I do not own anything of The last of us.
It has been five days since the death of Tess, I haven't mentioned anything about her, as i was told. She was a great woman, Joel respected her, appreciated her. Joel, he always have been grim, but since then he's been worse. I see a good man deep inside him, in his core, the life has treated him bad, as everyone. I have softened him just a bit, even i got him spit a short laugh with a joke from my pun book. When I take that book I always remember Riley. I miss her. Yesterday we met Bill, not a very nice guy but Joel is his friend and helped us out. The mission was awesome, as always Joel makes it seem easy. He walks so silently and takes down every one without letting them know what's happening. Doesn't let me help him, he says it's too dangerous even with me being immune. We found a bow and arrows. Man that was impressive, he doesn't miss. Every time bullseye, unexpected infected: quick aim and bullseye, far away infected: deep breath and bullseye, lots of infected: throws a bottle and then a molotov, if anyone escapes, bullseye. He doesn't jerk around either, do what has to be done and continues. Bill always laugh and rejoice when Joel grabs the bow. I envy Joel. He is so cool. I wish he were my father. Today i could make fun of him, just make him uncomfortable with an erotic magazine from bills place,that was funny. Now I am by his side, he tells me to sleep.
"I´m not even tired" Maybe it's not the time, but I'm gonna ask. "Where did you learn to use a bow like that? it was amazing, it's not like point and shoot, i guess..."
He looks at me for a second, and with a head movement return his eyes to the road. "Learned from my father, he was in that kind of stuff, hunting. He took Tommy and me a dozen of times to hunt with him. I never was good at it."
"Are you kidding me?" he gave me another quick look. "You didn't miss one! If every man had your skill the infection would have ended years ago!" I look through the copilot window and I say with a bored voice: "Pfff, Wish i could do something like that."
"Thank you for the compliment" his voice got soft and doubtful. "Maybe I...ah, teach you how to use it."
"Really!?" I am excited. He looks at me more, this time before looking again the road. "I want to, I really want to. Maybe i could be some help".
His voice immediately turns hard and rude. "No, you are not gonna fire arrows at anyone, if I teach you it's for hunting, not for killing. Rabbits, deers and such."
I use a sarcastic tone to relax him. "What? you don't let me pierce bad motherfuckers and infected but you want me to kill bunnies and Bambi's family? You're a horrible man."
"Mmmhmm, you sound reasonable if you put it that way." he softened his tone again. "Anyway, how do you know who is Bambi, that's too old story for you to know."
"I read it. The fucking military school had a library, spend a lot of time in there. Fucking sad story, hate it."
"So you like to read, uh?"
"Well yeah. It depends on the book."
"Reading is good, it's an exercise to the mind, keeps you sharp." He began a new sentence, but as he realized what he was saying he lowered his voice to a mere whisper. "She liked reading to."
"Who?" I asked without thinking. His tone went back dark.
"No one"
"Okay." the conversation ended, the silence fell between us as if a hundred meters existed from each other seat. Some minutes passed, and i can hear him moving on his seat, trying getting comfortable. As we pass through the forest i see a little town. Words come out of my mouth without my permission. "Oh man, wish i could wash myself."
"What?"
"Uh? Nothing, just thinking."
"What bothers you?"
"It just..., we have been running, fighting, kinda things for a while. I haven't changed my clothes, and i am all sweaty, makes me feel dirty, but I understand that we can't stop, too dangerous." He reduces the speed and parks the car near the entrance of the town, it's just ten or twelve houses, just one street, the middle of the forest, little fucking creepy if you ask me.
"I'll go to take a look, stay in the car and don't make any noise." As always he so grim.
"I can go with you." I tell almost in a beg.
"Wait here until I clean the area, Ellie."
"But" he stops me.
"We'll talk about this later." he closes the door and leaves silently. He always does that.
Twenty minutes later he comes walking, so I get out the car and approach to him, he'll tell me what to do, as always.
"The houses and the surroundings are clear, get your things and settle a camp inside one of the houses, then search for some clothes; I'll check again the area."
"Yes sir." I respond with monotone voice.
"Hey" he says with reproach tone.
"What!?" I answer angry.
He stares at me, with that stupid and stoic face. "Nothing, just do what i told you".
"Agh, fuck."
