Hello, and welcome to my first Left 4 Dead 2 fanfiction! Glad to be here!
I bought the game a few months ago and slowly got addicted to it. It's just so fun to play! And because I love the characters, I eventually started shipping Nick and Ellis...because that's what I do.
Anyway, I'm starting a small series of holiday fics, and building up a little relationship between these two. I started this one last night, and finished it today. I'll update this a lot, because I love writing about Nick and Ellis. They're fun to write about.
Anyway, first chapter! Christmas Eve!
Valve owns all the setting, zombies and characters. I just ship them
"Safe house, right ahead!" Rochelle shouted, as she put a bullet in another zombie's head.
Nick couldn't be happier to hear those words. Battling off a hoard wasn't exactly his ideal way of spending Christmas Eve, especially during a cold winter evening.
Damn it, the weather was cold.
It had started snowing not more than a week ago, and clearly it stuck. Sure, the snow slowed down the zombies, but it slowed all the survivors down too. After fighting them for more than three months, Nick learned that the whole zombie business was getting old fast.
"Come on, ya'll, let's get inside!" Ellis yelled as he ran ahead. He'd been complaining about the cold recently, and wanted to get somewhere where it was slightly warmer, even if he had to start a fire.
"I'll get the last few." Nick offers, looking towards Coach and Rochelle. "You guys get inside."
"Why so generous, Nick?" Coach asked with a tired chuckle. "Normally you're the first inside..."
"'Tis the season." He replied with a smirk. The other two survivors ran into the safe house as the conman killed the last few zombies of the hoard. When he finished, he quickly followed the rest of his team, and shut the safe room door.
"Someone help me get a fire started." Ellis said, dumping his weapons against a sofa. The house had a fireplace against one of the walls, opposite a large telly, which probably didn't work, unless the house had a generator. The other's put their weapons down and Coach helped the hick with the fire.
"Holy hell, it's cold outside." Nick said with a small groan. "I thought zombies couldn't survive in the snow."
"You've clearly been watching too many movies." Rochelle said with a chuckle, taking her pain pills and sitting down on the red sofa, watching the other two start the fire.
"These are infected, Nick." Coach said, looking up from lighting the fire. "They're more human than zombies. They can survive better. Sure, the snow slows 'em down, but it don't stop 'em."
"Fan-fucking-tastic..." He said, going up the stairs to see if there's anything worth looting. "If anyone needs me, I'll be upstairs."
There are two bedrooms and a bathroom on the second floor, and Nick decides to set up camp in the couple's bedroom. There's hardly any sign of the apocalypse in the house, which is nice. He's only reminded by the screams outside, and the constant darkness. He sat down against the bed, looking at the door way, alone with his thoughts.
How did he get from being a big shot in Las Vegas to desperately fighting for his life in the space of three months? Whatever God he believed him must not like him all that much. He groaned and tipped his head against the bed, wishing he had some cigarettes or vodka.
"Um...Nick?" Ellis looked into the room where Nick was moping. "Ya came up here pretty quick...Ya alright, man?" Nick let out a long sigh, and removed his face from his hands to look over at the innocent hick. "We got the fire up and running...'s warm downstairs, and I'm sure you're as cold as the rest of us."
"The other's send you up to check on me?" He asked, his voice dull. Ellis nodded his head quickly.
"Yeah, they were worried about you...what's wrong?" The hick asked, stepping into the room and looking down on the conman.
"Ellis, it's Christmas Eve..." He said with a frown. "I didn't exactly imagine spending the holidays running for my life and shooting zombies." Ellis frowns lightly, and sits next to him, his legs crossed.
"Yeah, I know what ya mean. It feels weird not being around my Ma, and Keith, and my family. Man, I loved Christmas when I was younger. Me and my brothers would open our presents super early in the morning, and then go play in the snow for hours...Ma would always cook a huge dinner for all of us, and the leftovers would last us weeks!" He chuckled sadly, and looked down at his crossed legs. "Man, I'd give anything for one of Ma's dinners now..."
"That's how you celebrated Christmas, huh?" Nick asked, with a raised eyebrow.
"Mmhmm! S'all ya need, really! Family and friends..." He said, with a sad smile "Can't believe I'm never gonna have a Christmas like that again, though."
Ever since learning about what Ellis had gone through before they met, the conman's viewpoint of the hick had changed. Instead of resentment towards him for his constant Keith stories, he respected him for being able to talk about someone who had been very close to him without bursting into tears. He became less irritating, and more endearing, like he was a confused kid who hadn't quite come to terms with what was going on. Nick hoped that he never would. He couldn't imagine Ellis being pessimistic.
He turned to the hick, a subtle smile on his face. "Hey...we'll have a good Christmas either way. It'll just be the four of us and just have a day off from killing zombies. "
"Yeah?" Ellis asked, a smile growing on his face.
"Yeah...and maybe the zombies will fuck off to celebrate somewhere else, and leave us to it. Besides, you guys are closer than any family I ever had...I'd be honoured to spend Christmas with you guys."
Ellis looked up at the older man, and Nick saw the happiness blooming in his eyes. "Ya really mean that, Nick?" The conman nodded. "That's a mighty kind thing to say, Nick...mighty kind." He said, with a light grin.
"Yeah, just don't tell either of them I said that." He said with a chuckle "They'll never let me live it down." Ellis laughs, and smiles warmly at the other man.
"Oh! I, uh, got you a present..." He said, as he took a small package, wrapped in newspaper and string from his coverall pocket. "I was hiding it for a while too."
"Oh Ellis...you really didn't have to do that..."
"It's nothin' fancy." He said, pressing the package into the conman's hands. "It's just something I found that I thought you'd like..." He smiled as Nick tore the paper from the package, to reveal a small, unopened carton of cigarettes, and a lighter filled with newly replaced lighter fluid. "Found 'em in a gas station a few days ago." Ellis says quietly. "And you're always complaining about not having any...so, there."
Nick smiled, and put the cigarettes down on the floor, to wrap his arms around the younger male in a close hug. "Thanks El...it really means a lot..."
"That's what friends are for, buddy..." The hick says through a large grin, hugging the other male back. It was a hug too long and too personal to be a friendly hug between two men, but neither of them cared. They just relished in each other's company.
Merry Christmas, Nick..." Ellis whispers through a warm smile. Nick smiles lightly, feeling content and happy for the first time in years.
"Merry Christmas, Overalls..."
Quick heads up, this is set after The Parish. Let's just say CEDA fucked up again.
Christmas Day is next! That'll be up either tomorrow or later today.