Disclaimer: I do not own any character of (The Last of Us) TLOU is owned by Naughty Dog and their creators.
Chapter 5: Working together
After a few minutes, Ellie let go of Joel and moved away from him. "Sorry about that, I think I get too excited," she said while her cheeks start to turn red.
"I reckon so… so try to keep that to yourself next time," he said in a mocking tone. "Anyway, the house is not big, so you don't need to come every day to work. And if your aunt gives you permission, I have some conditions for you to come here."
"Conditions?" Ellie looks at him a little clueless.
"Yes, conditions and you need to agree to them, if you want to continue coming here. But first, let's eat something, I bet you're hungry after all that work." Joel started to walk toward the back door of the house, while Ellie followed him until they were inside.
Joel walked to the kitchen and started to get out a few things from the fridge. Ellie sat on the stud in front of the counter. "What kind of conditions are we talking about?" asked Ellie while putting her hand on her cheeks and leaning forward.
Joel grabbed two Slade of bread from the bag and put it on a plate. "Well, first; you need to stop coming here so early, you don't need to do that. Second; Come in working clothes or bring extra, you don't know if you are going to do some work they will get you dirty. Also, I will pay you at the end of the day, since I don't know if you need the next day." Joel finished the first sandwich and passed it to Ellie.
Ellie took the plate and gave it a bite to her sandwich. "That sounds good to me."
"Well, that is good. Maybe it would be better if I go to your house and talk to your aunt. I don't want her to think that I am taking advantage of you or something."
"No... I mean you don't need to do that. I can talk to her about having a little summer job. She will be glad to hear that I will be doing something to help someone. Besides, as I said before, she will travel a lot so you don't need to worry about her."
"What do you mean by that? Is she not supposed to take care of you?"
"She does when she is at home… but as she travels a lot, I normally take care of myself. Looks I am 16, not a baby, I don't need anyone to take care of me, I can do that myself."
"Well, that is not a normal thing to do from an adult to negligent someone like that. Maybe you need to talk to someone about-"
"No, I don't need to talk to anyone, I'm perfectly fine. And I don't think it is illegal for a 16 years girl to be alone in her house. I like when she is out, that way I can do my things."
"Okay… okay," said Joel, putting his hand in front of him. "Now the third one is the most important of all. I do not want you to ask me any personal questions, okay? I like my privacy and I like it to keep it that way. When you come here, it is only to work and nothing more is okay. So any questions you want to ask me that have nothing to do with the job, keep it to yourself."
Ellie moved back and rolled her eyes. "That is not fair, how we are going to be friends if we don't know anything about each other."
Joel finished preparing the other sandwich and took a bite. "I never said anything about being friends," Joel moved to the fridge and grabbed a bottle with juice. "I already told you that I want to be left alone. I will give you a job to do for a few weeks and nothing more."
Ellie grabbed the sandwich from the plate again and took another bite. "Ahhh… you take the fun out of it... How we can work together... if we're not going to be friends," she said with her mouth full of food.
Joel gave her a look. "That is easy, you just do what I said, then go home. I don't know why you want to be friends with an old man anyway. And stop talking with your mouth full, that is gross," he finishes putting the juice in two glasses and gives one to Ellie. "Here before you chook with your food." They stay looking at each other's faces while eating their sandwich.
After a few minutes, Ellie answered him. "It's not like I like to be friends with old people. But I like to have some interesting conversations and I think you're very interesting. I can see that you don't like to be around people much, but I bet that before the summer ends we're going to be best friends. And for the record, I don't think you're that old," said Ellie with a smile on her face.
Soon they finish, Joel walks out of the kitchen and toward the living room. "Okay, I have to go to town and do a few things. So you can go home now and come back tomorrow at noon."
"Can I go with you? I don't have anything to do at home."
"Sorry, but it is better if no one sees us together in town. I don't want people to start talking."
Ellie isn't happy about that, she wants to spend more time with this guy and knows more about him. But that is going to be a job for another day. So without saying any more words she got out of Joel's house and went back to her home. But on the way, she starts thinking that in the end, she will be more than just Joel an employee.
Ellie comes back the next day with a note signed by her aunt saying that she let Ellie work for the summer. Joel found that a little suspicious, because it didn't say anything about him, or asked to meet him or what job she is going to do. Joel told her that maybe it was better if he talked to her. But Ellie insists that as if this was not an official job it is okay for her to come. Ellie has to use a lot of convincing to make Joel let her help him and after a few hours of talking he gives in. He told her that she can come to help him with a few things and that he will pay her for that. But make her promise to not tell anyone, besides her aunt, because he doesn't want to get into trouble.
( Two weeks later )
As Joel promised her, he gave Ellie a few things to do for a few hours a day. But even that he was glad for the little help with the house. He doesn't understand why she was always so happy to come to work. Joel thought that she must be feeling so lonely because kids of her age normally like to do other things that do not have to involve work.
After a while, Ellie started to ask him personal questions, like where he came from and what he did before coming here. She asked him all kinds of questions, trying to get some information about him. But of course, Joel always reminds her about the deal on not asking him anything personal. So as he doesn't answer them, she starts to tell him things about her. She usually doesn't have anyone to talk about things, no one in school or not even her aunt. So she was happy that Joel at least listened to her.
