[REWORK] The Last Of Us Part II x Male Reader OC

Two Years Earlier

TWO YEARS EARLIER

"Please be okay." I muttered to myself as Joel and I neared St. Mary's Hospital on horseback. Ellie left us a note a couple days ago. She said she needed to figure out what really happened and I've had this pit in my stomach ever since. This guilt that I've suppressed for years is starting to overtake me again.

And then the building came into view. St. Mary's.

"Ellie!" Joel shouted as we saw her sitting outside of the building. She stood up right when she saw us. We stopped our horses right in front of her and climbed off.

Before I could do anything Joel walked over to her and pulled her into a hug.

"Come here. The hell were you thinkin'? Running off in the middle of the night like that. You talk to me or Logan. You don't just leave us a goddamn note--" Joel said before Ellie pushed herself out of the hug. I don't think I've ever heard Joel so compassionate before. But it's too little too late.

I wanted to give her a hug and start apologizing right away but it's more complicated than that.

We did something horrible...

And I couldn't bring myself to move a muscle.

"Tell me... what happened here." Ellie demanded. She looked at Joel and at me but neither of us could say a single thing.

"If either of you lie to me one more time, I'm gone. You will never see me again. But if you tell me the truth, I'll go back to Jackson. No matter what it is." Ellie said as her eyes started to water and her voice began to crack.

Joel looked back at me but I couldn't face either of them. All I felt was shame and guilt. I took the one thing that mattered to her away and lied about it for years. I'll be lucky if she ever wants to talk to me again.

"Just say it." Ellie whispered, wanting this dreadful silence from Joel and I to end.

"Making a vaccine... would have killed you." Joel said as he stared at the ground.

"So we stopped them." I said.

Ellie's lips began to quiver and tears fell down her cheeks. She was breaking and I hated that I was the reason why.

She sat back down and started to sob, holding her chest like her heart was about to stop.

Joel tried to put his hand on her back but she immediately got up.

"Don't you fucking touch me! I'll go back. But we're done." Ellie said to Joel as she grabbed her bag and angrily walked over to me.

"El, I-" I said but she slapped me.
"And you! You lied to me all of these years! You made me think that you loved me. But clearly, you don't. We're through." Ellie said and quickly walked back to her horse and rode off, back to Jackson.

I had no words. Other than...

"I'm sorry, Ellie." I whispered to myself.

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PRESENT DAY

I woke up in the same room where Ellie cleaned me up, still shirtless. She was asleep beside me so I got up slowly to keep her from waking up.

I grabbed my shirt, put it back on, and put my bag back on.

"Jesse? Dina?" I called out softly as I left the room.

I walked up the rows of chairs in the auditorium and back to the main room. Dina was asleep on a couch and Jesse was sitting in front of her in silence.

"You know, from where I'm standing it's a little creepy to see you staring at her like that." I said with a soft chuckle. He got up and had a smile as I walked up to him. He motioned for me to follow them up the stairs so I did. We stood on this small balcony that looked down at the front door.

"She had a rough night. Could barely get her to keep water down." Jesse said as he leaned over the fence.
"Shit, man. Shoulda woken up Ellie or I. We woulda helped." I said.
"Is she pregnant?" Jesse said.
"Uhh, yeah. Yeah, she is." I said.
"I get why you and Ellie came out here. But we gotta take her back. She needs real care and she's not gonna get that-" Jesse said.
"Yeah. Yeah, I know. But I can't just leave Tommy. He's like an uncle to me. And Ellie's..." I said.
"She's not gonna leave without you." Jesse said, finishing my sentence.
"Yeah. She's not. Maybe you could take her back?" I said.
"She's not gonna leave without either of you." Jesse said.
"Yeah..." I said.

"Screw it. Let's get Tommy." Jesse said and we heard footsteps walking towards us. I turned around and saw Ellie walking over to us.
"Hey. Why didn't you wake me up?" Ellie said to me.
"Figured you could use the sleep." I said.
"We were just talking about grabbing Tommy so we can take Dina back to Jackson. This aquarium that girl told you about. Tommy hasn't found Abby yet. We'll post up there until he does." Jesse said as he grabbed the map from his back pocket and handed it to me.
"And Dina? We're just gonna leave her by herself?" I said.
"Her orders." Jesse said.
"Can you give us a sec? We'll catch up." Ellie asked Jesse which confused me.
"Yeah, sure. I'll meet you out front." Jesse said as he walked away and back downstairs.

"Everything okay?" I said to Ellie.
"I just wanted to make sure you're okay. Are you?" Ellie said.
"Yeah. I'm fine. I'm good." I said.
"You're sure?" Ellie said.
"Last night was.. I'm sorry, I didn't mean to get all emotional." I said.
"Don't apologize. You don't have to." Ellie said.

I stayed silent as I thought about what I did to Nora.

"So.. You were breathing spores. Does that mean..?" Ellie trailed off her sentence.
"Yeah. I'm immune too. At least I think I am. Maybe I got lucky." I said not even believing the words coming out of my mouth.
"That's what I thought when it happened to me." Ellie said with a soft smile.
"God has a weird sense of humor." I said with a smile of my own.
"Yeah, he does." Ellie said.

"Okay.. Let's get going then." I said and as I was about to go downstairs Ellie grabbed my arm and turned me back towards her.
"You're not a monster." Ellie said as she leaned in and put her lips on mine.

Our kiss was brief but exactly what I needed. What the both of us needed.

"Come on. What are you waiting for?" Ellie said with a soft smile as she went back downstairs and I stood there for a second in shock and joy.