.Â
âWhich way?â Joel mumbled.Â
âDown the stairs.â They pushed Joel along.Â
As Joel stumbled down the staircase, he found his feet frozen. He refused to move any farther.Â
âThe fuck are you doinâ? Keep walking!â Joel stayed still. He waited. Marlene had only sent two men to escort him outâa mistake. Marlene should have known it would have taken much more to keep Joel away. âI said keep walkââ
Joel brought the heel of his palm into one of the menâs noses. CRACK! Blood poured out of the broken nose. The firefly tumbled to the floor, clutching his injury. Joel saw his chance and grabbed the gun. He cocked it and fired. The second man died. Shot right in the head.Â
âWhere is she?!â Joel demanded, holding the gun to the surviving Firefly's head.Â
Through all the blood, the man looked up at Joel. âFuck you.â
âI donât have time for this.â
BANG! The Firefly fell limp. His radio blared to life.Â
âShots fired. Shots fired!âÂ
Joel frowned. Theyâd all be coming for him now, but he didnât care. He had to save his girls. Marching up the stairs, Joel began his prowl. Expertly, his gun aimed and fired. The soldiers dropped like flies in the path of Joelâs protective fury.Â
BANG!
BANG!
BANG!
The sound of the gun followed Joel wherever he stalked along the halls of the hospital. Some of the people he came across fought. But like a bear in pursuit of protecting its cubs, they didnât stand a chance. There was no such thing as mercy for Joel when these very people were out to kill his girls. He was swiftly making his way through the hospitalâa trail of bodies in tow.Â
BANG!
BANG!
BANG!
And then silence. His breath stilled as the sign for pediatric surgery came into view. He scoured each room for any sign of his girls. But he found none. Still, Joel trekked. A faint light seeped from beneath a pair of doors up ahead. Quiet beeping sounds echoed louder than the shots from before.Â
âDo we have enough power?â Someone asked.Â
Joel pushed the door open with the butt of his gun.Â
âSheâs ready,â a nurse said. Her hands hovered over Ellie.Â
The young teenâs hair lay long and brushed. All the grim from before had been washed from her body. She looked clean and peaceful as she lay on the surgery table.Â
âUnhook her,â Joel uttered. The nurses gasped at the sight of the gun, immediately raising their hands.Â
The surgeon, however, seethed with anger. In his hand, he held a scalpel. The blade glinted over Ellieâs scalp. âHow did you get in here?âÂ
Joel carefully watched the blade. âI said unhook her.â
No one except the surgeon made a move. The surgeon surged forward and stood between Ellie and Joel. In his hand, he defensively held the scalpel. âI wonât let you take her.â
BANG!
The surgeon dropped dead. Nurses screamed and cowered.Â
âUnhook her!â Joel yelled. âMove!âÂ
Quickly, the nurses unhooked Ellie. Silently, they prayed to a god, to anyone to have mercy. The beeping monitor went silent. Blood trickled down Ellieâs arm from where the IV was placed.Â
âCover her arm,â Joel commanded. âFast.â
Within the blink of an eye, one of the nurses had covered the wound.Â
âTurn around.â Joel watched as the women quickly turned away. Just as fast, Joel lifted Ellie off of the table. She was cold but breathing. Her head flopped against Joelâs shoulder, and he worried. If Ellie was in this state, what about Piper? He didnât have the arms and the strength to carry both girls out of the hospital. Joel held Ellie tighter. Heâd have to do something he never wanted to do. Joel would have to get Ellie safe and then find Piper. He just prayed sheâd be fine until he could rescue her.Â
Elevator doors closed in front of Joel. His arms ached from the unconscious weight of Ellie. He sighed, and Ellie snuggled closer to him. Soon, the silver doors slid open. Joel stepped out into the hospitalâs parking garage. If the Fireflies had power, then theyâd have cars. Working ones. The low rumble of a car engine drew Joelâs attention. He shuffled over to the vehicle.
CLICK!
âYou canât keep her safe forever,â Marlene taunted. Joel turned around. There stood Marlene with a gun. But it wasnât pointed at Joel. No. It was pointed at Piper.Â
âJoel,â Piper sobbed in Marleneâs clutch. Relief flooded her body at the sight of Joel holding Ellie. She was alive. Her sister was alive.Â
âPiperâŚâ Joel met her dark eyes. âLet her go.â He demanded.Â
Marlene shook her head. âNo. I wonât let you take them, Joel.â Her hand pushed the barrel of the gun deeper into Piperâs head. The girl groaned from the pain.Â
âLet her go!â Joel yelled.Â
âJoel!â Piper gasped. âTake Ellie. Take her and let them have me. Save Ellie. Save her.â
Shaking his head, Joel fought back tears. No, he had made it this far. He was going to save them both. He had to save them. âNo, Piper. No. Iâm gettinâ you both out of here.â
âNo matter how hard you try, no matter how many people you kill, theyâre gonna grow up, Joel,â Marlene scoffed. âAnd then youâll die. Theyâll leave. Then what?â Marlene cocked her head. âHow long till theyâre torn apart by Infected or murdered by raiders?â Piper whimpered under Marleneâs grip. Her grasp tightened around the teenâs neck, making it hard to breathe. âBecause they live in a broken world that you could have saved.â
âMaybe,â Joel agreed. âBut it isnât for you to decide.â
âOr you,â Marlene scolded. âSo what would she decide, huh? âCause I think Ellieâd wanna do whatâs right. And you know it. Itâs not too late. Even nowâŚeven after what youâve done. We can still find a way.â
Joel gazed down at sleeping Ellie and then at Piper. They were his world. Maybe he wouldnât be saving the world by taking them, but heâd be protecting his. It was selfish. He knew, but Joel deserved to be selfish, and so selfish he chose to be.Â
âPiperâŚâ Joel muttered. âDo you trust me?â
âYes,â Piper whimpered.Â
BANG!
