𝐓𝐈𝐂𝐊𝐈𝐍𝐆 𝐂𝐋𝐎𝐂𝐊𝐒 | 𝗧𝗟𝗢𝗨 𝘅 𝗥𝗲𝗮𝗱𝗲𝗿

⤏ 𝗝𝗼𝗲𝗹'𝘀 𝗪𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗵

THE GROUP GOT out of the rain and into the apartment building. Joel and Tess had been staying there and it was then when Y/N realized they moved from the old one that he remembered.

They walked down the hallway and made it to their door. Tess opened it and motioned Ellie through it. The teenager entered.

"Give us a minute, all right?" Tess said and shut the door with her inside.

"What the fuck?!" Ellie exclaimed, but the two older adults ignored her shouts.

"So, what's the plan?" Joel asked Tess.

"Hm. There's not a lot of options. There's the short way or the long way."

Y/N spoke. "You always said the long way's the safest."

"Glad you remembered." She replied. "Besides, the short way is pretty much..."

"Which leaves the long way." Joel interjected. "Things look bad, we'll come up with something. We'll have to drop by, head to Bill and Frank's. Stock up on anything we may need."

"Trip to Bill's Town?" Y/N asked as he crossed his arms. "Been a few months since I've seen 'em."

"You've been seeing them?" Joel asked him.

"Just because I stopped going with you doesn't mean I don't go myself." He replied. "Least I could do for those two."

"Speaking of..." Tess looked at Joel. "Got anything on the radio from them?"

"No."

"Think that's a good thing or bad thing?"

"Let's assume it's good. I'm already worrying about Tommy's silence."

"What's up with Tommy?" Y/N asked, remembering how he mentioned wanting to see him earlier.

"Hasn't radioed back in a few weeks. We planned on going west to see if he's okay."

"Funny. We're planning on moving west as well. Maybe I'll run into Tommy too." Y/N said after a chuckle. "That's if the sumbitch's even alive at this point."

Joel didn't take kindly to his assumption that their family member was dead.

"Shut your goddamn mouth." He scolded. "He's alive. I know it."

"You seem to know a lot of things, but at the same time very little."

"What are you tryin' to say?"

"How you just—"

Tess immediately stopped them with a disapproving inflection in her voice.

"Enough."

They both glanced at her and listened, putting their spat at a halt. Tess placed her hands on her waist and looked around the empty hall.

"So we say the long way then. I should go scout the area ahead, make sure all is good beforehand." She looked at Y/N. "You come with me."

Y/N looked at the door of the room Ellie was in and pointed. "I—I think I should—"