The Last of Us (Male!Ellie x Female!Reader)

Chapter 9: You Have No Idea What Loss Is

FALL

"Jackson County." Elliot reads as we come upon the sign. "That means we're close to Jackson City, right?" I asked Joel and he nods. "You ready to see your dear old brother?" Elliot asked Joel. "I'm just ready to get there." Joel replied. "You nervous?" I asked him. "I don't know what I'm feeling." He sighs as we continue onto the trail until we come up to a dead end.

"So much for this road." I remark. "We just follow the river. It'll lead us straight to Tommy's. C'mon." Joel told me and we turn, found a side path and followed that. "What happened between you two?" Elliot asked Joel. "What do you mean?" Joel asked, confused. "You and Tommy...you're not together, so clearly something went down." Elliot said.

"We just had a bit of a disagreement, that's all." Joel replied. "Oh, here we go...so what was it about?" I asked, exasperated. "Tommy saw the world one way, I saw it the other." Joel said to me. 

"And that's why he joined the Fireflies?" Elliot asked. "Yeah, your friend Marlene promised him hope. That kept him busy for awhile, but just like Tommy, he eventually quit that too." Joel replied as we follow the river.

"How was it, the last time you saw him?" I asked Joel. "I believe his last words to me were I don't ever want to see your fuckin' face again." Joel replied. "Geez." I muttered. "But he's gonna help us?" Elliot asked him. "I suppose we're gonna find out." Joel said as we walk under the bridge.

"Well, with or without his help, we'll get there." Elliot said, hopeful. "Let's just keep going." Joel grumbles as we continue on.

"Whoa, what's that?" I asked as we come upon a large structure. "That there is a hydroelectric power plant." Joel replied. "A...hydra who?" Elliot and I said, confused. "It, uh...uses the river's movement and turns it into electricity." Joel answered as we walk up the stairs towards the plant. "How's it do that?" Elliot asked. "Look. I know what it is, I don't know how it does it." Joel said, annoyed.

"All right...how are we getting across?" I asked as we get up the stairs and Joel goes over to a crank and turns it.

As he turns the wheel, half of a thin bridge appears in front of us. "Well, that gets us halfway. If we get the other one up, we'll make it across." Elliot said and Joel looks out towards the water then jumps in it. "I'll find something. Just hang tight." He said and he inhales a deep breath and dives into the water.

"Ah, damn it." I muttered. "What?" Elliot asked me as I closed my eyes and sighed. "I forgot to put that stupid robot by his grave." I said, referring to Sam, and Elliot frowns then looks down. "What should I do with it?" I asked him. "I'm not sure, (y/n). But....we'll think of something." He said and I look down. I know it's been a few months since it happened but I can't help but think about what happened to Sam and to Henry.
I wish I knew back then what I know now that way I could've said something different to him.

Suddenly, a pallet pops up from the surface then Joel comes up next.

"Alright, Elliot, I need you to--"

"I know, step on the fucking pallet." Elliot said, interrupting Joel, then he jumps on the pallet and Joel ferries him over to the other side. "Go on, give it a spin." Joel told him as he jumps up and runs over to the wheel and starts to crank it, making the other half of the bridge appear. Joel swims back over to me and I help him out of the water then both of us walk across the new bridge.

"Hey, be careful crossing that thing." Elliot told us. "We will." I replied to him and we make to the other side to him. "Teamwork." He said as he raised his right hand. Joel high-fives him and I do the same. "Yeah." Elliot and I exclaimed, happily, while Joel just shakes his head.