The world thrashed around Piper as the tight hold on her loosened. Marlene groaned. Her body was on the floor as blood flooded from her.Â
âJoel!â Piper screamed, running to him. Her feet tripped over her hospital gown as she ran. âJoel!â She collapsed at his side, clutching his shoulders. Sobs ransacked her body. Joel leaned his head against hers. It was the best he could offer with his hands full of Ellie.Â
âI got you,â Joel whispered. âIâve got you, sweet girl.âÂ
A guttural cough cut through their reunion. Joelâs softened face grew dark as his sight landed on Marlene. It was a pitiful scene. The womanâs hands clawed at the floor over to the discarded weapon. A trail of her blood trickled after her.Â
âPiper,â Joel calmly said. âTake your sister and put her in the car.â He passed Ellieâs body into Piperâs arms. Momentarily, she buckled under the weight. Regaining herself, Piper limped over to the vehicle. She braced Ellie against the doors before lifting her to lie in the back seat.Â
Behind, Joel stalked after Marlene.Â
âNo, wait.â Marlene raised her hand. âWait, wait, wait.â Joel peered down at her. âPlease,â she begged. Her breaths had become pants as her body pumped more and more blood onto the concrete. âLet me go.â
âYouâd just come after them.â Joel cocked his gun and aimed. âYouâd come after my girls.â
ę§_____________ę§
They had left the city far behind. Now, the tall buildings were specks of dust in the wind. Piper sat with her head against the passenger window. She wasnât sure how she was supposed to feel. One thing was for sure: Piper didnât feel numb. After she danced with death in the smoke of the room, she was almost butchered in; Piper found it hard to feel anything but pain. A part of her only wanted to feel pain. It made everything easier: the guilt of failing Ellie, the guilt of leaving Joel in that basement, the guilt ofâ Piper hissed. Her nails had dug into the skin around the scar on her thigh. Damn, these hospital gowns for being so thin.Â
âYou okay?â Joel asked, peering over at her.Â
Piper removed her hand and shrugged. âIâmâŚâ fine. It was the easiest thing to say. Sheâd said it before, and Joel didn't push. But was it what she wanted to say? âNo.â Joel stayed quiet. She was thankful for it. As long as she continued to look out the window, maybe she could trick herself into thinking she wasnât telling anyone these dark thoughtsâthat she wasnât telling anyone the truth. âI donât think Iâve ever been okay. Ever.âÂ
Getting into a more comfortable position, Piper continued. âI was twelve when I firstâŚwhen I first killed someone. I thought I could trust him, that heâd keep me safe, keep us safe.â Joel peeked at Ellie through the rearview mirror. âBut his safety came with a price. One I couldnât pay, so Iââ
âPiper,â Joel interjected. âYou donât have to tell me.â
âBut I do, Joel. I need to. Please?â Joel nodded and remained silent. âI killed him, and then FEDRA decided that if I could kill a man in self-defense, I could kill for them. So I did. Thatâs all I did for five years.â She stifled a sob. âI couldnâtâmess up, get sick, nothing, or else theyâd leave Ellie all alone. It was my punishment. Then, one night, we ended up in the clutches of the Fireflies. They kept us chained in a room until you came along. Next thing I knew, Ellie and I were special cargo to be taken across the country.âÂ
Piper sniffled and then chuckled. âYou know when I first met you, I hated you.â She laughed again. âFunny how we ended up here, huh?â Joel gazed over at Piper. Her laughter died down, returning to sniffles. âCan I ask you something?â
âYeah,â Joel replied.Â
âWhen you said,â Piper hesitated, âyou werenât afraid of death, that you welcomed it, what did youâwhat did it feel like?â
Joel sighed. âIt feltâŚeasy. Every day after Sarahâs death was filled with pain. It still hasnât gone away,â Joel turned to give Piper a comforting smile. âBut it has stopped hurting.âÂ
Piper nodded, taking in Joelâs words. âWhen I was trapped in that building, knowing I failed Ellie, that Iâd failed you-â Joel desperately wanted to tell her she hadnât failed. She had survived. They all had. âI wanted to give up. It was easy just to lay down and breathe in the smoke till Iââ She looked down at her hands. âBut, I didnâtâŚand some part of me still wishes I did. Thatâs why I didnât tell you or Ellie. It was easy to keep quiet and march like a lamb to slaughter. I wouldnât be in pain anymore. I wouldnât have to feel all this guilt and hate. I wouldnât have to be a killer. I wouldnât have to be Piper.âÂ
A warm hand encased Piperâs shoulder. Joelâs fingers rubbed up and down in a soothing manner. âEven if some part of me wanted the easy way out, the others didnât. I-â Piper took in a shaky breath. âThank you, Joel. For saving me. For saving Ellie.â
Joel knew that no simple âyouâre welcomeâ would suffice. Instead, he wrapped his arm around Piper and pulled her to his side. âAlways,â he whispered. âAlways.âÂ
Pulling back, Piper wiped tears and snot away from her face. âJoel?â Her quiet voice questioned.Â
âHmm?â He hummed.Â
âWhat are you gonna tell Ellie?â
Joel sighed. His hand holding the wheel tightened. âI donât know, kid. I donât know.âÂ
