#wmor oneshot

[scribbledonausednapkin]

Mountains in Texas

Joel x Ellie Travel Fluff. Lincoln to Chicago.

No warnings. 1.7k

As the blue chevy S10 rumbled on its broken path, the light tapping of a nail on glass and the lyrics of a Linda Rondstadt song that buzzed with static underneath the light chimes of the instruments dominated the space between the driver and passenger. The smell of soil and death that always violently pushed through every crevice left on earth pulverized Ellie’s nose and she scrunched up her face in disgust. She was accustomed to lingering scent of death, but animal shit also littered the nearby wild forests by the highway and that was not an aroma her nose had grown used to.

She rolled up the little bit of window that was left down on the passenger side and it squeaked loud enough for her traveling companion to notice. The bearded man lowly grunted as his eyes flicked to the action for a second before they were back on the cracked and grassy pavement before him. He had to pay attention to the maze of broken cars ahead, he had no time to argue with the little girl about the stuffiness of the truck; sometimes you had to pick your battles to keep the peace. By peace, he meant to prevent any sarcastic comments or snide remarks from the curly haired monster beside him.

“Joel?” she asked as if reading his mind; she knew when he did not want to speak. Not that he ever wanted to speak, to anyone. Especially now.

Really, Ellie was just fucking bored; they’d been on the same road for almost a full day. She kind of had to pee, but she didn’t bother asking to stop.

“What?”

“You’re from Texas right?” She turned to him, but he kept his eyes on the road. His jaw clenched. His gray beard was swiped with dark and light shades as the sunlight gleamed through the window.

“I said no questions-“

“It’s not about you. Conceited much?” Ellie smirked and Joel jerked his head, eyebrows knitted at the girl in red. He went back to the road, slowing going over a massive crack revealing dirt and tall grass underneath pavement. The wheels bumped over the exposed earth and then he maneuvered the truck through two smaller cars in the middle of the road.

“What was Texas like?”

She leaned back, her head hitting the cream pleather seat. Her fingers wove themselves behind her neck as she looked out at the dilapidated highway, chaotic foliage, and damaged vehicles around them. Her spine curved like a crescent moon in a welcomed stretch. It was not an uncomfortable seat, but she had been sitting for a long while. Her butt was sore, her lower back was stiff, and she was feeling the need to run. She’d settle for a conversation if Joel would participate for once.

“Didn’t that school teach you anything?” Joel sighed.

“I mean I know it’s like desert and snakes-“

“Desert and snakes?” Joel huffed, but before he could continue a tan deer spotted white sprang over a dented railing on the side of the highway. It hopped across gracefully, right in the path of the blue Chevy.

Joel braked hard and the car jerked toward to a halt. The deer pranced ahead with little care, barely acknowledging the two passengers hitting their chests hard against their seatbelts.

Ellie gasped, heart racing. She sucked in a breath before she noticed Joel had stuck his arm out in front of her chest, forearm bracing against her. Her seatbelt dug into her torso and she looked down as he retracted his arm.

He was protecting her, she thought, as she looked over to see his frown.

“You alright?”

Joel’s heart pounded in his ears, his foot was still forced hard against the break pedal. He took a deep breath.

“Yea,” she breathed, still shocked. She faced ahead eyes not really focusing, but thinking about the doe dancing beyond the pines out of sight.

“That is why we wear seatbelts,” Joel said lightly turning his attention back to the road. He eased off the break and pushed down on the gas, but the car began to bounce. He looked down at his feet, deeply frowning.

“Is it supposed to do that?”

Joel scowled at Ellie for a second and looked to the hood of the truck in front of him. He pushed the gas again and the truck attempted to lurch forward, but the bouncing persisted.

“Shit.”

“What? Is it broken?” Her quick high pitched concern grated his eardrum. Her heart switched back quickly from its lull to frantic beating as a new obstacle stuck out its foot.

“No. Did you grab the toolbox like I asked you to?”

Joel turned to Ellie putting the car into park. He turned the keys in the ignition stopping the truck engine completely.

“The green one?” Ellie asked wide eyed. Her uncertain tone rang louder as the engine ended its roar and the soft sounds of the forest permeated the space.

“I don’t know what color it was. The one by the door,” he replied gruffly while taking out the keys and opening the truck door.

“Uh, I think so.”

Joel grunted in response as his boots hit the dusty pavement. He made his way to the bed of the truck looking under the tarp for a green toolbox.

