Light in the Dark||TLOU||Joel x Reader

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The shooting from outside spooks the pair, unexpected and unnerving but it soon quietens down. Then, there's shuffling from outside the door and the young girl glances worriedly at the older woman sat on the table. She stops playing with her (H/C) hair and places a finger to her lips, silently stepping down.

Picking up the pistol from beside her, she motions for the girl to back up and keeps the gun aimed at the door. The door handle is pushed down and a woman with tied back, curly black hair falls in, clearly in pain.

"Marlene!" The woman calls, lowering her pistol and rushing to her aid.

A man with dark hair, graying with age, goes to help Marlene up, but the girl steps forward, brandishing a small knife. "Get the fuck away from them!"

"Hey, Hey, Hey." Another woman steps in behind the man, grabbing the teenager's wrist.

"Let her go." Marlene orders and she does and the (E/C) woman helps her up. The man turns to face the pair, raising his eyebrows at them.

"You're recruitin' kind of young, aren't ya?" He questions.

"What the fuck happened?" The woman asks, noticing the wound on Marlene's side, bleeding through her jacket.

"She's not one of mine." Marlene answers the previous question and ignores the one from her friend. She leans against the table and the girl with brown hair and green eyes approach the two.  "Don't worry. It's fixable." The woman assures her.

"I got us help." Marlene tells the two and the young girl frowns. "But I can't come with you."

"Well then I'm staying." The girl says.

"Ellie, we won't get another shot at this."

"Hey - we're smuggling her?" The man asks, interrupting their conversation.

"There's a crew of Fireflies that'll meet you at the Capitol building." Marlene starts to explain.

"That's not exactly close." The brunette with a blue bandana and a cut on her face states.

"You'll be taken there by (Y/N). She'll accompany you the whole way." Marlene motions to the woman who waves.

"This is Tess and Joel." She tells (Y/N), who nods. "Got it."

"You hand her off, come back, the weapons are yours. Double what Robert sold me." Marlene promises.

"Speaking of which - where are they?" Tess demands.

"Back at our camp." (Y/N) answers, not liking her tone.

Tess and Joel share a glance and he crosses his arms, trying to decode the woman protecting the queen Firefly.

"We're not smuggling shit until I see them." Tess shrugs.

"You'll follow me. You can verify the weapons. I can get patched up." Marlene says and then points to Ellie. "But she's not crossing to that part of town. I want Joel to stay."

Both Joel and Ellie begin to protest yet (Y/N) silences them both and raises an eyebrow. "How do you know them?"

"I was close with his brother, Tommy. Said if I was ever in a jam I could rely on him."

"Was that before or after he left your little militia group?" Joel asks, frustrated.

"He left you too. He was a good man." Marlene tells him with a nod.

Tess looks at Joel, sighing. "Look, you follow (Y/N) and take Ellie to the north tunnel and wait for me there."

"Jesus Christ."

"Do we have to wait for her? It'll delay us." (Y/N) mutters to Marlene, who shushes her.

"She's just cargo, Joel." Tess reminds him.

"Marlene..." Ellie begins and she shakes her head. "No more talking. You'll be fine, (Y/N)'s got you." Marlene stands up. "Now go with them."

"Don't take long." Joel instructs Tess and then turns to the two he'll be going with. "And you two - better stay close."

(Y/N) rolls her eyes, looking at Marlene. "We don't need his protection."

"Well you're getting it. Ellie's too valuable to risk."

"Fine. Let's go."

(Y/N) picks up a dagger off the table and takes the backpack that was waiting for her to get going.

"And you -" She points the dagger close to Joel with a glare. "You stay close to me." She orders, heading towards the door and motioning for Ellie to follow her.

Joel shrugs at Marlene and Tess. "She's got fire. Not sure I like that."