sunshine // joel miller

FIVE

"Yeah," Ellie responded to Joel, but her eyes were on the gun Fran had placed on the floor. Fran noticed this, and picked it up carefully, putting it in her pocket.

"Fran, with me a second," Tess spoke then, walking away from the museum, Fran shared a confused look with Ellie, before following the woman.

"What's-" Fran started to say as they turned a corner, now out of view of Joel and Ellie.

"Get the gun out," Tess ordered, making Fran pause for a second, Tess gestures to the girls pocket and she slowly got it out.

Tess had a similar gun on her hand. And held it up in Fran's direction, instantly making the younger woman take a step back.

"Relax, safety's on. You need to know how to shoot-" Tess began to explain, but Fran cut her off quickly.

"I really don't think it's necessary-"

"It's only in case something goes south, if Joel and I are compromised," Tess told her.

"What happened to it being fine?" Fran argued, much like a child.

"Just in case," Tess repeated, "two hands, one thumb locked over the other so you don't drop it." She said, doing it herself so Fran could copy -  she did, just apprehensively.

"Safety's up here," Tess pointed with her finger, "take that off, and pull the trigger to shoot. It will knock you back a little, but keep your feet shoulder width apart and you'll catch yourself easily."

"Okay-" Fran stared at the gun in between our hands.

"Good," Tess said, beginning to walk back to Joel and Ellie, she didn't hear Fran following, so quickly turned to give some last minute encouragement, "we're gonna be fine. That is only a precaution. The gun can be in your pocket, just take a deep breath."

Fran nodded, putting the gun in her pocket.

"And remember, they're not people anymore." Tess added to her statement, something that was supposed to comfort just making her feel worse.

All she could think was 'But they were at some point.'

"Okay, so... more ground rules." Tess spoke now collectively to both Ellie and Fran, Joel picking up on the fact that Fran was two times paler than she had been minutes ago. He knew what Tess had shown her off the fact she was shaking like a leaf.

"We're gonna go slowly. If we come up against anything, you get behind us and you stay there, okay?" Tess said specifically to Ellie.

"Yes." Ellie nodded her head.

"You know the last resort," Tess then says to Fran, getting a weak nod in return.

Tess' own gun then gets crossed over her light, reminding Fran of swat team operations she used to see in the movies. It all felt very real once again.

"I have a spare hand." Ellie offered, wanting her own gun, but even Fran shook her head at that.

"Congratulations." Joel responded and Fran fought to keep a smile off her face. He was not going to make her smile, not after being a dick.