“Find it?”

Joel unfurled the tarp to see a concerned Ellie sticking her head out of the back sliding window of the truck. The opening was small, so it really was just the floating head of a fourteen year old girl with a few small brown curls on her forehead.

“It’s blue. Not green. How did you mix those up?” Joel lifted the navy blue beaten toolbox from the dark storage space.

Ellie gaped, then frowned. “Can’t you just be happy I remembered it?”

Joel didn’t reply, taking the rough handle of the box in his grip. Ellie rolled her eyes, retreating back to her seat.

“What did they teach you in the that school?” The older man murmured moving to the right side of the front of the truck. Just as he suspected, a flat tire. Great.

He bent down to inspect it closer, placing the toolbox neatly beside him. A familiar squeak was heard overhead, but he ignored it. There was a nail head imbedded in the rubber. He was grateful Bill had left a pump already in the back of the truck. That man really thought of everything.

“What’s wrong with it?”

The annoying voice came from above him this time. Ellie hung out the window gazing at Joel with curiosity.

“It’s flat,” Joel said shortly.

“Why?” She leaned out fully by her waist, her torso bending over as Joel’s thumb brushed the dirty metal puncturing the tire. Her ponytail swayed in the sunlight as she bounced against the side of the truck door, palms pushing off against the metal.

“It’s out of air,” Joel answered opening the toolbox and looking for a pair of pliers. Ellie scowled, pausing her not so gentle swinging. Joel was made a lot of dad jokes for someone with no kids.

“Duh. What happened to it?” She was always inquisitive, this walking threat to his life.

“We hit a nail.” Joel went to work removing the nail, carefully examining the placement along the treading.

“When?”

“How would I know that?”

Ellie paused, shrugging.

“Can you fix it?”

He sighed.

“Yes, I can patch it up, but eventually we’ll have to replace it,” Joel replied strained, trying to focus on his work.

“Do you know how to replace it?”

“Yes.”

“How long will it take to patch it?”

Joel closed his eyes for a moment, exhaling.

“A lot longer if you keep bugging me,” he chided in a low tone. He didn’t look up quick enough to see Ellie’s disappointment, only her anger. “Will you stop doing that, it’s bad for the truck.” His eyes watched her freeze mid upswing, folding her arms across her chest.

Ellie scoffed, hands then moving to the window frame to lift herself back into the truck. “Whatever,” she shot under her breath. She proceeded to slump into her seat and rolled up the window, sticking her tongue out at a concentrated Joel.

He raised himself up and ambled to the bed of the truck to get the pump. The heat beat in through the windshield, the sun moving higher into the sky. Ellie felt the direct beams on her face, delightfully burning her cheeks. She squinted into the sun, blurry dots hitting her vision and she closed her eyes, seeing shades of red and pink.

“It’s too early for this,” Ellie heard Joel grunt through the back window, still ajar. She leaned over to look out the passenger window and Joel didn’t raise his head. He was bent over doing something - but Ellie refused to engage.

After a few minutes her burly companion opened the driver side door. He adjusted himself in his seat scooting back and grabbing the keys from the cup holder.

Ellie had her cheek up against the warm glass of the passenger window, smudging it with her skin. Her hand was underneath her jaw, pushing against the glass with equal force. She refused to look at Joel as the truck started and he shifted into drive.

“Texas isn’t all desert and snakes. There are forests and mountains too. Plenty of deer.” Ellie craned her neck, slightly. She did not move her smushed face from the glass, but her dark chestnut eyes peered over from her peripheral.

“I’ve never seen a mountain,” she said with attitude, but it was true. The truck jittered forward along the uneven road, rotting automobiles covered in vines slumping into the gray highway on either side.

“You will.”

The young girl’s back shot straight for a moment and her brows knitted together. Her arm pushed off lightly from the window as she turned to Joel. He smirked, his dark eyes meeting hers for a moment.

“I will?”

There was the hint of a crooked smile and brightness dancing in the depths of her pupils.

“Sure, the mountains in the west are some of the biggest there are.” Joel’s expression was serious, his tone was that of a teacher. His eyes darted back to the road, training themselves ahead for the rest of the long journey. The music from the cassette filtered through the speakers once more. Ellie turned back to the window, pressing her sleeve into the glass, looking out at the dense trees.

“Cool.”

She suddenly felt a tightness in her bladder, now she really had to pee.