After Ellie helped Joel to clean the entire house and organize a few things he told her to take a few days free and to come back the next week. Ellie gets a little sad about that, but those days that she didn't come to work. She came by the house without Joel's notice and hid behind the trees, to watch Joel from a distance. Sometimes she came with her notebook and sat under a tree while watching him cutting some wood and working on the shed. Ellie doesn't know why, but working with Joel makes her happy, and not feel so lonely. She hasn't had any friends since she came to live here, so she doesn't have anyone to talk to. Yeah, she had her aunt, but she always was working and never had much time for her to talk about things. So that is why Ellie likes to spend her free time doing things and walking around the forest. But now that she is spending too much time with Joel. She had someone to talk about the things she did, and even if Joel didn't say anything about him, Ellie hopes that with time he will change his mind.
After Ellie time free passes. Ellie came back to Joel's house to continue with her work. But soon she arrived, Joel received her with a brush and told her that they were going to paint the kitchen and living room. As Ellie didn't come prepared for that, Joel gives her some old clothes for her to use, so that way she doesn't stain hers.
Ellie was in the bathroom changing her clothes when she noticed that the clothes were not going to fix her. "Hey Joel, I don't think that your pants are going to fix me," said Ellie from inside the bathroom.
Joel was preparing the painting when he heard Ellie. "I see. Okay, maybe we can do this tomorrow, so that way you can come with some other clothes," replay Joel.
"No, no… is okay. I'm already here, so let's start this." Ellie starts doing something in the bathroom. "Maybe... if I can… bingo! Okay, this will work fine," after a few minutes, Ellie opened the door and got out of the bathroom. Joel looked at her speechless. Because Ellie was just wearing the long t-shirt he gave her with pants.
"Are you kidding me? You can't work here like that," said Joel while looking at her from top to bottom.
Ellie looked down and watched her legs. "Why? The t-shirt covers everything, so what is the problem?"
"What is the problem? That you're not wearing any pants. You can't work like that, here," Joel was going to walk away, but Ellie moved fast and grabbed the roller out of his hand.
"Is okay Joel I can do this. Besides I don't think that any of your pants are going to fix me...so let's do this," she walks toward one of the walls that Joel had ready and put the roller on the printing plate. Joel turns around and watches her when she bends over and starts painting the wall. "If we're going to paint all the living room we need to move a few things."
Joel shook his head and walked toward her. "Look kiddo, I can't let you work like that… is not appropriate okay."
Ellie ignores him at first and continues painting the wall. "I don't see what the problem is, the only thing that you can see is my lower legs," then she stops and looks at him.
"Yeah, but you're 16 and it is not good to be in the presence of a man without pants."
"Well, is that bothering you, don't look at me. And if we don't finish today, I will come tomorrow more prepared for this," Ellie turned around and continued with the painting. "But if it makes you feel better, you can start with the kitchen so that way you don't need to look at me," she adds with a smile.
Joel watches her as she continues, knowing that he is not going to win this argument. So he just decides that for today let her work like that. He will do what she suggests and go to the kitchen and work there, so that way he doesn't have to see her like that.
Half an hour later Ellie starts with the question again. "So you're from Texas?"
Joel hears her from inside the kitchen. "What I told you about asking personal questions?"
Ellie stops painting and looks at his direction. "Oh, c'mon, that is not even a personal question. I can say for your accent that you came from any of the southern states. Besides we've been working together for more than two weeks. And I told you a lot of things about me, is just fair that you tell me something about you, don't you think?"
Joel doesn't answer her, right away. He starts to think about that. Did he really want this girl to know things about him? Yeah, they're been working together for the last three weeks, but that doesn't mean that they will befriend just like Ellie said. But maybe a little information about him is not going to do any harm. "Yeah, I'm from Texas, I've lived there almost all my life," Joel doesn't like to talk about his personal life with anyone. So he doesn't understand why this girl is making him feel right to talk about it now.
"See, that wasn't so hard. I already knew that you were from Texas, that was why I called you Lone Ranger when we met for the first time." She said with some giggle on her tone. "I don't know why, but I like to watch old western movies," she said while resuming her painting.
"Yeah? That adds, I never see a young lady like old western movies. But living in Texas is like a tradition to people as guns too. I really loved watching them when I was a kid. I saw them all the time with my little brother-" Joel stopped as soon as he noticed that he was talking too much about himself.
Ellie turns her head and looks at the kitchen and smiles. From her position, she can't see Joel there, but she was happy to know something about him. Well, she hopes to find more about him in the future, since he doesn't say anything about him since she started coming to his house. She wanted to ask him more things about himself but it is better for now to leave things like that. But that was a good start and she doesn't want to ruin it. "So… after you finish with the fixing, what are you going to do next?" she asked while continuing with her work
Joel stayed quiet for a moment before he answered her. "Well, finishing with the house completely is going to take a little more time. But after that I guess that I will find a job or something, my serving is not going to last forever."
