Set Me Free ▪︎ Joel Miller ▪︎

▪︎○ Eight ○▪︎

Tess could already feel the throbbing in her neck as she stood on the rooftop of the museum. Her blood already felt tainted; corrupted by the infection already circulating through her system.

She kept her head low and her collar high to hide the bloody bite mark from the others. She couldn't allow them to know, especially Joel - not just yet.

That runner had been a tough son of a bitch with an even tougher bite.

Her breathing was noticeably ragged and uneven as she hunched over, placing her palms to her knees in an attempt to calm herself. Her mind races, attempting to catch up with the events that had just unfolded and the inevitable outcome of them.

"Tess?"

It's Olivia's soft voice that breaks through her train of thought, her approaching footsteps slowing to a stop just beside Tess's hunched figure.

"Are you okay?"

No. I'm bit and I'm terrified.

The smuggler stands upright, lifting her gaze to the young woman with a sadness in her eyes. They lock gazes and that's when Tess sees it, the genuine concern and care reflecting in Olivia's bright forest green eyes. Concern for her and her well being. It was sincere and that alone meant the world to her because if truth be told, not many people had ever truly cared for her. Especially not those who had only spent a few stressful hours in her company.

So, she nods as the corners of her mouth lift into a appreciative smile. "Yeah, just winded." she lies.

"Yeah, I know the feeling." Olivia jokes with a smile, her hand lifting to loosen her tight bun a little.

Tess doesn't reply, but she does let the smile linger on her lips as she watches Joel move towards the plank on the floor beside them before placing it as a bridge between this building and the next.

He turns to Ellie, who steps up beside him. "Alright. Now watch your step goin' up 'cause it's gonna be a little..."

"Pssh," she cuts him off whilst ignoring his advice as she steps up and crosses the plank without issue.

Olivia snorts a laugh at the interaction whilst moving past Tess and towards the plank beside Joel. "You gon' be alright with this?" the older man asks her, subtly referring to her fear of heights causing Olivia to grin and nod.

"This is nothing compared to what we just went through,"

"Yeah..." Joel smiles, his gaze lingering on Olivia as she steps up - and much slower than Ellie had - crosses the plank.

Tess watches the two, observing their obvious attraction to one another and the deep rooted connection they share. She feels her heart dip just a little at the spark in Joel's eyes, the spark ignited by Olivia and Ellie alone.

She wanted to be angry, to be jealous, but she couldn't bring herself to feel that way.

She liked Olivia and Ellie, she respected them both and clearly that respect was mutual. They were good people and she realised that in some way or another, they were making she and Joel better people.

She wondered if Olivia realised the way Joel looked at her. The way his lips would twitch upwards at her presence alone, the way his eyes would soften and spark with life whenever she spoke. The way he cared for her in his own Joel way.

"Tess?" Joel calls.

"I'm comin', go on." she encourages with a simple wave of her hand before watching as he nods and follows Olivia and Ellie onto the next rooftop.

The trio stare off at the golden roof of the capitol building as Tess moves towards the plank. Olivia's nudges Ellie playfully, the same fond smile on her lips as she tilts her head in the building direction. "We're getting closer," she tells her.