The Last Of Us: Part I - Darker Days (Male Reader)

Chapter 7 - A Small Light in a Dark World

"Nothing." Sam said, holding what looked like a transformer toy in his hand. Clearly, he wanted to take it with him, and for a moment Y/N almost felt sorry for the kid, and that he should take it.

Until something Henry said clicked in his brain, like a switch was pulled, bringing him back to the very shitty reality.

"What's the rule about takin' stuff?" Henry questioned his younger brother as he pointed at him with his finger, almost harshly, if not a bit dramatic.

Despite agreeing with him, it was one object, but Y/N knew it wouldn't just stop with one, he knew that.

"We're not allowed nice things."

Someone had once told him, and he had hated it. Still, he kept to his drawings, that was one thing he was never giving up.

"We only take what we have to" Sam answered in a dejected tone, dull and repetitive like he had said it countless times again before, and just a little, little bit of sympathy filled Y/N with the boy's plight.

You spend so long trying to survive, that you never really take the chance to start living your life.

"That's right." As if scolding a toddler, Henry continued before gesturing to the others.

"Now, come on."

"How much further?" Joel asked as the two brothers proceeded out of the store, him following after them.

The rest was drowned out, as Y/N took another moment to look around the room, and immediately, he was hit with a memory from a long time ago as his eyes shut in an automatic response.

"We collect toys for the little ones. Anything we can find."

The woman's voice called out again, causing Y/N to open up again, and to find himself back here.

Again.

"Why?"

Y/N found himself asking as his younger self peered around the room with a childlike innocent that couldn't be possible considering what had happened days ago. His right hand acting on instinct as he scratched at his left, the wrist covered by a bandage, which in turn was covered by his new long grey sleeve t-shirt.

The woman smiled, her hazel brunette hair cut short behind her ear, her over half moped over in a slight curve that Y/N found himself looking at more and more as the woman's haircut begged him to ask why she cared for it... different, particular.

"It's a little piece of heaven for them in a dark world. You find anything you like, you can take it. Nobody will mind."

She had smiled, it had almost made him too. Except all he allowed was a slight curl of his lips that just backed out, and formed a grimace.

It was a nursery room.

Toys covered every inch of the room as evident of children younger than him had occupied it not too long a time before he had entered.

With the woman showing him a good gesture of their home. A school, a home, a place to grow and live a life.

She wanted to offer him that, but he didn't know what to think of it. He was a kid, he was twelve back then. Young and afraid, he still was, if he could only admit it.

"Really?"

He had asked, that childlike enthusiasm in him that would've looked strange from someone of such age, but he hadn't cared, nor noticed. Except the woman had, and she had given out a rather sweet smile, only reserved for the sweetest kids.