The Best Of Us. (Ellie X Male Reader)

Reunion

2 years after Joel and Ellie settled in Jackson.

Outside Saint Mary's Hospital.

"Creating the vaccine, would've killed you. So I stopped them."

Ellie has always doubted Joel's words before they arrived in Jackson. But she keeps telling herself to believe it. Until when she's old enough to take matters into her own hands. Questioning her mission, her immunity, she rode off to Salt Lake City and found the recording left behind by some deceased Fireflies. Joel tracked her down, so she questioned him. Now, it's official.

"Oh my god." She's having a hard time catching  her breath.

"No..." Sobbing, crying, confused.

Joel hates it when she's vulnerable. He went over, putting his hand on her shoulder but she quickly brushed him off.

"Don't you fucking touch me!" Ellie's had enough, she snapped at Joel.

"I will go back with you. But we're done." Walking past him, she gets on her horse, and makes her way back to Jackson. Joel quickly follow her, but the trip was in death defying silence. And so the silent treatment against Joel begin.

Another year later.

"Still trying?" Tommy, Joel's little brother, ask about Joel's attempts of reconciling with Ellie.

"Can't blame her." Joel muttered.

The two are currently out on patrol with their horses, Mickey and Donald, named by some kid after they watch a certain movie. The routines are simple, yet could be fatal at the same time. The infected are unpredictable. Sometimes they came in swarms, sometimes a few.

Then there's hunters from God knows where. But thanks to Joel's history as a hunter, he knew how to work like them.

The community of Jackson has grow over the years since Maria and her father started. Everyone is a family there. Joel even admits to his brother that he's gotten old and senile.

Dude's like over fifty now, but he's not gonna say no to patrol. He told Maria and the others that he still got it, but Tommy knows that he's using it as an excuse to walk off the guilt that's consuming him from within. Killing the infected and hunters are bonuses, helping him relieve the stress physically. He may be old, but he ain't weak.

"Look. I talked to Emma about the dinner. Maybe you should show." Tommy, changing the conversation hoping to ease his brother.

"I don't know." His brother tried to set him up with some woman ever since he arrived in Jackson, but to no avail. The only one that mattered is Ellie. It's always her. But seeing how she doesn't gives a shit about him, maybe he'll agree.

"Seriously Joel? How about I bring Ellie along?"

"She'll know you're up to something."

"Fine. No more invitation for you. Let's get this over with. The sky ain't looking so pretty today." Tommy's right. Dark clouds are forming. And with wind, rain is within hours away from hitting them.

The two brothers followed their designated route, until Joel heard a faint sound of clicking. Slowly, approaching the the direction, they witnessed at least over a dozen infected, several clickers among them, tearing apart the corpse of a moose.

Joel and Tommy each prepared themselves with their weapons, getting ready for any confrontation. Steadily awaits any possible outcomes, until they saw a small object flying from the other side of the forest, hitting one of the clickers in the head, alerting them.