"Oh, that is nice… do you have any job in particular? There are not many choices around here, believe me, there are not many people around here," Ellie was smiling, this is the first time that she really has some kind of conversation with Joel, that it doesn't involve work.
Joel doesn't answer her right away, he takes his time for that. "I was thinking about handyman work. I'm good with my hands, so I think I will try that first."
Ohhh...Yes, you're. I watch you all those days on the back of the house. What the hell that confront? Ellie said to herself while her face turned red. Then after a few minutes, she talks again. "Yeah sure, you can try that. I see the way you're fixing this house, all by yourself, people around here are always looking for that kind of work."
"Yeah, the man from the hardware store told me the same. So what about you? What you're going to do when the summer is over... kid? Well, besides school I mean."
Ellie's smile drops as soon as she hears him calling her like that. She wants to be more adult, especially in front of him. She doesn't want him to look at her like she is a little girl. After she calms down Ellie answers the question. "Yeah, I will be back in school, but at least now I have someone to talk to. Speaking of that, can you give me your phone number? It will be better if we keep some kind of communication in case something comes up."
"Sorry kiddo, but I don't have a phone."
"Really! No, even a cell phone?"
"Nope… I had one before, but as I don't speak to people much these days I don't need it," Joel replied to her.
Ellie stood up from her previous position and walked towards the kitchen counter. "That is a lame excuse, nobody can live without a phone. What if you have an emergency or something?"
Joel was finishing the back wall when he heard Ellie closer. So he stopped and turned around. "I didn't say that I never have one. I just said that I don't need it now," Joel said that to the girl, but his real reason for not having a phone is that nobody can call him, especially his brother. "If I need something. I just go to town and use a payphone."
Ellie rolled her eyes. "Well, I think you are going to need one now. If you are going to look for a job, people are going to need your phone number to call you. Besides everybody needs a phone these days, even the one that does not like to talk to people."
Joel looks at her knowing that she is right. If he needs to start looking for a job soon, he will need to start looking for one. "Well, maybe you're right, but I don't like cell phones much. So maybe I can put a land-line here, I think that I saw the connection of one somewhere in the house."
Ellie laughed a little on that. "A land-line phone, nobody uses that any more dude. You need a real phone. If you're going to work for yourself you will need a cell phone."
"That is not true, stores have land-line phones too. So if I install one of those people can call me here," try to defend himself.
"Yeah, but you're not going to work in a store are you? Besides, a cell phone is a better option, since you can take it everywhere. Wow now that I think about it, I didn't ask for your number when I started to come here. So I didn't notice that you don't have any phone," Say, Ellie, watching Joel's expression.
Joel put the paint roller down and moved to clean his hand on the sink. "I don't like cell phones… But I will think about it." He doesn't want to talk about the real reason for not having a phone. He started to remember the conversation with his ex-wife or his brother. And either of those was not pleasant. The last thing he wants is to remember his ex-wife or the reason their marriage ended. "I think we can take a little break, what did you say?"
"Yey… I am not tired. We only painted for like an hour, but I can use the break." Ellie walks back to the living room and put the roller down.
Joel walked out of the kitchen with a coke in one hand and a beer in the other. Yeah, he thought that it was not good to drink in front of her but he needed it. "Here you go kiddo," he said, moving close to her and offering her the drink.
Ellie turns around and grabs the coke. "Thanks, I can use-" Ellie stopped as soon she saw Joel with a beer in his hand. Hey… why don't I get one of those?"
Joel looks at her, then walks toward the back door of the house. "Sorry kiddo but you need to be 21 for that."
Ellie watches him go out of the house and follows him. She doesn't like it when he calls her that. Soon she opened the screen of the back door. She saw Joel sitting in one of the chairs there. Now that Joel turned down the broken screen and wood from the back porch are all opened?
"Are you going to fix this the way it was?" she asked while sitting on the other chair there.
"I don't know." he takes a sip on his beer. "Maybe… or maybe I will make it open. Just put on some railing or something."
"Well, that sounds good, but you can't sit here during the night or the insects are going to eat you."
Joel starts to think of that. Yeah… that is true. Anyway, what did your aunt say when you asked permission to come here and do some work?"
Ellie looked at the side. She didn't say much. Like I said she works a lot and we don't talk much about anything, except school things or if I need to do something in the house.
Joel started to feel sad for her. That maybe is the reason she is looking for some attention from
him. "Listen, kid, that is not right, she is the adult in the house, so she is supposed to take care of you. Maybe it will be a good idea if I go to your house and talk to her."
Ellie turned around her head quickly. "No! If you do that she is going to freak out and never let me come here or just call the cops on you for nothing," Joel noticed that she was starting to freak out. But maybe he needs to do something, this girl has left alone a lot and that is wrong.
"Okay, kid. I will leave things like this for now, but it is not right that you have been left alone like that, especially from your aunt."
"Oh, that is okay. She is good and taking care of a kid is not easy. I just don't want her to change her mind and not let me come here anymore."
Joel doesn't know what to say to that. Apparently, this girl really needs a friend, so maybe he can be one for now. "Okay, I think the break is over, let's finish this."
"Okay," replied Ellie while standing up.