𝐓𝐈𝐋 𝐃𝐄𝐀𝐓𝐇 𝐃𝐎 𝐖𝐄 𝐏𝐀𝐑𝐓 ⚠︎︎ 𝐉. 𝐌𝐈𝐋𝐋𝐄𝐑

chapter nine

TW: Mentions of suicide

Her smile was beaming, she was marveling at the world around her while the rest of the group ate their food, making small talk when the tensions between Joel and Bill became too strong. She was glowing in the sunshine and constantly touching her clean, lavender smelling hair.

"Are you ok, Mrs.Miller?" She giggled and shook her head, "I'm more than ok. Sorry I just- this place is beautiful, not to mention you have working showers. I can't remember the last warm shower I had." Frank chuckled and went back to eating, "I'm glad you like it here."

Bill huffed and when she looked back to him her cheeks grew rosy under his stare, "And please call me Thalia. None of that fancy bullshit." Joel smirked at her positive attitude, this is the happiest he's seen her since before the outbreak, and probably one of the last times he'll see her happy for a long time.

"I can't help but ask, what was your maiden name?" She finished taking a sip of her wine, "Oh, uh- Sloane. Changed my name when we... when we got married." Tensions were high between the couple as they'd just had an argument a few days ago, barley spoke since which forced Tess to be the mediator and messenger for the two.

"That's a very pretty name. Fits, don't you think?"

"It used to. My mother named me because it meant flourishing, now look at me." She chuckled but no one else said anything. Thalia but down on her lip, voice no more than a whisper, "My bad..."

Tess decided to step in and ease the awkward energy her friend had brought to the dinner table, "Well can I just say, gun aside, which I get, by the way... how nice this is to have a civilized meal in such a- a beautiful place?"

Thalia leaned back in her chair and began to admire the world around them once more, the grass seemed to be greener, the sky a brighter blue, less clouds and more overall joy. "If we don't get them as business partners... I might shove a knife down someone's throat."

The blonde shifted her body to the left, facing Thalia with a serious expression. "Not you. I'm more worried about the grump to my left fuckin' this up with his attitude." Both girls turned to Joel, one of them flashing a sarcastic smile and the other raising a brow and shrugging.

"We are partners. Why don't I show you ladies inside?" Both Thalia and Tess stood without another moment's hesitation, happily ditching their napkins and Thalia's husband. Bill called out to his own partner, clearly not happy with him inviting others into the house.

The trio had stopped for the night but were quick to get back on their journey, walking down the long expanse of road. It had been silent for a majority of the day, surprisingly, considering Ellie was a talker.

That silence was interrupted though, she just couldn't help herself, "Have you two gone this way a lot? No infected?" Both Thalia and Joel shook their heads, "Not often, no."

"So what are you two looking out for?" She allowed Joel to answer this one, her stomach knotting at the thoughts swirling in her mind, "People."

"Oh... are Bill and Frank nice?" Thalia let her exterior soften, she couldn't wait to get to the house and reunite with the two little old men she adored, she knew they'd adore Ellie just as much. "Frank is. Bill will warm up... eventually."

The girl faced the brunette and nodded, she was on the far end, his wife to the left of him and Ellie on the other side. She was studying him intently until she questioned him, "How'd you get that scar on your head?"