As if on cue, Ellie groaned. Her body shifted on the back seat. Piper grew quiet and leaned back up against the window.Â
âWhat?â Ellie mumbled.Â
âItâs all right,â Joel cooed. âYouâre with me.â Ellie pushed herself up but immediately toppled back down. âTake it slow. The drugs are still wearinâ off.â
âI was with the Fireflies, and thenâŚ,â Ellie groggily furrowed her brows. âWhat drugs?â
âThey were runninâ some tests on youâŚâ Joel trailed off, finding his next words. âAnd some others. Turns out thereâs a whole lot more like you⌠people that are immune. Dozens of âem. And the doctors, they couldnât make any of it work. Theyâve actuallyâŚTheyâve stopped lookinâ for a cure.â Joel heard Piper hold her breath at the lie.Â
âWhere are my clothes?â Ellie wondered in her dazed state.Â
âRaiders attacked the hospital. I barely got ya outta there. Weâll find you some new ones on the way.â
Ellie laid her head back down, snuggling into the seat. âWere people hurt?â
âYes,â Joel solemnly said.Â
âIs Marlene okay?â
Joel gulped. âIâm takinâ us home.â Ellie half-presently nodded before dozing off again. âIâm sorry,â he whispered to the young teen.Â
After Piper was sure her sister was out, she turned to Joel. âJoel?â She asked.Â
âYou should get some rest,â Joel brushed off her inquiry. âYouâve been through a lot.â
Piper scoffed and shook her head. âIâm not tired.â
A knowing smile crept onto Joelâs face. âThatâs what they all say, kid.â Piper wasnât having it. Sighing, Joel compromised. âJust rest your eyes. Itâll be a long drive.â
âOkayâŚâ Piper reluctantly agreed. She sniffled one last time before closing her eyes. The constant rumbling of the carâs tires rolling against the road beneath lulled her to sleep. Her breath slowed, matching the cadence of her younger sister's slow inhales. All the while, Joel drove. Strangely enough, he found himself feeling content. His girls were safe, and they were going home. Home.Â
ę§_____________ę§
âWell,â Joelâs hands slapped against his thighs as the car hood shut. Steam angrily fled into the air. âShe got us close enough. We gotta walk the rest of the way.â He trotted to where the girls sat and leaned against the car's frame. âProbably about a five-hour hike⌠but we can manage that. Remember?â
âYeah.â Ellie nodded.Â
Piper finished rolling up the sleeves of her shirt. Joel had found both her and Ellie new clothes. The hospital gowns werenât the chosen attire for an apocalyptic world. âYeah,â Piper chimed.Â
Joel flashed them a smile, and then they went off. Piper found herself welcoming their journey. She hated to admit that she missed trekking through nature. While driving in a car was nice, easy, and fast, it wasnât what she was used to. Besides, Piper preferred feeling the ground beneath her own two feet.Â
âYou know,â Joel huffed. The hike was getting to him. âSarah and I used to hike like this all the time. I wouldnât say it was her favorite thing. She wasnât a fan of the mosquitoes and such. But she was a big climber⌠or scampering. Thatâs probably the right word. That girl⌠sheâd see a big rock and just⌠pew.â He chuckled as a memory of his daughter appeared in his mind.Â
Piper nodded her head and playfully nudged Ellie. âSounds like someone I know.â Ellie rolled her eyes.Â
âSounds more like youââ Ellie countered.Â
âWell, you were the one who climbed up a tree and couldnât climb down.â
âThat wasââ
Joel snickered at their bickering. âShe woulda liked you two.â Piper and Ellie stopped arguing. âNot to say the three of you are the same.â Joel smiled as if he knew some inside joke the girls didnât. âDefinitely different kids.â
âHow so?â Ellie wondered, stepping up beside Joel. Piper stood on Joelâs opposite side. Their attention was drawn to Joel.Â
âWell,â He began, âshe was a lot more⌠I wanna say girly, and Iâm not sayinâ that youâre not girly.â
âIâm not,â Ellie smirked. âIf anything, Piperâs more girly than me.â
Piper wasnât sure if she should take it as a compliment or an insult. However, responding to an insult was preferably much more fun. âHey!â She feigned offence.Â
âYeah, youâre not,â Joel agreed with Ellie. âShe was taller. She had a killer smile. Again, not sayinâ that you two donât.â Ellie smiled broadly at Piper and winked. Piper rolled her eyes but smiled back. Joel laughed. âBut you know why I think sheâd like you, Ellie?â
Ellieâs smile fell. âWhy?â
âCause youâre funny,â Joel stated. âI think you wouldâve made her laugh. Anyway, I bet you wouldâve liked her back.â
âYeah, bet I wouldâve,â Ellie muttered.Â
âAnd for Piper,â Joel said, not forgetting the other girl. âSarah would love to try and make you laugh. And sheâd look up to you.â
Piper paused, and a soft smile appeared on her face. âThanks, Joel. Sarah sounds nice.â
âShe was.â Joel concurred. Briefly, he looked down at the cracked watch adorning his wrist. Once he glanced up, he beamed. Ahead stood the faint outline of Jackson. Home. âNot much further now.â
Joel and Piper eagerly continued down the path. Ellie did not.Â
âHey, wait.â Joel and Piper whirled around. Ellieâs eyes widened as if she didnât expect them to respond. âFuck,â she softly cursed. âBack in Kansas City, you asked me about the first time I killed someone.â Joel placed his hands on his hips. His ears listened as Ellie spoke. Meanwhile, Piper grew distantly quiet.Â
