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

Chapter 17 - A Cruel Reality: Part II

Heading back into the other room, Y/N had to admit he was nervous, just a bit, at the prospect of hanging with the group for dinner. It had been years since he had sat together and ate a decent meal with some like minded folk.

But really, as he hauled his sleeping bag over and laid it bare across the floor, in the corner, he took notice of the others. Henry and Sam were sitting close -- well, Sam was facing away from Henry, almost as if he was afraid to be truly situated near him -- Joel sat beside the heat stove, having gotten it back from Ellie.

She had withheld his involvement in taking it, and obviously hiddened any detail about his medical attention -- for his or perhaps Ellie's own reason. And Ellie herself sat near Joel, elbows propped at her side atop her own sleeping bag.

"Dinner will be ready soon," Joel said as he began to heat up the stove, and next to him, a selection of canned food stacked together.

They'd be eating good tonight.

"Great, I'm starved." Ellie yawned, her hand immediately reaching to cup her mouth with a balled fist. "Tired too"

Y/N snorted as he finally sat down, grimacing when his leg made contact with the fabric of his sleeping bag. Looking up, he stared at the others. He was a good few spaces away from everyone, but still good enough to fully see and hear them.

"Should get your beauty sleep then, princess." He ducked his head, just barely, when a pillow came flying his way.

"I told you not to call me that." Came the childless reply, the one that groaned when the others chuckled at their antics -- even Joel, who cracked a smile as he began to heat up the food.

Y/N rolled his eyes, moving so that his back was against the wall and his leg was secured firmly across his bedding, so not to agitate it, and grabbed his bag from his side.

"I'll stop calling you princess when you stop being the damsel in distress."

Ellie looked ready to throw hands, her eyes were narrowed in a playful manner, and her head raised high up from the sleeping bed it had once been laid one. She went to speak but was interrupted by Joel's voice.

"I've seen her save you a dozen or two. Wouldn't that make you the prince in distress? -- or princess."

Ellie laughed when Y/N's cheeks blushed red from embarrassment as he huffed, and turned away. Likewise, Henry followed suit, and even Sam chuckled despite looking extremely glum.

"Careful, old man," Y/N recovered, the snark in him rising as he took the bait Joel setup. "I saved your asses plenty of times back in Pittsburgh." He shook his head. "Should you still be out there anyway? I wouldn't want you to fall over and have a heart attack." He jested in obvious snarkiness, not allowing his pride to be snuffed by an old man.

Joel huffed, "How old do you think I am?"

"...I don't know," Y/N looked him over, taking in the lines across his forehead, the greying of his hair and beard. "...57?"

"No," The older man shook his head, a mock glare in his eyes as he stared him down.

"52?" Ellie asked, her attention now back on Joel instead of Y/N, something he was thankful for, as he pushed himself back into his hidey hole in the corner.

"45?" Came the voice of Henry and followed Sam with another number, which Henry began to disagree with and the banter of an argument ensued in a playful manner.

The group laughed as Joel grumbled and shook his head. Watching the scene unfold, as Ellie laughed and smiled, the way Henry and Sam digged at each other as Joel tried his best not to let anything away, Y/N couldn't help the frown across his face as he pulled back.