He stares me as I leave, i don't see it, but I know.
After prepare a house with couple of rooms, I go to check the wardrobes trying to find something that fits me and that stayed clean. When I am on the third house I find something I can use. At first it was just normal trousers, jeans, T-shirts, etc. Not everything was great but some of them would do. After that, just searching for underwear, not to long until I found it. Normal stuff, fits, White almost everything, something pink over here and over there. And then found something rare. There are panties, but they are pretty thin, doesn't cover almost anything, but they are cute. A image cross my mind, Riley using this. I just blush from imagining it, it makes me feel hot.
"Ellie, I just prepared something you..." I jump out of my imagination and look at him. He stood at the door with confused face, one I didn't see before. He close his eyes for two seconds and open them again. Finally he closed his mouth and tried to regain composure. "Ellie, you should leave that were you found it, take other stuff and let's go."
I look at my hand and see the tiny black underwear. As a natural reaction I grab it tighter and hide it behind my back, even if it is too late for that. "Sure" I say not being at all convincing.
"Ellie, I am serious. Drop that." His voice was tired this time.
"Why?" I inquire almost shouting
"Ellie..."
"I asked fucking why?" My voice was turning in anger.
God, this girl is stubborn. While she enters in a house, I just go to check the surroundings to find the barrel that I saw when was dragging all the infected corpses just killed behind the last house. Found it, I stack some bricks and make a kind of oven with them, gather some wood and prepare a fire. Then make a platform over it. Found a lot of blue smaller barrels full of clean water, probably from rain, but to make it sure I've to boil it. Prepare the big barrel over the platform,
Fill it up with water and close the barrel. Then light up the oven and feed the fire, it's well built, since no much light gets out but it can breathe. Also it's positioned with good sights and the area has got some privacy, she'll like. A custom bath.
I go to the last house that see her get into. Get up the stair and walk while talking: "Ellie, I just prepared something you..." She has a thong in her hands. Long time ago I don't see one of those, and not half erotic as that. My mind blow for just a second and I couldn't elude the thought of Ellie wearing it. I close my eyes and got my center again.
"Ellie, you should leave that were you found it, take other stuff and let's go."
She hides it. "Sure." God, she wants to keep it, her face talks for her.
"Ellie, I am serious. Drop that." This might become a problem.
"Why?" she is getting nervous.
"Ellie..." I try to make her understand, but she shouts again.
"I asked fucking why?" This is gonna bring bad memories, last time I tried, was 21 years ago, ain't go well.
"I'll explain, but please, just calm down, after that, If you want to keep it, you can. Okay?" Not too much agree but I have to try to make her get into reason. I have only one shot, so let's go how it goes.
"Okay." she is cautious.
"Fuck, were I should begin?" She remains silent. "Shall we have a seat?"
"yeah" We sit next in the edge of a bed.
"You know that you are just a kid, right?" She was about answer with anger but I interrupt her. "Not talking about you behaviour, or your mind, hell as much as I know the concept of kid died long ago, the youth has been wiped out of the life of humanity. Not talking if you can kill or takin care of yourself I'm talking about your body, You are just a kid, you like it or not. Can you understand that?" She lowers his sight, her eyes vague for seconds, then she nods.
"I'm not your father Ellie, I cannot tell you what to wear o what to say, I'm here to keep you alive, and maintain you safe. The personal things, you have to decide them by yourself, but even if i don't have the authority to tell you what to do in these terms, you should listen my advice. So, would you?"
"Come on, don't get too pussy." She said with a confused smile. A laugh went out my mouth.
"Yeah. That is an... erotic underwear, as you can see. There is... nothing wrong with it..., but wearing an underwear like that might be.. uh, a sign that you... are predisposed to certain kind of... activities, that you are not prepared to maintain. It is dangerous to be a young girl like you these days, shit can happen and bad men would try to abuse you at the minimal possibility. Things like that underwear could make it even worse, so. If you want to keep it, do it, but as a gun, you have to know how to use it, because it is a dangerous item these days. A gun give you the capability of killing things, and that can be something you enjoy much, but it can make you an objective. More even an adorable and fighter girl these days is. So that's why. Now I'll let you decide, I'll be down, I've prepared something." She doesn't say anything.
I walk away, from now on it's not your problem Joel, you have done what you must. Damn girl.