âWhen I got bit in the mall, I-It wasnât just Piper and me.â Ellie looked away. Piper could see the tell Ellie tried to conceal. âMy best friend was there, and she got bit, too.â Ellie sniffled. Piper felt her own eyes grow watery. Riley. Sweet Riley. âWe didnât know what to do, and she says, âWe can just wait it out⌠be all poetic and just lose our minds together. And then she did. And I had toâŚâ Piper wanted to draw Ellie into a hug, but she knew her sister had more to say. The comfort could always come later. âHer name was Riley⌠and she was the first to die. And then it was Tess. And then Sam and Henry.âÂ
Joel shook his head. âThatâs not on you.â
âI know, butâŚâ Ellie tried to argue, but Joel continued.Â
âLook, sometimes things donât work out the way we hope.â Joel peered over at Piper. He wasnât just saying this to Ellie. It was a message for both of his girls. âYou can feel like⌠like youâve come to an end⌠and you donât know what to do next. But if you just keep goinâ⌠you find something new to fight for. And maybe thatâs not whatâŚâ
âSwear to me,â Ellie interjected. âSwear to me that everything you said about the Fireflies is true.â
Piper looked away. She had never been more interested in her feet. Joel had an expressionless face as he answered her. âI swear.âÂ
After a moment, Ellie spoke. âOkay.â
She had believed him. Piper let out a shaky breath and looked over at Joel. They shared a glance. Their eyes agreed to the lie. It was a necessary one. A lie that they both now concealed.Â
The rest of the journey to Jackson had been uneventful. Tommy had found them close to Jackson when he was on patrol. The reunion was sweet. Joel hugged his brother before breaking away, allowing Tommy to steal hugs from the girls. They hadnât been expecting it by how brief and tight the hugs had been, but they had been welcomed embraces.Â
Maria smiled when they walked back into town. The streets had changed from the snow-covered, Christmas-decorated roads to colorful and lively bustling ones. People discarded their winter gear for lighter clothes. The summer sun and heat crept over the mountains, waiting to pounce. But for now, the air was at a pleasant temperature. As Maria showed them back to the house they had stayed in during their brief stay in Jackson, Piper spotted a familiar head of curls. Charlie. He amicably waved at her. By amicably, Charlie practically jumped where he stood, calling out her name. Piper flushed a deep shade of red and flipped him off. Joel laughed, and Ellie smirked. Her clever eyes darted between the two teens. She had something to tease her sister about.Â
The sun had begun to set as Joel, Piper, and Ellie settled back into the house. Each crawled out of their rooms after a long nap. Joel was the last to emerge. Age had made his cravings for naps extremely powerful. With a yawn, he pushed open the front door. A wave of deja vu fell over him.Â
There sat his girls on the porch. Ellie was teasing Piper about the boy theyâd seen on the street. Piper rolled her eyes and denied everything, making it hard for Ellie to continue her interrogation. Instead, the young teen pulled out her pun book. Fingers flipped through the pages, landing on a particular joke. Piper dramatically groaned, and Joel realized he had seen this all before.Â
It was the dream. Joelâs dream. Here they were, his girls safe and sound with a whole life ahead of them. Joel felt a pleasant warmth spread throughout his body. He stood and leaned against the door frame for ages, capturing this moment in his head. The girls had been his redemptionâa sinnerâs redemption. Now that he had his dream, Joel was content with just living it. This was why he missed that day. This was why he stayed. He, too, deserved a second chance. They all did.Â
ę§_____________ę§
Thank you all again for your support. If you enjoyed this series please comment and reblog so that more people can embark on this journey with Piper, Ellie and Joel. :)
Tag list:
@angelmenace
@mimi-luvzyu
@d4rno
@lizlilÂ
@winterschildren17
@bartokthealbinobat
@sunsumonnerÂ
@lovelyygirl8
@homeslices
@guacalaÂ
@emsownuniverse
@thetiredtoad0-0
@galacticstxrdustÂ
@jackierose902109
@stilllivindue2spite
@cowboypascal
@opalmanic
@kitdjarin1
@auggiesolovey
@soldierheart
@opalmanic
@mattmurdocksstarlight
@elegantfacetree
@pookiesmookie69
@scoliobean
@millie-mei
@kodzuvk
@graciesbow
@cozyphine
@celsmsowb
@your-shifting-gurl
@lol6cats
@severussimp
@lainekyuu
@rannifer
@lolly145
@hayleythecannibal
@luvr4miya
@miss-celestial-being
#tlou hbo#a sinner's redemption#i thought i was clever and used the title of the fic#joel miller comfort#joel miller x daughter!reader#joel x daughter!reader#joel the last of us#ellie and piper are sisters#what if ellie had an older sister#ellie williams x sister!reader#ellie the last of us#protective joel#reluctant father figure#father figure!joel xreader#marlene tlou#look for the light#the last of us hbo#the last of us fanfiction#ellie is immune#piper williams#anna willaims#i wanna cry#angst and comfort#mental health#mental illness#injuries#Piper is blind#the last of us#tlou show#tlou fanfiction
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what if i told you my most recent wip has lead me to jerejeanaaron. what then.
