Chapter 36 It is too damn hot

Wickedredclown (Sorry. Work comes first. Sadly.) Vindictam (Thanks it means alot to me. I was too weak to kill David. But aggressive is the best way to describe him) doomsta27 (She needed to have a moment), edgaryg (Thanks. Ellie had a lot going on with her but now they will be okay for a while. Have fun for a few chapters), TheGunSlinger82 (Thanks), Mystery guy (Thanks), MasterHollow (You can't kill someone even if you hate them without thinking of them), KuroiHanabixShenny (The busty pie lady will come! You are right that would just be natural but still cowardly), ThatChickontheInternet (I will listen to that song. You are lucky! As a teacher I feel for him as a fellow Joel lover I want a picture.) QuietSunlight (It did) mckoy12345678910 (I will try I have plans brewing!)

A/N: Sorry for not posting on friday. Friday is my big test day every week and I have to grade and post 125 grades and drive. But on the bright side Quietsunlight is coming back for the next chapter.

-...- (Joel)

Once they cleared the city and could not see the hospital the pair of survivors finally slowed down. The night had fallen and they shacked up quietly for the night. Ellie wasn't in the mood to talk and he could see why. This is worse than dealing with David. Joel reasoned. But he could understand what shook her.

As they laid down, he looped her into a hug and let her cry. The girl tried to hide it, but most of the night she was upset. Now that he thought of it, Sarah did the same thing. For some reason, the women in his life thought the he would not think of them as the amazing young women they were if they cried. They expected him to fuss at them.

He couldn't do that to his girls. Everything had a time and place. Besides, Ellie would be okay in a day or two and they could move on. His 'shit happens and we move on policy.'

Until she could fight, he picked up the slack and watched for any threats in the distance. They ended up staying in a old trailer house that would have looked sad twenty years ago and now it was pathetic, but it was a place with a door to lock and windows to block. It would do even if they didn't trust the bed enough to sleep on it. The couch was fine enough anyways. They found some old cans of soup to eat and settled down with only the minimal "goodnight."

Joel continued to hug the girl until the crying stopped, but Joel couldn't sleep. And he knew she was still awake.

She thought I was dead… Marlene lied to both of them, but that was crossing a line. I should have never believed her. If he could kick his own ass he would have because he actually trusted that bitch for a second not to fake a note. He honestly thought Ellie was done with him. Must have been that headache… Headache… He remembered feeling so sick… They fucking drugged me… Joel set his jaw.

Ellie sighed. They were spooning on the couch and he hugged her tighter.

Those bastards. Joel couldn't help, but be glad that they were done with that mess and could finally rest. The only good thing about their world was that the only thing you had to do was survive. If you wanted to take your time going home, you was in no real rush to see Tommy's house because he had a feeling it would end up like everywhere else. They would burn bridges and run like hell. He kissed the back of her neck right underneath her ponytail. He hoped for her sake that he was bitter and wrong.

-...- (Ellie)

He was right about things in a way. Marlene would be a knot in her heart for a long time, but you moved on. They continued to take their time heading north. The summer sun making it just too damn hot to walk (or ride) to far.

"Shit…" She whined pulling at her loose t-shirt. It was the layers of the shirt that were killing her and she could feel the sweat slide down her back. Her jeans had become a second skin.

Joel sighed. "Let's take a break." he pulled the horse to a stop. The were standing in front of a bridge that crossed a river.

"Hungry?"

"Hot." He replied as he slide off the saddle and helped her down.

"Thanks." She muttered swiping her sweaty bangs out of her face.

Joel took the reins and led Callus down to the water. It sparkled unlike the stagnant water that filled most of the cities. Ellie joined them and filled up her canteen. The water was cold and clean enough. Joel used his hand as a cup to drink a little.

She tugged at her shirt trying to get a breeze.

Joel one-upped her by unbuttoning his shirt. He was still pretty fit for a man his age with just a touch of gray in his chest hair. He had ruggedness that made her hope that he had plans for the river.

Ellie laughed when he looked at her. The sun had really go to him today. His nose and forehead were burned to hell. "Working on your tan?" She laughed.

"Ha." He said said humorlessly. "I see the freckles are coming in nicely. Maybe, they will combine to give you a decent tan."

