Flicker||TLOUII {Joel x Reader}

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Lying on Joel's chest, (Y/N) listens to the steady rhythm of his heartbeat. Her fingers lightly trace the skin exposed from the unbuttoned top of his shirt.

Joel stares up at the ceiling, feeling her touch and he shivers slightly at the delicacy of it. His own hand runs along her back, their legs entangled together.

"Ellie won't ever know will she." (Y/N) breaks the tranquility.

"I don't even know what happened." He reminds her and she sits up, her hair a mess. He sits up with her, his hand never leaving her back.

The woman studies his expression, the hard lines in his face and the shimmer in his eyes. "I did it, Joel." Her voice is barely a whisper.

"I killed Marlene."

Joel's expression doesn't change, but the hand on her back hardens and she looks down at the bedsheets.

"You killed the doctors. I killed the queen firefly." She recaps.

"I knew something had happened, but killing Marlene -"

"Don't you think Tommy could sense the tension between us? Things haven't been right since we started fresh here. I can't keep lying to Ellie." (Y/N) cuts him off and he can see the fear in her eyes.

The pair had just gone to see the young girl. Joel had handed over his guitar but he knew Ellie was still unsure of the lies they had webbed together.

"(Y/N), we've both lied to her. She never has to know." He promises, pulling her back into the safety of his arms.

The clock on the wall ticks away absentmindedly, the sound filling loudly the otherwise silent room. Joel plants a soft kiss on the top of her head, using his fingers to brush through the (H/C) and she stares at the blank wall.

She remembers the first time they had met. She hated how he thought he held the cards when in reality, it was her with the power. There was always something between them right from the get go, it was obvious and yet neither knew how to act.

Now they did. Everything fell into place, albeit in a gruesome and eventful way but a way nonetheless.

(Y/N) hadn't realised Joel had been talking until he pokes her side.

"Ow, hey!" She whines and he chuckles, letting her sit up and swing her legs off the bed.

"What are you thinking?" He asks her, her back to him and her hands grip the side of the bed. She smiles softly, glancing back at him.

"You."

Joel's eyebrows raise with a slight smirk. "Oh?"

"No, Miller, just when we first met. Everything from then up to now."

Joel's hand goes to his neck where something silver catches the hit of the dull yellow light. He pulls the chain over his head, letting it dangle in his fingers.

"You kept it?" She asks, taking it from him and brushing a thumb over her name and twirling it to the emblem of the fireflies.

"Guess you could say I'm a sentimental kinda guy." He sighs, lying back down.

She laughs, a carefree, gentle one that he hadn't heard fully in a while. It makes him smile at the ceiling until her face blocks the view, her hair tickling his nose.

"I guess you could say that." She whispers, gently teasing him as her lips just touch his.

Joel's hands grip her hips, hungry for more. "That way you're always with me." He mutters, his voice low and his eyes fluttering close.

(Y/N) can't contain her laugh and he opens his eyes, rolling them slightly.

"Sorry, Joel, but for you, that - that was a little cringe." She jokes, going to get off the bed but he grabs her hand, pulling her back.

"You love it."

"I love you." She corrects.

Joel looks her over, infatuated by her and he flips her over, making her chuckle as it was now him hovering over her.

"I love you too." He says, leaning in and leaving the chain discarded on the floor.