#when you're lost in the darkness#look for the light#for sure for sure#i am looking đď¸đđď¸#idk what the heck i'm looking @ but i am looking so hard#aftg#all for the game#the foxhole court#the sunshine court#aaron minyard#jean moreau#jeremy knox#jerejeanaaron#aftg fic#my fics#my wips#aftg x tlou
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What little things brighten up your world?
#positivelypresent#little things#itâs the little things#brightenyourday#be positive#positivity#look for the light#uplifting quotes#uplifting words#inspirational quotes
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Joel Miller's head shakes â˘ď¸ (the last of them - pt 2)
Welp. Thatâs all of them!
Actually, not quite. There are a few subtle ones that were so fast and minute they wouldnât show up enough to be worth making into a gif - but for the curious⌠it worked out to exactly 100 Joel Miller head shakes across the 9 episodes đ . They increased consistently as the season went on (poor ol Joel). 11 each in episodes 1, 2, and 3, 15 for episode 4, 17 in episode 5 and 6, (none in ep 7 and 8 đ lol) and episode 9 we got 18!
check them all out here
#I have a phd in Joel Miller head shakes now#joel miller#the last of us#tlou hbo#Pedro pascal#joel millerisms#the last of us hbo#look for the light#joel miller head shakes#my gifs#if I missed any don't tell me
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Tada!!! This commission was for the amazing @cuarthol / @nothinghereisworking !! Thank you again for inspiring me and I'm so glad to get to share this comic!
The tale of Elwing, her family and the Silmaril, as retold with the beautiful song, "Look for the Light"
(Yes from Only Murders in the Building but darn it its a beautiful song and it works so well for Elwing)
As always click for better quality
And here's the song
youtube
#my art#commission#silmarillion#tolkien#Elwing#earendil#elrond#elros#Maglor#maedhros#the silmarils#the silmarillion#silm art#silm comic#comic art#tolkien comic#art comissions#look for the light#omitb#only murders in the building#ainât that a heck of a crossover xD#Youtube
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some OMITB fanart :3
gonna make it into a sticker sooooon!
#omitb#omitb season 3#omitb fanart#only murders in the building#mabel mora#look for the light#which of the pickwick triplets did it#olimabel#the arconia
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#photography#beautiful photos#original photographers#nature#art photography#autumn#cozy autumn#autumn aesthetic#fall aesthetic#fall vibes#sunlight#leaves#look for the light
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Remember?
#the last of us#the last of us spoilers#tlou#tlou spoilers#joel miller#pedro pascal#joel#ellie williams#bella ramsey#ellie#hbo#hbotlou#long long time#look for the light#my edits
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Sweet Jane
Pairing: Joel Miller x fem!reader (plus platonic Ellie Williams x fem!reader)
Authorâs note: this actually ripped my heart out and made me realize why I donât write angst
Summary:Â âIf I have children, I hope they live quiet lives. No fires for them. No sickness. No breaking news stories. I hope they die of old age, far from the pages of history books.â - oh, to live unremarkably by Trista Mateer [2.3k]
Warnings: 18+ MINORS DNI, talks of child loss (reader has lost a child) teen pregnancy, tumultuous parent/child relationships, references to a sexual relationship but nothing explicit, reader is a badass because I said so, ANGST
The second you saw her, you knew this was a possibility. You knew it would happen at one point but watched your tongue. You thought it would happen in the middle of a firefight or trying to survive a horde of Infected or some other dangerous situation where you couldn't stop the words from tumbling out of your mouth. It doesn't. It happens on a sunny autumn day while walking away from the ravaged Kansas City. She was trying to show off or prove something to Joel when she tried to run forward without warning. It came out as a gasp as you grabbed her backpack and yanked her back before her foot could slip off the ledge of a cliff. Your heart pounded as you gripped her like you were waiting for her to start falling again. She mumbled a quick sorry before you let her go. She didn't try to run forward again after that.