Ellie gaffed. "Leave my freckles out of it."

"You started it." He smiled. Slipping his jeans off. He looked back at the water"Good enough place to wash up." He muttered.

"Wash up" She threw the air quotes up and he chuckled at her.

"It is too damn hot for that." He gave her smirk that said he had already considered the idea.

"We'll see." Ellie slipped off her shoes to leave on shore. The rest of her clothes needed a good scrub too. Joel already waded out. He had the soap bar and his clothes in hand.

Ellie debated and slipped off her jeans. A break from them was good enough. She slipped off her shirt revealing her worn out bra. She followed out him into the chilled water. At the middle of the small river, the water reached her breast. It was just shallow enough that she still felt like she wouldn't drown in it.

Joel already starting scrub the clothes even though you really could not get some of the algae and blood out of the clothes anymore. Ellie soaked hers and scrubbed hers went he passed the bar.

He laid out his clothes on the shore to dry and waited for her to finish so he could lay out hers too.

He rejoined her in the water and she held up her hand for a high-five. He gave her look and compiled. "Teamwork!" She beamed.

He shook his head at her and went on washing up.

Ellie frowned. He had a chance to… Was he serious about just washing up? Ellie had to test this theory.

"Well, now that we got the boring stuff out of the way." She popped off her bra and tossed it to the shore. It needs to dry too… She dipped down in the water and got her hair wet. She came up and slicked it back.

He was turned away washing up with the soap."Hm?" He scrubbed his chest with the soap.

Ellie dipped low like a shark and closed the distance between them. "MARCO!" She jumped on his back and wrapped her legs around him and climbed Joel like a tower.

He went down under the water until he got his footing and lifted up. Ellie was sitting on his shoulders.

"Ellie." He deadpanned. He had his hands on her thighs supporting her.

"Hm?" She smiled.

"That is not how you play that game."

Ellie pouted. "I thought it worked out perfectly."

"Really?" He shook his hair out for second like a dog. "POLO!" He tipped them back and her stomach jumped as she hit the water. She scrambled under the crystal clear water and found her footing in the silt bed of the river. She gasped as she reached the surface and caught his arms. He was already coming after he. They wrestled and played in the water. She would climb on him and dunk him and he would toss her away. The water wasn't scary when you were just goofing around, and it was a relief to be out of the heat.

The game changed when she kissed him.

He pulled her close and her nails dragged down his back from his shoulder blades down. She wanted to climb up so he could get in the right angle to fuck.

Ellie wiggled expectantly. He was hard as a rock against her, but their underwear stopped them getting too close.

One of his hands slipped down to cup her butt. She nipped his bottom lip and he groaned. He broke the kiss to lean down and kiss the column of her neck. His hand never left her ass.

"I"

"missed"

"you." He punctuated each word with a kiss. His strong arms held tight along her sides. Joel shielded her from the world and she liked it.

"I missed you too." She looked up at the bright sky. She really did miss him and it still felt like a dream to be doing this again. She was afraid that she would wake up in the hospital alone.

Passion went away to affection. They lazily made out until their needs passed.

-...- (Joel)

The pair spent the afternoon playing until their stomachs declared it was time to hunt.

"You think we can get a fish?" Ellie said studying the water.

"We scared them off if there were any. Let's just go on and find a bird or something." He pulled back on his shirt and worked on the buttons.

Ellie pouted. "I want to go fishing."

"There will be time for that." He assured her as he finished the last button.

"Fine." She finished buttoning her jeans. "We will add it to the list of stuff to do." She went for shirt then book bag. Ellie left out the bow out and was ready to hunt.

They tied up Callus and headed into the woods following the river. He pulled out his bow and they crawled along looking for anything that moved.

A black bird didn't see it coming. Just WHOOSH and it was done. They took their kill and carried on to find a rabbit. The sunlight sparkled through the greenery.

"So what you feel like. Roasted or soup? He asked

"Roasted. So, how far to Tommy's?"

"A few days to a week at our pace. But that's fine. Let's eat and find a place to sleep."

"It's early. Why are we stopping early?"

"Just tired."

"Want to finish something we started?" She bumped his shoulder.

He grinned "Naw."

A/N: I will post on my usual schedule Fridays are just a bad day.