The boy isn't the best guitarist Joel has ever heard, that's for sure. But that didn't mean he wasn't good.
His music was enjoyable, and more was his voice, not so high pitched for a little boy, nor was it too low. He was just there.
Ellie seemed to enjoy his melody too, her body slightly moving from side to side with the music and the rhythm.
"My sunshine, my only sunshine.." She even began murmuring the song, making the boy in front of her smile.
He kept singing, inviting her to do the same, and rather sooner, it almost became a duet.
What is this, high school musical? Joel thought with a smirk on his face.
He knew too well the world could use a High school musical.
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"And then, after he jumped on me, Joel kicked him on gut to set me free! It was amazing!" Ellie said as they walked through the whole forest, with a bit more equipment on Joel's bag, and with James carrying another bag full of interesting weapons and arsenal. The only one who carried her usual stuff was Ellie, who had been wearing a big, goofy smile for hours now.
"Sounds like you've had it hard, huh" James said, and Joel couldn't help but chuckle.
"That's quite an understatement" Ellie giggled and turned to see Bruce while walking backwards confidently.
"We've been through a lot of shit" Joel shook his head.
"Ellie, what did we say about language?" James snickered at Ellie's cute, pouting face.
"Oh fuck off, Joel. We're outside town" She complained, and Joel groaned.
"Ellie, I said between you and me it was ok! But we have someone extra today, so keep it down" Ellie shook her head.
"James's staying anyways, so he better get used to me now" She argumented, and Joel only scoffed in response, not having the energy to debate with the girl at that time about simple manners.
Who cares anyway? He thought as he looked at the boy who was fascinated with everything Ellie told him, from simple comic stories she always read, to her adventures with Joel.
"Endure and survive" He repeated when she said her favorite phrase from her favorite comic, and Ellie laughed, her smile never leaving her face.
"Kid, if you don't stop smiling, you're gonna creep the hell outta James" Joel mocked her, earning a furrow from her and a laugh from James.
"It's okay, I like it when people are happy" He assured Joel with a smile on his face, "And it's fun either way, even if I'm not much of a reader, I enjoy good stories" She beamed at him and started talking even more than before, making Joel sigh with exhaustion.
Kids have so much energy…
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Joel decides that maybe it's time for them to make a little camp and get themselves ready to sleep after a long walk, and neither Ellie nor James complains, setting themselves somewhere close to a river in the middle of the forest, James helping Joel while Ellie collected some wood to make a fire.
"What happens if you follow the river's flow?" Ellie asks after finishing her part, sitting her butt in front of the soon to be, fire.
Joel was too busy to reply, but James wasn't.
"You either find bandits, abandoned cities or infected" He said casually, "My father told me that back in the day civilizations made their cities near rivers, for basic reasons" Joel chuckled and nodded.
"That was even before my time, though. But he's right, you'll probably find bandits, infected or cities" Ellie nodded.
"And Jackson is one of those cities?" Joel nodded.
"Yep" he simply said before placing everything on its place and tried starting the fire, "Do we have any matches left?" He asked Ellie, and she checked in her bag.
"Nope" She shook her head after finding nothing.
"I got some, here" James said, searched in his pocket and tossed them to Joel.
Joel initially wanted to ask him why did he have those in his pocket, but decided otherwise.
It's the boy's business, after all.
He started the fire and took out some provisions from his own bag.
The rules while he travelled with Ellie were simple, she scavenged for her own food, and so did he.
And of course, with James there, it was the same rule.
"What've you got to eat?" Ellie asked him, peeking into his bag while he searched, getting a bit close to James's face.
A bit too much, Joel would say.
"Oh, I guess some canned beans and pork" he said as he took out a can, and a can opener.
He opened his own can and left said can on their handmade pot for it to cook, and he tossed the can opener to Joel.
"Thanks, kid" He said and opened his own can, waiting for his turn to cook it.
"So, how did you two meet?" James asked, and suddenly Ellie started laughing.
"Ohoho, it's story time, Joel" Joel sighed and nodded.
Yep, story time
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Joel expected James to: 1- Be scared of Ellie, 2- Run away from Ellie, or, in worst case scenario, 3- Try to kill Ellie, after he found out about her secret, and he guesses, it was in a moment of weakness, the morning after they met, that she casually told him about her... Special case.
Nothing changed, though. He kept his distance from her for a few hours, but no one can actually go away from Ellie once she's attached to you, Joel knew that. And in a matter of hours James turned back into the interested boy who cared abittoomuch about Ellie.
"And then! And then-!" They've been talking- Well, Ellie has been talking about gnomes, fairies and more for the past few hours, every time getting closer to the little boy, and Joel could only know what was happening.
She's in that age, He thought, and remembered how his own little daughter once went into that stage, a bit earlier than what he would've wanted.
It's not like she can't make him fall for her in a blink, He thinks, but wonders if someone can actually get so attached to someone else in such a short lapse of time.
He debated with himself if he should've the talk with Ellie that night, or just let it be. But when Ellie suddenly, unconsciously brushed her elbow with the boy's one and steps away quickly (Just to get close to him again seconds later), Joel realises there's no need for him to have that talk with her.
Not yet, He assured tohimself and finally starts breathing calmly.
He turned to see them both smiling to each other while James shared a story, and Joel realised that maybe it's not only Ellie.
Maybe I should give 'em both the talk, He thinks and sighs, not being exactly ready to go through all the stuff he's gone once in his life.
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They soon reach their first official stop, and first danger.
"Smells a lot like infected in here" James commented as he checked out an abandoned checkpoint in the middle of their way, "Can't we just go around it" Joel nodded, and sighed at the same time.
"Yes, but my brother Tommy asked me for a favor, and the favor is actually in this checkpoint" James groans and starts looking for something inside his backpack.
Joel instinctively clenched his fist when James took out a gun with a silencer on it.
"Right, well let's end this up rather quickly, I hate infected" He sighed and started walking in front of them, only stopping when Joel took hold of his shoulder.
"Wait, I'll go first" James frowned, and Joel realised that the boy is one of those that like to take initiative.
I need an excuse, Joel thought and turned to see Ellie, and then he turned again to see the boy.
"I need you to take care of Ellie" He said, and Ellie would've complained that she could take care of herself if it wasn't for Joel's glare.
It was that kind of glare that Joel only gave to her when stuff got serious.
"Yeah, it'll be cool to have my back watched" Ellie helped, and beamed when James suddenly changed his mood to one of agreement.
"I'll take care of you, then" He said, and in a blink of an eye, he was right behind her in full body-guard mode.
Thing that she didn't mind a bit, mind you.
"Are you guys ready to go?" Joel asked as he took deep breaths to steady himself.
The two kids nodded without hesitation, and he sighed, and thought:
Am I ready to risk it all again?
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The last part is what I think Joel thinks every time he has to take Ellie somewhere dangerous, since, y'know, Ellie is his everything and all that cheesy stuff.
See ya next update