She waits longer than you expected to ask about it. After you set up camp for the night and cook whatever Joel decided, Ellie looks at you and asks, "who's Jane?" Joel's brows furrow at the question, and your chest tightens. âYou called me Jane earlier."
"Jane's my daughter." You catch yourself using the present tense, and grief trickles down your spine like an unpleasant cold shower. Saying that she was your daughter sounds wrong. It's been years now, but you can't make yourself switch. She's still your daughter, even if she's gone. You're still her mom. You'll always be her mom.
"Oh," she gapes, and you nod. You can feel Joel's eyes on you, but you don't look at him. If you do, the words will tumble out of your mouth before you can stop them. "I'm sorry."
"Don't be. You didn't know." You say, shrugging as if she gave you the wrong directions instead of asking about your kid. She doesn't push the subject anymore, and you eat silently until Ellie crawls into her sleeping bag and falls asleep.Â
Cicadas' chirps and the fire's crackling fill the space between Joel and you. The stars twinkle as the clouds move in the night sky. It's peaceful. Or it would be, at least, if Joel hadn't been fiddling with his gun for the past twenty minutes. The metal clicking is almost enough to drive you crazy, and you shoot him a look. He freezes and meets your eyes before letting his hands drop.
"Sorry," he says, and you chuckle. He props the gun up next to him and glances around to make sure nothing's decided to sneak close to you.Â
"I think we're safe," You say.
"For now."
"Joel Miller, ever the optimist."
"It ain't about being optimistic. It's about being smart."
"Right," you shake your head and look at Ellie sleeping in the corner. Her chest rises and falls steadily as she dreams secret dreams. You smile when she snuggles deeper into her sleeping bag and scrunches her nose. "You think she'll be okay?" You ask, meeting his eyes.Â
"Kids seem to handle these things better."Â
"Sam was her friend."
"I know." He says. Images of shaky guns, Ellie's screams, and the silence that followed Henry's body hitting the floor replay in your mind in slow motion. You're trying to figure out where it went wrong, when the universe pulled yet another rug out from under you. When you put the two kids to bed, everything was fine, and not even eight hours later, Sam and Henry were dead. How many people will you bury before you get to the Fireflies?Â
"I'm tired," you admit softly. You can tell by the faraway look in his eyes that he's in his own head, turning things over to look for new details. He's looking for something he missed. "What're you thinking about?" You ask, snapping him out of it, and he shifts uncomfortably.
"You never told me you had a daughter." He finally says, and you nod. You look down at your bootlaces and untie them, so you don't have to look at him.
"It never came up."Â
"Her name was Jane?" He phrases it like he wasn't listening the first time, but you know he's trying to get you to open up about her.
"Jane Eloise," saying her full name scratches at an unhealed wound deep in your stomach. You think about all the times you shouted those names across the apartment to her. You were always late for school, late for a birthday party, and late for appointments. You're almost positive she would've been late to her own birth if you hadn't been induced. Rushing was the way you lived your life for that decade. You would give anything to be running late with her again. "If I talk about her, I'm gonna cry." You warn.
"That's okay." His voice is so soft, and he's looking at you with those big eyes, and something shifts. You haven't talked about her in years, but something in Joel's demeanor makes you feel safe enough to unlock the door in your brain, holding all her memories.
"I had her when I was sixteen. I was pregnant throughout my sophomore year of high school and had a toddler by the time I went to college. I still don't know how, but I graduated. I was gonna go to med school and start a brand new life, just the two of us. I spent so fucking long studying, but it didn't matter."
"How come I didn't know all this?"
"We agreed to keep our pasts to ourselves when we started," you hesitateâstarted seeing each other as stress relief and nothing else? Started lying to Tess so you could fuck in alleys in between deals? Started pretending like it meant nothing? "I never thought you'd want to know more than you had to."
"I want to know now," He says like it's the easiest thing in the world. "Did her dad stay around to help you?"
"No, he left the second he got the chance. It was probably for the better, anyway. He was an asshole. I still don't know if he's alive or if he even knows what happened. I don't know if I care enough to find out."
"How old was she when sheâŚ" he trails off, the last word dying on his tongue. You swallow around the lump in your throat and take a shaky breath.
"Ten."
"I'm sorry." He says, and you nod. You never knew how to respond to people when they told you they were sorry your kid was dead. You still don't. Nobody tells you about this part in parenting classes.
"We got out on Outbreak Day. Somehow, I kept her alive until I could get her to the QZ nearby. I smuggled there for a few years and made enough money to feed and clothe her. That's better than most people were able to do. I would pick her up from school and walk her home most days but I had a deal with one of my neighbors, Mrs. Carmichael, that if I couldn't pick her up from school, she would. She picked her up a few times, and nothing went wrong. So, when I got caught up in a deal outside the walls one day, I thought it was safe to finish it and be home by dinner," you say, regret washing over you all at once. "Then, Fireflies started dropping bombs. I heard the explosions all the way out there, and I ran back, but it didn't matter. They were both gone."
