Flicker||TLOUII {Joel x Reader}

•11•

Seattle - Day 1

(Y/N)'s head leans on Joel's back and she yawns slightly, her fingers playing with the zip of his jacket. They were in the middle of a forest, the leaves above blocking out the shine of the sun and Dina rides beside them, listening to Joel tell the story of how Ellie saved them from the hunters in the hotel.

"How old was she?"

"Fourteen." (Y/N) mumbles. "How old were you when you first killed someone?" She questions the girl.

"We talking infected?"

"No."

"Ten."

At this, (Y/N) frowns, concerned for the young girl beside her. "Oh sweetie, what happened?" She asks, perking up slightly.

"Guy was coming at my mom. I stabbed him."
Dina answers with a nonchalant shrug and (Y/N) lies her face back down on Joel. "As you should." She says, her eyes closing.

"So how lost are we?" Dina questions the adults.

"We're not." Joel says, defensively and the young girl hums. "Have a little faith." He mutters.

"What about those crazy cannibals you said you three ran into?" Dina asks. "They came after you guys once... maybe these WLFs are connected to them." She suggests.

"No, it didn't seem like the same group." (Y/N) says.

"Maybe -"

"Dina, I know you loved Ellie but please let this go. There's no point in guessing." (Y/N) cuts her off and Joel glances back at his wife, concerned for her.

"Got it." Dina sighs and the two horses continue on the trek through the forest.

After a couple minutes of silence, she clears her throat. "Guys. Cars." She points out and Joel nods. "Yeah, we're getting close so keep an eye out." He warns as (Y/N) perks up, her hand slowly reaching for the bow lying across her back.

They go slower, riding past the multiple abandoned cars stuck in the overgrown grass taking over the road. The signs and bridges above were rusted with moss from over time, the buildings at the sides shadowed.

Joel leads the horses down the hill to the running of the water and (Y/N) admires the waterfall, her posture relaxing again.

After a short ride, the trio ends up in front of a towering wall and Dina stares up at it. "Woah, is that the QZ?"

"Yeah, watch the high spots." (Y/N) warns, dismounting and pulling her bow after her head. The other two follow her lead and she catches Dina staring at the dead bodies on the floor.

"These were soldiers from the QZ." The older woman tells her. "See the FEDRA uniforms?"

"You think it was the WLF?" Dina questions.

"Yeah, and they left them here. Like a warning."

"That's fucked up."

(Y/N) shrugs, making her way over to Joel, who stands, looking up at a ladder and without a word, he points. He then makes his way around the holding cells, climbing on a truck and making his way across the cells to the ladder. The girls follow him and he leans on the wall, cupping his hands.

"Not you, baby." He says softly to (Y/N), who had readied herself and with a sigh, she nods, stepping back to allow Dina to go.

He hauls her up to the ladder and she climbs her way up. "We'll keep an eye out. You see if you can get the gate open." Joel calls as she disappears from sight.

The couple make their way back to the gate when (Y/N) doubles over, clutching her stomach. Joel is beside her in an instant, his face creased in worry.

"It's fine. It's just a twinge." She promises, gripping his jacket and Joel scoffs.

"I knew this was a bad idea." He starts and she rolls her eyes, both ignoring the noises in the background.

"Are you really doing this now?" She asks and he places his hands on his hips. "Yeah I am, actually."

"Joel! This is my choice." (Y/N) exclaims and his mouth opens, closing again when the gate slides up. Joel grumbles, grabbing both reigns and pulling the horses in.

(Y/N) sighs in annoyance, following him in and the gate slams behind her. Dina jogs over to them and they all get back onto their horses.

"Find anything useful?" Joel mumbles and Dina can notice the new tension between them.

"Uh, yeah. Codes. Says there's a WLF safe house at someplace called 'Serevena Base'." Dina informs them.

"So we find it and hopefully find our first WLF, get them to talk and then go from there." (Y/N) says.

They make their way through the town, spotting the building they needed in the distance blocked firstly by a gate.

Joel goes over to the generator, cursing as he fails to get it running. "Shit, it needs gas." He says and Dina clicks her fingers. "The note mentioned there's gas in the courthouse garage and the dome."

Back on the horses, (Y/N) lies a map on the back of Joel, uncapping a marker with her mouth. "I can mark it up as we go."

Joel nods, stretching once she was done and motioning to Dina. "Let's go, kid."