Light in the Dark||TLOU||Joel x Reader

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University of Eastern Colorado

(Y/N) zones out of the sport talk between Joel and Ellie, instead allowing the warm breeze cascade over her.

"What kind of name is Callus, anyway?"

She snaps out of her trance at Ellie's scoff. "It's not my fault you forgot to ask Tommy for its name."

"What do you think?" Joel looks at (Y/N), who pretends to think. "I happen to think it's a great name." She shrugs and he mocks offence with a roll of his eyes. "Sure."

"None of these buildings look like a mirror to me." She adds.

"Well, we'll head to central grounds. Should be able to see most of the campus from there." Joel informs her.

(Y/N) follows him towards central grounds and Ellie points to a building in the distance with multiple windows. "Hey, is that it?"

"It does look like a giant mirror." Joel states.

They make their way over to a building with a hole in the wall big enough to fit the horses.

"How many people will be there? Fireflies. I mean." Ellie asks, looking back at (Y/N). "It'll take quite a crew for something like that."

"And people my age?"

"I have no idea, kiddo." She answers, stopping next to their horse at a gate and clambering off.(Y/N) begins pushing the gate opens until both horses act up and Joel stops her. "Woah, woah, woah... what is it?"

The all familiar sound of a strangled cry echoes around them and Ellie frowns. "Sounds like runners."

"Stay with Ellie and the horses. I'll go check it out." Joel informs (Y/N), walking through the gate and closing it back up.

"You sure?" She asks and he nods. "I don't wanna leave Ellie alone and have a horse run off."

They watch as he disappears from sight and then after a few minutes, the pair hear the gentle whirring of a generator. Pushing the gate open once more, Ellie hums and Joel comes down the stairs.

"I would've wanted to be an astronaut." Ellie speaks, striking up a conversation.

"Really?" The Firefly climbs back on her horse once Joel opens the next gate.

"Yeah. Can you imagine being up there all by yourself? Would've been cool, I'm just sayin'. What about you two?"

(Y/N) chuckles. "I wanted to be a [profession of your choosing]. What about you Joel?"

He clears his throat in slight embarrassment. "Oh... well, when I was a kid I wanted to be a... a singer." He mutters the end, getting on his horse and leading them out and Ellie laughs, thinking he's joking. "Shut up."

"I'm serious."

"Sing something." (Y/N) prompts, riding beside them and he looks at her to see a warm smile. "Ah, no."