"When I told my mom I was pregnant, she was furious. She told me that a mother's love is nothing compared to a mother's fury. At least, that was her excuse when she threw me out, but I didn't know if I believed her until that day. After Jane died, I ripped the entire city apart, looking for every single Firefly that had orders to drop bombs that day, and I killed all of them without batting an eye, and it still didn't bring her back. I still woke up every morning and listened for her breathing or the sound of her making cereal in the kitchen. I waited for her to come home every day for years," tears fall from your eyes, and you quickly wipe them away. Joel is clinging to your every word. "I couldn't stay there. My daughter and everyone who could've been responsible for her death was dead, so I came to Boston. Met you and Tess, and that was it."
"That's why you wanted to kill Marlene when we got Ellie." He says, connecting the dots, and you nod.
"I wanted to drop a fucking bomb on her head for what she did. I don't care if that makes me cruel. She killed my kid and called her collateral. Made it seem like she was a part of the cause and not a fucking child just trying to get home from school."
"I get it," he says. You open your mouth to say something about how he could never understand, how nobody ever could, but he beats you to it. "My⌠Sarah was fourteen," He stumbles over his words. "I wanted to kill the guy who shot her. I didn't care that he was following orders on that day, I wanted him to suffer, but he was already dead."Â
Joel had a daughter, not much older than yours, and you never talked about either of them. He's one of the only people in the world who can see your pain, the black hole Jane left in you, and show you his matching one. Joel must've been young when he had his daughter, too. Twenty-two, at the very least. How could you have never talked about this?
"What was Sarah like?"
"She was a spitfire and just about the funniest person I've ever known. Smart as hell, too. She was always readin' and telling me everything she learned in school. I never understood half of it, but she loved it," He says, and it's your turn to cling to his every word. His eyes light up as he talks about her. You see now what a good dad he must've been. "Still don't know where she got it from."
"Well, I'd say she got it from her dad. You're smarter than you give yourself credit for." You say, but he shakes his head, refusing the compliment.
"What about Jane? What was she like?" He asks, and you think for a moment. You remember her big brown eyes; how they widened when she was excited about something or glazed over with tears when she was afraid. You remember how her laugh could fill a room. You remember cradling her in your arms when she came into the world and when you found her.
"She was the most beautiful person I've ever met. When she was born, all the nurses would take turns coming into my room to look at her. They couldn't stop telling me how cute she was, and I agreed with them. She was perfect," you smile, remembering how many pictures you took of her tiny face. You had been terrified your entire pregnancy, but the second you saw her, you knew you were meant to be her mom. You felt completely at peace with her, even as young and unprepared as you were.Â
"She was quiet and curious, but she also had moments where she was loud and careless like kids usually are. I never understood what people meant when they said having kids gave them a whole new idea of what love could be until I had her. She was the best thing that ever happened to me." You say. Joel watches you wipe more tears away before putting his hand on your knee and squeezing. He doesn't say anything, but the look in his eyes tells you everything.
"I wonder if they would've been friends. Our daughters." He thinks aloud.
"I like to think so."
"Me too," he says. He clears his throat, probably trying to bury any emotions this conversation brought up. "She would've loved you."
"You think?" You ask, and he nods.Â
"You two would've been thick as thieves. Probably conspire against me or somethin'."
"And that's different from now, how?" He laughs at that, and you smile. You put your hand over his and let your thumb trace the contours of his knuckles. Those bruised, scarred, terrifying mountains that have killed and beaten soften under your touch.Â
You don't say much else for the rest of the night. You just hold his hand and stay awake to protect the girl not much older than your daughters were. The fear, cautious optimism, and sadness that came along with Ellie, that you thought you were alone in feeling doesn't feel as heavy anymore. The black hole Jane left will never be filled, and you will miss her for the rest of your life, but Joel opening up and showing you his similar wound makes you feel less alone.Â
It makes you wonder if your girls are together somewhere far from all the pain and bloodshed. You wonder if they've secretly conspired to make you two find each other. You wonder what they would think of each other, of the people their parents turned into, of Ellie. It's nice to think they're together, playing silly games while waiting for you.Â
Not yet, sweet Jane, you think as you look at the stars, and maybe it's a mind trick or exhaustion, but you swear a star winks back at you. Not yet, Mommy, she seems to agree.Â
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#joel and ellie#the last of us#joel miller#joel miller fic#joel miller x reader#joel tlou#the last of us x reader#ellie williams#joel miller the last of us#joel miller angst#sarah miller#tlou angst#i wrote this for me but you can read it too i guess#look for the light
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The Little Things
Often in life when I speak of silver linings in the stormy sky that is my life, I'll say, "It's the little things".
Welp, today I was struck by how much my father brightens at those same types of little things, and how I must've inherited that trait by osmosis or biologically.
I didn't know my father until I was nearly seven. Then, after we met, I saw him maybe once or twice a year until I was 13 when I started spending a month in the Summer with him. I lived with him throughout college.
But really getting to know your parent when you're practically an adult is vastly different from growing up with him influencing your earliest memories. I lack that experience.
A few months ago, Daddy was at my house when I was putting away dishes. He stopped as his eyes fell on a beige bowl with brown rings around it.
"That looks like one of my bowls!" "It is yours. You gave it to me." "I only have one left." "And I have one." "I love that! You have one and I have one!"
His eyes brightened so much as the realization struck him. I knew the feeling in his chest because I'd felt it in mineâthat little thing mattered.
Today, he called to tell me he is driving up for Thanksgiving and we'll spend the day together. It's been a decade since we shared Thanksgiving.
In the past, he drove down to Florida to spend it with my Aunt and Uncle who settled 30 minutes from one another down there. Since Dad's now living in Florida, too, he decided to come this way for Thanksgiving.
I told him what I like to prepare food-wise so he'd be ready, that we do watch the Parade as part of Matt's family's tradition, then Football as part of ours. Then, I mentioned our snacking tradition.
"And, of course, a charcuterie tray." "That's our thing!" "I know! We do it every year." "We always did that. Meats and cheeses and fruits. We would snack on it all day."
And, again, that silly, simple, little thing brought him so much bloody joy. I could hear his voice brighten and tears welled in my eyes.
So, loves, let me encourage you to look for the little things in your own lifeâthose tiny things that make you smile, that brighten your mood, that bring light to a dark day.
Sometimes the best bits of life are in the little things.
#little things#gentle thoughts#be kind to yourself#silver linings#look for the light#look for the good#don't lose hope
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â¨Look for the Light Masterlistâ¨
Outbreak! Joel Miller x OFC
Decided to do a mood board for my fic âLook for the Lightâ 𩵠Itâs on A03 as well and has a playlist. This one is a slow burn, action packed, twisty ride. I hope you enjoy! Their relationship is absolutely canon đ This is my very first fic, and I put my entire heart and soul into it and have been working on it for six months. I am so over the moon with how well this story came out and am just so proud of it 𼰠This is forever my baby, and I cannot wait to continue my writing and more Joel fics! I hope you enjoy this beautiful work of art I have put together. Comments and reblogs are always appreciated đ
Rating: Explicit (18+ only MDNI)
Word Count: 187,394
Summary: Aly finds herself trying to escape the Boston QZ. What Aly doesnât know is Tess is pairing her up with Joel to go on a dangerous mission to find Tommy. Will Aly survive the brooding, moody Joel or will she find herself falling hard for him? (This fic is in both Aly and Joelâs POV)
Tags: Angst, fluff, smut, slow burn, attempted sexual assault, kidnapping, enemies to lovers, unprotected p in v, gratuitous smut, original character, protective Joel, anxiety, ptsd, sexual tension, mutual pining, eventual smut, younger female/older man, grumpy Joel, death, violence
This is me trying is so Joel coded, and I got a lot of inspiration in this story from this song đŠľ
Chapter 1: Introductions
Chapter 2: Escaping
Chapter 3: Knife Practice
Chapter 4: Rock & Roll Hall of Fame
Chapter 5: One Step Forward, Two Steps Back
Chapter 6: Panic Attacks and Blue Eyes
Chapter 7: What You Say Goes
Chapter 8: Thunderstorms and Heartbreak
Chapter 9: Safe, In My Arms
Chapter 10: Bow and Arrow Lessons
Chapter 11: Vacancy in a Cabin
Chapter 12: Taken
Chapter 13: Davidâs Territory
Chapter 14: What Town!
Chapter 15: Held Hostage
Chapter 16: Stay With Me
Chapter 17: Your Hand In Mine
Chapter 18: Slow Dancing In a Burning Room
Chapter 19: Back to the Lodge
Chapter 20: Taking David Down
Chapter 21: Burn It Down, Burn It All Down
Chapter 22: Liars
Chapter 23: Finding Ellie
Chapter 24: Welcome to Jackson
Chapter 25: Slow Hands
Chapter 26: You Are In Love
Chapter 27: Bubble Baths and Sweet Affections
Chapter 28: Guitar Lessons and Heart Strings
Chapter 29: Complications
Chapter 30: Protecting Whatâs Yours
Chapter 31: This Love
Epilogue : Proposal
Epilogue Pt II: Wedding Day
Soft - Extra little piece I wrote about Joel being in love
Trailer for my series đĽ°
#joel miller#joel x you#joel tlou#joel the last of us#tlou fanfiction#joel x female reader#a03 fanfic#joel miller smut#protective joel#pedro pascal#joel miller fanfiction#joel miller fic#look for the light#soft joel miller#joel x oc#enemies to lovers#angst with a happy ending#angst#slow burn#eventual smut#joel miller pedro pascal#pedro pascal fanfiction#tlou fic#pedrostories#pedrohub#my first story#pedro pascal fandom#feral!joel#soft!joel miller#outbreak!joel
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The Last of Us -Â Look for the Light
#The Last of Us#Look for the Light#pedro pascal#joel miller#tlou spoilers#tlou edit#tlou series#tlou season 1#tlou hbo#naughty dog#playstation#TV show#tvedit
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